The premise was very intriguing to me but the narration and the writing was not for me. The characters felt too emotionless for me and I think the flowery words added to that.

In just a few days, Vanessa Riley will release her second Betting Against the Duke book… but I still had to read the first! A Gamble at Sunset came out last year, and at long last I’ve made time to read it. Kicking off the series, this one focuses on a fake engagement scheme between Georgina Wilcox and Lord Mark Sebastian. Between a composition to win a coveted music prize, fooling the ton, and the wager between the duke and Georgina’s widowed sister, there’s a lot happening in this Regency romance.

Why I Chose This Book:
I’ve been wanting to read Vanessa Riley’s books for a few years, and this looked like a fun place to start. I like that music plays such a central role in it and that some of the main characters (the sisters in particular) come from a Caribbean background.

What I Liked:
- Music! Mark is a composer with goals of entering his own symphony into a prestigious competition. He also poses as Georgina’s music instructor as she practices singing. I loved all the music and references to composers of the time.
- Racial diversity! The Wilcox sisters are of Jamaican descent; their doctor is from Trinidad; the duke has an Ethiopian mother. I loved seeing their diversity and felt for them when they faced racism from others.
- He’s shy and awkward. Mark often doesn’t know what to say and can put his foot in his mouth. I enjoy seeing characters who, like me, aren’t always that great at socializing.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Georgina and Mark often don’t actually feel like the central couple of the book. This whole series seems to be about the duke and the eldest Wilcox sister. Their story overshadows everything, often making Mark and Georgina’s love story feel like a subplot instead of the main event.
- Likewise, much of what happens here feels scattered and random. I read a lot of romances, including historical romance, and I’m no stranger to the fake relationship trope. But this book left me puzzled sometimes, like it wasn’t sure exactly what it wanted to be.

Final Thoughts
I wanted to like A Gamble at Sunset more than I did. While there is much I enjoyed about it, there was also a lot that took away from the main story. At this point, I’m not sure if I’ll continue this particular series. (The second book, A Wager at Midnight, is out next Tuesday.) However, I do intend to read at least one or two more Vanessa Riley books; hopefully they’ll be more to my taste!

First Read of this Author and ready to read another book from this author. Everyone needs some royalty in their life. The cover definitely pulled me to this book immediately!

I love a good historical fiction and this hit every mark for me. I can’t wait to see what she does with the rest of the series.

A Gamble at Sunset is a beautifully written historical romance that oozes with passion, depth, and emotional intensity. An unputdownable read for historical romance lovers.

What a great start to this series, which centers around Jahleel, Duke of Torrance and the recently widowed Viscountess, Lady Catherine Hampton. Catherine is the oldest Wilcox sister and Jahleel’s first love. The youngest Wilcox sister, Little five-year old Lydia, is adorable, honest, and forthright in her speech. The third oldest, Scarlett, is super smart and wants to study medicine. The second oldest, Georgina, is musically talented and a great baker of biscuits but is afraid of performing in public. Jahleel spared no expense and time to ensure that the Wilcox sisters kept their home and coal mine. He truly cared for the Wilcox sisters, and loved Catherine but she treats him abominably. Jahleel won’t give up on her and bet that he could find husbands for the two of Wilcox sisters. If he wins, Catherine must agree to marry him. In actuality, they were married before and he just wants to win back Catherine’s love. Frankly, Catherine’s attitude got on my nerves, by insisting on honoring her worthless, lying, gambling deceased husband, Tavis’s memory, she placed the future of her sisters and herself in peril. Meanwhile, Georgina Wilcox and Lord Mark Sebastian, acting on their mutual attraction to each other caused a scandal. The removal of the scandal and Georgina and Mark staying in each other’s presence, long enough to fall in love, was mainly due to the Jahleel’s machinations. On another note, though this is a work of fiction, many parts of this book were based on historical facts. The accounts of how Blackmores and mulato were treated by whites in England are true. What is even more and disheartening, is that this negative attitude is still present in England and America today. Also, the roles women could play and even the employment men the ton could hold, were ridiculously ridged

The Duke of Torrance can be very nice and caring, but when it comes to revenge he has his own agenda. He's not above using people as his pawns, but only to those who deserve it.
Taking the Wilcox sisters under his wings, it will be a high leap of faith for the second oldest Wilcox sister to accept the life she should have by marrying for love. The flow of the book is very uneven and somewhat depressing. I debated on a three or four rating and the last third of the book made my decision. The best character is Lydia. She stole the book with her admiration of the duke.
Passionate kisses and music.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I absolutely love Vanessa's writing! The central couple had amazing chemistry, and I love that the romance was engaging, while not over the top. This was such a delightful read, with enjoyable characters that I can absolutely live with again!

What can I say about this book? Nothing... I have no words... it was just so perfect and Georgina and Mark were just too adorable! I loved the Wilcox family and all I can really say is that I can’t wait for Scarlett’s book but more so than that I’m assuming Katherine gets her own book because there’s so much going on there... I just really enjoyed this book and seriously cannot wait for more!

A charming historical romance that delivers on atmosphere and character development.. The plot can feel a little predictable at times but overall an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I couldn't get into this book. The idea was good but it moved too slowly for me and I just couldn't love it.

This had interesting elements, however I did not like it as a romance. The couple had zero chemistry and the guy, whose name I've obviously forgotten, was borderline creepy. I thought the story made very little sense and I had to force myself to finish it after the 60% mark, because I had lost all interest.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

Vanessa Riley is such a great writer, and I'm so happy she has a new series. I loved Georgie and Mark, especially as they used music to play against each other in this romance. They were a formidable force together and it made their HEA even sweeter. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Riley is always a must read.

A Gamble at Sunset is Vanessa Riley at her best. She truly gets better and better with each book, she's just fantastic. The story itself was so compelling, with such believable conflict that had my turning the pages for more. The characters felt so real and layered, I couldn't help but root for them and need to know where the story was going. So beautiful of writing. She's so great!

I had to DNF this one due to the writing style. It just wasn't for me. It was very...jerky, I don't know a way to put it. Just very start and stop.

On the first page alone the first three paragraphs start with never. It was too repetitive for me. I gave it a chance and made it to 5% in, but I just couldn't get past the writing style to enjoy the story.

As a lover of bipoc historical fiction stories, this book was right up my alley. I really enjoyed this book. From the characters,t o the story line and especially talking about things not always present in books. Vanessa is one of my favorite black regency authors, and This book is no exception. I also love the hidden and not so hidden lessons in the story. This was such a beautiful story and I am so ready for the next book in the series.

I was so excited to read this book as a huge Bridgerton fan! I haven't read any Vanessa Riley books prior to this read. The book was slow at the start for me, but picked up as I went on, I enjoyed the regency setting and romance! Overall a 3.5 star read!

I’m found myself a little lost in the beginning, but it soon became clear. The story was a change of pace for me as I usually read mysteries or modern day romance. But I quite enjoyed the storyline and look forward to the other books in the series to come out.

A Gamble at Sunset is book 1 in the Betting Against the Duke series.

It’s a book of all the feels, with lots of twists and turns and characters that pull at your heartstrings while also creating an awareness that has you pulling for their happiness.

The bets, the gamble, the shade, and the swoon-worthy moments all make for an edge-of-your-seat page-turner.

Vanessa Riley does it again with an impeccable start to her new Regency romance series.

Four words…Totally book hangover worthy!

The Wilcox sisters find themselves in trouble when the older sister's dissolute husband dies and leaves them with nothing but debts. But a deathbed request to the Duke of Torrance sees him taking the girls under his wing, not just because of the request but because of a past with the eldest sister that makes her hate him and try to refuse his help. Meanwhile, the second sister, Georgina, finds herself in a tough spot when she's the topic of scandal with Lord Mark Sebastian, a tongue-tied composer and third son of a marquis. It takes some fast thinking and a bet to keep Georgina's reputation from being destroyed while Mark tries to decide on his readiness to defy all odds and be with the lady who stole his heart at first glance.

This one gets a forward-leaning 3.5-star review because I enjoyed the setups for the next couples more than the main one. It's a great launchpad for what seem to be great relationships in future volumes while Georgina and Mark feel a little forced. I never really got the sense that Georgina was truly interested in Mark or vice-versa because they might have bonded over a love of music and Mark fell in love at first sight, but everything in their relationship feels particularly rushed, even for a historical novel.
On the other hand, the Duke and Georgina's older sister have a clashing, banter-filled relationship with a deep, troubled past that makes for riveting interactions that instantly caught my attention. Same with two other characters that don't even interact much but you just know are heading straight towards a very exciting HEA.

Overall, it's an interesting read that looks at a different aspect of the Ton and their reactions to black and mixed individuals joining their ranks. An original perspective for a romance that adds depth without taking away from the fun parts.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Zebra for the romantic read!