In the heart of London lies Athena’s Retreat – a social club for ladies that hides their true interest: science. How could I resist A Lady’s Formula for Love when it features not one but innumerable women with vast and varied scientific interests in a time when women’s ideas were dismissed, stolen, ridiculed, and more? Elizabeth Everett’s debut has a lot of promise and when it focuses on the sharp minds and diverse characters that inhabit The Secret Scientists of London series the book shines.

Lady Violet Hughes is the founder of Athena’s Retreat. Violet is a brilliant scientist who can sometimes get lost in her work and I enjoyed her absent-minded professor qualities. She’s also the survivor of an emotionally abusive marriage and I loved watching her find confidence in herself over the course of the story. It’s clear from the start that she’s strong. After all, even though her husband spent years tearing her down she still created a place as glorious as Athena’s Retreat. But Violet is vulnerable in other respects, particularly when it comes to her desirability. It was lovely to see her appreciated mind and body by Arthur. When Violet is tasked with coming up with an antidote to a toxin being used by radicals, her stepson hires Arthur Kneland as a bodyguard. Arthur is a man haunted by death and this is his last job before retirement. Arthur knows better than to see his assignments as people but from the start Violet barrels right through his well-constructed walls. Arthur tries to be remote but Violet and her staff all quickly find their way into his heart. I loved the friendships the lonely Arthur formed. And as for his relationship with Violet…the two of them have definite chemistry. Their attraction is impossible to deny and though they want to keep things strictly physical, it’s clear there’s no way for them to prevent their hearts from becoming engaged. Violet and Arthur are likeable as individuals and their romance is easy to become invested in.

There’s a lot to like about A Lady’s Formula for Love, but there are also some missed opportunities. Athena’s Retreat is a place where people can be themselves and be supported by the group. However, though Violet is supportive of everyone her closest friends don’t do the same. I hated seeing Violet hurt by their dismissiveness and wanting to put the club above all else. Their reasoning is realistic but problematic and the latter is never discussed. I really wanted to see strong female friendships in this story and felt like Everett missed the mark a bit. Then there is the mystery of who is going after Violet’s work for the Crown. The predictability of the villain wasn’t all that bad, but the resolution of this plot given all that happened left a sour taste in my mouth. The book’s climax is messy and the false equivalencies drawn in order to resolve the plot to the heroine’s satisfaction were incredibly dissatisfying to me, the reader.

A Lady’s Formula for Love is a bit difficult for me to stick a rating on because it had big pluses and minuses for me. Ultimately, I am in love with the wealth of STEM characters enough to come down on the side of highly enjoying this book. I also could swoon over how Arthur cared for Violet and how he appreciated her for all that she was. So while A Lady’s Formula for Love was a bit uneven for me, I’m looking forward to the next Secret Scientists of London book because I think this series has a lot of potential.

Alright. I'm pretty sure the tags for this one proved irresistible for most romance readers: female scientist! "Enigmatic" protection officer! A secret women's club comprised of England's most brilliant FEMALE scientists! Female empowerment! Feminism! Spies! Shadowy threats! Seasoned principal characters! An inclusive cast of secondary characters! Yep, yes, more please! Look, these bona fides plus a DIK at my favorite romance review site had me rushing to read this one. But.

Good news first? I liked both principal characters. I liked the premise. I liked the mystery surrounding the villain - friends, you totally don't see it coming. I liked the diverse cast. I liked women looking out for and supporting each other. I liked this story! Sort of.

The not so good news? The author substitutes introspective dual PoV's for character development and comes up short. The cast is TOO BIG and overstuffed with stock characters that serve no purpose whatsoever except to distract us from our principal couple. Speaking of...

Our principal characters meet-cute after Lady Violet Hughes (our heroine) is nearly killed by an exploding bomb. Violet is saved when Arthur Kneland, the British secret agent tasked with protecting her, recognizes a bomb is about to go off (huh?!) and rushes to pull her away from the blast zone and shield her with his own body. Violet immediately feels safe and protected. Ahem. Arthur feels the first stirrings in his stone cold heart since the death of his younger sister decades ago. And lust. They both feel that. And keep feeling it. And thinking about it. And feeling it. And thinking about it. And acting on it. Trust me on this.

Meanwhile, we meet a bewildering array of slightly odd or quirky or straight up weird or "damaged" women (the gangs all here, folks!) who comprise the membership of the Athena's Retreat . Athena’s Retreat, housed in a building attached to Violet's own London home (Beacon House), provides an ultra secret! and safe! workplace/sanctuary for female scientists to complete their research and investigations and lab work and other sciencey things (don’t judge me). Things often catch on fire or explode. No worries! Everyone is used to it and the housekeeper can get any fabric clean!

Anywho... the public is curious about the Retreat - which purports itself as a women's social club, and gossip columnists love to write about it. To keep the public at bay from discovering the true purpose of the club, the membership is hosting a public exhibition. Arthur, now masquerading as a major domo and one of a handful of men on staff, must keep Violet safe in the lead-up to the Big Event (there’s a running joke about the name of the event and it’s unfunny and odd so I’m not going to mention the various iterations) and as she completes work on a clandestine government project. Why? A secret, villainous group also wants to get its hands on her research and will stop at nothing to get it. Arthur has to keep Violet alive even though her work and absentmindedness and desire conspire against him. Poor guy.

Look friends, these two fall head over heels in love/lust while they're lying on the pavement after a bomb nearly kills Violet. Literally 2 seconds after they hit the dirt. Their chemistry is HOT, HOT, HOT and before long they're confessing their deepest secrets and desires and hooking up. Like, a lot. They have the lust. And the desire. And the thoughts. Ad nauseam. Arthur might be doing a lot of investigating? If he does, it's mostly off page. He might be a badass super amazing investigator - and the author really, really, really wants us to believe it, but the text doesn't support it. He's always mooning over Violet or hanging out in the kitchen with the servants, or fighting with Violet's handsome best friend. Or, even worse, arriving after Violet’s nearly been killed. And the same holds true for Violet. SHE'S BRILLIANT. But mostly she just seems like a lonely odd-ball who makes messes in her lab, forgets to eat, and is often excluded from group activities by the women she supports. WTF.

Friends, I wanted to get on the Violet and Arthur gravy train and I wish the author gave us more time to get to know each of them as individuals and less of them as "Violet and Arthur and the Never Ending Story of Their Longing and Loneliness And Amazing Sexy Times." It's a bummer.

I'm also on the fence with the diverse cast of secondary characters. We get a black servant and a trans footman, and obv, lots of women scientists. I don't like feeling as if an author is pandering to inclusive rep...but...well, I felt pandered to. So there's that.

Since this is a debut and the foundations of a good story are here, I'm predisposed to give it the benefit of the doubt and round it up just a smidge. I give it a C+ for execution and a B for entertainment value, or 3.5 stars.

Debut novel from Elizabeth Everett, A Lady's Formula For Love had a fabulous sounding premise that I was so excited about! The promise of a historical bodyguard romance featuring eccentric Victorian-era female scientists running a secret club mixed with a bit of intrigue had me eagerly anticipating this book. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting through it and ended up wanting to like the book much more than I actually did. As the first in a series, there is an expected amount of exposition, but there are a distractingly large number of characters. I had a hard time keeping track of who everyone was and my confusion frequently pulled me out of the story. The romance got bogged down by all of the other various plot points and I wasn't really invested in Arthur and Violet as a couple. I think this book wanted to say a lot, but it all felt underdeveloped and confusing. Overall a GREAT concept, but clunky execution with too much going on.

This book is fantastic. It made me laugh, it tore at my heart. It's inclusive, it's exciting, it's steamy. If you're looking for women in STEM romance, look no further. Violet is a strong heroine and Arthur stole my heart. The cast of side characters drew me in and I cannot wait to learn more about them in future installments.

Lady Violet, owner of London’s first club for ladies which acts as a front for a secret women’s science club, is working to create a formula to counteract a dangerous poison being wielded by an extremist group in London. To protect her while doing this work, bodyguard Arthur Kneland steps in. The two very quickly grow close, but the last time Arthur let his guard down while on the job, it was a fatal mistake for his client, and he won’t let himself make the same mistake twice.

This was fun. I really love a bodyguard romance and having it set in Victorian London was great. I liked Arthur and Violet, but found that I didn’t really like most of the side characters.

There were so many side characters introduced immediately that it was almost overwhelming and I couldn’t remember who was who. I found that throughout the book they would mention the name of one of the female scientists and I would have no idea who they were talking about.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable romance.

I tried SO HARD to get engrossed in this book. I just can't go on forcing it anymore, I'm pulling my hair out! It had many elements that should have made the perfect formula for success. There was no big chemical reaction for me, just one big fizzle. Initially the idea of female scientists living in the beginning of the Victorian era with their own club was really intriguing. If you're familiar with my reviews, you know by now that I'm a sucker for nerdy/brainy heroines. Big brains are where it's at, let's celebrate intelligence before appearance. However, there is a serious disconnect when it comes to these characters. I spent a lot of time reading things multiple times because I couldn't keep track of the various characters. Not being able to easily distinguish between the women caused me to feel as if I was dragging my feet through quicksand. The characters felt unfocused, the plot felt unfocused, and the romance unfortunately suffered the same. I felt pulled in so many different directions with little emphasis or focus where there should have been strong development.

For example, Violet and Arthur meet when he tackles her to safety during an explosion. He's an aloof man who doesn't like to get too close to people, and has little time to form attachments to women. Violet is a widow who did not have a happy marriage, and her experience has led her to have zero interest in romance or men in general. Despite that, from the moment their bodies touch as he tackles her, they're both feeling an overblown animal attraction that they can barely contain. It doesn't really seem in character for either of them to be so overcome by the sight and feel of each other's physical appearance. Honestly it would feel more organic if they grew attached to one another reluctantly rather than just their hormones. Based on their personality types, they would more likely need to gradually form an emotional attachment as they fight their feelings.

Arthur had a typical bodyguard conflict-not wanting to get emotionally attached because it would distract him from protecting her. We would be told that he feels that he needs to keep things purely professional, then he would turn around in the next breath and passionately kiss her without a second thought. Are we to believe then, that the mysterious mistake from his past that made him fail to protect his client would be so easily forgotten so many times? I liked that he accepted her differences. In fact, he found her to be attractive because of those differences, not despite them. I really wasn't feeling much for these two as a couple though because there was so much going on that it detracted from what should have been the main focus. Everything from the mystery, to the romance, to the character development felt half-hearted instead of equally balanced.

I kept pushing through because I was hoping that if I read long enough that I would get invested in the storyline. After getting to 65%, I was still feeling emotionless about what happened to the couple and forcing myself through it. Some books you just can't click with and I'm going ahead and admitting defeat. Many others will not have the same issues, so don't just take my word for it.

3.5 Stars

A Lady’s Formula For Love is the debut novel by Elizabeth Everett. It takes place in London, 1842.

Lady Greycliff, Violet Hughes, is considered to be eccentric by London society. She tried to fit in, to be a proper Lady, to be a proper hostess, to please her husband. It was too big a challenge for her as she is more science minded and less concerned with fashion or society. When her husband died, she decided to open a lady’s club catering to other like-minded, eccentric ladies of London: Athena’s Retreat. Violet’s stepson greatly respects her abilities and has brought her a special assignment from the government. This work has put her in danger.

Arthur Kneland has known and worked with Lord Greycliff for many years. He is ready to retire but has agreed to help Lord Greycliff with one last job, to act has bodyguard for Violet Hughes. He comes to her rescue upon his first meeting with her. While he expects the job to be dangerous at times, he does not expect, nor want, to put his heart on the line.

The primary story line is well thought out. However, there are several problems with this book. While I like the personalities of the characters, the author overwhelms the reader with the number of characters. By chapter five there are sixteen recurrent players; many come with titles or nicknames. I found it difficult to keep up with the connections between characters. The primary characters of Violet and Arthur are given relatable characteristics and goals. I found them, and the situations they find themselves in, to be quite enjoyable. The author does a good job of giving the reader their background information and telling their stories.

A second issue I had with this story is that where the language used seems appropriate for the times it becomes flowery. If I tried to read this book at night, it put me to sleep. The love story evolves naturally but quickly. Arthur initially fights his desires for Violet, he thinks he can stick to physical passion without emotional involvement. I think the author did a good job of advancing this part of the story. The love scenes build in physicality and intensity and are quite descriptive.

Overall, if you can get past the flowery language and overabundance of characters you might enjoy it.

~ Andrea

A nice set of main characters and surrounding characters drive forward this debut novel.. Author Elizabeth Everett does an excellent job of showing the constant struggle of women in Victorian England through her heroine Violet and society of scientifically minded women. They are trying to find their identities in a world that allows them few to no rights, holds them to impossibly high standards, while trying to tear them down. Violet gets to show her many sides and hero Arthur learns from her how to forgive himself for past mistakes. Together they have great chemistry and the scenes with the two of them push the plot forward. Some of the plot was a bit clunky and needed work, especially surrounding the formula itself, and the angst of why Violet and Arthur couldn’t be together was a bit overdone for me, but overall a decent, well written story with plenty of plot twists and humor.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for a copy of A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett in exchange for an honest review.
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This was a fun read! A secret society in London for female scientists? Yes please ! This historical romance was quick to read and I quickly felt for Lady Violet Hughes. She creates a society for women who want to learn and experiment, something that was not necessarily allowed or encouraged during this time period. After Violet agrees to take on a confidential scientific mission for the Crown someone begins targeting the society, and Violet. Arthur Kneland is hired to be her protection agent, a body guard against those that may want to stop Violet’s discoveries.
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I loved the focus on females in STEM and the themes of found family, friendship and female suffrage. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and that a conflict was resolved a bit too quickly. This one was steamier than I was expecting but I did enjoy the romance! I loved that Arthur saw Violet as the brilliant woman that she was and that he was supportive.
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A Lady’s Formula for Love is available today! Pick this one up for a fun historical romance!
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Content: targeted violence, death of sibling and parent due to illness (discussed in memories), discussion of holding power over women (father over daughter, husband over wife).

What to say about this book? I have been going back and forth about what to say without any real concrete thoughts on how it made me feel. On one hand I liked it, but on the other I felt that there was something missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on. With the re-emergence of the popularity of the historical romance sub-genre in the past couple years thanks to books like Bringing Down the Duke and the popularity of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, there is a serious drive to find more period pieces in the romance genre and A Lady's Formula for Love is sure to be a favorite for many readers.

This fiercely, feminist romance follows the story of Violet and Arthur. Violet is a widow whom has started a secret society of female scientists that have to work clandestinely for fear of being ruined by society. When threats and fear that Violet will become harmed due to the secret mission she is working on for the British government, Arthur is asked to come in and protect her. As a trained counter assassin, Arthur takes on this final mission before hopefully retiring to Scotland to live a secluded, quiet life. However the more time he spends with Violet and the rest of the female scientists and members of Violet's staff, the more that quiet life in the Highlands no longer holds the same appeal.

Overall one of the biggest positives I can take away is how throughly delightful the characters were in this book. The inclusion of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters was a very refreshing to see in a romance book. The characters in this book are smart, witty, fierce, and headstrong. They know what they want and they go after it, despite what society says is acceptable or not. The characters are what kept me reading this book and will continue to bring me back to this series. I must learn more about their stories and their backgrounds and secretly I am hoping that Henry will get his own book. In general what I found lacking was I wanted more structure from the plot and the writing style about how the mystery in the story unfolded did not appeal to me. I think the storyline could have used more details and more structure to make it flow better. There were too many times that something happened in the book and the timeline jumped ahead a couple of days later without mention of what happened in between or the details of how events unfolded. I think if there had been more attention to the details of the plot, I would have been able to connect with the story better.

Despite the struggle to connect with the story entirely, I did enjoy the book and I felt that it was a very solid debut. I would probably rate it at about a 3.5/5 but I will round up to a 4/5 because I will be reading this book again and continuing with the series. Elizabeth Everett is a very promising new voice in the romance world and I cannot wait to see what happens with the rest of the series and how she continues to grow as an author.

Thank you again to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the author's debut book, and I enjoyed it so much!

Violet Hughes, Lady Greycliff, has been hiding her true self for years. She's a brilliant scientist, and a passionate woman, who was stifled, in big ways and small, by her much older husband. This happened for years, before his death. Now, as a widow, she has more freedom, though society still views her as a strange bird. She's used her wealth to create a lady's club, which is cover for a giant laboratory where other women can pursue their own scientific interests safely, and secretly. But, when she takes on a secret project for the Crown, by request from her stepson, she finds herself in danger, and in need of a bodyguard.

Arthur Kneland has been an agent of the Crown for over 20 years, working as a counter-assassin, protecting people, good and bad, from threats to their lives. He's recently retired, and back in England for the first time in 2 decades. As a favor to his old friend Grey, he takes a contract job protecting Grey's stepmother. But, he has no idea how difficult the assignment will be, when he's drawn to Lady Violet, like he's been to no one before.

Violet and Arthur had sparkling chemistry, and I adored their connection. There were so many societal limitations on their relationship, in addition to all the separate issues they each brought to the fold. They were both lacking in personal confidence in many ways, as opposed to their strong confidence in their chosen professional endeavors. It was fascinating to watch them come to grips with their individual worth, and how they could be worthy of each other as well. I loved their blossoming feelings, and how that made them bolder in certain situations.

There were some fascinating and fantastic side characters in the story, including many servants in Violet's home, her fellow lady scientists, especially her friends Phoebe & Letty, her stepson Grey, and her old family friend Earl Grantham. They each added greatly to the story, and their differing relationships with Violet helped inform a lot about her personality. In a way, Arthur's lack of people in his life informed you of his character as well.

There was a mystery/suspense subplot here about Violet's work for the Crown, and how someone was after her and wanted to halt her work. That kept you guessing until the very end about who all was involved, and why. I appreciated the way that plot added to Violet and Arthur's connection, as he felt responsible for her safety constantly, but at the same time was unwillingly distracted by his growing feelings for her.

I really enjoyed this book, and I would gladly recommend it! I'm curious who will be the star of book 2. I can't wait to find out!

I was lucky enough to go receive an early copy from @berkleyromance and @netgalley. I finished it today - which also has to be the Pub Date!

I am determined to start reading more regency/historical romance books because I am seeing them everywhere. (I blame Bridgerton.) I picked this one up yesterday because I was influenced by @_emthebooknerd_ ! Typically regency books start off slow to me, but I got right into this one.

Lady Violet is a widow who has founded a secret society for women scientists. After she is tasked with an important mission, suspicious things start happening - an explosion, a break-in, etc - and her stepson hires a bodyguard. I liked Violet a lot (and her fellow scientists), and I thought focusing on women and science in the 1800s was a super interesting twist. It was pretty steamy, and our hero, Arthur, was a brooding bodyguard of sorts. If you like regency, you’ll love this!

Delightful historical romance, that will make your day a bit brighter.

Lady Violet is keeping secrets. First, she founded a clandestine sanctuary for England's most brilliant female scientists. Second, she is using her genius on a confidential mission for the Crown. But the biggest secret of all? Her feelings for protection officer Arthur Kneland.

Solitary and reserved, Arthur learned the hard way to put duty first. But the more time he spends in the company of Violet and the eccentric club members, the more his best intentions go up in flames. Literally.

When a shadowy threat infiltrates Violet's laboratories, endangering her life and her work, scientist and bodyguard will find all their theories put to the test--and learn that the most important discoveries are those of the heart.

A great start to a series I want to keep reading.

ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett
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Violet is the founder of a clandestine sanctuary for England's most brilliant female scientist. After several attempt on her life, the son of her dead husband hires a protection officer: An handsome and stern Scottish bodyguard. Arthur has learn in the hardest way that duty should always come first. After returning from a self-imposed exile to the ghastly Americas, Arthur finds it harder ignore his rising care for the eccentric Lady Violet and her club of gifted scientists.
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This was a wonderful read! The characters were so well crafted and their growth was wonderfully done. I loved how they both couldn't ignore their desire and feelings for each other, even if they tried, even if it would have been easier not to feel this way. Their maturity transpired so well in their characters, a certain kind of vulnerability that we don't often see in romance, but that was so beautifully done in this story. The steamy scenes in this one were so beautifully done, especially that first one, both of them so in-tune with each other, truly incredible.
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Steam Level 🔥 3.5 More than one very descriptive sex scene.
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Thank you to @elizabetheverettauthor @berkleypub and @netgalley for the free e-arc! As always all opinions are honest and my own.
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#aladysformulaforlove #elizabetheverett #victorianromance #historicalromance #romancelandia #womeninstem #romcombooks #romancenovel #stemwomen #romancestagram #bookrecs #bookreview #releaseday #newromancebook #romancebookaddict #bookreview #feministblog #romancereader #readingromance #berkleypub #advancedreaderscopy #ebookstagram #readmorebooks #netgalley

Bodyguard romance meets Secret Society of Lady Scientists in this 19th-century set novel.

Lady Violet opened up one of the most elusive secret society in all of London, a safe haven for lady scientists to explore their work unbothered by society's limits thrown upon them. In her society, they can explore and create new inventions as they please, as long as they don't burn the place down.... well, she will support them if they do so. For years Violet was pigeonholed into submission (by way of being a hostess and abandoning her wonder) by her late husband and wishes for women to explore their intellect. When Violet's latest design is discovering an antidote to a new weapon fashioned by the Crown's enemy, her stepson hires bodyguard Arthur Kneeland.

Kneeland's past continues to haunt him for the last twenty years, and he's hesitant to start caring for his charges again until he meets Violet and her band of scientists.

What I loved most about this book was its romance elements mixed with feminism. The women within the pages of the book don't want to be the property of the men that rule their lives, they want a room of their own, just as Violet has provided to them.

Thank you Elizabeth Evertt, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for sharing this stellar arc with me in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up. I'm really enjoying what feels like a surge in historical romance featuring smart, women in STEM characters and the like. This was steamy, witty, and smart. It's been set up for a series well, with lots of interesting characters supporting the main couple in this one.

After years trapped in a loveless marriage, where her brilliance was left to molder, Violet Hughes, the widowed Viscountess Greycliff is finally free to pursue her dreams and her scientific theories. But she was not content to just follow her dream, she also created a social club for ladies; Athena’s Retreat, a place where other women could gather and conduct their research. Violet is a chemist and often does work for the crown, so when her step-son, William Hughes, the new Viscount Greycliff “Grey” requested her help, she freely and eagerly accepts an assignment to find an antidote for a chemical weapon that was used by the illegal workers’ organization known as Omnium Democratia – a weapon that killed a constable. The assignment is dangerous as the members of Omnium will stop at nothing to prevent Violet from succeeding.

When Grey is called out of town, he hires Arthur Kneland, a retired counter-assassin for the crown, to protect Violet. A job that promises to be anything but boring when a bomb is detonated the very first night they meet! Violet and Arthur are instantly attracted to each other, but both have their reasons for trying to ignore the attraction. But soon even their best intentions are not enough to keep them apart, something that Arthur berates himself for when he believes he failed her after another attack is made. For her part, Violet has finally found a man that makes her feel beautiful and encourages her scientific pursuits – a man she isn’t sure she can let walk away. But before they can consider a future, they must first stop the villain before anyone else is killed!

This debut effort by Ms. Everett was good and I enjoyed the mystery aspect, but the plot was a bit hectic and there were A LOT of characters to keep track of, not to mention the author’s writing style was a bit pleonastic and she leans toward a more sesquipedalian vocabulary – I am not sure if that is due to the nature of the text, which was largely scientific or if that is her normal style, either way, it was distracting and made the book easy to put down. I was also a bit disappointed by the ending, I felt that the villain got off too easily – seriously, someone died and I don’t think their “punishment” fit the crime and I would have liked an epilogue since the book ends a bit abruptly. Those issues aside, I really liked Violet and Arthur, I thought they were both wonderful characters with painful pasts that made them who they are today and I loved watching them bring out the best in each other and seeing them grow and forgive. So for me, this book was not necessarily a “keeper” but for a debut, it was pretty good and I would read the next book by this author to see if her style smooths out a bit.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own *

This book was so much fun! A secret society of lady scientists in Victorian England is everything I've ever wanted and more! Violet was so intelligent and sweet, I loved her character and Arthur was so real feeling. He wasn't an over the top can do anything hero that doesn't seem realistic which you often see in bodyguard romances. The twist at the end actually surprised me which doesn't happen often. I will definitely be picking up the second book.

I loved every second of reading this book, honestly couldn't put it down. It was just the kind of entertaining read I needed.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary e-ARC.

Elizabeth Everett’s debut romance, A Lady’s Formula for Love, was so much fun to read. Ever since I watched The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston as a teenager, I have been a sucker for a bodyguard romance, and Everett delivers the goods.

Lady Violet Hughes is not your ordinary widow. A genius in her own right, she has created a secret society of female scientists and thinkers and provided them a safe space for their intellectual pursuits. She has also been tasked with a confidential and time-sensitive assignment from the Crown.

Due to the nature of her assignment, her son-in-law hires Arthur Kneland as her protection officer, and considering that her laboratory is bombed, infiltrated, and set aflame all in quick succession, she can use all the protection she can get.

Sparks fly between the unconventional lady and her reserved protector. I honestly loved their dynamic so much. She saw through his walls to his heart and showed him how to forgive himself. He freed her to love and accept herself, finally silencing the demeaning voice of her late husband. Their love was palpable and real. I loved their happily ever after because it felt so well-earned.

TL; DR: a super smart widow and her bodyguard get cozy with off the charts chemistry.

I can’t say enough good things about A Lady’s Formula For Love. I just love it so much.