May 1, 2023
In her delicious latest slice of historical genre fare, Goodman (the Lady Helen novels) introduces readers to Lady Augusta “Gus” Colebrook and her twin sister, Julia, two strong-willed Regency-era spinsters who wield their age and station to liberate struggling women in London. Hoping to distract a grieving Julia after her fiancé’s death, Lady Gus volunteers to retrieve compromising letters from a blackmailer as a favor for a friend. But what begins as a lark soon becomes a serious plot to aid women in trouble who have no other recourse, including a wife trying to escape her murderous husband, some girls kidnapped by a brothel, and a group of women unjustly committed to a madhouse. With the help of their loyal, quick-witted butler and a disgraced nobleman turned highwayman, Lady Gus and Julia risk their lives and reputations to solve cases and save women from bleak fates. Fierce, funny, and often dark, this is an eye-opening portrait of a colorful yet misogynistic period in English history. Readers will be eager to return for the duo’s next adventure. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary.
April 25, 2023
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman is a joyous romp through Regency England that is equally entertaining, revealing, feminist, heartbreaking and humorous. Our protagonist, Lady Augusta, is living a rather unconventional life for a woman in her 40s in Regency-era London. She is a self-sufficient spinster living alone with her sister, Julia. Lady Augusta is quick-witted, intelligent and outspoken—all things a lady should not be. However, her life becomes even more unorthodox when she and Julia become involved in a series of ‘cases’ that bring them face to face with some of the most heinous crimes occurring to women of that era, privileged and unprivileged alike. Setting out to help the women around them, the sisters find the courage to stand up for themselves and others while meeting handsome rogues and new friends along the way. This book suffers a little in the beginning, with the roaring pace at the start hindering the fleshing out of the characters in the first act, making them distant and unapproachable. However, the middle considerably works to correct this, and one can’t help but root for Lady Augusta’s cause. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is an unexpected delight that blends historical romance with adventure, crime-solving and a bold feminist undertone. This book would be loved by anyone looking for a historical adventure that breaks the bounds of convention to feature women ‘past their prime’ taking matters into their own hands.
June 10, 2024
Unmarried and 42 years old, considered well past her prime, Lady Augusta "Gus" Colebrook and her twin sister Julia are asked to rescue a friend's goddaughter, Lady Caroline Thorne, who is being held captive by her husband. On the way to the Thorne's country estate, they are attacked by a highwayman, whom they soon recognize as Lord Evan Belford, an exiled nobleman on the run. After Gus and Julia return to London, Gus can't get their adventure, or the man, off her mind. Bucking society's expectations, she and Julia set off to prove Lord Evan's innocence, all while helping women in need. Goodman's (The Dark Days Deceit) series starter is a rousing feminist tale set in Regency England. Kristin Atherton gives an excellent performance of the headstrong and snarky Gus and her timider but still daring sister. VERDICT Though the cover appears sedate, there is never a dull moment in this hilarious, action-filled tale. Share with fans of Amy Stewart's "Kopp Sisters" series.--Elyssa Everling
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