Book Review: Falling for Chloe

Impetuous Chloe Littlefield has gotten into many scrapes over the course of her life. But she winds up in the scrape of a lifetime when she's discovered in a secluded cottage, having spent the night with Sylvester Gilliland, her closest friend. The situation is, in fact, quite innocent. Chloe and Sylvester (known universally as Gil) were caught in storm and took shelter in the cottage of one of Chloe's tenants. Soaked to the skin, they dried out their clothes by the fire, all the while clad rather modestly in the tenant's bed linens.

Nothing could look less innocent, though, than the scene that greets old Barlow and his family when they enter the cottage in the morning to find Gil sound asleep in the only bed, with Chloe's riding habit strewn on the chair beside him. The townspeople draw the obvious conclusions, setting the stage for a scandal. Lady Gilliland, Gil's mother, reasons that there's only one way to save the young people's reputations: marriage. The marriage would be an ideal match, bringing together two people who are clearly fond of one another, argues Lady Gilliland, approaching Chloe's father for his consent to her plan. However, Chloe and Gil have never considered marriage. Having grown up together, they've always been close friends, but nothing more. Undaunted, Lady Gilliland and Mr.Littelfield plan the unsuspecting couple's union.

With marriage the farthest thing from their minds, they're shocked to learn that their engagement has been announced. Chloe dashes to London to confer with Gill about how to extricate themselves from their engagement. At the suggestion of Gil's sister Tish Dalrymple, the two resolve to remain officially engaged, crying off at the end of the Season. Meanwhile, Chloe will stay in London enjoying her first Season under the guidance of her fashionable girlhood friend Tish. After a few days at the Dalrymple's London house, though, Chloe realizes that Tish needs her help more than she needs Tish's. The Dalrymple's marriage is falling apart. Tish's husband Robert is seldom home; the couple have become virtual strangers. Worse still, Tish has fallen under the spell of a dashing rogue.

Chloe resolves to save her friend from Lord George Rival, a notorious womanizer. She begins a flirtation with him herself, hoping to prove to Tish that he doesn't deserve her affections. The flirtation threatens to become serious when Chloe finds herself strangely drawn to the sensual, handsome lord. This unexpected attraction complicates her efforts to save Tish from an irreparable mistake.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic