The Designs of Lord Randolph Cavanaugh - Stephanie Laurens (Mira - Apr 2018)

Series: Cavanaughs (Book 1)

An independent nobleman

Lord Randolph Cavanaugh is loyal and devoted -- but only to family. To the rest of the world, he's aloof and untouchable, a respected and driven entrepreneur. But Rand yearns for more in life, and when he travels to Buckinghamshire to review a recent investment, he discovers a passionate woman who will challenge his rigid self-control…

A determined lady

Felicia Throgmorton intends to keep her family afloat. For decades, her father was consumed by his inventions and now, months after his death, with their finances in ruins, her brother insists on continuing their father's tinkering. Felicia is desperate to hold together what's left of the estate. Then she discovers she must help persuade their latest investor that her father's follies are a risk worth taking...

Together -- the perfect team

Rand arrives at Throgmorton Hall to discover the invention on which he's staked his reputation has exploded, the inventor is not who he expected and a fiercely intelligent woman now holds the key to his future success. But unflinching courage in the face of dismaying hurdles is a trait they share, and Rand and Felicia are forced to act together against ruthless foes to protect everything they hold dear.

Good beginning to a new series. Rand is the younger brother of Ryder Cavanaugh (The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh).  He has an excellent reputation in the financial world, but he is ready for more in his life. On his way to visit his brother, Rand stops to check on an investment just in time to find it has exploded, leaving him in doubt about its future. His only hope lies in the hands of the inventor's son and daughter.

Since her father's death a few months earlier, it has been up to Felicia to keep their household going. After years of seeing the effects of her father's single-minded efforts, and seeing her brother going down the same road, she doesn't know how she's going to manage. The arrival of Rand Cavanaugh does nothing to soothe her fears.

With a backdrop of the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, this book had a slightly different feel than earlier books by the author. I enjoyed the look at the progress of an invention from start to finish, and how the progress of Rand and Felicia's relationship mirrored it.

Rand's arrival at Throgmorton Hall coincided with the latest setback in William John's attempt to get the steam-powered automobile working in time for the upcoming exhibition. The circumstances were an unpleasant surprise for him, as he has both money and reputation invested in its success. I liked that he didn't lose his temper over the situation, but instead was determined to do what he must to help ensure its success. One of those things was to get Felicia's cooperation. Felicia was shocked to find out the details of Rand's investment in her father's work, and that her father and brother had lied to her about it. The only options are to help make it a success or lose everything.

I liked the development of the relationship between Rand and Felicia. Neither of them expected it to happen. Rand is somewhat cynical about women, seeing most as manipulative thanks to his mother's actions in Ryder's book. But there is something about Felicia that captures his attention from the start. Felicia had had her Season several years before but didn't "take" and doesn't think it likely that she will find anyone now. Rand is intriguing, but the brother of a marquess isn't likely to look her way. I liked the fact that it was neither love nor lust at first sight with Rand and Felicia. Instead, it was the growing realization that they were meant for each other. I liked that it was Rand who first accepted what was happening between them, and also realized that rushing things with Felicia would be counterproductive. It was sweet to see the way that he recognized Felicia's abilities before she did, and did everything he could to encourage her. I loved seeing Felicia grow closer to Rand as they worked together. It took a while for her to realize what her feelings for him were until the growing attraction caused her to take a closer look at them. I enjoyed the building of that attraction, from the unexpected heat of their first kisses to the full expression of their attraction. I especially liked that they had already accepted that they were destined to be together before they took that step. As deeply as they felt, they also believed that getting through the exhibition had to come first.  I loved the ending, as Rand and Felicia faced their future as true partners. For Rand "She offered him all he needed -- she anchored him and gave him the necessary insights to imbue his chosen life of investing with a wider, deeper purpose, transforming it into a more fulfilling, long-term endeavor. She was his future in every way." For Felicia that future "had come to her courtesy of the nobleman pacing by her side, the knight in shining armor who had swept into her life and slayed dragons left and right, then opened her eyes and shown her who she truly was. He'd released her true self to grow, then he'd taken her hand and encouraged her to be all she could be." The icing on the cake was a lovely epilogue, taking place at their wedding and showcasing their happiness for the next youngest Cavanaugh brother, and a nice lead-in for the next book in the series.

A big part of the story was, of course, the steam-powered horseless carriage itself. I loved the descriptions of the efforts to overcome the various obstacles and the teamwork of William John, Rand, and Felicia as they raced the clock to have it ready for the exhibition. Also present was the person who wanted to ensure that the machine failed, thus cementing his interests at the exhibition. It was interesting to see his agent's attempts and get the feeling that his heart wasn't really in it. There were some terrific twists and turns at the exhibition with some truly heart-pounding moments before it was all over.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Some parts were a little slow, but it always picked back up again. I am looking forward to the next book to see what Laurens has in store for Rand's brother Christopher.