DNF at 10%

The concept for Hannah Dolby's No Life for a Lady is fantastic - a spinster hiring a private detective to find her mother that went missing 10 years ago. However, the small portion of the book that I read quickly made me realize that this author's writing style was just not going to be for me. I really enjoyed the setting of the beach town, but there was so much telling and not showing how the main character was different from other ladies and the feminism of the book was already proving to be surface-level. Combined with fairly basic prose and humor that wasn't landing, I am going to quit while I'm ahead and make the decision to DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ebook in exchange for review!

I really enjoyed this book. there’s something about ‘unconventional’ women in historical fiction that always draws me in. initially it didn’t exactly fall into what I had pictured from the blurb but that wasn’t a bad thing at all!

the plot was fairly slow to begin with but it picked up well as the story went on and i loved the conclusion of it - it was heartfelt and well written. i also really liked the continued insight into Violet’s thoughts and views on the world and how she reacted to it and her inner battle with herself throughout the book was really interesting to read, especially towards the end and the way she reacted to what happened (trying to avoid leaving spoilers haha)!

overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy read that still has excitement and plot twists throughout.

What an absolute delight of a book! Funny, innocent, intriguing and such a lovely light read. It’s not a book to keep you up all night but on a dull February day it’s a joy, beautifully written with some laugh out loud moments to keep your mind busy. I do hope there will be more books from this author, what a lovely sense of humour she has!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book is an absolute delight! Violet is one of the most charming, funny, determined female MC’s I’ve read in a loooong time. She kind of reminds me of Veronica Speedwell on a smaller scale, but with literally none of the life experience. But that’s not going to stop her from figuring things out, no-sir-ee! Her encounters with Maria Monk in the later part of the book will explain everything. 😁 I really, really hope there are more stories to be told about this newest Lady Detective! (And let’s be honest, more Benjamin, too!)

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

No Life for a Lady by Hannah Dolby is a fun and light hearted historical romance with a hint of mystery set in the seaside town of Hastings during the Victorian era. Violet is 28 and as far as her father is concerned she is desperately in need of a husband, though she is far less convinced of the merits of that plan. She would rather be independent and make her own way, and her father won't help her to do what she wants most.- find out what happened to her mother who disappeared ten years before. Determined to uncover the truth she hires a local detective and in doing so opens a can of worms.
This was a really fun read, Violet is an unusual combination of innocent (as would be expected given the historical setting ) and strong willed in her desire to find out what happened and to avoid being palmed off on the first available suitor. She brings so much charm to the book that I found myself reading it in one sitting , and I would love it if this turns out to be the beginning of a series featuring Violet's adventures as a detective. Some of the situations she found herself in genuinely had me giggling. If you love a character driven novel that still tells a good story I highly recommend picking this one up.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A much needed addition to the genre! No Life For A Life is a breath of fresh air, a perfect period piece and detective story. Such a fun time!

On paper this is perfect for me but in practice something about the execution didn't work for me. I didn't like the MC, I didn't like the 'voice' of the narration, and I wasn't particularly gripped by the central mystery. It seems to have already found its audience though so what do I know! Grateful for the ARC but I'll pass on any future instalments.

I loved this book. Few novels make me laugh out loud but this did! It has a lovely whimsical sense of fun, along with a heroine who is forthright yet self deprecating. It is a mystery with a love story as a central theme and is a carefully crafted story with some nice twists to it. It illustrates an important point, that women in late Victorian and early Edwardian times were so constrained compared to today, all in the name of propriety. Don’t go looking for tension or gritty reality, but just enjoy it for what it is, a fun tale.

Satiate your Historical Fiction Mystery hunger pangs with whacky, clever and cracking No Life for A Lady. In 1896 women are to be demure homemakers and child minders. But not everyone subscribes to that.

Enter Violet Hamilton who, at 28, is an elderly spinster in the minds of most, especially that of her father. But she is fiercely independent, ambitious and wishes to make her own way. Her mother who disappeared ten years earlier instilled a unique mindset and outlook into her daughter. Violet secretly seeks the right detective to search for her mother, one who will take her seriously. In doing so she meets Ben. She also discovers layers of secrets and learns more about herself. To me the mystery is almost secondary to the characters. Some are more endearing than others but all are interesting.

Historical Fiction fans ought to add this to their to read lists, especially those who hanker after pure entertainment and escapism.

My sincere thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this supremely enjoyable novel.

Sadly this book was not for me, the characters, world building and strong female lead are incredibly well written and it is an interesting premise a good mystery with a mix of romance. However I feel like this was not executed well there was a lot of filler with not much happening in the book, overall it was just too slow for me to get absorbed. I do believe there is a right audience for this as it is really well written, but I am not that person.

What a brilliantly fun historical fiction!

The main character, Violet, was such a brilliant protagonist. She’s in her late twenties, sure of herself and forthright, but also painfully naïve. Her mother disappeared ten years earlier, and without a parental figure to guide her (her father is physically present but emotionally not) she has some glaring blind spots in her knowledge of the world. I’ll be honest, I was worried at the start that she was just ‘not like other girls’ but her character made perfect sense within her world and her family. What was great across the course of the novel was that she not only grew more knowledgeable about the world, but actively took those steps herself, admitting to herself that there were things she didn’t know and seeking the answers.

The mystery element of the story was really well-balanced with the rest. While I did really like the answer to the various questions behind the mystery, the way they were resolved was quite sudden, and honestly felt like an easy way out! I think there could have been more satisfactory ways of wrapping up that particular storyline (no spoilers!). One of the reveals also had me rolling my eyes a little bit at the start, but by the end it was pretty well-executed so I did enjoy it overall.

The character-led storyline is definitely the selling point of this book for me; it’s funny and outrageous, with a little mystery to tie it all together.

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Wonderful! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much. It is joyous, funny, clever and delightful. When life gets you down, pick up No life for a Lady -it’s a tonic.

A funny, enjoyable Edwardian romp with an unforgettable heroine and a wacky cast of characters. Infused with warmth, a duvet of a book. Highly recommended.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read with some inaccuracies sprinkled in. I wish there weren't so many subplots but overall it was enjoyable!

A perfect mix of historical mystery with a little romance sprinkled throughout which made this a perfect cozy read. Violet was such a unique, spunky voice for the late 1800’s. I was drawn in by her determination to solve her mother’s disappearance and to live her life on her own terms. There was good character growth, plenty of adventures in lovely settings, and multiple laugh out loud moments. Fans of Deanna Raybourn who love amateur detective reads will thoroughly enjoy this debut author’s book!

I enjoyed this book but overall thought it was a bit overhyped. The general plot idea is great and I loved Hannah's writing, but I just thought the pace was too slow. Instead of focusing the main storyline with 1 or 2 sub-plots, I felt there was a constant jump between the focus, which led to the main plot being brushed under the carpet nearly. This book was unfortunately just not for me.

Thank you again NetGalley, Hannah Dolby and Aria & Aries for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Also posted to Goodreads.

I absolutely loved this! So funny, with a really good plot and a completely lovable main character. I just had a lot of fun reading this!

Violet, our mc, grows so much through this book. She kind of seems a bit silly at the start but you just see her learn so much and become so much more confident and by the end of the book I was so proud of her!!

You can totally tell HD is a comedian from how funny this was. But the actual story, with Violet searching for her mother who disappeared 10 years, dealt with quite a few darker themes, which I though were so well done.

Not sure I can even talk about Benjamin Blackthorn - safe to say I’m obsessed

If you’re looking for a fun historical read with a good mystery and a bit of romance, please pick this one up!!

I really loved reading Violets perspective of the 19th century woman verging and exploring feminism. Her cheek and bluntness was a joy, making me laugh at every chapter.
Her personality is easily imagined upon learning that her mum disappeared when she was 18, leaving her with her dad. Causing her scepticism and wariness of marriage as she navigates into adulthood, looking for answers 10 years later.
I couldn't really see where this book was headed, as Violet is so stubborn, which made me even more intrigued.

What a smashing read! I thoroughly enjoyed tagging along with Violet on her many adventures so that she could become a Lady Detective and I hope there will be another book in a possible series?

Beautifully written, and very evocative of it's time, I really enjoyed this novel about a girl growing up in the 1890s but with very much a mind of her own.

It is 1896 and Violet is 28. Despite the best efforts of her father, she is also resolutely single. Part of the problem being the disappearance of her mother, and the stories she told her about marriage before she left. 10 years after her mother's disappearance, Violet decides to hire a detective to help her find her mother and find out what happened to her.

She then finds herself working for the second detective in town and decides that becoming a lady detective is what she would really like to do with the rest of her life. However, this was 1896 and young ladies merely got married and had children. They certainly didn't work in Detective agencies.

There are a few things which don't quite ring true, but overall it was a very good story.