3.5 stars
This is a new to me author and I think she is a good storyteller. My favorite scene in this whole book is Selena putting people in their place so deftly that no one can dispute what she says. That might make her sound like a shrew but she really isn't. She is a great leader and quite strategic in her thinking. Now if only the men hadn't run away licking their wounds instead of standing up and having a conversation that could have changed everything much earlier.

I have a hard time remembering names in real life as well as fiction so when there are a lot of players it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of who is who. I found the scenes where the brothers are only referred to as younger and older added to my difficulties since I had to try to figure out where they fit in with other people and how their storyline related to the rest of the book. It was made more confusing for me since two different people had uncles that played an important role in the storyline so I couldn't figure out if they were the same or two different people initially. I understand that the author wanted to keep the reader from knowing the truth about one of the characters but in this case, it didn't work that well for me. I had to go back and reread sections to get a better grasp of it.

Some of the historical info was new to me and quite interesting.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: attempted murder, intention of having a duel
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

A clean Regency Romance that reads more like historical fiction. This is a well researched novel with a lot of to attention to details of the time period. It starts off a little dryly talking about the dangers of quicksilver (Mercury), slavery and beaver hats. Scottish chemist Russell Parkinson has made his money in the trade industry. As the story starts he is surprised to learn his is to be made a baronet because of the bootblack he invented. Now, Sir Russell he believes he’ll spend his time working in Parliament for improving society. He has no plans to marry until he meets Selina Clifton.

Selina is finishing her third season and her father is arranging a suitor for her. She is beautiful but has facial scars from smallpox that took her mother and siblings lives. Her father needs an heir through her to keep the family estate from going to a cousin. And her prospects are limited without a large dowry. Sir Russell meets Selina and notices her because of her markings. She also demonstrates strength and wit in dealing with a group of mean girl bullies. He asks to call on her as does the arranged suitor although neither declares their intentions.

This includes romances for her two friends although those are side stories mixed into hers. There is also an ongoing mystery that isn’t hard to guess at the villain. Some of the facts included are interesting. I’ve read hundreds of historical romances and never knew a set for dancing can take thirty minutes. Some of the other topics covered were of mixed interest to me.

Overall if you like a lot of details in historical fiction this book will be of interest. For me it takes away from the romance. I would have liked a better balance between the two. I thought the author was new to me but was surprised to see I’ve read a couple of her contemporary romances written back in 2007. Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Sweet Historical romance, I loved the little bit of mystery in this book with the brothers, I haven’t seen that before, I also loved how well Selina and Russell courted! I loved the parallels with Shakespeare and I’m always a sucker for medical scenario in historical fiction. As a nurses It fascinates me! I enjoyed this book

I wanted to really enjoy this book, but there were a few things that kept me from being totally engrossed in the story. There were long, long, long passages of dialogue. Pages worth, and not all of it kept the story flowing. There were strange point of view shifts and additions of characters that seemed odd and out of place.

There were lots of historical facts, which were interesting and well researched, but at times bogged down the story. This book is more historical fiction (complete with discussion questions at the end) than historical romance. Nothing wrong with that, just pointing it out.

Selina and Russell were good and interesting. Selina was a smallpox-scarred heroine, which made for interesting layers in her character.

Overall, this book was ok, though at times I had to trudge through.

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

Set in the very beginning of the time when science was able to provide vaccinations to prevent disease, this book deals with some of the issues we’re still dealing with today—people who don’t trust the science, with deadly and disfiguring consequences. I received a smallpox inoculation when I was almost 9, in preparation for a trip to England. I had a severe reaction to it. But smallpox is now nearly eradicated from the planet. It’s worth it.

Off my soapbox, back to the book. I enjoyed the idea of the “reluctant baronet,” who accepted the title only because it would give him a platform to continue advances in providing healthcare to the common people of the country. He is frustrated by the rules of society, and has not real intention to court anyone—he’s too busy with his medical practice.

Selina carries the scars from her experience with smallpox; her father stopped her from being fully inoculated, though she did have some protection. Her father has chosen her a potential suitor, whom she finds to be rather ridiculous. There’s a reason for that! There is a subplot with Mr. Hallett and his brother that is a bit of a mystery, and which is resolved in an interesting way.

I particularly enjoyed seeing Selina with her two best friends, both of whom are as strong and independent as they can be for the time, and both of whom are still available after more than one season “on the market”.

Seeing all of the characters stories intertwine is particularly fun, and I like that, while the story belongs to Selina and Russell, their friends get some attention as well.
I really enjoyed that this wasn’t a straight romance, but had the bit of intrigue to it as well. I would definitely read more from this author.

Possible Objectionable Material:
A little bit of sneaking around. The practice of bleeding, with leeches (ew!). Near poisoning. Talk of illness and vaccination. A duel. A character is very ill; it is hinted that he has a sexually transmitted disease. He is violent and makes threats.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like romance, a little bit of intrigue, and a little bit of medicine.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2023/02/romances-from-past.html

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc.

This book was a fun read. The characters were fun and entertaining. The story was interesting and I liked the way it was very detailed in the historical description.

For me, this could have been better if the story was focussed more on one thing. It wanted to be too many different things at the same time. It starts off as a love story between two people but then turns out to be a love story between three different couples. Whose love story we all follow and see develop. Then there is also a mystery going on and a love triangle. It just was too much. This could have been better if the writer would have taken the time to write more and explore everything better. The book is just over 180 pages long. So pretty short for all of this to cover well.

I liked it, but it had the potential to be more than it is now.

Selina Clifton is a small pox survivor with a few scars to testify to that fact. Sir Russell Parkinson is a Scotsman that is newly appointed Baronet, who did not wish to be one. This is their story.
I loved the beginning of the book it started out with a bang, very intriguing. I did get a bit confused with some of the characters through the first part of the book because they were referred to as older brother/younger brother but we didn't know names or who they were in relation to anyone else. It does make sense later on.
I loved the scientific notes throughout the book. Very interesting things to learn about within the setting of the novel.
I really enjoyed the overtones of Midsummer Nights Dream. Just when you think nothing is going to work out in a satisfactory way new discoveries come to light.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

The Reluctant Baronet begins with Selina in need of marrying and producing a male heir to pass her family estate down to. She has a cousin interested in the estate who it will pass to if she doesn't marry or have any male children to pass it down to instead. The problem is that her cousin wants to turn the property into hunting land, if I remember correctly. Selina must marry someone who will ensure the safety of the estate and the tenants. She has received an offer to court from someone via letter, but she doesn't know the gentleman in person and when she finally meets him he keeps everything surface level and appears to worry more about his terrible sense in fashion than anything else.

All isn't as it appears to be with Matthew. There's more to his story than meets the eye. I won't discuss things too much so as to not ruin them for potential readers.

About the same time that Selina is introduced to Matthew, she's also introduced to Russell. He is a scientist. He's studied the effects of mercury poisoning in people. Mercury was commonly used in the making of beaver hats which was a popular item of male clothing in this time period. He has a few other items that he's invented and improved during his research. And he proves instrumental in solving the main mystery and conflict of this story. Of course, he meets Selina and falls in love with her. Things can't be completely simple even though it seemed that these two would be awarded their happily ever after pretty quickly.

The Reluctant Baronet included several pieces of history in the story. Small pox, vaccines, the practice of medical bleeding, mercury poisoning, syphilis and more. I usually enjoy when real history is included like this within historical fiction as long as the relationships are the true focus of the story. And The Reluctant Baronet did that well.

Favorite quote:
-“Then, summon up your bravest demeanor, my friend. No woman worth her salt would marry a coward, no matter what his title. The look in her eyes when you begin to broach the subject should tell you everything you need to know.”

I enjoyed The Reluctant Baronet. The main story, the mystery, the societal strictures, the relationships, the side characters, and the real history of the time all worked together to make an exceptional book. I will be looking for more books by Elizabeth W Watkins. The Reluctant Baronet gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Reluctant Baronet? What did you think? Let me know!

There were a lot of good parts of this book, but other parts that left me confused. To start off with, I really enjoyed the couples in the book. The three different romances were all good, and I enjoyed the characters. I did feel like the plot was unique compared to many other regency novels I have read, which was a nice change. I also appreciated the detailed author notes at the book.

However, I also was confused by parts of the story. I'm still confused why Russel was made a baronet. The explanation in the first chapter is that his friend had him made a baronet because London society was so dissolute and members of the House of Lords we're negligent of their duties. What I'm confused about is how Russell being a baronet would help that. Baronets are the least influential title, and they're considered commoners rather than members of the portage. Because of this, baronets do not have seats in the House of Lords, so I don't understand how him being a baronet would help with that. If he were made a baron, that would make much more sense. Then he would be considered a lord, and have the influence needed to cause change. Overall, the inaccuracy of Russel having a seat in the House of Lords did take me out of the story whenever it was discussed.

The other part of the book that didn't make sense was the idea that Selina needed to marry and have a son to prevent her father's estate from being inherited by her cousin. This also made no sense to me. If the estate was entailed, her having a son would have no impact on who inherits the estate. Her son would still be in her husband's line of inheritance rather than her father's line, so the estate would still go to her cousin. If the estate is not entailed, then Selina herself would be able to inherit and there would be no reason for her to need to produce and heir. This was another plot point I found very confusing, and took me out of the story as well.

Overall, there were parts of the story that were good, but these inaccuracies made it hard for me to believe parts of the book. If there was a reason for these parts of the story to be there, then it wasn't explained in a way that made sense with the laws in England at the time.

Overall The Reluctant Baronet was an enjoyable read. I loved Selina and Russell as characters, and I especially liked their first meeting and the development of their relationship over the course of the book. I also adored Selina’s father and the part that he played in this book. The writing, at times, pulled me out of the stories as some of the historical accuracies from the book felt like they were very in your face as a reader. The pacing was a little inconsistent throughout the story as well.

This book reads a bit more like historical fiction with a side of romance, than a historical romance, but it was an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“The Reluctant Baronet” by Elizabeth W. Watkins
A Sweet Historical Adventure
A sweet romance with a suspense twist and a villain to loathe. I loved this story, I stayed up too late reading because I just had to read just a little bit more. Everything else I can think of to say, I don’t dare share, lest I spoil the story for you. A very busy story that will keep you in good company. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love the premise of this story and I thought the beginning was incredibly engaging. However, I did feel the overall pacing was a a bit off and some of the misunderstandings that occurred drove me nuts. I think if you are looking for a clean romance, with some fun and unexpected twists and turns, this could be a good one to pick up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a complimentary eARC copy of The Reluctant Baronet. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are expressly my own.

3.5⭐️ This was a fairly enjoyable read. Can’t go past a meet cute in a ballroom.

|Synopsis|
Sir Russell Parkinson, a Scottish chemist has been raised to the peerage and finds himself in the clutches of the ton. Until an encounter with the charming Selina. In an attempt to secure her family’s estate, she is required to marry and produce an heir. Although she battled smallpox, she finds most people distracted from her beauty due to her scars. Until she finds herself in a tangle between who she should marry and who she longs to marry.

|Thoughts|
Enjoyed a glimpse into how regency England celebrated Christmas & the Scottish Hogmanay.

Was invested in their relationship and enjoyed the third act where lots of action took place. It was a nice enough read but just felt like more interactions between Selina & Russell would have really made it a great read.

Russell is also a genuinely good man and continues to prove that throughout the book. I did enjoy his inventions and their connection to the story.

|Themes|
📚 regency romance
📚 forbidden love
📚Christmas Magic 🎄🎄🎄/5
📚 clean romance 🚫

🗓️Pub Date: 7 March 2023

“And then, in defiance of all social conventions, one eyelid closed in an unexpected, totally audacious wink!”

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Warning:
There is a scene that describes the discovery of gruesome scene.

After reading this book, I can just picture it being posted in a Scandal Sheet as a behind the scenes/ what really happened reveal. It was so much fun.
It started out strong, with a very captivating and fun romance. Or rather several romances! It’s almost confusing at first because there are so many people and perspectives to follow.
There are three main POV’s. Selina, Matthew and Russel. Among which there are several romances, Selina and Matthew, Selina and Russel, Selina’s friends: Vivienne and Emma also have HEA’s but with which gentlemen, I won’t spoil those details. It’s fun to see it all unravel!
And amongst all the romantic entanglements there is legal chaos and misunderstandings that make everything all the more entertaining. The romance takes a bit of a seat to this aspect of the story as everything develops and comes to light. But the conclusion of this story is incredible. It all intertwined and gripped me to the very end. It was a whirlwind and I am so glad I read it!

Thankyou NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the complimentary e-arc of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Content: clean
Romance: some kissing
Violence: mild
Language: none

This book is an enjoyable way to pass the time. A historical romance with a two people who need to overcome obstacles to be with the one they love. If you enjoy wholesome historical romance novels you will enjoy this one.

This book is packed with historical details and engaging characters! While marketed as a romance, this book will appeal to a wider variety of audiences than a typical regency romance book, as it has significant historical and mystery elements woven in. The first few chapters of the book were heavy with details and history, a lot of which was new and interesting to me even though I've read many historical novels set during this time period. I felt like the pace of the story really picked up after those first chapters and enjoyed the mystery and romances that played out.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a clean romance that is heavy in history and mystery as well.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

4.5 stars for this one. This is the first book by Elizabeth W. Watkins that I have read. Covenant Communications and Netgalley provided me with an advanced copy ebook to read and review honestly.

The beginning of this book seemed heavily packed with historical information. I have read many books that take place during this period and found much of this information new and almost bogging the story down. Then at about the 20% mark of the book, the story started to pick up.

There were elements of romance, mystery and history woven throughout the rest of the story. I tend to not read blurbs, reviews, or detailed descriptions of most books that I read. So the mystery aspect came as a pleasant surprise. This is an esmeble cast of characters that I ended up really enjoying after the slow start.

It's a "clean" book with one brief description of a rather unpleasant scene. The author notes at the end of the book were very nice addition, since I wondered about many of the historical references in the plot.

Elizabeth W. Watkins, in her Regency debut, offers readers a true historical romance with "The Reluctant Baronet". Yes, there are gowns, balls, and rides through Hyde Park, but they only play a part. Three lovely romances unfold here. I will focus on the one for which this book is named. Selina Clifton is a truly deserving and compassionate heroine, who doesn't let her smallpox scars define her. Unusual hero Sir Russell Parkinson, a chemist and a Scot, is wonderfully portrayed, as he's not TOO big of a science nerd. His celebration of Hogmanay, of which I knew little, is illuminating. There's a lot of confusion as the three charming couples sort themselves out. Seemingly unrelated plot threads weave together at the very end, and the conclusion is quite satisfying.

If you're looking for actual HISTORY in your historical romance, this book's for you. This reader's preference is for historical novels where one actually learns something. "The Reluctant Baronet" imparts interesting facts about mercury and its uses, and chemical knowledge saves the day!

Watkins' prose is lovely and her characters are well-developed. Dialogue is clever and witty. Clean and well-edited, humorous and serious by turns, "The Reluctant Baronet" is an engaging read. However, there is one historical inaccuracy: Baronets are not peers and cannot sit in the House of Lords. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the history of this book! I learned more about the hardships of craftsmen in the 1800's which was interesting! I also enjoyed how this story had connections to a mid summer's night dream. I also really enjoyed the characters! They were all interesting and fun to get to know. My main drawback was the pacing of the book was weird for me. Maybe if I read it again that would help, but the beginning was smooth and steady and then it jumped a lot and smoothed mostly back out. It just felt odd to me, but that's just my personal opinion. Also the secret identity of the brothers was weird. It made sense later, but it just felt like we should know who they are before we did. Overall though it was a delightful read!

I was given a copy of this book for review purposes through netgalley. It was not expected or asked that I give a good review. All thoughts are my own.

This is one of those books that when you read the last chapter, you wish there was a little more, because you want to savor it and not say goodbye quite yet. After reading the last pages, my mind jumps back to so many different parts of the book, and I immediately wish I could pick up a sequel. The characters were well-developed, and I enjoyed watching their personal growth. WIthout spoiling anything, I was amazed at the twists and turns that kept happening, which peeled back more and more layers of an intricate story, but then it all tied back up together (but not in a rushed way?). Along with the character development, the author did a great job in weaving in current (1811) issues with good accuracy, to educate the reader on what people were facing during that time (social structures, medical knowledge, political issues, etc). She didn't try to weave current (2023) themes into the book, which gave it a very Regency-authentic feel. She also used vocabulary accurate to that time period, which challenged me sometimes, but I love learning new words.

This is my first from this author, but I look forward to reading more from her.