WhiskeyintheJar Romance

This wasn't an ARC but I just had to write a review for it :)

Lucy's parents died when she was seven years old forcing her to be passed around to her father's relatives. Feeling as if each time was an audition of sorts Lucy becomes whatever she feels her new guardian wants her to be. After a term of this she is pawned off to her mother's side. Her two spinster great aunts Lavinia and Bernice take her in despite having no clue about children and having strained pockets. They might not understand their vivacious niece but they love her. When Lucy becomes old enough to move out and find work she takes the skills from her childhood and becomes a singer in an operetta. This just manages to pay the bills and become a place of fulfillment for Lucy. When Lavinia has a health scare, Lucy rushes home to play nurse. Purse strings get pulled even tighter but with a fifty year old treasure about to be paid out, things could be looking up. It seems Lavinia in her youth had a dangerously romantic moment worthy of a penny dreadful. The ending result of this was a lost love and a pouch of rubies to be divided up after fifty years. Gathering their resolve and meager funds Lucy, Lavinia, and Bernice plan to set off to travel to France to claim the inheritance.

Ptolemy Archibald Grant is a young cultural anthropology professor on the rise. He is set to propose and gain a promotion at a prestigious college. After an expensive pen of his is "borrowed" he has a run in with our Lucy. His normally uptight straight edge self can't seem to get the hazel eyed loony imp out of his mind. Summoned to his grandfather's side he learns that due to a dangerously romantic moment from the grandfather's past, he is about to inherit a portion of rubies. By request of his grandfather, he sets off to deliver a letter to a woman named Lavinia where Ptolemy's grandfather states he is giving Lavinia his portion and Ptolemy will accompany her to France as guide. As Ptolemy has always secretly loved being in the field and new caves with pictographs has been discovered in the area they will be in, he is looking forward to the short trip and freedom before he is confined to an office. However, he doesn't count on Lucy answering the door. Thus, Lucy and "Archie" are born and our road romance begins.

Lucy is a character that in real life you either are going to love her or hate her; she dances to the beat of her own drum. It may seem at times that she has her head in the clouds, flittering by in life, and putting on a show. Her light attitude and outlook on life comes from childhood insecurities that slowly become apparent as she spends more time with Archie and begins to open up. Her character becomes more real and deep when she explains that the applause at the end of the show is her favorite moment because it is all for her and not the character she was playing. As she gets closer with Archie and sees he likes her and more importantly understands her for her true self she begins to fall in love with him. Archie's childhood consisted of adults trying to stifle his natural exuberance. As a consequence he is now very restrained and easily allows his almost fiancée to steer him away from his inner desire to do more field work and join the ranks of higher up confined office goers. Lucy and Archie share the combined desire to be understood and be able to be true to themselves.

Their banter back and forth and situations they find themselves in are witty, funny, and delightful. If you're a fan of the screwball comedies of the 1930's (a'la His Girl Friday) then this is a must read for you. Archie and Lucy traveling to get to their destination help the story keep moving and pages turning at a quick pace. Secondary characters stay pretty much in the background with a few exception pages throughout that devote a few insights to their various backgrounds and motivations until closer to the end when the past relationship of Lavinia and Archie's grandfather, that present day Lucy and Archie are somewhat mirroring, culminates. Any complaints I have involve Brockway’s tendency to incorporate many storylines and threads for minor characters that distract from the main characters and make me wish for more. Should this even be a complaint as it leaves me wanting more? I’m not sure but it does split my interest.

The ending had me wanting to hug my kindle, my dog, and the whole world. Brockway has a way of writing light enjoyable stories that covertly interweave deep emotional themes that erupt at the end and leave your eyes surprisingly glistening. This story is different from a lot that is out there right now and so much better for it. The Songbird's Seduction is a screwball comedy that is quirky, upbeat, and lovely. Lucy and Archie were a delight to get to know and I'm once again reaffirmed in my belief that Connie Brockway should write all the books.