eptember 29, 2009, was the Semi-Official Something-Annual “Buy a Book Written by Tessa Dare” Day! You were supposed to buy A Lady of Persuasion.

A Lady of Persuasion is the final book in Tessa Dare's trilogy, and it’s the story of Toby—Lucy’s school-girl crush from Goddess of the Hunt (which you should have already purchased). It’s also the story of Bel, Gray’s sister, from Surrender of a Siren. Which, y’know, you should already have purchased, too. Sorry. Not trying to make you feel guilty.

But speaking of which, A Lady of Persuasion is a book about guilt. It takes Isabel, a lady who is afraid of feeling good, and in fact, feels guilty when she does, and pairs her with a man who teaches her how to laugh and have fun... and feel very good indeed. It does so while wending its way through the Society for Superceding the Necessity of Climbing Boys, Don Giovanni, ice cream, and more sheep than any good shepherdess could shake her little shepherding crook at. Bel might not want to have fun, but Tessa clearly does, and she will make you choke with laughter at the things that happen.

But like all of Tessa’s books, the funny parts do not indicate that it’s a book without seriousness. A Lady of Persuasion is also a deeply serious book—a book about a man who fears that he may not be serious enough, and a woman who needs to learn to let go of her seriousness and enjoy life. And so you’ll get to the end, and amidst all the laughter, you’ll feel a tug on your heartstrings. Because Tessa will persuade you to adore her characters.

Finally, I have this last thing to say: this is also an enormously brave book. Because there is a secondary romance in this book. It’s between a wonderful man and a brave, headstrong women, who have a great deal in common. One of the things they don’t have in common, though, is the color of their skin. That romance is a perfect gracenote for what is already a phenomenal book.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of A Lady of Persuasion today!

Want to see Courtney’s other recommendations? Click here.