I didn't find the marquis especially attractive (the number of times the words bore and quizzing-glass appear on page may be a turn off) and the narrator digresses sometimes, but "former bachelor finds the love of his life and can't stop himself from taking all the burden off their shoulders" is a trope that never fails. besides, Heyer's writing can be a breath of fresh air for those tired of lazy romance books. there are some great dialogues and, despite the excessive use of exclamation marks to help maintain the lively tone, the humor doesn't push the romance to the sidelines like it does in The Grand Sophy, nor forces the plot to be over the top and underwhelming. here as well you can't help but like the self-sufficient protagonist, the difference being that Frederica can be more relatable due to her manners, pragmatism and situation in life. also, the children receive more focus thus improving the cast and making this an altogether pretty endearing book. however, a bit more of emotion would have been highly appreciated: there were balls but no dance, two eligible suitors but no sign of jealous, and I was left wanting more of their hea.