I’ll be reviewing a historical romance called “What the Lady Wants” by Emma Orchard. After the untimely death of her husband, the widowed Lady Isabella, the reason I applied for this story it sounded different to me then the regular historical romance books where they just go to a society ball, this one sounded different and I thought I would like it, which I did, she had a list of things she wanted to do before being a widow which she ended up being and she got her friend Leo to help her out, but he also had a secret in the book he was in love with her.
This was such a great read, I couldn't stop reading it it didn't take me long to finish the book. I just loved Emma even though I felt bad for her that her husband passed away, but she found new love and that is what counts so she did not have to be alone.

Leo was such a great character to love and I thought he was caring and loyal and honest.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me this arc, 100% opinions are my own.

This is a fun read, but I'd say... maybe not for everyone's taste.

It reads a bit like the classics, it has a lot of lengthy text about feelings and descriptions about the scenery. Therefore, it might be a bit hard to get into it if you're not used to this type of writing.

However, the dialogue was nice and flowy, sometimes even funny. I enjoyed the main character's conversations and didn't mind that it was a fast burn type of romance. No, it was not the swoony sort of romance. It was lust-filled, and maybe not very realistic but it was still fun to read it!

I usually like my characters a bit more developed, with more back-story so that I can really root for them, and it didn't happen with this book. But I quite liked the plot: whenever I stopped reading, I'd be wondering what was going to happen with the couple.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this book, and to the author/editor for accpeting my request to read it!

4.25
This was a fun surprise! I've never even heard of Emma Orchard, but picked this up on a whim because the summary sounded intriguing and I'm glad I did! Read almost all of it in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down, although it did lose a bit of my interest at the end as I just wanted them to hurry up and resolve their conflicts (a common issue with historical romance for me).

Lady Ashby is a fairly recent widow and having a hard time coming to terms with her beloved husband's sudden death. To help her cope, she makes a list of things she wants to do one last time, starting with a kiss. She picks the handsome Captain Leo as her first choice of lover and he is more than willing to go along, having been in love with her for a long time prior. Of course, he doesn't tell her that although he secretly hopes she'll fall in love too.

This is a wild ride and has me wanting to go back and read the first two books in the series! There is a trope that a lot of people don't like near the end, but I won't spoil it. Definitely is foreshadowed though, so you might see it coming like I did. Normally I would dislike it, but since I knew it was coming I didn't mind it.

Ever since reading Bridgerton a few years ago l've been craving something like it. This is the perfect historical romance with a little smut, a little drama, and a happy ending to wrap it all up 47
After the untimely death of her husband, Isabella decides to resign herself from London society and return to her parents' estate in Yorkshire. Before she does that, however, she wants one last hurrah. She devises a list of things (s) she would like to experience once more before she embraces her life as a widow. She recruits Captain Leo Winterton to help complete her list. What starts as a friends-with-benefits, 1816 style, ends with Captain Winterton developing feelings. But Isabella has promised herself that she will never remarry after her husband's passing Will he coax her into marrying him or will someone discover their sordid affair first?

1/5

I didn't like this at all. The writing style wasn't for me and the whole book was more of a "tell, don't show" which I'm not a fan of.

Isabella and Leo didn't have any chemistry whatsoever and it didn't even feel like Leo was in love with her. We were told that he was but as usual, it wasn't shown well. Also, we were reminded how they were kind of cousins all the time which took away the joy for me and made me dislike them as a couple (granted, they're not literally related: Leo is the first cousin of Isabella's sister in law - (though is she her sister in law is she is married to her husband's brother? Who knows). But anyway we were reminded how they were kind of a family and that's why Leo was trustworthy.

It took away all of the excitement for me. Also, for her he was just a stranger, and the description of the book lets us believe that Leo was Isabella's friend. That's why I wanted to read this book, I thought it would be friends to lovers where Leo loved Isabella for years and lined for her but didn't do anything about it because she was married. Not but now that she's not, he finally has his chance.

That's not what the book is about.

The writing is awkward and stiff, the characters are less than appealing and the plot is kind of boring tbh. I was hoping that Isabella would enjoy her encounters with Leo more, but all she did was to think about her list all the time which made the moment she realized she loved him and then accepted it, out of nowhere. There wasn't any foundation of it tbh.

I didn't enjoy the book at all. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an ARC for an honest opinion.

What the Lady Wants is the third book in Emma Orchard’s The Runaway Heiress series. This follows the widowed Lady Isabella Ashby who we met in the previous book. She is a young widow who lost her husband in the war and was devastated. In this book she attempts to take back control of her life and her future. She decides she needs a lover to help her move on. She decides on Captain Leo Winterton with the avowal that she will never love any man apart from her late husband. Unbeknownst to Isabella, Leo has loved her for years. When she propositions him, Leo knows he cannot let her go to any other man and agrees. But when Isabella realises Leo has feelings for her, will she be able to face the truth of her own feelings? Or will it lead to ruin for them both?
This was, as always a very well written book with characters speaking and behaving within the strictures of the time. I do like that about the author. Isabella is a strong heroine – more so since she almost lost herself in her grief after her husband died. She is the one to realise last how she felt for Leo and it was understandable that she did not want to betray her love for Ash. Leo was a wonderful hero. He was a bit of a beta hero. He was very sweet and considerate of Isabella and always put her first. His crushing disappointment and subsequent actions to protect his heart when he realised Isabella might not ever be able to love him was reasonable.
While Isabella and Leo are the main crux of the novel, they are surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters. I love Hal and Cassandra [from book one] and the rest of the family.
I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unfortunately I have not read any other Emma Orchard books, which is unfortunate because I really enjoyed this book.

Being compared to Bridgerton is a tough order, that series has taken the world by storm since the Netflix series hit the screens but while there is the steamy regency vibe this does manage to stand on its own feet. There is a bit more depth to the characters in this book than others I have read and the author has captured the world well.

Alas, too much spice and not enough relationship development for me. However, other readers who adore steam will devour this tale of a widow who creates a sexy to-do list after her husband's death.

Isabella is a young widow who wants to move on from the sadness of her past and take control of her future. She thinks that the best way to do this is by having a fling (following her list of things she wants to experience) so she propositions naval captain Leo - who's always been in love with her, though she doesn't know this and tells him that she can never love anyone other than her late husband. Leo, not wanting anyone to take advantage of her, agrees to her scandalous proposition...

Lots of steam and stolen moments together; but there's more to the book than that. It covers grief, infertility, and the power of love to heal.

Thank you to Boldwood, Netgalley and the author for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions below are my own.

This is my first of Emma Orchard's historical fiction romances - and it did not disappoint! For readers whose favorite Bridgerton novel is Francesca's story, this is the book for you - it has similar tropes, with a widow who is finally free from society and genuinely grieving her husband and a man who has harbored a crush for years. We get all of the yearning, with a healthy dose of spice. Also for anyone who loves a good "teach-me" moment in their spicy romances, though in those case it's more of a list of sexual acts and one-sided pining - but the tropes certainly did not disappoint!!

The premise for this book was really interesting, and while I enjoyed the fact that it was focused on female empowerment given its historic setting, the book just didn't work for me. The scenes about "the list" were well written and steamy, but there wasn't much of a plot and hardly any character development or build up. I would class this as erotica rather than fiction or romance, because there isn't really a storyline beyond the spicy scenes. I'm sure this book is perfect for some readers, but it just wasn't what I'd expected.

I received a copy of this for my honest review

This is a fun historical romance - great for fans of bridgerton .

“You are my mistress, in any possible sense.”

Emma Orchard did it again! I absolutely adored Isabella and Leo’s story. Once again, we follow an empowered woman, who knows exactly what she wants, and her tribulations in a society that doesn’t fit her expectations. Just like in A Duke of One’s Own, there is a perfect balance in the writing, making its sounds like a regency book, especially in the dialogues that sometimes reminds of Austen, while remaining easy to read, with a great flow. This modernity while keeping some loyalty to the usual historical romance can also be found in the plot with all the modern challenges faced by the characters, the steam (OMG the steam!) or the diversity involved in the cast.
What the Lady Wants is the 3rd book in a series, but it can be read as a stand alone (though you’ll probably want to read them all, and discover all this melting family). We follow Isabella, a young widow who tries to find some control back in her life –and memories– before she truly withdraws from society in her parent’s house. For that, she makes a (scandalous) list and asks her friend Leo to help. Problem is, Leo is in love with her (always has been) and it’s the last thing she wants. Even though steam isn’t the reason why I read romances, I loved it here, as it’s how Isabella gets a grip on herself and her life, discovering a lot of things about herself, and finally managing to grieve. I also loved all the hints about neurodivergence in her characters, and it perfectly fitted with the freedom she takes from society. In the end, What the Lady Wants is a page turner, but also a great book about women’s status, far away from clichés, perfect if you are in a Bridgerton hangover.

Thank you Emma Orchard, Boldwood books and NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Rate 4.5/5

Not much going on in this book. Mostly lots of sex that gets repetitively soon. I couldn’t get into it and was skipping pages in the second part of the book.

If you are into women rights in 1816, domineering women who like to be always in control, a gay mother in law and a man who likes to be bossed around, it will be your cup of tea.

My preference is the love story of Isabella and Ash, some tension and character development.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

I am enjoying this book so much! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

This book is an amazing Regency era romance between a naval captain and a young widow.
Isabella, who just entered society life after grieving for her deceased husband, is ready to join society for one final season of fun. She wants to take charge of her future and her decisions before resigning herself to widowhood.

I enjoyed the story very much and the both MC's were very likeable. The book was way spicier than I expected with lots of tension. I did enjoy the more feminist notions of the book with Isabella taking hold of her own life. I would have loved an epilogue to see how they did in the future.

Read if you like: historical romance, widow fmc, bucket list, friends to lovers, pining, unrequited love, lies, she’s more dominant

I wasn’t a fan of this book 😭😭 I personally didn’t enjoy the writing style or dialogue (which felt really stiff) so I find it difficult to write a review

I thought there was unnecessary detail in the book, I didn’t really care for where she sat, what she wore, and how the sleeves did whatnot.
I wasn’t convinced on Isabella and Leo’s romance, there was no chemistry and their dialogue felt super awkward. She was soooo focused on her list during each steamy scene it took all the fun out of it. I wanted her to get carried away with him and forget about the list and be in the moment. It all made me feel bad for Leo since he was so into her.

I think if you’re a fan of the tropes maybe give this a go, everyone likes different writing styles and this one just wasn’t for me.

Steamy and amusing, this Recency romance was compared to Bridgerton, which is a close comparison but not completely. Sex is highlighted in this novel and it is most definitely not the slow burn kind🌶🌶. So if you love hot romances and period fiction, this is the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this book (thanks Netgalley for the ARC!)

I didn't realize that this was book three of a series when I requested it, but it worked just fine as a standalone book. It followed the story of Isabella, sadly a widow at a very young age, asking Captain Winterton to fulfill a list of spicy requests. He's secretly in love with her, but agrees despite her saying she never wants to remarry.

The results are a fun book with more emotion than I originally expected, and some fun spice. Their chemistry was great, and they had really fun banter. I could have used some additional build up and resolution at the end, which other reviewers mention as well, but it's still one that I will recommend to others!

I loved this!
Lady Isabella Ashby is only 22 and trying to rebuild her life after being widowed at such a young age. She's determined that she will not remarry, but she does want a man and has a list of 'jobs' for him to fulfill.
A racy regency romp!


Thanks to Boldwood and Netgally for an EARC copy.