Book Review:The Lady Meets Her Match by Gina Conkle

The Lady Meets Her Match is the second book in the Midnight Meetings series by Gina Conkle. Cyrus Ryland didn't become England's wealthiest bachelor by being a pushover, but the mysterious beauty he discovers sneaking around at his grand ball enflames his curiosity. When the clock chimes midnight, and she's nowhere to be found, Cyrus vows to scour all of London to uncover who she is. Little does he know that not only does Claire Mayhew not want to be found, but she wants nothing to do with him or any man.

The Lady Meets Her Match is a book with solid characters and a fun story. I did not read the first book in the series, but it did not affect my enjoyment of this book. I really liked Claire's determination and compassion. She wants to be her own woman, but is also willing to help others on the way. Her employees are those down on their luck, She has made mistakes in the past, and paid for them dearly. She is well aware of the dangers of the world, and wants to help those she can while owning her own business. Cyrus is under the impression that men need to protect women in every way, and the females cannot, or should not, think for themselves. When he is challenged by Claire he is intrigued and enamored and works to win her respect and affection. Of course, trouble steps in and spoils everything. My only complaint with the book is that the end seems too easy. Cyrus makes the trouble go away, and they find a happy ending. I just felt like it was high drama, and then magically all disagreements were shooed away and love became more important than even the most important aspects of the story. It just felt a bit weak and cheated through at the end.

The Lady Meets Her Match had me until the end. It is still a good read, with characters that made me care about them. However, I felt a wee bit cheated at the end. So, if you are one that gets upset at glossed over endings to the extent that it ruins the entire read for you then skip it. However, if you can forgive a little bit "too easy" to wrap things up then read ahead because the characters are great.