An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler

February 15, 2021
An accidental father and a woman without a past combine to create an unusual family. In 1812, families across England are devastated to hear of the wreck of the Minerva, a passenger ship en route from Jamaica. None is more upset than Daniel Thackery, Earl of Ashbrook, who was expecting Phoebe Dunn to arrive after they fell in love by correspondence and married by proxy. When he arrives at the docks, he's instead presented with a toddler, one of the only survivors. Though Phoebe hadn't said anything about having a child, the girl is a "Blackamoor," like Phoebe and Daniel, and he decides to pretend he's her father and raise her in London. He names her Hope. Unbeknownst to Daniel, however, the girl's actual mother has also survived the wreck. Jemina St. Maur arrived in England suffering from amnesia and was put straight into Bedlam Hospital; she's lucky to be liberated with help from the Widow's Grace, a secret group led by Daniel's aunt that's devoted to helping women in trouble. Daniel and Jemina are charmed by each other, but it isn't until Jemina learns that Daniel knows more about her unremembered past than he's let on that their lives truly collide. The more they interact--particularly after Hope meets Jemina and grows attached--the more it seems clear they should be together. But their relationship is built on a series of lies and possibly even a complex conspiracy against Jemina, so it's not clear they will be able to do so. In the second volume of the Rogues and Remarkable Women series, Riley builds on the world she first unfolded in A Duke, the Lady, and the Baby (2020), and readers should start there before moving to this volume. But it's worth the investment, and fans of the first book will be delighted by this story, which brings the same elaborate storytelling and portrayal of a more diverse Regency world than is traditionally found. Riley's commitment to writing the complex emotions of motherhood remains a crucial part of the series--also a welcome addition to the genre. Well-researched, with a fascinating author's note at the end, this story proves the first was no fluke. A historical romance of impressive heft.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 22, 2021
Surviving a shipwreck is the first of many hurdles for a headstrong white West Indian woman in Riley’s Gothic-tinged second Regency romance (after A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby). Jemina St. Maur is one of two survivors of the Minerva, which went down on its voyage from Jamaica to England, and she lost her husband, her memory, and her freedom in the disaster. Unable to tell the authorities who she is, she’s thrown into Bedlam, where she remains until rescued by Daniel Thackery, the reluctant barrister for The Widow’s Grace, a shadowy vigilante justice organization. Entering society as a wealthy widow, Jemina contends with fortune-hunting suitors while struggling to unlock the secrets of her past. She’s also constantly at cross purposes with Daniel, the only man she’s drawn to. Daniel lost his betrothed in the wreck, and, as the mixed-race, recently elevated heir to an earldom, he treads a thin line in society. Where Jemina is reckless and bold, fastidious Daniel must be above reproach to protect himself and his recently adopted daughter. The amnesia trope is a challenging one to do convincingly, but Riley pulls it off with style. Choppy writing slightly undermines the otherwise riveting romance, but readers craving a multicultural Regency will be pleased. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary.

April 1, 2021

Jemina St. Maur owes a great deal to Daniel Thackeray, Earl of Ashbrook. Two years ago, the handsome barrister helped free her from Bedlam after she lost all memory. As far as Jemina knows, she is the only survivor of the shipwrecked Minerva. But Daniel is a man of many secrets, including the fact that his two-year-old adopted daughter is also a survivor of the Minerva. As a newly minted Black aristocrat, Daniel can't afford to make any mistakes, and he'd do anything to protect his daughter. Helping Jemina, a white woman who wants answers about her past, risks exposing painful truths. But Daniel feels a strong sense of protectiveness, as well as attraction, toward the widow. Daniel and Jemina's interactions are filled with witty banter and innuendo, and the hero's tender interactions with his daughter will make readers swoon. VERDICT Move over, Bridgertons. There's a new set of scandalous aristocrats waiting to take London society by storm.--Kathryn Howe, Saint John Free P.L., NB

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2021
The second entry in Riley's highly acclaimed Rogues and Remarkable Women Regency series, following A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby (2020), again features strong, resilient characters hurling themselves into danger to do what is right. Barrister P. Daniel Thackery loses his bride in a shipwreck as she travels from Jamaica to England, and unexpectedly acquires a toddler daughter, one of only two survivors, when it is assumed she belongs to him as they are both individuals of color. He names her Hope. Two years later, Jemina, the other survivor, escapes Bedlam thanks to the intervention of the Widow's Grace organization with Daniel's legal support. Jemina has both amnesia and a huge dowry. She is sure Daniel has information that will trigger her memories and will go to any lengths to find it, while members of the aristocracy attempt to discredit Daniel for his race. Riley offers powerful depictions of love, including the love of a father for a daughter, the love between friends, and most of all the love between two individuals who are meant for each together. Riley's extensive research into people of color during the Regency era adds greatly to the appeal of this page-turning romance. Fans of Shonda Rhime's adaptation of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton books will devour this series.

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