Acquire Theres Something About Lady Mary (Summersby, #2) Produced By Sophie Barnes Contained In Version

LOVED this book!

Sophie Barnes takes a subject matter that frankly for any writer, especially that of a regency era story, is really difficult to pull off.


She does it SPLENDIDLY! The amount of research that had to go into this story almost stressed me out for her, but again she does it so well!

I love Lady Mary.
So many regency heroines are simpering or perhaps immature, Lady Mary nearly steals the story from the hero because she matches him in every way possible, He tries to be controlling and tries to tell her what is expected of her, but she doesn't care.
She has strong convictions and stands by them,

Sophie Barnes did a BEAUTIFUL job on this story, I am currently reading her next in the series!
I enjoyed this suspense filled historical romance, Mary Croyden was raised by her physician father, living simply and learning to assist him as a surgeon as well.
When her father dies, she learns that not only did he have a title, but he has left her as his heir and she has become the Marchioness of Steeplewood.
Now she has to navigate the waters of the aristocracy and still try to practice her medicine, although women werent allowed to become doctors at that time.
I found the medical aspect of the story interesting, but found Marys insistence on flouting the rules and restrictions a little short sighted.
Instead of finding a way to help people using her new wealth and influence, she broke the law without thinking through her actions and their possible results.
As she meets Ryan Summersby and becomes involved with him, she insists on stubbornly sticking to her guns, instead of listening to what he has to say.
I thought the mystery and intrigue were a little heavy handed at times, but was rooting for Mary and Ryan to figure things out and find a way to accomplish their goals, including having a relationship with each other.
I fail to understand the low ratings because I really loved this book,

I loved how Lady Mary handled her double life, risking her reputation and her life to do what she needed to do save lives as a competent doctor.
It was really.stars. I liked the premise of the book with a female doctor but too many misunderstandings got in the way of the plot to move the story forward.
I liked the first book in the series better, I wanted to like this, but I just couldn't, the main characters had

no depth, and in spite of being smart medical students or surgeons were just so stupid.
the medical practices that hadn't been invented yet were the final nail in the coffin,

I was disappointed because I wanted to like Mary, I quite enjoy strong heroines who know their minds, but this one, I just couldn't, From Goodreads: Sophie Barnes is back with another delightful Summersby Tale, This time, Ryan Summersby meets his match!

Mary Croyden lives a simple life, . . and she likes it. But when she inherits a title and a large sum of money, everything changes, Forced to navigate high society, Mary finds herself relying on the help of one manRyan Summersby, Determined not to lose her sense of self, she realizes that Ryan is the only person she can trust.
But Mary's hobbies are not exactly proper, and Ryan is starting to discover that this simple miss is not at all what he expected.
. . but just might be exactly what he needs,

My Thoughts: I hadn't read book one in this series, and I don't think I missed out on too much in terms of background, this is definitely an independent read.
I enjoyed the hero and heroine, although I have to say that while our hero was definitely true to his time in many instances, I was disappointed in how long it took him to wisen up : Mary is a great heroine.
. . she's unique, a true individual, independent, dedicated and willing to do what she knows is right, even if improper or not allowed.
How everything wraps up seems a bit much a Frankenstein moment in my mind but in the end this was a fun read and has me checking the local library to see if I can't find Book One in the series, with Ryan's sister another heroine I think I will enjoy as outside the box as the heroine.
A delightful tale which I actually rated,! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies, com:

Mary Croyden grew up in a modest house in Stepney, a far cry from any aristocrats.
Her father had run a medical practice out of the house until she was old enough to accompany him on his travels.
He also trained her in medicine as she assisted him, giving her vast experience that not even medical school would provide.
With his death, she suddenly discovers that her father had a title, one she never knew about, So as his sole heir, she inherited all of his worldly goods, including his title, making her a peeress in her own right.
Suddenly, she is the Marchioness of Steeplewood, a title she has not even heard of,

Ryan Summersby, the second son of the Earl of Moorland, was home from medical studies at Oxford, for the holidays and ready to sow a few wild oats.
But upon his arrival home, he is met by Sir Percy, his who has a favor to ask of him.
Several years earlier, Sir Percy had promised an old friend that if anything happened to him, he would keep a watchful eye on his daughter, believing she would be in terrible danger.
With his friends passing at Waterloo a year ago, shot by a stray bullet while attending a wounded soldier, Sir Percy wants to honor his promise.
Since his friends death, Sir Percy has been unable to find the daughter, but now she has suddenly surfaced in Mayfair after an absence from England.
So Sir Percy wants Ryan to befriend Lady Mary without letting her know of her fathers request and Ryans reason for befriending her.
Although Ryan is not happy about the secrecy and subterfuge, he knows it is for Lady Marys own good, so he agrees to help.
However, when he makes the acquaintance of a charming lady on a balcony at a ball, he is surprised to find that she is Lady Mary.


Mary soon discovers that society is not as friendly as she had expected and finds herself relying on the friendship of Ryan, a man who makes her feel things she has never felt before.
As Ryan and Mary fall in love, her secret life begins to get in the way, After all, dressing as a man and performing surgery without a physicians license can only lead to scandal.
But Mary is determined to hold onto her independence and help anyone who needs her,
However, when Marys fathers death is found to be murder and attempts are made to steal her fathers journals, she enlists Ryans aid to discover the identity of the culprit.
Will they discover the killers identity before Mary is his next victim Can they work out their differences so they can have the future they both long for

Beautifully written by gifted author Sophie Barnes, THERES SOMETHING ABOUT MARY is an intriguing, sensual historical romance that readers will hate to see end.
I enjoyed watching as Ryan and Mary try to come to terms with their love for each other and their differences, which threaten to keep them apart.
Mary is a strong heroine, who is determined to stand by her convictions, Meanwhile, Ryan is a strong hero, trying to keep scandal from destroying his family, but it is his generosity and love which just may save their relationship.
Methodically, they work together to reveal the identity of the men who killed her father and are now trying to get their hands on his cherished journals.
Combining danger, clever dialogue, complex and compelling characters, an intriguing plot, passion, scandal, romance and love, this story is one that readers will find hard to put down before reaching the wonderful ending.
As a fan of Ms, Barnes work, I look forward to reading the next story in this exciting series, THE SECRET LIFE OF LADY LUCINDA.
Although this story is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone, But for additional enjoyment, I advise also reading the rest of the books in this series, Above all, do not miss THERES SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, I highly recommend it!

Dottie, RomanceJunkies, com
Mary, is a revolutiony woman, and the male lead, well his kinda childish in a way and bound by strictures, and its nice to see him bend, and see her bend to some realities in that time but still manage to propose a change to the way of things.
The historical facts with the story make it more believable, but in some instances the events became too repeated to read thoroughly and instead just skim through, but in all an enojoyable book Just finished the book and loved it!!! Mary and Ryan were a breath of fresh air and I loved it that Mary was similar to Alex, it was too funny!!! Loved the intrigue, suspense but wished there was an epilogue like in Alex's story!!! If you have read any of Sophie Barnes novels then you'll love this one!!! I enjoyed the medical history and the Regency setting.
However, the different plot threads were not balanced, In the middle, the romance becomes insignificant only to rebound with a vengeance once the bad guy is exposed.
I was frustrated that two bodies were left on the brink of death with no clear indication of how the men would survive, just the statement that it would be best if they did.
Very bizarre how somethings were hashed over at length while others resolved off screen with no explanation, Originally published at sitelinkReading Reality

The outline for There's Something About Lady Mary has some similarities to the first book in the Summersby series, Lady Alexandra's Excellent Adventure.
A man who thinks he is quite conventional but actually isn't falls in love with a woman who is very unconventional.
But because he thinks he is conventional, he spends much too much time trying to change the reasons that attracted him in the first place.
Sparks, tension, and misunderstandings ensue,

The role reversal in Lady Mary's story is that the conventional male is Lady Alex's brother Ryan Summersby.
After having grown up with Alex, he really should have known better than to think that a simpering society miss would actually suit him in the first place!

Ryan is tasked by a friend, the head of the Foreign Office, to keep an unofficial eye on Lady Steepleden, by any means necessary.
Meaning that if he has to fake an affection, that's just fine with Lord Percy, Lady Steepleden might be in danger,

The problem is that until Lady Steepleden returned to London, she had no idea that she was Lady Anybody.
As far as she knew, she was just Mary Croyden, the daughter of an exceedingly excellent surgeon, She never knew that her father was the Marquess of Steepleden, or that he'd petitioned to have her inherit his title and his estate.
All she knew she'd inherited was his medical instruments, Her father had taught her all he knew, even if she couldn't be licensed as a surgeon in England.
On the battlefields in Europe, no one had cared that she was female, only that she could save their lives.
And she had.

But her father had more secrets than she knew, He was a member of the aristocracy, A wealthy and titled member of the aristocracy, And someone had murdered him for a secret that he kept, using the confusion of Waterloo to cover their tracks.
Whoever killed him, now they sought Mary,

And Ryan discovered that his assignment was less onerous, and more dangerous, than he ever expected.
He thought he'd be protecting some society chit he wouldn't be able to stand to be around,

Instead he found a woman who challenged him at every turn, But one who couldn't see through her own insecurities to believe that he might find her attractive, especially not when their initial relationship began on a foundation of lies

But before they can find a future, they have to figure out the past.
If they live that long, And if they can keep their misunderstandings from tearing them apart,

Escape Rating B: The author was very careful to include her historical precedents for Mary's medical practice in her notes.
She knew that the first question that would crop up would be whether a woman could or did practice during the Napoleonic era.
Apparently the answer is yes, Along with a whole slew of other medical precedents, Just because something wasn't regular practice didn't mean it wasn't known,

About the story, again, this was fun to read, The suspense angle kept the pace cracking along, Trying to figure out what Mary's father had been investigating that had gotten him killed, and who had betrayed him, heightened both the drama and the pathos, as it was his friends and colleagues who had turned on him.


Watching Mary and Ryan negotiate their relationship formed the core of the story, Ryan has to change his conventional attitude, but Mary has to compromise, Unlike Alex, Mary can't continue doing exactly what she's been doingLondon is not a war zone, But Ryan has to find a way to bend, a lot, to make it work, The solution they find seems realistic, in the circumstances, They fit.

I'm looking forward to older brother William's story, The Secret Life of Lady Lucinda, I can't wait to see what sort of woman turns out to be his match!,