“Walk, and if you are able, run away”. In A Mistress For Penndrake, this is the note Miss Kate Holden receives from her cousin, Edward Garrett, advising her to avoid Lord Wesley. There is no explanation, no reason saying why it was sent.

It is all the more puzzling because Miss Kate Holden is a tradesmen’s daughter. What would a titled gentleman want with her?

Sent to stay with her wealthy relations, Kate is expected to find herself a husband and assist her cousin finding one as well. Having had her heart trampled when only 15, Kate is not enthusiastic about the Marriage Mart.

But of course, fate is never to be denied. The first person the accident-prone Kate comes across is none other than Nathaniel, the Marquis of Wesley, Earl of Chelmsford.

Wesley had received his own message from Kate’s cousin Edward. Oddly it was an exact contradiction to the one Edward sent Kate.

Edward advised Wesley that his father had gambled away the family estate. After begging Edward to wait until a year after his death to obtain the property, Edward chose to oblige.

In the meantime, Edward decides he no longer wants the property for himself and orders Wesley to take his cousin Kate as his wife if Wesley wants to keep his estate. Wesley is not pleased with this turn of events and vows to ruin the young woman instead.

Delightful, Funny, Yet Disappointing

The first time the two of them meet is after Kate’s cap is blown away in the wind. Throughout the book Kate continues to be distinctly accident prone, causing all sorts of interesting situations.

I was not happy, however, with how the author wrote Wesley. That he chooses to ruin an innocent young woman because he is being blackmailed is disappointing.

There was nothing about the rest of his personality that suggested this sort of decision was something to which he was prone. For instance, he didn’t have a dark past or a hatred of women. This part of his decision-making process seems to of come from out of nowhere and seems entirely out of character.

There must have been many other ways to approach this story without having to make the main character someone who would deliberately ruin an innocent.

Putting that aside, the story was still very well written and enjoyable. Other than that one character flaw of Wesley’s, the other characters in the book were very entertaining.

I will be definitely happy to read more from Tammy L Bailey.

Reviewed for LnkToMi iRead in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.

Gambling for an important wager sometimes does not turn out the way it should. Or does it in the end? Lord Wesley is trying to regain all his dead father had gambled away, including his ancestral home, Penndrake. The new owner, Edward wagers with him that he will have to marry his cousin Miss Kate Holden in order to have the property in his name. Oh what a tangled web woven on that wager. Kate does not want to marry due to her choices and being hurt when younger and desires to live out her life as a governess.
But as the two are thrown together and Kate, having no idea of the wager that has been made, starts to feel affections for Wesley. But Wesley's goal is not to marry her but far worse. It gets interesting as they begin challenging each other and their witty conversations. Of course there are other ladies with their eye on Lord Wesley and it is amusing to see how they use their wiles on him!
Filled with so many misunderstandings, stray emotions and unexpected attractions, this story will keep you entertained until the end!!

Nathaniel Marquis of Wesley is out for blood. For a year, Lord Wesley has tried to undo the devastation his father had done to Penndrake, their ancestral home, only to discover the man gambled it away right before his death to Edward Garrett. Now Wesley is being blackmailed by Edward into marrying a woman he’s never met in order to get it back. At one and twenty, Miss Kathryn Holden intends to become a governess, having sworn off all men years ago. However, her plans are halted when she receives a daunting letter from her cousin about a Lord Wesley.
I usually really like books from Entangled publishing but this fell short to me. I was intrigued by the synopsis but on reading the book it didn’t live up to the blurb. How on earth did Nathaniel think ruining Kate would get him Penndrake back? Surely that would have further annoyed Edward. Why wasn't Penndrake entailed if it was the principal seat of the marquisette? Nathaniel invited the Garretts to a dinner party that was to last a fortnight, surely he meant a house party! But there was no planning for this - the poor servants. I did get a few laughs from the Garret women very Cinderellaish. I couldn’t relate to Nathaniel & Kate & found the chemistry lacking although they were attracted to each other there was no spark. I would be interested to read more from the author as the premise for the book was good.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

When offered the chance to earn back his ancestral home, Penndrake, after his father gambled it away, one would have thought Lord Wesley would grasp it with both hands. After all, all he has to do is marry Miss Kate Holden, the new owner's cousin, and Kate is pretty, smart and intriguing. With Penndrake as her dowry, he couldn't do better. It's an honorable way out of a sticky predicament.

If Wesley had been otherwise attached, I could possibly have forgiven him for trying to find a way out of the obligation. Instead, he basically decides that he must have his cake and eat it too: he will make Kate his mistress, blackmail her cousin into handing back Penndrake and then find another bride with a rich dowry. Kate, of course, even though he soon discovers she is quite ignorant of her cousin's plans, is merely collateral damage. At one point she even cries out plaintively that she has done nothing to him, and his only response is that he wants her to suffer as much as he does.

Honestly, I just couldn't get past Wesley being such a selfish, entitled scumbag. Not only that, but he acts like an absolute pig to Kate on any number of occasions. When she has a panic attack in a crowded carriage, has to get out and is obviously feeling queasy and begs to walk, he just orders her to get back in and ride ‘like the rest of us’. It's basically the opposite of gentlemanly, considerate behaviour. And when Kate, who I liked very much for her fierce determination and honesty, drops a truth bomb on him and Wesley realises he's behaving like his despised father, well, one would have thought that might spark some introspection and maybe even an apology. Instead, he forces a kiss on Kate to make her shut up. He handles her roughly any number of times, grabbing her arm and also touching her and repeatedly entering her room uninvited, uncaring of any potential damage to her reputation.

Frankly, Lord Wesley has Abusive Husband written all over him. Whenever anything doesn't go his way, he resorts to blackmail, cheating or violence. He very much does not fit my definition of a romance hero.

While I found few typos, there were some confusing word choices - I'm not at all sure how one eats fruit like a ‘ravished street urchin’, for example - and a few other things that irritated me, such as Lord Wesley’s eyes being described as ‘blue, green and brown’ (yes, all at once). Please either pick one or call them hazel. Otherwise it just reads like the author can't make their mind up.

Considering how horrible I found Lord Wesley and his treatment of Kate, this story does not in any way depict an admirable romantic relationship and I cannot therefore give it more than one star.

A Mistress for Penndrake was my first book by Tammie Bailey and I loved it. From the synopsis, I expected something totally different, not that it was misleading. It was not the book I thought it would be. We do not meet Garrett, the cause of all of the confusion between our heroine, Kate, and hero, Lord Wesley. Kate receives a letter from Garrett telling her to steer clear of Lord Wesley. And, that Garrett is coming home soon, to wait for him. While Lord Wesley has received a letter from Garrett telling him that he must marry Kate in order to have his family estate Penndrake returned to him. The reader is not sure if Garrett is playing devil’s advocate or planning the best scheme ever between these two unsuspecting people.

The chemistry between Kate and Wesley is immediate and genuine. They cannot seem to keep their hands and lips away from each other. Wesley, who plans to seduce and ruin Kate as revenge against Garrett, seems to find himself constantly ‘saving’ her and protecting her from all manner of situations. He realizes quickly that she is claustrophobic, but does not use it against her unless it is to his advantage. With all of his plans to ruin her, he just does not take the final step in doing so.

One moment he seems cruel to Kate, the next he is kissing and fondling her. Yet again, he still does not take the final step toward ruining her. For her part, Kate tries not to fall under Wesley’s spell, but does any way. Wesley has items that belong to Kate and she wants back. She knows only that Garrett has something of Wesley’s that he wants back. At nearly the beginning of the book, Wesley maneuvers Kate and her family into staying at his home Penndrake so he can further his plan to seduce her.

As you continue to read, you begin to wonder what is really happening between Kate and Wesley. And, you want Garret to return so he can clear up the situation. Nothing turns out the way you believe it will, but it is a really good ending for the HEA. Ms. Bailey seems to be a talented writer with a gift for turning a phrase and any situation into an interesting one.

A Mistress for Penndrake by Tammy L. Bailey

Great meet-cute for Kate and Nathaniel when she chases her hat and he follows her… The fact that they had both received letters from the same person that in essence told them to do opposite things made for a great beginning to the story…she is averse to being with him and his goal is to be with her by hook or crook.

There was a bit of an evil stepmother feeling in Kate’s Aunt Sophie and her cousins were a trial at times…much as Cinderella’s stepsisters were to her. The story had cousin Edward pulling strings from outside until he appeared on the scene and manipulated things in person.

I liked most of the story and ended up happy with the ending of the book even wishing that this might be the first book in a series in which we will hear more about the two younger cousins of Kate and just who her manipulative but loving cousin Edward will end up with. The writing felt in keeping with the time period though the mixed emotions of Nathaniel got a bit old at times. All in all it was an enjoyable read and I would read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing-Amara for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Kate Holden would like to remain singe and become a governess. She has been hurt in the past and has decided that love is no longer for her, she doesn't want to risk her heart again. She suddenly receives a letter from her cousin Edward telling her to stay away from Lord Wesley.

Lord Wesley is trying to regain his ancestral home that was lost in a wager. He is willing to do what it takes in order to succeed. He also receives a letter telling him how he can go about doing this very thing.

With so many against them, will they overcome all the obstacles? Kate refusing to be with another man and Lord Wesley unwilling to let the chance go that he has in gaining all back for his family. The many women who want Lord Wesley and the men that Kate's father is willing to give her to for money.

I enjoyed that the attraction was instant and also that there was quite a story in order for these two characters to come together. I enjoyed the humor, the misunderstandings, the drive that each one had to hold on to their own dreams and the love that ultimately overcomes everything.

I look forward to reading more from this author, I truly enjoyed the story of Kate and Lord Wesley. I would like to thank NetGalley and Tammy L. Bailey for the opportunity for an advanced copy of this wonderful story. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. It is exceptionally written story with some amazing characters. I quite enjoyed reading it. I think it's a must read for all historical fiction fans.
It all starts when Miss Holden's cousin decides what is best for her without considering her feelings. But soon after he regrets his actions and writes a letter of warning to her. She doesn't know the whole story so she assumes the worst about Lord Wesley and makes up her mind to stay away from him at all costs. However that won't be so easy for her. Lord Wesley is the most handsome man she has ever met and she feels very attracted to him. No matter how much he tries to remind herself to not to trust him she still feels a pull towards him and simply cannot avoid him...
Lord Wesley is not happy about the letter he received from Edward. He will not let someone else dictate his life so he decides to play a little game of his own. Unfortunately for him, Miss Holden is not the kind of woman one can ruin without consideration. Soon he starts having feelings for her, but he cannot do anything about it. There is no way they can both end up together... either way they will be heartbroken.... Still he is going to try to make things right even if that's the last thing he did!
It's a great novel, definitely worth reading.

Publisher's Description:

The Marquess of Wesley is out for blood. For a year, Lord Wesley has tried to undo the devastation his father left to Penndrake, their ancestral home, only to discover the man gambled it away right before his death. Now Wesley is being blackmailed by the new owner into marrying a woman he’s never met in order to get it back. But his intentions are less than honorable…

At one and twenty, Miss Kate Holden intends to become a governess, having sworn off all men years ago. However, her plans are halted when she receives a daunting letter from her cousin about a Lord Wesley. Ignorant of the name, and the devilish marquess that wears it all too well, she nearly ends up compromised. Refusing to fall prey to Wesley’s skillful seduction, Kate decides to turn things around on the rake. But the high-stakes game between them soon leads to her losing the last thing she expected…her heart.

My Thoughts:

This is a new to me author. Her previous novels have been contemporaries so I had not read any of her books. She did, however publish one historical novella before writing this book and I went back and read that one. This book is her historical romance novel debut.

This is a delightfully funny book at times with the by play between our hero and heroine. It has an underlying Cinderella feel with the aunt and cousins who treat Kate like a servant.

Our hero, The Marquess of Wesley has a demanding attitude when it comes to Kate. He insists that she follow his dictates although this is most certainly not in her nature.
This couple is more argumentative than loving through most of the book and you wonder if this could possibly lead to a Happily Ever After.
I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 3 of 5 flames. The intimacy is almost nonexistent but teases us to the very end with heated kisses.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This epic romantic story is an adventure of the ups and downs and ins and outs of the rough road of true love. Kate and Wesley. I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d enjoy yet another historical romance (I’ve already read over 200 so far this year) but the author had me hooked from the start! I was entirely lost in the story and hated coming to the end. Read other books by this author and have never been disappointed.

A sizzling battle of wills that scorches the pages. The story is filled with words hurled back and forth as weapons in a war to see who will give in first to the feelings crackling between the two major characters. The push and pull between then is what makes this book such a page turner. In the end they both win as they get their happily ever after.

High stairs indeed. Watching these two circle each other like prey are funny. Both have their minds set on the things they want out of life and neither wants to compromise.

A Mistress for Penndrake by Tammy L. Bailey is an entertaining Regency Romance. Ms. Bailey is a new author, and for a debut author did a great job with this story. I did find it a bit slow at times, predictable, but entertaining, humorous at times, and enjoyed watching the H/H with their witty banter and laugh out loud moments. The heroine is a strong, and feisty. The hero is demanding, and arrogant. Together they made an interesting pair. The banter, struggles and challenges along with the plot pulled this story together nicely. Ms. Bailey's writing style is interesting and entertaining. Written in third person POV, the revenge part of the hero, needed a bit more telling, some readers may misconstrue the premise or not totally understand. What the hero believed was not a true understanding of the circumstances. Although, both parties were being a bit manipulated, they soon come to terms with their feelings, when they nearly lost it all. Overall, I think this author did a great job, while I felt some things were a bit repetitive, I felt Ms. Bailey pulled off an entertaining and interesting Regency Romance. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Great job, Tammy L. Bailey! Entertaining and a fun read!
I received a complimentary copy, however, all opinions are my own.

This story was one of those that entices you with an intriguing synopsis, and starts off strong, only to fizzle out. At first, I enjoyed Kate and Wesley's interactions. They both came across as stubborn and it was obvious they had chemistry and intrigued one another. I didn't even mind his original plan to ruin her (although I was curious as to how the author was going to play that one out). I didn't even mind the vapid cousin or the selfish Aunt. In fact, I kind of hope Claire gets her own story as I KNOW there is more to her than what we learned in this story.

No, where this one lost me was the constant back and forth (to the point it became tedious) of Wesley trying to push her away. They would come close to ruination, she would practically pour her heart out to him, and he would find one reason or another to push her away (once to the point he almost lost her for good). Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for angst, but this was just too much and too often. Even when he came to terms with his feelings for her, and hers for him, he still continued to be "hot and cold" towards her and often when he was "cold" he was downright rude. I'm honestly surprised she didn't slap him on more than one occasion.

However, when I look at this entire story as a whole, I feel this novel may still appeal to the majority of historical romance fans. I would give this author another chance!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

A Mistress for Penndrake by Tammy L. Bailey is my first book by this author ...i would say not bad ....quite promising even though the story was predictable ... the plus factor is the humour & hilarious dialogues, scenes which was quite comical and entertaining....

Nathaniel,The Marquess of Wesley is striving to regain his heritage and trying to undo the devastation his father left to Pendrake, their ancestral home. He discovers his father gambled it away . Now Wesley is being blackmailed by the new owner into marrying Miss Kate Holden, a woman he’s never met. Miss Kate Holden intends to become a governess, having sworn off all men years ago. Kate wants nothing to do with Wesley, having been warned by her cousin, Edward ...

Kate and Wesley are instantly attracted to each other when they meet.The way Wesley goes about his lust,love it feels a bit rushed & not genuine... Kate on the other hand is cautious & a skeptical of the whole affair...both of them are strong characters .After many misunderstandings, goof ups, confusions ,both acknowlegde there love & overcome there circumstances .

A nice read from an author who is new to me & would definitely like to read more from her in the future. It sometimes felt like a Cindrella story when u read .I definitely Recommend it at least a once read asits quite entertaining...

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I enjoyed how Wesley and Kate challenged each other. They were also not afraid to ask each other difficult questions. Although, Wesley doesn’t have good intentions with regards to Kate, he struggles with following through, and the progressions of his feelings for her are revealed throughout the story. Kate too struggles with her feelings and realizing that the plan she had for her life before she met Wesley isn’t really what she wants.

I really enjoyed Kate and Nathaniel's story!

Kate and Nathaniel meet unexpectedly and are instantly attracted to each other. But Kate soon learns that he is the man that her cousin has warned her to stay away from. Nathanial on the other had is being blackmailed to marry the woman he finds so attractive. But he won't allow that to happen. He plans on ruining her and getting his ancestral home back without being forced to marry.

The back and forth between Kate and Nathaniel take us on a merry chase. I enjoyed watching these two fall in love and get more than they ever bargained for!

I liked this book more than I thought I would based on the first few chapters. Upon our lead characters "meet cute", they fall into immediate heavy lust, which was very hard to believe. It's the reason I wasn't sure I'd continue reading. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the whole rest of the book dealt with our leads dealing with their feelings, both for each other and for their situations in life. Some of it was a bit repetitive, but their struggles made it all the more interesting. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I voluntarily borrowered and read this book. My opinions are my own. This is a story about Kate and Wesley. Kate is older and once was in love but was rejected and left her unwilling to trust again. Wesley is a rake with a reputation who must get his home back from Kates cousin. He decides he wants to ruin Kate to thwart her cousin's manipulations. There is intense attraction between the two and they seem to spend a lot of time together while Kate's family is rather oblivious quite a but. Kate's and Wesley's thoughts and emotions are very up and down and nit consistent. They change their ideas too frequently. Also it was hard picture their body positioning in descriptions. That can be improved. I did like the book but would like more fine tuning.

Very simple historical romance set in 1814 England, narrated 3rd POV by Kate, the cute female protagonist. About 280 pages full length novel.