It's hard for me to really like a book when I dislike the hero so much. The entire story I was thinking there is nothing he can do that will make me like him...and I was right. On the other hand, I liked Lilah. She wore her heart on her sleeve and wanted more from life. Unfortunately, she picked a clueless man to set her heart on.

Lilah, an illegitimate daughter of a member of the Ton, was raised as a Lady. She would like to marry, but unfortunately the men of the Ton look down on her due to her low birth. Aaron meets her at a masquerade and is immediately smitten. He is not yet ready to marry due to his governmental work and Lilah would not be an appropriate candidate as spouse due to her being a by-blow. Will they or won't they? I recommend you read the story!
Thank you Jade Lee, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

The third book of the “Lords of Masquerade” series and the best of the series. I enjoyed watching Lord Ares otherwise known as Aaron, Earl of Kittrel, as he finally realizes what really matters in life. It took him a bit but he does get it right eventually, watching his character growth through the realization made for a fun read.

Then there is our heroine Lilah Rees — a woman who knows what she wants but like her Earl it takes her a bit to get her HEA. It still amazes me that children born out of wedlock were once thought of as “lesser individuals” yet an aristocrat man taking a mistress was almost expected. I mean, hello…sounds about right, along with the concept of women being a mans property. But I digress.

Overall, I am glad that Aaron and Lilah got their HEA - even if it was at the end of the book. Now I can’t wait to read the next book where we will finally get to see what’s up with Lord Laughton and Miss Clara —

4 Stars ⭐️ | 3.5 Flames 🔥

I liked the skills that the writer Exemplify in this story. I enjoyed how the writer pulled me into the story by well written synopsis of the story. I enjoyed the entertainment as well as the romance between the interesting couple. I thought that the book was easy to read. The drama was on occasion intense. The writer did a great job with the description of things. This gave me a better visual of the story while reading.

The historical romance between Lord of War and Lady of Substance? That's it! Aaron and Lilah's story. This is the first work by Jade Lee that I read and it's a pretty decent book. It obvs starts with 'I don't believe in love and won't fall for her/him' and will definitely end with a happy ending because their relationship soon mixed with lust from both parties.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC


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LORD OF WAR

He’ll fight for veterans, defend the poor, and give the shirt off his back, but he hasn’t got time for love. Aaron, Earl of Kittrel, is too busy governing England to find a wife. When a feisty fairy at his masquerade catches his attention, he’ll defend her honor, but he won’t marry her. And if he captures a kiss from her delectable lips, then it’s not enough to pull him from his duty. Or is it? Because he can’t stop thinking about her...

LADY OF SUBSTANCE

Lilah Rees defies categorization. Born illegitimate, she was raised as a lady. Trained to manage the most elevated of homes, she’s been dismissed by everyone with a pedigree. What could a famous Member of Parliament want with a bastard? Nothing but a kiss. So she turns her attention to forging her own way outside of the ton.

Lord Ares is the love story of Lilah Rees, a by-blow daughter of an actress and a member of the ton, who is looking for a husband, and Aaron, Lord Chambers, the son of an earl, who is enchanted by her, but considers her unacceptable as a wife for someone of his stature.. They meet at a masquerade, and sparks fly. And the twists and turns of the romance begin.

I enjoyed the book, and the characters that Jade Lee developed, as well as the plot.

#netgalley #lordares

4.5 stars - Lord Ares is the third book in Jade Lee's Lords of the Masquerade is another winner. I really enjoyed the entire series and I'm happy to see a fourth is in the works.

Aaron and Lilah are quite different - he is a titled gentleman and she is a gentleman's illegitimate daughter. They meet at the masquerade and kiss and he resolves to marry her. One year later, he feels differently, there is no way he can marry a woman who won't further his political career and this is lust, not love. He irks me to no end with this ridiculous thinking.

Lilah has had it a bit rough. She was raised by her father and stepmother who has been good to her. But her stepmother believes she should stay home and grow old with her and take care of her. Lilah wants a husband, love and a family.

There are some steamy scenes between Lilah and Aaron. I really wanted him to be knocked down a peg or two for treating her almost as badly as others have in society. They are perfect for each other and totally deserve the happy ending that was finally to be theirs.

Is Love Enough?

She is a woman, born out of wedlock, but raised to be a lady. He is an earl who needs a wife that can help him with his career as a politician. Aaron knows, firsthand, that love is not enough to build a future.

Lilah can’t fit into the ton, no matter what she does. She is judged by her birth, so she feels she must forge her own path. There is just one problem. She is in love with a stubborn politician who insists that she is not suitable for him.

Do Lilah and Aaron stand a chance? What would it take to convince Aaron that he and Lilah are not his parents? Would Lilah be able to convince him that love is enough? If anything could erode the rock of stubbornness, it would be love. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like lighthearted historical romance.

Lord Ares by Jade Lee is a complicated romance in which the author attempts to make Regency people think like modern ones, which is not to say it wasn't highly entertaining. Aaron, the new Earl of Kittrel, and his sister live a chaotic life in London. He loves his sister Clara, and would never disrespect her by suggesting that her manner of managing his home was less than adequate, but it was. She had a new friend, Lilah Rees, whom he had met a year ago and been enthralled. In fact, he had left town determined to marry her. The he got to his parents' home and saw the disaster their mismatched marriage had been and discarded the thought. No love for him if this is where it led. Now a year later he is back in London and Lilah is often in his home. He wrote it off as lust. He would not act on it. He would not make her his mistress and could not make her his wife. Lilah was born illegitimate, out of love certainly, but still a by-blow. He father had brought her to his home when she was nine and his other children loved her and his wife came to love her. He wanted a noble marriage for her, but the men of the ton were not cooperating. She had determined he best bet was to open an agency that would provide servants to noble household, for a fee. As she shared that goal with her "mother," she was told to leave the house. She did and came directly to Clara, her friend. She discovered after some missteps that she loved her job. She could have a happy life without a husband.

This was a fun story. Stories of reluctant men always are. It is fun to see them twisting in the breeze. Lilah was a realist. If she couldn't have what she wanted, she'd find something else to want. Aaron couldn't get past what he thought he should do ever giving a thought to what was best. He hadn't recognized his mother for what she was, which would never changed despite the fact she loved him. He was letting everyone else control him, until he decided to wrest control from them all and give it to himself. It was an entertaining story with a slight appearance by Lady Dove-Lyon, which really just complicated things further. The characters were fully developed, with plenty of motivation for the ways they behaved. The plot was good and the pacing was excellent. It was all-in-all, an excellent read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Lord Ares by Dragonblade through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #lordares

He was focused on his role in parliament, trying to get a bill passed to help the poor veterans returned from war. So he was not necessarily looking for a wife.

She wanted to find a worthy husband, and he caught her eye. At the masquerade ball, their identities were hidden but she knew who he was and in a chance of fate, or at least rescue, she had his attention. Now she just had to convince him she would be a worthy wife!

A journey of two people who seem so different, but in the end, right for each other! Can they find a way?

Another great story by an author I love!

Even as mere acquaintances, Aaron and Lilah sense that they could easily fall in love. But as an earl, his ambitions require he have a political wife. Polite society will never accept illegitimate Lilah. To avoid a state of dependency, she strikes out to start a business. But what happens when Aaron can’t forget the beautiful, independent woman who’s stolen his heart?

I love the Lords of the Masquerade series, and this book doesn’t disappoint. The characters were original and fun, and really drove the story. It’s a bit of a romp, with Aaron‘s sister Clara adding humor and whimsy.

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

Jade Lee has been on my list for a while, so this was my first book by her. I really enjoyed this book and will probably go binge the rest of this series.

This is a love story that explores class differences. Aaron is the heir to an earldom, and Lilah was raised as a lady but is illegitimate. Convinced marriage is the only way for her to be accepted truly; Lilah begins her search for a husband through ton events. Lilah and Aaron initially meet at a masquerade ball and share a connection.

A year passes, Aaron returns from the countryside, and Lilah is about to give up on her search for a husband. Their attraction is renewed, and there's a very realistic buildup to their relationship and falling in love. They have many obstacles to overcome - Aaron's burgeoning political career and Lilah's exclusion from the ton.

I loved that it wasn't love at first sight for Aaron. He was somewhat ambivalent throughout most of the book, and his love for Lilah built over time. I also loved that they had a lot to overcome to be together. Though the dialogue might not have been historically accurate, I imagine that these conversations took place during that time period. So I found them somewhat fascinating. I found it entirely satisfying that Lilah ends up rejecting the ton and finds her own place in the world.

I wasn't blown away by the writing, but I loved the story and the characters, and I am eager to read the rest of the books in this series.

Lilah is an illegitimate daughter who was taken in by her father and his family when her mother died. Society never really accepted her due to her illegitimacy. At a masquerade she meets Aaron, Earl of Kittrel, and proposed to him as she wanted a husband and children. Aaron declines as he knows the responsibilities of an Earl.
Jade Lee has written a lovely romance with strong characters. Lilah was strong, very organized, and not afraid to go after what she wanted. I enjoyed the trip to the Lyon's Den. Also Aaron's sister was a delightful character, as was her betrothed.
This is a story you don't want to miss.

A first read from the author, I really enjoyed this love story, especially because the heroine got to know her worth as well as true love. And Aaron cannot think of life without her after those first moments of being around her. However politics make things difficult for them so they have to overcome society's harshness and gossip to be together.

Enjoyed this first book for me from Jade Lee. Lilah, the illegitimate daughter of an nobleman and an honorable to a fault Earl. She feels isolated, neither commoner or aristocrat, and only wants a place to belong and real love. He is concerned for the welfare of the country and his position. I felt for LIlah at her frustrations in knowing this man loved her but he keeps denying her.

This story moved slowly, and there was a large cast of characters, but all seem to fit into place and we get a satisfying if not a bit too perfect HEA.

Looking forward to Clara’s story.

I really enjoyed the story of Aaron and Lilah. Lilah never felt good enough because she was illegitimate, and Aaron was stupid enough to think it was a reason he could not marry her even though they had a definite connection and both felt love as the story progressed. And there was a satisfying happily ever after!

Bastard born Lilah Rees was raised in her father’s house as a lady with her siblings, but society sees her only as illegitimate and not worthy of their time. At the yearly mask ball she falls for Lord Ares aka Aaron, Earl of Kittrel but he rejects her offer. It’s interesting to see his sister take her under her wing. Then Aaron see Lilah’s worth in her teaching his sister about managing a household, but not as wife. An enchanting story of a man who doesn’t immediately see what a gem Lilah is, he’s not ready to settle down, but Lilah is a woman hard to ignore and love takes time as he sees she’s perfect for him. I voluntarily read and reviewed this excellent book filled romance.

Lord Ares is the third book in Jade Lee's Lords of the Masquerade Series, and it has everything that a regency romance needs, an illegitimate heroine, class difference, overbearing mothers, the requisite bluestocking, and a happily ever after.

Lilah and Aaron have an immediate connection. I loved their first meeting and how strong of a pull these two characters had toward each other. The plot had layers of depth and raw emotion. Lilah is blunt, open with her feelings and it leads to refreshing dialogue. The story moved at a steady pace and I read this book in one night! It was an easy read yet contained an intricate plot. I did not read the previous books in the series (but will now) and the book does fine as a standalone.

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC.

A Lord of war and a Lady of substance clash and fall in love, she's illegitimate and he's an Earl in Parliament. It was a joy to read Lilah's and Aaron's journey to their happily ever after. Good characters and story keeps the reader engaged to the end.

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. This is a part of a series and i have read the ones prior. Great writing, awesome characters and definitely a delightful read! Put it on your TBR list.