The writing is solid, creating a vivid atmosphere, but the plot is a mix of captivating moments and predictability. Characters are well-developed, though some lack depth. Pacing fluctuates, making it a decent but not outstanding read.

I am in my Regency romance era, and I greatly enjoyed A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin. Miss Eliza Balfour is widowed and able to live life on her own terms (or at least able to push the bounds of society), and she's also met with a second chance at love.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I had high hopes for this book. Wording and sentences were very choppy and too many characters all mentioned at once made this very hard to follow. Did not finish.

“Was she really to allow any man to make such demands of her, anymore? Allow her life to be ordained, in perpetuity, by their high-handed judgements or capricious moods?”

I really enjoyed this follow-up to A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting. It's a stand alone novel, not a sequel so feel free to read this one first, but I really recommend reading both. I love a good love triangle when it's done right. When they're done wrong, I really can't handle reading them. Fortunately in this case it was the former. I went back and forth rooting for both couples but ended up loving the ending. Historical Romance is a new genre for me and this author in particular has really caused me to want to read more of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A Lady’s Guide To Scandal by Sophie Irwin was was a fun and delightful regency-era read! I enjoyed returning back to Miss Eliza Balfour - when we left her in the first book ten years prior she was married to the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior. Now widowed and an independently wealthy woman, we follow her to Bath with her cousin Margaret to pursue Bath’s most alluring bachelor, the infamous Lord Melville.

There are a lot of laughs and delightful moments Sophie Irwin is well known for that made this read so enjoyable for me. Highly recommend!

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is the 2nd book of The Lady’s’ Guide series and can be read as a stand alone novel. A bit slow at first but ok in the end. Widowed, Eliza finds herself in a position to create her future. We follow through ups and downs, what choices will she make? Where will they take her.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an electronic ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal follows recently widowed Eliza Balfour as she navigates life after her husband's death. I was hoping for much more scandal and for this book to be quick-witted and humorous. Unfortunately, Eliza did not live up to the hype that I was hoping for and a scandal she did not create.

Sophie Irwin's A Lady's Guide to Scandal trades on all the core elements of Regency romance, but has a little something extra. The plot is what sets Irwin apart. It flies. This is the sort of book you can read in an evening and be happy that you did. I enjoyed it, but would have liked a few more innovations within the genre.

This was the most delightful and fun regency-era read! Yes, it was a romance. Regency-era chaste. But more than that, it was a wonderful story about a young widow finding her way in the world and making her own place in society.

Excuse me while I book a trip to Bath, because this book made it sound like an amazing place to vacation.

I found myself laughing and cringing and crossing my fingers for happy endings for most of the characters we met in this book. Not all. But definitely most. And the irony and sarcasm are so well written. I will gladly read anything else this author ever chooses to publish!

I enjoyed this story! I thought it was whitty and well written. I love a strong woman character. I was sad that it kept moving to the bottom of my TBR pile. Great read.

5 blazing stars for "A Lady's Guide to Scandal"! I absolutely devoured this book. I was expecting to love it because it has all the hallmarks of a successful romance for me: Jane Austen vibes, strong women, friendship, and witty banter. My god, the banter! It was so vibrant and had me laughing out loud. The writing is impeccable. The amount of highlighting I did is simply obscene. I must admit, I went with grand assumptions about how the story would go and I was happily surprised for who I was rooting for in the end.

I am excited to push this book into everyone's hands.

Brava, Sophie! x

I love Sophie Irwin! Her previous book, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, was terrific. This sophomore title hasn't lost any sparkle. There is still the same wit readers have come to expect from Ms. Irwin. Eliza is widowed at the young age of 28 (well, in these times, is that so young?). Poor Eliza finds herself awaiting her fate---what will her future hold? She surprisingly discovers that her old codger husband has left her the entire estate---she is free actually to live her life!

This delightful book brought me laughter and tears. Please keep them coming, Sophie! BTW, I adore the cover art work.

Timid Regency lady Eliza married for duty at 18, even though she was in love with someone else; a decade later, she is a wealthy widow and duchess. When her first love comes back into her life, does the old fire still exist? This sweetly satisfying Regency romance follows Eliza's slow unfurling from a woman who made herself smaller and smaller to fit societal expectations to an independent painter who refuses to fold herself small again for someone else's demands.

Minor love triangle that fits Eliza's growth; wonderful female friendship between Eliza and her cousin Margaret; no on-page sex or even suggested sex.

Reading Sophie Irwin is always delightful, and she's created another fun cast of characters here. The romance ultimately disappointed me, largely because I'm a big Persuasion fan and this is not a book that gets Persuasion — so I did that to myself! But for entertaining characters and shenanigans, this book was a good time.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin.
A Lady's Guide to Scandal is a fun British romance book that is highly predictable, but a joy to read. Although it is the second book in the Lady's Guide series, this book can also be a stand alone novel.

Rating: 4/5

Read it for the:
-Great Character Growth
-Witty dialogue
-Plot Twist
-Historical notes
-Love triangle
-Echos of Jane Austen’s Persuasion
-Uplifting and modern message

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭:
Romance: Clean (kissing only)
Trigger warning: prejudice

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
My first read by Sophie Irwin, and I was not disappointed. I will admit that as I began reading this story, it reminded me of the classic, Persuasion, so much so I thought this book a retelling until I got further into my reading. Original, sweet, and empowering, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal was a refreshing tale of finding yourself and embracing love on the way.

I so loved the main character Eliza and the wonderful character arc she experienced throughout the story. What started as a quiet woman who couldn’t voice her thoughts transformed and grew stronger with every turn of the page. I was fully immersed in her journey. I also loved the historical notes the author added to the story, the research on the time was seen and combined with her writing style, served to immersive me in the setting and time. I laughed at many of the witty comebacks and felt shocked at the twists.

I also loved the cast of side characters, including the love interests - whom I won’t go into because of spoilers. Just know the romance was there and the chemistry was felt. I knew who I was rooting for, and was immensely satisfied with the ending. While a clean romance (no language or explicit content) I applaud the author for her skill in writing a romance that was very much emotionally driven, and entertaining to watch blossom.

Overall, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is a light read, with depth, a sweet romance, and great character development that I recommend! I cannot wait to read more from Sophie Irwin.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Sophie Irwin!! This was fantastic, I love a good historical romance but I also love when they are this fun.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

"She did not want to make herself small again, in any way—not her character, not her desires, not her life. Not even for him."

My rating: 4 stars

A Lady's Guide to Scandal was a fun addiction to the Lady's Guide series. It's lighthearted and fun, and kept me laughing throughout.

Sophie Irwin has a unique and engaging writing style, and her stories reflect that. It was delightful getting to know Eliza and Margaret and Melville and Somerset. The cast of characters was varied and entertaining and their antics kept me engaged and entertained.

I would recommend this to Regency and romance lovers alike. Both would find something to enjoy in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a sucker for a historical romance so I was very excited about this one! However, I wasn’t in love with it by the end. I wanted to connect to the characters more and when the plot is not usually something I can relate to, this genre is really hard for me to enjoy if I can’t connect with them. Eliza made poor choices but it doesn’t seem that out of character since this was her first real chance at freedom. I love a love triangle and this one just wasn’t angsty like I had hoped. Overall, I’m happy I read it but won’t be recommending it to my friends unless they love historical romances.

Reminiscent of Jane Austen yet still uniquely written, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal, is enjoyable. While the main character begins the story as a widow, readers are quickly presented with an awkward encounter with her first love. However, he seems not to remember her! Readers will be entertained at the development in both plot and characters throughout.