So many times in this book I wanted to grab Nicholas by the shoulders, shake him, and yell,
"LOOSEN UP, MAN! She's safe for you!" This is definitely slow burn, but y'all.
The wait is RICHLY rewarded.
Chapter 24.
The cravat!
Mercy as well thinks she knows what's going on, but my oh my does she find herself not only surprised by Nicholas, but by herself.
Much like the rest of the Proper Scandals series, this is a book worth reading for fans of regency reads with sizzle (but not spice).
Of course, some of our favorite characters from previous books make meaningful appearances as well.
Favorite things: cravats, caves, and chess games.

Highly entertaining and utterly swoony!

Nicholas, Duke of Harrington, decides it is time to marry and approaches it like a business arrangement, ready to check off each step of the courtship process in the proper way.

He didn't, however, count on Mercy. He doesn't realize he has chosen to court a woman who wants swoon and romance and continues to hide his feelings that simmer underneath his proper facade.

Mercy is attracted to Nicholas but he is too stiff. She wants more romance and more evidence that he feels the way about her that she does for him. Since she can't turn down a courtship from a duke, however, she hatches a plan to push Nicholas into the path of other women.

But by the time she realizes the mask Nicholas wears is very different from the man underneath, it may be too late.

What you'll love:
Victorian era
dual POV
a proper Duke
romantic FMC
slow burn
adorable meet-cute
he falls first
opposites attract
schemes and sabotage
Lord Bryant’s dating advice
dancing
THAT KISS!!!!!!!!!
character cameos
entire last chapter and epilogue

What an utterly swoony romance! Nicholas and Mercy's love story was such a emotional rollercoaster, so many ups and downs and push and pull and I loved every minute of the tension! They both drive each other a little crazy and I loved having both their perspectives.

I was completely emotionally invested in this HEA and though I wanted to rush through just to find out how it ended, I took the time to savor every second of their slow burn relationship, all leading up to the moment when Nicholas finally drops his facade and oh, what a moment that was. Esther writes the SWOONIEST kissing scenes (all while keeping things on she sweet side) and this one deserves all the fire emojis!!

Loved the characters cameos (Team Lord Bryant!) but this can easily be read as a standalone. There is a third act breakup and some miscommunication but both were done so well fit the story and the characters; neither bothered me at all!

If you are an Esther fan, you need to read this one! And if you haven't read any of Esther's books, then my advice is still the same - you need to read this! I could not get enough and Esther will always be an auto-buy, auto-read author for me!

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

Oh, I loved this! I am full of happiness and it shows by the smile I’m still wearing as I write this. I didn’t want to put it down because I thought it was so enjoyable. It was a slow burn romance and even the side characters captivated me. I really loved Nicholas and Mercy courtship and they were both unique in their own ways. The story started much like a lot of regency romances but the writing and direction felt different. Different in a good way and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s well written with the times and I enjoyed it immensely! I highly recommend reading it.
Thanks Covenant Communications via NetGalley.

This series was probably just not my favorite of Hatch books. The romance is a slow burn which I do like, its just they feel leggy somehow, and at times the kisses too passionate for regency. Thanks netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest take on The book.

If you love clean Regency Historical Romance, then this is the book for you. Esther Hatch did a masterful job of creating characters for whom you feel their every emotion.

Releases Aug 20th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The fourth installment of the series (I do recommend reading them in order). I did enjoy this one for the most part; however, I was surprised that I did not like some of the previous characters in the prior books of the series so much in this one. Specifically, I found Lord Bryant and Penelope (Lady Yolty) to be kind of annoying. Both, because of their secrecies, influenced Mercy, the heroine, in her actions and it was not for the better.

From the get go, Mercy came off as naive and completely ignorant of the world in which she existed in. I get young girls of the ton would have their own fantasies-- of being secreted off into a corner of a ball and being ravished by a gallant lord. but most of them would surely know the difference between fantasy and reality. I found Nicholas, the hero, to be more grounded than Mercy, and his fixation on propriety was not so dull; he did make his intentions clear. I can understand wanting passion in a partner, but that is where communication comes into play. Instead talking with Nicholas, Mercy decided to play games with his person and jeopardize not only his reputation but possibly other ladies.

That indifference did not settle right with me. I really wished it was not Nicholas who ended up pursuing Mercy in the end. I wanted it to be Mercy who went out of her way and broke away from her comfort zones to confront the person she desired and clearly loved. Nicholas confronted and grew and learned from his past experience, but Mercy was not given the same opportunity. I tire of the person who was wronged being the one to either grovel or pursue the person that wronged them. I actually want to see the person who did wrong thing make up for it.

Because of that I had to take off a couple stars. All in all, I did enjoy Nicholas a lot. He made the book for me really.
3.5 stars

ARC provided by NetGalley, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.

Three and a half stars.

Nicholas Kendrick, Duke of Harrington, had an affair with an engaged woman when he was seventeen, they were not discreet and only his late father's actions in enlisting him in the army prevented it from becoming a scandal. Nicholas' father had single-handedly rescued the family's reputation after a series of philanderers and dissolute gamblers had made them notorious. Now, with his reckless pursuit of his own desires, Nicholas came close to ruining the family's reputation again.

Once he came to see the error of his ways, particularly after his father's untimely death, Nicholas has become a model of propriety, terrified of allowing his emotions to rule his head. He has parliamentary ambitions to relieve the suffering of the Irish people and needs his fellow peers to take him seriously and award him the same respect as his father. He decides he needs a wife, preferably someone who can help him with his ambitions. Lady Mercy Rothschild fits the bill, her father holds similar political views, she is of the right sort of family, and she is a beauty to boot so Nicholas proceeds most properly with a sedate courtship, desperate to legitimise his passions within the bounds of holy matrimony.

Mercy's parents have always been kind and loving, allowing her considerably more freedoms than other girls of her age. She has strong political views and is determined to marry for love, just like her older sister and her best friend, just indeed as her parents did. Until recently, Mercy's parents supported her wishes and were content for her to find love in her own time. However, Mercy's parents have suddenly started pressurising her to consider the Duke of Harrington's suit, he might be handsome but his stilted address and serious mien are totally at odds with the passion she seeks. So, to avoid disappointing her parents Mercy looks for other suitable young ladies that he might court instead.

This was pleasantly enjoyable. However, there was a little too much of Mercy discounting the obvious about Nicholas' passions (and indeed Nicholas assuming that when Mercy pulled away from a kiss it was with revulsion) and neither of the young women Mercy tried to set up with Nicholas would have furthered his political career so from that standpoint (given that was why Mercy was against the proposal in the first place) the set-ups seemed ill thought through.

Loved the cover, very Mr Darcy views Pemberley.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. Another enjoyable read by Esther Hatch! I enjoyed the characters I. This one so much!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)

Nicholas, the Duke of Harrington, has struggled to gain respect in Parliament. When his brother-in-law suggests marriage as a solution, Nicholas decides he will find a proper lady to wed. He never anticipated a clandestine meeting with Lady Mercy. With her distracting freckles and love of dancing, she makes it hard for Nicholas to behave like a gentleman. But Mercy wants a love match filled with fire and chemistry. Can the Duke show her the man behind the proper and strict facade?

I liked the concept of this book- a proper gentleman who meets a woman that makes him want to reveal the passion hiding deep inside of him. Unfortunately, I grew frustrated, just like Mercy, with all the times Nicholas held back from showing the desire he had for her. It resulted in Mercy pushing him away and trying to pair him with other women. The miscommunication was rampant! When the fire between these two finally came out, it was a little too late for me. I will have to try another book by this author, because I definitely saw the potential for great writing. This just wasn't it for me.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really don't know how to explain my thoughts on this book. I loved the others in this series so I was really excited about A Proper Facade. It just didn't work for me. I felt like the characters didn't really have any depth and I felt like they lacked connection. The storyline was kind of slow as well. 😥 I am still really looking forward to other books Esther Hatch writes, this one just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC of Esther Hatch’s novel.

I loved it from start to finish. What I enjoy about the author’s writing is she creates very likable characters with a great story. She also doesn’t throw in common phrasing like “leg shackled” to make it historical.

There was a great little twist at the end I absolutely did NOT expect. Great story and I highly recommend!

This is the 4th book in the Proper Scandals series by Esther Hatch. The book is a standalone story but does feature characters from previous books quite prominently, particularly A Proper Charade.

Since it is part of the Scandals series, scandals do play a role in the plot. I have read other reviews for this book, both positive and negative. I can see where both sides come from but am going to base my review on my initial reaction after finishing the book.

I think I loved it. Both characters frustrated me at times by their words and actions. I don't view that as a fault of the story but rather part of what drew me to it. There was immaturity at play and growth happening. Yes, there were misunderstandings and non communication, but I think that was part of the characters themselves.

There were some fabulous heart melting moments. I think I may need to add at least one of these to my list of most favorite scenes in a book. Oh, Mercy!

I'd like to thank Covenant Communications and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When the young Duke Nicholas is ready to find a wife, you know that the mamas of the ton will be chomping at the bit.

He feels the need to be as proper as can be. He finds the right one right away, but she has no idea that she is talking about the Duke, to the Duke.

Mercy is confused and unsure when his attentions come her way. Nicholas won't drop her facade of being exactly perfect in every way. And that facade keeps her from getting to know him. So she decides to play a game of courtship in her own way. Too bad that game takes a turn that she wasn't expecting when her heart unexpectedly becomes entangled.

I kept wanting Nicholas to snap. I wanted him to just say one thing that would allow Mercy to see him and not second guess. The tension was great and it kept me coming back to see when it would snap. It finally did and was worth the wait.

I'm not always a huge 3rd act break up fan, but when it is done well it can be beautiful. This was one of those great 3rd act break ups. The intentions were more than just stupid miscommunication-in my opinion. Esther did a great job with this book.

This was a great way to end a series. I'm very happy with how this ended. (And that ending!! Oh my gosh swoon!)

This is my first Esther Hatch book and my first in the series.

The protagonists Nicholas and Mercy want the same thing, a marriage based on love. But due to circumstances and miscommunication take a long time to get what they want.

Both Mercy and Nicholas are attracted to each other. Nicholas has been hurt in the past when he was very young and impressionable and has since curbed his emotions and feelings quite tightly. So when he decides to court Mercy, she is just not taken in by him. Between him not letting down his wall, her being a bit childish and annoying, other women jumping into the equation along with family pressures, you get one big drama filled with angst (a bit too much).

Overall, I enjoyed the read. The authors writing style is good, and I think I'll go back to book 1 of the series. #netgalley #AProperFacade

3.5 STARS

This is an enjoyable read for sure, but I did struggle with the heroine, especially with her constantly pushing the hero toward other women. None of that part of the plot felt romantic at all. If you get into the story and feel the same, I will say the romance definitely picks up, though I wish it didn't take quite so long.

So, while the pacing and some of the plot weren't my cup of tea, I liked the book still.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

Another amazing book by Esther Hatch! Honestly as I begin every book of hers, I tell myself that it probably won’t be quite as good as all of the others — but instead each one seems to surpass those I’ve read before. And that is definitely no easy task!

Nicholas is such an interesting character and so well drawn. He has based his life entirely on propriety following an incident that happened when he was much younger and his ultimate self reproach. He, therefore, decides to make a very logical and informed decision when choosing a wife that can help him in his political career.

All of that begins to quickly disintegrate from the moment he unexpectedly meets Mercy (which is a rather “meet cute”). Mercy, who is such a delightful character, is Nicholas’ opposite…overflowing with laughter and charm.

As Nicholas tries to woo her, his feelings are anything but obvious to her, and yet internally he is like an inferno that he constantly tries to repress — doing his best to hide this side of him from her and from society. Unfortunately Mercy believes his intentions toward her are purely practical and unemotional so she plots to find someone better suited for him… until THAT KISS!!

There is some confusion and drama that interrupt what is obviously the beginning of an outrageously beautiful romance — but fear not, you will definitely get a most delightful HEA from Esther Hatch!

One of the things I particularly like about stories from this author is that we get to meet any number of characters from previous stories which only adds to the feeling of being part of their world.

I most highly recommend this book! I can’t wait till it eventually comes out in audiobook format, so I can share it with my daughters.

I received an advanced copy of this one from NetGalley. I was asked to give my honest opinion which I have done above.

I didn't want to put this one down! I love this series but this one is might be my favorite!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

English romance and royalty come to life in this latest novel by Esther Hatch. The Duke of Harrington is trying to live up to his father's legacy and make inroads while fighting for just causes in Parliament. But due to a past indiscretion, he is fighting an uphill battle. Mercy Rothschild has been given a long leash by her indulging parents when it comes to finding a husband. So, when she enters her third season in London, she gaily enjoys the numerous balls without a care in the world. But this season is different - her parents are constantly questioning her as to who might be a suitable match. But Mercy has no idea what has changed. The Duke decides maybe it is time to take a wife - and he has a plan - that's always his way. Plan every little detail, take out the guess work and who needs to worry about feelings? Just approach this logically and practically - having a wife will help him further his goals and give some woman a wonderful match in return. But can it be? Follow along and Mercy and the Duke stumble through a maze of unpredictable circumstances. Can they listen to their hearts respectively instead of what the ton requires? Or will family scandal and detailed plans ruin whatever future they might have?

I was gifted a copy of this novel by the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this series. It was so fun to have another book to read with some of our favorite characters reappearing. Nicholas and Mercy were a cute couple. I related to this romance more than others because of my own courtship with my husband. I enjoyed the other novels and how they included some elements of business, this book however was mostly driven by the romance and it just felt that there could have been more here. All and all it was still a fun read.

I love Esther Hatch and have really enjoyed this series. Nicholas is great and I was happy with many scenes in the book (the cravat scene stands out) and the ending, but there was a bit too much one step forward, two steps back for my liking.