Lady Amelia's Mess and a Half by Samantha Grace

Lady Amelia Audley is back in town after the shocking death of her husband.  She has dedicated herself to raising funds for an orphanage to improve their living conditions and she must secure some more funding so it forces her to attend a ball held by the mother of the only man she has loved, Jake Hillary.  Amelia draws comfort and support from her best friend Bibi but that causes a whole other set of problems as Bibi is a bit of a flirt and her actions have caused her to be shunned by most of the matrons of society.   Still, they arrive at the ball determined to gather the funds needed all without encountering the man who broke her heart.

Jake Hillary has been in love with Amelia for years and was stunned when she married his best friend.  It left him devastated and he moved on with his life but one glance at Mia and all the old feelings return in force.  When his charming older brother attempts to make a play for Mia, he is forced to Daniel the truth and Mia and Jake slowly find themselves enjoying each others company once again.  But with so much hurt and confusion in the past, will they be able to bury the past and find the future they long for together?

Sigh, what a wonderful romance book this was!  I was worried that the entire book was going to be about miscommunications, that Jake and Amelia were not going to be together until the end of the book but I was so wrong and that made this book so much more delightful!  Just when I wanted to say 'just talk to each other'--they did!  That was very refreshing.  There is no big misunderstanding--a few minor ones that are resolved quickly--but there is a bit of a twist near the end that will leave you flipping the pages and just when you think you have it all figured out...you just might not...and I loved that.  There is a wonderful side romance between Bibi and an unlikely suitor that added another lovely layer of romance without subtracting from the main couple.  And when the truth of Bibi's past is revealed, sigh.  I also loved the inclusion of Jake's brother, Daniel, as he adds a bit of tension and also a nice dose of humor.  I am very eager for his book!  I really enjoyed seeing more of the big, lovable and meddlesome Hillary family.  They all love each other and tease and 'help' each other as they see fit.  I loved watching Jake and Mia refind their love and make it work, even with a few obstacles in the way (Jake and Bibi have a hard time sharing Mia) they stayed true to each other.  If you are looking for a romance book that will make you laugh, smile, sigh and fan yourself, Samantha Grace has delivered a winner with Lady Amelia's Mess and a Half and she seems to be making a name for herself for her witty and sexy stories!  4 1/2 stars

I received this eARC from Sourcebooks via netgalley.com 

Beau Monde series
Can be read as a standalone but best enjoyed in order

 Miss Lavigne's Little White Lie  Daniel's story  Oct 2012
The Damnation of a Duke (working title) Spring 2013