Thank you Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Lady Would Know Better follows to story of a young woman who, after an accident, is found without her memories. While recovering in Mulgrave Hall with those who found her, Jane works to try to regain her memories. Jasper, the new Earl of Belhaven, is vexed by their new houseguest. After promising to never open his heart again, meeting Jane and the feelings she awakes within him are making it difficult to keep that promise. Miscommunication, heartbreaking pasts, and absent memories cause turmoil in Mulgrave Hall. Their only goal was to help Jane heal, but maybe she’s helping the Maycotts heal too.

I absolutely adored this book! Jane was so kind and determined, her character warmed my heart. Jasper is the king of miscommunication trope and putting his foot in his mouth! A Lady Would Know Better is more than a romance, it’s a story of found family and healing from trauma. The multiple strong, resilient female characters were the icing on top!

I feel absolutely awful but I could not finish. I got about 25%. I started it, put it down since I couldn’t get into it. Decided to pick it up and try again and just sadly this one wasn’t for me. It just could not capture my attention and I’ve seen such great feedback I just couldn’t push through anymore.

In this fun Regency romance, the Earl of Belhaven, Jasper Maycott, discovers a woman unconscious in the snow, pleading for help. With no memory of her past, she takes on the name “Jane” and captivates Jasper with her charm and beauty. As they navigate the complexities of her amnesia and the dangers that threaten her, Jasper grapples with his own grief and the responsibilities of his title. The slow burn romance between Jasper and Jane unfolds against a backdrop of societal expectations and personal loss. The author masterfully depicts the emotional struggles of the characters while exploring themes of identity, love, and the societal constraints placed on women. With each turn of the page, readers are drawn deeper into Jane’s mystery, as her past threatens to catch up with her. The relationships she forms with Jasper and his siblings serve as a catalyst for healing, both for Jane and for Jasper as he learns to open his heart again. With relatable characters and witty banter, the narrative keeps readers engaged as they unravel Jane's mysterious past alongside her.

Romance readers will find delight in the rich character development and the intricate relationship dynamics between Jasper and Jane. The slow burn romance is filled with tension and yearning, allowing readers to invest in their journey toward love. The witty exchanges and heartfelt moments create a captivating atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre. Additionally, the exploration of grief and healing adds depth, making the characters' struggles relatable and engaging. With a blend of mystery and romance, this novel promises an enjoyable escape into a world of love and societal intricacies. I REALLY want a book with Japser’s sexy doctor friend ;) I also liked the family dynamics and how they all try to support each other. Definitely low on the spice scale, but a sweet and enjoyable weekend read.

I don’t know why I thought I would enjoy this book. I’ve never been a fan of “Bridgerton” era books. I guess at the tail end of 2024 I decided to branch out. Well I can officially confirm in 2o25 these styles of books are not for me. Maybe if this book was shorter I would’ve enjoyed it more but sadly this book dragged on.

The only reason I didn’t DNF this book was because of Jasper. I found him to be super relatable. He’s a character that has loved and lost and overall just a genuine good person. However, my love for Jasper wasn’t enough to sell me on his relationship with “Jane”. There constant push and pull felt repetitive and dragged from chapter to chapter.

Also another random gripe I had revolves around historical accuracy. I graduated from college with a history degree now my focus wasn’t on this era however if I remember correctly names were used in a formal manner. First names weren’t commonly used on first basis. Also Gentleman weren’t allowed to just visit ladies bedchambers. Like come on even Bridgeton got that right. Overall, this wasn’t for me and even though I didn’t love it maybe someone else will.

Big thank you to NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This really wasn’t for me. The amnesia trope is not really one I enjoy and I’ve also discovered regency romance is not for me. With all of that said, I feel like this book was well written, maybe just a little long for me. I enjoyed the banter between the MCs!

I really enjoyed this debut. I felt there was some plotting and character issues that kept me from giving this book more then 3 stars but overall I am excited to read more from this author in the future if the premise intrigues me.

“You cannot think that being reckless is living, either, Jane.”
“Neither is simply surviving.”

A Lady Would Know Better was an awesome read. Jane falls from her horse in Jasper’s lands and wakes up without her memories. That theme is written with a lot of tact, and creates some kind of suspense that makes the book a page turner. Far away the intention for me to spoil, but I loved that in the end we don’t know every little detail, it made the book feel truer. In the end, even without amnesia, we all have things to discover about ourselves, no matter how old we are. Women’s condition is another deep theme in the novel, and the author dealt with that with a great balance, crafting powerful feminine characters but without denying their need to be protected by a man –because of the Society’s rules that makes them vulnerable (OMG the epilogue).
As a consequence of her memory loss, Jane begins to think she’s a burden. However, she remains strong and empowered. Jasper –the MMC– is very interesting too. Afflicted by many losses, he closed himself to feelings –and life. He becomes an empty shell full of the torment of grief, making him complex and hesitant (and then very human). I loved how he progressively takes on his responsibilities and realizes it doesn’t have to come with pain. He is what I love the most in a MMC: empowering. He lets Jane and his sister act, and trusts them to make their choices, even though he doesn’t always approve, even though sometimes it doesn’t end well. His very mature behavior makes them stronger –makes him stronger– and in this very patriarchal society it was super refreshing.
In the end, that story felt like a mystery, but with a taste of a Christmas tale, in which characters find a taste for life again. I can’t wait to read Emma Thériault’s next book, and I hope it will feature the story of one (or several) side characters of this one, as they are all very lovable.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Emma Thériault and NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

I will say that at first I was not sure about this book because the cover seems like it would be a rom-com. Nothing wrong with rom-coms, they just are not for me. But this book? Oh my gosh. I loved it. The banter was hilarious, but I also loved the family aspect.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!,

This book had good potential and an intriguing plot, but fell flat at times for me. The pacing was too slow and I got tired of the miscommunication/infighting/stubbornness on display.

“A Lady Would Know Better “ is the first book I read from Emma Theriault.
This is a historical romance set in 1877 in England.

Jasper is the Earl of Belhaven. After he finds a woman in the snow, he takes her home and finda that she has amnesia. The woman, initially called Jane (after Jane Austen), tries her best to recover her memory. There is an insta-love (lust) between them, but Jasper tries his best to fight his feelings. He is still grieving after losing his fiancée, parents and older brother.

The story has a slow pace until the last 20% when there is a twist. The chapters are short, there is a dual POV with narration in 3rd person.
Reading this book I realized that I do not enjoy much the historical part of it, but the mystery and romantic part kept me interested.

Thank you Entangled for this ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was a delightful read! I loved the mystery surrounding Jane's true identity, and the way it intertwined with the complex issues both her and Jasper's families were facing with loss and grief. The characters were endearing, making the story enjoyable, though the slow burn romance did feel a bit drawn out at times. While I’m not always a fan of misunderstandings causing drama between characters, it was handled well here and resolved quickly, which kept the plot moving.

Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Emma Theriault for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Emma Theriault for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is a historical romance featuring a damsel in distress with amnesia and a family that has suffered the loss of several loved ones. Jasper, the main male character is struggling to figure out how to grieve and lead his family when he has lost so much. And Jane has lost her memories during an accident and doesn’t know who she is or where she came from.

I really enjoyed the start and the end of this book. What dropped the rating for me was the middle of the book. The start really got things going with a mystery with Jane and a grieving family with the Maycott family. The interactions between them all were great and I enjoyed all the characters. Unfortunately after this, we entered a long period of repetitive, internal fighting where the characters just couldn’t succumb to their longing for each other. This continued for too long and nothing much happened during this. Once the ending came, it was fairly quick and I did enjoy how the author wrapped it up. I just needed a bit more in the center of the story.

This book had some great moments but ultimately fell flat for me. This was just meh. It wasn't something I will keep thinking about after finishing and I'm not sure I would remember it to recommend to others.

This is the second book I've finished this year and unfortunately, it is the second book that was firmly meh. I read other Goodreads reviews after I finished it to see if I was alone in how I felt about this book, buuuutt there were a few other people that agree with me. 

This book was long. Like at least 100 pages too long. It was very back and forth on the "will they/won't they" romance between Jane and Jasper, and I often wanted to shout at them to get on with it. It is very much a slow burn romance in A Lady Would Know Better, and while I enjoy romances like that to an extent, I did not find this enjoyable until maybe the last 30% of the novel. How in the world am I supposed to stay entertained for 70% of a book that is just a back and forth between the two main characters of "I can't because I don't remember who I am!" or "I can't because she doesn't know who she is!" or, my personal favorite, "I swore never to love again!" It was so frustrating. And spice? Yeah, for how long we waited there is one scene. One. I'm not a huge spice girly, but I still want the ends to justify the means. The spice was very vanilla. So don't go into this book expecting that type of novel.

So, now that I've ranted about the back and forth romance that is wayyyy too slow burn, I want to talk about some things that I really did like. I loved each of the characters. I loved how developed they were and that the author clearly knew them so deeply. I could definitely imagine her writing these characters with a smile on her face because I felt how deeply she cared for each of them. I always love when I read a book and can tell how much love and care went into building the characters from the ground up. It was evident that the characters were her babies and it was my favorite part of the novel. 

Andddd I just remembered something else that really peeved me. The climax of the story when Jane finally finds out about her family and where she came from? Oh. My. Gosh. It was SO DISAPPOINTING. I'm going to add a quick spoiler alert and tell y'all why it literally was the worst. 

Spoilers ahead.

So when Jane/Hetty finally confronts her cousin and aunt who are trying to steal her inheritance, Jane/Hetty remembers that she was a master swordsman, points a sword at her cousin, and her aunt and her cousin pack up their things and LEAVE. No fuss. No fight. They are broke, being chased by debt collectors, and legitimately leave without a fight. Like WHAT??? I am so upset. I read through this whole book waiting for it to get super exciting for THIS??? Sigh. Someone should have developed a more satisfying ending because the lack of spice and this after all that buildup is probably the most disappointing thing I've finished reading in a long time. 

Overall, this book was far too long for the amount of plot that it had (or lack thereof). The characters were obviously developed with love and care and they were 100% my favorite part. The ending, though? Disappointing to say the least. 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3 for social platforms. A huge thanks to the publisher for offering an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

***This review will be posted on my blog on January 16th at 12pm CST, and then all other social platforms at publication or after it's posted on my blog if the platform allows pre-publication reviews.

4.5 🌟

Such a fun and cute period romance book! Perfect romance book to read with a cuppa tea and binge in a single sitting ☕️

Thank you Entagled Publishing for the ARC!

This fun historical romance was a delight to read - our FMC ("Jane") has amnesia from apparently falling off a horse, and is discovered and rescued by our MMC, Jasper, who is determined to remain closed off after prior tragedies have hardened his heart. Jane, of course, is too witty and pretty and clever to let Jasper stay stoic for long. Jasper's siblings are also very entertaining as support characters, and the mild mystery of figuring out who "Jane" really is creates a strong throughline for the story. I really liked the entire thing, although it dragged a little toward the middle. Overall, a solid 4 stars and I hope there are more stories to come involving this family! Great comp read for fans of Virginia Heath or Martha Waters.

Thanks to the publisher, author, and netgalley for the chance to read and review!

A Lady Would Know Better kicks off when Jasper, the Earl of Belhaven, finds a woman unconscious and nearly frozen on his estate. She has no memory of who she is or where she came from.

The romance was sweet and slow-burning, and I like how the characters' dynamic developed over time. Jasper's reluctance to let him self feel anything after past heartbreak added some nice adversity and tension, and Jane's mysterious backstory kept me curious!

That said, the pacing was a little slow at times, which made it hard for me to stay fully hooked. There were moments where I just wanted things to happen already, but that just might be me. If you're into a slower, character-focused romance, you'll probably enjoy it more.

Overall, it was a charming read with some great moments, even if it didn't completely wow me. Definitely worth a read if you're into historical romances!

I love a good historical romance and I’m coming to really love the ones that are more progressive. I was so excited when I received this arc from Entangled Publishing (thank you thank you), but I did find it harder to finish than I expected.

I’d rate this 3.5 stars but I rounded up. I enjoyed the characters immensely but I found the plot to be somewhat lackluster. It had sparks of greatness and I have very high hopes for more stories from other characters!

Our main characters are your typical first book in a series characters. Not the best ones, but the ones who lay the foundation. The siblings, the Earl’s friends and Lady Louisa are the characters I’m dying to read more about, and to see more about what happens with Annabelle’s house (a refuge for women). This is I believe a Victorian Era romance based off of clues in the story, but it’s not solidly established which leaves you somewhat adrift at times in terms of setting.

Anyways this sounds like I didn’t enjoy it but I very much did!

I liked this book so much. The characters were well written and I quite enjoyed the fun i had while reading it. Jasper finding "Jane" nearly frozen on his land was the beginning of a great and witty love story. Will read more from.this author for sure.

I was hooked by the first few pages and had to slow down as I participated in a read along with the publisher of the book.

This was such a sweet mix of historical romance with a little mystery as our FMC Jane we call her is found in the snow with no recollection of who she is.

Jasper MMC brings her love and care and found family (one of my favorite tropes)

I enjoyed every minute of this story and was so excited to hear directly from the author that there will be another book in the series 🤗