Being a governess is certainly no fun and nobody knows that better than Moira Greenwood. Forced into service by her lack of fortune and less than impressive circumstances, Moira is little more than a slave to her immature, selfish, self-centered younger cousin Perdita, who dreams of becoming an actress and who is an accomplished flirt!
The little minx is determined to make it onto the stage and seizes her chances when on a trip to visit her Aunt Maude, she wangles an invitation to sing on a stage with a group of less than refined actors, who when not acting, spend their time drinking, stealing and womanizing!
Realizing that the only way she can ensure that her charge does not disgrace herself is by keeping an eye on her, Moira decides to cook for the company of actors they’ve befriended, and although she soon realizes that beneath their abrasive exteriors, the actors are actually a good sort, Moira still would much rather be anywhere but in a dingy room above a less than salubrious pub, having to witness all manner of debauchery!
As if things weren’t bad enough already, Moira and Perdita have been mistaken for lightskirts by Lord Stornaway, a scoundrel who has fallen so desperately in love with Perdita that he vows to make her his mistress! Seeking refuge in the house of their friend and neighbour John Alton, Moira and Perdita think that they’ve manage to prevent this major disaster – until Stornaway turns up at their door with a thunderous expression on his face!
Stornaway is determined to have Perdita in his bed. But the more time he spends chasing her and her governess Moira, the more he realizes that he’d much rather bed the stubborn governess, than her flighty charge.
With no dowry or fortune, a future with Stornaway seems impossible. But Moira hasn’t counted on his determination to make her his wife!
I absolutely adored Perdita! Bursting with fun, charm, wit and frivolity, it’s just what a good Regency romance should be! Joan Smith’s name on a book cover is a surefire guarantee that the reader is in for a good time and with its cast of eccentrics and wonderful hero and heroine, readers are certainly in for a treat with Joan Smith’s wonderful Perdita!