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Lady Bridget's Diary
Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #1
Maya Rodale
Releasing February 23rd, 2016
Avon Books
Lord Darcy is the epitome of perfect
Lord Darcy is the quintessential Englishman: wealthy, titled, impossibly proper and horrified that a pack of Americans have inherited one of England’s most respected dukedoms. But his manners, his infamous self-restraint and better judgment fly out the window when he finds himself with the maddening American girl next door.
Lady Bridget is the opposite of perfect
Lady Bridget Cavendish has grand-but thwarted-plans to become a Perfect Lady and take the haute ton by storm. In her diary, Bridget records her disastrous attempts to assimilate in London high society, her adoration of the handsome rogue next door, her loathing of the Dreadful Lord Darcy and some truly scandalous secrets that could ruin them all.
They cannot stand each other-and yet they cannot stay away
It was loathing at first sight for Lady Bridget and Lord Darcy. But their paths keep crossing...and somehow involve kissing. When Lady Bridget’s diary goes missing, both Darcy and Bridget must decide what matters most of all-a sterling reputation or a perfectly imperfect love.
Prologue
Oceans crossed: 1
Sisters who plagued me the entire journey: 2
Brothers who suddenly became a duke: 1
Fearsome duchesses: 1
Lady Bridget’s Diary
London,
1824
Durham
Residence
The
Ballroom
One would think that having one’s brother inherit a dukedom was a
stroke of good fortune that would transform their lives from ho-hum to utterly
fantastic. One would think that until one was on a reducing diet, stuffed into
a tightly laced corset, and forced to practice walking backward.
“Once again, Lady Bridget,” the duchess said crisply.
She was Lady Bridget Cavendish now. Before she
had just been Bridget Cavendish of Duncraven farm in Maryland. But then a
letter had arrived one day, with the unexpected news that James was now a duke
and they were all to leave everything behind and travel to England,
immediately.
“Yes Lady Bridget, once more please,” Amelia said
with a smirk.
“Do shut up, Amelia,” Bridget said, under her breath. Younger sisters
were quite annoying, on any continent.
“It’s ‘Do shut up, Lady Amelia,’” Claire, the
oldest sister, corrected. She found all the formality as ridiculous as the rest
of their family, much to the despair of the duchess.
Somewhere about the massive house—probably in the stables, even though
the duchess made it perfectly clear dukes were above mucking about in the
stables—was her brother, James. Or, as he was now to be known, His Grace, the
Duke of Durham. Dukes had many responsibilities, it seemed, but walking
backward in a gown with an excessively long train was not one of them.
Before her, with sharp blue eyes and perfectly coiffed blond hair, was
Josephine Marie Elizabeth Cavendish, Her Grace, the Duchess of Durham, widow of
the previous duke, and aunt to the Cavendish siblings.
One did not call her Josie. Amelia had asked.
“Remind me why we are learning to do something as ridiculous as walk
backward?” Claire asked. From a young age, she had spent her free hours devoted
to the study of mathematics, otherwise known as Important Work. Bridget’s head
ached just to think about it.
“It is for your presentation at court,” the duchess replied. “Which is
necessary before your debut in society, which you must do in order to find a
husband, which a lady must do, lest she become an impoverished spinster.”
“What if we do not wish for a husband?” Amelia asked.
“What a silly question,” the duchess replied. “Lady Bridget, once
again.”
At the duchess’s request, Bridget sank into a curtsy. They had
practiced this extensively on Tuesday afternoon. Then, with as much grace as
she could muster, Bridget rose and began to elegantly glide backward. Or so she
tried; feats of grace did not come easily to her (a point upon which their
dancing instructor would absolutely agree). Nothing about being a True Lady
did. Bridget had daydreamt through lessons on the order of precedence amongst
members of the haute ton, how to properly pour a cup of tea, and all the other
lessons on etiquette and deportment they endured morning, noon, and night.
“Now Lady Amelia, it is your turn.”
While the duchess’s attention was focused on her sisters, Bridget took
advantage of her distraction to continue walking backward until she had crossed
the length of the ballroom, then she continued through the large double doors
and halfway down the corridor, at which point she turned, lifted her skirts,
and proceeded to the kitchens. Reducing diet, deportment lessons, and True
Lady-ness be damned.
Bridget is the complete opposite of what Darcy sees as the perfect wife, but he finds himself constantly thinking about her. She is a breath of fresh air and the only one who is not afraid of him. Bridget doesn't think much of Darcy in the beginning, but is charmed by his brother, Rupert. She has a hard time fitting in and all her thoughts and mistakes, as well as her siblings, are written in her diary. Including the fact that she thinks she is in love with Rupert but her thoughts are not far from Darcy, as well as secrets that could destroy both her family and his. Darcy is set in his ways, but Bridget gets to him as no other, and he finds himself losing control around her. When Bridget's diary is stolen, he'll have to make the choice between his own happiness and his duty to family. Their romance is a slow burn with plenty of chemistry between the pair. I loved the closeness of the Cavendish siblings and I can't wait for them all to find their perfect love match.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.
Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and it wasn’t long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.
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