Mr. Malcolm's List

In Regency London, the exacting Jeremy Malcolm is in search of a wife who meets every item on his list of requirements, and he has no patience for anyone who falls short. When he jilts her after a single disastrous outing, Julia Thistlewaite enlists her old friend Selina Dalton, a poor vicar's daughter, to pose as his perfect match and pay him back. But as Mr. Malcolm measures Selina against his list, Selina starts drawing up some demands of her own, and misunderstandings pile up as real feelings take root. Booklist gave this Austen-esque debut a starred review, and Entertainment Weekly called it a wry, delightful romp that was later adapted into a film.