A Perfect Plan (Wiltshire Chronicles, #1)

SUSPENSE/THRILLER:  According to her sister-in-law Wilhelmina,  Samantha Hastings has postponed her debut into fashionable London society for far too long.  While both women have enjoyed living quietly since Wilhelmina’s husband, Samantha’s brother Lord Hasting’s death, it is time for Samantha to move on with her life.  Then Samantha learns that the task of finding her a husband has been given to Lord Benjamin Westwood: he of the dreamy eyes and soft enchanting lips, an unspeakable cad and womanizer.  Independent Samantha wants nothing of any of these machinations and is determined to remain single.

For readers looking for light fare, “A Perfect Plan” is an enjoyable read.  Part romance and part mystery, the prose is well written and consistent with the time-period in which the story takes place.  “A Perfect Plan’s” major downfall is that there is nothing new or original in its plot.  The reader can easily guess what will happen from the first chapter. Its lack of originality means that there is no excitement as the story unfolds into a rather disappointing ending.  There is simply not enough of a story for more than one volume.

One hopes that Ms. Drake gives the reader more substance in volume two.  Her writing is certainly good enough to tell a more exciting story.  “A Perfect Plan” is a good read for those looking for something less challenging and fits the bill in that category  

Gwenellen Tarbet