“But it seemed bookworms could not be choosers when it came to real life.”

India Holton does quick witted, saucy innuendo like a complete and total legend!!!!

Lottie and Alex have my heart (and i will NOT be asking for it back!!)

A delightful read that feels like a bubbly drink, a warm Spring walk, shimmering water and roguish antics 😏

One more quote because I highlighted way too many not to share some of my faves?

“I want to take you home and exercise your brains out.”

(HAHA)

I found this one even more charming than LADY SCOUNDRELS! India Holton's THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEWOMAN WITCHES follows Charlotte Pettifer, the promised One True Heir of Beryl Black, and therefore future leader of the Wiccan League--who are, of course, mortal enemies with the lady pirates of the Wisteria Society (and indeed all pirates at large)--and Alexander O'Reilly, pirate captain and all-around rogue.

Holton's second book has all the zany charisma and misquoted literary references of the first, but the emotional center is even stronger in this installment, and the genuine affection that grows between Charlotte and Alex meshes perfectly with the nonstop antics and genuinely funny voice of the book.

Miss Charlotte Pettifer is part of a secret league of women who dabble in witchcraft. Their league--which is not to be confused with that other society filled with uncouth pirates-- never uses magic for their own gain (unless, of course, they see someone with a strand of pearls that would look way better around their necks), and instead focus on bettering the community around them. They weave their magic to slightly manipulate their surroundings to better fit their needs and what they deem proper.

When the long-lost amulet of Black Beryl, a notable witch, is discovered, it's up to Charlotte to retrieve it and claim her birthright. Before Charlotte was born, she was prophesied as being the future leader of the League, and if she doesn't get her hands on that amulet, everything she knows could be taken from her. Unfortunately for Charlotte, that means she must work with Captain Alex O'Reilly, a roguish and not-handsome-in-the-slightest pirate. Witches and pirates are notorious enemies, but Charlotte and Alex are forced to put their differences aside to find the amulet before their world begins to crumble. But they soon realize it's easier said than done. They intended to steal an amulet; they never expected to steal each other's hearts as well.

Holton's debut novel was one of my favorite reads of 2021, so I was highly anticipating this follow-up, and it exceeded all my expectations! If you were to take the adventure hijinks of The Princess Bride, the wittiness of Monty Python, and the sass of the Parasol Protectorate, you would get Holton's writing. It can be both whip-smart and utterly ridiculous at the same time, and that's one of my favorite combinations. Her comedic timing is on point, and always manages to hit you with a sarcastic remark or deadpan delivery at just the right moment. Just like the first book, I was hooked from the first paragraph and couldn't read fast enough. Charlotte and Alex are both arrogant and stubborn which led to amazing banter (and me going, "Ok, now, kiss" in my head), and were just so fun to follow. Charlotte isn't the most likable character at first, but she grows on you by the end. Aside from the characters, the plot is solid and so enjoyable. It's such a fast-paced wild romp of a ride. I was chuckling to myself the entire time. If you enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, or romance (with a little bit of steaminess), you need to check this series out.

First off this book is about 30 pages too long. It dragged a little at the end, though I do appreciate the grand gesture of Alex standing up for Charlotte in front of her family. Good scene!
Much like the first book in the series, the humor and pacing (except for the very end) of this book is just my speed. The commentary is what rolls around in my head in everyday life so I can relate. I can appreciate a book that makes me laugh out loud and this book had several instances of that. The other aspect I appreciate are the strong female characters and the men who recognize their authority and strength.
Actual stars are 3.5..

thank you so much to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

India Holton does it again!! i had such a good time reading the second book in this series. The pacing was great, and I loved Charlotte. They are such a lovable character.

This will appeal to fans of historical fantasy and romantic comedies. Strong female characters, interesting fantasy elements, and laugh out loud funny scenes are combined with solid relationship building and well written conflict for a well-rounded novel to escape from reality for a few hours.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holton's first book, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, was everything I love in a book and more. The League of Gentlewomen Witches returns to the world that she already built and made me love it even more. With a lot of the world building already out of the way, there was a lot more room for the central relationship to grow without sacrificing other elements. It was fantastic to see returning characters from the first book, but also new characters which add their own elements to the world Holton has built. The characters are witty, hilarious, and easily lovable.

I cannot stop talking about this book and will hands down read anything that Holton writes until the day she doesn't have any more stories to tell.

Initial Thoughts
So I thought this one might be a sequel but then I decided to read it anyway (despite not confirming if it was in fact a sequel). Spoiler alert, it is a sequel.

Some Things I Liked
The banter. I adored the witty banter between Alex and Charlotte throughout this book.
Enemies to lovers vibes. Ok so this book totally made me realize that enemies to lovers when they become lovers but sarcastically still pretend to be enemies is the ultimate form of enemies to lovers. As mentioned above, the wit in this story is unmatched.
The side characters. I absolutely adored the side characters in this book and can't wait to read more about each and every one of them.

Series Value
I actually have the first book and haven't read it. Honestly, there are spoilers but nothing that would make me not want to read the first book. I would definitely continue to read this series and I would go back and read the first book because Cecelia and Ned's story sounds phenomenal.

Final Thoughts
I picked this e-ARC up a bit randomly this weekend but found myself unable to put it down. I wasn't expecting this book to be this laugh out loud hilarious and the banter to be this fun. Definitely a new light-hearted witchy favorite.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In India Holton’s second book, she brings to life Charlotte Pettifer, the future leader of the League of Gentlewomen Witches (after her great aunt decides so) and Alexander O’Riley, pirate of ill repute but oh so handsome. But pirates and witches hate each other, they do not follow the same code of honour! Both are thieves but with different tactics and goals so of course, they will embark together on an adventure where flying houses will go side by side with brooms and chase villains across the sky.

For those who loved her first book, they will be happy to find characters from it and it is easily imaginable to see more books coming. It is a cute romance with many people falling in love. I quite enjoyed the budding romance between Bixby the butler and the oh so plain hide in the background Miss Dearlove.

League of Gentlewomen Witches is a mis of historical romance and magical fantasy. The author brings humour, quirky characters (how often do you have a pirate that is vegetarian and Irish Catholic?) and passionate hate-love relationships which makes this book a must read for all romance - fantasy lovers.

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the teahouse....

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say - although it must never be said - witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else - such as Charlotte’s heart."

And now I can't stop thinking about a pirate Mr. Darcy...

I love this series! The league of Gentlewomen Witches is every bit as fun and funny and delightful as Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels. If I have to choose, I joining the Wisteria Society, absolutely using the magic in the right way plus better hats. Can't wait for book 3!

OMG, this book just about killed me. I loved the first one, and this one was just as good, if not better. The humor, romance, and swashbuckling were spot on. I absolutely loved Captain O'Riley and Charlotte and their continual <s>bickering</s> path to love. Hilarious and highly recommended!

Unfortunately this title doesn't hold a candle to it's predecessor. Where Wisteria Society was perfectly balanced between satire and whimsy, adventure and romance, the mix is off somehow here. It's not so much that the heroine is 'unlikable' as the author suggests in her endnote, but that only a quarter of the way through the main relationship felt repetitive and the world which felt so confidently realized previously seemed jumbled and a bit hazy with the attempt to deepen it through the introduction of the witches' doings. I will still recommend Wisteria Society to just about anyone who will listen, but The League is not a must read sequel.

I got into the rhythm of this one faster than I did Wisteria Society and I liked the witch/pirate dynamics, but this book definitely suffered from the same plot dragging problems as the first. Charlotte and Alex were a thoroughly enjoyable enemies to lovers couple with big Rick and Evelyn from The Mummy energy (the highest of compliments!) and their relationship kept me reading through the more bogged-down parts of the story.

I think this series will be a big hit at our small rural county library. The wit and the literary references and the characters are just so much fun!!

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

India Holton has done it again! Imagine Romeo and Juliet, but where Romeo has a flying house and Juliet heavily-weaponised boots, and you get a tiny sense of just how original, whimsical and entertaining The League of Gentlewomen Witches is. The writing is smart, lively and very, very funny, full of glorious literary references (anyone who has ever read a Jane Austen novel will particularly enjoy this book). It’s also achingly romantic and steamy enough to make Elizabeth Bennet faint. I laughed on every single page, and cried a happy tear at the end. The Dangerous Damsels series is fast becoming one of my absolute favourites.

This books was absolutely fine. I feel very neutral about it as a reader, but I do think there is a lot of potential as librarian to recommend this out to the *right* reader. I just don't think that I was the right reader. While I know this wasn't technically a fantasy novel, it touched on too many fantasy elements for me to not read it in a fantasy way but then it executed those fantasy bits poorly. This just wasn't my cup of tea but it was still cute and I can definitely think of patrons who I know who would enjoy it.

This book is a slow-paced one. It was interesting to read about the Wisteria Society. This has a pride and prejudice feel to it but with a pirate as the love interest!

These books are modern day classics for sure. So well written. So much action packed in them. Can’t wait for more already!!