Unladylike Lessons in Love (The Marleigh Sisters, 1)
In this steamy, uneven Regency romance, Lila Marleigh is a half-white, half-Indian woman who is beset by loneliness and racism. While Lila’s father was an earl, her mother’s status as his mistress makes her persona non grata. Lila was raised in the same household as her legitimate half-brother, the villain of this story and all-around contender for Grossest Man of the Century.
My issues with this book stem from the underclass: the story is propelled by a pregnant former servant and her lover, both people of color. The lover is accused of assaulting a white woman, the cousin of Ivor Tristram, the hero and love interest of this novel, who seeks out Lila under other misunderstandings. The events that ensue seem random, as most scenes don’t further the plot. Racism is the theme in this book, for which there is no resolution. Yet, instead of showing ways in which people of color triumph in their own communities, we watch as the white upper class alternately treads upon them or saves them.
