Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this historical romance. Anne and Edward have a lot history together that culminates when he sees her again. She had hastily married someone else after he decides to leave on an indefinite journey. She becomes a widow and the escort of a much sought after debutante. Edward is looking for a rich heiress to save his estates but is conflicted with his feelings for Anne. Plenty of angst and romance. Well done.

I received an ARC of this book to read in exchange for a fair review. Lord Bredon and the Bachelor’s Bible is the second book in Mia Marlowe’s House of Lovell series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I have read and enjoyed the first book so do recommend reading it. Edward Lovell is a man of many titles ... previously Lord Bredon he is now the Earl of Chatham and with his new title comes a great deal of responsibility and a great deal of debt. The Batchelor’s Bible in the title is a book that has been making the rounds of gentleman's clubs because it contains a listing of heiresses and their dowries. Edward is fully prepared to make a marriage of convenience with one of the eligible young ladies when he once again meets Lady Anne Howard who captured his heart several years ago. Now widowed Anne is herding one of young heiresses through the season and while she may still love Edward she is not interested in giving up her freedom or forgiving him for abandoning her when he headed off on his Grand Tour. Add a murder mystery, some traitorous plotting and this second chance at love story will keep you engrossed. I did enjoy this book very much. Medium Steam. Publishing Date April 30, 2019.
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Edward Lovell has recently become the Earl of Chatham & he needs to restore his family’s estate to its former grandeur. The task requires not simply a wife, but a wealthy one. Thanks to The Bachelor’s Bible, he already has a particular lady in mind wealthy Martha Finch. He has only to convince her sponsor that he will make a suitable husband. Now a young widow, Lady Anne Howard is more beautiful than ever. Anne is not about to be taken for a fool a second time. When they last met, Edward was Lord Bredon, the man she adored the man who destroyed her dreams of a happy future.
A very engaging well written book. The characters were well portrayed, I really liked Edward & Anne, I also liked Martha & Reginald who added humour & light heartedness to the book. I had enjoyed Caro's story & was looking forward to Edward's story & I wasn’t disappointed. The pace is good. A captivating read of second chances with murder, assassination attempt & utter greediness of a pair of villains who I felt would have paid a higher price for their treachery. I look forward to more books by the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Maybe 3.5

Years ago when she was Miss Anne Spillwell and he was Edward Lovell, Viscount Bredon - they were in love and planned to spend the rest of their lives together. But his father didn't approve and told Edward to take his Grand Tour and when he returned, if they were still in love, he would let them marry. Edward left and was heartbroken when he learned Anne married Sir Erasmus Howard not long after he left.

Years later, Edward is now the Earl of Chatham and needs a rich wife to repair the finances of his estate. Thanks to the pamphlet circulating around town called the "Bachelor Bible", Edward knows the richest heiress on the marriage mart is Miss Martha Finch, daughter of Baron Finch. He doesn't want to marry for money, but really sees no other option, his one chance at love was lost years ago, so now he must consider everyone depending on him rather than his own feelings. But fate isn't done with Edward and Anne...

Lady Anne Howard is now a widow and since her dower portion is being shared with her late husband's mother, she has done what she can to cut expenses - including agreeing to sponsor Miss Martha Finch. At one of their first outings, she runs right into the man she loved and lost and can't help but feel hurt that he is considering marriage to Martha. But when Edward sees Anne again, his world shifts and he desperately tries to find a way to save his estate and have Anne in his life again.

However, Anne won't consider being his mistress and has secrets that she has never shared with anyone, nor does she want to. She tries to keep Edward at arm's length, but acknowledges that he is exactly the type of suitor Martha's parents want for her. The more Edward sees of Anne, the more he wants her and only her. Meanwhile, Anne is busy fending off the ineligible would be suitor, Reginald Dickey, the acknowledged, but illegitimate, untitled son of a duke, who is as captivated by Martha as she is of him. It looks like no one is going to get their heart's desire and more than one person is going to end up heartbroken. But where there is a will there is a way and when secrets are exposed, Edward will do anything to keep the woman he loves safe.

This was a good story, but it did seem to drag a bit for the better part of the book and the last 20% or so was so chocked full of events that I could barely keep up with what was going on. Personally, I would have liked a steadier pace throughout the book with some of the ending elements dispersed sooner rather than EVERYTHING happening at once. I also felt like the writing style was completely different from any Mia Marlowe book I have ever read (and I have read them all), it was just odd, nothing was familiar, not the dialogue style, turn of phrase or pacing. I did like all the characters, the mystery was pretty good, Anne's secrets were heart-wrenching, Edward's love was epic and Martha, Dickey and Caroline added much needed comic relief. This is the second book in the series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

when Edward Lovell the newly minted Earl decides he needs to marry in order to save his birthright he never expects to be comforted by his past.

Anne a widow and now sponsor to Martha Finch a rather unique young lady making her entrance into society never expects to have to face her past.

when Anne and Edward come face to face they realize you can't run from your past for long.

This book was a great read. It was fun, with light-hearted moments and lots of twists. It was what I would expect from a historical romance and I truly enjoyed it. I will admit Martha was one of my favorite character her bluntness was a breath of fresh air.

though I learned later on this is actually a squeal to another book it read like it was the first so it was easy to get into and to follow. Overall a great story about finding love again and second chances.

With the dowries of all the season’s debutantes exposed in its scandalous pages, The Bachelor’s Bible is a handy tool for an earl in need of an heiress . . .

Edward Lovell, newly minted earl, bears a weighty responsibility: to restore his family’s estate to its former grandeur. The task requires not simply a wife, but a wealthy one. Thanks to The Bachelor’s Bible, he already has a particular lady in mind. He has only to convince her sponsor that he will make a suitable husband. There’s just one complication: the sponsor is none other than the only woman he’s ever loved—and inexplicably lost. Now a young widow, Lady Anne Howard is more beautiful than ever . . .

Anne is not about to be taken for a fool a second time. When they last met, Edward was Lord Bredon, the man she adored—the man who destroyed her dreams of a happy future. Now he is pursuing the hand of the young lady Anne must keep safe from unscrupulous suitors. But who will protect Anne from the earl who still possesses her heart?. . .

This book has a rip roaring start but then bogs down. Had it been constant I would have read it in a short time but because of the nature of the read I found myself putting it aside for other books.
The idea of the bachelor bible which gives the men of the ton the lowdown on all of the debutantes and their dowries is perhaps not totally unique but I did find that an interesting tidbit.
I liked the hero and heroine but wish the book could have held my attention more consistently.
Still I would give the read 4 of 5 stars for story line and plot.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which i read and reviewed voluntarily.

I found this book just ok, the plot was enjoyable though a little far fetched and the characters were interesting but I felt I had read this book before, very similar to many others

I really enjoyed Edward and Anne's story. It was a reunion story, which is always fun!

They were in love years ago, but Edward's father made him go on a grand tour. When Edward left, Anne was forced to marry. She is now a widow and is chaperoning to make ends meet. Edward has decided to court a young woman for her large dowry and is surprised to learn that his former love is her chaperone. He is still in love with Anne, but needs money to same his estate. Will love triumph over his estate's survival?

I enjoyed this second installment in the House of Lovell series. I really enjoyed Anne and that she went after what she wanted in life after she became a widow. Strong women always make historical romances more interesting! I'm excited to see what Marlowe comes up with next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great chemistry with the characters. Storyline was good. Look forward to going back and reading first in series.

I remember the first book in this series, well to be more accurate I remember the characters. This story, like its predecessor doesn't really stand out from the other novels of this genre. In fact, I quite enjoyed the side story of Miss Finch and her potential romance than I did the one between Edward and Anne.

In what I'm starting to think of as the "typical historical romance" trope, Edward and Anne loved each other deeply when they were younger, but Edward was more or less coerced by his father to embark on his grand tour, leaving Anne behind. Anne gets married, becomes widowed, and now has to deal with her bully of a stepson and his waspish wife. Trying to branch out on her own, she agrees to sponsor Miss Finch, in exchange for a substantial payment provided her charge makes a good match.

Fast forward to "now" and Edward is in need of funds to keep his estate afloat. The kind of funds that are only accessible by marrying a woman with a substantial dowry. Unfortunately, he's still in love with Anne (who despite telling him she cannot marry him least he grow to resent her is all too happy to throw propriety to the wind and allow him liberties). The rest of the book muddles along well enough, there are a few interesting things that happen (such as I stated above Miss Finch and her potential romance).

Towards the end of the novel, a new side story pops up, having to do with murder and mayhem and to be honest, if this theme had been present from the beginning in larger detail? I feel this book would have been much more interesting.

Overall, I do believe this novel will appeal to fans of historical romance. I would read more from this author.

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.

Okay

What I liked:
The writing style
Some of the characters
Part of a series: The House of Lovell
Standalone
HEA

I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Lord Edward Lovell has newly inherited his title, the Earl of Chatham, and along with it an estate in need funds. He must marry an heiress if he wishes to restore his fortunes. Thanks to the Bachelor's Bible, a pamphlet detailing the dowries of the ton's eligible ladies, he knows just who he should focus his attention on. There is only one drawback; the lady he has chosen is being chaperoned by the one woman he could never forget.

Lady Anne Howard, gave her heart to Edward when he was still Lord Bredon, she promised to wait for him when he left on his grand tour, but life and her family had other plans. Now widowed she is embracing living on her terms but when Edward reenters her life her peace is threatened.

This was a slow starter for me. The book only becomes interesting toward the end. I found myself dislikening Anne if she had only spoken up and been honest with Edward. Can I just say that the author needs to decide on a name for Edward and stick to it. He goes by several variations, and even the title of the book doesn't match with the title he uses in the book. While the author does take her time in getting into the story, the ending is gripping and does redeem the story somewhat. I would try another book by this author as she does have talent, but perhaps a different one to this is needed.

I received an arc of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did not finish this book. Lord Bredon seemed stilted, I wasn't sure what to think about Anne, and Miss Finch was unpleasant. The way the characters acted seemed choppy and the story did not flow well. This book was not for me.

What a wonderful story! I was captivated from the first chapter, and that fascination with the story continued until the last page! What a storyteller. I lived hearing how both main characters felt, their angst, live and despair. I hated for the story to end. I can't wait to read the next in the series. Do yourself a davor and read this wonderful, romantic story!

More like 3.5 stars

Still mourning his father's recent death, Lord Edward Lovell, now the Earl of Chatham, is saddled with the responsibility of restoring the earldom to its former glory. To do that, he's decided he must marry for money, no matter how distasteful he finds that notion. Thanks to the Bachelor's Bible, a pamphlet delineating the estimated dowry's of the ton's eligible females, he knows just who he should focus his attentions on. Unfortunately, that young lady's sponsor is none other than Anne, the woman who still holds Edward's heart and whom he lost years ago.

Now widowed, Lady Anne Howard is still young and beautiful, but she's determined not to be hurt again. When she last saw Edward, he was still Lord Bredon and she was madly in love with him. Now she has no desire to give up her freedom for marriage and must somehow protect both her young charge and her own heart.

The timing just never worked out for Edward and Anne. He had intended to marry her upon his return from his Grand Tour of Europe (so they could marry with his father's blessing) only to learn she'd married another while he was away. Now he's not free to follow his heart and she won't lower herself to being his mistress. But the more Edward considers a life without Anne, the more he reconsiders his priorities and the responsibilities of the estate that bear down upon him.

I had a hard time getting into this one. The pacing was a bit slow and didn't quite peak my interest until finally for the last few chapters I couldn't put it down. Also, I really just didn't like Anne. She was entirely too wishy-washy and hypocritical for me and much of the troubles between her and Edward could've been eliminated or at least mitigated if she'd been honest with him, both before he left and years afterward when they were reunited. Her willingness to hurt him under the guise of not wanting to be selfish was just a bit trying for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A great story about second chances. She said she’d wait for him because that’s what he wanted to hear. He was forced on a Grand Tour by his father because she was unsuitable as his wife. She marries an older man shortly after he leaves. That marriage is one of convenience and not at all happy. The older man dies suddenly. Years later He inherits the Earldom and is responsible for so many lives. He must do what’s right by them so goes to land himself an heiress. The heiress is sponsored by our lady and he comes back into her sphere. Does she still love him and does he still love her? Throw in a pregnant sister and the Prince Regent and a murder plot. Hilarity ensues and our hero gets rewarded. I really liked this book.

Lord Bredon and the Bachelor’s Bible is another in author Mia Marlowe’s list of delightful Regency reads, of which I have been a fan since I first read Stroke of Genius. This offering is a lovely second chance romance with a little mystery thrown in to get the reader’s pulse racing. Widowed Lady Howard, Anne and Lord Bredon, Edward were in love and headed toward marriage when his father sent Edward on his tour abroad. Edward asked Anne to wait for him, but she didn’t. Now as the guide and chaperone for a young woman making her society debut their paths have crossed once again. The estate Edward inherited is nearly broke and he has been advised to wed a debutante with a rich dowry. Unfortunately, the richest dowry belongs to the girl placed in Anne’s care. Ms. Marlowe puts tongue in cheek once more to show readers just how superficial and absurd societal structures were during the period. She has written a devilish supporting character in Reginald Dicky, the acknowledged but still illegitimate son of a duke. Reggie, who constantly plays the clown is not as dumb as he pretends...lucky for readers. Anne has a few secrets of her own to also tease readers. Feeling fortunate to have received an advance copy of this book. My review is completely voluntarily. Most highly recommend.

Edward Lovell has become Lord Chatham, and with that has come incredible debt. His only solution appears to be to marry well. When he discovers The Bachelor’s bible, a book that reveals the young women who are wealthy, he decides to set his sights on Martha. However, he soon discovers that Martha’s chaperone is Lady Anne Howard, the woman he would have wed, if only she had not married another whilst he was on his European tour. Anne finds herself torn between her desire for Edward and her need to find herself financially independent through her work as a chaperone.
With all the works against the couple, there was always hope as both characters in their reflections, clearly love each other. The alternating stories were told with sensitivity and an easy style of writing, that I found myself thoroughly immersed in Edward and Anne’s story. This is a standalone novel, but it was wonderful to see characters from the previous book, entwined in their story (hint: well worth reading the first book, just for pleasure).
What sets this book apart, is the mystery of Anne’s husband’s death which is cleverly revealed and in almost a humorous manner. I really enjoyed several of the side characters of Marth and Mr Dickey, who almost threatened to take away from Anne and Edward, their parts so integral to the story. This book has it all: romance, mystery and great witty dialogues!
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn’t overly thrilled with this book. I’m really sad to say that this book seemed really drawn out with repetitive information . I could tell what was going to happen so far in advance that at about 40% I started skimming. The ending did get a lot better so there’s that but I just couldn’t get into this book. Maybe you will, and it was just me, so give it a try. The story was good but it could have been better had it been a novella.

Lord Bredon And The Bachelor's Bible is a phenomenal historical romance by Mia Marlowe. Ms. Marlowe has provided readers with a well-written book and filled it with an outstanding cast of characters. Edward is in need of an infusion of cash to bolster his coffers after his father's death and decides to wed the woman with the highest dowry. Anne had loved Edward but he left her to tour Europe and when Anne discovered she was pregnant she was forced to marry someone else. Anne and Edward's story is loaded with drama, humor, sizzle and suspense. I enjoyed every page of Lord Bredon And The Bachelor's Bible and look forward to reading more from Mia Marlowe in the future. Lord Bredon And The Bachelor's Bible is book 2 of The House of Lovell Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.