MOST EAGERLY YOURS

Author: Allison Chase ISBN: 9780451228949 3/2010 HISTORICAL Publisher: SIGNET ECLIPSE
Time Period: 1838

Raised on their uncle's country estate, the four orphaned Sutherland sisters formed a close friendship with the young Princess Victoria. Shortly before her coronation as queen, Victoria asks the sisters to serves her in matters requiring the utmost discretion. They are to become her secret servants. The first to serve is Laurel- who poses as a widow to uncover a traitor, and discovers instead an irresistible rogue conducting his own undercover investigation.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

There is something undeniably sad about the Queen Victoria portrayed in MOST EAGERLY YOURS.  In the prologue we meet an eleven year-old Victoria, who is worried and scared for the future because the weight of who she will one day become has settled on her shoulders.  She turns to the four girls who are her dearest friends, the Sutherland sisters.  Eight years later, the Queen of British Empire for almost a year, she is still that worried young girl who needs her most trusted friends to help her in an uncertain time.

It would be easy for Society to attribute all sorts of dastardly motives to the Sutherland sisters claims of love and friendship for Her Majesty.  Though the past few years' correspondence has been sparse, Victoria never forgot them, or their pledge to her to be her secrets friends and servants in any way she would need them.  Laurel, the eldest, is the first called and given a mission of great import. 

Laurel was a refreshing heroine.  Her reassuring nature, coupled with her obvious affection for the Queen born from their history, make for a comforting sort of girl.  She looks out for the best for everyone, most often without thinking of the consequences thereafter, but her intentions are always good.  The thought never occurred to her to not help Victoria—she truly meant every word she said to the eleven year old Princess.

Aidan, who had his hands full with his own (illegitimate and disgruntled) royal George Fitzclarence, was certainly more than a match.  Recovering from his father's scandal, forging a reputation that is distasteful to him personally, but necessary for the work he does, he is many contradictions.  Oh, he plays the rogue quite well; but like Laurel there is deeper meaning to his charade, deeper truths that he is set about uncovering in the name of protecting his countrymen. 

Together they were amusing and tantalizing; they both had to be careful with their words and their actions, but that proved hard from the get-go.  Laurel had to play the knowledgeable widow while he played the rogue, and neither of them wanted to go too far because there was too much at stake.

As a start to a new romantic mystery series, this was a wonderful beginning, leaving me eager to know how the other sisters may act as the Queen's 'secret servants'.

Alexandra Cenni