Joan Smith: Escapade

Ella Fairmont, as the anonymous Miss Prattle, has taken the Duke of Clare to task regularly in her gossip column. The duke, unsuspecting, includes Ella and her aunt in his week-long country houseparty. He has also included the blue-blooded Lady Honor, the strikingly beautiful Miss Sheridan, and the multi-talented Miss Prentiss. How could one “ordinary” young lady with a sharp tongue compete with three sterling debutantes?

I must admit I started this one two or three times before it took. Once I got past the first chapter or so, though, I couldn’t put it down.

Reminiscent of Sylvester, and a precursor to the Lady Whistledown (Romancing Mr. Bridgerton) books, the heroine is an unassuming, rather plain girl with a sharply pointed pen and a personality that only wants a bit of familiarity before it really sparkles. She has used her gossip column to take barbs at the admittedly cavalier Duke of Clare for years, with no rhyme or reason except that she hates his apparent arrogance.

Her chaperone/Aunt, who is friends with the Dook, has decided to scheme a bit and managed to secure an invitation to a hastily planned house party at Clare Palace. Unable to resist being on the frontlines of her favorite gossip fodder’s potential bride selection, Ella agrees to attend.

Ella is shy, with neither beauty or dowry enough to attract much attention in Town. But with a smaller group in close confines, she slowly gets pulled out of her shell and quickly becomes a favorite with all the guests–except the competition.

The book is funny (not, however, laugh out loud), with a light and chattery pace and tone that carries the reader through without having to resort to wild plot twists, villains or other inventions. There is a delightful ensemble of characters who are beautifully traced–the debutante who is beautiful and all about clothes, hair, and her own beauty, the debutante who is all about her many accomplishments and naturally showcasing them at every opportunity and the debutante who takes bored aloofness to a whole-nother-level. The supporting men are a little less memorable, but nonetheless fine genre true gentleman loving sport, betting, and a woman up for all tricks.

The hero, a second son who has risen to the Dukedom through some misfortune, is the most prized catch in the marriage mart and a bit shellshocked as a result. It seems most of his motivation is a struggle between knowing he needs to marry and feeling utterly exhausted by the choices available–nay, flung at his head.

The love story is the tried and true I hate you! no, I love you, and Smith executes it delightfully. Ella knows that the Duke only starts to like her because she most definitely is not enamored with him (or is she?!).

I definitely will be reading this sweet romance again. Its funny, with a great tension, sweet pay off, and a wonderful cast of characters. I also think it delivers on all that makes Reg Readers love the genre–a little bit of fashion, a lot of etiquette, and plenty of heart.

5 Stars 5 out of 6 A slow burner, this Heyer reminiscent treat has a house party full of characters and funny scenes, plus a sweet Lizzie/Darcy like romance.