Jemina St. Maur is a survivor. She has survived the sinking of her ship from Jamaica to London, 2 years locked up in Bedlam, the loss of her memories before the sinking and the loss of her baby…

Jemina may be an sought after widowed heiress on the London marraige market, but she is more interesting in her work with the secret group, The Widow Grace that rescued her and helps other widows in need… she is still in need because she is in search of her past and her truth. And the only one who seems to have any answers is the handsome barrister, now the new Earl of Ashbrook, Daniel… but he’s not sharing his secrets with her!

Drawn together by a shared secret, Jemina and Daniel find that they have more in common than just the secrets they are keeping from each other. Soon they are put in a situation where they must marry, but yet they still can’t trust the other enough to share their secrets and it looks like their marring may fall apart before its even begun!

There was a lot going on in this story. I found that the back and other between Jemina and Daniel was fun throughout, but for me the story really kicked into gear around the halfway point. Before that I was not as invested. A shared trauma for our characters brings the second half of the book up to the next level and I found at that point I could not put the book down!

I ended up really loving this book in the end. Vanessa Riley does a great job of including racially diverse characters that that feel real and authentic. I also appreciate that she shows the realities of racism that her diverse characters would experience without sugar coating it.

This was. Great read, but I would recommend readers read the first book in the series before stepping into this one because they are readily linked.

An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler by Vanessa Riley is scheduled to release April 27th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zebra, Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#AnEarltheGirlandaToddler #VanessaRiley #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

I enjoyed book one quite a lot, and was looking forward to this second in the series.
I found this to be a tougher book to get into and to enjoy. Though the two main characters were involved in Patience’s struggles in book one, we only saw them from Patience’s perspective, and here, we get into their heads.
We find Daniel to be conscientious, deeply caring, very smart and hardworking. He’s also daily absorbing the constant, soul-destroying words of the people around him who can never fully accept a black, wealthy, intelligent, titled man, and successful barrister.
Two years earlier, Daniel awaited his bride Phoebe Dunn from Jamaica. A shipwreck literally dashed his hopes, and one of the survivors, a baby girl, about to be dropped off at a brothel because she is now an orphan, is saved by the young barrister.
Jemina, still recovering emotionally from her two years in Bedlam, is somewhat volatile, constantly butting heads with Daniel. Her memories remain lost, and she continues her missions for Lady Shrewsbury and the Widow’s Grace.
Jemina is also pursued by a variety of fortune hunters, as the word is put that she’s a wealthy woman.
The two of them circle around one another, trusting and mistrusting each other and themselves, though Jemina has Patience remaining utterly supportive of her.

This is an ARC, and there were several grammatical errors, as well as inconsistencies (e.g., Daniel starts untying his slippers in one sentence, and finishes untying his shoes the next); these kept taking me out of the narrative.
More concerning, much as I wanted to care for these characters, I actually had a tough time doing so. Not because they were unlikeable, but something in the prose kept me at a distance from the two leads.
I did, however, like the deep friendship between Jemina and Patience, and appreciated the way Vanessa Riley showed the difficult dance Daniel always had to do, dealing with a mix of derision, hatred, and aggression, and much more rarely, respect. I also liked Daniel’s regular card-playing nights with his friends, who were real individuals in Regency England. In fact, I really liked the many historical details Riley includes, demonstrating to readers that England was nowhere near as white as we’re usually shown.
Though I had a tougher time with this book, I look forward to book 3.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review.

It was really hard for me to get into this story. This is a new author for me, but unfortunately I was not engaged. I think that is really important to have read the previous book because apparently the stories are kind of linked. It’s well written, but not my cup of tea.

I Don't Remember.

The second book in the Rogues and Remarkable Women series started a little so for me. The troup of amnesia was very intriguing. The banter between Jemina and P. Daniel Thackery, vs the banter between Jemina and the Earl of Ashbrook, was the catalyst to keep me reading. The lesson learned was no matter the period, family, the love of family comes first.

I give this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Vanessa Riley and Netgalley for the opportunity to read An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler.

#Cillasbookmaniacs #Mamatoni #Regency #Netgalley

Honestly... had high hopes but the POV switching made it almost impossible for me to get in to and I had to DNF. I love that his is an author of color telling an Own Voices story but that can't carry the fact that there is minimal development in the beginning and the POV alienation of one character feels like a heavy-handed narrative technique that I didn't enjoy.

The thing that first strikes me when I started reading this book is confusion. It felt like I was thrown into a story and I was not at all sure what was going on. I even started to reread the beginning to try to get some clarity – and I never feel like I have to reread books. Unfortunately, rereading the first 20 pages did not really help. This book is second in a historical romance series and I was aware of this when I picked it up but did not think it mattered that I had not read the first book. I have probably read more than 200 romance books out of order and never felt like it mattered much. I think it should be possible to read historical romance novels out of order, so I do think that the beginning would need some work.

Since it felt like I was missing something I had a hard time to get into the book. And I think it resulted in that I did not really like the book and especially not the romance. But, when I got more into the book, I started to like the story more, at least everything except the romance. I did not really care for the romance at all. But I did end up being invested in the mystery of the book which I thought was really interesting. I would say it was unusually well done because it kept me guessing throughout the book. I usually think that the mysteries in historical romances are very predictable and it was nice for a chance when it was not. And it saved my opinions of this book.

Overall, I think this book need some work in the beginning. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it did not feel like I went into the middle of a romance and I think that it made me not care about the romance. I had an okey time reading it and I would recommend picking up the first book in the series before you read this one, if you are interested.

I really really really really wanted to like this book. I felt that there were too few details for me to really ever feel comfortable with the story, which is unfortunate. When the Minerva, a boat carrying Daniel's bride to be as well as Jemina St. Maur, sinks on its voyage from Jamaica to England, all Daniel is left with is a baby that he assumes was his beloved's and Jemina is left calling for a baby that she lost. She is committed to Bedlam, where she is rescued by the Widow's Grace, an underground society that Daniel's aunt runs. My big problem isn't the love story (which is nice when it is featured)... there is just so much going on in this book that it's hard to keep characters and story lines (especially details from the first book) straight. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Vanessa Riley has a very distinct writing style, and honestly, it’s difficult to get into. But, she’s an amazing storyteller, introducing readers to heroines not commonly found in romance. Like the first book in the series, the description of this book may indicate a more lighthearted story, but don’t be fooled - there are many intense issues tackled here, but dealt with a gentler touch (this is where Riley’s writing style comes in handy). The hero, Daniel, is so completely dreamy and lovely, he makes the Bridgerton Duke seem dull.

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

Surviving a shipwreck en route to London from Jamaica was just the start of Jemina St. Maur's nightmare. Suffering from amnesia, she was separated from anyone who might know her, and imprisoned in Bedlam. She was freed only because barrister Daniel Thackery, Lord Ashbrook, was convinced to betray the one thing he holds dear: the law. Desperate to unearth her true identity, Jemina’s only chance is to purloin dangerous secrets with help from The Widow’s Grace—which means staying steps ahead of the formidable Daniel, no matter how strongly she is drawn to him . . .
Married only by proxy, now widowed by shipwreck, Daniel is determined to protect his little stepdaughter, Hope, from his family’s scandalous reputation. That’s why he has dedicated himself not just to the law, but to remaining as proper, upstanding—and boring—as can be. But the closer he becomes to the mysterious, alluring Jemina, the more Daniel is tempted to break the very rule of law to which he's devoted his life.
This is the second book in the series & whilst it could be read on its own I feel to fully appreciate it would be better to read the first book then you’d come to this book knowing about the Widow's Grace society. I do enjoy the author's reading style which is different & does get a little getting used to. Another well written book with strong characters, the pace is very good & kept me interested fron start to finish. Whilst I liked Daniel & Jemima I didn’t love them but I did love the chemistry between them. There are secrets & misunderstandings which all added to their journey. An interesting read.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I do not regret the time I spent with this book but it also was not the most gripping romance I've read this year. I think the perspective of BIPOC characters is sorely lacking in Regency romance, let alone in books by BIPOC authors like this one, and that aspect was very refreshing. This book is clearly exceptionally well researched. However, I was as bothered by the shift between third and first person between chapters as I was in the first book in this series and I never really connected to the main characters or rooted for them to be together.

I was under the impression that this was a standalone, unfortunately I haven't read the first book, nor do I have intention to try and get the first book actually now. I wished it were a bit more clear

A bundle of secrets ...

My first read by the author was not an easy one, going back and forth between one’s people mind to third person then back to first, but after a time I adjusted.
And while I thought I would feel less confused here, as I already knew the author’s style, I was very wrong.
I nearly gave up after the first third of the book, unable to comprehend the story, what is truly that Widow’s Grace society, what they really do and the characters left me cold while I should have rooted to their very legitimate and heartbreaking plights.
So put it down and after a night of sleep, I picked it up again.
So I was able to piece things together, yet it is a very confusing read.
Each is unable to trust the other, and by doing so they damage their relationship.
Daniel went to considerable mean to bury things he wanted to never be found, so he will do his worst to never see them unearthed.
Jemina lived through an horrific experience, robbed from everything after having lost even her identity. And while she can’t recall anything, she wants to find who she has been and while certain feelings about loss never leave her when she has no memory about herself.

I came to like Daniel, he is not an easy fellow to appreciate but for those he loves he will go to great lengths to protect them. He is a man facing adversity and other’s judgement his chin high and an apparent coolness.
Jemina is a blank page with a temper, I had more problems to discern her and by the end, I was not sure liked her. And while I could never understand the heartbreak she survived, I never truly warmed her. Too determined in her quest, very selfish in her way to face her problems.
3 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 some kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Kensington, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise looked interesting, and the characters had unusual backgrounds. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. I found myself very confused for the first part of the book about what was actually going on, and the relationships between the main characters didn’t really make sense to me. There was about 10 kg of plot crammed into a 2 kg bag, only adding to my bafflement. I had the sense that there was a lot of background in the first romance in this series, and that without it, I lacked crucial context.
The story did improve in the second half of the book, perhaps because I had picked up enough backstory by then for it to make sense, and the romance was quite sweet. I really liked Daniel, and I appreciated that the amnesia plot was approached in a far more realistic way than I've seen it done before, with the emotional nuances and impacts teased out. It was also clear that the author has done a phenomenal amount of research about the lives of people of colour and of disabled people in Regency London, which was very cool.
In short, there were all sorts of fascinating and unusual ideas in this book, and I really, really, wish they had come together a bit more coherently. But I'm sorry to say that the story really did not work as a standalone.

Vanessa Riley is a wonderful new to me author. This is the 2nd book of this author that I have read and I found this to be an enjoyable book. I will continue to read this author and look forward to the next book.

Sweet Regency romance! After surviving a shipwreck, Jemina has no memory of her past. But she suspects barrister Daniel is keeping information from her. Can the two trust each other long enough to discover the truth about her identity?

This fresh, original novel has a brilliantly complex plot. It's as much historical fiction as romance. It deals head-on with issues of race and patriarchy, but they never dominate the story. This is about two smart, courageous, determined people taking control of their destiny and protecting those they love.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I absolutely love the way this is written and love the concept, but it was a bit hard for me to get into without the first book to establish the world. I’ll be returning to this once I read the first book.

Okay, so I feel like this one did catch/hold my attention as much as book one did. I found yself skimming at time, but the storyline was still intriguing. Not sure if it was my mood but I felt this one dragged a teeny bit. But I did enjoy the whole concept of the Widows, and Daniel's frustration with Jemina getting involved in shenanigans and breaking into his office.

I also really like that the hero was Black (Blackamoor) because we always need more black heroes in historical romance! And not only that, his friends group consisted of mainly other black men/men of colour as well. More of that in historical romance too please! We also get a look at how Daniel navigates society at that time. He's wealthy and a barrister but of course there are those in society who will not accept a black man regardless of his money/job.

The author also included some useful notes at the end as I didn't realize alot of the persons mentioned in this book were real people in history.

I did feel at times as if the back and forth between Jemina and Daniel was going around in circles too much and wanted it wrapped up. while I get that Jemina is trying to figure out her past, who she really is, and is a bit unsure if she can trust Daniel it kept going: unsure, ok i trust him, hmm idk if i believe what he's saying back to trust/love. A bit frustrating at times but I wanted to stick this out as was still curious as to who Jemina would actually turn out to be.

The series is pretty interesting so I'll definitely be wanting to read the next book.

Jemina St. Maur remembers nothing from her life after waking up in Bedlam when she’s recovered from a shipwreck. Daniel Thackery was at the dock that day too hoping to find his wife had survived, but instead found her baby daughter. While Jemina knows Daniel is keeping something from her, they can’t fight their attraction for each other.

With romance, twists, and a little mystery this book was really enjoyable and I finished it in one sitting.

*I was provided an ARC from @netgalley and the publisher for my honest review

This was such a sweet historical romance between two people who thought they lost all that ever mattered to them only to eventually find each other. It was also full of some awesome women and lots of spy-level intrigue. This is the 2nd in the Rogues and Remarkable Women series but can be read as a stand alone. This book made some very big strides in addressing race, gender, and class disparities for the era by shining big bright lights on them. Without giving out any spoilers, the book demonstrated how easily privilege could be taken away from a women or a black man if the right people caused a commotion.

The story takes place two years after a terrible shipwreck that left only two survivors one of which is Jemina St. Maur who suffers from total amnesia. She is a strong, independent, and spends her evenings on various missions for Widows Grace (a group of women who help other widows regain control of their money and/or custody of their children). She was thoroughly a fun character to read not only because the amnesia gave her a heir of mystery but also because she was overall a total badass wearing pants and climbing freaking buildings in the cover of dark.

The new Earl is also a barrister who helps the Widows Grace whenever he can get away with it. It seems like his life’s goal is to quietly maintain the status quo in keeping his family name and his daughter safe.

It was told in both first and third person which took a bit of adjusting as I read and I’d say that there was a very good mix of witty banter between Daniel and Jemina with lots of cool mystery spy sleuthing peppered in. I had a hard time relating to the character of Hope, Daniel’d toddler, but I imagine it is nearly impossible to create a strong 3 dimensional toddler character but she played a fairly substantial role in moving the plot forward.

An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler by Vanessa Riley is a sweet read that is everything historical fiction readers look for. There is so much to learn reading this sweet and dramatic story. I loved that there is a puzzle and a mystery to piece together. It does take me a chapter or two to get into the flow of these books and some first person POV.

I loved the first book in the series and have been eagerly awaiting the next in series. I highly recommend reading the first so you will have a background on the previous characters and also the The Widow’s Grace. A group of widows who help the down trodden in legal and stealthy ways.

Back to An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddle. Jemina is the lead in this book and has quite a backstory. Suffering from amnesia after a shipwreck on board the Minerva. She is thrown into Bedlam and later rescued by The Widows’ Grace with the aid of Barrister Daniel (now an Earl and our other lead). Jemina is close friends and lives with Patience (the heroine from Book 1). In this work she is slowly piecing together memories and making amends with who she is now.

Daniel is the nephew to the head of The Widow’s Grace and a barrister. He has inherited an Earldom from his Uncle and has been piecing together his own mystery from the Shipwreck of the Minerva. The shipwreck left him a widower with a toddler daughter to care for.

What I love most about Riley’s writing is the historical elements that offer a fresh perspective for POC living at that time. Race, Women’s rights and mental health are all big elements of this book.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and #Kensington for the early read. I can’t wait for the next in series!

#VanessaRiley #AnEarltheGirlandaToddler #NetGalley