THE SECRETS OF SIR RICHARD KENWORTHY – Julia Quinn
The Smythe-Smith Quartet Series , Book 4
Avon Books
ISBN: 978-0-06-207294-8
February 2015
Historical Romance

London during the Spring Season, 1825, and Yorkshire.

It's the evening of the nineteenth annual Smythe-Smith musicale, and once again the young unmarried Smythe-Smith ladies and their cousins display their talents with a piano, violins, and cello concert for the edification of friends and family. One might think such a family must be a talented one, indeed, but one might be wrong. Oh, occasionally a girl pops up with some talent or, at least, with an ear that can realize how bad they are. Yet who is to disillusion such nice girls and their proud mothers? Every year sees loyal friends gathering for the occasion. One such gentleman dragged along a friend.

Sir Richard Kenworthy is in need of a wife…and quickly. That's why he agreed to attend the musical with his friend, Winston Bevelstoke. It seemed as good a place as any to start his search. Winston hadn't told him how bad the music would be, but he did bring along cotton for their ears. Then Richard's eye is caught by the small, pale young lady who seems to be hiding herself behind her cello. Something about her intrigues him, and before the ordeal is over, he thinks he may have found what he is looking for.

Miss Iris Smythe-Smith is one of the few cousins who know what bad music they make and tries to be inconspicuous. She's disturbed by the gentleman in the audience who keeps staring at her. What follows is a hurried courting by Richard of a bewildered Iris. While she certainly notices his good looks, she can't understand what he wants of her. Even after a quick wedding, she's not sure why he wanted her. Richard is not a bad man. He believes he has good reasons for trapping Iris into marrying him, and Iris is hoping to make him love her. Iris may be small and pale, but she's no fool. Though her heart is open, her wit is sharp. The pairs' interactions along the way will both move and amuse readers, though they'll have quite a wait to learn the baronet's secrets.

Julia Quinn is one of my favorite authors. She always gives us a good story about characters we can like and with something interesting on every page. She does it again with THE SECRETS OF SIR RICHARD KENWORTHY.

Jane Bowers