I was not familiar with Kate Moore, so upon realizing this was the second book in a series, I immediately read the first, A Husband Hunter's Guide to London. I'm very glad I did (because I enjoyed it immensely), but it is not necessary to thoroughly enjoy A Lady's Guide to Passion and Property.

Moore excels at the "slow burn" romance. Lightening does not strike. The hero is not a debauched rake who decides to live a chaste life upon his glimpse of the heroine. Their lust is not immediate and all-consuming. What does happen, happens slowly. Trust is built. They learn to depend upon each other. It's over time and awareness that our heroes discover their love. Some secrets are kept, some truths are half-hidden, but all is forgiven because of how well our leads understand each other.

It's a testament to Moore's writing that I never once found myself rolling my eyes at the audacity of a character or the ridiculousness of a storyline. This was a well-crafted historical romance/mystery that I wished would never end (and thanks to the teaser at the end of the book, I know I have a third story to look forward to)!

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.