The lady knows best

Craig (the Love and Let Spy series) puts a cute spin on arranged marriage in the launch of her Regency set Goode's Guide to Misconduct series. When scandalous lady's advice columnist Daphne Burke, aka Miss Busy B, encourages a letter writer to call off her wedding to the rakish Miles, Viscount Deveraux, a furious Miles, who has a lot riding on a bet that he will find a bride, threatens to out Daphne as her pen name if she doesn't find him a replacement fiancée. When Daphne is unable to find someone willing to marry "that devil, Deveraux," she offers to play the blushing bride herself, but on the condition Miles must court her for two weeks before the wedding. Her goal is to gather enough intel to write an essay on the dangers of dating a rogue and then jilt him. But Daphne's plan backfires when she realizes that Miles's reputation is more fiction than fact. Meanwhile, as Miles learns more about the clever wallflower, his heart joins his money on the line. Craig avoids unnecessary drama, opting for a smooth transition into love while serving up a few laughs, plenty of chemistry, and a strong emotional connection. This is a promising series start. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)

Love has nothing to do with an advice columnist and a rake entering into a courtship. Daphne Burke has always felt somewhat out of place among her successful siblings, so she jumps at the chance to become the new advice columnist for Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses, often referred to as Goode's Guide to Misconduct for its subversive content. When her advice leads to a woman breaking off her engagement, the jilted fiance--Miles, Viscount Deveraux, also known as "that devil, Deveraux"--believes the columnist should be responsible for finding him a new bride so he can win a bet. She may have written under the pseudonym Miss Busy B., but Miles quickly deduces her identity. He threatens to expose her, but she offers herself for marriage as long as he agrees to court her first. Secretly, she plans to use the time as research into his rakish ways to write about for the magazine, and the ensuing scandal will ensure she doesn't have to marry him. They both begin questioning their plans and secret agendas, though, when they start falling in love. This book kicks off a new series, although some of Daphne's siblings were featured in Craig's previous titles. Their inclusion here unfortunately slows the pace with extraneous information that doesn't advance this story or add depth to the bland main characters. Daphne's and Miles' feelings toward each other change, but neither has any real, earned personal growth. The intriguing premise is let down by dull, by-the-numbers plotting with no richness or originality. Completely forgettable. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.