When I received this book from Netgalley I saw it was second in a series, so quickly read her first book, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, which I enjoyed. After reading this book, I found it is not really a series, but I am glad I first read her debut novel. I do enjoy seeing a writer improve with each book.
Our heroine Eliza is now a 27 year old widow after her parents accepted a marriage with an austere Earl 20 years older than 17 year old Eliza. Between her mothers strictness and her husband's constant disapproval, Eliza was a shy girl who had been in love with the Earl's nephew.
Now a rich widow, the new Earl returns, and she is still in love with him. At the reading of the will she discovers her husband had surprisingly left her with a fortune. Off to Bath she goes, with her cousin Margaret as her companion.
Will Eliza finally come into herself. Will she successfully return to painting, a skill her grandfather, himself a painter, encouraged in her?
When the scandalous Lord Melville, a half Indian Earl and famous poet comes to town, will that affect her relationship with the new Earl?? Did I mention her husband had added a morality clause to her inheritance to control her from the grave? Read the book to find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC for an honest revie

Any book by Sophie Irwin is highly anticipated and A Lady’s Guide to Scandal was an automatic addition to my TBR list.

Like with her debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting, I was able to lose myself in the emotions of the main character, Eliza. It did take a while to get invested in the story, but the cast of supporting characters helped, as Eliza came out of her widow’s weeds.

I will remain a loyal reader and appreciate the author’s use of different tropes in her books.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to get my hands on a book that was high on my future TBR.

I really wanted to like this book!

Pros - It does have some fun twists and turns that I really didn't see coming. Overall the characters were likeable.

Cons - Lack of dialogue and it moves a bit slow overall. I was left wishing there was more time for the couple that actually ended up with each other to have more time to develop their romance.

I am sure this book with find its perfect readers. It sadly wasn't for me.

It takes a skilled author to write a book centering a trope I dislike 99% of the time, and make me love it. I really liked A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, but this one was on another level, and it makes me so excited to see what Irwin's next book is like. This can be read as a standalone without reading the first book in the series, since it follows new characters.

I think the characters and the relationships are a huge part of why this worked so well for me. It's very easy to root for Eliza, our heroine, whose much older husband died and left her a small fortune, hers to spend as long as she behaves with propriety, as judged by the new Earl of Somerset—the man she once loved and hoped to marry. This new, financial freedom allows her to cast off her family's restraints and expectations, and flee to Bath with her cousin Margaret. But she still finds herself struggling between what she wants, and what people expect of her, and of women in general. Luckily, she is aided in this by Margaret, who often encourages her to throw caution to the wind and follow her heart. I loved the strong friendship between them, and the way they supported each other throughout the story.

The first love interest we meet is Somerset, and this relationship delivers all the angst. If you're a fan of Jane Austen's Persuasion, you can definitely see the similarities in the setup. Eliza feels tortured over the decision she made to marry Somerset's uncle for the benefit of her family, and she is sure that Somerset still hates her for it. It becomes clear very quickly that he's not over her decision, but also not over her, and now that she is a widow, there is an opportunity for them to rekindle their romance.

Whereas in A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, Kitty was the one delivering the snark and humor, this book gives us Melville, who was a delight. The initial meeting between Melville and Eliza quickly turns sour when Eliza overhears him delivering a few cutting insults (very reminiscent of Elizabeth and Darcy, so of course I approve), but he quickly redeems himself, and they strike up a friendship (and more) while Eliza paints Melville's portrait.

It's very easy to root for both love interests, and they have different things going for and against them. The conflicts that arise within the story honestly took me by surprise, but I ate it all up. I found myself favoring one over the other quicker than I expected to, but in this case I wouldn't have hated the outcome either way. I was very happy with the way the book ended, which is all I'll say. If you want to find out who she ends up with, read the book. ;)

I really really wanted to like this one. I read about 50% then just couldn't continue. The book began slow and the couples were unrelatable to me. I picked this up on the Bridgerton train and this was not comparable.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC. As I am my own person, the above
opinions are my own.

This Regency style novel is a somewhat whimsical look at the lives of a young widow, her best friend and the people they fall in love with ; as well as some people they can not stand.
Eliza,the young widow, desires more for her future than "society" allows. However, Eliza's friend and cousin ,Margaret, stands strong qith Eliza while they explore the possibilities of a future beyond what most accept as descent or proper. The growth of Eliza's character is well written. And her devout friendship with Margaret is palpable.
Eliza does find herself in love with two men ( scandle) but this love triangle helps with the overall growth of Eliza's character. While her actions certainly go against all rules of society at that time, I love how she does not cave to the pressure of following status quo.
With enough witt to keep the book lively and enough tension and strife to keep the reader guessing,I consider this a light read that left me feeling a bit of "sisterly"pride for,what becomes, a strong female lead.

My second read from Sophie Irwin, but it wasn't quite as lively for me as "A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting" was. I'm all about a love triangle, and I truly was torn on who I thought she would pick until the end. I just felt like it was missing some pizzazz - maybe because the first one was spicy and this one wasn't? I enjoyed Eliza and how her character developed throughout the book, but she didn't feel super relatable to me.

Very cute book! I love a good historical fiction. I felt a lot of what the main character was feeling because it was well written. I liked the twists in the story because I thought it was going to be pretty straight forward. I’m not the type to try to guess what is going to happen, I like to just experience things as I go. I thought the character development was very good for Eliza, she was a better person by the end! I definitely plan to read more from this author!

I’m full transparency I have to say I hate love triangles. This has to be my least favorite trope. That being said if you enjoy them you might like this book. Sadly, this book wasn’t for me. The author is charming and good and what she does, but this just didn’t do it for me. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Historical Romance
Tropes: love triangle

(Spoilers)

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is the second book in Sophie Irwin’s “Lady’s Guide” series. Although it is book two, it can easily be read as a stand alone. While there are brief allusions to the first book, none of the story relies on events from A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting.

I read Fortune-Hunting last year and wasn’t a big fan. But I am IN LOVE with A Lady’s Guide to Scandal. The characters were beautifully written, the love story was perfectly paced with just the right amount of tension, and the wit was spot on.

*Eliza is recently widowed and has inherited a fortune, as long as she remains free of scandal. She’s always been a level-headed ruler follower, so it shouldn’t be an issue, right?*

I loved seeing Eliza go from a reserved girl who allows her family to walk all over her to someone who stands up for herself and knows what she wants and how she wants it!

Melville was my favorite character. His humor was laugh-out-loud funny and I love how he encourages Eliza become the person she wants to be.

More evidence of a great story is when you also fall in love with the side characters. Caroline and Margaret’s side story had me wanting a book written just for them. The residents of Bath that become Eliza’s friends have so much personality and add so much to the story. In the words of Mr. Fletcher, they are simply “splendid”.

The love triangle was probably my least favorite part of the story. And that’s only because I didn’t feel it was truly believable. It was painfully obvious to me which man Eliza would end up the moment she met him, despite her relationship with the other.

Read if you enjoy:
* Regency Romance
* Love triangle trope
* Amazing side characters
* Witty banter

(Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for the arc!)

This book was a fun, light-hearted rom-com that had you rooting for the main character as you went along. Although not as relatable as Irwin's main character from the first book, this main character had traits that had you wanting to break out and break the mold!

When I tell you after finishing Sophie Irwin's first book, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, I ran to NetGalley so fast because I knew there was an ARC of her next book A Lady's Guide to Scandal, you'll start to understand that I may have found my new favorite Regency romance writer. Regency romances used to be my thing for comfort reads, that is until I found they became too repetitive for even that. Irwin's books introduce you to characters facing new situations, or at least making clear what circumstances existed in that time period, that make them stand out.

Scandal introduces us to Eliza, a woman who has just lost her elderly husband. The book opens just as she's reconnecting with the man she thought she would spend her life with, a man whose uncle she was forced to marry when she was just seventeen. Any reader well-versed in Regencies would expect the story to bloom from there, but Irwin adds another character, Max Melville, a flirty poet who may or may not be what he seems. And while a love triangle may not be everyone's favorite trope, it serves as a backdrop as Eliza decides who and what she wants.

And while yes, this is not a perfectly executed book by any means, it's a stronger book than the first in the series. It also shows a writer who is willing to write more complicated characters and situations in the Regency space, and that is something I appreciate.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is a Regency era rom com with intrigue, hilarious dialogue, and delicious scandal. The eloquent descriptions transported me to a different era. I was pleasantly surprised by A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin and read it an a ARC for NetGalley.

Eliza is a mean young widow who also happens to be among the richest women in England thanks to her late husbands will giving nearly all of his estates and capital to her. Eliza and her spirited, spinster cousin, Margaret travel to Bath to discover independence they have never truly known. And with Eliza’s ex and the scandalous Lord Melville both vying for Eliza’s attention, she finds herself pulled between the mouse wife she was and an emboldened widow who desired to do as she wishes. The only problem: her fortune could be taken away in an instant due to a morality clause in the will.

♟️masterful descriptions
🕰️time transporting dialogue
🥂a brilliant protagonist

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin’s first novel A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting and was delighted that I was able to get an advance copy from @netgalley ❤️ I was fortunate enough to be able to spend part of my Mother’s Day finishing it up and, though I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first, I kept reaching for it, which is always a plus!

The beginning and the end of this book are so fun, but it drags quite a bit in the middle. The main character is a smidge annoying, but I think that may be the point. The best parts perhaps are the excellent side characters and the satisfying ending. I would recommend this for those who enjoy bridgerton-era reads but don’t need or want the steam. I do think this would make for an enjoyable film/tv adaptation and I kept thinking who I would cast in the roles. 🤔

Is this on your list for upcoming releases? It’s slated for July!

Thank you to @netgalley for providing an e-galley so I could read this in the middle of the night 😅

You will like this book if you: enjoy slow burns, liked Bridgerton, enjoy 19th century women becoming empowered, enjoy love triangles, or want to learn new words while reading.

Beware if you don’t like any of those things.

Not being a fan of slow burns myself I found the pacing of this book frustrating. But if you can get through the first 60% it really picks up from there.

This was a sweet and different take on the second chance romance troupe. I loved the character development, it felt natural. Though not historically accurate, it's a fun read and one I'd definitely recommend. Rom-com & Jane Austen vibes are always a hit for me!

I enjoyed reading this book and chose it mainly from the book cover and title. The story itself has a lot of Jane Austen vibes except the leading lady has money and freedom to do as she pleases. I read some reviews that said this wasn't realistic to the times of that Era, but really who cares it's not meant to be a historically accurate story since it is fiction. I would recommend this story to my Austen loving friends.

Started reading the book and was utterly confused, turns out its the second in a series! So who stayed up all night reading the first book and then reading the second book the next day...ME! Was it worth it? OMG YES! Readers are dazzled by the aesthetic of the era and the personalty of the characters. Highly recommend reading it when sleep-deprived because when the hallucinations start from the lack of sleep you literally fall into this wonderful world Sophie Irwin has created.

Delightful and charming, and a slightly-more-scandalous Jane Austen regency novel, this was unputdownable. I loved every second of it. The characters were wonderful, the romance lovely and satisfying, and it left me in such a good mood after I finished it. I highly recommend this to all, especially those who are looking for their next Bridgerton fix.

In A Lady's Guide to Scandal, Eliza is newly widowed after an unhappy marriage. She had wanted to marry her husband's nephew, who has now inherited his title. Could this be a second chance at love between them or has their moment passed?

To Eliza's surprise, she inherits a sizable fortune, but in order to keep it she must avoid scandal. As a woman, she is expected to allow her parents to resume control of her life. Instead, she and her cousin Margaret escape to Bath under the guise of health issues, with the intent to use her fortune as she wishes, on clothes and paint, while taking in concerts and shows.

On the way there, she meets the scandalous Lord Melville, who soon joins the Bath social scene with his sister, Lady Caroline. The Melvilles are unconcerned about the gossip that follows them, but Eliza knows that, for the sake of her future independence, it would be wise to keep her distance lest the gossip attach itself to her. But if she is truly independent, why can't she do as she pleases?

I really liked this book, but the first half of it moves so slowly that it took a good while to become invested. In the second half of the book, you really start to understand where the story is going, and I was excited by the direction. I will say, that I wanted more time with the love interests together after they had figured things out. I love seeing the couple building their lives together, but this only really gave us a glimpse of it at the end.