The Pursuits of Lord Kit Cavanaugh (The Cavanaughs #2)

In this lackluster second Cavanaughs historical romance (after The Designs of Lord Randolph Cavanaugh), Laurens brings together two individuals who are, unusually, passionate about something other than elite society or each other. Lord Christopher “Kit” Cavanaugh has moved to Bristol to launch a yacht building business, which will improve the economy by hiring men displaced by the advent of steamships. Embittered by the long-ago schemes of his mother, Kit had painted himself as a rake to avoid a loveless marriage, but now he is surprisingly open to the right woman. When his business accidentally displaces the school for indigent boys, he’s reunited with its founder, Sylvia Buckleberry, a vicar’s daughter committed to social justice whom he met at his brother’s wedding. Back then, Sylvia hid her interest behind disdain, but when they’re thrown together again, the attraction is mutual. They must overcome their initial clash and work together to defeat various enemies and obstacles. Though the setting is appealing, the plot and characters are unconvincing and do not deliver Laurens’s customary sparkle and satisfaction. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary. (Apr.)