I adore the Wynchesters. The concept of this close-knit family is so wacky and so utterly brilliant: A foreign wealthy Baron offers to adopt an orphan, then quickly follows with 5 more. The siblings are wealthy but live outside of society’s strictures, practicing circus tricks, keeping a menagerie of animals, donning disguises and infiltrating the House of Lords and the houses of the Ton, and otherwise causing mischief. I want to be a Wynchester!
Chloe Wynchester is a former pickpocket and orphan who is so good at blending in and being unnoticed that she fears no one will ever remember her. She is determined to infiltrate the Duke of Faircliffe’s townhouse and steal back the painting his father stole from her and her siblings. The Duke of Faircliffe is desperately searching for an heiress to pull his crumbling estate from ruin, but he sees Chloe. He has no choice but to see her when she accidentally kidnaps him, but unlike everyone else, he remembers her. Antics and Hijinks ensue.
This was such a lovely novel, with so much warmth and heart, and I heartily enjoyed every minute I spent reading it. I will definitely be snapping up any and all Wynchester books in the future.
Also, there are hints that a future Wynchester novel – perhaps the next one?? – will be an LGBT+ romance, and I am here for it. We need more brilliant historical romance authors adding LGBT+ romances to their repertoires. And Philippa deserves a good romance after all she had to put up with in this book.
*Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Erica Ridley for providing an e-arc to review.
Whimsical Dragonette 