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Black Sheep
369 pages
A sparkling, laugh-out-loud Regency romp where a sensible spinster and a scandalous rogue discover the sheer joy of flouting society's rules together.
What it feels like
Reading this classic Regency romance feels like stepping into a sunlit drawing room filled with razor-sharp wit and effervescent charm. The narrative moves at a brisk, delightful clip, driven almost entirely by the sparkling, rapid-fire banter between a fiercely independent heroine and a delightfully cynical hero. There is a cozy, cheerful warmth to the atmosphere, balancing lighthearted social satire with a genuinely tender romance about finding love and liberation later in life. The prose is elegant and steeped in authentic period slang, creating an immersive, theatrical experience. It is a perfect comfort read for anyone who devours Austen-esque comedies of manners, rewarding the reader with a joyful, laugh-out-loud journey of two mature people realizing that breaking the rules is far more fun than following them.
- Mood
- cozy
- cheerful
- effervescent
- romantic
- Tone
- wry
- sparkling
- affectionate
- satirical
- lighthearted
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the freedom of unconventionality · finding love later in life · family duty vs. personal happiness · the absurdity of polite society
- The writing
- Elegant, razor-sharp, and steeped in impeccably researched Regency cant, driven by sparkling, rapid-fire dialogue.
- The arc
- Moves from exasperated responsibility and societal constraint to joyful, liberated romance.
- Who it's for
- Readers who delight in witty banter, mature protagonists, and the comforting, humorous rhythms of classic Regency romance.
About the book
With her high-spirited intelligence and good looks, Abigail Wendover was a most sought-after young woman. But of all her high-placed suitors, there was none Abigail could love. Abigail was kept busy when her pretty and naive niece Fanny falls head over heels in love with Stacy Calverleigh, a good-looking town-beau of shocking reputation and an acknowledged seductor. She was determined to prevent her high-spirited niece, from being gulled into a clandestine marriage with hansome Stacy, a plausible fortune-hunter. The arrival to Bath of Stacy's uncle seemed to indicate an ally, but Miles Calverleigh is the black sheep of the family.
Miles Calverleigh had no regard for the polite conventions of Regency society. His cynicism, his morals, his manners appalled Abigail. But he turns out to be Abbie's most important ally in keeping her niece out of trouble. He also turned out to be the most provoking creature Abigail had ever met - with a disconcerting ability to throw her into giggles at quite the wrong moment. Yet she was irresistibly drawn to his knowing smile. But how could she persuade her wealthy, respectable family to accept this unconventional, unsuitable man?
Description from Open Library.
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