If I had to choose one word to describe Saving Lord Verwood, that word would be “odd.” It’s odd at the beginning, blissfully normal in the middle, and terribly, terribly odd at the end. Because I enjoyed parts of it, I found it more difficult to assign a grade than to summarize the book in a single word.

Miss Penelope Talcott is a poor relation vacationing in Brighton with her aunt and uncle – two difficult people who want her married and off their hands as soon as possible. She has an understanding of sorts with a vicar back home, but they’d like to see her well-established with a more lofty gentleman. Though she dreams of a quiet, peaceful life with her vicar, she keeps running into the disreputable Lord Verwood. He’s led something of a scandalous life, and he was somehow involved in the courtships of both of Penelope’s best friends (in The Incorrigible Lady Catherine and The Redwyck Charm). As they meet again in Brighton, Pen accidentally saves Lord Verwood’s life, which places her in danger. This is actually the beginning of the “oddness,” as both Pen and Verwood are threatened in a strange, bizarre fashion. After Verwood rescues Pen from a murderous sea bathing incident (don’t ask), Pen’s reputation is nearly in shreds. Pen’s vicar shows up in Brighton just in time to terminate their “understanding.” Verwood offers for her, and she accepts.

The two set off for Verwood’s family home in Cornwall. Though neither sees the marriage as a love match, they begin a satisfying physical relationship, and they both begin to fall in love. But there are many obstacles to overcome. Verwood is reviled in the village because of his involvement in a mysterious, long ago affair. He ran off with a local woman who has not been seen since and is presumed to be dead. His ability to overcome this situation and the general prejudice against him is constantly in doubt. Pen would like to make a new start with him, but it seems clear that someone still wants both of them dead. In order for them to truly feel safe to explore their relationship, they need to resolve the issues surrounding Verwood’s past.

This book jumps right into the plot with little explanation of the backstory, which is something of a handicap. It’s clear that much of Lord Verwood’s character was explained in the previous books, but unless you have read the most recent one, you will likely be as confused as I was. I read the first book in the series (The Incorrigible Lady Catherine), and thought it was quite good. But it was released three years ago, and I remembered very little about it. Those interested in reading this one might want to read (or reread) the other two books first.

I did find the two main characters quite likable, and when the story focused on their relationship (rather than on the countless attempts against their lives) I was a pretty happy camper. Much of the middle of the book is devoted to the couple falling in love. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but if you like the basic plot of a married couple falling in love with each other, you’ll probably enjoy it too. Verwood is convincing as a rake who unfairly acquired his reputation, and Penelope is sweet and sincere, yet plucky when she needs to be.

The main problem is that the gothic overtones of the book seem silly, strange and out of place. The initial attempts on the hero and heroine’s lives in Brighton are truly weird, but they are nothing compared to the antics of the villain in Cornwall. It’s all supposed to be creepy, but it mostly struck me as funny. The final confrontation with the villain is a cartoonish showdown that had me laughing out loud. Suspense clichés abound, including the wacky villain who explains all his/her actions for what seems like hours – almost as if she knows that she needs to talk long enough for help to arrive. And the villain’s stubborn refusal to kick the bucket after repeated attempts reminded me of the similarly resilient villain in the second Austin Powers movie, who prompts Austin to yell, “Why won’t you die?!”

Though I had trouble assigning a grade to this one, I eventually settled on a C-. I liked the characters too much to give it a D, and I enjoyed some of the more unusual aspects (like the Brighton setting). But I can’t really recommend a book whose most suspenseful scene provoked side-splitting laughter either. If you love gothic romances and can tolerate a lot of camp, then this might work for you. But I suspect many will simply find it as odd as I did.