Stephie Smith

I was keeping track of the rules, but got so engrossed in the story that I lost track. The author does a good job of letting the reader get into Jane’s head to understand why and how she scrutinizes everything and then justifies what she’s doing. Jane’s unsuccessful attempts at keeping a low profile remind me of the situations that Elaine (from Seinfeld) got herself into. There’s a scene of Jane hiding out in the hospital that had me laughing out loud. Fortunately, she meets an attractive doctor who knows how she thinks and keeps her from getting into too much trouble--more than once. I really like Jane and was sympathetic to her trying to save her home while it seemed that her family wasn’t much help. As I was reading, I wondered if Jane would ever learn that she needs to trust men, be honest and ask for help. I’m looking forward to reading more about Jane Dough’s humorous adventures in the next book.… (more)

Young Lucy connives to ruin her reputation so that she doesn’t have to marry the man her uncle has chosen and will be able to run her estate how she pleases. Her plan backfires when she flirts with a Derek, a visiting privateer, who is an undercover duke trying to discover the truth about his father’s murder. Set in early 19th century England, this isn’t just an ordinary historical romance, but a page turner starting with the privateer’s plans, the naïvete of a young lady, their ensuing romantic relationship, and the intrigue of the smuggling ring. Author Stephie Smith seems to know how to choose just the right words so the story is fascinating to read to the end leaving you wanting more. I look forward to the next book from this promising new author.… (more)