This is my second novel by M. C. Beaton and I found it to be entertaining, but lacking a bit of something.Annabelle has been told by her mother that she must go and stay with her godmother Emmaline and make herself a good match. Everything rides on Annabelle finding a rich husband so she can make sure her younger sisters make good matches. Annabelle arrives in London to find that her godmother has already secured her a match, Captain Jimmy MacDonald. Capt. MacDonald is horrid and the first time she meets him he is drunk but all the ladies just think he is great. Annabelle doesn't like him at all and really doesn't want to go through with the engagement, but her godmother won't giver her any money if she doesn't. Annabelle takes a liking to Lord Varleigh, but he is always seen with his mistress, Lady Jane. While Annabelle tries to figure out what she is going to do, it seems someone is trying to kill Lady Emmaline. There are several attempts on her life before Annabelle puts two and two together. Annabelle is a rector's daughter so she is really naive to the ways of the town and she is always surprised by how they act. She can't stand the oafish Capt. who is always doing stupid things in public and drunk but everyone else swoons over him. Although Annabelle is naive she has a lot of spirit and it helps her survive her time among the ton. Annabelle is a likable character.Capt. MacDonald is a wretched characther and I am like Annabelle as I couldn't understand why anyone would like him. He had his moments but then he would do something stupid and remind you why you didn't like him.Lord Varleigh, was to me jut a mediocre character. He was nice to Annabelle but they really never spent that much time together so I couldn't really understand how she comes to fall in love with him. He was always with his mistress, but was also nice to Annabelle. Overall, it was an okay read and I am beginning to see that M. C. Beaton's books are not like those of today. Maybe because they were first written in the 80's they lack that bit of risque seen in romance books of today. If you prefer some steam in your romances it won't be found here but if you like them clean then from what I have read of this author so far you would like them. So I think it really might depend on how you like your romances. The Narrator: Charlotte Anne DoreThis is my second book with this narrator and while I find her to be a decent narrator, I really can't stand her male voices. Those voices really just grade on my nerves and I think I would really just prefer it if she wouldn't try and give them different voices. Females doing really great male voices are hard to come by or at least in the ones that I have listened to so far. I really enjoy this narrators voice when reading the descriptive paragraphs and female voices.
