Overall, I enjoyed this book - I loved that the heroine was determined to get what she wanted out of life while the hero (for the first time in a long time) wasn't grumpy! The side characters were great and I loved that this book featured fly fishing and a laird pursuing being an author rather than the typical laird storyline of fixing a failing estate or land, etc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After refusing the Prince's advances at a ball, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps in a carriage bound for the Scottish Highlands and takes a position as a housekeeper at Laird Caelan CaerLaven castle. Since his wife’s death two years ago, the castle has gone to ruin and with the help of Clara, Caelan begins to clean up his home and his life. The rising attraction between the pair is an added bonus. Having lived in his house without a chaperone Clara has no choice but to marry Caelan, which she is not too upset about.

I always enjoy Eloisa’s books. They are always so fun and vivid, and this book was no exception. I loved that this book was in the Scottish Highlands rather than taking place in London’s ballrooms. I really liked Clara and loved Caelan. I am obsessed with Caelan’s sister Fiona and would love a short story about her and Rory. There were a few plot points that didn’t really get resolved, but overall I enjoyed the book. This book is the second in a series, but I didn’t notice any overlap between this and the previous book other than the “accidental bride” theme, so this can absolutely be read as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun story. A run away lady and a local laird. There are problems. She is running away and he is suppose to be still reacting to the death of his wife turns out nothing is what it seems. Great story’

Stir up some favorite ingredients including Scotland, castle, laird, books, and adventure. Add some extra spice for a sizzling hot romance. Throw in a pinch of heart, a dash of whimsy, and stir in some Eloisa James magic. The result is this enjoyable historical romance.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I gobbled up this book and enjoyed every page.

A great read for anyone looking for lovely banter, two passionate leads that are hot for one another but find the emotional part to be tricky, and enough drama to keep it interesting

This was such a fun romp that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I really adored the Honorable Miss Clara Vety, our book reading, proudly eccentric heroine who suffers humiliation in London's high society and flees to Scotland determined to have her version of a happily ever after. Which namely includes being surrounded by books in a romantic castle.

This impulsive decision leads her to the laird of Castle CaerLaven, Caelan, who is intrigued by Clara and wants her from the moment they meet.

I will fully admit that I'm not someone who minds inaccuracies in historical romance. Someone who is more knowledgeable might take issue with some of the choices in this book and whether they reflect the time period.

But I truly had so much fun and was rooting for Clara in particular that my five stars stand.

Thanks so much to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

You can't help but laugh while reading this book. It was refreshing to see how Clara handles being sent away because of the incident at the ball. She is so strong and sensible. She is also very sensitive about her looks especially her hair. It's fun to hear how she deals with it and the handsome Laird she finds fishing. Clare is adventurous and will keep you up late just to see what she does next! Really enjoyed this book.

I'm not entirely sure where I want to rate this book between 4 and 5 stars. My first thought is to take an entire star off because James chooses a main character *in Scotland* and names her "Elsbeth", which is a *German* name (theoretically) and the Scottish version is "Elspeth". But I digress (and am also very invested on this argument.)

Ignoring that annoying faux pas, overall I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline, though I did feel that Clara was overly empathetic to her own detriment, both to her emotionally abusive mother, Caelan's ex-mother in law, and even Caelan himself.

I felt like Caelan was going to say he hadn't been in love with Isla throughout the book, however, I didn't really expect him to have "understood what the concept of love really meant" versus how he did explain his feelings for Clara at the end. After the fact that made me wonder if the book was really poorly organized plot-wise or if the fact that I did like the end made up for the lack of serious feeling that Clara got over most of the book.

Long story short, this was an enjoyable book, with a frustrating almost main character name, and one main character that even in being an "adventurer" gave everyone else's feelings precedence over her own. Oh, and her incident with Prince George was so cringeworthy that I totally understand how she would have felt violated for many months afterward.

I received an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

Running from scandal, Clara Vetry disguises herself (not very convincingly) as a housekeeper, and ends up at Castle CaerLaven with Laird Caelan, who sees right through her disguise but finds himself enamored with her adventurous spirit.

This was a solid, not excellent, romance from Eloisa James. The beginning was a bit slow to get started, and I was just a little baffled by Clara's whole housekeeper ruse--everyone apparently saw right through it but just decided to let her keep going with it? It was a little odd for the setup and was prolonged a bit too long. The book picked up once the actual accidental bride part (as per the series name) happens, and I felt like the characters and their relationship was explored a bit more in depth at that point. It felt a little late in the book though, for it to really redeem the entire thing. There is some fun banter and humor and some sizzling spicy scenes, but that didn't quite outweigh the flaws enough for me to give this any more than 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hardly a Gentleman is the second installment in Eloisa James' Accidental Brides series. The first book, Viscount in Love is a wonderful book as well, but not necessary to read in order to enjoy this book (but READ IT TOO).

Clara Vetry is in her 4th season without a marriage proposal even though she is pretty, a lady and has a generous dowry. The problem is the Crown Prince of England. He has been obsessed with Clara and her bosom since her first season and no other man will get near her. When the drunk prince gropes her, Clara has had enough and she hits the prince with her reticule. Her odious mother decides to send her away to stay with an elderly aunt in Scotland to escape the scandal. Clara has had it. When she and her maid get to a posting inn to begin the long trek north, Clara impulsively gets on a different coach in the place of a new housekeeper who did not show up. Surely, she can be a housekeeper, right? Upon arriving at her new place of employment, she is met with the glorious site of a Scottish Adonis rising from the lock without a stitch of clothing on. Thus begins her adventure.

Caelen, the laird of Castle CaerLaven is living in filth. All he wants to do is fish and write his books about fishing, all he has been doing in the two years since his wife Isla died. Every one in the village thinks his marriage was the perfect fairy tale, but was it? His sister insists upon a housekeeper and maybe a new wife. He does need an heir. He agrees to the housekeeper, but not the wife.
There is a little bit of insta-love going on in this story, but James' clever dialogue makes it believable. This is almost an entirely character driven story and great dialogue is necessary to make it work and it does work. The characters feel like real people not historical figures. The great misunderstanding took a little long to resolve, but that is probably my only criticism of the book.
I round up to 4.25 stars.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, quick read. I thought the premise was great fun and the story got off to a quick start. It felt like a short story in terms of the pacing, as things moved along very quickly in the beginning: disastrous (enraging) downfall, improbable escape, quick H/h intro, insta-love, etc. Then the pace hit a wall and got a little bogged down in the middle. The barriers to overcome felt very flimsy and it seemed like there were no real obstacles or objections to them getting together, and the plot used one of my least favorite devices - FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE. But still - it was frothy and silly and legitimately funny and I really enjoyed it. It was a welcome return to form for this author, who I have been reading for many years,
My thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Eloisa James I mean what can o say? She’s a marvel at writing so many emotions contained in one story. I fell in love with her writing decades ago and years later I still voraciously read anything she puts out.

The laird is a burly Scot loving a widowed bachelor life when his nosy sister decides he needs to marry and have an heir.

Along comes the fierce and ready for adventure lady Clara masquerading poorly as a housekeeper… well she tried all of ten seconds before making friends and telling her story to the coachman.

Be ready for an adventure filled with frank talk and laughter. Learning how to make do and working together to change your life into what you want. Becoming brave in ways you never thought you could.

Get ready for a refreshing loch and some fly fishing…

📖✨Book Review✨📖

Some books are just a delight to read, and Hardly a Gentleman by Eloisa James is exactly that! 💃📚 It’s charming, a little unconventional for a Regency romance, and completely worth the read.

Clara (FMC) is strong-willed, refreshingly self-aware, and unapologetically herself. Meanwhile, Caelan (MMC) is confident and steadfast in his own identity. Their dynamic was captivating, making this a grinning, kicking-my-feet, swooning kind of read. 💕

Beyond the romance, I appreciated how the book explored the complexity of relationships—how they evolve and don’t always fit our expectations. Eloisa James also handled the theme of grief with care, showing how it manifests differently depending on a person’s connection to the loss, all while maintaining a lighthearted and engaging tone.

The side characters, while not deeply developed, were enjoyable additions that complemented the story. Fans of Viscount in Love (the first Accidental Brides book) will appreciate the references, but this novel stands on its own effortlessly—no prior reading required!

As a bonus, I even had to look up a few words, which is rare for someone raised in a Scrabble-loving household. 😂📖

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the ARC!

#HardlyAGentleman #EloisaJames #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance #RomanceReaders #Bookstagram #BookReview #ARCReview #NetGalley #AccidentalBrides #TBR #BookLover

Eloisa James writes another wonderful book! Caelen is a Scottish laird who first wife died. His castle is a mess, he is barely clothed, and loves fly fishing. Clara Vetry is an English lass who was embarrassed by the King’ s attention to her breasts that she hit him with her reticule. She is being sent to visit a long lost relative in Scotland but takes fate into her own hands and becomes the housekeeper Caelen’s sister has hired. This is such a good romp as they find their way to their HEA!

Eloisa James is back at it with another fantastic installment in the Accidental Brides series. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC I received of this book.

The Honorable Miss Clara Vetry is at the end of another season without an offer of marriage– mostly due to the fact that the Prince of Wales is fixated on her and no one wants to marry the prince's future mistress. After a particularly disastrous outing, her mother washes her hands of Clara and ships her off to Scotland to stay with an elderly relative. Clara decides she wants adventure so when she sees a carriage waiting to go to the Highlands, she hops in and takes on a new life as a housekeeper. Meanwhile our hero, Caelan, laird of Castle CaerLaven, is just trying to live his life in his dilapidated castle with his books and fly fishing. He was widowed two years earlier and the whole village, including his slightly unhinged mother-in-law, thinks he is wasting away with grief. His sister sets out to right the ship and starts by hiring an English housekeeper but when Clara arrives, claiming to be said housekeeper, Caelan can see right away that she's a lady and on the run from something.

Like book one of this series, Viscount in Love, this book reminded me so much of the historical romance novels I love from the 80s and 90s. In that generation of romance writing, it wasn't necessary to put the main characters on page together from the very beginning of the novel. It was more important to set up their individual stories and give them each a character arc. That's exactly what Eloisa James did here. We see Caelan living his life in Scotland, pursuing his passions while dealing with his meddling family. We see Clara's epically bad final outing in London society and the way her mother lambasts her for it. And because we know these characters so well by the time they meet, we also know they're perfect for each other. I complain a lot about the two-dimensional nature of characters in a lot of romance novels today. If authors spent the time letting their characters be people, independent of each other like they did 30 years ago, we wouldn't run into that issue.

The main conflict of this novel stems from the convergence of Clara's self esteem issues and Caelan's supposedly perfect first wife. Clara is not the physical ideal for the regency era; she is entirely too curvy for what's fashionable and her hair can charitably be called poofy. Add on that she is eccentric and spends most of her time reading and you have a woman who struggles to fit into the ton. She has spent her entire life trying to live up to her mother's impossible standards and it has taken a toll on her. So when Caelan expresses his interest in Clara, she doesn't know what to do. She, like everyone else in the village (except Caelan's sister) believes that he is still heartbroken over the death of his beloved wife. And his first wife was the polar opposite of Clara. She can't believe that he would want her after having the ideal woman and he is too wrapped up in his own feelings to put into words what Clara needs to hear.

I loved that this book also took a page out of 90s historical romance with the act three low moment. Many of our favorite historical romance authors of that era did not write act three breakups but instead leveraged things like train crashes, explosions, illnesses and other calamities to put our couple's relationship in jeopardy. I won't tell you what happens here, but Eloisa James calls back to that era and puts our couple through it without the typical act three breakup of today.

Hardly a Gentleman was a slam dunk. If you love the historical romances of Julie Garwood, Tessa Dare and Julia Quinn, you need to read this series. Both of these books have been outstanding and I can't wait to see what's next.

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!