Jacob Proffitt's Reviews > Much Ado About You

This was a very fun Regency romance. Tess and her three sisters find themselves orphaned and thrown into the wardship of a kind, though indolent Duke. The obvious solution is that one of them should marry well, quickly, so that the others can be presented under her auspices. Tess, being the oldest, feels this responsibility keenly and begins looking about her for suitable candidates. Naturally, their guardian's friends are first up for consideration.

The book's scope is pretty limited, really, because you mostly get Rafe (the guardian) and a couple of his friends plus a few neighbors. From that limited cast, James serves up a great story of developing love and respect and scheming and compatibility.

I loved Tess as a heroine, and you really can't not fall for Lucius, with his solid strength, reserve, and ultimately deeply-seated passion. He's the quiet guy with enough of a past to be vulnerable and enough success to be confident and that's a potent combination.

A note about Steamy: A handful of long, explicit sex scenes that build to an ultimately loving relationship. I like how good James is in using the explicit sex as a marker or motivator for the deeper emotions her characters develop. It's a strength in the last couple of her books I've read and I hope it's a regular pattern for her work.