very enjoyable, loved the setting of Paris in 1889

great plot, good characters, nice twists ( )

1.5 stars ( )

This book reminds me of the first hill of a roller coaster. The is a long slow climb then a fast exciting drop. I thought the book started out a little slow but then when it finally caught on it was wonderful fun. The characters were amazing. India Pregergast is wound as tightly as the bun on her head. She is strong-willed, obstinate, organized, stubborn and ALWAYS right - except when she's wrong. Derek Saunders is delicious as an honorable man who cultivates a bad boy image but is really a wonderful person. The other characters are equally delightful - Derek's great aunt who gets Derek into his predicament in the first place, India's cousin who gets lost and causes everyone to search for her, Derek's family, their chaperones and even Sir Michael (although he wasn't so much delightful as he could have been).
This book was fun to read and I totally enjoyed it. I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. ( )

I feel like this book took me forever to read. Some of that was life distractions. Some was the slow nature of the story. I'm still not certain I liked the overall arch of "unwind the spinster" in this case. The romance is definitely a slow burn. Good payoff, though. I don't know. I definitely have mixed feelings. I trust the author enough, though, to read the next one. ( )

Fun book. It opens with India, spinster and assistant to Sir Martin, on a mission to discover what has happened to her cousin Heloise. Said cousin departed on a Continental tour supposedly planned and facilitated by the Lady Travelers Society. But when India stops receiving letters from Heloise, and her increasingly frantic inquiries to the Society go unanswered, she begins an investigation. She quickly concludes that the Society is, in fact, a fraud, designed to bilk older ladies with a taste for adventure out of their money. Since the three older ladies who run it seem too flighty to be behind it, India's eagle eye falls on Derek.

Derek is a young man who has enjoyed all the benefits of being the wealthy heir to an earldom. But when Derek's uncle makes it clear that it's time for him to grow up and take some responsibility, Derek turns over a new leaf. When he's asked to check on his favorite, though somewhat eccentric aunt, he's horrified to discover that she and her friends have formed a travelers society that has misplaced one of its members. In an attempt to keep the old dears out of jail and free of scandal, he's determined to track down the missing woman. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to take India with him.

I have to admit that I didn't care for India at first. She is judgmental, convinced of her infallibility, and rather obnoxious. She arrives at a Society meeting already convinced that there is something illegal going on and nothing is going to change her mind. A partially overheard conversation makes her believe that Derek is the mastermind behind the whole thing. Even though he has promised to find out what has happened to her cousin, she makes it clear that she doesn't trust him.

On the other hand, I liked Derek. He has buckled down quite nicely to becoming a more responsible man. He obviously cares quite deeply for his aunt and will do whatever he must to protect her, including taking the blame that India dishes out. I liked the way he immediately stepped up to find the missing Heloise and definitely felt his dismay at having to deal with the prickly India.

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. Though Derek has matured into a better man thanks to his uncle's efforts, he still knows how to have fun. He has made it a personal mission to get India to lighten up a bit. While taking the time to check at various hotels for any sign of Heloise, Derek also manages to insist on doing some sightseeing as well. I loved seeing the "why on earth would anyone want to leave England to visit a foreign country" India get her eyes opened to the wonders of Paris. India also makes some rather disturbing discoveries about herself, and I enjoyed seeing her evolution. The encounters between Derek and India are full of witty back and forth banter. She makes no bones about her distrust of him and her determination to reform him. Underneath it all is a growing attraction that takes them both by surprise. Just as things are looking really good for them, they receive some information about Heloise. The old India makes a return, parting the two with some harsh words. I liked that Derek gave India a little space, enabling her to get over her anger. I loved his big moment at the end - it was quite cleverly done.

The mystery of Heloise's disappearance was a fairly mild one. I liked India's worry for her cousin and her determination to find her. I thoroughly enjoyed the Paris setting and how the sights and sounds were brought to life, from the cafes to experiencing the Eiffel Tower. Derek's deceptions are a little bothersome and I had a feeling they would come back to bite him. The story behind Heloise's disappearance was a bit of a surprise. I liked seeing Heloise confess the truth, but ached a little for India.

The secondary characters all added extra life to the story. First were the three old ladies, whose desire for financial independence started the whole mess. They were delightfully naïve about the ethics of what they were doing. Their explanations to Derek were pretty funny. My favorite was Derek's stepbrother Percy, Marquess of Brookings. He was quite the unrepentant rake, charming and full of fun. His scene with India that first morning was hilarious. I loved how close he was to Derek; some of the advice that he gave was spot-on. The chaperones, Professor and Estelle Greer, were sweet. I loved Estelle's willingness to loan India clothes when India's trunk was lost. She was also especially kind considering India's early attitude toward her. India's boss, Sir Martin, was also quite interesting. He seemed like the typical absent-minded professor as India kept his life organized for him. His surprise arrival in Paris created quite a stir, especially with his attitude toward Derek. I did like India's way of dealing with him. I loved Derek's mother and the way she embraced India. Her method of convincing India to go shopping with her was really sweet. ( )