By Suzanne Allain
Diane Boyle is more than a little surprised when two eligible bachelors call on her home. Widowed and young, she finds to her surprise and displeasure she has been included in an exclusive list. And her fortune and marital status have found her a place among other similarly situated ladies. Worse the list was a directory for younger sons to find a lady of means who could provide the financial foundation of a potential marriage. Oh, no!
But Diane, who has been enjoying her freedom, is not about give it up for some fortune hunter. And she's determined to let author of this Bachelor's Directory know just how she feels about. And she is going to warn the other ladies on the list that their new found popularity has a nefarious reason. What follows is delightful and enjoyable Regency-era read.
Though set in the same time-period as her previous books Mr. Malcolm's List and Miss Latimore's Letter the voice is unique. I think there are fewer humorous situations in this book than the previous ones but there are still lighthearted moments. This is also a story about discovering yourself. The ladies had allowed the rules and expectations of society and family to shape them into a mold but by making an effort to control their futures and their fortunes they allowed their true, hidden selves to emerge, much like a butterfly.
I loved watching the story unfold. And even the gentleman whom Diane felt to be the villain in the whole directory debacle - Maxwell Dean proves to be more than she expected. The Ladies Rewrite the Rules is a story of friendship, second chances, romance, and self-discovery. Perfect for anyone looking for a clean reading Regency era Romance. Come along on this respectable flaunting of society's expedition in another standalone read from Suzanne Allain. You won't regret the lighthearted feel once you open the book.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
QUICK FACTS
Title: The Ladies Rewrite the Rules: A Novel
Author: Suzanne Allain
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Publisher: Berkley Romance (January 9, 2024)
Length: (272) pages
Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook
ISBN: 978-0593549643
Book Tour Dates: January 8 – 22, 2024
BOOK DESCRIPTION
From the author of Mr. Malcolm's List comes a delightful romantic comedy set in Regency England about a widow who takes high society by storm. Diana Boyle, a wealthy young widow, has no desire to ever marry again. Particularly not to someone who merely wants her for her fortune.
So, when she discovers that she’s listed in a directory of rich, single women she is furious, and rightly so. She confronts Maxwell Dean, the man who published the Bachelor’s Directory, and is horrified to find he is far more attractive than his actions have led her to expect. However, Diana is unmoved by Max’s explanation that he authored the list to assist younger sons like himself who cannot afford to marry unless it’s to a woman of means.
She gathers the ladies in the directory together to inform them of its existence, so they may circumvent fortune hunters’ efforts to trick them into marriage. Though outraged, the women decide to embrace their unique position of power and reverse the usual gender roles by making the men dance to their tune. And together…the ladies rewrite
the rules.
About the Author
Suzanne Allain is a screenwriter who lived in New York and Beijing before returning to her hometown of Tallahassee, Florida, where she lives with her husband.
Suzanne adapted her novel Mr. Malcolm’s List into a screenplay and it was made into a movie starring Freida Pinto, Theo James, Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù, and Zawe Ashton.
PRAISE FOR THE LADIES REWRITE THE RULES
“Innovative…The novel’s true strength lies in the friendship between the bold heroines”— Publisher’s Weekly
“A fun, light-hearted Regency romp about changing society from the inside.”— Kirkus Reviews
“Joyful, warm and witty, this is a delight of a book.”— All About Romance
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Thank you so much for reading and for this review! So glad you enjoyed Diana and her friends!
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