Iris Somerset should be happy about her betrothal to the handsome and proper Marchioness of Huntington, Phineas ("Finn") but she is worried that he's not attracted physically to her. She decides to ask him for a simple kiss and his rejection starts a chain of events and lies, especially once Iris overhears the conversation between Finn and his former mistress.

I had a hard time putting down this story once I started reading it. Both Iris and Finn realized that they needed to change and learn to ask for what they needed from each other. Finn had never been rejected by anyone before and changed his life quite completely before Iris would accept his third proposal of marriage.

Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

London - 1817

Phineas (Finn) Knight, Marquess of Huntington, is playing cards with several men as they wager on which lady they get to court. Will it be Lady Honora Fairchild, a docile young woman, or the feisty Miss Iris Somerset? While Finn would rather court Honora, Lord Harley wins the bet to court her and so Finn will court Iris. The men just hope the ladies don’t ever find out.

Now that Finn and Iris are engaged, she wishes he would kiss her. He is always so proper as she complains to her sister, Violet, and her friend, Honora. Honora is placidly engaged to Lord Harley. Iris learns that Finn has broken off with his mistress, Lady Beaumont. But when Lady Beaumont sneaks into the garden at a party, Iris hears her arguing with Finn, mocking him and saying she knows Iris wasn’t his first choice. Iris is deeply hurt and angry at Finn and thus ends their betrothal.

Finn is frustrated with Iris and does not want to let her go. He has come to care for her and fears a rogue will woo her for her money. Lord Wrexley is just that rogue who hates Finn and will do anything to destroy him even if it means ruining Iris.

When all of them are invited to a house party, things start to heat up and the fight is on to see who will win Iris’s hand.

There are lots of tightly twisted turns in this story which added to what I feel is an unnecessary length which could have been edited out. However, the book is the premise of catch me if you can which is not a favorite of mine.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

More Or Less A Marchioness by Anna Bradley
Somerset Sisters #1

Twists and Turns
A wager
A secret tryst overheard
Can love be found in a match made without it?

This is an intriguing book with a debutante that has her blinders removed only to realize she wants more than her future may hold for her. Sure, a noble is something to aspire to for a husband but is it enough? Iris Somerset is not so sure after overhearing her bequeathed in the garden talking to his last mistress. And thus begins the pursuit of true love by two people in the ton. Do they want true love? Perhaps Iris does but Finn is one who only wants a woman to be his perfect Marchioness. What is expected versus what one desires is a prickly pear to deal with.

I enjoyed this book and would love to see a book about Lady Annabel Tallant in the future as well as some others mentioned in the book. I know we will see Violet and Hyacinth (sisters of Iris) in the future and am eager to find out who they end up with.

My main takeaway is that this book is a historical romance that is plausible. I loved Iris and her awakening and move toward being true to herself. I also liked the awakening of Finn and his coming into his own. Great story and well worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensginton Books – Lyrical Press for the ARC – this is my honest review.

5 Stars

Iris Somerset is the perfect debutante - or so she portrays to the world. Beautiful, wealthy and meek, she’s everything Finn, the Marquis of Huntingdon, thinks he wants in a wife. Until one day she looks him in the eye and tells him they will not suit and she is breaking their engagement.

This isn’t just a romance; it’s a story of two people finding out and accepting who they truly are. Iris plays the part of a demure debutante to perfection… right up until the moment she realises she just doesn’t want to anymore. And Finn, confronted with his own faults, must recognise the inherent hypocrisy of his position and come to terms with his own nature in order to understand that what he wants is very different from what he thought.

Can I just say how much I loved Iris? She’s very young and very naive, but she’s wise enough to understand there is a lot she doesn’t know. Being taken under the wing of an older and wiser woman, ‘a wicked widow’, she learned fast and was finally able to define herself as the person she wanted to be. From that point, Finn ending up head over heels in love with her was utterly inevitable.

Finn did come across as autocratic, unlikable and hypocritical at times. He reminded me intensely of Mr Darcy from Austen’s seminal novel; a proud and somewhat spoiled man confronted with his own faults who finally comes to an understanding that he’s been on the wrong path all along. His reversal and redemption was Austenesque and I absolutely adored it. (My personal pet peeve is when a hero is set up as a heel and doesn’t do the epic grovel at the end to make up for it. Finn didn’t disappoint me.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’ll be looking out for the rest of the Somerset Sisters series. Five stars for a great read with plenty of genuine character development.

At 47% DNF. I just can't get over how horrible Huntington is, even though I know he'll change :( I'm sure others might not have that problem, as I'm in just a mood to brook no nonsense. Life is too short!

I really liked this historical read. Iris has done her best to keep her rebellious streak hidden from others. But after overhearing a conversation her fiancé has with his ex-mistress she decides to end the engagement and choose instead of being chosen. When her fiancé, Finn sees this wild side of Iris he is more enamored than he had thought he would be. Will these two find happiness together after all? This is a fast paced read with great characters, I really liked Iris. The story really drew me in and held my interest throughout. A great historical read. I am looking forward to more in the series.

I so love Anna Bradley’s stories, they’re highly entertaining with the right amount of sass, intrigue and love.
This is a story of opposites attract, but really are they that opposite? Phineas is prim stoic and everything proper. He needed a biddable wife who would do as told and heaven forbid no scandals for his future wife. Enter Iris Somerset she’s been trying to be everything a young biddable soon to be wife should be, mind her manners, speak when spoken too, and heaven forbid under any circumstance show any kind of temper. Try as she might her temper was let loose when she unfortunately over heard that she wasn’t first choice but second and add insult to injury her fiancé lost a wager and got her. So she decides that it’s time to take care of Iris so she boldly breaks her betrothal contract and jilts her fiancé -no scandal here- and this doesn’t sit well with Finn.
Though it takes a house party a villainous rival, a wicked widow and many steamy situations to bring them together, Finn realizes that truly he needed to let loose and live to experience everything he never knew he couldn’t live without -Iris!
Excellent story I highly recommend.
I recieved a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest unbiased opinion.
This was a wonderfully written story,

More or Less a Marchioness by Anna Bradley is the first book in "The Somerset Sister" series This is the story of Iris Somerset and Phineas Knight, Lord of Huntington.
Irish has set out to be the prefect lady for her grandmother and to help her sisters be scandal free.
Finn has been courting Iris although he thought that Lady Honora who be his wife but she was lost to him. So Finn felt one debutante was as good as another...that other being Iris. But Iris overheard Finn and his mistress speaking and it help to open her eyes. With the help of Lady Annabel Tallant
Iris starts to make changes to her life and her attitude towards how she will find someone to marry.
This is a great start to a new book series....loved it!

Sometimes people are not always as they appear. Such is the case with Iris Somerset and Phineas Knight, Marquess of Huntington. One of three sisters, Iris hides her true nature of stubborn, high spirited and outspoken to the Ton. When she receives a proposal from Finn Knight, who only wants a quiet and proper wife and thinks Iris will do, she accepts, but really does not know Finn at all nor he her. Finn had grown up as a lonely child who was really overshadowed by a long ago scandal in his family. He was taunted and teased so he just wanted to be left alone. It made him only want what was proper and not talked about so he could live a life scandal free. Iris overhears a conversation Finn has while she is in the garden and decides she can no longer pretend to be the calm and biddable wife that he wants. She wasn't his first choice anyway! All seems done with the pair until they are thrown together at a house party and another man is in pursuit of Iris. This is were the story really gets interesting. As both of their true natures begin to come out, a real attractions sizzles. A little intrigue and as the two are together they begin to find they like the real person better than the facade. Be prepared to be taken on an entertaining ride that will have you reading as fast as you can. Cannot wait for more in this series!

More or Less a Marchioness is a delightful tale of two people who are unwilling, or perhaps a bit afraid to show their true selves to the Society in which they live. Iris is a free spirited young woman who must, in her mind, tone down her rebellious streak in order to pave the way for her sisters to make good matches. And it works rather well as she finds herself engaged to the stuffy and proper Lord of Huntington. She really has no idea if they’ll match for she’s barely said a word to her betrothed, nor he to her. He seems to want a biddable, proper wife and Iris would have tried to do that for the sake of her sisters if only she hadn’t overheard a conversation that set off that impetuous nature of hers and ended the engagement. She truly loved her sisters but a life of boredom with a man who has no desire for her at all is simply too much to ask of her.

Due to a scandal in his family’s past Finn has hidden and kept a tight rein on his wilder side, the side that would love to do so much more with his life than the safe, proper, boring persona he’s given himself. Why the child must pay for the parent’s sin is beyond him, but it’s also the way of Society, for the most part. In order to keep that churning side of himself quiet Finn believes that only a proper, boring wife will do. It truly didn’t matter to him which of the newest crop of debutantes in their First Season agreed to his marriage proposal, after all the young girl would be marrying a marquess, that alone should be enough of a prize. What he never expected was to find that his biddable choice would turn on him and end their engagement. Too bad that Iris became even more enticing to his bolder side once she let her true self be shown… or was it really. Finn found himself wanting very much to win this lady’s heart in spite of all he’s taught himself to hide. Now comes the chase, and the determination to win the bride that is right for his honest, true self.

If you’ve read any of Anna Bradley’s other series, then you’ll recognize some old friends. If not, then you have an excellent back list of stories to be entertained with in your future. I enjoyed More or Less a Marchionessvery much. Watching Iris and Finn try to fit into molds that obviously were not natural to either of them was rather painful. So when Iris broke free, then the fun began. Their’s is not an easy romance, there is danger, a nasty villain, hurt feelings and such stubbornness to overcome. But Finn and Iris work so well together that is was a fun journey to see then get exactly what they deserved at the ending… each other in a happy ever after life. I’m already looking forward to More or Less a Countess to continue the adventures of The Somerset Sisters. I would not hesitate to recommend this story to any Regency or Historical Romance reader who enjoys a lively plot, a touch of danger, secondary characters to enjoy almost as much as the main couple, and a touching love story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

3.5 stars

Iris Somerset and Phineas Knight, the Marquess of Huntington are betrothed - or are they?

I enjoyed the story, but not as much as I had hoped. Neither Iris or Finn lived up to my expectations and there was so much going on in the book that it felt "busy".

Finn wants a proper, biddable wife and when he lost his first choice of a bride in a wager, he decides that Iris will do just as well. Iris has forced herself to conform to the image of a proper lady and when by chance (or maybe not) learns that Finn is not who she thought he was and the reason he asked for her hand, she is miffed and breaks things off with him - sort of.

Now that Iris no longer wants him and apparently is wanted by another man, Finn is all of sudden intrigued with her and sets out to get her back.

I don't know, the story just didn't hold me, it wasn't bad and it is well written, but it just did WOW me. I thought the back and forth in their relationship dragged on a little too long and felt forced. There are some steamy scenes and it was nice to catch up with Charlotte and Julian and there is a sweet epilogue, but this is not a book I would read again.

This is a delightful beginning to the Somerset Sisters series. We met the older two Somerset sisters in the Sutherland Scandals series and now we get excellent introductions to the younger sisters (Iris, Violet, and Hyacinth) in this book. It was also nice to re-visit Charlotte and her Captain West and to learn how happy they are ‘rusticating’ in the country. We also get a re-visit with Lady Annabel from Charlotte’s book – I don’t know if it will happen, but I’d really like to see her get her own HEA.

I believe this book is as much about two people discovering and embracing who they really are as it is about their love story. Phineas Knight (Finn), Marquess of Huntington and Iris Somerset both live behind masks – maybe they’ve lost who they really are because they constantly present a different fact to the world. Iris gets her grand epiphany first and gives Finn a run for his money after that!

High spirited, stubborn, outspoken, fun-loving Iris Somerset had buried all of those traits deep within her when she came to London for her season. Mostly to please her grandmother and to give her sisters a scandal-free chance at marriage. She presented herself as quiet, demure and biddable and became the most desirable lady of the season. She was courted by the very proper Marquess of Huntington and accepted his proposal though they hardly spoke when they were together and certainly didn’t know a thing about each other. She was actually okay with that – until …..

Very prim, proper and oh so aristocratic Phineas Knight, Marquess of Huntington needed a wife. He thought the debutants were all pretty much interchangeable and he didn’t really care which one he got as long as she was quiet, proper and biddable. His first choice was Lady Honora, but he was perfectly fine with Iris. Finn’s family had a scandal and he had become the Marquess at eight years old. Then, he was raised by indifferent guardians who shipped him off to school and left him there. He never knew love or family – nor was he ever allowed to be a child. Because of the scandal, he was constantly taunted, teased and bullied. It is a wonder that he turned out as well as he did. That childhood shaped Finn into the man who abhorred anything improper or scandalous.

After overhearing a scene between Finn and his former mistress, Iris finally realized she could NOT be the person she was pretending to be. In a pique, she broke off the engagement. She hadn’t really thought through the implications of doing that – so she didn’t tell anyone but Finn. There is a villain in the picture and Finn wants to protect her from him. She won’t have it – and becomes more and more the person he just knows he doesn’t want for a wife – but – he wants Iris more and more. He’ll have a devil of a time wooing her – can he win her? You’ll just have to read the book and see.

This book is well plotted and well written with fully developed and interesting characters. I will be excited to read Violet’s book next.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Phineas Knight, Lord of Huntington, has proposed to Miss Iris Somerset, a young lady he believes is meek and uncomplicated and will make an ideal wife. When Iris accidentally overhears a heated argument between Huntington and his ex-mistress, she decides to jilt him. Totally shocked by Iris's bold action, Huntington is surprised that he now is more interested in Iris than he ever was when they were betrothed.

I was not a fan of Huntington when he's first introduced. He was cold, indifferent and arrogant, but it seemed the more Iris rebuffs him, the more he's obsessed with her. She is the only lady he's ever known that begins to break down his emotional barriers. I loved Iris. She did all the right things a young lady of the first water is supposed to do and received an advantageous offer of marriage, but that young lady was not her true self and she could no longer pretend to be someone she's not. I loved how the relationship between Huntington and Iris slowly built over time. There was definitely no "insta-love" and that is always a good thing. There was a few twists and turns in the book, but they didn't totally surprise me. All in all, this was a very enjoyable Regency romance.

Iris Somerset the middle sister of the five Somerset sisters has received a marriage proposal from Phineas Knight, Lord of Huntington & their marriage is set for a months time. However he’s made no attempt to kiss Iris so she decides to take matters into her own hands & seeks him out in the garden of her friend Honora Fairchild’s London home. Things don’t go to plan & Finn hastily takes Iris back to the terrace, however she’s unsettled & walks back into the garden & there spies on Finn & Lady Beaumont & what she overhears knocks her for six. Iris then jilts Finn but keeps it a secret until she travelling to Hadley House for a house party.
This is the first of a new series, the two elder sisters featured in the Sutherland Scoundrels series & Caroline’s story was in the Sutherland Sisters series Finn & Iris have both been trying to be what Society expects them to be so they’ve hidden their true selves & as the story progresses & they begin to know each other they find that they can be themselves. Their road isn’t an easy one with an Earl out for revenge but they both grow in confidence. Iris is taken under the wing of “wicked widow” Lady Annabel Tallant, who is anything but wicked & I so hope Annabel also has her story. There were quite a few humorous parts of the book especially Iris’ obsession with cravats. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy reading page turning novel & I look forward to Violet & Hyacinths’ stories

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.

Quick, fun, and just the right mix of dumb hero/smart herione to make it stand out.

Iris jilts Finn twice! But this seems to bring him around to actually wanting to pursue her romantically. He is also determined to keep her away from Lord Wrexley who is a rogue and a rake. Iris has good reasons to refuse Finn, that Finn changes his demeanor is a bit unbelievable but welcome because we are cheering for Iris’ happiness.

I loved this book and the humor that Ms. Bradley brings to the story. I highly recommend this book.

More or Less a Marchioness by Anna Bradley was a fun read! I enjoyed meeting the main characters of Finn and Iris. Finn is Phineas Knight, the Lord of Huntington. He has decided that it is time to marry and through a card wager (which was not a good choice) he has determined that Iris was the woman he was going to marry. Iris Somerset has agreed to the marriage, until one day she overhears a conversation not meant for her ears. This is the eye-opening she needs. Iris doesn’t want to marry someone she cannot be open and honest with. She struggles with her choice, not wanting to ruin her sister’s chance for marriage. This is the moment when everything turns around… but for who and why?

Iris and Finn need each other, but they of course do not realize it. Gossip, wily behaviors and misunderstanding abound. The book is a historical romance that promises two more books in the series to come. More or Less a Marchioness by Anna Bradley was a good read.

In return for being given this ARC, I am giving a fair and honest review for this ARC. Delightfully written tale with so many multifaceted characters woven into an intricate story. You won't regret buying this book.

More or Less a Marchioness (The Somerset Sisters, #1)
by Anna Bradley
Anna Swedenmom's review Jan 25, 2018 · edit
really liked it

Its a good read. In my own opinion not her best ...however, it is a buy book. One to read on a cold winters day. It has much to offer from the characters to the story line to the expectations of the next adventure or outburst. It has elements that were unexpected and some of the usual. However, it is a slow start and finally it opens up and you start engaging your interest in the characters themselves. It has passion and up and down romance. It is witty at times, humorous at others. All in all a very enjoyable read. I was given this book in return for an honest review. Regards, Anna