I enjoyed past books by the author and was looking forward to reading this one.
In parts it was a good story, especially since I was craving a historical romance.
But the pace is much slower than I was expecting and the heroine is not one that I liked at all. While I understand her pov in many parts, she comes off as too closed off and dare I say, ruthless at times.
Gregory is a sweet cinnamon rolls type of hero and he seemed to be quite naive at times Imo. I get why this combo might work out in the end but unfortunately it wasn’t for me at this time.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Have loved this series, this book was not my favorite, though. Drags in the beginning and harder to get into than the others. Still a good read, especially for Regency romance lovers. Have loved the character of Evie in the other Phionex books, but she just doesn't shine here like she should

I have been enjoying this series and anticipating Evie's story. While I enjoyed aspects of the plot (especially the conflict with Gregory's brother), some of the execution, in regards to the romance arc, left me feeling a bit disappointed.

Gregory is a second son and a cinnamon roll of a hero. I loved his openness and honesty. He was a breath of fresh air, albeit a tad too perfect and prince charming like. His integrity was in direct juxtaposition to Evie's protectiveness over her past, and even the true person underneath the widow's weeds.

Evie's character was so incredibly closed off and hard to connect with, not only for Gregory, but for myself as the reader. There are even large swaths of time where the protagonists are separated and we are focused on secondary characters that Evie encounters. This left me feeling that the romantic and emotional development between these two characters was secondary to Burke weaving multiple plot threads in order to build momentum for Lucien's book. Unfortunately, putting the focus on the next book stunted Evie's story and her character arc.

I also noticed a lot of reiterations of the same topics spoken between a protagonist and multiple secondary characters, which caused me to skim those dialogues and yearn for the story to be a tad tighter in focus.

With that said, I do look forward to Lucien's book and I hope that it is more focused on the romance and protagonist's character arcs without steeping the story in too many extended cameo's from previous characters.

I read and reviewed a copy of this ebook thanks to Zealous Quill Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a much better story than I thought it was going to be. Evie was a fallen woman, a courtesan in the past. She had worked hard to change herself into a widow. She loved working at the Phoenix Club and enjoyed helping Lucien.

Lord Gregory Blakemore is a gentle, optimistic man who is trying to decide what he wants his life work to be. His father recently died and had wanted him to go into the church but that was not for him.

Gregory and Evie met over a hedgerow to rescue a puppy, Ash. They noticed an immediate attraction to each other. He is optimistic, caring, and Patience personified. Evie notices he has a great body and finds out he is a virgin. She is a cynic and fighting to hold on to her independence will have an affair but nothing lasting. They both dote on little Ash. Boy, is he blessed.

Her past comes to the fore and the club is put in an unpleasant situation. Now the nasty people come out of the woodwork. It was a very entertaining and engaging novel. So many things are going on and so many people are being hurt. It was sad.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed this.

I've read most of the Phoenix Club series, and Darcy Burke's Impeccable does not disappoint! Coming into this book, I was a little bit disappointed that Evangaline and Lucien weren't going to be a thing. But I really loved Evangaline and Gregory together, their romance was so sweet and I was really rooting for these two! And throw in a sweet little pup, I can't think of anything more charming!
The dialogue is typical on-point Darcy Burke, and the story is really good! Lots of good descriptions, I feel like I could just see the scenery and feel the feelings! I love the continuation of this series and the Phoenix Club universe!
Impeccable has just the right amount of keeping-me-on-my-toes of the will they/won't they, and just the right amount of chemistry, angst and hopefulness that I love in a book. I read this in two sittings, it may have been one but I have a long to-read list! I definitely recommend this detailed, lovely historical romance and the reader will love the characters.

omggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg it was amazing, Darcy is definitely one of my favorite historical romance writers, her stories are authentic and even the whole series is about second chances, each story feels different and captivating.

#AshSupremacy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this story. If you have been following the Phoenix Club books then you know that Evie Renshaw has kept her past very quiet just that she was a widow and patroness of the club. She enjoys this life very much and very few people know she is not a widow but was a courtesan with her sister who has now married. She meets Lord Gregory Blakemore visiting his brother. lord Gregory's sister-in-law wants to be a member and she thinks Evie can fix it.
Gregory and Evie have found a pup together of which she becomes very fond but Evie cannot let herself become too attached to the pup or the man. They have a short affair while in the country. After returning to London she tries not to see him but he is a member and wants to see her. Cannot figure out why they can't have a relationship. Love wins out in the end but with Evie's past exposed not in a good way.

A brilliant historical romance that hit the spot. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would recommend it to people who love historical romance books.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

I have to admit that at the beginning of the series, I was one of the ones who hoped that Evie would end up back with Lucien, considering they already had a prior intimate relationship. But as time went on, it did seem like they had a better relationship as friends and Evie needed to leave her life as a courtesan behind, and Lucien was better for her as a friend and support.

So this is the 7th story in the series and the focal character for this story is Evie Renshaw, aka Mirabelle Reneault, who manages the Phoenix Club. She had a traumatic youth, losing her father to the Terror, and having her mother die when she was young. She and her older sister Heloise were raised by her mother's maid, until she became too ill. Heloise was forced to work as a courtesan when this happened, to try to make money to pay for care, but was too late. Regardless, she worked at a brothel in the hopes that Evie would not have to, and became quite a success, eventually finding private protectors and finally marrying her last one, a wealthy man in trade. Evie was young and alone, and followed her sister's footsteps.

She was wearying of the life of a courtesan when Lucien gave her the opportunity to change her life, even though it meant changing her identity, and over the course of the past couple of years of managing her role at the Phoenix Club and her new identity as Evie Renshaw, Evie has learned to love her independence and did not miss being a courtesan.

Not to say it has been easy, because it means that her beloved sister and her husband limit their presence in London to prevent people from figuring out their relationship and bringing up Evie's past. So the story opens with Evie visiting her sister, Mrs. Heloise Creighton, at her new home in Oxfordshire, near Christmas. While out walking, she hears the sounds of an animal in distress and finds a puppy stuck in a hedgerow. Lord Gregory Blakemore was out at the time, as his family's estate borders the Creighton's estate, and he and Evie rescue the puppy. He is a cute little terrier who quickly wiggles his way into their hearts, and is named Ash for the nearby ash tree. Gregory is immediately intrigued and attracted to Evie, and while she is visiting, uses his charm and the dog to attract her interest. Not hard, considering her own attraction to him, though she is trying to fight it, as she is not wanting any kind of relationship with anyone. At the same time, she is trying to dodge the attentions of Gregory's snobbish brother and sister in law, who, while wanting to cold shoulder the Creightons, are heavy handed in their pursuit of Evie to get admittance to the Phoenix club.

Gregory wants to court Evie, but she is very clear about wanting to keep her independence. But he and Evie decide to engage in a short affair for the duration of her visit to the Oxfordshire, and it becomes a wonderful time for the both of them... Actually, the three of them, as they spend time with Ash the dog as well, whom both Gregory and Evie fall hard for. The dog is quite a central character in this story. Thank you Darcy Burke - dogs and anything dog are one of my favourite things.

But Evie ends things abruptly when a remnant of her past shows up and suddenly becomes a threat to her present and future. Gregory is kept in the dark about her past and when he returns to London he reconnects with her, hoping to be friends and that could lead to more in their future. Of course Ash helps his cause, because Evie loves Ash and finds the both of them pretty hard to resist. But her secrets are becoming unraveled and Gregory finds them out too, when people in their lives decide to use the information of her past to try to manipulate Gregory, Evie, and Lucien to get what they want.

Gregory is forced to face down his family, and risks losing his plans for his future career in politics, as well as his growing relationship with Evie. Evie faces her past coming to light, and losing her reputation, job, independence, and her relationship with Gregory, and Lucien is threatened with losing the Phoenix Club.

After 6 books, I was starting to wonder if the series was going to lose steam, but this being Evie's story brought things back around to the beginnings so to speak, and to the core, the Phoenix club, and some of the origins of the story. I loved finding out more about her history and past, and finding out more about how it, and the transformation affected her. I enjoyed the story of her and Gregory's growing relationship and how different it was for her to fall in love, versus her previous relationships, which were all transitional in nature. I especially loved the addition of the dog story and her love story with Ash, and how much of a comfort he is to her. Any dog/pet owner over the past couple of years can attest to that I am sure.

This also whets the appetite regarding Lucien, the Phoenix club itself, and the relationship between Lucien and his father, as they all played a part in this story too, and I hope will be resolved or explained in the final story about Lucien.

4.5 stars out of 5

What was this author's editor thinking? I am so offended I could spit.
I could not finish this book because of it's appalling allusions to racism. I have been reading this author for a long time and I have never, ever seen this before.
In the first chapter, the heroine is describing how she sees the hero for the first time, and she describes him as a "white man". I felt that this was an aberration because the author has never written this before. Then in the second chapter the author describes the heroine as being white and the hero's brother as being white. What is going on? Why is being white such a distinction that is has to be listed?
This is a story set in the Regency period in England. We are not in the pre-Civil War South in America where such a distinction is made to describe if the characters are white nor mulatto or quadroons.  Only in those type of books is a distinction made. Apparently in the Old South there were laws forbidding inter-racial marriages. But never in a story set in England. And if race or nationality is addressed, the author doesn't say that this person is white, it assumed that all the characters are white and a different nationality would be positively described.
I could not finish this and it has such a good start. I feel that it goes against principles to give a positive review when racism is so boldly written.
Zero stars and read at your own risk, but I do not recommend reading it.

Impeccable by Darcy Burke is perfect for the historical romance reader. I always recommend her to people who want to know what to read after Bridgerton.

I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Impeccable written by the amazing Darcy Burke from Netgalley. Evangeline Renshaw works at the Phoenix Club, a club for the non-elite, for the few who are not accepted at the big rich famous clubs. While visiting her sister, she meets Lord Gregory Blakemore, a very cheerful optimistic and caring gentleman. They both develop a rapport and instant attraction while trying to save a puppy.  What ensues next is extraordinary for both of them. Unfortunately, Evangeline is hiding some big secrets from Gregory which she knows are reasons enougg to end the relationship. The problem is the happiness she experiences while with him and the sadness she feels when away from him. A formidable story about being independent for oneself but dependent on another for emotional support. Lovely!

Dogs are far better at identifying good people than people are.

Another of Darcy Burke’s optimistic heroes coupled with fiery heroines makes for a compelling book, plus there’s a puppy.

This book started with a puppy and I was immediately hooked. I gave it 4 stars for much more than that though. If you haven’t read other books in this series I recommend them, but you do not have to read them in order.
The characters in this book are all so sweet and fun to read. Gregory really respects Evie and her decisions, and Evie feels real while being an absolute superstar. Their little family-Evie, Gregory, and their puppy- are the sweetest thing and almost made me tear up. Heloise’s protective older sister vibe is so sweet. I searched for her book but couldn’t find one so maybe it’s not out there? Even characters with very little time, like Mrs. Kirby, are awesome. And I absolutely cannot wait for Lucien’s book!
Recently I read (and reviewed) a book with a similar plot line about toxic in laws. Without spoiling anything, the way it was handled in this book was EXACTLY what I had hoped for in the other story. It isn’t the only plot line but the resolution does feel right to me.
As always I really enjoyed Darcy Burke’s writing. It’s easy to read while being historically accurate and dynamic. I think most romance readers will enjoy this addition to her series!

Star Rating: 4/5
Tropes: Class difference, hidden past
CW: Death of parent, lost dog (spoiler the dog is fine), bullying, toxic relationship

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Darcy Burke is my go to for historical romance. This was a plus for me and I will read more from her any day of the week. REad it.

When Lord Gregory Blakemore rescues a stray dog on the edge of the adjoining property, he's enchanted to meet his neighbor, Mrs. Evie Renshaw. He feels an attraction to her that he's never felt before, but there's a problem. Evie doesn't want him to court her. She proposes a short affair instead, and the more time Gregory spends with her, the more he wants. Can he finally convince the stunning and elusive beauty to marry him?

This was such an adorable story. I loved that Evie was independent and had reinvented herself from her scandalous youth, but I wanted her to admit Gregory was everything she'd ever want in a partner much sooner. That part of the story dragged on a bit too long. Gregory was such an honorable gentleman who gave Evie space and support when an unexpected scandal broke out. Through many twists and turns, Gregory and Evie finally find their HEA. I have enjoyed all the stories in The Phoenix Club, but I'm really looking forward to Lucien's story.

This was quite exciting. My eyes couldn’t move fast enough across the pages.

Evie was once a courtesan, but she has reinvented her life and now she is Mrs. Renshaw, a patroness of the Phoenix Club. She was perfectly content with the status quo until Lord Gregory Blakemore became a part of her life along with the cute puppy, Ash. Can they survive the selfish manipulations and blackmail from a certain group of people in their lives?

I adore Evie and Gregory. Gregory is consistent, reliable, steady, supportive. He stood solidly behind Evie without ever disparaging her for her past. Evie had learned to hold her head high and not let her past actions cloud her current ones. There were a lot happening around them, but the focus of the story was completely on the two of them. Ash, the puppy, was such a perfect addition. And Lucien, again, plays a big role. I can’t wait to read his story.

This has been a fun series so far and I can recommend it if you like historical romance. It’s not necessary to read them in order, but it does help a bit to place characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the book!
I really enjoyed this historical romance book, I love the story and everything!

I'm posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

The Phoenix Club series has been a reading pleasure from book 1 to the current book 7, Impeccable. I found the characters to be completely likeable and that surprised me. I didn't know much about Evie, the former courtesan & partner in the club so I wasn't prepared for her to be so very nice. High society might look down their noses at her but there are people out there who understand her limited choices in life. One of these is Lord Gregory Blakemore, he's a member but they don't connect until an encounter in the country at Christmas time. There's a meet cute that really is cute. It's hard to believe that Gregory can be such a nice man but after "meeting" his brother I get it that he grew up a crass older brother that even their father wasn't fond of. It colored his view of the world. Evie's life colored her world too, it was dark grey. She always had a good heart & was loyal to her friends but she kept to herself. Her transformation into a loving partner and wife made me kinda cry. Next up is Lucian & I'm looking forward to his story but sad that it's the last in the series.

#Netgalley #Impeccable #ThePhoenixClub #DarcyBurke # Zea;ousQuillPress #historicalromance

Loved reading the engaging and enthralling romance series. When Evie, a pretend widow working as a patroness of the Phoenix Club with an unsavory past, tries to save a dog, she meets Lord Gregory Blakemore who wants to court her but agrees to short, passionate affair. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a riveting must read love story by the phenomenal Darcy Burke. Can't wait to read the next story in the series!

We've really been enjoying Darcy Burke's Phoenix Club series, and Impeccable continues the trend. This book really checked some of our personal boxes: Mrs. Evie Renshawe is a retired courtesan masquerading as a respectable widow. She falls for Lord Gregory Blakemore, second son of a marquess and (more importantly for this romance) virgin hero. ⁠
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He's pretty much a perfect cinnamon roll: their meet cute involves rescuing a puppy caught in some briars, and he falls hard and quickly. He soon asks her for flirting lessons, which turn into kissing lessons, which turn into more. Evie is the one keeping him at an emotional distance, since she knows her disreputable past could tank both his career aspirations and her own profession as co-manager of the Phoenix Club.⁠ But who can resist a sweet, gooey cinnamon roll? Not Evie, and not us.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.