Starred review from May 1, 2017
Prolific historical romance author Alexander (The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress) spins pure fun in the first full-length installment of her Victorian-era Lady Travelers Guide series. Stuffy, demanding spinster India Prendergast wants to stay at her secretarial position in England, but her beloved cousin Lady Heloise Snuggs has vanished in Paris, and India is determined to find her. The fraudulent Lady Travelers Society—run by the widow Lady Guinevere Blodgett and two of her friends—arranged Heloise’s trip, and they respond to her disappearance by sending Lady Blodgett’s grandnephew Derek Saunders, heir to the Earl of Danby, to help India search. Naturally, sparks fly between Derek and India as they solve the mystery. Alexander’s protagonists remain sharp while changing for the better by beginning to trust each other and admit their own fallibility. Her secondary characters, including the city of Paris at the turn of the 20th century, provide support and delightful eccentricity. Alexander celebrates the spirit of adventure, elevates dubious scheming with good intentions, and advocates for the yielding of judgment and practicality to hedonism and happiness. Readers will savor every page.
Starred review from May 1, 2017
India Prendergast has one question for the Lady Travelers Society and Assistance Agency: What the heck have they done with her dear cousin Lady Heloise Snuggs? More than six weeks ago, Heloise set off for a tour of the continent with an itinerary arranged by the society, but it has been weeks since India has received any word from her. After meeting with the trio of septuagenarians in charge of the societyLady Guinevere Blodgett, Mrs. Fitzhew-Weilmore, and Mrs. HigginbothamIndia is convinced the charming little old ladies are running some kind of scam. So when Lady Blodgett's great-nephew, Derek Saunders, offers to set off for Paris himself to track down Heloise, India insists on accompanying him, whether the annoyingly charming man likes it or not. Readers will immediately find themselves thoroughly disarmed by Alexander's (The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress, 2015) deliciously droll wit and flair for clever characterization, both of which are on full display in this exceptional start to the author's sparkling new Lady Travelers Society series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)