In a world where political machinations and societal expectations collide, Anne Sheffield, the rebellious daughter of a conservative Prime Minister, finds herself in a perilous predicament. Betrothed to a cruel and abusive Duke, she knows she must act fast to secure her future. In a bold move, Anne seeks out Richard Grey, the enigmatic second son of an Earl, hoping he can help her with her plan to escape this unwanted marriage - entice a man into defying her powerful Father and betrothed and eloping with her.
Anne and Richard strike a deal - he’ll teach her to seduce a husband and in exchange she will provide him information to help take down her Father. From there, the plot thickens as the sparks between Richard and Anne fly.
Anne and Richard do fall into the insta-love trap, but there was still much more to this novel than the romance - qith the layers of political intrigue, dark secrets, lively families and friends, His Scandalous Lessons was a great start to this series!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Rating 3.75

3.8/5 ⭐️ This was a good easy, fluffy read that helped me work through my Bridgerton Season 3 hangover! I'm a sucker for historical, regency romance. Definitely a fast read that can be a filler or a good cleanse during a long-haul book. Overall, enjoyed the story, setting, banter, all of it!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. You never let me down!

Katrina Kendrick's "His Scandalous Lessons" is an electrifying tale set against the backdrop of Regency London, where love, scandal, and political intrigue intertwine in a way that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative centers around Richard Grey, a man whose notorious reputation as a rogue belies a deeper and more complex identity. Beneath his dashing exterior lies a cunning mind involved in political machinations that could alter the course of society. This duality of character sets the stage for an enthralling exploration of deception, desire, and the true cost of ambition. At the heart of the story is Anne Sheffield, the daughter of a powerful politician. From the outset, Anne is portrayed as a woman trapped in a gilded cage, her fate dictated by her father's ambitions and controlling nature. Her remarkable memory makes her an invaluable asset, privy to top-secret intelligence that could shift power dynamics in London. Yet, her desire for autonomy and freedom drives her to strike a bold bargain with Richard: she will share her father's secrets if he helps her seduce a husband of her choosing. This audacious trade forms the crux of the plot, setting in motion a series of events that challenge both characters' perceptions of power, loyalty, and love. Kendrick masterfully weaves the threads of romance and intrigue, creating a narrative that is as compelling as it is richly layered. As Anne delves into Richard's world, she discovers not only the thrilling escapades that come with his reputation but also the underlying vulnerabilities that make him a captivating figure. The chemistry between Richard and Anne crackles with tension, as their initial arrangement evolves into something deeper and more profound. Kendrick's keen understanding of character dynamics allows readers to witness the transformation of both protagonists as they navigate the murky waters of their desires and the consequences of their actions. The themes of love and scandal resonate throughout the novel, serving as a poignant reminder of the risks associated with both. Kendrick does not shy away from illustrating the dangers of sharing secrets; as Anne becomes more enmeshed in Richard's life, the stakes rise dramatically. The suspense builds as the reader is drawn into a world where every whisper could lead to ruin, and every choice could have far-reaching implications. The tension keeps the pages turning, making it impossible to predict how the story will unfold. In "His Scandalous Lessons," Katrina Kendrick has created a captivating historical romance that goes beyond mere escapism. It is a story that delves into the complexities of identity, the struggle for autonomy, and the intoxicating allure of love amidst chaos. The characters are well-drawn, their motivations thoroughly explored, making their journeys both relatable and engaging. Readers will find themselves rooting for Anne as she seeks her own path and for Richard as he grapples with the consequences of his double life. In conclusion, "His Scandalous Lessons" is not just a romance; it is a rich tapestry of intrigue, emotion, and the timeless quest for freedom. Kendrick’s storytelling prowess shines through in every page, leaving readers not only entertained but also reflective on the nature of love and the sacrifices it demands. For those who enjoy a blend of passion and peril set in a historical context, this novel is a must-read. Dive into the scandalous world of Richard Grey and Anne Sheffield, and prepare for an unforgettable journey filled with lessons that will resonate long after the last page is turned.

A fun, steamy historical romcom that was just the ticket for some light reading when you're craving something fizzy and fun to pair with a good cup of tea.

Review for this is still pending as i accidentally submitted a review for a different book under this one. Official review to come. Thank you!

Anne Sheffield and Richard Grey’s engaging story held my interest and kept me turning pages. The storyline is very good, the characters are believable and I found it to be well worth my reading. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Captivating!

This book has a good mix of intrigue, romance, and chemistry. I liked the two main characters, Anne and Richard. And I found Richard was a wonderful hero. Anne is a delightful heroine who possesses intelligence and a strength of character that deeply affects us. This novel is a good romance with a good plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bloomsbury USA through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A great read! Enjoyable depth of characters. Great plot. The story moved at a good place. It was difficult to put down.

Anne Sheffield is the daughter of a powerful and conservative politician who believes women are the property of their fathers and husbands, to be seen, controlled, and not heard. Richard Gray has a reputation for being a rake and also being her father's political enemy. Anne is tired of being forced to obey her father and the man she is supposed to marry. In order to escape her impending marriage to the horrible man arranged by her father, Anne seeks out the help of Richard Gray to hone her seduction skills, aiming to secure a proposal before her arranged marriage, in exchange for assistance in bringing down her father. Unsurprisingly, they end up falling in love.

I thought both main characters were great. They were not what they seemed. I liked that Anne was strong despite the period the book was based on. The pacing was perfect, which kept me engaged. The only thing is that I wished the ending was longer so that when justice is served to the villainous characters, it would have been more satisfying. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a wild ride! I had so much fun reading this, it was insane. I laughed and got in my feelings more than I ever anticipated.

Anne is full of power and ambition. She knows when to keep quiet and take in information and when to stand her ground. Her development into independence while also finding love is a fantastic journey that showcases how the right man will never try to change you or treat you as a possession.

Richard is a really fun MMC. He's stubborn, charming, and full of understanding. His feminist position in this time period truly makes him a delight. Who doesn't love a man who praises consent from the woman he's with?

Overall, this was a fun, quick read. I would definitely recommend it to others.

Loved the character's and the writing style! Was instantly pulled in and interested in the story. The MMC and FMC have great chemistry and the banter was fun. The themes were a but heavier than what I expected, but they were executed well and set-up for more stories. Thank you for the ARC!

I love a good regency romance!! This was so addictive. Anne is a strong FMC who is trying to reclaim her life after being mistreated by family and her fiancé. I think the author did a good job covering such dark topics. I loved this book. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future!

This was just such a fast read for me. It made me want to get back into historical fiction. You got a prime ministers daughter and a rake. I mean come on! That combo?! Dirty politics always makes a great story line. And also that plot….not just romance. . Make sure to read the trigger warnings before reading. Overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you Bloomsbury (Aria) and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review!

Ah, another "run away from my arranged marriage" plot! Not angry about it one bit! Anne is the daughter of a powerful politician, and seeks help from a rogue named Richard Grey. Cue the love and deception!

Lots of chemistry here, and the plot does extend beyond their romance! There is quite a bit of triggering content, something to please keep in mind before divulging, but it's very compelling. Full of passion and adventure!

This story was an enthralling historical romance that completely captured my attention. The story is set against a beautifully detailed Regency backdrop, and Kendrick does a superb job of transporting me to that era with her vivid descriptions and authentic settings. The plot revolves around a passionate and somewhat forbidden romance, which is both complex and delightfully scandalous.

Take nothing at face value!

Anne Sheffield is the daughter of Stanton Sheffield, a powerful politician whose ideas are ultra conservative, where women are seen as the property of fathers and husbands. Anne’s been betrothed to a much older man, the Duke of Kendal since she was twelve years old. Definitely sleazy connotations, cohesive control, and abuse—both physical and mental are part of her life from her father and the Duke.
She has six weeks to find an alternative to her marriage to the Duke, but how to dodge her father’s decrees?
Who better to help her than Richard Grey, a dedicated politician opposed to all her father stands for. A thorough rogue to train her in the art of flirting and help find someone else to wed. Anne’s bar is not high.
In return Anne will give Richard the names of politicians whose vote her father has obtained by manipulation and blackmail. Anne trades her lessons for that damaging political information.
Anne has had to maintain an empty facade, concerned only with new gowns and hats. In reality she is highly intelligent with an astute mind, and gifted with a phenomenal memory.
A Bill is about to be introduced into parliament for the right to vote for all men. Grey of course champions this. Stanton Sheffield is vitriolic in his opposition.
Anne and Richard’s relationship grows, sparked by the attraction between them. A pull that is both illicit and troubling. After all rakes don’t reform! Sensuality comes to the fore. A redeeming quality of Richard’s is his kind heart and unswerving loyalties to friends.
What follows is a novel that tackles age old issues of power, wealth, dominance, and all matters in between. As I said in an earlier review of the ebook edition this is an oftentimes fun read with intrigue and romance, in a taming of the rake and quasi enemies to lovers vibe.

A Bloomsbury (Aria) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

My Rating: 2.75 / 5

I am truly wavering on the rating and can't fully decide but I liked the book well enough.

What I did like about the book:
I liked the two main characters Anne is strong and intelligent and Richard is sexy and rebellious for his time( meaning yay women's rights!). Their chemistry together was good. It was a bit of an insta-love situation but mostly on the guys part which makes it okay in my books lol.
The first half of the book, this is very much the "scandalous lessons" part. Only expect the title to be relevant in the first half.
What I didn't like:
This book is cleaved in two essentially. The "scandalous lessons" part and then frankly a bit of a sickening and nerve-wracking second half. If you are looking for a fun sexy light read then the second half of this book Is Not It. It's quite the tonal switch up and didnt feel very romance book to me.
It is VERY obvious the author has plans for many of the side characters to have their own books (by many I mean 4 couples). It was distracting to say the least. It took the focus off of Richard and Anne because we were getting some plot set up for these four other couples stories. Many times I felt like I walked halfway into a story without knowing because these side couples were getting so fleshed out it felt like maybe I was on the middle book of a series.

If you think this book will be spicy I would say this is on the lower end of the spice scale.

That being said for the most part I liked the book well enough. If it had stayed more along what it's first half was I would have enjoyed it more. I will be keeping an eye out for one of the couples book though.

Anne Sheffield is in a difficult place. She's completely under the thumb of her domineering and abusive father, and he's betrothed her to a much older and really creepy duke. Desperate to escape her father's control and her upcoming marriage, she approaches her father's political rival Richard Grey with a proposition. She wants Grey, a notorious rake, to teach her the arts of seduction so she can find an alternative husband. In return, she'll provide him with her father's political secrets. He agrees to the plan and arranges for Anne to attend a house party at his friend the Duchess of Hasting's estate.

Seduction lessons in a historical romance always lead to sexy results, and this book is no exception. But it's all about how the couple gets there. Richard is very charming and not nearly as much of a rake as he's been rumored to be. Anne seems like a typical young miss, but she's a completely different person when she's away from her awful father.

I really enjoyed this book. The romance is great, and the stakes are very high as Anne tries to escape the control of her father and fiance. There's a lot of political intrigue, and Anne's role as her father's secret keeper makes her a target. The drama is very entertaining.

CW: attempted sexual assault, parental abuse (physical and emotional), brief mentions of child sex abuse.

Anne Sheffield has finally decided to take charge of her life, her father is an MP and an awful man who uses her photographic memory to store information about his enemies, so he can blackmail them. He completely controls her life and has betrothed her to an equally awful man, the Duke of Kendal. But no more, she is done being her father’s puppet and she cannot even contemplate being married to Kendal. She carefully plans her escape from her father’s house and makes her way to the home of his archnemesis and known rake – Richard Grey. She makes a deal with Richard, he will tutor her in the ways of seduction so she can find a different man to marry and in return she will provide him with information to convince his political opponents to vote with him on a bill he is trying to get passed in Parliament. She was sure her scheme would work, but she never counted on falling for Richard or the lengths her father would go to keep her under his control.

Richard Grey is the brother of the Earl of Kent and a powerful political figure, as well as a well-known ladies’ man. When Anne comes to him in the middle of the night for help, he can’t believe that she is the same woman he has seen many times before, a woman who seems more interested in bonnets than politics, but it is clear that she is not the woman the ton thinks she is. Richard agrees to teach her how to attract a man, but never dreams he will be that man or meeting Anne will endanger his own family.

OMG – I loved this story; it ran parallel to his brother’s story – A Touch Wicked and teases readers with future stories regarding more than one secondary character. The book is well written, nicely paced, delightfully steamy and has just enough drama and angst to keep it interesting without becoming too dark. I loved Richard and Anne together and was on the edge of my seat more than once as their love story twisted and turned. This book is part of a series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title – but be warned, once you read this book you are going to want to read them all! *This book was originally published in 2018 and was re-released in 2023*

4.5 stars

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

This book was the perfect blend of steamy, and sweet, with just a bit of mystery, and intrigue mixed in there. The first half of the book was a little more heavy on the romance than the last half. I probably would of enjoyed it even more if the steamy parts were a little more frequent but that's just my personal preference. The mystery aspect of the story was fun too. Overall it was an enjoyable read for me and I'll read more in the series. Thank you to NetGalley for eARC!