This is an easy read with with good drama and romance. I was rooting for the main characters from page one and their love confessions were perfection I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

Vibes: seduction lessons, gentle hero/traumatized heroine, instalove

Heat Index: 7/10

Anne needs help finding a husband--it's the only way she can escape her abusive father and worse fiancee. She offers notorious rake and political blackmailer (and enemy of her father) Richard a deal: if he teaches her how to seduce a husband, she'll give him information he needs. The problem? She may be, however unintentionally, seducing Richard.

This is an interesting one. It got off to a really good start. I like the characters, and they have good chemistry. I'm definitely intrigued about the rest of the series, and will most likely be checking it out. But it went by very quickly. This would have benefited from more page time, and for that matter, more time luxuriating in the romance. Anne and Richard get together fast, and the story takes a pretty dark turn from there--one I expected, but even then it felt tonally dissonant from the frothy, heady love story I'd read up until then.

I know this book was published in a different form earlier, and I wonder if it was any longer. As it is, this is compelling and makes plenty of good points about nineteenth century politics and the abuse suffered by women. But it's pretty rushed.

Quick Takes:

--Just as a heads up... when I say this gets dark, it gets pretty dark. Emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse are discussed and occur (and it has been occurring for a very long time). I didn't think this was over the top, and I feel it was sensitively handled. However, read with caution.

--One thing I really enjoyed was Richard's friend Caro (not because of the name similarity, but it helped) and all of the nude paintings she did... starring Richard. More books where the heroes pose for nude paintings! More books where the heroes have female friends and it's cool and chill and nobody is weird about it! I definitely want to read Caro's book, which I think comes out next year. Marriage in trouble? Yes please.

--I hate the term "instalove", because I often feel that what people are referring to is instalust. I honestly don't mind instalust when done well; it's the love part I want to see happen gradually. Because the first half of this book, when the falling in love part takes place, is SO quick, this did feel pretty instant. Richard is really, really soft with Anne--and yes, he's a nice guy, but it kind of feels like he's falling for her super fast. And if there had been more to the relationship, more trouble and friction, that may have worked. But the love story itself is pretty smooth.

--On another note, I will say... for a nOTORIOUS ROGUE, Richard is pretty sweet. Not that a notorious rogue has to be the worst person ever, but at points this book seemed SO aware of its publication date. Richard is super talky about consent, and like--I want this book to have good consent politics. I do not need the hero explaining consent. It felt awkward.

That said, otherwise he was very hot, and I enjoyed the fact that he got weird and cranky when he hadn't been laid in a while. More of this behavior please.

--This all sounds very critical, but honestly--if you want a good romance and you're okay with things being a bit fast, you'll probably love this. The writing is good. It's hot. It's tender. I liked a lot of it. I'll be reading more. I just think that this installment could have used a bit of work.

The Sex:

Speaking of, this was good. It obviously begins pretty early, and there are several scenes that aren't RIDICULOUSLY explicit, but are very much explicit. And it begins with a gazebo moment that is QUITE impetuous. The best part is that he's very grumpy and fucked up about it after because they aren't together and he's trying to help her find a different man, but he can still taste her in his mouth!!! DAMMIT!!!

A flawed but nice read, I think this book shows Katrina Kendrick's talent, but would benefit from some expansion and a bit of further development.

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The taming of a take is always a fun read but throw in the political issues and the MMC being on the right side of history and it turned this book into something set apart from the rest.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (Historical Romance)
Release Date: August 3, 2024

Synopsis: Anne Sheffield has been promised to the Duke of Kendal since she was 12. Her father is domineering and uses her memory to help his political machinations. With two months to her wedding, she gets in contact with the only man who can help her, Richard Grey. Richard is known to be a rake, but he uses this reputation to hide his real role in politics. Anne needs Richard’s help in finding a husband that she actually loves. Will the flirting lessons lead to more?

My Thoughts: I did like this book, and it was very quick however, parts of this book were very tough. TW: sexual assault, child abuse, forced marriage. However, I did like the love story between Richard and Anne. I thought Anne was a great character, with her being strong in the face of everything that life has thrown at her. So, despite some of the tough subject matter, I did like the book.

If you love dating lessons or the Bridgerton series, you’ll love this.

This is a short, straightforward, sexy historical romance. Anne is betrothed to an awful man; her father is an unscrupulous politician on the wrong side of history. Using impeccable romance novel logic, she approaches his political enemy, Richard Grey, to help her find a husband. Richard is the perfect man to do this because he can seduce any woman he wants, so obviously he can teach her to seduce any man she wants! So he gets her invited to a house party where she receives plenty of successful lessons in seduction. But the lessons work too well, because now they've been mutually seduced!

We love a book with lessons, decent characters, and external relationship conflicts, and this book gives all three. There are some major content warnings (see below) but honestly this was pretty rompey for a book that deals with such dark themes. This one is a ton of fun where the bad guys get their comeuppance and the good guys come out on top. The book also sets up at least three other romances, so we might be headed for a deep Katrina Kendrick dive...

CW: child sexual abuse; sexual abuse; physical abuse; psychological abuse.

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

I really enjoyed this story it was cute and my cup of tea. I love anything to do with the pride and prejudice era. Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC!

This book was so cute and spicy! I loved it!! Engaging romance with fantastic characters, beautifully written, I finished it in a day!! I'm a sucker for historical romances and the cover art is adorable. 100% would recommend this book

Victorian era instalove romance with a side of political intrigue, voting rights, and (warning!) child abuse.

His Scandalous Lessons tells the story of Anne, who is the brilliant but sheltered daughter of a corrupted politician. She is being forced into an unequal, miserable marriage that benefits her father. Leveraging political secrets she is privy to, Anne devises a scheme to secure a safer marriage by working with Richard Grey, one of her father's political rivals. The pacing felt a little off to me- things between Richard and Anne seemed to move so fast, despite the trauma she had experienced and how carefully she planned and executed everything else in her life. I was really surprised at how dark this book got- Anne's story is much deeper than just an overbearing father, and the scandals/blackmail that come to light were distressing to read about.

I usually stick to Regency era romances, but enjoyed the political backdrop of the Victorian era in this story. There is a lot of discussion of a ballot change legislation to make voting more equitable across socioeconomic classes, which was interesting to read about.

This is the first in a series, and introduces several characters who feature in the following books. I actually read a later book in this series (A Bride by Morning, highly recommend) first, and enjoyed getting some backstory on some of the characters from that book. I really like how the author writes her FMC- they are clever and skilled at working with the limited social and political currency they have. I will definitely continue this series, and hope that a book about Caroline, the Duchess, is coming soon!

thanks to netgalley for my copy! i've been in my regency era lately and simply put, i enjoyed this one! it was simple to follow and had a fun plot that reminded me a little bit of bridgeton. the writing style/pacing was a little all over the place for me and the plot eventually went everywhere towards the end, but i really enjoyed the characters and thought they had a lot of depth. would definitely still recommend if you're into the bridgeton style, sexy romances and will definitely still be looking into the author for her other books!

Genre: historical romance
London, 1872

Anne Sheffield has a very limited time frame in which to seduce a man so thoroughly he will procure a special license and marry her before her father weds her to a much older duke. Anne’s father is a powerful MP, and relies on Anne’s memory to keep his secrets (mostly of blackmail) safe. Anne takes her future into her own hands and bargains with Richard Grey, notorious rake, by trading lessons in seduction for the secrets her father has been keeping. Richard arranges for the reputable Duchess of Hastings to host a house party, where Richard and Anne can meet. The threat of Anne’s father looms large, though, and it’s becoming clear that there may not be anyone more suitable for her than Richard himself.

I picked this up because Katrina Kendrick is a pen name for Elizbeth May, whose book To Cage a God has one of my new favorite anti-heroes. Knowing her ability to bring sizzling chemistry to the page, I wanted to read some of her historical romances as well. And let me tell you, this did not disappoint. This is high heat, and while Anne is innocent, she’s also attuned to her needs and never a wilting miss. Richard is immediately gone for her when she sheds the public persona she wears under her father’s control, and there’s nothing hotter than a man who has promised to help a woman find another husband but falls hopelessly for her first.

Because she also writes fantasy, Kendrick shines with politically entangled plots that don’t bog down the storyline. The driving plot is Anne’s father’s blackmailing scheme, and not only Anne’s opposition, but also Richard’s opposition to the way he bullies tenants and servants, and strong-arms men into quivering at his power. The villains are on the overstated side, both father and duke are smarmy men against whom you desperately want to seek vengeance, but it makes the payoff all the more satisfying.

I did not completely finish this b00k, but I got over halfway into it, and though I really loved the writing style and the political aspects and concept. I felt the romance was far to "Insta-love" for me, the relationship progressed really fast and I found myself asking "Woah??? how did we get here?"

Gearing up for the few weeks of freedom she has before she’s married to a man thrice her age, Anne Sheffield approaches the notorious rake Richard Grey to do the impossible: help her find a different husband. As her father’s political rival, Grey can hardly pass on the promising political secrets Anne’s gathered from her overbearing father in exchange for lessons on how to seduce a man.

This book was so much more than I was expecting: house parties, clandestine meetings, subterfuge, and murder come together to weave a story bigger than I could’ve imagined. The romance had me questioning if this was love or lust at times, but ultimately they got their HEA. The last 30% was a rollercoaster and definitely entertaining.

You can tell Kendrick was setting up several other novels: Montgomery/Miss Cecil, Alexandra/Thorne, and Caroline/Hastings, and it’ll be interesting to see where she takes all of their stories.

TW: parental abuse, sexual assault, violence, pedophilia

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the chance to read and review this ARC.

One of the best bits of feedback I can give is to say I wish it were longer! This regency romance was a great read, I just wish it were closer to 350 pages vs 250 to really let the characters develop and breathe. The story was definitely there, and while I appreciated bits of supporting characters, at times it just felt like set up for future books in a series. Fans of Jennifer Haymore and Sophie Jordan will enjoy this fun and spicy regency romance.

A notorious rogue and a politician’s daughter? Yes, please! Anne Sheffield acts as her father’s secretary as he wheels and deals as a member of Parliament. She has a photographic memory which allows her to blend into the background and benefits her intelligence gathering. However, her father never lets her out of his sight because of the secrets she keeps. She has decided to take control of her life and goes to Richard Grey, rogue and member of Parliament” on the opposite end of the political spectrum as her father. Trust does not come easily to either Anne or Richard, but Anne promises to turn over secrets in return for help with society and relationship “lessons” and some husband hunting. Anne is desperate and at this point, marrying any man would be better than staying at home with her abusive father. As one would expect, sparks fly between Anne and Richard as they spend time with each other and get to know each other. Richard might make some morally gray choices as a politician, but his heart is in the right place, making him a perfect match for Anne. I was not expecting the darkness of some of the secondary characters, but it definitely added to the urgency and mystery of the story and why Anne had to get out of the situation she was in. I love seeing strong and smart women in historical romances. The physical relationship was a bit of a slow burn, but when it got there…holy HOT! This was a good read. I read it late into the night because I just had to see how it ended. A great weekend read!

Anne Sheffield has never owned her life. The only daughter of a cruel politician, she spends her days keeping her father’s secrets and trying to avoid her impending marriage to a duke. Enter Richard Grey, her father’s fiercest political rival and a well-known rake. Sensing an opportunity, Anne makes a scandalous offer: Richard will teach her how to seduce a husband in exchange for her father’s political secrets. But the course of love (or seducing a stranger into marrying you) never did run smooth and as Anne and Richard begin their instruction, the chemistry between them may be too much to resist.

His Scandalous Lessons were two almost entirely separate books smushed together. The first half of the relatively short novel was your traditional historical romance with scenes swoon-worthy enough to take place in Bridgerton. The second half of the novel was a harrowing tale of domestic abuse, crimes against young children, and sexual assault. The issue was that neither arc was given enough time to develop, and while I liked both stories separately, I didn’t sense a connecting thread as much as I would’ve liked.

Regardless, Anne was a delightful main character. Despite living in a time when women, even those of the upper crust, enjoyed few rights, she managed to maintain agency even in the face of outward signs of passiveness. I liked that while she felt strong, it was a strength grounded in the period in which the novel was set rather than a 21st-century definition of feminism.

Richard was the perfect combination of rake and daring politician. He had healthy friendships with numerous people (imagine that! A support network in a period piece), a good head on his shoulders, and a mind that could match Anne’s blow for blow. He also cared so much about making her feel comfortable, and I loved that consent was obvious, asked for, and could clearly be withdrawn at any time for any reason (another historical romance rarity). While physical seduction obviously plays a huge role in the novel’s plot, the way these characters fall in love through conversation was by far my favorite part.

All in all, His Scandalous Lessons is a great novel to escape into for a little while. Though the plot and pacing are far from perfect, the prose is engaging and easy to follow, Richard says the sweetest and sexist things, and Anne shines with quiet strength. I look forward to exploring more novels in the series (especially Alexander and Nick, and hopefully Caroline sometime in the future).

The insta-love was a bit too much for me. I would have reversed the order of this book. The first 50% is all the the countryside at a house party and then we are thrust back into London with a million characters and no more lessons. Perhaps it would have been more natural if we met more characters in the beginning and got used to them. Felt so rushed and too tedious at the same time.

A very different book. The book was in a historical setting, but had some very modern take to it. This did not take away the romance in the book.

We have 2 very strong protagonists. Anna, who has a phenomenal memory and has been abused by her father mentally and emotionally all her life, is betrothed to a sadistic abusive Duke. She is trying to get out of her situation and reaches out to her father's arch enemy Richard Gray.

Richard is a charming charismatic rake, a reputation he has built as a facade for his political machinations. He is also very kind and fights for the rights of the downtrodden. Anna fascinates him, binds him, heart and soul. Over their lessons on courtship, their feeling physical and emotional develop that leads to a hea.

There is lots of angst, lots of manipulation, secrets, and lots of deep abiding feelings. The depth of thought, action and emotions was deep and I really look forward to more books from this author.

This was an odd one for me because the setup of it is very much to my taste. I love a feminist & political lens on my historical romances, so this bring about a politicians daughter really hit for me. And I could tell throughout that the author had a lot of great ideas for her characters. But the paving & development of the ideas was less successful, for me. It seemed like the characters personalities & motivations jumped & shifted dramatically & frequently. I don’t get the sense that the author had a clear vision of each character, they each feel like an amalgam of different ideas. It is especially notable with the hero, who we are told is a scandalous tale but who acts more often like a regular politician nice guy. I’m also not certain why they didn’t just get together, they both like each other pretty immediately & there isn’t really anything preventing them from being together. The conflict feels a bit contrived. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable read.

Today I’m reviewing His Scandalous Lessons by Katrina Kendrick. In this historical romance, with a fresh new cover, we follow a prominent politicians daughter Anne Sheffield, who is determined to find a husband on her own terms before she is forced to marry the man her father has chosen for her. Enter Richard Grey, the second son of an Earl, who bargains with his enemies daughter, only to find that his original deal turns into something he never expected.

Have you ever finished the first book in a series and immediately needed to read the next?

That’s me, book friends, with Kendrick’s series, Private Arrangements! Immediately after reading His Scandalous Lessons, I was excited to read the next novel, Tempting the Scoundrel. This one focuses on Grey’s youngest sister (and book friends this one is my absolute favorite), but let’s get back to His Scandalous Lessons.

His Scandalous Lessons is part of a historical romance series that I am hands-down ready to binge read. And with this opening novel, romance readers be prepared to be rooting for a group of women ready to change their world and challenge the men who would see them imprisoned in a gilded cage.

For this one I loved the slow-burn between Anne and Richard. Where, they unhurriedly unwrap each others defenses with heated looks, stolen kisses, and delicious banter. Midway they find their own desires and wants reflected back at each other and friends, the romance only burns brighter after that revelation.

Kendrick's novel can be read in one sitting, knowing this may be your next obsession.

Just a side note, please check the trigger warnings before reading this one.

ahhhhh what an intriguing story this was!!!! richard was equal parts rogue and dark politician but one with morals!! i loved that anne wasnt afraid to find her way out of a bad situation no matter the cost. i was thrilled to learn this was part of a series and have already read alex and thorns book sonce finishing this one!