Jane Ashford is the perfect author if you are looking for a light historical romance, that feels reminiscent of a Georgette Heyer style, that is very light on the steam, but has a really lovely level of sweetness to the story. Ashford's writing is gentle, and have a softness to its pacing, that give a realistic feel to the time period and the characters and situations. A Gentleman Ought to Know is the fourth novel in Ashford's Duke Estates series and it is a charming companion to the other novels. This and the other novels in the series, all take place outside of the London scene which give them a really lovely gentleness that is perfect for a Sunday afternoon read. Ashford's characters in this novel are both charming and easily likable, and their romance is soft and endearing. I find the plots of Ashford's novels to create a nice driving force for the through-line of the novel, but ultimately the reader is more motivated by the character development. Ashford has a charming way of creating light banter and moments between the couple that reflect the way that Jane Austen's characters and relationships are explored in her works. I would definitely recommend Jane Ashford if you are a love of author's like Austen and Gaskill, her works feel like a branch off of the tree of those style of works.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.