A Gentleman’s Game

Romain’s first Romance of the Turf Regency sets off at an unsteady gallop and unfortunately falls short of her usual standards. For 10 years, Rosalind Agate has been ruled by a tyrant Welshman named Tranc, via his connection with Rosalind’s Aunt Annie. He orders the young woman to spy and steal for him. Her latest assignment is to serve as secretary to thoroughbred breeder and baronet William Chandler as he prepares horses to enter in the Derby Stakes. When she falls for Chandler’s son, Nathaniel, she hopes he’ll be her ticket away from Tranc. The characters and sprightly banter are classic Romain, but the mystery is weak at best, as Rosalind searches William’s records for what ends up being a poor excuse for a MacGuffin. The plot stumbles—nearly coming to a complete halt—over a subplot about an inexplicable assault on the baronet’s horses. Romain seems to have been inspired by a handful of charming characters who couldn’t find their way to a worthwhile story. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Creative Media Agency. (Feb.)