This is the fifth installment of the series One Night in Blackhaven. The series has been captivating so far, and this latest addition also did not disappoint. The stories all seem to happen in parallel, so many of the events occur across the stories, but we see a different angle depicted in each one. Although the books can easily be read as standalone, I think you get more out of them by reading them in order. Cornelius is the steward of his brother's land, but he also has a secret identity as the popular poet Simon Sacherverill. Alice adores his poetry, and she accidentally finds out his secret. She too, has secrets of her own and they both keep each other's confidences. Because of a traumatic experience during her season, Alice is disgusted at the thought of marriage. Although or elius quite easily falls for her, because of her distrust of men, he is afraid to reveal the tender feelings he has developed for her.
A genuinely sweet and heartfelt story that was such a pleasure to read! The story was well-written and captured my attention from the very beginning and I enjoyed it all the way through. Alice and Cornelius were a lovely couple and I enjoyed following their story. This was another lovely addition to the series!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

A Poet, a Musician, and Their Secrets

A poet and a musician are at odds; when will they realize they do not need to quarrel? Alice loves Cornelius's poetry, but when they first meet, she talks about it as if she hates it. Love is about to get in the way of their quarrels. Before they can find happiness, there are villains they must defeat.

It is always fun to spend time in Blackhaven. This series of historical romances is a delight to read.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cornelius Vale has a secret identity as the poet, Simon Sacheverill. A secret he's revealed to no one, even his family, except for Lady Alice Conway, who found out by accident.
A rocky relationship with arguments and then apologies. Her passion is composing her own music and visualizes Cornelius's poems set to music A neglected wife, a duel and a kidnapping gone wrong can destroy or make their relationship. The Vale family never disappoints with chaos and the unexpected.
I recommend reading the complete series in order. Overlapping characters.
Very heated kisses.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I felt completely in love with this author! What a lovely book. Alice and Cornelius are such likeable characters and I wouldn't mind having them as my friends in real life. The inner goodness, the growth, the maturity, the compassion, the empathy - I could go on. It is nothing more pleasant than having two characters whom you cannot help by admire.

I am very grateful for my introduction to this author by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. After reading this free copy, I went back and bought all other stories and my favorite remain the stories of Alice and Cornelius and Helen and Roderick but others were very likeable too. I assume each story was published later but the author does an amazing job by creating all these stories simultaneously and interactive without being too repetitive. She must have had a very clear vision on how she will write each storyline before she ever started the full series. It is an amazing achievement to pull this off, and I am very impressed.

I am so impressed how Mary Lancaster can keep the story lines straight of how the Vale siblings' tales all take place at the same period of time. It's quite a feat!
I loved Alice and Cornelius. They had great feisty dialog - constantly arguing and then making up. Cornelius' secret identity added extra intrigue. I'm so glad Cecily and Jack got a HEA too. I'm ready for Delilah, Aubrey and finally - THE TWINS! I have a feeling that Leona and Lawrence's stories are going to be the best of all.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I loved this book! The romance was so sweet and I loved the main characters and they were perfect for each other. I would highly recommend this book!

Cornelius and Alice

This book is another enchanting story in the Blackhaven universe. This time it centres on the love story between Cornelius Vale and Lady Alice Conway, but readers will meet a host of characters from the previous series and the previous books in this series. The storylines of the installments run parallel or overlap, with the assembly ball in Blackhaven at the centre. I find it very impressive how the author incorporates the events from her other books into the respective current story and thus weaves a beautiful overall picture.

The plot is well-written, fast paced and sweet, with a class disparity trope, very likable main and supporting characters, some villains, twists, romance, and not too graphic abuse and love scenes.

The book can be read on its own, but I recommend reading the Blackhaven Brides series and the previous books in the series first to understand the dynamics and relationships mentioned in the book.

Cornelius Vale works as land steward for his older brother and secretly writes poetry under the pen name Simon Sacheverill. He is rather aloof, shy in public and dislikes public gatherings.
At the assembly ball, he incidentally meets Lady Alice Conway, a young lady he met months ago in a bookshop in London, who had criticised his poems at the time.

Lady Alice Conway, a sister of the Earl of Braithwaite, used to be lively and daring, but since a traumatic experience during her London season, she avoids marriage, afraid of intimacy with men. She loves poetry and is a talented musician and composer who secretly dreams of performing at great concert halls throughout Europe.

When Alice first met Simon Sacheverill, whom she admires, she criticised his works out of sheer nervousness. At the ball, she finally has the opportunity to apologise to him. The two soon realise that they are very similar in some respects. Both have their secrets, which the other knows and respects. Cornelius is quickly attracted to Alice, but the class difference between them, scheming persons from their past and Alice's fear of men prevent Cornelius from revealing his feelings...

If you like romantic stories with sympathetic characters and lots of goings on, you’re going to enjoy this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

We are back in the surprisingly lively town of Blackhaven for this historical romance. This is part of a series surrounding the Vale family. Because most of the books are set around the same time you will discover things that happened in the previous ones. We still have a few siblings who haven't found love yet, so hopefully there are more stories to come. I have read them all, in order, and loved them each one. There are lots of giggles and a bit of danger and excitement. Many of our characters have hidden talents.
I loved it.

** spoiler alert ** Good. Loved how gentle the mmc was. Side characters were interesting. Loved the twins. I liked that the bastards were acknowledged and accepted into the family. A bit odd to have two sisters end up with brothers but they seem happy.

Cornelius Vale is the hard-working steward of his brother Julius’s land, but has another secret identity as acclaimed poet Simon Sacheverill. No one has ever met the mysterious poet – except the woman who once accosted him in a London bookshop and tore his works to shreds. When he encounters That Girl again at a Blackhaven ball, he is appalled. Lady Alice Conway, adores his poetry and is completely bowled over by the man. She too has secrets. She longs to play her own musical compositions in the great concert halls of Europe. And, disgusted by male physical contact, she refuses to marry. Despite frequent quarrels, Cornelius and Alice keep each other’s secrets and grow ever closer but people from their past appear on the scene.
The fifth Vale to find love & another well written, romance with secrets, brilliant banter & danger. I loved both Cornel & Alice their chemistry sizzles but it is the banter which makes this book raise itself over the parapet. I loved how Alice overcame her fears about men, after a distressing encounter. Cornel is everything you want in a hero – toe-curlingly gorgeous. Whilst it could be read on its own events & characters do overlap, so I’d recommend reading in order but then I’ve to read a series from the start. Lawrence & Leona, the Vale twins are up their shenanigans again but nearly come a cropper. I look forward to the rest of the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I have enjoyed the whole series with the Vale family so far. Their ability to overlook the origins of their siblings and to concentrate on being a family makes the Vale household warm-hearted and protective of their own. I especially have enjoyed the young twins Leona and Lawrence who make it their business to know exactly what is going on with each of their older brothers and sisters and it does escape their notice that Cornelius is spending his time working on a project that has nothing to do with his estate duties. Lady Alice first discovers Cornelius in a bookstore but when he sees her again in Blackhaven, he knows he is doomed! Both Cornelius and Alice are artists at heart and although he wishes to remain anonymous, Alice longs to be able to share her music with the world. There is unfortunately a thoroughly disagreeable character who has his designs on Alice, determined to bend her to his will, and it takes more than just Cornelius to keep her safe. There are a number of sub-plots in this novel, which keep one intrigued up to the romantic conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Oh! How I love Cornelius, the hardest working brother of the Vale family. Book Five of this fantastic series is all his. If you have read the other books, you will be thrilled with this story and visiting with all your old friends and loved ones within this family. Cornelius has a secret from him family and Lady Alice knows what it is. Will she keep his secret? Surprisingly, just as it might be discovered there is a twist in the story. Then a turn, then another twist and so on. The beauty of the story isn't just the romance that builds but all the various angles, adventures, twists and turns that take place. You will have to stay on your toes just to keep up.
Can it be ready as a stand alone? Absolutely! But should it be? Absolutely NOT! Because you don't want to miss a minute being with this family and falling in love with each of them. The twins and Aubrey are immensely entertaining so I can't wait to see what happens next.

This is the fifth book in the series and is best read in order although it could be read as a stand-alone as well. All of the books occur at the same time and the events are the same but from the different character’s perspective. I found this part annoying at first, but as I got into Cornelius and Alice’s romance my annoyance faded. 4 stars.

Lady Alice Conway can’t believe how tongue tied has gotten around her favorite poet. All the words came out wrong!!!
Cornelius Vale can not believe THAT GIRL!!! Ugghh criticizing him like that. Now she is Blackhaven what is she doing here?
What a wonderful series. Almost all Vale siblings have become hitched after they attend the assembly. Is it because the twins are helping or because it is destined? These books are wonderful separately. But you would understand what’s going on better if you read from the first.
Always full of intrigue and action and of course romance, you can’t but to enjoy this delightful book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

Tropes: enemies to lovers; MMC and MFC have secret lives
Steam level: 1-2 (post-marriage consummation scene is short and non-graphic)
Part of a series, and best if at least a couple of the previous books are read first.
TW: attempted rape and molestation on-page and in flashback

4.25 stars. This is an intelligently written, well-researched slow-burn HR, typical for the author and this series, with MC's who are easy to root for. Both are concealing their talents from Society due to their stations, and, in Lady Alice's case, her gender is also a factor. Alice and Cornelius have strong chemistry, and while the steam isn't high, it works due to the trauma in Alice's past. The banter is fun (although the misunderstandings take some of the humor out of it). Also, it's nice to see the return of previous characters, who have pretty large roles in the storyline. The plot moves along smoothly, especially in the final third, with an interesting turn of events that turns a rather unlikable character almost heroic. The epilogue is genuinely sweet.

There are a few things that kept this from being a 5-star read for me:
--This book is darker in nature than the previous entries and I felt that there was one baddie too many (particularly in regards to Alice's sexual agency), with none of the baddies getting much in the way of a comeuppance.
--I could have done without so much manipulation from the twins, who admittedly aren't my favorite characters in the series. They cross the line from cutely impish to obnoxious here.
--One subplot ends up being quite minor and has no real impact on the main plot; I thought it could easily have been left out.

Overall, though, I would rank this entry as one of my favorites in the series.

When Alice accidently unearths the identity of a famous poet, instead of praising him she insults him instead. When Cornelius later sees her at a ball he swears her to secrecy. Socializing together, they grow attracted to each other. Can their social differences be overcome? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

Cornelius Vale, second son and land steward to his brother, keeps his alter ego as a poet strictly under wraps. He is therefore horrified to find the one person that can unmask him at a Blackhaven ball. In the following days, he and Lady Alice see a lot of each other and That Girl, who criticised his poems, becomes someone he cares deeply for. However, Alice has big dreams of her own and after being assaulted, has no plans to marry. A spoilt and selfish woman, a Machiavellian duke and a dastardly plot bring colour to this sweet romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This passionate love story is something that make me dream and enjoy. Wonderfully writen, lovely characters, captivating from the very beginning to finish.

This book is the fifth one in the series, One Night in Blackhaven, by Mary Lancaster. All the previous books are set around the same time frame. There are characters and incidents mentioned about the earlier books, So, ideally one should read the books in order to maximize their pleasure of reading this book. However, it can be read as a stand alone, the way I did. I had not read any of the earlier books, yet it did not hamper my understanding of the book or the characters at all.
This book is about a sweet romance between a poet and a musician. The good thing about the main characters was that despite being artistic, they were firmly practical in their everyday lives. This is a fast paced book, with the plot developing on every page, strong supporting characters and a happy ending. I especially liked the twins, and hope there will be a book later on about them, even though they are too young in this book to have any romantic interests.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.