Miss Cordelia Brownlow is horrified when her father dies suddenly, leaving her saddled with massive gambling debts. Forced to sell her family home in order to pay her father's creditors, Cordelia realises she's in a desperate situation. Her only hope is to marry well, but without a dowry she's unlikely to receive any offers. Salvation comes in the form of her relative, Lady Dennyson, who buys Cordelia's house and offers her employment as a companion.

But when Lady Dennyson arrives, Cordelia is startled to see not the elderly lady she remembers from a few years ago but a beautiful young woman. Lady Juliet is the widow of Cordelia's cousin Adam, and she intends to win over Cordelia body and soul. Soon Cordelia is enchanted by her new mistress and lover, and Juliet shows her how to behave in society. Juliet's past has left her with a hatred of men, and she draws Cordelia into her games of seduction without realising that she's not only hurting Cordelia and the gentlemen, she's also hurting herself. Only Cordelia's courage and determination to uncover the secret can set Juliet free of her unhappy past.

Loving My Lady is a Regency-style story that covers a lot of ground in a relatively short space. The period language is a real delight and though there are some minor historical inaccuracies, Penelope Friday does a good job bringing the era to life, delicately showing the social mores of the time. Juliet's cruelty towards men is understandable, but I wish that part of the story had been a little longer so the reader could empathise with her more. Cordelia is an interesting heroine, passive and afraid at first but growing in confidence as the plot progresses. This is a fine story that should intrigue fans of F/F romance.

Reviewed by: Maija