Review: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars rounded up.

Wow, here is a reaaaaaalllllyyy slow-starting book. It was extremely frustrating to have everything and everyone described in detail. The first half is infused with minutiae and inner dialoguing. The second half picks up.  I have to admit it does get somewhat exciting, but the subject matter is what could be considered a sensitive one.  (i.e. Snake Pit[book:Snake Pit|52803])  ([book:Ten Days in a Mad-House|1642216]) These books are a bit more modern than the era this author was writing about.

A typical mystery novel that has the heroine doing her best to get herself killed or, actually, worse and is always relying on someone else to get her out of her jams.   She is an independent woman for her time (1815), and some small allowances are made for her.

The ending was fairly vague and dissatisfying, at least for me. There really is no romance, but there are hints of a future one. There is a bit of Sapphic and homosexuality discussion, but nothing in detail.

*ARC provided by NewGalley, Mintour Books, and the author.

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SYNOPSIS: "When Lady Petra Forsyth’s fiancé and soulmate dies just weeks ahead of their wedding, she makes the shocking proclamation—in front of London’s loosest lips—that she will never remarry. A woman of independent means, Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life has passed, nor does she intend to become confined to her country home. Instead, she uses her title to gain access to elite spaces and enjoy the best of society without expectations.

But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of “melancholia” while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper—uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Lady Petra has reason to believe her friend is not dead, but a prisoner, her own headstrong actions and thirst for independence are used to put her own freedom in jeopardy."