The Perfect List

He was the perfect man, in every way, but he did not make her list. He was perfect because her heart deemed it so. Her list was quite precise, but it was most illogical. Coral seemed to carry the world on her shoulders—well, at least her family. When the news came that her father lost his ships at sea, she felt that she must give up her dream of marrying for love. She must marry for money, and the man must meet the requirements on her list. She published her list in the papers, and that is how Edward found her. However, since he did not meet all her requirements, she could not marry him, but how long could she resist the pull? Edward might not have fit that silly list, but her heart did not care one whit. This is an entertaining story. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who like British historical romance.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

For Coral de Petras, she's always had a fear about money, and discovering that her father's business has gone bust, and she will be without a dowry, she's ready to marry for money, to safeguard the rest of her family. Raised to always be strong, and find love, it's difficult for her family to accept, and when she places an ad in the paper with all her requirements for a husband, her actions threaten to make the family a laughing stock. When she comes across Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm, it's unfortunate that he doesn't meet her requirements, as Coral finds that she can't stop thinking about him, and he seems to be everywhere she looks. Edward initially found Coral's advertisement as a joke, but meeting her, he want to do whatever it takes to convince her that he's the perfect husband for her, no matter what her list says.

This one was definitely better than the previous. I had lots of questions about Coral, particularly why she was so obsessed with money in book 1, when it never seemed as if they family had struggled for cash in the past. That isn't really answered here, unfortunately, but Coral definitely seems to be a rational person, and as the heir to the family (due to a quirk of the de Petras line), she understands her duty to marry well, and set up her brother and sisters. There's just enough money for three dowries, so she forgoes one, and hopes that is enough to entice a rich gentleman to marry, and to allow her to keep her surname when they marry too. Edward was a great love interest for Coral, and the chemistry between them definitely made up for any cringy moments in the plot. I'm glad I decided to continue with the series after the disappointing first book, and I have high hopes for Emerald and Sapphy's books.

I love Emily Murdoch’s books and this one is no exception! Another great read, the characters are very interesting and fun to read about. A great story historical romance!

I just LOVE Emily E K Murdoch and the de Petra family! This is the third book in the series and was as wonderful as the previous installments. I enjoyed reading Coral and Edward's story and look forward to the next book.
Thank you Emily E K Murdoch, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the second story from the De Petras Saga, about the eldest daughter of the De Petras family, Coral, the daughter of Opal and Jasper. This is an unusual family of the era. First of all, they are a matriarchal lead family, where the men who marry the women (at least the eldest?) take the woman's family name, De Petras, and the woman is the head of the family. Also the heir apparent to the family is the eldest female. Opposite to what is expected at the time.

As such, Coral, the eldest and heir to the De Petras name and fortune, is being groomed to be the eventual head of the family. In the first book, she was still quite young, and had been a witness to her father being missing, and the hardship her mother went through. For some reason that made her concerned about finances and money and she had declared she would marry for money. In this book, she had come to adulthood and went through a couple of seasons, and had determined that she could marry for love, as they did not need to marry for money.

Unfortunately, their fortunes appear to take a turn for the worse as Jasper De Petras' shipping business faces a set back because of the loss of three ships, their crew, and cargo during storms at sea. Coral, being the eldest, and having two other siblings she would be responsible for, determines she would now marry for money in order to establish stability for her family and dowries for her siblings.

While she is willing to sacrifice love for financial stability, she is still determined to steer things in her favour by at least trying to find a spouse whom she could like and share things with and to this effect, she makes up a list of what she is looking for in a spouse. Not that unusual... except she makes the exceptionally bold and scandalous move of publishing the list as an advertisement for a future spouse!

This catches the attention of Edward, the Duke of Glaenarm, who wishes to meet the bold woman who makes such a move. He does not fit as a suitor, not meeting Coral's requirements, but is amused and intrigued by her. They develop a friendship and an underlying attraction to each other, and Edward gets closer to her by helping her with her husband hunt.

I like the concept of a matriarchy during this time period and that really sets the De Petras family apart and causes some things to be turned on it's head, such as family conflict and the sense of self that Coral's brother must be feeling, and Coral and her mother's difficulty in managing/caring for their brother. Also as a barrier to serious suitors. I would wonder how the law would be engaged in this, because while it would be a tradition and expectation in the family, the laws in England at the time favour a patriarchy and men gaining ownership of property, etc, so how would that fit in with a female head of the family, etc., especially if a man choosing to marry into the family also chose to push his legal rights?

However, the entire concept of Coral's list, and publishing it was a bit over the top for me, with her being a young, single woman in Regency England, from a rather scandalous family to begin with. I could conceive of that making her a figure of ridicule and scorn by the sticklers and mean girls of the Ton.

However, it was a fun read and while predictable, there is some set up to intriguing future stories. I am interested in where things go for the De Petras son, since Coral is the heir, and he seems a rather lost, rebellious soul, trying to find meaning to his life as a son, but not the heir. Also the shy sister and the Earl - there is definitely a story there, and the introduction of the cousin; the daughter of Opal's brother.

3.5 stars out of 5.

The Impoverished Dowry by Emily E.K. Murdoch is the second book of the de Petras Saga. Coral de Petras must find the perfect husband. With the recent news that her father’s shipping business has collapsed, Coral decides she can no longer hold out for a love match, she must marry for money. Coral has devised a list of qualities her future husband must have. She publishes this list in all the major newspapers. Edward Barlow, the Duke of Glaenarm, is amused by the fact that a woman would publish such a list. He demands his friend introduce him to her, even though he definitely doesn’t fit the list. When he meets Coral, he is immediately smitten and vows to convince her to fall for him. Coral wishes the Duke fit her list, for she can’t get him out of her head. Coral must decide if her idea of the perfect man is actually what she wants.

I loved how determined Edward was to show Coral how wrong she was. Coral was very stubborn when it came to her list, but it was satisfying to see her begin to question her methods.

The Impoverished Dowry by Emily E.K. Murdoch is kind of a different novel in that the women are the head of the household: the family carries her last name, the eldest daughter inherits, men are left with nothing from the family, et al. In this case, Coral’s father, Jasper, has a business that helps support the family. He owns a small shipping business, at least he did until a message arrives saying the ships were lost, all onboard and the cargo, lost, as well. That information changed the fortunes of the family. There was no longer money for four dowries: hers and her sisters and brother. She would have to forgo her plan of marrying for love and marry for money. She would not, however, get none of what she wanted. She sat down to make a list of things she desired in a husband and turned it into a newspaper ad, which ran in three daily newspapers. It was, of course, a scandal. But, people were intrigued. One such was Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm, who broke a rule of his and attended Almack’s with the Earl of Maltravers simply to get a look at her. He was enthralled. Upon being introduced her first question was inquiring as to his annual income. Then she moved on until he couldn’t answer properly and she informed him he was no longer a contender for her hand. He determined right then that he would make her fall in love with him.

What he hadn’t counted on was falling in love with her, which he did immediately and profoundly although it took a while for him to admit it. They became “friends” and he offered to help her in his quest. Coral was nothing if not stubborn, a trait she had inherited from her mother and one which would hold her in good stead when she became the head of the family. Her family was fraught with problems, aside from money. There was Emerald, the next sister in line who was beset with terminal shyness and hated society. There was also Micha, her brother, who was feeling the pain of the family tradition at every turn and tried to hide it by consorting with drunks, gamblers, mistresses, and preying upon society girls. It all had to be dealt with, and then there was her youngest sister, Sapphire, who would say whatever came to her mind, to whomever was present. How had her mother been handling it all? Meanwhile she was becoming more and more aware of Edward and was unable to find anyone in society who would suit. Terrific characters. Decent premise. A good book!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Impoverished Dowry by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #dragonblade #emilyekmurdoch #theimpoverisheddowry.

Nice story, easy to read, uncommon, interesting twists. The story of Coral de Petras and her search for the perfect husband. Since she cannot marry now for love, she’ll marry for money and is in the quest for the perfect husband for whom she has an interesting list, with physical traits, hobbies/interest, questions about his income and properties… Will she find someone who ticks all the cases in her list or will she fall for Edward, Duke of Glaenarm, who’s helping her searching for a suitor.

This is Book 2 of the De Petras Saga series and features Coral's story. Coral had always dreamed of marrying for love, but with her father's shipping business collapsing, there is no longer enough money for multiple doweries. She makes the difficult decision to forgo her dowry and settle on marrying for money. She does take some control and puts a list together on what she wants in a perfect husband. Edward, Duke of Glaenarm, is captivated by her when he first sees her. But when they are introduced, despite being attracted to him, Coral shows no interest in him as he does not check the items off her list. Edward couldn't believe how easily she dismissed him just for not fitting the criteria on her list, so he decided to teach her a lesson and make her see how perfect they truly are for each other. He becomes her friend under the guise of helping her find the perfect match. Each day spent together strengthened their attraction and their feelings for each other deepened. Coral was a character with a strong personality. Despite her unrealistic expectations with her list, she put her family first and decided to forgo her dowry and her dreams, so her siblings could have a chance to follow their hearts. Edward was stubborn but charming and you can't help but love his determination to make Coral realize they belong together.
A very charming and entertaining addition to the series - looking forward to reading the next one!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

3.5 stars

I'm still trying to like this series. Although I think this one is better than the first I feel uncomfortable with some of the premises of the story set in this historic time..

We meet again Opal (Matriach), Jasper (beta father), Coral (heroine of this story and family heir), Micah (disgruntled son due to the matriachal prominence of his family and not being the heir) Emerald (bit agrophobic) and Saffy (only has one hand but keen to get out into society, hope they are nice to her when this happens) and Maltravers (Family friend).

Jasper gets a message that his 3 ships are lost and the family realise they will need to retrench due to the potential financial loss. I was disappointed that he didn't seem to be more distraught but then I was cynically thinking this was just a plot device so Coral would loose her dowry and as expected the ships would magically appear at the end. Coral creates a list of attributes for a potential husband and the Duke, Edward doesn't meet her requirements but she becomes fascinated by him. Eventually they make love whilst her family is around which I thought was a but strange. I also didn't really see him going to the haberdashers to choose his own cravat material. Perhaps a visit to a silk wharehouse but surely this is normally the job for a valet,

I might have to leave this series which is a shame because I have enjoyed some of the author's other work especially the Governess Bureau series..

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The De Petras family definitely stands out! Unlike any other family in Englands ton, though many wives like to think they rule the roost, the women of the De Petras family actually do. They are the head of the family, the child who inherits is the firstborn daughter not son. It is for this reason that Coral is such a strong personality, she carries the weight of her siblings future happiness on her shoulders. I think this is what makes he character so likeable, even when you want to shake her for her determination to stick to her list. She is a woman of principle and loves her family, enough to forego her own heart, so they may follow theirs. The Duke of Glanaerm, though is stubborn and falls faster than even he realized. His doggedness of Coral is what make him shine as a suitor. He helps her and supports her, long before becoming her husband. Their non-traditional courtship allowed them to get to know each other even more than anyone else could have. I love the dynamic within this family, it is so unlike any traditional ton family, it creates a whole new view. A wonderfully written love story, that overcomes circumstance and enriches the heart. Can’t wait for the next story of this charming unconventional family.

I am not happy about this book.
Spoiler alerts.
I was expecting something different from this book but I never got it. The heroine is the eldest of 3 girls and has just learned that her father's 3 ships never came in and were presumed lost. Before the news hit the papers, she decides she has to marry, but offers up her dowry to split among her sisters. She feels if the man she loves, loves her enough, then he won't need her dowery. She is 25, but feels she can still use her boldness to get a husband. So she places an advertisement in the newspaper, listing everything she wants in a man. One man definitely takes notice, and he ticks off lots of her list points, but not all. She tells his he doesn't meet her list requirements, at least 3 times, but he knows deep down inside that they belong together, and he is a duke, dammit! Why does she have to be so stubborn! And that is just about how the book goes until the hero convinces the heroine that her idea of a perfect man is just a dream and not reality and his love is reality.
So, the book was well written, but just a nicely written, sweet story. And that is what every romance should be. By the end, I liked it more. So, I give 4 stars and a recommendation to read.

When her family gets into dire straights with money, Coral de Petras decides she will not worry about love, but find a husband that meets all her requirements - including income. Unfortunately she puts an ad in the paper with an extensive list, hard for any man to meet!

Edward, the Duke of Glaenarm sees the ad and cannot believe it! When he finds out his good friend knows the family and the lady that wrote the ad, he is intrigued and wants to meet her. Of course he does not meet all of the requirements, but when he does meet her he is attracted, immediately.

A whirlwind journey to happy ever after will make you smile and sigh as these two make there way to a happy ever after!

I just finished this book and I am so impressed. It has been a very long time since a book has made me cry, in sadness and joy. The emotion in these characters is so moving, you can't help but feel you are there with every character through a ride of a story.

Coral de Petras the oldest daughter, heir and one day the head of the family to Opal and Jasper de Petras wanted to marry for love and had turned down numerous marriage proposals until the day her father’s ships were lost and she gave up her dowry so that both her sisters and brother could have one. With this decision she decided to advertise for a husband in the local paper with a specific list of what she would like in a husband.
Edward, Duke of Glaenarm, not looking for a wife was shown the advert by his good friend and family friend to the de Petras, the Eal of Maltravers. He couldn’t believe what he was reading and asked the Earl for an introduction to Coral.
When he first laid eyes on her at, time seemed to stop and he felt as if fate had stepped in to recognise they were soul mates. When he was finally introduces to her, she dismissed him as he did not fit her criteria, although she was really attracted to him. Edward couldn’t believe that she had dismissed him, a Duke and decided to teach her a lesson. To make her fall for him and to show her that although he may not fit to her ideas on paper, he could still be the one person who was perfect for her.
Coral had strong ideas and opinions and Edward recognised this so he decided to become her friend and to help her find the perfect person for her or as near as he could. With each day spent together, they both started to have strong feelings for each other until they couldn’t help themselves and spent a wild passionate night together......
I enjoyed the first story in this new series and was looking forward to the next one and I have to say it didn’t disappoint. As always Emily touches your heart with her stories and this one was the same. A beautiful well written story, showing that anything can be overcome with compromise and understanding. If you've not read any of Emily's books before and love passionate, steamy historical romances, I would definitely recommend that you do.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the chance to read and review The Impoverished Dowry by Emily E K Murdoch!

The Impoverished Dowry is the second book in The de Petras Saga, starring Coral de Petras, although we get plenty from her sisters Sapphire and Emerald. As their fathers’ ships sink and the family no longer has the money for multiple dowries, Coral decides that marrying a wealthy man who doesn’t care about how much money she has might fix things. Of course, things go a little south when she starts falling for the duke, whom she deemed unsuitable!

I picked out The Impoverished Dowry because I love romance novels and this one had a terrific cover! It’s acknowledged in the book that Coral’s gowns are old-fashioned, but when they look that good who cares? This is a take on the historical fiction genre where we have a woman, Opal, who functions as the head of the family, and not just because her husband isn’t there, but because that’s their family tradition. It was interesting how that plays out for Micah and Coral because they’re still subject to the society around them even if their family is a little different. It was different to see a story play out from the duke’s point of view; he was the main for me in this more than Coral even though we did get her point of view.

I was a bit taken aback by the advert Coral placed; that may not seem too out of place now (you do see things like that in the newspaper), but it has a tragic story behind it. While I was reading How Sex Changed the Internet by Samantha Cole (incidentally also a NetGalley read), I came across the story of Helen Morrison who placed an advertisement for a husband in 1727 and was put in an asylum for a month! I understand that regency England technically started around 1795, but everything I’ve read tells me that this would have been considered out there! And while I think it’s great that she was so clear about what she wanted, I wish she had thought this through a little given that she was doing it for her family, and it had consequences for them (as we hear from Micah).

The conflict was cute, and I like that they overcame her list and the general good fortune at the end. I’m curious to see what happens to Emerald and Micah in the next few books! I also love the development at the end, which I’m betting will be the main thing in the fifth book!

Everyone knows that having a checklist for the perfect partner never works! Of course in this book that holds true.

Coral wanted to marry for love, but became of some family circumstances decided to try to find a wealthy man that fit a bunch of criteria. Enter Edward a handsome Duke that didn't quite fit her list.

I did like the interaction between Coral and Edward in their romance that took awhile to admit to. I really liked Edward's personality best since he really kept trying to win Coral without being too obvious. Coral seemed a bit over the top about her list many times and I was hoping for her to reach out to Edward more instead of mostly him pursuing her.

Overall the plot was predictable, but the characters helped improve on it. I am interested to see how the next book goes since Coral's sister Emerald is the quiet one of the family.

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

After the loss of her father's ships Miss Coral de Petras has decided to forego her dowry because of her sisters. She has a radical idea to find the husband she needs. Hers is a very unusual family that are no strangers to scandal.

Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm finds the idea of "the list" highly amusing, and wants to meet this outrageous woman. Our hero is in for a big surprise.

This complicated family turn the normal rules of the ton upside down. Are the gentlemen ready for a strong, determined woman??

A fascinating change to our normal historical romance, with characters that will get you thinking.

Good fun.

3.75 Stars
Coral de Petras is on the hunt for the perfect husband, and she doesn’t care who knows it. In her third Season and with the shock of her father’s shipping business collapsing in disaster, Coral makes the hard decision to forgo a love match and fall back on the plan she had as a child. Marry for money. She has a list. A list of all the qualities she will demand from her future husband—and publishes it in all the newspapers. A chance introduction with a duke (sadly not fulfilling all the points on her list) throws her completely off balance. The Duke of Glaenarm is handsome, charming, devilishly devoted to her. And imperfect. At least, that is what Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm, is informed by Coral at Almack’s. Amused by the fiery haired beauty who demands a husband who meets her lofty and unrealistic expectations, Edward decides to trick her into affection for him—proving that even if she believes him imperfect, she can fall in love.
This is the second book in the series & could be read on its own, however the first book does set the scene for the series. The de Petras family are unusual & unconventional so make a delightful change to the norm. The characters are well portrayed & have depth, I loved Edward but must admit I found Coral hard to like. I did however like how their relationship grew & changed. I also liked the humour & I became invested in Edward wooing & winning Coral’s heart.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This was an enjoyable and engaging romance to read with a wonderful crafted story and characters.
A not so usual and perfect courtship for Coral and Edward make this a very interesting story and enjoyable journey of love.