Games in a Ballroom is a delightful "proper" romance (meaning the content is G/PG). If you're looking for a sweet book that makes you feel all warm inside, this is a great choice!

Emerson Latham is a well-off young man who used to do as many of his class did - he spent time with friends in gambling halls, went to balls and danced with young women who were looking for a husband, and got into mischief, looking for the next thrill.

But after his father passed away, Emerson became a bit more serious. After all, he was now the man of the household, taking care of his mother, headstrong younger sister, and their estate. He still spends time with his best friends, Bradbury and Lord Northcott, but he thought his wild and crazy days were over.

Emerson also is in love with his sister Arabella's best friend, Olivia Wilde. Olivia's father, a crass man who is abusive to his wife and daughter, wants Olivia to marry someone with a title, and he cares little about that person's character. He has the money, but not the title, and wants the respect that his daughter marrying nobility can bring. Olivia is horrified, but knows that if she doesn't go along, she'll lose all access to her mother and her father might take out his frustrations on her as well.

When Emerson realizes that his subtle wooing of Olivia was, well, too subtle, he devises a game of tag, to be played by himself, Olivia, Arabella, Bradbury and Northcott. He hopes to bring back the feisty Olivia he used to know, declare himself to her, and win her heart.

While the spice factor of this romance is pretty mild (kissing), the themes of treating women like chattel and domestic abuse are discussed fairly frankly. I really enjoyed the sweetness of their love affair, and am hoping Flint will write more about these characters, because I'd really like to see who Arabella, Northcott and Bradbury end up with!

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy of a wonderful book!

I was immediately by this book when I first heard about it. I hate to be critical of debut books but I have to be honest and say I was a bit disappointed in this story. The premise of friends playing tag at balls is brilliant but in reality it was a very small part of the story. Most of the story was spent planning the game and the fallout of the game. I was hoping for the game to be a bigger focus of the story. I did enjoy when the game was played as well as the inclusion of other games into the book. I found the dialogue hard to follow at times and had to keep rereading sections to pick up the thread. I really like Emerson, his good character and sense of duty are to be admired. I loved how he designed a courtship to bring out the best in Olivia and the things she loved. I found Olivia's character very weak, both storywise and as a person. Her character had no growth, she just spent the book complaining about her life and doing nothing to change it. The romance was sweet on Emerson's side while Olivia had no idea a romance was happening most of the book. The ending made very little sense and it's not often I sit and think about the different ways a book could've ended better. This story held a lot of potential but sadly didn't live up to it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️3.5 🌶1
CONTENT WARNINGS: parental death, domestic violence, eldest-sibling responsibilities, gambling

Jentry Flint’s historical romance is not the worst romance debut I’ve read this year, but it hasn’t been my favorite, either. From the start, I found the premise interesting, to be sure. I completely understand the romantic appeal of one’s friend’s older brother: Hasn’t everyone crushed on their friend’s sibling at least once at some point in their life? And I appreciate the way the plot was moved along by childish games like tag, in keeping with the book’s title.

It’s only in the execution that I think the book fell flat. For one, it was never clearly established how Emerson came to like Olivia romantically in the first place. The story begins with the hero already decided that he would court the heroine — and does not delve much into any explanations for the attraction, or into any qualms Emerson might have had about wanting to marry his childhood playmate and his younger sister’s friend. The story ends rather abruptly, without much of the resolutions or comeuppances that we have come to expect from romance novels. Then there is a supposedly funny arc in the story involving an animal in human clothing, whose purpose remains unclear to me to this day. Still, this being only the author’s first novel, I want to see what Jentry Flint will come up with in future books.

This is a fun book with a game of tag set in the ballroom. Emerson loves Olivia. Her dad has other plans for her that include a title. Olivia is best friends with Emerson's sister so they are often in the same area..

In this game of tag, Emerson is determined to woo Olivia even though he does not meet her father's standards.

My favorite scene involves White's men's club, a big, and Beau Brummel's Waistcoat. I was laughing out loud.

This story shows such a depth of emotion and human experience. This group of friends is amazing. This is a fantastic first offering from Jentry Flint and I look forward to seeing much more in the future.

I received an early copy through NetGalley and then purchased a copy of my own.

This book was so cute! I loved the unique twist with the characters playing different children's games throughout the book. The dynamic between Emerson and Olivia was so sweet and very well written and the character development left me wanting to know more about their group of friends.

Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for giving the e-ARC in exchange of honest review.

I jump into this story without properly knowing what the story is about. The only clue that I have is regency romance and 'games'. But, still without any expectation, this read turns out extremely pleasing. The story centers around the two lead, Emerson and Olivia. They' became friends because of Emerson's sister, Arabella, and we can get playful enemies-to-lovers vibe from them. As a child, Emerson loves teasing Olivia. She never gives in and often gets her revenge. But, when they grow up, they need to follow the rules of society and please their parents. Emerson's family had just lost his father, making him the leader of the family. The responsibility is extremely high and he's afraid he won't be able to make it. Meanwhile, Olivia's father wants her to find a suitor from an honorable descent since their family climbed up the social ladder just to be in par with others.

Interestingly, Emerson had long been attracted to Olivia. He often asks her for a dance during parties, but Olivia thought that was all out of pity. Desperate, Emerson gets the help of his two wingman to escort Olivia. Thus, the idea of playing a game of tag during parties was created, and joined by their small group. This part is really interesting! I love how the author explains the thrill of the game, the five of them running away and hiding from the 'it', chasing one another, sending smile and laughter.

Apart from that, the theme of woman's position in society, and the importance of social status back in the days are intriguing. It's clear how a person's status is crucial in those times and that puts a lot of pressure on the children of a family, especially when their parents are involved.

For fans of regency romance, you might want to check this out!. I really love the interaction between the leads, and the supporting characters are adorable too!

You might not think mixing a Regency romance, a game of Tag, a pig, a save-the-day game of hide and seek, and Shakespeare quotes would be so FANTASTIC but I’m here to tell you my friends… It is!

I’m not going to lie, when I first heard the premise of this book I was skeptical. Very intrigued, but skeptical.
Well in the words of Buttercup from The Princess Bride,
“I will never doubt again!” 🙌🏻

I just loved everything about this book!

You could tell Ms. Flint did a bunch of research to make this book happen. She weaved in snippets about the Aristocracy and some things/people that were popular at the time. Even things just about the Gentleman’s clubs! It was so well done.
👏🏻

She made the characters so likable (Except for 2 notable exceptions…) and fleshed out too! She gave them all histories and back stories, some of which we may not know all of yet but I’m very very intrigued to find out more…
*ahem* Northcott *ahem*

As for our hero, Emerson was such a sweet guy! I loved how family oriented he was. He took such good care of his mother and sister even after the death of his beloved father. And even in the midst of his grief he wanted to care for Olivia too. The way he understood Olivia, how he tried to carve out moments for them to have and how he tried to protect her from repercussions from her father. It was just so so sweet!
I also loved how he liked/loved Olivia from the beginning and it was her slowly realizing her feelings.

That idea behind the game of tag and the game itself was so much fun! I didn’t know how a game of tag could be pulled off in the ballroom but it worked and now I’m just so jealous I don’t have anyone to play tag with. 😩
Preferably with a handsome love interest and preferably in a beautiful ballroom…

Emerson and his friends, Bradbury and Northcott, were the true highlight of the story I think. I loved their camaraderie and how they helped Emerson with his plans and games. I really need another book with one of them as the Hero of the story. Maybe with Arabella as the heroine? I know who I want but I won’t spoil it even if it’s just guesses. 😂

Oh! And the ending was AWESOME!
It kept me on my toes and was so romantic! 😍
I’m definitely going to be rereading this one!

All in all, this was an amazing Regency romp and I can’t wait for whatever Jentry has in store for us next!

DNFed at 40% so let me explain my rating!

Games in a Ballroom is a regency romance about a girl who has been ordered to marry a noble and her old friend (her best friend's brother) who's in love with her. It's got the basis for quite a nice slow build owing to the forbidden love aspect of the premise and, for the most part, it achieves just that. If you are a fan of romance novels, particularly regency romance novels, then the writing here is quite nice, the characters seem interesting and each have a distinct voice, and everything flows rather smoothly. I liked the band of characters and their dynamic manages to come across rather nicely in the book. Overall, if you're able to suspend your disbelief over my main point below, you're going to be able to enjoy it for the cute book that it is.

However, for the life of me, I could not get past one critical element which is that the whole story revolves around the dangers of a game of TAG that the characters have embarked on in order to make the balls they attend slightly less boring. Right from the beginning, the main character keeps talking about how she should have never agreed to this game and how she's going to be ruined if her father ever discovers it like ... the whole game is just you walking up to someone in your friend group, tapping them, and saying you're "it", they're not even like running around and chasing each other or anything like that, it's discreet tag!!!

Their constant mentioning of the importance of it all and the potential scandal and the high stakes the characters kept alluding to were just completely lost on me and I just could not take them or the story seriously as a result of it. I'd be enjoying some character interactions and then they'd start talking about TAG and who is <I>it</i> and I'd be faced with passages such as the one below as if they're planning a heist or planning a murder or something and it would just take me straight out of the story:

"Should Liv and his sister attempt to tag one another and discover that both of them had been tagged it, they would both come in search of him demanding answers. He would then be forced to admit in front of Liv that mistakes had been made.
Mistakes he could not afford to make."

Like, I genuinely wanted to keep reading, I love the cover, the writer has a nice way with words and the romance is cute but I, personally, couldn't take the entire inciting incident seriously and found myself rolling my eyes every time it was mentioned so I just had to stop, I'm sorry. Don't let that stop you from reading it though!

Games in a Ballroom is a fun, lighthearted regency read. Olivia is stifled under the thumb of an oppressive father and looking to have little fun before a match with a title is secured. Emerson, a second son, despite being a true and loyal friend, will never do as a match because he can never meet the strict criteria. So, in true form of a friend looking to lighten a load, Emerson proposes a game of tag during the season. The antics and banter are charming and sweet. The tension is predictable, but enjoyable as it resolves. I loved the premise of this story I just never personally connected with the characters. Jentry Flint is a new to me author and will certainly try future books as I think she has talent as a writer.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely loved this debut novel and I’m hoping we will get more books in regards to the sibling and friends of the Emerson and Olivia. I loved the tropes found in this book and I loved how the games were incorporated into the story. I look forward to more from Jentry Flint.
Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This was a total surprise to read. As the saying goes, "never judge a book by it's cover." Emerson Latham may have no title, but he is responsible for his mother, sister and all the family holdings. He is in love with Olivia Wilde and is afraid of losing her to a man with a title. He needs a way to silently court her to let her know he loves her. Ever aware of her father's cruelty to her mother if she does not accept his choice of a husband with a title, Olivia sees only living a life in bondage and despair. Emerson comes up with a way to court Olivia, but he needs his friends and his sister to make it work. What starts out as a game of tag, leads to a decision for a future for Olivia. Including more fun and games, Emerson and his friends create a wager on a pig in a waistcoat. More funny than I was expecting with very likable characters. I hope to read more about these characters in up coming books. Congratulations Jentry Flint on your debut novel!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Games in a Ballroom
By: Jentry Flint
Release date: May 3rd
I will be honest; this book was not exactly a page turner at first for me. It took me a little while to really get going with this one but once I was about half way through I stayed up all night to finish.
These characters are so fun and such a great group of friends to have. I did fall in love with Emerson what girl wouldn’t want him as her husband, title or not. To a game like this to play with your friends while trying to be proper would have to make the season so much more fun.
I really hope to see a sequel to find out more about Lord Northcutt or possibly Arabella. I really did enjoy the story. I would like to thank @shadowmoutainpub and @Netgalley for giving the opportunity to read and review the wonder addition the #ProperRomanace books.

Emerson is determined to win Olivia’s heart, but she only sees him as her friend, Arabella’s, older brother. Plus, her father insists that daughters are only good for marrying someone with a title. He comes up with a plan to prove to Olivia that he loves her, and he enlists his two longtime friends to help. Let the games begin!

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Jentry! I thought the plot with Emerson’s games was unique, and I couldn’t tell how they would get to their happy ending, which I always like. And I wonder if Arabella (and Lord Northcut, maybe?!) will get her own story one day.

A good regency read for the summer! The games the MCs played were fun and carefree and gave a lightness to this novel. The romance was great and had dreiste and turns written in so it wasn’t a straight love story.

Games in a Ballroom is the debut novel of Jentry Flint, and it is a part of Shadow Mountain Publishing's Proper Romance Series. It was taking me a while to get into this story, and I was on the verge of placing it in the Did Not Finish category. That is, until a pig dressed in Beau Brummell's waistcoat was sent running through White's Gentlemen's Club's morning room. Yes, you read that correctly. I was so glad I ended up sticking with the story, as it suddenly became unputdownable! It did turn out to be a lovely proper romance. (I admit I regretted the fact that the fate of the pig was not revealed to us. Was he tasty?)

In London 1815, Olivia Wilde is not destined to marry a man she loved; instead, she was the means by which her brutal but rich father would basically buy his daughter a titled man simply to increase his own prestige. She knows such is her fate, so she decides to enjoy the rest of her freedom spending time with her best friend Arabella Latham and Arabella's older brother Emerson. After his father's death, Emerson is doing his best to take over the responsibilities and duties that were left to him. But he already knows who he wants to be by his side as his bride as he handles his duties: Olivia. Emerson, however, doesn't have a title, so he knows there is absolutely no way he would be allowed to court her openly. So how about secretly? Emerson suggests a playful game of tag to his friends Bradbury and Northcott, along with Arabella and Olivia. Olivia's not sure about this whole idea, but she agrees and the friends begin to secretly tag each other at balls and dinners. It soon becomes apparent that being with her isn't just fun and games for Emerson. If they are caught, however, reputations will be ruined and there could be dangerous results to their safety by Olivia's abusive father. How will the game end?

The whole game seemed rather silly and juvenile at first. Maybe it was due to my advanced age; I'm not exactly young anymore! But once the well-dressed pig was brought into the picture, things really revved up. More humor was brought into the story, but things also became more serious and I just had to follow the game to its conclusion. Olivia had a difficult home life, and it was heartbreaking. She had a loving mother, but her father was terrifying. He had a horrible temper and it was obvious that he physically abused his wife. His daughter was simply a bargaining chip for him to become connected to a titled family. If he discovered the burgeoning love between Olivia and Emerson, things would not go well for any of them. Emerson was learning the ropes of handling family and resources after the death of his father, but he had a very supportive mother and a sister who annoyed the heck out of him but whom he loved. He had always been friends with Olivia, but as he grew up his feelings for her also grew. He had been a carefree young man who gambled and played pranks with his friends but he had to grow up quickly when he lost his father. But even though he and his friends were all now adults, the idea of a game to bring him and Olivia together sparked everyone's interest and brought back some of the joys of childhood. Since this was a Proper Romance, there wasn't much of the physical in the romance beyond lovely kisses and gentle touches. More wasn't necessary, though; the love and affection between Emerson and Olivia was quite obvious and heartfelt and we know exactly how they felt about each other. Supporting characters were a lot of fun and added much to the story. Arabella could be a snarkly little sister but was a great friend to Olivia. Northcott was quiet and broody but could always be depended on. My favorite, however, was Bradbury. On the surface he seemed immature, a man whose whose sole intent seemed to be the pursuit of fun and gambling. However, when push came to shove, it became apparent he cared deeply for his friends. I am looking forward to more books from Ms. Gentry and hope we can see some HEA's for the rest of the group!

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.

Congratulations to Jentry Flint for publishing her debut novel Games in a Ballroom!

Plot summary: In 1815 London, the families of Emerson Latham and Olivia Wilde have long been friendly. But when Emerson's feelings for Liv expand beyond friendship, he struggles to express them in a socially acceptable manner. He suggests a game of tag involving his sister Arabella, Olivia, and his two closest friends as they attend a series of formal dinners and balls during the Season.

Of course, factors complicate their developing romance - Emerson's father recently died, making him responsible for his mother and sister, and Olivia's wealthy but boorish father demands she marry a man with a title to elevate their family's standing. Can true love bloom from a game of tag to overcome these obstacles?

My thoughts: I was charmed by this Regency romance from its eye-catching cover to its witty banter, sweet romance, and deeper plot points. I especially liked the Shakespeare thread that wove throughout, the strong bond among Emerson and his friends, and the wagers they made among themselves and with others. I hope this is the first in a trilogy and Jentry Flint will feature Bradbury and Northcott in future books.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel.

“‘I will play.’ The words jumped from her lips, and her heart beat rapidly inside her chest. She hoped she would not come to regret it.”

What does an arranged marriage, a pig in a waistcoat, and a subtle game of tag have to do with a proper romance? A whole lot of fun and intrigue! Loved this creative debut novel by Jentry Flint! The parlor games brought back memories from childhood when my brothers or friends and I would create subtle little games to play if forced to endure a very proper, sometimes boring situation. The romance is a slow-burn, best friend’s older brother trope with swoony kisses, tantalizing whispers in the ear, and heat-filled glances. Loved the characters, especially the friendship between the three men in the story.

Emerson Latham feels the weight of responsibility since the death of his beloved father. In accompanying his younger sister during her first season, Emerson realizes his growing attraction to Arabella’s best friend Olivia Wilde. Trying to court her the traditional way makes Olivia think he’s just trying to be a good friend. He decides to employ an unconventional courtship via a game of subtle tag. Employing his two close friends, and his blue stocking sister, he convinces Olivia to play the game in various ton gatherings without being caught by the other adults in the room, especially her overbearing, abusive father.

Olivia’s resigned herself to being forced to marry a man with a title. Her father worked his way up from the docks to become a wealthy, formidable tradesman. He wants for nothing more than a title and is determined Olivia get one for him. His abusive treatment of her and her mother cows Olivia into submission but she secretly longs for love and romance. When Emerson proposes a harmless game of tag, she’s at first reticent, but more and more sees it as her last chance for some fun and excitement before being forced to marry.

I loved the games played throughout the book, especially those devised by Emerson and his friends. Emerson, Bradbury, and Lord Northcott were the highlight of the story for me. Their friendship was so well written and each character was given a distinct personality with an intriguing backstory (Hope we get more books about these friends.) The incident with the pig and the waistcoat had me laughing out loud. It’s definitely a unique prank that I don’t believe I’ve ever read in a novel.

The romance was definitely swoony! I loved how Emerson gives Olivia the nickname Liv, so her name becomes Liv Wilde. I enjoyed the way he wanted to see her laugh and live to her fullest potential. I loved watching them both change as they regained that spark for life and found their way back to themselves through their friends’ help and their love.

This is definitely a fun, clean regency romance with a modern fresh twist. There’s a small amount of violence, and a hint of abuse from Olivia’s father and forced intended, however it’s mostly suggested. The ending will have you on the edge of your seat. Look forward to more books by this author. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

Love is the name of the game in Jentry’s debut novel, “Games in a Ballroom”. Emerson, ever the love-stricken gentleman, institutes the game of tag into the Season’s social events to bring some happiness into Olivia’s life. But it’s a heroic game of hide-and-seek that finally frees Olivia from her heartless, title-seeking father and into Emerson’s loving arms forever. I really enjoyed this forbidden lovers regency novel and look forward to more stories from Jentry Flint.

Read if you love:
♠️ Tag, you are it
♠️ Change seats
♠️ Friends to lovers
♠️ Pigs in waistcoats
♠️ Regency shenanigans
♠️ Grand escapes
♠️ Best friend’s brother

What a fun debut of a regency romp! I’m not gonna lie, though. Initially, I felt like I was dumped into the middle of a book. Emerson is already madly in love with Olivia as this story kicks off. I was really interested to see how Jentry Flint was going to make the reader fall in love with the already established love. Does that make sense?! Well, she did it! I’m pretty sure she got me exactly the way Emerson got Olivia…with unsuspecting and unrelenting persistence!

Games in a Ballroom is just that…a fresh, game filled story. It’s truly one of the most unique regencies of I’ve ever read and something you really need to experience for yourself. I absolutely loved Emerson’s fierce determination to protect Liv from her brute of a father and the villainous Lord Valencourt (What was he REALLY hiding?!). Emerson was so sure of himself and it was kind of hot! He made Liv feel so loved and treasure and more than just the pawn her father made her out to be. Arabella, Mr. Bradbury and Lord Northcott were fabulous secondary characters and I sensed some future stories brewing. I cannot wait to see what shenanigans Flint cooks up next!

I love the idea of taking kids games into the ballroom. I wouldn't dare instigate it, but I would love to participate. Emerson is more serious after the death of his father, but he still has a fun streak in him. Olivia is also more serious in London because of her father, but he's alive and very determined. I loved the relationship between Emerson and Liv. I enjoyed his frustrations with his courting and her trying to figure out what's going on. This was a fun debut novel and I really hope it becomes a series. I want to read Arabella, Bradbury and Northcott's stories.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. These thoughts and opinions are my own.