When Henrietta Gaydon leaves the countryside for a Season in London under the aegis of her aunt, she leaves behind her widowed father John and her childhood companion Charles, Lord Henfield. Nearly a decade older than “Henry,” Charles once thought of her as a little sister, but the last few years have changed his feelings into a far different kind of affection. Moping about the countryside as Henrietta takes the London beaux by storm, Charles finally realizes that he needs to take action and throw his own hat in the ring before he loses his best friend forever.

Homesick inside but putting on a bold and flirtatious front, Henrietta discovers that she has attracted the attention of all sorts of handsome bucks. While a few like Lord Netheravon are too much of a rattle to really appeal to her heart, she finds herself intrigued by the authoritative and sardonic Mr. Newbold. When Charles comes to town, she is at first overjoyed to see him–but when he begins to treat her as a little child who needs correction, it sets up her hackles and their once-comfortable relationship is fractured.

If only Lord Henfield can figure out how to express his true feelings to the girl who grew up next door–and if only Henrietta can give herself permission to fall in love with the man she used to consider a brother…

Sophia Holloway is fast becoming a favorite author. This charming story makes you root for Lord Henfield all the way through, bemoaning his false steps and cheering his moments of manly brilliance. The secondary characters (Henrietta’s cousin Caroline, her star-cross’d suitor whom she is forbidden to marry, and the interfering dowager Lady Vernham) sometimes steal the stage, and one wishes that Lord Henfield would show a little more romantic initiative a little sooner, but all in all, this book was a delightful read.

Recommended for devotees of traditional, clean Regency romances in the older style.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Me encantan este tipo de libros pues la romántica de época es mi género. Los protagonistas son personajes muy entrañables y divertidos, y se dan todas esas situaciones de mal entendidos pero de forma tan graciosa que la hace ser una buena romcom de época.

Recibí esta copia de Netgalley para una opinión honestas

The Season was a sweet Regency romance that was at times too slow paced and had too many characters and subplots, I really wanted more focus on and depth to Henrietta and Charles. The writing style didn't really engage me.

I wanted to love it, but I found myself wandering away from the book several times.

Tropes:
Friends to lovers.
Country girl goes to London to debut for her first Season.
Age gap (~8 years)


Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

The Season is the first book by Sophia Holloway that I have read, and I found it to be an entertaining story. I found the main characters very interesting and likable, and was rooting for them from the very beginning. I loved that toward the end of the story Charles helped two other couples find their own happily ever after before he went after his, granted that one of them did help him achieve his own happily ever after. I think it showed how much he truly loved Henry and also how good a friend he was to stop and help a friend in need.

I recommend The Season to any reader who loves a good historical romantic story especially one where several couples fall in love and by the end of the story all find their own happily ever after.

Coming off a Bridgerton high, I was excited to read about another young debutante's London Season. I was unfamiliar with the author but figured I would giver this book a try. While I appreciated the descriptions of the time period, setting, and how the London society Season works, the characters and the storyline fell a bit flat for me. I was missing the angst and romance of other Regency novels that I have enjoyed. I appreciate the publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC of this book.

The Georgette Heyer fan in me had a lot of fun in reading this novel as it's a perfect classic Regency romance.
There''re likeable and well developed characters, a compelling plot, a vivid and well researched historical background.
I rooted for the character and throughly enjoyed the story.
Can't wait to read another one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Henrietta “Henry” Gaydon is used to a relaxed, bucolic existence living with her father. Her best friend since childhood is neighbour Charles Henfield, but now it is time for her to have a season in London sponsored by her aunt. Attractive and self assured in the company of men she is soon a social success, but inside Henrietta remains a naïve country girl. Charles no longer sees her as a younger sister, but as suitors surround her will she want her boring childhood friend as a husband?

I’ve eagerly read all this author’s mediaeval mysteries written under the name of Sarah Hawkswood and thus had high hopes of her Regency romances. This is the gentle tale of two people who have a lot to learn about love and life in general navigating the choppy waters of a London season. It is the sort of story to wallow in like a warm bath; nothing terrible is going to happen, and it is so pleasant to read about balls, gowns and falling in love. This is not a short book and at times I felt a bit more conflict and incident wouldn’t have gone amiss. Henrietta and Charles are an engaging couple, but on the bland side and while it is easy to like them it isn’t easy to love them as there just isn’t enough personality present. In short, good but not great.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little disappointed with this book - usually I jump on the chance to reading historical fiction but even though the book cover and title attracted me a lot, after reading the description and starting it, I didn’t feel pulled enough to finish it.

A slow steady read sweet clean boy next door romance which did remind me quite a lot of Jane Austen's Emma. There was just no fireworks or angst so just seemed a lit lacking somehow. My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Henrietta is in London for the season with her aunt and cousin. It's an exciting whirl of enjoyment - if only she didn't feel so out of place and longing for home, particularly her father and her good friend, almost-older-brother Lord Henfield. She's popular, but somehow she's looking forward to the familiarity of home at the end of the season, not to a brilliant marriage. Then Lord Henfield comes to town. He's long since ceased to see Henrietta as anything like a sister, but he doesn't know how to become a suitor. Amidst the chaos that is the London season, can Henrietta come to understand her heart? Lord Henfield is in the strange limbo between best friend and suitor - can he successfully tip the balance the way he longs to, or has the season lost Henrietta to him forever?

This is the third book I've read by this author, and I've enjoyed each one more than the last. This was definitely the best so far, so I'm eager to see what comes next. What does this book give you? An enjoyable clean read with good writing, interesting characters, witty dialogue, a well-rounded storyline (including several points of view and two couples), and some interesting twists. I particularly appreciated the way that Henrietta was presented - she felt like a real person with hopes, fears, insecurities and care for others. The interrelationships among the various characters were also interesting and well done. All in all, a good read and I look forward to more by the author in future.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Growing up together on neighboring lands, Charles, Lord Henfield and Henrietta (Henry) Graydon are close friends. Henry has been invited to London by her aunt for her first season. Henfield is blindsided. He now sees Henry as more than a friend. Charles soon follows her to London after reading one of her letters before it is too late. He needs to tell her his feelings or lose her to someone else. A game of trial and error keeps them apart until the advice of a matron gives him hope.
A sweet clean romance that is a steady page turner.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed the concept of the characters for this novel however the writing and plot was slow and dull. Normally things are really fast paced in a book making me annoyed however for once it was the opposite and I felt some events could have sped up or had a bit more action.

I actually would have preferred to seen more of Caroline's story as her love for Lord Martley and the feud between their mothers was some of the funniest parts of the book. Henry's story just felt dragged out with no real development. Additionally, there were too many characters to keep track of which I understand as it is about the London Season but it made it hard to follow when they went into other characters view point who weren't the main characters but sub characters.

I wish we had seen more romance as although the characters are meant to be in love it didn't feel like it.

The author did a great job of describing the period, characters, settings and how the season works.

However the romance was slow and lack lustered therefore I felt it is okay for a one time read but I wont be reaching for it again.

My thanks to Allison & Busby for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Season’ by Sophia Holloway. It is the kind of historical romance that suits my tastes perfectly.

I adored the novels of Georgette Heyer in my teens and in recent years have been revisiting a number of her Regency titles as well as discovering new authors following her lead in writing novels that are faithful to the traditions and formal etiquette of the period.

Henrietta Gaydon lives with her widowed father in Shropshire. Her aunt offers to sponsor her debut in London society for the Season with the hope that she will make an advantageous match. Henrietta finds herself somewhat out of her depth and dreading the marriage market.

Still, her beauty, wit and sweetness of temper finds Henrietta designated one of the ‘diamonds’ of the Season with a number of suitors seeking her hand. Yet Henrietta misses her father as well as Lord Henfield, her father’s godson, who she has considered almost as an older brother.

Back in Shropshire Charles Henfield had stopped thinking of Henrietta as a sister some years ago. Finding himself distraught after she leaves, Charles is encouraged by her father to follow Henrietta to London and pay court to her. Naturally there are plenty of misunderstandings and complications before the end of the Season.

I adore Regency Romances written in this classic style without glaring anachronisms. It allows me to feel for a short while transported back in time.

After reading this delightful novel I am pleased to be adding Sophia Holloway to my list of writers of classic Regency romances and definitely will be seeking out more of her novels.

Highly recommended.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review.

So I would say that this book is definitely more Pride and Prejudice than Bridgerton. It was enjoyable but I wanted more from the main romance, I actually found the minor romances more interesting, Henrietta and Charles just felt a little bit weak. The writing style was quite old fashioned, it definitely set the right mood but took a little bit of adjustment. I would give this author a try again I think but I would like a bit more story from future books.

Thank you Netgalley and Allison and Busby for access to this arc.

I can tell that Holloway did her research on a London Regency "Season" because reading this book is like getting a lesson in it. No, it's more like someone you know slightly telling you about their vacation and showing you umpteen thousands of photos of everything they did, and thoroughly describing them all, no matter how mundane. There's some good stuff in there but in order to see it you are forced to wade through things you've either already experienced or decided not to because you had no interest in it.


The hero and heroine are perfectly nice and (you already know how this will end) will probably have a perfectly nice wedding and married life back in Shropshire but neither have characters that sparkle enough for me to want to follow the trials and tribulations, such as they are, of their courtship. It's nice but it's bland and more than a little boring. C

Fabulous summer read and perfect for any fans of Regency romance similar in style to Georgette Heyer. We follow our spirited heroine Henrietta Gaydon as she embarks on her first Season with the aim of all young ladies of Quality being to find a suitable husband.
Henry (Henrietta) loves her country life spent with her father Lord Henfield and her dearest friend Charles who she has always viewed as a brother. However she knows the benefit of the season and some town bronze, so throws herself into the social whirl to become a hit with society. Meanwhile Charles discovers that his feelings for Henry are more than brotherly which leads him to go to London and stake his claim for a chance at capturing Henry's heart.
Charles faces stiff competition, there is much miscommunication, and star crossed love to add spice to this glittering Regency novel. The author has a light but deft touch and has written a fine story to add to the genre.
My thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for access to this ARC, all opinions are my own.

***4.5 Stars***

The Season by Sophia Holloway is an engaging and entertaining read following Henrietta's first Season on the marriage mart in Regency London.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt immersed in this world, and really became intrigued by the budding romantic relationship between Henrietta and childhood friend Charles. This novel is best described as a friends-to-more romance, with both protagonists struggling to acknowledge, understand or act upon their feelings for the other.

A lovely story, with a ensemble of characters, and a nice sub-plot story to entertain, I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy slow-burn regency romances that draw you in and characterise all the nuances and societal pressures of finding a husband or wife in this era.

I found this Regency romance by Sophia Holloway very enjoyable. The start reminded me very much of Georgette Heyer, and the hero and heroine were loveable characters. In the middle the story dragged a bit, and there were too many characters to keep in mind, but then it took up pace again. The funny banter, mischief and intrigues kept me entertained, but the last twist was imo unnecessary. On the whole I can recommend this romance.
Thanks to Allison & Busby and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Sophia Holloway. I loved every single second of this book, why you ask me? Because it was light read sans too much drama and it was immensely fun and done in a very experienced way of writing. The whole story was a clean read presented in Regency Times. What I loved was the funny way Henrietta and Charles interacted together. Although both main characters have known each other from their childhood, they suddenly found out to be in love with each other. Of course, you can´t compare the courting then with the romancing in today´s times, but that´s just what makes a difference in these books. You are directly put into a historical love story with everything that was usual at that time. I have to admit that I adored the writing as it´s different for times like these except you really pick up a historical novel.I can only recommend it to people who truly love historical romance books.

Henrietta Gaydon is making her debut in London society for the Season, but she longs for home, her father and Lord Henfield, who she has always treated as an older brother. Charles Henfield stopped thinking of Henrietta like a sister when she was sixteen. And he is determined to try his luck with her in London. Mistakes and misunderstandings, the complication of a feud between mamas, and Henrietta's no longer fraternal feelings for Henfield, all conspire to make this a Season to remember.
A well written book with likeable characters, it flowed well but there were no fireworks just an engaging romance. I liked both Charles & Henrietta but didn’t love them as I felt I didn’t get to know them & whilst their story was charming it didn't feel completely believable. If you are looking for a light romance then give this a try but for me it could have been so good but just fell short
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read