Lady like A novel

Marriage comes with extremely high stakes for the sapphic heroines of this riotously entertaining Regency, the adult debut from bestselling YA author Lee (A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue). For Emily Sergeant, whose reputation has been tarnished by scandal in her small hometown, finding a wealthy match in London is her best hope of avoiding an arranged marriage to a despicable and much older neighbor. Meanwhile, Harriet "Harry" Lockhart, the libertine daughter of a prostitute, is shocked when the Prince Regent reveals himself as her father and offers her an inheritance on the condition that she settle down with a respectable husband. Loathe as she is to change her ways, Harry needs the money and imagines that marriage might be bearable with her friend and occasional lover Alexander Bolton, Duke of Rochester. Unfortunately for her, Emily has also set her sights on the duke. Emily initially sees Harry as a "sneering amazon," while Harry calls Emily an "infernal pixie," but after Emily naively asks for Harry's help winning Alexander's attention, sparks soon fly between the two women. Lee injects this sprightly enemies-to-lovers tale with equal parts humor and sensuality, and it's especially gratifying to see Emily come into her own. The result should win Lee a legion of new fans. (Sept.)

Often in historical romances when two women want to wed the same duke, one ends up in a happily-ever-after, while the other must continue her search for a husband in the sequel. However, Lee's first adult novel gives both women their happily-ever-after; the duke doesn't even factor into the final equation. Harriet "Harry" Lockhart, who plays breeches roles in a risqué sapphic Shakespeare troupe, is told that she must become more respectable and find a husband in order to receive her much-needed inheritance. Meanwhile, the demure Emily Sergeant, who is betrothed to a truly awful man, absconds to London to find a better fiancé. Harry and Emily become entangled as they each prowl the marriage mart and quickly realize that they like each other a whole lot more than they like any man. Much as in her "Montague Siblings" YA series, Lee brings delightfully flawed characters to life with a healthy dose of humor and a heap of queer joy. Fans of Lee will be thrilled by her excellent adult debut and left clamoring for more. VERDICT A charming must-have addition to any historical romance collection.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor