This second book in The Liars Club series is a well written love story that is very entertaining and original. The character's witty and snarky banter is hilarious. I enjoyed the plot twits, turns, with a mix of action, suspense, blackmail, and the slow burn and tension throughout that kept me engaged throughout. I highly recommend reading!

The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount is the second book in Vivienne Lorret’s The Liar’s Club series. I have not read the first in series and did not have any trouble reading as a stand-alone.
Honoria Hartley has no intention of marrying. She has been betrothed since birth to the long lost Viscount Vandemere, who has never been seen. To keep his title alive, she’s willing to invent him.
Oscar Flint, a skilled gambler raised by a con artist, finds himself intrigued by Honoria. After losing to her, he recalls her tale of the lost viscount. When he arrives claiming to be Vandemere, Honoria is thrown off guard by his convincing charm. As their chemistry ignites, she struggles to protect her heart, but Oscar is determined to win her over, no matter the cost.
This is a fun, fast paced romance with witty banter between the leads. Oscar and Honoria are an entertaining couple and the Hartley family are just perfect. I loved the little twist at the end and I’m really looking forward to the next book. I will be going back and getting my hands on the first in series.
I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. It is the second book in The Liars' Club series and Vivienne Lorret does not disappoint. I hadn't read the first book in the series and didn't need to as with most romance books. We see a bit of the previous couple, but being a romance, it can not possibly be a spoiler that they got together in the end. The plot for this one was somewhat predictable, but, again, it's a romance. Knowing where it's headed doesn't at all detract from this witty, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable ride. This enemies to frenemies to lovers romance grabs you from the first chapter. Oscar and Honoria are such great characters and the banter between them was so much fun. The book only served to cement Vivienne Lorret as one of my auto-buy authors.

Vivienne Lorret is criminally underrated in the genre. Who do I speak to about this??? I love this series so far. The first book was so fun and this one was as well. I adored these two liars mutually blackmailing each other, and I have to say that there were some twists and turns I did not predict! Ran out and bought this one on pub day because I love it so much.

Another great book in the Liars Club series! - 4.5 Stars
Vivienne Lorret has a way of infusing comedy into her historical romances that remind me of Tessa Dare. This book is no exception. It has great witty banter, romance, a mystery element, great supporting characters, and loads of fun and romance!
Even though part of a series, You will still enjoy as a stand a lone. You can’t go wrong with the book or the series! thank you to net galley and the publisher!

Top Pick - 4.5 Stars

I’m loving The Liars’ club!

Let me start by saying that Lorret has a way of infusing comedy into her historical romances that are very reminiscent of Tessa Dare. The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount is no exception. I immediately fell for con man Oscar and the troublesome Honoria Hartley. I’ve been waiting for Honoria’s retribution to arrive for her constant lying about the long-lost heir to a neighboring estate being her betrothed, and boy, does she meet her match.

They met on a random night, and she stole from him. Oscar has been in dire straits ever since. His solution is to pretend to be the very thing Honoria has been hoping never comes home: her long-lost Viscount. Though pretending to be an heir isn’t easy since the viscount’s relations don’t want him around either. What ensues is a wild ride filled with plenty of hilarity, sexy moments, and an equally emotional story about true love with two people who aren’t supposed to be destined for each other.

What makes it so good? The story has a mix of everything I love. Witty characters, action moments with a touch of suspense, romance, and a story that drags you in until you realize you’ve been up until three in the morning reading. It’s a book that left me with such an endorphin high that I was grinning the next day even though I got barely any sleep. This one was so good, I went back to read the first one in the series just to remind myself of how good The Liars’ Club is.

Overall, if you want something to bring those Tessa Dare vibes, you can’t go wrong with this book or the series. I’ll be eagerly awaiting Althea’s story and looking forward to the hijinks she gets up to.

~ Landra

Honoria Hartley has spent her life betrothed to a man no one has ever met, the Viscount Vandemere. To discourage would-be suitors, she pretends that she's been devotedly corresponding with him for years, despite not being sure if he even exists. When a man Honoria knows from a card game (and a kiss!) in Paris shows up pretending to be Vandemere, Honoria has to go along with his ruse or admit that she's been lying for years.

Apparently "I made up a suitor and now someone has shown up saying they're him" is a micro-trope I'm super into. If you enjoyed the premise of Tessa Dare's "When a Scot Ties the Knot" and are looking for something similar, I suggest giving this one a try! Vivienne Lorret is a new author to me (my first was the first book in this series), and I will definitely be looking for more from her. I loved how Honoria is frustrated when people (men) only seem to value her for her beauty, but when she tries to use her tried-and-true "wiles" on Oscar he's already seen through them. The first time they kiss he doesn't even know what she looks like. It's fun to see how much he enjoys her cleverness (if only to compete against it). Although I like the couple in the first book more, there's a lot more humor in this book that I think people will really appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for an eARC to review. All opinions are my own.

The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount by Vivienne Lorret is book two in the Liar's Club series. I'll say that you can read this as a standalone but I recommend that you actually read the series and start with book one because there are references to previous characters and their storyline that I think could create some confusion if you don't really know who they are and how they fit together. That said, don't worry if you don't...you'll still enjoy this one if you just want to read it as a standalone.

Honoria Hartley isn't interested in marrying. Besides, she’s been betrothed since birth to the long-lost Viscount Vandemere. The thing is...no one has actually ever met the viscount and, without an heir, the title will soon become extinct. So she’s willing to do anything to keep her viscount alive, even if she has to invent him herself.

Enter Oscar Flint is a first-rate gambler. Estranged from his father’s side of the family his entire life, he grew up under the tutelage of a legendary con artist and there isn’t anyone who could pull the wool over his eyes. That is, not until he crosses paths with Honoria. When Oscar loses a game to her and it puts him in a bind, he remembers her story about a lost heir to a viscountcy. An heir that no one has ever met.

When Oscar suddenly arrives on Honoria’s doorstep, claiming to be Vandemere, she is thrown for a loop. She doesn't want him to stay but she doesn't want him to go either. As they pretend to be betrothed, feeling start to get real...for both of them and they have to decide how far they are willing to go for each other or their freedom.

I loved the banter in this one and the chemistry between Oscar and Honoria is spot on. I also enjoyed the whole separate aspect of Oscar's challenges in how he was getting on at Dunnelocke Abbey with all the widows. I'm on the fence on the whole Ladron plot line resolution as of yet but ultimately it didn't determine my overall enjoyment of the story or not because really I thought Oscar and Honoria were great.

Overall, this book was on par with book one in my opinion and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series when I can. I love the characters that Lorret has created in this series. The sense of family she has developed here with the Hartley's is great and I can't wait to see who is up next in the series. Definitely consider picking up this book if you're looking for a new historical romance with great banter, well-written characters, and a story that will keep you turning the pages.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's already out, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Honoria Hartley has been betrothed since birth to the long-lost Viscount Vandemere...but no one has actually ever met the viscount. When Oscar Flint arrives on Honoria’s doorstep, claiming to be Vandemere, she is thrown for a loop. This rogue is not her viscount. The only problem is, this possible conman might steal her heart.

This is the second book in the Liars Club series. The Hartley family is introduced in the first story. While this book can stand alone, there are a lot of mentions at the beginning that could be confusing/overwhelming if you aren't familiar with the previous one.

Being tied to a marriage contract with a missing lord allows Honoria to move through life with a bit of freedom. A meet cute with Oscar comes back to bite her though, which leads to humor and sort of a "double blackmail" scenario where neither character can - or wants to - expose the other. For me, the book shone brightest when the characters were together, and Lorret is the excellent in building romantic chemistry and expectations with kisses.

Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Disguised Character, Enemies to Lovers, Hero Falls First

Steam: 3.5 (four scenes, but the last one is brief)

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review

I love the author and her work. I find no flaw with her writing however, this book contained every trope I loath. Woman dressing as man to enter gambling club. Man impersonating someone else for a con. Harridan FMC. Rushed resolution that does not make sense.

I found I could not connect to the characters and there was just too much going on.

I enjoyed this novel so much. The characters were interesting, the pace was well written, and the ending was so sweet. The two main characters meet while both are pretending to be someone they are not. There are so many funny scenes created from out of this situation. It was fun to see how Oscar and Honoria resolve the trust issues they have towards each other.

Clever entertaining and hilarious never have I laughed so much in the first two chapters of a book. This is book two of the series, immediately after finishing I went and read book one. You can read them out of order but for maximum entertainment read in order.
The MCs start by blackmailing each other after events that happened a year earlier. Honoria figures she can’t out Oscar without incriminating herself she decides Oscar must die. While Oscar falls for her and decides to play the long game slowly teasing her both physically and mentally. The writing was phenomenal, I could hear the characters voices come through when they were taking jabs at each other.

3.5 Stars Such a fun historical romance! There was a lot to this story with the betrothal, the long-lost viscount, and the con. The banter between Honoria and Oscar was fantastic! Historical romances are always so much better when they have fun and hilarity in addition to the romance and spice. The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount definitely delivered both!

I was really excited for this book because the first one in the series was so good - and this one was even better. Honoria and are clever and flirty, their banter is so much fun, and the way they win up entangled in a fake engagement, fake identity scheme is so entertaining. There’s much more to them than meets the eye, and I found myself pleasantly surprised when each layer was peeled back to reveal a new detail. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything, but I loved it and I can’t wait for the next sister’s story.

Oh, and I never expected a man calling a woman “signore” to make me swoon, but here we are. Oscar is just that good.

An interesting story with a con determined to win the attention of Honoria. Tied to a betroval contract with a missing viscount , Honoria moves through life without the need to commit to anyone. This story is fun, full of humor and just a joy to read. While this is the first book by this author that I have read, I will be adding her to my list of special questions authors to read and follow. Her writing is creative, well paced, and fully entertaining.

This book was a delight. I’d been impatiently waiting for it ever since I read the first book in the series. The Hartleys are so fun and are one of my favorite fictional families I’ve read, and I can’t wait to read the other siblings’ stories!

Watching Oscar grow as a person was very satisfying. And I love that he appreciated Honoria for more than her looks. Honoria was so witty and emotionally complex. I wish we had learned more details about what happened to Oscar’s father though.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.

What a delightful story. It is so convoluted and charming! Oscar is a rogue who one can't help, but adore. Honoria is is so smart and resourceful. Her schemes and thought processes are so much fun to try to follow. I'd live to know to know what happens to them in the future!

After reading and loving the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to get my greedy eyes on this one and it did not disappoint.

I love love loved Honoria and Oscar. They’re both looking for something of their own and are so much more alike than either of them would like to admit. They have instant chemistry, banter for days, and flirting disguised as threatening murder and/or bodily harm. Of course, Honoria’s family is one of the best and I really enjoyed reading the scenes with all of them together.

Plot wise, it was good. These two are together for the majority of the story and it’s all I wanted. There are snippets of open conversations, but it works because we are shown how they learn to lean into each other and find that safe space they want (but refuse to admit.)

Overall, this was a strong book 2 and I can’t wait to see these two in the future in the next story.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

The second installment in the Liar's Club series features Honoria Hartley, the middle daughter of Baron and Roxana Hartley. Honoria is still mourning the loss of her twin brother, Ernest, who died at age 5 and though she is of the age to marry, she has decided she does not want to. Being a member of a family that stages plays, Honoria is a master of disguise and has adopted the name of Senor Cesario in order to dress as a man and gamble in order to finance her life as a single woman. While visiting Paris, she meets Oscar Flint, a scoundrel and gambler who is attempting to win money in to pay a debt owed to a Spanish mobster. Honoria ends up besting Oscar while gambling and when he attempts to take the money from her she eventually escapes. A year later, Oscar shows up in her home town pretending to be Viscount Vandemere, Honoria's betrothed whom she's never met but has traded letters with. Both Honoria and Oscar have secrets that they desperately don't want exposed and they are forced to keep up appearances as a couple while trying to solve their problems together despite neither of them trusting the other.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.