LAKESHIRE PARK

A young woman in desperate straits hopes a house party will find her sister a happy match with their host, but she doesn’t expect to fall in love herself.

After the death of their mother, Clara and Amelia Moore are left in the begrudging and belligerent care of their stepfather, Lord Gray, whose health is failing. The sisters’ future is precarious, since he’s informed Amelia that once he’s died, his family won’t support them. Their hopes rise when Sir Ronald Demsworth—Clara's would-be suitor from their recent season—invites them to a house party. Amelia keeps their dire situation from her sister, hopeful things will turn out. A match between Clara and Sir Ronald looks promising, but Georgiana Wood, another guest, seems set on Sir Ronald herself, and her brother, Peter, is doing everything he can to help his sister win their host's regard. In order to keep each other from interfering, Clara and Peter agree to spend more time together, yet as an attraction grows between them, Georgiana’s behavior toward Ronald becomes increasingly assuming, putting Amelia’s friendship with Peter at odds with her support for her sister. When an opportunity arises for Amelia to make a good but loveless match, she must decide between security and love, especially once Georgiana goes too far and risks everyone’s happiness. Austen-esque themes abound in this historical romance of manners and masks, yet Amelia’s first-person narrative undermines her character, since she’s continually justifying her decisions and then changing her mind or her behavior a few pages later, while the absolute lack of communication among the characters is frustrating.

A sweet, somewhat engaging Regency romance hindered by exasperating character choices.