A fun, lighthearted romance set in Regency England, The Marriage Wager, by Karla Darcy, propels its protagonist from riches to poverty and back again. Swift point of view changes make for a slightly jumpy read, appropriately disorienting as Jena, upset from her favored days of good fortune, struggles to cope with a life of hardship without compromising her moral standards. When Dev sees her, he’s convinced she’s a fallen woman. But he’ll never marry anyway, since ladies and actresses – both ends of the social spectrum – can surely only be interested in money. With Dev unwilling, and Jena unable to marry, the stage is set for romance.

Jena's father turns out not to be the only one partial to a good wager as this tale progresses. And Jena's good nature combines with good humor and generous wisdom to offer the promise of improvement to her former employees. There may even be the hope of love for this tale’s jaded antagonist, if he can just learn to listen to his heart. Meanwhile readers can enjoy some great characters and fun historical details in a tale of pleasing romance.

Disclosure: I found a free ecopy. I can’t remember how, but I enjoyed it. ( )