This is an interesting book in that the case was so convoluted.
Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries are a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an appealing and independent female lead, and rich historical detail. In this charming fifth installment,
George and Frances are meant to be together.
Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, finds her wedding day overshadowed by murder . . .
On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. Meanwhile, Frances’s mother has invited Mr. Bainbridge, and Frances fears the wedding may end up being newspaper-worthy for all the wrong reasons.
This is the second book I have read in this series.
Dianne Freeman writes a witty and interesting novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Despite all the "helpful" interference by her family Frances and George have a wonderful wedding ceremony. The reception goes down the drain as one of the no-show guests is found murdered in his house next door to Harleigh House where the reception is being held. A number of guests were back and forth between the houses, including Frances' s brother, Alonzo. The newlyweds delay their wedding trip as Alonzo is accused of the murder. George is loving and generous and has no qualms about jumping in to help Alonzo. Frances loves him more than ever. I love how these two work together, tease each other, and respect each other. More, please!

There's nothing worse than making a huge sacrifice and having your family not notice. Mr. and Mrs. Hazelton are delayed leaving from their honeymoon and her family just keeps demanding more of her time, completely forgetting that she shouldn't even be there! Other than that major injustice, I loved this story. I've always enjoyed the snarkiness and tongue-in-cheek comments and this one does not disappoint. The mystery was a stumper and I had no idea who the killer was (to be fair, I rarely do). I always look forward to these and am ready for the next one.

A fun new entry in the Countess of Harleigh series -- likable characters, a reasonably fast-paced story, and a satisfying conclusion. It's a quick, easy read that I think would be accessible to people who haven't started at book 1 of the series -- but that might cause readers to explore the series from the start.

I am really enjoying reading the Countess of Harleigh series featuring the dynamic duo of Frances and George. I love these two characters. I find them very likable, I love their witty charm and banter. Although the mysteries they become involved with are somewhat light weighted and not very dark or complex, I love reading these quick mysteries and the era settings are wonderful with the descriptive passages, the social manners and etiquette of the times always at the forefront throughout the books. I love reading these and being transported back in time. I am always amazed at the social norms and the differences between then and now., This is one of the main reasons I read these period mysteres. I love delving into the psyches of the past and witnessing what was "acceptable" then as opposed to what is now. Comparing then and now never ceases to amaze me.
This is a fast paced light mystery, perfect for a quick Sunday afternoon's entertainment. I recommend the whole series so far, but don't get me wrong, these books can be read as a stand-alone, though you may miss some details of Frances and George's relationship!
Thank you to Kensington Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

This was the 5th book in the series and it did not disappoint! I love this series and would recommend it to anyone who loves cozy mysteries!

At a certain point in a series, you can more or less have a feel for how things might unfold, but this one felt like it sort of subverted expectations and was much much more focused on the mystery than I would have expected. I did really like the focus on Frances' family, but it was weird for a book with a wedding to have such little interaction between the characters getting married.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I just adore Frances! She's back at it again, juggling family, wedding, match-making, and murder in another installment in this incredible series by Dianne Freeman. Frances and George finally tie the knot, but not without murder involved! The subtle attention to historical details is one of the delights of this book. Photography, wedding traditions, scandals, Freeman touches on it all while delighting audiences with a whodunit caper full of twists and turns. I was delighted to be totally incorrect in my theory as to who the "bad guy" was-for me, this is a hallmark of a solid mystery. I can hardly wait to see where Frances and George go next!

I want to simply state that this isn't a bad book by any means! I really love Franny and George as characters, and their relationship is one that is healthy and actually shows what a true married couple should be like. The mystery itself just never really grabbed me. I found that the perpetrator was rather obvious, and the story just felt a little flimsy outside of Franny and George. Again, I don't think this is a bad book, and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it, I just didn't find that it really captured me in any capacity.

Mostly, I just didn't care about the Connor's, especially Madeline. Which meant that towards the end, when the mystery began unraveling, I wasn't pulled in any direction with their feelings. Beyond that, Freeman can write interesting characters, I'm just not sure the mystery lives up to them.

This is another fun entry in this series. I love the main characters, George and Frances but all the secondary characters like Graham and Frances's mother are solid as well. While these books are a little predictable they remain creative and well worth the time to read. I think reading them order is the best approach, but they certainly can stand alone. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and I appreciate the opportunity to read this book.

Another brilliant edition to the Countess of Harleigh Mysteries! This book, and the series as a whole, is flawless, the story flows, the characters are brilliant, and the mystery is NOT easy to figure out! I love the relationship between Frances & George and their unique crew of crime solvers! I can’t wait for the next mystery!!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This continuation of the series involving Francis Wynn and George Hazelton is as light and frothy as the first books. These are cozy mysteries, quick reads, and vastly entertaining. Francis and George have at last reached their wedding day when murder rears up again, but this time Francis' brother Alonzo is arrested. What is to be done but for Frances and George to postpone their honeymoon, investigate the crime and clear Alonzo's name. This series should be read in order.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. A Bride's Guides to Marriage and Murder will release June 28.

There's just something lovely about sitting down with an intriguing, cozy mystery, isn't there? I have to admit that I didn't realize that this was a series when I picked it up. I did feel like it was a bit of a learning curve learning who was who, but it wasn't really a problem in my overall enjoyment of the book. Having read this one I am interested to check out the others!

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the the opportunity to access this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a cozy mystery set in Victorian England. The main character, the Countess of Harleigh, just keeps on stumbling on mysteries she must solve! You could read this installment in the series without reading the others, but you would miss out on the character development and the events that have happened before. In this one, a murder happens during her wedding and they must postpone their honeymoon to find out what really happened and to make sure a family member isn’t charged with the crime. This mystery series is light and funny and perfect for a beach read or cozy afternoon on the couch on a rainy day.

Note: I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley.

What a ride! Lady Harleigh is well on her way to becoming Mrs. George Hazelton, but murder does seem to follow her, doesn't it? Why should her wedding day be any different? Book five is as good as the previous four, keeping me on my toes with family drama, business intrigue, returning friends, and a few new faces I hope we'll see again soon. With a man down, it's up to the newly wed George and Frances to get to the bottom of it and figure out who could possibly have interrupted their happy day with murder. There's no shortage of viable suspects and the twists kept me engaged all the way to the end. I'm eager for the audiobook's release so I can revisit the whole series again while I wait for Book Six, which can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned. Dianne Freeman just knows how to build and release the tension perfectly for a cozy evening read.

Netgalley kindly provided me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. But, in the interest of honestly, let's be real: I was going to be reading this novel as soon as I could get my hands on it. And y'all were going to have to hear about it either way. This just sped up the process a little bit.

An engaging historical mystery once again follows Countess Harleigh as she makes her way down the aisle to marry her best friends brother Mr. George Hazelton. True to the Lady Harleigh mysteries a murder occurs during her wedding one in which takes George, Frances and her family to figure out who the murderer is in this whodunnit.

I particularly loved the banter with George and Frances and would love to see more of that in the next installment!

I like this series. I find the characters interesting and love the England (London) historical setting. The MC and her now husband are a great team. The mystery also kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book perplexed me during the whole read. I question the historical accuracy of it. The way the characters converse with eachother. The way they act in public and in private. The use of phones, cameras, and coffee does not fit the year this book supposedly takes place.

February 1900 London. Just as they are about to leave for their honeymoon the new Mr and Mrs Hazelton, are told by Inspector Delaney that their neighbour has been killed and her brother Alonzo Price was discovered next to the body, and has been arrested. But is he guilty, the inspector, Mr and Mrs Hazelton investigate.
An enjoyable cozy historical mystery with unfortunately mostly unlikeable characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This series is so fun - I’m always counting down the days until I can get my hands on the next one! It is the perfect Victorian-era cozy mystery with just the right amount of historical world building, romance and of course, murder. A must -read for those who enjoy strong female leads and a side of *light* murder with their afternoon tea.