When you see a book called The Rake’s Handbook {Including Field Guide}, what assumptions do you make? It’s a sad fact of life that we often do literally judge books by their covers. Although I knew I shouldn’t, when I heard “Including Field Guide,” I immediately began assuming it would be a silly story full of purple prose. Luckily, that assumption didn’t keep me from reading the book.

Elinor Colton, widow of Vicar William Colton, lover of society events, and aunt to the dandy Berdmore Deane, is enjoying her peaceful, if somewhat melancholy life in Cheshire. Since her husband died, Elinor has not been able to enjoy life as she used to. That changes when she meets Ross Thornbury, her new neighbor. Ross is charming, making her laugh when no one else can, and the two quickly develop a relationship.

Unfortunately, Ross is bent on setting up a foundry to build steam engines at the edge of his property. Elinor—and everyone else in the town—is worried about what his foundry will mean for the local landowners. Visions of foggy air and soot-covered ground fill their heads, until Ross finds himself facing some major opposition to his progressive ideas. This does get in the way of the attraction between him and Elinor for a bit, but ultimately it doesn’t stop them from being together.

This is a sweet, well-paced romance between two intelligent adults. Both Elinor and Ross have some scars, a fact which fuels their disagreement over Ross’ foundry. Elinor is still grieving the loss of her husband, and she is afraid that smoke will ruin her house, which is all she has left of him. Ross, on the other hand, feels guilty for the death of his brother and wants to build the foundry to support his mother financially and prove that he has grown responsible. Together, the two are able to move past the deaths of their loved ones and look to the future.

The one problem that this book could have had was regarding the foundry. Luckily, Ms. Orr didn’t take the opportunity to write a preachy book about the benefits or consequences of industrialization. Instead, she wrote the story of two people falling in love while also having an honest debate about bringing a new foundry to their town.

All in all, I must declare myself very happily surprised by the contents of this book. I opened it expecting a melodramatic hero hell-bent on seducing some spinster with the help of his Field Guide. Instead, I found a witty man who only wanted to befriend his attractive neighbor. It was most definitely a good read, and I hope to find more like it in the future.