Susanna Craig is building a web of characters that interact in her series. Knowing her earlier books isn't necessary to enjoy this regency romp, but I was especially delighted to see some beloved characters from past work make appearances in The Lady Knows Best.

Daphne is the wallflower of the Burke clan who uses an assignment for a secret ladies' magazine to initiate a flirtation with known a known rake, Miles, aka Viscount Deveraux. Daphne's plan to writing a scathing article warning young women of the ways of rakes changes as she and Miles fall for each other. Of course, the path to happily ever after is full of drama from friends, family, and two adorable pets..one of whom is on the cover. (Kudos to the attention to detail shown by the cover design team.)

About midway through the book, we get a big location change, which serves to keep the action interesting and gives us a few more characters to meet. It's nice to see Daphne and Miles in the formal scenes of the London season at first and then watch them adapt to the more casual setting of Miles' country home.

Anyone for whom this is a first experience with Susanna Craig's regency romances will surely want to circle back to the prequel to this series and her other books where we meet Daphne's family and employer. The end of this story includes a nice setup for a future installment.

With gorgeous, contemplative phrasing, absorbing characters and a clever and unpredictable story line, The Lady Knows Best is a remarkable must-read.

Miles and Daphne were an odd couple and their journey to love was strange but beautiful. It was very interesting to see the difference between Miles the rake and the actual vulnerable man. He was thoughtful, caring, even a little idiotic at times. I like the way Daphne learned new things about him and about herself.

This was a great sequel in the goode's guide to misconduct series, it had what I was looking for historical Regency romance novel. The characters worked in this time-period and I was invested in what was happening to them. It was written really well and I'm glad I was able continue this series. Susanna Craig does a great job in writing a regency story.

"Though it had produced much laughter—and a striking mental image—none of it would have been the sort of thing that kept Daphne lying awake, restless in her bed. No, the problem was Mr. Palmer’s quiet words to Lord Stalbridge, when the general conversation had moved on to another topic: “Lord Deveraux has never been a man for numbers, but he’s right good with his hands.”

Miss Daphne Burke, the quiet, sensible, overlooked wallflower in a large family. She has no interest in the marriage mart. Unlike her younger sister Bellis she’s happy to stay out of the limelight. Isn’t she? Miles, that devil Deveroux, handsome and shallow, typical rake. Only interested in gambling and women. Isn’t he?

This is an unusual take on the regency romance, Irish heroine, radical views, feminism. Daphne was a thoughtful land rounded character and Miles not just vanity itself as we get to know him. There’s a cast of supporting characters, some who we meet only briefly, that signposts a series of stories in this world. The magazine, which on reading the synopsis, seems like it will be a large part of the story. It isn’t, and that’s no bad thing. We don’t get too many characters or too much dialogue.

A couple of things, I’m not sure what a “brownstone” is, much less what it’s doing in regency London. The other is I did found that it did begin to drag a little, the same thoughts from both main protagonists repeated, as ever they never just talk to each other. Overall an enjoyable romance, and I would read more from this series.

Daphne is hidden behind an alias Miss Busy B as an advice columnist. Viscount Deveraux's fiancee dumps publicly in a letter to her. Deveraux thinks that the columnist should rescue him and marry him instead. She intends to turn him down in a big splash to ruin her reputation at the end to set herself free.... but she really likes him....

Love both Daphne and Deveraux. They are both flawed characters who are still likable. Love their banter and fights. I love how fast paced the story is.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.