Closer to 3.5 Stars

This was really enjoyable. One of the things I loved was the heroes passion for the poor and underprivileged. I feel that's not something you see a lot of, especially in romantic historical fiction.

I found both Evie and Richard to be likable characters who were great together and separately. The side characters were charming as well (especially Emily), although I felt Evie's mom was a little over dramatic.

Overall, this was exactly what I look for in a historical fiction romance: something that allows me to escape reality for a few hours and an HEA.

(I do wish there was a different cover though; I don't care for this one.)

4.25 stars
Lady Evie Chesterfield first fell I love with Richard Maitland when she was sixteen & has loved him for six years & they are the best of friends but she wants more. Richard had his heart broken & refuses to marry as he thinks all women are shallow. He becomes Marquis of Westfall when his elder brother dies unexpectedly of a fever, however he is estranged from his father the Duke of Salop as the duke won’t recognise Richard’s daughter Emily.
A lovely story of best friends to lovers & to finally their HEA. Richard a complex character for although he doesn’t believe in love but he adores his daughter Emily & has spent a fortune rescuing children & some women from the rookeries, he is much maligned by society which thinks of him a debauched, no wonder he’s confused & frightened to commit. Evie is the darling of the ton but refuses to marry, as she loves Richard. Both characters are likeable but at times I wanted to shake Richard & scream don’t loose her as she’s his salvation. The plot is well paced & I read it in a couple of sessions. It takes an illness for Richard to realise how much he loves & has always loved Evie & his proposal is very romantic. The book is part of a series & whilst we meet characters from previous books it could easily be read as a standalone book.
The only reason I’ve not given it 5 stars is that I couldn’t condone Richard’s violent streak, he saved children from the noose or deportation for pilfering but then he’s committed murder. I now it’s a different era & things were different then but that part just didn’t sit right with me apart from tht I loved the book.

I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Reid wrote a unique and very different story, something I haven’t read before – ever. It’s a critical background and I really wonder if this ever happened for real because the ton was quite merciless.
Lady Eve loves her brother’s friend Richard but Richard did something nobody else did before - he took in his bastard child. But not only that he tracked the girl down, he is determined to help more kids and young women to get off the streets and don’t live in poverty. The girl’s mother is a lady of the ton who decided back in the day that her daughter isn’t worth being ruined so her parents sent the kid to a children farm, they sold her later etc. – Richard is now quite on the dark side of the ton. He uncovers secrets of the ton to save people.
Evie was raised in a way to keep her eyes closed, the curtains in the coach closed when there was begging and poverty on the streets – but she cannot keep her eyes closed, also because she is in love with Richard – quite hopelessly.

It’s a lovely and very well written story – all thumps up!

I am a huge fan of Stacy Reid's books, so I preface this review by saying that while it's not my favorite book, I would by no means say that this book review is representative of my opinion of her writing as a whole. Not every book is going to be stellar, and to me, this book was good but not her best. There was so much history between the hero and heroine, which was amazing and well written by Stacy. I was never at a loss as to how their friendship developed, or how they became the people they were once the book was "present day." Unfortunately, what ultimately detracted from the book was the yo-yo feeling I got with the romance - he wants her, he can't have her, he can't help himself, he pushes her away again. It became frustrating, to say the least.

Lord Richard Maitland, the Marquess of Westfall, has known Lady Evelyn since she was sixteen and he was twenty-four. Entranced by her beauty and her genuine personality, he knows that she is not for him. As years passed, he tried to move on, and life dealt him some cards that rocked his world and set him even farther away from Evie. With a forbidding scar across his cheek, a bastard daughter in his home, and a reputation to rival that of even the most dastardly of suitors, there is no way he can have Evie now. But she is old enough to know her own mind and is being pressured to marry, and Evie is set on finally being with the man she has loved for years. If only she can convince him that he is worthy and that she can handle the scandal that will inevitably follow.

In general, both characters were exciting to read about and kept me on the edge of my seat every time they had a conversation or came together in a heat of passion. As mentioned before, it was the fact that they never stayed together that was extremely disgruntling to me while reading. Evie grew up in high society, surrounded by beautiful gowns and lots of money, without a care for the outside world. She has been taught to always follow the rules, and that means that she sometimes neglects to see how those rules affect other people. Richard knows this. He seems to accept this. But in those moments where she hesitates, where her ingrained sense of what is accepted in society causes her to question how she responds to a situation, he sneers and shoves her away. As if he didn't already know this would be a huge transition for her! I admit - Evie got on my nerves at times with how she acted at times. But regardless, I understood and was hoping Richard would. It finally took a near-death experience for Richard to finally see the light, and by then, I was really irritated with him. I actually liked Evie a whole lot more after that, because she didn't put up with his crap as much. It was refreshing for her character.

I am, as always, eager to read Stacy Reid's next book! I enjoyed this one, though the first two in the series were the best. Hopefully the next book will be a better fit for me.

Another great entry in Stacy Reid's Wedded by Scandal series. It was wonderful to finally get Evie and Westfall's story, even if Westfall was being a dolt for much of the book (but this is part of what makes the book so fun). Evie is wonderful and this was an all around fun read.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is the story of Lady Evelyn aka Evie and Richard Maitland, Marquess of Westfall.

Evie and Richard have shared a unique friendship over the years, they met when she was 16 and he was 24. When they met Richard was already cynical having given his heart to a woman who turned around and married someone with a better title and more money. But something about EV always intrigued him and even when he went away to war they carried on a correspondence.

Years later Richard discovers that the woman he had loved actually gave birth to his child and he's desperate to find his daughter, he turns to his friend Evie for comfort but doesn't believe that she's sincere when she says he hopes he finds his daughter he believes that she'll be like everyone else in society and distain his child.

Once he finds his daughter and claims her society does shun him but Evie always stands fast by him and Richard become somewhat of a vigilante for the poor and forgotten in London and as much as he cares for Evie he doesn't believe she could ever fit into his world.

Evie has loved Richard since she met him and would love nothing more than to be his wife, so when her parents start to pressure her to marry she knows there's only one man she would even consider.

Evie tries to get Richard to admit his feelings for her and when that fails she asks him to teach her how to attract a man. He of course refuses. So Evie comes up with an alternate plan. When her parents put more pressure on her to accept one of her suitors she turns to her friend the duchess to help her win the man she truly wants.

When Evie arrives at Richard's estate, he is more than a little shocked, and when she interacts with his daughter and the other children he has rescued, he tries to imagine her in his life. They spend a night of passion together and the next day he tells Evie she will have to leave because he's expecting guests and those guests turn out to be the woman he's been rumored to be courting.

When Evie finds out Richard is about to propose to another woman, she's heartbroken and angry. She then hatches another plan with the duchess. One that she is sure will bring Richard up to scratch.

But things don't turn out the way she expected and words are exchanged making Evie realize that Richard will never marry her. Heartbroken she runs away from him and is caught in a storm. Richard finds and rescues her. But the damage has been done and Evie's reputation is ruined and she has caught a fever which she is not expected to survive.

Faced with a real possibility that he may lose Evie forever, Richard rushes to her side to care for her and vows to do whatever he has to to win back her love.

I thought this book was well written and flowed nicely. But I did kind of have a problem with Richard (Richard is aptly named in my opinion). He's one of those once burned always shy kind of heroes and personally, they irritate me. I also thought he was extremely arrogant and quick to judge. Nor did he give Evie nearly enough credit. I will say that the love scenes in this book were extremely steamy (thank you very much Ms. Reid). And thankfully, after quite a bit of angst, Richard does come to his senses and does make amends for the way he treated her. I absolutely adored the epilogue!! All in all, I thought this was a very good book and I would be happy to recommend it.

This is the third book in the series, but I didn't have any problems following the story not having read the first book, so I feel confident saying that this could be read as a stand-alone title.

As agreed, in exchange for this ARC, I am giving a fair and honest review. Seriously, this book had me laughing, cursing and crying. Such a well written and complicated tale. You should get this book!

Description
Lady Evie Chesterfield is a darling of the ton who refuses to become engaged. She’s been desperately in love with her brother’s friend, Richard Maitland, Marquess of Westfall, since forever. But the dark, dangerous marquess only sees her as a friend and refuses to marry any woman. When circumstances change and Evie has no choice but to take a husband, she decides to convince London’s most notorious gentleman to marry her by seducing the scoundrel.

Richard Maitland decided long ago that he wanted nothing to do with love. So when the gorgeous, off-limits Evie asks him for lessons in seduction, Richard knows he’s playing with fire. Despite Richard’s determination to protect her from his dastardly reputation, he is tested at every turn by his need for the infuriating, but enticing, Lady Evie. Before too long he is faced with making an impossible choice.

My Thoughts:

Stacy Reid never fails to amaze me with her wonderfully written books, this one not withstanding.
This friends, acquaintances to lovers tale has just enough of a questionable plot to keep your interest.
Can Richard keep the delectable Evie at arms length and still fulfil her wishes to not wed just anyone of her parent's choosing? Will her scheme to bring him around finally work?
This is a classic friends to lovers story that has a few twists and turns that both delight and dismay the reader.
I gave this sometimes perplexing tale 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and an off the charts sensual rating of 4.5 of 5.0 flames. It is scorching hot with just enough sweetness thrown in to tone it down a bit.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Great read. She is becoming one of my favorite authors. Good connection with the M/F early on in the book. Can't wait for the next story!

I love this series and I love this book. It is full of banter, angst, and sensual moments. Evie and Richard are wonderfully written characters. Ms. Reid knows how to write characters that will leave an impression on you. It is not always pleasant but in the end everything always works out, tears of joy! A fantastic read!

Who will be next…please tell me there is a next…Richard’s sister? Who is Sparrow? Will he get a story?

I truly love this series, and I hope this was not the last installment.

Evie and Westfall story was wonderful but just not my favorite of the Wedded by Scandal series. That lovely award goes to Accidentally Compromising the Duke with Adeline and Edmond. I LOVE that we got to see more of them in this book though.

Sadly Westfall and Evie were not my favorite characters. This book was going to be only 3 stars due to their characters and choices. But then I just remembered how this book had moments that made my heart ache and any book that can make me feel so devastated deserves another star.

There is nothing to critic about Reid's writing. I love all of her books and this is yet another example of how great she is.

I am really hoping Westfall's sister will have her own book aka please keep this series going - fingers crossed!

I have been waiting for Evie and Westfall's story since I read the first book last year. I knew something was going to happen between them but I was wondering when and how they would be wedded by scandal. If you have read the first book, you would know that Evie has made several sacrifices and possibly sacrificed her friend's happiness (read the first book to understand more) so she could marry Westfall or at least have it be a possibility. Lord Richard Maitland is envied, feared and hated by society. He has claimed his illegitimate daughter before the ton and is scorned for taking in his daughter he didn't know was alive and loves her and the children he finds in the back allies of London into his home. He is a man that doesn't care what society thinks of him and he also doesn't think too highly of society as well. So when his friendship with Evie slowly becomes more than mere friendship he knows he should push away any thought of marriage to Evie as he believes she wouldn't be able to accept the way he lives nor would she survived being scorned by society if she were to marry him. Evie is kind and loving but she has been raised like any other woman of this time to be proper, obedient and to aim her attention at the man with the largest amount of wealth and status not the lord with the poor reputation. Westfall and Evie's friendship has grown because of her distaste of her suitors that pursue her. They have been friends for a long time, confiding with each other and I love seeing a friendship between a man and woman that didn't necessarily start off with pure lust and attraction even if Westfall was taken with her from the start.

Westfall wants her so much but there are so many reasons why he is so hesitant to marry her or anyone else. He was betrayed and everything changed to a point where he just isn't the same man Evie met when she was fifteen years old. He does think quite highly of Evie even when he also thinks she doesn't have the strength to stand lovingly at his side. He struggles a lot and Evie fights for something that could possibly never work in the long term. Luckily, like with all of the characters in this series, there is growth. There is a time when they realize how stupid they were and that they need to make a big change to be with the ones they love. The ending was so sweet and romantic. I was very satisfied with the development of Evie and Westfall's love story and it was a long time coming. We do get a sneak peek like the other two books about what the following book will be about. It sounds super interesting and I can't wait to read it.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Evie and Richard have been friends ever since Evie's coming-out ball. Richard has sworn off love following heartbreak and Evie can not help but fall for her handsome rescurer.
We follow Evie and Richard over the course of six years, as Evie becomes the darling of the ton and an embittered Richard becomes the scourge of the ton. Evie is forced to take drastic action as her family face financial ruin to secure the man she loves.

The book starts off in a dramatic fashion and over the course of the book, the seedier aspects of life in Regency England are detailed in a new and emotive way. It highlights the stark contrast between the ton's perception of poverty and its realities.
Evie and Richard are well crafted characters who draw the readers into their lives and you anxiously await their well deserved HEA.

I recommend this book to any reader who loves misunderstood heroes and strong independent women.

i liked this book, well worth the read. Will be looking for more books from this author.

For the most part, "How to Marry a Marquess" was very good. A few minor issues but thing to take away from the historical romance.

An interesting book about the seedier side of the Regency Era often ignored in many books. The fallen and how many are not even aware they exist is basic to this story. The main characters are well developed and this is a very good installment in this series.

“How to Marry a Marquess”, the third book in the Wedded by Scandal series starts off quite dramatically and the pace doesn’t let up for the whole of the story. Whilst this is a stand-alone novel, characters from past stories appear, adding to the appeal for readers who have followed the series. Lady Evie Chesterfield, who appears in “Accidentally Compromising the Duke”, has been in love with Richard Maitland, the Marquess of Westfall, for six years. The spark of attraction begins when they meet when Evie is 16 and since then, both have been captivated with the other. However, Evie is a darling of the ton and Richard, despite his title, has been shunned after acknowledging his illegitimate daughter. This has not dissuaded Evie and once it becomes apparent that her family will force her to marry someone other than Richard, she seeks out Richard, hoping that he will marry her. What begins to tear their friendship apart, is Richard’s belief that any feelings they have for each other will be destroyed by society’s rejection of them.
Both Richard and Evie are two strong characters but at times I wanted to shake some sense into Richard. To make the reader feel such intensity and to immerse you so immediately into the story that you want to give advice, is a sign of a clever writer. Ms Reid makes you want to discover what motivates these characters. This was a great read – you won’t be disappointed.

An enjoyable storyline, a bit different from the normal regency romance. Did not like the first few pages - a bit racy for me - but thereafter, the book settled into being a pleasant read with interesting characters.

This novel was a bit different than I expected but still a nice read. It brings to life the darker parts of society during this time period. Many people were ignorant and did not understand what true poverty is.
Lady Evie Chesterfield have been in love with Richard Maitland for six years. She is the darling of the ton and ignorant to what is beyond the balls. She treasures her friendship with Richard and has denied suitors due to her love for him. However, her family now requires her to marry after years of dissuading suitors. She seeks out Richard to teach her the art of seduction.
Richard was a second son but the death of his brother made him the Marquess of Westfall. He was ignorant to the ways of society until he discovered a secret that had been kept from him for years. Since then, he has controlled his rakish ways and does several things to help the poor. He has loved Evie for six years, but knows she cannot accept his life and the rejections and disgust he receives from society.
Evie begins to see beyond the mirages of society and wants to help Richard. She continued her relationship with Richard despite being told not to. Richard knows Evie could not fit into his world and tries to dissuade her, but Evie has a mind of her own. Going against social norms is terrifying, but knowing someone stands by you makes it worth acknowledging what is right.