I received this regency era romance as a selection in my Book Riot Quarterly box over a year ago. I've finally come around to reading it since I was spurred on by a readathon on Booktube. The challenge this satisfies is "to read a book outside of your comfort zone." After hearing Maclean speak on a panel at the Book Riot Live event this past November, I was further intrigued to pick this up.
The scene opens on a day in 1821 when the Marquess of Bourne gambles away his family estate and riches to a former friend and family mentor. The disgraced and embittered Bourne swears vengeance and spends the next ten years trying to regain his wealth as a partner in London's premiere gaming hell, The Fallen Angel. When he is given an opportunity to regain his property upon a marriage, he jumps at the chance. Of course these things don't go as planned, and he has a childhood connection to his sweet and innocent new wife Penelope.
I thought the witty banter between the characters was fun. Let's be honest, in these stories it's mostly a build up to a sex scene. I was surprised this had a smidge less cheesiness than expected, and was often tongue in cheek. I only cringed marginally. There was a particular dinner party scene where Penelope is musing on her husband's account of their meeting "Such lies. So smooth. So easy to believe." Umm, not quite. If someone was gushing and laying it on that thick over a meal I'd be inclined to think he was at least disingenuous.
I might read the second book if it's available at my library because it focuses on her bookish sister Pippa. I'd recommend for anyone who likes a quick, fun romance set in the Regency era. There's some fun back and forth and it doesn't take itself too seriously.
