DARING IN A BLUE DRESS is book 3 in Katie MacAlister's Matchmaker in Wonderland series. As an academic with nothing substantive to show for his education, making a success of the recently purchased Bestwood Hall offers Alden Ainslie an opportunity to prove himself. When he has to deal with medieval performers landing on his doorstep, a live-in dowager who starts getting territorial, and a house that drives him batty, Mercy Starling's arrival is a ray of sunshine. I love stories in which the hero and heroine have a lot in common and Mercy and Alden bond over their bookish natures and things get hot and heavy in no time.

Mercy Starling may be my favorite Katie MacAlister heroine. While Mercy and Alden have a love of learning in common, Mercy is a mellowing influence on Alden and approaches things from a much different perspective than he does. Even though Bestwood belongs to Alden, I enjoyed how he and Mercy act like partners and a generally united front against the craziness that ensues in DARING IN A BLUE DRESS. When secret passageways are discovered and things take a slightly sinister turn, Mercy jokes that she and Alden become an unlikely Nancy Drew and Ned Nickerson. The chemistry between Mercy and Alden is pitch perfect, and Alden's romantic notes he leaves for Mercy gives their romance a touch of charm. The medieval reenactments, the Hairy Tit Conservancy, and Alden's fervent belief that Bestwood Hall is alive and actively thwarting his restoration efforts balance the lurking danger that becomes more apparent as the story progresses.

DARING IN A BLUE DRESS is a whimsical and romantic tale with unexpected yet delightful bits of mystery thrown in. This was a book I was sorry to see come to an end. Katie MacAlister has outdone herself with DARING IN A BLUE DRESS in creating a story that is big on laughs and quirky characters. Mercy's one-liners and brilliant rejoinders to the fawning and ever-present Lisa are fantastic. I look forward to the next installment in this sparkling series by Katie MacAlister.