The Seventh Sister

Captain Bixworth Hawksby was heartily enjoying the Season in London; he has won the charms of Lucianne Divine. Miss Lucianne Divine was a rising star on the London stage, and she has long taken her time in choosing a replacement for her previous protector. Captain Hawksby needed a present to secure his place in her heart. He had just spotted the very thing when his former commanding officer literally bumped into him. Lady Margaret Durham has spent the last year in London at her brother's townhouse. She is the youngest of the Durhams but by only a few minutes. Three of her sisters found husbands in the previous Season. Half-sister Winifred had the good fortune in marrying Daniel Douglas Durham, the seventh Earl of Chantry. All the sisters are enjoying the new Season tremendously except for Maggie. Her dearest wish is to return to her home. If she has to stay in London, she'd rather attend the lectures about the flora and fauna, or better yet lectures about insects. She has collected several specimens and all are neatly pinned and labeled. Daniel Durham has just received a summons from his estate, he and Freddie need to return to set accounts right. But his wife's concern for Maggie has led to his promise to secure an escort for her to the intellectual pursuits she'd rather enjoy. When he collides with Captain Hawksby, he convinces the captain to serve as Maggie's escort. His prayers have been answered. I enjoyed reading this second installment of the Durham sisters. There are three love story's unfolding concurrently in this book. Paula Tanner Girard keeps your attention focused on Maggie and Hawksby, but Ruth's and Rebecca's romances unfold as well. I hadn't read the first of the books, so I was confused by some of the references to the original. However this story stands well on its own.

"The Seventh Sister" is a perfect example of what a Regency Romance should be. There's a strong heroine who knows her own mind and she doesn't fit into the sometimes silly Regency mold. Some would call her a "bluestocking." I call her delightful. Is it any wonder that her strong independence and winning ways end up capturing her gentleman's heart?A Season in London in Regency times contains lots of excitement. Paula Tanner Girard takes us there and provides all the color of the period. There's an authenticity to every scene -- you'll actually feel as if you're there -- and this delightful book is filled with romance, humor, and real emotion. If you want a glimpse of Regency life from an author who's given us many hours of enjoyable reading in the past, you simply have to read "The Seventh Sister."

Girard does an excellent job of getting the reader involved in Lady Caroline's pursuit for a husband during the"ton" season in London. The intrigue surrounding Lord Blackmere keeps the reader in suspense, not knowing why Lady Caroline seems to be taken with an "elderly" personage who seems so shy around the socialites. Bringing the Bandit King back into the picture in this novel shows the reader that the masked person isn't really the culprit for the past Christmas kidnappings. What a surprise ending when Caroline meets her match and ends up marrying a man who has pretended to be various personages in her life. It is a joy to find that the baby girl, named "Poppy", who appeared in the lunch basket in Caroline's coach was well provided for by Lady Caroline and entourage throughout the novel and that the author has secreted the fact that Poppy's mother didn't die but will be part of Lady Caroline's staff as well as Poppy's brother. Having Lady Caroline turn from a selfish, arrogant individual into a caring, and capable woman is a remarkable feat for the author to accomplish.