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!

This was not my favorite book of the series and I didn’t like some of the themes as much as other Esther Hatch books, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

The romance wasn’t the strongest in this one. Esther always writes swoony kisses, but the chemistry wasn’t there for me with these two.

I was anxious to see how things turned out, so I wanted to keep reading, but I wasn’t very happy with the miscommunication and some of the plot twists.

I think one thing that I didn’t like was that the FMC was trying to out the MMC in compromising situations with other women that were cunning and predatory in nature. The MMC did not want to be in these situations and it was very uncomfortable that the FMC kept doing it. Her reasons seemed flimsy and didn’t really make sense to me.

I will continue reading this author, because I felt the writing was still good, they were just things in the plot I didn’t like.

🔥Romance: Kissing

I did feel like the HEA took too long to get to, but I did enjoy the yearning. I've really enjoyed this whole series.

Nicholas Kendrick, Duke of Harrington, 25, is working hard to fill his late father’s shoes. The man was well-respected and even though Nicholas has been the duke for several years, some feel he is too young to earn the respect in Parliament that he deserves. He is fighting for continued aid to Ireland as so many people are starving.

When he was much younger, Nicholas fell in love with an older woman and pursued her until she married someone else. Now, he has a reputation of being a hot head to live down.

Nicholas’ brother-in-law, Ottersby, advises him that he needs to get married and that will help him to command more respect. So, at a ball, he happens to meet a young woman named Lady Mercy Rothschild, 20, daughter of an Earl. He finds her to have a good sense of humor and he loves her freckles. As it’s her third Season, her weary parents are pushing her to find someone that she can love and get married.

Nicholas politely pursues Mercy but his attempts at courtship don’t show any passion and she refuses to marry a man without that. Thus follows Mercy trying to find someone else for Nicholas to marry while he resists her attempts at introducing him to other women. He knows he wants to marry Mercy, he just has to learn how to stop being so stodgy and let his love show.

This sounds like I have given out a lot of spoilers but I admit that weeding through this story was difficult. Mercy trying to find someone for Nicholas to pursue was truly daunting and a bit of a turn-off. But, hopefully, all will work out and love will prevail…or will it? You have to read the book to find out.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Of all the books in this series I think this is my favorite. I really love that the hero is a gentleman through and through. He could let his desires get the best of him but he doesn't. The heroine is quirky and I liked her too! Enjoyable read!

Oh, my heart! This book was amazing. It is the 4th book in the Proper Scandals series, and I must say it surpassed my already-high expectations. The laughs! The swoons! And those anxiety-ridden moments that feel so stressful in the moment but lead to such satisfying resolutions...whew! And did I mention the swoons? This book is very clean - no smut, no tawdry lusting - and still provides all the heart-swelling romance I could ask for.

Nicholas Kendrick, the Duke of Harrington, is exceptionally staid, proper, and by-the-book, doing everything he can to earn the respect of his peers and not bring shame to his family name. This often ends up making him appear cold and dispassionate. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we realize that the more tightly Nicholas holds himself in check, the more passionate his true feelings really are.

Lady Mercy Rothschild is a young, carefree woman living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment of it. She has no plans to marry anyone unless she and her suitor are both madly, desperately in love with each other. She has seen romantic love matches like her parents' and her sister's, and refuses to settle for less.

When Nicholas decides choosing a wife would help him to be taken more seriously in Lords, he sets out with a list of potential brides, but then he meets Mercy... His fierce self-control does not show Mercy the passion and whirlwind romance that she is waiting for. Oh, dear. Whatever will they do? ;)

I loved being able to spend time with the characters from the previous books, and learning more about Nicholas was deliciously fun. This series just keeps getting better and better.

I will definitely read this book again and recommend it to everyone who loves a good romance and good laughs.

Thank you so much to Covenant Communications for providing this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I will be snapping up my own paper copy as soon as they are available!

Esther Hatch has always been a favorite author. This story confirms why. A Proper Facade is a beautiful slow burn romance that pulls you in from the beginning. I love Mercy's happy, charismatic personality as well as Nicholas's deep emotions due to a complicated past. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I love Esther Hatch’s Proper Scandals series and “A Proper Facade” did not disappoint. I enjoyed the story and revisiting old friends. This is a standalone but I do wish I’d reread “A Proper Charade” beforehand so I could better remember some of the supporting characters.

This book! 🫠 This entire series absolutely stole my heart. Esther Hatch has a magical way of crafting stories that are both fun and deeply moving, and this one was no exception. I adored every moment spent with these characters, especially seeing familiar faces from the other books in the series weave their way in.

Nicholas was a character I connected with instantly. His naivety wasn't just endearing—it was poignant, a mirror reflecting so many of our own insecurities and misunderstandings in my youth.

His insistence on propriety made perfect sense, not just as a quirk, but as a deeply rooted part of his character. And that made it all the more heartbreaking when Mercy didn't understand him right away.

Watching him try to navigate his emotions and his sense of duty was both uplifting and gut-wrenching.

And Mercy—what a gem she is! A woman who is selfless yet refuses to settle for anything less than true love. Her strength, her determination to find someone who truly loves her, even when that someone is a Duke… 😉

This story is packed with all the feels. Misunderstood intentions, emotional revelations, and that sweet, sweet satisfaction when everything finally falls into place.

A great addition to the series!

I loved the growth that the main characters had in this story!

A duke who is formal and proper in all things and a lady who wants to fall in love. Can they make it happen?

A Proper Facade is just like the intense game the two main characters engage in, chess. Esther Hatch creates a swoon worthy, slow burn, chess match with two opponents who share one thing in common, a desire for true love. Take a proper, well controlled Duke & a young miss who wants the same passionate love her parents experienced & watch the sparks fly.

Miss Mercy Rothschild only wants to marry if she can marry for love. Her parents have always given her time & freedom, but this Season they’re encouraging her to marry & marry well. When she first meets the Duke of Harrington, she doesn’t realize his identity. While he’s intrigued by her, she finds him a bit stiff and boring. He’s the ideal choice of her parents, but Mercy has other ideas. She concocts a plan to try to foist him on someone else. But as she gets to know the real Nicholas, she might have to change her plans before it’s too late.

Nicholas Kendrick, Duke of Harrington is determined to follow the proper rules of courtship. He carefully controls his passions so as to never cause scandal. When he meets Mercy, she begins to put cracks in that carefully crafted facade. But, while he only wants to protect her reputation and court her properly, she wants passion. Will he be able to win Mercy over or is she too immature to appreciate what’s right before her eyes?

This book was one fabulous rollercoaster of a ride with moments that made me want to throw the book & others that made me want to hug it. It’s definitely a slow burn and just like chess, it takes patience to get to the payoff. Once you get there though, the wait is well worth it! I loved these two opposites! I especially enjoyed the growth Mercy undergoes. Both she and Nicholas take lessons from the other and come to meet in the middle. Mercy learns that uncontrolled passion has bitter consequences & Nicholas finds that there’s definitely a time to express his deep feelings. The library scene was my favorite! There’s also a villainess in the story & I loved seeing her get her comeuppance.

For those familiar with the series, you’ll love seeing familiar characters like Lord Bryant again. *sigh* If this is your first book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. Highly recommend to Regency romance fans! It’s a sweet Regency with kissing only. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4.5 to 5 stars!

This is a great Regency romance story, the fourth and final book in the series but my first. I intended to read at least the first one to get a feel for the series but just ran out of time. I did not have a problem with following along with the story.
Mercy (Lady Mercy) and Nicolas (Duke of Harrington0 meet in a corridor at a ball, eavesdropping outside the game room. Nicolas made mistakes in his youth and a stint in the army changed him into a stoic, proper rule follower but a really good man. Mercy is carefree, young, loves to dance and read. Nicolas decides to court her, and she thinks he is too stuffy and without passion. But her parents want her to marry all of a sudden. It was fun to watch their relationship develop but nerve racking at times with misunderstandings and devious women coming into the picture. I especially liked Nicolas and felt the characters were well developed and realistic. I plan to go back and read the stories of the other couples mentioned in this one.
I received a copy for an honest review. These are my thoughts.

This is the final Book (4) in the Proper Scandals series. It is the story of Nicolas, who has become a Duke with the passing of his father. He has made some irresponsible decisions and has learned from his mistakes. To help with his respectability he has decided to take a wife.
Mercy has always longed to marry for love, this coming from the example of her parents. She is quite surprised when they become more insistent that this is the season she needs to find a suitor.
I really enjoyed the cute meet between Nicholas and Mercy and their playful banter. After the first meet, the story was more about manipulation and subterfuge. Which made it a very slow burn romance. I am happy to have Nicholas’s story told, It was different than what I had imagined, but it was a good read. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the others in the series. In fact, I think I will go back and reread them. As always, I am grateful for authors and publishers that write and produce closed door romance, and no foul language. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have been awaiting another Esther Hatch book for what feels like years. In truth back in September, I read a novella she released in 2023. So it hasn't been that long. But for this series, Proper Scandals, the last release was back in 2021. And I wasn't sure there would be any other books in the series. I never saw anywhere that stated how many books were expected. She did seem to indicate in her author's note that A Proper Facade would be the last book in this series.

Mercy has witnessed love. Her parents were a love match. Her elder sister had a love match even to the point of marrying slightly below her rank. And she has always expected to have a love match. Her parents always gave her the impression that she could take as long as she wanted to find her match. But for some reason, this season her parents have begun to push her towards marriage. She is resistant, to say the least.

Nicholas's family has a history of philandering. His grandfather and great-grandfather were known to be philanderers. But Nicholas's father worked extra hard to turn the family name around. Nicholas once disappointed his father before he died, and now he works extra hard to remain above reproach to make up for it.

I kept wondering if I'd read Mercy's sister's story in a previous book. Mercy talked about her sister and her love match in a way that made me feel like I should remember reading about it. At first, I thought I was misremembering A Proper Scandal, but then I thought I might have been getting confused with Promised by Leah Garriott. But then I realized that Rosiland's story hasn't been written that I'm aware of.

Mercy always imagined when her time came that the man of her dreams would sneak her into some hidden alcoves to steal a few kisses because he couldn't help himself. She imagined passion. She basically romanticized her expectations to the point of being a little unrealistic. Sure those things could have happened, but she could just as easily be taken advantage of. Nicholas once acted outside the bounds of society in the name of love, and he only ended up with shame and regret over the experience. He is determined to treat Mercy and her reputation with the utmost respect. And thus he can come off as unfeeling or uninterested in her as a person. These two had a little bit to work out.

A few years ago, I felt like I could not read a book with a romance without one partner sacrificing themselves to the point of hurting both parties in the name of saving or helping their loved one. I got so annoyed with this trend. Self-sacrificing is good when it isn't misguided or easily overcome with a simple conversation. I felt A Proper Facade heading down that path for a bit and worried this course of action would reduce my overall enjoyment of the book that I had been appreciating. Thankfully, I wasn't forced to endure this for too long.

Favorite quotes:
-"There is no room for enjoyment in perfection."

-"Am I certain I love you? No, but I'm certain you are the only woman I'm going to love for the rest of my life."

That quote continues for quite a while, but I felt like the rest was spoilers so I decided not to include it.

-"I'll play your game today. And then, when you are ready, I hope you will join me in being serious."

A Proper Facade was a good ending to this series. Although, I'm sad to see it go and could easily find a few side characters that I wouldn't mind having a story about. A Proper Facade gets 4 Stars. Mercy and Nicholas didn't have a typical romance, and I liked that they didn't rush into the "I love yous". Have you read A Proper Facade? What did you think? Let me know!

After a scandal destroyed his relationship with his father, Nicholas, Duke of Harrington, determined to be proper - and entirely passion-free - at all costs. So when he decides it's time to marry, he goes about it quite rationally - at least until he comes across an intriguing young woman eavesdropping on the cardroom at a ball. After that, to his dismay, it becomes increasingly hard to stay dispassionate, even though he's not sure Mercy feels the same. Mercy long ago decided she would only marry for love, but for some reason, this season her parents are applying pressure for her to find a match soon. The duke would certainly make a good match, and she soon begins to suspect she could love him - but could she stand marriage with someone so utterly passionless? Can the pair learn to truly communicate before they lose their chance at love?

A charming read. Nicholas has learned from the mistakes of his past - but a bit too well. Mercy knows what she wants and is willing to work to achieve it - but maybe she doesn't know as well as she thought... And since neither understands the other's point of view, or even seems to realise the other could have a different point of view, a relationship is doomed unless they can overcome that. The result is an enjoyable and generally well-written story that kept me reading far too long. I loved the way that Nicholas tried to do the right thing, even if his idea of the right thing was somewhat skewed at times, and watching Mercy try to get through to him was quite amusing. And having people who are willing to sacrifice for others is always a good touch. All in all, a great clean read with a satisfying ending. I look forward to more by the author. 4.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Favorite parts: 
- Meet Cute
- Nicholas and Anthony together
- Meeting Lord and Lady Bryant
- Nicholas' first visit to Mercy's home
- Dancing with Lord Bryant
- Meeting before the Driarwood's ball
- His cravat
- Their kiss (swoon)
- Looking for Ollie
- The Epilogue

I loved this final book in the Proper Scandal Series! I was so excited when I heard that there would be another book in the series and when I found out that it would be Nicholas's story I was so happy!

I loved the main characters. I love how unsure Nicholas is, yet how he portrays the exact opposite outwardly. I love how Mercy longs for a marriage filled with love just like her parents, but she is so focused on the emotions of the relationship that she forgets she needs to focus more on the people.

I love the growth that both characters go through, even though that growth can be painful at times.

It was so fun seeing Lord and Lady Bryant, Patience and Anthony, and even a quick scene with Nate and Grace Barton.

This book is the 4th book in the Proper Scandal Series. It can be read as a stand alone (but is so much better read in order).

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Before reading this book, I reread A Proper Scoundrel, and seeing Nicholas briefly in that book made me really want to read his story. And it was such a good story!

I love when books have layers to them, and those layers were so well written in this book. The characters and their motivations, the bit of mystery, and the budding romance kept me turning pages and wanting to know what would happen next.

This is a great addition to a fun series, and I loved seeing the previous characters again! It felt like visiting with old friends and seeing how they were doing. This book can be read as a standalone, but I think it’s more fun to read this series in order!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I tell you I ate this book up! This is the 4th book to the series but can be read as a standalone. I have been on pins and needles waiting for this book and it absolutely delivered! At first the two main characters are pushed together out of necessity but something grows between the two that is certainly more than duty. I adore Esther Hatch and this new book is fantastic. The beautiful storytelling is so deep and you forget you are even reading a book. I absolutely recommend to anyone and everyone!