Lady in Waiting

November 29, 2004
In Caskie's far-fetched second Regency romance (after Rules of Engagement
), Jenny Penny, illegitimate daughter of an unnamed baronet, and lady's maid to the two fluttering Featherton sisters, strives for a life above her station. While wintering in Bath with her employers, she spends her slim earnings on "earbobs" and muffs in the town's most exclusive shops. But she also reveals great skill as an amateur chemist, mixing up gallipots of peppermint face cream for her employers. The ton's most exclusive ladies soon discover that this "tingle cream" can be used elsewhere, and thanks to an underground servants' network, Jenny finds her discretionary revenue increasing along with her mysterious reputation as Lady Eros. Then Lord Argyll, a lusty Scottish baron, discovers Jenny one day as she's modeling a dress for the Feathertons. The two ladies immediately seize upon a plan to match Jenny to the Scottish baron, to whom she's introduced as Lady Genevieve. Days ironing, evenings at balls and nights filling gallipots soon bring Jenny to the end of her rope. How will Lady Eros, Lady Genevieve and plain old Jenny Penny finally reunite for one happy ending? Those willing to completely disregard rigid English rules about social class will delight in the fairy tale answer to this question. Agent, Jenny Bent at Trident Media.

December 1, 2004
Lady's maid Jenny Penny dreamed of one day being a lady. Now it seems her dream is coming true. When Jenny is caught trying out a lovely coach by its owner, Callum Campbell, Viscount Argyll, Jenny pretends to be "Lady Genevieve" in order to escape. Much to her surprise, when Jenny encounters Callum again, her employers, Viola and Letitia Featherton, encourage her to continue her masquerade. Although the idea of dressing up and playing lady with a wickedly gorgeous Scotsman is very tempting, Jenny really doesn't have time to spare because her homemade peppermint facial cream has suddenly become quite popular (for use in an unintended manner) with Bath's finest. As Jenny struggles to meet the ever-increasing demands for Lady Eros' "cream d'amour" without her employers finding out, she still tries to keep Callum from discovering that his new lady love is but a maid. A delightfully original heroine with a penchant for shopping beyond her means matches wits with a sinfully sexy hero in Caskie's latest sweet, frothy, and laughter-laced historical Regency.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)