The young Earl of Marsden learns a thing or two in this layered historical romance of village community and Society's aloofness. Clarissa Taylor enters the series 'Logical Man's Guide to Dangerous Women' in the third book, but I had not read the earlier tales and had no trouble picking up the story.  
 
HIS LESSONS ON LOVE begins with two characters in their quandaries. Clarissa rightly left her position in a household when a young man behaved with impropriety toward her. The staff was usually blamed, and she has a good name to uphold as the reverend's daughter. Returning to Maidenshop, the village where she was a foundling, she now has no work. Lawrence, Earl of Marsden, known as Mars, is surprised by his ex-mistress arriving at his country seat while he schemes to get revenge on one Lord Dervil. The courtesan tells Mars that she bore his baby, a girl, and now has a new protector and wants to get on with her life unencumbered. This heartless attitude might be all too realistic, as better-off women hired others to mind the children. Depositing baby Dora, the lady leaves.  
 
Clarissa is put forward by the wise village dames as a solution to the need for a nursemaid when Mars comes asking for help. His all-male staff on the estate aren't up to feeding and changing. Clarissa, however, is, and she is promptly moved into the house – necessitating a false statement of marriage when Mars' mother arrives from London. The difficulty is that Clarissa with her shabby gentlefolk background resents the Earl's casual wealth and attitude of entitlement. She hasn't gotten along with him since they were children, and presently Dora is the only point of agreement between them.
 
The most splendid character is Mars' mother, remarried and now Lady Fenton. She's sneering and domineering at times, but she is the power behind her political husband, and she intends to manipulate politics. She also learns all the gossip (probably through servants' chattering, which was their main entertainment in those days). When Lady Fenton is in the room, we know she's there, listening, observing, and barking instructions.
 
Cathy Maxwell has produced a rag-to-riches romance that's incredibly easy to read, well-written, and with distinct, memorable characters. HIS LESSONS ON LOVE kept me happy through a few lunchtimes and I'd love to read about the rest of the Logical Men in the charming village society.

Book Summary

Read an Excerpt