What a Widow Wants features a second chance romance between a widow and the man who has her questioning everything.

After her period of mourning Fanny, the widowed Lady Tarkington, is ready to finally have some fun. Her first foray into society is to a masquerade dressed as Aphrodite with a plan to seduce one of her dance partners. But when the masked warrior Fanny kisses turns out to be Lord Lathbury, the man whose proposal she refused years ago, Fanny realizes she may have ended up with more than she bargained for. Matthew is as charming now as he was when Fanny first knew him, and when he turns his considerable charms on her, Fanny starts to wonder if what she's always wanted is right in front of her.

Fanny didn't have the best marriage, her husband was a philanderer who didn't care about Fanny's feelings. So while Fanny has technically just come out of mourning, she stopped grieving for her lost marriage long ago. I struggled quite a bit with Fanny's character as she's a bit all over the place about what she wants and is quite hypocritical on several occasions. She does get better over the course of the book, but liking her character was a slow start for me. Matthew on the other hand I liked immediately. He has been in love with Fanny for over ten years and that love has never wavered. He's an honest man and doesn't let others sway him from what he believes is right.

Fanny and Matthew's relationship gets off to a slow start outside of their physical relationship. Fanny has a lot of trust issues due to her husband and having not seen Matthew in seven years, she wants to get to know him again. While the two get to know each other again, they begin sleeping with one another almost immediately. There was one scene in Bath that was particularly steamy and very well done. I did have a minor issue with the pair's relationship that is somewhat of a spoiler. [Fanny and Matthew had an affair three years into Fanny's marriage. While Fanny's marriage was essentially over at that point with her husbands numerous affairs, she was still married and I absolutely hate cheating in my romances. On top of that after the two meet again, Fanny makes plans to sleep with another man and although she didn't go through with it, it turned me off of her character. (hide spoiler)] I did end up enjoying the pair's romance more as the book went on and there was some unexpected suspense elements towards the book's end that I really liked.

Overall What a Widow Wants was an enjoyable read that just happened to include something I dislike in romances. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Much Ado about a Widow, as it follows my favorite of the widows.

Rollercoaster of emotions. I really enjoyed this story. It's well written and colorful. The characters are captivating even when the heroine is a bit selfish and the hero seems a bit foolish. The story is still entertaining and full of excitement. This is the 3rd book in the series but can read as a stand a lone.

This is the third book of the series but can be read as a stand alone. What a roller coaster of emotions! A great villain who lost his mind! Don't worry!- In the end they get their happy ever after.

Well this book was aptly named, every aspect was exactly "what the widow wants". Fanny exuded self-centeredness shown by the fact that every decision was solely based on what was best for her. I believe it what showed this best was one scene where it seemed as though her daughter was being treated harshly by another character and even though Fanny sensed this, still without hesitation, left her in this woman's care. I couldn't come back to her side after that, in fact, her daughter showed more maturity than she ever did. Matthew was lucky in the end that Fanny needed him to come to her rescue because if not for that, I don't see her committing a lifetime to him at all. I would say he deserved a lot better but the fact he spent years of putting up/waiting for Fanny didn't speak well to his character either.

I enjoyed this story of Fanny, a young widow, who while recently out of mourning has yet to decide if she ever wishes to remarry after the death of her unfaithful husband. Instead she is toying with the idea of playing the ‘merry widow’ as several of her friends have done, as she and her young daughter are somewhat financially secure. But should she toy too long, Fanny may find herself in dire straits as Lord Matthew has loved her fir years and he is pursuing her for marriage, at what point will he walk away?
The plot thickens with additional intrigue from more than one tangle, and it’s just riveting enough to keep those pages turning. I hesitated to put the book down and recommend it as it’s thoroughly entertaining.

I like Jenna Jaxon books only this one misses the mark. I felt that she was being selfish she mourned for a year. Then lead on an old love and continued to turn down his proposals. Finally, she sees the light but she was still selfish along the way. I dd finish the book just a lot of angst.

Frances, Lady Stephen Tarkington, is finally out of mourning for her husband and wants to enjoy life as a merry widow for a change. At her first ball she once again meets up with Matthew, Lord Lathbury, the man whose proposal she turned down before she accepted Stephen's proposal. Matthew has loved Fanny since he first met her 11 years ago and he thinks they can finally be married. Except, Fanny turned him down again. He vows he'll keep asking her until she agrees.

I usually enjoy Ms. Jaxon's books, but this one was not my favorite. I didn't like Fanny that much. She seemed so selfish first encouraging Matthew, then refusing his proposal multiple times. She also was not a very good mother, preferring to go to house parties instead of taking care of her child. Matthew had a one-track mind, but when Fanny confessing a secret she recently found out about, Matthew storms off leaving her to try to pick up the pieces. These two finally do have their HEA, but there's a lot of twists and turns to get through first.

What a Widow Wants is the third book in Jaxon’s latest series and I am hooked on this author. I have to say, this is my first time reading this author, and I was very intrigued by this story and I am so glad I took a chance on this author because it was well worth the read, but it was very different from most regency romances I have read in the past. I did enjoy the unique spin that Jaxon pulled with this book and seeing this story develop even if I did have some issues with the story overall.

What a Widow Wants begins with our heroine, Fanny, who has just come out of mourning when losing her husband of ten years. She is not grieving him though, he was not a great husband to her. Fanny thought she loved him, but she was fascinated by his charm and rakish ways and even though there was another man that she was in love with too, she chose wrong and ended up paying for it. But three years into her marriage she had an affair with Matthew, Lord Lathbury, that was kept secret and only the two of them knew about and Matthew wanted Fanny to run away with him but she refused. She returned back to her husband, gave birth to a daughter and moved on with her life even though her heart has never forgotten Matthew. But when she comes out of mourning, Matthew enters her life determined to win her completely over and have her as his wife, she is the only woman he has ever loved. But when a truth is revealed to both of them, it could create a huge scandal and Fanny will have to choose over the risk of a scandal or true love….

There is some complex issues that are put into play in this book but I really enjoyed it although I did struggle with the whole heroine cheating on her husband even if he had countless affairs. But I did understand it to a point in some ways too. But what I really adored was seeing the hero chase the heroine with such determination. He wants her so badly and loves her and has to wait a long time to have her. But Fanny is fearful because of her first marriage and for the sake of her daughter, she wants to make sure that Matthew wouldn’t hurt her too. But I didn’t understand the later conflict either of the scandal and I just couldn’t see why Fanny wouldn’t be with Matthew when the truth comes out. I like secrets like this though because neither of them knows the truth until everything is revealed in a very shocking way and Jaxon really surprised me with this one here.

I did find their love story to be endearing though, and I really liked seeing these two find their second chance to have a future together and I really became hooked into the story. Now I will admit that there are some slow parts in the beginning, its not quite as engaging but once you get to about 30% of the book that is where it really picks up and I quickly became invested in this couple’s story and wanting to see how they would find their HEA and boy with each chapter it only got better and better. The last part of the book really shocked me in some great ways, because I didn’t expect that much intensity and a bit of suspense that we see happen and it was so beautifully done and I want to grab the earlier books of the series because I am falling in love with this writer’s storytelling.

This was an enjoyable story about a widow do ding herself after a year of mourning. I was frustrated at some predictable plot points, however I was pleased with the ending.

WHAT A WIDOW WANTS is the third book in Jenna Jaxon's Widows' Club series. Even though it is part of a series, WHAT A WIDOW WANTS works as a standalone novel. This series is about a group of women who are friends as well as widows. Their individual circumstances are very different, but each widow has some difficulty to overcome. These stories are told in such a way, that they detail how each widow gets to the same point in time - Charlotte's house party for widows looking for some fun with attractive bachelors. WHAT A WIDOW WANTS will appeal to readers who enjoy "second chance at love" stories.

Fanny, Lady Stephen Tarkington, and Matthew, Lord Lathbury, have a history and reunite after seven years apart. Fanny is a woman who desperately wants the freedom that widowhood provides. Her late husband was a rake who tortured her with his numerous infidelities. Her marriage cost her the one man she loved and who loved her. Now that she has a modicum of freedom, Fanny wants to test her wings and indulge in a little pleasure while she still can. Matthew has always only wanted Fanny, in whatever way he could have her. He wants to marry his true love but her previous disastrous marriage makes her understandably cautious. This hero and heroine are very realistically flawed and battle each other, and outside troublemakers, in order to attain happiness together. Jenna Jaxon tells a love story that seems epic and the main characters break their own hearts before finally figuring out what they truly want and what they're willing to do in order to keep love. Jenna Jaxon balances drama, sexual tension, and danger in WHAT A WIDOW WANTS.

WHAT A WIDOW WANTS is a gripping story of love that won't be denied and hard-fought happiness. Matthew's friend Kinellan seems like a hottie and I hope to read more about him soon. I look forward to the next scintillating installment in this Widows' Club series by Jenna Jaxon.

Fanny has finished her morning for her cad of a husband. She wants to embrace her new freedom that only a widow can have. At a masquerade, Fanny encounters the man whose proposal she rejected years ago, Matthew, Lord Lathbury.

Matthew has one goal this season, to make Fanny his wife. With Fanny doing everything she can do to set the tongues of the ton wagging, will Matthew be able to tame her?

What could have been a great second chance at love novel ended up with me screaming at the characters. Fanny was selfish and annoying. The book should have ended after the masquerade when Fanny rejects Matthew's proposal again. Matthew should have found a new woman that would love him.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

3..5 stars . This was so different. If your expecting a traditional historical romance this is not the book for you. The widow Fannie is a hot mess. She is too hot to trot even for her hero. She wants to sleep around and enjoy her freedom. This heroine is TSTL. II was angry at how she strung Matthew along. I enjoyed this book over all but I struggled with it at the beginning. The ending was the saving grace. It was worth reading. The twist and turns just kept coming. I am considering reading the next books.

The widowed Lady Francis Tarkington aka Fanny is ready to enjoy her freedom a rather risqué lifestyle. Her first marriage was a disaster and she will not make the same mistake again, even Matthew, Lord Lathbury had a title and proved to be the better man. Franny fell in love with Matthew but as things go, she ended up marrying another man, the wrong man. Franny is open to an affair with Matthew, she’s just not sure she’s ready for another marriage when Matthew propose to her. This time around Matthew is determined to marry Franny even as he tries to outsmart her at her own game using all his wicked skills to persuade her to the altar. This my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. What A Widow Wants is the 3rd book in Jenna Jaxon’s The Widows’ Club Series. I have to admit I spent the first half of the book strongly disliking the heroine Lady Stephen Tarkington (Frances) or Fanny to her friends. She was flighty, self absorbed, an absent parent and appeared to be quite shallow. Her period of mourning has ended and she wants to go out a have fun and flirt with lots of men. The last thing she is looking for is a new husband. Matthew, Lord Lathbury has always loved Fanny, he’s waited for her for 10 years and is dejected when she turns him down flat when he proposes once again and suggests maybe they could just be lovers instead.
Fanny ended up growing on me and the story twisted and turned with danger and melodrama.
Medium Steam. Publishing Date December 18, 2018. #NetGalley #WhatAWidowWants #JennaJaxon #KensingtonBooks #LyricalPress

I liked this historical read. The story is fast-paced with plenty of drama. I had a like/didn’t like relationship with the characters and found the story entertaining. A good read.

3.5 stars
What a Widow Wants by Jenna Jaxon is book Three in The Widow's Club series. This is the story of Matthew, Lord Lathbury and Frances 'Fanny' Tarkington.
Fanny has been a widow for about a year when she decides to go to a Masquerade ball where she meets a mystery man who turns out to be not such mystery. It was Matthew a man who had asked her to marry him but she chose the man she married, who wasn't really the best choice. Now would be there second chance at a relationship but it doesn't go easy.

A story of a lost chance at a true love, only to accept another choice that did not turn out well. In her coming out season, Franny fell in Love with Matthew but as things go, she ended up marrying another man she pursued. Finding out she had a cheating husband she did the same. What? Well, she took up with Matthew her old love.. Not good I would say. Years later, her awful husband passes away and she finds herself, after her year of mourning, free and feeling she will do as she pleases.
Meeting up with Matthew again, he still cares for her deeply, but she does not want to commit due to how she had been treated by her husband.
But there is a lot more at stake, a daughter, who was really not her husband's. A sick brother in law who means her and her daughter harm. Can Matthew save them and will Franny finally commit to him?
This is part of a series that runs parallel to the prior books and you see characters interacting. Although part of a series it can be read as a standalone

You can't help but feel for Fanny, the widowed Lady Stephen Tarkington, who finally is free after the death of a lousy husband and her period of mourning. She wants fun, using her widow's freedom to explore. And good for her! Of course, as luck would have it, the first stunning man she meets is bound to get married. He's also an old flame, Matthew, Lord Lathbury. How she moves from flirtation to trust is a story that is both compelling and, occasionally, frustrating. She is a little too stubborn -- but that makes her more human, and she certainly has many reasons NOT to trust men or marriage. This is a fitting end to what has been an enjoyable series. (I received an advance copy on NetGalley. Opinions are mine.)

Frances (Fanny), Lady Stephen Tarkington, is attending a masquerade ball hosted by Lady Beaumont. Fanny’s husband, Stephen, the youngest son of a marquess, was killed at Waterloo just a year ago. Fanny also has a six-year-old daughter. Tonight, Fanny is scandalously dressed as Aphrodite and she is eager to flit, flirt, and maybe enjoy a dalliance. Happy to finally throw off her mourning, she is ready to find a man with whom to have she can have a sexual encounter.

Fanny is soon approached by a man asking her to dance. She discovers he is Matthew, Lord Lathbury, whom she has not seen in seven years. He is an earl and had proposed to her before she ended up married to Stephen. Now, Matthew is proposing to her again. As much as she is attracted to him, she needs some time just to be free before deciding if she wants to marry again. However, she is open to having an affair with him.

Matthew is going to Brighton for some weeks along with his friend, Gareth, the eighth Marquess of Kinellan, so Fanny decides to go there with another widow friend as her companion. She rents a house and is looking forward to sharing some good times with Matthew.

As they relationship grows, Fanny is not sure whether she wants to marry Matthew or not. It seems that she would just be happy with having sex with the man and no commitments.

When I first started reading this book, I was really appalled at the blatant and cold way that Fanny approached throwing off her widow weeds just so she could have sex again. She came across as a total skank. I stuck with the book because I had enjoy another of her novels. It took some twists and turns and in the end, became a little better, but not a book I would care t read again. Since I did enjoy another book of hers, I would like to try to read her book(s) in the future and hope that this one was just a one-off.

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

What A Widow Wants is a good book, it’s also one of those books where I flipped between liking the characters, being confused by the characters and disliking things the characters did. In short, at times both Fanny and Matthew frustrated me with their actions, but I still enjoyed their story. Sorry, I don’t mean to make this review convoluted but I’m also trying to not give away spoilers… and for this story, that is not easy.

Do two wrongs make a right? No, they don’t, yet I found that I understood why the wrong happened but was disappointed by the actions that kept something so vital to another person’s life secret. Fanny and Matthew obviously love each other, it’s Fanny who is holding on to the temptation of her widow’s freedoms that was a major part of my frustration with this character. Matthew was not without his faults as well, so it’s not entirely on Fanny’s shoulders to save the day here. There are a few twists and turns, truths revealed that I saw coming – and maybe you will, too. In fact, What A Widow Wants is really quite believable and realistic for people make these bad choices every single day.

In the end, I enjoyed Fanny and Matthew’s romance in spite of their actions at times. I would gently suggest that if possible, you try to read this entire series for the friendship, the support system that these women have is also a large factor in their stories.

*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.*