Behind a Lady's Smile

The gorgeous cover for BEHIND A LADY’S SMILE grabbed my attention right away, and the content is just as wonderful! I had read and loved Ms. Goodger’s previous book, and BEHIND A LADY’S SMILE strengthens my opinion of the author. Since her father’s death 8 months ago, Genevieve "Genny" Hayes has lived all alone in a cabin in the woods near Yosemite. She has seen a man about, and now she is watching him: he’s Mitch Campbell, who is with a team for the United States Geological Survey. Mitch dreams of opening a photographer’s studio in New York. But Mitch sees Genny, and inadvertently scares her, and things literally go downhill from there: Genny hurts herself, and Mitch takes care of her because he feels responsible, which in a way he is. Genny also happens to mention that she is the granddaughter of a duke; even though she has no idea what it means. Mitch knows it could mean a lot of money, and he could open his studio, and so on their way to England they go. BEHIND A LADY’S SMILE is one of the most enchanting books I have ever read! The story is clever, Genny is absolutely charming and Mitch is very engaging as well. I also like that it’s a Victorian romance set in the American West. I could not say enough about Ms. Goodger’s writing: the story is different, the characters unusual, the pacing is perfect, the prose is lyrical and very descriptive. The author’s attention to detail is simply spectacular: she makes a bygone era come alive with her vivid descriptions, and character development is stellar. The dialogues are also a high point: Genny’s speech is distinctively English, due to her father’s education, while Mitch’s is American, and the author pays particular attention to the differences. I loved how the romance slowly progressed, and even though Mitch is completely captivated by the sweet and naïve Genny, he behaves like a gentleman, even though it tries his patience. The adventures they experience are highly entertaining and entirely plausible. BEHIND A LADY’S SMILE is book one of Jane Goodger’s new series, Lost Heiresses, and I can hardly wait until the second instalment comes out. Perfectly delightful! I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.