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!

“She and the Duke of Harrington were going to play a game, but not a game of chess. The most dangerous game of all: a game of courtship. And if she played it correctly, she might not win, but hopefully, neither of them would lose.”

I have read the first three books in this series several times, and I loved this one, too! I’m so happy Nicholas, the Duke of Harrington, got his story written, even though I’ll admit that I couldn’t remember who he was, so I reread the rest of the series before starting this one. 😊 He is so set on being proper and not giving society any gossip fodder, while Lady Mercy wants someone who isn’t afraid to show his love by sneaking kisses in ballrooms. Mercy is sure the stoic duke is not for her, but she doesn’t want to disappoint her parents who are understandably thrilled a duke is singling her out, so she comes up with a plan to get Nicholas to fall for someone else. I thought this story was unique and fun, and it has a few little surprises as well. Esther is definitely a favorite author of mine, and I can’t wait to read more from her!

4.5* The characters in this book were multi-dimensional. They leap off the page with vibrancy, and I love the insights I have into both of their heads. Esther Hatch and her swoony kissing scenes has done it again! This story is the last in a series, and though it has many references to others in the series, it can stand alone.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

'This was the day Nicholas Kendrick, Duke of Harrington, would find himself a wife.'

This book. Deep breath.
I loved it. All the capital letters. (Except I don't love actually capitalizing my words. It's a whole thing)
Nicholas was the best. And Mercy, too. She was so daring and naive and lovely and kind. And Nicholas was so proper and good and protective but also passionate. And the epilogue? Come on. 🫠😍

So. If you like Victorian romances, Esther Hatch, books that break rules, chemistry, swooning, the rest of the Proper series, and chess, read this book. Immediately. It's just so good.

Nicholas Kendrick had done things wrong in the past when it came to his relationships with women. So, he decides to maintain the proper facade when it comes to courting Mercy. He is perfect at dancing, keeping his distance, not evoking any type of emotion or romantic actions that would damage her reputation. But, Mercy is unaware of this and looks for a way to end their courtship from the perfect, but stiff and boring duke. Misunderstandings on both of their parts make this a push and pull kind of courtship that is funny and at the same time nerve wracking. I just wanted him to kiss her, but it makes for a great slow burn to their kiss


Things to love:
ballroom dances
ex-soldier
white roses
love for the Irish
marriageable candidate list
flirting advice
chess moves
cat-and-mouse game
cravat scene

“True love,” she would say, “isn’t about fairy tales or magical encounters. It is about seeing someone for who they truly are and wanting to be with that person always, no matter what.”

This is the fourth book in the Proper Scandals series and can be read as a standalone. However, with characters appearing in this story, you may want to read the other books to enjoy their stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All views are my opinion in which I was not required to write a review.

If there was a "Most Swoonworthy Kiss" award, this book wins!!!

And Just like that this book is my NUMBER 1 read this year! Considering this is book number 201 that I have read this year... that is saying something! But it's not just the kiss, the whole story was the best storyline! Esther writes romance the exact way I like to read it. It is such a hard book to put down!

Nicholas needs to marry so he can be taken seriously as the Duke. Mercy needs to marry because her parents are putting pressure on her. He plans for a marriage of convenience. She is only interested in marrying for love. She wants someone that is going to "show" they want to be with her. He is against "showing" his feelings because he thinks it'll reflect poorly on him. They couldn't be more different! When Nicholas sets his sights on Mercy, she wants out, but to keep her dignity at the same time. So she plots a plan to make him fall for someone else... But is that really the best idea? And what if it works too well, and she changes her mind. What if his plan of only a marriage of convenience becomes near impossible the closer he gets to Mercy?! Why are Mercys parents pushing her to marry?


This story, oh my goodness. I didn't want to do any adulting and just read and be a witness to Nicholas and Mercy's story.

This story is a must. If you are a clean romance reader, this is for you. If you want swoonworthy kisses and all the feels ... definitely grab this! Gosh I want to read it all over again!

This was fun. It took me a little while to get into the book but I ended up enjoying it. A Proper Facade is the fourth book in Esther Hatch’s Proper Scandals series. Nicholas finally gets his own story and it was cool to learn more about him.
Nicholas was a complicated character. He had made mistakes in his past and he feared letting himself make mistakes again. I really liked Nicholas and seeing him grow throughout the book. He feared letting go of control but as the book went on he learned that he didn’t need to be perfect.
Mercy was interesting and she had to grow on me. She felt a bit childish at times but she grew slowly throughout the book. Mercy had an idealistic view on love because of her family but Nicholas snuck up on her.
It was sweet to read about Nicholas falling for Mercy and seeing his perfect match in her. He had to learn to let her in. Mercy slowly found herself falling for Nicolas and she had to learn that love didn’t look the same for everyone.
I really liked the side characters, you got to see cameos of old characters and that was a lot of fun. The story was interesting although there were parts that felt a little slow. However I did end up enjoying the book. I would recommend A Proper Facade to those who had enjoyed Hatch’s other books and those who enjoy historical romance. A Proper Facade is a clean historical romance.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

If you have been following the Proper Scandals series by Esther Hatch, then you will enjoy A Proper Facade, the fourth book in the series.

I have read A Proper Scandal and a Proper Scoundrel, but the book I missed, (A Proper Charade), was the one you need to read before reading this one. While it can be read as a standalone, I felt the Duke of Harrington's talk of his sister's "scandal" was not as scandalous as it was supposed to be and I felt like I had missed something.

As for the Duke and Mercy, I did enjoy their relationship, but I felt Mercy was too quick to judge and the Duke stuck in his ways. On the other hand, if they hadn't been that way, this would have been a very boring book! I was glad they were able to get over themselves enough to give each other a chance because this was a very sweet romance. They were perfect for each other. Each was amusing in their ways and I loved the ending!

My only disappointment was that this was not a faith-based book. There was not one mention of God throughout the entire book. However, if you like a clean romance (with kissing) you will probably enjoy A Proper Facade.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Covenant Communications through NetGalley for my honest review.

This was a nice enough book, but the miscommunication was quite ridiculous at times and I couldn't really feel any chemistry between the characters.
I love regency romances, but I couldn't get into this one for some reason.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Proper Facade starts out slow, but the anticipation builds as the miscommunications and mistakes pile up! I loved watching Mercy and Nicholas get to know each other and realize that their initial impressions weren't accurate. The whole time I just wanted to scream at them to actually be honest with each other, but that would take the drama out of the story, right? The two characters had amazing chemistry once they stopped getting in the way with their stubbornness!

I definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves Regency stories!

Thank you to Covenant Communications, Esther Hatch, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions!