The Perfect Mistress

Starred review from December 6, 2010
In bestseller Alexander's (The Perfect Wife) smashing stand-alone Regency, widowed Lady Julia Winterset decides to publish the manuscript of her great-grandmother's tell-all, The Perfect Mistress: The Memoirs of Lady Hermione Middlebury. Harrison Landingham, earl of Mountdale, appalled to learn that his father is named among Lady Hermione's conquests, tries fair means and foul to stop the book's publication, but Julia's determination is founded on both her need for money and the urgings of Lady Hermione's ghost. Pursued by an unscrupulous publisher and an idea-stealing author, Julia must figure out how to get the work published and appease her ancestor's spirit. Deftly written and full of fun, the quick-moving story includes clever excerpts from the memoir ("There is nothing as attractive in a man as effort, no matter how misguided"). A strong heroine, unexpected plot twists, and lively dialogue make this very close to a perfect read.

February 15, 2011

Caught between poverty and selling the rights to her great-grandmother's scandalous memoirs, Lady Julia Winterset suddenly finds herself at odds with Harrison Landingham, the Earl of Mountdale, the proper son of one of her great-grandmother's ex-lovers. There is no way that Harrison will allow the book, The Perfect Mistress, to be published (even though his elderly father is totally flattered and thinks it's just fine). Julia has little choice, so Harrison decides on a seductive plan of his own. VERDICT A hero caught between scandal and desire, a heroine desperate to stay solvent, and a flamboyant, freethinking ghost set the waters roiling in this lively, sensual Victorian romance. Another link in Alexander's growing chain of winners. Alexander (Desires of a Perfect Lady) lives in Omaha.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2011
For Lady Julia Winterset, the choice was simple: publish and be damned. After her husbands death leaves her in restricted financial circumstances, Julia has no choice but to profit from the one thing of value she has left, her great-grandmother Lady Hermione Middleburys scandalous memoirs. Once Harrison Landingham, Earl of Mountdale, hears from his sister-in-law Veronica that her friend Julia is in negotiations with a London publisher over the manuscript, which includes several spicy references to Harrisons father, he is equally determined that Julia will not drag his familys good name through the mud. When Harrisons initial attempt to coerce Julia into selling the manuscript fails, he vows to take a different tack and charm her into surrendering it. With a delectably dry sense of humor that rivals Oscar Wilde at his best (and a delicious dash of the paranormal in the form of the ghostly Lady Hermione), Alexander fashions the perfect romance, featuring two splendidly matched protagonists engaged in an exceptionally entertaining literary and romantic battle of wits.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)