Birds of a Feather is not a book for the impatient reader. This is one of those books that gets off to a very slow start, and for the first half I was not sure that I even liked the hero. However, it really picks up at about the halfway point, and ends up as a pretty good read.

The Earl of Wickfield has experienced a financial setback, and he decides that the quickest way to recoup his losses is to marry his spirited daughter Harriet off to a wealthy gentleman who can loan him some money. In order to achieve that end, he engages the services of his cousin’s daughter, Joanna Patterson. Joanna will accompany Harriet during her season, discourage unsuitable matches, and keep the countess from spending too much money.

Shortly after Joanna arrives in town, she has an embarrassing run-in with Lord Sedgewick Wylie, who saves her from being run over by a carriage. After he pulls her from harm’s way, Joanna can only stammer like an idiot. Sedge (as he is called) is the ton’s arbiter of fashion and manners, and he has nothing kind to say about Joanna’s foolish mistake. And somehow, he always seems to be around to watch when she has another mishap. As the season progresses, she tries to avoid the judgmental Sedge, but she does befriend his brother Reggie. Reggie helps guide her in her duties as Harriet’s companion, and advises her about the character and prospects of Harriet’s suitors. But a freak mishap places Joanna in a compromising situation with Sedge, and they are forced to marry. Joanna is sure she will be an embarrassment to Sedge, and Sedge is under the impression that Joanna is in love with his brother. As they get to know each other better, they begin to look at each other with new eyes. But even as they are falling in love, others try to sabotage their union, and they wonder if they will ever be able to make their marriage work.

This book has a darker tone than many Regencies. The characters and their emotions are more than skin-deep, and there isn’t a lot of drawing room banter. However, there aren’t any love scenes either. Their omission seems somewhat odd, given that the main characters are married for over half the book. I was really expecting one at the end, and was somewhat disappointed by the lack of it.

What really makes this book work, however, is the characters. Sedge is particularly effective; he has far more depth than the typical Regency hero. His position is an odd one. He’s somewhat of a dandy, and he has slavish followers. But he is very conscious of his power, and he tries to use his influence for good. He also truly grows throughout the course of the book. For the first half of the book, he spends little time with Joanna, and he is not particularly likable. I even thought I might prefer his brother Reggie to be the hero. Then he compromises Joanna and marries her – and everything changes. I found myself liking him more and more as the book went on. For her part, Joanna is no push over. Once she gets over her problems with stammering and embarrassment, she gives as good as she gets, providing a perfect match for the arrogant Sedge.

Obviously, this is not a book that will work for everyone. If you need to feel an immediate connection with the characters, this is probably not for you. However, I would much rather read a book that gets off to a slow start than one that starts with a bang only to end up as a disappointment. This book is a sequel to A Bird in the Hand, which features Sedge’s best friend Randolph. Perhaps the likable Reggie will get his own “bird adage” book soon. The Early Bird, maybe? At any rate, I liked this one enough to stay tuned.