Due to some health issues, I was unable to get this book read and reviewed in a timely manner. I apologize.

Anne is an impulsive and rash young lady. She is determined to never marry and convinces her suitor to let her go to London. A whole slew of crazy events ensue and there are tangled up webs all over the place.

I found Anne to be slightly immature and as she's always been under her mother's firm thumb, she seems to rebel when it's lifted. It was humorous to find her in some of the situations she lands in, but there were a couple of others that were slightly disturbing.

Thomas is a dandy and yet he's drawn to Anne and finds himself helping her as her fake fiance. I really liked Thomas and have discovered that dandies often have reason to be so outlandish.

I wished for a tiny bit more of a connection between Thomas and Anne. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Anne, as no one seemed to take her side and believe her, even with the great lengths she went to in order to spread the truth. No one, but Thomas, that is.

This is an interesting Regency romance and I flew through it.

Content: attempted SA; talk of selling oneself; very mild kissing; mild moments of peril/violence and innuendo relating to the near SA and the interactions with that man.

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of An Engagement of Sorts by Alene Wecker to review. This is a historical romance that follows the fake dating trope. It was engaging and suspenseful.

I enjoyed this novel, a light and charming historical romance. I really enjoyed a lot of the characters although at times the writing felt slightly clunky, overall this was a really solid book and I would read more by the author.

An overall enjoyable book. I felt that the plot was a bit different than inferred by the description but it does get interesting. I generally don’t like a modern voice in regency or obvious inaccuracies but this book is the exception. The wit and banter were perfect and made even better by the modern voice in the classic setting.

I love this author’s writing style, as she portrays this time period so well in detail and dialogue. This book has an interesting storyline and great characters. I’ll be looking forward to reading another book by her.

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

This is a new author to me but one that I look forward to reading more from. She is able to create characters that seem to leap off the page and bring the story to life.

Anne Fletcher was not your typical debutante. She was full of feistiness and a desire for freedom from the constraints of society. Her mother was determined to be rid of her; marry her off to anyone. Anne was determined to have her freedom. She didn't really want to marry because she didn't want to become some man's property, as many were at this time in history. When she is given the opportunity to go to London, she wants to make the most of her time while there seeking for some control over her future. She was promised to the local vicar back home who has always been a close friend, but definitely more like a brother than a lover.

When she first meets Thomas Paling, he appears to be a flirtatious cad. She appeals to him for some protection which he initially denies her. As times goes on, though, protection and safety is definitely what she receives from him; including a fake engagement.

I won't give away the remainder of the story but there is a happy ending and a comeuppance to a character deserving of it.

This was a clean, regency romance that does have traces of abuse, both emotional and a hint of sexual abuse. While a little disturbing to read, there are not graphic details but are probably circumstances what many women enduring at that time.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Alene is a new author at Covenant Communications and they couldnt have chosen a better author than she. This story is right up my alley!

Anne suffers abuse at the hands of those whom should love her unconditionally. Although she makes the best of life with what she has her journey is beautiful.

I love that Alene brought reality of abuse, of all kinds, into this novel. Some may not enjoy reading books lined with reality but to me the characters become more real and endearing if they face trials.

Anne bears up courageously and Thomas, with his own fathers history make this story unlike any other.

Thanks Alene for the joy, sorrow, and most of all laughter that I found in this books pages.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher but this review is 100% mine and completely honest.*

I enjoyed the fresh contemporary feel to this historical romance. The characters were likable, and the story was cute and lovely. I would recommend this light and easy read to all my friends.

An incredible debut novel by Alene Wecker! The main characters chemistry was great! This book gave me BIG pride and prejudice vibes! I will definitely be reading any new books Alene Wecker publishes!

An Engagement of Sorts is a historical fiction novel written by Alene Wecker.

Summary: Anne Fletcher has never been able to gain her mother’s approval, and now Anne is being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want. She makes a bargain with her betrothed-if she can find an eligible suitor during the season in London, he will release her from their engagement. If not? They will marry.

Can Anne find someone to love-when she doesn’t want to get married in the first place?

My Thoughts: I liked this book. There is plenty of regency drama, quick wit, and villainous plots designed to ruin a girl’s character. It’s a fun read, and I enjoyed it.

If you enjoy historical romance, this one is worth the read, and I look forward to reading more books by this author!

I would like to thank Covenant Communications for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.

I apologize for my delayed review.

This was an interesting regency romance. Anne was an opinionated and fierce girl for her time and was quite likeable. Thomas was also an unusual hero. But I love how he worked on building up Anne's confidence. This book also touched on some tough topics related to assault and abuse of women. I was surprised by the added depth to the storyline. Overall, a great regency novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC!

Absolute wonderfully written book filled with romance, and wonderful relatable characters! This books when given to me by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

An Engagement of Sorts by Alene Wecker is a wonderful regency romance with a spirited heroine and a flirtatious hero who pretend to be engaged. The chemistry between Anne and Thomas and their witty banter made this story really enjoyable. While there is a thread or two that could’ve made things feel too heavy, the personalities and relationship of our main characters give it a light and fun feel. Recommended.

When her parents threaten to force her into marriage, Anne Fletcher begs for a chance to find an acceptable husband of her own choice. It will not be an easy task, however, for though beautiful, she is awkward, headstrong, and has ignored the lessons in the etiquette considered essential for ladies of the gentry during the Regency period. Predictably, her progress is marked by a series of social misadventures, but she is lucky enough to stumble across Thomas Paling (almost literally). He finds her amusing and refreshing, and to help her out offers a false engagement that will enable her to meet promising candidates. Nor is it long before their feelings become engaged as well.

That Thomas should fall in love with Anne is rather unexpected. Since this is a first-person narrative told from her point of view, his true feelings are almost as unclear to us as to her. Her attention focuses upon her mistakes and their embarrassing consequences, and even her comments often seem more impertinent than refreshing. Her treatment by her parents and snobbish debutantes does win Anne some sympathy, but she learns too little from her experiences and remains disappointingly self-centered.
HNR Issue 98 (November 2021)
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/an-engagement-of-sorts/

I thought An Engagement of Sorts by Alene Wecker was a good read and am giving it four stars. I recommend it.

This book was a delight and very fun from start to finish. I loved Anne. Oh, the things that would go through her head and oh, the things that she would say. I had a big smile while reading this book. My favorite thing about this book was the way it was written. There is humor, romance, great character development and growth. I am excited for this author's next book.

Content warning: attempted assault.

Have you ever read a book and felt that the main character just felt so perfect and could do no wrong? Well, this book is not like that. Anne, is definitely not a perfect character. She has several flaws and shortcomings, especially in the eyes of her mother. She's not the perfect model of what a young lady should be. She loves to hunt and ride her horse and be out of doors. But of course that's not what she's supposed to love. She's even a little bit clumsy and has a few too many accidents (that I have to say are pretty humorous, especially the carriage/cravat one hahaha). I felt like I was able to connect with her character more because of these traits. She's eccentric and outspoken sometimes, yet she tries to please her mom, but her heart cries out for things that are frowned upon for young ladies.

The ballroom scene at the beginning was great. She does a fantastic job of trying to avoid an unwanted suitor and at the same time makes a big faux pa in regards to another gentleman and introductions. And it just keeps going from there. I was laughing out loud, feeling embarrassed for her, and rereading some scenes because of the delight they brought me.

Thomas is our hero. He and Anne both have several things in their pasts that are hard. I really liked when they started to open up more about these struggles with each other and watching them find healing and taking steps towards fixing what they could. I loved these two together and anxiously awaited any scenes with them together.

Content: Trigger warning...Some spoilers in this section so don't read ahead if you don't want a spoiler. There is a bad guy. A sleazy bad guy. I will say that if you have any triggers towards sexual assault and abuse then this book is going to be one that you will not want to read. There are several innuendos said/implied by this character towards Anne. He also does attack her. Anne is able to get away but this is a sensitive topic. The author did a good job showing the emotions and struggles that would be connected to this situation. But it still is a hard and sensitive topic to address and read.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I couldn't finish this book. Although I did like the Hero, I struggled with the historical writing. A lot of things just didn't fit the regency time. Phrases like "passing gas" just didn't fit with what they would say. I prefer my regencies to take me back to the early 1800s. Too much contemporary feels to this book. Thank you covenant and netgalley for the early copy. All thoughts and reviews are my own

3.5 Stars

An Engagement of Sorts is a debut Regency novel for Alene. I really enjoyed this story. I liked the banter between Anne and Thomas. I always like a strong female who is willing to be herself and not conform the society's expectations. There were a few times that the storyline felt a little confusing but overall this was an enjoyable read. Tigger warning there is mild sexual assault in this book.

Thanks, Covenant and Netgalley for the ARC.