Yet, she loved her job and the bantering interaction between her and the other society writers at The London Weekly. They were widely known as the scandalous "Writing Girls" as many in London were still not as modern as they could be in 1832. Sophie relished the respectability, as well as the safe guards the four scribbling women used to protect their privacy. Being a journalist was better than the alternatives, as Sophie would remind herself at every wedding.

Knowing that her best friend, Julianna, would get the details, Sophie rushes from the wedding at St. George's, before her nerves make her a spectacle. Distracted, Sophie doesn't immediately notice that she is headed for a worse disaster, but fortunately, Henry William Cameron Hamilton, the 10th Duke of Hamilton and Brandon does. After rescuing the luscious brunette with the delightful pink lips, Mr. Brandon offers to escort Sophie home after making it clear he is not married.

Truer words were never spoken, but he just happened to neglect to mention that he is engaged! To make it worse, his upcoming wedding is the big exclusive Sophie has been commanded to cover. Sophie is appalled to discover her Mr. Brandon is set to marry the beautiful Lady Clarissa Richmond in less than a month. Sophie is dismayed, but is she dismayed enough to give up hope? After a lifetime of being a proper Duke, can Brandon give up his honor to follow his heart?

Maya Rodale has hit upon a winner of an idea with her new series, The Writing Girls. It provides a strikingly different means to write about the regency period while still being true to the era. I particularly enjoyed the interspersion of newspaper columns within and between the chapters. This device was a great vehicle to keep the plot moving and to highlight the stress and pretension that Sophie has to endure. This is a delightful read with its witty dialogue and strong secondary characters. Given that, some readers may find Sophie a little too brazen with her outrageous flirting with Brandon before his perspective in-laws and Brandon too dithering to be a hero you would want to dream about. Still, very glad it is a series! Enjoy!

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