Joan Prince is fleeing a mental hospital when the flighty Lady Daphne hands her letter to give to a distant cousin before rushing off. Believing she will spend a few days pretending to be Daphne before making her escape, Joan travels to Birch Hall with Martin, Lord Fenbrook, and his sister. However, Joan realizes she is falling in love with Martin and his sister is becoming suspicious. She knows she can't stay, but will she be able to escape before her secret is revealed?

A LADY'S GUIDE TO RUIN is the first book in Kathleen Kimmel's Birch Hall series. The plot is unique and I enjoyed the secrets driving the storyline. Joan is a wonderful heroine. Her wit and backstory will have readers rooting for her from the very beginning. Martin is a sweet hero, and his love for his family and Joan are just some of his many enduring qualities. The secondary characters are charming, and the antagonists dangerous and deceitful. Kimmel brings the consequences, or lack thereof, of one's social class into the story, and this blended well with the intriguing plot. Birch Hall is a lovely setting for a romance, and Kimmel describes the place beautifully.

A LADY'S GUIDE TO RUIN is filled with steamy romance, secretive adventures, and well-developed characters that will have readers anxiously awaiting the second book in the Birch Hall series.