This was a cute historical romance. I've like other books by this author and thought I'd give it a try. I loved how the book started - captured my interested right away, but then I thought it slowed down a lot...perhaps too much. I wish there would have been a little more character development and maybe a little more action to the story overall.

I give this one 3 stars.

Julie Anne Long is an automatic request, automatic buy for me. I love this series SO MUCH. Every one holds up. One typo in "The Beast Takes a Bride" can be found in Chapter 13- it says "taken take" instead of just "take."

Another slow-burn, very funny romance. A not-uncommon Regency trope - estranged couple forced back in proximity and discover they have *feelings*. But, this story has a very fresh take, and damn, it works.

There was one particularly raucous conversation in the sitting room of the Grand Palace on the Thames involving fountains and other garden statuary (don't ask). I had a flashback of reading the "Dortmunder" novels by Donald Westlake, and the "gang" meeting in the back room of the O.J. Bar & Grill. Westlake was the Grand Master of absolutely pitch-perfect bonkers conversations, and I think he'd cackle at Julie Ann Long's characters.