Review by Kayleigh


This BOOK. Inject it straight in my veins. This is Emma’s adult debut historical romance and it is a must read.
Favourite Quote:
The weight of her confusion hit her like a solid wall. Her heartbeat quickened and a sickly heat bloomed over her skin. “I should know who I am, shouldn’t I?” She asked in the direction of the kind voice.
Book Synopsis:
There are many things an English lord might encounter on the grounds of his wintry estate. Trees. Birds. Perhaps a wandering gamekeeper. Instead, the Earl of Belhaven finds a woman in the snow, unconscious and nearly frozen to death. Then her luminous gray eyes open just long enough for her to plead, “Don’t let them get me.”
Now Jasper Maycott has his hands full with a woman who has absolutely no memory of who she is or where she came from—to say nothing of her name! Just a gold ring, some fine clothes, and a penchant for pert conversation. But while “Jane” dresses and speaks quite like a lady, Jasper can’t make any assumptions. After all, she could be a crafty fortune hunter…albeit a charming and unutterably beautiful one.
Only there’s no room for romantic love in the Earl of Belhaven’s world. There is just grim duty, a lingering sense of loss, and the knowledge that love—in any form—can only bring heartbreak in its wake.
But while a lady should know better, the heart heeds no rules…even if its every beat portends the danger she was running from.
Review:
Jasper finds Jane unconscious on his property during a snowstorm before Christmas. Jane doesn’t remember who she is or why she’s on his estate. Jasper has just had a year of grieving for unspeakable tragedies in his life and he’s holding his family together by threads. And Jane? Jane doesn’t know who she is, but by gods is she funny, smart and attractive.
I love this book. It is a romp, a reminder of why historical romance is SO good, and has a whiff of mystery. Emma takes a hard trope – amnesia – and makes it such a comforting, thoughtful and sympathetic experience. Jane, as we shall call her, doesn’t remember anything about her life, but she remembers odd things like the German language, her favourite painter and how to dance the waltz. She doesn’t know if she’s married or promised to someone, but there’s Jasper…. The Earl of Belhaven is handsome, funny, loves his family deeply and is so stoic it hurts. Emma throws them together and adds in a house party of all of Jasper’s closest friends and surviving family, a snowstorm, and the cheer of the impending holidays. And then she threads so much longing through Jasper and Jane. There is banter, there is humour and there is such caring comradery from the cast of characters.
I shall riot if we don’t get more of the Maycott clan’s story. A Lady Would Know Better is perfect for those of us who love big strong families with feisty women and fearless men who would do anything for their families ala the Bridgestone and the Cynsters. The Maycott’s have earned their place in my mind as the next family saga I am ready to be obsessed with.
Jane and Jasper have a fabulous relationship built on misunderstandings and tentative friendship. Jasper is very aware of the power dynamic of having a young woman with amnesia in his household. He is obviously attracted to her but does not wish to compromise her partially because he fears she cannot truly know what she desires without knowing herself, and because he has sworn off of all love and only lives for duty after the staggering loss of his fiancé, mother, father and eldest brother due to illness. Jane may not know her mind, but knows her heart. What follows is a sexy, wound tight relationship, with no third act breakup; the lovers are separated because of the mystery of Jane’s past. There is a lot of grief in the book – both Jane and Jasper have known serious loss in their loves, and Jasper has younger siblings who are still figuring out how to live life after everything they know is uprooted. However, the grief never overshadows the characters vitality for life, and for the exploration of love even through sadness.
Emma’s storytelling is strong with vivid characters, fast-paced plot and a clear and deep admiration for the historical elements of the novel. A Lady Would Know Better feels current but also deeply respectful of the giant authors whose shoulders Emma stands on. This is hopefully the first in the series of a powerful new voice in historical romance. The genre is done? Pfft, not with authors of such talent and skill as Emma. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.