My Fair Gentleman

Fans of sweet Regencies will enjoy this fun romance, in which proper lady Ivy Carlisle plays Professor Higgins to merchant sailor Jack Elliot’s Eliza. Jack needs to enter high society as John Weldon Elliot, the new Earl of Stansworth. He’s the old earl’s legitimate grandson, newly reinstated into the family at the earl’s dying request, but he knows nothing about being a gentleman. While Jack wants to reject the title and high society, he wants a better life for his sister, Sophia, and their mother, so he needs Ivy to teach him how to speak properly, dress, and carry himself. Despite a reputation for circumspect behavior, Ivy is no demure Regency debutante. Her independent streak comes in handy when someone tries to kill Jack, as well as when they face the challenges of setting up a halfway house for prostitutes. Her desire to make a difference infuses the story with excitement and action. Despite social restrictions, Ivy, Jack, and Sophia forge strong friendships and figure out ways to do good with the power and money behind Jack’s title, while avoiding the endless cycle of vapid gossip, petty jealousies, and idle pursuits. Pygmalion stories are common in the genre; this is one of the better ones. Agent: Pam van Hylckama Vlieg, D4EO Literary Agency. (Jan.)