Set in London during a time when traditionalism started giving way to modernization and suffragists challenged the status quo, this final installment in Feather's Matchmaker trilogy (The Bride Hunt
, etc.) follows the nosy, righteous and sometimes self-righteous Duncan sisters as they tackle their toughest challenge yet—finding a wealthy, well-connected wife for a doctor who wants nothing to do with love. Douglas Farrell's businesslike approach to marriage immediately sets Chastity Duncan's teeth on edge, but as one of the secret owners of the suffragist scandal sheet The Mayfair Lady
, to which Douglas has applied for matrimonial aid, she can't let her emotions cloud her business dealings. So Chastity finds the good doctor exactly what he has asked for. He soon realizes that he'd rather have Chastity, though. Douglas has a noble reason for seeking a marriage of convenience—he intends to use his spouse's money to set up a clinic in a city slum—but his haughty attitude toward aristocrats (who, he automatically assumes, care nothing for the poor) is off-putting. The book's conflict stems from a minor misunderstanding, and many of the goings-on are merely padding. But the primary romance, while lacking in passion and drama, holds enough charm to keep readers engaged. (Apr.)
