This book was unsettling! I honestly had to put it down because I was in turns so angry and so anxious! Well done Celeste Connally. I loved the historical details - the minute descriptions of food, drink, even song titles. The story itself moved quickly, and the character development was rich and nuanced. I look forward to reading what Lady Petra solves next!

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

As I am trying to find myself out of horror, I'm dabbling in all kinds of genres and when the publisher offered a chance to read Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, I said "why not?" I'm so glad I took a chance on this.

Act is a fun, historical-feminist-mystery thriller starring proclaimed to remain unmarried Lady Petra Forsyth. I love her. She is witty, headstrong, determined, and kind. There is something amiss when one of her lady friends is allegedly deceased but Lady P was never told. Then, a servant makes mention of seeing her friend alive and recently! A series of mysteries, actions, and a truly vile villain make up the remainder of this novel and guys, I was HOOKED.

This does start off a bit slow, but more like the fuse on dynamite. The fuse burns a ways before it BLOWS UP and this book sure does. Very few books make my heart race when the action happens, and Act gave me heart palpitations.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is out on 11/14/2023 and I will be purchasing a physical copy. There's talk of this being a new series and I'll be buying those too. Celeste Connally, you just got a new biggest fan.

I received an e-ARC from stmartinspress and minotaur_books on netgalley in exchange for my honest review and I am eternally grateful.

Four stars! Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is the first ARC (advanced reader copy) that I have been sent and oh what a good one it was!! I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this one, especially as it is my first book by this author and I believe her debut novel! This story is the first installment in a Regency-era female-lead mystery series and I think it was such a good first installment. The writing was really well done and helped transport me to the setting while still keeping the language modern enough for today’s standards. I found it so easy to really love and root for the main character right from the start. I loved that she was an independent woman who didn’t care what people thought of her and fought for what she believed in. The mystery aspect was very interesting, though it didn’t involve any huge twists, but it was entertaining and kept me reading for sure! I was really rooting for Petra to uncover the truth and dismantle the misogynistic men at the center of the mystery. The end also really set everything up for the next novel, with a great little cliffhanger that left me excited for the next installment! Overall, I would recommend this one for a fun, slightly thrilling twist on a historical fiction.

Very entertaining story. I ADORED this time piece and the strong female protagonist. As well as the highlighting of positive and underestimated attributes of other female characters. When the story turned into a mystery, it was a welcome surprise! Sweet read with love woven throughout.

Lady Petra is one of those "uppity women" challenging the social norms of her era. There are certainly echoes of our issues in modern times that will feel very familiar. Pacing was engaging and gentle until about halfway through when it became a real page turner. I read late into the night to finish it. Highly recommended.

Connally drops readers straight into 1815 Regency London where 24-year-old Lady Petra Forsyth is negotiating her way through an all-night ball held by the Duchess of Hillmorton. Tucked in amongst newsy tidbits, she hears that a friend, Lady Milford, has recently died of an apoplexy, although details are vague. When she discovers that Martin, a footman from Lady Milford’s household, was let go in sudden circumstances she contrives to speak to him and discovers that he has seen his former mistress very recently. Petra sets up a meeting with him on the usual bridle path ride, but when she arrives, he is dead. Upon further investigation, she discovers that a number of ladies of distinction are being assisted through mental health issues by a mysterious Mr. Drysdale and she vows to find out more.
This is the first in a Regency period mystery series. The mystery at the story’s centre, remains solely within the ton. This gives the author leeway to invest in everything to do with the Regency upper classes, their dress, behaviour, houses, servants, and their hierarchical snobbery and tittle-tattle, plus debutantes, wealthy bachelors and grasping mothers. Connally does an excellent job with a plot that, particularly in the second half of the book, moves swiftly. She holds romance in the wings, although Petra has sworn off marriage publicly. A well-written, illuminating and insightful novel about the often-tragic fall-out when 19th-century women found themselves facing male ownership of property, including wives and children, with nowhere to turn.

Lady Petra has just lost her fiance and soulmate. She feels she will never love again and professes publicly that she will not marry. She is independently wealthy and will not have to depend om a husband. She is fiercely independent and that is not appreciated by many people. She hears that her good friend Gwen has died and then apparently the person who saw her is murdered. So Petra sets out to solve the mystery.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Petra has made a decision that many people are not happy with. She decides to govon a mission when she learns that someone has died mysteriously. Thus was an engaging read.

This was a light, fun read, with a good plot and a well-paced storyline. I enjoyed Petra and the way she engages with her world. A good mystery with solid characters. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

There isn’t a thing wrong with the romance. It is perfectly paced, the H and h perfectly paired, and the plot perfectly charming and unique.

I love when authors find clever ways to develop relationships without the constraints of the ton. And the heroine winning over the hero by beating him in a duel so that he hires her as his personal secretary was such fun.

The heroine is the type of character you would want as a friend. Smart, sweet, cunning, humorous, a tad eccentric, brave, loyal, and adventurous. The hero is an alluring alpha male who is also brilliant. They are the best.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story.

Wow. I finished this in less than a day and I’m already clamoring for the next installment (tell me there will be another one soon!!) This tale of the adventures of Lady Petra Forsyth, spinster, kept me riveted. Mystery, intrigue, a bit of detective work, lots of suspense. I did struggle a bit with how many of the characters were involved in the…nefarious plot, the frequency being a bit too convenient in my mind. And I struggle as well with the cliffhanger ending (setting up book 2?!) but I very much enjoyed this and can’t wait to read the next one.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally is an historical fiction story set in the early 1800’s in England. It is both informative and entertaining to read about Lady Petra Forsyth and her views on a woman’s lot in life in that time period. The death of Lady Forsyth’s fiancé’ shortly before their wedding gives her the opportunity to renounce any expectations that she would marry in the future. But her childhood friend Duncan continues to pursue her with hilarious results. As a member of the upper class and with the financial means to take care of her needs, Lady Petra Forsyth finds herself in a unique position.to live life on her own terms. It is quite amusing how she handles herself in a variety of situations as she thinks like a Lord. However, an element of mystery also enters her life when she notices the sudden absence of a female married friend. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sense of humor, but also to readers who like a good mystery. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this highly engaging book.

Great new cozy mystery. Wonderful read doe when you need a pick-me-up or on a rainy/snowy day. If you love books set in regency England with plucky leads this is your book.

When I saw this touted as "Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie", of course I was intrigued! And I do think the description apt, though more Bridgerton in terms of the Netflix adaptations than the book series, because this book brings some some modern sensibilities (especially in terms of the main character's feminism and general attitude, including mention of acceptance of LGBTQ identities) to go along with the opulent Regency England setting - along with pulling back the curtain (ahem) on the various trysts and affairs and match-scheming of the British nobles. It is a bit of a romance, a solid friends-to-lovers trope, which I like, but it's just as much an amateur sleuthing story, when Lady Petra, a well-connected 20-something who has her own inheritance and therefore has decided not to marry but forge her own path - learns of the death of a friend that seems a bit suspicious. What she eventually uncovers, regarding a pseudo doctor and a sanatorium, brings in some interesting themes to a Regency romp, dealing with the idea of female "hysteria" and misogyny. This part of the story was maybe a bit slow to take off, but once it got rolling I was very intrigued - I can see why there's an Agatha Christie comparison in terms of amateur sleuthing, but I would say it has more pace and a bit more of a glimpse of an "underbelly" of society feel to it than a real "cozy" mystery. A plus, in my book. If you like any/all of the above, this was a fun read - and actually had me on the edge of my seat toward the end - but warning that the first chapter was actually a bit of a slog, with the mentioning of so many different society names in conversation between Petra and her lady's made. Hard to keep track of since you're not actually meeting any of those characters yet (and so many nobles have 2 names - "Lord whatever" in addition to their regular name), but worth pushing through! The publisher's blurb also mentions this as the start of a new Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin, and I'm here for more of it.

This was a fun, cozy Victorian mystery. Just the right thing for a very hot day. I read it in one day and look forward to the next in the series.

Lady Petra has a mind of her own and sometimes flouts the rules of Society, especially since the death of her fiance and her declaration that she would remain single. She has been in the country helping run her father's stable since he broke his leg, but runs back to London for the Duchess' ball when her detested uncle visits. There, she finds that her friend was sent to a "rest" home in the country and died. There are several ladies of her acquaintance who have recently gone missing, and their husbands and fathers don't seem to care. Petra is determined to find out what happened. He quest for information leads to the stabbing death of a footman before he can tell what he knows. Everything leads to a secretive doctor the men are consulting to have their wives and daughters "treated" for "nerves" and "unfeminine conduct".
Petra ends up at Fairwind, the secluded "treatment" facility, courtesy of her hated uncle. (All gothic heroines ALWAYS trustingly drink the drugged wine poured by the villain.) Petra escapes,with damning documents about the doctor and the men he was blackmailing, aided by the sympathetic housekeeper and her own efforts. Outside is her childhood friend, Duncan, who has brought her maid, and her father.
Once the documents are turned over to the Duchess, who has the ear of the Queen, the "doctor" is executed and the men are exposed for their misdeeds.
A good expose' of the involuntary commitment of women for the "crimes" of not wanting to marry, not birthing an heir or "just don't like this wife but want to keep her money and want a new one".

Regency-Era is my absolute favorite! I immediately knew this book was going to be for me as soon as I read the description. I think “Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie” is an excellent way to market this but it also has the banter and strong female lead that reminded me of Jane Austen. I absolutely flew through the second half of this book, the book really took off for me around chapter 14. Petra was so easy to root for throughout the entire book. The ending really got me! I cannot wait for the sequel. Overall, I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a regency-era setting, a strong female lead, and a mystery!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is okay, but definitely not great.

Oh, sure, it's clever, the characters are fun, and the villain is truly despicable, but overall, I probably wouldn't have finished this one if it wasn't an ARC.

So what was the issue?

The biggest issue was the pacing. The first 50-60% of the story is very slow and bogged down by an abundance of names--not actual characters, because most of these people we don't ever meet or only meet in passing. These people are various lords and ladies who are mentioned in relation to their servants, who are mentioned in relation to their meeting/gossiping with someone else, who may or may not be someone we actually meet...There are just too many unimportant people brought up, but you don't know that they're unimportant to start, so you're trying to keep track of everyone's title and familiar name and servants, and it's all a mess. On top of that, the plot for the first bit is just Lady Petra, our heroine, attending balls and being sassy with rakish lords who are too drunk or mean to keep their opinions to themselves. It's a bit repetitive, and Petra is never in the wrong.

Which brings me to issue two: Lady Petra herself. Petra is fine, but she's a bit too perfect. She's beautiful, intelligent, and an amazing horsewoman, although she insists on riding astride--gasp! She has her own monies, so she doesn't need to marry, and in fact, she's declared she'll remain a spinster since her fiancé tragically died shortly before their wedding. However, she's not opposed to taking lovers and doesn't judge anyone for doing the same. Her incredible kindness allows her to easily befriend everyone she wishes, but she's clever enough to cut down her "enemies" with wit and charm. She's the goddaughter of Her Grace and associated with all the proper nobility, who, of course, help her achieve her anonymous good deeds for the downtrodden. It's all just too good to be true, and it makes Petra feel unrealistic and unrelatable, which is not what you want in a female lead.

So what did this book do right? The villain. The mystery plot isn't original, but the villain himself is very well written. He's charming, manipulative, smart, and downright evil, and he would certainly be a match for Petra if not for her loyal band of followers who help her out of every sticky situation. Nonetheless, the build up of the villain, his introduction, and his methods are worth the slow beginning, and once his plans are put into action, the pace of the story really picks up.

The ending is an abrupt cliffhanger which challenges the abrupt romantic relationship that has popped up between Petra and the main male lead, who isn't actually in the story all that much. I know it's meant to be shocking, but I really just don't care enough to read the next book and see how things play out.

I'm sure this book will appeal to many, but it's awkward pacing and perfect heroine kept me from truly loving it. Three stars.

This book was fun and easy to read. If you like Bridgerton or Jane Austen, or the general vibe of stories set in a Regency period you'll enjoy this book. It was a fast read but didn't necessarily lure me in until about Half way through. The first half is a little slow, but by the second half I couldn't put it down. If you are okay with a slow start in order to get to the rewarding end, definitely give this story a try.

i ADORE this i'm such a mystery gal and i could not put this down ! love the setting and the characters, hope the next books in this series are a tad less predictable (but i've also just read a lot of mystery so what seems predictable to me may not seem so for other readers). overall such a cute and fun read and delightfully complex relationships and writing for a cozy mystery <3