Miss Lattimore's Letter

June 14, 2021
Indecision and miscommunication strain the relationships in Allain’s lackluster sophomore Regency rom-com (after Mr. Malcolm’s List). After 28-year-old Sophronia “Sophie” Lattimore overhears an intimate conversation between star-crossed lovers Priscilla Hammond and Charles Beswick, she pens an anonymous letter to suggest to Priscilla’s betrothed, Lord Fitzwater, that he’d be better matched with the infatuated Lucy Barrett instead. After both couples get engaged, Sophie’s cousin Cecilia reveals Sophie as the architect of the couplings, and she is suddenly beset with the romantic woes of everyone she knows. But when Charles and Priscilla’s marriage begins to fray, Sophie regrets her position as matchmaker. In truth, she’s no expert in love, having been jilted by her own suitor a decade earlier. Now that gentleman, the charming Frederick Maitland, is back in her life, leaving Sophie struggling to choose between her old passion for him and her growing connection with the thoughtful, reserved Sir Edmund Winslow, whom she’s enjoying getting to know, but who may be too far above her station to consider marriage. Sophie, Priscilla, and Cecilia all vehemently doubt their own desires and decisions, which will leave readers unsure of the longevity of their happy endings. Only the sustained romantic tension enlivens this otherwise dull Regency. Agent: Stefanie Lieberman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.

Starred review from June 1, 2021

Sophronia Lattimore impulsively writes an anonymous letter to undo what she considers to be disastrous matchmaking. As no good deed goes unpunished, she's then faced with a disastrous marriage that she helped arrange. Suddenly she begins to attract attention in high society--a status unfamiliar to Sophie, who is a poor orphan, living off charity from her aunt and cousin since the death of her parents. Sir Edmund Winslow is intrigued by this letter writer, and he approaches Sophie to propose that she turn her talents to finding him a spouse. Sophie soon comes to realize that she doesn't want to make Edmund a match--unless it's with her. VERDICT Get ready to read well past bedtime with Allain's (Mr. Malcolm's List) classic Regency romance and its shrewd, funny heroine, who turns her talent for matchmaking into a match of her own. For all public libraries.--Judy Garner, Strayer Univ., Herndon, VA

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August 1, 2021
Six years ago, after the death of her father, Sophronia Lattimore was taken in by her aunt and uncle. Now, at 28, Sophie has become her younger cousin's trusty chaperone. Stepping outside for fresh air during a society dance, Sophie accidentally overhears a private conversation and, with the best of intentions, writes a letter that changes everything. From wallflower to sought-after adviser, Sophie feels ready to be a full-fledged matchmaker, but is she? With only a handful of characters, Allain follows her delightful Mr. Malcolm's List (2020) with another Regency-era tale rich in relationships that grow and change naturally while remaining appropriate for the setting. Realistically varied motivations and small social deceptions build a sense of intrigue, and tender interactions generate a deeper sense of connectedness and hope. Sophie's natural curiosity leads to additional interesting background information on a variety of topics. Fans of Pride and Prejudice will recognize elements honoring the original and nod with approval, and every reader will finish the book with a satisfied smile. A solid suggestion for Austen lovers and admirers of Georgette Heyer and Julia Quinn.

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