Member Reviews

Danger abounds unsuspected as the scolding heroine meets the rogue who has unscrupulously engaged two mischievous children in a midnight foot race. Later they meet again as she is engaged to ferret out the whereabouts of a woman missing for 6 long years. Secrets will out; misperceptions will be undone; and a Duke will die before all is through. The man with the cleanest reputation will be revealed as a cad and cheat. A rogue will lose his reputation and settle down. Lives will be altered by events herein. An exciting tale with a worthy heroine at its heart.

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The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere by Anna Bradley Is the third book in The swooning Virgins series. The series spins around women who live at the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. Each of the girls were found as Street children in London and were reformed by the school and now Cheech. Georgiana Harley is no exception.

The story starts out with the Duchess of Kenilworth showing up late one night and Georgiana being charged with helping her find a childhood friend. However as part of the task, she is not to share any information with theDuchess's brother Benedict Harcourt. Guess who shows up the next morning? That's right, the Earl of Haslemere, which is Benedict Harcourt. He wishes to her help to discover his own little conundrum. Georgiana finds herself playing a role of trying to find out one secret while not giving away that same secret to the brother, while she's helping find out another secret. Perfectly clear right? Nothing's going to go wrong right?

Benedict Harcourt is a dashing young man. He's considered a hopeless rake, but he cares very much for his sister and for his friends. He is all about trying to figure out what is going on. Too bad Georgiana won't let it go. Together they go riding off into the wilds of England to discover the truth. And in the end do they discover they love? The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere by Anna Bradley Is a fun romp of a read.

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4,5 Stars
The only thing Georgiana Harley despises more than chaos is bad behaviour. So when the Duchess of Kenilworth pleads for her to investigate what happened to her friend Clara Beauchamp who disappeared six years ago & who Jane thinks she saw recently she’s come to the right place. Calm and logical, with nerves of steel, Georgiana is uniquely qualified to help the duchess. Georgiana's greatest challenge is Her Grace’s brother, Lord Haslemere. An arrogant scoundrel, he keeps interfering with Georgiana’s methodical plans. Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere isn’t about to trust his precious sister and beloved nephew to some delicate chit who looks as if a stiff wind could send her sprawling—no matter how brilliant Georgiana is. Or beautiful. Or brave. Or lovable. Or irresistible. But does even he have the courage to fall for a young woman with the starry eyes of an innocent—and the unstoppable fierceness of a lioness? Only time, and taking a risk, will tell .
This is the third book in the series & my favourite so far. It could be read on its own but I personally love that previous characters do make appearances. A very well written book with wonderful verbal banter between Benedict & Georgiana. I loved both Benedict & Georgiana, He's the rake & rogue but really is an adoring brother & uncle, she it how it is. They find that they are thrown together but the more they investigate the more their attraction grows & the more in danger they find themselves. I love romance & I love a mystery so when both are combined I’m one happy reader & here they are combined very well. There were secrets, twists & turns plus revelations that will surprise plus a burgeoning romance – I loved it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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This is a suspenseful story full of twists, turns, and confusion. Yes. Confusion! A happy-go-lucky rake doesn't fall head over heels in lust (or love) with a tart-tongued scold. But Benedict, Lord Haslemere does. And as smug and annoying as Benedict is, Georgiana finds herself thinking about him much too often. Benedict's sister, the Duchess of Kenilworth, has approached Georgiana to find a missing person, with a caveat that she is not to tell her brother anything about it. Soon after, Benedict engages Georgiana to investigate the hateful rumors and gossip making the rounds about his sister. Georgiana feels she has to take on his assignment too and now has to juggle two investigations while keeping her respective employers in the dark. The missing person story and nasty gossip are related and the discovery of what really happened is mind blowing. If you like mystery with a lot of flirting and romance thrown in you will love this book!

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Another great addition to this series ‘The swooning Virgins Society’. The Duchess of Kenilworth approaches Georgiana Harley for help to find a missing friend. Yet Georgiana soon finds herself lying to Her Grace’s brother, Lord Haslemere, who is also puzzled by the rumours that are abuzz about his sister. Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere, can’t understand Georgina’s involvement with his sister, but soon finds himself, wishing to spend more time with her.
This was a rollercoaster ride of a story. I loved the romance between Georgina and Benedict. Whilst trying to uncover the story behind the rumours and the missing young woman, the intensity of their feelings is quite palpable. What made this such a refreshing story was that there were few obstacles in the way of their romance, except their own feelings and responsibilities. Such a great read, that I don’t want this series to end. Each book just keeps getting better.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Georgiana Hartley is good at solving problems. When Lady Kenilworth asks for help in finding a young lady missing for six years, Georgian sees the fear in her eyes and can't say no. Her biggest pain is Lady Kenilworth's charming rogue brother, Benedict Harcourt, Lord Haslemere.. Benedict is not use to anyone telling him no. When Charlotte continues to evade his questions, he pours on the charm. Only the tables are turned when the sharp tongue virgin charms him instead. A young lady missing for several years, an abusive Duke, and a another Duke beaten and left for dead are just the beginning of solving the mystery. Very entertaining characters with a hero and heroine who go toe-to-toe, but are a perfect match. Add a few laugh out loud moments and it's a race to finish reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

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3.5 stars

I’m happy I gave this book a second chance. I started this book at the beginning of the month but was getting very slumpish so at one point I have no idea what was going on. I decided to take a break and come back and I’m glad I did. It did take me some time to really get invested in the mystery and romance. I was onboard towards the middle for the mystery and I really did want to know how all of these events and people were connected. The romance was good but I wasn’t crazy about it. Benedict is great. I love seeing how much he cares about his sister and Georgiana. He is thoughtful, kind and a bit of a rogue. Georgiana was quick to judge and naive. It took me a little longer to like her character but towards the end I was more into the romance.

I believe you can read this book before the prior books but characters from the prior books are briefly in this one. Also, not much is explained about the Clifford School but I think you can still follow along.

The formatting of this ARC was annoying at times because there were several words here and there with no spacing. A little hard to read. I hope that is fixed by the time of release.

Overall, enjoyed this book but loved the prior book more. Nice romance. Interesting mystery.

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

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An entertaining, fun and engaging romance. Benedict and Georgiana were great characters, well suited to each other, it quickly turned from an enemy to lovers story.

A great addition to the Swooning Virgins Society series by Anna Bradley.

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3.5 stars rounded up.

Georgiana Harley has developed unusual skills as a student of the Clifford School and they’ve made her capable of helping the Duchess of Kenilworth in her search for a friend who’s been missing for the past six years. The challenge is following the duchess’ wish to keep everything from her brother, Lord Haslemere. Georgiana sees him as nothing more than an empty-headed rake and she doesn’t need him poking his nose into her investigation. She’d rather he just left her alone and yet, when she learns how sweet and caring he truly is, she begins to rethink, and it seems he may be the one to break through her cool façade.

Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere, has no intention of being warned away from his beloved sister and nephew. But as he comes to know Georgiana, he begins to fall for her intelligent, no nonsense ways and realize he doesn’t want to be without her again.

I have a few rather mixed feelings on this one. The heroine put me off right from the start and came off as incredibly judgmental. She improved as the book went on but there were still plenty of instances in which Benedict showed himself to be a good man and kept referring to him as a wicked rake anyway. Of course, she eventually came around to giving him more credit, but it was a bit late for me. Benedict turned out to be a bit of a squishy cinnamon roll hero, but this meant he didn’t get much recognition for his strengths, though he was charming. I liked his attraction to Georgiana’s intelligence and his willingness to patiently deal with her insecurities, I just wish she’d given him more of that same consideration sooner.

As for the plot, the blurb is misleading, but Benedict and Georgiana do wind up working together to free his sister from a very over the top (but in a good way) villain. While the plot did make sense, there were definite lags in its development toward the middle and end of the book that threw me off a bit. This was also a very slow burn, so that contributed to some of the loss of traction as well. It’s still not very clear what’s going on with the whole premise of the school, but I didn’t really mind, though I will say I think this book is the weakest of the series so far. After the loss of momentum in both the mystery and the romance, I expected much more from the ending and it just felt a bit anticlimactic. I also wanted more information on Clara’s and Freddy’s fates. That said, I did think Georgiana and Benedict wound up being a good fit as a couple and their steamy scenes were very well done when we finally got them, though they were few. Overall, the story felt slightly incomplete and unnecessarily angsty in places but I enjoyed it and I look forward to Emma’s story.

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

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Much like her previous two books in this series, Anna Bradley delivers a book filled with cleverness and very likable characters. Georgiana Harley and Lord Haslemere are two completely different people. One is very much used to having everything they want and the other does whatever they wish to do. The banter between these two is fun to read and very memorable. I liked that it was more of a slow burn, in that, they didn’t come to fall into a relationship right away and you were given a chance to see their relationship slowly grow.
The story was definitely enthralling and kept me entertained.

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I adore Bradley's books. The layers she is able to incorporate in to her characters is amazing! You get to know and understand them better and therefore feel the emotions more. This is a diverting story and would highly recommend it.

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

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Once again Anna Bradley manages to deliver story that is nothing like you expect. This time the story focuses on Miss Georgiana Harley (who fans of this series will recognize from prior novels) and Lord Haslemere - two people who couldn't be more different if they tried to be. Benedict is a man clearly used to having his every command obeyed, while Georgiana goes her own way and does as she pleases. As such, I enjoyed watching as these two characters butted heads at every available opportunity.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this series is that these characters aren't quick to jump into bed (or even into a relationship) right off the bat. I feel like that gives them more of an opportunity to be themselves - to argue and to push each other into being better versions of themselves (or in this case, giving Georgiana time to realize that Benedict wasn't at all the man she has assumed he was). I also thoroughly like the fact that the the mystery aspect of these stories doesn't overshadow the characters or their budding romances, in fact the author manages to seamlessly weave together the two plotlines with the mystery being the reason these two characters are forced to endure each others company for extended periods of time when it is obvious (at least at first) that they would rather do anything but spend time in the presence of the other.

While I understand why it was done the way that it was, I do wish that the villain hadn't been revealed quite so early on. I think it would have added to the story if we had this "unknown" element running around, and would have made the reveal at the end even greater (not saying there ISN'T a reveal at the end because there was and it wasn't something I saw coming, but I feel it could have had more of an impact if we didn't know who was behind things).

On the whole though, the witty banter between these two was memorable, and the mystery just enough that it kept me invested until it was over. I would definitely read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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This is the 3rd book in the Swooning Virgins Society, but each of the books is a stand alone that can be read with, or without the other two previous. Though, I would highly recommend the others as they are very good romance novels.

The book begins as Georgiana Harley, a teacher at the Clifford School for Wayward Girls, is hunting down said girls who are part of a foot race between two bored aristocrats. One of them being the rake, Lord Hslemer. Having had a not so pleasant experience with him during that encounter, it is not a without issue when his sister hires her to find a missing lady, and begs her not to let Lord Haslemere find out what is going on.

As the mystery of the missing woman commences, so does the romance and sparks between Georgiana and Benedict. Each encounter leads both to the tension we all love in a good romance and the adventure that helps move us to love the characters.

And, this is a good romance. Filled with the things I enjoy. A strong female character, a handsome rogue, and a decent back story to allow them to fall in love. The thing I love about this series is that the females are strong, but not out of touch with the time period in which they are placed. You get the time and atmosphere of the setting, but you do not have a simpering maid without a brain. And, better yet, you have men who appreciate said women!

I highly recommend this new installment and I look forward to the next one when it is available! I am sure I will be thrilled to read that one as well.

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Will them working together turn to be a success or a failure ...

This series is getting better and better, each new book is a marvel of wits and cleverness.
And what began as a simple inquiry about a missing person turned into such a complex unexpected conundrum.
Georgiana is a take-no-prisoner kind of woman, whomever is standing in front of her might risk to be scalded by her sharp tongue. And Lord Haslemere, Benedict is the new recipient of her ire. But he does not let her quips deter him to enjoy their exchanges. And while he appears to take her rebuke like it is a jest, he also for the first time faces a woman who does not fall for his renowned smile.
Yet his arrival turns upside down her very orderly life, as a lover for anything analytic, she likes rules, schedules and order. The rake he is, is amused by her uptight reactions to his spikes but also intrigued by the woman who does not answer to blatant charms.
Benedict has enjoyed every aspects of the life of a peer, tasted most of all its pleasures and sampled many of the delights offered by willing women. But he has grown bored and a bit restless. Until he got a set down by a feisty Miss with a tongue matching the best sword. For once, a woman who does not long to jump into his bed, who does not give up and is not afraid to go against stronger than her.

Together they are so much fun, he raises her temper just for the pleasure to see her react, she refuses to follow his dictates, testing his resolve.
All the while investigating a much layered affair than what they were to expect at first.
They will have to dig out into some powerful peer’s past, look for a missing miss, dodge ruffians, untangle the true from the false. A rollercoaster like journey which will lead them from the city and its scandalous parties to some remote places all the while digging into the shabby past of some ugly villain to get to the bottom of their investigation.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen detailed lovemaking scenes.

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

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Georgiana is a math teacher at The Clifford school for wayward girls, where she also helps investigate certain situations for the gentry. The duchess of Kenilworth hires her to find a lady she used to know 6 years ago that she thought she recently saw again briefly. Georgiana and Lady Clifford however don't believe she's telling them everything.
Benedict is the duchess's brother and he believes Georgiana is digging around in his sister's business at the behest of someone else, so he insinuates himself into the investigation. When he finds out how wrong he was he starts to realize how much he enjoys her sharp tongue and wit and he loves her eyes.
Georgiana however believes he's basically an empty headed rake, but as he helps her investigate she realizes he's intelligent and caring and her analytical brain starts to melt over him, stressing her out because she doesn't know what to do with her feelings.
It's cute watching him enjoy being scolded by her and her being frazzled by his flirting.

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The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere is the third book in Anna Bradley's The Swooning Virgins Society. If you haven't read the first two books (like me), you will not be lost, as this story stands alone. A few references are made about the previous books, which made me REALLY want to read them. Anna Bradley has quickly become one of my favorite romance authors of all time in a relatively short period. And with this book, she gave me a new hero to add to my book boyfriends list!

Georgiana Harley, once a child of the streets, is now a teacher at The Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. The school isn't simply a school, however - the women who teach there work to expose London's worst rakes. One night Georgiana discovers two wayward girls have snuck out of their residence, and she looks for them...and finds Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere, and a friend drunkenly racing each other, with the girls perched on their backs as jockeys. She is NOT amused, and gives him a piece of her mind. Months later, the Duchess of Kenilworth (who just happens to be Benedict's sister) arrives at the school and pleads with Georgiana to search for a missing woman, Clara Beauchamp, who disappeared six years ago. The Duchess wants no one to know of this investigation, least of all her husband. However, Benedict catches wind of this and hounds Georgiana to be in on it. She refuses, until he gives her an offer she can't refuse regarding the school. They soon learn that the Duchess hasn't been truthful regarding her requested investigation. It's much more sinister than they were told, and soon their lives are in danger.

I absolutely LOVED this story! Yes, "loved" in all capitals. Georgiana and Benedict were amazing individually, and even better as a couple. Georgiana was abandoned on the streets as a child by her mother; she got by winning money at cards from the toffs of the town. She is rescued by Ms. Clifford of the school and eventually becomes a teacher. Our Georgiana is an absolute math whiz, which was why she was so great at cards. I'm in awe of her for that reason alone, as I am not anywhere close to being a math whiz. (Just ask my mom, whose checkbook I attempt to keep reconciled!) She is a fierce woman, not suffering fools. She doesn't think she can love, but she meets Benedict, who absolutely drove her batty. She really did try to resist him! Benedict was a well-known rake known for his charm and his incredible good looks. He doesn't take much of anything seriously, until it involved his sister the Duchess and his nephew, and eventually Georgiana. He was fascinated by her personality, and the way her hazel eyes apparently changed colors to correspond with her moods. As their relationship progressed, Georgiana discovered that he was a genuinely kind man and very protective. His passionate kisses taught her she really had a heart. When they finally get together physically, well, ooh-la-la! Their joining was very hot and steamy and, I must say, really sweet. Not only was the romance wonderful, but the mystery of Clara Beauchamp and the Duchess really drew me in and kept me guessing. An extremely smart woman, a handsome not-quite-a-rake man and a mystery and action...what more can you ask for?! I really must check out the other members of the Swooning Virgins Society; and I'm ecstatic to find out there will be a book 4. Squeee!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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I enjoyed the first two, so it’s shame this one was so dull. Part of that could just be me, but I didn’t grab onto anyone, and while the previous two had elements of excitement, this one did not.

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This was a delightfully entertaining, fast-paced, well-written story. I absolutely loved both of the main characters, and it was also fun to have a visit with the main characters from previous books. The Prologue nicely introduces the two main characters and to my delight, it also has an epilogue – way to go Anna Bradley!

Georgiana Harley was the only one of Lady Clifford’s girls who happened to be home when the Duchess of Kenilworth came to call. During the call, Lady Clifford and Georgiana learned that the duchess was requesting them to investigate what had happened to Clara Beauchamp who mysteriously disappeared about six years previous. Since the duchess’s patronage could greatly benefit their school, they readily accepted the task. As part of her request, the duchess insisted that nobody could know that she was seeking information about Clara – or anything else about the investigation. That particularly applied to her brother Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere – and it also applied to her husband, the Duke of Kenilworth. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. Georgiana begins her investigation at the unlikeliest of places for her – a masque ball. As someone who is bookish and detests the aristocracy, the last place she wants to be is at a ball filled with them.

Benedict had noticed something was off with both his nephew, Freddy, and his sister, Jane, but neither confided anything in him, so he did his best to ignore it. Ignoring it became impossible after conversations he overheard at a masque ball on his first night back in London. He’ll do whatever he has to do; step on anybody’s toes; run roughshod over anybody he has to in order to assure his sister and nephew are safe and happy. He tries to insinuate himself into Georgiana’s investigation, but she’s having none of it – until he makes her an offer she cannot refuse.

Benedict and Georgiana form an uneasy alliance – neither really wanting the other involved, but since they cannot get around it, they will work together. Until – well – things aren’t exactly uneasy anymore and a relationship begins to form and grow. Will they be able to survive the investigation? There is more to it than readily meets the eye and now they’ve placed themselves and others in danger with the questions they’ve asked.

You will absolutely adore Benedict, the rogue who really wasn’t, and Georgiana, the mathematician without a heart, who found she actually had a very loving nature. There are two delightful little urchins, Sarah and Susannah, who open – and close – the book, and you will laugh and smile at their antics.

I can definitely recommend this book. It is a wonderfully entertaining read with delightful characters and a fast-paced and interesting story. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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<p>This is my least favourite of the series so far. Each book can be read as a standalone but there is some crossover with characters. Benedict is a stellar character and quite progressive in his views for the times.</p>
<p>Georgina had potential but the author failed to fully develop the character. There were hints to her backstory, being a card shark and a whiz at mathematics but they were pushed to the side for the overall story and I feel why mention something if it's not going to be a part of the story. </p>
<p>I still love this series and will definitely be picking up the next one. I'm hoping this is just a blip. Still a good read but I know the author can do better. </p>
<p><em>I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere by Anna Bradley
Release: 1st of June 2021
Series: Swooning Virgins Society, Book 3

“The only thing Georgiana Harley despises more than chaos is bad behavior. So when the Duchess of Kenilworth pleads for help to escape her witty, charming, handsome, heartless monster of a husband, she’s come to the right place. Calm and logical, with nerves of steel, Georgiana is uniquely qualified to safely disappear the duchess, along with her young son. Her greatest challenge is Her Grace’s brother, Lord Haslemere. An arrogant scoundrel, he keeps interfering with Georgiana’s methodical plans. If only he would get out of her way—yet once he reveals a heart as sweet as his lips, she isn’t so sure she wants him to. Can she allow herself to fall for a man with an angel’s face—and a devil’s reputation . . .?

Benedict Harcourt, the Earl of Haslemere isn’t about to trust his precious sister and beloved nephew to some delicate chit who looks as if a stiff wind could send her sprawling—no matter how brilliant Georgiana is. Or beautiful. Or brave. Or lovable. Or irresistible. But does even he have the courage to fall for a young woman with the starry eyes of an innocent—and the unstoppable fierceness of a lioness? Only time, and taking a risk, will tell . . .” - GoodReads

You’ve got a Historical Setting, a Central Romance, and an Underlying Mystery to top it off. SOLD. But then, you also have flirtatious banter and intelligent characters which I adore.

Lord Haslemere, Benedict Harcourt, our arrogant Earl of the series is a delight. He’s demanding and incorrigible. I truly felt the attentions of Benedict, I felt the swoon and his careful affection, and that’s not even mentioning his own amorous attentions. He was truly one of a kind as our love interest for the book. He was very tongue in cheek and fun to watch in his interactions with the other characters. His somber dedication to those he loved was moving, and made him even more likeable in the face of his infappable humorous nature.

Georgiana Harley, with her wits and tenacity is like a dog with a bone when faced with a mystery. She wants the truth and will stop at nothing - even spending time with Benedict unwillingly - to find the truth.

The chemistry between the two is palpable and their flirtations gave me butterflies with their small touches, so innocent otherwise, set my heart alight.

The mystery itself kept me on my toes. I have found with a few historical romances that the mystery is secondary and as such isn’t as complex as some might prefer. Which I normally don’t mind, I’m happy to focus my attention solely on the central love interests. However, Bradley did not compromise on romance or steam for the sake of the mystery, nor did she forsake the mystery for the merit of the romance.

I truly recommend this book, while the start was a little slow to establish the setting and the characters once it found its pace I couldn’t put it down.

However, unlike with other books in a series of Regency Romances, I do not recommend reading this book as a standalone. I feel a lot of the background gained from the earlier books in the series helps you understand the characters and their roles better.
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TLDR; The romance was AMAZING the steamy scenes were felt from my head to my toes and the mystery had me GUESSING and I was wrong every time.
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Thank you to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for letting me lose sleep over this wonderful book ahead of the release!

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