The Arrangement features three novellas, one of which is quite an older publication which I quickly realized I'd read many years ago. So heads up that Mischief and the Marquess by Sylvia Day is a republication. Justin, the Marquess of Fontaine, and Lady Sophie Milton-Riley had an attachment before Sophie chose another and bore a child out of wedlock. They are reconnected by their mothers in an attempt to reunite them. This novel I give a C -- the connection never felt quite real and more an excuse to weave together steamy scenes. The Duke's Treasure by Minerva Spencer was also steamy but it seemed more appropriate to this marriage of convenience story between a businessman's daughter and the proud duke who needs her money. Not the most original of concepts but very well delivered. A. Last is The Inconvenient Countess by Kristin Vayden, which is a B-, a another marriage of convenience between a practical eldest daughter leading an impoverished family of daughters and a rogue who needs to become respectable to close a business deal.

Tales of arrangement, marriage and love written by three different authors. These stories are all featuring characters of strength and resilience in 1800’s England. Solid female characters highlight the stories as they face marriage by arrangement with unexpected results. The authors also have many first chapters of some of their other books for readers to sample.

Time after time, i try to give slyvia day the benefit of the doubt but i truly cannot get into her writing and books. This series felt so... outdated. These female characters lack personality, backbone and these alpha male assholes that borderline abusive just dont do it for me. This series reminds me of the cheesy paperbacks that CVS sells that is pure smut and no plot, character arc or really a point to the story.

Really enjoyed this one, the Sylvia day story was a satisfyingly good, second chance romance with a ruined woman. Lady Sophie, who has borne an illegitimate child, is reunited with a proud Marquess. Justin was once a guarded young man who thought they would be wed one day and was blindsided when she agreed to wed someone else. Langley sired her child and died before they were married, this has left her beyond the pale and rejected by her own brother. How can Justin restore her reputation and claim Sophie for his own at last? Sylvia Day always writes interesting, powerful heroes and dynamic heroines, and I was very invested in this HEA.

My favourite was the Minerva Spencer story, Jo is the plain daughter of a wealthy cit, who has arranged her marriage to Beaumont Halliwell, second son, who has inherited the extremely impoverished Dukedom of Wroxton. He must marry to save his estate and care for his family. Jo has loved Beau from afar since she met him at her one and only season 6 years ago. He doesn’t even remember her. His beautiful lover at the time, Victoria, betrayed him and married his brother instead. Will Jo manage to make a place for herself in his life, despite her prickly and determined nature, or will Victoria’s presence ruin the marriage entirely. I loved this story for the character of Jo especially, who was clever, passionate and prickly. Beau was also a well drawn character, honourable without being unbelievable and happy to be invested in his wife despite the business arrangement. Loved it.

Final story was a new author to me,

Another marriage of convenience story, where Charles Brook, dubbed “the Devil’s Bachelor, is the consummate rake, is desperate for a wife to secure an estate he is trying to buy, he marries the eldest daughter of 5 whose struggling estate is neighbour to his own. Diana is desperate to make ends meet and provide for her siblings, so she agrees to his bargain. He is counting on an heir and a spare and then for both of them to go their separate ways, but he gets much more than he bargained for. In the end will his connection to Diana mean more to him than his deal?

I really enjoyed all these stories. Recommended.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

This book reminds us that while it might be fun to read these stories, it couldn't have been very fun to live in the actual time (which is why I can not stand time travel stories that strand women in the past, where are the stories that bring a lady from that time and strand her in the present and watch her blossom with all the freedoms and opportunity she could have).

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this e-ARC in return for my honest review.

An interesting collection of 3 historical romance from 3 different authors. Upon seeing Sylvia Day's name, I would have expected the hardcore kinda novella so I wasn't surprised reading it. However, the onset and the sex just didn't quite clicked for me. Minerva's was so modern that I forgot it's supposed to be historical romance. LOL! Both Sylvia's and Minerva's would sound good under modern premise. I've liked Kristin's novella best! So on point and entertaining! Loved it from the start to the end!

Overall, it has the same plot where the Duke was forced to marry the unintended bride, eventually both fell in love and lived happily ever after. All has the same epilogue where the duchess is pregnant and the duke is happily in love LOL! So if you are looking for a light read, this is the one.

Mischief and the Marquess by Sylvia Day

Sophie Milton-Riley, wants to prove how wrong it would be to marry Justin,
the Marquess of Fontaine and that they wouldn't suit. However, he does not feel the same and realizes that he has to take a unique approach to win her heart.

The Duke's Treasure by Minerva Spencer

Josephine Loman is the answer to the, Beaumont Halliwell Duke of Wroxton prayers whether he wants her to be or not. As the title is lofty but the estate is impoverished. Taking on a bride who is an heiress will solve his problems.
Josephine is determined to take on the role despite the fact that her husband has no recollection of meeting her five years ago. Can they overcome the past and deal with the future together?

The Inconvenient Countess by Kristin Vayden

With little options available to save the family estate Diana Lambson decides to accept the devil's bargain. The devil bachelor that is. Charles Brook, Earl of Berrington is exactly what Diana needs. He makes the bargain to close a deal but he gets much more than he expected in his wife. This marriage of convenience truly becomes a match.

Three great novellas that I would have easily read as full length novels. I was happy to read both Minerva and Kristin’s books as they are new to me authors. I will definitely be looking into other things they may have written

Fans of Regency romance will enjoy these 3 novellas. They offer romance, humor and spice! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My 2020 is starting off fantastic! I have read nothing but fabulous 📚, and this anthology kept the streak going!!! (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself 😬)
*****
Overall Rating: 4 arranged marriage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kindle unlimited: Unknown
******
These three stories are sure to set fire 🔥 to your reading device and make you a believer in true 💕 can happen no matter the circumstances!

Mischief and the Marquess by Sylvia Day
‘⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Justin, the Marquess of Fontaine, and Lady Sophie Milton-Riley are great characters that need this second chance to get it right, but Sophie doesn’t feel she can ever be a good match for Justin because she was scandalized. However, you should never doubt the perseverance of a Marquess on a mission! I cheered, giggled (when you get to the pepper scene you will giggle too), I got mad at the two and then I swooned! I wonderful take!


THE DUKE’S TREASURE by Minerva Spencer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Josephine Loman has loved Beaumont Halliwell, the Fifth Duke of Wroxton, for five years! He has fueled her nightly fantasies and she has wanted him from first sight. When her father hatches a deal and Beau money that will save his impoverished family, and Jo becomes Duchess. A simple transaction that slowly becomes more complicated! This story really hit my heart strings, had me holding my breath and got me way to invested in this story! Story has twists, turns, and hotness that is off the charts!!

THE INCONVENIENT COUNTESS by Kristin Vayden ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh dear sweet Brook, the “Devils Bachelor” needs a wife for a business transaction, but will he find more than he bargained for? Miss Diana Katherine Lambson’s family (mother and her 4 sisters) are in dire straits and their situation is bleak until Brook makes an offer that she cannot refuse. He gets respectability and she gets money to save her family with no commitments, aside from need for an heir. However, Diana is going to tip the Devils Bachelor axis and show him that maybe he needs a friend more than property. This was a wonderful story that warmed my heart (and my iPad 🔥🔥🔥

These three novellas were wonderful and if you need a warm, pick me up story with some heat, these novellas fit the bill! Highly recommend!!


only option is a marriage of convenience. Her only prospect is a rogue with a miserable reputation. Her only true desire: freedom. And that is exactly what Charles Brook, Earl of Barrington, is willing to offer, in return for the respectability their union will give him. He will even provide Diana with a contract. But does she dare entrust her future to a scoundrel? Does she dare not to?

This was three great stories! I really could have read full length books on each story. I’m already looking into any series from the authors they may be connected to.
Funny, very sexy, sweet quick love stories.

Received this as an ARC from netgalley to review for an honest opinion and review. Really enjoyed reading this trio of short stories of love/romance. Would highly suggest reading these fast paced, great detail short stories!

This delightful trio of novellas is sure to be a hit with historical fans. Three great authors take on the “marriage of convenience” trope and build some very nice love matches in the process. Each author brings their own special brand of romance to the trope, and each novella is a great introduction to their individual styles.

Sylvia Day was the only author I had read before and her “Mischief and the Marquess” did not disappoint. Her style is very distinctive and I liked seeing her historical work. Previously I have only read her contemporary romances, but will be adding her historicals to my “to be read” pile.

This was my first Minerva Spencer and I have already ordered several of her other books from the library. “The Duke’s Treasure” definitely peaked my interest in her writing. Her romance is a bit racier and hints at some fun possibilities in her longer works.

Lastly, Kristen Vayden was also new to me and I am so glad I found her. Her novella blends the “marriage of convenience” trope with the “friends to lovers” trope so neatly. This couple seemed the sweetest and I look forward to reading some more of Vayden’s novels.

All the happily ever afters are sure to please romance readers.

Mischief and the Marquess by Sylvia Day. 

This was an okay read, yes the sex is scorching, but I found myself bored, and I didn't care what happened to the characters. This was my least favourite.

The Duke's Treasure by Minerva Spencer

This was my favourite of the three stories, Jo wanted to be accepted for herself and not just for her wealth. There was heat in this book, and I felt the chemistry between the two. 

The Inconvenient Countess by Kristin Vayden 

The characters are upfront about what they want, and I found this refreshing. There is no subterfuge just two people whose relationship develops through friendship and not just constant sex. 

Overall I wouldn't recommend purchasing this book. I had forgotten each story by the time I came to write this review. 

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

The Arrangement is a selection of hot romantic short stories set in historical Britain. It took me three days to read the book. One day for each satisfying HEA. The writers brought their unique style and point of view which made the stories entertaining from start to finish. Perfect for bedtime reading and conducive to pleasant dreams!

I really enjoyed these three historical romance short stories by three authors that I am familiar with. I really liked all three stories, but my favorite was the story by Minerva Spencer. The characters in that story really spoke to me. They were all 5 star romances.

A great collection of short, sexy, historical romances. My favourite was the final story. - The Inconvenient Countess.

A really lovely, sexy trio of novellas all using variations on the marriage of convenience trope. I’m a huge Minerva Spencer fan, so her story was naturally my favorite; Sylvia Day and Kristin Vayden are new to me (though certainly not new authors) and they didn’t disappoint. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a saucy escape read on a rainy day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Arrangement is a collection of 3 historical romance novellas from authors Sylvia Day, Minerva Spencer and Kristin Vayden. I thoroughly enjoyed these friends to lovers and marriage of convenience romances though Day’s was my favorite.

Mischief and the Marquess by Sylvia Day
In Mischief and the Marquess, we find Lady Sophie Milton-Riley making a rare social appearance after a scandal that has left her reputation in tatters. She is visiting Justin, the Marquess of Fontaine along with her grandmother. Despite the nerve-wracking situation, she is not blind to her grandmother’s scheming with Justin’s mother to make a match between the two long lost friends.

When she was younger, in her late teens, Sophie assumed Justin to be an arrogant, aloof man who had no sense of adventure compared to her wild ways. Unbeknownst to her, he was quite infatuated with her and lost his chance at love when she married another. But now that she knows of his true feelings and returns them herself, he is prepared to do anything to repair her reputation and marry her.

I love friends to lovers romance novellas because there is already history between the two making it easier to believe the quick love affair. Day does a great job of describing their current attraction and establishing their past history so that you fall right along with them in their sudden connection. Plus, their sneaking around at night adds to the intrigue, especially in a historical romance.

Justin’s mother was a hoot. She made a few appearances which had me loving her frankness with Justin and their honest communication with one another. Sophie and Justin are a great pair. Each with their own differences and yet together, the perfect compliments to one another. A great read!

The Duke's Treasure by Minerva Spencer
The Duke’s Treasure brings us a marriage of convenience story. We first meet Beaumont Halliwell, the Fifth Duke of Wroxton, and Josephine Loman at their wedding. Beau has arranged this marriage with Jo’s father because he is in desperate need of her money all while unaware that she’s harbored feelings for him for 5 years since their first meeting.

This is a short story of their growing affection and trust in the early days of their marriage all while Jo’s father is on his deathbed, causing her heartache as well as an unwelcomed visit from a meddling sister-in-law.
Jo is very likeable and feisty to the demanding Beau. He’s harder to like but I do love his outlook on the marriage he hopes to have.

Overall, I felt like the novella was very well written and had great pacing with great character development for such a short story. I couldn’t really understand why Jo was heartbroken that Beau didn’t remember her from 5 years ago given how she “saw” him back then, but it was such a minor part of the story that I just let it go.

The Inconvenient Countess by Kristin Vayden
The Inconvenient Countess is another marriage of convenience romance story. Diana Lambson is the eldest of 5 daughters who feels duty bound to protect her family since their estate has grown destitute since her father’s death. Given their dire straights, she has no choice but to agree to the marriage of convenience proposed by Charles Brook, Earl of Barrington.

Brook has lived a life of debauchery and is now saddled with a reputation in tatters. This wouldn’t otherwise bother him however it’s impeding a business deal that he’s been counting on and the only way to seal the deal is to find a wife who can give him respectability.

Both are desperate and faced without a choice, but this is fiction so of course they luck out in their marriage becoming more than just friendship. With it being a novella, things of course move very fast. Given his reputation and her age, it’s hard to buy that they fall in love after just one week together. The story, however, was very well written and pulled together for a novella. You’ll just have to go with the instalove on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the advanced reader copy. All opinions of this book were my own.

The Arrangement by Sylvia Day, Minerva Spencer and Kristin Vayden is a short story mix made up of three separate short stories. Each story made for a good read, however, they each had room in the narrative to be extended to a full story. There was a lot of character history in each story that warranted a longer version for each story. Despite this, the three short stories were good reads.
Review copy received from the publisher via Netgalley