A young country miss in a time propriety and discretion were required of ladies, Clarissa Lovell thirsts for excitement.  She finds it in a challenge made by the Count of Frethun.  The count promises to marry the woman who can tell him what the “Diligence de Lyon” is.  With barely any clues to guide her, Clarissa disguises herself as a man and sets off on a quest that will take her across Europe.  On her search to uncover the secrets of the Diligence de Lyon, Clarissa’s life takes many unexpected and erotic turns.  But if she finds out what the Diligence de Lyon is, will the Count uphold his promise despite the rather improper lengths Clarissa goes through to find it?

Anna Austen Leigh takes her rebellious and somewhat unconventional (for her time) heroine on an erotic treasure hunt of sorts in The Diligence de Lyon.  At its heart, it’s about Clarissa exploring the freedoms denied to a woman of her age and station, making the book an engaging sexual journey.  I enjoyed watching Clarissa on her hunt, in part because she is an intelligent, likeable, brave character.  While the romance takes a back seat to Clarissa’s adventure, the Count nevertheless remains a constant presence in the back of the intrepid heroine’s mind.  For his part, the Count of Frethun is an open-minded, entertaining hero, a worthy object of the heroine’s desire.

Clarissa’s search to find out what the Diligence de Lyon is leads her into a variety of sexual encounters with men and woman alike.  The scenes seem to be intended to titillate, and they certainly appear to do so for Clarissa.  Overall, I found The Diligence de Lyon to be enjoyable and Ms. Leigh’s writing style to be very appealing.  I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.