This book was delightful! Stacy Reid creates such interesting characters, and Mina and Simon are no different. I loved Mina's free spirit and that Simon wasn't a man whose masculinity is affected by a woman being better at him at a skill. The both were tender hearts, in their own way, and that was sweet. It was most definitely a book I would return to, to re-read just to make me happy.

Miss Wilhelmina "Mina" Crawford is stuck in a life she never expected. After a terrible scandal that ruined her, she's confined to the boring and droll day to day life in her crumbling country estate, with no one but her twin brother and a few straggler servants to keep her company. One day her brother tells her that he's been challenged to a fencing dual after calling out Simon Loughton, Earl of Creswick. Mina sneaks away during the night to fight the dual for her brother and finds herself in a new and exciting world with the shake of a fencing sword!

There were so many enjoyable things about this story. Mina was a delight to read, not your typical damsel in distress, but a strong, smart woman who wasn't scared to hold her ground, even to her superiors. Simon was a good partner to to Mina in the fact that he encouraged her interests, even if they weren't the typical pursuits of ladies during that time period. He challenged her and loved her even more because of them, rather in spite of them. The only thing keeping this from a 5 star review for me was the language in the first half of the book, especially from the Earl was very stiff and formal ( probably on purpose, but nonetheless, it made it a little less enjoyable for me to read through). About halfway through the story, it loosened a little bit and became a little more casual and easier to read, but the author, Stacy Reid, has done it again with a winning story!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review & honest opinions

A thoroughly wonderful romance that is perfect for any adult collection. I was completely invested in it from start to finish, and can see it circulating well!

Fun but it could use some work.

This is my first EVER clinch cover book. I don’t generally enjoy romance novels as a rule, but I do like certain romances in books and I’m always down for a little smut.

The premise of this book sounded charming and the author seemed well-liked so I figured it was worth a go.

I did enjoy many portions of the book.
• The witty banter between Mina and Simon
• The whole “grumpy but soft” trope
• The fact that the Earl was a feminist
• The Historical intrigue

However, there were some issues with pacing and a few moment where I sort of wanted to roll my eyes. I was also a little uncomfortable with the fact that the author made mention of the women all being “slim but curvy” and having “perfect creamy/strawberries and cream skin” which honestly just made it seem like the ideal beauty is white and thin. It felt yucky.
She also uses the word “lush” approximately 700 times and I couldn’t take her seriously after using the word “cunny” several times. Yeesh.

Anyway. Other than that, it was a pretty enjoyable book and a fast read.

Another winner for Stacy Reid. As I read this, the main characters reminded a bit of Simon and Daphne of Bridgerton. The passion that flares between Simon and Mina is off the charts, and it's matched by the intellectual compatibility between them. They enhanced each other perfectly and I was thrilled with their hea. I definitely recommend romance lovers read this, and for that matter, all of Reid's works set in the ton society. None will disappoint.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and Stacy Reid for this ARC, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

simply impeccable🤌🏽. a 6 star romance read for me!

stacy reid is in her own tier of her craft and with every book she writes, she just raises the bar higher and higher - everytime i'm like, how can she write something better than this masterpiece and she proves me wrong. every.time. and this was no exception. i have to say, this is probably my favorite book of hers and one of my all-time favorite HR's for sure 💗

the romance follows the starchy, grumpy, politician duke Simon and an impoverished, spinster heroine Mina. her brother, through a poor gambling judgement, finds himself challenging the duke to a duel but Mina refuses to let him die so she goes in his stead, disguised as her brother. little does Simon know that the "man" who bested him in the duel is actually a woman, and a fiery, SMILEY, won't-take-your-shit, woman Mina :) seeing her keen intelligence and expert fencing ability, he decides to hire her as his secretary and so ensues a sizzling yet heartachingly beautiful romance between Simon and Mina!

i fucking loved this. it's very hard to try to coherently put my feelings into words because i spent the entire day just reading and highlighting and screaming while reading. SO romantic and swoony and beautiful, i just could not fucking put it down. the entirety of the book, i was fully in love with Mina (but perhaps not as much as Simon was 😌). she is such a fucking intelligent, hard-working, kind, mature, and lovely human being that knows what she deserves and never settles for less. she's SO genuinely heartfelt in her endeavors of doing good in the world, applying her skills to helping the Duke with advancing women's rights in England, and just experiencing the joys of unabashedly. i love her.

seeing how HARD Simon was in love with her 🥲 / seeing her smile for the first time did the trick and everytime after, her smile became something he "didn't want to see" because it made his heart fall more and more in love with her - IT WAS SO SWEET I LOVED THAT RUNNING LINE (also the "you are fired line" GAHHH) in the book 😭 / the ice cream, the kite, the beach 😐 *SOBBING* / just their playful flirting was to die for. and i did. die, that is.

i felt like their relationship was so well-developed/paced, with no petty/dramatic hot and cold action happening from either of the characters - they both handled their growing emotions towards one another with the most admirable maturity and it just,, sealed the deal. so so good and well crafted. the love that they had for each other was just so sincere and romantic, you can feel it through the pages - stacy does that so effortlessly with all her couples and i am here for it.

this romance is top tier for me and i can't recommend it enough !

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher Entangled: Amara for the ARC. Releases June 28th, 2022!

📝tropes: starchy, aloof duke x sunshine, spinster heroine, workplace rom (heroine is secretary to hero), class difference, swoon-worthy, anti-heroine
🌶: 3/5
CW: abusive ex-partner

Mina and Simon’s story is a roller coaster of emotions, yet beautiful along the way. Mina is strong and willing to match wits with Simon, when no one else has before. She challenges him and makes him see what he has been missing, while at the same time, she also sees what she has been missing. It’s a beautiful love story!

** I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. **


Reviewed on Goodreads 4/21/22

Hmmm....

I can't really figure out how I felt about this book. I love Stacy Reid's writing - it's luscious and luxurious and unexpected. And I found the characters and the story short yet compelling. But I'm having a hard time getting passed the homophobia and gender essentialism wrapped up in this execution of the initial "lady disguised as a man" trope. I did keep find myself asking "wait, why do they think they can't be together?" and "wait, why isn't this hero expressing any affection or any backbone whatsoever?" But I love a lady secretary in a historical and I love a badass heroine in pants.

I don't know. I'm glad I read it, it just didn't really satisfy, and the gender essentialism was really frustrating. I think it just wasn't my favorite Stacy Reid.

Thanks to NetGalley and Engangled for the ARC.

CW: violence against women, dueling, death of parents

✨Book Review✨

I think this is my first book review post, and man, I wish I had better things to say 😅

I did not finish this book, and there were a couple reasons why:

1. The writing style - it just didn’t make sense to me. It didn’t flow and ebb easily and I would sometimes have to read a line two or three times for it to make any sense.
2. The FMC, Mina - I didn’t like her. She was supposed to be this strong young woman who was coming out of a scandal, but her character development just seemed nonexistent to me.
3. The romance - I read HR mainly for the romance (hence the name Historical Romance 😋) and this romance was just dry. The couple basically dislikes each other (I love a good enemies to lovers) and then there’s a bit of tension, but not much, and then suddenly they are talking about having an affair together, after the Earl basically has sworn off women. It’s such a sudden shift that I couldn’t make sense of it.
4. Other notes - Mina dresses up like a man at the beginning of the story, and I almost lost it when she had a full blown conversation with the Earl and her voice is described as “low and husky” 🤣 I guess suspension of disbelief is needed in this instance, but I just couldn’t handle it.

Now, there were a few things I liked about the story:
1. The Earl was fighting for rights for the lower classes, and I really appreciated that.
2. I liked that the Earl was not exactly a Rake. He wasn’t really interested in women whatsoever, but he was interested in Mina. I like when a woman just sparks interest and joy in a man’s heart and he has no desire for any other.

I hate to give such a poor rating and review, but I really did not enjoy this book. I even stopped reading during a romantic scene, because I couldn’t stand the characters anymore. Their romance felt very forced. If you’ve read this book, let me know what you thought of it!

Rating: DNF - 1.5/5 ⭐️

Full review to come when I regain control of my senses because this book was SO good. It’s the kind of romance that hurts your soul but in a HOT way and I love it so hard. I cried multiple times because Stacy writes pining and longing and yearning and falling in love so well. Seriously, her last three reads have absolutely destroyed me in the best way. Her skills are unparalleled in the way she develops her characters from start to finish.

I’m also super impressed because I haven’t really read an enemies-to-lovers from her yet (my favorite trope), so the fact she has me on my knees for pretty instalove/lust situations is absolutely fresh for me and the perfect amount of angsty.

Her books are a steady crescendo yet somehow I’m always caught unawares and end up crying like a baby because my heart can’t handle the love. That’s what I really gravitate towards in books. Crying because the love is just so pure and irrevocable rather than death and destruction and such. They have their times yes, but I mainly just want to be swept off my feet with truly good people in truly good love and hot sex.

If you like a lady who can best her man in a swordfight, on a chessboard, and in negotiating the terms (and termination) of her employment, this one is for you!

Hiding away in the country following a scandal, Lady Wilhelmina Crawford spends her days trying to keep her twin brother's impoverished estate afloat while simultaneously feeling unmoored about her own future. After an adorable sword fight meetcute with Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, she accepts a job as his secretary. Queue some seriously sexual-tension-filled, office-themed forced proximity, delightful battles of swords and intellect, witty banter, and socially conscious political discussions!

This book really shines in its characters. I LOVED Mina! I swear, Stacy Reid writes the best bold and feisty heroines! Mina is courageous, quick on her feet, and equally at home in day dresses and trousers. We follow her journey as she realizes she's tired of hiding in the country just existing and that she truly wishes to live. She has a bucket list and enlists Simon in helping her complete it. Departing from a classic lady heroine, Mina is a working woman and a lot of this book shows her actually at work, working (which is harder to find than you would think!)

Simon is passionate about political reform and the elevation of the working classes. This book incorporates a lot of politics and I found the history around suffrage for the working classes, and property rights for married women, as well as the larger discussion of the role of politics and education in elevating the common man fascinating. Simon is elegant, astute, and singularly focused on enacting meaningful change through the house of lords and parliamentary reform measures. He can be cold and exacting, but he really puts everything on the line for Mina. Departing from the classic rake hero, Simon is inexperienced in the bedroom and I loved that he did some reading on the sensual arts before taking her as his lover.

My main critique of this book revolves around its plot. Stacy Reid opens a plot thread in this standalone novel that isn't closed by the end, i.e. Simon receives some ominous correspondence suggesting his friends may not be his friends, but it's never revealed who has got it out for him! And while I understand that Anthony is a side character, I wish we got a fully fleshed out secondary romance that followed his love story with his American heiress. Finally, I feel like the end was simultaneously rushed and dragged out. The final plot arc is only half formed and I wish that Stacy Reid either fully committed to a full story, or didn't have it at all.

Overall, this book is funny, lighthearted and heartwarming, but isn't a perfect showing. The characters truly stand out and I loved the broader discussions around voting rights, women's rights, and the role of political reform.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Stacy Reid, and Netgalley for my first e-ARC!

"She couldn't possibly crave anything in life as much as she desired to be with Simon always."

To the moon and back is how much I loved this book! This reader is at a loss for words how to describe accurately in a review, so will just leave it at loved and highly recommend!

This book has been provided by the Netgally, Amara and Entangled Publishing for an honest review. All of the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, I am definitely on a Regency romance kick NOW. What started as needing something like Vicount that loved me turned in to a full blown obsession.
This book was deliciously spicy and delightfuly entertaining. Simon and Mina are truly a match made in heaven and wish there is more books with and about them. Stacy Reid is now my go to regency author and will most definitely have to read all of her backlist.

4 stars wholeheartedly given!!!

A Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid is the first book in a new series of the same name. Mina has been ruined in the eyes of society years ago. She lives in her family’s struggling estate where she helps her twin brother. Her brother tells her how bad their finances are struggling, and how he must participate in a duel. Mina knows she can fight better than her brother, so she disguises herself as him to duel Simon Loughton, Earl of Creswick. Before she knows it, she finds herself employed as Simon’s secretary. Simon needs all the help he can get if he is to get the reform bill passed that he has worked on for years. Soon Mina and Simon find a mutual temptation. But Mina is hiding a secret that threatens the ruin of them both.

I really enjoyed this series starter. Mina and Simon are a very intellectual pair. I enjoyed their chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Stacey Reid for giving me an ARC of this book to read and review.

Wilhelmina or Mina, Crawford and her twin brother Anthony, the Viscount Crawford, have been living a in dire situation for the last few years. Mina is hiding away from a mistake she made several years ago and Anthony is knee-deep in debt. They're barely getting by. Until Mina fences her way, literally, into working for a Simon Loughton, handsome pretty-boy Earl of Creswick, who hires Mina as his secretary. From there ensues a series of romantic and steamy temptations and heartfelt confessions and tormented secrets.

I don't read a lot of historical romance fiction but I really should. This book was everything you could ever hope for, wrapped in a perfect little bow.

Let's start with our main characters. Mina Crawford was such a lovely character to read about. She was selfless and smart and knew when to stand up for herself which I absolutely adored. Her passion to help others, especially her brother was so well-written! She was witty too and the banter she and the Earl had was so precious. Her scandalous past still haunts her and while she believes she doesn't deserve to ever be married again, I think she takes some quite mature actions. And her brazen attitude with the Earl was hilarious, especially given the fact that each time she looked at the Earl, she'd fluster him! I loved everything about her.

Simon, the Earl, was another surprise! Usually, the heroines tend to be demure young women with no knowledge of anything that are swept away into a world of steam and romance by their brooding and mostly one-dimensional heroes. But in this case, both our heroine and our hero had such depth and character to them. Simon was honestly a breath of fresh air. His passion for politics and his forward-thinking is just so attractive. Combined with the fact that he's dashingly handsome and very rich, we have a perfect hero! From rushing in the rain to save Mina to being of service to and kind to all of the people who work for him, you really can't fault Simon. Even at the end when Mina's secret finally comes out, Simon is still standing by her side. I was swept away by Simon, I have to admit.

The chemistry between Mina and Simon was completely electric and I wanted to read more about them. While the plot is definitely a little on the cliche side, the characters have been so very well written that you just get so immersed in their world.

An absolutely wonderful story and I am so thrilled I got the chance to read it!

Utterly fantastic. This was a sure winner, I loved it. The man’s transformation over the course of the book was so well told, and you watch him struggle with emotions he can’t name and it’s really great. He was the best part, and is so well drawn. It was also really hot with a great payoff for their attraction to each other. It felt very believable and their journey together was satisfying and lovely

This book pretty much grabs your interest right from the beginning and keeps you interested through great writing and characters. I loved that Mina bested Simon and that rather than ruining her and her brother's reputations he saw her worth and hired her. Mina is such a strong woman despite what happened in her past and I liked that she goes for what she wants. The bickering between Mina and Simon and his constant threats to fire her (and her laughing response to those threats) adds just the right amount of humor to the story. I would love a full novel that tells Anthony's romance story - we get snippets, but not a lot of detail of what is going on. Simon's grandmother is pretty much the worst. I know she is trying to look out for him but the fact that she tries to do that by telling Mina's secret in the presence of another woman crossed the line. My favorite part in the book is probably when Mina thinks Simon killed Petretti - never has a murder cover up been so sweet.

The main characters, Mina, the disgraced daughter (and now sister) of a Viscount, and Simon, Earl of Creswick, are attracted to each other from the beginning and the story isn't so much them getting together, but instead, how they get through the roadblocks keeping them apart. It was well written and I was rooting for the characters all the way! This book got me from page one and I couldn’t stop reading till I found out how it would end!

Before requesting this book I was reading Wicked in His Arms.. It was emotional and angsty read for me which I love it💯
Her latest book did not disappoint me too. I feel very thankful to netgalley to approve my request as this was my 1st request for romance genre.

I love when both MC, Mina and Simon were true to their feeling and didn't fight for what they feel for each other. MINA was clever, fierce and loyal. She was great in fencing too.
Simon was so dreamyyyy and perfect as a hero would be.

These were some points why he was dreamy:-
He willing to lost what he already gain just to make mina with him😍
He come through heavy rain to bring Mina to his carriage😍
He hold umbrella for Mina while riding 😍
He allow a farmer family ride in his carriage 😍
He went into the rain to save a dog😍
He support and want women get their rights😍
He granted all Mina wishes like eat ice cream, feel the fine mist of ocean and eat chocolates 😍
There are more about Simon to swoon🔥❤️
Please! when this book come out, do read It.

5 Stars! Stacy Reid absolutely killed it with this book! This is the first book in a new series, ‘A Matter of Temptation’, and can be read as a standalone. Simon and Mina, the main characters, are so cute together. Simon seems cold at first but Mina seemed to warm him up. I’d highly suggest this book. I read it in only 2 days & was not disappointed. Scandals, sexy ‘sexy times’, HEA ending, sexily arrogant and powerful man and a sweetly sarcastic woman. What’s not to love?! I don’t hand out 5 stars easily, so trust me on this one. Enjoy! (Also - you’re welcome!)
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*