The Flapper's Scandalous Elopement - Lauri Robinson (HH #1530 - Sept 2020)

Series: Sisters of the Roaring Twenties (Book 3)

With this ring…

They're temporarily wed!

Heiress Jane Dryer will do anything to escape her controlling father and the life of domestic drudgery he decrees -- even elope with the handsome stranger she meets in a speakeasy! Wealthy railroad owner David Albright needs a temporary wife and Jane needs her independence, so the plan is to marry, then walk away. Only very soon, their fake marriage feels seductively real!

Good conclusion to the series. Jane is the only sister left at home, Patsy and Betty having married earlier in the year. The three girls spent months sneaking out of their home at night, desperate to escape their controlling father and have some fun. Going to speakeasies isn't nearly as much fun without her sisters, but being stuck at home is even worse. Jane dreads the day when her father informs her that he's chosen her husband, the way he tried to do with her sisters. In an unexpected twist, he tells her that he won't arrange a marriage for her; instead, she will remain at home to assist her mother with the house.

Jane is horrified. She doesn't want to get married and be stuck under the control of another man, but she doesn't want to be an unpaid maid for the rest of her life either. The problem is, she doesn't know what she does want. That evening she escapes to the Rooster's Nest, hoping to take her mind off her troubles. For some reason, it isn't the distraction she hoped for, so she spends time talking to David, the piano player.

For David, playing the piano is a way to relax. For the last six months, he has worked his way across the country from Chicago, researching his family's railroad business. It is time to go home, make his report to the board of directors, and celebrate his grandfather's birthday. Unfortunately, David's older brother has been pressuring him to come home, marry, and settle down. David has no interest in doing so as he enjoys the traveling he does. He was also burned by love when his brother married the girl that David loved.

Jane and David find it very easy to talk to each other, though the things they share aren't the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When Jane tells David that she doesn't want to be a maid for the rest of her life, he thinks she is a real maid. David tells Jane about being pressured to marry, but not that it's a merger between two wealthy families. Thinking back to her sister Betty's wedding, Jane offers to come along and "object" at David's wedding. After some discussion, David proposes a temporary marriage that will save him and, at the same time, give Jane the escape she's looking for.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between David and Jane. Both of them are good people caught in bad situations. Each wants to live life their own way, not be forced into an unwanted marriage. They begin their "elopement" full of high spirits and optimism, driving their way from Los Angeles to Chicago. Though each has second thoughts about what they are doing, neither wants to let the other down. A brief stop in Arizona takes care of the wedding, and they spend the next few days on the drive. The description of their trip along Route 66 was vividly described. I loved the little details about the gas stations, the frequency of the flat tires, and the sights they saw along the way. I especially enjoyed their stop at the Grand Canyon.

Neither one expected the growing attraction between them. David is fascinated by Jane and her unrestrained joy in every new sight and experience. Jane sees David as a kind and caring man. But as they get closer to Chicago and their planned deception, both of them start feeling guilty. That guilt increases when they arrive at David's home. Their time there is full of ups and downs, from the fun of Jane's first snowball fight to the frustration of dealing with others' expectations. I loved seeing Jane and David grow closer and ached for them both as they fought their feelings. I liked watching both Jane and David change for the better thanks to the other's influence. Jane's reaction to the soup kitchen was especially moving.

Things come to a head when Jane's brother-in-law, Henry, tracks her down and arrives to check on her. Both David and Jane react in their usual ways, by avoidance. Jane's sends her running home, leaving David to decide what he wants. Advice for him came from an unexpected source, and I loved the change in attitude. There were some surprising revelations when Jane returned home, which gave her a lot to think about. The ending was wonderful as David and Jane moved past deceptions and misunderstandings to admitting they belong together. I loved the scene at the Rooster's Nest as the three couples returned to where it all began.

I enjoyed the secondary characters. David's grandfather, Gus, was my favorite. He was kind and down-to-earth and took to Jane as quickly as David did. David's brother Joshua was a real pain for most of the book. I loved the way that Jane stood up to him both for herself and David. I liked how Jane brought him and David together to resolve their issues and the change in Joshua after they did. Rebecca, the woman that David was supposed to marry, was a piece of work. Jane's handling of her was a delight to see. 

The Flapper's Baby Scandal - Lauri Robinson (HH #1516 - July 2020)

Series: Sisters of the Roaring Twenties (Book 2)

Her undercover life…

Her secret child

Dancing in speakeasies at night is dutiful heiress Betty Dryer's only escape from her father's tyrannical control and marriage plans. There she meets mysterious FBI agent Henry Randall. Drawn into his investigation -- and to emotionally scarred, lone-wolf Henry himself -- Betty gives in to her desire, believing this could be her only chance at love before she's forced to wed. Until she discovers she's pregnant with Henry's baby!

This was a terrific combination of romance, history, and mystery during the Roaring Twenties. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the period alive with vivid use of fashion, language, prohibition and speakeasies, along with mobsters and federal agents.

The events of this book partially overlap with the first book in the series, The Flapper's Fake Fiancé. This time the story is told from Betty's point of view. She is the oldest of the three sisters and has always felt the need to protect them. When they first started sneaking out at night to escape their overbearing father's control, Betty was the one who set the rules to keep them safe. On one of their clandestine outings, Betty reunited with Henry Randall, a man she briefly met during a trip to Seattle.

Henry is an agent with the Justice Department (pre-FBI), in town to find and apprehend a suspected mole in the department. He knows he should avoid Betty, but convinces himself that she may be linked to his current case. Though he quickly realizes that she is innocent of any wrongdoing, by that time, she has become involved enough to help him.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Henry and Betty develop. Henry is a loner whose early life has caused him to reject the idea of love. Betty is at the mercy of her father, who has arranged a marriage for her. But the more time that Henry and Betty spend together, the deeper their attraction grows. Both of them try to fight it. Henry believes that he is incapable of love. The Bureau is his life, and there is no room for anything else. Betty knows that Henry's life as an agent makes a relationship impossible. She doesn't like it, but she accepts it. When they are apart, both see the impossibility of the situation, but as soon as they are together, they forget the problems.

That forgetfulness has unexpected consequences that complicate Betty's life further. I ached for her as she put Henry's happiness ahead of her own and made plans to marry her father's choice. I was on the edge of my seat, hoping Henry would come to his senses before it was too late. The scene at the church was fantastic. There was an interesting twist involving the plans Henry made and Betty's reaction to that twist. I liked the confidence that Betty gained from Henry's love and how that confidence changed their lives.

I enjoyed the mystery part of the book also. The overlap with the first book then continued by delving into the world of mobsters and racketeering, and an agent gone bad. There were some tense moments involving Henry being shanghaied and having to get back to California from Hawaii. It was amusing to see Henry's disbelief that he, the agent known for working alone, had suddenly acquired three flappers and a newspaper reporter as partners. I loved watching Betty at work, getting the information he needed. The final confrontation was intense, especially when Henry discovered that the three women were tricked into a dangerous situation. The takedown was impressive, as was Henry's unique way of getting the evidence he needed. The trouble at the end was handled efficiently by Henry and opened up new possibilities for his future.

I liked the inclusion of Henry's adoptive parents and uncle in the story. I especially liked how Betty's love for Henry made him re-examine his memories of his youth and reach out to his family. Their presence at the end was especially heartwarming.

The Flapper's Fake Fiancé - Lauri Robinson (HH #1498 - Apr 2020)

Series: Sisters of the Roaring Twenties (Book 1)

An inconvenient attraction…

To her convenient fiancé!

Patsy Dryer may be a biddable heiress by day, but nothing will stop her from dancing all night in Hollywood's speakeasies -- or fulfilling her dream of becoming a reporter. She's investigating the mystery of an escaped convict with brooding, handsome newspaper editor Lane Cox…until they must pretend to be engaged! With their scoop linked to Lane's tragic past, dare Patsy hope for a happy ending for their own story, too?

Fun story set in the rarely used Roaring Twenties. Patsy and her two sisters, Betty and Jane, are the daughters of William Dryer, a wealthy builder. He is determined to find wealthy men to marry them. Tired of being sequestered in the name of "protection," the girls frequently sneak out at night to visit a local speakeasy, The Rooster's Nest. Patsy also has another motive. She dreams of becoming a reporter and will do anything to make that dream come true. Investigating the escape of a dangerous convict should give her the scoop she needs to get her foot in the door of the local paper. Marriage is not in her plan.

Lane Cox owns the LA Gazette. After his wife and daughter were killed during a train robbery, he made the newspaper his life. When the man responsible for the death of his family escapes from prison, Lane uses his skills as an investigative reporter to search for him.

I liked both Patsy and Lane. Patsy is the youngest of the three girls and seems to have the most ambitious goal for herself. Despite having every story she has submitted to the paper rejected, she refuses to give up. I loved her ability to transform herself from the obedient daughter her father demanded to the intrepid reporter masquerading as a vivacious flapper. She has an amazing eye and memory for detail and a talent for getting people to talk to her. Lane is a man who has made the newspaper his life. He has turned his paper into a respected source of news by refusing to print anything that can't be confirmed. He still grieves for his wife and daughter and doesn't see that ever changing.

I loved the first meeting between Patsy and Lane. She has just gotten a lead on the escaped convict when she recognizes Lane. Determined to find out what he knows, she shanghais him into participating in a dance contest with her. Lane is suspicious when she mentions Gaynor's name, thinking that she might be one of his relatives. It was fun watching them spar at the same time they danced. I especially enjoyed seeing the effect that Patsy had on him, stirring up emotions that had been locked away for seven years. He wasn't happy when she disappeared before he finished talking to her. Patsy was equally affected by Lane. Neither was able to stop thinking about the other all the next day. By the time they'd met for a second time, Lane was thoroughly entranced and intrigued, and impressed by the potential he sensed in her.

It didn't take too long for them to decide to cooperate in their investigations. Their investigative techniques complemented each other. The drawback was that Patsy still had to hide the truth of who she was, which limited the time they could spend together. Lane didn't understand the fear that he saw in her eyes when circumstances revealed her secret. I loved the protectiveness he felt toward her and his use of her father's insistence on an engagement when he found out about them. The tension increased as Lane and Patsy drew closer to finding the truth about the train robbery. I had to laugh a little bit at Lane, whose protective instincts were aroused because Patsy wasn't at all cooperative with his attempts to keep her safe.

At the same time, sparks of another sort continued to grow between them. Both Lane and Patsy fought their feelings, trying to hold on to their reluctance to marry. Patsy was the first to realize the strength of her feelings but hid them because she knew of Lane's refusal to consider marrying again. Lane was a harder nut to crack. I loved watching the changes in him as Patsy filled the empty spot left by his family's deaths. By the time he admitted his feelings to himself, he also knew he would have to convince Patsy that his feelings for her were real. He almost didn't get that chance when their investigation took a dangerous turn. I was on the edge of my seat when Patsy ended up in the hands of the bad guy, wondering how she was going to get out of it. The resolution was exciting and satisfying in how it went down. I loved Lane's big moment when it was all over, as he found the right words to convince Patsy of his love.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was the way it pulled me into life in the Roaring Twenties. The descriptions of the clothing, locations, and attitudes were so vivid that I felt as though I was there. That feeling was enhanced by the liberal use of the slang of the period. I also enjoyed the tie-in of the bootleggers to the author's Daughters of the Roaring Twenties series. Now I can't wait to read Betty and Jane's stories.