The Marriage Wager

With a nod to Jane Austen, Camp launches the Matchmaker series, set in 19th-century London and concerning the lovely widow Lady Francesca Haughston, mistress of romantic chicanery. When Francesca claims that she can get any marriageable girl engaged by the end of the season, Sinclair, the fifth duke of Rochford, accepts her wager, but only if he can choose the girl. The target he picks is Constance Woodley, a spinsterish young woman who’s been living with her uncle since her father’s death, hopeless for a future as anything but a chaperone for her spoiled younger cousins. Constance has no idea why Francesca has taken her under her wing, but doesn’t worry too much about it: she’s feeling alive as if for the first time, especially when she meets handsome Lord Dominic Leighton; unfortunately, he turns out to be Francesca’s brother and way out of Constance’s social class. While there are no surprises in this frothy concoction, Camp delivers another beautifully written charmer, sure to please fans of historicals, with enough modern appeal to pull in some contemporary romance readers. (Sept.)