While I really wanted to like this book, it fell flat for me, it has so many of my favourite tropes- enemies to lovers, fake engagement, but the plot is weak and lacks originality. There is nothing that makes it stand out from the crowd of other historical romance.
This book is part of a series and I haven't read them which may have impacted on my enjoyment as I may have missed some interactions.

I liked this a lot and loved the two leads who were both spoiled and stubborn and perfect. I read the first two parts of the series after this book

Worth Dying For by Matilda Madison is the third book of the Worth series. Lady Lydia Powell has secretly corresponded with a gossip columnist for the past three years. Lydia is shocked to discover her own name in an engagement announcement. An engagement to her enemy, the Marquis of Quinton, Benedict Davies. Benedict just knows that Lydia has been behind the defamation in the gossip columns. He wants revenge. While Society celebrates two foes seemingly falling in love, danger lurks in the background.

I was hoping to enjoy this one more than I did. It had lots of tropes that I like. I enjoyed Lydia and Benedict. But the execution of the story wasn’t for me.

Worth Dying For by Matilda Madison is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last. I will admit I don't know if I missed anything by not reading the first two books in the series.

I found the characters in this book interesting. Lydia and Benedict are considered enemies within the Ton but when a gossip column publishes that they are engaged, they have to work to figure out who (and why) this announcement was made.

The story itself was a fairly quick read and the story was engaging. Trying to figure out who was the one to push the publication as well as the fact that someone is threatening Lydia's life makes things a bit more interesting.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this concept, but unfortunately the writing style wasn’t a match for me. Ultimately I DNF’d.

This book was just okay. The writing style was good. The problem I had especially in the beginning was with Lydia. I found her to be very childish and annoying. And the romance between the prognosticators not very believable

Lady Lydia Powell has maintained a secret correspondence for three years with a famed gossip columnist. What she didn’t expect was to find herself the subject of gossip, supposedly engaged to her worst enemy. The Marquis of Quinton, Benedict Davies finds himself in a unique position of exacting his revenge on Lydia, believing her to be behind a defamation campaign against him. While London rejoices that the two former foes have fallen in love, not everyone is thrilled and soon they find themselves in peril.
I really enjoyed the style of writing but did find the relationship between the two main characters lacking, not quite understanding the attraction. This has come from the lack of detail behind their relationship despite the steamy love scenes. I must admit to struggling with putting together parts of their ‘back story. Some great secondary characters , particularly Benedict’s brother, William, did add to this story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 1/2 stars rounded up. This author is new to me; I did not read the previous entries in this series. This book works fairly well as a standalone, and I found the enemies-to-lovers dynamic effective. Benedict and Lydia have strong chemistry, and though their stubbornness can be exasperating, their characters are well-developed enough that you root for their HEA.

That said, while the MCs' banter is fun overall, the roots of their affection could have been better established in the beginning, as the engagement notice happens very early on in the plot and they honestly didn't seem to like each other. Suddenly married, Benedict is completely smitten. I did appreciate the fact that he truly cared about Lydia, and the whole book wasn't about them being at each other's throats, but I needed to see more consistently what he saw in her, other than her beauty and party-girl personality. He is a jealous man due to being betrayed in a previous relationship, but his feelings toward Lydia are so intense I started to wonder if I'd missed incidents that came up in the previous books. Both of their behavior tended to run hot and cold and their arguments were occasionally repetitive. I actually wished the marriage had happened a bit later in the plot, allowing for more slow-burn development of their relationship before the "divorce" word is blurted (note: divorces were practically unheard of during the Regency period).

The secondary characters are appealing. I especially liked William, Benedict's disabled brother, and wished the author had included more scenes with him, Benedict, and Lydia, I wanted to see how he was able to overcome his fears and feelings of inferiority. I'm hoping that he might be featured in an upcoming book by this author.

Plot-wise, the two questions are: Who was behind the engagement announcement, and who seems to be out to kill Benedict and/or Lydia? The first question is answered pretty satisfactorily, the second not so much. Things were much too neat and pat.

Finally, I have to be a nitpicker and mention that there were times the flow of sentences and the word choices (or spellings of certain words) didn't quite work.

Overall, though, this writer has promise and I would read another book by her. I was engaged by the MCs' chemistry and thought they made a compelling couple.

Steam level: 3.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley. Reviews will be left on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Amazon.

I honestly almost stopped reading very early on because of Lydia. She was very childish and annoying. However, I kept going and she did mature some. I loved Benedict's character. He understood where the tension was coming from and when their names were linked in a betrothal announcement he jump on the chanced to claim what he has wanted for years. I did enjoy this book, I just wish Lydia was a little more likable.


I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Worth Dying For is a a fast-paced book that's easy to read, and I'm sure many will enjoy it. For me, however, a big part of why I read romance novels is, well, the romance. I like to see feelings deepen as the characters get to know one another, but this book tends to skip over those quieter parts for more dramatic moments. Which is all very well — I love some drama and sexual tension. But I did feel like we skipped over something important.

I read this book on its own without reading any of the previous books in the series, so perhaps I simply missed all of the character development and the growing of genuine feelings between the leads that would make their physical attraction and, eventually, their love so compelling. But as it was, I couldn't really like them, and I couldn't believe they should be together... except maybe as a mercy to all the other single people they could have paired up with.

My thanks to NetGalley and Evernight Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Just a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. There’s some plot and character development of this couple in the past 2 books (Worth Waiting For, Worth Fighting For). The prologue happens before books 1 and 2, but this book takes place soon after book 2 ends.

Basic plot:
Lydia and Benedict have had a tumultuous relationship for years. But now that their names appeared in the newspaper celebrating a betrothal that never occurred they need to decide if they will go through with it or risk scandal.

Give this a try if you want:
- Early Victorian time period (1839)
- Enemies to lovers
- Fake engagement (their engagement is announced in the newspaper and neither of them were aware it would happen – they fake it for a bit while they decide what to do)
- A bit of unrequited love feel? They’ve definitely pined for and hated each other for a number of years
- Compromised heroine
- Medium to high steam – there are a number of scenes (5) but most are on the shorter side
- You like a decent amount of danger, mystery and intrigue mixed in with your romance

Ages:
- Lydia is 20, Benedict is 29

My thoughts:
So I am conflicted about this one. On the one hand, it has so much that I really like in romance. Compromised heroine. Hero pursues. I was intrigued by this couple from the last couple books. But, it turned out to have a number of things I don’t prefer in my romance like a lot of danger/mystery and other man/woman conflicts.

Lydia can come off as a spoiled brat in prior books, and especially in the prologue here. But I did find that I generally liked her in this story. I did feel like she grew up for the most part and that her relationship with Benedict felt right.

What I usually get excited for with enemies to lovers is that turning point. The point where it becomes I want you (or I love you) instead of hate you. But here I didn’t really feel the change of feelings for Benedict at all. Why did he suddenly turn himself around and decide he wants her? I looooove hero pursues and was so excited when he decided he wanted to keep the marriage but how did he get there? It felt like he always wanted her and was planning this, but his behavior and words in prior books didn’t support this to me. (Yes, the wanting was there, but it did feel like a strong emotional dislike!)

I was a touch disappointed in the sex scenes here. They were steamy, but they didn’t quite have the emotional aspect I wanted. I felt like they jumped into kissing a bit too soon and I just wanted more time spent on description. The scenes felt shorter here than prior books? But I could be wrong. (For example, telling me it’s an erotic kiss doesn’t really do much for me, but describing the feelings inside and explaining where body parts are really helps me love them. Show me it’s an erotic kiss without ever saying the word erotic and it will feel even more so to me ;) This is of course just me and what I like though

A lot of the plot seems to revolve around how they cannot be suited because the hero has never been able to be faithful to anyone. This combined with multiple other women and other man conflicts was not a favorite romance plot for me. (I have read a lot….A LOT...of other man/other woman drama over the summer (like it’s like 70-80% of my reads) and I’m just over it. This is just bad luck I picked up this book at this time haha.

There’s nothing like seeing your engagement announced in the newspaper—except when you didn’t know you were engaged! That’s what happens to Lydia and Benedict, who’ve been antagonizing each other for years. Even worse, this engagement news is shared in London’s most notorious gossip column!

Yet Benedict—known for his affairs with married women to avoid the snare of marriage himself—finds himself strangely drawn to the prospect of marriage to Lydia. And he’s willing to use every skill and trick he knows to make this false engagement into a real marriage.

Lydia and Benedict are two fabulous characters. She is strong-willed and naïve all at once, both brave and credulous. Benedict is both the layabout lord and someone deeply caring of those he loves. Lydia and Benedict’s disputes recall the old adage of protesting too much, and you can see, especially on Benedict’s part, that they seek one another out for more than just verbal sparring. Watching them move their unexpected marriage to something real and lasting makes Worth Dying For great fun to read.

But that title is there for a reason: there’s a threat to Lydia when various attempts are made on her life. The villain is abundantly evident in this book; I really wasn’t surprised at the last-quarter actions this villain takes.

I did think there were some lapses in logic in this book. For example, Benedict dislocates his shoulder, but upon his return to his house he not only embraces Lydia but picks her up and carries her! I shudder to think how that felt with his injury. And he’s freely using both hands even though he enters the house in a sling.

There’s great use of secondary characters in Worth Dying For. Lydia’s siblings (the focus of earlier books in this series) play vital roles in helping or thwarting Lydia and Benedict’s relationship. And Benedict’s brother William is someone I hope gets his own story one day.

So if you’re looking for a fine historical romance with a great amount of spice (both verbal and physical!) between its leading characters, give Worth Dying For a chance!

I haven't read the earlier books and would say you should read them before this as I felt like I was playing catch-up because so much of the lead in happened off page/before the events of this book. I felt less invested in the characters because of this. There were lots of steamy scenes, but they didn't grab me again I feel because I haven't read the other books and didn't understand what had happened earlier. It was well written though so a solid 3 stars. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Spark Flew When Every Time They Met!

When Lady Lydia Powell and the Marquis of Quinton, Benedict Davies first set eyes on each other at a ball, they were instantly drawn to each other. Unfortunately Benedict spurned her! He would not accept what he felt for her and was known as one of the biggest rakes around, changing women whilst already with another women. He was also her brother’s best friend.

Three years later, Benedict had been in and out of her life and every time they met, sparks would fly and they ended up arguing. They were sworn enemies to the ton, so it was quite a surprise when an announcement was made in one of the local papers that they were engaged! Lydia for the past three years had struck up a friendship with one of the writers in the papers and quite a few times mad jabs at Benedict. This time when the announcement was made, she was entirely innocent and denied any knowledge of being involved with the latest gossip!

Benedict didn’t believe her and was convinced it was revenge to get back at him but he really wanted her quite madly and after three years of denying himself, decided it was time to claim her and would not retract the engagement. After her brother and Lydia denied the betrothal, Benedict decided to compromise her so they had to get married.

I really enjoyed this story. It was full of repressed passion and steam with the mystery of who was trying to kill Lydia. I loved the way Benedict’s character came over and how he cared for his brother William. Lydia had her own quite spoiled personality and it was great to see how she grew up and acknowledged her feelings for Benedict.

This is the first I have read from this author and will be looking to read more. I love a good enemy to lover romance and this hit all the marks for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC copy and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Reviews left on Bookbub and Goodreads. Will review on Amazon once released.

Story was a good enemies to lovers, but I unfortunately haven’t read the rest of series and I assume that would have grounded the story a little more and filled in some gaps. I’m definitely interested in reading them though!

Benedict and Lydia are meant to be together. Through lies and a fake engagement announcement they overcome their problems.
For three years, Lady Lydia Powell has maintained a secret correspondence with a famed gossip columnist. Of course, she never expected to be on the receiving end of the chatter. Now, with her name appearing in an engagement announcement to her worst enemy, Lydia is shocked! Surely there’s been some sort of mistake?
The Marquis of Quinton, Benedict Davies finds himself with a rare opportunity. Having suspected for a while that Lydia has been behind a defamation campaign against him, Benedict can’t help but dream of exacting his revenge on the hot-blooded beauty.
While London rejoices that the two former foes have fallen in love, not everyone is thrilled. Danger seems to be lurking behind every corner and soon the couple are left wondering if their relationship is worth dying for.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Lady Lydia Powell is shocked when her name appears in an engagement announcement with Benedict Davies, Marquis of Quinton. What's even more shocking is Benedict's wish to go through with the marriage, despite the animosity the two have towards each other for years

This is the third book in the Worth series, and I definitely recommend reading in order. The blurb was a bit deceiving; it mentioned that Lydia was carrying on a secret correspondence with a famed gossip columnist and then she turns up as the subject of the betrothal announcement. This relationship is not detailed in this story, and I felt like I was playing catch-up because so much of the lead in happened off page/before the events of this book. That also affected my ability to connect with the characters, and it made the events at the end of the book feel sort of shrug-worthy. There was a good quantity of steamy scenes, but they didn't feel as organic and well developed as I would have liked.

I would try this author again in the future, but don't plan to return and read the previous books.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Brother's Best Friend/Best Friend's Sister

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #WorthDyingFor #NetGalley

When I knew of “Worth Dying For” being published soon I thought it would be the last installment of the “Worth” series with the three Powell Siblings (Edward, Catherine and Lydia) as the protagonists, now I’m hoping Lydia’s book is not the last one, for there is a character whom I’d love to know more of, but that’s a story for another day.

Matilda Madison sets the cards for this round in the introduction. This part is set three years prior to the events in the previous book and this book as well. Lydia is the youngest of the Powell siblings who was mostly overlooked by her cruel father who had been a monster to Edward and Catherine. The two had taken charge of her after the man died and they’ve spoiled her a little. Lydia has a strong personality, she’s impulsive, and she’s used to get what she wants, but she’s sweet and lovable and quite generous too. As it happens, Lydia is quite attracted to Benedict Davies, the Marquis of Quinton and her brother’s best friend, so once at a ball she asked him for a kiss… and he refused. They’ve been enemies ever since.

Benedict spends three years constantly in and out of the Powell’s company. The day he refused to kiss Lydia had been one of the most difficult days of his life because he is attracted to her and he’s not the right man for her. He’s a rake with the most notorious fame, but he’s also loyal to a fault and as mischievous as Lydia is. When he reads in the papers of a surprise engagement with himself and Lydia as the protagonists, he decides to make it true by seducing her and trapping her into marriage, anyway no one believes it wasn’t her who published it.

They move to his ancestral home and there they begin their marital life with the sole company of a very grumpy young man, William, Benedict’s brother who, due to a sickness long ago, is in a wheelchair. Miscomunication, lies and misunderstandings added to Benedict’s difficult past and someone threatening Lydia, won’t make life easy for the couple but the chemistry between them is explosive and their love is tattooed in their hearts since the kiss that never was.

I read once that reformed rakes make the best husbands, and in this book that is the case. At the beginning I thought that Lydia was very well portrayed because she’s very straightforwards, she is who she is and that’s clear from the beginning. But with Benedict it was like unwrapping a present. He introduced himself as the kind of rake we read about in every other novel, but then he surprises the reader by showing his feelings and thoughts and how deeply he loves Lydia and has loved her since always. He’s so protective and caring, though sometimes he patronizes her, which is exactly what she needs to grow out of her spoiled personality. He helps Lydia mature but not in an overbearing way, Lydia blooms as a woman, not because of him but with him, because he lets her be herself. The Lydia we see in the second half of the book is slightly different to the Lydia that lived under her brother’s wing. She’s more realistic than the hopeless romantic child she was, she’s more understanding and a little less impulsive.

The writing in this book matches Lydias vibrant personality, that’s how we get to meet her well. The pace changes with her moods and make a perfect picture of what’s happening all the time. Then I think that Matilda Madison writes like magic because she appeals directly to her readers’ hearts with her beautiful writing and the way she delivers her characters feelings of love, doubt, worrying, strength. Her words fly out of the page and takes us into the book making us Benedict’s and Lydia’s secrets keepers. This is exactly the kind of writing that I love the most, the kind that makes you participate of the story and even though she did write her previous book in the same way, she still managed to surprise me. I’m now going to read the first book which is the one I’m missing, while I wait for her to write about… oh, spoilers.

Well, Matilda Madison did it again to me, I couldn’t put it down. Having read the two previous books with glimpses of little sister Lydia and her mysterious nemesis Lord Davies, I was so ready for this forced marriage enemies to lovers.

Loved to see in the prologue how we have an across-the-ballroom heated glance, a proposition is soundly rejected because of best friend’s little sister reasons, and hence an enmity is born between the rake and the diamond debutante.

I give you Benedict “Once and Done” Davies, Marquis of Quinton and the epitome of detached rake: You’re cute, but call me when you’re married and disenchanted. And then we have Lady Lydia Powell, all charm and grace, who gives very youngest child vibes- used to getting her way/ makes a real mess of things well-intentioned or no.

You know what was great? In my head, he materialized as a light-haired Theo James with those piercing dark brown eyes, and she was a teasingly bratty green-eyed Vivien Leigh/Scarlett O’Hara. Ugh, they were amazing together. Good job, imagination.

Their first interaction that launches a thousand tiffs is electric and sets up their clashing characterizations so well. By the time they're thrown together by a false engagement announcement, we’re TOLD they’ve been archnemesis for years, constantly teasing and bickering.

And here’s where my struggles started.

I don’t even recognize myself by suggesting flashbacks, but I needed to somehow have seen more of those past verbal battles with yearning simmering under the surface to have a more grounded understanding on why he would say “Eff it, the ton thinks we’re engaged, might as well” and is willing to throw away his friendship to her brother/give up the rake life.

I think the lack of foundation in this set-up just snowballed into spending most of the book confused at their reactions and decisions and frustrated by their lack of growth. And this is from a romance reader that loves her piled-on feelings idiots drama. Just heap that plate with insecurities and overreactions. But I guess I love when they don’t understand their own feelings and actions, and yet, if I’m constantly questioning them myself as I read, then it’s not as romance fun.

Though we do get the lovely tentative awkwardness of being forced to marry someone you’re in lust with, it seems the enemies vibe got thrown with the bouquet, because 40% we’ve got him all doting and she’s clinging like a koala. Resist, dammit! Wide open door with various scenes though nothing too spicy, this author knows how to bring the steamy chemistry and lusty tension. Along with all the consummating, we start our “must have upper hand= not catch feelings” hot and cold back and forth dance.

WARNING venturing a bit to the spoilery:
I love withheld secrets and the reveal fall-out drama, but her secret seemed less signficant, in proportion to other things she’d admitted to, so their mutual respective freak-outs were perplexing and showed how little far we had come. The internal conflict felt disjointed, the external threats disproportionate while the reveals a bit underwhelming. Dear Lydi had her too-naive-to-live peril and rescue moment which shakes some declarations out of both of them. As a closing gripe, this book concluding the series, I expected a more complete circle time jump that included all three couples, but nope, just tying some loose ends and being shown I’m a lot less forgiving than the Prettiest Powell.

That this was not my favorite in the series notwithstanding, I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in future!