This was really cute and I loved the story line and the side characters.

I hope there are more books in this series because I would love to read stories for Hannah, Sophia and Alexander.

I did a hybrid read and I also loved the narrator of the audiobook.

Steam: It was a closed door/kissing only

I’m not sure which book started the historical rom com mystery craze but I’ve been having a lot of fun trying different books and authors that fit into this genre mishmash. Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is the latest I’ve tried but Violet Marsh’s offering didn’t thrill me as I would have liked.

Here’s the book’s description:
Lady Charlotte Lovett should have never run away upon discovering her betrothal. But when one has been promised to a man who, rumor has it, killed his previous two wives, one does what one must. The only thing that can get her out of this engagement is proving that Viscount Hawley is as sinister as she thinks he is. And the person who would know best is his very own brother.
In many ways, Dr. Matthew Talbot is the exact opposite of his sibling—scholarly, shy, and shunned by society. But like his brother, he has secrets, and he doesn’t need Charlotte exposing them in her quest to take down the viscount. It only seems prudent to help her while keeping her from poking her nose in all the wrong places. But as they put their hearts at risk to grow closer to each other, they are also getting closer to a dangerous confrontation with Hawley.
One of the main issues I had with this book was Charlotte herself. She annoyed me. She may have thought she was learning the ways of the world but I felt the same as her cousins, Sophie and Hannah, and needed a lot of convincing before I could start to believe that she wasn’t just rebelling on a whim. Too often she came across as a poor little rich girl and that really grated on me. I could see she was a good person and had a less than ideal life but, at the end of the day, I didn’t really see her understanding how much her privilege afforded her. Plus, she kept putting herself in danger because she refused to hear that she didn't know how to live in the real world.

Hawley posed a very real threat - knowing but being unable to prove that he had two previous wives murdered is a terrifying prospect - but he came across as a cartoon villain. I could not take him seriously which was a problem since he was a serious problem to be dealt with.

There was some mystery and intrigue surrounding Matthew’s past that was hinted at (far too) often before it was finally revealed. By the time I learned the truth, though, I had stopped caring.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man may thrill others but Violet Marsh’s novel didn’t do much for me. It seems like there’s going to be another book in the series, with the way it ended, but I’m not sure yet if I’ll pick it up or not.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Thanks NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC! It has been a long time since I’ve read anything set in the 18th century, and while I generally love historical fiction, this story didn’t do it for me. Despite how the book is described, there wasn’t much mystery to it as the “bad guy” and his crimes were known (or at least suspected) from the first page. The plot simply revolved around catching him (and far too much on the antics of quirky animals). About 25%of the way through, I started skipping most of the narration and primarily reading the dialogue because the pacing was so slow and I was losing interest. The story had potential as a historical feminist adventure, but besides a few brief clandestine romantic moments, the majority of it fell flat for me.

Thank you Forever for the review copy. This is my honest opinion.

Set in London prior to the war with the colonies (America) this fast paced novel follows Charlotte who is seeking a way of proving that her soon to be finace is NOT a man that she should be marrying. With the assistance of her cousins, her twin brother, and her brother's best friend, she sets out to do just that.

This has dual POV, funny animal sidekicks, a little bit of piracy, plenty of steam (no on page sex), lots of commentary on the ridiculous fashion of the time period, a strong willed FMC, a MMC who is way more than just a doctor and naturalist, and an unlikely love story.

This is really cute and easy read, and sets up for a sequel but no cliffhangers. The characters span the classes, and there is interesting distinctions made about the differences between the characters (even with those within the same class).

Recommend for those who want a historical romance that isn't regency.

I liked this book but didn’t love it. There were a lot of components I enjoyed like the characters and the plot, and it was well written. I didn’t think there was enough emphasis on the romance. I almost would have preferred if this was just labeled as historical fiction. I thought the author did a good job of including difficult topics and this made it feel modern despite being historical.

Charlotte, the daughter of a duke, soon will be trapped in an engagement/marriage to Hawley, heir to a dukedom and who is rumored to have killed his first two wives. She is determined to prove how evil he is, thereby escaping the marriage. Charlotte enlists the help of her twin, Alexander, and his best friend and Hawley's brother, Matthew, who as a surgeon, is the black sheep of the ducal family. Matthew has secrets of his own, including his love for Charlotte.

I will state right off that I have trouble with the title. It conjures up a light-hearted romcom and this is not that book. Yes, there are comedic moments, but I found those somewhat jarring. In one moment, you have hilarity with a parrot and a monkey and in the next information about the sociopath villain (I kept worrying that the sociopath would kill the parrot or the monkey). The book also touches on serious themes, such as slavery, gender roles, race, and British colonization. Additionally, do not be deceived by the cover that this is a Regency; it is definitely Georgian, as evidenced by the description of the clothes and information about the colonies. Having said that, I did like the book, which appears to be the first in a proposed series. Much of the book centers around the coffee-house culture of the 1700s, which is fascinating. The main and secondary characters also are well-formed and the relationships are intriguing.

Lady Charlotte's parents have betrothed her to Viscount Hawley. His two previous wives have died under mysterious circumstances. Her twin Brother Alexander is best friends with Hawley's brother Matthew. Matthew is a surgeon and is looking into the deaths of his brother's wives.

I really wanted to like this book. But I was not captivated by the story or the characters. There really wasn't a mystery. We know the bad guy. I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I did not get hooked into the story. 🤷 The best characters were Pan, the Parrot and Banshee the Monkey.

This was such a fun read! I loved the mystery, the danger, and the romance was so incredibly cute!

I haven't read a lot of romances set during this time period, so it was a nice change of pace. It might not have been the most historically accurate, but I'm always willing to suspend belief for a good story, and this was fantastic.

I know I've mentioned before about my love for strange pets, especially foul-mouthed parrots in romances, and this book had two of the funniest animals around. Pan and Banshee were perfect together!

Overall, this was a wonderfully refreshing romance that I found highly entertaining!

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

POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️

I really did enjoy this book for the suspense and the characters, but I did go into expecting a romance (it was advertised to readers who love Bridgerton) but there was very little romance, which is one of my pet peeves. What we do see of Charlotte and Matthew’s relationship is great but I just needed more of that to really consider the book a historical romance.

I do love the coffee house setting, how Charlotte really grows into a strong woman who knows what she wants and makes it happen, and Matthew’s cute awkwardness (he’s no typical historical MMC). I am really intrigued by Charlotte’s brother and would love to read his story if it ever comes about, but going into it I will just be expecting more of a historical fiction read with a tiny side of romance and suspense!

I wanted to like this more than I did. It was slightly bonkers but not enough and overall, I was kind of bored. I'm grateful for the early review copy as usual though!

Thank you to Forever Publishing & Hachette Audio for my review copies!

I am deep into my historical romance era, and have been loving these historical romances with a touch of mystery!

Lady Charlotte is sick of her parent’s plans for her life, especially when they announce her imminent engagement to the Viscount Hawley, who has already been widowed twice under mysterious circumstances. In order to get out from under her parent’s thumb, she decides to go into business with her cousins. Together, they expand the cousins’ coffee house to allow women and men to mix.

I absolutely loved the salons and coffee houses, and this culture of conversations! It added some gravity to a story that was often over the top and humorous. The cousins have a pet parrot, of course, since they are descended from pirates.

Dr. Matthew Talbot, best friend of Lady Charlotte’s twin brother and younger brother to Viscount Hawley, is the love interest and I absolutely adored him. He is stern and spends most of his time traveling and studying nature and medicine.

I felt like the plot moved fast and there was a lot going on, and I absolutely could not put it down. I love when the lovers have something big to work on, that gives them something to do while they get to know each other. The animals provided some levity, making it feel like a cozier romance/mystery than it otherwise could have.

I really enjoyed this one and would love to see this turned into a series!

🎧 Narrator Katy Soby does an excellent job bringing these characters to life, and I definitely recommend the audiobook!

When Charlotte’s parent’s arrange a marriage to Viscount Hawley she will do pretty much anything to get out of the engagement, including running away. Viscount Hawley has had two previous wives die of suspicious circumstances and Charlotte doesn’t want to be added to that list. When Hawley’s brother Matthew comes back from the West old feelings for Charlotte come back to the surface in her attempt to prove Hawley’s vicious nature. But Matthew has secrets of his own as well. Will Charlotte be able to get out of her engagement? Will Matthew stand a chance when Charlotte uncovers everything?

This was a delightfully kooky historical romance with some added mystery and I can’t wait for the next book!

Now this was an absolutely hectic tale with an equally wild cast! The main characters, Charlotte and Matthew, are so different but it's so much to see a really brave heroine with a more solemn and sweet male lead. This was also a nice take on the "falling in love with your brother's best friend" trope.

This was like if you dropped mystery, scandal, and adventure into the world Bridgerton and made it relatively PG. I've never read a historical regency romance that was this chaotic! It was a bit difficult to follow at times and I found myself having to backtrack a bit to clear up any confusion which isn't optimal and my main gripe with the book.

3.5 stars

A cute regency romance! I was excited by the premise, but I feel like it under delivered. I really liked the characters of Charlotte and Matthew, they were very well developed and I found myself rooting for them throughout the book. However, I did feel let down by the plot/mystery itself. It felt a little dragged out to me and I did find myself skimming most of it.

This book will be perfect for you if you enjoy a low stakes regency romance with some hijinks, animal sidekicks, and bold characters.

Pub Date: Out Now!

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Forever Books and Hachette Audio for the gifted copies of Lady Charlotte.

What a fun read! Lady Charlotte is not just a historical romance as it might first seem - it’s a genre bending romp that that includes arranged marriage, murder, pirates, found family, and true love. I really had no idea I was in for but enjoyed it so much. Here’s what I liked:

- Lady Charlotte is a badass. The primary storyline focuses on thwarting her betrothal to a homicidal psychopath, which she takes the lead on. She’s fierce but feminine, willing to put her trust in a good man but never rely solely on him. And of course, in the end, she gets her man.
- There’s a diverse cast of secondary characters that bring depth to the story. Charlotte’s mixed race cousin is portrayed as an intellectual and savvy businesswoman, despite being shunned by high society for her parentage. There’s a gang of pirates (or pretend pirates?) that offer Charlotte advice. And we can’t forget the talking parrot, whose antics bring the perfect dose of comedic relief.
- The author’s note discussing the historical accuracy of the plot and any liberties she took (not many!) was so helpful. I sometimes struggle with historical romances, not knowing how realistic a plot point is or if the author ignored a major anachronism to advance a plot point, so having this author’s note brought the closure and confirmation I needed to enjoy the book.

Audio: I thought the narrator did a fine job bringing the story to life. I especially like her accents/voices for all the different characters - I could tell the difference in two characters’ social classes just by her voice. Given the many voices, I would LOVE to listen to this with a full cast production - it would really elevate the experience - but it’s solid as is.

Set in the Regency period, Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man by Violet Marsh is a historical romantic mystery with a side of swashbuckling adventure. When Lady Charlotte is told by her parents that she is to be betrothed to Hawley, a man who is rumoured to have murdered his previous two wives, she is determined to save herself but, to do so, she needs money. She convinces her cousin, daughter of a pirate and owner of a coffeehouse, to accept her as a partner in the business. There, she meets Dr Matthew Talbot, Hawley’s brother, who has reasons of his own to resent his brother but Talbot has secrets of his own. The two set out, with the aid of several others including Charlotte’s twin brother, to uncover Hawley’s murderous schemes, but during their investigation, they discover more about his crimes than they bargain for.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this novel but I have to say it was one of the most entertaining books I’ve read this year. The story is well-plotted with plenty of action. There is a large cast of wonderfully unique characters including Charlotte and Matthew who are both extremely likeable. I’m not a fan of romance but, here, it is all rather innocent. There is also a great deal of humour running through the tale, often provided by a foul mouthed parrot and his lady love, a capuchin monkey. Overall, just a whole lot of fun and I really hope this is the beginning of a series because I look forward to more adventures with Lady Charlotte, Matthew and the rest of the coffeehouse regulars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Wonderfully unique characters. I loved how Charlotte takes control of her own destiny and finds her future along the way. This was a great combination of romance, feminism, pirates and playwrights, a dash of mystery, and a fabulous talking parrot.

When Charlotte's mother tells her that she has been betrothed to a man that Charlotte believes killed his first two wives she is shocked. She didn't decide to do everything she can to prove that he is guilty before she must marry him. This was a very interesting story Charlotte finds on her journey even more people who believe he is guilty and they band together to find proof. This was different than other mysteries. Most mysteries begin with something happening and the characters trying to find out who did it. The premise for this mystery is you know who did it the problem is trying to prove it. This was a very well written book with interesting characters and storyline.

The book starts with a young woman being told by her mother that a husband has been found for her and she has no recourse but to accept it and go on. Frustrated, she runs out of a fitting room and just tears down the street in a fancy ball gown. She then stops at a coffeehouse owned by some cousins and wants to join them. She spends some time chatting with them. There’s a one-eyed parrot flying around making snarky remarks. So, if this young woman was so protected, how come her mother didn’t send out a search party for her? The coffeehouse has groups - both men and women - come in to discuss controversial subjects. We then fixate on brothers and other an acquaintances to get together and just discuss stuff. Oh, YAWN!! After several hours trying to figure out who was who and what purpose they were all trying to serve, I just could not stand another wasted minute on this book. I hate nothing more than to DNF a book, but neither will I force myself to weed through nonsense. Sorry. This book was just not for me.

I marked it as a DNF.

The beginning of this book felt a little bit slow to me. As the story progressed, I found it a little bit more interesting. The characters were likeable but I didn't feel a connection with any of them. Overall, I felt this was an okay book.