Synopsis:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements—deserves his comeuppance.

The Honourable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. As the target of matchmaking mothers and desperate debutantes, he’s determined to avoid the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications on his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he’s beginning to despair of ever finding this paragon. Until Selina Dalton arrives in town.

Selina, a vicar’s daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia Thistlewaite invites her to London, until she learns it’s all part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia’s scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who appears to be very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia’s description.

But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has some qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind…Mr. Malcolm’s List.

Review:
This book sucked me in from the very first page. It was beautiful and the characters well described and quite brilliant. I loved the sibling-esque relationship between Cassie and Julia, and Julia is just perfectly set up for you to hate her. Overall it is a brilliant piece of clean historical romance that instantly pulls you into the life of the characters, hoping they can manage to work out what is clearly meant to be between all of them. Very much gives the same feelings as an Austen romance (both Emma and Pride and Prejudice come to mind), and just as much trouble that must be sorted! A hint of passion, but a completely clean romance. Read in one day, pleasant to spend long periods of time falling into.

Highly recommend!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯