Ponder: Unladylike Lessons in Love

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray ©2023 is novel based in the time of 19th century London and follows the tale of the bastard eldest daughter of an English earl with his Indian mistress. Lila is an outcast of proper society and earns her living by running a luxurious gaming parlor. I selected this book because I thought it would be like the Netflix series of the Bridgertons or Queen Charlotte, both of which I very much enjoyed. Also, it teased that it was part of a series of the Marleigh sisters so I hoped it would be a lead in to several books. Unladylike Lessons in Love was a deep disappointment. The theme of racial prejudice thwarting survival in society was an laudable approach, but insufficient to offset the other shortcomings of the book. 

Instead of the romance being risqué, the sexuality was somewhat vulgar and multiply X-rated. The explicitness was not needed to advance the story and I believe even detracted from it. Add in the grossness of rat pits and whore houses and the book was definitely unappealing. Why did I continue reading it? I was a captive audience first in an airport terminal, then on a plane, and then in a dentist's office. The last third of the book was rather exciting as there was a devious, intricate plot to rescue a man from an unjust sentence of hanging just in the nick of time at the gallows. I rate Unladylike Lessons in Love two stars and certainly will not be seeking out subsequent books in the series. Amazon ratings were not stellar either with only 27% of readers giving it five stars. Skip this book.

★★☆☆☆ Ok, not great; some redeeming features; I finished it