The Fairest of Them All

March 14, 2016
Maxwell’s second Marrying the Duke Regency (after Match of the Century) is well written, with sharp historical accuracy and a slightly feminist bent. Beautiful Charlene is a penniless orphan, with only her family’s good name to attract potential suitors. She’s the ward of her actress aunt, and she enjoys their female-only household, but financial pressures require her to seek a wealthy husband. Enter Jack Whitridge, who manages to cross Charlene’s path in the most hilarious way. Seventeen years before, Jack abruptly left England, telling no one that he was leaving or where he was going. Now he returns to London to beg his twin brother, the Duke of Baynton, to support the fledgling nation of America, and he has no time for women—but coincidentally, he shows up on the night of the ball that’s intended to find the duke a wife. Readers are transported back to the time of grand balls and Gretna Green, and the romance is tinged with the faintest whiff of wartime gunpowder. Smart dialogue, a strong plot, and simmering politics make for a delicious read. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House.

April 1, 2016
An impoverished noblewoman takes to petty crime until a handsome duke shows interest in marrying her. But does she even want a fairy-tale ending? In a romance novel, where the story almost always ends with a loving marriage, it can be difficult for authors to surprise their readers. But Maxwell (The Match of the Century, 2015, etc.) manages just that, keeping the reader in suspense about which gentleman will win the lady for at least the first half of the novel. This second installment in her Marrying the Duke series tells the story of Lady Charlene Blanchard, the orphaned daughter of a profligate gambler who is now living with her mother's sister, an actress and playwright. When Char's uncle stops sending money, she secretly dresses as a boy and learns to pick pockets, running afoul of a local gang of street-hardened boys in the process. Then a family friend secures an introduction to Gavin Whitridge, the Duke of Baynton, who is rumored to be looking for a wife. Char acquiesces. Her aunt wants to see Char returned to a higher station in life, but Char herself is more interested in making a good marriage so she can provide her aunt with a measure of security. When the street gang gets wind of Char's new suitor, they threaten to expose her criminal activities, and Char turns to the duke's handsome brother, Jack Whitridge, for help. Conflict between the duke and his brother makes a friendship between Char and Jack challenging, and the secrets Char is keeping from the duke expand. Maxwell's signature skill at depicting complicated family relationships is one of the novel's strongest features. Even secondary characters display unusual depth under Maxwell's deft hand. Both lively and thought-provoking, this book is well worth reading.

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June 15, 2016

Returning to London from America for the first time in years, Jack Whitridge nabs a young pickpocket who's just robbed his compatriot and is startled to find he's chased down a lady instead of a lad. Then he's even more stunned when the same lady (who has escaped) turns out to be Lady Charlene Blanchard, the beauty his twin brother, the straitlaced Duke of Baynton, plans to wed. Naturally, Jack intends to get to the bottom of things, but falling in love with his brother's "almost" intended isn't in the cards--until Lady Char takes action. VERDICT Jealousy, old resentments, and misunderstandings drive the plot of this charming, historically grounded Regency that brings an independent, spirited couple together and cleverly paves the way for the last of the trilogy. Maxwell (The Match of the Century) lives in Virginia.

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