historical note because it is bugging me: it is possible that in reality the two main characters would not be able to get married because of affinity, meaning they are related by marriage but I don't feel like looking through the book of common prayer right this moment. ( )

Aside from the fact the titles of this series (The Impossible Bachelors) are all fun wordplays on movie titles, I think what I liked best about this book is that it makes it clear from the get go that nothing is really quite so simple as all that.

Molly and Harry are childhood rivals, a rivalry that was strong and in place into adulthood, based upon a childish act that got blown out of hand. Molly, in all her youthful enthusiasm wrote a poem about how much she adored Harry's older brother--who happened to be Molly's older sister's fiancee. And in her youthful naivety didn't realize that she wasn't quite as clever as she thought she was. Harry, through youthful idiocy, defended himself instead of just letting things blow over. If I understood things correctly even though both of their older siblings forgave them in the end, it was really the parents who had made things worse.

To be completely fair Molly had as much common sense as a dirty dishrag. She runs off with her father's assistant, then when he runs off with a ladybird allows herself to be entangled in a ridiculous scheme as Harry's mistress. Harry, though he thought his motives mainly unselfish, was intolerably selfish. What man in his right mind thinks landing his brother's sister-in-law in the middle of a debauched weekend is preferable to sending her home and losing a bet?

If you ignore how the two ended up in the situation its better. Once the weekend is underway we meet the catty mistresses, the mostly decent bachelors (all except the biggest creeper this side of ever) and Molly gets to show off how clever she is. The mistresses were all kind of funny and by the end of it I appreciated their personality differences a little more. The 'tests' they had to endure were pretty much what you'd expect from a man who saw women as little more than bed partners (that would be the Prince Regent, who put together this whole thing). Sexist, offensive and honestly I was a little irritated that Molly was the only one who objected.

Interestingly the author didn't make this a plot to get Harry and Molly into bed quickly. You'd think since Molly was acting as his mistress things would progress that far eventually, but Harry is rather gentlemanly. It was a weird juxtaposition. Instead we have a book of teasing, taunting and inventive ways for them to be close, but not 'as one'. I enjoyed that very much, even if some of the antics the two get up to made my eyebrows raise.

I understand that women, especially ladybirds like the mistresses, had very little recourse when it came to how they are treated, but honestly I couldn't believe that Sir Richard could get away with what he did. Seriously the man not only assaulted Molly (at least twice if I remember rightly) he basically said he'd have her in his bed willing or not! Not only that, but the man was crass, crude and lewd to boot. At the very end, when he gets his just desserts and some hard truths are brought home, I cheered for his downfall. The slob and miscreant.

The ending was a little bit of a deus ex machina though. The problems Harry had--the scandal he faced while in the military, the rumors and such--are wrapped up and everyone is hunky-dory. Its like a magic wand was waved to make things absolutely happily ever after perfect for Harry and Molly to be together guilt free. Regardless Kramer weaved an enjoyable and entertaining tale. ( )

A Harry siempre le habían atraído las apuestas, hasta ahora. Harry Traemor está más que encantado con su vida de soltero, libre como el viento, pasa sus días sin preocupaciones y a la búsqueda del placer. Pero todo eso está a punto de cambiar cuando recibe un requerimiento para presentarse ante el Príncipe Regente al igual que los otros miembros de la sociedad de ?Los solteros imposibles?. El príncipe les ha reunido con la intención de proponerles una obscena apuesta. Las reglas son simplemente escandalosas: el soltero cuya amante gane el título de "Compañera más deliciosa" conservará su estado un año más. Harry, que hasta ahora no le había echado cuentas a esto, se ve en la tesitura de conservar su soltería o casarse con la dama elegida por el Regente, es por ello que estará dispuesto a lo que sea con tal de no tener que casarse.

Intriguing premise, but doesn't pass the sniff test.

Molly has a problem. She was eloping to Gretna Green, but now she's stuck at an inn on the road north.

Harry has a problem. He was taking his mistress to the Impossible Bachelors contest, but she left with Molly's intended.

So Molly pretends to be a courtesan for a week during the contest, Harry promises to get her safely home at the end of the week.

Molly up-ends the bachelor party, and falls in love with Harry.

All's well that ends well.

Fluffy, fast fun. ( )

A really good historical romance with saucy action that moved right along. An interesting and unique plot that opens with a fun attention grabber and has an exciting finish. Lord Harry is drafted into a wager whose winner gets to remain unmarried and his childhood foe Lady Molly is a most unlikely companion.
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