The Summer of You
Kate Noble
Berkley, Apr 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9780425232392

Lady Jane Cummings knows her summer is ruined as she is forced to rusticate in the Village of Reston due to the misbehavior of her brother, her dad's illness and her former friends Phillipa becoming a Worth (see revealed). Simply put, the ironically titled Merrymore is not London.

Everything changes when she meets the hermit next door. She knows Byrne Worth is the war hero who saved her inane sibling from at least a beating in a recent pub fight. Each is attracted to the other and soon they fall in love, but Byrne realistically knows she is levels above him and that he is just a passing summer fancy. However, when the locals believe Byrne is a highwayman, an outraged Jane puts herself at risk to prove her beloved is innocent.

With some late suspense this is an engaging Regency rustic romance containing two likable lead characters and a fascinating small-town country crowd who cleverly replace the Ton with local gentry gossip re scandal. The story line is fast-paced as Jane and Byrne become friends in love, but she must take charge of their relationship as he keeps somewhat an emotional distance from his beloved. The sub-genre audience will enjoy this fine historical as Jane insists Byrne is worth her love, but Byrne believes he is unworthy of her.

Harriet Klausner