Recently returned to England, Leo, the new Earl of
Salcott, discovers he's been thrust into the role of guardian to an heiress,
the daughter of a notorious rake. Even worse, his wealthy ward has brought her
half-sister, the beautiful but penniless Isobel, with her. Leo must find
Clarissa a suitable husband, but her illegitimate half-sister, Izzy, is quite
another matter. Her lowly birth makes her quite unacceptable in London's
aristocratic circles.
However, the girls are devoted to each other and despite
the risk of scandal if Izzy's parentage is discovered, they refuse to be
separated. To Leo's frustration, nothing will convince them otherwise. Even
worse, sparks fly every time Leo and Izzy interact.
Called away to his country estate, Leo instructs the young
ladies to stay quietly at home. But when he returns, he's infuriated to
discover that Izzy and Clarissa have launched themselves into society -- with
tremendous success! There's no going back. Now Leo must enter society to
protect Clarissa from fortune hunters, and try not to be driven mad by the
sharp-witted, rebellious, and intoxicating Izzy.
I loved this book, with its tight bond between Clarissa
and Izzy and the unlikely romance between Leo and Izzy. The book opened with
the heart-grabbing introduction between Clarissa and Izzy and didn't let go
until I'd read the last page.
Clarissa was the lonely and neglected daughter of the notorious
rake, Sir Bartleby. One day a carriage appeared on their estate, carrying the
illegitimate Izzy to become her father's responsibility. He intends to dump her
in an orphanage, but Clarissa hides her away. Having discovered that Izzy is
that coveted being of a sister, she flatly refuses to give her up, thwarting
every attempt Sir Bartleby makes to separate them. Ten years later, upon their
father's death, Clarissa finds herself the ward of Leo, Earl of Salcott. Though
no provision was made for Izzy, Clarissa still refuses to be separated from
her.
After a year away from England, Leo is horrified to discover
he is Clarissa's guardian. He's even more horrified that Clarissa expects her
half-sister to participate in the Season with her. Despite his predictions of
scandal, and his attempt to buy off Izzy, nothing will convince them that it
can't be done. He takes them to his aunt, Lady Scattergood, because they can't
live with a bachelor, who informs him that she won't launch them into Society
but will watch over them. In frustration at their stubbornness, he leaves for a
few days at his estates after instructing them to stay home and behave.
Neither Clarissa nor Izzy has any intention of doing so.
They came to London to find husbands, so they took matters into their own
hands. I loved that they were fully aware of the risks but determined to do
things their way. By the time Leo returned to London, the two women had
successfully launched themselves. Leo was furious but could only hope to get both
married before the scandal broke.
I loved the relationship between Izzy and Clarissa. Izzy
is fully aware of her situation but loves Clarissa too much to abandon her.
Clarissa is on the shy side and having Izzy with her gives her the confidence to
handle Society's challenges. Whatever happens, they are there for each other,
and the rest of the world can live with it - or not.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Izzy and Leo. I was disappointed that Leo's opinion was influenced by a letter
left by the girls' father in which he said terrible things about Izzy. Leo is rude
and judgmental to her rather than paying attention to her actions. I loved seeing
her stand up to him and push back against his attempts to separate her from
Clarissa. Underneath the antagonism that characterizes their early encounters
are sparks of attraction that neither wants to admit.
Leo and Izzy know that a relationship between them is
impossible. Her illegitimacy makes her ineligible to be the bride of an earl,
and she knows it. Leo's attitude is also driven by past experiences with his
parents and relationships with other women that leave him doubting his marital future.
He and Izzy must overcome their insecurities before they can open themselves up
to a future together. I loved their interactions and seeing them grow closer
despite their battles.
I loved the scene where their attraction pushed them over
the edge. Neither one expected the intensity of their connection and what it
meant for them. Leo made the expected offer, being an honorable man but made a
terrible mess of it in his nervousness. I ached for Izzy and her feelings of
hurt and disappointment. Her reaction was precisely what I expected, leaving
Leo stunned and uncertain. I loved his "uh-oh" moment when he
realized his mistakes, and his subsequent meeting with Lady Scattergood was
fantastic. He knew what he needed to do but not how to make it happen.
At a ball that evening, a friend of their father's made offensive
remarks about Izzy. I loved Leo's protectiveness and how he jumped to her
defense. Everything he said was true but ambiguous enough to sow doubt. But the
clear winner in the race to protect Izzy was Clarissa. Her staunch and unique
way of doing so was excellent.
It was fun to see Leo's attempts at making amends with
Izzy get thwarted as circumstances seemed to keep them apart. I loved seeing
him finally break through the wall of support around her and get to say his
piece. I thought he groveled quite well and earned his happy ending. Izzy also finally
believed that she could have that future she dreamed of. The final chapter and
epilogue were terrific. I can't wait for the next book - I hope it is Clarissa
and Race's story! 
