Love on the Line follows Lola, a performer in the hedonistic world of Vauxhall Gardens, who harbours a secret. While London's aristocracy indulges in sensual pleasures and daring entertainment, she witnesses a crime that leads her to cross paths with Theodore Coventry, Earl of Essex. Despite the mystery that Theodore needs to solve, the duo find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other despite the societal barriers that keep them apart.

The books is a story of forbidden love, where desire challenges status and societal norms. Lola and Theodore's chemistry is palpable, and as they navigate the risks of their involvement, Lola learns that the most dangerous risk of all is the one that threatens her heart, and if Theodore will accept her despite her past.

I enjoyed this romance. I have yet to read a lot of historical romances, but only a few about a circus. I also loved the mystery within this love story.

Love on the Line is a quick read with apparent sexual tension between Lola and Theo. I love reluctant women, and Lola is cautious and unwilling to trust anyone.

Theo wants to find out what happened to his friend and get to know Lola more - he is embarrassed about his feelings and will do what is needed to get her on board.

I loved how this ended - it showed how far Theo will go for his love, and I am ready to read the next book.

It was great reading a historical romance with such a different female main character. Lola is a tightrope walker at Vauxhall Gardens.

When she witnesses a murder during her performance, she becomes one of the only people to actually see what happened.

Theodore, The Earl of Essex has just returned from America to the horrible news that his closest friend has been murdered.

I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect of this book but found the romance a bit lacking.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This took me in a surprise. I didn't expect this to be that good. I think I'll be expecting more from this author.

Love on the Line. If I could give this book more than a five star, I would. This is a superbly written love story that I really enjoyed. Theodore and Lola could not deny that attraction to each other no longer. I think that Theodore’s hormones was working on over drive than Lola’s.
Well whom ever sensual desires got the best of them, the couple certainly bring some scorching heat to Vauxhall. Who would have bought that a place with so many happy people in every corner could be a romping good place. Oh ghosh the stuck ones would say. With the help of some good friends from Italy, Lola throws her heart out over her tight rope and balances across to her heart. Before all this I was very entertained with the mystery surrounding a young man who has been set up.
This mystery including the very sultry relationship of Lola and Theodore helped make this book a page turner to cuddle up to and enjoy. I give this book two snaps and a twist. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminds me of how I approach my college assignments; I start strong with a great outline, and then everything goes on a downward spiral.
The book started great, I absolutely loved the mystery aspect, and I was in love with their instant chemistry and their personalities overall.
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However, reaching the first third's mark, everything started to get messy.
The storyline started to get flat, nothing was happening apart from the couple's secret meetings, which in themselves made the romance only physical. The investigation/mystery were kind of discarded. The heroine's secret was also revealed in an underwhelming manner, it should've been more interesting.
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My main problem with the book though was how unrealistic it was. It felt as if the couple were in a bubble. There was no grasp of how their relationship was unlikely, I expected more censure from the ton or his friends, but apart from her insisting they wouldn't work, there really was no issues.
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The ending was frustrating, everything were solved abruptly and in a way that didn't make any sense. The loose ends were tied up poorly.
Overall, not a successful read.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I'm still undecided on if I like this story or not. I feel like there was a lot going on, witnessing a murder on a tightrope but not really seeing who it was to a secret identity. I did like Lola and Theodore together. Their instant attraction was typical. I'm interested in Sophia's story now

Thank you, Oliver-Heber Books and Netgalley, for the free copy of the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The heroine, Lola, is a tightrope performer at Vauxhall Garden. She saw the murder of Viscount Fremont whilst she was performing. Theodore, the Earl of Essex, had recently arrived from America and happened to be Fremont's best friend. Lola and Theo crossed paths when Theo went to Vauxhall to investigate Fremont's death. Sparks ignited, and they fell hard for each other. Would they ever catch the murderer, and can they ever be together since they are from worlds apart?

Things I liked:
1) Interesting setting. Primarily Vauxhall Garden and White Club
2) The heroine, Lola has an interesting profession. She is a tightrope performer. You don't get to see this kind of job often in a historical romance.
3) Writing style is good; easy to read and flows well.
4) The mystery is okay and doesn't overshadow the romance.

Things I did not quite like:
1) Very insta-lust. I'm not sure why Lola and Theo fell for each other in the first place. Was it just because they liked each other looks? This seems shallow to me.
2) The lack of observation of social etiquette in the 18th century. i,e
a) Theodore visited Maggie, Fremont's sister without a chaperone present
b) Maggie stayed alone without a female companion and was a lady of quality, so this behaviour was unacceptable.
c) Maggie openly told Theo that she is intimate with her fiancee, and they spend the night together
I think a certain amount of decorum is required in a historical setting. I realise that certain lines sometimes have to be crossed to push the story forward, but the whole thing feels very 21st-century.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you are not overly bothered with 21st-century/modern sensibilities in a historical romance. It's a good book; it's just way too modern for my tastes.

This is the first installment of the Vauxhall Voices series and my first time reading something by this author. I was excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. Theodore Coventry, Earl of Essex, has returned to London from America to discover that his best friend was murdered at Vauxhall Gardens. He is determined to find out who the killer is, and in the process meets Lola. Lola has a past she is running from and has been hiding out in the gardens as a performer. The two are thrown together under mysterious circumstances, but it doesn't take long for the sparks to fly and for feelings to start to develop between them. Lola was a strong, independent character, and Theodore wasn't the sort to let gossip and societal expectations prevent him from going after his heart.
The story was entertaining and captured my attention from the start and kept me interested till the end. The characters were unique and interesting and their chemistry was strong. I enjoyed following their story and adventure. All in all, an enjoyable story. I would definitely like to read more of this author's work in the future.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I enjoy a good cross-class romance and Anabelle Bryant's newest novel, Love on the Line, brings readers this particular trope in a fresh new setting. At least, fresh and new to me. I can't recall having read a pairing of a peer and a Vauxhall performer before. Both characters are intriguing, relatable, and multi-layered. Their story pulled me in and had me pulling for them the entire way. It is written in such a way that I had no trouble at all believing in their love and happily ever after, even with all the obstacles in their path.

There are two mystery/suspense threads that run through the book: the murder of Theodore's friend and the secret from Lola's past that hangs over her head. The murder brings Lola and Theodore together, with the hunt for the murderer progressing in parallel to their relationship, but it was Lola's secret that I found the more compelling storyline. I had no idea how Bryant would tie up those loose ends, allowing Lola to be reunited with her family and our couple to live happily together. As it turned out, justice was served in a most appropriate way. I do enjoy seeing a villain get what they justly deserve.

I'm already invested in Lola's fellow performers in Vauxhall and looking forward to their journeys. It's fun to step outside the norm and explore new horizons, as Bryant is doing in this series.

ARC received for fair and unbiased review

A roller coaster of emotions since the very beginning. Anabelle Bryant just put us on this amazing journey full of mystery and romance by the hand of Theodore, the handsome Earl of Essex, who desperately needs to solve the mystery of the death of his dearest friend, and Lola, a graceful tightrope walker with a secret past.

I just couldn’t put this book down and still leaves me with a huge question: When is the next book coming out?

This book left me with mixed feelings, i liked the characters and their story together, however the story in which they are into didn't connect with me, i found myself skipping some parts and focusing only on them, which made me so weird about the book.

I liked the couple they are the reason i am giving 3 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this novel and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the start of a new series by Anabelle Bryant, and I kind of have some mixed feelings about it.

This is the story of Lola York, a Vauxhall high rope walker who is hiding and on the run from her past. She has run away from her home and family to escape prosecution for a crime she confessed to against a nobleman, and to protect her family. She has a talent for grace and daring and was able to use this to make a living as a Vauxhall performer. Because of her experiences, she has a certain disdain and distrust of nobility. The book opens in a dramatic fashion with her performing one night high above the bystanders, and from her vantage point, she observes a murder. She stays silent initially as she cannot afford to bring the notice of the authorities to her.

Theodore Coventry, the Earl of Essex, has spent the last couple of years in America and had just returned to London. Late that night, he was roused from his bed by Bow Street Runners and given the shocking news that a good friend of his was found murdered in Vauxhall. Theodore is stunned and angered, and uses his privilege to instill himself in the middle of the investigation.

Lola and Theodore meet in the course of their investigation, and they have an instant attraction to each other. Lola knows that no good can come from their attraction, considering her past experiences with peers and how she and her family were treated by one in particular, and how far below an Earl she is in social status. But that does not ultimately stop her from seeking more with Theodore. Theodore has a far more open mind than his peers, and wants to be with Lola, coming quickly to the conclusion that he wants this graceful, fascinating, beautiful woman in his life no matter what.

I liked the two main characters. Lola and the entire Vauxhall performer troupe were a bit different from the normal debutante heroine. Theodore was not a priggish peer, or overly overbearing, despite forcing himself into the Bow Street investigation. I liked the murder mystery aspect, but that definitely took second place to the romance and ended up being a rather tepid story line after the dramatic opening, and fairly easy to figure out, and I felt it did not live up to the drama and excitement it opened with, and with some later implied threat. The secondary drama of Lola's past was an interesting aspect and threat to her freedom and their ability to have an open relationship, but it was also very neatly and briskly tied up - too much so considering how much angst and worry it engendered between Lola and Theodore. The storyline of her reconnection with her family was also just a bit too neat and coincidental too. Also, some of the secondary characters really annoyed me too - Marco, the former love interest/friend, and fellow Vauxhall performer was rather cloying, overbearing, and nosy. Likely that was meant to be his characterization, but I did not like him and felt it was vaguely threatening how he was on Lola's performance platform, and checking her ropes when that was not part of their relationship, or his role at Vauxhall. Margaret, the deceased's sister, and Theodore's friend, I found to be a hypocrite and pushy in how she confronted him about his relationship with Lola, and the expectations of Society on him.

But I did really enjoy the interactions and developing relationship between Lola and Theodore, and I liked their warmth and attraction - even though it was under the cloud of murder and threat.

3.5 stars out of 5

Anabelle Bryant’s Love on the Line book was intriguing on so many levels. Love on the Line is the first in a new series – Vauxhall Voices. When I first read the description that the heroine was a tightrope walker at Vauxhall, I wondered if this would be The Greatest Showman meets the Regency World of Romance. It was better. From the minute that Lola York witnesses the murder of a lord, I was hooked. I loved her character, the mystery of the murder and the mystery of Lola and shortly, the romances that were threaded throughout the book. While Lola and Theodore Coventry, Earl of Essex’s romance was the primary romance, it was interesting to read about the other romance and a potential future romance.

Being an aristocrat brings a certain arrogance and assurance that the Earl had it in spades, but not in a way that made him unlikeable or unlovable. He lost his friend, really his brother of the heard and was trying to bring about justice for his murder, peace to his friend’s sister and closure for his friend. Lola, we find out is straddling two worlds, visible in one and hiding from the other. The author does a beautiful job of showing how she grapples with that and with the romance with the Earl, which could have her moved out of the shadow to perhaps dire circumstances.

We are introduced to a cast of characters both in Vauxhall, Bow Street, and Mayfair. I enjoyed the descriptions of the different locations. I really enjoyed the unique perspective of the Vauxhall Gardens performers as it is a rare Regency that introduces them or provides a behind the scenes view of Vauxhall. To go back the Greatest Showman theme, I could hear “This is Me” playing in the background as we got to the meet the performers which I really enjoyed seeing them and having them be seen.

I cannot wait to read Sophia’s story in the next installment of the series. Sophia proved to be a true friend and ally in Lola’s quest for love which provided Lola with a happily ever after. If you’ve never read an Annabelle Bryant this is a great book to start with, you won’t be able to put the book down, nor be disappointed. I felt there was plenty of mysterious clues and paths to keep the mystery progressing in a way that complimented the romantic entanglement of Lola and her lord. I appreciated how Theodore defended Lola in certain circumstances and respected her need to remain hidden especially once Lola shared her secrets. There was steam, mystery, love and friendship, what’s not to enjoy?

I voluntarily read an ARC of Love on the Line from NetGalley. My feedback is being given voluntarily.

Love on the Line by Anabelle Bryant is the First book in the Vauxhall Voices. This is the story of Theodore Coventry, Earl of Essex and Lola York. Lola has a secret that she can't reveal and has started working at the Vauxhall gardens as a tightrope performer. Which while working there lead her to witness a murder of a man. That man is killed was Theodore's best friend. Theodore has just returned from America after being gone a few years. When the Bow Street Runners don't seem to be finding the answers to solve his friends murder he goes looking himself which has him running into Lolo. I enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it along with this author's writing.

I really liked Love on the Line! This is my first book that I've read where the heroine is a nightwalker (good title!). I really liked Lila, and Theodore her love interest together. I loved their chemistry and the scenes together!
The mystery/suspense portion was alright, I do love reading mysteries but this wasn't that in a that sense, and instead it moved the story along and that's all I really need in a HR. It was a unique way to craft a romance and connection, and I like how it was woven in.
The dialogue is great, and the characters as well. Love on the Line was a very enjoyable read and I'd recommend to historical fiction fans!

Love On The Line - Vauxhall Voices
From the opening line, "The glint of his knife caught her attention." To the last line "I promise, this is only our beginning..." I was captivated by the story of Lola and Theodore. Lola, a beautiful, graceful tightrope walker with a secret that has kept her from her family for several years and Theodore, the handsome Earl of Essex, who is desperate to solve the mystery of the death of his dearest friend; along with an assortment of interesting characters, good and bad, make up the cast of this intriguing and expertly written story. Anabelle Bryant deftly weaves this story of romance and mystery filled with several twists and turns that will keep the reader wanting more! With Love On The Line, we have a heroine who is courageous but alone and wanting her family. Lola guards her heart... "Never a coward, she gathered her cotton wrap around her shoulders, tied it in a knot over her heart..." She soon finds she can open her heart to the handsome and sensual hero, who has a penchant for " the inviting scent of bergamot and spice. " (Okay, I have a thing for bergamot!) Together they solve a mystery, finding love, trust and family as well!I
Anabelle never fails! Alas, now I must patiently await the next book in her Vauxhall Voices series. From the Epilogue (I do love a good epilogue!) the second books sounds as though it will be full of magic!
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy and to provide my review.

Anabelle Bryant elegantly brings to life this unique historical romance that had me intrigued from page one! The writing swiftly draws the reader in, has an easily accessible nature, and unfolds the world with grace and mystery. This insta-love and pining romance is beautifully interwoven with who-done-it mystery, creating the perfect outside plot to bring the hero and heroine together while keeping any conflicts issues outside of their romance. Bryant does a wonderful job with her pacing letting this romance and mystery unfold before the reader with care. If you are looking for a unique feeling historical romance this is definitely one to add to your TBR!

This novel starts off with a murder that is the catalyst the brings the hero and heroine together. The heroine witnesses the murder on top of a tightrope as she is performing in Vauxhall. The hero is a close friend of the victim and recently returned from a trip to America. These to have an instant connection and their chemistry bubbles under the surface from the moment they lay eyes on the other. While the mystery is the driving plot of this story, the heart is really in the romance between the hero and heroine. Bryant does a great job balancing the building of their relationship and the unfolding of the mystery. I was charmed by their interactions. I loved watching their intrigue with the other steadily grow. I loved watching these two work together and learn to trust each other. I love the the hero sees the heroine for the smart and independent woman she is and is so taken with her. This novel is sweetly sensual, the tension builds beautifully to its climax and the relationship has a firm foundation of trust and respect.

This is the first novel I have read from Anabelle Bryant and it will definitely not be my last. I am now eagerly awaiting the next novel in this series and I very highly recommend you pick this novel !

Lola works in Vauxhall Gardens where she is the closing act, walking the tight rope, high above the crowd that fills the shadowed walkways most nights. On one such night Lola witnesses a horrifying scene, what appears to be murder from her perch above. When the bow street detectives arrive to investigate Lola meets Theodore, the Earl of Essex, and the chemistry sparks immediately between the two. But Lola knows they inhabit different worlds and no matter the force of attraction between them there is no way those two worlds could ever exist together.
I really liked this story and Theodore stole my heart! Talk about swoon-worthy, oh my I am in love with him, if only ladies, if only!! He is everything you could want in a leading man, a title, money, so handsome it is sinful and to top it all off.....He is a truly NICE guy!! I fell in love and wanted to slap Lola a couple times when she kept convincing herself they could not be together. Trust him girl, he loves you, you fool...I wanted to yell at her, WAKE -UP!!! But all is well that ends well and that includes their story!
I highly recommend this one for a swooning good time! Don't miss it, I am looking forward to the next in this series. 5 stars!
Thank you to Oliver Heber Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

a wonderful historical woven with interesting complex characters. I love Lola and Theodore! The story captured me on the very first page. A descriptive story with interwoven stories to discover about the characters. This is a good start to a new series by this wonderful author! Murder and mayhem and lots of twists and turns make this a real page turner and a must read!
I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.