This comedy is “cute” in the sense that a bunch of Belgian bittersweet hearts clutched in the paws of a big Gund teddy bear would be cute – fluff deluxe, top-of-the-line. Cupboard Kisses had me from “hello” because the back copy promised my favorite silly story, the one where a proper miss spends some time in a house of ill repute. This is one of real life’s Worst Possible Ideas, but when it’s well-done in fiction I nearly always fall for it. While the story never quite transcends its cuteness, ingenious plotting and fun characters make this a very good time.

The “lady amongst the tramps” theme is very contemporary, but Metzger’s story captures the Regency flavor nicely. Obviously, the first order of business is to get Our Heroine ensconced in a brothel. There is too much to explain, so let me sum up: Cristabel Swann travels to London to collect an inheritance, little knowing it was gambled away to Captain Kenley Chase. Captain Chase is bandaged and cranky from an operation that may have left him blind, so he doesn’t realize the harridan in his parlor is actually a lovely young miss. He packs her off with the deed to her uncle’s property in Kensington, little knowing or caring that the “boarding house” is more than it appears. Meanwhile, the denizens of the house struggle to keep Cristabel as deluded as possible while the men in charge plot to absorb her into the main operations. As they escort Cristabel around town to this end, she attracts the notice of Lord Winstoke, who is, of course, none other than the same Captain Chase who caused the mess in the first place.

The book obviously requires a high degree of suspension of disbelief, but it’s nowhere near what it might be. Part of the fun is watching the author’s sleight-of-hand that coaxes us to accept each little improbability until we’ve swallowed it all. While it’s never gritty, neither is it a nauseating world of sweetness and light. The working girls do not all have hearts of gold, and Cristabel has not softened to tolerance when she learns of the deception. Though they didn’t bother me, this is also not the book for anyone who hates long separations between the hero and heroine, who of necessity don’t spend much time together until the final quarter of the book. Cristabel holds the reins of the story, but Captain Chase is very well-realized in his limited screen time. My own greatest complaint is that Cristabel spends a bit too long being naïve; when the truth comes out her shift to practical spitfire is welcome, but very abrupt.

My recommendation stops just short of granting Desert Isle Keeper status because of those elements, and because even cuteness of the highest order lacks a resonance that I usually need in my keepers. But to anyone with a soft spot for the “pigeon amongst the soiled doves” plot, or who enjoys a well-written romp with engaging characters and a strong period feel, I recommend taking a peek at Cupboard Kisses.