This is a fun and spirited hidden identity, grumpy/sunshine, enemies (but they don’t know it) to lovers romance!

Graham - brooding and aloof Scottish earl, famed theatre patron and successful playwright in disguise - seldomly comes to town, but since a clever critic dared to challenge his inspiration and talent, he’s forced to strike back. He’ll show this anonymous wiseacre! No one messes with Ransom Blackadder - and his income! And on top of it all his theatre box has been double sold to a lady and her intriguing companion…

Julia - vicar’s daughter dreaming of an acting career, and companion to her aunt - is quite satisfied with the freedom her position provides. She gets to see all the plays - her aunt even got a box this season - and submit her sharp-witted reviews to Mrs Goode’s Magazine. But when one of her reviews strikes a nerve with the play’s author, her editor pushes her to find out about his next play and make things right before his satiric sarcasm ruins them.

They meet twice by accident, and since third time’s the charm, she then negotiates her way into the new play’s rehearsals. The bargain daring but so very alluring…

He’s lost before he even remembers he’s not looking for a wife. It takes disclosing his deep dark secrets for her to fall all the way. And he does eventually figure out she’s his nemesis, but they handle it gracefully - no unnecessary miscommunication or drama in this tale!
A special shout-out to Julia’s aunt: this lady is sharp and spot-on - I love her!
The style and humour of this story are exactly my thing: the plot steadily unfolds with a nice little twist at the end, the characters are complex and fascinating, their chemistry sizzles, and the steam is delicious.
This was an excellent and enthralling tale I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a bit of mayhem and mischief!
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

PS: This being the second book in this series, there’s a lovely prequel novella in the end that details how it all started with the dowager Viscountess Manwaring becoming Lady Stalbridge and the editor of Mrs Goode’s Magazine for Misses.

This was a cute read, however, I had more than a little trouble believing that there was anything but friendship and a healthy dose of lust between these two. Sure they had chemistry, and some of the back and forth banter was entertaining, but on the whole I wasn't buying them actually falling in love with each other to the point they wanted to marry. And it certainly didn't help matters that he proposed to her after sleeping with her.

The main issue that I had with this one is that (much like what happened in book one), when Graham finds out the truth about Julia (especially after he opened up to her about his double-life), it is simply glossed over. This time, we are told that it is because Graham is in love with her and not only does he not care that she is the columnist he was out to get, he regrets asking his secretary to even look into her identity to begin with. I not only wanted, but I needed them to at least have a heart-to-heart about it much more than what we got.

I will say the drama that unfolded at the end was interesting and did add a bit of flair to the story, but overall, it wasn't enough to bump this one up higher for me. However, I would read the next in the installment (should there be one) as I am invested in the other Misses that write for the column.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

As the daughter of a clergyman, Julia Addison knows she’ll never be able to fulfill her lifelong dream of acting on the stage, so she writes forthright reviews of the Season’s most popular plays for Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses, popularly known as Goode’s Guide to Misconduct. Her brother has recently married so Julia is now living with her sister in laws Aunt & acting as a companion. They manage to get tickets to Ransom Blackadder’s latest irritating satire about English society. Best of all, she’s sharing a theatre box with the gruff but handsome Lord Dunstane. Graham McKay, the Earl of Dunstane, rarely leaves his home in the Scottish Highlands where he writes plays under the pseudonym of Ransom Blackadder Nothing about London has ever held his interest until he meets Julia.
The second book in the series & another entertaining romance, from the start it’s obvious that ‘the setup’ is going to lead to misunderstandings, misassumptions & witty banter. I really liked both Graham & Julia & my interest was held all the way through. I loved how the pace increased in the later stages as the it turned into a melodrama. A well written fun romance which I enjoyed
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Clergyman’s daughter Julia writes candid theater reviews under a pen name—until attraction sparks with secret playwright Graham, Lord Dunstane. But he seeks revenge after her scathing critique. With their budding romance and her magazine’s fate at risk, can they overcome the looming scandal?

This is a light-hearted romance with a hint of danger. The stakes are fairly low until toward the end of the book. The characters are fun and the writing style entertaining.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Tropes: Secret identities; opposites attract
Steam level: 3
Part of a series, but works great as a standalone

This is an entertaining, lighthearded book that starts off a bit slow, but once the MC's become romantically/emotionally involved and the conflict hinges more on the concealment of their Big Secrets, the plot picks up the pace. I thought the world building surrounding theater life in the 1800's was good and enjoyed the casts' idiosyncracies and banter. Julia's love for acting is not much of a subplot here; the conflict has more to do with her wanting to protect her identity and the idenitities of the others who write for the ladies' magazine so it can continue being published. She has great chemistry with Graham, a grumpy earl who is secretly wounded and putting up a wall by creating his bitingly satiric plays. He is less upset with her reviews for their negativity (a lot of reviewers don't care for his plays) than the fact that she discerns talent and ability going unused while he panders to his audience's cynicism.

Quibbles: the third act conflict is resolved much more quickly than I'd expected, and the action scene toward the end didn't quite gell with the tone of the rest of the book. It was easy to guess the identity of the baddie.

Overall, this is fun and a quck read.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley. This is set to be published April 23.

Julia Addison who is the daughter of a clergyman knows she will never be able to act on stage. She does reviews of plays for Mrs. Goode's magazine which she feels is the next best thing.
She meets Graham MacKay, Earl of Dunstane at the theater when due to a mix up they end up sharing a box. He is secretly Ransome Blackadder the writer of the play that she has written a scathing review.
The chemistry was fun and interesting between the two which made for an interesting and fun read, especially when they find out who their alter egos are.
There was also a bonus novella included at the end of the book about Mrs. Goode that was a cute second chance romance.

As the daughter of a clergyman, Julia Addison knows she’ll never be able to fulfill her lifelong dream of acting on the stage. Yet her fortnightly reviews of the season’s plays for Mrs Goode’s magazine is proving to be the next best thing. With her success, she gains a ticket to Ransom Blackadder’s latest satire about English society, only to find herself sharing a theatre box with Graham McKay, the Earl of Dunstane. Graham is a recluse, rarely leaving his home in the Scottish Highlands. So, when he meets Julia and realises that she is the critic who panned his last play and she discovers that Graham is the author Blackadder, their romance seems doomed before it has a chance to develop.
With neither character knowing the true identity of the other, it was quite entertaining to see the truth revealed. Julia and Graham have plenty of chemistry, making for an entertaining read. Whilst part of a series, t his book can be read as a standalone. An easy read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Julia is an anonymous theater critic; Graham (the Earl of Dunstane) is an anonymous playwright. These two meet when an unscrupulous box office manager sells Dunstane's box for the season to Julia's aunt for the same season, not expecting Dunstane to show up. It's not surprising that two theater lovers might bond over their shared taste. But Dunstane has it out for the only critic to see through his posturing act, and Julia will do anything to protect the periodical she publishes for.

Because of this setup, we were worried that the ultimate relationship conflict would rely heavily on the hidden identity reveals. While that certainly plays a role, the end of the book turns into an exciting, action-packed melodrama with unexpected participants: perfect for such a theatrical novel. (Plus the book features the reappearance of one of our favorite Craig heroes, Jeremy Addison from Better Off Wed, as Julia's brother.) As always, Craig's humor is the star of the show. If you're looking for a light, fun, funny but drama-filled historical romance, pick this one up!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

⭐️⭐️/5 (Historical Romance)
Release Date: April 23, 2024

Synopsis: Julia Addison has always enjoyed the theater, and she has now transferred her love of the theater into writing reviews anonymously for Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses, a lady’s magazine. Graham McKay, Lord of Dunstane, is a lover of theater, and hides behind his pen name, Ransome Blackadder, as he writes brutal farces about the ton. When Julia writes a review about Graham’s previous play, Graham takes it very personally and wants to take action against the reviewer. But, once Julia and Graham meet, they seem to be drawn together, can they keep their secrets or will their secrets pull them apart?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book! It’s a cute regency romance, and had many of the tropes that we love in a regency romance. I thought that it was cute that they were trying to figure out who each other were and then falling in love. I liked the idea of the women’s magazine and that the ladies who wrote the magazine thought it was important for all of these ladies to know such things.

If you loved 10 Things I Hate About You or other Regency Romances, you’ll love this.

I enjoyed Susanna Craig’s The Lady Plays with Fire but I did have a hard time remembering the title. It’s probably a ‘me’ issue but I like when the title matches the storyline and I couldn’t with this one. Did not distract from the enjoyment for me but just a small thing that nags at me. Now to the good - or Goode - and there was lots that was good. Graham and Julia are very likable and I really enjoyed the lack of miscommunication and misunderstandings that keep our hero and heroine apart because they don’t just talk to each other. Mature characters go to each other when they have disagreements and Julia and Graham were delightful. Add to that the grumpy hero and a little naivety of Julia and the story just flows. Added bonus of a short novella added after a great Epilogue and it’s just about perfect! Great read.

If you like historical romance and you haven't picked up a book by this author before, now is the time.

This is the second book in a series, but you don't have to have read the first (although I did).

Julia is the companion of an older lady, despite being the sister of an Earl and on,y 19. One of the reasons she has the position is so that she can attend the theatre and then write reviews under her pen name 'Miss on Scene'.

Graham is an Earl and a playwright who has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about the ton - he's Scottish and he has never been truly accepted by his peers because he's a bit gruff, so he gets his revenge by penning satirical and popular plays about society.

When these two meet neither one knows their alter-egos have already interacted. It's a little farcical, which is apt, and a lot of fun.

I particularly loved how the usual third act break up didn't happen, even when it could have. These characters are not silly even though they sometimes make mistakes.

Julia and Graham's chemistry is off the charts too. I closed the book with a smile and am already looking forward to the next one.

By the way, at the end of the book, you get a lovely little novella as a bonus treat.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

An Earl who is a secret playwright. A lady who is a secret play reviewer for a ladies magazine. They meet when they are both assigned the same theater box. Unbeknownst to them they are also secret adversaries. Ransom Blackadder versus Miss on Scene. This is a very witty story, filled with desire, uncertainty, and resolve. And throw in a bit of mystery too!

Quick note - this involves characters from Better Off Wed (from the Love & Let Spy series) so if you have read that you'll be glad to see the return of some of those characters and if you haven't then you get to meet them for the first time. As for this book, I wasn't completely sure as to why Graham decided to go after Miss on Scene, but I got over that pretty quickly as whatever it took to get him on the path of meeting Julia was worth it. I loved getting to follow the relationship between Graham and Julia go from somewhat adversarial (as a result of the mix up with the theatre box) to a connection over the theatre. It allowed him to see how talented and intelligent Julia was and for her to see a more laid back and genial side of him. In the end it's clear that they are perfect for one another and complement one another well. I thought the situation regarding him finding out the truth of Miss on Scene's identity was resolved a little too quickly and easily, but I did like that Graham was willing to listen to Julia's explanation. The events of the play at the end take a little bit of an unexpected turn but it was so great to see Julia have the chance to show everyone how well she handles a script and a candlestick.

This book also came with a bonus novella in which we get to learn about not only how Lady Stalbridge came to be Lady Stalbridge but also how Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses came into being. I loved how uncomplicated the story between Tabetha and Kit was - there are no hard feelings over the past or huge obstacles in their way. It is really the best kind of second chance love story. I also liked getting to know a little more about Oliver - I'm really hoping he gets his own book at some point.

Love the banter between these two characters, they are not only comical but exciting and enlightening. The mystery was a surprising twist in addition to the unfolding of the dual subterfuge. I don't mind the steam, they have great chemistry and their story is enjoyable, pretty fast paced and held my interest and attention. I would have liked for Julia to have experienced a little bit more of his romantic side, courting so the emotions that come along with that were built, felt and expressed more openly to one another but that's just me.

I LOVEDDDDDDD THIS ONE WAY MORE THAN THE FIRST ONE AND I LIKED THE FIRST ONE.
Okay, the story you know it, there is a magazine written by women for women.
This book follows Julia, Miss on Scene, she writes theatre plays reviews, and Graham, he is a play writer under a pseudonym, like pretty similar to each other, he writes a play trying to bring Miss On Scene down, and Miss on Scene is trying to get her hands on his play.
It’s so cute and funny and I couldn’t stop reading it.

Also, AS LONG AS SCOTTISH MEN KEEP SAYING “MY LASS” I would READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM

Susanna Craig is one of my favorite authors! And, she did not disappoint with The Lady Plays With Fire. I loved how Graham and Julia get to know each other without knowing that they have that secret connection of the play versus the review. Ms. Craig writes both of them as the intelligent writer who is good at communication but hides a part of themselves. Trust is so important and helps to keep this couple together. The road to their HEA is a little bumpy but it would not be a great book without bumpy roads!

Although second in the Goode's Guide to Misconduct, it is a stand alone and super enjoyable!

This is a fun, entertaining read. Graham and Julia are interesting, relatable, complex, intriguing, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path that it took to get to their HEA. These are fun characters to spend time with. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment – especially the plays casts of characters, and Julia’s aunt. It’s fun being back in this world again and getting to see more of the other ladies related to Mrs. Goode’s Guide. While this is the second book in the series, you don’t have to read the first one to enjoy this one. The first one is worth reading if you haven’t. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was just ok, not as good as the first one. This story is all about Julia, who reviews plays for Miss Goode's magazine as Miss On Scene. When she writes a review that ticks off a playwright, he decides to write a brutal play about her. Graham has no idea who Miss On Scene is, but he's growing closer to Julia every day. Even though the story was alright, I just didn't feel any spark between the characters. Everyone was fine on their own, but nothing special when we were all together. I love Aunt Mildred. This one just didn't have that same excitement as the first book.

Another enjoyable and form fitting Susanna Craig book that provides the perfect historical romance read. I have enjoyed this series and I am looking forward to reading more from Craig in the future.

another enjoyable (albeit a smidge forgettable) read by susanna craig. i love a good palate-cleansing historical romance and craig does just that with this book. i enjoyed the premise and the characters.

thanks so much for this arc.