Member Reviews

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book.
Calliope was plucked from a workhouse as a child and has been trained as a governess.
Winn's brother and sister-in-law's deaths have left him the guardian for 3 children.
The attraction between the two is quick and the unfolding realtionship great.
But when Calliope's past is uncovered it puts her and everyone in her life in danger.
I liked the realtionship, I liked the way the Cillian was set up, I liked the kids, and I liked the secondary romance that was hinted at.

Can't wait for Effie's story.

Was this review helpful?

Everything that makes a great story this book has it. It was sad, troubling, confusing, loving, hateful, murderous, dangerous, deadly and for a few moments my eyes became wet. There was mystery, suspense, superb dialog, and affection. There was a murderess, a gay man and his liaisons, a governess who was abandoned at birth and suffered needlessly, an earl who was a dedicated bachelor who became guardian of his younger brother's three children when he and his wife passed on due to illness. There were three children who need someone anyone to love them and guide them. But more than that the conglomeration of these people showed how lonely their lives were until they all had to interact with each other. From the adults to the children, the characters were so realistic in their emotions and feelings it was not hard to be able to relate to them. As I said there were moments of surprise and danger with moments that evoked a deeper response to the point of tears. This book totally surprised me. This is so well written and the author Chasity Bowlin has gained a new fan. A superb read and I highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

I seem to read a lot of books set in the Regency/Victorian eras so naturally I was all for this I have read the author’s work before though that was rather different. In this book we have a governess coming to manage the chaos with a little romance and a little mystery, what’s not to love? Especially when you have likable characters and an intriguing story?

Was this review helpful?

A novel that captures Bowlin’s style perfectly. With a narrative that follows multiple characters, the story, while being pretty straightforward, ups the stakes with each new development. Every character is fleshed out and further contributes to the story, and Bowlin should be commended on not only her portrayal of the three children but their interaction with the rest of the characters as well.

However, the story isn’t perfect. The romance between the leads is tangible, though it definitely takes a back seat to the rest of the plot. Initially, it comes off as lust at first sight, though does develop more fully over the course of the story. The dialogue sounds realistic, flowing easily as it develops the characters and their personalities as well as their relationships with others and the plot. Calliope particularly comes off as a strong female lead, although some may take issue with how freely she speaks her mind, particularly for the time this story is placed. However, the main issue is how easily Calliope’s identity is revealed when it is. If it was that easy, and her parents were that famous, it doesn’t make sense that her lineage is only now being brought to light.

Overall, What Happens in Piccadilly is an entertaining regency read filled with humor, romance, and suspense.

Was this review helpful?

Calliope St James is a governess from Effie Darrow’s school. Rescued from horrible cruelty from the St James Workhouse, she is an extremely competent and kind governess, who is responding to a request from the Earl of Montgomery for a governess for his three wards, orphans of his feckless brother. When Calliope arrives, she is confronted by three misbehaving children, who are acting up because they have been poorly treated and ignored by both of their parents and don’t know any better. Winn, Ha,intonations, the Earl, wants to do his best by them, but has not idea how. When Calliope brings order in minutes he is grateful and also intensely attracted to this quietly beautiful and capable soul.

As she Steele’s in to her post, this attraction between them grows, and when Winn spots a portrait that could be her double at the residence of the Duke of A Reston’s residence, he realises she is in mortal danger, and he will need to keep her close to protect her.

This was glorious, the subplot with Averston was handled beautifully, there was a great villain, the MC’s and the children were a joy and beautifully written. We saw lots of Effie and Highcliffe, and the whole thing was a joy from beginning to end. I absolutely loved the fact that Winn wasn’t a bad boy, or a rake or a scoundrel or a cad etc etc, but also not emasculated or weak in any way. He was judged perfectly.

Highly recommended, can’t wait for the next book!

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

Was this review helpful?

I like the steamier romance novels but What Happens in Piccadilly was a clean and sweet romance. A breath of fresh air. A refreshing diversion. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful?

This book has strong and interesting characters who become more memorable with each page. There were a few unexpected plot points that I have not found in other historical romances. The only problem I had with this slow burn of a romance was that the romance took too long to get to the good stuff.

Was this review helpful?

Calliope St. James is a foundling who, after being rescued from the workhouse, has devoted her life to teaching children. When Lord Winn Hamilton, the Earl of Montgomery, reviews her impeccable references, he resolves to hire her as governess for his recently orphaned nieces and nephew. To his dismay, he discovers that the new governess is far too attractive to be working in the home of a single man, and what is more, far too similar to the portrait of a mysterious, long-dead woman with powerful enemies. Just who were Calliope St. James' true parents? And is it any of Winn's business to interfere?

This book was a wallpaper historical with modern-feeling characters chivied into a Regency setting. Calliope, who has the enthusiasm and heart of a drop-dead gorgeous Mary Poppins, takes it upon herself to educate Winn on how to treat his new charges. Winn is interested in providing her with a wholly different sort of education, making this novel a little racier than the books I tend to read and review. A subplot with Calliope's villainous relative hits on all the modern mores regarding homosexual relationships. All in all, this book was a quick read that fans of Regency-lite might enjoy. 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

A great story about Lord Winn Hamilton, Earl of Montgomery, Calliope St. James plus the Earl’s nephew William his two nieces Claudia and Charlotte!
Calliope did not know who her parents were. She eventually found a new friend Miss Euphemia Darrow and became a student at her school to become a governess.
She became the governess to William, Claudia and Charlotte!
There was never a dull moment in this story!!

Was this review helpful?

I love Chasity Bowlin's books - they all have solid plots, usually some mystery involved that is challenging to solve but makes sense when everything comes to light, and steamy goodness!

Winn Hamilton, the Earl of Montgomery, is in dire straights. He has recently inherited his irresponsible younger brother's 3 children as both his brother and sister-in-law passed away, and they are more than he can handle. He turns to Effy, a woman known for training the best governesses around, and one of her top candidates, Miss Calliope St. James, comes to interview for the position. Even before she meets with the earl, she has the children wrapped around her fingers, and although Winn is nervous because he finds her extremely attractive, he hires her because he cares deeply for his nieces and nephews and wants the best for them.

Calliope is stunned by her reaction to the earl - she has never felt such attraction before, and she knows it can lead to ruination. Despite her misgivings, she takes the job because she knows she can help these children who have been so terribly neglected by their parents and need her. But she asks that the earl help her by trying to find her parents as Calliope was orphaned at birth and left at the steps of a horrid workhouse (named St. James, thus, her surname) before Effy came to her rescue. Calliope wants answers, and she is hoping the connections the earl has may lead to them. But as Winn finds out more about Calliope's past, danger creeps closer to her as there are people who would do anything - including kill - to keep her parentage secret. What will happen when her identity is revealed? Can Winn keep her safe? Will they be able to keep things professional, or will the powerful attraction they feel towards each other be too difficult to suppress?

What I liked:
--- Great character development - Winn and Calliope were very likeable and had more dimensions that originally believed
--- Excellent secondary character stories and development (especially the duke, Effy, and Heathcliff --- I definitely want to find out more about what happens with the last two on that list with the sparks that were flying throughout!)
--- Very solid plot with intrigue that kept me glued to the pages!
--- Once we got there, delicious steamy goodness

What I didn't like as much:
--- OMG the slow burn!! Seriously, though, I had to wait until 90-something percent through the book for decent action, and that really bummed me out; if it weren't for the super long tease, I would have probably gone with a 4.5 rating
--- A couple of loose ends (not a cliffhanger by any stretch!) were dangling... maybe they will be tied up in future books?

Overall, I very much enjoyed this story! It had a great plot, exceptional characters, and a mystery that kept me hooked!

Plot --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4.5/5
Steam Level* --- 3/5
Violence --- nothing graphic
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all!

Was this review helpful?

I adored Chasity Bowlin's telling of Calliope's story. It has been a while since I have read any historical romance but this story made me want to pick them back up immediately. I had not read the previous books in the series but I didn't feel like I lost anything reading this as a standalone.

Was this review helpful?

Lord Winn Hamilton, the Earl of Montgomery, is at his wits’ end. He recently lost both his father and his younger brother, as well as his sister-in-law, and is now the guardian to his nephew and two nieces. Too bad he has no earthly idea what to do with children. The arrival of Ms. St. James, the new governess, shakes Winn even more. She is beautiful, blunt, and exceedingly competent, and he finds himself fiercely attracted to her and just as fiercely annoyed by her success with the children where he has failed.

Calliope St. James is greeted by abject chaos when she arrives at the home of her employer. The Earl clearly has no clue how to handle children and the children have more than taken advantage of that fact. Callie knows the children and the Earl need her help, she just has to keep things professional and ignore her attraction to her new employer.

Progress is being made with the children and things are off to a solid start until Winn sees a portrait in the home of an acquaintance. The portrait could change everything because it means Callie isn’t an abandoned, anonymous orphan as she always believed. If Winn’s supposition is correct, Callie is actually heiress to a very large fortune and that puts her in grave danger from powerful, well-positioned people who’d like nothing better than to see her dead.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me awhile to read it, but only because my life has not been conducive to reading lately and through no fault of its own. The story was engrossing and I loved both main characters and found the children to be adorable. I loved Callie and Winn together and greatly appreciated their determination to be together despite societal obstacles in their way. The supporting characters were also interesting to read and I hope to see more of them in future books. I’m a newcomer to this series but I’d like to go back and read the first two books now and I look forward to more of this series.

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

Was this review helpful?

I now have another favorite author.! This is the 1st book I read of Chasity Bowlin.....what Happens in Piccadilly is a series book, so I am reading out of order, but I really don’t think it matters. This story of Winn and Callie will make you think of Mary Poppins in the beginning. Winn a confirm bachelor is now responsible for his 2 nieces and nephew. The children are rambunctious and poor Winn needs help. In steps Callie.....nanny extraordinaire. As in all good reads ..... humor, mystery, evil and happily ever after are included. Chasity characters are all wonderful. Was a book a couldn’t put down..

Was this review helpful?

Winn Hamilton the Earl of Montgomery has had his brothers three children thrust upon him when his wastrel brother died. Not knowing what to do with children and having them run amok in his household until the beautiful Calliope James enters his house. When Calliope James goes for her interview for a governess position she is greeted by children running amok like a wild bunch of animals! Taking control of the situation Calliope stops the chaos and is drawn into the lives of three children who know no boundaries. Winn can’t help being attracted to Calliope both by her beauty but by her love and caring for the children.

When Winn discovers who Calliopes parents were vows to protect her from the possible evil that lurks there. Calliope faces the news of her parentage as she faces everything head on. Falling for the handsome Winn Hamilton could be the worst or the best thing in her life, but putting the children and Winn in danger is a risk she can’t take.

This was such a wonderful story! The beginning just made me laugh! I thoroughly enjoyed read Winn and Calliopes story. Definitely recommend reading this book!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this newest addition to the Hellion Club Series.
I found myself laughing at the chaos that reigned in the household when Calliope first arrived. The connection and chemistry between Calliope and Winn is both heartwarming and enviable.
This book has it all. Romance, mystery, intrigue, danger and quite possibly, a hidden heiress!
Definitely a must read.
Thank you Chasity Bowlin, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

Was this review helpful?

The title ‘What happens in Piccadilly’ gave me no impression of what an amazing love story this would be. Whilst this was the third book in ‘The Hellion Club’ series, it is definitely a stand-alone book and it shows how the author, can fully reveal integral characters into the story, so seamlessly.
Miss Calliope St. James finds employment as a governess with Lord Winn Hamilton, the Earl of Montgomery. As the newly appointed guardian for his nieces and nephew, he is desperate for Calliope’s assistance, but soon finds himself as equally captivated by her calming presence, as are the children. However, he soon uncovers the secret behind her parentage, and finds himself, desperate to protect her from the imminent danger, once her true identity is revealed.
I must admit that the character of Winn, would have to be one of best male characters in quite some time. It was so refreshing to have a male, without being the rogue, and being honourable, a true gentleman and a kind uncle. Together he and Calliope make such a lovely couple. The dialogue between them is both witty and intelligent, and filled with admiration for the other. I loved every moment of this book, and truly wished it could go on for longer. I also look forward to reading more about Highcliffe and Effie, two equally fascinating characters.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A Governess with a Fortune

She was left on the doorstep of a workhouse. All her life, she thought she was illegitimate. Little did she know that when she went to apply to be a governess to the Earl of Montgomery, her world would turn on its ear. Calliope was the heiress to a large fortune, and there were those who would stop at nothing to see her disappear.

What happens when love and danger collide? Winn did not know that hiring a governess for his new charges would change his life. His governess is no ordinary woman, and he will stop at nothing to protect her. This book might make you cry, but it will also make you smile. If you like romance with adventure, intrigue, and secrets, you will enjoy this story. I loved it and look forward to what comes next in this series.

Was this review helpful?

What an amazing book; that holds your interest and you keep turning the pages to find out the next event. The lives of the Earl of Montgomery and Miss Calliope St. James collide when the Earl is blessed with his brothers three wild children after the death of both of their parents. Miss Calliope is hired as governess and falls in love with the children, but events in her life come to the forefront and cause a mystery that consumes her daily life. This story has a brilliant setting and the characters are believable, evil, and of course charming. Great read.

Was this review helpful?

Lord Winn Hamilton, Earl of Montgomery has taken on the responsibility of his brothers three children. What does a confirmed bachelor know about children. They gone through several governesses already so when Miss Calliope shows up he has his doubts about her skills. She is beautiful and looks like governess he’s ever seen. Calliope was orphaned and left with the local visceral and rescued by Effie owns Darrow School for young woman. The household is in chaos and Calliope takes charge of Claudia, Charlotte and William right away. Winn discovers a secret that puts her life in danger. He keeps the secret from her and tries to protect her at all costs. I love this captivating book with a simmering romance, mystery, murder and mayhem with a few twists and turns. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Was this review helpful?

Book 3 of series. Can be read on there own.
Cute children, good chemistry between Callie and Winn.
A bit of a mystery involved
Enjoyable read

Was this review helpful?