Josie Essex's first London season is in tatters. Maliciously nicknamed the "Scottish Sausage," she finds herself a social pariah. Ignoring the advice of her sisters and chaperone, Josie attempts to blend in with the other debutantes and not respond to the insults -- with disastrous results. Finally, she accepts the advice of an older rake who she has secretly loved. He teaches her to embrace her differences and celebrate her generous curves and witty tongue. Josie adheres to his advice by banishing the tight restricting corsets and her shy demeanor.
After years of meaningless affairs, Garrett, the Earl of Mayne, believes he has found the perfect mate, a chaste and proper French woman. The indifference she exudes is refreshing after all the years of women pursuing him. As the fog of infatuation diminishes, Mayne reevaluates his relationship with his fiancΓ©e. His perfect woman has severe flaws that would make life very difficult. As this becomes more apparent, Mayne is aware of his changing and deepening friendship with the saucy and seductive Josie. If only she was not so young and he was not engaged.
Against this backdrop, another May/December romance begins as Josie's chaperone falls for a younger rake. The couples' bewilderment builds as their love intensifies, despite the differences in age and the inappropriateness.
Ms. James' love of Shakespeare is evident as elements of Midsummer Night's Dream are found in the title, the characters' names, their dilemmas and the symmetry of dreamy confusion ruling the four lovers' lives. She uses sweet and light touches, with a trace of malice in several characters, to enhance the reality. The characters emerge from their confusion and in the end celebrate the wonders of marriage. Ms. James provides an added treat with her elaborate and overwrought entries from the Earl of Hellgate's Memoir at the start of each chapter.
Fueled by the knowledge that notoriety is better than
failure, witty, unconventional Josie does what no proper
young lady shouldβshe challenges fate. She discards her
corset and flirts outrageously. She attends the horse
races and allows an arrogant rakehell to whisk her behind
the stables for a surreptitious kiss . . . and is caught!
She doesn't want to marry the young hellionβbut who's to
help? Her chaperone keeps disappearing for mysterious
appointments; her guardian is on his wedding trip; and his
friend the Earl of Mayne is too busy staring into the eyes
of his exquisite French fiancΓ©e.
Can a marriage forced by stuffy convention and unwilling
desire become the match of the season?
Griselda was wearing the daring crimson gown that Madame
Barbet delivered for her. In fact, in some ways Josie
hardly recognized her chaperone. When they first met, two
years ago, Griselda was the quintessential pretty, English
gentlewoman. She dressed with the exquisite propriety of a
widow interested in two kinds of reputation: that of
sexual propriety, and that of good taste. She was a merry,
adorable person who showed no interest in the opposite
sex, other than a fervent wish to discuss their foibles.
In point of fact, while she generally had a beau or two
hanging in her rear, they were often foolish young men,
good for nothing but bleating poetry and providing an arm
on the way into supper.
But somehow in the last few months, Griselda had changed.
Josie couldnβt quite put her finger on it. But as she
glanced back, waiting for her chaperone, she was fully
aware that her chaperone would be the least chaperone-like
woman in the room. Of course, Griselda had always had a
delightful little figure. But Madame Barbetβs crimson
dress was fashioned in such a way that swathes of dark
crimson came over the shoulders and cross β but they
didnβt actually meet until almost Griseldaβs waist. Now
that was a gown that a debutante could not wear.
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