Lady Bridget & Dreadful Darcy

I read this book as I was waiting for the next book in the Lords of Worth trilogy by Kelly Bowen; unfortunately it pales in comparison to Kelly’s books.  This is a mash-up of ‘Pride & Prejudice’ and ‘Bridget Jones Diary’, with a side dash of ‘Mean Girls’.  As per Amazon:

Lord Darcy is the quintessential Englishman: wealthy, titled, impossibly proper, and horrified that a pack of Americans has inherited one of England’s most respected dukedoms. But his manners, his infamous self-restraint, and his better judgment fly out the window when he finds himself with the maddening American girl next door.

Lady Bridget Cavendish has grand—but thwarted—plans to become a Perfect Lady and take the haute ton by storm. In her diary, Bridget records her disastrous attempts to assimilate into London high society, her adoration of the handsome rogue next door, her disdain for the Dreadful Lord Darcy, and some truly scandalous secrets that could ruin them all.

It was loathing at first sight for Lady Bridget and Lord Darcy. But their paths keep crossing . . . and somehow involve kissing. When Lady Bridget’s diary goes missing, both Darcy and Bridget must decide what matters most of all—a sterling reputation or a perfectly imperfect love.

There isn’t a whole lot of plot, the main story is Bridget waffling between Darcy’s brother Rupert, and dreadful Darcy himself.  Bridget is not exactly the kind of woman Darcy is interested in, but he can’t help but find himself intrigued with her.   She’s a bit insecure at the start of the book, but she does mature as the story unfolds.  The leader of the ‘mean girl’ pack is the lady who anticipates Darcy’s proposal, and Bridget joins their crowd in an attempt to fit into the haute ton society.  When her diary goes missing, Darcy has to step up to assist her to find it, lest her secrets (and his) are exposed.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, if you’re in the mood for a light and frothy story that doesn’t demand a whole lot of attention.  Bridget’s sister Amelia had a brief adventure of her own that isn’t explained entirely, and I believe she is the focus of the next book in the series, with the rest of the family to follow no doubt.