Naughty or Nice

December 1, 2004
After Lady Francine Fitzhugh runs off three governesses, her guardian, the notorious rake Lucien Kendall, appears. Predictably, she rejects him, despite being about to lose the family home for lack of back taxes. Adding to her problems is her best friend, Lady Roslyn Carmichael, who is being stalked by her stepbrother for her estate. Attempting to help Roslyn, Francine disguises herself as a boy to do a bit of sleuthing at a nearby tavern only to encounter Lucien and shoot him after he claims an unexpectedly scorching kiss. Not seriously hurt and rather smitten, he follows her home only to have her shoot him again. More confusion and troubling revelations follow, until Lucien decides their situation is just too improper. He then takes Francine to London so that a widow friend can prepare her for a "season" in order to marry her off to somebody else. This, of course, makes them both miserable. George's convoluted and hilarious plot, rife with sexual tension, personal torment, and general misunderstandings, is a great read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)