Just One Season in London

In this ultralight Regency by the prolific Michaels (The Mistress' House), the young, destitute viscount of Ryecroft decides to sacrifice himself on the matrimonial altar rather than force his beautiful sister, Sophie, to land a rich husband. Trying to save them both, their widowed mother, Miranda, offers herself as mistress to Marcus Winston, her wealthy former suitor. Nothing goes as planned, of course, and when a matchmaking friend invites them all to her London house, the comedy of errors accelerates. Amid snappy dialogue and glittering balls, Michaels moves her characters about like chess pieces, but packing three romances into one book leaves little opportunity for these flimsy pawns to capture the reader's heart. (July)