I adored Mark and Giorgina's romance! I am so glad I read this because it has gotten me back into historical fiction/romance and I am now hungry for more. Vanessa Riley's writing shines in this one, and I will definitely be looking into her backlist.

Good book! It’s two love stories in one book. Old flames Katherine and the Duke and Torrance. Then Katherine’s sister- Georgina and Lord Mark Sebastian a composer. I like the characters the main ones and their sisters, and I like the story. A must read!

Many thanks to the author and Netgalley for my advance copy! I love historical fiction (especially the regency era) and this book had great setting, characters, and fantastic dialogue. Since I prefer clean, closed-door romances, this book hit all the right notes! (Plus, who doesn't love a good fake engagement story?)

While I did have a bit of difficulty keeping the characters and story straight in the initial few chapters, I was quickly drawn in by the Wilcox sisters and their suitors. Some scenes felt a little long but the dialogue and writing were strong and set the time period very well. I also appreciate how the author leaves a little ambiguity in her writing, not revealing or resolving all the secrets in this first book! I think this sets readers up to continue to fall in love with these sisters and their stories over multiple books.

This was a sweet read with lovely characters and world-building!

Great book! Personally, I wanted more romance and character development, as it felt more like historical fiction with a love story rather than a romance set in historical times. Still, it's a good read, especially for those who enjoy second-chance romance and stories centered around Black women. While it wasn't exactly what I expected, I'd still recommend it for fans of Bridgerton!

As always with Vanessa Riley, great writing, story, and characters. I already wish I could reread it for the first time again.

Full review to come.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I finished this book last night and I loved every moment of it. I was hoping "the confession" would come between Katherine and Jaheel but I assume we are just to imagine how it went. Thats OK, i have a large imagination. This book just had me hooked at all times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing imprint Zebra, and Vanessa Riley for an advanced copy of for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Gamble at Sunset is the latest literary offering from award winning author Vanessa Riley and it does not disappoint in this Regency romance. Ms. Riley has done it again and I am here for it. The world building is like her other works such as A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby but even more dynamic along with the fun, witty banter I have come to expect from Ms. Riley. A Gamble at Sunset reminds me why I enjoy her work so much. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Awesome story! I enjoyed this book, it was a fast read and I liked how the story unfolded. The characters were well done and I would recommend this book to others.

A Gamble at Sunset is another fascinating start to a Vanessa Riley series! The cover alone is captivating enough to draw people in, but I hope the Wilcox sisters win people over the way they did in this first story.

The Wilcox sisters inherited a prosperous coal business, but the eldest’s husband ran it into the group, incurring numerous debts. The story opens with that husband’s death, seen through the eyes of his friend, a Duke who is considered a (half) Black Russian (and some new acquaintances of his). In time, we get chapters from the point of view of the main character in this story, Georgina. This is Georgina’s book, which is about her fake engagement to composer and music teacher, Mark. The oldest sister and Duke’s storyline seems to be spanning the entire series, but there are some heavy hints about what is to come for them.

Of course, the fake engaged couple falls in love, but their relationship is incredibly bumpy. There’s even a somewhat devastating twist at the end that twarts Mark’s ambitions as a composer. All is well in the end, as you’d expect.

One thing that I know about Vanessa Riley‘s work is that she will let the reader be out of the loop for part of a book. You have to be comfortable, and knowing that information will be revealed over the course of the story, and sometimes over the course of an entire series. I love that - it makes for surprises all along the way!

This was an enjoyable, engaging read. The characterisation was great with each person showing both strength and vulnerability. The book is really well researched and some of the characters are based on historic figures. Most importantly it explores the hypocrisy of the ton. Life is fine if you are a rich white male, but if not, society reserves the right to look down on you even when their personal morality sets shocking examples. It is great to see a recognition that we have had a multicultural society for hundreds of years and people from diverse backgrounds have made telling contributions to British life. This needs to be advertised much more widely.

Black regency core at its finest. I think those who love Bridgerton will eat this up!

I found myself a bit checked out. I would’ve liked more focus on the romance and characters than the period/location aspects. It reads a lot like historical fiction with a romance vs a romance set in historical fiction. I wanted to love it though as I love a 2nd chance romance story and it’s centered around Black women. It was still a good story, just different than what I expected! Would absolutely recommend for those who enjoy period pieces.

Georgina is angry at her older sister for refusing help from the Duke of Torrance. She kisses the first willing stranger she meeds but a group reporters catches her in an embrace with Lord Mark. They decide to let the ton think he's wooing her....

I like Mark and Georgina's chemistry. It's a great friendship as well as romance. I love how they share their love of music too.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This is one of the most detailed historical fiction stories that I've ever read in a good while, readers who love character and plot depth will definitely enjoy reading this. The writing style kind of reminds me of the historical stories I consumed years ago which makes this unique in this time. The foundation is laid for this series, there's a plethora of characters and intriguing revelations to explore. I love clean romance, just would have liked a little more engaging romance or happy emotions.

While the concept is fabulous, I would have loved more emotion in this creative historical romance. May Books 2 & 3 bring all the feels as we follow the lives of the fascinating Wilcox sisters -- a dynamic black family in Regency England.

I feel like this book was the perfect setup for me to like, but for some reason, I just didn't jive with the writing style of it. I don't know.