Suitors and Sabotage

Synopsis

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother.

Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural appreciative, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended.

But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems, when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows- despite their efforts to remain just friends- so does the danger . . . 

Loved

• I love Ben Steeple. He reminds me a lot of Mr. Tilney from Northanger Abbey, who is my favorite (if such a thing is possible) Jane Austen heartthrob. I love Ben's wit and devil-may-care attitude, but he is thoughtful and loyal. I love how he draws Imogene's shy personality out and keeps her laughing. There are so many cute moments when his wit and cleverness make it impossible for Imogene to hide behind her art and shyness, and it's so fun to see.

• I love Imogene! It's very refreshing to have a Regency heroine who is so awkward and so shy. I think we'd all love to be like Elizabeth Bennett, who is always clever and can bring down even the likes of Mr. Darcy with her wit, but many of us are probably more like Imogene, who runs inside and hides when her betrothed comes to her house. I love that she is so awkward and never knows what to say or how to make conversation. She is a very relatable heroine.

• I love the mystery. If you're going in expecting Stalking Jack the Ripper, you will be very disappointed. This is not a murder mystery, just a series of odd events that seem to be trying to hurt Ben. I enjoyed the more low-key mystery that didn't involve gruesome bodies or anything intense. It was just enough to be interesting and keep you guessing, but was still very light and fluffy like we hope for in Regency novels.

• I loved the witty writing. Cindy Antsey is very clever in her writing and I love her descriptions of certain scenes and the thoughts of her characters. The writing is fast-paced and interesting and kept me laughing throughout.

• The romance. I won't spoil it, but I love how the romance turns out. Love triangles are one of my biggest bookish pet peeves, but this one wasn't too painful. It was light and the ending was just perfect and had me smiling the rest of the day :)

Didn't Love

• The only thing I found confusing about this story is that it's supposed to be a Regency novel, but there are many un-Regency like things that happen. Such as everyone calling each other by their christian names- that just wouldn't happen in Regency London. But maybe the author just wanted to take that liberty. It didn't ruin the story or anything, but made the setting less believable.

Content

• Language: 
• No swearing, just uses of Regency curse words such as "lud."

• Sexual content: 
• A few chaste kisses, but that's all- but of course it's a Regency romance, so what do you expect?

• Violence:
• There are a series of "accidents" where one character is trying to hurt Ben, such as throwing rocks at a wasps' nest to make them attack Ben, putting a spur under the saddle so Ben's horse gets spooked, putting holes in Ben's boat, etc. Ben never gets seriously hurt, but it's clear someone is trying to hurt him.

 Overall Thoughts

This was just a light and fun read that made me smile, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It's not as sophisticated as Jane Austen, but also doesn't pretend to be or take itself seriously. The writing is very self-aware and witty, and had me laughing throughout the story. The romance was fun and cute and just made me happy. I don't think this story will change your life or anything, but I can guarantee it will make you laugh at it's wittiness and smile at the charm of the romance- basically it will just leave you feeling a little happier and lighter :)