Rules for Engaging the Earl

March 15, 2022
Jonathan Eaton, earl of Sykeston, might have promised to marry Constance Lysander, but he draws the line at living with her. So, when, a year after their wedding, Constance, with her new baby daughter, turns up at Jonathan's country estate intent on moving in with him, Jonathan takes matters into his own hands. If Constance insists that they are now to live together as husband and wife, she must first agree to some rules of engagement regarding their new domestic arrangement. What Jonathan soon discovers is that Constance has a few rules of her own that may turn their marriage of convenience into something much more inconvenient. In the latest lushly sensual addition to her Widows Rules series, MacGregor (A Duke in Time, 2021) strikes the perfect balance between brilliantly rendered characters and deft plotting, both of which provide the solid foundation for a gracefully written, immensely satisfying historical romance readers will treasure.

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February 21, 2022
MacGregor’s dramatic but drawn-out second Widow Rules Regency romance (after A Duke in Time) sees effervescent Constance Lysander reuniting with her first love, the reclusive Jonathan, Earl of Sykeston. Having suffered enough scandal, Constance, the pregnant widow of a late polygamist whose other wives have become her close friends, seeks out Jonathan to be the father to her daughter 10 years after he left her for the war. But Jonathan’s emotional scars are as deep as his physical ones, and he’s facing a court-martial on trumped-up charges. He worries he’ll only bring Constance more shame, but agrees to marry for the sake of her daughter. Still, he’s constantly trying to keep Constance at arm’s length, which has the effect of alienating readers, as well. Constance works hard to be a good wife, but the battle for Jonathan’s affection grinds on her. Will Jonathan reform his ways before he loses Constance forever? The romantic progression is two steps forward, one step back for much of the novel, but when Jonathan finally tries with Constance he becomes a hero to root for. Jonathan’s lovable, matchmaking butler steals every scene he’s in and Constance’s fellow widows remain a delight. There are some hiccups, but series fans will still find plenty to enjoy.

April 1, 2022
An injured, reclusive earl meets his match in a genteel, widowed businesswoman who was his childhood sweetheart. Tempted by the war secretary's office, Jonathan Eaton, the Earl of Sykeston, cast aside the promise of Constance Lysander's youthful love in favor of service to the Crown. Years later, he is being blackmailed with the possibility of a court-martial for his honorable decision to let an unarmed enemy solider go free. After the death of her parents, Constance has successfully run Lysander & Sons Refitting Company. Her first husband bolted in the middle of the night with her dowry, leaving her pregnant, and died not long after. Widowed and with a newborn daughter, she proposes marriage to Jonathan, believing in his integrity and honor. He acquiesces but, after providing for her material comforts, leaves her behind in London right after the marriage ceremony. The fear of court-martial hangs like the Sword of Damocles over his head. He believes he will rain society's disapprobation down on anyone with whom he associates. The reality of Jonathan's war injury, with its physical agony and mental pain, is sensitively portrayed. He's convinced he will never be good enough as a husband, father, or friend, so he isolates himself on his estate, Sykeston Gardens. A year later, battling her fear of abandonment, Constance goes to stay with him. Jonathan's behavior toward her oscillates between tender and kind in one moment, cold and standoffish the next. He can't bear to have her with him, and he can't bear not to. But she's determined to help him recover and make her second marriage a success. Constance is shown to be a courageous, independent woman who isn't afraid to display her strong personality. This second book of The Widow Rules series is set in Portsmouth, a welcome departure from the ballrooms of London. A moving tale of hope and redemption.

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