Bonded by books and united by a purpose, The Mayfair Literary League has taken on a new mission—For Better or Worse. The bachelors of London won’t know what hit them when these bookish ladies set their sights on the men in their lives who don’t see them for who they truly are—yet.
How far would you go in the name of friendship?
A terrible secret…
Lady Harriet Persimmons stopped dreaming of love long ago. Her stepfather’s cruelty left her with scars that are only part of what makes her unlovable. Yet one man has caught her admiration even if he’s out of reach.
To Harriet’s dismay, her shy friend Frances carries a torch for the same gentleman. Even worse, Frances asks for Harriet’s help to gain his notice at a house party.
Joseph Harris, Viscount Garland, attends the party with one goal—to convince his wealthy host to invest in his new venture. The sweet yet seductive messages he receives from the man’s daughter catch him off guard even as they intrigue him. But the notes don’t seem match the lady herself, and her lovely friend is the one who captures his interest.
A mistaken identity…
Each moment Harriet spends with Joseph trying to convince him why Frances is perfect for him has her heart more and more entangled. The kiss they share is a terrible mistake, but one she can’t forget.
Will a mistaken identity end with the chance for a happily ever after?
Review:
Another league member finds her HEA!
Though it was rather disheartening–for both Harriet and the reader–to realize that the man she’d unofficially set her sights on when her “turn” to pursue the FBOW agenda came up met her TWICE but didn’t remember her, that felt 100% realistic. Joseph wasn’t yet actively looking to get married, and I can only imagine that at a crush of a ball or other large society event, most young ladies you don’t already know will pretty much blend in with the crowd, until they do something to make themselves stand out.
Fortunately, Harriet does something to make herself stand out! (Not at all with the hopes of getting Joseph to notice her; she was just helping a stranger on the street because she, like Joseph, is genuinely nice and looks out for others.)
The “mistaken identity” event of the story didn’t really help Harriet’s self-image, but fortunately that gets resolved quickly too, leaving us with the friend who likes the same guy complication–another relatable plot thread! I was satisfied with how that was resolved as well, and Joseph and Harriet’s HEA was very sweetly achieved in the end.
And it looks like shy Frances might have her own guy waiting in the wings, so…fingers crossed!
Meanwhile, the women of the Mayfair Literary League are actively discussing adding new members, so it looks like this series will keep going longer! (Personally, I’m voting for the “I don’t need to be part of that agenda item” widow to have a book, sooner rather than later. It looks like she has quite the backstory!)
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.