Enemies to Lovers!!!!

I loved this book and thought it was an amazing finish to the Ladies Most Scandalous series. I honestly can’t tell you which is my favorite in the series because they were all perfect. Poppy willing to do everything for her sister even if she has to get ruined. Langham is a man that needs a favor to get out of a betrothal. These were perfect characters to end the series because they make you wish to read it all over again.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great mystery that kept me guessing the whole time. I loved that we got to continue to learn more about Langham!

Poppy and Langham have a very quick courtship but it was easy to fall into insta love along with them. I saw the next book might be Lord Adrian's and the governess ❤️

4.25 stars

TW: Blackmail, Cult Behavior, Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Sacrifice (Alluded to), Murder (Off Page)

This is a fast-paced historical romantic mystery with lots of surprises and twists. This can be read as a standalone, even though there are two previous novels in the series (that I would love to get my hands on).

We start off with a bang when our heroine, Poppy, gets her bag stolen at the train station as she is making her way to her stepfather’s estate to investigate the murder of her brother-in-law, which her sister is accused of committing. The magnanimous Duke of Langham finds Poppy in a bit of a pickle, and offers her assistance. So they make a deal - he vows to help get her sister acquitted, and they fake an engagement while they visit his estate, so that his scheming family stops trying to find a duchess for him.

The mystery just takes off from there, with lots of scandals including a satanic “cult”, strong banter, and a murderer I didn’t expect…not to mention having sex in underground caves. Poppy and Joshua’s relationship takes off at a great pace, and interweaves with the mystery seamlessly. I was impressed with how the mystery plot and the romance both grew over time, but didn’t take away from one another.

If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced historical romance with an entertaining mystery, I would definitely check this out! I can’t wait to read the other two novels in the series after enjoying this one so much.

What a delightful and fun fake dating story, Regency-style! Poppy has been deceiving everyone, living her life in London as a secretary by the name of Flora, all so she could escape a very undesirable betrothal. But when she finds out her sister is in trouble and is being accused of murder, she can't just sit by and do nothing. When she is on her way home, her purse is stolen and she ends up getting help from Joshua, who is the Duke of Langham. He suggests they can both help each other out if she agrees to a fake engagement with him. She will have the backing of the dukedom to help clear her sister, and he can get the matchmaking mamas off his back. It's a win-win situation. But as they spend time together, the lines of real and fake start to blur, and Joshua is ready to propose for real. But before he can do that, they get wrapped up in more lies and betrayals in their search for the truth. Filled with mystery, drama, intrigue and romance, this story kept me engrossed from start to finish. I enjoyed seeing the characters interact and the witty banter between them was so much fun. I always enjoy books by this author, and this one was no different. Looking forward to the next one!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

A fun and lighthearted regency/ Victorian romance with a murder mystery that just added to the fun. Enjoyed this fast read.

Historical rom coms with a dash of mystery and intrigue was not a genre mashup I thought I needed but here we are, loving every one I read. Manda Collins’ series (Ladies Most Scandalous) has been so damn enjoyable to read and A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes, released back in March, was no exception. It was a delight!

Here’s the book’s description:
England, 1867: Miss Poppy Delamare is living a lie. To escape an odious betrothal, she fled to London where she’s been hiding as the unassuming secretary Flora Deaver. However, when her beloved sister is accused of murder, Poppy cannot leave her to the wolves. Only a most unexpected—and unwelcome—collision interrupts her journey home . . .
Despite a rather dismal first meeting, Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham, has no intention of abandoning a lady in need. But he’s not above asking a favor. A fake betrothal will give Poppy and her sister the power of the dukedom and protect Langham from the society misses intent on becoming his duchess.
Yet the longer the ruse goes on, the more Poppy and Langham realize how false their first impressions were—and the less pretend their engagement feels. But before Langham can propose in truth, their search reveals a tangled web of lies and betrayals. With time running out, can Poppy and Langham find the real culprit—before Poppy becomes the next victim?
You could tell in the first two books (and especially the second) in this series that Poppy (known as Flora) was hiding something. I don’t think I would have guessed what it was though so that was a, well, I don’t want to say it was a nice surprise because the life she was running from did not sound like a nice one. But I liked that Collins was able to surprise me with the information about Poppy’s past.

The fake engagement trope can be a lot of fun to read - or extremely vexing. Thankfully, Collins’ story is the former. Granted, I couldn’t quite see how pretending to be betrothed to the duke would benefit Poppy but I was happy to go along for what was sure to be an entertaining and very bumpy ride. Langham, a man (and a duke at that), would naturally emerge from a broken engagement with his honour still intact. My concern was for Poppy. Even though the duke’s powers should help her sister, I knew that if the engagement was called off or even called into question, she would be judged by the ton and would definitely be found wanting. But she was a smart lady so if she thought a fake engagement could help, well who was I to stop her? (Not that I could, of course. She’s, you know, a fictional character.)

The mystery and hijinks in this story kept me guessing the whole way through and I definitely couldn’t have predicted the ending. I love that Collins can not only combine a frothy historical romance with a cleverly laid out mystery but combine it so well. Of all the recent historical mystery rom coms I’ve read, this was probably the one with the most sinister of mysteries. It was almost over the top but somehow, it worked! (And yes, I’m sure all that seems incredibly vague but I’m not about to give out any spoilers!)

I’m not sure if A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes will be the last in this series - I hope it won’t be. But if Manda Collins has decided this is it for her Ladies Most Scandalous series, well, I guess I’ll just have to read whatever she writes next! I might even dive into her backlist sometime soon. This series is a fun one and you should pick it up if you’re looking for rom coms that are a little different than you’re used to - I think you’ll really like them too!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I know nothing of the era in which this story is set so I can't speak for the historical accuracy of the story but I can say that I did enjoy this book thoroughly. Was the romance expected. Absolutely, that's why we read these stories is it not? We want the fake romance to turn into real romance. I think I didn't' bat an eye at how quickly it happened because during the time in which this story is set, people got married quickly, they weren't always a love match, so no one blinks an eye. I appreciated there was a little bit of spice, just enough to keep the story moving, not overwhelming and I liked the fact that she wasn't a virgin who knew everything like you often encounter in romance books. She also wasn't a delicate petal. Poppy is what I imagine an independent woman of that time would be like. And Joshua.....yeah that's not how men probably were back then but this is also a work of fiction. He's a wonderful book boyfriend? book duke? Either way, Loved him. I love that their relationship begins out of convenience but she refers to him as a friend as their feelings grow. You don't often see couples that explore their romance from a friendship perspective, so it was refreshing.

I also loved the suspense/mystery within the story. Gotta love a secret society of heathens, LOL. Rich heathens no less. The ending came quickly which I wish we had had more clues to help us the readers make a few informed guesses. Maybe even lead us in the wrong direction but either way, it was very enjoyable.

The third book in the Ladies Most Scandalous series is about Poppy aka Flora Deavers and Lord pompous (Duke of Langham). Poppy finds out through the newspaper that her sister in the country is accused of murder! She is off to save her and at the train station she is saved by Duke Langham and an agreement is made to help each other through a fake engagement. This was a fun book and a quick read.

This is the third book in the Ladies Most Scandalous series, and I have enjoyed them all. I love that each book has a mystery at its core without losing the feel of a true romance. It seems rare to find books that hit on each so well. These are really up my alley.

It absolutely had everything I could want from a mystery and a romance. A smart and independent heroine, a swoon worthy Duke, the always reliable fake betrothal trope, spice, and an intriguing mystery.

Manda Collins does a fantastic job combining all of these elements into a great story. She has become a must-read author for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Highly entertaining and enjoyable book,not your average romance. I loved the in depth descriptions which truly placed you in the time line of the plot.

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!


I loved everything about this book, it was cute and fun. The characters made the love story so enticing. I would read this book multiple time! Thanks again!

This was another fantastic historical romance/mystery novel from Manda Collins! Her books are always a fun read, and I quite enjoyed this newest one. Overall, I would definitely recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Another super cute historical romance, cozy mystery by Manda Collins

If you haven’t checked out this series yet and love those two genres, this series is a must. The perfect amount of angst and romance in the background as the mystery is unfolding with each page turned.

I always know I’m in for a sweet, cozy read when I pick up a book by Collins!

Read if you like: fake dating/insta-love
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Poppy and Joshua decide to fake an engagement so that Poppy can use Johsua's standing as a Duke in investigating the murder of her brother-in-law and the fact that her sister is being accused of the murder. Joshua wants his grandmother to stop pushing unmarried girls at him, so he is down for the bargain.
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Overall the book was fun but the drama was a little much and I struggled to believe the romance. Poppy and Joshua hated each other and then it felt like the switch was immediate. I loved the first book in this series so if you did too, then I encourage you to check this out and see what you think. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me!

Another lovely installment in one of my new favorite historical romance series. I just think the blend of mystery and romance in this is so well done — so much so that I’d love to see Collins write more in this series or maybe even tackle a new one (possibly even revolving around the same couple throughout?). The countryside location of this one really added an interesting element to set it apart, and Poppy and Langham had that great chemistry from the beginning where you couldn’t wait to see that banter turn into something more. I also will never not love books when the hero falls and falls hard but then bungles his initial attempt at a proposal. Nothing like a near-death experience to earn that confession, though!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Manda Collins does it again! This series is such a fun mashup of mystery, romance, strong women, and dashing dukes.

Poppy Delamare (aka Flora Deaver) ran away from home two years prior to escape an arranged marriage. In her absence, her sister was married to him and now stands accused of his murder. Poppy races home to clear her sister‘s name, and, as she departs, runs into the Duke of Langham, who is coincidentally traveling to the same town for his grandmother’s house party.

Joshua, the Duke of Langham, has no desire to be paraded in front of potential future duchesses and proposes an arrangement to Poppy. He will throw his ducal weight around and clear her sister, and she will pose as his betrothed for the duration of their time at his grandmother’s.

Historical romance’s fake fiance trope scratches the same itch as modern marriage of convenience for me. The forced proximity, romantic glances “to keep up appearances”, and plentiful opportunities to get to know one another are so romantic. This story also balances the mystery plot line extremely well. I did not guess how much deeper the mystery would run, and I loved the conclusion of the story.

Is it too much to hope that we’ll see Adrian in book four?? 👀

Thank you so much to @readforeverpub for a gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

At this time this book is not for me. I couldn’t get into story or the characters. The writing seems fine. I hope to try this title again at another time.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was just what I needed! A tale of deception, murder, fake engagements, and romance set among a Victorian country house party. This is the 3rd in a series (now I need to get hold of the first two) starring Poppy Delamare who is trying to clear her sister's name from murder with the assistance of Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham. Of course, she is playing the part of his fiance for the week so he does not get shackled by the sweet young misses his grandma has lined up for him. This was a quick, fun read with plenty of snark, twists in the murder investigations, not to mention cavern explorations.

This is the third book in Collins's "Ladies Most Scandalous" series, and I think it was my favorite one! I loved Poppy and the way she fights for herself and others around her. She is brave, smart, and intrepid--just what I love in a heroine! Langham is just as swoony and dreamy (yes, I'm using both) as one wants a book hero to be...and the way he supports Poppy during their fake engagement (we love a fake dating trope!) warmed my heart. Plus, Kate, Caro, and their significant others from books one and two make their appearances! While less obvious than in the previous books, it definitely seems like there will be a fourth book in this series--my guess is that it will center on Langham's younger brother and a new acquaintance of Poppy's! I guess we'll have to wait to see if I'm right or not. :)

You could *probably* get away with reading this book without reading the first two...but I'm always going to advocate for reading books in order because my brain feels nicer that way. This series is a fun blend of mystery and romance--my favorite!

This book was super cute and funny! It was also a pretty easy and quick read! I really enjoyed reading this one.