THE LORD AND THE LADY ASTRONOMER

In Baxter's historical novel, a lady, a lord, and his cousin have a chance encounter on a quiet country estate that changes their lives.

In the London countryside during the quiet Regency period, a fiery woman named Abigail Grantham visits her Uncle Longmore’s estate for a rare comet sighting. Her uncle, an accomplished astronomer, encourages his niece’s academic pursuits. After Abby arrives, she meets Lord William Rochvale, the other astronomer who will assist with charting the stars. Abby is struck by the Lord’s towering presence, and he by her beauty. As they get better acquainted, it becomes clear that they have much in common, and romantic tension begins to build. The burgeoning relationship is complicated, however, when the lord’s strikingly handsome cousin, Gerald Burnby, also becomes enamored with Abigail. The two men begin a rather polite war for her affections by accompanying her to historical sites, taking her on elaborate maze outings, and reciting poetry. Abby doesn’t know what to make of all the attention; she’s mainly focused on making an impact in the field of astronomy before she makes her debut in London society next year. Even so, Mr. Burnby’s charms draw her in, and Lord Rochvale’s steady countenance and humble intelligence gives her a feeling of security she never knew she needed. Their relationships become more complicated when speculation swirls about both men’s pasts and doubts arise about their intentions. Fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series are sure to enjoy this courtly drama, which effectively illuminates the difficulty of finding a mate in a time of propriety. The novel moves quickly, and the author expertly develops the characters and their intertwining lives along the way. The penultimate conflict, however, is rather dull, and although the author employs red herrings to keep things lively, the plot’s resolution is a bit too predictable. Still, the skillful writing makes up for this, and brings the characters to life: “she recognized, as always, how insignificant the ways of men were in comparison to the vastness of the firmament, where stars sang together in such joyful chorus.”

A gracefully told story of the power of love.