My very first Megan Frampton and I thought it was cute! Definitely an 'outside the box' concept to a historical romance. The heroine and hero are the quirkiest two peas in a pod-- just adorably awkward. On the low side of steam but on super high on cutesy.

Hit 'em with a summary:
Wilhelmina (NOT Mina, thank you very much!) is just waiting for the day she is old enough to access her inheritance, move to the country and spend her nights star gazing and her days writing her astronomy papers. Spinsterhood bliss. Bram, a young and ambitious barrister is fully content with his strictly regimented life-- work and his monthly book club with his 4 best friends. This all changes when Bram attempts to rescue Wilhelmina off a bridge. This chance encounter sets the wheels in motion of a fake courtship, stolen kisses, and ultimately forces Bram and Wilhelmina to questions what they have always wanted out of life.

What put a smile on my face:
* The internal monologues for both Bram and Wilhelmina was beyond cute and funny.
* The brotherhood the 5 orphans formed was just the best

What left me scratching my head:
* I still don't know the difference between Theo or Simeon. To me they were interchangeable.
* Certain parts dragged on for a little too long.
* Most of the side plot points (Lord Paskins, the housekeeper, the auction) were kept at the surface

I will for sure pick up the next book in this series.
Thank you @Avon via #NetGalley for the e-ARC. All opinions and views are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the first in what I assume will be 5 novels, one for each of the men in the School for Scoundrels group. I'm already looking forward to the next installment just based on the glimpse of the various quirks and personalities of the group. Wilhelmina is happily unmarried, happily spending her time with her head in the clouds and her mind on the stars. Her world is upended (almost literally) when, on the same evening ,she runs into a tall, handsome stranger and then her father introduces his new bride. This beautiful new stepmother is five years younger than Wilhelmina and would really like to marry off her spinster stepdaughter. Enter a pretend courtship, a public debate, and meddling group of friends, and we're off on an entertaining romp with just enough heart and almost enough steam. A fun read and a great introduction to the scoundrels.

This book focuses on Lady Wilhelmina, an astronomer who is feeling pressure to get married now that her father has remarried, and Bram, an orphan barrister who is well-know for his powers of persuasion. A misunderstanding causes a memorable meeting and the two find themselves interacting more and more as their paths intersect.

3.5 stars for me. It was refreshing to read about about a barrister and a lady, which is a pairing that is much less common in historical romance. Lately it's been endless dukes. The hero is also a virgin, another rarity that gave some fresh material for the genre. I loved Wilhelmina's love for astronomy and how she wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. Bram's group of friends from the boys' home he grew up were interesting and clearly invested in their friends' success. The friends had the best lines in the book, although having five friends was a little hard to keep track of when they were being addressed by their first names by Bram and their last names by everyone else.

What was missing for me was passion. The characters focused on persuasion and logic to discuss their goals and activities, including the activities between them. And while that is true to the characters' personalities, it left a flat impression of their love story. There were also a few hanging plot points that weren't clearly resolved for me, such as Wilhelmina's relationship with her stepmother and revelations about Bram's past. They contributed to the ending feeling abrupt.

I will note that historical romance readers who are taken out of the story by characters acting inconsistently for the time might have some problems with this book. I didn't, but I prefer to see more independent women and openminded men in different historical contexts.

Overall, I will probably check out the next book in the series.

Absolutely charming read! There's no "we are going to ignore this problem" as they are both very practical and smart. Once they realize what's going on they fix it. I loved their dynamic and their banter. Both set out to help the other and it ends up being even better than expected. I can't wait to read about the rest of the Scoundrels!

Apparently I have never read Megan Frampton, so I am glad I received an eArc from netgalley to review the first book in a new series. The series is based on 5 men who met as orphans and became life long friends. They were each adopted and have become very successful. Bram, our hero is a barrister and has never thought about marriage until one night he spies a woman on a bridge parapet, things she is going to jump and grabs her down.
She is Lady Wilhemena, an amateur astronomer who just wants a better view of the stars..
The premise is, her father and stepmother want her to get married, but she is trying to wait 6 months to come into her inheritance so she can be independent and become an astronomer. The banter is excellent as these are 2 very intelligent people, but I admit I liked Bram more than Wilhemina. You can guess the outcome, but how the couple wade through the expectations of society make for a very good story. I certainly intend to read the rest of the series. This is my honest review and thank you netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read and review.

This was a super cute fun read. I enjoyed it. It was definitely not something I typical read however I'm glad I did loved the characters and loved the ending. I really enjoyed the main female character and how she didn't really rely on a man and just wanted to be herself no matter what people thought.

What a cozy and fun book, filled with humor and insightful details. I thoroughly enjoyed the awkward-to-loving transition between a bastard barrister and a scientist wallflower as they both learn to put aside their first impressions (about life, literature and love) and give new experiences and feelings a second chance. The gap in class, upbringing and interests between the two main characters increased the stakes and growth of their romance, and I especially adored the funny and loyal side characters, including his orphanage friends and her maiden aunt. And above all, I loved the through-theme that those who really love you can “see” you as you truly are. As an added bonus, there’s even an adorable dog sidekick!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.