Anya Wylde: Dorothy

The Fairweather sisters adore each other and always stand by one another. But when circumstances force Dorothy May Fairweather to marry Lord William Edmund Huxley, the man her best friend is in love with and the Duke’s arch enemy, things change.

With her one foolish mistake, Dorothy manages to vex all those that mean the most to her.

Now all alone and miserable, Dorothy has to win back her sisters, the duke, her in-laws and of course, her breathtakingly handsome new husband.

I laughed, I cried, and became more of an Anya Wylde fan girl with Dorothy. With the almost effortless whimsy, humor and love of an early Julia Quinn, Dorothy picks up the Fairweather story with the youngest minx to hit Town.

Dorothy is styled after most Reg Rom heroines…spunky, soft hearted, and given over to scrapes. She is also currently looking to make Lord Lumley her project–for life. But the fates intervene, and she finds herself in a marriage to the obstinate, handsome and often rude Lord Huxley.

Huxley is complicated. More alpha than beta, he nonetheless confounds us until all is revealed in the end. I like him the way I like Darcy—you just know his “vicious honey” voice and cutting barbs are masking all manner of hurts.

Although this is kisses only, and much of the era details are careful (but not obviously) added to give a real flavor for the time, this is not a traditional Regency. The lighthearted tone, the fast pace, and humor has a definite modern charm that is more closely aligned with mass market Regencies. This makes it an entertaining, sweet, and funny ready for both mass market and traditional fans alike who are looking for something a bit (but not too much!) different.

There is lots of action and characters, but the focus is between H/h and their character arcs. Even though Wylde applies a light touch, I felt invested in the characters (enough to read this one straight through) and enjoyed the bittersweet moments along with a little bit of silliness. Its been a tough week out in the real world, and frankly I needed the image of a flaming wig and mustachioed painting.

Its a bit on the short side, as Wylde doesn’t spend a ton of time with supporting characters. In fact, that’s probably my only criticism. The times the H/h are with other characters are the most revealing, and set up the best tension (and comedy), which is why other masters of Reg Rom use foils so effectively. I would’ve liked a bit more of that in parts that felt a bit rushed…however, there were plenty of other moments were I was simply in love (and a bit jealous) at the deliciously witty writing.

The plot is a bit Beauty and The Beast (although a bit more Bratty and The Beast…and I mean that lovingly–the heroine after all likes to slide down bannisters) in that the hero seems to like to growl a lot and harbor some sort of secret. Wylde definitely is a dab hand at the madcap, and although this is not quite as funny as The Wicked Wager, it has moments of rompish repartee.

Anya Wylde is a special talent, and one I recommend Reg readers check out. Her books are definitely worthy of re-read queues, and she tweaks the genre in a way that is respectful, loving and enjoyable.

5 Stars 4.75 out of 6 Fun, fast and funny Beauty and the Beast tale of unlikely loves