THIS BOOK. I need more of this book injected into my body, stat. I wish I could explain it. I loved it. I'm not usually a historical reader, so I didn't know what to expect, but I thought it was a great intro into the genre.

This was a fun, quick read that I really enjoyed. It was a good historical romance. I was pleasantly surprised that this book changed things up in not making the MMC a rake, but rather having the FMC make the first moves. He showed vulnerability and was a perfect gentleman until she was more forward with him and then he yearned for her. Loved that part! I will definitely read more from this author.

This is a book for the Colin and Penelope fans. I thought it was a really well done friends to lovers / second chance romance, which was the perfect way to get through the break between Bridgerton episodes.

There was a really lovely mutual respect between the two main characters, and while there were definitely moments of physical chemistry, it wasn’t the main focus of the book. Jane and Eli really considered what the other wanted out of life and how they could compromise to make it happen. I LOVED the fact that they would entertain the idea that Jane would be the one to provide for their family with her business, rather than Eli and his naval career.

Another interesting element was Jane’s uncle. I haven’t read much historical fiction which includes queer characters, and I thought his inclusion, was done well.

Packed with top-tier tropes - a MMC lost at sea and inconveniently back from the dead?! YES PLEASE. An FMC who wants nothing to do with him after his engagement to her awful cousin? DOUBLE YES PLEASE. This book was a delight.

Missing guy presumed dead?!?! Back once again?!?! Card games??!?! Banter?? Say less!!! I loved this one and couldnt believe I hadn't heard anything about it before reading!! A pitch perfect historical romance!

Late to the is book but better late than never. Stayed up all night reading it. You need this one. I wasn’t sure of the premise at first but got on board quickly and it became an instant favorite.

Staunchly independent female main character, Jane, is determined to start a gaming club for women. She is a genius with cards and can figure out the odds in favor of the house. She wants to be independent so she can get out of her uncle's house. Both her parents died when she was young and she went to live with her uncle. She doesn’t really want to get married because her heart has already been crushed once and she is afraid of putting her feelings out there again. Eli Williams is a lieutenant in the Navy who was thought to be dead after a shipwreck. His family spent his savings and his fiancee went on to marry someone else. Unfortunately, his fiancee had been Cecily, Jane’s cousin. Jane and Eli grew up together and were in love with each other. Part of the mystery of the story is why Cecily was engaged to him instead of Jane. Eli tries to make things right with Jane, but it took her a long time to get over his heartbreak and then his supposed death.

Jane mourned in private for a long time and kept her secrets from her family. As she allows Eli to talk to her (she is not totally over his betrayal) she starts to figure out holes in Eli’s story and parts of why he was gone for so long don’t make sense. As he tries to reestablish his life in England, he wants more than friendship from Jane. He also has his Navy career to worry about as he is called in for an inquiry investigation. Eli starts to help Jane with her gaming club and understands why she wants her own money. Readers will root for Jane as she tries to protect herself and Eli as he tries to undo some of the hurt he's inflicted. This book is a fun fast read. It was recently published in April and would make a great addition to your happily ever after pile.


Second chance romance
Angsty
Unrequited love
Miscommunication
Spicy sex
Sizzling chemistry

A perfectly heart wrenching and wholesome book! I especially loved the ending, and all the scenes where the MCs rekindled their friendship (/love).

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This was a lovely debut by a new author. Jane was in love with Eli but he was engaged to her cousin. After he was presumed dead in a shipwreck, Jane realizes she needs to move on with her life and stop pining over someone that wasn't even hers to pine over. And move on with her life she does, as she starts a ladies' gambling club to help her gain more financial independence. When Eli suddenly reappears, Jane doesn't trust him. He broke her heart by choosing his cousin and he's obviously keeping secrets now about his disappearance. But her traitorous heart is weak and as Eli works hard to rebuild her trust in him, the walls she has built begin to crumble and she can no longer deny her feelings.
The plot was interesting and the characters worked well together but the only drawback I was I felt that there were some parts that seemed a bit slow. I do think this was a good debut novel and the author has definitely caught my interest. I will be looking forward to reading what comes next!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Really interesting debut historical romance. The best part for me was how much the hero had to grovel to win over the heroine - he really worked for it! Didn't love the heroine's competition with her cousin, but that's a personal issue. As always, all the bonus points for virgin hero.

I really like the cover, so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it took me forever to read it. I guess it’s not my type of book, I needed something more exciting.

This has so many elements I really love! Second chance after a long time, he’s been gone so long everyone assumed he was dead, she’s a feisty gambling club owner, he’s head over hills for her… I could go on and on! Faye Delacour weaves all these separate strings into a beautiful tapestry of a book.
The book jacket recommends this for fans of Evie Dunmore and I highly agree! It reminded me a lot of her books.

Star Rating: 3.25/5
Tropes: Second chance romance, ladies gambling club owner, hero assumed dead

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is historical romance, which centers on Eli returning to society after brigh thought to have died. He’s dealing with things that have happened while he’s been gone, but wants to reconnect with Jane who still hasn’t forgiven him for choosing to be engaged to her cousin in the past I really love the story of Jane trying to make a ladies gambling hall and Eli not giving up on her while trying to help her business. This book is full of emotions and the story is captuvating.

Lieutenant Eleazar Williams returns from the dead. After two years everyone wants to know what happened after he supposedly drowned. Eli gives part of the story, but Jane knows there's more. Hurt by circumstances five years before, Jane doesn't trust Eli. All he wants is a chance to make up for the mistake he made. To reestablish the friendship they once had, but he really wants more than friendship. With his career in the navy in jeopardy, what could he offer in marriage? It's a dilemma. Some interesting secrets and resolutions that were unexpected, but wrapped up better than I thought they would be.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

It's a fresh read, not coming from usual Regency aristocrats romance. And more exciting talking about a lady who does what males did best that time. Just my kind of special theme. The story itself is also good, not a really fast-paced one, but alright.

This book was a delight to read! Jane and Eli were quite compelling characters and I very much enjoyed reading their story. This book definitely helped me get into the headspace for Bridgerton season 3!
A great read if you are new to historical romance like I am.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC.

3.5

Eli and Jane’s love story is one of reunification and trust. Eli was in the Navy and he was thought dead due to a shipwreck. Jane always loved him, even though he was Engaged to her cousin. Time had passed, and Eli resurfaces. They learn how to connect again.
I thought this was a good book, but unfortunately, I struggled through the reading of it. I cannot see where Jane loved him at times during the story. She was holding onto a resentment. He was never aware of her feelings.

The Lady He Lost is an excellent debut from a historical romance author I will definitely be following. The writing is witty, the characters lively and modern, and the plot original and fun. This book had me from the first chapter, with a quip about how the drowned man returned from the dead and did not appear to be at all wet.

Premise: a man returns from a presumed death via shipwreck to find that the woman he loves now hates him because he almost married her terrible cousin and then had the audacit to get himself killed at war. His love is Jane, who has an adorable but annoying uncle and a plan to open a gaming salon for ladies.

Very fun. If you love histrom, you should grab this one.

This was a wonderful debut and entertaining historical romance. The beginning was especially strong, and I laughed out loud several times during the first chapter. Histrom fans looking for new authors have to check this one out; they'll be glad to have Faye Delacour on their radar because I anticipate her continuing to write banger after banger.

I loved both of our protagonists, Eli and Jane, who are in circumstances they cannot really help but care for each other deeply. Jane is a poor relation, and doomed to remain that way if she cannot find a way to support herself. She gets the idea to become a proprietress of a lady's gambling establishment, and begins staging card games with her friend Della. Jane's uncle, however, is determined that she will find someone to marry, and Jane must suffer through the season and his matchmaking.

Meanwhile, Eli has just "returned from the dead" and is the talk of the Ton. But his escape from pirate captivity isn't totally what he has represented, and he has cause to worry about what could happen if his secret gets out. Jane has not forgiven Eli, her dearest friend, from getting engaged to her cousin, even if it was due to a compromising position.

I adored the writing, and loved the characters even more. This is a great friends to I thought you were dead to enemies to lovers book, and I'm not sure how many of those are out there! I love Eli's pining, which is deserved based on his actions but no less sweet. I also really love how single-minded and forward thinking Jane is, she's such a strong character. I found both families varying degrees of annoying, but they were intended to be that way. This is a five star for me, because it really hit the note it was going for and I was incredibly impressed.