4! This Regency-era romcom follows Margaret, a bookish heroine caught between the societal pressures to marry for stability and her secret ambition to publish her third book. After a disastrous attempt to pitch her manuscript to a publisher, she finds herself at a country house party where romance, intrigue, and witty banter ensue. The story explores the complexities of love, ambition, and family dynamics, with Margaret navigating distractions from the Arden sisters and the contrasting Darrow brothers.

Filled with clever literary references and an engaging enemies-to-friends-to-lovers arc, this novel offers a delightful blend of drama, mystery, and romance. It raises thought-provoking questions about the balance between love and ambition, making it a compelling read for historical romance fans.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for this eARC!

This was a fun book to read. I’m always a fan of reading an enemies to lovers trope. If you are a fan of Bridgerton, then this book is for you. It’s got witty banter, romance, hilarious siblings, and of course scandal.

I requested to read and review this book for free from Dell an Imprint of Random House. This story has drama, mystery romance. Margaret has ideas and ways to help support her and her family. But will the adults in her life let her do this? If something thinks outside of an idea can it be good or will it always be a bad idea. Can love help or hurt ideas? The Arden sister can be your biggest ally but also a big distraction. The Darrow boys are nothing alike but still family. Can they help each other or will everything fall apart. Can you build your dream without anything or then an idea? Can it be successful without investors? Can love be a distraction or just what someone needs? This is for a mature audience and can be read anywhere!

Cute, funny Regency-era romcom with lots of literary references. Bookish Margaret is facing the reality of marrying for stability and position, but is also secretly scheming to get her third book published and into the hands of readers. After a disastrous attempt to get a publisher interested in her book, she winds up at a country house party/wedding with said publisher., who might actually be interested in her book after all... This book has fun banter, enemies to friends to lovers, some intrigue, and diverse characters. Definitely worth reading for historical romance fans!

Margaret Arden has written a novel and hopes to have it published someday. Bridger Darrow is a publisher and has rejected Margaret’s book. With a failed attempt at persuading him to change his mind, they end up meeting at her cousin’s wedding. During the wedding events, Bridger gets to know Margaret better, and finds himself falling in love with her. With other obstacles thrown their way they are forced apart until an unexpected ally helps them reconnect.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Wow and wow! This author is brand new to me! This story has steam, enemies to lovers! We also have butter and envious aunts and other relatives. We have loyalty they kind money can’t buy! Evil misunderstood older brothers and a talented other named Margaret who writes from her heart! You won’t put this one down and it will stay with you long after the last pages are turned!
You will remember Bridger Darrow second son and owner of a small publishing company who initially crushed Margaret dreams and was made to eat those words most heartily!
Margaret spent a lot of time with her father growing up and put pen to paper most eloquently! She has sisters and her mother who stay in Mosley cottage and use this threat to subdue her and take her dreams away for security!
But what if she could have both? With the help of her sister and friend Anne she just might!
Bridger redeems himself in a way you would not think! He’s not the handsome jerk he’s portrayed as but so much more than the abusive father that raised him!

This is a tough review to write because I felt like I read two different books. The first 60% is a two-star read (more on that in a moment) while the last 40% was much better, a 3 star read.

At the very beginning of the book, main character Maggie is dismissed when she attempts to present a second copy of her manuscript to publisher Bridger Dryden. You instantly feel for Maggie, who hopes to support her mother and sisters. They've been relying on the kindness of relatives since her father died. Maggie and her two sisters seem have been going to social events with an aunt as a chaperone. Her mother is completely absent from this book, even when they travel to a family wedding.

At the wedding, Maggie realizes that her cousin, the groom, is best friends with Bridger Dryden. Both men served in the war together (Side note: It's 1817, so they clearly served in the Napoleonic Wars. They mention being in France a few times, which is curious, as very little action was in France.) A scandal at the wedding prompts Maggie and Bridger to team up to investigate. Bridger thinks his wastrel brother is involved while Maggie wants to help Ann, her cousin's new wife.

At the 60% mark, Maggie and Bridger have had one conversation about her book and all other conversations have been about the scandal. There has been no relationship development. For some reason, he grabs her and kisses her. Maggie is scared (it was her first kiss!) and pushes him away, but is soon smiling at him again. It doesn't make sense. There was an opportunity for a declaration or just an acknowledgement on Bridger's part that he was rude to Maggie. That would have served the romantic storyline much more than grabbing our sweet heroine!

Shortly after, weather makes them stop at an inn during their investigation and we get a predictable scene where they pretend to be married to get the last room. They soon confront the villain in the scandal and ruin plans for further bad deeds. Our main characters spend a night together and Bridger must leave early to take the villain away. He promises to come back in a few days, but he doesn't.

Maggie's terrible aunt finds out that she's ruined and puts her on lockdown. No writing, no library, and her letters are screened. Bridger assumes that his returned letters mean Maggie is no longer interested in him. He makes a gesture, though it's done in partnership with a woman he used to court, so it falls a little short of grand.

The woman Bridger courted before the war is present throughout the book. She cautions Maggie about getting involved with him. There are points when it felt like she was being cast as a villain when she was simply looking out for another woman. Bridger was a jerk to her, too.

The female characters, with the exception of two aunts, are appealing. If this is to be a series, I hope most care is given to crafting good men who are worthy of these fabulous women!

DNF at 33%.
The description about a woman author trying to support her family through her writing instead of through marriage sounded interesting. Unfortunately, the pace was too slow and the style too wordy to sustain my interest in #MuchAdoAboutMargaret beyond the first third of the book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @RandomHouse for the ARC.

Margaret Arden reminded me of Eloise Bridgerton. Two women who were looked down on for what they believe. Eloise for her opinions,Margaret for wanting to be a writer. How can she achieve her dream when only men run publishing companies. Enter Bridger Darrow who inherits a publishing house upon returning from the war. Will he help Margaret?
Margaret arranges to meet him at a party and let him read her book. Well unfortunately for Margaret things do not go her way. In fact things are worse off than before. High society frowns upon any arguments between men and women.Especially between a young woman who needs to take care of her family. What man would want an argumentative woman with aspirations of being a writer.? Poor Margaret! Who will help her?

This was enjoyable to read. If you like Regency Romances you will love this book. I liked Margaret and her vision for what she wants. She is a fighter. Yet will she succeed? Read to find out.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

As long as she can remember Margaret has wanted to publish a book. Encouraged by her late father, but threatened by her aunt whose charity her family depends on. Rashly she tries approaching a publisher directly. It does not go well. The novel continues with the aftermath of that and more mysteries. Rich in characters and protocols of the period.

Margaret Arden has a talent and a desire to write novels, which is highly inappropriate for a woman of her status and social standing in the time period she lives, I think late Regency or early Victorian. Nevertheless, she perseveres! However, the editor Bridger Darrow that she sends her book to doesn't give it a chance because it was written by a woman. Further, her wealthy relatives, who provide her, her mother, and her sisters with a place to live, are highly disapproving of her dream. At a wedding, she encounters the prejudiced editor, and both sparks and verbal sparring fly! He has his own personal demons to contend with, including a brute of an older brother who causes scenes and crimes wherever he goes. Margaret and Bridger team up to solve a problem that threatens the happiness of dear friends, and find they cannot fight their attraction to each other.

I enjoyed this book, Margaret was smart and assertive while doing her best to maintain propriety. Bridger was vulnerable yet strong. The only thing that took me out of the story were the "bodice ripping scenes" towards the end of the book, which seemed out of place in the story given the tone of the story up until that point.

Thank you to netgalley for a free ARC of this book!

"Much Ado About Margaret" is a romantic tale about second chances in Regency England. Previously rejected Margaret Arden must put her anger and disappointment aside when a scandalous mystery unfolds at her friend Ann's wedding. Teaming up with Bridger Dryden, a partner at the publishing firm that rejected her most recent novel, they must work together to clear their friend's name and save a marriage.
But while Margaret considers Bridger her enemy, all Bridger wants is to get his hands on the rest of Margaret's novel after reading a small snippet from a loose page he discovered after the book pages were blown out of Margaret's window. Can Margaret forgive the man who rejected her life's work?

This book was cute, but slow at times, and extremely repetitive. It is inspired by Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and each chapter starts with a line from one of Shakespeare's plays, which I loved, and was a nice callback to Margaret's childhood. There was a whole bunch of family drama, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and a couple of spicy scenes.

Read if you like:
-Regency romance
-Scandal
-Women who break norms
and
-Mystery

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute and such a fun read! It is a little outside my normal reads but I still really enjoyed the characters and the banter. Loved the setting as well! Will recommend and add to our library!

This is a regency romance with a dauntless heroine. Margaret is expected to provide for her family by marring well like her aunts did. Until now they have been living off the charity of one of those aunts who sacrificed love for security. Margaret wants to be a novelist but the aunts are having none of that. When Margaret is thrust into the marriage market aka a ball/house party she meets the publisher who rejected her manuscript. Sparks fly and a rather complex story ensues.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a so-so read for me, but only because it had big shoes to fill in the regency romance/caper department. I’m a big fan of Virginia Heath and this author can’t quite keep up. I’d have liked more romance to go with the caper elements here. But overall still enjoyable.

I am not a huge historical romance fan, so saying, I found this book a little dry. It does have a good storyline and if you enjoy period pieces, this is a great option. I am giving it 5 stars, others will love this, just not me.

I enjoyed this book and give it a rating of 3.5. It was slow initially and took me a while to get into, but I ended up enjoying it overall. I liked the premise of a caper at a wedding, but I feel as though more time could have been given to the actual relationship. It seemed very stilted at the end.

Review of uncorrected eBook file

Margaret Arden has a problem. She’s written a book [her third and, arguably, her best] . . . and she wants to have it published. But women don’t write books . . . and her aunts are worried; they want Margaret to abandon her “silly” writing and find herself a husband [especially since the family’s finances are minimal].

Maggie approaches Bridger Darrow [of the publishing company Dockarty and Company], at one of her aunt’s poetry salons, hoping to persuade him to consider publishing her book, but he cruelly dismisses her.

Will Margaret be able to find herself a publisher? Or should she heed her aunts’ advice to abandon her writing and find herself a husband?

=========

This Regency-era tale, a retelling of Shakespeare, brings wonderfully diverse characters to life; Maggie’s courage in the face of so many obstacles in both heartwarming and impressive. Ambition, family, love, courage, and the expectations of society all play a part in the telling of this charming tale.

Maggie’s rebelliousness and her courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles make her a particularly relatable heroine; some unexpected plot twists keep readers guessing as the unfolding story slowly reveals its secrets. There’s a special appreciation of a character who wants nothing more than to write books, especially since she lives in a time when women were neither encouraged or appreciated for such endeavors. [Maggie could have simply written under a male pseudonym, but she longed to see her name on the spine of a book.]

Readers who enjoy historical stories and Regency-era romances will find much to appreciate here.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Dell and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#MuchAdoAboutMargaret #NetGalley

Spice Level: 2 out of 5. Two open door scenes but BG descriptive words used.

Strong headed women in a world that wants them docile and obedient are my favorite.

Margaret doesn't disappoint, she has her nose in a book, and wants to hold strong for what she believes in. I love that she does have self doubt and is conflicted about doing what's right by her sisters. The author does a great job at showing the world and what is expected of each person in the society. The story pulls you forward, it was hard to put down at points because I needed to know outcomes.

The scandal was well, scandalous. I love that it had moving parts, high emotions and a full multi character resolution. I enjoyed the flare that Margaret added to the chaos. The mini mystery of it was fun, while it does feel a bit like instalove, I think for the time period it felt writing. Obviously she was going to have to fancy someone at some point or she was going to end up with smelly feet. Everything wraps up nicely in the end for all characters, which is also a plus. I love when small characters are given wrap ups, makes the world feel more real life.

Loved all the literary references, the bookish discussions and the enemies to lovers theme. Gives judging a book by its cover vibes, fitting of course. Overall you'll enjoy this book if you love the classics, or retellings, or just some fun historical romance.

Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this book!

Too many characters and too many extreme actions/reactions from the MCs. I think the story would have been better served by paring down the cast and perhaps hewing more closely to the characters of the play from which it takes its inspiration.