A Regency romance with fake courtship? Count me in!!!

The book starts with a 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' kind of situation. Etta's sister accidentally sends some letters in which she declares her affection to Mr. Frederick Finch, her childhood best friend's brother. But one of this letters ends with Mr. Gerard Hartwell, Mr. Finch's cousin. In order to keep the letter content a secret, Gerard and Etta make a deal: Gerard will return the letter and help Etta catch Finch's affection if she helps him to court her sister. But how will they achieve this? By pretending to be courting.

I confess I had a bit of trouble in getting into the story, even though the book is quite fast paced, but after some chapters the reading became so much enjoyable. Julie Wright writing is very imersive and it was refreshing to read a Regency romance that didn't take place in London. The romance was so sweet and it was adorable to see the growing affection between the main characters.

One point that stuck with me the most was how sad it was to see how much Etta internalized the mean comments of her mother. Oftentimes we see other characters reminding her of her value and beauty.
This got me thinking about how many of the girls of that time used to believe they were less just because they did not fit the stereotype of the pretty, well accomplished, good to marry young lady. And also nowadays. How many of us often feel less than someone just because we look different or have different interests than the ones society expects of us?

This is an obligatory read to all who enjoy Regency romances and had a 'To All the Boys' phase 💕

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the Shadow Mountain Publishing for the access to the ARC!

3.5 stars. This was a cute, relatively angst-free historical romance. The premise is reminiscent of To All the Boys I've Loved Before (girl writes love letters with no intention of sending, well-meaning sister sends them out accidentally, drama ensues), though the real love interest is not the recipient of the letter here. The romance was a little light on development -- the main couple were cute together, but I never fully bought into Gerard's love for Etta. They bond over memories of playing together as children, and Gerard admires Etta as an adult, but it felt a little superficial given that Gerard was actively pursuing Etta's sister for a large part of the story. I would still recommend this as a light, quick read with a cute story.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

Marietta Stone has an all consuming crush on her best friend’s older brother. In order to sort out her emotions, she’s written three love letters that she never intended to send! When the letters accidentally end up in the post, she tries to retrieve them. One of them gets intercepted by Freddie’s cousin Gerard Hartwell. He offers her a trade. He will return her letter after she helps him court her sister. Another mishap leads to Gerald pretending to court Etta, while wanting to eventually switch his attentions to her sister, Anne. Oh the tangled webs we weave!
I normally hate love triangles. This book was almost a love pentagon. There were so many different parties interested in each other. It did not drive me crazy, because Etta and Gerard were so obviously made for each other. I loved watching them realize that! I also loved the close relationship between Anne and Etta as sisters, and Etta and Lucy as friends.

The premise behind this story is so fun. And here are so many things to love about this book. Hidden letters, secrets, fake dating (courtship for the Regency vibes), slow burn, sibling relationships, feuding families, fun plot twists.
I loved Etta’s growth throughout the story and how she was finally able to see her worth. Julie Wright has a talent for showing us these types of characters. I enjoyed Gerald’s journey to love too. Just a lovely story with fun twists and lots of heart.

I received a copy from the publisher and a Netgalley approval. All views expressed are mine.

I really liked this book. The premise is unique. Marietta writes a love letter to her best friend’s brother that was never supposed to be sent. When it is accidentally sent, her best friend’s cousin Gerard finds the letter and then the story begins. I like how Etta and Gerard already have a history with each other. As Gerard’s cousin Lucy was Etta’s best friend growing up they all used to play together as kids. It is interesting to see how much they already know each other and admire each other. The letter spurs them to get to know each other better and develop a true friendship. There’s a bit of a love triangle in the story, but Etta knows which man she truly loves, so it isn’t full of angst. I like both Gerard and Etta, despite their mistakes, and I enjoyed their story. I like the emphasis on real love versus infatuation. The importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions is also emphasized. This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review.

"I have a proposition for you, Miss Stone."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why does such a statement from you cause me a significant amount of anxiety?"

An Inconvenient Letter publishes tomorrow and I'm getting this review out today so you can take advantage of the preorder pricing!!!

If you've ever loved love letters in your books, then this one is for you because it has such a fun twist. What happens when the WRONG GUY finds your secret, never-should-have-been-sent, love letters to another man?

A touch of blackmail?
A bit of fake {regency style} dating?
A big of bargaining?

Yes, yes and YES!

I really loved the elements in this story. Marietta and Gerard are such a fun duo that make discovering their story incredibly fun with each turn of the page. Both angling for things (and others), yet never seeing what is right in front of them...all while managing a family feud.

Seriously, does a historical romance get better than this?

Highly entertaining, super fun characters (some you'll love to hate on lol), and an overall fun and enjoyable read. And that ending: *swoon*.

This is a great book for anyone looking to escape in to a fun, light historical romance!

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

Content: blackmail/deal making, fake dating, feuding neighboring families, romance-kisses only.

What a wonderful historical romance! I'll put it up front that there was no spice but it was still a lovely read. The storyline was compelling and the characters were well developed. I would definitely read another book from this author. Overall this was a lovely read.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing and Julie Wright for an early release copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read. Marietta and Gerard have a long history, and it gets complicated by some letters being mailed that were intended to remain secret. Marietta is mistreated by her mom, but she doesn't really let that get her down. I was impressed with her ability to kind of shrug off the hurt. I really liked Gerard. He was such a good genuine guy, even if a little blind. I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve and how natural it was. This book was full of villains and wonderful people. Sometimes you weren't sure which side was going to win. I kind of want this to be a series as there are other characters who need a love story as well.

Oh this was all kinds of fun! I love this type of book! Filled with humor, frustration, flirtation, misunderstandings and fun! A good, clean Regency Romance! Enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley for this book! All opinions are my own!

After reading all of the Veronica Speedwell series books I found myself craving more historical romances and An Inconvenient Letter really hit the mark!

I really enjoyed getting to know Etta and Gerard and their love story as it unfolded. The plot of secret letters accidentally getting sent to their intended is one I really enjoy because it doesn't hide anyone's real feelings even if feelings aren't initially returned. This is a lovely light hearted and fun read and as Gerard realizes he does have feelings for Etta, you can't help but cheer for the two.

I highly recommend this and thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

An Inconvenient Letter is the latest book by Julie Wright. I loved getting to know all the main characters, especially Etta and Gerard. Their story had me hooked. I loved that Etta was so different than what a young lady was supposed to be, and that she was embraced as different by most of her family and friends. I liked that she always defended/ rescued others. I just wished that she defended herself too. I, like Gerard wished that she saw how special she truly was instead of seeing herself as lacking talents just because hers are different than what society says are appropriate for a lady.
I highly recommend An Inconvenient Letter to anyone who likes historical romance. I just wish that the ending had a little bit more to it, it felt a bit rushed.

When Marietta (Etta) writes to her unrequited crush, she has no intention of actually sending the letter - it's more a diary of sorts. But when the letters are accidentally sent and intercepted by her crush's cousin, she finds herself agreeing to assisting him in courting her sister in order for his silence.

This was really sweet but ultimately never made it past that level for me. I liked the characters well enough and got the chemistry between them.

I got a little frustrated by the constant miscommunication and Gerard's total reluctance to realize he was in love with Etta. I also wish we had a little more resolution with Etta and her mom who was pretty awful to her. I also recognize that it may be historically accurate that Etta is 17 but I still think the book would have not changed had she been 18.

Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Such a fun story of misundstandings (the fun kind) and a relationship by mistake. It was such a fun twist on the miscommunication trope. I don’t usually like those, but this one was done really well! Gerard was so sweet and Etta (Marietta) was a ball of fun and sunshine! After Etta tells everyone she and Gerard are exploring more and strengthening their friendship, things start to warm you heart. Such a fun read!

I think I have read all of this author's books, and have thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I always get excited when one of my favorite authors comes out with a new book, so I was excited to get the chance to read this one.
Marietta was quite the interesting character. I can slightly relate to the issue with her letter - when I was in high school, I dropped off birthday cards to two different guys that I liked, only I mixed them up and gave the wrong card to the wrong guy! More than a little embarrassing, to say the least, so I completely understood her mortification when her secret love letters fell into the "wrong" hands. Thankfully, the person who found her letters was a much better character than some of the other people Marietta had dealings with during the course of this story.
This was an entertaining tale, and I highly recommend it.

Overall I liked the story, but there were a few things that were not my favorite. I didn’t like that the entire conflict was based on miscommunication, and that it was woven throughout the entire story. However, the story was enjoyable and I liked that Etta started to recognize her value by the end.

Ready for a fun Regency romp involving scandal, blackmail, secrets, a fake courtship, and a letter? I enjoyed An Inconvenient Letter by Julie Wright. It’s a clever twist on the letter that should never have been mailed trope, with a childhood friends to more, slow burn romance and a bit of a Romeo & Juliet vibe. Throw in a bit of Jane Austen feels as well and it’s a sweet, sometimes madcap Regency romance that kept me turning the pages.

Marietta “Etta” Stone’s had a crush on her best friend Lucy’s brother for years. She secretly shares her feelings in letters written to Frederick which were never meant to be seen by anyone, let alone him. When her sister accidentally mails the letters, Etta scrambles for a way to retrieve them before he reads them. The only problem, a small scandal involving the two families have made them enemies. Just when Etta and her sister Anne have found a way to retrieve the letters, one of them is intercepted by Lucy’s cousin Gerard.

Gerard Hartwell is in need of funds to save his family’s estate. While visiting his mother who’s staying at his aunt’s & cousin Frederick’s home, Freddie offers to give him a much needed loan provided he find a wealthy wife who could ensure repayment. Gerald wanted to marry for love, but his circumstances require marrying for money. When he confronts Etta who appears to be stealing his cousin’s mail, she drops the letters and he retrieves one of them. Before he agrees to return the letter, Gerald comes up with a blackmail scheme hoping to solve all of their problems. Etta agrees to help him court her sister Anne while he helps her win Freddie’s heart and Gerald will keep the letter as insurance. What could go wrong?

I thoroughly enjoyed Etta and Gerard! Etta feels like she’s always in her beautiful, talented sister’s shadow. She feels unseen and unappreciated despite her unique talents and kind heart. I love the way Gerard ,though initially attracted to Anne, starts to see Etta and all her abilities. Their slow burn romance was fun to watch through all the mishaps and misadventures. There’s even a sort of villainess in the form of a determined woman vying for Gerard’s suit. I loved the twists and turns, the humor, romance, and delightful drama of it all.

Definitely recommend to clean Regency romance fans! I’m hoping we’ll get Anne’s story next. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

I cannot imagine writing letters to someone, never intending to mail them, but somehow the letters are delivered anyway. Could you imagine how awkward that would be? This is what happened to Etta, after years of pining for Frederick Finch. Luckily the letters didn't immediately get into his hands, but into the hands of his cousin, Gerard, whom she ends up making a deal with.

I liked the unexpected path this regency romance took. It kept me wanting to know the ending. It was a clean read.

4 Stars!

"The heart cannot help where it feels most at home."

I loved this book! It was a short and sweet story that focused on a love story between Etta and Gerard. Two people who arranged a relationship in the hopes of gaining the attention from another. Even though from the very beginning, I thought they were a better match for each other. This is told in the timeframe when society placed the pressure on women to enter their season and find a husband. If you didn't, you would be made a mockery. I loved that this story showed the importance of knowing your own values regardless of what society says. I will say that Etta and her father gave me Lizzy Bennet vibes with her father, and I loved that!

An Inconvenient Letter has:
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Fake dating
- Slow burn
- She falls first, he falls harder

Etta Stone has been in love with her best friend's brother since they were children. But now she finds that it's time for her season to find a husband. To get rid of her feelings, she decides to write them out in letters. What better way to clear them from her mind. However, the letters that were never meant to leave her desk, end up getting mailed out. Etta comes up with a plan to retrieve them before they're read in order to avoid causing a scandal. However, when she goes through her plan she is caught by their cousin, Gerard. In order to get her letters back, she creates an agreement with Gerard that will help them draw attention from their desired partners. Their lives become intertwined while working together and feelings start to come forward. Will Etta and Gerard complete their agreement and marry their other interests?

Etta regrets 'writing out her feelings' in an effort to recover from an unrequited attraction when her letters are accidentally posted. Indeed, it feels like the end of the world, and she hurries off to his house (under pretence of visiting his sister, her estranged best friend) in the hope of recovering them before he can read them and make her a laughing-stock. Unfortunately, the man's cousin and their old playmate, Gerard, catches her in the act... Left an impoverished estate by his father, Gerard has been advised to marry a rich wife to fix the problem - and Etta's sister Anne seems the ideal candidate. He therefore agrees to return her letter - later - on condition that she will help him start a relationship with Anne. But as they see more of each other, the idea becomes increasingly distasteful for some reason. When Gerard finally realises what a mess his ridiculous plan has got him into, will he be able to untangle things and get the woman he loves, or will it be too late?

While not what I would call a page-turner, this was an enjoyable read - particularly the parts where Etta gave Gerard advice about his estate. I don't know quite what it was about those scenes, but I loved her eagerness to help in any way she could, his willingness to be open to her suggestions, and the way that their relationship (however unacknowledged) made them each better. I did find some of the back story about the feud somewhat unbelievable, and Etta's mother's behaviour towards her seemed unreasonable - but while some of the secondary characters felt somewhat caricatured, I really enjoyed watching Etta and Gerard together and seeing their relationship develop. The ending also worked well. 3.4 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This was... fine? The writing was sort of... there. There wasn't anything anything really *bad* about it, and it wasn't clumsy, but it didn't draw me in either. There was no connection to the characters. Everything felt really bland and sort of sketched in and predictable. The mother was constantly going on about huge scandals and disasters when they were really minor incidents. She was a bit of a drama queen. I didn't feel anything for the characters which was a big part of why I started skimming and then ended up giving up on it a third of the way through. I kept feeling like nothing was really happening and I didn't care about any of it and I was just... bored.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for providing an early copy for review.