Book Review: A Season Of Flirtation by Julia Justiss

A Season of Flirtation is a Regency Romance and the first in the Less Likely to Wed series.  that reveals the social snobbery and social strictures that restricted the lives of those who aspired to be or were part of the Ton. Lady Laura Pomeroy and her family started her life in the country, part of the less important gentry. Her father, unexpectedly, became Marquess of Carmelton. They now have a place in Town and she is enjoying being part of the Season, although she has no desire to get married as she feels this would affect her study and enjoyment of mathematics. 

She becomes friends with Susanna Rochdale, a member of a prominent banking family, and agrees to teach her how to flirt and act when trying to catch the attention of someone in the Ton. Her brother, Miles, a banker, also decides to attend these etiquette lessons as he is suspicious of the Ton after getting his heart broken by a debutante previously as a banker wasn’t regarded to have good enough social standing and is waiting for any chance when he can cancel the lessons. He is tall, dark, handsome and an inverted snob. He doesn’t want her to marry someone from the upper class Ton but from their own class, preferably a banker.

Miles discovers that Laura is a kind, lovely person. Unfortunately her father invests her dowry and family money unwisely and it is lost. She loses her position in the Ton and it is though they will have to sell their townhouse and move back to the country. Miles comes up with a plan to save her family’s finances but will they be able to overcome all the other issues and be together? 

 This is a very gentle romance. The first 2/3 of the book are very slow moving but it does speed up in the latter part. The characters are likeable, drawn together with a love of maths they would be the geeks of yesteryear which is rather sweet. I don’t always enjoy historical romances but this one is rereadable and I look forward to reading the other two in the series. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

Book Review: A Most Intriguing Lady, by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York

Her Heart for a Compass was the first best selling novel written by the Duchess of York and coauthored by Marguerite Kaye, telling the story of Lady Margaret. This is the second. A Most intriguing Lady is set in Victorian Scotland with a backdrop of castles and aristocratic society, Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott is constantly overlooked and underestimated by the rest of her peers, family and high society acquaintances. Beneath a shy exterior lies a fierce intelligence and talent of observation, both excellent qualities when solving crimes, especially when the aristocratic victims reputations are at risk. Mary meets Colonel Walter Trefusis in her parent’s castle when she sneaks out of the formal dining room. After an incident during a grouse shoot an alliance is formed between the pair as they set out to solve these crimes. A friendship and romance slowly develops Tre realises that Mary is not a wallflower, but full of surprises. 

I enjoyed the intertwining of historical facts and fiction, so well researched and put together in a way that the reader could imagine being there. The descriptions of the castle,  grounds, food and fashion are described in great detail. The novel illustrates how restricted women were, controlled first by their fathers, then either by their husbands or senior males in the household. The status of both men and women also restricted their lives: societal expectations influenced sex lives,  who they could be friends with etc. The characters are likeable and honest- they are unsure if they want to give up their lives to be together. Lady Margaret, the heroine of the first book and Mary’s sister makes cameos throughout the novel, as does their mother Lady Buccleuch showing how she has become more understanding and sympathetic towards her daughters. which is interesting as so many series authors fail to make use of this as a way to maintain the reader’s interest, the book can be read as part of a series or as a stand alone novel. The novel is clearly signposted and methodologically set out, enjoyable to read combining both a love story and the solving of crimes. 

An enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more in this series. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

Book Review: A Blues Singer to Redeem Him by Elle Jackson

Set in the 1920s this debut novel by Elle Jackson is a step away from the traditional Mills & Boon Historical novel in terms of storyline and era. 

Evelyn is still struggling to recover from losing her parents in a terrible act of violence whilst she still pursues her dream of becoming a blues singer and also supporting her beloved grandmother. Lorenzo is the one and only heir of the deLuca family. His family is intrinsically linked to the Mafia mob and all its violence. Lorenzo wants to move away from this influence but his father doesn’t. Lorenzo has made many enemies but now he has met someone he has fallen in love with and wants to protect whilst also removing the mob links from his family but can he have and do both?

This is a fascinating story that doesn’t sugarcoat or romanticise the mafia and the violence in the 1920s club scene. It’s not the traditional backdrop or setting for a historical romance but it definitely works. The main story is between the developing relationship between Lorenzo and Evelyn whilst the secondary storylines of violence and the mafia take the storyline to the next level. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

#AD Book Review: The Scandal of the Season by Annie Burrows

Cassandra Furnival needed to leave home when she was just sixteen due to her cruel step father.  She was convinced by an infantry man to elope with him so that she could leave her family without being forced to return. Unfortunately not all went to plan as he didn’t realise that the she wasn’t old enough to marry so the marriage was not legal and his commanding officer would not allow her to travel to the campaign with them.   Her step father would not let her return to the family home. Instead she went to live with her outcast Aunt who has been disowned for living with another woman. She has spent the last 6 years working as a seamstress until her godmother, The Duchess of Theakstone wants to take her to London and let her have her chance at being a debutante. Colonial Nathaniel Fairfax, who played a large part in thwarting her escape plan all those years ago, is surprised to see her at the Ton and he presumed that she in on the hunt for a rich, titled husband. He is determined to yet again thwart her plans and he is still listening to his sister’s malicious lies about Cassie. 

Nathaniel is still, despite his mistrust, attracted to Cassie, to the extent it is affecting his work. As Cassie is not prepared to break confidences in order to dispel the lies spread by his sister will Nathaniel realise Cassie is not the money/title grabbing debutante he envisages her to be? 

I received this novel from Mills & Boon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: A Duke In Need Of A Wife by Annie Burrows (M&B Historical)

A Duke In Need Of A Wife is written by Annie Burrows and published by Mills & Boon Historical. Both the main characters in this novel are, for their own reasons, outcasts in the high society Ton. Sofia Underwood is the granddaughter of a Duke but her parentage is questionable as her father was a soldier and her mother Portuguese.  Oliver, the Duke of Theakstone, needs a wife who will accept care for and love Olivia, his illegitimate daughter. Their first meeting is very much by chance. Sofia is an orphan and Uncle Ned and Aunt Agnes are her guardians.  They have taken lodgings on Marine View in Theakstone Creacent so Sofia can recuperate  from a winter illness by taking daily swims in the sea. Sofia is watching the fireworks celebrating the end of the Napoleonic war when she she sees that a woman has been hit by a firework as is on fire. She rushes to help her, as does Oliver. He is intrigued by and is determined to find out more about her, so invites her and her guardians to a select party at Theakstone Court, along with several other women he is considering to be his wife.  Sofia’s beauty and personality have caught the Duke’s attention, but will she accept his little daughter, and his proposal?

This is a fun and enjoyable read. Sofia’s little dog Snowball steals the show, as does little Olivia. Oliver doesn’t know how to express his emotions, whilst Sofia is very conscious of her parentage. Both characters have issues that are addressed throughout the book, giving an insight in to attitudes of that particular time.

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 
Amazon UK

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Book Review: A Lord For The Wallflower Widow by Ann Lethbridge

A Lord For The Wallflower Widow is the first instalment of the Widows of Westram series and is written by Ann Lethbridge. Redford Greystoke, Earl of Westram sends his two sisters and sister to live in seclusion after their husbands joined up to Wellington’s army and were all killed at the battle Waterloo. Carrie Greystoke is his sister in law. Johnathan Greystoke married Carrie for her dowry in order to pay off his gambling debts then straight after the wedding joined up, leaving her reliant upon his family and still a virgin. Redford allows the three of them to move to Westram cottage in Kent and gives them small allowances. The three women, however, are determined to be self sufficient and set up a bonnet shop in London which is run by Carrie whilst the two sisters stay behind and make the bonnets andbother fripperies. 

Carrie first meets Lord Avery Gilmore when he is escorting a lady into her shop to try on her bonnets. She assumes he is an escort of a very different nature when in reality he just takes a cut of the sale. He is quite offended when later on she suggests she should pay him to take her out etc. Eventually Redford finds out about the women’s venture and insists it is shut down. Carrie has just turned down Avery’s proposal but realised she will be able to continue if she marries him. They love each other but just won’t admit it! Will they get their HEA or will misunderstandings stand in the way of their happiness?

I enjoyed this book immensely. Carrie is not the traditional historical romance heroine. Tall, stubborn, determined to be self sufficient after being let down by her husband, and from a trade background whilst Avery is a gambler, womaniser and estranged from his father who is a Duke. The characters work well together and there is humour abound in the book.  I look forward to reading the other books in this mini series.

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 
Amazon UK 
Mills & Boon

Book Review: A Lady Becomes A Governess by Diane Gaston (M&B Historical)

The first in governess swap mini series, A Lady Becomes A Governess is written by Diane Gaston and published by Mills & Boon Historical. Set in 1816,  Lady Rebecca Pierce travels across the Irish Sea to marry a man she loathes, Lord Stonecroft.  Her half brother, Lord of Gleneagle has virtually blackmailed her into this marriage by making it clear he will cut off her allowance and disown her if she does not marry him. Rebecca meets her mirror image on the boat - Miss Claire Tilson who is to be employed by Viscount Garret Brookmore as Governess to his two orphaned nieces at his estate in the Lake District.   

Tragically the ship is caught in a storm and many lives are lost.  Rebecca is one of the few that is saved, and as she believes Claire to have perished, washed over the side of the ship, she takes her identity and becomes Governess to Pamela and Ellen in the Lake District. Garret who had been the second son, had been in the army until his brother and wife died and had not expected to become Viscount.  He is now engaged to Lady Agnes who does her best to discredit Rebecca/Claire. She manages to track down Claire's old employer, Lord  Orin Foley from whom she fled in Ireland. His wife has died under suspicious circumstances and he is desperate to take her back to Ireland with him (although he does not realise she is a completely different person)!  Garret realises he loves Claire but must marry within his social class.  When Rebecca admits her deception he is furious and she agrees to leave the estate.  

Orin kidnaps the girls and she rushes to the rescue,will Garret find them in time and make her his wife?

I think this is my favourite read of the year. Diane combines romance, intrigue, deception and villainous characters seamlessly in a well written and well thought out novel.  

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from:
Amazon UK
Mills & Boon