Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I thought this was a cute historical mystery and romance featuring a plucky female protagonist, Lady Petra Forsyth. The feminist themes were a bit clunky in their execution but did not significantly detract from one's enjoyment of the book.

This book got off to a bit of a slow start, but I really ended up enjoying it. I was expecting something fluffier than it ended up being and was very pleasantly surprised by how serious and intriguing the mystery was.

Petra is a wonderful character! I loved her ability in a time that judged women harshly for their choices to live her life on her own terms. Not at all caring what society thought. The other characters were well written, and the building romance was nicely laid out.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is an entertaining read that I highly recommend. I'm looking forward to what Lady Petra gets up to next. With that twist, at the end, things should be interesting.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book made me very happy to be born in the 20th century, and to appreciate more than ever how hard-won women's rights were. There is romance in this book but it is not the focus of the book. This is the first book of a series.

The main character is Lady Petra Forsyth. Petra is unusual for a woman of that time in several ways. She is independently wealthy, manages her funds herself, and will retain her money even if she marries. Since the man she was engaged to marry died in a fall, she has decided to remain single. This displeases her uncle, who thinks women should marry and be ruled by their husbands, and should definitely not have control of their finances. Worse, her formerly supportive father seems to be siding with him.

The first inkling of trouble comes when Petra is told that her friend Gwen has died. She learns differently when an emaciated and frightened Gwen finds her and asks for her help. She had escaped from Fairwinds, a sanitarium that her husband had sent her to.

It seems that a lot of men of the ton who now find their wives inconvenient have been sending them to Fairwinds to be 'reeducated', or even to disappear. Then the worst happens: Petra wakes up one day in Fairwinds, an inmate unable to leave, unable to contact anyone on the outside.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher St. St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

*I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 20%

Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into this book. Combined with the fact that I couldn’t get behind any of the characters, I decided to cut my losses with this one.

I debated on this book for a while before deciding that the title was too good to pass up. I had to know if the book would be as clever as the title.

I'm so glad I decided to read Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord as it is a perfectly delightful read.

The Regency period isn't one I usually like reading, but I found this book to be a lot of fun. If you like Bridgerton and Sanditon, then you will want to get this book.

Lady Petra is an interesting character. She reminded me of Nellie Bly and I kept recalling details from The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale. Like Bly, Lady Petra uncovers what happens to women who become burdens to their husbands, fathers, uncles, and brothers just because the woman shows independence or strong wills or "hysteria" or a nervous condition, or just about any reason the man can think of to have her committed.

Actually, all of the characters are well-written and really make the story enjoyable. I know they are just fictional characters but I found myself really worrying about the women and feeling emotional about what was happening to them. It is probably because what they were experiencing was a reality during this period of time and I think I was angry on their behalf.

I read this book pretty quickly because I just didn't want to put it down. I'm looking forward to book 2 in the series.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/11/2-fun-mysteries-to-entertain-you.html

First I have to say I really enjoyed this book once the it found its pacing. The book started slow for me and introduced a lot of characters very quickly. I didn't always understand why certain characters were introduced when they were. Sometimes the information felt forced and unnecessary to the scene. I think there needs to be a more focused, intentional introduction next time. Understandably the author is setting up the series and doing some serious worldbuilding. However, at times, it was just too much too soon.

I very much look forward to more books in the series and seeing Lady Petra and her detective work evolve and grow. I am a hopeless romantic at heart and would have liked more romance and more scenes with Duncan but understand why he wasn't featured as much. The epilogue was very surprising but I'm holding out hope that it's a lie, a forgery, a ruse. Thank you St Martin's Press for the advanced review copy.

This woman called lady PET A. Was very independent for her time and she really was outspoken on a lot of issues. When her fiance died, she decided she was never gonna be married, but her father wasn't too happy with this decision. Everybody kept saying this and that. But the real twist of this was how this man named d. D r y s a d Run a crazy asylum and women who do not confront or go by the norms of that time. We're deemed crazy. A lot of our friends were taken away to this place. But she couldn't understand this. She didn't understand why women had to give up their freedom when they got married, especially their money. She was really hateful of this man but he was playing dirty with her too. Things got really crazy when she was taken away to this place. But it was interesting how she fought back. Women are treated like weaklings but they add a lot of power and strength. This is what scared men. So they kind of wanted to control them and they did this by locking them up. And this was completely wrong, but that was the time. Lady PET a could see through all this. Even her friends were trying to like say o k. I think this one was amazing because she did not want to remarry. Somebody should do that love.... Her Uncle was really bad because he kind of talked her father into. Saying she was a bad woman. They could not go to clubs they couldn't go to school. And I could see why it was a mystery. Because things happened and she kind of uncovered them as she went along

The rage I felt for the women in this book was unreal. The way Petra was spoken to, how women were treated when the men in their family were done or embarrassed by them... this was all at the end of the book, but AHHHH.

The mystery was slow to build with lots of little pieces to then explode into a good kind of mess.

Anyways... I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see more of Petra and the trouble the self-declared spinster comes across, especially with the little cliffhanger of information at the end.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley for my advanced copies.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is described as Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie and that is definitely the vibe I got from this book.

It is the first book in a Regency era mystery series with a heavy dose of romance.

Though slow to start, once the pace picked up a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Lady Petra Forsyth is the protagonist of this book. She’s a headstrong and determined woman who vows never to marry since her fiancé tragically died a few years before the start of the book. She intends on enjoying her freedom as a wealthy woman of high social standing but when a mystery surrounding the death of her childhood friend presents itself, she can’t help but find new purpose as she uncovers the mystery.

This book was fun and offered a glimpse into the life of a privileged woman during the Regency era. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery was engaging. I did find the pacing to be not quite to my liking for a mystery. It dragged in parts.

All in all this was a wonderful read.

I so enjoyed the adventures of Lady Petra and her band of friends. It was an interesting mystery, during which has you a touch on the edge of your seat. The resolution was painted so masterfully I could picture the vanquishing of these horrible people. I appreciated that Petra had experienced love before, and that she had lost that love tragically. Many times you are reading about someone who has not experienced it before and therefore their naivety blares through the writing.

One loud irritation I have, however. I am woefully tired of the need for ‘political correctness’ in situations where it would not have existed. <spoiler>For example, Petra describes feeling that defending the fact that she is a woman who desires men, that she is in some way diminishing those who have different desires. Honestly. How does her declaring that she is a straight woman diminish anyone else? She isn’t remarking on them. She isn’t banishing them or ridiculing them. So tell me how her feelings would invalidate someone else’s by the fact that her feelings simply exist? Doesn’t that invalidate her own feelings by somehow acting ashamed of them? </spoiler>

It’s a solid 4.5 stars from me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book. I can’t wait until book 2!

This was a strong start to a series and if you love historical mysteries then this is for you. As a child Lady Petra lost her mother, leaving her to be raised by a father who understood horses more than the needs of his daughter. She was free to roam the area with Duncan, her best fiend, and learn the workings of the estate. It was Duncan who introduced her to the man she was set to marry. Shortly before the wedding tragedy struck again when her fiancé died. At a time when she looks to Duncan for comfort, he leaves to take a position on the Continent, causing a falling out between them. She resolves never to marry, incurring the wrath of her Uncle Tobias, who considers her a disgrace to the family. She escapes to London for a season of social gatherings and the support of her friend Lady Caroline. There she not only faces the criticism from members of society, but also the return of Duncan.

Lady Petra is a strong character who is unafraid to offer her opinion and speak up or herself. She is devastated when she learns of the death of her fiend Gwen. One of Gwen’s former servants, however, claims to have recently seen her alive. Gwen is not the only woman to disappear. The mysterious Mr. Drysdale has been offering the gentlemen of society an opportunity to rid themselves of bothersome wives by committing them to his asylum in the country. Petra begins asking questions, putting her in Drysdale’s path. She is soon in danger of disappearing like the others. After their estrangement she does not entirely trust Duncan, but there is still a connection between them. It is a race to learn the truth and end the threat posed by Drysdale. Celeste Connally builds to an ending that contains several surprises and hints at further adventures with Lady Petra. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press- Minotaur for providing this book for my review.

This is a new-to-me author, and the first book in a new series involving Lady Petra Forsyth.

Lady Petra swore she would never marry after the tragic death of her fiance just weeks before the wedding. She is opinionated, well read, incredibly open-minded, and thinks a woman of means should be able to be independent - which is exactly why the men of the Ton don't like her.

After finding out a friend she thought was dead may not actually be so, Petra takes it upon herself to investigate and winds up in grave danger herself. This is a romance, and it's a series based on her, so you knew she'd be ok in the end.

The plot of this book sounded very intriguing, but the story is so filled with random characters, odd plot points that seem to reference prior stories even though this is the first in the series, and a surprisingly unlikeable main character that I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. The central conflict involving men of the Ton shipping their wives, daughters, sisters, etc off to an 'asylum' is initially riveting, but it gets dragged out until a bit of a let down of an ending.

I'm giving 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.

Potatoes and Paperbacks 4 ⭐️
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Thanks for the ARC Minotaur books!
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Lady Petra is not like the other members of the ton. After the death of her fiancé, and the bestowment of an inheritance belonging solely to her, she declares her decision to remain an unmarried spinster. She quickly discovers something strange going on with the men in society.. women of the ton keep disappearing to the country “for their health”. When one of her friends is declared dead, Petra begins to investigate. However, the lords do not approve of her unladylike behavior, and soon her own life is at stake…
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💭 Thoughts 💭
Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in this cozy regency mystery. Some parts were a little repetitive, but I enjoyed Petra’s character and the action really moved along in the second half of the book.
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⌛️ Favorite Moment ⌛️
Petra’s relationships with her friends! Her friendship with Caroline, and the way she helps young street urchin Teddy shows her honorable character.

1815 Regency era London, women had few rights or freedoms and Lady Petra wants more. After several society ladies disappear, Petra investigates what is happening and ends up in danger herself.

This book was nothing like I expected. I expected a cute historic romance with a little mystery thrown in. I was wrong, and I’m not upset about it! The writing style was great, the characters well developed and executed. I felt emotions on behalf of the main character, which I feel can be hard for an author to pull off. The plot was written in a way that made me think and reflect. I feel as if this storyline could actually have happened. I think the author did a great job of shining a light on how women were treated in the 1800s. I will say, however, that I struggle to see the point of the plot twist that is the very last sentence of the book. Did it shock me and make me sit up in bed, where I was reading this? Yes. Do I see the point or think it makes a huge difference to the story? Not particularly. I will admit that it made me want more. I want to see what Petra does in response. This book would be great for lovers of historical fiction or mysteries.

A very interesting storyline! For those who like Manda Collin's "Lady's Guide..." you will also enjoy this adventure and mystery filled drama.

Lady Petra has decided to be spinster forever. After her fiancé’s tragic death Lady Petra decides to behave and speak as wants, no matter the impropriety. So when she hears of proper ladies including a close friend of being put in a “treatment center” by a slippery doctor Lady Petra embarks of the mystery of solving what is happening to these ladies and what the doctor is really up to. Can Lady Petra help these ladies escape the treatment center and show society who the doctor truly is?

This historical mystery I enjoyed. I was hoping for a bit more humor and romance but the mystery was well written and kept me reading to find out the ending.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally
I usually enjoy a Regency novel but this one left something to be desired for me. It wasn’t really a romance or a mystery either one. There was a lot of lecturing and info dumping on the subject of women’s rights during that period of time. It got a little tedious after a while. And if I never hear the word spinster again it will be fine. I got the point, over and over again.
The romance was sorely lacking, if you even want to call it a romance. I wouldn’t.
The evil culprit was so stereotypically evil that I expected him to twirl his mustaches like Snidely Whiplash.
I don’t really intend to read another book in this series, sorry to say.

I received this electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hate to admit that I have yet to read any Agatha Christie novels, so I cannot confirm if this book truly is a blend of her works with the Bridgerton series. What I can confirm is that Celeste Connally has a gift for making the reader believe they are in the time period depicted. Her characters’ dialogs are really on par, and you can tell the author is familiar with the regency era.

I really liked this book, and I found myself appropriately infuriated at the cruel and heartless men in this novel sending their wives or other female relatives away in order to rid themselves of a “burden.” At the same time, I found it all fascinating and was on the edge of my seat as I waited to see what would happen next. Would the women be rescued? Was it too late? Would they even be found? Our main character, Lady Petra, leads us through this cozy mystery with a great mix of charm and humor.

This book was light and kept me entertained. I would definitely read more of Ms. Connally’s books!
4/5 Stars

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

For some reason, I’ve been reading a rash of books lately centered on the trope of sane women being locked away in asylums when they become inconvenient to men.

In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally, the heroine is Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook. Petra is a determined young woman, an excellent horsewoman, independently wealthy, but who lost her fiance/lover three years earlier in a tragic accident. Although her grief has waned over time, no other man could ever win her heart. Nor does she want to be won. Why give up her independence? She announced at a society event that she is determined to remain unmarried.

This doesn’t sit well with the men of the ton who don’t believe in female autonomy. It especially bothers her uncle, her dead mother’s sister, who feels her father has been too lenient in her upbringing and is allowing her to bring shame upon herself.

Petra has no patience with the man and goes about her business in London. There, she is reunited with her childhood friend (and friend of her deceased fiancé), Duncan. They are now estranged and she isn’t sure she trusts him. She also discovers that a dear friend of hers has died. Maybe. A footman insists that he has recently seen her alive.

Petra begins investigating and grows increasingly intrigued and worried as it becomes apparent that numerous aristocratic women are being sent for treatment to a home hidden out in the country, under the care of a Mr. Drysdale. Some of them have died and others are not heard from again, while their husbands jaunt around London looking well-pleased.

Readers familiar with the trope will figure out what is going on before Petra does. And then will go along for the ride as she throws herself into her investigation. She’s brave and feisty, but shows poor judgement often enough to become annoying. (For example, although she knows women are being drugged and carted away, when she is offered wine by a particularly odious, untrustworthy man, and the wine tastes “off” and she starts feeling dizzy, she decides the thing to do is guzzle the glass.) Nevertheless, she sticks to her purpose and, fortunately, can rely on Duncan more than she thought.

This is the first novel in a new series. Although I liked the supporting cast (especially Duncan and Lady Caroline), I’m not drawn in enough by the protagonist to make it likely I’ll return for book two.