Janet Mullany The Rules of Gentility

The Rules of Gentility

Janet Mullany

Avon, Aug 2007, $13.95

ISBN: 9780061229831

Philomena Wellesley-Clegg knows beyond a shadow of the doubt that females are the superior gender in spite of society enabling men to control the wealth. Ergo, the heiress has no option except to accept a betrothal from whatever man she considers the less of all evils. Disreputable Inigo Linsley, who has family pressures to marry, knows how she feels. He offers her a different arrangement so that she can stay free a little longer and he can temporarily prevent his family schemes to matchmake him; his plan is to fake an engagement between them.

Philomena knows the concept is ridiculous, but likes the idea of buying time until she selects her life mate. She agrees to his inane offer. As they fall in love, she wants to select Inigo as her spouse while he tells her the truth about the scandal of having a child out of wedlock because he wants to be her chosen one.

Rotating perspective between the lead couple, THE RULES OF GENTILITY is an amusing Regency Chick Lit romance. Philomena is a fabulous protagonist as her list of losers dwindle and her asides to her best friend are humorous and insightful. Inigo is a typical rake who uses deception to get through the season without a wife. Fans will enjoy their battles as neither anticipated love would lead them to such a mess as both wants the engagement to be real, but cannot admit it because they want to protect their hearts from being broken.

Harriet Klausner