Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale

Laura Kinsale's Lessons in Frenchis a wonderfully funny historical romance. I have read historical romance of many eras by many authors, and this is one of the few where I laughed out loud frequently. At the age of twenty-seven, Lady Callista Taillefaire has perfected the life of a country spinster, having been jilted by three fiances! Living in her childhood home, Sheldon Hall, under the patronage of her cousins, the new Lord and Lady Shelford, Callie spends her days breeding cattle, and often assisting Lord Shelford with the running of the estate. Her placid existence goes topsy-turvey when her childhood neighbor and love, Trevelyan d'Augustin, returns after nine years rebuilding his family's fortunes in France. Close with Trev's mother, the ailing Madame de Monceau, there are many occasions for Callie to encounter Trev as she helps care for Madame.  Thwarting the re-kindling of Trev and Callie's flame is Major Sturgeon, a former fiance who has also recently arrived to press his own suit.

It soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems regarding the origin Trevelyan's new fortune, as he hires large muscular men with thick street accents to serve in and around his mother's home. In truth, Trev has spent the past several years as a soldier in Napoleon's army, and then a boxing promoter and bookie on his return to England. His past begins to catch up as hijinks snare Callie into working a scheme with him at the annual county fair, much as they had played out shenanigans as children. Costumes for each of her two identities, painted cows, and stampeding chickens and pigs all work together to return Hubert, Callie's beloved champion bull, but cause Trev to be more on the run than ever. Of course Trev and Callie are eventually united, but it takes high government officials, a blackmailer and a forger to bring it all together.
Lessons in Frenchhas everything a reader is looking for in historical romance. Interesting information about an era in history, specifically country village life and boxing in the early 1800s, as well as the Napoleonic Wars, which happen during the years Trev is away from Shelford. The friendship and respect Trev and Callie have for each other spreads into some very romantic scenes, and there are the usual gossipy village women, gregarious tavern-keepers, and snippy ladies who think themselves of high society.
In her Author's Note, Laura Kinsale mentions the difficulty of writing a comedic historical romance, so I can see why we don't come across them too often.
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Official FTC Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review, other than the uncorrected Advance Reader Copy from Sourcebooks.