By Loretta Chase.
Wow, I've finished three books this month while in quarantine. Daaaaaaamn, I must be getting better.
Anyway: Even though I have loved most of the Carsington series, I never really had much intention in reading the first book in the series, as it didn't sound as fun as most of the other ones and I assumed it was probably along the lines of Not Quite A Lady, which I was not so much into by comparison. Also, the plot on the back didn't sound the greatest. But hey, it was on sale the other day, what the hell.
Alistair Carsington is the third of five sons (the beginning of the book has some amusing snark about how their father, Lord Hargate, would have been happy to stop with two boys) and while the first two have gotten respectably married, the younger three are more troublesome and expensive. In Alistair's case, he's publicly fallen crazy in love with several women, there's been drama and scandals, and it was all very passionate. Then Alistair joined the military, got injured and nearly lost at Waterloo until his best friend Gordy found him, and is now regarded as some kind of national hero for well, surviving. (I feel like "hero" is kinda loosely used here, because even Alistair doesn't know what the hell went on, but he doesn't feel heroic.) However, ever since he got back, he's had PTSD, he hasn't had the heart to chase after any ladies, he's spent years rehabbing a bum leg, and he's fixated on his clothing to an excessive degree, which another character eventually likens to "cactus spines"/armor. Luckily for Alistair, he's got a dedicated valet.
Anyway, Lord Hargate decides to lay down the law with Alistair, telling him he needs to make himself gainfully employed with money coming in, or marry an heiress, or some bad stuff will happen to his younger brothers with inheritance or....something. (Frankly, I forget this detail, and the little brothers aren't really in this anyway.) So Alistair, goes into business with Gordy, who wants to build a canal in Derbyshire to assist with his mining business. When Gordy's ill, Alistair, heads out to Derbyshire to talk to the locals about why they're not into the idea--you know, the usual, tearing up the neighborhood, etc.--but most of the locals aren't going to get up the nerve to say anything to a War Hero.
The only person who is willing to object, a lot, is Mirabel Oldridge, the 31-year-old spinster daughter who's been running the family estate since her dad had a mental collapse after the death of her mother. Mirabel gave up her engagement to take care of her father and prevent him from being screwed over by a crooked guy, Caleb, and now she's quite established as the power in the family. Especially since her dad is so obsessed with botany after his wife's death that he can't really talk about or focus on much else. Anyway, she doesn't want her family estate torn up--an inevitable part of the canal plan nobody can get around.
However, Alistair and Mirabel meet and are attracted to each other right off the bat. It's been a long time for both of them (in different respects) and they very much have affection and sexual chemistry out the wazoo. She finds his limp erotic. And even though Mirabel is the opposite of a dandy--she's a dowdy dresser wearing the wrong colors and with perpetually sloppy hair and that deeply bugs Alistair--he's dying to give her a makeover. And, y'know, other stuff. Their affection for each other and the sexy scenes are delightful and I really enjoyed them as a couple. They were really cute and loving together and when Mirabel ahem, wants him to relieve her of her virginity, it was very hot and sweet and affectionate. I'm not that into sex scenes these days, but this one actually did it for me and that's saying something.
I want to mention that early on in the series, Alistair is in a situation where it would be better if he stayed the night at the house rather than go out in bad weather back to his hotel alone. Mirabel tries to talk him out of it, but he says he literally has nothing to wear--and then she's all "Okay then, he's a dandy, clearly he can't be talked out of this for logical reasons--okay fine, I give up, go home in the rain then." Then the next morning she goes out looking for his body....except he's fine. This was....I still don't know what to make of it? Ludicrous and yet works with the characters? Alistair's fashion and Mirabel's lack thereof are running plot points with regards to their character developments. And I enjoyed how most of the folks around them are quietly in support of fixing them up, romantically speaking. After Alistair gets injured while climbing rocks and sprains an ankle and gets another hit on the head, he needs to recuperate in the Derbyshire area and that adds to the intimacy. It also starts triggering vague memories and nightmares in Alistair, which concerns everyone. Mr. Oldridge, God love him, has some thoughts on this that he's trying to communicate to everyone else, but can only talk in botanical terms. But he gets it, as does the local captain/family friend who's also assisting.
About the only reason why this isn't a five star book is that the canal plot is a little weak to me. I found it hard to be interested in it even though it's certainly explained why this is important to Alistair (having money for a future and a wife) and Mirabel (doesn't want her mother's landscape design messed up), this does not exactly strike me--or Alistair, who thinks this can all be worked out--as the highest of stakes to have a war over? At one point Mirabel--who is pretty open about her intentions to sink this canal idea--does something that's pretty dang sleazy trying to undermine Alistair. He certainly has it out with her about it and it doesn't affect the romance in the end and it's not even a Big Mis/third act breakup sort of thing really, but it is undeniably jerkypants, especially given ahem, what went on right before she did it.. If she'd done it earlier in the book when they were not so close, it wouldn't have been quite so much of a slap. In the end, Mirabel basically gets over her canal issues in an instant AND then suddenly everyone is all, "Oh yeah, we could just like, build a train instead! Why did this not occur to any of us before?!" So....much ado about not much with that plot.
But otherwise,. this book is adorable and great. Four and a half stars.