About the book: Renowned actress Ruby Chadwick, the Darling of Drury Lane, has long planned and prepared for her final performance. With exceptional beauty comes the unwanted attention of men, and after years of fending off odious suitors, Ruby is ready to leave it all behind in a favor of a quiet life. The first step is to reclaim a piece of her past: her true identity as Lavinia Fernley. But leaving town unnoticed proves impossible, and in one desperate moment, Lavinia embarks on the greatest act of her life when she throws herself into the arms of a stranger to avoid recognition.
Lucas Jennings is shocked to find the stunning redhead in his arms, but something moves him to play along with her ruse when she calls him her husband. This charade marks the start of an unpredictable journey as he escorts the lovely Lavinia and her traveling companions to Primrose Farm, far from the glaring lights of London. Soon, the tables are turned when Lucas introduces Lavinia to his family—as his fiancee. Before long, their mutual deception begins to feel all too real. But when the truth of her past is revealed, will Lavinia's dream of a happy ending slip through her fingers?
My review: This book is such a hoot! I loved the whole plot line, it's a Regency Romance with a twist. The heroine is...gasp...an actress. How shocking! I loved that part of it!
The heroine of this book is Ruby Chadwick or Lavinia Fernley, whichever way you prefer to see her. Lavinia has been living under the assumed name of Ruby Chadwick. Her father died, leaving her with no funds and in order to keep herself and her maid/friend Hannah alive, she's been working in the theater. That's all about to end though, Lavinia is escaping to a whole new life in the country and leaving Ruby to die a sudden and not at all painful death...at least that's the hope.
I loved the scene where Lavinia meets Lucas. It's so funny. Lavinia is trying to escape those who know her as Ruby, in costume. But she spots someone who obviously recognizes her, so she does the first thing she can think of. She jumps into the nearest trustworthy looking man's arms and declares him to be her husband. So improper at this period of time, yet so funny!
I love Lucas. He really is trustworthy. He has so many opportunities to take Lavinia's good character away, but that's not in his character. He goes way out of his way to help her. But, as with all deception, the two of them are bound to be found out, but that's just part of the fun of this book!
This one has a great plot, great characters and a great setting! I loved everything about it!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase links: Amazon - Deseret Book
About the author: Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She has spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a big believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel—whether by car, plane, or paperback.
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Labels: clean regency romance, Covenant Communications, Karen Tuft
