Oh how I loved this book! I devoured it. So so good! I loved how the heavier themes were handled. I loved the characters and was invested right off. Absolutely a new regency favorite!

This was a hard book for me. I am not into gothic novels or insanity much. But I did like Arabella’s persistence and the outcome was amazing. So overall I like the happily ever after. But in the pages I struggled with the content of the story.

**Review of "To Love the Brooding Baron" by Jentry Flint**

Centered on Lady Isabella Winslow, an independent and spirited young woman who finds herself reluctantly visiting the remote estate of Baron Dominic Blackwood, a man reputed to be as enigmatic as he is brooding.

Isabella's initial encounters with the Baron are marked by tension and mystery. Dominic is a complex character, burdened by a tragic past and harboring deep-seated mistrust. Despite his aloof exterior, Isabella is drawn to his vulnerability and strength. As she slowly uncovers the layers of his character, the sparks between them ignite into a slow-burning romance.

The plot thickens as Isabella becomes embroiled in the secrets of Dominic’s estate. Unexplained incidents and lurking dangers add an element of suspense. Isabella’s determination to break through Dominic’s emotional barriers and his struggle to protect her from hidden threats form the crux of their evolving relationship.

Quite enjoyed this story of love, healing, and redemption, and look forward to more from the author.

I enjoyed this book. Although it was a little more serious than the first book I liked how Henry and Arabella feel in love and their interactions with each other. I loved how Arabella brought out the best in Henry and helped him to see himself as she sees him. I also liked that she has a fun, impulsive personality and how that helped Henry to let his fun side out. I thought the story was sweet and look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

This was an enjoyable read. The mental health aspect was such an interesting addition to a book set in this time period. Henry and Arabella were great characters. They were opposites in some ways, but they complimented each other. I loved that Henry played Arabella’s Shakespeare game.

I absolutely love these characters! What a fantastic group of friends. I can’t wait for even more stories about these friends. Henry and Arabella are so completely opposite, yet they are perfect together. I laughed out loud any number of times while I was reading this story. That is saying something considering the very serious nature of the problems Henry faces in his family. Mr Bradbury offered a very diverting comic relief if ever things started to get too heavy. I loved Arabella’s spunk and willingness to go after the things that are important to her. Looking forward to more from this author! I will probably reread the series when the next book comes out so that I can remember all of the charming details about each of the characters in these books.

I think what sets this book apart is its emphasis on mental health. There just aren't too many main characters dealing with that in the way that Henry is. There were times I was a bit confused about what was happening but I figured it out eventually. Also learning about the insane asylums was interesting. I knew they were pretty horrible but this book really shows how horrible. Henry and Arabella are delightful separately and together which is always nice!

I loved this book by Jentry Flint! It was so exciting to read Arabella and Henry’s story, full of plot twists that make this a book that you can’t put down! Arabella’s brother tasks his friend Henry Northcott with taking care of his mother and sister while he is away. Henry recognizes he has feeling for Arabella, and just as she realizes she has feelings for him too, he starts pushing her away so she won’t find out his family secret. Jentry mastered the seamless transitions between the fun and games, the mystery and the hard topics. I also loved the Shakespeare game Arabella plays and how Henry reads Shakespeare so he can play with her. When the family secret finally comes out, Arabella puts a plan into motion to show Henry they can be together. Loved this book and can’t wait for the next one!

Read this book if you like:
Dual POV
Regency Era
Brother’s Best friend
Mental illness reform
Gothic vibes
Family secrets
Mystery
A broody MMC
A spunky FMC
Plot twists

This book encapsulates all the things I love in a regency! A swoony hero, a smart and loving heroine, mental health reps, mystery, some awful villains. I got lost in this story and did not want it to end!! I didn’t think she could top Games in a Ballroom, but she did it! Both in these series are excellent!! That brooding baron will steal your heart in no time! There is a plot (a major one) about mental health and she did this so so well. There was care and concern. Arabella was so understanding and loving about it. Henry didn’t stand a chance against her!

I had a hard time putting this book down, and finished it in just a few days. Even though it did have some Shakespeare in it, it was done in such a way that didn't bog the story down - in fact, and I'm amazed that I'm saying this, based on my opinion of the Bard, it even enhanced the story line. I've been reading a lot of nonfiction, war-based books lately, and sometimes it's just nice to lose myself in a story that doesn't hurt my heart.

I enjoyed watching the growth of both Arabella and Lord Northcott, especially when it came to Northcott's issues. It's always nice to have people you can trust in your corner, and Northcott not only had Arabella, but he had Mr. Bradbury as well. Can he get his own story next? He was hilarious, and most definitely needs his own story.

Definitely a story I recommend.

I love a good opposites attract romance! There is so much depth in this story! A unique view of Bedlam during this time.

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

The book, To Love the Brooding Baron, captured my attention quickly with its unique storyline that had me turning the pages and wanting to stay up way later then I should have.

While Jentry Flint's debut book "Games in the Ballroom" had a lighter feel to it, this story had an almost gothic mystery thing going. And I was all here for it! With Lord Northcott's family secrets and personal battles he feels as if he cannot marry. But his heart can't help but love and admire Arabella Latham.
I loved whenever Henry and Arabella were together in a scene. Anytime they were together I would get absolutely giddy when their feelings started growing towards one another. With them having fun quoting Shakespeare back and forth to each other, to when "the spark" appeared, and then their kiss. I'm smiling as I think back on it all. Jentry wrote characters that were absolutely made for each other.
This book was a masterpiece. I don't know what else I could say about it without blurting out all of the spoilers and ruining the experience of reading it. I loved it. And highly recommend it!
CW: mental health issues, suicide and infidelity (both past tense)

This doesn’t show up as a series, but I highly recommend reading Games in the Ballroom prior to reading this book. It is the story of Emerson and Olivia. Both can be read as a standalone, but it would really help tie in the characters. This book is about Henry and Arabella. It is charming and witty, but also has a little bit of a heavy heart side. The subject of mental illness in the Regency period was quite frightening and misdiagnosed. I felt the author did a wonderful job of making the story, fun and light while describing the pains and heartache of mental illness. I enjoyed the romance, the camaraderie between friends and the shakespearian quotes game. I’m curious who will be the subject of the next book. I want Bradbury’s story but also Sarah’s. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“What can I do?”
“Kiss me.”
“Kiss me…so that I might know bliss.”

I’m always in love with the Regency time period and when a layer of scandal is cast throughout the pages, I’m doubly there. The author does such a beautiful job of not only bringing to life a delightful grumpy/sunshine opposites attract romance, but she also tackles some major stigmas of the time, while coloring the character interactions with Shakespeare quotes.

The brooding baron has every reason to be an enigma to the upper crust of society and I couldn’t get enough of this Brooks’ Brotherhood tale. The longing glances, nicknames of Mother Goose/Goosey/Beasty, charming bestie Bradbury, phaeton driving lessons, billiards, Twelfth Night, and grand gestures made this book such an interesting and engaging read. Although a bit on the heavy side at times, there are threads of lightness and hope, and that sweet, sweet hint of romance, that kept me hooked. I loved Henry and Arabella and their beautiful story so much.

Content: mild romance; mental illness

I loved the first book of this series and was so excited to read this one too. And it did not disappoint. I loved this story! The characters felt real and interesting and the story line flowed well. This is such a cute historical romance.

I also found it fascinating getting a glimpse into how individuals with mental health issues were treated in this time period. I think it is great to shed light on the struggles that many people faced then and now.

I highly recommend you give this one a read! Also if you have not read the first (Games in a Ballroom) read that one too!

To Love the Brooding Baron is Jentry Flint's follow-up to her debut historical romance Games in a Ballroom. Like her first outing, this one was slow at the beginning, but then took off and I was unable to put it down. This is a clean romance, but don't mistake that for boring or without passion. There was much lighthearted fun and wit, but there was also a dark underlying story. Ms. Flint's previous book dealt with physical and emotional abuse; here we had mental illness. Don't let a depressing topic turn you away; the theme makes the story deeper and leads to emotional rewards.

Vivacious Arabella Latham longs for a romance with a spark of true love like her mother and deceased father had. Yet so far she's not been lucky in that regard. No man seems to match her love of life, or her great love of Shakespeare. At least she can depend on Lord Henry Northcott, called “The Brooding Baron” by the ton, to be willing to engage in intelligent conversation and even share a dance with her at almost every ball. Their personalities couldn't be more different, but Arabella is beginning to be drawn to Henry. He's admired her for years, but a terrible family secret must be kept under wraps, so he sees no future with Arabella. However, Arabella is determined to show Henry that there's much joy to be found in the world. Will she be able to help Henry deal with his family tragedy, or will it take him down like the rest of his family?

Games in a Ballroom's game was tag, and the game theme was continued here. Arabella LOVED Shakespeare, so she would quote from his works and expected her friends to name the work in which it appeared. Now I'm not a Shakespeare fan. Yes, I can hear your gasps of outrage. I know, I know, I'm a heathen. But I must admit the quotes here were perfect for many situations in the book. Arabella was certainly a lively young woman. She wanted to experience everything...and that included sneaking into a gentlemen's club dressed as a man so she could look at the betting book. (She succeeded, but she was busted by Henry!) Her only sadness was the recent loss of her father, who she absolutely adored and missed terribly. Her father had told her don't get married without a "spark". She never felt that for anyone, until she was spent more time with Henry. Lord Henry Northcott was nothing like Arabella. He was called the Brooding Baron by members of the ton for obvious reasons. With the exception of some friends, he kept to himself and was quiet. His family was whispered about because his mother killed his uncle and was admitted to Bedlam. His sister, also, was admitted as well. Henry had a voice in his head - seriously, who doesn't - but it made him afraid that he would eventually go insane, so he thought it best to remain unmarried. But he just couldn't resist Arabella. She was bringing him to life, and that terrified him. Henry played her Shakespeare game, which meant so much to her. They had wonderful chemistry, which you were able to feel despite being a clean romance. You could sense the yearning between them. Arabella tried to help Henry and his sister, which put her in great danger. They just belonged together. There were some great supporting characters, most notably Henry's friend Aiden Bradbury. He was a bit nutty, but he truly cared for his friends. I believe he has hidden depths beneath his happy-go-lucky behaviour. I also adored Arabella's mother. She was a kind, caring woman, but you can also see some mischievousness poking through. Olivia and Emerson from the first book made an appearance (Arabella's best friend and brother); it was fun seeing them again. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book, which I expect to be Bradbury's. That should be a hoot!

I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

'The so-called Brooding Baron was proving to be far more charming than people believed.'

I went in blind on this book. But truly, so so blind. This is 100% unlike any other book I've read, especially a regency novel. It is still an absolutely adorable romance but in addition to that, it deals with the hard truths of the history of mentsl illnesses. It is a beautiful and heartwrenching representation of mental health and I am here for every single page.

If you like brooding MMC, strong outspoken FMC, good moms, brother's best friend, romance, regency, Mr Bradbury, and Shakespeare, read this book. Just like her first book, Jentry Flint weaves a much deeper and meaningful story into her humor and romance. Highly recommend.

This was one of my most anticipated books this year because I loved Games in a Ballroom so much! It works as a stand-alone, but I'd still recommend reading Games first.

There are so many things to love about this one. Arabella is such a fun, feisty character. Henry is such a good person, and it's so easy to see why he fascinates Arabella!

In addition to these two amazing characters, we get hilarious hijinks, a blooming relationship, and lots of Shakespeare quotes.

But we also get something really unique for a Regency book - a glimpse at what mental health looked like back then. Spoiler - it wasn't pretty. I was fascinated by the tragic history of Bedlam and the treatment of patients there. This book had me going down the Google rabbit hole!

Most important to me was the message to love yourself and give yourself some grace. It was a timely message for me right now, and I'm grateful to Jentry for tackling a hard topic with compassion (and humor). Reading this book was a special experience for me, and I'm looking forward to rereading it in the future!

If you love Regency romances, definitely add this one to your list!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Jentry Flint for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

WOW! This book is BREATHTAKING! Every time I picked up "To Love the Brooding Baron", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this powerful and poignant story.

I am a performer, and absolutely love Shakespeare! As soon as I heard about this book having a Shakespeare-loving heroine, I just knew I needed to read it!

While this book is a sequel to Ms. Flint's novel "Games in a Ballroom", I do think it can be read as a stand-alone. However, I also feel that having read the first book will help deepen one's understanding of certain parts as well. Jentry Flint's writing style, storytelling, world-building, and characterization are truly beyond words. Every element in her story jumps right off of the page, and, as the reader, I was immediately drawn in from the very first page to the last. I could envision each moment, and found myself turning the pages into the very early hours of the morning to see what was going to happen next, and so hoping for a happy ending.

(Possible Spoilers!):
Arabella is such a strong, kind, brave, and intelligent woman. Henry is such a kind-hearted, hard-working, and protective man who is understandably very guarded. Watching Arabella and Henry fall in love and allow that love to blossom more and more was so touching, and I found myself rooting for them from the start. They support one another in such a beautiful way, accept one another for whom they are, and they bring out the best in each other., and I hope to see them again in future books. This novel truly has so much in it: heartbreaking moments, heartwarming moments, romance, love in many different forms, history, Shakespeare, heart, shocking moments, devastating cruelty, moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, swoon-worthy moments (including learning to play billiards oh my goodness this was so romantic), hope, and so, so much more.

This novel discusses mental illness and mental health throughout. My heart absolutely breaks for the way some people were horrifically treated. This novel also delves in to kinder and much more caring help as well.

I hope the next novel continues the stories of Dr. Stafford, Sarah, and Bradbury.

If you enjoy Historical Romance and / or Historical Fiction, I highly recommend this book! It is truly so moving, and I so look forward to reading what Ms. Jentry writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the e-ARC of this book, to Shadow Mountain Publishing for the beautiful finished copy, and to author Jentry Flint for having me on the street team for this incredible novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Please Note: This novel delves in to some extremely heavy topics. I believe the author handles them with respect.

While retail sites don't connect this book with Games in a Ballroom., I would say that it is part of that series. It is definitely a standalone story, but references are made to events from the other book and characters recur also.

This is a very different type of story though. It deals with heavier topics but I found myself captivated. I didn't know how things were going to turn out. I think I learned a lot as well. I say I think I did, because there wasn't really an author's note in the copy I read. I would have loved to have had more insight into practices discussed in the story.

I thank Shadow Moutain Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.