Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is a fun and flirty historical fiction romance. Lady Sophie’s father died leaving their estate in financial ruin. Thus far she has put off her debut in society in the hopes that she would marry for love. That dream is squashed when her brother, the new Earl, tells her of their predicament and has her sail to NYC to find a rich husband that will save the family. Sophies widow aunt is her guardian and conspires with a friend in NYC with a rich eligible son to bring the son, Archie, and Sophie together.

Archie is one of the most eligible bachelors in NYC and is actually a nice guy rather than an arrogant toad, and the couple easily enter into a friendship. They actually really like each other and Sophie hopes their feelings for each other grow. The only fly in the ointment is Archie’s best friend and notorious rake, Matthew. After Matthew rescues Sophie during a weak moment at her first ball, they both try to ignore the instant chemistry they felt for each other. The book flows easily through Sophie’s search for a rich husband, describing various balls and encounters with Matthew. Most of the book concerns Sophie’s inner turmoil and confusion about her feelings for Archie and Matthew.

Because of this, we don’t find out much about Sophie’s background, her family, or her interests. I wish there was a bit more character development of the main characters so I could better understand their actions, and reactions, to certain scenarios. We do learn a bit more about Matthew and his sad past, but not much more than that. Sophie’s aunt was a great character and I’d read a story about her search for love after the death of her husband. For me, the side story involving Sophie’s maid was a distraction that took me away from the romance. It really didn’t add anything to the main story and could have been omitted. But, that’s a minor irritation and others may not feel that way. If you’re looking for quick and easy romance to while away a few hours, definitely check this one out.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Torch Lit Ink. All opinions are my own.