This loose retelling of Much Ado About Margaret featuring a would be writer and a grumpy publisher is delightful.

Margaret Arden wants to be a writer, but her family is pushing her to make a good marriage. Her mother made a less than prestigious marriage, and after her father's death, Margaret and her two younger sisters are left without much money. They're dependent on their wealthy aunt, who is pushing Margaret to make a good match.

Bridger Darrow is back from the Napoleonic wars, dealing with a family crisis, and trying to keep his publishing business afloat. When he and Margaret first meet, he belittles her writing ambitions. She's angry and devastated, and she's not pleased to see him again when they're thrown together at her cousin's wedding. Bridger soon realizes that Margaret is actually an excellent writer, but he's not sure he can overcome her dislike of him to be able to publish her book. As the two spar, they find they may have more in common than they initially thought.

I really enjoyed this one. Margaret is a great character and her circumstances really point out how dire life could be for women in the 19th century. Because her mother made an imprudent match with Margaret's beloved father, the family are left in a difficult place. Her wealthy aunts made excellent but not necessarily happy marriages, and they're determined to marry Margaret off to a wealthy suitor. And Margaret herself knows that this is probably her best option, but she can't bring herself to give up her dream of being a published writer and supporting herself. Bridger is a prickly character and not particulary likable at first, but he's got a lot going on and as we the readers and Margaret get to know him, you see why he's the way he is. 

This book is both a delightful romp and a serious story (much like Much Ado About Nothing, which is a comedy with some tragic elements). So, there's a bit of trauma, but also a lovely romance. I was really rooting for them.

Clever and witty, Roux's voice is fresh in this retelling that had my undivided attention. I personally enjoyed the author's choice of voice for Margaret, along with how Roux showed Margaret's courage, power, and resilience. 12/10 will be buying and adding to my collection!

A Regency era romance, with the perfect enemies->friends-> lovers trope (and maybe even a little grumpy/sunshine?)

This book is perfect if you love the Bridgeton series (or show), and also love to have a little sass/flare, and strong FMC. Margaret knows what she wants, to be a writer, and she does not want a husband, like most women do in this era. She even has the will power and courage to bring her novel with her to parties to potentially get it published. She has the courage, she has the smarts, but she is a woman well before her time period.

Will Margaret change her mind about a husband? Will her book get published? And will she figure out the mystery that has tied her and Bridger together throughout this book?

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Dell for my ARC.

This was a mix of a woman trying to make her way, a scandal to be solved and some romance added in.

Bridger Darrow rejects Margaret's manuscript, but they meet again later at her cousins wedding. A scandal ensues and Bridger and Margaret combine their efforts to solve the "mystery".

A light regency romp, but not too exciting.

thank you for the review copy! i enjoyed much ado about margaret for the most part, however i did feel like it was a bit excessively long when a lot could have been left out without notice. i found the romance charming and eventually loved the couple but i didnt connect with them as much as i had hoped. i would love to see more books from these characters, perhaps a spinoff of the sisters! they seemed so fun!

An easy regency whodunit read(sans spice). This ventured more into solving a scandal than a romance. Margaret is going against expectations and trying to be a published author. Mr. Darrow happens to be a publisher who initially rejects Margaret on multiple levels and seems to have a general dislike of women and women authors. Turns out he’s a bit of a hot mess as she learns upon future meeting at a wedding. A scandal erupts and the leads take it upon themselves to solve the scandal. There’s really no deep characters or development here. If you are looking for something to read, check this one out at the library.

Thank you Random House Publishing - Ballatine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Regency era enemies to friends to lovers
Spice: 🔥.5

Synopsis: Margaret is a modern woman sadly living in Regency-era England. She doesn't have much desire for a husband and wishes to be a published author. When she speaks to a potential publisher named Bridger Darrow at a gathering, she is rebuffed swiftly by him. They meet again at her cousin’s wedding where they ban together to solve a mystery in hopes of saving her cousin’s good name.

Thoughts: This was the perfect book to follow up the third season of Bridgerton. It was a cute romance and a little suspense mixed in. I wish there was more tension between the Margaret and Bridger; however, he did give off the grumpy Mr. Darcy vibes.

The title implies it is a retelling of Much Ado, but I didn’t feel like it was. Not saying this is bad, just adjust your expectations.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine / Dell for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

This Regency Rom com gave me the Jane Austen vibes that I wanted in a modern regency romance. I'm looking for to mor books by this author.

Margaret is a modern woman sadly living in Regency-era England. She doesn’t have much desire for a husband and wishes to be a published author. When she speaks to a potential publisher named Bridger Darrow at a gathering, she is rebuffed swiftly by him.

Later on, she encounters him at her cousin’s home, who happens to be Bridger’s close friend instead. Scandal occurs at a masquerade, and the two grow closer as they try to solve a mystery.

The only thing I didn’t care for is that I felt like Bridger’s feelings for Maggie were a bit rushed. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable book.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for this ARC.

What a frustrating time it was for women back in Regency England and even more so for women who had passions beyond marrying well and mothering offspring. But here is a pleasant surprise; a story that stretches one's imagination beyond the stereotypes. Two characters with a common interest that had me rooting for them to join forces beyond the usual. There is backstory that resolved itself quite nicely too.
Our heroine had spunk and tenacity, our hero capricious at first and in the end, one must sigh with relief that love did conquer all.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc. Much Ado About Margaret was a fun regency romance to read, but definitely was surprising, too! I thought it would be more about the struggles of Margaret Arden trying to get published as a woman, but it honestly turned it to a more suspenseful, almost mystery-like drama with some romance on the side.

While Bridger was not my favorite MC, I did enjoy Margaret!

Rating: 4/5
Spiciness: 1/5

The perfect post-Bridgerton read! Margaret is an author but of course women's passions and careers are not really important at this time. Nonetheless, she persists, gaining the courage to approach a handsome young publisher to show him her book. The meeting goes poorly as Bridger proceeds to insult her novel after only reading the first few pages. Margaret decides to forever hate him and never allow him to publish any of her future works.

As fate would have it, they both end up attending the same wedding. And thus the back and forth continues as slowly the two realize their first impressions might have been wrong.

I love Margaret not only for attempting to be more than she was allowed to as a woman at the time but for her loyalty to all. Her and her sisters have an amazing bond, and although she only barely knows her cousin's bride, she continues to believe in people. She's smart and clever and and interesting person. The romance between Margaret and Bridger was a bit rushed / out of nowhere for me. I wish the relationship had more time to build. However, I did love how much Bridger respected Margaret.

But my favorite person in the whole book was Bridger's ex. I thought I would hate her but I grew to appreciate her. She was strong and kind and she rose from the ashes but wasn't bitter. She surprised me the most and I love women who support other women, and know their own worth outside of a man.

For me, this was only ok. There wasn't much chemistry between the two leads and the mystery subplot was weak and underwhelming as far as scandals go. The writing also didn't stand out much to me against other histroms.

I really enjoyed Madeleine Roux’s House of Furies, so when I saw she was taking a foray into historical romance, I knew I need to check it out. I’m pleased to say that this was an excellent step into historical romance.

Margaret’s character build is fantastic as is Bridger’s. I enjoyed Margaret (Maggie)’s will to flout the expectations of her overbearing aunts who want her to marry well and pay for the sins of her mother, who married for love. However, Maggie absolutely adored her father and received her pension for storytelling from him, which is why she has written a book in his honor that she is desperate to get published.

That’s how she initially gets into it with Bridger, who is a book publisher. She brings her book to a salon after having sent it to his publishing office without response. Bridger, who honestly didn’t give the manuscript much of a chance in the first place, turns Maggie down in a most embarrassing fashion. Of course, the embarrassment was not necessarily on purpose – with his less than excellent father on his death bed and his older brother Paul off gambling and galivanting when he should be preparing to take over the family title, the former soldier-come-publisher doesn’t have much patience for social affairs. Unbeknownst to either, this will not be the last time they will see one another.

Upon his arrival at his best friend Lane’s country house wedding, he finds himself once again face to face with Maggie, who just so happens to be Lane’s cousin. Neither expected to see the other, but they find themselves in a series of events that thrust them together in the most unpleasant – or perhaps very pleasant – of ways.

The above is all well and good, but what the synopsis does NOT talk about is the scandal that happens at the wedding. The bride, Ann, a delightful woman of British/Indian descent, is seen kissing another man the very evening after her nuptials…or is she? As Maggie and Bridger pursue the real culprits, they find themselves stuck at an Inn in a storm with a one bed room and the perpetrator onto them.

It also doesn’t talk the issues that their adventure above will cause. There was plenty of mystery, heartbreak, enemies to lovers and one bed to keep anyone. Truly awful and unredeemable characters as well as survivors finding love. The Tertiary characters are also fantastic, and I look forward to seeing what else Roux can do with the genre.

Thanks so much to Netgalley, the author, and Random House for the advanced copy in exchange for the above honest review.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Another Regency woman ahead of her time, I love it! Margaret is a smart, talented writer, with a good head on her shoulders. The only thing holding her back is being a woman in a man’s world. Bridger is reviewing ledgers and taking over the roles of his family’s publishing company and perhaps these two could help each other out when their paths cross…Roux beautifully examines and challenges gender stereotypes throughout the course of this novel
In a delightful fashion. A wonderful blend of the best of both worlds; the characters are relatable enough that you might even find yourself thinking you would be friends with them in our modern day. And if the recent pop culture has shown us anything, there is so much romance in the Regency era and Much Ado About Margaret does not disappoint!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be posted on instagram closer to the publication date!

Margaret is a writer desperately in search of a publisher, even though her aunt wishes she were in search of a husband. She meets Bridger, a publisher, and instead of falling all over her and her book, he quickly dismisses her and her dreams of seeing her book in print. Too bad for these two, they are summarily thrown together and have to work their enemies-to-lovers trope out and solve a scandalous mystery to save their friends’ reputation.

I see you, Roux. This book is smart. The Shakespearean allusions and romantic tropes are lovely, as well as the chemistry between between Margaret and Bridger. It feels old, it feels new, and there is a lovely wink and a sneer with the whole Regency genre - it borders on romcom with historical detail but ends in a little spice. I love that it is in part a mystery, a romance, and a historical fiction. One of my favorites this year. I truly think it is an original in a sea of same. Nice work and highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. As a first time reader for Madeleine Roux, I was glad to find another author whose prose and writing style I greatly enjoy, and that alone has me looking forward to future books.. However, I was surprised by, what I felt like, was the sidelining of the main romance and the FMC's writer plot line. I went into the book expecting something completely different. That being said, this is a good read for anyone who enjoys multiple fleshed out characters and storylines interweaving throughout a book. Will definitely check out any future historical romances from Ms. Roux.

3.5/5 Read

This one will give you that Bridgerton fix. Especially if you love Eloise.

This is an enemies to lovers Regency romance. I was expecting more of a Much Ado retelling due to the title but this gave more Pride & Prejudice vibes, especially with the romance and characters. Margaret is very much a Lizzie Bennett type character. I liked that she was a writer and that she was pursuing her art no matter what. Bridger took some time to warm up to. He was definitely a jerk at the beginning of the story. I was worried I wouldn't like the romance due to his behavior. However his character arc transforms him into a romantic hero. I enjoyed their dynamic and thought they were very entertaining.

I liked the masquerade part and the scandal.

A fun Regency romance that Bridgerton lovers will devour.

I really enjoyed Much Ado About Margaret! Thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballantine for this Advance Reader's Copy. This book has a fun female lead who is an author, which was very rare during the Regency period in England. She boldly brings her manuscript with her to social events, including a house party, to attempt to share it with publishers. Her ambition is strong, which sets her and this story apart from other historical romances. The main publisher she is seeking, Darrow, is handsome and intriguing, and while initially annoyed with Maggie (Margaret), he soon finds himself drawn to her. They meet again at a house party, and find themselves thrown together in situations and in the middle of a mystery. They solve the mystery but still face challenges as Maggie's aunt forbids her to publish or be with Darrow. Darrow saves Maggie's book and finds her at the end of the story, and it is wrapped up into a happy ending. I enjoyed their chemistry and the plot of this story was entertaining. It was refreshing to read about a woman who was determined to publish her novel as her main focus. I recommend this book!

4 stars! This was such a quick, cute regency era read! Although I must say, it had a good amount of back story, plot, and detail. I really loved the message about female writers and authors at that time, and I adored Margaret’s commitment to her passion. The only reason I would not give this 5 stars is because I wish it was longer! I could read much more of Margaret and Bridger’s story, they were a very enjoyable couple as individuals and a pair! I would definitely recommend this book, especially to those who like Evie Dunmore’s novels and other regency era romances! Thank you to NetGalley, Dell, and Madeleine Roux for the opportunity to read this ARC! I truly appreciated getting to know these characters & their unique story!