As with many of the series I read and review, I started this one somewhere in the middle with The Wedding Challenge.
The Duke’s sister, Callie, finds herself inexplicably drawn to the mysterious Earl of Bromwell. And Brom seems to have it out for the Duke, despite having the hots for his sister.
Clandestine meetings, hot sexual tension and madcap adventures ensue. Camp has an easy writing style that makes it possible to identify with her characters. Her books are also entertaining and not without substance–or a well written villainess. I also like how she sets up the characters for the final book of the series–without overshadowing the main plot as seems to be du jour among hist-ro series.
The Courtship Dance is a bittersweet tale about love lost and found again. The Duke is more accessible than the usual duchy fare, and has some amazing moments. I also love the incredible ingenuity of Francesca Houghton, our heroine, who has managed to stay a leading lady of the ton despite being in the River Tick.
Camp is a solid hist-ro author with a seamless writing style perfect for lazy summer reading. Nothing is overdone here, instead she allows her characters to blossom in their own right which is a nice prelude to true romance.
