Queen of Lombard Street
by Lisa KleypasSetting: England
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical / Victorian
Published on October 20, 2026
Pages: 448
Format: eBook Source: Library
Brilliant economist Reina Martin has spent her life defying people's expectations. As the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother and an English banker, she knows exactly what life is like for society's outcasts. That's why she's hired a household staff of paroled prisoners - to give them a chance to remake their lives, and come together as a found family.
With the help of her mentor, the aristocratic William Farlow, Reina pursues her dream of building to build the first all-women's bank, where women will be finally able to manage their own money and take control of their futures.
But soon Reina is shocked to learn that her enigmatic and handsome butler, John Pembroke, is actually an undercover police detective. He's investigating Farlow for vast financial fraud - and Reina, by association, is at risk of losing everything she's fought for.
When John asks for her help with a high-stakes heist to obtain incriminating evidence, Reina faces an agonizing choice: either betray the beloved mentor she's always trusted, or turn her back on the thousands whose lives are at stake. As she and John search for the truth, they're swept up in a passionate love that neither of them ever dared to dream of.
The Beginning
Memory is a hoarder’s closet, in which we can never find the item we want, while the things we’d rather avoid insist on tumbling out.
I loved this book. It was laugh out loud funny. It leans more towards historical fiction than the historical romance that Lisa Kleypas is more known for.
Most of the humor comes from the fact that there is a shortage of servants to be hired. So Reina tries out an employment agency that is trying to place paroled criminals in service. None of the people she interviews are appropriate for their intended jobs but she takes them all because she feels sorry for them.
“Them papers is about me?”
“Yes, the top sheet is your application, and the rest is a copy of your criminal record.”
He looked indignant. “That’s all they wrote? I done a fuckin’ lot more than that!”
She and her childhood friend June, who is now her cook, start trying to teach them civilized ways.
June’s whisking had stopped. “You’re so dangerous they wouldn’t even have you in prison?”
“I ain’t no danger to you or Miss Martin,” he hastened to reassure her. “Why, if you asked me to murder someone for you, I’d do it, no questions asked.”
“I can kill my own people,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
“Not meaning to say you couldn’t. Meant it as a courtesy, like.”
Control is finally gained by the arrival of a butler applicant. They don’t know that he is actually a policeman placed undercover. He’s been a beat cop but has been offered a promotion if this goes well.
“Damn it, I told you to find honest work the last time I threw you in the lockup.”
“Thieving’s all I ever been good at, innit.”
“Christ. Listen to me, lad: You’re not good at it. You’ve been nabbed twice this year and it’s only February.”
He doesn’t realize that he’s going to have to mold them into a functioning household while investigating the lady of the house for wrongdoing.
“The chaplain at Millbank came to counsel me. He told me the Lord’s ways were beyond our understanding, and hardship is part of His plan. He said the baby was a gift from God. But it doesn’t feel like one.” Reina was tempted to retort that since God had fathered a child with a woman He didn’t marry and had left her to raise the baby alone, it was no wonder He thought it was a fine plan.
There are times when ignoring the elephant in the room only encourages it to demolish the furniture and chew up the ficus.
“Rescued by a prince, though.” June couldn’t resist adding impishly, “Your problem is, you never waited to see if one would turn up.”
“I’d never be silly enough to wait for a prince. I’ve met very few punctual men in my life.”
