Say Yes to the Marquess

My second romance title from Tessa Dare but I remain impressed by them, despite their sleazy covers. I can't say it's entirely free of tropes and genre cliches, but she side-steps most of them and turns the typical romance expectations around on its head, which I'm very much down for. True, some of the plot elements may be a little anachronistic as Dare evidently writes with a modern point of view, but I'd rather be reading this than badly handled gender stereotypes.

I've really liked all of Tessa Dare's heroines so far. From the bushy-haired and plain-looking Izzy Goodnight in the first title of the Castles Ever After series, to the non-svelte and fiercely self-reliant Clio Whitmore in this one. They don't fit into the marble statue standard of beauty that typically describes what most romance heroines are, but I like them all the more for it.

Some side characters that I also really liked in this novel are Clio's sister, Phoebe, with all her eccentricities and genius, Ellingworth the bulldog, and Montague/Bruiser with his ridiculous quizzing glass. They all added little quirks and touches of humour that actually worked. I love how Dare's works don't take themselves too seriously and that makes them such a fun, light-hearted read. I'll certainly be reading more from her, and from this series!