The Marriage Wager

July 16, 2007
With a nod to Jane Austen, Camp launches the Matchmaker series, set in 19th-century London and concerning the lovely widow Lady Francesca Haughston, mistress of romantic chicanery. When Francesca claims that she can get any marriageable girl engaged by the end of the season, Sinclair, the fifth duke of Rochford, accepts her wager, but only if he can choose the girl. The target he picks is Constance Woodley, a spinsterish young woman who’s been living with her uncle since her father’s death, hopeless for a future as anything but a chaperone for her spoiled younger cousins. Constance has no idea why Francesca has taken her under her wing, but doesn’t worry too much about it: she’s feeling alive as if for the first time, especially when she meets handsome Lord Dominic Leighton; unfortunately, he turns out to be Francesca’s brother and way out of Constance’s social class. While there are no surprises in this frothy concoction, Camp delivers another beautifully written charmer, sure to please fans of historicals, with enough modern appeal to pull in some contemporary romance readers.

August 1, 2007
For Lord Lucien Talbot, it appears to be a wager he cant loseLady Francesca Haughston has to take a young woman of his choosing under her wing and see to it that shes engaged by the end of the season. But his choice, Constance, isnt exactly a young woman. At 28, shes considered a spinster long past her prime. And not only hasshe spent her prime nursing her terminally ill father, her evil aunt has also relegated her to the role of chaperone for her two bratty daughters. Happily, Francesca is Constances fairy godmother in human form. She updates Constances drab wardrobe and takes her to all of the must-attend social events. When Constance meets Lord Dominic Leighton, knownas a rake and a cad, she perceives an entirely different man.But Dominic isnt Francescas choice for Constance; hesFrancescas brother. Camp (A Dangerous Man, 2007) launchesher Matchmaker serieswith this delightful, Regency-eravariation on theCinderella theme.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)