The Untamed Earl

March 7, 2016
Bowman’s Playful Brides Regency series (after The Irresistible Rogue) is inspired by classic works of literature; this charming fifth episode draws on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Lord Owen Monroe, heir to the Earl of Moreland, is one of London’s most well-known rakes until his father orders him to settle down. The earl expects him to woo Lady Lavinia Hobbs, eldest daughter of the Duke of Huntley, a woman who, though beautiful, has a reputation for being somewhat of a shrew. Lady Alexandra, Lavinia’s younger sister, has been in love with Owen for years and fears that he will be forced to wed her sister. In an effort to spend more time with Owen, she asks him to help make her a success in London’s ballrooms, and in exchange, she will help him win Lavinia’s heart. But some of the suggestions she gives to Owen will cause Lavinia to dislike him more, and Alexandra hopes that he will turn to her instead. The cleverly executed reappearance of characters from earlier installments adds allure to the innocent romance and carefully orchestrated seduction. Readers will be especially drawn to Alexandra, a refreshingly open and honest woman. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary.

March 15, 2016
In love with one sister, betrothed to the other--what's an earl to do? Usually when sisters fight over a beau, they're both mad for him, but that's not the case for the Hobbs sisters. Lady Alexandra has quietly carried a torch for the roguish Lord Owen Monroe since her teens; her older sister, Lady Lavinia, can't stand him, but her father has arranged for them to marry. Owen has no interest in marrying either, but his father tells him he must not only marry Lavinia, but woo her--or else lose his allowance. After a case of mistaken identity, Owen stumbles into an agreement with Alexandra: she'll tell him how to win Lavinia, and he'll help raise her profile on the marriage market. Soon, Owen is as besotted with Alexandra as she has been with him, but the arranged marriage looms--unless Owen can find a way to marry the sister he truly loves. In the fifth book in The Playful Brides series, Bowman's characters are a bit flat, with spoiled Lavinia barely kinder than Cinderella's stepsisters and Owen bearing the tight breeches and confusion of the average Regency hero, but they're still endearing. Luckily, the plot and ending are satisfying, and Alex earns her place among the ranks of perfectly awkward romance heroines. A sweet and simple Regency story of unrequited love, requited.

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.