The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is a charming retelling of Cinderella with a regency flair, and it hits all the right beats with humor and warmth. Sometimes it does get a little cheesy and a tad saccharine, but overall it’s a decent romance.

Lady Louisa Bracken is on the run. Escaping from a cruel aunt and uncle who have controlled the family fortune since her father’s death, Louisa had planned on taking advantage of finally hitting her majority to take her inheritance, get away from the family seat and never look back. Her aunt promptly hits her with a double-whammy when Louisa demands her due. Not only will Louisa not be able to touch her funds until she reaches twenty-five, her aunt plans to marry her off to her son, Louisa’s cousin Barnabas – the heir to the earldom – thus keeping the family fortune within her grasp. Barnabas – a gambling lecher – is not a good prospect, to say the least, and so, with the help of the family servants, Louisa makes her escape.

Lord Simon Anthony Peregrine Stringham is the Marquess of Cheswick, but prefers to be known as ‘Wick,’ thank you. He’s taking care of his three sisters while his parents are in Africa returning animals to the wild (his parents are very interested in zoology and they have a menagerie of exotic animals on the property, including snakes and camels), while still mourning the deaths of two of his siblings from scarlet fever. Just sixteen at the time, Wick had been in charge of the family back then, too, but continues to hold himself responsible for their passing, even years later. His sisters have driven off their last governess, so he goes off in search of the poor woman. Instead, he finds Louisa, who refuses to go back home. Anthony’s troubles are just compounded.

Anthony agrees to help Louisa enter society and be presented to Queen Charlotte so she can find herself a respectable husband. Naturally, she finds several nice men willing to tend to her, but she cannot stop herself from loving Anthony or his family, even though Anthony insists he will not marry her. Can she find happiness and keep herself out of Barnabas’ clutches?

The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is very pretty and predictable in a kind way. Louisa is a sweetheart and is (generally) fairly smart, and I adored poor Anthony and his angst and his attempts at trying to keep order. His sisters are all cute and sweet.

The romance is very pleasant; Anthony comes to enjoy Louisa’s courage and kindness, and Louisa enjoys Anthony for his caring and willingness to stand up for her. Everything is quite proper and tender between them, but their passion does come off as pretty muted.

The research here is just fine, and Hastings does reasonably well with the twists and turns of the specifics of Regency life. It’s a nice little romance, and even if it doesn’t make your heart throb, it will make you smile and sigh – and sometimes that’s the best thing a romance can do for you.