Lady Claire Is All That

Starred review from November 28, 2016
Rodale’s witty, romantic third Keeping Up with the Cavendishes novel (after Chasing Lady Amelia) spices up Regency England with the arrival of Lady Claire Cavendish, a nerdy and forthright American. Claire’s brother, James, has unexpectedly inherited a dukedom, and his whole family is uprooted and brought to London. The Duchess of Durham, aunt to the Cavendish brood, despairs of Claire and her sisters finding suitable marriages, as Claire’s greatest hope is that she will be introduced to gentlemen who share her fondness for mathematical theories. Then Claire attracts the interest of the very eligible and handsome Lord Fox. Unbeknownst to her, Fox is pursuing her to win a bet that he can change her from a bluestocking into a socialite. But his encounters with Claire genuinely delight him, and soon Fox is the one who’s transformed. Romance readers weary of insta-love stories will glory in the slow, eminently believable development of physical and emotional intimacy between Claire and Fox. Rodale expertly blends sensuality and genuine admiration in this superb romance.

November 1, 2016
Love blooms unexpectedly when an American arrival to Regency London becomes a pawn in a bet between two ne'er-do-well aristocrats.In yet another variation on Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, Rodale (Chasing Lady Amelia, 2016, etc.) continues to relate the antics of the Cavendish siblings by focusing on the eldest sister, the nerdy Lady Claire. A mathematician by inclination (and unorthodox American upbringing), Claire is less interested in being launched into snobbish society than in attending lectures at the Royal Society. Maximilian Frederick DeVere, Lord Fox, a marquess who has recently been jilted, is looking to salvage his pride and public image as a bon vivant. When an envious friend challenges him to prove his prowess in wooing any woman and making her the toast of the ton--specifically one so hapless as the bespectacled bluestocking--he accepts despite some niggling doubts. Initially, Claire is suspicious of his interest but is willing to use his upper-class connections to gain entree into lofty mathematical circles. As the acquaintance deepens, she finds that his robust body and good looks provide an unexpected avenue for other, nonintellectual, pursuits. Anyone familiar with Hollywood's adaptations of Shaw knows what will unfold, but despite the well-known framing device, Claire and Fox get to have their own pleasures, quirks, and grievances within the assigned roles. In accordance with the nod to reality television suggested by the series' title, Keeping Up With the Cavendishes, Claire's family's shenanigans provide an entertaining, albeit somewhat unbelievable, backdrop to the developing relationship. (All the siblings' narratives unfold simultaneously, so those familiar with the previous installments of the series will recognize moments key to other characters' stories.) For Austenites with a yen for a hero who is humbled into good sense and a heroine who learns to value sensibility.

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Starred review from November 15, 2016
Lady Claire Cavendish knows a thing or two about math, and she definitely has Maximilian DeVere's number. Up until now, at every soiree she has attended, Claire has successfully kept any gentleman who approaches her at bay by simply engaging them in a detailed discussion of mathematical formulas. But now, for some reason, Max, who could have his pick of any lady in the ton, not only wants to converse with Claire; he actually offers to introduce her to the Duke of Ashford, whose work on a difference engine Claire finds to be intellectually irresistible. Somehow the whole thing just doesn't add up. However, if Max wants to spend time with her talking about math, Claire can certainly think of one or two other things she would like to do with him. The classic teen romantic comedy movie She's All That (1999) provides Rodale with the inspiration for the latest effervescent book in her Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series, following Lady Bridget's Diary (2016). The end result is a fun and flirty Regency-set romance that beautifully showcases this author's flair for writing wickedly witty dialogue and crafting superbly sexy love stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)