Series: Lady Travelers Society (Book 1.5)
Unmarried and dedicated to illustrating the Explorers
Club’s artifacts, Dulcie Middleworth is running out of prospects.
Spinsterhood’s a tragedy for the daughter of a viscount, but London’s most
eligible maiden has a secret: she’s already in love. But to confess an
attraction to charming explorer Michael Shepard? Not when the man has no wish
to marry and his heart’s desire lies in adventure abroad.
Surely such a predicament calls for a matchmaker of Poppy
Fitzhew-Wellmore’s caliber! And calls as well for a romantic rival—the
legendary figment of Poppy’s imagination Reginald Everheart—to nudge Michael’s
affections in Dulcie’s direction. But what to do when everyone demands to meet
the famously infamous suitor who doesn’t really exist?
Short, sweet story of love in the library. Dulcie is on
the shelf according to society's leaders. Instead of hunting for a husband, she
spends her time in the library at the Explorers Club illustrating their
artifacts. What they don't know is that she is already in love with the man who
sits on the other side of the library, wannabe explorer Michael Shepard. It's a
hopeless love as he has made it clear that he does not intend to marry.
I enjoyed the progress of the relationship between Dulcie
and Michael. They spent months in the same space, intrigued by each other but
never exchanging more than polite pleasantries. That doesn't stop them from
watching each other, noting the little things that tug on their hearts. Dulcie's
mother is determined to marry her off and constantly pushes one particular
suitor forward. But Dulcie wants to marry for love, and Preston Drummond
doesn't appeal in the slightest. Michael is intrigued and attracted to Dulcie,
but long ago decided that a man who disappears for months or years at a time
has no business subjecting a wife to that lifestyle. When Preston's attentions
become more pointed, Michael can't let Dulcie be fooled into accepting the man.
However, his attempt to help is not well received, and the resulting scene
causes sparks to fly.
Poppy and her friends believe it is evident that Dulcie
and Michael belong together and that they just need a little help to see it. Poppy
resurrects an intrepid explorer from her past, one Reginald Everheart. He is
very nearly perfect - and wholly a product of her imagination. With the help of
Gwen and Effie, Poppy uses Reginald's "attentions" to Dulcie to
provoke Michael's jealousy and motivate him toward accepting his feelings. The
sparks continue to fly as Michael keeps saying things that rile Dulcie's independent
nature. It takes advice from the experienced older ladies to get both Dulcie
and Michael to realize that with love, anything is possible.
There were quite a few scenes that had me laughing out
loud. Dulcie's rejections of Preston's proposals were great, as he had so much
trouble believing anyone would turn him down. The scene with the arrival of the
artifact from Reginald that Dulcie was to draw was hysterical, thanks to
Michael's reaction to the baboon's "attributes." It was also fun to
see Poppy and friends stumble over their invention in a case of "too many
cooks."
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