Big thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Dunmore for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Now *that* is how you close out a series. Ms. Dunmore, my proverbial hat is off to you. You should know, if you were a devoted reader of this series, that each heroine makes an encore appearance. An even better, each revisit is absolutely perfect and unique to each woman.

Back to the story, though: introverted (and possibly neurodivergent?) Catriona finally has her chance to shine. She has met her match, proverbially and literally, in Elias Khoury, who has traveled from the Levant (modern-Day Lebanon) to repatriate artifacts belonging to his homeland. Catriona has been burned before and is now practically a fortress of solitude and isolation; her suffragette friends are truly her only social outlet. Elias is quickly torn between his mission and his inconvenient attraction to his sponsor's daughter. Things progress as you would expect in a romance novel except that each inch gained with Catriona is equal to practically a mile with any other woman.

As fond as I am of Catriona, with whom I related quite a bit, I was absolutely riveted by Elias. He (and his brother, Nassim), were astonishingly unique characters. I can count on one hand the Middle-Eastern characters in historical romance novels, and I found their characters (mannerisms, dialect, behavior, you name it) to be very realistic and respectfully portrayed. I loved that Catriona and Elias were able to speak Arabic to each other, and Elias' endearments in his native tongue were so moving. Ms. Dunmore did an amazing job in Elias's portrayal. Honestly, it was completely unique, as far as I can recall. The last few chapters (I don't wish to spoil anything) were absolutely beautiful. These two wonderful characters are well-served in each other. And that epilogue... *chef's kiss*.

On occasion this series could tend towards a little heavy-handedness in the history department (thinking specifically of Hattie's story, if I recall correctly) but in Catriona's it was perfect. I loved everything about this and I will be recommending this, and its series-mates, to everyone I can think of who reads romance and even a few who don't. Looking very much forward to what Ms. Dunmore will come up with next! (And possibly, starting a series re-read in the near future.)

It took me a little while to get into this book. I wasn't sure at first about the representation of Elias's character, but I think it improved as the book went on. He and Catriona grew on me slowly until I realized I loved them, more than I have any of Evie Dunmore's previous characters. I identified a lot with Catriona and that pulled me further into the story as it went along.

There was a point in the middle where it almost lost me, where there is basically one excruciatingly long extended sex scene that goes on for multiple chapters. As far as sex scenes go, it was well-written, but I am ace and don't find such things particularly appealing or engaging. Luckily the last chunk of the book drops the sex in favor of emotional and intellectual connection, which is my personal preference in a romance.

Perhaps because I love intellectual and emotional connection, and especially slow-burn, I found the amount of history in this book perfect. Catriona is a very intellectual person and it makes sense that her book would be more history-focused. I appreciated the discussion of the ethics of collecting artefacts in the UK when the countries they originated in wanted them back. I thought it went very well with the underlying suffragist theme.

I also really, really appreciated that Catriona is LGBT. This is something that hasn't come up in Evie Dunmore's books before that I recall, and that combined with Catriona being obviously not neurotypical made me love her and identify with her even more. I also appreciated that this doesn't turn into a point of contention between them. Elias accepts it along with her neuroatypicalness as just another facet of her character.

The way Elias treats her quirks and sensory struggles is really heartwarming. He doesn't make fun of her. He doesn't try to get her to hide or mask them and pretend to be 'normal.' Instead, he accomodates her at every turn and offers suggestions of things that might help ease her way when she has to be surrounded by people. That is rare and shows his gentleness and care better than any of the sex can.

At first the chapters from previous characters' POVs were jarring, but I came to appreciate the glimpses into their lives. I didn't feel like they took away from Catriona's story at all. The epilogue, set when they are all grandmothers and get to see women finally gain the right to vote, was emotional and heartwarming and was a great way to round out a series where women's suffrage was so central to all of the characters and plots.

I loved this, and of all the books in this series, this is the one I will most likely revisit.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an early copy of this book.

Catriona’s story is the perfect conclusion to one of my favourite historical romance series ever.

When I find someone who wants to get into historical romance I always recommend the first of this series: Bringing Down the Duke, as it’s one of my all time favorite books because it’s smart, funny, swoony and steeped in history. The fourth and final installment of this series may actually surpass BDTD as my most beloved in the series.

I love how each main female character in this series is vivid and different, and that we get to visit with them time and again in the books. Catriona has always been a bit of a dark horse. She’s super smart but also sensitive and very quiet and withdrawn. She has a lot of layers and is a perfect foil to the other women. In her own story, however, she shines. She is smart, obviously, but her dry humour and deep intelligence really shines here, especially as she tackles with her emotions and feelings, which she struggles with. Elias is the perfect romantic partner for her, even though there’s a myriad of reasons why they shouldn’t be together which is explored perfectly in the book. Their intelligence, intensity and passion is sexy as heck. I loved watching this couple fall for each other throughout these pages.

Like the other books in this series there is some great history in The Gentleman’s Gambit – I always come away from an Evie book both swooning from the love story and feeling a little smarter from what I’ve learned. These books are fun and filled with insights to a fascinating part of history told from the female perspective. You’ll leave this book asking, who owns history. And, in today’s socio political world, it’s a timely conversation to still have in 2023.

Evie Dunmore has ended her series how she began: with a hero and heroine that readers will fall in love with in a setting that shines in its intensity.

I absolutely love Evie Dunmore, and I have both anticipated and dreaded the conclusion to this series!

I was fascinated by this story from start to finish; I partially read the physical copy while also listening to the book on audio during drives...that's how dialed into this story I was! This book is everything I hoped it would be, and I'm honestly a little mad at Evie for ending things on such a high note...I want more!

I cannot review this book without also touching on the series itself. The powerful stories about women that are front and center in these books are heartfelt, courageous, romantic, independent, and ultimately, real. Real women experienced the events of the time period in these books, and real women were put into situations much like each of Evie's heroines were put into...the privilege that we, as women, enjoy comes from the actions of women like Catriona, Hattie, Lucy, and Annabelle. We may still have a long way to go towards true equality, but these women represent so much more than a romantic figure in a historical book. They represent true change, and I'm so glad that Evie took on this task of writing the League of Extraordinary Women because their stories will live in my heart forever.

Rating: 5 stars

This was an excellent fourth installment of my favorite Victorian romance series! The chemistry between Elias and Catriona was palpable. TGG was the most "political" of all four books with a plotline of returning stolen artifacts to the Levant. I thoroughly enjoyed Catriona and Elias's deep political discourse through their chess engagements.

However, this book had some weak points. Mainly, as much as I love the romance, the art repatriation storyline faltered in the book's second half. The conclusion felt rushed as the romance storyline picked up. The epilogue made me emotional but I wish we got to see more from the POV of our leading couple! Overall, Elias and Sebastian are my faves and I loved seeing our little Scottish bookworm grow up.

Thank you so much to Berkley for sending me a NetGalley ARC in exchange for a review.

Catriona Campbell has a lot on her mind. Her family estate is struggling, she is trying to write a book, and the state of women’s suffrage is facing a monumental vote. And now, she is forced to play hostess to her father’s colleague, the distractingly handsome Elias Khoury who is visiting from the Middle East. Mr. Khoury has said he is visiting Oxford to study ancient artifacts, but he is really more interested in returning said artifacts to their proper homes. If Elias can find a way to seduce the incredibly introverted Catriona, he might have a key ally in his mission.

This is the final installment in Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women, and I think ending with Catriona’s story was a beautiful way to conclude the series! Catriona is constantly forced into situations that make her skin crawl, but Elias’s presence allowed Catriona to become comfortable in a way she never imagined she would. The two compliment each other intellectually and because of this connection we see a beautiful relationship grow. However, going in the final portion of the story I still did not see how we would get our happily ever after, but trust me it is worth the read to find out! This book also has a fantastic epilogue that I believe fans of the series will particularly appreciate!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, Penguin Random House Audio, and the author for my chance to read and review this book!

A feminist historical story in the installment of A League of Extraordinary Women. Catriona, a neurodivergent heroine, has complicated feeling with love, her father and her role as a activist. She meets, Elias, who is willing to meet her on her terms rather than his own. This slow-burn romance has witty banter, funny scenes and closure for this series.

This book was way too long, and heavy on historical politics and antiquities. I wanted more romance less of the other as some sub-plots really added nothing to the story.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary copy.

I love, love, love this series. The characters are always so interesting and this time in history is fascinating. I love the Suffrage Movement as a backdrop to our heroine’s lives and the struggles women in that point in history have had to suffer through to make our lives better today. It really makes the story come alive. Catriona and Elias’s story included those historical moments, but the fact that he was from the Middle East and not of the ton created another roadblock to their being together and added to my enjoyment of the novel. The way his culture was written into the story and why he was in England, gave depth to his character but also the overall story arc. I truly couldn’t put this book down.

The romance in this story was titillating, forbidden, and romantic. Catriona and Elias had so many things working against them that it seemed as if they wouldn’t find their happily ever after. Of course, in romance novels, we always get the ending that we want and it did happen, but not without these two interesting characters being put through their own trials and tribulations, facing their hopes, fears, and dreams. I can’t think of a thing I’d change to make this story better. It was heart-warming, heart-rending, and the ending was oh so joyful. I believe this is the last book in the series because the author gave us an epilogue that included all of the female leads from this series. I’m bummed, but at the same time I’m looking forward to what this talented author will write next.

I'm really sad to see this series end. The first two books are comfort reads but unfortunately this one fell a little short for me. Firstly, this is Historical Romance with a heavy emphasis on the H. It was gorgeously written and I found myself going down several Google rabbit holes researching historical events and people mentioned in the story. It's so descriptive that I swear I could lead a tour of Oxford 😆 I love a new historical that doesn't take place in a ballroom or a country estate. It's also spicy for this author and while the slow burn is more like a slow simmer, it does bang quite well 🔥 I also loved seeing the previous characters especially my beloved Tristan and reading about their continuing HEAs.

But sadly, I found this book lacked focus. There was so much going on that the romance felt like a distant second to everything else. While I really enjoyed the author's incredible research and ability to weave historical events with heart stopping romance in the previous books, here all the different historical elements overwhelmed the romance and for the most part obliterated it.

Catriona was my fave member of the League. I identify a lot with her and really liked her character development. Elias was a bit of a struggle for me. He never quite came off the page. He was just there, I guess. But he was so unremarkable that I could have probably just read a historical fiction book about Catriona doing genius lady things.

TL;DR Really long but well written book packed with many historical facts, a slow simmer romance and a slightly dull MMC.

For fans of Mary Balogh.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own

⭐⭐⭐💫
🔥🔥

Tropes:
Bluestocking
Heist
Banter

📖The Gentlemans’ Gambit 📖

I’m so sad this is the last book in this series! This has been such an amazing series that I have enjoyed wholeheartedly!

**This is book 4 in the series***

Review: This book shows an extensive amount of research knowledge and understanding of the history associated with suffrage, artifacts, and so much more! Truly Evie is a Queen when it comes to accuracy! I truly enjoyed Cat and Elias’ relationship and felt like they both had such perfect chemistry. Elias’ witty honest banter that would throw Cat off was probably one of my favorite things!!

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys series, historical accuracy, and minimal spice.

Content Warning: Suffrage
Romance Rating: Open Door…. hilarious lake moment!

\\\\\ 3.5 \\\\\
I know this is the last book in the series, but it was my first. I think it's a first for me to say that, but I truly think this series is worth reading in order. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had done the right thing. But well… I didn't… The characters from previous books had an important place in this one, sometimes even getting their own chapters, so really, that's where I'm coming from.

This book started really well, I was excited about the story and the first encounter definitely made me look forward to our characters meeting again. Catriona was a pure delight. My gosh, she was such a sweet person and so aware of herself and her needs and I really liked the way she thought things through. It's my year of reading about neurodivergent characters it seems but there is something about it in historical settings that is so interesting to me. Even today it can be hard for people, so to think about how it was back then is just even more intriguing.

The historical facts in that book were simply amazing. I'm a History lover, so I am here for all the random fun facts and learning all about the historical aspects of different time period, it makes me so happy. Don't get me wrong, I'll still read far from accurate historical romances and enjoy them as much, (my brain will just treat it as fantasy), it's all fiction anyways. But I savour it a lot when the facts are on point and there is great research and a will to show a side of history we haven't heard often of. That being said though, my problem was just that at one point it really took over the romance part and it became harder for me to keep interested. Like I said, I love learning, but I need a good mix in a book to keep me hooked, otherwise I'll prefer watching a documentary (sorry). What can I say, I'm a needy romance reader. I need my romance to be big to a point where it sometimes steals the spotlight from the plot, you know..? In this one, it was definitely not the case.

I did love our characters' connections and interactions but I was left with a feeling of wanting more and did not truly see a big evolution in their relationship. After the story went quite slow for a while, the ending was a little too rushed to my taste. All in all, still a fantastic read, I just think that sometimes you expect something and end up disappointed a little, which is totally a me thing. Still great writing, fascinating characters, interesting plot, was just missing that romantic feeling for me.

If you like feminism, passionate characters and learning all about history, this one's for you. I will definitely want to go back and read the other books (in the right order). These strong women were all so amazing and I cannot wait to learn about each of their stories.

Thanks to Berkley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for access to this arc.

I never thought I’d be reading this book. I had started the first book in the series only to discover that it was not for me. I didn’t see the point in trying further books that I was sure I wouldn’t finish either. But I liked the idea of this one in that it focuses on the return of stolen cultural heritage. The father of a friend of mine is Lebanese, and when I was a student, he, my friend, and the other Lebanese students at my university embraced me and introduced me to their culture and their food. I would crawl across broken glass for that man’s tabbouleh. Anyway, I’m happy that this book and I became friends as well.

From reading other reviews, I knew that the other three heroines from the previous books as well as their S.O.s would appear which worried me. Fortunately, they weren’t all dumped on me at the same time and there were sufficient explanations of people and past events without these turning into mini-lectures. The fight for certain women’s rights bills was reaching a head and I can easily see the steadfast determination these women had.

As the book focused on repatriation of stolen artifacts, a lot of time was paid to this. Reasons behind why things are taken (particularly patronizing), by whom, and to where are discussed. Past instances – focusing on the Parthenon friezes – were shown. Characters talked about who had the right to sign off on stuff being taken, especially if the creators of these items and cultures that made them are long dead. Yeah, some of this is repeated a lot but it’s important to know why Elias is so determined to reclaim these things. Yet, the brilliant plan that was dreamt up and worked out to do this was not shown! We were told “There’s a plan” and saw a little behind the scenes maneuvering but the actual execution … nope. That was a let down.

Overall, I liked both Catriona and Elias together. One thing bugged me about Catriona and her father. The estate was falling into ruins but these two seemed far more interested in archeology and linguist studies then getting a good steward and – honestly – giving a damn about trying to make their wool trade profitable. I was a little confused about Catriona’s mental health issues. The author’s note helped but I question only describing her in the blurb as “deeply introverted.” I’m deeply introverted and need my alone time too but Catriona’s got far more going on than that. I did like that she went back and laid the ghosts of her romantic past to rest and that she did it for herself. Thinking that she had no romantic future, she decided to explore physical love (and how realistic that it’s not immediately pleasurable for her) with a man she was attracted to. She had other reasons for letting him leave thinking their relationship could go no further which were variously answered by other sources and friends.

Elias was astonished and flustered by Catriona and his attraction to her. In one scene he watches her move through a room and no men pay attention to her because she doesn’t project flirty femininity and he thinks if only they could appreciate her mind they’d be at her feet the way he feels he is. They discussed women’s issues in the Middle East and how the silk workers of the family business bargained for and got what they wanted. Even Catriona’s crusty chaperon knew this was talking sexy to Catriona. He expressed interest in the women’s fire brigade at Oxford and how there was a need for this for these workers.

The romance was very slow burn even though there was a lot of spice. Eventually it was revealed that both MCs had parents who had love matches and that this was what they too wanted though neither expected to get it. Catriona knew Arabic and a bit about Middle Eastern culture having traveled there before. Elias had been a student at Cambridge in order to learn more about British culture for business reasons. But despite all they had in common, working out their romantic relationship took until the bitter end. I liked that Elias felt guilty about, as well as helpless to resist, Catriona’s invitation to stay with her in London with sex obviously in the cards. I liked that the two of them discussed why Catriona didn’t seem to be enjoying that sex and that Elias ensured she eventually did. After a separation that I didn’t entirely agree with, they finally talked about their fears and reasons and yay, worked things out.

There was an epilogue to tie a bow on the women’s rights fight as well as showcase happiness and fecundity that I probably would have enjoyed more had I read the other three books but it was okay. But this exchange between Catriona and Elias near the end when they were talking was wonderful. I’m not sure that I will go back and read the other books but I enjoyed this one. B

I love this series and have been with it from the beginning. What a lovely end! Such a perfect historical rom come that made me laugh and cry and completely submersed me in this world.

I'm so sad that this is the final book in the series (A League of Extraordinary Women). I love this world and each woman in the friend group. Don't ask me to pick a favorite - I love them all.

✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Bluestocking Finds Love
✔️ It's Just Sex

-summary-
Catriona is all about her work, having given up on love in her own life. Meeting Elias has upended her, however. She's very attracted to him and being around him as he works to classify artifacts is a sweet kind of torture. He's got secrets though, and his mission would be easier if he seduced Catriona but he likes her so very much.

-my thoughts-
Two smart people acting dumb about love? My favorite!

The slow burn was perfection. There is so much pining between these two and it almost made my heart hurt.

I loved both characters so much, especially Catriona. I have a soft spot for the quiet bookish types who think they will never be loved 🥺 and then don't know what to do with themselves when they do find it 😆

I also love how I learn about history here haha (and I usually 😴 when it's too much). It's a perfect balance of historical context with plot and character development and romance.

The last quarter of the book was a rollercoaster of emotion but incredibly fulfilling. 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

The Gentleman’s Gambit is the 4th and final book in The League of Extraordinary Women series. I was super excited to read this book as I have really enjoyed the previous books.
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Unfortunately for me this book was my least favorite in the series. It was very long and dragged in places. I found myself skimming quite a bit.
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I did love the opening scene. It grabbed me right away but unfortunately didn’t keep my interest once the story started to unfold. I think it was a bit too heavy on the historical part and there wasn’t enough romance.
I did love the epilogue. I’ve really enjoyed these characters.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley for the opportunity to read this book.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for this earc

This was a nice conclusion to this series.
I liked and disliked this in the book but by the end of it left me with warm feeling which is exactly what you should expect.

I liked that the characters were from different cultures and had to find middle ground. I think my favorite scene was when Catriona was trying to cook for Elias.

Was incredible historical? Yes. So only go into this whole series if you like the “historical” in the historical romances.

This series is my favorite historical romance series, and I am heartbroken that it’s over. I fear I will forever be chasing the high The League of Extraordinary Women gave me. This book, especially, since it’s my favorite of the quartet.
Catriona is by far my favorite of Dunmore’s FMCs, mainly because I relate so heavily to her. She was clearly neurodivergent-coded in the earlier books, and I’m so glad this book really doubled down on that, making it undeniable, and outright confirming it in the authors note. There’s a real depth to the portrayal. It goes beyond quirky or eccentric, really exploring everything from social troubles to sensory overload and burn out. We see it in social situations, in internal monologue, in the sex scenes. It colors every part of Catriona’s experience—it’s a true part of who she is, and I really appreciate that.
Similarly, I utterly adored Elias. Being in his head, watching him scheme and then screw up all his schemes by falling in love.
And the chemistry between the two of them? I was swooning so hard.
The plot in this one also felt especially strong. It was layered, with the artifact plotlines, the suffrage plotlines, and the romance. All of these aspects were braided together seamlessly, and each of them held my interest and kept me engaged. I stayed up far too late reading this book because I simply could not put it down, and then I picked it up first thing the next minute and read for another two hours straight in order to finish it before getting out of bed.
As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to immediately pick up Bringing Down the Duke and do a reread of the series. Dunmore is a supremely talented writer, and as sad as I am to see this series end, I’m even more excited to see what she does next.

I have been so excited for this book to come out! The Gentleman’s Gambit is the fourth and final book in Evie Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women series. I enjoyed Catriona and Elias as characters and their love story.

The storyline follows Catriona Campbell working with the other women from the series on their latest effort for women’s rights. She dreams of being a professor at Oxford. Elias Khoury is a new college of Professor Campbell (her father) and is (allegedly) there to classify ancient artifacts. Elias is from Lebanon and is truly here to find a way to return the artifacts from England to their original home. Their paths certainly cross and ultimately begin working together and falling for each other. Also, as the title indicates, there is definitely chess involved.

I can’t speak to how accurate the representation is but I was happy to see a hero from the Middle East in this book. The author gives me the vibe that she does her research.

Portrait of a Scotsman is still my personal favorite of the four books but I enjoyed them all!

I enjoyed this more than the previous book but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the first two. There was something about Catriona that I didn't particularly care for and I couldn't make much sense of her reasoning toward the end of the book. Elias was wonderful and since I have a fascination with the near east, its history, and antiquities I really loved that aspect of the story. I also thought having a couple of chapters from the povs of Annabelle and Lucie, etc,. was distracting and would have rather seen that time focused on Elias and Catriona. I understand that the suffrage movement was a huge part of this series but it took over a little too much in this installment. This was still a solid read and the epilogue tied things up nicely. I enjoyed this series as a whole very much and I look forward to what Evie Dunmore writes next. 4 stars. Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review. (shoutout to the artist because these covers have been amazing)

Evie Dunmore you have done it again! I loved this! Elias was so dreamy and I loved finally getting Catriona’s book. It was well worth the wait.

Like Elias IS that man. I loved him and his plot line with recovering stolen items is incredible. The british museum sucks.

This was such a great installment. I loved Cat’s wit and strength and dedication to her work. And Elias was so smitten with her and despite his clear objectives, he fell so hard for her.

They had such incredible chemistry - all the longing and glances godddd!!!