The Marquess Makes his Move is Diana Quincy’s third book in her Clandestine Affairs series. This book finally tells us the story of the elusive Lord Brandon, whom we’ve only had brief glimpses of in the previous books thus far.

I’ve been looking forward to Brandon’s book since we first met him and I was not disappointed! From his reclusive tendencies, to his creative problem solving schemes and his huge heart, I couldn’t get enough of him.

His story starts out with him taking on the role of footman in Mrs. Fleming‘s home in order to investigate her mapmaking husband’s business. Brandon believes that Mr. Fleming has defrauded him of his property in one of his maps and by being a footman in his home he will be able to find the evidence.

On a side- Brandon is a terrible footman, but he’s willing to learn! Lucky for him hey street urchin has also joined the household and has taken on the task (for a fee) of training Brandon in the ways of a proper footman. Too funny!

The Fleming house is full of secrets, like the famous mapmaker of the family is actually Mrs. Rose Fleming, not her husband…

Brandon quickly befriends Rose and their relationship becomes more than just a mistress and her footman… but she’s a married lady…

Soon all the household secrets start to unravel and Rose needs Brandon more than ever… but she doesn’t even know the real Brandon!

This book was an absolute delight. I loved the map mystery and the comedy of the marquess acting as a lady’s footman. I was concerned that the romance included a married woman as the love interest, but I found Diana’s development of the relationship and the story made that very palatable and actually really sweet.

Like the other books in the series Diana includes fun and unique details for her characters based on their Arabic background. I enjoy has she contrasts the differences between the merchant Arab side of the family against the blue blooded nobility of the other side.

I really enjoyed this book. I think the series has only gotten better with each sequential book. This is book 3 in the series I feel that new readers could start here and wouldn’t feel like they were missing too much.

The Marquess Makes His Move by Diana Quincy was released March 28th, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon and Harper Voyager through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheMarquessMakesHisMove #DianaQuincy #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

Both characters are engaged in subterfuge. The marquis goes undercover as a footman while our heroine is a famous and well respected map-maker. Or she would be if she were receiving the credit. I gave this story 3 stars. I enjoyed the two prior books that are a part of the series. But, this one not as much. One reason could be that I enjoyed the hero' more than the heroine.


Thank you to Net Galley for providing an ARC..

This is my first book by Diana Quincy and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the dynamic between Alex and Rose and how the story unfolded. I liked that Alex got a glimpse of what it is like to be a servant and that Rose is a cartographer. I realized after reading this book that it is part of a series and I’ll be requesting both books one and two from my local library.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have to admit that I'm kind of torn over this book. Honestly, there were things here I really liked but others that I truly didn't. Overall though, I thought it was a good read. The writing was nicely done and yes, there was a bit of implausibility to the storyline, however, I still felt it was fun and kind of cute. I really liked that Brandon was a mixed heritage hero. I felt that a wonderful breath of fresh air. I can't say that I cared that much for Rose and a lot of that comes from a very spoiler laden area, so I'm not going to go into any details. In my opinion, this is just going to be one of "those" books. It will click with you or it won't.

Alex, the Marquess of Brandon, is quite angry: a devious mapmaker has cheated him out of a crucial part of his country estate. So he disguises himself as a footman and infiltrates the house of the culprit to uncover the proof of the deceit. But life as a servant is far from simple, especially when the mistress of the house is a beautiful and clever woman whom he is fiercely attracted to…
Rose Fleming has a secret: she’s the mind, and hand, behind the sought-after maps of England sold in the Fleming shop. Her husband takes all the credit and all the money and she is lonely and quite unhappy. Only the new footman Alex brightens her days, with his kindness, wit and protectiveness…
Finally my first book by Diana Quincy! I heard so many beautiful things about her and every praise is certainly deserved! She’s a brilliant writer and I really loved the glimpses into the Arabian world that she inserted in the book. So fascinating!
Alex is a great character, well developed and intriguing, sweet and protective of the people he loves. I could picture him perfectly by the superb descriptions (swoon!) and the cover helped me quite a lot (and it’s not a sure thing, because sometimes covers do not fit with the description of the main characters). And Rose is a working woman! Too few of them in historical romance, in my opinion. The plot was really a surprise, not at all predictable until the very end and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for another of these Quincy’s magnificent books!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
OBSESSED! Leave it to this series and Diana Quincy to have me enjoying tropes I usually don’t vibe with.

I’ve spent the last two months reading this series in preparation for this release and I don’t remember the last time I wanted to binge a series like this. Each installment has had me excited over and over again!

Love that I found a new diverse historical romance series and author to follow 🥰

Rose Fleming is a respected mapmaker, except no one knows it. Everyone thinks the maps are being made by her husband. Meanwhile, Alex, the Marquess of Brandon, is known as a hermit and recluse among society. This works in his favor when he realizes his neighbor is trying to steal part of his land by having a map drawn up with incorrect borders. And of course, who was commissioned to create the map if not Rose’s husband (who requires Rose to actually create it). Alex decides to take this investigation into his own hands to prove that his neighbor is trying to steal his land by going undercover in the merchant mapmaker’s house as a footman and discover what communications led to the map's creation.

While working in the household, Alex is essentially assigned as Rose’s companion for her day-to-day tasks. As he learns more of Rose, her secrets, and the darker machinations at work within the household Alex realizes that getting justice won't be as easy as he thought it would be.

This book was so good! The evolution of Alex and Rose’s relationship felt so natural and right. I love their interactions and chemistry and they truly felt like a perfect match. It was a cute read with a good ratio of steamy scenes (not as steamy as some other Diana Quincy I’ve read, but still present). There is a decent amount of conflict and plot to coincide with the romance, but did not overshadow it. Overall, a fun read and a must for anyone who is a sucker for the “aristocrat undercover as a commoner” trope like me! :)

Thank you to Diana Quincy and Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve really enjoyed the Clandestine Affairs series by Diana Quincy so far. After book two, I was excited for Alex (Brandon’s book). And this storyline, with the hero acting as a footman and the heroine a mapmaker was very unique and intriguing. I was immediately pulled into the story and hating having to put in down to try to get some sleep. I really wanted to see how everything worked out, especially with Rose being married and Alex keeping a big secret, his real identity, from her. While I’m not usually a fan of romances with such a deception, this storyline and the attraction between Alex and Rose kept me going. I really just wanted everything to work out for them. I loved how Alex stood up for Rose and eagerly supported her mapmaker. Rose was rightfully wary of Alex after his secrets come out and after a big upheaval in her life, but after some justified shock, she moves on with reclaiming what she really wants in life. This a such an interesting take on the usual Regency romances I came to age reading and I love the diversity in the book and the storyline.

The Marquess of Brandon has a score to settle with the mapmaker who cheated him out of his land. He poses as a footman in the man's household to search for evidence. The man's wife, the beautiful Rose, is intrigued by the new footman who doesn't seem to know his place. But she's got secrets of her own. One by one, the truths come out, bringing Rose to the brink of ruin. Can Brandon protect her and make her his own?

This book is so much fun. The characters are well developed, the world vivid, and the plot full of unexpected twists. It's smart and deeply emotional, full of sensual tension. You can't help but root for Brandon and Rose to get their HEA. The audio narration was fantastic and added to the enjoyment of the book.

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

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I have really been enjoying Diana Quincy's Clandestine Affairs series, with each book getting better and better. The third book in the series is a lot of fun and had a couple of twists I definitely didn't see coming.

I first thought the plot of the Marquess of Brandon becoming a footman in a mapmaker's household to figure out how he was cheated out of land was a little boring and it seemed like it was plodding along a bit, even as Brandon begins to fall in love with the wife of the map maker. But the twist Quincy threw in was fantastic! I was really wondering how she was going to make this couple work and I did NOT see that twist. I laughed out loud, it is so good and made everything so wonderfully convoluted in a fantastic way. Really, it's the best plot twist I've read in a while.

Rose and Alex are such a great couple, I loved how their feelings grew and how Rose didn't just forgive Alex when his betrayal came to light. Instant forgiveness is so unrealistic and I appreciated Rose making a decision but sticking to her boundary of needing time to figure out her feelings. I love a good romance where people make real decisions in a way that makes sense for that moment and Rose was such a wonderful character. I loved her evolving sense of self as she became more and more aware of how much power she had in her own right.

Overall, I really loved this book and hope we get more books about the Brandon cousins or some other family members. And also more Citi, she seems like a blast.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own!*

3 soaring stars!!

I finished this last night so happy book birthday to this book and also to me because we share the same bday lol

Okay, so I personally have not read the first two books in the series yet but had already planned to read them and now that I have read this one I definitely want to read them even more!

I really enjoyed this story. One of the best things I love about it is that women in this series all have really cool careers and are super independent in their own rights! In this book the heroine is a mapmaker but the other books as far as I could tell have a bonesetter and an author which is really neat! I love that everyone is one big family and it’s really cute to see them all interact. Even jumping in the last book without having read the previous two I feel that I still know how great those characters are and they feel very fleshed out to me and real.

Down to the meat of things…the romance!
I looove the concept of this story. He is her footman but secretly he is a marquess. That is just so cool and I don’t think I have read any other historical romance that has done something like that but to be fair I am new to the genre. I thought it was really fun and I loved the discussion on how servants lived and how he was always seen by others due to his skin color.

Beyond that, this book is spicy but not too much. It has enough heat but was also really sweet which I personally love. I adore the little girl in this story. I love the dress shop scene. Any time we read about the maps is always fun and I just can’t wait to read the other two girls books because they were a delight in this story.

Overall you have to pick this up if you love historical romance. It is very much like reading a Tessa Dare but it’s a little more serious and a little less funny. But if you like her modern storytelling in historicals then you will love Diana Quincy!

3.5/5 stars!

The hero is investigating property issues and he goes undercover to solve them. He meets the heroine and there is instant connection between them. How will they get their happy ending when there are obstacles along the way?

This is the second Diana Quincy book that I've read. I've been looking forward to reading more about the hero since his character was not prevalent in the previous book of this series. I enjoyed reading more about the hero and how he fell in love. I liked the hero more than the heroine due to a detail that I wasn't partial about. It was also enjoyable to read more of the secondary characters that supported the couple, especially the hero's family. This book may not be my favorite book but it's still enjoyable. Diana Quincy has a distinctive voice and I look forward to reading more of the author's work in the future.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.**

Rose is a merchant's wife who secretly draws maps under the guise of it being her husband's work. Brandon is a half Arab Marquess who gets hired on dusguised as a footman in Rose's house to get the answer about the land he actually owns.

I loooved the story here, so many twists and complications and I am a sucker for a class difference romance. The first 75% of this was so completely engrossing I could not put it down.

But after that when the main plot point was resolved and they were married a lot of tension and interest dissolved. Other than that lagging tension I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Quincy continues to be a powerful storyteller who knows how to write swoony, historical romances with diverse characters!

Alex knows his neighbor is trying to steal his land. He pretends to be a footman to be hired at the mapmaker's home so he can discover evidence showing his neighbor's duplicity. Roger Fleming, his master, assigns Alex to be the footman to his wife, Rose, who is the actual mapmaker. Alex tries but he is a terrible footman, but Rose keeps him because he does protect her. When she learns of her husband's duplicity, Alex is there to comfort her. Alex is the Marquess of Brandon and has plans to marry the darling of the ton to avenge his parents' reception from the ton, but Rose is so much the type of woman he wants. When his sister questions him, he has to decide revenge or love.

I loved Rose. She is so feisty. I could totally identify with her as being a fish out of water. Nothing she does is good enough for her husband. When she discovers what he has done, she is livid but adamant that the print shop is hers. She is willing and able to prove it. Alex is right by her side. He will not let her go alone. When she discovers his duplicity, she is disenchanted. She thought they had a good thing going, but he does not trust her with the truth. I felt like I was in her shoes and could feel the same things she was feeling. When she is yelling at someone (or vehemently discussing) I was cheering her on.

I liked Alex. I liked that he could see beyond Rose's sedate front. I liked that he encouraged her to own her mapmaking skills. I liked that he supported her no matter what (though he made errors along the way.) Rose and Alex were made for each other. I am glad he persisted with Rose.

The secondary characters were interesting. Alex's sister, Leela, was fun. His extend family on his mother's side were wild. He had a family member to provide anything Rose wanted or needed. His grandmother was a doll. She loved him but did not agree with him until he brought Rose around. Roger, Rose's husband, was abominable. He deserved what he got. Alex's neighbor also deserved what he got.

The story was good. I sat and read it in one afternoon. I wanted to know what was going to happen with Rose and Alex. I liked that they were able to allow each other to be who they truly were. After a few hiccups, they also got the love they deserved. I look forward to reading more of this series.

Alexander is the elusive Marquess of Brandon, half Arab he doesn't care what society thinks about him. He goes undercover in a mapmaker's household to prove his land was stolen. He never planned on falling for the elusive lady of the house. Rose is a mapmaker for her family business but it is a secret as a scandal would ensue if it got out. The two end up finding they have feeling for each other. How will things turn out for this intriguing couple? A good read.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.

The Marquess Makes His Move by romance author Diana Quincy is a steamy historical romance filled with a perfect mix of humor, drama, history and swoon worthy romantic moments.

Half Arab Marchess of Brandon, nicknamed "Mad Marquess," is out for revenge when a renowned mapmaker causes him trouble over his country estate's property line. He disguises himself as a footman to work for the cartographer and find proof he deceived him. What he doesn't expect is the chemistry between himself and the man's wife Rose. Wait til he finds out Rose is the actual mapmaker and hers is a marriage of convenience!

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

✨Attend to my needs 😩✨

This book! I was not prepared for this book! It’s my absolute favorite of the series. It combined everything I loved from the first two books SO well and added such a fun, dramatic flare. The set-up is splendid and one I hadn’t read before (although now I’m desperate for more), and the romance was everything.

The turn my life took around 40% was absolutely unhinged and so unexpected. I was seeing red and tasting the rainbow. Hunky, forbidden footmen are my new kink. Especially if those footmen are in disguise and completely out of their element. Lord does tight livery and shoddy workmanship make me feel ALIVE.

The plot of this book really undid me. I’ve never rooted for cheating more (don’t worry it’s not quite what you think). Morals be DAMNED. I had zero qualms and a marvelous time. I won’t spoil anything because I’d hate myself if I did, but y’all I’m changed.

Things I couldn’t get enough of:
✨ How Brandon was absolutely gone for Rose
✨ The way he was with his niece 😭
✨ The household staff teaching him the ropes
✨ Good girl kink in a BATHTUB
✨ The angst, the groveling, the DRAMA
✨ Rose being righteously, rightfully unhinged with fine China

Idk this one drove me absolutely wild. Everything about it was so sincere. And so HOT like please the idea of a hunky footman there to *attend* to your every whim is just so goddamn erotic. I loved the relationship so much. I absolutely adored the Arab culture and the influences it had in their day-to-day interactions, and just how much Brandon valued his family. Everything about the book and writing was so sincere. I went for a RIDE and haven’t recovered my wits yet. “Do you ride, Alex?” Ahahah ifykyk.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5

I received an eArc via NetGalley and a free finished copy from @avonbooks! All opinions are honest and my own.

What an interesting premise! I have never read a book where the main character is currently married so I was a bit nervous BUT it was done so well. I appreciated that Rose is single and available once she and Brandon get together. The map-making was such a cool aspect to the book, unique and interesting I loved it. Brandon and Rose together were steamy, cute, the banter was spot on and overall I loved it.

I highly recommend this read.

This book was a good read. Basic premise is Alex Worthington, Marquess of Brandon has been scammed out of his land by a mapmaker Mr. Fleming. He goes undercover as a footman to get proof of this. But Fleming wife Rose is really the mapmaker. Things get complicated and emotions get involved. I enjoyed how Alex had the opportunity to see behind the curtains as a footman. However, I felt he didn’t really go undercover since he didn’t change much in attitude etc.. Rose Fleming is the wife who is the talent and money maker in the family. She seemed to be contradiction – strong but not, a little over the place. She had her up and downs. I can see this could reflect the time of this book of the regency. Other than that – I did enjoy this HEA. I like the introduction of Alex’s cousins and family and look forward to reading more about them. This book is part of a series call Clandestine Affairs. However, it can be read as stand alone. I like how the author included discrimination of several levels in this book from the servants to the peerage involving race and rank. This book kept my interest and went along at a good clip. I will be checking out other books by this author. I would recommend this book. **I received this book (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

The best of the series.

Hands down,, The Marquess Makes His Move is the best of the series.
This book has such great character depth and yes, its sweet, sexy and a little bit angsty.
Brandon is interesting, which is far superior to a boring, old rake. Instead, Brandon is smart, sensitive, caught between two worlds and entirely himself.

Rose has been wronged by both her husband and Brandon. Though, she reacts much more harshly to Brandon than her husband and makes him pay for his misdeeds, while letting her husband off with nary a retribution.
Still, I enjoyed this book immensely and read it in two sittings.
Highly recommend.