| Title | : | My Fair Lord |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0008637210 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780008637217 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 329 |
| Publication | : | Published March 1, 2024 |
Arriving into English society from the drawing rooms of New York, Miss Florence Wakechild desires nothing less than the marriage her father is so desperately seeking for her. Clayton Wakechild desires nothing more than finding a suitable husband for his daughter – a husband of noble birth and title no less. No ‘new money’ here.
Frustrated with her father’s obsession with the British aristocracy, Florence comes up with a plan. If she can train an ordinary working man to behave like a viscount and fool her father, she can prove to him a title is meaningless.
It’s a straightforward plan, but the man Florence chooses is Ned Blake, a man who will open her eyes in a way she couldn’t have imagined. As Ned’s hands gently guide her across the ballroom floor, the last thing Florence expects to feel is something… real.
My Fair Lord Reviews
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My Fair Lord, indeed 😏
The biggest error in this book is marketing it as a reverse My Fair Lady retelling, setting reader expectations to certain themes and then whiffing them badly. I might have enjoyed this more had I not had that preconceived idea in my head, because this was not in any way close to My Fair Lady, insofar as he is not a fish out of water and he needs no instruction on how to behave properly among the aristocracy and she is not in any position to be teaching him, considering.
Just letting this be what it is and not inferring a link to a different story would have been a much better experience for me. Also,
Other than that this was mostly a light read, but I found the characters lacking in chemistry as there is very very little heat between the two. And everything was wrapped up quickly and perfectly in the final chapter after a pretty large deception on the part of the hero.
Small note: the author spent a lot of time soap boxing on current hot topics. Though I agree with her take, I never like social issues preached at me in light romance, in fact I’d completely prefer never knowing the author’s moral views on anything. The way this author dealt with them here ended up making the heroine appear like a Mary Sue and had a touch of white saviorism at its core. So maybe the author wanted us to see how much the heroine didn’t agree with the treatment of the lower classes, especially people of colour and former slaves, but her approach left a bad taste in my mouth.
With a couple of small tweaks this could be a very light hearted, sweet historical romantic comedy, but it just spent too much time trying to be something it wasn’t. Plus no sex, heat, angst, longing or anything to be had here. They could have been siblings, I can’t stress enough how little I believed they wanted each other.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book, this is my honest review. -
Florence Wakechild travels from New York to England, her father Clayton made his fortune manufacturing dye, he returns to London to visit his eldest daughter Cordelia, or Lady Griggs the Baroness of Goreswarth and her husband Tremlow. Despite their marriage being arranged, they have developed feelings for each other and Florence is delighted her sister is happy.
Florence doesn't understand why her father is in such a hurry to marry her off, he wants her to find a British aristocrat, many marry American heiresses to boost the family coffers and it costs a fortune to keep their, cold and drafty houses maintained. Her father hates being classed as being from ‘new money’ surely having one daughter married to a Baron is enough to improve his status and why can’t her father be content with that?
Florence comes up with a plan, she wants to train an ordinary working man to behave like a gentleman, to fool her father and prove that titles are meaningless and pointless. Her choice is Ned Blake, she met him in Liverpool, he's a private investigator and she’s sees no harm in her idea and starts giving Ned lessons. He has no trouble learning what cutlery to use, how to bow, surprisingly Ned's not a bad dancer and maybe being a pugilist has made him light on his feet?
I received a copy of My Fair Lord by Elisabeth Hobbes from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Set in the gilded age, it’s the authors take on My Fair Lady, I really liked the characters in this story, Florence and her maid Dottie, Ned, Cordelia, Tremlow and waif Alfie.
A light and fun read and there's more to Ned than Florence thinks and he's keeping a secret, will he steal her heart and make her believe love isn’t a waste of time? Four stars from me, I have read and enjoyed the author’s previous novels Daughters of Paris and The Secret Agent and this narrative is very different to her other books. -
“Mystifyingly, Ned felt a tug in his chest from heartstrings long grown rusty from unemployment.”
I don’t normally reach for retellings, but this one called to me because it was so unique. Author Elisabeth Hobbes has crafted a gender-swapped retelling of My Fair Lady AND endowed one of her characters with neurodivergent qualities. This historical romance is spectacularly reworked, very intriguing, and set in Victorian Liverpool and Gilded Age New York.
Twenty-four-year-old Florence Wakechild proposes to make a counterfeit viscount to present to her father and show him how preposterous it is to be determined to marry his daughters to titles. She plans on training her protege how to behave, clothe him appropriately, and teach him etiquette and is spurned by her brother-in-law's declaration - a bet of $100 that she CAN’T create a viscount before he leaves for England.
The thing is, Florence already has someone in mind. Someone really good at playing the part. Someone really good at deception. Will she get her heart hurt? Will she prove her father wrong? Or will she learn a thing or two about herself and fall in love in the process? Will Ned Blake even be up for the ruse?
I loved this story and the spin Hobbes put on a classic. It was spectacularly executed. I included the above quote because it shows the vivid descriptions Hobbes utilized that made me love her writing. I fell in love with Ned before Florence and was rooting for this underdog the whole way. For some reason, I saw him in my mind’s eye as Scully from M*A*S*H episodes because of how Hobbes described his playful nature and his twinkling eyes. I appreciated that Florence was so courageous and loved reading how her personality and view of her world affected her choices and behaviour. How wonderful to spotlight neurodivergent characters!
I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review. -
What a wonderful romance and perfectly addictive retelling of My Fair Lady! Fans of romance will be swept away to the gilded age. Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. -
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Published: March 1, 2024
Series: One More Chapter
Pages: 384
I’ve read one other story by author, Elisabeth Hobbs and that story in the One More Chapter was just beautiful. So reading “My Fair Lord” by this author, I was not expecting anything different. The story is well-written, pace is good and is a delightful read.
Miss Florence Wakechild clearly wants to steer clear of her father’s desire to marry her off to some nobleman with a title. However, she has other plans and due to her father’s obsession, she comes up with a plan to turn an ordinary man into an aristocrat that would humiliate her father but also prove her point that a title does not make a gentleman. Ned Blake, the man Florence has chosen is not quite the gentleman. With all the training she provides him, it somehow backfires and Florence finds herself being swept into feelings…or love that she did not anticipate.
A lovely story of a strong-willed woman who proves her father wrong and proves that there is nothing wrong with falling in love with the right person and changing you mind on marriage. Both characters are likeable individuals and I truly loved this story and recommend the read. -
I really enjoyed this story. It was my first to read by Elisabeth Hobbes, but she has written 30 others. The writing was seasoned, and I would definitely read more by the author.
This was much more than an inverse retelling of My Fair Lady. In fact, the first 40% or so of the story was before the idea even struck. There was also a mystery and some great secondary characters.
I liked both Miss Wakefield and Ned. Neither were perfect. They were human, but they both had some extraordinary qualities. I really enjoyed all their interactions and character growth. Ned was such a mystery I could not puzzle out until almost the end.
The book was clean. I would recommend to anyone who likes the Gilded Age setting, autistic spectrum characters, or clean HR. This was definitely my favorite book of February 2024. -
I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from One More Chapter via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I've read the original Pygmalion play and have always been enchanted by the narrative. I saw My Fair Lady that was inspired by it and was disappointed by the ending that strayed from the canon. Combine these two stories and add a five o'clock shadow, then we have My Fair Lord. I wouldn't say this is a strong adaptation of My Fair Lady but rather a loose interpretation. There were class differences and hearts full of ambition, but I don't think it's fair to liken this to My Fair Lady. There weren't very many similarities and I thought it was odd to revolve the book around that false mirror. Personally, I thought this was a strong marketing tactic but not enough to move it into retelling territory.
Florence and Ned had sweet banter, but that's all this book was: dialogue. I swear nothing happened but talking. There were a few chaste kisses, but there weren't any exciting action sequences or major bombshells. I found myself skimming and ready for the book to be over. I liked the easy chemistry between the two characters, but this was the story's only redeeming quality. I thought My Fair Lord was a very gentle love story, but also incredibly sleepy. I prefer my romances much quicker paced and with higher stakes. This was a sweet venture, but I'll keep my eyes open around the various flower shops to find My Fair Lord.
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I loved this! Retellings are always something I enjoy, and My Fair Lady is a particular favorite! I remember watching it as a child with my grandmother. It's always held a special place in my heart. But I must add that My Fair Lord is more than just a retelling. It was a great story in its own right, and much of it takes place before the wager.
I adored Florence and Ned! They were fantastic together and apart. I truly enjoyed them as a couple, and their character growth was wonderful.
This book has zero spice and doesn't go any farther than kissing. There is, however, plenty of romance, and you can feel the building tension between them.
This was my first book by this author, but it most definitely won't be the last.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. -
I think there's a lot of potential and I enjoyed the romance/Pygmalion-like part. Unfortunately the heroine likes to preach about social issues and, even if I'm interested in social issues, it killed a bit the atmosphere of this light and entertaining historical romance.
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine -
This is a well-written romp with fun characters, and would probably have been a four stars read if it hadn't been for a twist - keeping it extremely vague since this is an arc review - that made the entire plot retroactively pointless, tied everything up with a neat little bow without the protagonists having to work for their HEA and also had some extremely unfortunate implications for the wider themes of the story (accidentally, I believe)
I would not be opposed to reading more from this author, since this was mostly a fun read, and I do recommend it if you're willing to shut your brain off while you read it.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review -
A fabulous My Fair Lady retelling set during the Gilded Age. Florence Wakefield's father wants her to marry into British aristocracy. She has other plans, and works to remold an average bloke into an aristocrat ... just to prove her father wrong about the superiority of titled men. A beautifully written lovely romance!
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This is purportedly a take on My Fair Lady, but instead of taking a common woman and turning her into a lady, the two sisters in this story decide to take a confidence man in and make him into a Lord.
Florence’s family has become very wealthy, but they do not have a title, being American. And as was common in the Gilded Age, people wanted to marry into the aristocracy to give some gravitas to the New Money. (The Gilded age is the time period after the American Civil War, to the end of the 1890s (roughly equivalent to the Late Victorian era.) And so her family is in the UK, “shopping” for an aristocrat to marry her off to.
That is when she and her sister, who is already married to viscount decide to trick their father, and take a common man,Ned Blake and make him lord like.
Although it is only mentioned in the author note at the end, Florence is on the autism spectrum, and has trouble figuring out people, especially people in love.
It is a cute story, realistic, as far as it can be, with the wealth being thrown around at that time. And we are kept in suspense as to where Ned came from. There are hints he is running from something, but we don’t know what.
I enjoyed it. What romance there is, is chase; kisses are the worse trouble the two get into.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book came out on March 1st, 2024 -
This was an altogether charming read!
Reminiscient of The Duke and I, with a hoax to fool an unsuspecting father into believing an ordinary Englishman is a member of the aristocracy, this novel is witty, gripping and has that addictive chaste slow burn feel.
More than money is at risk when American heiress, Florence Wakefield, perusuades mysterious stranger, Ned Blake, to allow her to remake him as a viscount in a wager to convince her father his lofty values of lords and marriage are incorrect.
This has rather rekindled my love of a good historical story, and my only wish was a for a little bit more burn in the final pages. However, a lovely read taking inspiration from My Fair Lady. -
I’m torn on how to rate this one. There were things I really liked about this book. I loved Florence and Ned—both individually and as a couple. I liked Florence’s sister and brother-in-law. But the book as a whole didn’t quite come together for me. The pacing in the middle—especially when they were on the ship—dragged. Certain plot points were dropped and never picked back up, while others came at the end, seemingly out of nowhere. For example, throughout the book we’ve shown and told that Florence's sister has a happy marriage, but at the end it’s suggested that isn’t true. The big reveal—which was pretty obvious—took too long. I would have liked to see what their lives look like afterwards, but instead we got the big reveal and a quick ending. I think this book had a lot of potential, but it didn’t realize it.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. -
My Fair Lord is a thoroughly entertaining reimagining of My Fair Lady with a nice, though fairly predictable twist at the end. The story is set in the nineteenth century and begins in Liverpool, where Florence Wakechild meets Ned Blake, who is in need of her company in order to get away from two men who are seeking him. Florence, an American heiress, has been brought to England by her industrialist father who is determined to marry her to an aristocrat, thus elevating his family name in New York society. Florence wants none of it. She is very firmly of the opinion that she should be able to make her choice of husband based on love rather than being sold off to the highest bidder. After a second encounter with Ned, she devises a plan to fool her father into realising that aristocrats are no different to anybody else. Ned is to be “made” into a viscount and presented to her father. I liked Florence’s strict adherence to her book on etiquette and manners and the biddable way that Ned allowed her to train him. I fell in love a little with Ned myself. He’s clearly hiding something and not wishing to be found by somebody, but while looking over his shoulder, he’s also a thoroughly charming man. While I found Florence's father somewhat ridiculous in his awe of the English aristocracy, he didn't appear on the page often enough to really irk me. Her older sister Constance and Constance's husband n the other hand, were far more entertaining supporting characters. It was fun watching Florence and Ned fall in love. Their story was very readable and truly enjoyable.
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What a fabulous whirlwind of story. It was easy and entertaining read taking place of times with arranged marriages between new money of America and aristocratic families of England.
The struggle to be seen, the fight of women for their wishes to be listened to. The thriving love between two different classes and the unexpected discovery in the end.
I truly loved this book, it was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it immensely. -
Elisabeth Hobbes presents Florence and Ned. Florence is an American whose Father believes that she can only marry an English Lord so he can brag about it to his American friends. So, a pact is made by Florence to present Ned an ordinary gentleman but as a Lord to prove that you don’t need to be an aristocrat to be a gentleman. The story takes them from Liverpool back to the USA. Fun characters as well as the rogues. Thanks to Elisabeth and her publisher.
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Florence has no intention of falling in with her fathers plan to marry her off to a British viscount so she devises a plan to fool her father. She wants to prove that a title is meaningless but chooses the wrong man for her deception.
Judging a book by its cover this is not something I would normally read! Although rather naive and perhaps overly sweet with a predictable conclusion I did enjoy this tale as a nice easy read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Harper Collins One More Chapter -
I wasn’t too sure how this book would work but I really enjoyed it. Florence is a feisty American daughter of a wealthy businessman and Ned is a complex working class English man. A bit of a silly plot but it’s an entertaining read and a nice story. With thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the e-ARC to read and review
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I’ve been searching for a good gender-swapped retelling of My Fair Lady for a while now (quite specific, I know, but I just really love class difference romances!) but although this was marketed as one, I did not think it was very much like My Fair Lady. I think that marketing it as such was a bit of a mistake since I might have enjoyed it more had I not had preconceptions about the story. I found the pacing a bit slow but thought that the romance progressed a little bit too fast in terms of their attraction to each other, although I was surprised at the lack of spice in the book, which again I think should have been advertised a bit better! I like the relationship between the sisters though, and thought it was sweet.
I was not a fan of the (fairly obvious) twist which not only makes the ruse pointless but negates the whole message of the book. A big part of class difference romances for me is the struggle for the couple to be together and the breaking of social norms when they choose each other but this didn’t really happen here.
It was a quick and fun read overall though, I just think that with better marketing it would have been more enjoyable.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an ARC. -
Entertaining story of a daughter who wants to prove something to her father, so she hires a man to train to be a gentleman. Her father wants to marry her off to some British nobleman.
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Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
I don't think this is quite a version of My Fair Lady so much as it is a hidden identity, differing social strata, miscommunication, American/Britain culture story.
Florence Wakechild is an unmarried American heiress brought to England by her wealthy industrialist father to seek out a title, to make aristocratic connections and boost his own status back in America. She is too independent minded and forthright in her mannerisms and speech to be a simpering, sweet debutante, and is not of a mind to bend to her father's ambition. Instead, she would rather keep her independence and work at his side in his business, and does not believe, as her father does, that a vaunted family history, bloodline, and title makes any man better than others. To this end, she comes up with a plan to make over a common man to play an aristocrat to fool her father, disproving his beliefs, in the hopes that he would reconsider selling her off in marriage to a title. A bit of flawed reasoning right from the beginning as Florence herself is quite obdurate about British courtesies and social norms herself, and decides to be the teacher in this endeavour based on a book she found. This becomes a wager between her and her brother in law, with her sister conspiring with them.
Before this, she had met a rather mysterious figure, Ned Blake, who used her to hide behind as he was escaping some nefarious figures. He turns out to be some kind of fixer, selling his services to individuals for whatever they need. In this case, it was recovering an heirloom ring for a wealthy businessman, lost by his profligate son, at the gaming tables of a brothel, before a scandal brews.
Regardless, Florence enjoyed the adventure of their alliance and intrigued by Ned, and when she comes up with her scheme, seeks him out as the common man to be made over. Ned agrees, not just because it is a job but it comes to light that there are things coming to head in his own life that he is seeking to escape, and time away from Liverpool at a country estate, and later travelling to America suits his purposes quite well.
There is a lot of mistaken communication between the two with Florence making a lot of assumptions and rash judgements, and Ned also hiding his true self from Florence, but also making assumptions that she is a title-seeking American Dollar princess as well. But as they spend time together, Ned comes to appreciate Florence and her rather independent-minded spirit and forthrightness.
As they grow closer though, they find themselves both facing what they were seeking to avoid. Mr Wakefield has arranged and signed a betrothal contract for Florence, and the past Ned is seeking to put off or avoid entirely finds him in America, and their ruse comes to light in a way that raises scandal and embarrassment to her family.
I rather liked the hidden identity and background story of Ned, and his character. But I found Florence and her father to be at times quite contradictory and hypocritical. Florence seemed quite prone to being overbearing in her expectations of Ned and others, and quite impulsive and judgmental, with some rather narrow views about people of her personal acquaintance, contrasting with her more liberal ideals of the working man and what should be done for society and the betterment of others. This makes her difficult to connect with and like as a character at times as she is prickly.
A clean Victorian era (American/British) romance with a different slant. An interesting story, and I feel that it was a bit unfinished how it ended, because it would have been interesting to have an epilogue about how Florence and Ned, two fish out of water characters, would have gotten on in their relationship in their new circumstances.
3.25 stars out of 5 -
"My Fair Lord" by Elisabeth Hobbes is a delightful Gilded Age retelling of the classic story "My Fair Lady," filled with charm, wit, and unexpected romance. Set against the backdrop of English society, Hobbes transports readers to a world of ballrooms, debutantes, and societal expectations, where Miss Florence Wakechild finds herself torn between her father's desires and her own independence.
The premise of the story is both clever and engaging, as Florence devises a plan to prove to her father that titles and noble birth are meaningless by transforming an ordinary working man into a gentleman. Enter Ned Blake, the unlikely candidate chosen by Florence to play the role of a viscount. What follows is a captivating tale of transformation, as Ned learns the intricacies of aristocratic behavior under Florence's tutelage, while also challenging her own perceptions of class and love.
Hobbes excels at crafting vibrant characters, and Florence and Ned are no exception. Florence is a spirited and independent heroine, determined to defy societal norms and forge her own path in life. Ned, on the other hand, is a rugged yet endearing protagonist, whose authenticity and integrity gradually win over both Florence and readers alike.
The chemistry between Florence and Ned crackles with tension and longing, adding depth and emotion to their burgeoning romance. Hobbes skillfully navigates the complexities of their relationship, exploring themes of identity, class, and self-discovery with sensitivity and insight.
While "My Fair Lord" follows a familiar storyline, Hobbes injects it with her own unique flair, infusing the narrative with humor, heart, and a touch of poignancy. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers eagerly turning pages as Florence and Ned navigate the glittering world of high society and confront their own inner demons.
Overall, "My Fair Lord" is a charming and enchanting read that captures the essence of its source material while offering a fresh and compelling twist. With its engaging characters, sparkling dialogue, and swoon-worthy romance, this book earns a solid four stars and is sure to delight fans of historical romance and classic retellings alike. -
Florence Wakechild, 24, is an American woman visiting England. Her sister, Cordelia, is Lady Cordelia Griggs, Baroness of Goreswarth. While shopping with her sister and others one day, she is approached by a man asking her to pretend to be together and just walk with him for a few minutes. At first she refuses, but curious, she agrees. It appears he is hiding out from someone and just needs to be undercover until someone hunting him goes away. As they chat, she learns he is Ned Blake and takes on commissions to help other people recover items.
When they see one another again, she is intrigued by him and decides she wants to turn the man into be perceived as an aristocrat. Her wealthy father is determined to marry her off to a titled man just like her two sisters. But Florence id determined that she will not be married at all. She wants to introduce her “reformed” man to her father passing him off as a titled man only to tell him later that he is not titled.
As Florence and Ned spend more time together concocting the plan she has set in place, she doesn’t see that Ned is already underneath an aristocrat. However, he plays along and they soon become attracted to one another. Ned is very caring of Florence but she tends to go off on tangents yet he kindly supports her.
This is a clever story, albeit a bit long, but i was impressed with how clean it was. Some humorous times and some very tender moments as well. Ned was my favorite character because Florence could be tedious at times.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. -
A Gilded Age Retelling of My Fair Lady.
Arriving into the English society from the drawing rooms of New York, Miss Florence Wakechild desires nothing less than the marriage her father is so desperately seeking for her. Clayton Wakechild desires nothing more than finding a suitable husband for his daughter - a husband of noble birth and a title no less. No "new money" here. Frustrated with her father's obsession with the British aristocracy, Florence comes up with a plan.
Florence is a strong-willed woman who has no desire to marry any man that her father deems suitable for her. But her father is desperate to find a suitor with noble birth and title. Florence devises a plan to fool her father and to prove that a title is meaningless. But she chooses the wrong man for her deception.
I quite enjoyed this story and the plight a daughter has with her father about the kind of man she should marry. The characters are well-developed and likable. The pace is steady. This well-written story held my attention throughout.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #ElisabethHobbes for my ARC of #MyFairLord in exchange for an honest review. -
I readily admit that I was drawn to this book by the synopsis as soon as I read that it was a gilded age retelling of my fair lady I knew I had to read it. I love Pygmalion (I so prefer the original ending George Bernard Shaw wrote) but I’m a big fan of the musical too, who doesn’t love Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn ? (albeit with the absolutely beautiful voice of Marni Nixon).
I am happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this, it took a direction I was expecting but it didn’t disappoint at all and I loved the twists, I mean it’s a retelling so I expect it to divert and I loved it. Florence and Ned are wonderful , I loved every second of getting to know them, watch their burgeoning relationship and anticipate the trials ahead and the secret (no spoilers here). I loved Ned, he was a delight and you can’t help fall a little in love yourself. Elisabeth‘s writing is lovely, it’s so easy to just slip between the pages of the book and fall into her world for an hour or two (or til you finish as it’s hard to put down).
A lovely piece of escapism to delight any romance reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. -
This was very cute but I wouldn't say it was a retelling of My Fair Lady. Florence is the daughter of a wealthy American widow who believes his daughters should be married to an aristocrat. Florence doesn't want to get married and decides to convince her father that breeding isn't everything and she can teach any man to be a gentleman. Enter Ned Blake. I felt the characters were interesting. Florence is pig-headed and is great at jumping to conclusions. Ned is, of course, extremely handsome and a fast learner. I got a kick out of Florence's sister, Cordelia, who is married to Lord Griggs.
If you like a romance with good characters and a closed door kind of romance this is perfect.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK - One More Chapter for providing me with a digital copy.
