To readers of her popular book Mrs. Goode’s Guide to Homekeeping, “Mrs. Goode” is an expert in all domestic matters. Household management, home décor & entertainment . Who better to assist the Earl of Stalbridge, newly appointed guardian to his niece and nephew, in turning his house into a home? The widowed Lady Manwaring is the farthest thing from a domestic doyenne, so when asked to pose as Mrs. Goode on behalf of the book’s true author, she warily agrees. On arrival, she’s surprised to discover that Lord Stalbridge is actually her childhood friend, Kit Killigrew.
A quick, well written read which is an introduction to a new series. Things moved quickly, the characters had good depth & were likeable. No mystery just a charming second chance romance which sets up the series very well indeed
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A sweet, short novella and a charming intro to a new series from Craig! I really enjoyed that this was about two characters who skew slightly older as well — a refreshing change of pace from other historicals — and wouldn’t have minded if as a longer story, but this lays the groundwork really nicely for the rest of the series too.

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

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

I have to give this author credit. Starting off their new series with a prequel novella takes guts. In my experience, these types of novels typically come later on once a series is developed.

Sadly, there is a reason they are often done this way and it (in my humble opinion) is because novellas rarely give the reader what they need in terms of story and character development. Take this novel for instance, Kit and Tabetha were childhood friends who may have at one point fancied each other. We don't know for sure because we are given no real backstory showing where they may have fallen in love when they were younger (although we are told that they did). We aren't even sure of the details surrounding her marriage other than she was "unhappy" and she had to "protect her step-son" (and given the fact he is old enough in this novel to pass as her lover and is the one to act upon certain things makes me wonder just what she was protecting him from).

I will say that I enjoyed Kit and Tabetha together, I just wish there had been more depth to this novel (or at least a bit of drama, or some potential problem for them to overcome). Oliver was the real star of the show, and (for me at least) the most interesting. I hope we get to see more of him as the series progresses.

Speaking of the series, I am interested in reading at least the first one when it releases as I have read other novels by this author and enjoyed them immensely. She has a strong writing style and a solid concept in her characters, and overall plots, but as I said, this one just needed to be longer in order for it to really work for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This is a novella, so immediately adjust your expectations around pacing. Once you get over that, be prepared for a lovely little story. It’s a second chance romance that sets up Craig’s next series of novels, which I’m now quite excited to read. The leads here are friends from childhood who had feelings for one another, but couldn’t be together due to circumstances. Now, through a delightful little ruse, then end up thrown together into an interior decorating situation… and sparks fly.

A quick short novella . As with most novellas, there's a lot of the story missing. There's a previous relationship (20 years ago), in which the 2 main characters grow together. Of course the difference between Lady of the house and son of the Steward prevents them from pursuing anything. So they each go their separate ways.
Now in their 40's, they meet again. A second chance at romance.
It was short, bur enjoyable. I did like the older , more mature ages of the two main characters.
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a short, fun story that sets up a new series by Susanna Craig. I enjoyed the main characters and their romance. The characters are well-developed and Craig manages to fit a lot into a short amount of pages. Hopefully we will get see more of Kit and Tabetha in the other books in the series and learn more about where they go in their HEA.

An excellent novella/prequel to Mrs Goodie’s Guide for Misses (Mischief) series. It’s a story of second chance at love after circumstances pulled them apart for more than two decades and how a culmination of chance and opportunities allowed them to finally get their HEA and birth the Magazine that will launch the exciting new series of historical tales.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

Mini Review: This was a nice novella that I think does well setting up the main series, which I look forward to reading! A quick read that I enjoyed!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I was not thrilled with this novella, though it was a quick read. It was entertaining, but almost too short. There was not enough time to develop the characters. Possibly could have enjoyed if I had read after the book it was to preceed.

Thank you to Susanna Craig, NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this ARC for free.

Starring Kit Killigrew, Earl of Stabridge and Tabetha Holt Cantwell, Dowager Viscountess Manwaring

Tropes: Seasoned Couple (over 40yo), Second Chance, Widow, Childhood Friends, In Disguise-ish (for a second).

This was a nice, fast read with really no conflict between the couple, so it made for a very adorable read.

I love it when the couple already has established history. So it was wonderful seeing Kit and Tabetha weed through what they felt for each other when they were childhood friends, and getting to know the people that they are now. Their journey certainly made me smile.

This was my first Susanna Craig story and I enjoyed it very much. Will definitely look for more if her titles.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily review it and the comments are 100% my own.

4 stars: Book was great. Loved the characters. Storyline kept me entertained... but did not make me cry.

Barbara’s rating: 3.7 of 5
Series: Goode’s Guide to Misconduct #0.5
Publication Date: 12/27/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 91 (Novella)

This short novella provided a nice set-up for the series by explaining how the magazine comes to exist and also the infrastructure behind it. I really liked the characters because they were interesting and were people I would have liked to know in real life. I’ll be really interested to see what role Oliver will play in the future because, to me, he is the most interesting character in the book.

Remember, this is a short book whose main purpose is to set up the rest of the series and to provide us with a bit of romance. I just couldn’t give it a full 4 or 5-star rating because it just wasn’t long enough for the romance to be believable. The two main characters Tabetha and Kit, grew up together as children and each regarded the other with affection but never told the other. Tabetha and Kit were from two different worlds and would never have been allowed to have a life together.

Twenty years later, Tabetha is a widow and Kit has never married but has unexpectedly inherited a title. To me, that has all of the makings of a grand romance. However, since it is a novella, it loses a good deal of that. For instance – though the two of them had never declared their feelings for each other when they were younger – and they haven’t seen each other in over twenty years – they are madly in love and betrothed in less than twenty-four hours. I’m sorry – I love romance, but if I hadn’t seen somebody in over twenty years, I’d want to know more about the sort of person they’d become and the things they’d done in their life before I decided to become betrothed to them. So, for me, the romance was a bit too quick.

Still, it was a very nice read with a good setup for the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this novella, but because it was so short, it lacked the action and tension and full, detailed plots I’ve come to expect from Susanna Craig. I liked the characters and would have loved to spend a whole novel with them, because rushing their story felt like a disservice to them. Still, this read was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for the whole series it is setting up.

A fun little series starter from Susanna Craig! We really enjoyed the mature couple (he's 45, she's 41) and the setup. This is short even for a novella, and we would have loved just a little more development of the conflict, but it does its job and we're ready for the next books in the series.

This is a prequel novella to a new series based around a regency era daring new Ladies magazine "Goode"s guuide to Misconduct". Mrs Goode is an expert in all domestic matters. When Lady Manwaring, who is anything but domeestically inclined is asked to pose as Mrs. Goode, she is not expecting to discover that Lord Bennett, whom they are meeting to discuss the decoration of his home to accomodate children, is actually an old friend and even something more!!
This was a fast paced entertaining introduction into the world of Mrs. Goode. I enjoyed the fast pacde, quick wits and light easy romance in this novella, and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
I do recommend this book to all regency romance fans and give it 5 stars. Thank you to Kensington Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Cute little novella that sets ups Mrs. Goode's periodical, which will be the focus of Susanna Craig's newest series. Quick read about . . . GASP . . . mature lovers. That would hook me if nothing else did. The fire doesn't go out when you're 40+ and you can still be sexy as heck. Thanks SC for having characters in their 40s.

There was a lot to like about this novella, including her almost 4th wall "suspend your disbelief" moment when Kit realizes the whole thing is pretty fanciful. But that's how fiction is, and I am HERE. FOR. IT.

Susanna Craig is always a good read and this whets your appetite for the new series, which I preordered immediately. Her characters are always 3D, even when it's a short read like this one.

Hope to see more of Oliver!

Helping out her stepson, widow Tabetha agrees to go out to a house in the country to help a gentleman get his house ready for the arrival of his two young orphaned relatives. When she gets there she realizes the owner is none other than her old childhood friend Kit. Never married, Kit still holds a torch for Tabetha and is thrilled to have time to show her how he has always felt. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.

Susanna Craig has a way with words, and her books have really pushed me towards liking tropes that I was not fond of before reading. Nice Earls Do does not disappoint! I really liked this book, the story was unique but not too far-off the HR trail. The dialogue and descriptive verse is great. I fell in love with the two wards of the Earl, and I do adore a second-chance romance! I liked how there wasn't too much angst, but it may have been due to this being a novella versus full book.
The heroine is plucky and independent and I liked her and the earl, her hero. Their chemistry was great, and any book that involves spirited children I am drawn to. The household hijincks were amusing and light, and all in all this was a fun, fast read! I can't wait for the rest of the series.
I received Nice Earls Do from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This is a perfect work night read, if you are like me and like to know what happens at the end of the book before going to bed!

A lovely prequel novella to kick off a new regency series. A mature age romance, I liked Kit and Beth, they have a second chance at love and instantly connect again after many years.

This is a quick, fun novella that serves as the prequel to an upcoming new series. Kit is in search of a helping hand to transform his house before the arrival of his young niece and nephew, and thanks to a lucky chain of events, he gets exactly what he didn't know he needed in the form of "Mrs Goode", aka Tabetha, the one who got away twenty years before.
I liked the fact that the main characters were older than the average, in their forties with some life experience. The writing was excellent and flowed well, although I would have enjoyed more depth, more exploration of the characters and possibly a slower rekindling of their relationship... however, I guess that's the nature of a novella rather than a full-length novel. The excerpt at the end certainly looks promising for the new series, and I hope that some of these characters make a reappearance.

When two young children are due to arrive at Kit's neglected estate, his housekeeper contacts Mrs. Goode of the popular book "Mrs. Goode's Guide to Homekeeping" for advice decorating the nursery. No one expected Mrs. Good and her secretary to arrive in person! Tabetha is is only posing as Mrs. Goode but it turns out she knew Kit from twenty years ago. Taking place in one day, it's a second-chance-at-love prequel novella and the set-up to a new series featuring a magazine for young ladies. It's nice to have a couple in their forties find love and I'm looking forward to book one of the series.