Book Review: Someone To Watch Over Me

One of the things I like best about Lisa Kleypas is that her books rarely disappoint. Sure, there are some that aren't as good as others, but when she's at her best she's almost untouchable in the Regency/Victorian romance genre, with the outstanding Mary Balogh perhaps being the only competitor.

I would put Someone To Watch Over Me firmly between great and good. The basic premise of the story is that the hero, Grant Morgan, is a Bow Street Runner (kind of like a policeman) who is called in one night when an unconscious woman is dragged out of the Thames. She's got a bump on her head and bruises around her throat, leading Grant to correctly surmise that someone tried to kill her. But he recognizes the woman as Vivian Duvall, one of London's most famous courtesans. Vivian had spread unflattering gossip about Grant in the past, so he decides to take her under his roof not only to keep her safe while they try to lure out her attacker, but also so he can somehow get back at her. I'm still not sure how he planned to do that. I think he was going to love her and leave her.

But, in a stunning romance novel twist (note the irony) Vivian has amnesia when she awakens and can't remember anything about her life before the attack, including who attacked her! Dum dum dum! And not only that, she is sweet tempered and modest, very unlike a brazen courtesan. What on earth is going on!

I liked this book despite the cliched amnesia plot because the characters were very likable and their affection for each seemed genuine and believable. And Grant wasn't your typical tough-guy hero that refused to acknowledge when he's in love. I liked that, I thought it was sweet. It was also nice how the climax of the story didn't occur at the very end of the book which is unusual for a romance novel. I like it when there are more than two pages after the characters decide they will live happily ever after.

Lindsey's Grade: B