This is probably more of a 3.5. Definitely a higher 3 star but not quite high enough to be 4 star. I had initially read this author's first book Mr. Malcolm's List and when I read the book I could tell that it was being made into a movie at the same time. Where as with Allain's follow up book Miss Latimore's Letter I saw a huge growth in her writing and storytelling. Compared to the first novel, it was superb. I think that her writing style will not appeal to everyone, but if you are a fan of historical romance and Jane Austen style writing then this book will be a wonderful read for you. I think at times the writing style and how authentic it is to the regency period, had a hard time keeping me engaged, but this book is short and I read it in two days. I really liked that there were multiple storylines and couples in play throughout this book, it really kept me interested in seeing which couples were going to be paired together and how they would eventually resolve their conflicts.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an eARC of the book in exchange for honest review. Opinions are my own.

Sophie had a chance at love and marriage when she was eighteen, only to have the man she was ready to devote her life to leave her high and dry for another with no warning. Years later, she is now orphaned and the older, spinster cousin, while her cousin Cecilia is bursting with excitement for her own debut.
After seeing how her own plans for her future went haywire, Sophie isn’t as keen to sit idly by while watching others engage in the courting process. During some observations, she realizes two of the couples in her set may be mismatched, which serves as her catalyst for writing a letter to that effect, urging the inharmonious paramours to look at those she has named to find their true match. However, when she meddles in the love lives of others, she never expects that it will lead to a trip to Bath where she’ll encounter the flame from her past.
Sophie, Cecilia and others all become engaged in hopping back and forth between various possible partners, the courting process almost resembling musical chairs and at a pace that goes against the naturally calm atmosphere of Bath. Even level-headed Sophie finds herself mixed up in it all, though her original goal is to aid the newlyweds she played a part in setting up after they wonder if their marriage was a mistake. The trip brings her closer not only to her much younger cousin, but also Sir Edmund.
Sophie’s story was a bit of fun and absolutely delightful and one I’d highly recommend to any Bridgerton fan. There were moments of humor and Sophie is a character who fits the time period well but without being a simpering coquette. Her desires for her life and her regrets are integral parts of who she is and their effects can be plainly seen on her actions throughout the book. I would have liked to learn more about Sir Edmund as he felt somewhat one-dimensional in comparison. This was an easy to read, fulfilling, and wholesome romance with all the hallmarks of what makes regency era novels so appealing.
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not affect my review.

This charming + captivating Regency England romance left me with a smile on my face. Full of endearing characters and delightful storylines, this novel follows Miss Sophie Lattimore and her acquaintances over the course of a summer. Sophie, accustomed to being a wallflower, suddenly finds herself dealing with unusual popularity after innocently matchmaking two couples. Now she finds herself being consulted as an expert in all things romance. Sophie tries her best to help her friends and family but matters of the heart are complicated…especially when a new suitor and an old one from her past both are trying to capture her hand. I throughly enjoyed the clever writing and hilarious comedy of errors amongst these sweet characters. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton + Jane Austen!

Thank you so much to berkley publishing + Netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

I'm used to heroines dreaming of Mr. Darcy, so it was fun to see the tables turned and a hero seeking an Elizabeth Bennet. This one is strong not only in Austen references but also in the feel of the storytelling. While many regency romances are on some level inspired by Jane Austen's works, this one matches her tone beautifully.

Our protagonist, Sophie, earns a reputation in society as a matchmaker after writing a fateful letter. Thrust into the limelight after a decade of assumed spinsterhood, Sophie finds herself receiving attentions from not one, but two, attractive gentlemen. I did become stressed by Sophie's love triangle, although it wasn't a true one in the sense that there was a correct choice on one hand and a red herring on the other. Despite this glaringly obvious choice as an outsider, Sophie is understandably locked up in too many emotions to make a quick and painless choice. I appreciated this more lifelike portrayal of everything we consider and worry over in choosing our life partner rather than a romanticized view of getting swept up with no doubts (not that that experience isn't valid, too). I think I needed more time after all the indecision to get on board with the characters' various matches, however.

The family journey was more poignant for me than any of the many romantic plots woven through the book. Sophie's relationships with her aunt and cousin at the beginning are amicable at best and distant at worst. Seeing their views of each other evolve and their new understandings lay groundwork for stronger bonds was truly special.

The dry humor and occasional lampooning of various side characters was my favorite part of the book. I especially admired the way the author didn't focus on one or two POVs as is common in many romances but rather flitted about to give us the impressions of the moods and thoughts of many characters. It dovetailed well with the humor.

If you like a regency that can give you that good Austen feeling and enjoy a romance with a full cast of characters, ranging from ridiculous to endearing, this one might be for you. Thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/10.

While this is not a retelling of Persuasion, it gave me so many similar emotions. Maybe it's references to a letter or the years of solitude after a lost love? Either way, I have big love for both novels.
Miss Lattimore - aka Sophie - writes a letter in order to see two couples seek their happily ever after unintentionally witnessing the angst and heartbreak of one couple and the potential loss of another. She does so anonymously but is quickly found out. To her credit, she sees a surge in popularity as a wallflower on the shelf when it so easily could have gone the other way. Her notoriety as a newly minted matchmaker has several individuals seeking her counsel. Sophie's confidence is shaken when she has a set of suitors and insecurities to navigate herself.
This read is full of wit and whimsy. I thoroughly enjoyed the settings and characterizations of the full cast. It makes me want to visit Bath and take the waters, even if it does taste like drinking too many muddy vitamins.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This book transported me to Bath and I loved every second of it! The perfect read to bridge the gap between seasons of Bridgerton. All the drama, gossip, and feels we all need and love.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I enjoyed this much more than Mr. Malcolm's list. I remember being more or less (mostly more) irked by Mr. Malcolm throughout that entire book, but I'm happy to report that Miss Lattimore's Letter is full of characters to root for.

I do recall thinking numerous times throughout reading this book that it was a modernized version of a Georgette Heyer. The romance is strictly PG (maybe PG-13 if you're strict), with some light humor and realistic characters; overall a witty and (mostly) period-correct comedy of manners. While some of the sentiments feel more modern, their execution is very period-appropriate. Women were forced to make choices for their entire lives based on very little knowledge of their potential partners, and were all too easily accused of being "fast" if they gave an inch more encouragement or a touch wider smile than they "ought". This book really gave the reader an opportunity to experience what a nerve-wracking decision it was. Lady Fitzwalter (sp?) got lucky, but did Mrs. Beswick? and Cecilia and Sophie were tied up in knots of indecision throughout. Imagine, making a choice at age 18 of who you would like to spend the rest of your life with...?

What I really liked about this book was that many of the characters mature immensely over the course of the novel. Not only Cecilia, who learns the value of a good character, and Sophie, who learns what -or should I say whom - she really wants, but Mrs. Foster (Cecilia's mother) is enlightened first on Sophie's history and then on how she has wronged Sophie as a family member. She owns up to her mistakes and is supportive going forward which was a real treat. A lot of times the side characters in romance novels are treated as throwaway characters who serve a slight function of pushing the romantic leads towards each other and then fade away. Not here; Mrs. Foster was given her own subplot, however minor it may have been. I would have appreciated hearing what happened to Emily, but I suppose in the context (and by Sophie's own admission) their friendship was destined to fade away.

This book was a significant improvement for me over Mr. Malcolm's list, and I would look forward to reading what Ms. Allain comes up with next.

I loved Allain's "Mr. Malcolm's List" (my review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-mr-malcolms-list-by-suzanne-allain) last year. Filming is under way (or wrapped up) with screenplay by Allain and Sam Heughan as Mr. Malcolm. The day my review published, Heughan RT'd my review!!!!!, thus, making my day/week/month/year.

"Miss Lattimore's Letter" is likewise excellent. Allain has a keen ear and eye for conveying an immersive Regency setting. The book has two interweaved romances -- one is Miss Sophronia "Sophie" Lattimore's with Sir Edmund, and the other is her cousin Cecilia's. While the secondary romance does not overshadow the main one, it does get sufficient page time to not be a pat thing that Allain wraps up in a cute bow. Sophie is a matchmaker by happenstance. She spies two unhappy couples and pairs them up through an anonymous letter, which becomes public, thereby raising Sophie's status from an unwanted spinster relation to a young woman worthy of notice. She then proceeds, reluctantly, to aid other couples with their troubled relationships and finds she has a knack for it. The heart of the story is Sophie's jilted past informing on her present choice of Sir Edmund's laidback and cautious courtship and her old beau -- who rejected her for a woman with money -- actively and ardently pursuing her. Who will she choose? Allain has done a good job of making the choice equitable, and not one the obvious non-choice.

(This review will publish on my blog "Cogitations & Meditations" at the end of August: http://keirasoleore.blogspot.com.

Thank you to both Berkley and Netgalley for providing me the ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was short and super adorable. I have recently gotten into regency reads and this one did not disappoint. I really enjoyed being able to travel to Bath and see Sophia and Sir Emunad fall in love.

Defintiely recommend this book to others.

Although Allain's previous book, "Mr. Malcolm's List", was a bit of a let-down for me, the summary of "Miss Lattimore's Letter" convinced me to give it a try. I can't say that it is my favorite historical romance, as it is a bit simplistic and overly dramatic at times, but I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to. It is fairly short and fast-paced, and while some plot points felt a bit outlandish at times (Miss Lattimore's instant popularity as a result of one letter, for example), it was overall very entertaining. Because of it's length and how easy it is to read, it's a fun, quick story for when you're in the mood for something that won't be overly taxing emotionally, but still gives the drama and romance you'd expect in a Regency plot.

I read Suzanne Allain's books because I absolutely cannot find her brilliant, witty, engaging regency writing anywhere else! She is masterful with her turns-of-phrase and the way she delivers a witty statement.

Miss Lattimore's Letter was the most fun regency romp, with a hilarious, unique, and delightful cast! And the way they all grew together and developed made my heart so squishy and happy. I felt like I was watching a Broadway play and at the end, I wanted to stand and shout and cheer for the cast! Sir Edmund also gave me some Darcy vibes in the best way.

I don't want to spoil anything, but I loved the ending. It was chaotic (in a good way), and surprising in true traditional regency form (Georgette Heyer would be so incredibly proud!) I couldn't stop reading. And I felt so satisfied in the end. My mouth hurt from smiling.

If you love traditional Heyeresque regency romances, you'll ADORE this one!

Content:
- A few chaste kisses

✔️ a whimsical story - somewhat reminiscent of Jane Austen stories
✔️ the Cupid angle was cute
✔️ I enjoyed that there were multiple couples and stories throughout the book
✖️I missed the dual narrative that so many romance books now have

3.5 ⭐️

First sentence: It had been many years since Sophronia Lattimore had used her fan as a means of flirtatious communication. As a poor relation of eight and twenty, she was now too firmly ensconced amongst the chaperones to try to attract a gentleman's attention, but if one had noticed the frantic waving of her fan he could have no doubt of the message it was sending: Sophie was desperately overheated.

Premise/plot: Sophie Lattimore, our heroine, overhears a private conversation in the gardens and writes an anonymous letter. Two matches come of it, her anonymity is lost, and Sophie finds herself enjoying a moment or two of popularity. Sophie has been "blessed" (though sometimes she feels cursed) with a second opportunity to find a love of her own. But finding one's true love isn't all that easy--all that glitters is not gold.

This Regency romance is set in London and Bath. There's a small cast of characters--readers follow their adventures and misadventures with "love." Notably, Sophie herself is being wooed by a former lover, Mr. Maitland, and a new one, Sir Edmund Winslow. Her cousin, Cecilia, is being wooed by a Mr. Hartwell and a Lord Courtney.

My thoughts: I may not have loved Mr. Malcolm's List, but I definitely loved Miss Lattimore's Letter. It remains a premise-driven romance. Sophie unintentionally becomes a matchmaker for the ton, and she's clueless as to how to proceed. (What does she know of matters of the heart?) While it might be easy to want to compare Miss Lattimore with Jane Austen's Emma, the two are not all that similar. Emma is an arrogant brat who feels herself better and worthier than anyone/everyone of her acquaintance. Sophie is a (mostly) sensible heroine. In fact, I got more Sense and Sensibility vibes than Emma ones.

I enjoyed the varied romances of these couples. I think it would make a delightful film.

The cover of this one doesn't scream Regency Romance. I'm not sure it screams out historical at all. Perhaps that's why it got misfiled as "adult fiction" instead of "historical fiction" when I was randomizing my reads for July! I won't complain about it in general for a romance novel. Romance novels can have absolutely horrid covers.

Is it clean? Mostly. I'd say PG or PG-13. There are kisses. A handful of kisses. It's far from smutty.

I think my favorite part of the novel was reading Sir Edmund's letter to Miss Lattimore!!!! It reminded me of Darcy's letter to Lizzie! I also thought it was a nice play on the title.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the world of Miss Lattimore! Her hijinks were reminiscent of Austen's Emma, but with more charm and grace.

An enjoyable traditional Regency with a few kisses and lots of promenading in the Grand Pump Room of bath, Miss Lattimore's Letter recalls Jane Austen's Persuasion and Georgette Heyer's Black Sheep or Bath Tangle. It is always fun to read a historical romance that takes place outside of London's ballrooms, and there are plenty of different Bath details to keep you interested.

The plot itself involves Sophie (Sophronia), a slightly older heroine at 28, who manages to find herself the object of two men's amorous affections. How she handles the love triangle makes up the meat of the story. Subplots include a young couple in a tempestuous marriage and Sophie's younger cousin who is struggling with making a decision in a love triangle of her own.

Strengths of the book include complex characterization, especially of Sophie and her family, and the diversity of settings mentioned earlier. If you're looking for a clean, enjoyably lower-angst historical with some good-natured humor, this fits the bill.

SUMMARY: When Sophie Lattimore, a confirmed spinster, happens upon information that impacts an upcoming society betrothal, she writes an anonymous letter in hopes of making happier matches for those involved. But when she’s revealed as the letter’s author, the former wallflower becomes a hot commodity as the ton clamors for her expert matchmaking skills.

I loved this book! It had strong Persuasion vibes as everyone (including Sophie) had pretty much relegated her to the shelf, but it was nice to see her gradual realization that other people’s assumptions don’t define you. I also enjoyed the romance between Sophie’s cousin Cecilia and Mr. Hartwell. The immature Cecilia took Mr. Hartwell’s devotion for granted and let her mother persuade her that landing a titled man would make her happier. Luckily, HEAs abound.

Miss Lattimore’s Letter was excellently crafted and rife with wry observations. The author’s bio says she’s a screenwriter, which I think is evident from the way her plot was executed so neatly. I did read Mr. Malcomb’s List, one of her earlier books, beforehand in case the two were related. There is no need to do that as they’re both standalones, but they’re both great so feel free to check them out in no particular order.

The story was a clean one, which I know not all you romance readers love, but it was appropriate in context and didn’t feel like anything was missing because of it. It was much more aligned with Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer than some other regency romances available today, and I wholeheartedly recommend you check it out if romance is your thing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sophie Lattimore has been a poor relation staying with her aunt and cousin for a number of years. She often finds herself in the background at social events and was not surprised when she overheard two people talking. Priscilla Hammond, diamond of the first water, is conversing with childhood sweetheart Charles Beswick and it sounds like they have feelings for each other. Sophie knows that Priscilla is being courted by Lord Fitzwater and she also knows that her cousin's friend Lucy Barrett is in love with him. So she decides to write an anonymous letter...which has unexpected consequences.

Her identity gets out and people begin to believe that she is some sort of gifted matchmaker. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sophie is approached by Sir Edmund Winslow who asks her to help him find a suitable match. Sophie is interested in him and hopes that he would find her his perfect match. But when Mr. Maitland, the man who broke her heart at eighteen reappears and begins courting her again, Sophie becomes very confused about what she wants for her life.

This isn't the only romantic tangle in the story. Priscilla and Charles marry but they aren't getting along and Priscilla comes to Sophie for more romantic advice. And Sophie's cousin Cecelia is also torn between Mr. Hartwell who is kind and loves her and Lord Courtney who would be the catch of the season but is both boring and stupid.

It takes time and lots of amusing situations before all the various lovers are paired off with their proper mates in this engaging historical romance.

What a fun and enjoyable book. I love light reads with romance and a bit of intrigue.

Miss Lattimore sends out a letter to a Gentleman letting him know he is going to propose to a woman that doesn’t really love him. With that this wonderful book starts. I really like Sophie as an MC she was very funny. She wants the best for everyone however once she is discovered as the writer of the letter thing get a bit messy. People call her a matchmaker but can she be one with only on letter sent and 2 matches? Well Sophie feels like she needs to make things better. As she tries to help others she finds herself possibly falling for Sir Edmund some one she has said she will help find a wife. Will she get her own happily every after?

I really liked how all the characters fell into play. I really loved how so many of the characters reminded me of Jan Austen characters. And I loved the trip to Bath. It felt like I was there and that is just the way a book should make you feel. It should transport you to that place. I now want to go to Bath and visit.

Overall a great regency romance and fun read.
**Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC**

This was a really sweet read. I don't read a lot of romance novels so don't have a lot to compare it to, but I enjoyed my time with these characters

I really enjoyed this sweet regency romance. This book is low on the steam, but high on the character development, plot line, and intrigue among the characters. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters, and it was really cool how the characters/plot line were clearly influenced by Jane Austen. I could see aspects of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion in the story. It was really fun to find these Easter eggs in the story! I thought Miss Lattimore was a compelling main character, and I enjoyed how clueless she was about her love interests. I also found Sir Edmund to be an intriguing male love interest. Overall, this book was perfect for a sweet, light, regency romance.