Can a broken engagement ignite the spark of true love?
This book is at times very confusing then it becomes clear again.
I had some difficulty following the plot therefore I gave the book 2.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development.
It is not one of my favorites I have read and it doesn't entice me to read other titles by this author although the ending makes me give her another chance before writing her off entirely.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Sylvia Dowder was engaged until her intended inherited a title and decided she was not worthy enough to be his wife. After this disappointment, Sylvia goes to work for the Everton Domestic Society and also secretly writes a gossip column. American Anthony Braighton is the newly-named Earl of Grafton and his family is pressuring him to marry. He hires Sylvia to act as his hostess and assist with events required by his new status and title.

The attraction between Anthony and Sylvia grows and develops as they work together. Anthony comes to love Sylvia, but she is afraid to believe in love because of her failed engagement and tells Anthony that love is for fools. Anthony's friend, Miles, tells him that men in love are the biggest fools of all. Fenichel deftly brings these two fools for love together for a HEA.

This third book in Fenichel's Everton Domestic Society series was very pleasant and can be read as a stand alone.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this well-written historical romance. Sylvia works for the Everton Domestic Society and secretly writes a gossip column. She gave up on romance after her fiance unexpectedly became a viscount and broke off their engagement to seek a wife of higher social standing. Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton does not need a wife. Instead, he hires Sylvia as a decorator and a hostess for upcoming events. Neither of them expect to be fascinated by each other and start to think about some things differently. This was an entertaining book and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Sylvia Dowder lives in Everton House and works for the Everton Domestic Society. Secretly, she also writes articles about people of the ton for the Weekly Whisper under the name Mable Tattler. Sylvia has a twin sister, Serena. Sylvia had once been engaged to Hunter Gautier. But shortly before the wedding, he inherited the title of Viscount of March. He immediately broke off the engagement to Sylvia because she was not good enough for his new title. Hurt and angry, Sylvia decided to work for the Society. She is no longer interested in looking for a husband. This angers her mother greatly.

Rushing down the stairs to send out her latest article, she runs into a man. He is Anthony Braighton, an American, who has recently become the Earl of Grafton. He is looking to hire someone from the Everton Domestic Society to be a hostess to help him with events with regard to his new title and status. Jane Everton, head of the Society, wants Sylvia to take on the task. In addition, he needs help decorating the townhouse he inherited on Grosvenor Square.

Sylvia impresses Anthony with her decorating and social skills. He is a man who has said he is not interested in marriage. Having been hurt and embarrassed by the Viscount of March, Sylvia feels she would not measure up to marry a titled man. Yet they cannot deny their attraction to one another. They go their separate ways, but will they stay away from one another?

Another well-written romance novel by this author. I have enjoyed a number of her books and look forward to reading more in the future. I’m sure other readers will enjoy it as well.

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

I haven't read the first two books in this series but it didn't matter, this book stands alone quite well, although now I do want to read the first two books as well!!!

Sylvia Dowder is the Everton Domestic Society's party planner to the ton. She has decided never to marry after having endured a scandal 3 weeks before she was to marry, being told by her fiancé that she wasn't good enough for him now that he had a title.

Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton, hires Sylvia to redecorate his homes, as well as to plan a ball and be his hostess. He has also decided that he's too young to marry and wants to enjoy life and travel with no attachments.

Neither of them are ready for the feelings and attraction they feel towards each other!! Tony decides to pursue her but she refuses to acknowledge what she feels for him because she's got it in her head that she's not good enough for him. All I can say is that it's a good thing Tony has a lot of patience because she sure gives him the run around! lol Actually, I got a little tired of her hot then cold attitude throughout the story. Apart from that, it was a wonderful story.

I was given a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When Sylvia's fiancé unexpectedly becomes a Viscount, he dumps her. This not only causes her to lose her confidence, she also becomes the talking point of society. Her solution is to become an Everton Lady. Anthony is an Italian American who has suddenly inherited a British earldom, and needs help in being accepted by society as an earl. When he goes to the Everton agency for help in arranging acceptable entertainments, Sylvia is assigned to the case and things get interesting. I enjoyed this book.

A Lady's Virtue by A.S. Fenichel is book Three in the Everton Domestic Society Series. This is the story of Sylvia Dowder and Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton. This can be a standalone book.
Sylvia was all set to marry but her future husband received a Title and left her to find a suitable match for his title. Sylvia as sworn off the aristocrat men and turned her focus on being a secret gossip columnist along with her being a party planner for the Everton Domestic Society. Anthony is an American who has inherited the Title of Earl of Grafton, who insist that he doesn't need to marry and goes forward to prove this. Sylvia is to be his party / host planner which adds to his firm belief that marriage isn't something he needs. But what each didn't count on was the attraction they have for each other, which makes their set goals hard to keep.

I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This novel is focused on Romance! I highly recommend this novel for fans of romance novels.

Sylvia Dowder had almost made it to the altar when her fiancé unexpectedly became a viscount when his elder brother dies, and dropped her like a stale crumpet to make a more “suitable” match. Though Sylvia’s heart has been crushed, her spirit has not. She puts her wits and social savvy to use as a secret gossip columnist and as an Everton Domestic Society lady. Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton & brother of Sophia from The Tainted Bride was raised in America & sees no reason to marry when he can enjoy all the perks of being an eligible earl. Determined to convince his family he doesn’t need a wife, he hires The Everton Domestic Society to employ one of their ladies to act as hostess and decorator for upcoming parties. Sylvia is chosen & is as adept at captivating his interest as she is at beautifying his home.
A well written well paced story that I really enjoyed. I loved Tony & how he was so protective of Silvie & was even willing to give up his wine for her. I really liked Silvie but I did want to shake her at times for dithering over Tony. I loved that characters from earlier books in this series & also The Tainted Brides series made appearances, I loved ‘catching up’ with them. I hope Miles has his story as someone seemed to catch his eye! I was a little disappointed that more wasn't made of Silvie's writings for a journal but otherwise a captivating read that I read in under a day
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the third book in this series. It's a wonderful addition to the other books. I loved the characters and the love story. The book is well written and can be read as a stand alone. Would recommend!

Love this series! And this might be my favorite one in the bunch.

Becoming the Earl of Grafton would be a blessing to most, but Anthony feels it's actually been a huge inconvenience because it comes with so many expectations from so many people. One of those expectations comes from his mother - the expectation that he should marry, and soon. Meanwhile, Sylvia is back on the shelf after a broken engagement so she signs up with the Everton Domestic Society to give herself a purpose and a future. She's the perfect person to help aristocrats because she's smart and efficient and there's no chance she'll ever fall for one.

In the hope of convincing his mother he doesn't need a wife, Anthony retains an Everton lady to put together a few gatherings at his home to introduce himself to the ton. He and Sylvia work well together and soon respect turns to admiration turns to affection. Anthony resists falling for Sylvia because he doesn't want the additional responsibility, and Sylvia resists because she fears being hurt. A little bit of push and pull results, and plenty of their friends and family get in on the hi-jinks to help them get their HEA.

Well-paced plot, delightful characters, and palpable chemistry between the leads make this an outstanding historical romance.

This is an enjoyable addition to the Everton Domestic Society series. Everton is an employment agency of sorts. They provide ladies to perform tasks such as introducing a debutant to society, planning events, matchmaking, etc. for their clients. All of the proprieties are met and the ladies are provided with chaperones, transportation, etc. during the performance of their tasks. They also live at Everton House.

Sylvia Dowder had spent five years of her life being courted by and betrothed to Hunter Gautier. A month before her wedding, Hunter inherited the title of Viscount March and promptly ended the betrothal – because Sylvia wasn’t lofty enough in society to be a Viscountess. Between that punch to the gut and her mother’s constant belittlement and preaching about the perfidies of the male of the species, Sylvia knew she couldn’t/wouldn’t marry. She also decided that she couldn’t live with her mother’s constant belittlement any longer and applied to become an Everton Lady.

Anthony Braighton was rocking along in his life quite happily until his much-loved cousin died and Anthony inherited the title – Earl of Grafton. Tony didn’t want to be an earl and he certainly doesn’t want to marry as his mother is constantly prodding him to do. He can’t do anything about the title, but he can show his mother that he is perfectly capable of meeting his obligations without marrying. He’ll just hire an Everton Lady to plan several social events and at their successful completion, his mother will understand that he doesn’t need a wife.

There is an immediate attraction between Tony and his Everton Lady, Sylvia. However, neither of them want to admit it – and neither wants to act on it. Tony is quicker to ‘give in’ and admit he wants Sylvia than she is. The road to gain her trust is not an easy one – and until about the last chapter in the book you don’t see how they are going to get to their HEA.

I never did come to understand Tony's aversion to marriage. His parents had a happy and loving marriage as does his sister and a number of his friends. I can understand any young man not wanting to marry but Tony was adamant - because he had things he wanted to do. I did understand Sylvia's aversion. She'd suffered what I guess would be mental abuse her entire life. She was constantly told how bad men were, how they used women, etc. - and then with her engagement being broken as it was, she was totally convinced.

I’m not sure what it is with authors and alliteration in character names, but this book is another example – we have Sylvia, Serena, and Sophia. For this reader, that is usually a distraction because I’m constantly having to stop and remember which character is which. For some reason, that wasn’t an issue this time.

While I enjoyed the read, there were some inaccuracies and the use of more modern words – like okay. Tony talks about not accepting the title, giving up the title, etc. and that just wasn’t possible. The only way to get rid of the title was to die or be a traitor. Even the King couldn’t take the title away.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Lady’s Virtue by A.S. Fenichel is the newest book in the historical romance series Everton Domestic Society. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but sense they are delightful, I would suggest you read all three, if you have the time.

Sylvia Dowder was prepared to marry within weeks, when her fiance begged off, after all now he had a title, he could do much better. Her future was shattered and her mother was not an understanding character. Sylvia joined Everton Domestic Society to move beyond what she thought was her life. There she could help others with her knowledge of society, but not be expected to marry. She was not expecting to meet Anthony.

Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton is a new Earl after an unsuspected death in the family. As an American, he did not expect to inherit the title, nor was he ready to marry. He hires the Everton Domestic Society and Sylvia to help him make a start in his new lifestyle, by organizing a couple of events to highlight his new title and status. He was not expecting Sylvia

This series of books are historical romance from beginning to end from the main female character being forced to “work” to finding a lifetime love, but avowing it for reasons that seem simplistic to today’s society. Of course the man who falls in love with her is a man of money and a title that just cannot walk away! What is not to love! A Lady’s Virtue by AS Fenichel was a fun read.

‘A Lady’s Virtue’ follows Sylvia Dowder, who finds herself jilted by her fiancé after he becomes a viscount. However, she rises above the scandal and becomes part of the Everton Domestic Society whilst also working secretly as a gossip columnist. Anthony Braighton, the Earl of Grafton, hires Sylvia to decorate his home and organise his social events, in order to convince his family that he is not in immediate need of a wife. Having been raised in America, he finds the ‘ton’ difficult to understand and it is only on meeting that he realises that she might be what he wants.
Anthony was quite a refreshing character as he was less encumbered with displaying his feelings. Sylvia is carrying the burden of her rejection, and whilst she professes to not want to marry, she feels that she is ‘not good enough’ for Anthony, a point that she makes quite regularly. I must admit that Sylvia’s constant rejection of Anthony was a bit too frequent for this romance to continue as it did.
Overall, this was an endearing story, with two enjoyable characters. I did enjoy reading the different perspectives of the characters and this was done with the right balance. The writing style made this very easy to read and I was drawn in from the start. It was great to see past characters from the previous books reappear, but I must stress that this is a standalone novel.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Sylvia Dowder is a disgrace to her family due to a broken engagement by a cad she was engaged to but has finally found a place she can call home at the Everton Domestic Society. Her latest assignment is to act as hostess and decorator for American turned Lord Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton. He’s handsome to be sure but she vows never to trust her heart to an aristocrat again. She builds up walls and resists his advances at every turn. It’s only when his life is in danger that she must choose between past hurts and the love that awaits her in Anthony’s arms.



A Lady’s Virtue is book three in the Everton Domestic Society series and I must say, this is certainly the best one yet. Not only does the reader get to catch up on previous couples and what they’re up to but Sylvia and Anthony are a heart-wrenching couple.



Anthony is resistant to marriage and voices this sentiment often. He’s seen his sister and their friends couple up but it’s not for him. But Sylvia opens his heart and mind to the possibility. Sylvia, on the other hand, has gone through one scandal after another. She’s an embarrassment to her mother, a social climber if there ever was one, and Sylvia’s content to be a spinster, working for Lady Jane. When Anthony breaks through the walls around her heart, she’s visibly shaken. Love is a scary thing and the emotions Sylvia works through is heart-breaking for the reader.



I personally loved every minute of it! Another historical romance gem from A.S. Fenichel and I hope there’s more in the series. Highly recommend!



My Rating: 5 stars

DISCLAIMER 1: This is a stand alone story. You do not need to have read the others in order to enjoy this one. In fact, this is the first novel in this particular series that I have read, I was able to enjoy it and understand it. This may also have something to do with the fact that I met Anthony's sister Sophia in a prior series (another series you do not need to have read beforehand).

Speaking only to this story.....

I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. In fact, I feel like this story had a lot of unrealized potential. The writing style was strong, and the characters were likable. They even had some fun banter between them, but my god if they could just stop with the cliche nonsense.

He's an American who never thought he would inherit an English title in love with an English girl who was once thrown over by a man once he gained a titled. And while you can understand and sympathize with her to a point, if they were on good enough terms to call each other by their Christian names, they should be on good enough terms to speak plainly with each other and avoid these guessing games. I would also have liked some more information on what exactly the Everton Society is supposed to do considering Sylvia not only redecorates his house, but she also acts as "hostess" aka doing what a wife would do for his other events. It just seemed a bit.... out there.

Overall, I think this story will appeal to fans of historical romance, and I would read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER 2: 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.

My first book by A.S. Fenichel.
This book / series is about Everton Domestic Society Series. Good instant chemistry between the leads. Good romantic plot of the story. I will read more books by this author in the future.
Strong writing skills. Overall I would say kudos to the author for her accomplishment!

"A Lady's Virtue" by A.S. Fenichel
I love my Regency romances and I really do love my Everton Domestic Society ladies, too! Yes, by now you know I am ever so glad to have been able to spend time with Anthony and Sylvie as they grow. And learn that sometimes the best laid plans really do sometimes need to change. And the untold stories that have been a major influence in their fears and choices. There are some scenes with a bit more than holding-hands. I tend to be a bit prudish but was not put off by these encounters. So, truly wishing you ... Happy Reading !! always, always.
I received an ARC download of this story via NetGalley and this is a voluntary review.

I was excited to read this book because I thought the premise was compelling-- a lady falling in love with an employer (and him falling in love with her, obviously).

The hero, Earl Grafton (formerly Anthony Braighton, American raised but half-British/half-Italian merchant turned earl) is temporarily in England to please his mother, claim his earldom, do the typical earl things (attend balls, host balls, run his business interests, hunt, etc) before pursuing his dream of owning a vineyard/winery in Italy. He of course claims no desire to marry as he's too young (although his age isn't clear from the book).

The heroine, Sylvia Browder, is a twin. She was to marry a second son who suddenly inherited the viscountcy when his brother dies, and dumps Sylvia to pursue a better catch. She in turn joins the Ladies Society so she can leave home, get assigned to "lady-like" jobs through the Society and still be able to attend balls/parties, etc. She vows not to marry after her engagement is broken. On the side, she's secretly a gossip columnist.

The ladies society seemed anachronistic, but all right, with good writing, I can believe anything (witness Gareth by Grace Burrowes, where a lady requests a rake to teach her how to run a brothel! WTF).

So I came in open-minded, and ready to be wowed.

I was not.
I never realized how hard writing a historical must be.

The hero and heroine have to be likable but with some sort of discernible flaw that keeps them apart.
The dialogue should be snappy.
The descriptions should be interesting enough to tell a story.

The book failed on all counts.

The hero and heroine are immature and annoying. The heroine keeps falling over the hero and then tells him she can't have him because he's an earl and she's a nobody. He keeps pursuing her while she says no, even as he thinks she means yes. It's all quite confusing.
The chaperones are often giggly and stare down the hero, both of which would be unthinkable for anyone in that society, much less for older, more established women.

Several of the male characters insist the heroine call them by their Christian names, which would be unthinkable. It's explained in the book as them being "informal" but really, it's not informal in that society, it's inappropriate.

Some of the descriptions are cringeworthy: her body is described as "mouth-watering" (ew). He thinks of her as smart and funny. (Although there is hardly any sign of her humor in the book).

The love scenes toward the end are disappointing and weak. I say this as someone who enjoys a nicely written one. This is the worst of all worlds-- it's not clinical like Mary Balogh, nor steamy like Elizabeth Hoyt. It's got a paint-by-numbers "insert body part here" quality to it. Compounded with the fact that neither hero nor heroine are compelling, it's a big disappointment.

All of this detracted from what should have been a pleasant and predictable plot.

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I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Oh boy, did I love this book. I'm a recent convert to romance novels, and this one had me rapt. I could not put the book down and even was reading until I couldn't stay awake any longer.

Sylvie is an Everton Lady - one to be hired for assistance with domestic responsibilities. Tony is a new Earl, and American at that. The last thing he expected when he hired an Everton lady to redecorate his home was to fall in love. Sylvie's quick wit and fiery passion have him hypnotized, and both of their lives have changed.

I absolutely loved these characters and the writing was exactly what I wanted. Shifting perspectives done right! I will absolutely be going back to read the first two books in this series.