Her virtue or her dreams . . . which must she abandon?Emilia Glasbarr doesn’t want to be a country miss with a yard full of geese and a scant handful of neighbors. She wants the music, theatre and art found in Scotland’s capital city. She’s sunk her every resource into finishing school to find a city-dwelling husband. Unfortunately, the only man interested wants her for a far less savory purpose. savory purpose.
The first four Marriage Maker Romances
A Lady of Worth
The Marriage Maker
A Lady By Chance
How to Catch an Heiress
The other Rules of Refinement Romances
Redemption of a Marquess
Shameless
A Marriage of Necessity
more
This was Book 1 in the ‘Rules of Refinement’ series and book 5 in ‘The Marriage Maker’ series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I actually have two copies, an e-book and a paperback.
I recently won a gift [P&P Infinity Scarf] as part of the Austen Authors website Quarterly Giveaway. Summer Hanford was one of the participating authors during that quarter and when my package arrived, I was surprised to find an autographed paperback copy of ‘One Good Gentleman’ nestled within the package. I had already purchased the ebook and was thrilled to receive a paperback copy. I forgot it was book 5 when I started reading it. I’m rather OCD about reading books in order; however, it didn’t matter as it was perfect as a standalone.
This was a delightful story. It was a quick read but the action didn’t feel choppy or speed by the reader. This was the perfect balance where the angst was short-lived, not lethal and was soon solved with wit and wisdom. Although, the hero took his time there for about a minute and I thought I was going to have to slap him-up-side-the head with his own foolishness. Whew! I didn’t want to have to do that as I really liked him. He was the perfect choice for the heroine. Only he didn’t know that yet.
Our young heroine was a bit ditzy/naïve but not in a stupid way [which I hate]. Unlike Cinderella, she didn’t leave the ball before midnight. Ooops! That was a very big mistake on her part and caused all manner of problems for her. She didn’t turn into a pumpkin but nearly became something else instead. You see… before midnight Lady Peddington’s ball is full of hopeful young ladies looking for husbands and gentlemen are invited who are looking for wives. At midnight the blushing maidens leave in a gaggle of silk and lace. After midnight the ball is filled with gentlemen who are looking for something else as many are already married. The girls who stayed were bolder in their actions and were willing to be taken care of and/or become someone’s pampered mistress. One such rake and snake-in-the grass… Viscount Dunreid, Lord Ailbeart was in the market for a new mistress and he had cast his vulgar eyes upon our Miss Emilia Glasbarr who had tarried by mistake or had been left behind. Where were her friends that she was so concerned about? Why did no one see that she was well?
Bless her heart. Miss Emilia had convinced her parents to spend her dowry and send her to Miss Peddington’s finishing school. She knew her chance of making a match was slim to none if she stayed in the country. At least at Lady Peddington’s there were four balls given where she stood as good a chance as any at meeting the right gentlemen and making a good match. Her prerequisite for a husband was that he be a city-dweller and have enough money to live comfortably as she loved music, theatre, and the art found in Edinburgh.
Once our Lord Snake-in-the-Grass gazed his eyes on Miss Emilia he was determined to have her. When she refused his advances, he declared that no one would dance with her ever again now that he had claimed her. No one would dare cross him. She was completely distraught. When she sought help from her favorite teacher, she was discretely referred to Sir Stirling James ‘the marriage maker’ for help. He sent Robert Banbrook who had a previous history with Lord and Lady Dunreid. Yeah, he and the snake didn’t like each other and Lady B-Witch turned out to be his wicked and conniving ex who had chosen Dunreid over him. She nearly succeeded in separating Robert and Emilia forever. Whew! It was touch and go there for a while.
I know the title said it was book 5; however, it read like a standalone. As for this being book one in a new series, I suspected there would be other books to follow since she had friends that will probably need help from ‘the marriage maker.’ I look forward to reading them also.
Our area recently had a power outage that lasted well into the night and wee hours of the morning. Without power, I don’t have WIFI and that knocks out my computer, my e-reader, and I can’t read on my phone [it is an older phone and not a smartphone nor an iPhone]. Besides, high-tech batteries don’t last long. In our preparedness for weather and such times as a power outage, I had a Craftsman headlamp that allowed me to comfortably read Summer’s book. I kid you not. It has an adjustable headband and I put that sucker on, fixed the brightness, and tilted the lamp so the light would shine on my book. I swore after the last outage, where I had to read my book with a flashlight balanced on my shoulder, that I was going to get a headlamp. It worked and I finished my book. So, when someone asks what I did during the power outage… I tell them I read this adorable book using my Craftsman headlamp. I highly recommend this story.