Elegant, self-contained, and every inch a lady, Lady Boadicea "Betsy" Wilde has rejected more suitors than she can count. From the time she was 14 and a spiteful classmate sneered that her mother's disgraceful behavior (she had run off with a Prussian) would keep her from getting proposals, Betsy has fiercely guarded her reputation with flawless propriety, never letting on that she is far more adventuresome than the polite world knows. Lord Jeremy Roden, however, knows. Although the two get off to a rocky start, when a rash billiards wager results in his escorting Betsy to a public auction disguised as a boy, the playing field shifts. Realistic, appealing protagonists with troublesome pasts to sort out finally choose love in this laughter-laced tale immeasurably enhanced by a charming but scandal-averse heir to a dukedom and two elderly ladies with devilish senses of adventure. VERDICT With wicked repartee, sharp attention to detail, and a wonderful spirit of fun, James offers a beautifully written Georgian romp that builds another chapter on to this outstanding series. James (Born To Be Wilde) lives in New York.

James's fourth visit to the Wildes of Lindow Castle (after Born to be Wilde) struggles to incorporate mental illness, social stigma, and trauma into a fluffy Regency romance. Lady Boadicea "Betsy" Wilde's reputation is tainted through no fault of her own: she's believed to have inherited her mother's debauched and licentious nature. To compensate, Betsy transforms herself into a model of propriety. An engagement to the future Duke of Eversley should be the culmination of her efforts—until her brother's best friend, Lord Jeremy Roden, interrupts her conquest. Jeremy, devastated by his wartime service, endured a stint in Bedlam that only made things worse. Little alleviates his depression until Betsy proposes a bet over a game of billiards: if she wins, Jeremy will escort her on a daring, disguised journey around London; if he wins, he gets one night in bed with her. Even after their tryst turns into love, the demons of the past make a happy future seem impossible. James creates blistering chemistry between her protagonists, but her light tone betrays the deeper, complex issues of trauma and shame that her characters are forced to face. By not integrating the romantic plot line and the journey of psychological recovery, this story falls short of its ambitions. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, Inkwell Management. (July)