Amy just lost her father and her mother is very frail.  They are now at the mercy of her cruel uncle, Lord Brinker.  He plans on marrying her off to a local squire, until he gets a look at her and sees just how beautiful she is.  Then he decides to use her beauty and sell her off at the marriage mart to the highest bidder.  Lord Brinker uses Amy’s mother as a threat to get Amy to do what he wants. 

Amy hates the thought of being sold, but there isn’t much she can do about it with her uncle threatening her mother.  She manipulates her uncle as best she can to get him to allow her the final decision of who she should marry.  She finally meets a man that she knows she could love, but she also knows her uncle would never approve of him. 

When Maxbridge first sees Amy, he is awestruck by her beauty.  His nephew has already told Maxbridge that he is in love with her and Maxbridge has promised him that he will stay out of his way.  He fears that Amy is nothing more than a fortune hunter.  He was hurt by a fortune hunter in the past and vows to protect his nephew from Amy’s clutches. 

Amy has no choice but to seek a well-heeled match.  She eventually makes a female friend, Esmee’.  Her uncle isn’t fond of this, but he gives in when he realizes that she will help Amy find a rich man.   Esmee’ and her mother take Amy under their wings to help her navigate her way through the Season.  Maxbridge tries to find out the truth about Amy.  They keep running into each other, and each time they do, she impresses him more and more as a victim, rather than a schemer.  They are continually fighting their attraction to each other.

This is a wonderfully written Regency Romance.  I was transported back to the time of the balls and outings and rich, beautiful clothes as I got the chance to ride with Amy as makes her way through her Season, keeping her uncle at bay and trying not to discourage the suitors her uncle felt were rich enough to “buy” her as a wife.  The characters are all very well-rounded and believable, right down to the way Christopher and the rest of her suitors acted around Amy.  If you enjoy a rollicking fun Regency, I definitely recommend this one. 

Reviewed by Chere Gruver for The Road to Romance 

September 26, 2003