I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good historical fiction novel. Recommend

The storyline kept me glued to my Kindle through the whole book! I definitely recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Historical romance with strong characters who misjudged each other from the start. How it untangle makes an enjoyable read.

An Eligible Gentleman by Alice Chetwynd Ley


Two friends Phoebe and Eleanor- one being pressured into marriage of which she has no interest . They are both trying to thwart Phoebe’s mother. Mr Freddie Eversley is the very eligible confirmed bachelor.

A well written historical romance with a few twists and turns.

A few very interesting characters.

A very enjoyable read if a slightly slower pace by today’s standard.

A confirmed bachelor with no desire to settle down. A headstrong lady who wishes to help a friend. Sparks fly as miscommunication abounds in this old-fashioned Regency romance.

There is nothing more soothing than a simple, old-fashioned story sometimes. From the first page, it wasn't hard to see how the story would unfold. Frederick Eversley is a wealthy bachelor, content with his life. His family, especially his aunt and his mother, set out to persuade him to marry his timid cousin. Miss Eleanor Denham is a friend of said cousin, and she determines to put Mr. Eversley in a poor light to save her friend.

This is an entertaining tale, even though I knew how it would end. I was highly entertained by this pair whenever they shared a scene. It would have been nice to have a few more interactions that didn't devolve into a misunderstanding before they decided they were in love, but it is what it is.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy old-fashioned, clean Regency romances.

Perfect for fans of Georgette Hayer! I'd say this book could quite easily be from Ms Hayer herself as it's so well researched and fitting of the time period, and, although set in the same period as Ms Austen's books, this feels more like a Ms Hayer type of story. It's a clean read with nothing too taxing happening to the main characters, and the vocabulary is fitting of the period it's set in. If you're a fan of Georgette Hayer I'd definitely recommend you buy this book as you'll really love it

When Freddy agreed to visit his aunt and cousins, he didn't realise his aunt, Lady Chalgrove, was angling for him to marry his cousin Phoebe. But her best friend, Eleanor, knew, and knew that Phoebe was already in love with another man. Since Lady Chalgrove is controlling and manipulative and Phoebe is fairly spineless, Eleanor decides to do her best to make Freddy look ineligible. Unfortunately, she only succeeds in making both Freddy and Lady Chalgrove believe that she's trying to make Tom jealous so that he will ask her to marry him - though she doesn't realise this until later. Between misunderstandings, matchmaking mamas and confirmed bachelors, can any of them manage to reach happy endings?

Quite a mixup of matchmaking! Life is so much simpler when young people are left to their own devices in the matter of finding partners, but I guess that doesn't always make for a good story. This was a good story, and though it was obvious from very early on who needed to end up with who, it wasn't always clear how it would come about, and the journey to get to that point was most enjoyable. I did find Phoebe somewhat annoying with how spineless she was, but given what her mother was like, it did sort of make sense (and oh! that mother! She needed strangling...). All in all, an enjoyable, clean and well written story, and I look forward to reading more by the author in future.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

In the manner of a Georgette Heyer read, this was a nice read for those who like the genre.

We have two girls - Phoebe and Eleanor. One being pressurised into marriage with her cousin who has
absolutely no interest in her or marriage but unprepared for a determined mother. We have the other
determined to help her friend out of this predicament with one idea after another.
The ideas backfire, but the parents are thwarted and all ends well.

Very simple, easy reading.

AN ELIGIBLE GENTLEMAN by ALICE CHETWYND LEY is a delightful Regency romance novel with strong characters and a good story as they navigate the social scene of the time. The book is largely reminiscent of Jane Austen and the author has obviously researched this interesting period of history.
I recommed An Eligible Gentleman as an enjoyable read to anyone who enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Sapere Books.The opinions in this revew are completely my own.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

After my recent spate of serious reading, I needed something light. I picked a Regency Romance from my Netgalley queue: An Eligible Gentleman by Alice Chetwynd Ley.

The Honorable Frederick Eversley is a twenty-six-year-old confirmed bachelor and man-about-town. Good-hearted and certainly no rake, he simply enjoys his life as it is, being wealthy and unencumbered. When his mother asks him to accompany her to his cousins’ house in the country, he acquiesces, but reluctantly. His cousin Thomas is a twenty-three-year-old Mama’s boy. His cousin Phoebe is a lovely young girl who lacks any spirit. Fortunately, the trip is only to last a few days. His mother is going primarily to fetch Phoebe to London for a Season.

Frederick would be even more reluctant if he were aware that his aunt’s purpose in sending her daughter to London was not only to catch her a husband, but specifically to catch him.

Miss Eleanor Denham, Phoebe’s dearest friend and neighbor, is being pursued by Thomas, the Mama’s boy. She considers him a friend but no more. Devoted to Phoebe, she’s sympathetic when she learns Phoebe has no interest in going to London and no interest in Frederick Eversley. Phoebe has formed an attachment to another neighbor, whose title is insufficient in her mother’s eyes.

So, on the basis of a slight acquaintance, Eleanor schemes to make Frederick appear to be a trifler with young lady’s affections, to throw Phoebe’s mother off. The scheme fails, only serving to make Eleanor look bad and to put a wedge between her and Frederick when they might otherwise have been friends.

Off the young folks go to London for a social whirl. Thomas must learn to be more self-sufficient. Phoebe must avoid the attentions of any number of men attracted to her beauty. And (and here is the Romance) Frederick and Eleanor must clear up their misunderstandings and find their way to each other.

Interestingly, as I began the book, I found it to have a noticeably old-fashioned tone. It followed the Regency Romance conventions, but the conversations seemed stilted, the conflict was minimal, and there were no sparks. Reading more about the book, I learned it was a re-release of a novel by a writer popular in the 1960s and 70s.

I’m partial to clean rather than excessively steamy Romance, so I enjoy older Romances (like those of Georgette Heyer.) But here, I found the love story so subdued as to be a bit dull. It was interesting, though, to consider how Regency Romance has changed over the years–and also how it remains the same.

This is very detailed, well-researched, and competently written. It is, however, definitely a product of another time. Written decades ago and published by the author's estate, it's an interesting glimpse into the literary style of the mid/late 20th century, but it's very formal and difficult to connect with.

It may be very appealing for people who prefer more classic-style historical romance, but as a reader of primarily contemporary romance (regardless of time setting) the tone and circumspect romantic expression made this a more serious endeavor than I was looking for from recreational reading.

Many thanks to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.