Love Among the Spices — Laura Briggs

Spirited, rebellious young Marianne Stuart adores studying insects, roaming the woods, and dreaming of far-off, exotic places. The etiquette of London society is stifling to a girl of Marianne's nature -- to her, the art of dancing and playing instruments is tedious compared to the freedom of climbing trees and exploring untamed lands. When she meets a young man whose passion for science and nature matches her own, there's an instant connection and a tangle of misunderstandings and obstacles to their friendship -- while the entrance of a dashing and handsome young officer may hold the possibility of love and adventure for Marianne's restless heart. With two admirers--and a father and aunt eager to see her well-married--Marianne faces an impossible choice. Will she find a true love that embraces her spirited ways? Or will society's rules leave her heartbroken and stuck unhappily with the same limitations as before? The second volume in the authors' "Regency Rules" series follows original heroine Flora Stuart's little sister into her societal debut at the close of the Regency era. Familiar faces from the original abound -- the timid Miss Bartons and demanding Mrs. Fitzwilliam -- alongside a new cast which includes the forthright Mrs. Sotherby and the earnest Adam Nimbley.