Banished to Brighton
by Sydney Jane Baily
My review:
There are so many books in the world vying for our attention, including plenty of historical romances. “Banished to Brighton” by Sydney Jane Baily caught my eye because I didn’t remember ever seeing Brighton as the primary location for a story. I ended up being very glad I noticed it and chose to read it. It’s book three in the ‘Rakes on the Run’ series but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I had not read the others in this series before this one and that definitely didn’t detract from my enjoyment.
Glynnis is unashamed to be searching for a husband. At this point she isn’t just searching, she’s perfectly willing to arrange to have herself caught in a compromising position if necessary to bring a good candidate to the altar. She’s been barely surviving on the money her brother leaves over after all he wastes on gambling and other selfish pursuits. She’d love to fall in love, but she’s perfectly willing to be practical and settle for a match with a man who will be able to feed, clothe and shelter her. And, of course, it would be best if he was of her social class! James is very content with his life as a well-to-do bachelor moving in the upper levels of society. He’s got no intention to get married in the foreseeable future. He himself escaped Glynnis’ attempt to trap him into marriage. Somehow in this wonderfully written book James and Glynnis end up forming an unlikely friendship. They’re both likeable characters that you’ll still sometimes want to shake to vent your frustrations.
I thought this book was very engaging. The book captured my attention right away and kept it till the very end. It includes terrific historical details that seamlessly emerged as part of the story. There are some great secondary characters who add even more interest to the story. James’ friend Payton was particularly great, so much that I’d love to see him have his story told in his own book. I mentioned that I hadn’t read the first two books in this series – well, I’m going to look for them now because this one was so good.