How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

Starred review from February 7, 2011
New York Times-bestseller Jeffries (The Truth About Lord Stone) delivers a delightful addition to the scandalous Sharpe family saga. Lady Minerva Sharpe must wed by year's end or lose her inheritance. Minerva, a successful writer of gothic novels, doesn't care about the money for herself, but for the sake of her siblings. Hoping to force her grandmother into changing this ultimatum, Minerva agrees to a bargain with her secret "weakness," Giles Masters, whom her grandmother hates. In exchange for marrying Giles, Minerva will kill off her favorite villain, the Marquess of Rockton, a spy and all-around rogue based—very loosely—on Giles. Coincidently, Giles really is a spy for the British government, when he's not working hard as one of the most promising young barristers in the country. Minerva worries about the secrets Giles is keeping from her, while Giles worries that his nemesis might seek revenge by hurting her. Quick pacing, witty dialogue, and charmingly original characters set Jeffries's books apart, and this one is sure to please old fans and make plenty of new ones as well.

Starred review from February 15, 2011

Frustrated by her grandmother's edict that she, like the rest of her siblings, marry within the year or have her funds cut off, Lady Minerva Sharpe sets out to beat her grandmother at her own game. She will become engaged to a scoundrel and force Gran to relent. When Giles Masters, a rogue she has found fascinating since childhood and now the model for the spy hero in the romantic novels she writes, appears in response to her startling public announcement that she is interviewing applicants for a husband, Minerva decides that he is perfect for her fake engagement scheme. But Giles has plans of his own, and they definitely don't include anything fake. An independent, marriage-wary heroine and a smart, determined hero with hidden depth set tongues wagging and sparks flying in this effervescent romp. VERDICT Vastly appealing characters, witty badinage, and a lively sense of fun make this a delightful read and a welcome installment in Jeffries's latest series. Jeffries (A Hellion in Her Bed) lives in Cary, NC.

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