3.5 stars.

2nd in a series featuring middle-aged (invisible, superflous) twins Lady Agusta (Gus) and Lady Julia. Readers need to read the first book (The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies) to get the most out of this title - the backstory from that book is necessary to events in this book.

The covers are pink and bouncy, the titles are witty, and the books are entertaining. But they are not fluff. Some very dark issues regarding the powerlessness of Regency era women, who are completely beholden to fathers, brothers, husbands, drive the plotlines. And if a woman steps out of line, or has a man who doesn't care about the women in his life, he can stomp on her (sometimes literally) with virtually no repercussions.

This story ended with a teensy cliff hanger, so I am anxious for the next adventure(s) for Gus and Julia.

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin is a fresh take on two spinster sisters in their 40s. It's rare to see women over the age of 20 as leads, so I immediately was interested, and the story gripped me from the first page to the last. It's a tale of two women who try to help abused or trapped women in Regency England, which constantly puts them in danger. With the help of a suspiciously charming Lord Evan, who has his own dark past, will they be able to navigate London's seedy underworld?

This was a charming, poignant story and I found it utterly captivating. The characters, setting, and story whisks you away into the glittering high society and the gaming hells of London. Paired with the fact that the sisters are trying to save women who have been abused by their families, it's a charming yet high stakes novel about love, family, and believing in yourself.

"In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as "old maids" to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.

When Lord Evan - a charming escaped convict who has won Gus's heart - needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan's complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task - the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.

In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan's past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen's clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?"

Oh my, I love Alison Goodman and everything about this book, but the "everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers" had me on the floor.

Ah this was so exciting! Augusta (Gus) and Julia are 42 year old spinster twins in Regency England, and I am *obsessed* with their adventures.

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin is the second in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series. The first book in this series caught me off guard. It was much darker than I expected from the title. The two twin spinster sisters use their financial and social abilities to help women and children in need of help.
Make sure to read this book in order as the beginning is a continuation of the ending of the first book. Also, Goodman doesn’t waste any time or words giving the reader much background from the first book.
This time round, Gus and Julia are protecting Lady Hester from her brother’s attempts to find and return her to an asylum. Gus, meanwhile, is still trying to clear Evan’s name, which requires investigating a gentleman’s club. And Julia has developed feelings for the man tasked with finding and bringing Evan to justice. The series is not afraid to delve into dark themes and once again, does so. That said, it’s great entertainment and I tore through it.
Goodman does an excellent job of giving the reader a real feel for the time and place and the restrictions a lady faces. It’s obvious that she’s done her research and her Author’s Note was fascinating. While there’s an obvious romance theme to the book it’s of the slow-burn variety. The meat of the book is much more mystery and action oriented. And it’s obvious from the way it ends that there will be a third in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book.

Alison Goodman has given us the heroines we need with Gus and Julia. They are smart, savvy, and generally delightful women of a certain age in Regency England. They rebel (quite properly) against their prig of a brother to help other women gain their independence while also working to clear the name of Gus's love interest. There's intrigue, sharp dialog, and a slow burn romance wrapped up in a excellently written and well-plotted novel. I eagerly anticipate further adventures of these ill-mannered ladies. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the preview.

3.75 stars

Another Regency romp with a strongly feminist bent, featuring moneyed twin sisters Lady Augusta and Lady Jane. This is more or less a continuation of their first adventure, where they sprung a wrongly imprisoned (in a horrific insane asylum) lady who committed the sin of loving another woman. Further complications: she was shut away by her brother, and rescued by her other brother who just happens to be a (wrongly accused) escaped prisoner and Augusta's love interest.

Confused? It can get a bit convoluted, sometimes with hilarious results. At one point, there is an absurdly comic weekend at a manor in which 4 or 5 different sets of guests, none of whom were expecting the others, get entangled with mistaken identities and hidden agendas. Is the plot over the top? Certainly. Is the action 100% believable? Not necessarily. Is it a roaring good time? Yes indeed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was a riveting second installment! I continued to really enjoy the characters and their growth within the story. I can't wait for the third book! A must read for any historical fiction fans!

When I finished reading The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, I immediately checked to see if there was a sequel and was pleased to find this ARC on NetGalley. I actually found this book to be even better than the first. The pacing felt more natural and it was just the right length. Gus and Julia are such wonderful characters and this novel gives us a deeper look at their relationship. It also reveals a love interest for Julia and a continued slow burn of Gus and Evan's relationship. I cannot wait to see what intrigues they get into in the next installment of this series. Gus and Julia are the strong, independent heroines we need!

This book is perfection! Book one in this series was outstanding and if you haven't read it, definitely start there. These two middle-aged sisters are so much fun to read. Their exploits get more and more adventurous (and dangerous). Check other reviews for trigger warnings though (although nothing is too graphic)

Second book in the Ill Mannered Ladies series and it does not disappoint! Feminism in the Regency period and it works really well.

Alison Goodman’s The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin is a captivating blend of Regency-era mystery, adventure, and feminist rebellion, driven by the indomitable Colebrook sisters. With wit and charm, Gus and Julia navigate the rigid expectations of high society while secretly championing the vulnerable, proving that so-called "old maids" can be formidable detectives. The novel masterfully weaves intrigue and romance, particularly through the enigmatic Lord Evan, whose quest for justice entangles them in a thrilling pursuit through the dark underbelly of England. Goodman’s storytelling is sharp and engaging, balancing humor, suspense, and social critique with ease. A must-read for fans of historical mysteries with strong, unconventional heroines.

I received an electronic ARC from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Ladies Augusta and Julia are back to continue their adventures. This second book picks up shortly after the first ended. They are harboring Lady Hester to allow time for her to heal and protect her from her brother. The ladies are also working to clear Lord Evan's reputation in rather daring ways. The story unfolds in London and the countryside and ends with a cliffhanger that leads directly to the third book.
Goodman does excellent research so readers feel they are also residing in this time period. Readers learn so much about life in England - both the good and the evil. She continues to develop and reveal more about her characters as the story unfolds. I appreciate that none are purely good nor purely nasty (with a couple exceptions). Her tone and pace work well to keep readers actively involved in anticipating the next piece of the adventure.
I do recommend reading these in order. It might be confusing to follow the references if you have not read the first book.

Make sure you read the first book in the series before this one, as the story builds on events in the first book, and you will miss a lot of important details otherwise. Both books are amusing, as Ladies Augusta and Julia Colebrook find themselves involved in situations and trying to fix situations that society women such as themselves should not be involved per societal standards. Granted they try their best to keep their activities private, although that is difficult since their actions have brought the attention of a Bow Street runner (Kent), a brutal thief-taker (Mulholland) who wants to capture Lord Evan (Augusta’s love interest), their uptight brother (Duffy) who has very strong opinions on what his sisters should and shouldn’t do, and other members of the nobility, some who are allies and some who are enemies.

I appreciate that the author makes the effort to include little historical details, such as prescriptions of "blue mass" pills (something I had to look up), and that she has Lady Augusta and Lady Julie learn important information from people that society overlooks, such as poor women selling flowers on a street corner.

Unbeknownst to me, this is the 2nd novel in this series. However, I was perfectly fine jumping in the story at this point and enjoyed the novel. I felt like I was in an episode of Bridgerton, just with some extra suspense. Anyone who loves period pieces, the "ton", and appreciates that with an added touch of modern flare, will adore this series!

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies was a favorite of mine when it came out so I was very excited to see that there was another book in the series and thrilled when I received an advance copy from NetGalley. I enjoyed being back with characters I really grew to care about in the first book. I did enjoy the first book more, but I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps, I already knew what to expect so it didn't seem as fresh. I still really enjoyed this one too, and will be recommending it.

“The Ladies Road Guide To Utter Ruin” by Alison Goodman is the second book in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series. Twin sisters, Ladies Augusta and Julia Colebrook are delightful “old maids” in Regency Society. As such the are mistakenly overlooked and dismissed as they work to protect and rescue other women living within the confines and injustices experienced by women of all status Willie also trying to clear Lord Evans’ name.. Thanks to their adventures they have both fallen in love with the most unacceptable (in Society’s eyes) of men. The end of this book leaves you anxiously awaiting Book 3.

<i>The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin</i> is the second book in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series - I grabbed this and read it not realizing it wasn’t an interconnected standalone but is definitely a true sequel. That said I still had a great time - and know I would have had even more fun had I read book 1 first (I will be going back to do so!)!

This book is a perfect blend of slow burn romance, adventure & mystery, all wrapped up and tied with a (very pretty) feminist bow!

I’m just now starting to get more into historical fiction - I’m finding more and more that I do actually enjoy the genre but there are a few elements that a book MUST have for me to have a good time. This one definitely fit the bill!

What I loved….
- Feminist themes
- 40+ FMC
- adventure
- banter + tension
- slow burn romance

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a beautifully done Regency England and enjoyed the overall feel of this. It worked in this time-period and was working with the overall feel of the characters and how it was done. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall package of this book. Alison Goodman does everything that I was hoping for and was glad I got to read this.

I had such a great time reading this book! I really enjoy Alison Goodman's writing, and the first book was excellent, and I was excited to be back with these characters as they tacked another mystery! Watching as they tried to find a way to prove his innocence, loved it! This story about these middle-aged unmarried women in a time when that wasn't an easy position to be in, I just love it!

Finding out what had happened 20 years ago, that's not an easy task, when life was much harder, and what a modern day society would have to find people, doesn't exist. But once they were put on the path of this club, well, the pieces starting falling into place. I feel fairly satisfied with how it was resolved though not fully, there was an element of, there's basically no way forward that's satisfying for everyone, given the particulars of this case.

One of the big things that they had to deal with was Lord Evan's sister, who isn't recovered from her time locked away, and is hard to move. But that their other brother, who holds the title, wants to keep her away from her love, to lock her away again? That he's her legal guardian and has the legal right to do that to her? That was hard for them to deal with. But oh, I loved the solutions that they came up with, and what happened because of that!

Family was a big thing in this book, because besides Lord Evan's family, there was also Gus and Julia's family. That their brother was like that, and was expecting Gus to apologize for missing his wedding? Urgh, that was so annoying, and I'm glad for what ending up happening in that situation.

The romance was strong in this one. The first book really introduced us to these characters, and why we should care about them, and now that we do, their bonds were really strengthened, and I'm glad for it, given where we left them, and what they were planning on doing!

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait for book 3!