Miss Darby's Duenna
Promised to each other from childhood, Olivia Darby and Harry Hawthorne dutifully do the expected and become engaged. But when Livvy goes to London for the Season to make her debut and ends up attracting the attentions of a disreputable rake with vengeance on his mind, Harry is startled into the realization that he is actually in love with his intended and must do something about the situation. However, his remedyAto impersonate his reclusive grandmother so that he can keep a protective eye on LivvyAresults in a host of unlooked-for and occasionally hilarious problems, and it isn't until his redoubtable grandmother actually comes to town that things are set to rights once and for all. An appealing heroine, a worthy hero who matures nicely, several exceptionally well-done supporting characters, and a sprinkling of abductions and mistaken identities together with a dash of blackmail add to the charm of this exceptionally well-written Regency. This has all the hallmarks of a winner and is sure to please the most discerning fans. This title won the 1996 Royal Ascot Award, presented by the Beau Monde Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. South (The Weaver Takes a Wife, PrinnyWorld, 1999) has also written for the young adult market and lives near Mobile, AL.Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.