The Curse of the Braddock Brides

The beauty of the grand estates of New York’s Hudson Valley in the late 19th century is the stage for Obey’s smart, witty, and self-aware mash-up of British social scandal with American industrialism and Tammany Hall politics. Libba Wadsworth, the daughter of the richest quarryman in the Hudson Valley, has been on the marriage mart for several years, with no success. After a failed family visit to Cornwall, England, for introductions to Lord Hardcastle, she’s annoyed that he continues pursuing her and intrigued by secret visits from orchid smuggler Will Ransome, who claims to be Hardcastle’s batman and aims to prove that her suitor is an imposter to his title. Romance-first readers will enjoy Libba’s tough attitude and circulating library–inspired imagination, but may be disappointed by her primary role as a pawn in the men’s business dealings and unconvinced by adventurous Will’s developing fondness for her. Nevertheless, Obey (The Lazarus Vector) provides the Victorian romance essentials: a deliciously scandalous story with an unequivocally stable and happy ending. This is a smoothly unfolding, satisfyingly twisty tale of lurid legends, deadly blackmail, hidden identities, international spycraft, and practical romance. (Apr.)