Someone Wanton His Way Comes (Wantons of Waverton, 1)
In this first series volume, Clayton Kearsley, the Viscount St. John, is furious when his best friend betrays Lady Sylvia, the wife Clayton set him up with. Three years later, the viscount investigates the group that 1820s London society is calling the Wantons and finds the widowed Sylvia has, somewhat by accident, convened a Mismatch Society of women dedicated to abolishing the institution of loveless marriage. Feelings renew, but these otherwise mature and sensible characters have heavy emotional baggage: Clayton is burdened by guilt and the belief he’ll die young, while Sylvia was burned by her marriage and dreadful goings-on among her husband’s family. The antics of their separate families and the Mismatch Society provide amusing diversions while Sylvia righteously insists, Clayton blunders, and Sylvia’s in-laws play the villain’s role.
The manifold premises and several tropes somewhat crowd the emotional arc, leaving the scenes of intimacy feeling rushed, and the prose style is occasionally overladen and awkward. Women’s rights for 1820s London align very much with modern values. But the lively humor and dramatic action, appealing secondary characters, and feminist theme make for an enjoyable read. The echoes of previous books as well as setup for the Wantons series will keep Caldwell’s fans hooked.
