If you’ve been searching for a humorous read, this is one you might want to try. Whirlwind Wedding starts out with some funny scenes and great dialogue. Toward the end of the book a lame argument spoils the fun temporarily, but overall this is an enjoyable read.

When Austin Jamison, Duke of Bradford, slips out of his own house party to escape the mindless flirts and ambitious mamas, the last thing he expects to see is a beautiful and disheveled young woman emerging from his bushes. Elizabeth Matthews was under the bushes to rescue a stuck kitten, and Austin soon learns that everything about Elizabeth is surprising. She’s an American living with her aunt, and so far her unusual height and forthright manners have made her unpopular with the ton. Austin finds her personality refreshing, but he is more than a little taken aback when she touches his arm and suddenly has a vision about his brother William. Austin’s family has believed for some time that William died in battle, but Elizabeth tells Austin that his brother is alive.

When Austin last saw William, he was smuggling weapons to the French, so Austin is sure that his brother was a traitor. A Frenchman named Gaspard also seems to know about William’s past, and is attempting to blackmail Austin. So when Elizabeth professes to know something about William, Austin thinks she may be involved with Gaspard. He sends his best friend Miles to London to discover as much as he can about Elizabeth.

Actually, Elizabeth knew nothing about William until she touched Austin’s hands. Unusual psychic powers enable her to sense things about people she touches, and sometimes she sees visions as well. When she touches Austin later on, she feels that he will be in great danger. When he is in fact injured late at night, she is the one to find him. She nurses his wounds and they fall asleep together. they are awakened by Austin’s sister and some other party guests, and before they know it they are scheduled for a “whirlwind wedding.” After their marriage, everything goes well at first. Neither will admit to loving the other, but their physical relationship is fabulous and they enjoy being together until Elizabeth has a vision that jeopardizes their happiness. While they struggle to find a way to overcome their difficulties, they face an external threat as well.

There is a lot to like about Whirlwind Wedding. It is definitely one of the funnier books I have read this year, with amusing scenes and dialogue sprinkled throughout the story. The plot sounds like a serious one, and it often is, but the humor really lightens the mood and makes for an entertaining read.

Both lead characters are likable. I wasn’t particularly interested in Elizabeth’s psychic abilities (actually, I found them to be inconsistent in some ways) but her powers don’t dominate the book or her relationship with Austin. And most of the time, Austin is to die for. For much of the book, he is sure he can’t be in love, but whenever he sees Elizabeth he feels warm and happy, so he starts calling this his “Elizabeth feeling,” which is romantic and sweet. There is also a nice secondary romance between Austin’s sister Caroline and his friend Miles. Maybe I’ve been reading the wrong books lately, but secondary romances seem to be an endangered species this year. At any rate, I really enjoyed this one.

The eleventh hour argument between Austin and Elizabeth somewhat mars the otherwise enjoyable read. I found their argument hard to credit, since their relationship seemed so strong before. It came across as contrived, and for a while, these two didn’t seem like the fun characters I had come to know. Their argument results in a misunderstanding (not a big one, fortunately) and a separation, but the story gets back on track at the end. My only other quibble is with the hero’s name, which does not sound at all like a Regency duke. Since his siblings are named the far more likely William, Robert, and Caroline, his inappropriate name sticks out all the more.

While this is not a perfect read, many readers will find it enjoyable, especially those who appreciate a lot of humor. Paranormal fans may also like the psychic heroine. Either way, Whirlwind Wedding is a pretty good way to pass an afternoon.