Review: Improper

Improper by Darcy Burke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tobias Powell has inherited the title of Lord Overton following his father's death. His father's will requires Tobias to marry within three months of his death or forfeit his mother's house, the only place he ever felt of as home. Trying to rebuild his tattered reputation and find a wife is a tall enough order already without adding in a young ward.

Miss Fiona Wingate has led a sheltered life in the country but has been brought to London for a Season in order to find her a suitable husband by her new guardian. Although she has no title, she does have a dowry, and if Tobias fails to marry within the allotted time she will also have his mother's house - although she doesn't know this. As she is new to society Fiona makes several mistakes and gets herself into all sorts of scrapes, none of which help her to find a husband or Tobias to find a bride.

Tobias is co-founder of The Phoenix Club with his closest friends. The club was set up to cater to those who had been overlooked by London Society, because they were poor, or rakes, or women, or Irish, or second sons etc. Less stuffy than the traditional clubs like Whites, The Phoenix Club has a separate half just for married women and spinsters.

I liked this but I didn't love it. I have read at least one other series which centres on a group of men who set up their own gentlemen's gambling club and this felt too samey-samey. Also, Tobias is billed as a dissolute rogue but after the first chapter he seems to be a very kind and proper young man.

However, I am very keen to read the next book in the series which features the club's founder's stuffy older brother Lord Aldington.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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