REVIEW: Debutantes Don’t Date by Kristina O’Grady

Debutantes Don’t Date by Kristina O’Grady: “Debutantes Don’t Date” is a time travel romance, which can often be really fun if you like your romances tinged with a touch of the paranormal, and some fish-out-of-the-water humor. In this case, the “fish” is Grace Lancaster, a party planner who on New Year’s Eve, 2013, is working at a party for the Duke and Duchess of Kensington. Grace, dressed in a Regency costume, has been hard at work all evening, takes a quick break close to midnight, and quickly drinks down two champagnes. Then, she sees something shiny, and reaches down to pick it up. The moment her hand closes on the bauble, the lights cut out and the clock strikes twelve.

On New Year’s Eve, 1813, at the Duck and Duchess of Kensington’s manor, a party is in full swing. There Lady Anne Higgins is waiting for Jasper Mossman, the Earl of Bingham, to propose. They had been promised since childhood, and Lady Anne is in her third season. Additionally, Lady Anne’s brother Robin Higgins, Baron of Wester, is desperate for her to marry the Earl since he is deeply in debt. Close to midnight, there is a commotion near the refreshment room, and Jasper goes to investigate. The commotion just happens to be Grace Lancaster, confused, tipsy, mind fuzzy, and she is very grateful when a Ryan Gosling look-a-like helps her up from the floor. So grateful that she goes off with him to a corner and kisses him mindless. He is very willing to go along with her, that is, until they are caught by one of the harpies of the ton, and he quickly has to say that she is his new fiancée. And so the adventure begins. There are friendly, helpful sisters, a long-lost “grandfather” (actually great-great grandfather), dastardly bad guys, and good guys pretending to be dastardly bad guys. All will be okay, however, since Grace has read romance novels:

“How ironic she was now living a [sic] historical romance novel. She stifled a giggle with her hand and tried to cough to cover her laughter.”

There is also explosive crazy attraction between Grace and Jasper. Quite frankly, whenever they are together, it is inevitable that their lips will meet, and perhaps even other parts of their anatomy. When Grace is very gently telling him that they cannot marry since they just met, Jasper retorts with:

“Rush anything?” Jasper jumped off the sofa to his feet and frowned down at her, his hands on his hips. “Every time we are in the same room as each other we are rushing it! If we rush it any more you are going to be child!” The last point he punctuated with flailing hand gestures.

This is a lighthearted, amusing book, and it should be taken in that way. There are no thoughts of the “butterfly effect” or any of the other metaphysical difficulties that arise from time travel. Grace is gone from her time, she is in the past, and that is it. It’s a little funny, and very over-the-top. Grace, however, is an inconsistent character, sometimes being very 21st century, and sometimes behaving quite prim, but perhaps this just reflects how confused time traveling would be? The writing is also stilted at times, and anachronisms and unusual words are rife. An example is the word “chook” which is Australian slang for a chicken, and according to my dictionary originates in the 1920’s. At any rate, this is a quick little read, but park high expectations and deep thoughts about time travel at the cover!

Book Info:

Publication: April 30th 2014 by Carina UK (first published April 3rd 2014)

At the stroke of midnight…

One minute Grace Lancaster is an overworked event manager organising 2013’s New Year’s Eve ball… The next she’s kissing a rather gorgeous man at the Regency themed party. Everyone’s entitled to an out-of-character New Year’s kiss, right? Except Jasper Mossman, Earl of Bingham, isn’t at a costume party – he’s a real-life gentleman from 1813…

And, it seems, kissing a man in Regency London has consequences!

What Grace considers normal behaviour scandalises Regency society and so far she’s provided the irrepressible gossips of the ton with a season’s worth of conversation! In a scramble to protect her reputation, as well as his own, Jasper insists that they marry for the sake of her honour. Marrying Mr Darcy might be a 21st century girl’s dream – but the reality is far from romantic. Corsets are uncomfortable, no running water is disastrous! Grace had always planned on falling in love before she got married, but when Jasper takes her in his arms she just might believe she’s finally found her very own Prince Charming.