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.

A super fun historical romance with a strong-willed woman who takes her life into her own hands, a secretive animal-loving surgeon, and a bird and a monkey to boot!

When Charlotte is told she will marry a Duke, her first instinct is to run (literally) because the dude's first two wives died mysteriously and suspiciously, and the man himself doesn't seem to be very nice. She decided to start investigating to see if she can get out of the engagement. Matthew is on the same page, except that same Duke is his older brother, and he knows something is fishy with him.

Both characters are very fun and a little silly, and honestly the side characters are even more interesting. This has the potential to be a really fun series with lots of unique characters, and this first installment was a great kick-off.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC!

When Lady Charlotte learns of her betrothal to the nasty and wicked Viscount Hawley, she’s devastated. Hawley has had two previous wives who have died under mysterious circumstances, and she doesn’t want to be next. She quickly picks herself up, dusts of her skirts and starts developing a plan to prove that Hawley is sinister. She starts working with his little brother and her longtime family friend Matthew to try to glean information, but as they get closer, she realizes he might not be what she suspected. As she falls for Matthew, she also knows he’s keeping a secret and she will stop at nothing to figure out what these boys are hiding.

Oh man. If you thought this was gonna be your run of the mill historical romance, you are so wrong. This book is a mystery, adventure and romance all rolled into one. The topics covered are darker but the cast of characters are so fun and interesting, including a filthy mouthed parrot and an exuberant monkey, that it lightens the overall tone of the book. Charlotte is a strong willed and progressive minded FMC. The romance between her and Matthew is a slow burn in this closed door romance. I thought this book was cute and fun and a pleasant read.


I was provided this arc for free. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. Thank you to Violet Marsh and Forever publishing!

This is a very enjoyable Regency Romance with some fun surprises. Charlotte is set to marry a terrible man named Hawley. It is an arranged marriage, and she is desperate to get out of it because she suspects he murdered his previous wife. Matthew Talbot is Hawley's younger brother, just returned from the Colonies, and is also secretly investigating his brother's crimes. Of course, Charlotte and Matthew slowly fall in love, and it's sweet and thoughtful. Marsh does a great job of showing us why they should be together. What sets this book apart is all of the other plot points happening at the same time as the romance. There's some highwaymen activity, some rescuing of indentured servants and enslaved people, and the creation of a female-owned coffee shop/salon. It's a lot, but it keeps everything moving along!

Overall, if you're looking for Romance with a propulsive plot, I recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

A wonderful historical romance with pirates, mixed race characters, a parrot and monkey romance, plus a mystery. Lady Charlotte is betrothed to a man who she suspects has killed his first 2 wives. She sets about trying to prove it with the help of his brother, Mathew, who also has secrets.
Part of the story takes place in a coffee house, which became part of London life in the late 1600s and by 1730 were quite ubiquitous.
Charlotte is strong-willed and has a mind of her own. She meets her cousins, 2 mixed-race women who own a coffee house, and Charlotte herself becomes involved. It is a fascinating story. We learn about how slaves were treated and how there was an underground to help them in London.
The history, romance, and mystery combine to make this quite an interesting book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my EARC. This is my honest review. I hope the author writes more books about this time period.

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

DNF @ 48%

I really tried to push through on this book because of all of the positive reviews, and while I think a lot of the rave reviews have validity unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I found the pacing extremely slow, and part of that had to do with just how much was going on. There was SO much going on that things got bogged down which is where I as a reader got lost. I do think there are other people who will really like this book however, if you’re into historical romance and mystery, this very much could be for you! It just wasn’t hitting for me.

✨Jeepers!✨

There was a lot happening here and I was thoroughly confused for most of it. It was nice, but not very memorable (the reason I rounded my star rating down for Goodreads). I don’t think I’d need to reread this one, but I’ll definitely keep reading the series. This was a debut, so I’m excited to see the writing grow. The voice was definitely there, but I would love to see it get a little more kooky and funny.

My confusion had a lot to do with the fact that I received an ALC that had several sections just cut from the book. I didn’t realize I was missing crucial plot points until I was at 27% of the book, which was actually 36% with the missing parts added! I stopped the ALC and grabbed the eARC from NetGalley to try to catch up but ultimately just listened through Spotify.

The audiobook itself was well performed, although the hero’s voice left a bit to be desired. The Scottish brogue was rather underwhelming. I would, overall, recommended the narrator to others. The finished audiobook didn’t skip any parts, so I’d also recommend reading that way if you’re interested.

So take my review with a grain of salt, because I’d have maybe had a better experience if I wasn’t so confused. The pacing was still a bit wonky though, and it lacked tension (for me) since we knew who the villain was from the start. He was a nasty character but also didn’t feel all that dangerous to our characters? Definitely a bit of a Scooby Doo villain. Over the top and a bit theatrical, but not all that interesting or nuanced.

Since we knew the villain from the start, I was kind of just like…cool, so where’s the rest of the plot? The hero was a bit of a vigilante and the heroine did get shot saving him, so that was fun. Charlotte felt like a Daphne for sure. Don’t underestimate her just because she wears pretty dresses and is a lady!! Also bonus points for a supporting character named Hannah >>>

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

There were no on-page sex scenes or even heavy petting. The story didn’t call for it though!



I received an ALC from Hachette Audio and an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

This book was a fun read - part mystery, part romance, part finding your path. I enjoyed the main characters and the adventures they had.

There are lots of side plots and characters but they all support the main story and characters. The twists and turns kept you on your toes.

I loved the swoon worthy quotes like this one - “I have esteemed you since I first laid eyes upon you in the foyer of your parents’ house.”

If you love strong female characters and friends-to-lovers trope this book is for you.

Thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for providing the ARC.

. There was soooo much going on with monkeys and coffee houses and mysterious deaths and twin brother’s best friend with zero chemistry with the sister and the that sister is the woman betrothed to the older brother of her twin’s best friend. Did you get all that?! And despite the chaotic plot the story bored me… don’t ask me how but it did. Anyways… wanted to love this but it was not my cup of tea.

This was such a fun historical romance!

I really enjoyed how this wasn’t just a romance, there was a mystery to solve and a criminal to catch. There were also a wide range of characters from various social classes and professions, which made it so interesting!

The dual POV was also great, we really got to see how Matthew struggled with a terrible childhood being told he wasn’t worthwhile, and Charlotte being pushed to do whatever is “proper” for a lady of her time. I really appreciated her pushing those boundaries and then deciding that she wants nothing at all to do with the aristocracy.

This was a bit of a slow burn, with a lot of angst between these two characters who have known each other since they were children. But she is of a higher station than he is, and it takes him a while to realize that she doesn’t care for material wealth, she just wants to be loved and happy.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a dash of romance, mystery, trickery, and fun!

dnf 31% I tried so hard to get into this book. I tried both the book and the audio and by 30% I was just bored. I almost never dnf historical romances but this one just did nothing for me. I was confused about the time period from the jump and literally had to flip to the authors note to figure out when it was set (1750s). For the love of god historical romance authors, you need to tell us when your book are set. Once I knew the time period I was furious about the cover of the book. Why does her dress and hair look like that? why are they dancing as a couple? why is the woman in the back wearing an empire waist gown? trade published historical romances will turn me from the genre entirely, I have yet to find one that is actually good. Charlotte and Matthew were fine characters but the book spent too much time on them separately that there was no attraction or heat. I know I only made it 30%, but there should be some tension between the two. The book even had the cop out of of they grew up together, so there could have easily been some longing from childhood leading into adulthood, but no. Other than constantly being told they grew up together they do not have the familiarity of two people who grew up together. The writing is clunky and awkwardly phrased. Literally it felt like a weird mix of modern lingo, some historically large words requiring a dictionary, and random historical facts. I had hoped some of this would have been resolved during the editing process prior to the release of the final copy, but as I was listening to the audiobook after publication via Spotify clearly these issues were not resolved. The book has glaring plot holes and the characters are cartoonishly written as good or evil rather than as multidimensional people. I can't make myself continue.

This was just amazing! A mysterious, engaging, wonderful story, with an even more awesome FMC! She is intelligent, speaks her mind, and has so much will & resilience. Exactly what you’re looking for for this time.
This story is opposites attract and there's also disability rep in the form of Charlotte's brother who has a club foot and uses a mobility aid.

I loved the characters and setting, and will definitely be reading more of this author’s work!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.