Lord Langley is Back in Town by Elizabeth Boyle

Title/Author: Lord Langley is Back in Town by Elizabeth Boyle
Publisher/Date published: May 31st 2011 by Avon
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Lord Langley and Minerva, Lady Standon, began their faux engagement with three simple rules set down by the baron's all-too-proper (and utterly unlikely) bride-to-be.
1. No more kissing. The intoxicating kiss Langley stole from her lips still has Minerva aflutter.
2. She will not share his bed. (For if his kiss is that tempting, Minerva doesn't dare imagine what a night in Langley's embrace will do to her already addled senses.)
3. No scandals during their engagement. With the infamous Langley back in Town, there is no lack of trouble he can bring to Minerva's unblemished reputation.
Oh, the wily Lord Langley will keep his word — but that doesn't mean he won't use every rakish trick he knows to get Minerva to break her own proper rules, especially once he realizes that this convenient arrangement has led him to the only woman he's ever loved..."

Okay, so I didn't dislike the book, but it didn't work all that well for me either. Minerva was a nice enough main character, though I thought she sometimes had a bit of too-stupid-to-live going on. But not the whole time, so I was somewhat accepting this. And Langley was odd, but well, he had been hit on the head (and no, not as a child).

Overall, I thought it was a bit unlikely. I mean, four of Langley's former mistresses storming Minerva's house and taking up residence there because they believe he will show up there after years of absence? And then when he's discovered in Minerva's bedroom, the first time they meet, he declares he came back to marry her and is actually meaning to go through with it? After 5 minutes?
I know the whole thing with historical romances is that there's usually a whirlwind romance and that can work if it's done right. But here, I just didn't believe it. In my opinion they didn't have enough moments before they decided they loved each other. There should be MOMENTS! MOMENTS that make their heart (and mine) beat faster and make them realise that maybe there's something more... And I always like a bit of gut-wrenching heartbreak. But that's just me.

Anyway, I didn't get all that. And though I did enjoy the story for what it was, it didn't really do much for me in the end. I did like that there was more to the story than just the romance. There was some mystery and Minerva and other women plotting (highly ill-advised plotting) and blackmailing going around.

My rating: 2,5 stars