This is book 2 in the Lions and Lilies series. This story was about Frances and Evan, the Earl of Winthrop.
Frances wants to be an independent women. She doesn't want to marry but her family doesn't give her much choice. As the only unmarried female in her family, they are concentrating all their efforts on making that happen.
Evan, has led a life of luxury. He's handsome, wealthy and considered by many to be just perfect. But life has a way of shaking things up. He received a letter letting him know that his payment for a child care in an orphanage is being increased. A child he knows nothing about.
The adversity and the mutual attraction being both of these two individuals together when they bond around a common interest, his new found brother, Bobby.
I loved this book. I loved the independence of Frances, yet she was still able to see how important love was and that because of that compromises had to be made.
Evan was the ultimate hero. He stepped up to take care of his brothers, even though they were illegitimate. His treatment of Frances was so tender and caring. He literally became her hero rescuing her from her brothers crazy machinations. He gave Frances everything she was looking for.
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I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

*** 3.5 Stars Rounded Up ***

This was a lovely story of two people who had nothing against love and marriage, they just didn’t want it for themselves. I really liked both of the main characters, Frances and Evan, and I adored Evan’s brothers, Jasper, Bobby, and Mark. What I didn’t like – nor understand – was Frances’s family. This could have been a 5-star read without the way her family behaved. Why would your sisters, to whom you are close – especially your twin – stand by and allow you to be imprisoned and forced to marry someone you don’t even like? These sisters are all married and autonomous and certainly have the power to raise a ruckus if nothing else – but they do nothing. Well, nothing except ‘argue’ her case with her captor who happens to be her brother, Charles. No, Charles doesn’t even gain anything from his actions. I just failed to comprehend that whole plot point and it all felt very contrived. The same ending could have happened if the sisters (one or all) had gone to the hero with the information. He could have still rescued her – but her sisters would have remained likable rather than disliked (at least by me).

Miss Frances Cherrington’s brother Charles stepped in to protect his sisters from most of his father’s debacles from the time he was a young man and then took control when his father passed. Charles desperately wanted to rebuild the family's reputation and coffers. He insisted that his sisters become all that was prim and proper and that they married well. That worked for all of her sisters – and even Charles himself – all of them found love and married for love. It did not, however, work for Frances. Frances’s family never really saw or understood who she was and they all tried to force her into a mold she just didn’t fit. After several seasons of haranguing from her family – especially this season – Frances decided that ruination would be the way for her to go. After all, if she was ruined, she wouldn’t be marriageable, and she could forge her future in her own way. However, when she deliberately ruined herself, she set in motion several reactions that had not occurred to her. Oops!

Ethan, the Earl of Winthrop, had always been drawn to Miss Frances Cherrington but never pursued anything with her – especially after he received some extremely disconcerting news. Part of that disconcerting news was discovering the existence of illegitimate half-brothers – whom he then decided to acknowledge and raise in his household.

I loved Ethan and Frances together because each of them was so much more than either of them expected – and they really were perfect for each other. Their relationship just grew as they spent time together, there wasn’t any great angst and woe-is-me. I loved that part. There were some great romantic adventures – even featuring row boats – and you could feel the attraction between the two. The love and respect were growing – and yet the storm clouds were brewing in the form of her brother Charles. It was a very near thing. I loved that there was a nice epilogue set six months in the future because it showed the continuing love and growth of their relationship.

I enjoyed the read, but I did not like any of Frances’s siblings, though I think I was supposed to feel more understanding for the sisters than I did. I don’t think I’d read the book a second time, but I will be looking forward to the third book in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Lady's Rules For Ruin was a peculiar romance novel, but I still managed to enjoy myself. The heroine kept trying to persuade the reader the hero was bad news, yet he seemed like an angel sent from above. He was kind, considerate, and head over heels for the heroine. The plot was a little messy and it didn't truly focus on the rules stated in the title. The instructions for ruin were secondary to the hero's surprise siblings and raising them as his own. The heroine must have had one too many spiked lemonades because she was delulu. Her thought patterns were tangled if she thought she truly ruined her reputation by one errant kiss at a ball.

I was desperate for these characters to get together, but the heroine was determined to avoid the hero despite their electric magnetism towards each other. As frustrating as Miss Cherrington was to read, there is one solitary aspect to this novel that made me smile. Our couple made some serious memories in a darling little rowboat. It was the cutest little thing and I was obsessed. I kept thinking of Darla and Alfalfa from The Little Rascals. The Earl of Winthrop was this close to serenading Frances with You Are So Beautiful. The story was akin to a swirling tempest of confusion at times, but those moments in the rowboat helped clear away the storm clouds.

A Lady's Rules For Ruin was a nice romantic boat ride in the lake, but I preferred the author's Highland Knights series more than this book. Historical romance is my favorite subgenre, but I will always take a kilted hero over a distinguished gentleman in a heartbeat. I wish there was more emphasis on the ruination rather than the sad surprise orphans dominating the pages. I will continue to keep reading this author in hopes that there are more Scots in my future. I haven't memorized A Lady's Rules For Ruin, but I'm sure being mad for plaid isn't one of them!

4.5 Stars

Wow!!!!

This was the perfect story....to keep me turning pages as I flew across country. The easy banter between Evan Locke, Earl of Winthrop and Miss Frances Cherrington was light, fun and engaging. The humor and easy acceptance on both their parts had me smiling throughout the book. They each came into their relationship with feelings of doubt, worthiness and wishing to be seen and loved for themselves.

With all of the family revelations Evan had to deal with, it was wonderful that Frances could be there along the way. Her loving relationship with her sisters and brother was just what Evan needed to help him along. In exchange he gives Frances a true sense of belonging. Together they create a most remarkable family.

The secondary characters are priceless (no spoilers, I promise)!! They bring more humor, fun and chances to Evan to grow. They are spunky and incorigable in the best possible ways! Frances' family disappointed me a bit. They had numerous opportunities to listen to Frances, but just assumed they each knew what was best for her, regardless of her thoughts, opinions and feelings. Charles was the most distressing....his total lack of compassion and understanding found me cheering his wife. The grand gesture on his part at the end still left me frustrated and struggling with his explanation. Because of their family past, he should have cared more about his siblings and less about appearances. The Dowager countess lost out on a huge opportunity for not just growth, but a sparkle of happiness in her approach to Evan.

I hope there are more adventures with Evan and his best friends...

Disclaimer....I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and all opinions are honest and my own.

So good. I loved Fances and Evan. I loved how the story builds throughout the book. Love Frances strong mind and how she went after what she wanted despite society. And such an amazing ending.

A Lady’s Rules for Ruin is a historical romance where the heroine decides ruining her reputation is the perfect path, since she doesn’t want to ever marry or give up her independence. But of course, along the way, she meets the hero and is pulled to him.

Frances has forever been criticized about being independent and prickly, but she’d be perfectly happy living life as a spinster. At 25, her five siblings all want to see her happily paired up and on her way to wedded bliss. At a ball one evening, Frances meets Evan, Earl of Winthrop, and they start chatting. While talking to him about her family pushing her into marriage, Frances has a realization that there is a way out…by being ruined. She brazenly shares a kiss with another partygoer in front of the gossips and gets her want of being seen as “ruined” in society’s eyes. At the same time, she starts spending time with Evan and grows closer to him and his half-brothers he has taken in. Eventually, with the pushing from her family, Frances finds herself facing a route she never intended for her own life…a marriage.

This one ended up just being okay for me. I had enjoyed the first book in the series so I decided to give this one a try as well. The romance never really sold me, while we see the couple meet in the beginning and they do start to spend time around one another, it’s more of the heroine helping with his half-brothers and less on any romance development. It isn’t until close to halfway through the book that a romance really starts to build, and even then I just wasn’t into it. I did like the way family plays a part in the story, both for the hero and the revelations of his late father’s past, as well as with the heroine and her siblings. All in all, this was okay, but the first book worked better for me.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher (Entangled) via NetGalley, all thoughts in this review are my own. A Lady’s Rules for Ruin has a pub date of November 28, 2023.

Jennifer Haymore has another great romance in A Lady’s Rules for Ruin! Frances goes about seeking her ruin so as to become a spinster and not have to partake in the marriage mart any more. Although not looking for love, she finds it in the form of Evan, the Earl of Winthrop. Neither of them want to marry for their own reasons as their friendship develops into so much more.

Frances’ strong character and desire to make her own choices will strike a note for all women. Evan’s desire to be a brother is to be admired. Not growing up with familial love gives him a need to make sure his brothers know love. Also a great character trait that makes Evan a fantastic hero figure for this book. The romance seems slow as it develops and fits with their strong, loving characters. This is a great addition to the Lions and Lilies series and is a stand-alone as well.

What a wonderful book! For really, I have something with romantic historical stories. They always made me feel so happy.

This story is so good. Every page kept me intrigued to know what happened. I could devoured the entire book in hours but the college life is killing me and 😭😭😭.

Anyways, Francis and Evan were such good pairing. I enjoy their romance. Their sexual tense were great. I really felt their chemistry.

You all should read this amazing story.


Thank you for the ARC. this is my honest review.

Jennifer Haymore is a new author to me, but I am so glad to have discovered her. I have found my next author to be addicted to. In this fun story Frances Cherrington doesn’t want to be married. She comes up with her own plan to ruin her own reputation and take the idea of marriage off the table. What she didn't expect was the Earl of Winthrop and his new found brothers. The children become quickly attached to her and she is to them, but what about the connection to the Earl. Both the Earl and Frances can’t fight the attraction and soon let the passion and fire take over. Now they must get past their secrets and the rules of society to make sure their connection lasts.
I really enjoyed the way Haymore writes her adventure. This historical romance really grabbed me from the start. I love the strong characters and her attention to detail that create a story that will grab you and hold on tight. Along with great detail her writing shows the love, the passion and the loyalty of all the characters involved in this story. You follow each twist and turn and all the fun hoping and hanging on for that HEA ending. A wonderful adventure! I received this as an ARC ebook but I definitely need to add this to my shelf and plan to add her other books as well. Enjoy this playful adventure.

A Wonderful Read

A really enjoyable read portraying an independent woman set on controlling her own destiny and a warm-hearted Earl who isn’t what he seems.

I love the warmth, understanding and love which comes through the storyline.

Frances and Evan are a perfect match and the chemistry is felt throughout the book with some steamy moments added in to give it some spice.

Evan is keeping a big secret, one he only found out recently and if he revealed it to Frances would she agreed to a marriage? He knew she was set against marriage and had arranged for her own ruin but he had fallen in love with her and when things took a turn for the worst, could he get there in time to save her?

Ooh! An engaging entertaining read, full of drama with a storyline sure to please!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A story of a woman’s fight for self determination and independence against her family’s expectations, who thought they knew her and knew what she needed. She took steps to find herself and found her destiny in the man who has more depth than she realized and his siblings who brought them together as a family. Wonderfully moving story of love and reconciliation.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

Frances is completely uninterested in marriage, despite the meddling of her family members. She decides to put herself in a ruinous situation so that she can finally be an unmarriageable spinster. Her plan works out quite well; with her unwitting kissing partner on a ship bound for Egypt, Frances has the freedom to pursue a variety of interests without the pressure of balls and soirees. One experiment in charity work brings her to a boys’ orphanage where she is to tutor a child on manners before he meets an important lord. Evan is a charming and amiable earl who has just found out that his father has been financially supporting an illegitimate son and he goes to meet the boy. When at the orphanage, he immediately realizes the mistreatment of the child and decides to bring his brother home with him. Luckily Frances has already formed a bond with the boy and is there to soothe the young child’s temperament when faced with his new situation. Frances and Evan have interacted with each other before at social events, but Frances was always suspicious of Evan’s gregarious nature even though he has always been intrigued by her outspokenness. We get to see Frances and Evan bond over the care of his newfound brothers (yes, plural, he definitely finds more) and develop a friendship and then affair. I loved seeing Evan take responsibility for his brothers and build a family with them.

A quick thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Frances Cherrington has zero interest in finding a suitable husband. She is perfectly content to become a spinster, much to the dismay of her family. After finding herself in the center of a scandal, she inadvertently finds a suitable match in the form of Evan, the Earl of Winthrop. Evan shares Frances' feelings on marriage, but discovers he is not as opposed to it as he once thought.

Historical romance is not my go to, but when it's done well I really enjoy it. This gave me everything I needed. There was a small amount of spice, a bit of pining, and lots of drama from Frances' family. I did not realize that this was book two in the series, but I did not feel at all lost having not read book one. I will absolutely be going back to the beginning, and then continuing with book three!

Book Review of A Lady’s Rules for Ruin by Jennifer Haymore
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My thanks to Entangled Publishing, NetGalley & the author for the opportunity to review this book and put forth my personal thoughts on it 😊
I am a massive fan of regency romance and was excited to read ALRFR! Set in London in the 1800’s, the main character, Frances Cherrington, is being badgered by her five siblings into participating in the Season, in the hopes of marrying her off. The problem is, Frances has no intention of binding herself to a husband and his interference in her life and freedoms. Besides, she has no flirting skills, no dowry and no prospects- which suits her marvellously!
So when the irritatingly popular and perfect Earl of Winthrop, Evan Locke, starts paying her attention, Frances leaves him in the dust, successfully planning her ruination within ‘Ton society. As Frances moves forward with finding her life’s work, starting with volunteering at a local orphanage, she befriends Bobby, a seven year old orphan. When a connection between Bobby and the Earl is discovered, Frances and Evan become entwined by coincidence and circumstance. As Evan falls more and more under Frances’s spell, they begin to build a friendship and, perhaps, something more…

I vastly enjoyed this sweet romance, with its headstrong MC and tropes of ‘He Falls First’ and ‘Found Family’.
Frances has a touch of Elouise Bridgerton about her, which I find terribly enticing, and loved her no-nonsense approach and the banter between her and other characters. The pacing was great, and while there were period elements and flourishes, there weren’t long descriptive paragraphs to become mired in. There’s a good build in tension and some excellent spicy scenes 🌶️Although not a long story, Jennifer Haymore managed to pack plenty of highs and lows into the plot line, which managed to surprise me at points and had a HEA (a must for me).
What a lovely way to spend a day ☀️
This review will be shared on Goodreads and as part of the stories on Instagram @tinydragonbooks.

My first historical romance in a while and it was ok.

Frances takes matter into her own hands so she doesn’t remind the family spinster being forced into marriage and balls.

Evan is kind of grumpy and keeping secrets.

Her family makes this hard to read but her found family is sweet.

It had its steamy moments but it wasn’t like the most romantic tale ever.

A Lady’s Rules for ruin is the follow up of a Duke’s of Engagement by Jennifer Haymore in the series of The Lions and the Lilies. I read it as a standalone and was perfect.

I personally enjoyed this book, even though the main story seems quite similar to another one I read a long time ago where the main character discovers facts about his past that may endanger his present and future.

Miss Frances Cherrington is part of a large family where everyone of her siblings is married and on their way to achieve personal fulfillment while she is still trying to know herself, so when her family pressures her to find happiness the same way they and society have found it, she made the decision to change her life in a permanent way.
The Earl of Winthrop discovered some altering and devastating news about his past and his family and in every step is Miss Cherrington who accidentally helps him out.
The attraction that originally existed between them grows into a life altering relationship they can’t avoid.

Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

I absolutely adore this book!
Both Evans and Frances are so modern, loving, and just so kind.
The fact that Evans took in his three stepbrothers, who were in foster care speaks volume of his character.
Both of them display such caring and goodnatured fun to the boys.
I loved the scene where all five of them were at her family country lake are and played outdoors. It was so natural and serene that I fell in love with these characters even more.
And when Evans had to be sneaky and save Frances, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that he included his brothers in the heist!

I reread so many scenes after finishing it that I know this book is definitely a keeper and reread book in my collection. I CANNOT WAIT for a finish copy!

Thank you Entangled Romance and Netgalley for this ARC. My own opinions are my own.

I think this is my first read from this author and I quite enjoyed it! From the beginning I was gripped by the story and our heroine Francis. I related to her so much in needing to be the arbiter of her own life! I also find myself stubbornly needing to have all the control!

That said she can be very short sighted and I found her family really unpleasant. Her brother is the worst of the lot and I think we’re supposed to forgive him in the end but meh. I have zero desire to do so. That said there are a lot of sisters (including her twin) and they don’t support her until the end which was an odd choice. Realistic choice considering the time period though. They aren’t clear villains though…

Okay all that out of the way… Evan our hero is delightful and his three little brothers are by far my favorite characters of the entire book! I’d 1 million percent read a spinoff series about them after they grow up!!

Anyways I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author including the first book of this series!

Thank you Entangled, NetGalley, and the author for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Frances wants to be ruined to avoid marriage, and the Earl of Winthrop disapproves. Chemistry will out as the two fight the love that is inevitable between the two. If you enjoy a regency romance that's not so saccharine, this is one to read.

Tropes: grumpy MFC/sunshine MMC, MC with a hidden past, spinster MFC orchestrates her own ruination
Steam level:2-3
2nd book in the series

3.75 stars rounded up. This is overall a sweet HR with tasteful steam. I didn't take to it quite as much as the previous book, but it's enjoyable due to the easygoing personality of the MMC, Evan, and his relationship with his brothers, who are scene-stealers. It was nice to see a return of the band of buddies from the previous book as well.

I didn't warm up to the MFC, Frances, at first because it was hard to see what exactly she had against Evan, and her motivations for wanting to be ruined are rather silly for the period, especially since she didn't have any goals for the future and she didn't know what doors would be closed to her when her reputation was in tatters. Generally speaking, unless she was forced to marry a tyrant, she'd have more freedom as a married woman. Fake engagement probably would have worked better here as a plot device. Still, I liked how she interacted with Evan's brothers and her honesty was refreshing.

Where the book fumbled for me was in the last third, when the tone turned angsty and the tiresome "brother is a highhanded jerk" trope raised its head. It's one of my least favorites, made worse because neither Frances's brother nor her sisters are given much depth at the beginning, and so you do feel a bit sorry for her by default.

The HEA is sweet though.

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