The Ladies Rewrite the Rules
Allain adds warmth and the power of female friendships to the appeal of Jane Austen’s courtships for a charming Regency romance.
Lovely young widow Diana Boyle is outraged to learn she’s on a published registry of wealthy and marriageable ladies. She confronts the author, affably handsome Maxwell Dean, who protests that he only meant to steer impoverished young sons like himself toward appropriate marriage partners. Diana warns the others, and the Ladies of the Registry, as they begin calling themselves, decide to break the rules and exercise power within their courtships. As Diana enjoys a growing friendship with Lady Regina and a new social life full of balls, outings, and Mr. Dean, she develops a new confidence and hopes for a future—which does not include her husband’s annoying nephew, Lucius.
There’s enough wit in Allain’s comedy to keep the romance from being pure froth, and details about places like the legendary Vauxhall help the action feel rooted. The romance is adorable, poking fun at the conventions of the period as well as the genre. In all, The Ladies Rewrite the Rules is a delectable escape, crisp and sweet as an ice from Gunter’s.
