The lady makes her mark

Constantia Cooper, an anonymous cartoonist for the notorious Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses, finds that her latest alias has left her vulnerable, and her troubles are compounded by a carriage crash as she attempts to flee London. Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland, who finds Constantia lying on the cobblestones in front of his townhome, is shocked to learn that the woman he knows as "Miss C." is also the artist behind Mrs. Goode's popular "Unfashionable Plates" (where he often appears). However, he ends up offering his protection under the guise of Constantia becoming his sisters' drawing teacher. While Constantia feigns an amnesia that Alistair sees through, they both find that their assumptions about each other are not entirely correct, and circumstances continue to bring them closer together despite their secrets. Alistair's sisters are an added delight for readers who enjoy novels with close family ties, and forced proximity drives the slow burn of the romance, which includes the ever-popular only-one-bed trope. VERDICT Craig adds another Miss to her "Goode's Guide to Misconduct" series (after The Lady Plays with Fire), in which readers finally learn more about the magazine's mysterious artist. Hand to fans of Amalie Howard and Madeline Hunter.--Morgan Lockard