Possibly would have been better if I had left a few days between reading. This is a omnibus printing of Tangled Reins and Fair Juno. Two interlinked stories (characters from one appear in the second) and slightly similar plots. In both the heroine does something that compromises her honour and the love interest feel a need to protect her and finds himself quite attracted to her.

Tangled Reins starts with Dorothea Darent dressed in her worst, picking blackberries and being acosted by the Marquis of Hazelmere. They feel an attraction but can he overcome her adversion to marriage?

Fair Juno has the Earl of Merton rescuing (and being knocked out by) a woman he knows only as Fair Juno and finds that instead of being content with thinking of her as he has thought about other women he wants her to marry him. However convincing her is an uphill struggle.

They're pretty typical, readable, regency romances with some fun characters. Nothing spectacular but great fun. ( )

Miss Dorothea Darent has no intentions of ever getting married -- she considers herself not comely enough and definitely past marriage age. Then she is kissed [most improperly] by the Marquis of Hazelmere, a notorious scoundrel.

Dorothea will go to London because her grandmother Lady Merion is to present her and her sister Cicely. In London she meets up again with Marc Henry, the Marquis of Hazelmere and his friends -- Lord Fanshawe [who promptly falls for Cecily] and Hazelmere's cousin Ferdie.
Lord Hazelmere helps foil two abduction attempts of Dorothea and enlists his numerous friends to watch over Dorothea when he is called away from London.
Their tangled communications are definitely made more so when it is hinted to Dorothea that Hazelmere is keeping Lady Helen Walford as his mistress. Oh horrors, and she gives him the cut direct.

This is a story you will enjoy reading and don't forget to read the follow up, "Fair Juno"

Martin Cambden Willesden, the fifth Earl of Merton, has lost his father and two brothers and now acts as a knight to a damsel in distress. [where do they get these titles? grin]

He is in a bit of a temper - on a dark back road [path really] - he was hoping to hit the road to London before dark. Hearing a scream he ties up his team of horses and bounds across the fields [or woods] to stop an attempted abduction - tis a fair Juno who swings around and slugges him - - -

The attraction that springs up between them makes it imperative that he protect her - especially from his own rakish tendencies.

He is bound and determined to wed his fair Juno - Lady Helen Walford [introed in Tangled Reins] and although she falls in love with him - she behaves very correctly and of course puts some obstacles in his path.

We once again meet up with the Marquis of Hazelmere and his wife Dorothea - and all the friends called upon in Tangled Reins -- This makes the story far more interesting to me as the people become more like friends.

This man of the silver grey eyes [or should I say orbs?] is lead a merry dance before he can make his fair Juno his.

S. Laurens books make for a great change of pace and excellent reading