The Lady Knows Best

Craig (the Love and Let Spy series) puts a cute spin on arranged marriage in the launch of her Regency set Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. When scandalous lady’s advice columnist Daphne Burke, aka Miss Busy B, encourages a letter writer to call off her wedding to the rakish Miles, Viscount Deveraux, a furious Miles, who has a lot riding on a bet that he will find a bride, threatens to out Daphne as her pen name if she doesn’t find him a replacement fiancée. When Daphne is unable to find someone willing to marry “that devil, Deveraux,” she offers to play the blushing bride herself, but on the condition Miles must court her for two weeks before the wedding. Her goal is to gather enough intel to write an essay on the dangers of dating a rogue and then jilt him. But Daphne’s plan backfires when she realizes that Miles’s reputation is more fiction than fact. Meanwhile, as Miles learns more about the clever wallflower, his heart joins his money on the line. Craig avoids unnecessary drama, opting for a smooth transition into love while serving up a few laughs, plenty of chemistry, and a strong emotional connection. This is a promising series start. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)