"Sometimes being a wreck brought you to the right shore" - The Marquess and the runaway lady by Samantha Hastings

Set in 1810, this Regency Era novel features a grief stricken nobleman trying to care for (and keep out of mischief) his animal loving little sisters and when I say animals I mean a whole private zoo full of animals including an elephant, giraffes and A LOT of snakes!! When their latest governess quits without notice for reasons that may or may not involve snakes Lord Simon Anthony Peregrine Stringham, the Marquess of Cheswick AKA Wick, son of the Duke and Duchess of Hampton leaves his family estate to find the wayward governess and beg her to come back but in a case of mistaken identity the woman he finds walking down the road and brings home ISN'T the governess.

Lady Louisa Bracken, daughter of the late Earl of Rockinham is being Cinderella-ed and treated like a drudge by her horrid Aunt and Uncle who intend to marry her off to their equally horrid son Barnabas in order to gain her Inheritance. With a little bit of help from the servants the orphaned heiress runs away and of course gets mistaken for the runaway governess.

Wick and his sisters then decide to help Louisa take control of her fortune BUT because her late father's will requires her to marry now or wait another four years before she can access her fortune they all head off to London to stay with Wick's married sister The Duchess of Glastonbury so they can help get Louisa presented to Queen Charlotte, have her attend balls and find a suitable husband.... even if it means marrying for financial reasons instead of love like Wick's oldest sister.

Wick's animal loving sisters are extremely entertaining and the married sister's loveless marriage and lack of legal agency as a woman is handled well and highlights how rarely women got to have both financial security and love in the Regency Era.

Louisa soon has several potential suitors plus her awful cousin Barnabas is still intent on marrying her but the man Louisa is truly interested in definitely does not want to get married (and is definitely NOT in denial about his feelings for Louisa).

Will Louisa settle for security like the Duchess or will she get her love match?

The book features balls, dresses, found family, snakes, romance, scheming relations, a dastardly villian, Star-Crossed lovers, did I mention snakes!


I often wanted to give Wick a good shake but he is dealing with or rather avoiding dealing with grief, guilt, self acceptance and a fear of vulnerability.

I would love to read more books about the Stringham siblings. The three youngest animal loving sisters would make excellent main characters, their brother Matthew could make an interesting leading man and I so want to see the oldest sister the Duchess of Glastonbury get her happy ending.

There is also a prequel novella The Duchess contract which is set approximately 27 years earlier and is about Wick's very unusual parents and how they came to have an animal sanctuary at their castle. I read it for free on Kobo a few months ago. I recommend reading it before The Marquess and the runaway lady.

Having read and enjoyed several historical novels by this author , mostly historical mysteries I jumped at the chance to read and review this novel.

This is a loosely retold Cinderella story. I enjoyed the main character Louisa. She started out as shy and subservient with low self esteem, but as she experienced life outside of her aunt and uncle’s home she came to realize her true worth. She learned to be independent and stand up for herself.

The Stringham family was great in their love and support of Louisa. The younger sisters and housekeeper provided humor to the plot and added to the enjoyment of the book.

“Wick”, Lord Simon, carried a lot of responsibility and a lot of guilt that prevented him from living his life and pursuing his dreams. After dire circumstances he finally realizes what he wants and decides to pursue his dream.

The only thing I didn’t like was that the descriptions and wording relating to physical attraction between the two main characters and the kissing scenes were very awkwardly worded. It kind of took away from story in my opinion. Not that they shouldn’t be part of the story but just the way they were written.

Overall it was an enjoyable story of love and treachery.

‘The Marquess and the Runaway Lady’ by Samantha Hastings:

‘Besides, we are all more than the measure of our talents. How we treat others… Who we are kind to… How we fulfil our responsibilities to those who depend upon us… My parents taught me that those are truly the things that must be measured.’

I love Cinderella stories. There is something so touching about a character overcoming adversity with all odds against them. It makes the happily ever after that much sweeter!

Louisa is a regency Cinderella. Left in her wicked family’s care after the death of her parents. She is mistreated and uncared for. When she reaches her majority she runs away and meets a dreamy Marquess. With his help and the help of his family, can she find the happily ever after she’s been dreaming of?

Read for the:
-Found family
-Sweet kind beautiful Cinderella heroine
-Lots of Dancing at balls
-Lots of kind fairy ‘godmothers’ who help her
-Hilarious sisters
-Suspenseful moments
-Instant attraction
-Happily ever after

I love Cinderella and the Regency era and they pair well in this book.

Content:
Innuendos, unfaithful spouse, mistresses, one steamier more descriptive kiss. Closed door, kisses only, although a bit steamier than I usually read.

I loved this regency Cinderella retelling! A delightful read, I couldn't put down!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Ms. Hastings has outdone herself in The Marquess and the Runaway Lady, her debut with Harlequin. While there are similarities between Wick and Louisa's families, it's clear that Louisa was given the short end of the stick. However, not the type of woman to sit around and bemoan her fate, Louisa is witty, clever, and clearly the perfect match for Wick. What a delightful melding of humor, romance, and some meddling sisters. I absolutely adored this story and can't wait to see what else Hastings will bring to Harlequin.

Fun with just the right hint of spice without being racy. I loved Wick and Louisa. Both had reasons to guard their hearts but Louisa's innocence allows her to easily recognize her love for Wick. Wick is a tougher nut to crack because he is afraid to share his heart after loosing others he has loved. But you can't withhold a heart when your dream is right in front of you.
Oh, and as a side note: I've only ever read one other book with a villain as nasty as Louisa's Aunt. The other book happens to be the first one I ever wrote and let me tell you my villain didnt even get a name (it ticked him off but he wasn't worthy of that privilege), the aunt isn't quite as bad as my villain but she is close.
Great job creating another fantastic story that is so different from Secret of the Sonnets but just as captivating!

I adored the main couple of this book as well as the many side characters. Especially Wick, our hero's, sisters. They are so much fun and brought so many great aspects to this story. They helped Wick out in many instances where he might have been too slow to see it because of past circumstances in his life. But never fear, this group of ladies were on top of it all. But another aspect that I loved about them was in the way that Wick cared for them. It showed his true character to our lovely heroine, Louisa, especially at a time when she didn't know whom she could trust or not.

So much goodness within this story. My favorite part would definitely have to be the relationships formed throughout the book. Not just with our main couple but with all of the different characters. Reading about these relationships made me so happy. Well, I guess I could say there were a couple that I didn't care for. Those ones made me mad. Hahaha! Which is of course the intention of the author, that we don't want to care for those particular ones. You'll have to read to see and understand, but I'm 100% sure that you'll know exactly the relationships I'm talking about. ;-)

I loved the descriptions of the lovely homes, the fashion and clothing, the animals (so fun), the characters and much more! There were several characters that just made me laugh out loud. I loved their antics and personalities!

I couldn't put this one done and devoured it!

Content: This is part of the Harlequin Historical line. I would consider it clean, which isn't always what most readers think when they see that publisher's name but in case you didn't know, they do have different lines that are sweet and clean. As far as content in this on, the main characters do have a couple kissing scenes that are like making out but it does not go further than just a few kisses. No language, no explicit scenes. There are a couple mild innuendos on the part of some secondary characters.

I received a copy from the publisher, Harlequin Romance, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

This Cinderella retelling set in the Regency Period was unique and creative. Lady Louisa escapes from her horrible relatives and is accidentally rescued by Lord Simon, better known as Wick. I enjoyed watching Louisa transform from a belittled, frightened young woman to realizing she was worthy of love. Watching her gain confidence to stand up for herself was very rewarding. I was happy to see her aunt, uncle, and cousin reap the consequences of their actions.

I felt the story was a bit slow in the middle and that Wick should have let the past go sooner than he did. The kissing scenes are more spicy than I like and more for adult readers than younger readers. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

I received a complimentary ebook through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I was provided an arc e-copy by the publisher Harlequin Historical by the author
Samantha Hastings so I can give a honest review thank you do much so can give a honest review.

Reading The Marquess and the Runaway Lady gave me Cinderella vibes. I adore this book I love every character's it was a delightful read. 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Happy Reading
Lisa 📚

On her twenty-first birthday, Lady Louisa Bracken is forced to flee from her greedy, selfish guardians and the possibility of an arranged marriage with their lecherous son. Penniless, homeless, and not knowing where to turn, Louisa is mistaken for a missing governess and taken by the handsome Simon Stringham, Marquess of Cheswick, to his sisters, who live at Hampford Castle. The three Stringham sisters, all in their teens, are quite a lively bunch. When they learn Louisa’s true identity, they hatch a plan to give her a London season, just as Louisa has always dreamed. Will the lure of London be enough to distract Louisa from the attraction she is feeling toward the Marquess? Enjoy traveling to the Regency era for this historical fiction romantic adventure.

This is the first book by Samantha Hastings that I have read. It was an easy read, something that could be finished in 1 to 2 days, maybe longer...depending on how fast one reads.

The plot was straightforward: a young woman in need of rescuing, a young man with a tortured soul who does the rescuing.

The characters, Wick and Louisa, were equal parts interesting and annoying. Wick was too consumed with grief and guilt over something he truly had no control over. He was willing to let that grief and guilt prevent him from fully enjoying life. Louisa had moments where she was way too docile and afraid of her own shadow. Thus, the moments where she stands up for herself are extremely refreshing.

The secondary characters were for the most part a load of fun. I particularly enjoyed Wick's sisters. They were a hoot, as was the housekeeper. The only characters that I did not were Louisa's relatives. A bunch of selfish and mean people. They were so wrapped up in themselves...it was pathetic. They got exactly what they deserved in the book.

An enjoyable read...I would recommend it to all romance lovers.