I signed up for a review copy of this book, and started reading it. Immediately, I felt like I was missing some information. That's when I saw that is was the third book in a series. A Duke in Time and Rules for Engaging the Earl come first, and if you haven't read those two, this will be a little confusing. I went back and read them, and based on that, I can say the third installment wraps this story up nicely.

The central idea of this whole series is that the second son of a duke has died, leaving not one, but three widows. Meri "married" three women, who did not know about each other until they were called into the lawyer's office after his death to settle his estate.

The three ladies become partners in adversity and by the end of the first book, fast friends. The books go in the order of Meri's marriages, so this book is the story of Beth and how she deals with Meri's betrayal. As the last to marry him, Beth ends up with the least--it wasn't a real marriage, the scandal destroyed her reputation, and now her wastrel brother is trying to line up another husband for Beth so he can cash in on a marriage settlement.

Beth just wants to understand what happened--why Meri did what he did, and what he did with her dowry. Then she wants to be left alone to live independently. This turns into a bit of a quest to figure out the mystery of her missing dowry--and her partner in that quest is her first love (who she believes abandoned her), Julian.

Will these two scarred souls find their HEA in a second chance? Well, yes, that's how these book tend to work, but the journey to HEA is engaging and a lot of the questions of the entire series are addressed.

My only critique of this series is that the books tend to move slowly. Each book pushes 400 pages, and they are not speedy reads. I think they could have moved a little quicker, but this installment had quite a bit of work to wrap up, so it felt less slow. It's also not clean, so if you prefer that, don't read this book. I recommend the whole series--by the end of this third book, all your questions will be answered.

This is the last book in the Widow Rules series The series is about a Viscount, Meri, who married 3 different women. This story is about Beth.
Beth is the daughter of a Viscount. She is the only one of the 3 women who was a member of the Ton. She was the last one Mer married. So her marriage was illegitimate and she was ruined. When Meri passed away leaving all 3 widows, he leaves his first two wives gifts. But Beth doesn't know why he didn't leave her one and what happened to her $20,000 dowry. The money has disappeared. She wants to retrace Meris last days and see what she can find out before her brother tries to marry her off to someone else.
Enter the Marquess of Greyson, Julian. He was courting Beth for a while but was turned away by her brother as being unacceptable, a fortune hunter. He agrees to help Beth find her money. They will split it 50/50;and then he will have the capital to build his steam engines
And so the adventure begins.
I absolutely loved this story. What a great conclusion to a great series. It really brought all 3 books together with a great epilogue.
As a side note, I hope your next series is about the Duke of Pelham and his sisters. I loved his character and the way he spoke about his sisters.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

On a quest to find her missing dowry before her brother forces her into an unwanted marriage, Beth goes to Grayson, a man she once loved, to ask for his help. Grayson agrees, while risking not receiving funding for his project. They set off to cover the tracks of Beth's late husband Meri across England. As they go from town to town, they have an adventurous time encountering a fortune teller, dodging her brother's friends, finding oddities Meri bought, are robbed by a highwayman, finding clues to a puzzle box which could lead to answers, and more.

Traveling together forces them to share a room and rekindles their former love, but is it enough? Beth is running out of time, and Grayson has a deadline. When hope seems all but lost, Beth finds the answer to what happened to her dowry. What happens next will leave you reading all night.

A must-read!

**received an ARC from netgalley**

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #HowtoBestaMarquess by Janna MacGregor in exchange for an honest review.

I really love Janna MacGregor's books. She can always bring me to tears but for happy reasons. Every book of hers gives me that moment when I am so happy for the MCs that tears fill my eyes. This is a great ending to an interesting series. I wasn't sure in the beginning of this series if I would like it but MacGregor always knows how to bring me around. Her heroes are always kind and loving. Her heroines are always fierce, independent women who have a vulnerable side that you can totally relate to even though they are living in a time period so different than our own. Looking forward to her next series - I really hope the Duke of Pelham eventually gets his own book/series.

Lord Meriwether Vareck married three women, then he died and left them to deal with the scandal. This story is about his third wife, Beth Howell. Beth wants to find her dowry if Meri didn’t spend it all. She recruits the man she had hoped to marry eight years ago to help her. Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, resists her request until she offers half her dowry if they recover it. Julian needs the money to market his steam engine and bring his marquessate back to par. Their search is quite an adventure. Trouble follows them and their own uncertainties confound them. They part ways and return to London. Is it truly over between them? There are surprises in store for them in London that may change everything. This is an enjoyable story, even if the romance is hard to come by. I like Julian. He is smart and honorable. Beth is caring and wants to become independent, to get away from her bother. The other wives and their husbands are here for support and enjoy the wonderful surprises at the end of the book. The story has some soul-searching, a little rebellion, a mystery, and, of course, a happy ending, very well presented by Rosalyn Landor.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, sweet, steamy and I didn't want to put it down. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is book 3 in the Widow Rules series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

How to Best a Marquess is a witty, steamy, wonderful summation of Janna MacGregor's Widow Rules series.

Beth Howell needs to find her dowry before she is forced to marry again. She has taken control of her life and knows what she wants.

"What she wouldn't give to have a man who was consumed with her and not concerned with money, lineage and other women."

Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, is not above working hard to better his situation. He is willing to risk traveling with Beth to search for her dowry money so he can fund his steam engine endeavor, which will enable him to restore his ancestral home.

Their "road trip" is full of twists and turns as they attempt to find out what happened to Beth's dowry while reigniting their romance.

MacGregor brings us up-to-date with the characters from the first two books and introduces Cillian, Julian's valet, who is a hoot! I love how he just tells it like it is and laughed out loud when, after helping Julian get ready, Cillian says he'll be like Cinderella arriving at the ball. The Duke of Pelham is another great character who deserves his own story.

The book can be read on its own, but reading the other books in the series is highly recommended.

The wait is finally over for Beth and Julian’s story. This was a wonderful second chance, road trip, treasure hunt story. I looked forward to seeing what kind of trouble these two would get into on a road trip together. Could there be a one room only available at the Inns they stopped at? And how would they handle that. It was fun to see if they would find her lost dowry and love again along the way. I highly recommend this to others..

How To Best A Marquess was a fantastic finish to The Widow Rules series by Janna MacGregor. Although the story is a standalone, it nicely wraps up the mystery of Lord Meriwether Vareck, the bigamist who married the three women in the series. Beth, who is socially and financially ruined because of the scandal, is determined to find the dowry Lord Vareck stole. Otherwise, her odious brother will force her to marry a man old enough to be her father. She has receipts which may prove to be helpful but knows she can’t make the road trip alone. She turns to the one person she thinks will be helpful – Julian Raleah, the Marquess of Grayson – the man she wanted to marry before her brother talked her into marrying Vareck.

Janna MacGregor wrote a wonderful road trip story involving close proximity in a carriage, an inn with only one room, some gaming houses, highway men, and a wonderful valet/coachman/voice of reason (can Cillian have his own story?). Both Beth and Julian have trust issues, and are afraid of getting hurt again, but luckily the spark they had years ago hasn’t died and is rekindled.

This second-chance love story was well-written, and I didn’t want to put it down. I so enjoyed watching Beth and Julian’s characters develop, learn about themselves and each other, and grow together over the course of the book. There is plenty of humor and witty dialogue in this story. Janna MacGregor delightfully combines intrigue, adventure, love, and laughter while turning up the heat between Beth and Julian. You will not be disappointed by this entertaining story. Thank you to Janna MacGregor, St. Martin’s Publishing, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy. I voluntarily read the book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the final book in this series, but it can stand on it's own.

It's basically a second-chance romance as Beth & Julian were secretly betrothed many years ago. Circumstances came between them, but now that Beth needs to find her dowry they have another chance at love. In the process they help solve a mystery, and learn how to trust each other. Note - the mystery gave me strong 'The Hangover' vibes, which was fun.

I enjoyed this very much - the characters were interesting and the story kept me engaged.

Fortune, the lack thereof, broke them apart. Fortune, the quest for it, brought them together. The rest is up to them. A tale about their journey to discovery encompassing adventures , a highwayman, betrayal, creativity and redemption. A lovely and engaging read about a couple’s unbreakable bond despite obstacles, financial problems, sibling interference but with the help of good friends and an unexpected source.

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

A thoroughly charming story that will take you on a journey to find true love.
One that should have taken place years ago, but unfortunately, bad choices stood in the way!!

Having married a bigamist, who of course, run off with her fortune, Beth is desperate to find that money, now that she knows the truth!

Grayson has the means to help Beth with his carriage to help her on her quest. Both had loved each other once, but due to circumstances had broken apart.

A heartfelt, sweet tale that will make you feel all of the emotions!!

In the first book of the Widow Rules series we are introduced to three widowed women whom have fond out that they were all married to the same man! A sisterly bond is formed between them as they try to sort out the mess and move forward with their lives…

In this final book of the series, Beth, the third wife goes on a road trip treasure hunt with her former love in the hopes of finding the dowry her fake husband took from her in order to secure her independence.

This book was full of fun and hijinks as Beth and Lord Grayson search for clues, investigate hints, travelling across England in the hunt for the dowry that will not only create financial independence for Beth, but also fund Grayson’s scientific endeavors.

These two have not stopped loving each other since Beth’s brother, refused, grace and suit at her come out season… but they are both still not in a place to find their happily ever after together. Grayson still needs an heiress to rebuild the marquessate. Beth has no faith in the men in her life, for they have all disappointed her, how can she relinquish herself to the hands of another man? She needs to find faith in herself before she can put her faith on a man.

I loved how the force proximity of their road trip adventure, and the antics from visiting a pig farm, to surviving a Highwomen attack, and even Glamping up for the assemblies brings these two closer and closer as their journey continues. I couldn’t have been happier by the end results and how Beth and grace, and finally make their way to each other for good!

As a series finale, I was very happy to see Kat and Constance along with their husbands back and enjoying theirHEA’s as they prod Beth and Grayson ever closer together. I have a feeling that readers are going to be pretty happy with this conclusion, I know I was very satisfied with the ending of this trilogy.

Thanks to the St Martins Press for my review copy. Opinions are my own.

#HowToBestAMarquess #JennaMacGregor

Beth Howell needs to find her dowry. After her good-for-nothing first husband absconds with it she's left financially ruined and must live with her brother, who cares more for his horses than he does his blood relatives. If she can’t find it, her brother will force her to marry someone fifty years older than her. She would really prefer not to do that so she’ll have to leave town and retrace Meri's steps in order to find her dowry.
Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, has had a heart of stone ever since his engagement to Beth ended. She's on his doorstep asking for help to find her lost dowry. He cannot go on the road with the woman who dumped him ten years ago. But, knowing she needs his help he can’t he resist helping her.

The third book in this series is as good as all the others. Strong female character as in all the other books in the series. Very enjoyable.

I loved the main characters are people looking to make their own path.
And despite their failed history, they are still the person they both know they can count on.
Beth seeks a way out of under her brother’s thumb, the means to establish herself as a woman free of men’s influence. Why she is looking for her lost dowry.
Grayson is living on the fringes of destitution, making do with the little he has and seeking solution to save his estates.
But reconnecting with the woman he lost years ago, was not part of his plans but she might offer him a solution to his more urgent problem and also hope for something else or more.

Their journey to pursue a ghost’s tracks is quite wild, and sometimes crazy. But it was needed for Grayson to prove Beth he was not a fickle being, turning away at the hurdle. This trip offers them opportunities to really get to know the other, and while she is very adamant to never come to the altar again, quite understandable at time after all, seing how well it worked for her previously, thus to add to her stubbornness, she also plays hot and cold with Grayson, the man who never stopped to love her, and whatever he shows her he will be reliable and open to all her ideas, she pushes him away but does not mind to kiss him or more.

An amusing road trip that will allow Grayson to share his side of their history and Beth to finally decide if the lonely path is really her only option.
4 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen foreplays and lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

What a great fun, wild ride this series has been! I couldn’t wait for Beth story as I knew it would be the best and it was. Don’t get me wrong, the first two were great reads also. Beth had always lived by society's rules and what did it get here, nothing but heartache, shame and broke. She was once invited to all the ton events and had a wonderful man she was sure would be her husband and happy ever after. Julian, Marquess of Grayson was tall, handsome and well-liked by all. He courted her and said he was going to ask her brother to marry her then poof he was gone, no letter, explaining why just gone and she was heartbroken. When her no good brother, St John offers her hand in marriage to Meri a half-brother to a Duke. He was a scoundrel that married three women at the same time! None know of the others till his death then they become the best of sisters and friends. He took all of their dowries and left them with nothing. He was only truly married to one, left another with child, and Beth was his last who he spent one night with and left never to be seen again. Leaving her thinking she was not good enough. Now her spend-thrift brother want to marry her off again to a man older enough to be her grandfather! She needs to find what happened to her dowry and if any is left. She needs help and goes to the only person she knows to ask, her ex no other than Julian. It’s been eight years since they were together other than for seeing each other at events. Julian can’t believe she is there and asks him to go on a trip with her. Beth knows that he needs money to start his steam engines project and save his family's estates after his father lost all their money. He knows this is a horrible idea, spending time alone with her in a carriage, but he can’t tell her no. Oh, what could go wrong with both of our couple having thoughts about the other neither should have, throw in a pig, a servant, Cillian who is also a friend, man of all trade and tells Julian what he needs to hear. Add in both our couples from the first two books, and some really interesting people they meet alone the way. Oh, what a trip of learning past secrets, misunderstanding, passion, second chance and a number of surprises too. The ending will make you think twice about what you know. This is a series that anyone who loved the underdog, romance, friendships, love and happy ending should not miss. I would suggest reading them in order, so you get all the history. It was great to revisit all our old friends from books one and two. I am really sorry to see this series end. But can’t wait to see what Jenna comes up with next. I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

Miss Beth Howell is on a mission. She is determined to get her dowery back from wherever her deceased husband had hidden it. But, it will be a challenge with a brother determined to marry her to a gentleman fifty years her senior and who cares more about keeping up appearances than his sister. With nowhere else to turn, Beth decides to enlist the help of her first love, Julian Raleah, the Marquess of Grayson. Julian is hesitant to help Beth, not because of her reputation (being married to a bigamist will ruin a girl) but because he has loved her since he first saw her ten years ago. After deciding to help her, Julian and Beth are on an adventure. But, they both must be careful because feelings they have been denying are simmering just under the surface. Will Beth find her dowery? Will they give in to their feelings for each other?

I was so flipping happy and a little sad when I realized this book was getting ready to be published. I enjoy reading Janna MacGregor’s historical romances; this particular trilogy had my attention from the beginning. I was sad because the trilogy was ending. I enjoyed reading about wife one and wife two getting their happy ending and wondered when Beth would get hers. Out of the three, I felt that she deserved it the most.

I put down that there are trigger warnings in this book. I was on the fence about even putting them up, but I decided to do. So, here they are:

Bigamy: Beth’s deceased husband married three women around the same time. They only found out about each other when his will was read. Beth mostly remembers Meri with a sense of sarcasm and exasperation, with some anger thrown in (she’s better than me).
Sexism: This is Regency England, and men ruled the roost back then. Women were kept to the background and not allowed to make decisions independently. Their fathers (or male guardians) would secure marriages for them (which is what Beth’s brother, St. John, was doing at the beginning of the book).
Misgony: Several men in the book looked down on women. Most notable were St. John and his friends. I wasn’t shocked by this because it did keep with the time (Regency England).
If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

The main storyline in How to Best a Marquess was Beth’s quest to discover what Meri did with her dowery, her relationship (past and present) with Julian, and their love story. It was a well-written storyline that didn’t fail to capture my attention. I did not find myself wanting to put my Kindle down. Instead, I was glued to it. I was rooting (and hoping) for Beth to find her dowery. I also hoped for her and Julian’s relationship to rekindle faster than it did. Not complaining, but the sparks were there from the beginning, and I got antsy with the build-up.

I felt Beth was the strongest of the three women in this trilogy. She lost everything when it came out what Meri did. She was shunned (and ridiculed) by the Polite Society. There was a point in the book where I thought maybe it was in her head, but nope, it wasn’t. She was treated poorly by her brother’s friend’s sisters and then again by the wife of someone Julian was hoping to connect with. I was a little irritated by that. The women (again, mainly Beth) were held accountable for what Meri did. Did she know that he married two other women? Nope, yet people were quick to point fingers at her. And if he were still alive, his friends would have celebrated it. It still makes me irritated even thinking about it.

I loved Julian and was horrified by how St. John treated him ten years ago. He was laughed out of the house when he asked for Beth’s hand in marriage. Why? Because Julian had no money. He was a poor Marquess. So Julian left and worked to rebuild his fortune by becoming a man of science (i.e., engineering, but it wasn’t called that back then). He still had feelings for Beth, and it was those feelings that led him to accompany her on her journey. I loved how Julian stood up to people when they put her down. He didn’t even hesitate and immediately put people in their places. On that alone, Julian was in my good graces. But he also gave Beth her space. Julian knew Meri had damaged her, and she needed time to get over things. He would let her go even if that meant breaking his heart.

The characters from book one and book two did make an appearance throughout How to Best a Marquess. There was also a Duke who kept appearing, that piqued my interest. I hope the author either does a series with him in it or a standalone book.

The sex scenes in How to Best a Marquess was hot. Once Julian and Beth decided to sleep with each other, it was terrific. I mentioned above how I was antsy with the build-up. Well, they didn’t sleep together until almost halfway through the book. The sex was also graphic. Again, I didn’t mind it and felt it added to Julian and Beth’s relationship.

The end of How to Best a Marquess was a whirlwind. Everything happened simultaneously, and I had an issue processing it. I had to reread the ending chapters several times to understand what happened. Of course, my failure to process could have been due to a lack of sleep (I stayed up late to read this book). My favorite part about the ending was the epilogue. I liked seeing where everyone was a year from when the book ended.

I recommend How to Best a Marquess to anyone over 21. There is mild violence and sexual situations but no language. Also, see my trigger warning list.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Janna MacGregor for allowing me to read and review How to Best a Marquess. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Awesome conclusion to the Widow Rules series! I loved every minute of reading this book, just as I did the others in the series. Some hilarious twists and turns just keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I did not want to put it down and only did when the kids made me! Wish the series would continue, but at least all the different threads throughout the books came together by the end.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Financially ruined and with a reputation now in tatters, Beth Howell learns she is to be betrothed to another man of her brother’s choosing. Beth decides to take control of her life by retrieving her lost dowry. She enlists the help of her former love Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, who once asked for her hand but was rejected by Beth’s brother. Desperately in need of the money Beth offers in exchange for his help, Julian agrees, and the pair sets off on a road trip that becomes much more than a search for her dowry.

Over the course of the trilogy, we learn more and more about Meri. Why did he marry these three women? What did he do with the dowry money? Were his motives as dastardly as they seem? Well, we find all that out and more by the conclusion of the story. I like how it all came together.

Beth and Julan have so much chemistry, and it is pretty clear from the start that there are unresolved feelings between them. The angst! There’s so much pining between these two, and it makes their journey super angsty and filled with sexual tension.

With two unconventional protagonists, the story sheds light on societal prejudice, double standards, and women’s lack of control over their lives. Beth and Julian defy the norms of society, and they are ostracized for it. Julian is an inventor and engineer who is on the cusp of massive success. An impoverished marquess, he is often judged and treated unfairly. And I hated how Beth was treated all because of something that was completely out of her control. She was forced to marry someone she didn’t love, a man who already had two other wives, and when his crimes are revealed, Beth is shunned, and her reputation is ruined. But she did nothing wrong! It’s terrible how two good people are unjustly treated for things entirely out of their control, but their situations definitely shed light on society at the time.

Other messages about not letting society define you, fighting for the people and things you believe in, and taking risks are highlighted in the characters’ actions and motivations. I thought Beth and Julian were compelling and layered characters who both changed and learned a lot about themselves and their shared history. Cillian, who works for Julian, was another fantastic character and often the voice of reason in a very confusing situation.

Speaking of confusing situations, the mystery of Beth’s missing dowry and what happened to Meri and the money is finally revealed, as Beth and Julian slowly unfurl Meri’s final weeks. I’m glad the women from all three books finally had some closure after the trauma, betrayal, and hurt Meri caused. And the epilogue is the perfect ending!

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

How to Best a Marquess is a captivating tale of enduring friendships and a love story that withstands all trials. The plot is enriched with intriguing mysteries that add depth to the narrative.