Belinda Goes To Bath
The Travelling Matchmaker Series – Book II
M C Beaton

Robinson (Constable and Robinson)
24 February 2011/ ISBN 9781849014809
Historical Romance / 1800 The road to Bath and Bath
Amazon US || UK

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

Hannah Pym is off on her travels again, this time with Bath as her destination. She is still traveling in winter, and snow is a menace. Then a reckless driver puts the coach in the river. Fortunately they are rescued by the Marquis of Frenton and taken to his nearby home, Baddell Castle. Also traveling is young Belinda Earle, in disgrace after running off with a footman and bound for a strict religious aunt in Bath. Hannah thinks that Belinda and the Marquis are made for each other, but as he has his prospective bride and her parents staying at the castle, this might be a problem.

This continues to be a fun series, and if you have read any other books by M C Beaton/Marion Chesney, you might know what to expect. There isn’t a mystery in this one but plenty of amusing situations as Hannah encounters many colorful characters and has to get her fellow passengers out of various scrapes. Expect some laugh out loud moments, and even though this is a very small book, there is plenty going on at all times, which makes it seem longer. Ms Beaton has done her research too, and there are plenty of interesting facts about life in 1800 as well as another almost tangible description of the joys (and the opposite) of coach travel. What a pity there are only six books in the series.

Reviewer's Note: