This was so entertaining. There was so much chemistry between these characters and I thought they were just as engaging on their own. Honoria differs from the usual wallflower heroine. She is headstrong, confident, and not afraid to flirt her way out of a situation. Oscar is ungentlemanly in the best way and I liked that, because she was an actress and he was a thief and a gambler, they were able to see right through each other in a way that brought them closer.

This was humorous, delightful, and very romantic. I loved watching these two chip away at each other's walls.

Honoria is determined never to marry, so she needs money to support her single future. Her alter ego meets up with Flint, and sparks fly. After a while, he shows up at her home in his alter ego, Viscount Vandemere. The stakes in their game against each other go higher and higher as secrets are revealed and feelings begin to be caught. These two are electric together, and their banter is perfect.

I've always enjoyed reading Vivienne Lorret's historical romance books because they're so funny and have amazing characters! I loved book one in this series(all of them are standalones) - It Had To Be A Duke and I was really looking forward to reading this one! There's nothing I like more than seeing a lie turn into reality in these stories 😆

Honoria Hartley has been engaged since birth to Viscount Vandemere but noone really knows much about him or where he is. Honoria is willing to keep up this ruse as it gives her the freedom to live the life she wants without being tied down in an actual marriage. So, imagine her surprise when an actual person shows up at her family's doorstep claiming that he is the viscount 😂
Honoria and Oscar had met each other briefly at the gaming tables in Paris a year ago where Honoria ended up winning the prize money that he'd had his eyes on. And that brings him more trouble than he'd anticipated so now he's back in England pretending to be a viscount to hide out for some time while needling Honoria at the same time as she can't reveal his secret without bringing more scandal to her family.

The story was so humorous and interesting! Honoria was different from the usual shy wallflowers as she's very confident in herself - I really admired that about her! She's headstrong and willing to go toe to toe with Oscar who knows how to charm and exasperate her at the same time😂 The chemistry between them was off the charts - definitely my favorite thing about this romance! I also loved the Hartley family - they were just as loving, funny and chaotic as they were in book one! The subplot regarding Vandemere's identity was also pretty interesting and I loved how it was wrapped up in the end. I hope we get to see more of the Hartley family in the upcoming books(I think Thea's story would be amazing!😂)

This story was rather complex but still very entertaining. Honoria was fearful of marriage and children, so she insisted on clinging to a betrothal contract with a man that she was unlikely ever to meet. Viscount Vandemere, who had been born halfway around the world, had probably died in childhood. As long as Vandemere's whereabouts were unknown, Honoria was completely safe. Unfortunately for Honoria, her world got turned upside down with the arrival of Oscar Flint.
Oscar was a gambler and a con man. He was currently in hiding trying to avoid a dangerous man from his past. Stepping into the role of the missing Vandemere was a stroke of luck. Taunting the viscount's betrothed was a delight. Becoming Vandemere was a brilliant opportunity for a man like him except for the fact that everyone, including Honoria, wanted to make his death a reality.
This story had lots of humorous conversation and many quirky characters. The plot was complicated, and I don't think I caught all of the details in the single read that I did. I have read the previous book "It Had to be a Duke" which appears to run concurrently. Honoria's crazy eccentric family appears in both; however, you don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this one. Most importantly, this story came to a happy ending despite the fact that it occasionally made my head spin. I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This story was another testament to Viv's effortless writing and her ability to create whimsical yet endearing characters that will absolutely pull you into their story. Despite their selfish natures, Oscar and Honoria are both intrigued by each other when they first meet. Oscar is a bit of a dubious character when he's first introduced, but as the story moves on, we get to see his character depth as he simply longs for a place to belong. And as they both spend so much time trying to out-maneuver each other, neither is able to recognize and least-of-all stop falling for each other.

I loved seeing Oscar's vulnerable side as he realizes he cares about more than himself, while Honoria slowly allows herself to open up to another person. I admit I really did not understand the ending bit where Oscar's identity is finally explained--there were twins involved and possibly more forgery?--and I just wish the middle of the story had moved along faster to leave more room for the resolution at the end. Also there was a lot less action to drive the story forward than I usually prefer, but overall I did enjoy this one🖤

Tropes: hate-to-love-you, arranged marriage, charming hero, fierce heroine, hidden past, mistaken identity, second chance romance, meet-cute, mystery-to-solve, found family, SLOW BURN, steamy🔥

For years Honoria Hartley has used her betrothal to Manford Fairfax, Viscount Vandemere to keep suitors at bay. Engaged to a missing Viscount has given her a freedom that most young women can’t even imagine, a freedom that she has no intention of giving up. Which means she needs a way to support herself, lucky for her, she is an exceptional card player and clever with disguises, thanks to her theater-loving family. But while visiting Paris, it would seem she has hustled the wrong man and gave away a bit too much information about herself, but as time passed, she thought that her narrow escape from him was ancient history, that is until he showed up at her parents’ home claiming to be her long-lost fiancé! Soon begins a game between sharps, each with their own agenda and a fierce desire to win. Too bad the rules changed mid-game and soon the love she never wanted became the only thing that matters.

Oscar Flint has lived the life of a grifter, he barely remembers his father, but swore to his mother on her deathbed that he would find him. He along with Ignatius Cardew, a friend of his mother, have been searching for him ever since. But a chance meeting in Paris with Honoria disguised as “Signor Cesario” will change his life forever. She cheated him out the winnings he needed to settle a debt incurred to Miguel Ladron, a dangerous man by Ignatius, that loss turned the attention of said dangerous man from Ignatius to Oscar. Which caused him the need to disappear, lucky for him, he found someone who told him the story of the long-lost viscount and his association with a certain swindler. Now all he has to do is convince everyone that he is the lost Viscount and lay low until Ladron gives up his pursuit of Oscar and then he can resume the search for his father, assuming he lives though this ruse. But he never anticipated that the attraction he felt for Honoria in Paris would last, or that he would long to be the man to finally win her heart. With nothing to offer what chance does he have? Good thing he is a gambling man…

Another well-written, lighthearted addition to the Liar’s Club series, this installment features the lovely middle sister Honoria and Oscar, the handsome gambler she bested in Paris. These two are clearly meant to be, it is obvious, from their first encounter, yet they have no intention of admitting that to anyone – especially themselves! This book has lies, secrets, deception, blackmail, a truly nasty villain, wonderful secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, a bit of angst, a lot of laughs, and some surprising twists and turns that will lead them to their HEA. I do wish there had been an epilogue, or at least an ending that cleaned up the loose ends. Overall, I enjoyed this story and would happily recommend it to my fellow historical romance fans. This is the second book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

This was book 2 of the Liar's club series. I loved book one and was looking forward to reading book 2. Book 2 can be read as a stand alone.
I did like the main characters of Honoria and Oscar. I thought both were smart, charming and loving. They were both troubled souls who recognized the hurt in each other and were able to help heal each other.
But I thought there were too many characters and too many storylines. I was having trouble keeping all the people straight. So as a result I was a little frustrated with the book and it started to drag on.
3⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

While I was hoping for a bit more Remington Steele than this ending up being, this book was a quick and fun historical romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The general premise (conman impersonating a made-up betrothed) was fun and the main reason I picked up this book and it did not disappoint. Add in the vivacity of Honoria, the eclectic fun of her family, the snark and wit of Oscar, and the general madcap fun of the cast of characters and this book is a surefire way to enjoy a read. Both Oscar and Honoria had enough complexities and layers to make them full characters and give them space to breathe and grow on the page. Occasionally it felt like homages to previous books (that I haven't read) trampled through a bit too often, but it didn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I can't wait to read the next one and see what trouble the next Lorret heroine and hero get into (I'm guessing the youngest sister is up next).

There is nothing like a betrothal contract to a long lost viscount to keep one blissfully unattached, as Honoria Hartley has thoroughly enjoyed. That is until said viscount shows up who she knows is in fact the gambling rogue Honoria fleeced while under an assumed identity a year prior. So with mutual destructive blackmail in hand both Honoria and the viscount pretender Oscar Flint face off in a battle of 'will they or won't they' with a side of melt in your mouth (biscuit-y) chemistry!

I adore Vivienne Lorret's writing. Her characters, the plots, the spice! After falling head over heels in fictional love with the previous novel in this series, I was so looking forward to Honoria's story and it did not disappoint! Honoria was a FMC I really wanted to champion. How she wanted to be seen beyond the surface value her beauty had instilled in all of her suitors and how Oscar met her in disguise and continued to see her when they met again a year later. I loved the way he saw her, her strengths and traumas. I cackled at all the times she was thinking of murdering him and how inventive she was in all the ways she was trying to shake him.

Oh Oscar, how I love a gambling roguish hero. Those glimpses of his past and how much it effected his every action made me wish to hug that young boy who did whatever he needed to do to survive. And how being left by his father and the loss of his mother later on continued to haunt him and his actions. I truly enjoyed his driving forces and how they changed from trying to blackmail the money back in order to save him from the debt he had taken on for a friend to wanting to find the true viscount for the dowager who had lost so much. His heart was always trying to keep others safe over himself.

And I cannot forget to mention how much I loved the dramatics of the Hartley family in everything they did. There was so much joy with their interactions and I loved the sibling teasing between Honoria and Thea so much! And I enjoyed seeing Verity and Longhurst again. That 'Where. Is. My. Wife' scene was everything.

Gosh I love a Lorret heroine! Honoria may have been my favorite yet. She was so strong, wasn’t going to take anyone’s crap including the MMC, Oscar.
For years Honoria has been telling everyone that she is betrothed to a viscount. However, that viscount hasn’t been seen, like ever. And that’s just fine with Honoria because she doesn’t want to get married so she will just live her life the way she wants.
Enter Oscar who is a thief and a gambler and a scoundrel. His words not mine. After his very brevity meeting with Honoria he can’t get her out of his mind and really she got him into a mess and she will have to get him out of it. So he pretends to be her viscount. What could go wrong? Everything, everything goes wrong.
So is Truman next?! I’m going Truman!

This was a really entertaining historical romance. It’s book 2 in the series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone (though I definitely recommend book 1!) There are some heavier topics discussed though, so please check CW’s.

I enjoyed the hidden identity mystery subplot in addition to the romance. It’s clear where things are headed, but I still liked seeing all the pieces come together. The Hartley family was absolutely hilarious and I laughed so hard at their interactions and antics. It was the playful banter and sizzling chemistry between Honoria and Oscar though that stole the show. Their slow burn enemies to lovers evolution was so satisfying and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these two headstrong and stubborn idiots fall for each other. lol

I appreciated that there wasn’t a third act breakup, but I did feel that the ending was quite rushed. The resolution to the Ladrón subplot felt anticlimactic and a lot of information is dumped on readers in the final chapters. Overall, this was a great addition to the series though and I’m looking forward to more!

CW: mentions of past scandal, gambling, death of parent (past), death of sibling/twin (past), grief, parental abandonment (past), poverty, prostitution (secondary character, past), cheating ex, life threatening situations, fighting

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This is the second book in the series but, can be read as a standalone.
First of all, let me say that this is such a fun read with lots of chemistry between Honoria and Oscar.
The plot is a wonderfully entertaining enemies-to-lovers with lots of banter and laugh out loud moments.
Honoria's family is funny and quirky and there are lots of other interesting secondary characters in the story.
I can't wait for the next book in the series.

A fun historical romp with a lost heir, a few gamblers, more than a few villains, and a romantic couple with chemistry for days.

A year after their titillating and contentious first meeting, Oscar shows up at Honoria's home claiming to be her long-lost fiance. Of course, Honoria knows he's a lying scoundrel, but plays along reluctantly since Oscar knows some of her secrets--secrets which, if revealed, could mar her family's reputation. Honoria dresses up like a man and gambles to secure funds for her family and her future, and now Oscar wants the money she won from him while in her disguise. An inveterate swindler, Oscar is willing to play the role of Viscount Vandemere, Honoria's fiance, because he is being pursued by a sociopath to whom he owes money. Hiding out in the countryside is the perfect guise while he tries to get funds from Honoria...but the longer Oscar plays the role of Vandemere, the more he wants his life and the "fiance" he's growing to actually love sparring with. Honoria, meanwhile, is reluctantly developing an affection for the conman and will do anything to protect him--even if it means putting herself in danger.

Lots of verbal parrying and games of one-upmanship between Honoria and Oscar, both of whom of determined to come out on top in the relationship. Their relationship has sparks, and the enemies-to-lovers progression is believable and fun to watch. The background intrigues got to be a bit much--I could have lived without at least one of the minor villains--but it was rewarding to watch Oscar "become" Vandermere and settle into a few found families. Honoria is a complex character with a tragic backstory and intellectual sharpness--a fantastic heroine.

All in all, a really fun and sexy (if at times outlandish) historical romance.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I loved this continuation of Vivienne Lorret’s The Liar’s Club series. First of all, I love this family - I love that they love drama, acting, comedy, and they love each other. They’re the sweetest. I really liked the banter and the enemies to lovers vibe of this book. I think this series is really doing a great job with trauma bonding in historical romance; the trauma is thoughtful and the love between the characters grows over the book. The main reason that this didn’t get 5 stars from me like the last book in this series is that it felt a little long, especially towards the middle, with all the stuff about the MMCs family drama. But saying that, the ending was great, the banter and steam top notch, and I highly, highly recommend this book for fans of historical romance and Lorret. This series is a must read for me, and I am excited for Thea’s story.

I seriously did not want to put this book down, it was so good! I loved the tension and banter between these two characters. And the enemies-to-lovers vibes with blackmailing and playing their games to get under each other’s skin was perfection. Oh and the slow burn was just so well down that I was just here for it! Vivienne Lorret is definitely becoming one of those authors that I will just automatically pickup no matter what they write because the writing is just that good. I’m always pulled into the stories and this book was no exception. Highly suggest this one if you are looking for a tension and action filled historical romance!

THIS BOOK WAS SO FUN! There's something about Vivienne Lorret's writing that has me absolutely on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading this, even though I sort of had an idea beat for beat what was going to happen. I can't even explain how I felt while reading this, but the two leads were perfect for each other in every way and the premise is quickly becoming one of my favorite tropes (specifically in a historical).

The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount was historical romance perfection!

I had such a blast reading this one. I loved the plot and the characters, plus the romance was so good right from the start. The drama is entertaining as heck. I couldn't put this down.

I absolutely loved Honoria & Oscar. Oscar falls head over heels for Honoria from the moment he meets her and spends the rest of the book being a total simp for her. I love a man who falls first and falls hard. Oscar was a great romantic hero. Absolutely loved him! Honoria was a fun heroine too. I loved that she knew Oscar was lying from the start about his identity but went along with it. The tension between these two is strong. So much angst! Plus these two had chemistry that was unreal. This is a slow burn but once they heat things up *phew*!!

This is a second book in a series but can be read on its own. I would highly recommend this one! Very entertaining and romantic!

Engaging story about Honoria, the second Hartley sister in the Liar’s club series. The story is unique for a regency romance, though a little hard to understand at times, but the steam is perfect 4/5. The MMC and the FMC have good chemistry. I enjoyed this book provided by NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to review!

This is the second book in Lorret's Liars' Club series and it was another fun enemies to lovers romance with one of the Hartley sisters. Honoria Hartley is beautiful and independent and not at all interested in getting married and losing that independence. She has turned down dozens of marriage proposals, using the excuse of a agreement made when she was a child that she would be betrothed to the Viscount Vandemere. Vandemere, conveniently for Honoria, is now a long-lost viscount, so she can safely use him as an excuse. All of this changes after Honoria, dressed as a man, comes across Oscar Flint in France and beats him soundly at a game of cards, taking the money he planned to use to pay off some dangerous debts. A year after that incident, Oscar shows up at Honoria's door claiming to be the long-lost Viscount Vandemere himself. With no choice but to go along with the ruse, Honoria finds herself begrudgingly enjoying the time she spends with Oscar. I enjoyed more time with the Hartley family and their odd theatricality, and was happy to get a bit of a cameo from Verity (main character of the first book in the series). This was a fun, fast-paced, and funny enemies-to-lovers historical romance. Content warning for child neglect, references to potential child abuse, and violence.

I liked both Honoria and Oscar and thought their chemistry was palpable and their banter was fun! I love when one character gives the other a nickname that only they understand so obviously loved him calling her "signore". I like how Oscar fell so hard for her and had to really think about how to interact with her not to scare her off since she was so adamant about not falling in love.

There's just...quite a bit of plot that I frankly did not care about nor totally understand. I didn't understand Honoria's plan at the end or what is was meant to achieve and I think it got just a bit muddled for me as a reader. It slowed me down while reading despite trying to skim past some of the plot.

Thank you to Avon for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.