I appreciate being able to read this Arc, I love Historical Mysteries, they are my favorite Genre. However, as a protagonists, Verity Lark is too obnoxious for me, the story is so full of herself that it doesn't flow well, it gets confusing with her constantly telling us how clever she is, how independent she is, you get the drift, although without Hardwicke she would still be in prison! I read the entire book, but I am sorry, my honest opinion is inviolate, I didn't enjoy her constant self - aggrandizement! I guarantee everyone else will enjoy it, just not me.
Thank you #Netgalley
carolintallahassee

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lynn Messina for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Lark's Release coming out October 25, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve only read the second book in the series, so I’ve probably missed a few things. Verity is a really intelligent and strong character. I really loved her interactions with Colson in this book. I thought the book felt slightly long, but I really enjoyed the mystery. This is a series that’s really growing on me. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys regency mysteries!

This series is just sooo goooood! You must read all the books in order, beginning with Bea and especially her last A Vicious Machination.The plot structure is a little different and a bit stop and go. We learn who and why right away, before Verity. Then it backtracks as the storyline goes back to the end of Bea's adventure and then forward again as Verity figures out what's going on, the who and why. There's a secondary mystery to figure out that is never fully resolved. Just as the first mystery seems to be wrapped up, there's a shocker! The Twaddling felt more like filler and didn't have much to do with the story. That was rather dizzying and distracting from the main storyline.

I liked this one more for the character building than the plot. We learn more about Verity's background and what makes Verity the way she is. here are some really awful things that happened to her and children/young women like her so beware if you haven't read A Vicious Machination. She's been through a lot in roughly 30 years and has come out stronger because of it. She's still wary of strangers and too proud to accept help or apologize to the Duchess of Kesgrave. The least she can do is stop writing sensational Twaddle stories about the Duchess. (No, please keep them coming!) Verity is terrified of losing control over her own life. She thinks she's the master of her own fate and that comforts her, makes her proud and sometimes reckless. It was interesting to read a more vulnerable Verity who realizes there are circumstances she can't control. It's scary and upsetting for her. She tries not to let it show but there are moments when she is about to panic. It's good to have her be more three-dimensional and not so super human. She is human and makes mistakes. She beats herself up when she does because it almost cost her life and the lives of her friends but how could she have known? She didn't have all the information.

The opening scene of seduction is rather a little more graphic than I would like but not super graphic. At the end it becomes clear that this scene as observed is vital to the plot. The romantic subplot with Verity and Lord Hardwicke is heating up but still in the early stages of love. At first I thought this book was not quite as swoony as the previous story but I went back and reread the previous one and then this one and this new story is more swoony than the last! I could quite fall in love with Lord Hardwicke myself were I not devoted to the Duke of Kesgrave. He's a wonderful man and truly loves Verity no matter how hard she tries to push him away. He's intelligent, shrewd and on the same wavelength as Verity. Colson is trying to make amends after a blunder in the previous book but still has to figure things out. He has a temper and Verity may have pushed him too far. It's obvious he's utterly besotted with her but she can't quite realize it yet.

I hope there's more Twaddling and more adventures to come for Verity and friends!

I thank NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for an advance reader copy of “A Lark’s Release.” All opinions and comments are my own.

As if being accused of murder wasn’t enough (read about that in the previous book, “A Lark’s Conceit”), Verity Lark, AKA orphan Mary Price, AKA gossip columnist extraordinaire Mr. Twaddle-Thum, AKA muckraking journalist Robert Lark AKA a dozen other aliases and disguises, finds out in “A Lark’s Release” that she, Regency’s society’s greatest skewer of the ton has a whole bunch of other problems to work through in this, the fourth book in the series (that prologue had me scratching my head, but wow, did the lightbulb go off when I got further into the book). Good grief, when will she have time to give shooting lessons to “Her Outrageousness?” Author Lynn Messina has readers caught up in a whirlwind tale of greed, loathing and (potential) murder, as Verity realizes that someone is trying to kill her. Thank goodness she has friends like Delphine and Freddie and -- someone much more -- to get her through it all.

Lynn Messina tugs at the heartstrings in this one, as much as Verity would have us readers think otherwise. For this is a truly personal story, as she works through her feelings at what is suddenly happening in her life. And as usual, the author has a true grasp of time and place, in the language and dialog phrasing that’s used throughout.

There’s also a secondary story of counterfeiting and fraud at the British Museum. Oh la, that’s not important. What’s important is that Verity has realized that Hardwicke is someone she can’t do without. Lynn Messina has built this relationship up slowly and surely, and it will be interesting to see where these two fictional individuals, so unique and creative, will go from here.

Verity Lark never fails to delight! This 4th installment of the series is no exception. I am really enjoying the development of the characters and their relationship to each other through the course of the series. After this one I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and author for this ebook to read ahead of publication. All opinions are my own.

situational-humor, verbal-humor, regency, cozy-fiction, fraud, poisons, historical-novel, history-and-culture, historical-research, romantic, prison, disguises, investigations, mystery, intrigue, suspense, friends, forgery, museum, artifact, embezzlement, extortion, experiment*****

What an astounding collection of characters! The pace is breathtaking with rapid twists and undulations. I felt kind of left behind sometimes because I have never read any of the other stories. But I will!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from Book Whisperer via NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Oct 25, 2024
#ALarksRelease #NetGalley #VerityLarkMysteriesBk4

It is always a delight to read another Lynn Messina book, be it about Beatrice Hyde-Clare or Verity Lark. This newest entry in the Verity Clark story carries over somewhat from the previous book in which Verity ended up in jail for murder. That particular murder was solved so she was absolved from that accusation, but now someone is out to kill her for reasons she (and her faithful entourage) will have to determine and thwart. I enjoyed her efforts with all the usual humorous asides and interpretations. It was nice, too, to see a little more of the Lord Colson romance develop. I can easily recommend this book to any Lynn Messina fan, and I doubt that any one of those will be disappointed. I received an ARC from Net Galley, and I leave this review without any inducement, of my own free will. #NetGalley #ALarksRelease

Book 4 in the Verity Lark series gave me quite a few laughs. The side characters in the story bring balance to single-minded Verity who continually pushes aside her feelings to focus on danger and crime solving. Delphine is always there to point out the truths Verity tries to ignore about her traumatic history and her feelings about Hardwicke. In this book, we see Verity examine herself, how she became the person she is, and the challenge she now faces in letting her guard down with the person she loves. I prefer the character development to the interludes describing her many alternative identities, as I find them distracting to the main storylines.

The actual crimes involved in the story become twisted and surprising. While Bea and the Duke of Kesgrave are mentioned in passing, there is barely any overlap with the other series in this book. I struggled to remember what happened in the previous story and it took a bit of reading to feel like I understood what was going on again. The differences in people's names and titles can be confusing as to who is being spoken about. I look forward to the next book and hope that we get to see the much-talked-about shooting lesson with the Duchess of Kesgrave as well as finally having Verity and Hardwicke have an open and honest conversation about their relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book

I love a cozy mystery, and this one does not disappoint.
There is humor, Verity's many disguises, her relationship with Hardwicke, and an interesting plot that makes the book hard to put down.
I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Another great read in this series. Full of wit and humour as always. The plot was well-paced and kept my interest with the mystery being full of intrigue with multiple layers that could be one or more mysteries making it a complex case that comes to a satisfying ending. The romance between Verity and Colson is ticking along nicely and I can't wait for the next instalment. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh I do enjoy Verity and her disguises. Her ability to find out details and secrets is so entertaining. She has a delightful cast of characters to help. The book opens with her in jail. Who is helping get her out and at what cost? I like the relationship of Verity and Hardwicke. The dust on the bakery goods was a surprising twist. That is just one of several twists There are just so many ways to die in this day and time! The book is a good escape read. I look forward to the next one.

I just love cozy regency mystery and when I pick up a Verity Lark Mystery I know just what to expect. Various disguises, a sudden death and a murder revelation that leaves you saying: I knew it! Fantastic fourth installment, the only thing I'm missing is finally a meeting between Bea and Verity from Verity's point of view.

You can always count on Lynn Messina’s books to be fun and humorous. A Lark’s Release, the 4th in the series, is no exception. Messina writes in 3rd person, though only Verity’s perspective, which o strongly prefer over the 1st person commonly used by other writers of this type of story.
Verity and crew investigate fraud at the museum and poisoned pastries close to home. I especially appreciate the development of Verity’s relationship with Hardwicke in this one
I think someone new to the series might struggle to pick up here, and truly this might be best appreciated by first reading the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series (which I generally prefer to the Verity Lark series).
Overall an exciting read and cannot wait for more!

Reading a book by Lynn Messina is always such a delightful ride. I was laughing and smiling so much while reading this story that my cheeks hurt! I have no regrets.

When Verity met Beatrice Hyde Clare, Duchess of Kesgrave, in the last book in the series, I assumed their two stories were merging. That’s not the case yet! Verity is trying to figure out who attempted to frame her for stealing from the British Museum and who sent chocolates laced with poison to her. Promises to teach the Duchess to shoot a gun are forgotten as she investigates with her friends by her side.

As usual, the intricacy of the mysteries makes this book unputdownable. How can you stop to eat when there are so many threads dangling? You know they’ll come together if you just give it a few more minutes. Or hours.

Verity and Hardwicke are such a fascinating pair and there are significant developments in their relationship in this story.

There are some “Easter eggs” in this story that won’t be obvious to those who haven’t read Messina’s other books. Let this be a nudge to read her backlist because seemingly innocuous moments (like making a plan to go see a garden hose demonstration) take on new meaning if you’re familiar with her work.

What an absolute joy this was. As always, I’m eager for more!

Oh how I love this series and Bea's! It is amazing how they progress parallelly giving you different perspectives and hindsights into the characters.

Another really clever entry, A lark's release follows the events unfolding after Bea manages to solve the mystery behind Verity's incarceration.

But can she be free of her tumultuous past? Another puzzle piece is revealed and Verity is in really high waters.

Delphine is once again a perfect sounding board for Verity and what about Grint? May there be something buried under the contemptuous surface?

I have received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

A Lark’s Release by Lynn Messina.
A cozy regency mystery at its best.
It’s always a joy to read a book by Lynn Messina and A Lark’s Release is no exception. It is absolutely delightful.
As always, Lynn Messina's fantastic sense of humor and wit are on full display. She has done an excellent job of creating suspense and intrigue throughout the book. The mystery is intriguing. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish, ending on a very satisfying conclusion.
The MMCs are charming and witty. Verity (with her many disguises) and Colson Hardwicke, her love interest, are delightful . The side characters are also great, especially Verity's life long friends - Delphine and Freddie - bringing humor and support to the main cast.
The crossover between Verity and Beatrice, The Duchess of Kesgrave is fascinating.
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the next one.
A Lark’s Release is the fourth book in the wonderful Verity Lark mystery Series. To all fans of Cody mysteries, I highly recommend reading the entire series in order.

This book was just okay! The writing was not the best, it felt a bit rushed and sloppy and not much tired together. The plot was lacking and the characters were pretty annoying throughout the entire book, I was disappointed from this book


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!