This book was a little average when compared to the previous one. the characters weren't that interesting and the plot was also a little bland. The first book was definitely more enjoyable.

This is Francine and Julian’s story. She thinks he is a pain but she realizes she is wrong. It is a race to make her season end in marriage. It was a very fast read.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

About: In 1814 London, England, a lady is defined as a demure, delicate flower. Miss Francine Annesley is not that lady. If men were like plants, she would have a garden of admirers to choose from instead of the thorn in her side since childhood, Julian Beckwith. But she would make an even worse nun than she does a lady, which will be her fate if she can't dig up a husband before the Season ends. However, Julian is not an option.

With only ten short days left in the Season, Francine doesn't have time to waste on petty squabbles or knee-weakening kisses, even if Julian's offer to fulfill her every wish rouses her curiosity. It seems men are more complicated than plants. Too bad love bloomed at the most inconvenient of times...

Review: I absolutely loved this book, I could not put it down. The author knew how to word everything so it actually seemed like you were in the year 1814. The main female character, Francine was a great addition to the story however, she started to irritate me with not standing up to her father or mother. In the end it all worked out I just wish it would have happened sooner. The main male character Julian reminded me of a close friend I had. He wanted to help Francine, and be around her as much as possible. He was a gentleman but still had that side of him that made you think he was a bad boy.

The writing skills in this book were wonderful, I didn't notice any grammar errors. The story itself is what kept me turning the pages, it made me want to find out what was going to happen next. I didn't notice this book was the second in it's series until after reading it, now I know I will have to read the first book. I want to congratulate the author on a job well done with this book, it is definitely worth my 5 star review.

Written in the first person, I found it a bit difficult to get used to, but apart from that I found the story and characters interesting and enjoyed this friends to lovers story.
I received an ARC copy of this book from netgalley.

Lady Francine's father is determined to marry her off by the end of the season, or he is threatening to pack her off to the convent. All Francine wants, however, is the ability to choose her own husband for love, and when her childhood friend Julian shows up, she is wondering if he might just be the one. As their feelings grow and become mutual however, Julian reveals an obstacle to their marriage, leaving Francine's reputation in tatters. Her father, however, is determined to marry her off to any titled cad, despite Francine's wishes.

A fun regency read.

All Francine Annesly wants to do is study plants, but her father is insistent she marry by the end of the season, in less than two weeks! When her best friend, Julian Beckwith, shows up, it reiterates that she can’t just marry anyone. Unfortunately, the more she’s around him, the more she finds herself in compromising positions.
This was a really cute story. While much of it is a pretty standard plot for historical romances, the author makes you want to cry for Francine and her predicament with Julian. I really liked all of the characters and look forward to reading more from this author. I recommend to anyone that likes this genre.

Plenty of promise here, but the tense used was distracting...

There are some rules in genre fiction that just are. E.g. if you write a murder mystery, solve it before the end of the book. Don’t kill off your romance hero or heroine.

Then there are the unwritten rules, and somewhere near the top of that list has to be: *don’t* write historical romance in the first person.

First person perspective is used in young and new adult fiction more often than not, and it works there for the exact reasons it doesn’t in HR:

#1 It is immediate and intimate, and makes you feel like you’re in the present. Exactly what you want for books about the under-21s of today, and not what you want in a book set two centuries ago.

#2 Every mistake seems much worse when we’re in the heroine’s thoughts. She’s thinking in incorrect language, and she’s thinking incorrect things about the society she lives in.

#3 Many historical romance heroines are young. However, we attribute them with a sort of olde-worlde maturity we don’t expect from young people today. The moment the historical romance heroine starts talking directly to us, she comes across as a teenager.

The author clearly feels more comfortable writing in this style, but it is almost universally disliked by adult romance readers, and I’d suggest she try third person in the future.

This was a nice and fun read. I'd have liked a little more from the characters and less ramble about society and descriptions of every little plant and things. I needed a little more drama between, Scandent, Alyssa, Julian, and Francine throughout the story and I'd have liked a happier ending for Alyssa too. I'd really have liked more to happen involving Scandent and his comeuppance, but it was okay for what it was.

I adored this book. It's a wonderful, sweet friends to lovers romance. The struggle that Julian and Francine go through tugged at my heartstrings more than once. The only thing that would've made it better would be having Julian's point of view. Even without it, it's an excellent read.
The secondary characters are memorable, especially Mary. What a handful she is!

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone that wants a fun, light historical read!

This is the second story in Ladies of Passion series and not having read the first in story, I can safely say that it can be read as a stand alone.

I am a huge fan of “childhood friends to lovers” trope and this story was fun to read. It had interesting and fun characters, entertaining plot and fast pace. What was different and stood out for me was the telling of the tale. It was told in first person, from the heroin’s point of view, and while I am not overly fond of it, I thought the author pulled it off.

If you’re a fan of strong heroines and a combo of Beta-Alpha heroes, witty dialogue and sweet romance, you’ll really like this one.

Melanie for b2b

I initially thought How To Ruin Your Reputation in 10 Days had potential when I saw the cover and read the blurb, unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. First of all, it was written in 1st person which I generally find to be not as effective as third person when it comes to romance (romcoms and angsty novels notwithstanding). Only focusing on Francisco means that the reader only gets to see half the story.

Franchise, our protagonist did not interest me at all. She seemed rather immature and her habit of giving all her peers botanical nicknames was confusing. I lost any respect or empathy I may have had for her when she kissed Julian despite his betrothal to another woman.

On the positive side, I did like Francine's friend Mary. I thought she was a very interesting character and look forward to reading her story.

Not a bad read. A little slow at the start and abit of confusion about the mother but it comes together. At one stage she is saying her mother is up tight and kind of nasty. In the next breath her mother is trying to help her and a relaxed. I will admit I didn't really get into this book until about half way. It was so slow at the start and didn't give me enough to keep me focused. The second half comes together good with the feel good love that I was expecting to come at the start

Miss Francine Annesley is a bookish miss who prefers plants to gatherings and the only person who really made her comfortable was her best friend Julian Beckwith for years. Although they kept in touch while he was of fighting the war he mysteriously stopped responding for the last six months. Then he just as mysteriously appears at a ball. There's so much more to this story it's entertaining and witty and keeps you interested. Perfect for a rainy day read. The only thing I have to say that I couldn't get into was the first person narrative it kept distracting me from the story I gave it a 3 1/2 stars just for that reason rounded off to 4 stars. I will be looking forward to reading more of Harmony Williams stories.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest unbiased opinion

Lady Francine Annesley is a botanist. She is happiest working in the hot house with her plants. Unfortunately her father has decided it's time she got married. She has never been popular with the "ton" and never tried to be.
Julian Beckwith is delighted to meet up with his childhood friend. They had not seen each other in years, but corresponded regularly until a few months ago. He is only visiting London for a short while before he takes on his commitments. He seems to spend his time rescuing Francine from mishaps.
Get the tissues out when you settle in to read this. Our heroine has a very upsetting time in this story. It doesn't matter how intelligent she is, there are some things that are out of her control. Our hero is normally a honourable man and will suffer from his conscience. There is also quite a bit of fun with the escapades her friend Mary gets her into. I have a feeling she may be the heroine in a future book. I look forward to reading it.
I loved this one.

Francine Annesley is more interested in all things botany than men and would rather spend her time in her family's hothouse then in a crowded ballroom. However, her father insists on her marrying, so in order to accommodate his wishes, she attends various events throughout London. She has had no success in five seasons and is not hopeful for her future endeavors on the marriage market. It is as one of these dances that she runs into her old childhood friend Julian Beckwith, whom she doesn't recognize at first. Yet, when they gradually become reacquainted, all those feelings she thought had disappeared long ago, come rushing back to the surface. When we first meet Francine, she is seen as timid and quiet as a mouse. Her renewed feelings that were sparked with Julian's return gradually give her more confidence and in the end, she is able to follow her heart's desire.

In the words of the great Poet, the course of true love never did run smooth. It is no different for Francine and Julian. She must learn to admit her feelings for Julian, which at first she ignores, then refuses, but ultimately gives in to. Julian has a secret that caused him to give up their correspondence, which had kept them in touch throughout the years, until he stopped writing to her altogether. Harmony Williams does an excellent job of portraying the passion, angst, and ultimate joy of these two characters.

Another great point for this book was the cast of supporting characters in the story. Francine's two best friends Rose and Mary are, in a word, hilarious! Rose is recently married and has her mind made up that she will help Francine find a husband. She tends to be a little on the dramatic side and no doubt in today's standards would be considered quite the diva. Mary is by far my favorite character. She feels very strongly that women are equal to men and should be treated thus. Her blunt tongue and mischievous antics made me burst out loud more than once. Francine's parents are on opposite sides of the spectrum, with her mother sharing her love of botany and being a wee bit absentminded while her father is overbearing, harsh, and, at times, even a bit cruel. Another part of the story I enjoyed was Francine assigning plant names to describe the people around her. These were oftentimes, not very flattering, especially to her would be suitors. Julian is lovable and loyal to his heart, and completely madly in love with Francine.

While I did enjoy my reading of this story, there were some parts that did fall short for me. The constant reminder throughout the book that Francine had injured her ankle, but she continued to use and abuse it was a bit annoying. I didn't feel like the connection between Francine and Julian was as strong as it possibly could be. Lord Valentia, Francine's father, seemed a bit harsh and his constant disapproval of her, detracted from his character. Finally, Mary stole the show for me and at certain points I felt myself wanting to hear more about her, rather than return to Francine's and Julian's' story. Despite these small criticisms, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of How to Ruin You Reputation in 10 Days.

Francine is not like other ladies in London. She loves her plants and flowers, men are not really on her radar. She has 10 days to find a suitable husband or she is being shipped to a nunnery.

Julian has been a friend from childhood and while they lost contact recently, his appearance in London ignites something inside her.

I found myself giggling throughout this book. She gives most potential suitors nicknames that are related to botany - none of them flattering. Watching her and Julian circle each other during the end of the Season kept me turning pages. The mischief she is roped into with her best friends had me laughing out loud and anxious to read their stories.

Publisher's Description:

In 1814 London, England, a lady is defined as a demure, delicate flower. Miss Francine Annesley is not that lady. If men were like plants, she would have a garden of admirers to choose from instead of the thorn in her side since childhood, Julian Beckwith. But she would make an even worse nun than she does a lady, which will be her fate if she can't dig up a husband before the Season ends. However, Julian is not an option.

With only ten short days left in the Season, Francine doesn't have time to waste on petty squabbles or knee-weakening kisses, even if Julian's offer to fulfill her every wish rouses her curiosity. It seems men are more complicated than plants. Too bad love bloomed at the most inconvenient of times...

My Thoughts:

This book is written mostly in first person and I am not overly fond of this writing style. I prefer an overall picture rather than the thoughts of an individual character.
That being said, the characters are interesting and the storyline isn't a bad one, just the writing style was not to my liking.

This is my first time reading this author's work and although I was not overly impressed with this one I will give her another chance.

I gave this book 3.5 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 2.5 of 5 flames.
There isn't a great deal of sexual interaction but what is there is somewhat heated.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

How to Lose Your Reputation in 10 days by Harmony Williams is an interesting and engaging Historical Romance set in 1814 England. While, #2 it can be read as a stand alone. See, "How to Play the Game of Love", #1.

This is my first time reading Harmony Williams, I have to say I was totally entranced and intrigued by her charactizations, her vivid descriptions and her storytelling.

Miss Francine Annesley is not a demure lady, but has book sense and intelligence. Julian Beckwith has been a thorn in Francine's side since childhood. A friends to lovers kind of romance, one of my favorite kinds of Historical Romance.

A sweet, funny and utterly adorable read from beginning to end. Francine and Julian make such an great couple. They're engaging, believable and realistic. Ms. Williams has done a great job of interweaving sexism, self - esteem and vulnerabilities into a story with depth and understanding.

My only complaint, and not sure I'd call it a true complaint, I don't usual enjoy first person stories, but, I enjoyed this one. Ms. Williams made me forget it was written in first person. A great read, with many facets to a great story.

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own

Rating: 4

Received by: AprilR

This book reminds you of the things we have that ladies back then didn't. Freedom to choose their mate and being treated like you had a brain and able to work in the field you love. That said, this is a very good story. It moves seamlessly and is consistent. The characters are so full of life, strong yet vulnerable. It allows you to feel like you can become part of the story. It is funny in places but I found some sad ones, too. I became so involved in the story, I could not put it down until the end. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.