Love or Security: What Should She Choose?

Isabel had never known security, so when she had a choice between a baron's son and a duke’s heir, the path was clear. However, things were not as simple as she would have liked. The baron’s son stole her heart, and he actively sabotaged the duke’s heir. Would he win her hand in the end? To him, it was war, and he was determined to win. This story had laugh-out-loud moments. If you like clean Regency romance with humor and charm, you might find it entertaining.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When the Duchess of Stanbury decides to sponser Lady Isabel Beaufort for the upcoming season, it's a dream come true. As the youngest, unmarried daughter of the Earl of Somerdon, she has lived a penniless lifestyle for as long as she can remember. There's barely enough food for herself and her father, the house is falling down around them, and the only servant is a butler who should have been pensioned off years ago. She knows that marriage is her only escape, and she's been lucky enough to educate herself in the ways of the ton using the books remaining in the library. Isabel won't settle for anything less than a steady title, with enough money to care for her if she is widowed young. She will do anything to not go back to her previous existence, so why is the only man who catches her eye wholly unsuitable?

This was a great ending to the series. I've loved seeing Harry through the other books, as someone who was liked by society, but because his grandfather was in trade, the Duchess didn't think he was a good enough suitor for any of their girls. The duchess plans for him to marry the annoying Miss Rightstone, and Harry is not about to go along with it, not when Isabel is the one. I loved how strong both the characters were, and how they didn't pussyfoot around what they wanted. The moment when Isabel first refuses Harry was heartbreaking, for them both, but as a reader too. Harry definitely didn't let it pull him down for too long, and he took the bull by its horns and fought to show Isabel he was the one for her. The final few chapters really tied the whole series up, and I loved the conclusion. A wonderful series from start to finish!

I have loved this entire series, the H and h of each story, and all the laugh-out-loud moments.
I was so happy to see Harry Vance get his own story as he has been a strong, dependable, secondary character in all the other books. It was great to see Harry know what he wanted (Isabel) and work to that end.
The humor of a Very Advanced Baby, and a Very Alert Baby gave me many chuckles. I highly recommend this book and series. I am looking forward to the next book by this very talented author.

This is the sixth and final addition to the captivating A Series of Worthy Young Ladies collection, and is a brilliant addition to the group. I have thoroughly enjoyed the series so far, and this one also did not disappoint. It is now the Duchess of Stanbury's turn, the last of the matrons of the Society of Sponsoring Ladies, to introduce a young lady to society. She chooses Lady Isabel, who is the daughter of an earl and may live in a grand house, but her life has been anything but grand. But then opportunity came knocking at her door when the Duchess offered to sponsor her and she grabbed that opportunity with both hands. When she arrives at London, the Duchess has her ideas for who would be a suitable match for Isabel, but it is Harry who catches her eye. Although Harry works hard and will inherit a barony, he is the grandson of a tradesman, which of course is how Harry is defined by the ton, no matter what his current situation is. Though Isabel is attracted to Harry, she does her best to resist, since what she wants most and knows the most sensible thing to do is to find someone with a deep history in the ton. As we will see, however, being sensible is no match for what the heart truly desires.
This series had been so entertaining from beginning to end. Although you can read the books as standalones, I would definitely recommend reading the entire series. Such a delightful end to a wonderful series! I am anxious to see what the author will bring us next!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The duchess has finally settled on a young lady to sponsor, and in true duchess fashion this young lady is quite a noble one, with the blood of the Plantagenets running in her veins. Now if only she wouldn’t insist on entangling herself with a recent baron!

This is the conclusion of A Series of Worthy Young Ladies, a comic Regency romance series I have been following all year, and it was a good book to wrap up the whole saga.

The hero is Harry Vance, a likable young man we have seen throughout the series, but in this book he displayed an unexpectedly ruthless side to his personality as he pursues Isabel, who he thinks might be perfect for him. I enjoyed the interplay between the two, as the conflict that keeps them apart is well-defined and logical consider Isabel’s past. I liked how Harry is persistent in his suit without becoming overbearing. I also really liked how he goes about persuading Isabel that he can keep her safe and secure.

However, I did not enjoy the foibles of the supporting characters as much in this book, which was a shame as it had been a highlight in all the previous books in this series. The author is gentle as always in her handling of the silly personalities depicted, which I did appreciate. However, I did not really find the Duchess, her butler, or Isabel’s horse-mad suitor to be as entertaining or likable as I wished.

Still, this was a nice way to cap off the series and the year, and I will certainly keep my eyes peeled for further books by this author!

Mr Vance!!! A pleasure to see a straight shooting, shameless while fighting for his love hero. I adored this book just like I did the others. I understood Isabel's reluctance and fear given where she was coming from, and I enjoyed her journey to fighting off those fears and letting love lead. I will miss the VAB, VOB and the incoming VGBs!!!!

What an absolutely lovely series from start to finish. Brava!!!!

A lovely conclusion to the series! Isabel and Mr. Vance were great together, and I completely understood her hesitations about being with him while wholeheartedly rooting for him to win her over (and cackling over his shameless methods). And in the end, the conflict was resolved in a satisfying way that allowed them to unite as equals. As always, there are shenanigans with the ladies of the Society of Sponsoring Ladies, and I loved getting to see more of our past couples, too. I'm going to miss this series, so I will definitely be rereading soon.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Regal by Kate Archer is the final entry in the Series of Worthy Young Ladies. Isabel was the daughter of a duke and lived in abject poverty. They had one servant, an elderly butler, whom she suspected stayed because he had no where else to go and no money to go there. She shuddered to think when he had last been paid. Neighbors helped with food and even then she had to hurry before her father ate it all. Her father was just a little crazy. Didn’t even speak in complete sentences. Now she was listening, though, as he was talking about her going to London. He had a letter, which she grabbed from him and read, and then rushed to his study to read the earlier ones in the correspondence to discover that it was true: she was going to London, she was to have new clothes, she was to make her come out, and she was, hopefully, to marry. Harry Vance was to inherit a baroncy. He was only a couple of generations from trade but was working hard to make his baroncy solid and sustainable. He was looking for a wife. He was always looking, but it had to be HER. Not just anyone would do.

Isabel was a sensible young lady; she promised herself she would make a good marriage and never find herself in the straits of poverty again. Her heart told her Mr. Vance was the one, but her head told her it was Lord Lymington. He was to be a duke, and he had a large family. He was boring and not very appealing, but he was the one. Isabel and Harry were both well-written characters, both likable. Harry was a force of nature and it was fun to watch his machinations. He wanted Isabel and he would stop at nothing to have her. Poor Isabel struggled every day with her decision, but move forward she would. It was a very fun book to read, full of humor, almost laugh -out-loud. The plot was not complicated but very well done and very interesting. A reader knew the outcome, of course, but, enjoyed the journey. Quite a solid finish for a lovely series.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Regal by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #KateArcher #TheRegal

This is the last book of the series. :(. But I have sooo enjoyed every book. This is a clean series with lots of action and and romance. The story was so laid out and written I could barely put it down to fix dinner. Kate Archer is one of my favorite authors now.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

The last book of The Society of Sponsoring Ladies, the Duchess of Stanbury, Theodosia, has finally found her young lady. Isabel Beaufort is the impoverished daughter of the Earl of Somerdon. She has her own ideas for a husband and the Duchess agrees. Mr. Harry Vance is the only son of the 2nd Baron of Leighton. He comes from trade and has made his own money. Harry is drawn to Isabel, but he's not what she's looking for. What develops is Henry's war to win Isabel and he's not above using sabotage. Hilarity ensues including Henry speaking with honesty and not afraid to say so to anyone including the Duchess and Isabel's father. With a Very Advanced Baby, a Very Alert Baby and the anticipation of the Very Ordered Baby, a mystery party and a masquerade, the laughs keep coming. How Will Harry prove himself to Isabel? Will she follow her head or her heart? .
Clean romance with eventual kisses.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I have enjoyed all the books in this series! This final installment was no exception. I am honored to have been a part of the ARC team. Although all are not fully likable, by now all the characters feel like friends. I am hoping there is a spin-off series for the children in the works!
Thank you Kate Archer, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the series Worthy Young Ladies and if anything, this novel was the most entertaining. I chortled, laughed, and giggled the whole way through as the Grand Dames of Society ushered Lady Isabel into the season. The Duchess of Stanbury may well have had her ideas about who would be the most suitable match for Isabel, but she didn't take into account the attraction between Harry and Isabel. With the Duchess' butler added to the mix with his eccentric ways and her surprising reliance upon him for a weather report, I couldn't stop laughing. Baron Harry Vance is willing to play the Duchess' game, but only up to a point. He determines to put up with the fan-hitting harridan Miss Rightstone, just so long as it takes to win the Duchess' favor, but when he reaches his limits, he has no compunction about letting her know. Harry makes a most likable hero as he sets out to assess and meet Isabel's needs, and my heart went out to Isabel at what she had endured with her rather strange father. Although the Duchess cannot take credit for the match of the day, the story nevertheless comes to a lovely conclusion. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I haven't read all of the books in this series, but of those I have read this is by far the best (and I did really like the earlier books). Isabel is an immediately likable character and a woman you only want to have good things happen to. Her need to marry a wealthy man are not superficial and come from a deep seeded fear of living in the kind of poverty she had at her father's home. And how could you not love Harry? She doesn't let the duchess walk all over him and he has never flat out told Miss Rightstone how awful she is (he pretty much deserves sainthood for tolerating her as long as he did). You realize how big a chance Harry took in leaving London to take care of things at Isabel's father's home without telling her what he was doing - she could have become engaged to someone else and forever regretted her decision. But his only thought was of taking away the cause of all her fears and show her that he would always look out for her. I thought the part with them passing one another on the road without realizing it added a nice bit of humor. Isabel's father may be one of the worst fathers in the history of literature mostly because his neglect was willful and it was clear he didn't care for anyone around him. I was so glad the butler got to have a nice retirement and enjoy his life a little bit. Lord Lymington was a sweet guy (although not the brightest bulb) so it was nice to know he got a happy ending as well. For those who have read the rest of (or any of) the other books in the series you'll really enjoy the reunion among all the ladies. This series has been a lot of fun and this was the perfect ending.

Another delightful addition to this entertaining series!

Humor, wonderful characters, mischievous matrons and a romance that is fun to see unfurl brings this story on a fun journey!

She wants stability and security. He knows she is the one when he first sees her. But convincing her might be tricky. But he is determined!

Sorry to see this series end but have really enjoyed every minute!

Absolutely the best of the series for the Worthy Young Ladies! The Regal takes you full circle as the last of the ladies from the Society of Sponsoring Ladies, the Duchess of Stanbury gets the opportunity to assist Isabel, her charge and a young lady of Plantagenet blood, on her way to marry a duke. Yes, said duke has been around through the series with his knack for talking about horses. So, to confuse the situation further, Isabel thwarts the duchess’ plans by falling for a lowly baron, Harry Vance. Harry does his own thorough job of confounding the duchess as well!

You will enjoy and laugh your way through this madcap adventure as Isabel and Harry find their way to their HEA. So many of the same characters continue throughout to the end of the series as we see couples brought together to end this delightful series!

The Regal by Kate Archer

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

4/5 stars

I am a HUGE fan of Regency romances so I am a tough critics. The Regal did NOT disappoint!

Kate Archer’s novel was on par with Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series - or better. Her character development was top notch. The dialogue was perfect. The descriptions made me feel like I was there.

And I laughed, over and over. There are such humorous supporting characters, such as Carson “predicting” the weather. Miss Rightstone and her fan. The gaggle of ladies - especially at the costume ball. I literally laughed out loud and woke up my sleeping husband.

My only gripe was that I thought this novel could have been longer. I would have loved to read more about Harry pining for Isabel and Isabel trying to resist.

I haven’t read the rest in the series but I absolutely plan on it now!

The Duchess of Stanbury is the last of the matrons of The Society of Sponsoring Ladies to take on the mantle and launch her own girl. Finally, she has found her girl—Lady Isabel’s family has a long and winding history dating back to the Plantagenets and this lady will marry at the highest echelons of society. The duchess has her eye on Lord Lymington as, after all, he is to be a duke. Isabel Beaufort, daughter of the Earl of Somerdon, may live in a grand house, but there is nothing grand left inside it the Earl, being disinclined to exert any sort of effort at all, has allowed the estate to fall to ruin. Isabel has taken her education into her own hands, practices the pianoforte on an instrument forever out of tune and has studied a book on how things are to be done properly. She has one goal in life—marry into a family that will provide her with the security she has never known. Harry Vance is well-liked by the ton, and why shouldn’t he be? He is handsome, engaging, a wit, and will inherit a barony. The big but is Harry is the grandson of a tradesman.
The sixth & finale of the series & my favourite of the series. A well written simply delightful & humorous read I was often laughing out loud, the characters were well portrayed & had depth. I loved Harry & Isabel, he has a savvy head on his shoulders & is building a prosperous & large estate, he is also immediately attracted to Isabel as she is to him. The Duchess is a hoot with her brocade dresses & determination to always have her way. I loved Harry & Isabel’s journey to a HEA & read the book in a couple of sittings. The lovely epilogue rounded off the series beautifully
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Society Matrons are at it again. She is insecure from growing up poor and will only consider a financially secure future. He is in love and wants only her happiness and is determined to prove and show to her that there is a better alternative. Behind the scenes are hilarious happenings and theories as well as amusing antics of the society members and other eccentric characters. Hours of entertainment can be found with this romantic tale.

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

The Duchess of Stanbury has found her "Worthy young lady" to sponsor for a season. Her pick much be the very best young lady and she must make the very best match.

Once our heroine learns her luck is about to change for the better, she sets herself some very strict rules.

Mr Henry Vance is very popular among the matrons of the ton. He can be counted on when needed. Although he is being stubborn about asking the Lady they have picked out for him "the question".

Our hero amuses himself, by pleasing the matrons and frustrating them at the same time.

This is such an amusing historical romance series. You will miss a lot of the reasons behind the humour if you dont read it in order. But you could read each book on its own. All the Matrons of the series have not had daughters and desperately wanted one. So they pick ladies who would otherwise not get a chance of a London season. Naturally they hit more than a few bumps in the road.

I loved the whole series.

Great fun.

Simply delightful! This series is chock full of a light witty humour that tickles the fancy. In this final instalment, we are given a sensible Earl’s daughter, Isabel. Isabel has grown up in shambles, her father not having two farthing to rub together. Thus, when given the opportunity to have a season in London with The Duchess, she is decided to marry only for stability. Every fallback must be accounted for even if it means denying her heart. Mr.Harry Vance has watched the other couples of The Society of Sponsoring Ladies while searching for ‘her’, the one meant for him. He quickly comes to realize Isabel is the one, but he must to great lengths to convince her to choose him while he continues to deny her heart. Harry’s grand gesture was so over the top that it couldn’t help but thaw the coldest heart. Talk about a message of stability. 🥰 All in all this story is pure joy. I greatly enjoyed this series of adventurous, often absurd, journeys to love. The relationship between each of the ladies and their sponsor was always sweet, even a you rolled your eyes at the matrons antics. The epilogue of this story was a lovely bonus, summing up all of the secondary characters settling. This was the perfect bow to wrap the gift I this series. Delightful!