This YA Regency romance starts out promising but falls flat by the end. There's a very diverse cast of characters, and I found myself rooting for the heroine as she battles to recover her dignity following a betrayal by her closest friend. Lady Ela Dalvi, also known as Miss Lyra Whitley, spends a lot of the book seeking revenge against the false friend, Poppy Landers, and mooning over her handsome neighbor, Lord Keston Osborn, the Marquess of Ridley. When Ela is sent away to a remote boarding school in disgrace after Poppy accuses her of loose behavior with a vicar's son, Ela meets a mentor who basically acts as her fairy godmother so that three years after her fall from grace, she is able to go to London--in disguise as Lyra Whitley--to seek her revenge. But she finds that revenge is not all that it is cracked up to be, and she is still strongly attracted to Ridley, even though he never stood up for her when Poppy made her accusations. I felt there was too much time spent describing the attraction between Ela and Ridley, but not enough development of their relationship. Too many of the characters came across as two dimensional, although Ela and Ridley are a little better. There's some earnest moralizing that almost works, but on the whole I was disappointed with the book.

This book felt like a teen movie for the Regency era, and I loved it. There’s a wide range of representation, and a lot of personal growth for a number of characters. I would definitely love to read more books set in this world.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book with one caveat. The characters were fleshed out and the struggle Ella has with right and wrong and revenge made me think. Her growth and that of her friends was interesting to follow. However, I found the modern language to be jarring. Would regency women ask if a friend was “into” a guy? If it was a conscious choice by the author, it took this reader out of the time period. If it was a mistake not caught by editors, it was sloppy.

I have seen this described as a Count of Monte Cristo retelling, and I definitely get those vibes from it, but I also felt like there was a bit of Mean Girls in the mix with Ela/Lyra's revenge plot. Lyra Whitley is coming out in London society after being (allegedly) raised in Cumbria. The real story is that Lyra is actually Lady Ela Dalvi, the daughter of a peer who happens to also be an impoverished widower and who, in the past, sent Ela away after she is falsely accused of being involved in a scandal. Now 18 and looking different enough than she did that she barely needs a disguise, "Lyra" is intent on taking down the person who set her up and, from her perspective, took her whole life away. The chapters alternate between the past (Ela) and the present (Lyra), so the current revenge plot and the events that led up to it seem to unfold almost simultaneously. I really love Amalie Howard and was excited to see that she had written a YA novel. This didn't disappoint, it has all of her signature humor and adventure with just a slightly different feeling since the characters are younger.

Fun Bridgerton type romp! Lady Ela was betrayed by her best friend Poppy and sent to a remote boarding school- losing all she holds dear. Years later she takes on a new identity as wealthy Lyra , to take the ton by storm and bring down Poppy . But revenge driven Lyra finds that maybe leaving Ela behind was too high a cost as revenge is not all it’s cracked up to be. Mean girls, cute boys, revenge, - it’s a Netflix show waiting to happen. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely love this book. It releases the first of April and will definitely be a bestseller.

Ela is a quiet girl (story takes place in regency London) who befriends the wrong person. Poppy is set on being the Queen Bee and when Ela gets in her way, she removes her from the game. Ela is sent to a female reform school and the book tells the story of her reinventing herself and going back to London to get revenge on all those who wronged her.

Lady Ela Dalvi was ruined by a hurtful lie told by her jealous former best friend. After 3 years in a boarding school, she emerges as Lady Whitley back in London to exact her revenge and reclaim her life. But will revenge make her happy? she certainly thinks so!

What I Loved? Another great book from Amalie Howard! I really loved all the characters in this and the diversity in this anti-historical YA romance novel works. I think this could even be a great starter book for those wanting to get into regency as it's written very modern.

What I didn't like? Enviable YA romance novels like this tend to come with a whoooole Lotta cheese. it's a good thing I like cheese but could be off-putting for some that don't like their romances all wrapped up in a neat little bow.

Why should you read this? If you loved Bridgerton the show I think you will definitely love this.

Queen Bee is a delightful anti-historical romance. I'd never heard that term before reading Queen Bee, but now I will seek out more. Quite a treat!

I adored this book! I loved Ela/Lyra's character so much and really think she was written with a lot of depth! it starts off with Ela being the daughter of a Lord and given whatever she wants but BAM it all changes overnight, Her mother dies, her father loses control of his accounts and her BFF ruins her in the most awful way. Off she's sent to a wayward school for girls. 3 years later we meet Lyra, Ela's badass alter ego! We see her grow from vapid Ela to strong character Lyra. She has a solid personality and her banter with the MMC are phenomenal! This was an easy read and I enjoyed almost all the characters in this novel!

This is a great Regency era novel. Think Bridgerton setting with the gowns, the dapper gentlemen and the drama! The blurb says its comparable to Count of Monte Cristo but in all honesty nothing can top that book but I see where the comparison kind of a revenge story with a HEA.

Lady Ela had a good childhood. The daughter of an Earl, the beginning of her life was filled with privilege and respect. Then her mother dies at a tragically young age, and her father begins to see massive misfortune with their estate. Still, none of that can top the betrayal she suffers at the hand of her closest friend Poppy. A betrayal that tarnishes Ela's reputation and has her father shunning her and sending her away to a school for wayward girls. Three years later Ela is in high society London, posing as the mysterious Lyra. She plans to make her debut in society, and take down everyone that wronged her in her earlier years.

This story was set in a society much like Bridgerton. Ela, disguised as Lyra, makes her debut the season of her 18th year. Many people of the Ton (yes, that word is used) are quickly enamored with the beautiful newcomer. Thankfully, no one from her past can recognize her thanks to a remarkable glow up.

I found reading this book quite enjoyable. It was a different setting than I am used to, and I enjoyed it. The book goes back and forth between everything that happens to Ela in her younger years, and Lyra as she navigates her way through the season.

The characters were all pretty likeable, except for Poppy. I know she was meant to be the villain of the book, but she was over the top annoying. Revenge is not the answer, but honestly the whole time I was rooting for Ela's plans to take down Poppy to work out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joy Revolution for the digital ARC!

This was so good!! I love Regency era romance and this was everything that I could have wanted! I loved the plot and the characters. This was so good.
I just reviewed Queen Bee by Amalie Howard. #QueenBee #NetGalley
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Bridgerton with a vendetta! I loved the revenge plot taking place in a regency era story. The flashback chapters were done so well in creating compelling character development! Would absolutely recommend!

Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this YA novel which will be released April 4, 2023. All opinions are my own.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lady Ela’s life was ruined by her best friend, Poppy. After Poppy’s betrayal, Ela is sent away to Cumbria to a seminary school for girls. There Ela’s desire for revenge grows until Ela dies and Lady Lyra Whitley emerges from the ashes. Determined to get vengeance, Lyra enters the London scene with a plan: infiltrate the elite, ruin Poppy’s social standing, and break the heart of the boy who didn’t believe her.

Revenge, Regency, and romance what more could you ask for?! I loved the narrative voice and Ela/Lyra’s character. She is determined and strong, but also reflective. This is a story of revenge, and the themes surround choice and how we are all by responsible for our individual actions. I found the dialogue to be witty and the story moves quickly meaning there is never a dull moment. This is an anti historical novel with a diverse cast of characters, many of whom are very forward thinking for the time period, which makes this a unique and completely captivating story. This is my second 5-star read of the year. I highly recommend you check it out once it’s released or, better yet, preorder it. You won’t be disappointed.

I was super excited for a Regency revenge romance. I love a good revenge story. I really liked Lyra. She was wronged by who she thought were her friends and was ruined. Years later she comes back new and improved, ready to take on the ton and those that wronged her. She is determined and ready for part two. I was in total support of Lyra’s mission. What Poppy did was messed up. She really was the biggest witch in town, a total bully and brat.

Two things were my biggest problems. One, the book had parts that I really enjoyed but also some parts that were very slow so the story didn’t flow for me. I don’t think it was the back and forth scenes of showing how she was ruined vs present day. There were just some parts that weren’t either needed or needed to be re-written or re-arranged.

Lastly, I couldn’t get onboard with the romance because the love interest, Keston, is a weak man. He didn’t stand up for her when it was important. He followed along with everyone else and turned his back on her. Why you want to be with a weak man that can’t stand up for you or even himself. He knew Poppy but let her get away with everything. Even the end, he never really set her straight. Lyra needs someone stronger than Keston. I didn’t care for him at all.

Overall, a good and fun read but with the pacing and certain unreliable characters, it wasn’t my favorite Regency romance.

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a super sweet YA read for fans of Bridgerton. The appropriate age group for a book like this is somewhere in the High School realm, although certainly it can be enjoyed by older readers as well, as long as they know what to expect in terms of lexile level and content, etc.

I love historical romance, and this book did not disappoint. The thing that I really loved about this book was the unique perspective the author added to the story. This book was full of diverse and varied characters that really felt inclusive and allowed everyone to feel part of the story. Both the main character and her love interest were strong characters that experienced personal growth that was exciting to watch unfold.

This was a refreshing twist on period drama and so well written. There was some mystery, some intrigue and a beautiful love story. The way it was written, you experienced everything the main character was feeling and empathized with her situation and her dilemma. I cannot recommend this book enough and also can't wait to read more from this author!

What a delightful book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Perfect if you are looking for a Bridgerton fix - although this is definitely YA, nothing beyond kissing happens on or off the page. I thought the characters, especially Ela/Lyra, were very well fleshed out, and I really enjoyed the first-person narration. It's not always my favorite, but I thought Amalie Howard used it really well here; I enjoyed being inside Ela/Lyra's head, and I thought the multiple timelines (1814 vs. 1817) were used very well also. Overall I would whole-heartedly recommend this book! (For serious historical fiction fans, I'll warn that there was some anachronism (in the service of diversity, as well as simply in some dialogue/actions). Personally I had no trouble overlooking this but I know that might not be the case for everyone.)

Content warnings: loss of a parent, drug addiction

Lady Ela Dalvi's life in the English aristocracy was ruined in one fell swoop by her former best friend Poppy. Ela spends years plotting her revenge and returns to the London social season as Miss Lyra Whitley with a mission to ruin Poppy.

Unfortunately for Ela/Lyra, her childhood crush is also at almost every ball and musicale she attends, dragging her attention away from her mission. Can she have both love and her revenge?

Amalie Howard's sense of humor comes through this book in zingy one-liners and turns of phrase that add fun to the narrative.

Recommended for fans of Netflix's Bridgerton and Austenites looking for a more modern cast of characters.

Representation: main character of Indian descent, side characters of Chinese and Indian descent, POC side characters

This might be closer to a 3.75 for me. I liked the concept of a girl coming back into town to get revenge on those who have wronged her. Stories that examine how harsh Regency Era rules were on women is always pretty interesting, and it is nice how they reimagined the world to create a more diverse cast. I did truly hate how this was a story about a girl being stabbed in the back by someone that she thought was her friend.

I am finding it really hard to believe that no one recognized Ela. The story itself was fun. Poppy was the worst and I'm not sure why The Marquess led her on and allowed her to believe he was going to end up with her. It was obvious that no one in his family liked her, yet they included her in everything? Loved the ending. Loved Church. Loved the diverse cast.