The Likelihood of Lucy (Regency Reformers)

by Jenny Holiday

[Amanda]

I received The Likelihood of Lucy for free in exchange for an honest review.

The Likelihood of Lucy is the second book in Jenny Holiday's Regency Reformers series -- I read and reviewed book 1, The Miss Mirren Mission, quite recently -- so when I was approached to review this one, well, I couldn't say no, could I? Can't say no to more historomance!

I'm also pleased to say that The Likelihood of Lucy improves on The Miss Mirren Mission. Solid writing from Jenny Holiday. (I can only expect other books, should there be more in the series, will continue to improve as the author finds her historical romance stride.) And bonus, we get to see characters from previous books!

That said, I did have a few issues with Trevor. General idea is, Trevor and Lucy grew up in Seven Dials together, they both got out never to see the other again... until Lucy comes running back to Trevor for help. Despite growing up in Seven Dials together, Trevor operates under the belief, for a good portion of the book, that he's not good enough for Lucy because he's a gutter rat. And she's... not? I get that he thinks she's better than he is, but it was a very strong belief -- and a reason he could never have her -- he held on to.

I adore a friends to lovers story, and that's exactly what this is, with the added benefit of said friends not having seen each other for years, so you've got the delicious tension of "Holy crap, my friend is hot and I want."

Lucy, on the other hand... I liked her. She may have gotten out of Seven Dials, but she chafes under the lack of power she has a woman -- and doubly so as a woman who's a governess -- and causes some waves because of it. I totally get it. But in both books, Emily and Lucy are presented as... I don't know. Like they have the right ideas, but they're a little naive in them. Which is fine, but I'm not sure I completely, 100% liked the way it was portrayed. That Lucy didn't want to get married, for example, because her idol had had terrible luck with love.

A few elements toward the end were predictable (sorry, I'm a good guesser at these things), but it never really detracted from the story. Glad I picked The Likelihood of Lucy up, and hope there's more to come from Jenny Holiday!