Short but extra spicy novella in which a young woman with a fortune avoids the traps of fortune hunters and finds a match worthy of her, with a little help from her savvy aunt and the third son of an Earl.

Lady No Says Yes by Jess Michaels is book Three in The Scandal Sheet Series. This is the story of Sophie and Rowan. I have read the previous books and feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Sophie learned early that marriage takes a lot away from a women. As a Rich orphan heiress who guardian is her Spinster Aunt Louisa, Sophie says no to must things offered to her by the town and men trying to be suitors. So this year her Aunt asked that she say Yes to things as to learn from her Aunt's similar mistakes. Rowan was the youngest child of his fathers who first wife died and when his father remarried it was for love which is what he came from. Rowan's older brothers are older and from the first wife who his father wasn't close to since is was a ' Town Marriage'. Rowan was encouraged to live off his allowance and to paint by his father. But when his father died the orders he had in place to take care of Rowan his brother took from him. Now Rowan thinks he will have to marry an Heiress to live, so when he learns of Sophie new challenge he thinks to use it to his advantage. But that was before his feelings became engaged.

Lady Sophie aka Lady No is starting her fourth season and the Scandal Sheet wonders if this will be the season that Lady No will finally say yes. Sophie's aunt and guardian Lady Louisa challenges her to make this the season she says yes. Sophie has a deep-seated fear of love, she was young when her parents died, but vividly remembers their relationship. She is terrified of loosing herself and as a result, she holds everyone at bay, never letting anyone close enough to touch her heart. She is also a very wealthy heiress and doesn't believe that any man would want her, just her fortune.

Rowan Sinclair is the youngest son of the late Earl of Terrington and the earl's second wife. He has a reputation as a rake and a wastrel, but the truth is, he is an artist. His father has been supporting him by giving him an allowance for years, but now that he is gone, and his elder brothers have found a loophole in the late earl's will and have gleefully cut him off. Rowan doesn't know what to do, he has not made enough of a name for himself to have his art support him and has no other form of income. When he learns that the very rich Lady Sophie has begun saying yes to suitors, he wonders if she is the answer to his problems. Will a little help from her aunt, Rowan sets out to woo and win her. But to his surprise, it is Sophie who wins him and not because of her fortune!

Sophie is terrified of Rowan and what he makes her feel, she resists him at every turn, but he doesn't give up and worms his way in to her heart. But when the truth of his courtship comes out can he convince her his love is true? Or will her past prevent her from accepting love?

I liked this story, but I didn't love it and I don't think I would read it again. There is a lot going on in a very short novella and some plot points just didn't work for me. The biggest being Sophie's fear of love, she is in her fourth season - so roughly, 22 years old and her parents died 15 years ago - so she was around 7 years old - but she understood the dynamics of her parents relationship?? Sorry, that is just too much of a stretch for me. The writing is good and the love scenes are steamy, but with so many plots and sub-plots, it does feel a little rushed and I would be hard-pressed to tell you why they are in love. I wish this book had been a bit longer and the characters given more time together to develop their relationship.

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

This book will take you to a time when love was not even considered when getting married among the aristocracy in England.
In Sophie and Rowan we see a couple seeking opposite goals, but it is Sophie’s desire for love in her marriage that drives the story. Giving in to fears can lead to an unhappy and lonely life. But realizing where those fears come from can lead to overcoming them. Each has their reasons. Luckily for Sophie, she has her aunt giving her advice to help her along the way. Mainly though it is Sophie and Rowan who dance around what they want in life and what is socially acceptable. To find out more, read this heartwarming book!
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this novella. The story moved quickly and the characters were very likable. I look forward to reading other books by Jess Michaels. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I used to read a lot of historical romance when I was a bit younger but haven't in years. I enjoyed this for what it was but I don't think I will be making a proper return to the genre. Again, I appreciate the explicitness of the consent and the way in which these two characters communicated. The book is a tad short and as such I didn't really build any deeper connections to the characters. It is however well-written enough that I am sure my lukewarm reaction has more to do with who I am as a reader than with anything else.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 3 in a series by Jess Michaels. I have found that these can be read as standalone books the characters from previous books don’t factor into the others at all. In this one we get a lady who always says no. She just is scared of getting hurt then we get a down on his luck son of an earl who needs a break and some money and we have a story. I just wasn’t over the moon about it but it was a solid good read.

Stunning heiress Sophie is known in Society as Lady No because she's spent the past few years refusing the advances of every suitor, no dancing, no rides in the park & definitely no to marriage proposals. However when her beloved aunt Louisa challenges her to say yes for just one Season, she can't refuse. Rowan Sinclair is still grieving for his father who died six months ago, now his despicable elder brother has stopped his allowance & so is in dire straights. Rowan has always been attracted to Sophie & when he discovers Sophie's secret reason for suddenly saying yes, he knows he can use it to his advantage.
A well written engrossing novella that I read in a sitting. I loved both Sophie & Rowan, they both had their insecurities & whilst their attraction sizzled, they both needed to learn to trust. They were both strong characters & I loved the way Sophie tore a strip of Rowan’s brothers. A lovely addition to the series & it can easily be read on its own.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is a lovely addition to the Scandal Sheet series – it is well written and the characters are very likable.

Sophie is rich, very rich, and sees no reason she should marry. She saw enough of marriage and what it did to a woman before her parents died and she wants no part of it. So, she’s become known as Lady No – because she always says no to any invitation – dancing, carriage rides in the park, walks in the garden – just everything. Her aunt Louisa is her guardian – and a spinster. There are things Louisa regrets about her choice to remain unmarried, and she wants to give Sophie the chance to at least consider alternatives. Therefore, she requests that this season, Sophie becomes Lady Yes. Sophie agreed, but she’s hating every minute of it – until . . .

Rowan Sinclair is the third son of an Earl. His father and mother loved him dearly – but his brothers, who are about twenty-years his senior, absolutely detest him. Why – because Rowan’s mother was the second wife and it was a love match. The father doted on this wife and son – but not the first two sons. Rowan’s father thought he had Rowan’s future taken care of, but after he died, the brothers found a way around it and cut Rowan completely off – no income. How will he survive? His father had encouraged him to live off his allowance from the estate and to pursue his painting. Therefore, Rowan was completely unprepared when he was cut off. Perhaps he should find a rich wife. He doesn’t feel good about it, but maybe there is no alternative.

Rowan and Sophie have danced around each other for several years – each watching the other out of the corner of their eye – each denying any interest in the other. Watching the two of them find each other and fall in love was a delight – but it wasn’t smooth and easy.

I enjoyed the read and I hope you will as well.

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

Jess Michaels always gives a complete story even in the form of a novella. Rowan Sinclair was a great hero and Sophie, his perfect match.

A heartbreaking story of a woman afraid of love. I know there were many marriages during the time that were not based on love (at least one party) but to read about Sophie’s loss and conviction to never love really breaks the heart. Rowan’s own story is not much better but at least his parents loved each other. The only drawback to this story is the length. I know it is a novelette but this is a story I would like to have more information on Rowan and Sophie’s families and how the came to trust one another.

This was such a fun short story to read.
Lady No better known as Lady Sophie, always says no to everything until she is talked into making a wager by her Aunt to try saying yes to all things new, and Rowan Sinclair who is at an advantage of knowing about this wager, as he is friends with Sophie's Aunt, he takes advantage of that knowledge to gain the affections of Sophie after he is left destitute by his older brothers. Sophie is an heiress and at first Rowan wants to get to know her just for her money but as he gets to know her he sees the real Sophie and he falls in love. Sophie has always felt something for Rowan but as he has always seemed to be a wastrall she has always shied away from until she really sees him for the man he really is. They are a stubborn pair that make a really good match. I really enjoyed reading their story as it was such an different kind of romance with a very entertaining storyline. The writing was very good and easy to get lost in, with some really great characters that I found easy to connect with. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Stunning heiress Sophie is known in Society as Lady No because she's spent the past few years refusing the advances of every suitor. But when her beloved aunt challenges her to say yes for just one Season, she can't refuse.

Rowan Sinclair has just had his inheritance stripped and is in dire straights. When he discovers Sophie's secret reason for suddenly saying yes, he knows he can use it to his advantage, even if he doesn't feel good about it.

Their unexpected connection quickly turns passionate and grows into something deeper than either ever could have expected. But can Sophie overcome her reasons for saying no in the first place? And when she finds out the truth about his courtship, will she ever forgive him?

My Thoughts:

This is another quick and good read by Jess Michaels. Although there are historical inaccuracies that did not make it a bad read.
Rowan was stripped of his inheritance just because his older brother could do so making him dependent on his paintings to earn money. The men who painted in this era were supported by royalty and since he was a member of the aristocracy, men of his class shouldn't work or show any thoughts thereof.
The meat of this story is about Sophie and her propensity to say no to all of her suitors. In Rowan she has finally found a man to say yes to.
If there are gaps in the story line it is because it had to be short. I do enjoy Ms. Michaels' full length novels more and this one could have been better if it was more in depth.
I gave this book 4.4 of 5.0 stars for plot, story line and characterization. There simply was no time for true character development so in this reader's opinion this story did suffer a bit because of the length.
I received a complimentary copy of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this novella which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this romance! Sophie is an excellent heroine, one who has decided that a quick slide into spinsterhood is the best thing for her life, rather than putting up with the inanities of the marriage mart. When her aunt challenges her to say 'yes' rather than 'no' for one Season, Sophie is surprised to find that she actually enjoys some of it... well, the parts with Rowan Sinclair, at least.

The emotional tension isn't particularly deep, and as this is a novella, things are rather rushed, but for a quick pick-me-up and a fun way to spend an afternoon, this is ideal. I'll look out for more by this author.

Jess Michaels is the new Queen of Historical romances. Lots of good writing and a spicy romance. Totally liked it and do recommend to all fans of historical romances.

Oof. There were just so many problems with this little novella that I hardly know where to start. It was just…bad, honestly. I always cringe a little when a give a book one star. I feel bad, but I have to be honest.

The first problem was that the hero and heroine were hardly together. They didn’t share the page for the first 29%, which is a long time for a story that is only 90 pages to begin with. And then their scenes were extremely short, with very little conversation. They spent less than 50% of the book together, and maybe only half of that time talking. so there was virtually no character development and no bonding between them. There was no connection and no butterflies or anything as a result. I don’t know why you would spend that much time on a set up for a novella.

The second, and perhaps far bigger issue, was that it was just confused. They knew each other before the book starts, but have barely noticed each other beyond a passing attraction. Or so we are told. So, when they’re asking each other questions like they truly know one another, it simply doesn’t make sense. Especially when later their tune changes and suddenly, oh wait, they DO know each other. Well, which is it?

In 87 pages, they had 3 scenes together, and when they reflected on the previous scene, it didn’t match what actually happened. For example, in scene 2, the heroine says his kiss is not wild like their first kiss, but the first kiss was not wild at all. Impulsive, yes. Out of control? Absolutely not. In was on a terrace at a ball and lasted about 2 seconds and the hero was utterly composed through it. And that kind of thing happened a lot throughout the book.

It was simply strung together by a loose thread of an idea that never fully knitted together. In fact, I got the distinct feeling it was just a cluster of scenes for a book that was never finished and she decided to sell it as a novella. (Just a hunch).

I stayed with it in hopes for a good payoff. I was expecting good sex from Jess Michaels, but it was rather bad, too. The heroine asks him to have sex with her and his response is “I suppose it can’t hurt.” I’ve never read a less romantic line than that! Yikes.

It just didn’t work for me.

I also want to make a note from an art historical standpoint. The hero is a painter and he hides this from society. Towards the end, he makes a comment that men are not given the leeway to be artists, like women are. And this is very much historically inaccurate. Throughout history, the far majority of artists were men (and that is especially true for painters). Women who were artists were thought to be on the fringes of society. Think of the most famous painters from before the 1900s and you will think almost entirely of men. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Titian, Botticelli. While there were women painters, they were largely overlooked, and mostly forgotten by history. Lastly, artists primarily made their living by securing wealthy patrons, like the nobility. While there was a time when being an artist was considered nothing more than skilled labor, that changed dramatically during the Renaissance, long before this book takes place, and so, there was little reason for him to hide this.

Overall, it’s a small thing that maybe not a ton of people would notice, but nevertheless, historically inaccurate

In my very personal opinion, Jess' books are too short. Yeah, I am honest with you, there should be more about those who fall in love. This one is about a young woman who declined all invitations, dancing with suitors etc. - that's why she became "Lady No". Now her aunt asks her to change her behaviour and to give all the young men, the ton a chance, so she won't stay alone forever.

It's a cute and quick story and from the title, we already know that there will be a happy ending without too many detours.

Usually I do not read books under 300 pages because I love a storyline, some detour, some complications. "Lady No says yes" is a little too ... quick? Easy?

*I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Jess Michaels is an amazing writer. Whether writing a full length romance or a novella, she has a gift in making relationships work. Lady No Says Yes is another great example of her sensuous writing style while building love between a couple. We find out quickly that Lady No, or Sophie as she is mostly known, has been saying no to suitors for years. Her mother loved her father and she believed that love killed them both, not just the accident. Sophie was determined to not let that happen to her.

Rowan, younger son, but much loved son by his parents, had two brothers from his father’s first marriage. They were just not nice men, they were actually quite jealous and kind of evil when it came to Rowan. The best way to ruin Rowan is to cut off his funds now that it is within their power. Rowan realizes that he must have funds to live on so he can continue his painting, of which he is quite talented.

Sounds like a match made in heaven. Even Sophie’s aunt Louisa wants them together. Auntie is the one who challenges Sophie to say yes just this one season and see what it is like to open herself to dancing and rides in the park. Aunt Louisa even encourages Rowan. He may have started out with her dowry in mind, but quickly realizes he really does love Sophie. Re-enter evil brothers. They will do everything they can to ruin his life, even make sure Sophie does not want to be with Rowan.

The Scandal Sheet series is really short, sweet stories and this is another one of them. Lady No Says Yes is powerful in its short, compact telling.

I'm pretty sure this was the first time I've ever read anything by Jess Michaels - but it won't be the last! I really enjoyed this story. It felt a little short (but a shorter story is a good way to whet your appetite for more), but the characters were believable and real, and I honestly enjoyed this book.

Sophie has been nicknamed Lady No by Society due to turning down countless opportunities at having a suitor. She isn't interested in any fortune hunters or men who just want her for her looks. Sophie has become used to living on the outside, but her world is upturned when her aunt asks Sophie to enter into an agreement. Sophie must say yes the rest of the Season.

Rowan Sinclair has been cut off from his inheritance. Things are looking bad for him if he doesn't do something soon. When a friend suggest marriage to a heiress and Rowan hears of Sophie's arrangement with her aunt, Sophie becomes his target. Rowan quickly comes to the realization that there is a reason he chose Sophie; he cares for her. What will happen when Sophie learns his secrets?

Author Jess Michaels enthralling SCANDAL SHEET series currently consists of three books... THE RETURN OF LADY JANE, STEALING THE DUKE and most recently, LADY NO SAYS YES. I have thoroughly enjoyed all three stories. LADY NO SAYS YES is Rowan and Sophie's story. Rowan has avoided Sophie for the same reasons Sophie has avoided him, their mutual attraction to one another. He tries to court her for her money, but soon discovers that the money never really mattered to him. Rowan has always liked and admired Sophie. They are a perfect match and their story is definitely a keeper.