The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

 

What is one of your favorite books you’ve read so far this year?  The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman was my favorite read of August and is sure to be in my top ten books for 2025.

Lady Augusta (Gus) Colebrook and her twin sister Julia are in their forties and firmly on the shelf in Regency England.  They put their minds and hearts to good use by protecting vulnerable women and children.  When Lord Evan, a highwayman that captured Gus’s heart in Book 1 needs help hiding his sister Hester from his evil brother, Gus and Julia are on the case. Will they be able to hide both Lord Evan and Hester from those that pursue them?  Will they be able to clear Lord Evan’s name?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved this book and couldn’t put it down!

·       This was one of the JASNA Northwoods Book Club selections for August.  We all enjoyed it!

·       This novel picks up right where the first book ended.

·       There was a great romance between Lady Augusta and Lord Evan.  It was a kisses only romance but looks between them mean everything.

·       There was a great look at social issues of the day.  It had a feminist spin on historical fiction.

·       There was a lot of action and adventure.

·       It most have been very hard for educated and ambitious women to live during such a time and to be under the control of men who didn’t appreciate them and unable to challenge themselves intellectually.

·       I would recommend reading this series in order as I think you are missing a lot if you just pick up book 2 without reading book 1.

·       Gus and Julia make an excellent pair of twin sisters to work through their adventures.  Gus is more than flamboyant and ready to plunge into adventures.  She does not care much for the feelings of others.  Julia is quieter and much more in tune with people’s feelings.  I like how they both have slow burn romance in this novel.

·       This novel has both humor and suspense.

·       I loved the character of Beau Brummel.  It’s fun to have a real person as a character in a novel.  I like how he used his societal power for good and was an ally.  I liked the silent conversations between characters.

·       I enjoyed the detailed authors note at the end of the novel.

·       I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Overall, The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman is an excellent novel with great characters, romance, and adventure all with a feminist spin.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.