Review: Not enamoured with the leads
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 09 3, 2013
I thought the premise of Rules for a Lady unique but I was not overly fond of the lead characters who did not have a strong emotional connection.Gillian is the illegitimate offspring of an aristocrat and she has been waiting on her sickly, mean, legitimate half-sister for years.  When her sister dies, Gillian hatches a plan to take on her sister's identity.  She also wants to save her mother who is ill so she plans on having a season and marrying a wealthy man.She goes to London to stay with her sister's cousin, Lord Stephen. Unfortunately Gillian has no idea of life amongst the ton especially the rules that are expected of young ladies.  She is a hoyden and does not want to change.Stephen is troubled by Gillian.  He wants to avoid scandal but cannot figure out why is his ward has so much trouble following rules.  He even writes them down for her to memorize.The leads have a contentious relationship at times.  Gillian believes she knows what she is about and she can be very stubborn.  In fact, she has a tendency not to listen to Stephen much at all.  Her plan of assuming her sister's identity has its flaws.  I never could grasp how she would explain her mother to a husband when she is supposedly an orphan.Stephen seems to be more interested in being right than having a relationship but at least I could empathize with his dilemma with his ward who is unpredictable and at times fool hearty.  This short story improves toward the end, when the leads start communicating and are honest with themselves about their feelings.