Most books that earn an F really earn it, usually because the characters do something to provoke a violent, unpleasant response. The Dangerous Baron Leigh isn’t like that, and indeed I am sorry to be giving it such a poor grade, because I’m sure if another author had written this book with the same plot and characters I probably would have liked it. The problem with this one is the writing itself, which is simply terrible. There are continuity problems, and the characters’ thoughts move at the speed of light – when they think at all. Much of what happens in the book simply makes no sense.

The plot, such as it is, is very simple and straightforward. Lady Jocelyn is on her way to her cousin’s house party when she is caught in a torrential downpour. Her coach cannot climb a muddy hill with her weight inside, so she disembarks in the cold rain. At this providential moment, Baron Peter Leigh, an old flame she has not seen for five years, comes to her rescue and quickly takes her to her cousin’s home on horseback. He is also a guest at the house party. They rekindle their lost love and spend the remainder of the house party searching for a stolen necklace.

And that is the whole plot right there. Hendrickson makes some effort to prolong the romance plot as Jocelyn repeatedly wonders what Peter really thinks of her. Since Peter never makes any secret of his abiding love and avid sexual interest, this just makes Jocelyn come across as stupid. If either of these characters had a personality, they would probably be likable, but they have all the verve of marble statues.

And other problems are legion. Peter walks in and out of Jocelyn’s bedroom constantly, but no one ever notices. Then they are caught in a cottage during a rainstorm, and Peter immediately proposes. They are actually caught in the storm because someone untied a rowboat they were using, but we never learn why, and no one seems to have a motive for the deed. This is just one of the many inconsistencies very liberally sprinkled throughout the book.

The house party is huge, and new guests pop up all the time, seemingly at random. The most prominent guests are the relatives of the host, who for some unexplained reason are all French, even though the host is English and his family has reportedly been in England for generations. They also seem to constantly flirt with each other, even though they are all related. They are all nasty and rude to the other guests, which makes one wonder why they were invited to the house party in the first place.

There are so many problems with this book that even heavy editing would have been of little help. I like Regency house parties, mysteries, and heroes and heroines who get a second chance at love. But even the best idea for a story could not overcome an incomprehensible writing style like this one. I cannot imagine this book being worth anyone’s time or money.