Historical romances need a comeback and Ms. Eloisa James is just that person. This had everything you want in a romance-- swoony lairds, unapologetic heroines, sappy love, and, of course, a HEA.

The Honorable Miss Clara has decided to jump into a strange carriage, impersonate a housekeeper so she can flee her life in London. Caelen, is not your typical laird. He cares more about being outdoors than his falling apart castle. They make the perfect team, until his past catches up to him.

I just loved these two together. Eloisa James is a hit or miss for me, but this one was amazing.

I love an Eloisa James book. This one was cute - he’s a cinnamon roll. She’s a silly but absolutely sweet woman. She arrives at his castle trying to escape a scandal, pretending to be a housekeeper instead of an actual lady. Thank goodness for her, as his castle sounds like a hoarder nightmare. He falls first, BUT massive miscommunication, in part due to his former Mother-in-law, makes her think he’s still desperately pining for his wife who died. What will it take to convince her he’s not still in love with his dead wife?

Sometimes books are just fun to read and Hardly a Gentleman absolutely fit that bill. It's quirky. It's not necessarily what you might expect from a regency romance; but, it was well worth the read in my opinion. Clara (the FMC) is her own person and marches to the beat of her own drum. She has great self awareness and knows her own faults. Caelan (the MMC) also knows who he is and is comfortable with that.

I thought the book did a great job exploring the different relationships we have in our lives and how they aren't always what we expect. I think Ms. James explored grief in a very sensitive way while also delving into what grief can look like depending on what a person's relationship is to the deceased.. Plus, this was all done while keeping the book fun to read!

I found both of the main characters to just be a joy to follow along with. It was definitely a kicking my feet, squealing kind of book.. The secondary characters, while not always super fleshed out, were likable and added nicely to the story. I liked that the nods to the previous book in the Accidental Brides series (Viscount in Love) were there for those who have read it, but this book easily can stand on its own without any confusion for the reader.

I also really appreciated that there were words I had to look up which is a rarity having grown up in a Scrabble household. I made sure to share "minatory" with my husband!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for a chance to read this book for review consideration. All opinions and ratings are 100% my own.

This one gave strong Jaime Fraser season one vibes. I was a big fan.

This one was light and fluffy, but I did find several typos/characters being used in the wrong places. Including details for the publisher.

Eloisa James’ “Hardly a Gentleman” is a delightful journey to travel with our main characters Clara and Caelen. Despite difficult situations in their lives, both have managed to maintain their individuality despite what the roles their respective societies — England and Scotland — dictate for them.

Clara is a friend I would love to have. She brings her pragmatic and positive attidue with her. I also adore how she “collects” people, thus forming a family of sorts for herself.

As the laird of Castle CaerLaven, Caelen can easily buck tradition while on his property — as long as he cares for his crofters and the village.
What each is missing — and finally finds in the other — is the one person who accepts them as they are, no changes needed.

“Hardly a Gentleman” provided me everything I look for in a great read when I want to escape my own world for a bit — laughter, tears and a desire for more than one epilogue!

I just couldn't continue with this story. I thought I was reading slowly but the book was just so... uninteresting. There was a void that kept cropping up every time I tried to connect with the story or it's characters. The main reason for this problem was the story wasn't going anywhere at all. I was about halfway done with the book and so far only the backstory/setting had happened. It just felt like a very drawn out prologue.

Clara's masquerade as a housemaid was not believed by even one character of the book so I'm not sure what purpose it served and then there was a twist and the disguise turned temporary to all. It just seemed like the story was going nowhere and was severely disjointed.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC!

Hardly a Gentleman is Eloisa James' latest work, and it is a delightful read! I was thrilled to receive this ARC. I am a huge Eloisa James fan. This is the second book in the Accidental Brides series. At the beginning of the novel, Clara, the main character finds herself in a terrible situation after a disastrous public scene with a very important person in London. Clara was introduced in Viscount in Love, and is a dreamy, charming woman who loves to read and craft animal-shaped reticules. Clara must escape from London or certainly face isolation and cruelty from her family and the ton. Her mother banishes her to Scotland to live with an elderly aunt, but during the trip north, Clara seizes an opportunity to disguise herself as a housekeeper headed to Scotland. She soon finds herself at Castle CaerLaven, a castle fallen into disrepair with an extremely handsome laird. Caelan, the laird and a widower, has a busy life taking care of his lands, his tenants, fishing and writing books. Clara is determined to be a good housekeeper, and help Caelan put the castle in order, and Caelan is intrigued by this English bookworm who landed on his doorstep.

Caelan is a widower, and everyone in his village thinks he is heartbroken, so Clara believes that he is still in love with his wife. The side characters in the village, friends and Caelan's family, are hilarious in the author's usual style. Eloisa James' books are always written with humor, great chemistry and some dramatic situations. This book has all three, and the reader finds herself laughing out loud. I loved the slow burn of Clara and Caelan's relationship, and the fact that everyone in their world seemed to know what was happening between them before they did. They are a wonderful match, and it was heartwarming to see Clara so welcomed into a new community after the way she was treated by others in the past.

This book is a wonderful addition to the Accidental Brides series. It is entertaining, steamy and very funny. If you enjoy Historical Romance, you will love Hardly a Gentleman.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

"Hardly a Gentleman" is spicy, zany, historical romance fun. Realistic it is not, but it is definitely entertaining! Clara fools no one into thinking that she is actually a housekeeper - but to be fair, she isn't really trying to do so. Caelan quickly decides housekeeper or not, he wants Clara for his own. But getting her to agree proves harder than expected. Along with Clara and Caelan, I loved the side characters in this book, and how they interact with Clara and Caelan. I did think Caelan could have been more up front about the realities of his first marriage but I also felt like he and others did put out signals that Clara wasn't getting. Even with this small quibble, however, I really enjoyed this book.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

4 Stars! Great book. This is the second book in the ‘Accidental Brides’ series and can be read as a standalone. The main characters are Clara and Caelan. I liked both of them, & they were easy to root for. Tons of witty banter between them & a few sexy times. Pretending to be a housekeeper and getting into a carriage heading to Scotland was a bit of a stretch but made for a good book. The future King of England deserves a lot more than getting smacked with Clara’s purse, he was such a pig. Her Mom is awful too. I’m glad she fled to Scotland and meets the naked fly fisher who is also the widowed Laird of the castle she’s the new housekeeper for. Dual points of view. He wants to get married but she declines, a few times, but in the end they marry. It’s a great book with an HEA ending that I’d definitely recommend.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

Eloisa James is always an auto buy/auto read for me. This was no exception. We pick up with Clara, of the animal shaped reticule fame, and get an extremely memorable scene right off the bat. After some ahem impulsive decisions, she ends up in Scotland as the world's...best housekeeper. Enter, Caelan.

What happens when you have a bachelor and a non-housekeeper under the same roof? Only good things.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this book!

3.5 stars rounded up! I did enjoy this and read it quickly, but the overall story felt thin to me. I think I realized that there wasn't really a B-plot to offer extra tension/conflict to the characters stories, rather it was mostly their inability to communicate that kept them from being FULLY into the relationship. I liked the characters well enough overall, but some of the threads to the FMC's mother and past life felt somewhat unresolved to me. I could have done without so much reference to the FMC's breasts in the beginning, it really became a distraction. Overall, I really liked the main character's interactions, dialogue, and dynamic.

After a huge scandal, Clara's mother sends her off to hide in the country. Instead, she impulsively decides to jump in a carriage that is to pick up a housekeeper for an eccentric Scottish laird. Making the best of the situation, Clara is drawn to widower Caelan. Can he put his first wife out of his mind enough to make Clara happy? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon for my honest review.

Eloisa James is always an utter delight for me; and this book is no different. I adore both Clara and Caelan and find them to be so much fun. The beginning of the novel was hands down one of my favorite and soooo original. The author did am excellent job in pacing and making characters that broke stereotypes and also made them feel real. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me an ARC of this novel! All opinions are honest and my own.

Eloisa James has been writing bangers since 1999, and she still has the magic touch with her latest novel - Hardly a Gentleman!

This is the 2nd book in the Accidental Brides series - however each novel focuses on a different couple so they can be read out of order.

Eloisa has a way of writing characters that makes them unforgettable. I absolutely LOVED Caelan (who is just the right amount of protective and noble) and Clara (who is someone I think so many of us can relate to). I found myself rooting for them and giggling alongside them through the entire novel.

As someone who has been a connoisseur of historical romance for over 20 years (gosh that makes me sound old), it literally gives me so much joy when I stumble upon a new novel by a longtime favorite author and it DELIVERS in every single way that matters.

I devoured this in a day, and can’t wait for the next book in this series.

if this is your first Eloisa James book I am jealous, because she has an extensive backlist that you can now dive into.

PUB DATE: April 29, 2025

SUGGESTED SNACK PAIRING: pan fried trout in garlic

“Thankfully, the trout were cooked to crispy perfection. He dropped them onto a bed of wild garlic.”

Triggers: sexual content, sexual assault, death, grief

What a joyful book! I enjoyed every minute of the time I spent with Clara and Caelan and only wish the book was longer.
Clara’s sense of adventure pushes against her desire to win her mother’s approval. But when the latter desire is accepted as fruitless, off she goes in an unknown carriage to an unknown destination in Scotland. A total improbable plot that is totally believable on the page! Clara is such a delightful heroine, now one of my favorites written by Ms James. And Caelan’s willingness to do everything he’s directed to do by “Mrs Potts” is a joy to watch (read!). I had so much fun reading this book and strongly recommend it to all historical romance fans -not only to those who already revere the books of Eloisa James but to those who have yet to discover her.

Thank you to the publisher for a E-arc of this book! While the era may have been restrictive, Elosia often showcases independent, intelligent heroines who challenge societal norms. The heroes range from brooding dukes to roguish rakes, each with their own emotional depth. This book is no different. It was a delightful romp! Would read again and again.

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC via Netgalley of Hardly A Gentleman written by the one and only Eloisa James. This is the second book in The Accidental Brides series, and can definitely be read as a stand alone. I cannot say enough about this fantastic story. Two unconventional people, broken by society's norms, yet seemingly complementing each other. Caelan Eneas MacCrae, Laird of CaerLaven, a distraught widower, has left his castle to rot and ruin, supposedly because of his deep devotion to his deceased wife. Miss Clara Vetry, is escaping from her inevitable and unfortunate but well deserved self made lastest scandal in London, and sets out on her own to some part of Scotland. She is an avid reader, always reliving her novels in her mind and hoping for an adventure of her own. She ends up at Caelen's doorstep, pretending to be a housekeeper, not knowing what the future holds. What ensues is attraction, denial of feelings and seemingly more pretensions of devout devotion to undeserving family. I absolutely loved all the characters in this story. They are well portrayed and so beautifully written. This is a cannot put down til it's finished story. A Must Read!

Hardly a Gentleman
By Eloisa James
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The thing about ARCs, especially ones from authors in series you love, is that when they invariably meet (and exceed) your expectations, you have that much longer to wait until the *next* book. So it is with Hardly a Gentleman, book two in Eloisa James’s so-far excellent Accicental Brides series. The first book, Viscount in Love, was my first EJ book, and I was beyond delighted with the entire experience. The second book is no less wonderful.

Here we have a grumpy, widowed laird and a bright, quirky runaway lady posing (not very well) as his new housekeeper. The characters are charming, the banter is snappy, and the spice is spicing.

More than anything, I love that this book feels like everything historical romance is to me: a cozy, warm hug from a book. Hardly a Gentleman has all the coziness of finding family and finding a home…in the Scottish Highlands…in a crumbling castle.

I am now (*sigh*) settling in for the extra-long wait for the *next* book in the series. 💛

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! I really enjoyed the simplicity of this story, and how whimsical Clara, our heroine, is as a person. It’s a cute story that has the Eloisa James charm, while also giving both the hero and heroine their own personalities and spunk.

Definitely recommend!

Eloisa James has done it again with "Hardly a Gentleman", a captivating novel that continues to showcase her talent for crafting compelling characters and heartfelt stories. As a longtime fan, ever since I first picked up "Wilde in Love", I've been drawn to James's ability to infuse her narratives with empathy, particularly towards strong women and complex men who are far from the typical prince on a steed. Instead, her characters carry emotional baggage and live with genuine depth.

In this latest novel, James introduces us to characters who are beautifully flawed yet utterly relatable. The storyline delicately navigates the complexities of emotional growth and healing, portraying a woman who becomes the guiding light for a man grappling with his past. Without giving too much away, "Hardly a Gentleman" is a testament to James's skill in weaving together romance, wit, and profound emotional journeys.

All I can say is wow. Eloisa James, please keep writing. Your ability to blend romance with poignant character development is unmatched. "Hardly a Gentleman" has left me yearning for more, and I eagerly await your next masterpiece. Love, love, love it all!