Clarissa

Clarissa falls into the 'category romance' slot. You will not find a lot (actually any) sex in this book, so if a romance has to have sex to interest you, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, it has to have intelligence, humor, romance and love, this book is one of the best. Clarissa is an 'older' heroine, a widow, although she was only married one week before her husband went off to war and was killed. She takes care of her younger brother, who is at Oxford, and her younger sister, Julia, a sweet but somewhat spoiled beauty who is making her come-out. When her brother Jeremy is sent down from Oxford for a prank he played with his best friend, Clarissa becomes acquainted with the friends brother Lord Brough, Earl of Abingdom. Clarissa is an absolutely perfect heroine: quietly beautiful, calm, intelligent and caring, while Brough is a dream: tall, dark, handsome, rich, titled, with a heart as kind and generous as his fortune is huge. These are two adults who fall deeply in love in spite of the chaos their siblings cause. This is the kind of book you put down and sigh over, then put it on your keeper shelf so you can read it again every year or so. It's certainly worth the used book price - it's worth the full price. Enjoy.