Unlocked

Unlocked (2011) Courtney Milan

Set in England in 1840.

Evan Carlton, Earl of Westfeld behaved so badly during Lady Elaine Warren first season that he left the country and spent 10 years on the continent mountain climbing.

Lady Elaine Warren was so badly bullied her first season that even ten years later she has not had any offers, and hates going to social events where her bullies, especially Diana, Lady Cosgrove will be. But she has refused to allow them to break her, and laughs loudly, despite the mocking she knows she’ll receive.

There are two things I had serious difficulty with in this story: 1) the mountain climbing 2) the bullying.

Because of that, I cannot fairly review this book, because I absolutely never want to read it again.

I did, however, adore Lady Elaine’s mother.

“And you danced three times.”

“Yes,” Elaine said uncomfortably. “I did.” She sighed. “At least that’s three times better than the last ball.”

Her mother set the brush down with a click. “No, it is infinity times better, the ratio of naught to three being boundless. If you continue to attract dance partners at an infinite rate, at the next ball you attend, every man in all of England will ask you to dance.”

Elaine smiled. “You’re being ridiculous, Mama.”

Her mother frowned. “Yes,” she finally admitted. “It is rather optimistic to extrapolate a geometrical trend from two data points.”

Published by Courtney Milan

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