Review: Truly wanted to like this book, but...
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
It appears I will be going against the majority here.  The writing is well enough, and I really tried to like the story.However, misuse of aristocratic titles were so jarring that it prevented me from enjoying the book.  Why is the Earl of Colehill referred to as Lord Highborough throughout, instead of Lord Colehill? And it's the "Highborough" crest on the carriage?  It should always be the title, not the surname.  And don't even start me on "Lady Rossmore". One minute it's Meredith (correctly) and another minute it's Isabelle (who should be Lady Isabelle).  This careless interchanging of title between the 2 ladies is unacceptable in Regency historicals.  The author also never explained how the widow & daughter of an earl managed to continue living at a property most definitely entailed. An estate named Rossmore House should have been passed on to the earl's heir or, if there is no male descendant in the entire extended family, reverted back to the crown.  Their arrangement is inconceivable.As for the H and h, I could only say that when one finds oneself rooting for the stepmother, it's a lost cause.  Ms. Bryant repeatedly uses the words "pragmatic", "sensible", and "logical" to describe the h, of which I see no evidence.  She's an "innocent" and her idea of adventure is to get kissed, pawed, and deflowered by a reknowned rake (who is selfish to the core).  She's 26!  Even 17-yr-old debutantes knew better.I know it is hard to write books and this appears to be a debut novel.  I hope that Ms. Bryant will delight us with more stories in the future (perhaps of Devlin & Phin?).