A lady's guide to London

In this fun if improbable historical romance from Delacour (The Lady He Lost), a young woman flaunts Victorian society's expectations. Miss Della Danby and her friend Jane Williams founded Mrs. Bishop's Chocolate Emporium as an upscale casino for ladies. To boost business, Della asks Viscount Lyman Ashton to feature their club in his Discerning Gentleman's Guide to London. When he refuses, she decides to write her own guide for women--but remains intrigued by the handsome viscount and pursues him aggressively, ostensibly for his assistance with her project. Lord Ashton lost his fortune gambling and, as an unhappily married man, he knows he has nothing to offer Della--but he still finds her irresistible. When his wife sues for divorce, implicating Della in adultery, they both face ruin. Many romance readers will struggle to root for a married hero to betray his vows, while those with historical scruples will struggle with the abundant anachronisms. Still, Della makes for a feisty heroine who is unafraid to buck norms in pursuit of what she wants. This is a mixed bag. (Apr.)

Running a gambling hall with her best friend for the ladies of the ton wasn't Della Danby's dream, but she's having fun and working hard for its success. During her friend's pregnancy and confinement, however, Della finds herself overwhelmed, running their business solo while thinking of ideas to expand it--ideas like being included in a popular London guidebook for gentlemen, written by the stiff Viscount Ashton. When he refuses to add her business to the guidebook's esteemed pages, she decides to write her own guide for the adventurous ladies of London. Della and Ashton are tasked by their publisher to work on her guidebook together and must visit places he'd normally never enter. Soon, Ashton is seeing both London and Della in a new light. When Ashton's long-estranged wife slanders his name while seeking a very public divorce, Della and Ashton are forced to face the consequences of their connections and the threat against any future they might have together. VERDICT This second entry in the "Lucky Ladies of London" series (after The Lady He Lost) is a fresh take on the pitfalls of Victorian society for spirited women, filled with heat and heart.--Jenna Harmison