I really enjoyed this first entry in what I very much hope is a long series about Lady Petra Forsyth, a 24-year-old woman of independent means (almost impossible during this time) who has become a curiosity in London society since she declared herself a permanent spinster after the tragic death of her fiance. At the start of this novel, Petra is at odds with her uncle, who disapproves of her unwomanly behavior (riding astride, having opinions, not being interested in marriage), and she decides to leave her father's country estate to return to town. She soon learns that one of her closest friends, who she had seen not long before, had suddenly died. The circumstances of that death turn out to be suspicious, and Lady Petra finds herself in the middle of a bit of a conspiracy to deal with inconvenient women. She is accompanied by her maid, Agnes, her friend Lady Caroline, and her childhood friend and potential romantic interest, Duncan. The end of this was just *chef's kiss* and I can't wait to read the next entry in this series. Content warning for violence against women, next-level gaslighting, kidnapping, and references to sexual abuse.

Cozy mystery with regency elements! I loved this one! Petra and Duncan are a great couple! I loved how this followed their relationship from the marriage on and we got to see all their struggles together.

Prepare to be swept up in this mystery!

Set in Regency England, a time when laws favored males, women had few rights and were subject to rule first by their fathers and then by their husbands.

Lady Petra Forsyth is a woman ahead of her time, independent and thinking. Connally does an exceptional job in depicting the life, manners, times and morals of both the ton and the servant class of the early 1800’s.

I eagerly await the next chapter of Lady Petra’s story.

Many thanks to NetGalley & St.Martin’s Press for a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've read and enjoyed the author's work (under a different name), so when I saw this new release, I grabbed an early copy. Loved that it's set in 1815, a period I don't know a ton about. My historical fiction often gravitates toward America's Gilded Age, but I might need to turn back the clock by another 75 years, eh? Petra is a formidable lady, and what happens to her is deliciously horrible. I was more irate than she when it came to the way men, in particular her uncle and the doctor, treated this woman. That's a sign of great writing, when an author can conjure an emotional outburst of passion and hatred all at the same time. The mystery was expertly weaved together in a normal storyline about what it was like for a woman during this time period. Meeting the various duchesses and ladies and lords made the setting and history come alive. The ending, which I wish had a bit more comeuppance, delivered a solid sense of reality... and really made me hope this becomes a series. Petra makes a brilliant main character, and her exploits could continue to entertain for many more books.

If you like historical mystery with a side order of romance, this the book for you. The characters are fun and it is filled with humor and charm.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. #Netgalley

This was a super fun, well written regency mystery. I liked the tone and thought the characters were well developed. There were so many characters it would have been really helpful to have a map or a tree!

The resolution came a bit to fast for me and I am perplexed by the last line in the epilogue! Is it meant to be a cliff hanger or just a choose your own adventure?

The cover and title were the first things that caught my eye for this book. I’m a sucker for history romance/mystery and this was perfect fit for me. The book definitely leans more to the mystery side but there is little romance in this book.

The main charter of this charming book is Lady Petra Forsyth and her journey on finding why ladies are disappearing and why their male family members seem to not be worried at all, actually they seem a little smug.

There were quite a few compelling side characters but it was sometimes difficult to remember who was who. The “villains” of the book are truly diabolical and definitely make you root for Lady Petra.

This book is a little slow in the beginning but definitely picks up speed in the middle and ends. I do wish there was a little more about the main male character, Duncan but the author perfectly set up a second book with the ending so I’m hoping we learn more about him.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I do wish there was a tinge more romance which is why I went with four stars but I really enjoyed the mystery. I did literally gasp at the last line of the book and I excited to see where this author takes the next book!

I was approved to read this advanced copy through Net Galley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've read many of these feminist Regency romances where the heroine has a penchant for uncovering the follies of her fellow peerage. What I haven't had the pleasure of until now is reading one with such a spectacular cliffhanger!!

THOUGHTS:
- The cliffhanger! I truly didn't see this coming, especially the way it played out, and I feel like that's the mark of good writing. So much of this story lined up to be what you'd expect - and I loved seeing my predictions come true. But to give us just enough of a happy ever after and then throw in that curve ball?! *Chef's kiss**

NOTES:
- Feminist
- 1800s England Setting
- 🌶️🌶️/5 slow burn in the BEST way... I really can't say anything else but I haven't adored a Regency romance as much in while!!

<i>**Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤</i>

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress @minotaur_books and @celesteconnallyauthor for this ARC! This was an extremely fun and feminist mystery with an undercurrent of romance, a little different than my usual easy reads, and I definitely enjoyed it.

Lady Petra, after losing her much loved fiancé three years ago, has declared herself a spinster by choice. She’s tired of the men of the ton and how disgusting they are, including and especially the truly odious Josiah Bellingham, one of the men she’s refused suit. While he seemed innocuous in the past, he and his friends have escalated in their actions, making her social life miserable. This coincides with her uncle’s anger that she’s unwed, a problem she also can no longer ignore, as he’s now involved her father. On top of everything, her childhood best friend Duncan Shawcross, has just returned from the Continent after disappearing for three years. She and Duncan had a miserable, horrible fight after her fiancé died, and while she wrote a letter to him, he never responded. What’s a girl to DO?

The answer is dodge society’s censure while attempting to get to the bottom of what happened to her friend Gwen, reported dead without a body, but who is also reported to have been seen recently in London.

All signs point to a nefarious and mysterious gentleman who has been seen with the more rotten members of the ton, whispers of a remote respite house in Essex, and the disappearing ladies who have been reported as “mad.” Petra’s own life is now at risk and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe when everybody seems to be watching her every move.

This book digs into what happens to women who don’t fit the norm (feminists and lesbians), those with mental illness, and those whose husbands could not control them. This book lets Petra be the hero, not Duncan, despite the hint of romance — I thought this to be a fun twist to let her be the inspector/sleuth and have the entire book from her POV.

I assume there will be a sequel where Duncan features more prominently as either a love interest, a suspect, or both. And I cannot wait. This one comes out mid-November, so unfortunately, I will indeed be waiting.

When Petra's fiance dies shortly before their wedding, Regency society expects her to find another husband immediately after her mourning period. But Petra is independently wealthy, and she decides to live as a single woman. All is well until she finds herself investigating a friend's death -- it turns out that in England, in that era, husbands who wanted to get their wives out of the way could declare them mentally ill and have them sent to asylums -- and who knows what might happen to them there. Petra turns amateur sleuth to investigate in what I hope is the first of a nice long series! Great characters, great Regency setting, and great story. This is the type of mystery that will definitely appeal to Bridgerton fans.

While I enjoyed Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord i thought it dragged a bit in spots. I realize this could be just my mood at the time. Information was inserted rather gratuitously regarding the main character's past. While the information is pertinent later in the novel, the dropped in tidbits seemed to reference a previous enterprise by Lady Petra. Since this was the first novel a projected series, it was a bit confusing (I searched the author to see if I'd missed a previous title). Nonetheless, Lady Petra and her friends show promise as a continuing series.

“Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord” is a Regency mystery by Celeste Connally. This book follows independent Lady Petra Forsyth, who doesn’t wish to marry, solve a mysterious death of a friend - as things are all as they seem. I found a number of the characters decently well-rounded, which was nice for a new series, though I’m expecting other characters to be rounded out as the series continues. I found the beginning to be the most difficult part to push through - lots of names, lots of titles, and lots of family history. Once the book got rolling, and the focus was on fewer characters, it became easier to follow characters through the story. I think this was a good book - I quite liked Lady Petra’s independence, reasoning, and putting pieces together during this book - plus she’s got spunk. Overall, a 3.5 star rating - the beginning just dragged for me and the ending seemed a lot like setting up for the next book, not always how I like books to be.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this. I liked Petra’s grit. The epilogue hurt my heart a bit (I didn’t want that ending). It was interesting and well done, if a bit fantastical for the age. However, it was interesting and well-written. I enjoyed reading it.

This was a fun read and a change from my usual fare of contemporary crime fiction. I enjoyed the characters and the way the author made the setting come to life. Recommended!

Bridgerton meets mystery in this Regency era romance with a strong female protagonist, Lady Petra. After her engagement ends when the love her life dies tragically, Petra decides not to remarry. This makes Petra unusual and several men want to put her in her place. But when women start disappearing and a murder takes place, Petra is determined to get to the bottom of things.

This gave me alllll the Bridgerton (season 1) feels! First of all, what a fabulous title! Secondly, if you enjoy society events, ballroom gossip, wedding and relationship woes, and mother/ daughter relationships, then this book is for you. I would have enjoyed living in this era, particularly the ballroom galas with gowns. Act Like a Lady fully transports you to London making you feel like you are living with the high-society women. An enjoyable read and start to the Regency Murder Mystery Series.

A well-bred young woman uncovers a mystery in Regency England.

Her widower father may be an Earl, but that doesn’t mean that Lady Petra Forsyth’s life has been all roses and no thorns. She is fortunate to have been raised by a man who values her intelligence and adventurous spirit, and has allowed her more freedoms than most young women of her class. Her mother died when she was young, but left her a sizable inheritance free of strictures and that remains hers even when she marries. Lady Petra has been unlucky in love, however, losing her beloved fiancé in a tragic fall shortly before they were to be wed. At the same time, her lifelong best friend Duncan (who had introduced her to her fiancé) announced he was leaving England for Europe, and Lady Petra felt betrayed. They exchanged angry words, and have been estranged ever since. Now, several years later, Lady Petra has returned to society, though very much on her own terms. She has announced that she will never marry, having lost her true love, and there are many in the ton who are scandalized, including her prissy uncle. Duncan is now back in England, and Lady Petra isn’t ready to forgive him. But when she discovers that a friend, Gwen, has apparently died yet a former servant swears he has seen her recently, Petra starts to look into the contradiction. An attempt is made on her life, the servant turns up dead, and it will take all of Lady Petra’s intellect and spirit to find out what is happening to women in her social circle whose husbands or families may find troublesome. With the help of her lady’s maid, a clever street urchin, and other confidantes (maybe even Duncan?), can Lady Petra find out the truth about what happened to Gwen without herself becoming victim to the same fate?
In this novel, perhaps the first in a series, I found a headstrong young woman who bridles at the constraints that society puts on women, especially those of her social standing. She prefers riding horses in her brother’s old breeches than in the more proper (and far more uncomfortable) lady’s costume. She tends to speak her mind, and in general gets away with behaving in ways that most of her peers cannot. There are those in society, and indeed her own family, that do not approve of her, and that may prove her undoing in this story. She has an ally in several of the more senior women in her circle, including Duncan’s very influential grandmother, but has earned enemies amongst the men (particularly some whose attentions she refused). Fans of historical mysteries like Stephanie Barron’s Jane Austen series, as well as series like Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, will like the setting and the society intrigue. The mystery of what happened to Gwen, and whether it was a singular event or one in a series, plays out at a good pace. The exchanges between Lady Petra and Duncan are a lot of fun, and I enjoyed learning their backstory. All in all, it was a fun read, and I see potential for a series. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy.

I enjoyed this book! The beginning is mostly character and world building with Regency details galore. Then, Her Grace’s ball happens, and the plot moves forward quickly from there. A little too quickly for me, swept along nice and neat, but still. It’s interesting to read, and I gobbled down the last part because I wanted to know how I knew what would happen would happen. The book is predictable but not in a bad way. It’s entertaining! The characters are great, well-defined if not deeply layered, and there is humor but also social commentary. Parts of the book made me feel deeply upset because I know the treatment of women isn’t overplayed.
Overall, I liked this book. A decent cliffhanger, and I might read a second book starring Petra, hinted at in the novel, if I need a quick read between other books or on the beach!

3.5 rounded up. A fun regency novel with mystery, suspense, and a dash of romance. Might not be the best book for someone who wants super historically correct works of fiction but u found it super fun to read!

If you love Christie, if you adore Bridgerton, then you will swoon over this splendid feminist Regency mystery, first in a new series. I loved it and look happily forward to more by the talented author.