Langham and Poppy, aka Flora, annoy the heck out of each other. Yet on the spur of the moment they agree to aid one another. Poppy will have the Duke's help getting her sister out of trouble. The Duke will have Poppy's help avoiding all the marriagable young misses invited to his home by his grandmother by pretending to be his fiancee'. Langham can't help himself as he publicly refers to Poppy as my darling, my angel, my little cabbage. Poppy retaliates by raving about his poems dedicated to her eyes and refers to him as my pumpkin. This delicious story revolves around a murder Poppy's sister is accused of and some dodgy goings on happening in the neighborhood. Great reading!

3.5 stars
A SPINSTER'S GUIDE TO DANGER & DUKES is probably my favorite book in this series thus far! We follow Poppy who enters into a mutually beneficial fake engagement with a duke in order to gain authority to investigate the murder of her sister's husband so that her sister does not take the blame. These books aren't my favorite historical romances/mysteries but are easy reads. As I said, the romance and mystery in this book are the most developed out of the series, and I liked the characters best in this book too. There was some insta-love because the book takes place over the course of only a week or two. My main issue with this series is that it feels underdeveloped and underwhelming; there's nothing to make it stand out from the others in its genre. I would still recommend this if you want an easy historical romance and mystery.

3.25/5. Releases 3/28/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Romance with a dash of cozy mystery, light enemies to lovers, fake engagements, and romcom vibes.

Poppy Delamare escaped an unwanted betrothal by fleeing to London and living as a secretary under an assumed name. But when her sister is accused of murder, she leaps into action--and in the process, enlists the help of the Duke of Langham. Langham would really rathe not deal with all that marriage mart bullshit, so he and Poppy enter into a fake engagement. As the engagement begins feeling more and more real, Poppy and Langham are on the brink of uncovering a dangerous plot...

This was cute--really cute. I really like Manda Collins's writing style--it's fun, and engaging, and dare I say, SPARKLING. I just think that historical romance mysteries are hard for me to follow. I think that it's one thing when murder and mayhem is happening--but it's another when the hero and heroine are like. Actively trying to solve the murder.

Quick Takes:
--All that being said, I don't want to make it sound like the mystery is hard to follow in general. I didn't find it super predictable, and I did understand what was happening. It was entertaining--the issues are largely user error for me!

--The chemistry between Langham and Poppy is great. It's very Darcy and Elizabeth, if Darcy was a bit... sluttier. Which, honestly, is a great approach for Darcy. That said, I do think I would have benefited from reading previous books first, as you come into this one with them knowing each other.

--The romance develops very naturally, and I appreciated that Collins didn't skim over the progression or, for that matter, Langham's personal biases.

The Sex Stuff:
There's one full sex scene, and it's well-done--sexy, fairly explicit, and like... respectful of Poppy's lack of experience without feeling fetishistic or weird. I could've done with more, to be honest. But again, it's a very good sex scene.

If you like cozy mysteries and historical romance, this is for you. I don't know if that particular subgenre is for me--but I do want to read more from Manda Collins.

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

This was probably my favorite of all of the Ladies Most Scandalous series. Josh and Poppy are such a delight and this book is a perfect mix of 1800s murder mystery, and, my favorite, enemies-to-lovers romance!

I found the pacing on this book to be really well done, and while I think the resolution to the *problem* in the book could have been fleshed out a little bit more, this was overall an incredibly enjoyable read and fans of the other two books and the subgenre are really going to enjoy this one.

Manda Collins continues her delightful reign over historical romance mysteries. How she does all three so well is a marvellous juggling act. Brava! Sexy, tense, and full of pitch-perfect period particulars (try saying that five times fast), I devoured this in a single weekend--I'll admit it could have been a one-day read, but I purposely slowed down so that way I didn't have to go back to the world where I need to wait a few more months for this book to be out.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes is a highly engaging and enjoyable book! We go from enemies to fake engagement, to Poppy and Joshua slowly realizing their growing affection. There is a murder mystery as well, to add to the intrigue! Poppy is a great character—loyal, smart, and brave, while Joshua (the Duke) is kind and thoughtful, and also a fantastic character. Quick-witted, fast-paved, and swoon-inducing, this is a really fun read!

Usually I am not a huge fan of historical romances, but this one really won me over. The main reason I enjoyed this book so much, was the main character Poppy. At a time when women were supposed to be demure, Poppy was not afraid to speak her mind and use her intellect and voice no matter whose company she was in. When Poppy finds out her sister is accused of murder, she will stop at nothing to try to clear her name. The romance in this story was well paced, and believable. The side characters were well developed and interesting. And the murder mystery kept me guessing until the very end. I found this a very enjoyable read. I really appreciated that before the story there was a note on trigger warnings - I love that books are starting to do this! So if reading about claustrophobia, controlling and abusive men, or cults are an issue for you, you might want to skip this story. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Another swoony and fun installment in the Ladies Most Scandalous series!

This series keeps on getting better! I fell in love with Poppy and Langham in the last book. The chemistry between these two characters was oh-so witty and delicious. I always get a little weary as a book series progresses because I'm afraid things will become stale or repetitive. That isn't the case with this series. Once again, Manda created this unique swoon-tastic historical romance with an interesting and entertaining mystery component. I devoured this book in a couple of sittings. It starts with a bang and keeps readers engaged until the end. The chemistry between Poppy and Langham was everything I could ever want, and I was so happy with the direction Manda went with their love story. This book takes place right after the wedding of Carol and Val (this happened during the second book). Poppy has to leave London in a hurry because her sister has been accused of murdering her husband. On her way to her sister, Poppy literary bumps into Langham, who agrees to help her clear her sister's name in exchange for posing as his fiancé.
I really need to gush about Poppy's character. She quickly became my favourite character in this series. I loved the sharp and smart wit she possessed. While posing as Langham's fiancé, she finds herself thrown into this viper's nest of upper-class women who are not pleased with her engagement to Langham. She masterfully handled herself with these women, and I loved how she never tried to change who she was or was ashamed of her past. She knew her worth and didn't give a damn what these women thought. Langham was everything I had dreamed he would be. On the outside, his character had this swoony standoffish upper-class feel. But when he was with Poppy, those walls started to come down, and we saw a more vulnerable side to his character. I loved the conversation between Poppy and Langham about how he can talk about vulnerabilities with her, which won't negatively affect what she thinks about him. Seeing more male characters having this more vulnerable side to them is great.

The mystery component in this book was really interesting, and I am always amazed at how Manda creates these mysteries that keep me guessing until the very end. The overall story almost has that Birdgerton feels to it. In this book, we get to spend a lot more time with the upper class, and there is plenty of gossiping and scheming, especially regarding securing a certain duke's hand in marriage. It was just a fun overall read.
If you are a fan of fake engagement and forced proximity tropes, you will love the romance in this story. I enjoyed the fake engagement parts in this book. It was delightfully fabulous watching Poppy and Langham try and navigate this fake relationship with each other. There were plenty of smouldering moments between then, and I had to keep reading because I wanted to know when they would finally kiss. I loved the growing depth of their relationship through the more personal and open conversations that Poppy and Langham were having.
A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is an addictive story with a swoony romance and brilliant characters.
Thank you, Forever, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a while to really get into this book. I don’t think that I got into it until about 60% of the way through. Normally, I would DNF a book before that point if I couldn’t get into it but I had the strong motivator of me having the first two books in this series on my shelf. I haven’t read those books yet but I really didn’t want them to end up being a waste of money because the third book wasn’t good. And it really wasn’t the characters that I didn’t like, it was the writing style. But I will say, after 60%, the book got much more enjoyable.

At 60%, there was an event that changed the entire course of the book. And I was not expecting it at all and I felt like it was so unnecessary. If you’ve already read this book, I think you might know what part I’m talking about. Besides the somewhat cringey writing, this part made me rate the book a little lower than I maybe would’ve otherwise. Because other than those two things, I thought the book was good.

I think it’ll be interesting to read the first two books in the series and see if there are any insane parts of the plot or if this book just went a little too far.

Arranged marriages best avoided!

Poppy Delamare had fled her enforced engagement to her wicked stepfather’s secretary. Under the name of Flora Deaver she’d journeyed to London and become a journalist.
Now she’s going back to Little Kidding, Buckinghamshire, after reading that her sister Violet has been accused of murdering her husband—the man Poppy had run from!
What follows is an engagement of convenience to Joshua Fielding, Duke of Langham, and a run in with the Duke’s sisters. The Dowager had invited some young ladies she and his sisters approved of to a house party to inveigle the Duke into marriage. They’re quite disappointed! Ha!
Add to this the disappearance of Violet, the startling discovery of the reinstatement of a satanist club on the Duke’s property. Include murder, blackmail and embezzlement into the mix and we’re awash with all sorts of possibilities. Poppy faces danger and Joshua is not happy. That engagement of convenience is starting to like there might be more to it.
Fast paced and enjoyable, although there was a lot of moving parts to keep up with.

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

Thank you Forever for the gifted copy of A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes! All opinions in this review are my own.

It's hard to decide but I think A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is my favorite one in the A Lady's Guide series. Poppy and Langham were my favorite couple and to have them fake betrothals made it even better! I also really liked the mystery of trying to figure out who killed Violet's husband so that they can prove her innocence.

That being said, I love this series. I like that it combines a mystery with historical romance (hitting two of my favorite genres). There seemed to be a few hints to a fourth book so I'm just hoping this wasn't the end!

This is the kind of book I would probably never have picked up at a bookstore. I thought this was historical fiction. It was not. Never the less, I would recommend this book for a beach read. Light, predictable but fun.

Poppy is on the way home. She has been gone for several years. She ran away when her step-father tried to force her to marry a despicable man. Actually to Poppy, most men are despicable. Now Poppy’s sister, Violet, has been charged with the murder of her husband. And her dead husband is the same despicable man, from whom Poppy ran.

Poppy has been working for two ladies who have become her very good friends. But, neither one of them know her actual identity. She has not felt comfortable explaining her true identity or the situation of her former life.

At the train station, she runs into Joshua. He is a Duke she knows. He and Poppy did not hit it off upon their first meeting. But, because he is a Duke, it is possible that he can help her prove that Violet is not responsible for any murder. Poppy and Joshua strike a bargain, he will do what he can to help her, and she will pose as his betrothed in order to prevent his grandmother from forcing him to marry some young woman of her choice.

Poppy and Joshua face a great amount of rudeness. His sister, his grandmother, and all the women who hope to marry a duke are rude and happy to say so at every opportunity. Of course there are also the mothers of those young women. All in all, this does not start off like a wonderful time to be betrothed to a duke.

Poppy and Joshua immediately become involved in the investigation of the murder. Nothing is exactly as it seems. There are villains around every corner and Violet’s life is in definite danger. Joshua does everything within his power to protect Poppy. And even though he has not met Violet, from Poppy’s description, it is evident she is not the murderess type.

This book is a fun read. There is mystery, villainy, fashion tips, lust and humor.

I was not always a fan of Poppy. At times, it seemed to me she was so busy being “right” and “strong” that she did not see what was happening all around her.

Yes, I know I live in the time of “Women Power”. But, this book is not set in the present time and I felt things went a little overboard showing what a powerful woman Poppy is. I am not sure a woman of that era would have been so happy rush in where angels fear to tread.

I liked Joshua. He was not as self involved as Poppy thought he was. He quickly came to admire Poppy’s strength, intelligence and humor. He also liked her beauty. Joshua worked to gather information to clear Violet. He also put the power of his position to work on behalf of Poppy and ultimately Violet.

These two characters are well matched. Both of them are strong willed as well as kind and generous people. Most of all, both of them are people who are drawn to one another. They both find so many qualities to admire in the other.

This story is well done. I liked the book and I believe that anyone who begins to read it will find it hard to put it down.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review. All opinions are completely my own.

This was a solid historical romance book, although slightly bogged down by the descriptions. I found it harder to follow than I would have liked, between the plethora of characters and the murder investigation that seemed to be continually put on the backburner, despite being the more interesting part of the book. The story itself was very well-written, but I just couldn't get into the story or make myself care about the characters. I liked the connection between Poppy and Langham, and I was rooting for them to get together, but their miscommunication and the way they refused to talk to each other felt tired. I think the circumstances that brought them together were believable (which is a relief, because so many "fake-dating" stories are so unbelievable and so unnecessary), and the romance itself was fine, but the mystery should have taken center stage in my opinion. I wanted more sleuthing, more clues. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I liked how quick it was without rushing to the end too much.

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is a delightful romance that balances mystery and intrigue with humor and passion. Manda Collins has created a charming and engaging story with memorable characters and a satisfying ending that will leave readers eagerly anticipating her next novel.

A very cute foray that made me want to read more from Manda Collins, which suits well because this was the closing book and I did not realize it. Hopeful for what I find after this! Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity with this title.

I am usually not a fan of murder mysteries in histroms, but from time to time I like to read one to see if my mind changes. Unfortunately, this one did not do anything for me.
I thought the story dragged on, and I skimmed a lot. I had no interest in knowing who did the deed.
As for the romance part, it was lackluster to me. I just did not feel it.
Objectively, the story is well-written. It is a me problem.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

For fans of the first two books in the Ladies Most Scandalous series, a Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is a highly anticipated read this spring. If you've haven't read the previous books, never fear, because this can be read as a standalone!

From the moment the Duke of Langham and Miss Flora Deaver meet in An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire, sparks fly, along with barbed comments, hard looks, and mild insults. When Langham comes to Flora's rescue following her purse being stolen by a pickpocket at the train station, the opportunity for a mutually beneficial arrangement presents itself. First Flora must confess to her true identity.

Flora's true name is Poppy Delamare and she has been hiding in London from her stepfather after running away from an arranged marriage and now her sister is accused of murdering her husband, whom she was forced to marry in Poppy's place. A fake engagement to a Duke will provide the necessary influence to help her prove her sister's innocence. Attending his grandmother's birthday celebration with a fiancé already in tow will give Langham some breathing room from the marriage minded mamas, and his grandmother.

The murder investigation and Langham's family history is surprisingly connected. As Langham and Poppy dive into the investigation, it isn't only facts surrounding the case that they discover. Secrets, fears, family history, and feelings are shared and it is evident that those sparks and verbal barbs in the past were masking a fiery attraction.

One thing that I love about Langham is that even when he didn't particularly like Poppy, he never doubted her intelligence. And he isn't wrong; Poppy is incredibly astute, brilliant at research, and thinking on her feet. Langham stood up for Poppy when warranted, but also let her deal with situations and comments herself because he trusted her ability to put people in their place in just the right way.

Poppy and Langham quickly overcome their animosity from the previous book and develop a true friendship based on respect and caring. The two make a great team in pursuing leads, though Langham is often blinded by childhood loyalties. I found it incredibly frustrating how much power the stepfather had over his wife and widowed daughter, which is just the truth for the time. It provided a lovely contract to the way Langham treated Poppy and made me love him all the more.

I highly recommend this book, and the entire series, to fans of Victorian era romances fueled by a murder mystery. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the gifted e-arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*Received a copy for review.*
I really loved this book. Fake relationship; sister in peril; mystery; not friends to lovers
I loved the dynamic between the Duke & Poppy. They are surprised to find the other competent & helpful and delightful. They are perfect fools of the other and honestly, the angst is low. There is some small confusion about relationship but it is resolved quickly.
He loves her bran first.

4.5 rounded up to 5. I docked half a star since some parts of the plot dragged on, but I still felt incredibly satisfied with the ending. It’s like a shot of serotonin to have everyone end up happy after something scary like having your sister wrongfully convicted of murder.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an EBook ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed it.