Susanna Craig

A Miss and a Lord – both have secrets and secret identities – One wants revenge – and the other wants protection. I loved this book from the meet-cute to the last word in the epilogue and I hope you will love it too.

Miss Julia Addison is the daughter of a clergyman and she always longed for more freedom than a young lady of that period was allowed – especially a clergyman’s daughter. The opportunity to gain a small measure of freedom came when Mrs. Mildred Hayes’s niece (and companion) married Julia’s brother. Julia stepped in to become Mrs. Hayes’s companion – and in doing so, she gained the freedom to become the theater reviewer for Goode’s magazine. Well, no, nobody knows she is the one writing the reviews – it is all done under a secret identity, but she is very happy with that arrangement. At least she’s happy with it until she discovers that Ransom Blackadder, a satirical playwright, is seeking revenge against her for a review she wrote about one of his plays. Oh!

Graham McKay, the Earl of Dunstane, writes satirical plays under the pseudonym Ransom Blackadder. Those plays are always great successes and bring in lots of much-needed money to save his estates. All the reviewers are writing scathing reviews (which he wants as they bring in the audience) – all except one who writes something different. He absolutely cannot have that and he’ll go to great lengths to identify and unmask that reviewer. How dare she!

Julia intrigues Graham from the first time he meets her at the theater. Will their secrets keep them apart even though they care for one another? Can either or both of them come to trust the other enough to share their secret?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fast-paced, witty, entertaining book and can recommend it. So, grab a cup of tea, find a cozy nook, and be prepared for a lovely afternoon spent with Graham and Julia. You’ll be glad you did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (más)

Graham McKay, Lord Dunstane, is a Scottish earl who has lived through too much tragedy and is the last surviving member of his family. He inherited an earldom ridden with debt, and is restoring it to profitability from his earnings as a playwright. He's a sad and bitter man who writes cynical comedies under the name Blackadder (a distracting choice because of the famous British television series). His latest is an attack on literary critics, in particular Miss on Scene who writes for Mrs Goode's magazine for independent young women.

Miss on Scene is Julia Addison, sister of Captain Sterling and sister-in-law of Laura from Better off Wed in the Live and Let Spy series. She has taken over Laura's role of companion to Mrs. Hayes, who is Laura's aunt. Mrs Hayes and Laura share a love of the theatre, and it is at Covent Garden that they first meet Lord Dunstane, who is instantly attracted to Julia. This is a familiar plot, so it needs characters with wit, charm and sparkle to lift it from the mundane. Graham and Julia can't quite manage it.

This was a pleasant read, but I didn't find the characters engaging. I hope that the mysterious, frizzy-haired illustrator, who is potentially much more interesting, will be the heroine of the next book.

Thank to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this ARC.… (más)

When Daphne follows her cat into an old bookstore, she never imagines her adventure will lead her to a new calling--writing an advice column for a magazine for young misses. She accepts an assignment to write about how to avoid being taken in by charming rakish men, which leads her to becoming involved with the "Devil Devereaux," a well known rake about town. Readers are left to wonder how Daphne will find her way through the maze of social events while maintaining her anonymity as "Miss B." All is wrapped up in a satisfactory manner in the end.

Although this book represents the start of a new series, it can be read as a stand alone novel.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (más)