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HER LESSONS IN PERSUASION by Megan Frampton

HER LESSONS IN PERSUASION

by Megan Frampton

Pub Date: Jan. 24th, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-322418-6
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins

A young woman who dreams of being an astronomer wants nothing to do with marriage.

Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford is 24 years old and firmly on the shelf—by design. She plans to move to the countryside with her widowed aunt, leaving London and the dreary demands of the aristocracy behind. One evening, while attempting to observe the stars from a bridge, she is “rescued” by barrister Bram Townsend, who thought she was planning to jump to her death. Bram and Wilhelmina feel an instant connection but assume they will never see each other again. Then, Wilhelmina’s plans go awry when her father arrives home with Alethea, his new 19-year-old bride. Although Wilhelmina expects the girl to be an evil stepmother, Alethea is a complex and interesting character, albeit one who is determined to find Wilhelmina a husband. When the family attends a fundraiser for the Devenaugh Home for Destitute Boys, Wilhelmina finds herself face to face with Bram. He and his four best friends were raised in the orphanage and support the institution, hoping to make life better for the abandoned children living there. Alethea suggests that Bram should pretend to court Wilhelmina, which will make her a more attractive prospect to the men of her own titled class. They agree, each for their own reasons: Bram hopes to be promoted to judge, and he can use the scheme to make connections to London’s elite, while Wilhelmina hopes to keep the suitors at bay until she comes into her inheritance. The plot is a sweet, slow burn with no conflict, just two people who gradually figure out they are perfect for each other. Bram and Wilhelmina must each reevaluate their long-held beliefs about marriage and partnership with the help of friends and family who recognize they are meant to be together.

Charming and placid.