Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander

In this debut novel, librarian Herendeen creates a quirky and comic Regency romance in which Phyllida Lewis, a young, beautiful and feisty writer, agrees to a marriage of convenience with Andrew Carrington, the gay heir to an earldom. Although Phyllida is attracted to her good-looking husband, she recognizes that Andrew prefers the company of his friends in the Brotherhood of Philander, an elite \x93gentleman's\x94 club. What Phyllida hadn't counted on, however, was the physical connection between the two despite his averred status, and the concomitant difficulties that arise when a man is clueless in the ways of wooing and pleasing a woman. Phyllida expresses her newfound carnal knowledge in her role as a budding writer of \x93inferior romance\x94 and finds she must learn the ways of London society while being the object of relentless observation and gossip. Much time is devoted to Andrew and his exploits with other men as well as to Phyllida's love-hate relationship with Andrew and his way of life. But when Phyllida breaches Andrew's trust, the delightful characters in Phyllida's new world must play a part in reconciling the pair. Herendeen's book brings a breath of fresh air and creativity to the romance genre and with her humor and ability to entertain, she is sure to woo fans. (Apr.)