The Robber Bride by Jessica Knight-Catania (Daring Debutantes Book #1)

Enjoyable Short Read - 3 stars

This book is about Victoria Barclay, daughter of the Viscount Grantham, who as a child felt sincere compassion for the poor even though her parents thought the poor to be thieves and degenerates.  As an adult, Victoria becomes a highwayman so that she can rob those who are wealthy and lack compassion.  The money she steals goes to fund a hospital in a poor part of town.  Victoria's best friend and next-door neighbor, Phineas Dartwell, Earl of Leyburn, figures it out, and as he tries to dissuade her from her illicit activity, realizes that he has fallen in love with her.  Ultimately, she refuses to heed his warnings, and Fin has to step in to save her when she is caught by the cops.

The book is a good short read (97 pages on my nook), and the romance is clean, appropriate for 16+.  The editing is done well, and I did not encounter the usual problems with romance novels.  My only problem with the book is the legal portion, which is so far off base that it is ridiculous.

**********MINOR SPOILER ALERT*********
After the heroine pleads guilty in court, the jury finds her not-guilty based on all the testimony of the people she's helped over the years.  Ridiculous.  After someone pleads guilty, there is no way that a jury could find that person not guilty.  There would be no trial and no opportunity for the jury to deliberate.  So, while happy, this happily ever after is seriously contrived.  It would have been better if she were simply released from jail based on the lack of witnesses rather than going through a "trial."
**********END SPOILER***********

Other than the inaccurate legalities, I enjoyed the book.