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What an awesome story!
It really made me sigh with satisfaction.

These two , although thrown together when they least expect or want a marriage are so beautiful together, yes they have some teething problems and have to fight against the evil sister and others who would separate them, but their chemistry is so lovely and enjoyable to read.

It’s a book I can say was excellent and satisfying to read in so many ways.
I love Emily’s writing and can’t wait for the next book , I’m hoping it’s Devon’s he needs a good woman and some love.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

4.5 Stars
Born into poverty, self-made banker Dexter Hart is now one of the wealthiest men in London. His ambition is for himself and his siblings marry a title and who better than the daughter of his enemy Viscount Alderley, the man who once whipped him as a boy, and on whom he vowed revenge? But Dexter’s plan backfires, and he finds himself tricked into marrying Alderley’s illegitimate daughter instead. Margaret Alder has known heartbreak and betrayal, and has lived in exile and disgrace. When her natural father rips her away from her home, he bullies her into marrying a stranger. The marriage thrusts Meggie into a world she doesn’t understand, with a bridegroom even more reluctant than she. Meggie rises to the challenge and proves herself an intelligent and kind-hearted woman, and Dexter wonders whether Fate chose for him a better wife than he would have chosen for himself.
This is the second book in the series & is easily read on its own. A well written well paced book, which I read in two sittings & finished well into the night. Misunderstandings, secrets & assumptions made the couple’s road to a HEA highly entertaining. I loved Meggie who’d suffered so much but was still caring & loving. I also loved the gruff Dex who gradually realised how much of a treasure his wife was. I would have liked to have seen the some of Alderley family totally ruined
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Emotional, absorbing, and romantic, this well written novel has a thread of tension running through it from the opening chapter to the warm-hearted conclusion. I did not intend to stay up past midnight to read this book but found I could not put it down. Dexter is a hard man who has fought his way to the upper echelons of society where he is a well-respected banker with powerful friends. However, his struggle is not without casualties, and in the process, he has alienated his immediate family. When the opportunity comes to take his revenge on the one man who is responsible for most of his pain, he is duped into marrying the wrong woman. Or so it would seem. Despite his harsh exterior, Dexter is nevertheless an honourable man and he does his best to protect Meggie from the fallout of her malicious father's schemes. Despite her humble beginnings, Meggie has learned her life-lessons well and she is a strong, intelligent woman who wins the respect of those closest to her. I found my emotions being aroused by this romance and was so glad that Dexter finally broke through his hard shell to bring Meggie the hope and healing she so desperately needed. I received a copy of this excellent novel through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This is book 2 in the Headstrong Harts series
We meet Derek in book 1. In that book Derek is a jerk. As this book starts nothing has changed.
Derek has risen from poverty to become prosperous, owning his own bank. But he wants revenge on the man, the Viscount, who beat him as a child. Giving him 20 lashes with the whip. He wages with the man on a turn of the card. The prize: if Derek wins, he gets the man's daughter, Lady Elizabeth, in marriage. Derek wins. But what he gets is not Lady Elizabeth but the bastard daughter, Meggie.
Meggie has been used and abused her whole life. But despite that, she is a kind, sweet, unpretentious woman. Everyone who meets her, loves her.
Even though Derek was duped, it doesn't take him long to realize that his wife is special.
Many people didn't like this book because they felt the hero was a jerk. He was. But this book is about how Meggie saves Derek and shows him how to trust and how to love. And in the end, Derek gives her the most precious gift ever.
I loved book 1 and I felt the same way for this book. Cant wait for book 3.
5 stars.
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

The opening chapter of this book was riveting. Dexter had been planning his revenge against his enemy for years and he was in the perfect position to win his prize--his enemy's daughter, Elizabeth. It seems Elizabeth wants the same thing although she hides it from her father, but when her father tricks Dexter into marrying the wrong daughter, Dexter is angry beyond words. He was now stuck with the timid bastard daughter. Margaret has endured a terrible childhood and has a terrifying secret that she hopes never comes to light. When her father marries her off to Dexter, she's terrified of him and soon realizes he was tricked into their marriage and doesn't care for her. Can these two tortured souls find happiness together?

I wanted to like this book, but there are things that almost had me stopping especially the whipping of a poor servant girl for daring to go swimming with Margaret. Dexter's tough exterior seemed over the top in some chapters and then all of a sudden he's falling in love with Margaret. There didn't seem to be any defining moment that would bring about that especially since he'd banished her to the country the day after the wedding. While I wasn't especially enamored with Dexter, I found the epilogue heartwarming and I'm glad I finished the story.

This tittle was made available by NetGalley, for an honest review.

And let me be honest, I hated it and gave up on finishing it.

The plot base was amazing and in my favourite trope: arranged marriages. But the actual writing did not deliver in its promises.

SPOILLER AHEAD >>>>

The first sex scene was so ridiculous that made laugh.

But the fact that the main male protagonist ordered the wiping of a servant, was a red line to me.
But wait... he´s not so bad, after all... he made sure she had laudanum. Seriously?

Revenge can backfire as Dexter Hart discovers, but he won a prize that changes his life if only he opens his heart!
Maggie has been ignored and ridiculed by her father because she is a by-blow! However, she is the one who has the most precious soul that her father and half sister would never be able to destroy or understand. Having nothing all her life has made her appreciate and see others with her heart rather than what they can do for her.
Dexter & Maggie hopefully can overcome a prejudice of rich and poverty. Building a life together can be difficult with stigmas and then to have others trying to ruin their relationship will also be a issue as well. Commitment and changing one’s opinions will be a progression of trust and loyalty.

The author engages the reader from the very beginning to the last page! She keeps the book moving with inviting dialogue and just enough seductive intrigue that you are drawn into the characters!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

It held my interest, but I never really was invested in the relationship between the H and h. .H is tricked into marrying the "wrong" sister, but why he wanted to marry the "right" sister I never understood--she was a vicious slut, and I didn't understand how marrying her would punish her, her father, or anyone except the H. So he marries the poor, neglected half-sister, beds her enough to find out one of her secrets, and ships her off to the country to "protect" her from the ton. The h was pretty timid but wouldn't listen to anyone who tried to help her, therefore getting into awkward situations. H comes to the country for some reason I can't remember right now, and suddenly they both have the hots for each other and are falling in love. H does rather quickly dispatch the evil father and half-sister when they show up to torment h, which was good of him, considering how he himself had treated her. So he is beginning to redeem himself. I never really understand why H fell so much in lust and love with h except for her (1) sexy appearance in spite of herself and (2) her innate kindness -- but to whom? There was no one there but the servants and she was constantly berated for being too familiar with them, and she bandaged his cut hand one time. Anyway, at this point, I'm going with the story to find out how her OTHER secret will be revealed. It is eventually, but H doesn't seem to care in the long run, just defends her and resolves the issue and we have happily ever after.

It wasn't a BAD book, but it wasn't one I'll remember for long or want to read again. It was just rather insipid. I didn't want to give up and stop reading, but I really didn't get a great feel for the h. The H's turnaround to be in love with her so much and so quickly didn't make a lot of sense to me. But it sure helped solve their problems.
There was some sexy times within marriage, but they seemed more formulaic than impassioned.

There were none of the frequent editing problems of typos, misspellings, bad grammar, etc., to a noticeable effect, so at least it was proofread, which is very good in this genre. Therefore, this is a good one for light reading when you're in the mood for a period romance. I've read better where I truly cared about the characters, but I have definitely read or DNF worse!

I received this book from NetGalley and voluntarily wrote this review.

Dexter Hart has risen from humble beginnings to become a wealthy and powerful banker, but he's always wanted revenge against a man who harmed him and his family. During a card game meant to ruin his enemy, Viscount Alderley, Dexter offers one last card flip: Alderley's money returned against marriage to his daughter. But Alderley double crosses him, and promises the hand of his "eldest daughter," which turns out to be his illegitimate one. Margaret Alder has lived in strained, but peaceful, circumstances, until her natural father blackmails her and forced her to wed. Meggie is thrown into a world she doesn’t understand, with a husband who is just as unhappy about the situation as she is.

This is the second book in the Headstrong Harts series. I did not read the first book and do think I missed a little bit of Dexter's family history. Even though it's a series about the Hart siblings, Meggie was the central focus and the book can stand alone.

This is my first time reading this author and I found the writing to be very engaging! I started this book in the evening and read late into the night to finish it in one sitting. Auctioned/gambled/sold tropes almost always work for me. I liked that the main characters are thrown together early, the situation is awkward, and they are forced to work things out. The story moves along very well, but I wish the romance and love scenes had been as fleshed out as the overall plot. However, there is something that happens in the second half of the story that I really did NOT like, and that lowered my rating. I will definitely look for more books from this author in the future.

Tropes: Wagered, Forced Marriage, Anti-Hero

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #QueenofmyHart #NetGalley

An enjoyable and well crafted regency romance by Emily Royal. Queen of my Hart had it all with great characterization, heartbreak, betrayal, and a developing love that conquers all in the end.

Dexter is a self made banker and Meggie was born out of wedlock and living in exile. Dexter is loyal and honourable, and Meggie is kind hearted and intelligent. They have to learn to trust in each other to overcome the challenges and mistrust surrounding them. A wonderful ending and happily ever after.

Fantastic second in this series which can still be read as a stand alone. Maggie and Dexters story continues, read it in one sitting and didn’t want it to end, can’t wait for the next one. Recommend Emily Royal to anyone looking for a great historical romance.

A well-paced historical romance with great characters, Queen of My Hart begins when Dexter, determined to marry into a title, makes a bet with Viscount Alderley, a man that whipped him as a child and disrespects him as an adult. Though he wins the gamble, his plan to marry Alderley’s daughter Elizabeth backfires when Alderley presents his eldest, illegitimate daughter, Meggie.

Meggie has no relationship with her father and is stunned when he comes to force her to marry a stranger. When he threatens all she holds dear, Meggie has no choice but to marry Dexter, but she decides to make the best of an unfortunate situation in order to protect those she cares about. She never expects to develop feelings for the brash and brutally honest man she married, nor does Dexter expect to become smitten by the lovely Meggie. But with secrets from their past in the way, can this couple ever give in to their feelings and learn to trust each other?

Meggie is such a remarkable character. She is kind and friendly, and she cares deeply. Not overly experienced in the ways of high society, Meggie often makes social blunders. She is a woman who has been through a lot, including abandonment and living a life of heartbreak and betrayal. However, she still has this unbreakable resilience and optimism.

Dexter is very different from Meggie. Closed off and brutally honest, he holds people at a distance. He’s a successful and ambitious man, but even his own siblings can’t break through his tough exterior. Dexter is hard-working and determined to elevate his station in society, but he doesn’t nurture some of the most important relationships in his life until he meets Meggie.

Both Dexter and Meggie have trust issues, and since their marriage started under unconventional circumstances, they struggle to fully open up to each other. It’s clear that they have feelings for each other, but abandonment issues and fear of rejection hinder them. It was lovely to see them slowly connect and learn to open up to each other.

I enjoyed this historical romance. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the romance is filled with chemistry. There are times when I wanted to shake Dexter and knock some sense into him, and I didn’t love the abundance of predatory men, but Meggie and the romance made up for it. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Dragonblade Publishing, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

A sweet story about two people with a difficult past . A strong man and an wise woman face together the obstacles life throws them and they find their happy ever after. This is my second Emily Royal book and i will tell you truly i will read more from her.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Wow! I am blown away by this book. I love everything about this book it is my new favorite! historical fiction at its best with characters & a story line that every reader will love.