The Jilter
Series: A Series of Worthy Young Ladies #5
Author: Kate Archer
Published October 11th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
A Cautious Lady and a Courageous Lord

Six highly placed matrons mourn their lack of daughters until they devise a scheme to launch eligible girls in need of assistance, and so The Society of Sponsoring Ladies is born.

Lady Prudence Landry, only daughter of the Earl of Copeland, has been besieged by Lord Luckstone. He has told the neighborhood that they are engaged and he attempts admittance to the house daily. She never agreed to such a thing and she and her elderly father have all but barricaded themselves inside. When there seems nowhere to turn, the earl sends an urgent message to his cousin, Lady Featherstone.

Lady Featherstone is baffled by Lord Luckstone, but there is nothing she likes so much as a mystery. She sets off for Kent with the redoubtable Lady Heathway, determined to bring Lady Prudence to London. It is finally her turn to act as mama to a charming young lady.

Ambrose Thorpe, Marquess of Ryland, is larger than life and the founder of the Society for Advancing Criminal Knowledge. The ton believes the lord merely wishes to assist the crown, but he has another reason for involving himself in England’s underbelly—long ago, someone murdered his father for a famed diamond the lord never had in his possession. Lady Featherstone is one of his longstanding members and when she summons him to the earl’s estate, he promptly answers the call.

With the help of Lord Ryland, Lady Prudence has left Lord Luckstone behind in Kent. She has also learned a few things about her inclinations, thanks to her recent harassment at the hands of a gentleman. As she thinks of her future, she’s decided she will only wed a very mild man.

She will never allow herself to feel overcome or run over again. Lord Ryland may be many things, but mild has never been on the list.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Prudence Landry, daughter of the Earl of Copeland, needs a miracle and a hero. A gentleman has recently arrived in the neighbourhood and claims that she has agreed to marry him, and won't take no for an answer. A message that Lord Copeland was able to send to his cousin, Lady Featherstone, is their only hope, and luckily she answers, and brings Lord Ryland to help. Lady Featherstone proclaims that Prudence is to be her girl to launch, and Ryland never lets a mystery go unsolved. It doesn't hurt that Prudence is so beautiful too, but the fact that she is wary around him is a cause for concern. Can he solve her case, and the case of his father's murder, while also convincing Prudence she doesn't want a weak willed and mild mannered husband, but someone more like himself?

This had more of a mystery aspect than the previous books, but it was definitely enjoyable. Every year, Lord Ryland had been proposed as a potential husband for the ladies the Society were launching, but Prudence was the first one that he has shown more than a polite interest in. The moments between them were all so cute, though Prudence had walls up following the actions of 'Lord' Luckstone that Ambrose had to climb. I really enjoyed the secondary plot line of the Lisbon diamond, and the riddles and clues which tied the Landry and Ryland family's together. Little Tommy was such a hoot, and he saved the day on more than one occasion. We got to see a few more of our past couples in this book, and with the next one being the final in the series, I hope they all make reappearances at some point.

Dates Read:
May 29-30, 2023

Rating
3 Stars