One fiercely independent mathematician plus one disciplined nobleman equals a perfect pair in the rollicking, feminist Victorian-era romance A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett (the Secret Scientists of London series).
Preparing to compete for a prestigious mathematics prize, Letitia Fenley is appalled to find herself named acting president of Athena's Retreat, a secret club for London ladies who enjoy scientific experiments and research. Not only will Letty be responsible for containing "explosions... and general mayhem," but her assigned assistant is the gorgeous Viscount Greycliff, aka Grey. The straight-laced aristocrat's presence is a constant reminder of a past she'd rather forget, but she can't quite sustain her animosity for the man when he turns out to be kind, honorable and tremendous at kissing.
Grey has no desire to "fend off tarantulas and madwomen." Anti-women's rights protesters have taken to the streets of London, and supporting a women's science club could end his prospects for promotion within the Department, a quasi-governmental shadow organization. Worse, he's been thrown together with the most unsuitable woman imaginable, the scheming minx who tried to take advantage of his family. The more he comes to know Letty, though, the more Grey wonders if the brilliant, strong-willed mathematician is vixen or victim.
Humor, hedgehogs and an appropriate number of explosions make this sultry romance an ideal escapist experience. Everett's narrative also takes time to engage with misogyny and champion women's empowerment. Romance fans should consider these two likable leads and their powder keg's worth of chemistry the solution to what to read next. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads