Jane has been told that she is to be married to Viscount Haven, whom she has heard is cruel. Promising her mother to try to make it work for three months, she travels with her aunt towards her future husband. But, when she arrives at a local inn the night before they are to reach the Viscount she decides she can't do it and goes on the run. Leaving behind clues that seem as if she has been kidnapped she goes out on the Moors and stumbles across a barn where she's taken in by the widow who lives there. Mary is also a good friend of Gerry (aka. Lord Haven) and when Gerry and Jane meet sparks immediately fly. But neither knows whom the other is and when their deception is lifted, will they still want each other?

Let me start with what I did like: I really enjoyed Gerry, he's kind and considerate and has emotions. I also like Jane- she takes her destiny in her own hands. She's willing to do, and learn, what she needs in order to survive. I also like the idea of Gerry and Jane. Both hate the ton, both prefer a simple life over the glitter of society.

There were however aspects of the novel I wasn't as taken with. First of all, both Jane and Gerry turn out to be complete nitwits. Especially in the second part of the novel I really wanted to just grab and shake them. Also, this story heavily relies on false information and miscommunication, which are not my favorite themes in HR novels.

Not written for HR readers like me, but none the less well written. Simpson's great writing does shine through and keeps you reading on until the end.

In Lord Haven's Deception by Donna Lea Simpson, Jane Dresden finds herself in a quandary when her invalid mother sends her off with her sister, Lady Mortimer, to be married to some Viscount (with a reputation as a somewhat surly man) in Yorkshire. Originally promised to have a say in the matter, the distraught Jane decides to make a run for it once they reach the local inn, perhaps finding a home with her former nanny. However her escape goes awry when, disguised in a barmaid's clothes, she is groped, loses her belongings, and ends up running through unfamiliar territory finding refuge in a barn. The next morning Mary Cooper, a young widow with a baby, takes the poor girl in, mends her "clothes", and offers her hospitality with no questions asked, referring to her as her cousin Jenny to the outside world. Jane/Jenny, has always dreamed of the simple life in a cottage somewhere on the countryside, but soon discovers it's a lot more work than she realized. While not wealthy, she has always had servants to do the chores, evidenced by her smooth, uncallused hands. Mary says nothing but watches wisely as she tries to teach her new charge some of the simple tasks necessary for existing on ones own.

Mary is experienced with deception as Lord Haven also finds solace in her humble abode, dressed in casual garb as he visits for a meal, happy to escape, at least for a little while, the responsibilities of caring for his estate, Haven Court. While Mary is grateful for his generosity of allowing her to stay on in her home after the death of her husband, she knows her place and refuses any advances, knowing he doesn't love her just the solace she provides. When "Gerry" meets "Jenny" there is an instant attraction which develops into more as they explore the countryside taking walks together on the moors. After exchanging a kiss they both realize this duplicity can't continue, each believing they can't marry outside their station in life no matter what their heart dictates, not realizing that this entire time their marriage was already in the works.

There are also a slew of interesting characters back at the estate, including a shrewish mother and wisecracking grandmother and two sisters, one prim and proper, the other a wild child. Grand, who can be quite crude, is also astute and figures out the situation as Lord Haven scours the countryside for the missing, feared abducted, Lady Jane, not realizing Jenny is the one he seeks.

There is so much potential in this story in spite of the stupidity of the characters, yet it fails on several levels. First, there really isn't enough plot to carry an entire novel, a novella would have been more fitting. Second, the filler was a continued repetition of thoughts and feelings which detracted from the whole. This is disappointing, especially considering there was an opportunity to do some revisions since this Regency Romance was previously released as A Country Courtship in 2002. So while I did enjoy the marvelously eccentric characters, I can't give this book more than two and a half stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.