In this sequel to
My Fair Gentleman, Jack's sister, Sophia, has fallen for his best friend, Anthony Blake. He is in love with her, too, but on the very day he wants to ask permission to formally court her he is forced to go back undercover as a spy to recover a lost document that could put Sophia and all his friends and relatives at risk. Fast forward two years, Sophia, still heartbroken by Anthony's abrupt exit from her life, decides she needs to get away from London and go on a grand adventure. She ends up in India, sponsored by a kind and wealthy English couple who are bent on finding a match for her. Anthony, who is still seeking for the document, finds himself in India as well, staying with the same family as Sophia. Anthony knows he should uphold his spy persona as a flirtatious rake, but he wants so much to mend his relationship with Sophia. Then there is a murder. Both he and Sophia are pulled into the investigation to find the killer, but the more time they spend together the more painful it is for both of them to pretend they are not in love with each other.
The first in this series was a variation on the My Fair Lady story, but, as far as I can tell, this book doesn't have any cultural reference. It is just your standard murder -mystery-historical-romance like the books of Anna Lee Huber and Kristi Ann Hunter. I enjoyed the book. The setting was rich and interesting, and the romantic tension between Anthony and Sophia was handled well. I wonder how someone from India would feel about the portrayal of their mother country. One element of the story revolves around an ancient practice called Sati, in which a wife would be burned on their husband's funerial pyre. It was a real practice, but I would hate to have one of my country's worst historical practices be a main plot point for a story written by a foreigner. Despite the possible cultural insensitivity, it is a good book and I will happily read more by this author. (320 p. 2017)
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