I must be in my Regency reading era, because I swear it's like these stories can't go wrong! The story itself starts out with an odd twist: the lady gardener, Miss Alexandra Grantham, is posing as a highwayman with her groom!
She's a bit of a Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to help the poor; especially because the rich she's stealing from are actually those who should be using whatever means they have to help the poor, who are tenants on their land!
She is almost caught twice and is convinced to hang up her hood, so to speak.
While that was an interesting beginning, the bulk of the story actually takes place while she's in London during The Season, being taken there by her grandmama to find herself a husband. Even though Alexandra has told her family she will not marry, as that would only hinder her helping those in need back at her family estate and the surrounding areas.
Robert Chanderly is her new neighbor, and surprisingly the Duke of Stanford. He has the ton in his thrall and is considered quite the leader of Society. He claims he will get Alexandra to be excepted by all, despite her bookish ways and headstrong behavior.
The Duke and the Lady Gardener is like Robin Hood meets She's All That (minus the initial wager). I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading about the next Grantham Girl when it's released!
voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this historical romance. I loved how unique Alexandra was and that she didn’t fit the typical debutante roll. I liked that she challenged Stanford to help the poor and that he was willing to change how he went about doing things. I also liked how neither one of them wanted to fall in love but as they got to know each other and challenged each other, they discovered that they were a perfect match. I look forward to more books in this series.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

This is a new to me author but I can assure you that I will be reading more of her books. The Duke and the Lady Gardener is the first in the series The Grantham Girls and keeps you involved from the very beginning. When Alexandra Grantham
is found in exasperating situations by Robert Chanderly what is a girl supposed to do, say something cheeky and walk away. Robert can't help being drawn to Alexandra not after the monotonous of the debutantes of the ton. Alissa Baxter has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with a great cast of characters that I adored, they hold your attention as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale they come off the pages and pull you into their story, witty banter and entertaining situations. With setting descriptions and action sequences that are wonderfully vivid that brings the story to life and brings this read together perfectly!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

This book was entertaining. It had such a unique plot. I loved the male main characters family.
This book gave me Robin Hood vibes (only reverse gender). It had plenty of romance and humor. It was easy to read and best of all…. It was clean and ended with a happy ever after!

This is the first book of a new series, The Grantham Girls. Alexandra is essentially Lady Robin Hood, as she steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Her charity efforts don't stop there as she also grows her own produce to help provide food for them as well. She uses her skills with her new neighbor, Mr. Robert Chanderly, and though she holds him at gunpoint, he turns the tables on her and disarms her, but she manages to escape. Mr. Chanderly isn't what he seems and she finds out he is actually a duke. But when she encounters him in London, he doesn't give her up for her crimes, but instead helps her make a splash in society. In the process, he becomes completely enchanted by her, but Alexandra has no interest in courting or marriage, or in his title. Robert has his work cut out for him if he is to woo her, and he definitely won't give up until he succeeds.
This was a clean, sweet romance that captured my interest from the start had kept me engaged till the end. A well-written story with wonderful characters! I am looking forward to continuing the series!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The Duke and the Lady Highwayman

To say that Lady Alexandra is unconventional might be putting it mildly. She saw that the poor needed aid, so she decided to steal from the rich and give to the poor. However, when she targeted Robert’s Grace's carriage, she erred, indeed. The man knew she was no ordinary highwayman, but ordinary or no, he was not about to allow anyone to steal from him. Did he recognize her from the beginning? He might or might not have, but he did change her life. From the moment Robert and Alexandra met, her life would never be the same. She might have thought him arrogant, but soon enough, he would change her mind and steal her heart. She had no idea he had a secret. Once she knew, how would she treat the deception? Alexandra thought she would stay a spinster, but falling in love would upset her plans. Some of the locals disparaged her. She enjoyed the gardens, they said. They thought that their words would turn Robert away from her. They had no idea how mistaken they were. Once she went to London, there would be those who would covet her position and warn her away from the duke.

If you like clean historical romance with a dash of intrigue and deception, you might enjoy this story. This was my first story by this author, and I look forward to reading more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable afternoon read. I appreciated reading a wholesome, closed-door romance, as most regency/Victorian era romances nowadays are intent on being open-door, which is incredibly inaccurate to the times, especially in the circles these books generally are written about.
I think both hero and heroine had their own times to shine.
The beginning had a rather unbelievable conundrum, and I can't help feeling that there could have been many ways to have our heroine go under cover in a way that would seem less unrealistic and far fetched. I would have also appreciated some more of her home friendships to travel through into the second half of the book, when she travels to London.
This feels like a faster paced Jane Austen, without the satire of the times. Simple, comfortable read that can be easily enjoyed without pretense at being anything grand.

This story starts out in a unique way, and I loved seeing these characters learn and grow as the story goes on! What book have you read, especially a romance, that finds the female lead holding the male love interest at fun point during their first meeting? Even though Robert ends up getting the upper hand here, this story only continues to endear me to them the more I read!

This one surprised me in the best ways! I loved finding that both characters are well written, with strong feelings and complex personalities. I couldn’t get enough of this story and finished it in just a few short bursts! An absolutely delightful read!

Alissa Baxter’s The Duke and the Lady Gardener is an enchanting historical romance that will make your heart sing.

Alexandra Grantham cannot bear to see the poor people in her district starve, so she valiantly decides to start stealing from the rich to give to those who are less fortunate. Her plan is soon a huge success and Alexandra becomes adept not just at distributing this wealth, but also at avoiding capture and detection. Everything seems to be going brilliantly for Alexandra – until the unthinkable happens and she is caught out! What is the local Lady Robin Hood going to do now?

Mr Robert Chanderly is aghast at discovering his neighbor stealing! If he breathes a single word of Alexandra’s misdemeanor, then she would be ruined and become a pariah – unless she can help him out. Robert decides to take her to London with him and launches her into society where she soon becomes a leading light of the Ton. Alexandra triumphs and blooms in society as gentlemen fall at her feet and invitations begin to pile up for her. However, it is Robert who begins to fall head over heels in love with her and becomes determined to make her his wife!

But when a dangerous adversary crosses their path intent on revealing Alexandra’s secret, Robert must do whatever it takes to protect her – and make her his!

Alissa Baxter’s The Duke and the Lady Gardener is a traditional Regency romance that will make you smile. A magical, tender, witty and wonderfully atmospheric romantic tale sprinkled with intrigue, emotion and drama, The Duke and the Lady Gardener is an entertaining and enjoyable Regency tale I couldn’t bear to put down – roll on the sequels!

The Duke and the Lady Gardener by Alissa Baxter is an endearing Regency romance, more detailed than most, with an offbeat heroine and a sought-after duke as its leads. Alexandra is an heiress but she hasn’t come into her money yet and there were so many impoverished people who needed help. As it was, she carefully tended a garden and took food out nearly every day, but it wasn’t enough. They needed coin and so she obtained it the only way she could think of: highway robbery. So far it had not yielded a lot, but it had been enough, until she and her cohort stopped the coach of Robert Chandlerly, the new owner of the nearby Turbridge Hall. He was an arrogant man, or so he appeared to Alexandra. But it didn’t convince her to stop, even when her groom, Ben, her partner in crime refused her one day. He didn’t feel good about that day’s sojourn. She went by herself, and got caught, by Bow Street Runners, but was saved by no less than Robert Chanderly.

Chanderly turned out to be a duke, and he lived close to her grandmother’s London home, where she would stay to make her come-out. She wasn’t interested, but her grandmother insisted. Maybe it would be good to let things simmer down. He had decided to get her noticed in London, supposedly so she could make a good match, so he danced with her and took her on carriage rides, and generally expressed an interest in her. He was handsome and had managed to escape many women in his time, but he wanted her. She could not believe it. She was independent, out-spoken, and very beautiful. Many men asked her to dance, sent her flowers, and called on her, but she kept her eyes open for the Duke of Stanford, as it had been revealed he was. He had a wonderful sense of humor. She had a penchant for gardening and helping the poor. It was far from a match made in heaven, but it was an entertaining read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Duke and the Lady Gardener by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AlissaBaxter #TheDukeAndTheLadyGardener

This book was short, funny and sweet. I love reading about short tempered red heads getting what they want, it’s actually my favorite. The characters were so cute together and the plot was wonderfully frustrating. Just how I expect historical romances to be. I loved it and I cant wait to see what else this author has

Miss Alexandra Grantham is very compassionate and worries over the tenants of the neighboring estate. Robert Chanderly is really the Duke of Stanford and the Earl of Chanderly, but Alexandra isn't impressed with his titles. She doesn't want to marry. For the first time, Stanton doesn't have it easy in his pursuit of courting Alexandra. As she keeps having these escapades, Stanton always comes to her rescue. Amid rumors, a widow and unwanted suitors, Alexandra discovers she loves Stanton after all. It's hard to tell when a duke is in love, until he pops the question.
Clean romance
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I believe this is my first novel by this author. I enjoyed this novel all the way through. Strong women and men allowing each other to be, well... . each other. All though this novel didnt have any extreme adventures it was still entertaining and a wonderful break from my day.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book

How exciting to find another fabulous romance writer. I fell in love with these characters from the start. You have the young Lady Grantham who is more interested in the welfare of the poor than nabbing a rich husband. She uses daring means to help supplement her cause. One day she stumbles into her new neighbor who isn't who or what he seems. These two are great together. This is truly an enemies-to-lover story. If you love this in a story, this will be a huge hit for you.

Another sure way I knew this book would be a hit with me was I couldn't put it down. I picked it up and had to keep reading it every chance I had. The huge personality of Alexandra when mixed with the pompous nature of Mr. Robert Chanderly made for some hearty, entertaining dialogue. As they avoided their attraction to each other, it only added to the humor as everyone else could see what was happening.

I do have to give high praise to Alexandra's grandmother who gives her wise and sensible advice of not listening to what others are telling her. She told her granddaughter to go straight to Robert for the truth. I was actually saying the same thing out loud when I read about her Grandmama sharing her wise words. Kudos to the author for writing this wonderful, clever grand lady. I'm so excited to read the next books that will be coming in this series. I hope that we will have Grandmama ready to share her wisdom with Alexandra's sisters. Definitely give The Duke and The Lady Gardener a chance because I know you'll enjoy this novel.

What a fun book! It’s a take on Robin Hood but with a lady. And also it’s still not modern-day but rather historical fiction which makes it even better in my opinion!

So, Alexandra Grantham lives with her brother who isn’t well. She decides that the tenants around her are too poor and in need. She grows food for them, but also she provides them with money. Where does this money come from? Why she robs people of course!

So fun! The book reads quickly and certainly keeps you going. I loved that she was bested and then later found out but things didn’t go as she thought they would.

Who knew that she’d go to town and become a debutante and possibly find love? But can she keep helping the people she’s come to care for? And who will help her stay out of jail?

Loved this book! Can’t wait to finish the series! I would say you don’t have to read them in order but you totally should. I’m always a proponent of reading series in order. Because why not read 3 or 4 books instead of just one?

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is a tale as old as time, and Alexandra Grantham is the last person you’d think would be apart of such a daring feat, but she is no ordinary lady. Her heart of gold gleams as she helps the less fortunate farmers in her country the only way she is able, that is, until she attempts to rob the wrong gentleman: Robert Chanderly, the Duke of all dukes.

Their chemistry is evident from their first peculiar meeting, and the fact that Robert sees who Alexandra is, and doesn’t want to change any of her unconventional ways, is a breath of fresh air. Watching their relationship blossom into something real and powerful was truly majestic. There is such heart and emotion when someone sees your true self and they love you, flaws and all.

One thing I love about this series so much is the fact that the heroines go against the societal norms, and that they are unapologetic about it. The wit of the dialogue, and the fact that Alexandra speaks her mind, keeps things interesting as we read about all the social rules and restrictions amid fancy balls and gossiping society.

This was such a fun and refreshing story. There is this charm that it exudes, showcasing wonderful characters and an interesting plot. Alissa Baxter’s brilliant talent shines in The Duke and the Lady Gardener, and it is a novel I highly recommend.

I struggled with rating this either a 4/5 or 5/5 but ultimately, my heart told me 5/5!

I absolutely adored this story! I have read and re-read a lot of Jane Austen in my time, and I can honestly say that if I did not know that this book was written in our modern time, I would have thought that it was a true regency-era novel. The amount of detail included in this book about things that existed during this time period were so obviously and thoroughly researched by the author. It truly helped the reader settle into the setting.

It was so refreshing to read through Alexandra. There are moments in the story where any other young adult female character would have made a frustratingly dumb and illogical decision, but Miss Grantham shows us her true intelligence through rational thought! Perhaps the only blunder that some readers may find annoying or irritating could be found at the end before the major climactic scene, but I personally felt that it fits well-enough within her character for her actions to make sense.

Robert definitely gave me Darcy vibes with his covert kindness, which is great opposition to contrast Alexandra. As for the other minor characters, I honestly enjoyed reading about them and their lives. I found myself easily sucked into this world. It feels like a perfect cozy-regency story.

The only thing of note that I can see other readers finding distracting would be a couple of the sudden POV changes between Robert and Alexandra. There are a couple of passages where it happens suddenly without a section separator, and sometimes with a section separator. I didn't find it all that distracting, mostly because Jane Austen in Emma wrote one instance where she switched to John Knightley's POV when he spots Churchill and Jane arguing. I believe it is the only time we ever read his perspective in the novel (correct me if I'm wrong), so I can see how the author would have possibly wanted to imitate Austen's writing to better fit the time period. Nowadays, section separators are so common that I think it's something we all expect out of novels when that was not necessarily the case back then.

Overall, I personally loved this book. It was such a joy to read, and it is definitely going to be on my comfort read shelf, so I will absolutely be picking it up at least a couple of times a year.

What a lovely surprise this novel turned out to be. It is the first time I have read a book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Miss Alexandra Grantham has taken the unconventional route to help support her impoverished community and has been rather successful until she meets her nemesis, Mr. Robert Chanderly. However, he is hiding behind his own mask in order to avoid the ladies and the mamas of the ton. Robert quickly comes to discern Alexandra's masquerade and her mission, but it does not make matters any less dangerous for her, especially when she is the subject of her gossiping neighbors. Ordered to London by her marriage-minded grandmother, Alexandra is thrown into the London season, leaving her unsettled and longing once more for the country. Robert has determined that he will ensure that as unconventional as Alexandra may be, she will be a diamond of the first water. Unfortunately, both Robert and Alexandra have their enemies and not all is smooth sailing. Where most women can be wooed with poetry, flowers, and gifts, Robert discovers that all Alexandra needs is a plot of ground where she can dig to her heart's content. The course of true love never did run smoothly, but nevertheless, this enchanting and well-written novel comes to a delightful conclusion. I received a copy of this romance as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Here I am, again, friends, to tell you of a fabulous enemies to lovers story that you absolutely NEED to put on your TBR. It has my most favoritest things in it including rapier sharp banter, snarky retorts, a swoony, grumpy hero, a whip smart heroine and the fantastic backdrop of the beloved London Season. Add in some jealous suitors, Society Rakes, a witty and delightful Grandmother and you have a story that I guarantee you will not want to put down either. It was so entertainingly tense to see how things would turn out and who would fall for whom. The slow burn of the romances were so beautifully well done that I happy danced at their culmination. I refuse to give spoilers but feel free to see my list of favorites for more reasons to read it. Please, oh, please!! Go get your copy of this book for yourself. It’s a must have for Regency romance lovers.

I received a complimentary ARC of this story from the author and JustRead tours via NetGalley. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I will be looking out for more. It is very well written romance with strong characters. I loved Alexandra she is a very strong well rounded lady and I was drawn in from the beginning . The only negative was we didn't hear things from Robert's side until 2/3 of the way through so I found him difficult to get to know until then. It was very well paced and kept my interested throughout though. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.