In the Shadow of Arabella

I truly wish Lois Menzel had written more regencies. I enjoy spending time with her intelligent, feminine heroines and her strong, caring heroes. In the Shadow of Arabella admirably showcases the author's talent for clever dialogue and heart-wrenching scenarios. Handsome Katherine Stillwell, unable to marry her childhood love, is desperately doing the rounds of the London Season to find a wealthy husband. Despising her own coldly calculated approach to husband-hunting, she nonetheless must free herself and her sister from her stepfather's control. She must find a husband by the end of the Season. Although she is already in her mid-twenties and not an incomparable beauty, she attracts a fair share of attention with her warm personality and lively wit, not to mention her excellent riding skills. She certainly did not expect to attract the attention of the Earl of Rudley, a man whom she admires and respects and who encourages her to confide in him. Edward Seaton, Earl of Rudley, remembers Katherine very well from a hunt ball the previous year and is pleasantly surprised when he learns that she is in London. He had sought an introduction to Katherine at the hunt ball but they had only shared a fleeting moment together. Still intrigued a year later, he finds himself attending many of the same balls and receptions as Katherine. A widower for several years, he realizes that with Katherine's arrival in town, thoughts of a second marriage are becoming foremost in his mind. The two develop an easy friendship as they ride together in London's parks with Katherine's beautiful friend, Charity Harrington and the earl's engaging brother, Oliver Seaton. Lois Menzel develops Katherine's and Ned's courtship beautifully through their pleasantly amusing conversations and their intimate thoughts of the other as they each navigate the waters of the Marriage Mart. Jealousy and fear of loss motivate them into a rushed marriage of convenience. But their strong friendship based on mutual regard allows the first weeks of their marriage of convenience to serve as a sweet continuation of their courtship. There are such lovely moments as they each discover how deeply the other is falling in love. Their marriage becomes passionate but the darker tones of the story then begin in the form of doubts, secrets, and the shattering of trust that mostly stem from the earl's deceased first wife, Arabella. Lois Menzel usually includes romantic sub-plots, but they enhance rather than detract from the main romance. Charity Harrington and Oliver Seaton are nicely paired in Ned's and Katherine's story. This is the world of regency in its ideal form: the genteel manners of gracious women and distinguished men as they match wits in their quest for love and passion. This book offers the perfect antidote to other regencies whose heroines behave like harpies because the writers seem to think that this shows "a fiery and independent spirit." A heroine who is constantly ranting, raving and