CW: Death of a child; death of a parent; drowning; grief; abandonment; sexual assault; violence

I wasn’t the biggest fan of It Had to Be a Duke, book one in the Liar’s Club series, but I usually like Vivienne Lorret’s books, so I was willing to give the second book in this series a shot. And I’m so glad I did, as I really enjoyed this one! The vibes of the romance were immaculate, and I was eating up the relationship between Oscar and Honoria. Plus, I’m a sucker for the “made-up fiance who ends up showing up as a very real person” trope, so this one had me instantly intrigued.

Now, was the overarching plot a little predictable? Yes. Did I care? Not one bit, as I was having SUCH a good time with this story. Sure, there was a bunch of other stuff involving the identity of the real Viscount Vandemere and a big bad guy named Ladrón, but that felt like enjoyable background noise to me, as I was mainly here for the romance.

The romance! My god, the vibes of this were EXACTLY what I want in any romance novel. The banter and sexual chemistry between Oscar and Honoria had me HOOKED from their initial meeting. You could tell there would be this constant push and pull between them as they always tried to one-up each other. They were playing a game that no one else besides them was involved in, and it went down such a delicious avenue. This book was crackling with chemistry, and all I wanted was for Honoria and Oscar to kiss! Lorret draws the romance out so flawlessly that you’re on the edge of your seat, waiting for these two to admit their feelings, even as they lie to themselves about how deep the feelings run. And when they finally bang? PHEW. So much pent-up feeling and attraction! So fun, so sexy, so hot. Also, this book has a very sexy picnic – something I don’t think I’ve seen before but LOVED while reading it.

As much as Oscar and Honoria start out as adversaries, there are a lot of similarities between the two of them. Both are masters at playing different roles. Oscar is willing to lie, steal, and cheat to do what he needs to survive, while Honoria is willing to throw on a disguise to do what she must to protect her family. Oscar’s been burned by love before, while Honoria doesn’t want to let love in. And they’ve both experienced significant personal losses at a young age that shaped who they are as adults.

I loved that despite the front they put on for others, they can both see through that to see the real Oscar and Honoria behind all the bluster. Even though they started as adversaries, they ended up becoming each other’s confidants and holding each other’s secrets, building a strong foundation of trust. Slowly, the layers between them are pried back, helping to strengthen the romantic relationship into something much deeper.

This book managed to be lighthearted and incredibly funny, yet also emotionally complex and sad at the same time. Lorret toed the line perfectly between the emotional ends of the story, bringing in heavier subject matter like grief and loss to bring depth to her characters, but still managed to keep the book feeling fun in the end. I both laughed and cried while reading this book, yet both emotions felt like they fit seamlessly into the story.

The Trouble With Inventing a Viscount was so fun and so sexy that I couldn’t put it down! Outside the romance, the story was a lot of fun, even if there was a LOT to wrap up in the last chapter or so. But honestly, I didn’t care, as I was having a blast reading this book!

I definitely think this can be read as a standalone and would probably tell people to start with this book as it had that special something that I felt was missing from book one in the Liar’s Club series. I’m now excited to see what Lorret does next with this series, as this book was such a treat!

Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Honoria Hartley, betrothed since birth to the mysterious Viscount Vandemere, has no interest in marriage and has invented her own version of him, complete with a full correspondence spanning the globe, to keep the title alive. Her plan hits a snag when Oscar Flint, a skilled gambler and con artist, shows up on her doorstep pretending to be Vandemere. Despite her resistance, the undeniable chemistry between them blurs the line between truth and deception, and Oscar is determined to win her heart, no matter the cost.

Having read the first book in Lorret’s The Liars Club series, I will say I enjoyed this one much more than the previous one, to the point where I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry between Oscar and Honoria was perfect and the Hartleys' antics were more funny and less embarrassing than they seemed prior. I could have done without a few of the side scenes revolving around the Vandemere aunts, as they didn’t add much substance to the story. However, throw in a decades-old mystery and some suspense about Oscar’s past, and I was sold.

"Kissing Oscar again was a terrible idea."

This was a good story. I liked both main characters and the set-up was fun. I enjoyed their banter with each other and the definitely had chemistry. I thought the story was a bit slow and the ending kind of sudden and not quite complete as I was left with a few unanswered questions. I liked it ok, it just wasn't as good as some of her other books have been. Three and a half stars.

I do love Vivienne Lorret. While "The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount" is not quite as good as the first book in Lorret's "The. Liar's Club" series, it is still quite entertaining. The Hartley family is so entertaining (the sock puppets are back!) and dedicated to one another. This is the story of middle sister, Honoria, who shuns the idea of love and marriage due to a tragedy in her past, and MMC, Oscar, a longtime conman, who has reasons all his own for pretending to be Honoria's long missing viscount fiance - an identity he adopts without Honoria's consent, mind you.

This book is a fun and mildly spicy romp. Honoria and Oscar know exactly who the other actually is, which is refreshing in a story incorporating a 'hidden identity' trope. The double blackmail aspect of the story leads to some truly amusing moments, and Lorret does an excellent job creating tension and chemistry between Honoria and Oscar. I look forward to the next book in this series.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

After Honoria beats Oscar in a clandestine card game, he is on the run when he decides to hide as her missing fiancé. Their chemistry and his feelings toward her quickly make him wish the life of "Vandemere" was really his. But Honoria refuses to marry because she fears the grief of losing a loved one again. Despite them both having reasons to fear a relationship, and believe they could never be together, they see each other as no one else ever has, and will show their true selves to be together.

The ending did not live up to the rest of the book re: the plot. I still have questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Read for: hidden identity, enemies to lovers, morally grey MMC, he falls first

3 stars
2 spice

A tale of secret ice ties, intrigue, and love set in the country. Honoria and Oscar meet one random night in Paris, she’s in disguise and a card shark. He needs the money she won. Then he turns up saying he’s her long lost betrothed and the missing Viscount. But she never really wanted to marry and he had more in common with the viscount than the should.

I enjoyed the setting. The side characters in both families were entertaining. The story itself had promise. It just felt so long. I feel like cutting it by 100 pages would have given it more of a punch.

I always enjoy an unlikely hero, and the Hartley family isn't disappointing. This is Honoria's story, and my favorite so far. The chemistry she has with Oscar is amazing, and it's beyond an ordinary enemies to lover story. There is so much more there. And Oscar. Who really should be the villain is so likeable! Even though he is doing the wrong thing I couldn't help but root for him!

I just adore Vivienne Lorret's writing! The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount is the second book in her Liar's Club series. I read the first in the series and I absolutely loved it. The books belong in the series but could easily be read as standalones.

Honoria has been betrothed to Viscount Vandemere since she was born but no one has actually met him. When the long lost Viscount lands on her doorstep claiming his title, Honoria knows he's a swindler since she's dealt with him and his true identity before. They basically double blackmail each other and hilarity ensues. I enjoyed the fact that she was in on the dishonesty. They were enemies to lovers but with lots of playful banter. He definitely falls first but because he's a bit of an anti-hero doesn't feel like he's worthy of her. Such a great book! I can't wait for the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Vivienne Lorret, and Avon Harper Voyager for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #liarsclub #vivienneLorret #TheTroubleWithInventingAViscount #AvonHarperVoyager

There was a lot going on in this book with lots of characters, a mystery and romance. It started out funny & silly and I figured out the mystery very early in the story. I guess my biggest disappointment was that parts of it drug on, but the revealing of the real Vandemere was glossed over in the end.

Witty banter, mystery, romance, and suspense! This book is filled with amazing chemistry between Honoria and Oscar. I read the first book of this series and I was so excited to get this one. This book is also great as a standalone, but if you wanna get more background knowledge of Honoria’s family, then I definitely would recommend reading the books in order. Her family is hilarious and they will definitely make you wanna be apart of the family! I loved the character development of Oscar throughout the novel, from a cunning gambler to a passionate gentleman.
I definitely would recommend this book if you love historical romance with an enemies to lovers trope!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥 (might feel hotter to you – there were 2 scenes that were close together and I combined for a flame and another scene that was short and I didn’t count as a full flame)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in (prologue, about 4%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No

Should I read in order?
It’s not completely necessary – most of this focus is really on these mains, but there are a few scenes that are from the first book (It Had to Be a Duke) that take place here (it’s like some of the latter half of book 1 are happening during this story) so you might get more enjoyment of that with reading in order.

Basic plot:
Oscar arrives in the guise of Honoria’s missing fiancé – using the ruse to lay low from his demons chasing him

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- meet cute in Paris, but rest of the story in England
- English countryside setting
- bit of an antihero – he’s a swindling scoundrel that blackmails the heroine
- kind of a twist of fake relationship
- beautiful heroine
- hidden identity
- hero loves biscuits
- enemies to lovers but it turns quite playful
- heroine disguised as a lad
- medium steam – I settled as a 2 flame book but might feel hotter to you – there’s 2 scenes that are close together and I combined, and another that was short and I decided not to count

Ages:
- hero is 28, heroine is 23

My thoughts:
Oh, how much adore Lorret’s writing. She really delivers so many things I just adore in romance. I really loved this novel!

We can say Honoria and Oscar are enemies to lovers but the playful, fun way Lorret presents it is my favorite form. More of a frenemies...they torment each other in the best ways while slowly circling towards each other in an inevitable collision. The tension building in this one was so lovely. The humor was so sweet and delicious. The gentleness and tenderness of Oscar while also having possessive and protective urges – there was no help for me in falling utterly in love with him.

But there was also emotional elements in this one that really got me. Both Oscar and Honoria’s character depth was lovely and I just fell in love with both of them. The setting of this series is wonderful in a way that small town, English countryside can provide. And the side characters and family just round everything out into this bright and lovely story that I adored falling into. I am left wanting more Vivienne Lorret immediately. LOVE.

Oscar and Honoria’s story did not disappoint. It will filled with adventure, mischief and mystery. This is a great beach read!

Living on the edge for Honoria Hartley and Oscar Flint in Vivienne Lorret’s second book of her The Liar’s Club series!

I loved the double secret identity in this book! I crack up every time Oscar used the prefix that he knows from his meet-cute with Honoria. As the title implies, one identity was invented and some else got resourceful.

I enjoyed the internal thoughts changing from how to get rid of a person to how amazing a person is. Both main characters got to know each other beyond the initial attraction and the desire to best each other had me smiling throughout the book!

I also loved the hidden identity that revealed a truth. The truth created a happy ending of course however it was a well-deserved happy ending for someone was put into a situation which led to a morally grey life.

I highly recommend this entertaining, well-paced, and full of good trouble book!

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I adored Honoria and Oscar's story! I really enjoyed these two and their bantering. So much fun to read!

The trouble with The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount is in the details. This is a slow burn romance, but the FMC and MMC wanted each other from the opening pages. I liked the characters apart from each other but never really felt the chemistry between Oscar and Honoria.

The interesting plot kept me reading and I enjoyed both the Hartleys and the widows who wanted to get rid of Oscar. The ending, however, came out of nowhere and I feel like there are subplots that disappeared without resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Slow burn alert! Vivienne Lorret pulled out all the stops on this enemies to lovers slow burn. Honoria is a lady with strong ideas about how her life will be lived and has created the best possible path to that end. She never accounted for a scoundrel that would take advantage of all that planning. I loved Oscar so much! There’s a special something about a good man who’s convinced he’s bad. The attraction between them is immediate and intense but the fight is strong and it does take a while to get there but it feels natural and just strengthens their connection. I won’t spoil the twist but I do wish it were a little more explanation to it so the story unfolded too late to really appreciate the outcome. The characters are so fun and likeable you’ll end with a chuckle and a warmth. I just wish we could live in it a little bit longer.

I really enjoyed this book. Verity and Magnus have great chemistry and I enjoyed their dynamic and banter throughout the book. There was a depth behind Verity’s character that I really enjoyed seeing unfold. I also really liked seeing Magnus’ character development through the book. They were great main characters and I thought the side characters were entertaining.

It was all right. It took a while for the romance to progress but everything else kept my interest for the most part. I'm just impatient!

Honoria has used the excuse that she's engaged since birth to Viscount Vandemere to refuse all offers of marriage. She wants to be independent and is secretly earning money for her future. No one has ever seen the Viscount or even has any idea where he is. Until one day Oscar shows up claiming to be the Viscount! Honoria knows he isn't, but he knows a secret about her that he uses to blackmail her into silence. Oscar is an orphaned charlatan on the run from a villain tracking him down while Honoria is afraid to love after losing her twin brother as a child. Ridiculous elements but her eccentric loving family and his "family" of widows makes for entertaining fun.

Wow!I can’t even begin to say it any better especially with lines like “she said the three words every man longs to hear: freshly baked biscuits”! Yes it's that kind of story. The writing in this story is positively perfection. Lorret even managed to make eating a radish sexy. You're going to love this one. Amazing characters you will fall in love with. The wit, the flirting, the suspense, the conversation, the passion and so much more. All this together creates the best story adventure you could imagine.
In this story we find the con man Oscar who crosses paths with Honoria when she happens to steal from him. This sets things in motion. Now he shows up as her long lost betrothed, the Viscount Vandemere. She wants to be free of responsibilities and he wants to stay alive. When they must find a way to win what they want the last thing they expect are the feelings, or that hot spice passion! Will they give in or go separate ways?
I loved this story. I can’t give the story enough credit. I couldn’t put it down. I am a big fan of Vivienne Lorret and this is exactly why. She can tell a romance in such a unique and fun way. It was so exciting. I have to find the rest of the Liar's Club series, I have been missing out.
Enjoy this exciting adventure.
1000 stars