Book Review: An Improper Arrangement

Author: Kasey Michaels
Title: An Improper Arrangement
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: 12/29/15
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Gabriel Sinclair has returned from battle as reluctant heir to a dukedom. As if his new responsibilities weren't enough, Gabriel's aunt enlists him to sponsor a young heiress through London's Little Season. Yet Miss Thea Neville is hardly the tedious obligation he expected. She's exotic and enchanting—and utterly unaware of the secret poised to destroy her family's reputation.

After ten years in America, Thea is ready to do her duty and marry well. Deportment lessons, modistes, balls—the ton is a minefield she could scarcely navigate without Gabriel's help. By rights, she should accept the first bachelor who offers for her. Instead, she's succumbing to a dangerous attraction to her wickedly handsome chaperone —one that could unhinge her plans in the most delicious way.

Review: I've read loads of Kasey Michaels novels. I particularly love her regency romances, and I've read a lot of her early ones from the 80s.

An Improper Arrangement is the first book in The Little Season series. I have mixed feelings about this book. When I started this book I really flew through the first 100 pages, that's where the problem lie. The characters are absolutely fun and lovable. I adored Gabe and Thea and the Duke and Duchess and all the birds. The problem is the plot just didn't go anywhere for a very long time.

I felt that this book would have been better if it went back to the way regency romances were written in the 80s and 90s. They were a much shorter format and I think this plot would have worked better if it could have been cut back 200 pages.      

The plotline involving Thea and the Earl went nowhere through most of the story, and even her relationship with Gabe didn't totally come to fruition until the book was more than halfway over. So it really did plod along for awhile. That's not to say that there wasn't witty dialogue and funny scenes along the way, but  I think the story would have been more cohesive if it would have moved along a little quicker.

This book took me almost a week to read and it is only 380 pages. That is much too much time for a book of that length to me. There were times when I was going to put it down, but  I really felt invested in Gabe and Thea's story (And I really did like them) to give up on them.   I may continue with this series if the plot intrigues me.

Rating: 3 flowers