This is my first book by this author and I have to say it was highly enjoyable. The premise was different, you have 2 writers on the opposite end of the spectrum, one a playwright and the other a play critic.

The two main characters Julia and Graham hit it off right off the bat. They intrigue each, are attracted to one another, but do not realize that they are in a way rivals.

Will the revelation of their secret identities impact their burgeoning relationship.

Julia is a wonderfully witty writer, great, strong personality, constrained by her gender - she's spreading her wings in the only way she knows how without jeopardizing her reputation.

Graham, has gone through a lot of heartache and inherits his broke earldom and takes to his pen as an outlet for his emotions and to make money. He hides this pain behind mockery and sarcasm, but that feeds into societies warped senses and has been successful.

Overall I loved this book and cannot wait to read book 1 and any subsequent stories in the series

I would like to thank netgalley and Kensington Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was hugely enjoyable, and I loved the you've got mail element to it. Also included the short novella Nice Earls Do, which shows how the magazine came into being.

Graham is secretly writing plays under a nom de plume. Julia is secretly reviewing plays under a nom de plume. When Julia writes a bad review of one of his plays, Graham vows to unearth who this mysterious woman critic is. While getting closer to each other, they never suspect what each other is doing. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Zebra for my honest review.

The first novella and book in this series really sparkled, and while this one is good it’s not as amazing as those were. The jacket said it’s a You’ve Got Mail inspired story but I didn’t feel that very much (and You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorite movies!)
Although the story is clever at points and as always Susanna Craig’s characters are so much fun, it just didn’t hit the same spot for me. But I’m looking forward to more from this series!

Star Rating: 2.75/5
Tropes: Hidden identity

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

What a fun romp of a book! Susanna Craig takes us on another ride with a woman secretly writing for Mrs. Goode's Guide to Misconduct, a ladies magazine that goes beyond fashion and gossip for regency-era women in London. Julia Addison is the magazine's theater critic and she is the only critic in London who has seen through playwright Ransom Blackadder's outrageous works. The typical reviews expressing shock and outrage over the artist's work have lined his pockets and he's fearful that Julia, writing as Miss on Scene, seeing through his jabs at society will hurt him financially. Blackadder is actually Graham McKay, who inherited a crumbing and dept-ridden estate and the title of Earl when his brother died.

Julia and Graham meet at the theater, not knowing each other's pen names. They become close and secrets come out, as they always do. What's absolutely delightful is that this story does not follow a predictable, trite path that a romance reader would have seen before. The big reveal does not usher in a third act breakup. There are hurt feelings, but there is also communication, which you would expect from two people who are used to expressing themselves in their work. That's not to say the road to happily ever after is smooth!

One thing I love about this series is the small references to Susanna Craig's last series. We get a glimpse of some family characters and references to past events here and there in this story. None of this would frustrate someone new to Craig's books, but they certainly make for some delightful moments for those have have.

I enjoyed this, though not as much as the first. In fact, it's probably my least favorite of the Susanna Craig books I've read. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy it, because I did - just that I have enjoyed her others more.

I thought I knew where it was going, after reading the first book, and I was surprised to be instead introduced to a hero and heroine who I was unfamiliar with. It took me a little while to warm up to them, but once I did I enjoyed them pitting their wits against one another. I felt like they had a lot of chemistry.

There were rather more and longer sex scenes than I was expecting and that caused me to somewhat lose interest in it a few times. I suppose it makes sense, since the premise was that they were intellectual enemies but their bodies were drawn together by a whole lot of lust. Still it felt a bit too much. It should be noted, however, that I prefer the fewer sex scenes the better so my opinion doesn't always match that of the general public.

I do feel that the story centered rather too much on the physical lust however. There was so much potential for more intellectual banter and matching of wits than we get here. There was quite a bit, which I definitely appreciated, ... but there could have been more.

I loved Julia's aunt. She was feisty and sly and would have made an excellent addition to the Goode's Guide to Misconduct team.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Zebra for providing an early copy for review.

Julia, a theatre goer, and caregiver to a wealthy patron, pens reviews of the plays she sees, often scathing. She uses a pseudonym so no one knows who is writing these reviews.

Graham McKay writes plays, his latest having been reviewed scathingly by Julia. However, as he uses a pseudonym, no one knows who wrote the play.

When Julia and Graham meet, sparks fly and they embark on a relationship. What will happen when they discover each other’s true identity?

A short and simple story, easily finished in an hour. The characters were likeable, the pacing good, and the angst minimal.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

Graham McKay, Lord Dunstane, is a Scottish earl who has lived through too much tragedy and is the last surviving member of his family. He inherited an earldom ridden with debt, and is restoring it to profitability from his earnings as a playwright. He's a sad and bitter man who writes cynical comedies under the name Blackadder (a distracting choice because of the famous British television series). His latest is an attack on literary critics, in particular Miss on Scene who writes for Mrs Goode's magazine for independent young women.

Miss on Scene is Julia Addison, sister of Captain Sterling and sister-in-law of Laura from Better off Wed in the Live and Let Spy series. She has taken over Laura's role of companion to Mrs. Hayes, who is Laura's aunt. Mrs Hayes and Laura share a love of the theatre, and it is at Covent Garden that they first meet Lord Dunstane, who is instantly attracted to Julia. This is a familiar plot, so it needs characters with wit, charm and sparkle to lift it from the mundane. Graham and Julia can't quite manage it.

This was a pleasant read, but I didn't find the characters engaging. I hope that the mysterious, frizzy-haired illustrator, who is potentially much more interesting, will be the heroine of the next book.

Thank to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

"The Lady Plays with Fire" is the second book in Susanna Craig's "Goode's Guide to Misconduct" series. In this particular book, Julia Addison is a theater-lover who writes sometimes scathing reviews of the plays she visits as a caregiver to a wealthy patron. Julia's reviews have the theater actors and playwrights on age. However, because she writes these reviews under a pen name, no one knows who it is. Graham McKay is one of those playwrights who is furious over Julia's reviews. However, since he also wrote his play under a pen name, no one knows who he is either. When Julia and Graham meet up at the theater, sparks fly, and they begin a relationship. However, what will happen when they discover that they're actually rivals?

I enjoyed the relationship between Julia and Graham. However, all the pen names and secrecy muddled the storyline a bit, and it was hard to keep up with the plot. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was just ok compared to the first book. This story is about Julia, who writes reviews of plays for Miss Goode’s magazine. When she writes a particular review, a playwright takes umbrage & decides to write a scathing play about her. Graham doesn’t know who Miss On Scene is, & gets closer to Julia by the day. Although, this was an ok storyline, I failed to feel any chemistry between the characters. Everyone was alright individually but together wasn’t noteworthy. I really like Aunt Mildred. This didn’t have the spark that the first book had.