At the request of her patron, Effie Flite has returned to England following a few years as a lady's companion in Paris. As an orphan trained in the Crinoline Academy, Effie has the ability to blend in seamlessly in London's society while also holding her own in less savory situations (that's where the sharp hairpins and steel-pointed parasol come in handy), both of which will be needed in her next assignment: take down Lord Compton, a seemingly upstanding member of Parliament who holds enough sway to prevent the married women's property act from coming to a vote. Unfortunately, Effie's assignment has her at odds with formidable betting shop owner Gabriel Royce, who needs Compton's influence to help secure funding to rehabilitate the slums of St. Giles. Too bad that Effie and Gabriel can't deny the attraction between them.
This is an intriguing historical romance, with plenty of meaty historical elements and compelling side plots and backstories for the characters, making it an enjoyable read. (It's also somewhat inspired by Miss Havisham's story in Great Expectations, so no, you're not imagining that.) However, something about the way the romantic elements come together in the end feels a bit disingenuous to Effie's character, which keeps this from getting an enthusiastic recommendation from me.
No comments:
Post a Comment