The buzz on Rules of Engagement is that it’s a story full of laughs and, since I haven’t read an enjoyable humorous novel in a long while, that’s the main reason why I decided to review the book. Unfortunately, the comedy was completely lost on me. Yet, even with the lack of chuckles, the book turned out to be a fairly entertaining and pleasant read.

Eliza and her sister Grace have been left virtually penniless by the death of their parents. But thanks to the kindness of two spinster aunts, they have one Season and one chance to find a husband and settle into marital bliss. Fortunately, they have the help of a handbook entitled Rules of Engagement – a war manual aunts Letitia and Violate mistake for a book on courting – and they intend to follow the book’s advice word for word. Grace is all too willing to let her aunts help find her a mate, but Eliza is much more difficult.

Eliza is an artist. She was born to paint and will let nothing nor anyone stand in her way – most certainly not a husband – as her mother did. Eliza will endure this one Seaon and if she does not find a spouse, she will receive her small inheritance. This bit of money will allow her to move to Italy and study with the Masters, as she’s always dreamed. But while Eliza has no problem avoiding the men of the ton, avoiding her aunts is another matter. Eliza assumes that she is doomed to ward off unwelcome suitors the entire season…that is, until she meets Magnus MacKinnon, a Scotsman with mesmerizing eyes.

Magnus MacKinnon is in dire straits. If he does not come up with the money to pay off his brother’s debts, he will lose everything and the people who count on him will be left penniless and homeless. Magnus has two ways out: Either his ship can come in, and with it the cargo that will bring him a fortune, or he can marry a wealthy heiress. With his ship nowhere in sight, marriage seems the best way out of his financial bind, yet he has not found one heiress with whom he can see himself spending the rest of his life…that is, until he meets Eliza Merryweather. That young lady would be the perfect wife if only she were willing to marry and had money of her own.

Even though they cannot marry, there is no reason why Eliza and Magnus can’t help each other out and Eliza comes up with a plan that may improve both of their situations. If Magnus acts as Eliza’s suitor, her aunts will back off. Meanwhile, Eliza can help Magnus find his heiress. It seems like the perfect opportunity, but neither figured they would fall for each other and, in the process, hurt those they love. But as Eliza runs into one silly predicament after another, how can Magnus not find her unique and intriguing? Even though they can not deny their feelings, as the days go by and there is no word from his ship, both Magnus and Eliza realize that they just may have to marry another.

I have two main complaints about this book, first of which is the humor, admittedly a very idiosyncratic quality. The story is silly fun and the type of slapstick that can be difficult to convey in writing. I like dry, witty humor, and so for me, the story was rarely funny. Much of the comedy supposedly centers around the two elderly aunts, but I found them childish and annoying. There were a few chuckles, but these tended to revolve around Eliza and her mishaps. The second problem is that the typical misunderstandings one often finds in romance novels dragged out the conclusion so that I grew bored toward the end.

Even with these problems, though, I found the book to be rather enjoyable. The main reason it works is that Rules of Engagement is somewhat different from the typical Regency-set historical – something that for me is getting real old, real fast. The book’s premise, using a war manual to find a husband, is novel and an entertaining way of looking at the dating process. And I found it refreshing that neither the hero nor the heroine was forced to marry the other nor wanted to marry the other for self-serving purposes. Though obviously attracted to each other, they were actually friends first, and in this they were fairly unique.

If you like silly slapstick, then you may like this novel’s humor. If you don’t, then I’d advise you not to read the book for the comedy. But even if one disregards the humor, the enjoyable main characters and charming and fast-paced plot make Rules of Engagement a pleasant read.