Mistress Wilding

In the days just before England’s Monmouth Rebellion, Anthony Wilding takes advantage of an insult to force a marriage with the woman he loves. Wilding regrets his rash action after his commitment to the Duke of Monmouth separates him from his new bride, but the botched military campaign threatens to make the new Mistress Wilding a widow — unless a rival suitor manages it first.

There was a good amount of action and humor, along with a running theme of schemes that backfire against their plotters. The Monmouth Rebellion setting gave things a great sense of tension, and it seemed well-researched. The historical details were occasionally a bit of a drag on the pace during the middle third of the story. Still, it was great to watch the main characters progress from personal intrigues to small acts of defiance to full-on rebellion.

Swashbuckling romance and adventure. Definitely old-school.