Reviewer: Robyn Roberts
Title: My Unfair Lady
Author: Kathryne Kennedy
Publisher: Sourcebooks
ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-2990-9
Release Date: December 2009
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Romance - Victorian
Year/Setting: 1885, England
Overall Rating: 5.0
Sexual Content Rating: Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: Very Mild
Violent Content Rating: None
Kathryne's Website: www.kathrynekennedy.com
The Duke of Monchester, Byron to his friends, is an impoverished duke who supports himself by entertaining the king. Byron hates the nouveau riche who are flocking to London from America looking to buy their way into the British peerage. Byron discovers amusing antidotes about these title-hunters and shares them with the Prince. He charms his way into parties and events and is living off the hospitality of others. He has no use for American girls and no plans to stop using them to help his own cause.
Summer Wine Lee is an American in London. She has no desires to claim a title as her fiancé, Monte, is waiting for her back in America. His family won’t have anything to do with her as an untitled frontierswoman. Summer realizes that if she could get a nod of approval from polite society, she would be accepted and could marry Monte. It is decided that an audience with the Queen would be the way to become socially acceptable enough for Monte’s family. Therefore, it’s off to England to get an audience with the Queen.
Summer’s maid learns of the financial plight of the Duke of Monchester and they decide to approach him to help Summer in her quest. Little do they know that Byron hates all American girls. When a series of unfortunate mishaps occur when Summer and Byron first meet, Summer knows it’s do or die time. He could break her with any one of the ‘mishaps’ that occur. So she offers him a proposition that even he can’t refuse. Enough money to restore his estates and a regular income for life.
He takes her up on the offer and decides to help culture her before her introduction. With clothes and changes in manners and speech, he thinks they might be able to pull it off. Too bad they clash at every turn. Sometimes, it’s as if he might protest too much about his dislike of her. Summer is quick to remind everyone that she has no interest in Bryon because of her fiancé back home. It’s a shame she can’t even recall what Monte looks like since her thoughts and dreams are filled with Bryon.
Will these two ever decide to give their feelings a try? Or will they become mere victims of the whims of the ton? The story, which really crosses elements of a Western Historical into the Regency romance, captivated me from the start. I loved it! Summer’s spunk and wild side clashes with everything the ton stands for. I laughed until I cried at some of the antics and situations that arose. Summer has the tendency to have Lucille Ball type moments in a very straight-laced world. Yet, it’s those moments that make her so lovable to everyone around her. Byron has learned to encase his feelings and his humanity behind a mask of disdain. When Summer starts to put chinks in his armor, we get more and more insight into the depths of passion and the intense emotions he’s been hiding.
I kept hoping there could come a way for them to be together, although even I despaired at a happy ending. Some things just looked to insurmountable to overcome. I couldn’t believe the surprises that were in store as Byron and Summer each fall more and more in love with each other. Overall, I found My Unfair Lady to be a charming read.
Robyn
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