Series: The Unsuitable Brides, #2
Traits & Tropes: class difference; hidden identity; marriage of convenience; humor
Publication Date: 03.25.22
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; London, England, 1891
Heat Level: 2
Rating: 4/5
Dean Rathborne-Paxton’s position as second youngest son of the tyrannical Marquess of Vegas means that much has never been expected of him. He’s happy to put that free time to use working behind the scenes at the Concord Theater, happy to be close to London’s most famous actress, Nanette D’Argent. He has long desired Nanette, but with his brothers’ new scheme to marry wealthy but scandalous wives, he begins to see her in a new light.
Nan Silvers’ hard won fame and fortune are based on a lie she told to build her image into the profitable tool it is today. Her face is now on chocolates and face creams across the metropolis, but nothing is ever quite enough to satisfy the small-town family she left behind to try her hand at an acting career. When Dean proposes to her almost at random, Nan can’t say no to the opportunity to marry into the aristocracy and perhaps finally get some respect.
Dean and Nan have a whirlwind courtship in which secrets are revealed, families are offended, and enemies dog the opening night of Nan’s new play, but strangely all of this only brings them closer together.
This was a fun romp characteristic of this author’s style, just something light to pass time with, but thankfully pretty low on angst. Some of the humor employed here and the sabotaging efforts of the villain felt a bit slapstick for me and that’s just not something I prefer, but I think most readers will find those scenes endlessly entertaining. I did really enjoy Dean and Nan together because of their fairly consistent honesty with one another and their willingness to work things out and choose each other even in the face of obstacles. They were actually really cute together and my biggest critique here is that they didn’t get to have much on page intimacy together without other characters butting in for their page time.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2658350696
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4623207217
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