'How to Ruin Your Reputation in 10 Days' by Harmony Williams is book Two in the "Ladies of Passion" series. This is the story of Julian Beckwith and Francine Annesley.
Francine is down to the wire in finding a husband since she has been on the marriage mart for several seasons. Now this season will be over in just 10 days, so the pressure is really on now.
During one of these balls she runs into Julian who has been gone for 10 years. Julian had been great friends with Francine when growing up and they have kept in touch through letters..but have not actually seen each other in years. So Francine didn't recognize him since he has changed so much.
Francine's mother likes him but she pretty much made it clear that she wants Francine to marry into a Title which Julian doesn't really have.
Can these friends become something more?
Series Order:
Book #1 How to Play the Game of Love
Book #2 How to Ruin Your Reputation in 10 Days
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It takes a gifted author to tackle sexism and self - esteem while crafting characters that are remarkably independent but still struggle with many vulnerabilities. How to Ruin Your Reputation in 10 Days takes place during a time when being a woman was considered a disability. Women were seen as window dressing more than anything else. Francine seeks to change that. She's quite book smart but lacks the ability to interact and read people. Her challenges and fears are put on full display when an ultimatum is issued. With marriage on the agenda but no matches of the heart on the horizon, will this ultimate outsider find her forever love? Or will she discover her savior has had her back all along?

This is the first book I've read by this author. It is the second book in the series and is standalone.

This book is written in the heroine's first person POV which made for a different read from the typical historical romance novel. I found it interesting to be gauging everything from one character's perspective. I felt by the end of reading the book that I got to know Francine, the heroine, very well. I did miss getting to know Julian's, the hero's thoughts, feelings and his perspective as to the decisions he was making. We get some of his perspective through Francine but I wish I could've gotten to know some of his innermost thoughts on the justifications for some of his actions.

I liked that Francine had an interest in a field of study. I also liked that the secondary characters had contrasting personalities and were interesting.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

With only ten days left in the season, Miss Francine Annesley is given an ultimatum by her father. Find a husband by the end of the season or she gets shipped off to a convent. For a young lady more interested in plants than the workings of a ton marriage, this is no easy task.

When the childhood friend she has corresponded with since they were separated ten years before comes back into her life, things get even more complicated. Julian Beckwith is the youngest son of a baronet, but is a wealthy land owner and farmer on his own. Not set to inherit a title or have one bestowed on him, Julian is unsuitable according to Francine’s father. There is also a reason Julian is unable to marry Francine which is a twist in two parts.

This novel stood out from many others for more than one reason. The most noticeable reason is the story is told from the first person point of view of Francine. For historical romance, this is a risk, but I believe Williams succeeded brilliantly. I really felt I was seeing all of Francine, climbing in her skin and living her life. Francine is a dynamic character with hopes and dreams caught in a horrid situation by her own father. The journey she takes from beginning to end is full of uphill battles and decisions that show her growing into the woman she was born to be. I look forward to reading about more of Williams passionate ladies as the series continues!

A friends to lovers historical romance that is as cute as it is frustrating.

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite subgenres and it was clear from the beginning that Francine and Julian were meant for each other. Sometimes you can just tell that two souls are two halves of a whole.

While the romance is both heartwarming and almost painfully cute, it was the characters that enraptured me. Francine is an absolute doll and Julian is everything the hero should be. In truth, it is the collective of characters that make this story, not just the leads. Francine’s friends are a force to behold, her mother surprisingly insightful, and the ton as transparent as they ought to be.

The author has a talent for pulling emotions from the reader. With every mishap, misunderstanding, and discovery, I found myself holding my breathing and worrying right along with the heroine. AT some points I had to place the book down because I was either so frustrated I couldn’t deal or so shocked I needed to process.

I feel in the end, we got the end we wanted. But I was left wanting, mainly for Mary’s story. As one of Francine’s closest friends, I felt that Mary stole the show for me and I am very much looking forward to her own story.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. Francine and Julian have been best friends since childhood, have always been there for each other and stayed in touch even when separated. Julian made a promise to his brother Joseph that he would take care of Alyssa if anything happened to him. Unfortunately Joseph died in the war and Julian felt the need to honor his promise to his brother. There is a lot more to the story but there is a HEA ending. I enjoyed the storyline and would recommend it.

Difficult to finish, I just didn't like any of the characters. Forced myself to finish, but found nothing redeeming in the story.

In 1814 London, England, a lady is defined as a demure, delicate flower. Miss Francine Annesley is not that lady she loves her plants & cultivating new finds, she even gives the men she meets nicknames from plants. She has corresponded with her best childhood friend Julian Beckwith for years until he suddenly ceased replying to her letters about six months ago. Julian arrives in London & their friendship is renewed. However her father has decreed that she must find a husband before the end of the season, only ten days away or enter a convent. However, Julian is not an option.
The pace of the story is good & has humour. The characters are well portrayed & have depth but I didn’t find them particularly likeable. I struggled a little with the story being written from Francine’s point of view. I sort of liked Julien but that disappeared when he ruined his best friend & didn’t do the honourable thing. The story promised much but just didn’t deliver

a totally enjoyable historical romance. Good plot kept me reading until the end.

I received this from Netgalley/ Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book was a hard read for me I just did not love it. The characters were just not that great. I did not like how Julian is willing to ruin the girls reputation and not try to fix it. The story was okay just not in love with their relationship.

This was an interesting historical.Not really my favorite but interesting. For one it is very one sided and I really liked dual points of view. It seemed to suffer that I did not know what was going on in Julian's mind.

In this story we have Francine and her parents have been trying to marry her off for the last 5 years. With ten days left in her seasonshe sees Julian. They were close friends and pen pals while he was in the military. They are compromised but Francine'sfamily want someone with a title and Julian is a lowly Baronet family and as the youngest not even inline for a title.

With ten days left in the season her parents have said find a husband or we will marry you to g-d. So its pretty dire. The story seemed to drag for me. I think having Julian's thoughts would have made it more interesting. I did not love either Francine or Julian and that is why I fastly lost interest.

I have read worse and read better, but the story also seemed to drag and I like historicals with my more humor and this book had a dark side, with how her parents treated her.

This novel was a good read. The plot flowed quickly since the main characters already knew each other. This romance story is told in first person point of view.
Miss Francine Annesley is more interested in plants than getting married. Only when her father tells her she must marry or be sent to a convent if she does not marry by the end of the season changes her outlook. Francine does not want to marry or go to a convent. She does not stand up to her parents or tell them how she feels.
Julian Beckwith and Francine were childhood friends and they continued to write to each other until recently. Francine did not know why he stopped writing but is happy to see him when they meet in London. Francine knows she cannot marry someone like Julian, since her father wants her to marry well in society. However, Julian is always there for Francine and gets her out of trouble but also gets her in trouble too. Julian is engaged to be married to a woman he does not love but due to a promise he made. Still, Francine cannot stop the feelings she has for Julian, no matter how many men she meets as potential husbands. Julian loves Francine, but cannot go back on his promise, which shows he is an honorable person. When Francine is seen going into Julian's home, it ruins her already tattering reputation. However, Julian cannot marry her. Since Julian cannot marry her, Francine's options are limited. Who would want to marry a woman that has more knowledge of botany than most men? What will Francine do know that her reputation is destroyed?