Review: A Taste of Honey

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A Taste of Honey A Taste of Honey by Rose Lerner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the more common tropes in historical romance is the aristos leaving tradesmen's bills unpaid because a gentleman always pays gambling debts to another gentlemen, but hoi polloi have to wait their turn.

But if you're one of those tradesmen you could be one bad debt away from bankruptcy or debtor's prison yourself. You had to put up the capital to fund your venture, unpaid bills mean you can't pay your creditors.

I hadn't planned on this being a screed on market economics, but part of what I enjoyed most about A Taste of Honey was its focus on ordinary people with businesses to run and bills to pay rather than the ton, bakers and shopgirls instead of dukes and countesses. We met Robert Moon earlier in the Lively St. Lemeston saga, but now he gets his own story, and it's as hot and sweet as cakes fresh from the oven. Be warned, if you're dieting this book will make you moan in frustration because while the sex between Robert and his assistant Betsy is hot, the pastry and confection descriptions are even hotter.

Lerner has earned a reputation not only for writing excellent romance but for her ability to bring in local color and ordinary people to her stories. It's a nice change from the glittering ballrooms and Almack's, just as a good loaf of rye makes a nice change from fluffy white breads.


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