Her Cinderella Moment
Sue Green just wanted one night to be the pretty one. But a few glasses of champagne and one wild disguise later, she’s in some serious trouble. Who knew the devastatingly handsome face of Lord Holden Ellis would get in the way of her foot? And how exactly did all that high-kick dancing start in the first place? At least she blamed it all on her new persona—Suzanna. So Society’s most eligible bachelor will never find out the truth.
All Holden wants is the truth. Who was that vixen who seduced him so thoroughly, then disappeared? The only one who seems to have any answers about Suzanna is Miss Sue Green. She’s promised to help him find his mystery woman, but in truth she’s not being all that helpful. And in truth, the more time Holden spends with Sue—witty, pretty, and disarmingly honest—the more he realizes he may have found exactly what he’s been looking for all along.
Series: Tricks of the Ton #2
Release Date: 03/04/2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Michelle
Rating:
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Reviewer’s Thoughts
This is book number two in the Tricks of the Ton series. I did not read the first book in the series, and I was able to thoroughly enjoy this book. I do want to read the first book because there were several mentions of the elements of the first book.
Lord Steelings also known as Holden Ellis has a blemished family tree. He is estranged from his father, and his mother is mentally ill. He fills up the need for a family with his extended family and seeks them out upon returning to England. He agrees to attend a Masquerade Ball for a bit of amusement and maybe a romantic escapade. Sue Green is the stereotypical straitlaced, plain Jane. She detours from her boring existence to indulge in an adventure with her younger, prettier sister and twin cousins. What happens next is laugh out loud funny… and each time I think about it I find myself laughing. The author’s writing is so vivid I can imagine Sue dancing, nearly decapitating poor Lord Steelings, and watching her sister and cousins leave her in the lurch. What begins as possibly the most embarrassing moment in life turns into a pleasurable event for both parties.
Like all good romances there has to be at least one villain and this one has two, Sue’s mother and Holden’s mother fit the bill. Sue’s mother puts a stop to Suzanna, the persona/alias that Sue used with Lord Steelings. Her mother restores Sue to her formerly plain self, and Lord Steelings fails to recognize her. My heart went out to Sue. Doesn’t every woman want the man of her dreams to see past the makeup, clothes, and hair to see the real person inside without all the accoutrements? Adding insult to injury her mother determines that her younger sister, Evangeline, is just the one for Lord Steelings. Imagine your mother investing all of her time and effort into making sure your younger sister is coupled with the love of your life.
Lord Steelings like a good Prince Charming must turn over every leaf until he finds Suzanna. Meanwhile he is reunited with his mother. Sue has to contend with the plans that her mother is making to make a match between Sue’s younger sister, Evangeline. The mother’s antics which are humorous with a tinge of desperation and the mischievous deeds of the cousins add cheer to what could have been a very dark, serious story. The flip side of the lighthearted romantic comedy is Lord Steelings’ mother who is more dangerous than he is aware.
I enjoyed this book on every level. I loved Sue, and I immediately empathized with her as she watched the love of her life look past her and her mother relegate her to old maid status. She was adventurous, practical, and sensible. I liked the author’s peek into the complexities of mother/daughter and sister relationships. I was initially on the fence about Lord Steelings because he didn’t seem very chivalrous in the beginning. Fortunately, he proved to be worthy of Sue and after a dangerous situation I was rooting for their union.
