Lady Petra Forsyth is flung into a whodunit when she learns a friend may -- or may not -- have died mysteriously.

This book was marketed as "Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie," which piqued my interest, as I am a lover of both (as well as Jane Austen).

I will start by saying I do have a fondness for the main character. I love women (fictional and real) who buck societal expectations. I also enjoy her relationships with other characters.

Having said all that, I'm afraid this book left me disappointed. On the mystery side of things, there weren't enough red herrings and not enough potential suspects to really make Petra do any real deducing. Things seemed to be neatly -- or very coincidentally -- handed to her in a bow. Even the climax seemed to end with too many coincidences in Peter's favor.

In terms of writing style, I felt the story relied heavily on exposition. In other words, a lot of ink was used to describe events not shown in the book. While this was used heavily in Austen's time, it makes for boring reading by today's standards. There are for sure some things described that would make for enjoyable scenes to read.

I started this story and wasn't 100% sure what I was getting into. I loved the protagonist and her drive and foolhardiness, especially against the background of regency England and the social expectations of the ton. She and her friends were very entertaining and their friendships and support of each other contrasted well with the stereotypical infighting and teardowns that are common in other regency era novels. I also appreciated the grain of realism planted in the drama at the end (no spoilers!) I enjoyed this novel as, essentially a cozy mystery/beach read and I was satisfied by the end, but it wasn't my favorite read. To begin with, this was a little out of my depth in terms of what I normally read and I didn't enjoy some of the twists and turns. They felt out of the blue and random at points, but I enjoyed the experience and the end result.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to the series. Lady Petra is an interesting protagonist. She is single by choice, unusual in the Regency era, and has money and property in her own right, which encourages her natural independence, in a time when female independence is unacceptable. When she uncovers a scheme meant to keep the women of her class very dependent, she’s feisty enough to take on the villains and the social norms that make it easy for them to commit such a crime. I’m eager to see what comes next.

Historical intrigue romance
Ms. Connally brings a tale of romance and intrigue to the table. Petra and Duncan played together as youngsters, but circumstances created a parting of the ways and she resented his lack of connection.
She became aware of sinister happenings and set out to find out who was responsible.
I liked the story, it flows well and does create emotions, although I thought Petra’s disappearance didn’t match her portrayal. Just sayin’. I recommend to fans of historical intrigue.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

This was so convoluted that I had a hard time (1) getting into it and (2) understanding what was going on. And then it ended it what I thought was a cliff-hanger. But then I may have misunderstood a lot more than I thought I understood. Grammar errors bothered me (well, consider the title). I can't recommend it, but then I can't say someone else wouldn't enjoy it. I give it two stars for effort, but I doubt I will read the sequel, if there is one to resolve the last line of the book. I just ended up confused. #ActLikeALadyThinkLikeALord #NetGalley

If Enola Holmes were little older and more jaded.

When Lady Petra Forsyth’s fiancé and love match dies just weeks ahead of their wedding, she makes the shocking public proclamation that she will never remarry. A woman of independent means, thanks to an inheritance from her late mother, Petra sees no reason to give up her freedom to marriage. Instead, she uses her title to gain access to elite spaces and enjoy the best of society without expectations.

But when gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of “melancholia” while in the care of an asylum, Petra vows to use her social status to dig deeper. But will diving headfirst into this investigation cost Petra her freedom and independence. And how does her childhood confidant, Duncan’s, return to London fit into all this?

I think the premise and the set-up is quite enjoyable. I also think the ending is intriguing and left me feeling content for now. Frankly, the idea of wealthy men throwing their wives and daughters, who became too hard to control or too much of a nuance to bother trying, into an asylum under the care of a shifty physician has historical merit. And I love a feminist spin on a period piece. It’s an easy, fun read. And I would gladly read another story in this universe.

This was a quick read, in the cozy mystery genre. I enjoyed parts of the book but found that there were a lot of characters to keep up with. I really wasn't into the strong feminist vibe either, felt inorganic. I felt like the plot moved along at a nice pace and was easy to follow but that ending was a bit rush. Overall a good storyline though. I would actually give it 3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for the ebook to review. The opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Always look forward to reading a new author. I particularly look forward to a Regency period setting. This book was weighed down by ponderous dialog. Because of that, it took too long to get into the plot which wandered and became unclear. I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, St. Martin Press and Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Regency era comes a new mystery series that gives you a new and exciting read. A time when ladies are not expected to act prim and proper and not meddle into murders. A charming series that have the potential to be another favourite.

We meet Lady Petra who was toe be married until her fiancé suddenly passes away. She begins to become an outcast in society ass rumors are saying that she’ll never marry.

Her friend suddenly disappears and is presumed, Petra will find herself seeking answers. An entertaining story of a head strong female who does not conform to the time. A promising start to a new series.

This one eased quite slowly into the mystery. It really set the historical stage, which made for a slow start, but a good foundation.

I enjoyed watching this character fight to make her own path, despite societal and familial expectations. The mystery itself was quite delayed and then quite slow, and I wish it had been a bigger focus to the story.

That being said, it was a good read, with building suspense, disturbing elements based on history, and an overall enjoyable read!

I didn't like the last chapter and how it left off. I m assuming it's to set up for a second book, but I still didn't like that little tweak.

Thank you to NETGALLEY and MINOTAUR BOOKS for the ARC!

I'm not sure if this book wanted to be a romance or a mystery or social commentary. Petra was an enjoyable protagonist, but the narrative dragged and the writing style was cumbersome. The mystery resolved well and with a satisfying end for the evildoers, but the romance ended with a rather clunky cliffhanger. I don't think I'll look up the sequel.

Bridgerton vibes? Sign me up. Throw in some Agatha Christie vibes too? Even better.
Immediate dislike of Uncle Tobias, whose comparisons of Petra to a horse were infuriating, not to mention his gaslighting later on.
But wait, the gaslighting!!! It’s so sad how easy it was for men to gaslight women and then be believed in earlier times. Shoot, it still happens today. The fact that evil men such as Uncle Tobias and Drysdale exist! Bellingham too! And to think her father so easily believed these other men… The hatred that men had for independent women…is had my blood boiling.

But the ending?! What?! There has to be a sequel, I’m hoping. Ultimately, I loved this book. It had me hooked very early on, just how I like it

Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for approving me for this ARC!

I found this historical romantic mystery to be precisely what I needed when I needed it.

It wasn't a stuffy and slow-moving historical, it had wit and candour and levity, relatable characters and modern struggles in a Regency-era period. It was mystery-forward with a slight romantic subplot. Remember that if you come to this book for a primarily romantic story, you will risk being disappointed. It is primarily a mystery, which is why I enjoyed it so much.

It combined cozy mystery with a Regency-era setting, added a cup of feminism, a dash of romance and a sprinkle of spinster pride. As a happily childfree and unmarried person, I felt a connection to the FMC and was invested in her chosen lifestyle.

I didn't realize until the 90% point of this book (when I started looking at other reviews) that it is actually the start of a series. I cannot wait until November 2023 when this book is released and I can start widely recommending it to family and friends. And the even longer wait until the next in the series is released...

You will think it will be an easy wait for the next in the series until you read the very.... last.... sentence...

When I read the blurb that said Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Lord was "Bridgerton meets Status Christie" I knew all I needed to know. This was wonderful I and I'm glad to know this will be a series. it reads fast (which I love) and has a good mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital review copy.

The first 60% or so was enjoyable but not unputdownable. But once it hit that 60% mark (somewhere around chapter 21/22) I was so invested and couldn’t stop reading.
It did get a bit darker than I expected or cared for (maybe I should have expected it given the blurb).
That being said, I’m always impressed when an author gives me second hand embarrassment or, like in this case, second hand anger. I was feeling this even before Petra found out the extent of the evilness of the bad guy.

What a good story, historical fiction with a modern context and modern implications. I was amazed how similar we are in today’s world. Sometimes seems like we’re going backward again. I enjoyed Petra and her bravery, she was a character I admired. If you like great women’s fiction with a historical twang, you should definitely read this book!

There is a lot to enjoy in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord (The title is not one of them). Petra is a fabulous character. The supporting characters are diverse and well-written. It was nice to see a diverse cast—and they felt authentic. Not shoehorned in for the sake of diversity. The plot rips along at a quick clip—the climax is a doozy that I could not put down.

However, at times, in her effort to draw a rich world and characters, the author drops information that it feels like I, as a reader, should have already known…though this being the first in the series, I couldn’t have. Is there a prequel I missed? Was there a different first book that got axed by the publishers? I don’t know
My other main issue is with the ending: everything wraps up so hurriedly in an effort to get to the cliffhanger ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ebook ARC. All options are mine alone.

I enjoyed this unique take on a cozy mystery! The historical setting was a lot of fun and made it different from the usual mystery. I liked Petra as a main character and the mystery had me invested

Any reader who loves historical mystery and romance would be attracted to the cover and title of this book, but the wit and charm of the writing take this into “favorite read” territory.

A strong and sometimes outrageous female main character is a mainstay on this genre, but Celeste Connolly gives Lady Petra Forsyth a backstory that is achingly beautiful…and conveys a personal tragedy in just a few, beautifully crafted sentences. This isn’t some carbon copy heroine. She has weathered profound sadness after the loss of a fiancé and she also feels rejected by her closest friend, someone who has just reappeared after being away from London for a few years.

The main storyline deals with society women who have gone missing. Petra’s friend died several weeks ago and the friend’s husband didn’t tell Petra. One of her friend’s former servants says he saw his employer just days ago. Petra decides to find out what happened to her friend and other women who have gone missing. Her childhood friend tries to keep Petra safe as she investigates and tension abound when they interact.

Throw in a sweet street urchin who Petra attempts to care for and employ, plus some adorable dogs, and you have a wonderful cast for what is hopefully the strong of a long series.

The best part: the ending manages to be happy while also setting up a sequel with a huge twist.