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MY REVIEW

Christina Dudley’s books are an auto-buy for me. I’ve enjoyed her first two Regency series, and I was delighted to see the release of a new book to start another series to eagerly anticipate. In By His Grace and Favor, we meet the Barstow family, a group of indigent females forced to rely on the charity of a distant relative. Lord Dere has a cottage where the widow Barstow, her widowed daughter-in-law and teenage daughters can be housed. He also offers to supply a tutor for the young Barstow son.

When the motley crew of Barstows end up in the same coach as the handsome tutor, a romance of hugely humorous proportions begins. Adela Barstow, the oldest of the daughters, decides to set her cap for their benefactor so that if some unpleasant details about their family come to light, she will be able to ensure their sanctuary on Lord Dere’s estate. But Gerard Weatherill, the handsome tutor, proves increasingly distracting as he tries to cover up secrets of his own.

This book had the characteristic Dudley charm and turn-of-phrase. The setup reminded me of Sense and Sensibility, as the Dashwood women make their way to a small cottage to begin a new life. Mr. Weatherill’s plight and past life was positively Dickensian. This is no run-of-the-mill Regency. It contains a highly original plot that will keep you smiling long after you finish reading. Recommended.

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“Off we go now,” announced Miss Barstow, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Her voice was tight and businesslike, as if knocking people to the ground were one of those commonplace nuisances one must expect in man’s fallen condition.

-By His Grace and Favor, by Christina Dudley

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