"Scales and Sensibility" review

Overview

Title: Scales and Sensibility

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Subgenre: Romance, comedy

2021 Bingo squares: Published in 2021, Self published, Genre mashup

Recommend: Yes, it’s cute!

Stars: 4/5

Review

It was a truth universally acknowledged that any young lady without a dragon was doomed to social failure.

Scales and Sensibility is a fun, cute, what-could-possibly-go-wrong case of mistaken identities. The plot revolves entirely around the fortunes of a couple families in 1800s England-but-with-dragons and takes place over the span of about a week, so it’s a very low-stakes, lighthearted comedy. Our heroic and sensible protagonist is one Elinor Tregarth, split off from her sisters and living with the insufferable Penelope after her family’s ruination by an investment scam and the subsequent death of her parents.

At the start of the story, Penelope’s insufferability becomes too much: she is cruel to her pet dragon, Sir Jessamyn, and Elinor has had quite enough. She takes Sir Jessamyn and leaves! Oh no! How can Elinor possibly find a life for herself now? And she was supposed to be the sensible sister!

Fortunately, events conspire to have her meet the very handsome Mr. Hawkins and the very distracted Mr. Aubrey. Unfortunately, these events involve her falling into a puddle and losing all of her money. Well, they certainly can’t just leave her there, now, can they? And so begins a tale that will involve dragons, magic, social faux pas, romance, schemes, blackmail, and Elinor right at the middle of all of it. How can Penelope’s début ball possibly go according to plan?