Unladylike Pursuits marks Alyssa Goodnight’s debut. And though it does have the same redundancy found in many other novels, I still found the voice fresh and the plot and characters to be charming and appealing.

Although many would consider becoming a spinster to be a horrifying prospect, for Emily Sinclair turning 25 and landing firmly on the shelf is the best thing that could have happened. There is no man with whom Emily wishes to spend the rest of her life, but she believes she is now, finally, free to be single and to do whatever she wishes. Emily plans on many exciting adventures, but her father and stepmother have other ideas and they inform Emily that she has one month to find a husband or she will be forced to marry her stepmother’s cousin, an odious man whom Emily detests.

Ignoring the warnings that there is a highwayman lurking in the woods, Emily jumps on her horse and sets off to see the one person who can help her through the ordeal, her best friend Sophie. But impetuous Emily rushes into the path of a rider only to fall at his feet into a puddle of mud. The man staring down at her is arrogant and lacking in manners, but he is also striking. To Emily there is only one way to take down such an unbending man – humiliate him by besting him in a horse race. Surprisingly enough, the man agrees to the challenge. So, Emily leaves with the strange and unfamiliar excitement of knowing that in a week she will see him again.

Lord Brandon Davenport has neither the desire nor the need to marry. His father might wish him to, but as Brand sees it, who cares if his estate is lost to some distant relative? He never met a woman who held his interest any length of time and has no desire to be leg-shackled to some shrew of a gold-digger. Then, quite suddenly, he runs into an intriguing woman, who not only demands an apology for a wrong he has not committed, but who also challenges him to a race. Even though he should stay clear of the reckless woman, he accepts the challenge and finds Emily dominating his thoughts.

When Emily arrives at Sophie’s home, things seem to be rather normal, until Emily finds an unusual note in her friend’s bedroom. Even more peculiar is Sophie’s somewhat abrupt mood change. But while trying to find the truth behind Sophie’s unhappiness, Emily and her friend overhear someone they are certain is the notorious highwayman.

Unladylike Pursuits is not perfect, featuring familiar elements found in many a romance novel: The stereotypical villain who is ugly with bad teeth, the headstrong and somewhat naïve heroine, and the hero who will never marry. I would have liked to see more flirting and sexual tension between Emily and Brand since their relationship seems to wrap up a bit too neatly and quickly. Yet, even with these problems, there is a charm and innocence about the book that I have not seen for some time. Of course, this may be due to the fact that the author is new to the publishing world. Goodnight does not seem to be writing to achieve anything other than to write a delightful romance – and that is how the book comes across, as downright charming.

Both Brand and Emily are amiable characters and we get to know them quite well. But, what is most unique is the relationship between Sophie and Emily. Sophie is not some secondary character who sits by the sidelines and cheers her best friend on. Sophie is a character who is written just as deeply as Emily and it is incredibly interesting to see Emily through Sophie’s eyes. And, just as in real life, Emily does not always end up looking perfect. The book works because it knows what to focus on and does not try to be too many things at once. It also flows quite well, with an interesting plot and interwoven characters.

Ultimately, even with the minor flaws, this is really one of the better European Historicals that I have read this year and I certainly look forward to reading more from this author. Hopefully, her future books will be able to retain the appealing innocence found in this one.