Best Laid Plans by Sarah Eden
The Best-laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden Series: The Huntresses Series
on January 1, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Clean & Wholesome
Pages: 125
Goodreads
Newton Hughes has long dreamed of pursuing a career in law, an acceptable choice for a gentleman of status and wealth. His parents, however, disapprove of his ambition, urging him instead to take his rightful place as a gentleman of leisure, with a suitable wife of their choosing, of course. Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. Her lack of matrimonial enthusiasm drives her family mad, but she refuses to feign frivolity in order to make herself more palatable to potential suitors. When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other, enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plot quickly spirals out of control, but the greatest complication is the one they didn't see coming: their plan never included falling in love.
Best Laid Plans by Sarah Eden is part of the Huntresses series, and The Lancaster Family and the Jonquil Brothers universes. In my opinion it’s important to read those other books first because “worlds collide” frequently in this book. In fact, the heroine Ellie Napper in this book first appears in Loving Lieutenant Lancaster as a brief side character. The hero Newton Hughes is close friends with Charlie Jonquil, the youngest Jonquil son.
I enjoyed this story. Ellie Napper’s family is pressuring her to make a match. Since they are not wealthy the Nappers are in Bath for the social season. While there Ellie becomes reacquainted with Artemis Lancaster and Artemis and her friends bring her into their circle. It’s through this connection that Ellie and Newton become acquainted. Both struggle with their parents and both are looking for a way to get some relief from the pressure. They agree to a fake interest in one another. Along the way there are pitfalls and problems that neither one anticipated.
I enjoyed this story. It’s a fairly short read. I liked the setting of Bath. So many Regency era novels are London centered that this was a breath of fresh air. Looking forward to reading more of The Huntresses books.
