How to Be a Proper Lady

Katharine Ashe

Jun 2012 · Harper Collins

About this ebook

A fiery female privateer meets her match on the high seas in this Regency romance by a USA Today–bestselling author.

The Rules of Being a Proper Lady

1) Never take steps greater than six inches apart.

2) Never look boldly at a gentleman.

3) And never, ever, kiss a man who is not your fiancé.

But beautiful, bold Viola Carlyle doesn't care about the rules. And she desperately wants to kiss the notoriously tempting Captain Jin Seton, the man who brought her kicking and fighting back to English society. Kidnapped as a child, now she longs to return to that life of freedom where she was able to live—and love—as she wished.

Having hunted Viola for two years, Jin Seton has finally found his good luck—for, by finding Viola, his oldest, deepest debt will at last be paid. And although he has vowed not to let her win his heart, this very improper lady might finally be the one who tames him.

Praise for How to Be a Proper Lady

“In a word engrossing. I turned page after page and delighted in every word read... Jinan and Viola are some of the first characters in a long time that really touched my heart, and they are what make How to Be a Proper Lady an unforgettable read.” —Romance Junkies

“How to Be a Proper Lady has everything fans of historical romance could want in a book.” —Joyfully Reviewed

“Every bit as delicious as it promised.” —The Librarian Next Door

Ratings and reviews

After being kidnapped by her father at the age of 9, Viola Carlyle became a notorious privateeer working the waters off the North American coastline. Seeking to return a lifelong debt to his friend, the Earl of Savege for rescuing him from slavery, Captain Jinan Seton hunts down Viola, the Earl's long lost sister-in-law. Through the weeks it takes for Jin to convince Viola to return to England with him, Jin and Viola discover an undeniable attraction to each other. But will Viola decide to return to her English family and become the lady she could have been, or will she decide to remain with the sea-faring family aboard ship she has gathered around her among the years? What about the feelings she and Jin have for each other? Can two hardened sea captains soften their hearts enough to allow love to grow between them? The character development in this book is phenomenal. Both Viola and Jinan are complex, well-rounded and compelling figures. Their stories drew me in and kept me rapt from start to finish. The pain and struggle Jinan and Viola both go through in their early childhood makes them uniquely well suited to each other, and Ashe does an excellent job of bringing both to life. This novel has plenty of action and witty banter as well to keep the plot moving along at a quick clip. Anyone who likes historical fiction will love this book.

About the author

Katharine Ashe is the award-winning author of historical romances that reviewers call “intensely lush” and “sensationally intelligent,” including How to Be a Proper Lady, an Amazon Editors’ Choice for the 10 Best Books of the Year in Romance, and My Lady, My Lord and How to Marry a Highlander, 2015 and 2014 finalists for the prestigious RITA® Award of the Romance Writers of America. Her books are recommended by Publishers Weekly, Women’s World Magazine, Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Barnes & Noble, and many others, and translated into languages across the world.

Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her beloved husband, son, dog, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of European History, she writes fiction because she thinks modern readers deserve grand adventures and breathtaking sensuality too. For more about Katharine’s books, please visit her website or write to her at PO Box 51702, Durham, NC 27717.