This was the first novel I read by Karen Hawkins and was thoroughly entertained. It did have certain elements that usually puts me off like the revenge plot over a stupid social slight. Anyway, Hawkins smooths it over with a lot better than her other novels (I have since read her other novels before writing this review). Rose is not the usual heroine. While she has a strong character, she doesn't go overboard in her stubbornness as many heroines do. Sinclair almost is a jerk except for his great Aunt's intervention and how she sheds light on his deeper motivations and forces him to face up to them.The Duchess of Roxburghe , Sinclair's great Aunt, steals the show. Her machinations and insights provide a lot of the humorous situations. Her brief journal entries that begin each chapter are well woven into the story and not clumsy and adds the the anticipation as the story proceeds.
I enjoyed this book. It was fun. I can't wait for the next book in the series.