The sequel to this book is billed as being set in the Regency, but as I read it, it felt more Victorian: one of the first giveaways was the “corset squashing her organs.. Later in the book, people are talking about “Her Majesty's Colonies,” which pretty much settles the issue in favor of it being Victorian, although nothing gives us any idea of when in particular. Nothing wrong with setting books in the Victorian era, but readers expecting a Regency Era book should be aware. The descriptions of the clothing, the settings, etc., don't conjure any particular historical period; for the most part, book could be occurring in several different centuries; maybe Her Majesty is Queen Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714 OS).

I was quite put off by the author's use of language: pheromones, a word coined in 1959, human studies started in the last half of the 20th century; the Americanism “okay” coined in the 1830s; handmaiden, which I've mostly heard in the context of the ancient world, instead of abigail or lady's maid. I'm not a stickler; sometimes a word that didn't exist then works, but those seem glaringly out of place. (One reviewer criticized an author for using “catwalk” in the Tudor era, but that's plausible, they had cats, and what else conveys the idea?) It seems odd, though not impossible, that if Lady Caroline's father is the Marquess of Epsom, Epsom house was the property of the Rusells until he won it in a card game. Titles are not acquired by happening to own a house, nor can they be won by gambling.

I cannot imagine a young lady from any of these eras, saying “Christ, Oliver! What the hell happened to your face!” I think the forms of address are also off: I believe that Finley Rashford, Duke of Kirkeby, would either be called or referred to as Your Grace/His Grace, especially by inferiors, or Kirkeby by members of his social strata, but never, I think, Duke Rashford. If Oliver Rusell, Viscount of Barj's father has died, then he is now the Earl, whether or not he is impoverished.

I never felt much for either of the romantic leads: Oliver and Caroline are just suddenly in love, no real relationship-building, based solely on good looks, apparently. There is a hint of a previous attraction between them. While Oliver may have looks and charm, he has a background as a rake, a vengeful streak, and a careless disregard for Caroline's reputation. Not much of a gentleman.

I already have the sequel, and it's gotten decent review, so I'll give it a chance. ( )