3.5 stars rounded up!

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is a historical romance novel set around 1700s. Lady Charlotte is betrothed to a man whose other two wives have mysteriously died. Charlotte teams up with her brother and his best friend, who is also the brother of the man Charlotte is engaged to, to stop this engagement. Charlotte may also have another romance blooming with her brothers best friend.

This was a good book. I’m not the biggest historical fan but I did enjoy this one. The characters were all fun and like able, there were even some fun animals throughout. I also enjoyed the different clothing described and the historical setting. I loved the coffeehouse and the different characters we met there. Charlotte was a brave and fun main character that was fun to follow. Matthew was also a great character and their relationship was a good one to root for. I do wish we got some more background on their relationship growing up because I feel like we lacked on the chemistry just a bit. It didn’t feel like they had a history together but rather a new romance. I would’ve liked that explored a bit more.

My biggest problem was the tone of this one. It is described as a rom com but it actually had a lot of serious topics. There was just a bit of disconnect for me with the light tone and the dark topics. I would’ve either made the tone a little more serious or would’ve made the topics a bit lighter.

All in all, this was a good historical romance that was fun to read. The tone was just a bit off for me but I still liked it. Thanks so much to netgalley and Forever for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.7 Stars
One Liner: A decent read

Lady Charlotte Lovett has no intention of marrying Viscount Hawley, not when rumors say he killed his previous two wives. The only way to get out of the engagement is to prove his crimes. That’s easier said than done.
Mathew Talbot is Hawley’s younger brother and an odd one out in society with a love for animals. He is a surgeon and prefers to spend time with animals than humans. When Charlotte decides to investigate his brother’s unsavory past, Mathew has to keep her away from danger as well as his own secrets. Moreover, his heart seems to grow fonder of Charlotte, but a future with her is not easy.
The story comes in the third-person POV of Charlotte and Mathew.

My Thoughts:
Well, this isn’t your typical historical romance. It is a blend of adventure, mystery, comedy, and romance. The content is darker, too.
Random bits of comedy are inserted to keep things light. This may or may not work for everyone. I did like Pan the Parrot and Banshee the Monkey. I needed that light tone.
We already know who the villain is (the dude is a cardboard cutout with zero personality, but okay!), so we need to see how his villainy will come to light. The parents are one dimensional too, the typical ton who only cares about appearances and titles.
What saves the book is the friendship/ relationship between Charlotte, Mathew, Alexander, Hannah, and Sophia. Alexander is Charlotte’s twin and someone with great potential. Mathew has his demons to fight but is an endearing character.
The focus is more on the coffee-room culture and the dynamics between the rich and the not-rich, titled and untitled, etc. There are few liberties taken, but we can get the essence of the setting.
The found family trope is rather heartwarming to read. I also like how the book discusses colonization, slavery, gender and racial discrimination, etc., without weighing down the plot. It helps that the plot is straightforward (despite the pretense of mystery).
The prose gets too prose-y (I like purple but not purple prose), and the vibes are modernish. This can be off-putting for some readers. I didn’t mind much as I’ve read such writing. It seems to be a trend anyway.
The romance begins in the last quarter and has kissy-kissy scenes. However, it is low on steam. I found that it suits the storyline and characters. It may not be enough for some readers.
There’s no miscommunication, though people keep secrets from each other for a long time. It makes sense in a way, so can’t complain much.
We also get an epilogue with a lead for the next book in the series. Naturally, I will read it. Despite the excessive prose, the pacing is decent enough to finish the book in a couple of days.

To summarize, Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is an entertaining book if you want a mash of genres and a light read that doesn’t tax your brain (only if you don’t think too much about some elements). The author’s note is informative. Don’t miss it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Other links will be updated later.

This book is a little bit of a hot mess. Modern, disjointed writing combines with a lackluster "mystery" and caricatures of characters (Very Evil Viscount, Mary Sue Heroine, Humble But Hot Hero, etc) to make what essentially is a historical Scooby-Doo episode. There are a lot of random exotic animals that get more page time than the villain, everyone is So Good at everything, and every potential obstacle in a historical setting is conveniently removed and forgotten about (e.g. her overbearing mother, chaperones, etc) when Charlotte needs to run around the city or go on an trip. There's also not really a mystery here- they have decided from page 1 that Hawley killed his past wives and then they basically don't even have to work to prove it. I wish the romance or banter could have saved it, but none of the characters have a consistent enough personality to get attached or root for them. This is an unserious, conveniently plotted book that's for the very casual historical reader.

Retail reviews post on release date.

“I have esteemed you since I first laid eyes upon you in the foyer of your parents’ house. You were so full of life that you made something in me come alive—and that part of me has lived for you ever since.”

When Lady Charlotte learns that her parents have betrothed her to the cold, ruthless, and twice widowed-under-mysterious-circumstances Viscount Hawley, self-preservation prompts her to take any action necessary to extricate herself from the marriage contract. Ultimately she finds herself marshaling a team of unlikely allies in her quest for independence, including the Viscount’s half-brother and her childhood friend, Dr. Matthew Talbot. Sparks of every kind start to fly as Charlotte, Matthew, and their friends race against the clock to outsmart the dangerous Hawley before she is forced to walk down the aisle.

This sweet Georgian-era romance is simply fun, and a pleasure to read from start to finish. I love the plotlines, and that both Charlotte and Matthew are involved in their own secret intrigues that weave together so tightly throughout the events the story. Charlotte’s independent, fearless nature is so perfectly balanced by Matthew’s quiet, humble strength. They are such a great match, and I think the author does a wonderful job developing their chemistry through their slow-burn romance. I love all of the supporting characters, and that the Black Sheep is a microcosm of the British social strata. I also really enjoy the author’s sense of humor, and it translates so well on the page through Pan’s outbursts. I love that he appears at the masquerade ball with a little eyepatch!

Usually, my criticism with romance novels written within the last 5 years is that they are entirely too long. Here, the biggest drawback for me was that the book wasn’t long enough! I kept feeling that there were important bits of the story that were missing, and that would have made for even better character development. For example, I wanted to know more about why Matthew’s father held his bizarre beliefs about the fae; why Hawley hated Matthew given that Matthew was never a threat to him or his birthright; and why Hawley hated Alexander.

I am hoping that this novel is the start of a series about patrons of the Black Sheep, because I would love to read Alun Powys and Lady Calliope’s enemies to lovers romance next!

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

This book had all the elements i typically love: mystery, romance, historical setting, but for some reason fell a bit flat for me. While there were series elements (murder, abuse, etc.), the characters never addressed each others traumas to one another, which felt odd to me. I liked this story but it felt like the development got edited down.

Tropes: brother’s best friend; unwanted engagement; opposites attract; murder mystery
Steam level:1 (a few kisses)
3.25 stars.

This book wasn’t really for me, however, there were some aspects I liked:
–Well researched with a fun riff on the coffeehouses that existed in 1700’s-1800’s England.
–The MC’s are likable. Matthew is a prime example of a cinnamon roll hero, smart and slightly awkward but still attractive. Charlotte is intelligent and outspoken (if pretty anachronistic).
–The writing is solid.
–Lots of snappy dialog.
–Fun cast of characters.
–Some chuckles and quirkiness. But if you don’t like irreverence in your HR’s, you might not like this. Think low-steam Tessa Dare or Charlie Lane.

What I was on the fence about:
–Anachronisms and Americanisms abound. Mostly for humorous intent, but I did feel like I was reading a contemporary rom-com set in Regency England.

Things I didn’t like:
–Back to the humor. When it veered toward the frenetic, with lots of characters and attendant noise, my attention strayed.
–Purple prose, whether it was meant to be humorous or not.
–OTT stereotypes. MFC’s parents are the stock, social-climbing “let’s force our daughter to marry despite the fact that the man has multiple wives who mysteriously died and he’s obviously a bully” types (MFC’s mom is particularly annoying. Nasty fictional Regency-era mom characters have definitely become a pet peeve of mine).
–The villainous fiance is not only OTT, but so much of the plot hinges on the mystery aspect, the fact that the reader has no doubt that this guy is capable of terrible things within the first few chapters is a definite weakness.

Overall: I like the writing style and some of the humor, but felt it was a tad too overdone. For a book that relies pretty heavily on the mystery aspect, with low steam, there needed to be more subtlety or red herrings to consistently keep my attention.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own.

This book was pretty all over the place...it didn't really work as a mystery and it didn't really work as a romance. It gave the vibe of "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks." Needed some more editing at the very least.

A romp of a comedic romantic mystery featuring the dynamic Lady Charlotte. who flees her engagement because she's pretty sure he's a murderer and finds herself linked up with Matthew, her putative fiancé's brother. These two make a good pair. The dialogue is snappy. the characters well rounded, and the storytelling pulls you in. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man, is about a high society lady in the 1700s whose parents arrange for her marriage to a noblemans son. Problem is his last 2 wives both died under suspicious circumstances, being chalked up to accidents. Charlotte along with her twin brother, Alexander, Matthew-her future brother in law, and several other friends they set out to expose his horrendous truths and free Charlotte.

I really enjoyed this one. I feel that the author did a really good job of developing the characters. The plot was well thought out and timed well. There were a few instances where I felt like some of the information could have been cut short, but it ultimately didn't take away from the story. I wish there would have been a bit more justice at the end in regards to his previous 2 wives, like why he killed them or even how is father reacted to his arrest.

The end points to a sequel with the same characters which I looked forward to reading if that's the case.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is really twofold. She is on the trail of a murder suspect, but along the way falls in love with the suspect’s younger brother. This book is a slow burn sweet romance. The hero, Matthew Talbot has just returned from overseas to learn that his older brother is engaged to the woman that he has been in love with for years. But….he has some misgivings, and not just because he has always been in love with Charlotte.
Matthew is more of the shy hero, who stumbles and stutters whenever Charlotte is about, while Charlotte is the opposite. Forthright and outspoken. Which is fine if you like that, I prefer my hero’s to be bossy and domineering. But that’s just me. The animals in the story make it worth turning the pages! The parrot and the monkey had me laughing out loud.
This book is more a mystery then a romance. I thought. But the romance is definitely there. It’s more of a slow burn than hot and spicy. The romance doesn’t really get going until the last part of the book, I’d say about a good 70% in. The secondary characters really are what make the story go more than the hero and heroine.
Violet Marsh is a new to me author, but one I’ll be on the look out for in future for the animals in the story alone.

This was such a wonderful, entertaining read!
Lady Charlotte is such a strong character whose parents are planning to betroth her to a Viscount whose first two wives died under mysterious circumstances.
The Viscount's brother Matthew, a doctor has just returned from a journey and is also investigating his brother.
Charlotte's brother Alexander and Matthew have been friends since childhood.
The interaction between Charlotte and Matthew is interesting and at times complicated.
I loved all the secondary characters, and the parrot and monkey will have you laughing out loud.
There was so much going on in this book, that it was highly entertaining and at times laugh out loud funny.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and these are my opinions.

Lady Charlotte Lovett, brother Alexander Lovett, Marquess of Heathford. parents Duke and Duchess of Falcondale. Lady Charlotte is dutiful, polite, kind, gracious, and has a China doll facade to the Ton. She does what she can to please her parents, since they believe the family line will have to continue the her. Strictness to the rules is what her parents demand.

William Talbot, Viscount Hawley, heir to Duke of Lansberry, along with his middle brother Lord Henry would berate, torment, and belittle their youngest brother who their father call a changling. So said brother preferred nature, books, being nice to drinking, debauchery, and fighting. He took what his mother loved and become a physician, Dr. Matthew Talbot, against his father's wishes.

Matthew spent summers at the family estate in Scotland where her followed in his mother's love of nature, plants, and all creatures in the area. Since she died when he was young, Matthew learned this from the one person she did get to teach, Tavish Stewart. When Matthew finished Ravish hired him on as the ships physician.

We open with the Duchess telling Charlotte she is being fitted for a betrothal ball gown, only to find it is for herself. After learning who the groom is, she ducks out the back door and runs. Finding herself is the wrong area, she remembers her brother slowing about the coffeehouse run by their cousin. So off to the cousin she goes.

Miss Hannah Wick, Miss Sophia Wick, (cousins on their father's side; Hannah is Charlotte's cousin on their mother's side) own a coffee house. Both these ladies have pirates in the family so they understand how the seedy side works and how to protect themselves. Great side characters with sassy, witty commentary that just make you want to smack your forehead and go DUH!

With the help of the Wick cousins, a few new friends, her brother Alexander, and Dr Matthew: Charlotte plots to stop the betrothal to an evil, vile man. What happens is a wild run of secrets being kept, secrets getting revealed, and an awakening of strengths and truths. Add in a mischief parrot that has a penchant for hat, sitting on your head to stare you in the eye, and sprouts colorful commentary. A capuchin monkey who only calms to scandalous ditties but loves hugs.

With this being the first book in the series, you get great background for the series while having a romance wrapped in trying to get out of a marriage. I loved the interaction, drama, family dynamics, while learning the back story. The story flows with waves of flashbacks and inside to melding in the here and now. The characters are relatable, bold, strong, and likeable. You will laugh at the segway to the next book!

This was a fun historical romance. Lady Charlotte starts the book in a panic because she has just been told she is to be engaged to a future Duke, whose last 2 wives have ended up mysteriously dead. So, Charlotte hatches a two part plan to try to earn some money and establish herself as part owner of a coffee house for both genders, and to try to find evidence of the viscounts misdeeds to save herself. As she is trying to rescue herself, she runs into her twin brothers best friend and the brother of her future husband Matthew. Matthew has grown up since Charlotte has last seen him, and as they work together to bring down Hawley sparks start to fly. This was a fun childhood friends to more romance, with a great mystery thrown in. I hope this is the start of a series as there were so many great side characters, and fun animals, I’d love to visit with again! I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man

Lady Charlotte is a sharp tongued upper society woman suddenly betrothed to the twice widowed Viscount Hawley. Upon suspicions of his hand in his wives’ deaths, Charlotte decides to do some digging for evidence ahead of the official engagement announcement.

Enter Matthew, the best friend of Lady Charlotte’s twin, the younger brother of Hawley, and a surgeon who has been ousted by his family because of his chosen profession. Matthew knows something dark lies inside of his brother, and he’ll do anything to ensure Lady Charlotte escapes the fate of his brother’s previous wives.

THE BANTER. Lady Charlotte cowers to no man, and that is something I absolutely loved to see in this historical romance. Women of society are often expected to be demure and doting to those with more power than them, but Charlotte does not let societal expectations stop her from pursuing what she wants, and I admire her for that.
This book had an entire cast of characters that kept the story incredibly interesting, and a mystery thrown in the midst of the romance to draw in readers across multiple genres.

This book is much darker than I expected from the cute rom-com cover. It’s not clever or funny, just very cut-and-dried good vs. evil. The plot might have been interesting if the writing style were more mature. DNF.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man starts in the typical way most historical romances do which is Lady Charlotte being forced to get married to someone. Of course, she decides to take matters into her own hands and join forces with her estranged cousins. Since women weren’t allowed in coffee shops, this was scandalous, to say the least.

Then you add in the mystery plot which is honestly two-fold. Charlotte is trying to find out what happened to her fiance’s previous wives and also find out what’s the deal with her brother’s best friend who is her fiance’s estranged brother, Matthew. All of this might seem like a lot but Violet Marsh pulls it off.

We very quickly have a case of brother’s best friend with a dash of friends-to-lovers with tons of adventures for both of them. When it seems things will slow down for these two or get better, the author throws a curveball and we’re back in the action. To put it simply, Lady Charlotte is a romance heroine you don’t want to mess with.

Then you also have Dr. Matthew Talbot who has a secret side to him that Charlotte is dying to see. While I won’t give anything away, the reveal made me love him even more. Plus the book also features a romance between a monkey and a bird. How unlikely is that? Either way, I ended up really enjoying Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man.

For those wanting a historical romance with a bit more, then Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is the must-try this March.

This was my first time reading something by this author and I found it to be quite an entertaining read. It's an historical romance with an interesting mystery woven in. Charlotte and Matthew were complete opposites but complemented each other well. She was such a strong-willed character. Trying to escape a marriage to someone rumored to have killed his past two wives, she runs away. Matthew is shy and sweet, and had his own issues, keeping secrets trying to protect those he cares about. When Charlotte sets out to prove the crimes of her betrothed, who happens to be Matthew's brother, Matthew agrees to help, only because he wants to keep his own secrets from coming out. As they spend more time together, they grow closer, but in the process, they also grow closer to danger.
An intriguing story that kept my interest from start to finish. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them grow closer. A very well-written and entertaining story!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Such a fun historical mystery. I would say this book is definitely for those who are into historical fiction more. Although I did really enjoy the main character and how she became such a head strong woman.

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man is an interesting, enjoyable historical romance with mystery and adventure added to the mix. There are serious subjects addressed such as slavery, child forced migration, misogyny, and childhood abuse among others.

The main characters are likable, the secondary characters are interesting and quirky, the villain is a right psychopath, and there are animals and pirates and roof jumping. The love story is a good friends to lovers with mostly non-descriptive scenes.

I enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley and the author for the advance reader copy. All opinions are solely my own.

Charming! Set in London in the mid 1700s, ladies, scholars, pirates, coffeehouse owners and dastardly villains waltz in and out of this start of a new series. Historical in spirit rather than fact, Charlotte and Matthew are fun characters, although they are sometimes overshadowed by the other cast of characters introduced in this book. While I enjoyed this book, I do have to admit that I can't wait for Alexander's story next.