Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight

Burrowes's sixth Regency featuring the delightful Windham family (after Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal) deftly subverts genre tropes with fresh and interesting twists. When Lady Louisa Windham, middle daughter of the duke of Moreland, is subjected to the unwelcome advances of an unscrupulous fortunehunter, family friend Sir Joseph Carrington defends her honor and offers marriage. It looks like a happy match for a couple already falling in love, but Louisa's youthful literary folly is ripe for scandal should it come to light, Sir Joseph has far too many secrets hidden away at his country estate, and both are being blackmailed. Excellent dialogue and terrific characters rest on a bedrock of realistic relationships and deep family love. Exceptional writing and deft timing will keep readers smiling and the pages turning. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Literary Agency. (Oct.)