The Designs of Lord Randolph Cavanaugh: A Historical Romance

THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is the first instalment in Stephanie Laurens’ historical, romance THE CAVANAUGHS series. This is Lord Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, the younger half-brother of Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne (The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh), and Felicia Throgmorton’s story line. THE CAVANAUGHS is a spin off from the author’s Cynster / Cynster Sisters Duo where we met Ryder Cavanaugh and his wife Mary Cynster. Told from several third person perspectives including Rand and Felicia THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH follows the building romance between Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, and Felicia Throgmorton. With the approach of Birmingham Exhibition only days away, Lord Randolph ‘Rand’ Cavanaugh sets out to check on Cavanaugh Investments current expenditure- an exclusive stake in the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage. All too aware of the potential for sabotage from competing firms, Rand takes notice of a new stranger who appears to have designs on Felicia Throgmorton, a stranger with the gift of an artist but secrets to hide. What ensues is the building romance between Felicia and Rand; the preparations for the upcoming Exhibition; and the potential fall-out as the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage is targeted. The relationship between Rand and Felicia falls victim to a lack of palpable sexual attraction. The limited interaction between the couple squashes any chemistry that could have otherwise turned passionate and romantic leaving this reader neither intrigued nor interested in the couple’s growing love. The emotional build up is absent. The Cavanaugh siblings play secondary and supporting characters including Christopher aka Kit, Eustacia aka Stacie, Godfrey and Ryder. We are introduced to Felicia’s brother William John, and Clive Mayhew, an artist who has found himself in a precarious situation. THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is a well-written but slow building story line that gets caught up in the historical and technical information of building a steam-powered engine. As our trio struggle to perfect their entry into the upcoming Exhibition, the story line follows a path of industrial and mechanical jargon rife with bits and parts, and steam-powered details that deviated from the growing relationship between our leading couple, as well as the build up towards sabotage and ruination. The building romance falls victim to the constant return to the mechanization of the steam-powered, horseless carriage; the conflict resolution was quick and anti-climactic.

Great, I loved it.

Good