While Tempting Fate is a pleasant enough book, little marks it above other similar books in this genre. It fits the standard historical romance mold: with titled men, balls, Seasons, society opinion, etc. It's written in an easy-to-read style, however, and the romance is - for once - rather believable.

Mirabelle Browning has lived close to the Earl of Thurston for years. She grew up with Whittaker Cole, the Earl, since she lived quite near and her guardian wasn't exactly someone she wanted to be around. Unfortunately, Mira lives in constant fear that Lady Thurston, Whit's mother, will discover what goes on at her uncle's house parties and cut the connection for the sake of her family's reputation. Yet Whit isn't keen for Mira to return to her uncle unaccompanied, especially when her uncle is suspected of a crime. With Whit at her side, she tries to shield him from the excesses of her relatives. But there's far more going on, and Mira means more to Whit than she might realize.

While a fairly slow story in some ways, the author's writing ability keeps you reading. Particularly noteworth is the gradual unveiling of the hero and heroine's feelings for each other. I wasn't sure I entirely believed in either of them at times, and the historical accuracy often slips (notably in dialogue), but overall this is a reasonable read.