Reviewer Comments: For a rollicking good time in Regency London, step into the pages of The Rules of Gentility by Janet Mullany. You are not likely to meet a more likable character than outspoken Miss Philomena Wellesley-Clegg.
Philly is fast losing heart of ever finding a proper husband, seeing as how her current suitors are nothing to brag about; a dandy and a poet. In the meantime, she spends an inordinate amount of time shopping and gossiping with her friends; something many young women are prone to do during the Season. When she mistakes her best friend’s brother-in-law for a servant, she is appalled yet intrigued by the fellow at the same time. His unkempt appearance and the collection of farm animals present at their first meeting set the stage for her mistaken impression. He is everything she objects to in a man; he is unfashionable, flamboyant, and he sets her pulse to racing. When Inigo proposes a sham engagement through the end of the Season; she agrees, despite his forward behavior and his kisses making her feel “peculiar”.
What begins as a sham soon turns into a wicked good time as two mismatched individuals fall helplessly and hopelessly in love while we, the readers, are privy to the deepest darkest secrets of the pair. Inigo trusts Philly with the existence of an illegitimate son, while Philly is intent on rescuing fallen women, sending both into the “seedier” side of London. Inigo and Philly is lively well-matched pair that is sure to capture reader’s hearts; they are outspoken, warm and caring individuals who don’t let society’s rules stop them from their chosen paths. They sizzle when they share a scene and keep the reader fully engaged with their wicked banter and misadventures. Not for the stereotypical Regency fan; The Rules of Gentility is a laugh-out-loud funny love story that has earned a place on my “keeper” shelves. I highly recommend this one, and will buy several copies for friends and family alike. Bravo, Ms. Mullany!
