Review: Entertaining clean fun
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 31, 2013
Jonas, the Duke of Dorset, is determined to marry his sister off with the hope that she will become a proper lady and better fit into what is characteristic of aristocratic society; not to mention she is a pain in his backside.  She, along with her best friend, Lady Juliet, organize pranks to try to dissuade Jonas of his plans - as Lady Miranda has no desire to marry, especially under the old-fashioned, unrealistic standards set by society for women.  Jonas plans a house party where he can showcase his sister to prospective suitors.  During the week of the ball, Jonas gets to know Lady Juliet on a more personal level and not just as the best friend of his sister.  He secretly watches her and becomes completely enamored by revelations of her many talents and accomplishments - quite the lady of propriety....it would seem.  As time goes by, Jonas sees both sides to Lady Juliet: respectable, well-versed yet playful with liberated ideals.  Lady Juliet also begins to question her growing feelings for the man she once considered more like a brother.  Then they find themselves in a most unfortunate situation when a prank goes terribly wrong.My Review:First off, I would characterize this novel as historical fiction - in that it is set in the past and it is intended to evoke the conditions of a past period, i.e., social customs, social class, class issues, etc.  This particular novel is written in British style and favors the more historical/formal language.  If you're looking for historical fiction that incorporates actual historical events, then you will not find that here.  Why am I beginning my review with this comparison?  Believe it or not, there are readers who will criticize a historical fiction novel if it isn't representative of actual past events in time and, based on that, will write negative reviews.  I hope that does not happen to this little treasure.  Please keep in mind this story is fiction by definition.It's a tale primarily about the "scandalous" idea of marrying for love rather than the profitable marriages meant to enhance social position/status.  The story allows the reader to witness this budding belief of that modern social thought, yet preserves the aristocratic norms of that time (manners, class issues).  The almost exclusive use of dialogue rather than narration helped facilitate the emphasis on the characters and allow for amusing wit and intelligence of both Lady Miranda and Lady Juliet.  Their mischief seems to stay true to the times and keeps the reader captivated and the characters "real."  Of course, there are secondary characters who add their own flavor and ruses that we will get to see more of in later published books in this Lords of Oxford series.There is no angst, love triangles or malicious exploits to the plot, yet it thrives as a straightforward, playful read.  Author, Renee Reynolds, made me feel like I was in a Jane Austen movie (notice I said movie and not novel).  I've not read Jane Austen but love the movies based on her work and that is exactly the sentiment I got while reading this.Bottom line is this is a charming tale that reads like a classic and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  If you're in the mood for this kind of romance, I recommend giving this one a shot.  I know I will be reading more from this author.Favorite quote: "Life is full of trials, sometimes daily. But I would not trade one difficulty, one tragedy, if the price were never holding you again, never sharing my life with you."