Review: A Sublime Experience in Grammatical Perfection  ***4 1/2 Stars***
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2014
I absolutely loved this book.  First of all, it is absolutely, perfectly written...and I'm not talking about the author's writing style or talent; although it is obvious Ms. Hemmerling is very talented.  What I am talking about is her perfect use of the English language; grammar, punctuation, and the like.  Am I crazy?  Maybe!But, since I started reading e-books, I've found soooooo many that are so poorly written, or where the author demonstrates poor knowledge of the English language, that it's made me gnash my teeth in despair.  In this instance, it is absolutely clear that Ms. Hemmerling has mastered the English language; couple that with superior editing and you have this book.Technical aspects aside, the plot of this book is very interesting; with the use of humor, witty repartee, and a bit of intrigue, it keeps you thoroughly engaged from cover to cover.  It's about a young woman and her betrothed who work together to solve the apparent murder of his cousin.  For all that there is murder involved, this is a lighthearted, fun regency romance.  It does have a bit of a young adult feel to it, so you might want to keep that in mind when deciding on whether or not to purchase the book.One reviewer titled her review of this book as "Nancy Drew visits Regency England."  LOL  In a way that's quite true.  Nevertheless, while I do agree with a few of the comments that reviewer made about this book, I do not agree with her 2 star rating...of course we each are entitled to our own opinion, and I'd never begrudge anyone that right.I thought the book well written, with a fully developed story, and well drawn characters.  I do feel as though it would have played better had the characters been a bit younger, especially Simon.  A man of 26 during the Regency period was much older than a man of 26 today; by then many were already married with several children.  In light of that, Simon's carefree, ne'er do well attitude did seem a bit juvenile for his age.  Had he been a full blown rake, then his age would not have mattered.  Instead, it seemed Simon was playing at being a rake.  LOLIn any event, that aside I thought this book was just about perfect.  Rose is a member of the Young Ladies Garden Society that is "chaired" by the Dowager Duchess of Lancaster.  The young ladies who are members are all very intelligent women; albeit all very different.  The real purpose of the Society is to solve mysteries.This is the second book involving the Garden Society; the first is "Taming Her Forbidden Earl."  The characters from the first book are all in this one, but each can be read as a stand alone.  As a matter of fact, I read this book before reading "Taming."  Interestingly, the villain is the same in both stories; and he finally gets his just desserts in this book.Simon and Rose have been betrothed since Rose's birth, when Simon was 5.  He has pretty much spent his life rebelling against his betrothal; determined that he will marry Rose only when he is good and ready.  Now, at the age of 26, he still has absolutely no interest in getting married anytime soon.  When Simon teams up with Rose to solve his cousin's murder, however, he begins to have a new appreciation for the fascinating woman who is his fiancée.  As the two work together, their feelings for one another begin to evolve.There is a lot of sexual chemistry between the two; or should I say that Simon has a hard time keeping his hands off Rose.  LOL Before you know it, and completely against his will, Simon finds himself totally ensnared by his fiancée.  By the end of the book, Simon and Rose get their HEA, and the bad guy gets his just desserts.Overall, a thoroughly engaging story.  BTW I would not say that this is a clean romance.  There are a few heavy kissing scenes and a love scene, which although described is not, IMO, overly graphic, nor is any explicit language used.  If you're in the mood for a lighthearted, fun, sometimes LOL romance novel, then this book is definitely worth a try.  Happy reading!