It was fun to see the strategies of Nicholas and Mercy as they approach the game of making a match. Nicholas thinks he just wants someone to fill the social role of a duchess, but his inadvertent meeting of an eavesdropping Mercy in a hallway awakened his senses and desire for more. Mercy has always wanted a passionate marriage like her sister's, but unexplained pressure from her parents present the conflict of compromising her dreams to please her family and society. The author's use of the game of chess reflects the back and forth between Nicholas and Mercy- presenting their polite side for society but hiding more romantic wishes. I found the struggle of Nicholas to be more genuine as he learned to embrace rather than suppress his emotions. Mercy was definitely more calculated as she and her friend enact plans to trick and mislead Nicholas. With time and experience she realizes that passion can have its downfalls when unsupported by a strong foundation, and is almost too late when she finally sees behind the facade of Nicholas. A sweet romance with complicated dynamics that take our main characters on an emotional journey.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

A Proper Facade was just what I needed to read. The character development happened throughout the story, bit by bit. It is a lovely romance, that shines a light on how we people so often can't see our own value. It can be so hard to just be yourself, and this story did such a great job of working through that issue. Nicholas and Mercy had to learn to trust each other and stop living up to the perceived expectations of society. Esther Hatch did a wonderful job of writing a true love story, where Nicolas and Mercy learn to see each other for who they truly are. Hatch wrote a good story that flowed well and left me wanting to know what could happen next. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Proper Scandals has been an enjoyable series. I was thrilled to see Nicholas Kendrick, the Duke of Harrington, get his own story in A Proper Scandal. Nicholas faces many pressures, including the need to find a wife. His plans for a proper courtship go off track when he meets Mercy Rothschild.

Mercy is young and eager to find true love like her parents had. She believes she must fall in love to marry, making her dream of True Love a challenge for Nicholas's courtship plans. She thinks he’s too old and formal, but her parents are eager for her to marry a Duke.

Watching Mercy lead the Duke on a wild chase was entertaining. While Nicholas had good intentions, Mercy was more focused on making him think about past relationships. She orchestrated some awkward situations with those previous loves, leaving Nicholas completely in the dark. There were moments when I wanted to send Mercy to her room for being so mischievous.

It was fun to see characters from earlier books return, providing support to Nicholas. As the barriers between him and Mercy began to crumble, the story grew more thrilling. The slow-building tension between Mercy and Nicholas erupted into exciting moments filled with dancing, chess games, and a library rendezvous that made me a little giddy. I won't be forgetting that scene for a while. With plenty of misunderstandings, clever schemes, and the eventual breakdown of their facades, they might just discover true love.

I'm sad the series has finished, but I know I’ll read these stories again. Esther Hatch knows how to craft a love story filled with tension, romance, and humor. The relationship between these two very different characters looking for love will keep you entertained throughout this sweet, clean Regency romance.

4.5 Stars

This is a fun and fast read. It was well written and had great characters.

I really felt for the Duke and all the pressure he’d put himself under to be perfect. I liked Mercy too, and was kept on my toes for quite a bit of the story wondering why her parents were pushing her to marry quickly (and for the main characters to realize they weren’t alone in their feelings).

It’s been a little while since I read the previous books in the series, and while I think you could read this as a stand alone, it was fun having previous characters involved here.

Good historical fiction is a joy to read and Esther Hatch's 'A proper' series is no exception. A proper facade is the fourth book in the series, however it can be read as a stand alone story. You will want to go back and read the others in the series after reading it.

Esther Hatch writes strong characters who have interesting problems to overcome. A proper facade is no exception to this. I liked that by the end of the book, they both had learnt something about themselves and each other. It was a pleasure to 'meet' up with characters from other books. All in all, an enjoyable read and happy to recommend it to others.

I receive complimentary books for various sources including, Netgalley, Authors, and other such sources. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received compensation.

I have been waiting for Nicholas' story and it did not disappoint. I am so glad Ms. Hatch decided his story needed to be told. I really enjoyed getting to know Nicholas better and understand his background. I loved Mercy. She was such an interesting character. Her antics were quite amusing, yet frustrating when you understood Nicholas' side of things. I really enjoyed their story and how it played out. It was perfect for these two. I have really enjoyed this series and hate to see it end, but I'm excited for what Ms. Hatch will deliver next.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

A Proper Facade is the fourth book in the Proper scandal series. I really enjoyed all the books in this series and A Proper Facade was no exception. In fact it was one of my favorites! It is a great addition to this series. It could easily be read as a stand alone also if you haven’t had the opportunity to read the rest of this series.

This is the story of Nickolas and Mercy. They are both such great characters with a lot of chemistry and some moments of fun banter. The storyline was fun and engaging. I loved watching the characters learn and grow and overcome the obstacles in their way to a happily ever after.

This was such a fun read! I will definitely be purchasing it for my personal library. I highly recommend it for all regency romance lovers!

Esther Hatch’s latest addition to the Proper Scandals series, A Proper Facade, is a delightful Regency romance that fans of the genre will thoroughly enjoy. Though the fourth installment in the series, it stands strong as a standalone read, offering a clean and wholesome narrative that remains true to its charming period setting.

The story captures the essence of a classic romance, with a refreshing twist: the hero falls for the heroine first and he catches onto her scheming. This unique dynamic adds depth and intrigue to their relationship. The plot centers around Mercy, whose parents are insistent on her marriage, despite her own wishes.

One of the book’s standout features is the clever use of chess games as a means for the characters to connect and understand each other, adding both intellectual and emotional layers to their interactions. Overall, A Proper Facade is a highly recommended read for those seeking a captivating and heartwarming Regency romance.

The author did a fantastic job with this book. Nicholas kept his facade up in front of Mercy for so long, but still managed to believably win her over. This whole series is excellent, but this one might be my favorite!

This is the fourth book of the series. I didn’t read the others, so it could be read as a stand alone. I do plan on going back and reading the others eventually. This is a sweet regency. Nicholas and Mercy were fun to observe, opposites do attract! I was entertained and enjoying their banter and Mercy trying to push him off to other women. This was definitely a fun read.

This book was clean with kisses only.

I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a review, these are my honest thoughts.

Her parents are looking for a perfect match. She is looking for a love match. He is just looking a match.
Love has terrible disappointed him once and he will never suffer that fate again. Until he does. But will he win her when she is trying to put him back with the insufferable girl who broke his heart.
This was an enjoyable read engaging enough to keep me involved.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

I loved this book! It’s the last of a series, but I read it as a stand alone and can’t wait to read the rest of the series! Watching the characters meet cute and following them as they go from complete strangers to friends to love was beautiful. Mercy is looking for passion and Nicholas is keeping those kinds of feelings tamped down due to previous mistakes. Is so beautifully written!

Esther Hatch strikes again! She is a master of telling a heartfelt story that will make you smile, laugh, and bite your nails. This book was pure joy. I loved the banter between the Duke and Lady Mercy, and the cameos from characters in previous books in the series made the story glow!

A Proper Facade is available NOW at most major book retailers. There’s a reason it was the #1 new release in the Regency category on Amazon and if you’re a Regency Romance fan, you owe it to yourself to find out.

Thank you to the author and publisher for a complimentary copy! All opinions are my own.

Such a great historical romance read. I love the Proper Scoundrel series. This is book 4 and I love seeing some characters from the past books. The story line flowed and I wanted to keep reading way past my bedtime.
I definitely recommend you give this one a read!

A fantastic conclusion to the Proper Scandals series! I loved being and to delve more into Nicholas' character and his background. Mercy was the perfect person to bring out the best him and it was really sweet to see how their relationship helped him heal from past hurts. I loved it and I'm kind of sad that it's over!

She plays games to thwart his courtship...

Mercy does not want to marry the oh, so proper duke, Nicholas, she plays childish games to entrap him with other girls. Not cool. Will she learn her lesson too late?
I really liked Nicholas, but thought Mercy was pretty childish and immature.

This! This *pointing dramatically* is what historical romances should be like. This book was so good that I would give it more stars if I could, but I'm too lazy to create a whole new rating system. What was so good was how society and the demands of society have such a large impact on romance and marriages. No spice and no spice was needed. It was perfect without it! This book really snuck up on me. I was really not expecting such a good book! This is 4th in a series but it can be read as a stand alone. I am going to go back and read more of the series and more by Esther Hatch.

- He falls first
- Love match
- Grumpy meets sunshine
- Slow burn
- Just kisses
- Societal pressures
- Strangers to lovers.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Covenant communications and Esther Hatch for this early release copy. This is my honest review

Dear Mercy,

You are going to play the best game of chess of your life. And this one is definitely going to be very important and meaningful. But I promise, if you play it right, whether you win the game or lose, you will come out the biggest winner. What's the prize you might ask? None other than the heart of a gentleman who will love and cherish you for all his days. He's smitten. Be kind to him and try to look past that stoic behavior and see to his heart, who he truly is. I promise all of your dreams and hopes for your future will be fulfilled.

You're going to mess up. Kind of big time. But just be honest and things will work themselves out. Maybe stop your scheming for a little bit. Then again, all of your scheming is quite entertaining and will bring many laughs. Just don't forget that you will have to fix it all when it turns south. But it will be oh so worth it!

And when you meet a man in the corridor while you are being nefarious, don't be afraid to get lost in his eyes, especially when he seems to be staring at your face. Your freckles will be very captivating. Be yourself. Don't be afraid to be yourself and all will work out better than you could have ever imagined. And remember, you need grace, so make sure you offer it as well.

Sincerely,
A Reader


This book is wonderful! I didn't want it to end. I loved seeing characters from the previous books in this series. My heart was so happy. I laughed and swooned and sighed and maybe almost cried (I had to keep the rhyming going there)! My teenager discovered Esther Hatch's books recently and devoured them. I was beyond thrilled. And then my teen read this one and was sooooo excited to talk to me about it and tell me allllll the things! Hahaha! Thank you Ester Hatch for writing incredible books that I can share and have giggles and fun conversations with my kiddos (and friends and family and everyone) about!!!

Content: Clean and wholesome. Some kisses but nothing further.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

4.5 stars

Mercy Rothschild has never felt pressured by her parents to marry, but this season they seem to be acting suspicious, and their pushing her towards Nicholas Kendrick, the Duke of Harrington. He’s all that’s proper and good, maybe even too proper. Mercy wants love like she’s seen her sister have. But how can she find it with such a staid man?

Mercy can’t disappoint her parents who seem to like the Duke of Harrington, but she must get rid of him. Mercy and her best friend come up with a plan to throw other eligible women into his path. They can have him with her blessing! But what happens when she realizes he’s more than he appeared, and maybe she should have kept him for herself?

The scheming was hilarious, but also the height of stupidity. I wanted Mercy to see Nicholas more clearly, and she took her sweet time about it. Nicholas and Mercy were adorable together, once they broke down each other’s walls. I’ve never seen someone work so hard for a kiss. Sweet Mercy!

I loved seeing characters from the previous stories. You don’t have to read them first, but you should definitely enjoy them at some point.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. I enjoyed it a lot!