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Appleton Sisters #2
Courting Trouble
Determined to be one of the first women lawyers, Winnifred Appleton seeks the assistance of the infuriating but learned Charles Howe, a situation that is complicated when they are placed on opposing sides and when they realize their attraction for one another. Original.
305 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 4, 2000
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About the author
Katie Rose
20 books142 followersAward-winning historical author Katie Rose makes her contemporary debut with the Boys of Summer novels, Bring on the Heat and Too Hot to Handle, which combine Katie’s true loves: baseball and romance! When not watching baseball, Katie is at her lake house in New Jersey, hard at work on her next book.
**She is the bestselling author of twelve historical romance novels published under the names Colleen Quinn and Katie Rose .**
**She is the bestselling author of twelve historical romance novels published under the names Colleen Quinn and Katie Rose .**
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 11, 2014
Miss Winifred Appleton and Charles Howe
1874, New York
Based on the unknown author and the cheesy cover, I did not have high hopes going into this book. But wow, this was a surprising and enjoyable read that was not in the normal mode of romance novel at all.
Winifred Appleton is a young woman in early Gilded Age New York. She is passionate in her desire to become one of the first female attorneys and has unsuccessfully sought admission to various law schools. Charles Howe is a local prosecutor who is smitten with Winifred and agrees to be her mentor so she can learn the law through apprenticeship and perhaps be eligible to sit the bar through that means. Winifred is committed to her studies and is opposed, on principle, to the idea of marriage as it will prevent her from her career aspirations. Unfortunately, at the beginning Charles is merely humoring Winifred and is convinced she will lose interest in the practice of law. But despite this character flaw, he is still a charming and likeable hero.
Although Winifred meets with opposition with the other males in Charles' office, she soon wins them over with her competence and hard work. But when Charles is required to prosecute an abused woman for the attempted murder of her husband, Winifred decides that her feminist principles require her to aid the defense rather than the prosecution and she leaves Charles' office. From that point forward, Winifred and Charles manage the constant conflict that the case causes between them with a strong attraction to each other. It's really quite well done how the plot of the case is seamlessly woven amidst the romance components of the story. Although a fair portion of this novel is dedicated to the trial of the accused murderess, it never felt like the legal story detracted from the romance and there was plenty of romance and interaction between the main characters.
Things also get lusty when Winifred propositions Charles because she wants to experience sex once in her life. Charles surprisingly but realistically takes her up on her offer and although he could be overbearing and arrogant, he still remained ultimately likeable throughout.
All in all, this was a very unique romance that was written very well.
1874, New York
Based on the unknown author and the cheesy cover, I did not have high hopes going into this book. But wow, this was a surprising and enjoyable read that was not in the normal mode of romance novel at all.
Winifred Appleton is a young woman in early Gilded Age New York. She is passionate in her desire to become one of the first female attorneys and has unsuccessfully sought admission to various law schools. Charles Howe is a local prosecutor who is smitten with Winifred and agrees to be her mentor so she can learn the law through apprenticeship and perhaps be eligible to sit the bar through that means. Winifred is committed to her studies and is opposed, on principle, to the idea of marriage as it will prevent her from her career aspirations. Unfortunately, at the beginning Charles is merely humoring Winifred and is convinced she will lose interest in the practice of law. But despite this character flaw, he is still a charming and likeable hero.
Although Winifred meets with opposition with the other males in Charles' office, she soon wins them over with her competence and hard work. But when Charles is required to prosecute an abused woman for the attempted murder of her husband, Winifred decides that her feminist principles require her to aid the defense rather than the prosecution and she leaves Charles' office. From that point forward, Winifred and Charles manage the constant conflict that the case causes between them with a strong attraction to each other. It's really quite well done how the plot of the case is seamlessly woven amidst the romance components of the story. Although a fair portion of this novel is dedicated to the trial of the accused murderess, it never felt like the legal story detracted from the romance and there was plenty of romance and interaction between the main characters.
Things also get lusty when Winifred propositions Charles because she wants to experience sex once in her life. Charles surprisingly but realistically takes her up on her offer and although he could be overbearing and arrogant, he still remained ultimately likeable throughout.
All in all, this was a very unique romance that was written very well.
December 26, 2025
It was cute and I’m happy she didn’t completely abandon her morals and ideas for a man. Though I was a bit disappointed in the actually court case.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews