This is the third book in the Everton Domestic Society series and while several characters appear in earlier books, it’s not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this one. The Everton Domestic Society is a social temp agency. Instead of providing clerical assistance on a short-term basis, they provide the services of a cultured, talented lady to assist with social events without entanglements.

The new Earl of Grafton, Anthony Braighton. doesn’t want to marry but he needs a hostess to help him enter society in a style commensurate with his new role. Lady Sylvia Dowder is skilled as a hostess and party planner for the Society. After the scandalous breakup with her finance when his elevation to the peerage, she has the skills necessary to the job, without the danger of falling for the new Earl.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lady Sylvia is talented, spunky and will take no nonsense from anyone. She befuddles the new Earl, but also intrigues him. I hadn't read the previous books in the series before reading this book, but I have purchased them to read now.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is far and away my favorite AS Fenichel book! Anthony and Sylvia were aggravating and it was beautiful. I love slow burns and this almost got to be too much to bear. The instant chemistry when they first meet again after a few years was perfect. The back and forth between these two characters had me wanting to rip my hair out at times. Sylvia was especially frustrating, but after what she went through and Anthony’s constant refusal to get married, I completely understood why she was gun shy. But the sweet moments between all the aggravation were so swoony and had me on edge until the end to see these two together. I can’t say enough good things about this beautiful story!! I hope we get Miles’s book next!

A Lady's Virtue (Everton Domestic Society, #3) by A.S. Fenichel ...This is the 3rd book in the series EVERTON DOMESTIC SOCIETY and I'm am thankful to the author for allowing me to preview this book. Sylvia ( dumped three weeks before her wedding... joined Everton Domestic Society) Anthony (raised in America becomes a Earl when his cousin dies...) The fun starts when he hires an "Everton Lady" to help him come out as a Earl...he doesn't wish to marry and wants to prove to his mother he doesn't need to. Sylvia wants to help him and thinks herself on the shelf. I enjoyed their story and all the twists and turns, laughter and tears and a little steam all getting to their HEA. It was also fun to touch base with old friends from Everton. I can't wait for the next installment...

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Whimsical Steamy Great world building Entertaining Romantic Page-turner Happily Ever After Funny Easy-to-read Wonderful characters

This book was fun. One thing I really liked was how early Anthony realized he loved Sylvia. He knew he had to be cautious with her and convince her he would stick by her. That said, it's only been a day or two since I finished it and I'm already having trouble remembering it, which speaks to its staying power. I enjoyed the book and the romance was sweet, but it wasn't out of this world.

If you buy into the premise, I suppose this was an enjoyable Regency romance. But I just couldn’t buy the whole foundation of the plot. The idea is that Sylvia has been humiliated because her fiance jilted her three weeks before their wedding because he suddenly became a viscount and felt he deserved a higher-ranking and wealthier bride. After this shame and her parents’ disappointment in her, Sylvia felt so bitter and uninterested in having a man disappoint her again that she enjoys an employment business for women of quality. This is where I stopped suspending disbelief. We’re supposed to believe that there is an agency in Regency England where young women work for hire to do things like chaperone debutantes, take care of organizing parties for nobles, or arrange their interior design. These women are still considered women of quality and so there are also older widows working for the agency for the sole purpose of accompanying the younger woman and provide chaperonage. And all this is run by a noble couple who allow the female employees to live at their house. I can’t believe that there was anything at all like this in that period. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to hire out the older women instead of hiring out two women to do the job of one? And wasn’t it convenient that all the young women working for this agency somehow ended up attracting the attention of handsome, wealthy aristocrats who marry them?

But if you can buy that premise, then you might enjoy the romance between Sylvia and the American-born earl who hires her to do the business that a wife would do since he doesn’t want to get married. And, of course, he falls for the independent-minded Sylvia but is too much of a dunderhead to realize it until it’s almost too late.

I liked the two characters, but there was a bit too much of Tony going back and forth trying to figure out what he felt about Sylvia and then Sylvia goes back and forth on what she expects or would like from their relationship. And just when you think it’s all been figured out, there’s another delay and we have to read through a lot more of not very interesting, unnecessary plot extension. By that time, I just wanted them to reach the HEA we know is coming so I’d be done with them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

A Lady's Virtue
Everton Domestic Society #3
A.s. Fenichel
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sylvia Dowder was engaged and almost married when her fiance became a viscount after the death of a family member. The minute he came into the title he dumped her saying he wanted a more "suitable" match. Sylvia's heart was crushed, but not her spirit and in true Sylvia fashion she pairs her wits up with her social grace and decides to use them both to her advantage by becoming not only a secret gossip columnist, but an Everton Domestic Society party planner as well. She will be working hand and hand with the ton, but luckily for her, she's not endanger of ever falling for one of the tons aristocratic men again.

Anthony Braighton is the Earl of Grafton. Raised in America he wears his heart on his sleeve unlike the rest of the ton. He is different and he sees no reason to marry when he can enjoy everything society has to offer an eligible earl. Determined to convince and prove to his family that he doesn't need a wife her contacts the Everton Domestic Society and hires Sylvia to decorate his home and act as a hostess for his upcoming parties. Sylvia is as adept at captivating his intrest as she is at beautifying his home. Now he finds that despite his Everton Lady's aversion to titles men, some attractions can't be denied and love rarely goes where it's told to go.

A.s. Fenichel writes a brilliant story full of love and happiness in England during a time when the ton was notoriously tough on a lady that was involved in any scandle. These two main characters had instant chemistry that fairly sizzled off of the pages. I can't wait to read the next Everton Domestic Society installment.

I loved Sylvia and Tony's story!! The bantering between the two had me laughing out loud! They just seemed to click from the very beginning and even though neither was looking for a significant other, you just knew that they were perfect for each other. Everyone saw it but themselves!

This was a great addition to the Everton Domestic Society series and I can't wait to see what Fenichel has in store for us next!

I so enjoy the Everton ladies! This installment introduces us to Sylvia . Sylvia is now an Everton lady, due to her lack of success at getting married. She is an interesting combination of confidence, capability, and vulnerability. Anthony is friendly, exuberant (he's an American-gasp!), and kind but not happy at being a brand new earl. His plan to hire an Everton lady to ease his way into society while remaining a happy bachelor blows up when he falls for his Everton lady, Sylvia. The story follows the ups and downs of their relationship and Anthony's efforts to turn it into a courtship.

Ironically, Anthony is adamant he will not marry even though his mother and aunt are just as adamant he will marry. After all, his cousin passed away without an heir which left him the earl. Sylvia, as an Everton Lady, is considered too independent for the time period. She has employment and does not live in her parents home. Some consider her on the shelf after her broken engagement to Lord March.

A Lady’s Virtue begins with Anthony hiring Sylvia to plan events and redecorate his hew home. Those character traits her admires in Sylvia are his down fall into love and what, ultimately, keeps them apart. As we see Anthony evolve into a marrying man, we see Sylvia thrust into another semi-scandal with the attentions he give her at some of those events she planned for him as his “Everton Lady.”

This book contains a lot of Anthony’s inner thoughts which allow you to know what he is thinking and how he has changed. I liked it. While Sylvia, on the other hand, believes her time has passed. Her interest is in helping her sister find love in someone she admires. I loved the conversation Sylvia had with her ex-betrothed Lord March! You will need to read it to see how she stood up for herself. There were so many times I wanted Sylvia to speak as firmly with her mother, but appreciate the respectful way in which she treated her mother, even when said mother was not being kind, considerate or respectful. Sylvia’s dad was a surprise – a good one. Even friend Miles had good traits.

All in all, you will enjoy A Lady’s Virtue and how Sylvia came to realize she had more to offer than her skills at organizing and decorating. There is a lot of strength in her character than, I believe, she knew of in herself.

Serena and Sylvia are identical twins. Sylvia was engaged to a young man who surprisingly inherited a title. After his change in status, just a short time before the wedding, he told Sylvia that he was breaking the engagement, because he could find someone much better to marry.

Now things have changed. Serena is on the marriage mart being instructed by their mother. Their mother is a hateful woman who has punished Sylvia since she was abandoned by her fiancee. Not only was Sylvia a topic of gossip, but she was also publicly treated horribly by her own mother and father. She felt crushed by the lack of family support.

Being a brave and intelligent woman, Sylvia has taken her future into her own hands. She has become employed by the Everton Domestic Society. She and many other ladies of good families have found a way to make a living and be safe all at the same time.

Sylvia has been hired to help an American man who has recently become an earl. Anthony Braighton is the new Earl of Grafton. He needs to be presented to society and prove that he is not a typical American. All the best people know that Americans are abrupt, have no manners and do not understand what is expected from the ton.

Sylvia will help him redecorate his inherited town house, play hostess for him at his first dinner party and help him give a ball which will ensure his successful entrance into society.

Sylvia and Tony have met in the past. As they spend more time together, they become more familiar with one another. Both of them are smart, humorous, and have a low opinion of marriage. Sylvia no longer trusts men and she has a difficult time relying on people in general. Tony believes that he would prefer to continue to live as a man about town, doing what he wants with no ties to a wife.

The characters are interesting and entertaining. Sylvia and Tony are fun to watch as they get to know one another. The secondary characters add a great deal of depth to the story.
The reader begins to understand Sylvia and Tony as well as their family members.

Ms Fenichel has created a plot which illustrates the short comings of the finest society in Regency England. The real world has little to do with the rules which must be followed.

If I have any complaint at all, it would be that Sylvia's angst got to be very repetitive and her change of heart was like a “now you see it, now you don't” moment.

I would have enjoyed the story more if Sylvia would have been ambivalent because she was enjoying her work. She was a talented decorator as well as party planner. It would have been wonderful if her talents would have been a reason for her to take her time making any life changing decisions.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I believe I have found someone I will follow on a regular basis.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.