A review by witandsin
The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Take one rakish viscount and pair him up with an oft-overlooked lady with a quick tongue and a quicker quill and you have The Lady Knows Best . Susanna Craig has started off her Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series with a bright and fun romp.

Daphne Burke comes from a family of exceptional people. And though she loves her siblings, she can’t quite shake the feeling that she’s the uninspiring, unimpressive Burke. Then she gets the chance to be an advice columnist for a subversive women’s magazine and Daphne feels a rush of excitement. Until her advice to break off an engagement lands her in hot water with Miles, Viscount Deveraux. “That devil, Deveraux” has wagered that he will be wed by the end of June and when he discovers Daphne is the one who advised his fiancée to cry off, he blackmails her into finding a new bride. Daphne offers up herself, much to his surprise and intrigue, but little does he know that she plans to turn the tables on him. What neither can expect is their courtship to start to feel like it could lead to something real and true.

Miles is a rake who hasn’t always made the best decisions, but he’s a charming hero. He’s got a good heart, cares for his loved ones, and is quietly vulnerable. I couldn’t resist him and honestly he was just a fun character who made it easy to fall into the story. Daphne, who has her scheme to free herself of Miles and the marriage mart, didn’t instantly win me over but I grew to like her. She’s committed to misunderstanding Miles at first but as she starts to see the real man she relaxes and became a heroine I enjoyed. She and Miles have a fun chemistry that made the pages of their story fly by.

Daphne and Miles are the heart of The Lady Knows Best but there are many supporting characters who filled out the story and added a lot of charm. Three of Daphne’s siblings are the protagonists of Craig’s Rogues and Rebels series, but you don’t have to have read those books to enjoy this one (though I am now eager to do so). Daphne’s fellow Goode girls, so to speak, are interesting future heroines I very much am looking forward to learning more about. And finally, it would be remiss of me to not mention Alastair, Miles’s best friend and a lord I absolutely cannot wait to get his happily ever after. All in all, I really enjoyed Miles and Daphne’s romance. It was bright, entertaining, engaging, sweet (with a bit of spice), and made me smile.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.