This story was so fluffy. I really did not care for the this book.

I rounded up for the strong female protagonist and other female characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC.

This was a super cute regency romance! I love the historical facts and tie backs to that era. The romance was sweet and believable and overall a fun read

This was a fun little historical romance/mystery. It provided a few hours of pleasurable entertainment and escape from reality.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley

I found this an interesting book. I look forward to more.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, the narrator, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

There isn't much to say other than I love this book!! I love a cozy mystery with a strong female lead! I'm obsessed with books set in the early 1900s but the women don't like to conform to society. Overall I adored this book and loved how the narrator brought it to life!

I love me a headstrong female character set in the Regency-era and this was no exception. I loved that Petra did what she pleased--societal opinions be damned. I thought the mystery itself was also well-done, and honestly felt like something that could have actually taken place back in the Regency period when women were at the mercy of their male guardians. I do wish the romance aspect had gone a little differently, but I think this will be explored more in the next book if that cliffhanger is anything to go by.

2.5 and rounding up.
This was a slow start for me, but once we got got a few chapters in I was invested to keep going. The premise was a very compelling idea, but overall I felt disappointed with our heroine. It felt like she was suppose to be this empowered and enlightened feminist, but that kept falling short for me with the wild assumptions she kept making about Duncan. Her absolute refusal to confront that situation head on or have a simple conversation to clear things up was absolutely infuriating and the antithesis of what someone trying to solve a mystery would do. It was hard for me to take her seriously as an MC because it felt like that was a purposeful obstacle to serve the book rather than something the character would do.

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I've always been interested learning more about how women have been declared hysterical and institutionalized as a way of controlling them and with the recent #FreeBritney movement this topic feels very relevant to explore in fiction. I wish there was even more involved with exploring this, and the ending felt very tidy which is not surprising for the genre but a bit meh for me as a reader. The final line really made me roll my eyes. Because now we are going to have a whole second book doing main grievance I voiced in this review. The lack of communication and honesty with Duncan. Hard pass for me.

WOW. This was such a surprise! Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord was such a romp and adventure. I thought the pace of the book was fantastic, the audio narrator was great, and the historical background and significance were so well done! I highly recommend this to any historical readers who want something fast-paced and feminist.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, authored by Celeste Connally and narrated by Eilidh Beaton, though engaging at times, was not my cuppa tea. Defying convention in Regency-era England, the novel's protagonist, Lady Petra Forsyth, declares her desires to become an independent woman, garnering much community gossip and disdain. A friend's mysterious death, followed closely by another murder, draws Petra into tracking the truth behind what really happened to them.

The first novel of Lady Petra Inquiries does not quite meet my expectations of the novel's synopsis - a cross between Agatha Christie and Bridgerton - as it is more of a cozy mystery (verses 'whodunit') with a side note of romance. Additionally, I felt it hard to suspend disbelief in a lot of Petra's thoughts, words and actions. And whilst Beaton did a nice job of voicing several characters, I found myself hung up on some of the word pronunciations. 3.5/5🌟

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio, for my free e-AUDIO of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.

I enjoyed this cozy historical mystery with a hint of romance. Petra's determination and logic make her a great sleuth and she really stands up for those being abused and mistreated. There are many delightful secondary characters with notable traits as well. The mystery is not a challenge to solve, but seeing resolution come to those who perpetrated the crime was very satisfying and it ended with a hint of another book to come. I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was very well done and a joy to listen to.

i loved the main character in this book. i got so immersed in this story and really liked the time period. i liked how this story also tackled a serious topic for the time and how it handled it so well. i think this was overall very well rounded and i really enjoyed it

While I did struggle a bit with this one at the beginning, I was was invested enough to continue to the end. The first couple of chapters were such an info dump of characters and backstories that it was almost impossible to keep everyone straight. I kept plugging along thinking this one would be a solid three stars for me (in which I neither love nor hate it) until I got to the end. Um... excuse me?? WHAT!? An extra star earned for the giant gasp and expletive I uttered. I will definitely read a sequel because I have to see how this plays out!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, by Celeste Connally was made available to the public on November 14, 2023.

Thank you to Minotaur books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.com for providing me with a digital audio copy to review!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a lord is a wonderfully witty regency-era cozy mystery novel written by Celeste Connally. We follow our heroine, Miss Petra Forsythe, as she navigates the tricky waters of 18th century British high society and finds there's more going on around her than it seems.
Being the daughter of the Earl, Perta is a quick-witted and perfectly prim lady when she wants to be, but she is quite over the limits placed on her by the patriarchy and will flaunt those restricting rules as often as she can. This will mean riding horses astride (not side saddle), wearing trousers while riding, or ask questions and stating her opinion in a time where women generally are seen and not heard. When her fiance tragically dies a few weeks before their marriage, Petra shocks and scandalizes society by electing to stay single and unmarried, or as the book calls it, "become a spinster". Though it angers most (including her pestering uncle) , her true friends and family are quite supportive of her decision.
She's saddened when she hears about the untimely death of her friend a month ago while attending a ball, but is then perplexed when her friends footman claimed to have seen her recently. With the help of her friends, sharp tongue and discreet lock picking skills, she investigates this conundrum as it leads her down a path darker than she could have ever imagined. What is going on with her friend and why all the secrecy? What will Lady Petra discover? Will her disdain for the rules of society catch up with her? I'll leave that, dear reader, up to you to find out!

I loved every minute of this audio book narrated Eilidh Beaton and it was truly a pleasure to listen to. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing life to the stories and characters and was able to make each player in the story unique and immediately recognizable. I would say that this is a masterclass in voice acting and how to inject emotion, into your characters, as well as subtly influence how the reader is supposed to feel about them. With the way that she read them, I really felt uneasy when lightly sickened when the main villain character was introduced, and you could just tell that they were dangerous in a way that no other character was. I also really enjoyed the opening and closing music that they used for the book and felt like it set the tone for the story perfectly. I truly hope that Eilidh Beaton will be able to do the voice acting for further installments of the series.

What can I say? I'm not normally a regency reader, but after reading this book and getting to know Miss Lady Petra and her friends, I think I may start reading more regency era mysteries. The quips and the banter is just delicious, and while I thought the story was a bit slow to pick up at first, I really didn't mind because the characters were so entertaining! Also the references to feminism in a decidedly non-feministic setting was a breath of fresh air. This story took some twists and turns that I really didn't expect and peppered with some sweet heartfelt moments that have stuck with me. There's a bit of a slow burn romance that is quite satisfying to read, and though I wanted more interaction between the characters, I understand why. And that ending?! I usually am not a fan of cliffhangers, but this just left me needing to know more! I'm eagerly awaiting another installment of the Lady Petra Inquires series, and I truly hope that Eilidh Beaton will be able to reprise her role.

If you are a fan of regency era mysteries, with a head-strong feministic lead, compelling cast, a slow burn romance and exciting twists and turns, then Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord will be perfect for you!

Not really a romance more of the mystery part. I have never read anything by this author before and the title seemed interesting. It wasn’t really my kind of story, but it was engaging.

Petra was a great strong and independent main character. The story line and characters felt very confusing. I felt like I was missing half the story.

The narration was great.

When getting into a new mystery series there are a few things I tend to look for. Firstly being a likable and strong female lead, a touch of romance with a dashing male lead, and mystery's that are unique and different. This Novel hit all three.

Lady Petra is a self proclaimed Spinster who is happy to live in her own company, and the company of her chosen friends. She is caring, adores animals, and overall is used to living life on her own terms. Understandable she is quite over the men of the Ton thinking they can have a say in her choices from her Uncle who is attempting to get her married, to the lords who think any spinster would be luckily to be bedded by them.

The novel all kicks off with her, due to a fit of rage over her uncle attempting to control her, back in London ready to enjoy the season when she finds out her dear friend has died under strange circumstances. From there the novel kicks off into a set pf twists and turns and leads us to new and interesting characters that, for the most part, the well loved Lady Petra has no problem befriending.

This is a well done mystery that ended on a cliff hanger that has me already ready for the second one. This was very much one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries, and also those who enjoy period pieces with head strong women.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
- Period Mysteries
- Scottish accents
- Strong Female Leads
- The Regency Period
- A friends first tale with a hint of Romcom

I received an ARC of this book at no cost/for free, I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

DNF - I didn’t like the narrator. The voice was just too much, barely got through the first chapter. May have judged quickly on this one, and would be interested in reading the book rather than listening

Title: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord
Author: Celeste Connally
Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Length: Approximately 11 hours and 15 minutes
Source: Review Copy from NetGalley and Purchased from Amazon.com

What is your favorite type of tea? I love black tea and it must be caffeinated. I purchase looseleaf tea from TeaSource. Some of my favorite flavors are Georgia Sunshine and Prairie Passion.

Lady Petra Forsyth is the daughter of an Earl living in Regency England. After tragically losing the love of her life, she has declared herself a spinster. This does not sit well with some people, such as her detestable Uncle who believes it is unnatural. She believes she does not need to give up her freedom and wealth without finding true love. One of Lady Petra’s friends dies suddenly, but her old servant is sure he saw the friend just the other day in London. This sparks Lady Petra’s curiosity, and she starts to investigate. Lady Petra soon finds out that there are other missing women amongst the ton. Where have they gone and why?

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is full of a lot of interesting characters. I liked Lady Petra’s headstrong ways and inquisitive nature. Her childhood friend, Duncan, is a perfect foil for her. I was confused about his place in society though as he was born on the wrong side of the blanket. It didn’t seem to matter as much in this Regency world as it did in the real Regency world. I loved his grandmother, the Duchess, and wish she would have been in the book more. Street urchin Teddy and her lady’s maid, Annie, were also great characters.

I was intrigued by the mystery and was dismayed when my audiobook copy from NetGalley stopped working at 27% into the book. I had to purchase it from Amazon.com as I wanted to see where the mystery went and how it would end. The mystery had a satisfying end and the overall book ended on a cliffhanger. This is the first book in the Lady Petra Inquires series. I will be reading the next book in the series.

Eilidth Beaton was a great narrator that gave personality to the different characters. It was very enjoyable to listen to it while driving.

The storyline was feminist and had a lot of modern thinking about the place of women in society that would not have been prevalent in Regency England. It reminded me of Enola Holmes in this sense.

ACT LIKE A LADY THINK LIKE A LORD
Celeste Connally

Give me all the Bridgerton vibes but kill someone and make it a mystery. Sounds like my kind of book and the plot for Celeste Connally’s ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD.

Petra is making her own way and proclaims on her soulmate’s deathbed that she will never marry again. She will not marry for wealth or status or anything but true love. This is quite a statement and it’s met with a range of responses.

Soon she finds herself drawn to the mystery of a close friend’s death. One that she cannot ignore. What she unravels is more than just the mystery of one person’s death. She uncovers a tradition that is far scarier than she ever thought and runs deeper than she ever imagined.

I had trouble articulating a picture that would make sense while reading. I tried to imagine the clothing and the extraordinary balls they attended, and I tried hard to imagine Petra existing within her world. At times the material was successful in creating the right atmosphere but for the most part, the incongruities got me and took a bit out of my enjoyment with the book.

The cool thing is this is fiction, and we can be whoever and whatever we want to be in the fictitious worlds that we build when we read. It doesn’t always have to make sense; it doesn’t have to exist within our current reality. It can exist within its own.

If you’re a Regency romance lover looking to explore the dynamics and parameters of a mystery, I think this is a great choice for you.

I gave ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD three stars, and thought it was ok but was maybe asking for too much from the reader.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies!

ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD…⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I enjoyed this mystery! It was an easy read and the audio was great. I highly recommend. And the twist was great!