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!

In this follow up to "The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies", author Goodman brings readers back into the lives of twin sisters Augusta (Gus) and Julia Colebrook. In Regency England, it is not "proper" for ladies of high society to run their own lives but these 40-year-old sisters have their own ways of getting around society (and their brother Duffield's) restrictions. Still trying to clear Lord Evan Belford's name from a murder he did not commit, Augusta delves into the underbelly of London's "gentlemans's clubs" to discover who framed her love.
Dodging police, soldiers,bounty hunters and nosy neighbors the sisters are determined to help two friends as well as clear Evan's name. while falling in love with men who are not within their societal standing.
Readers would be advised to read the first book so that they will have a background for understanding the sisters motivations for their actions. This one read a bit slower than the original book and leaves readers with an ending that we assume will be continued in a third book.

The second book in the series is as delightful as the first. It has Gus and Julia harboring Lady Hester, who they rescued from an asylum in the first book. They are trying to thwart Lady Hester's brother, Deele, who is trying to put her back in the asylum before she ruins his reputation. They chase across Britain to the country where they find Lord Evan who is romantically involved with Gus and who she is trying to protect from the authorities . The adventures are many as they try to shed some light on Lord Evan's arrest 20 years before and protect Lady Hester. Fun characters who defy the norms of society.

I looooved The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies in 2023, and 2025's follow-up, The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin, lived up to its predecessor. The historical prose and Regency setting are pitch perfect.

Lady Augusta ("Gus") is our narrator. She and her twin, Lady Julia, have both found inappropriate love "later in life" (they're 42): Gus with disgraced nobleman/highwayman Lord Evan, and Julia with the Bow Street Runner tasked with bringing Evan to justice. Gus is the more adventurous of the sisters, and she takes the lead in investigating how she might be able to clear her love's name. I really enjoyed the inclusion of real-life Regency figures like Beau Brummel, the Ladies of Llangollen, and more: this felt to me like a deliberate callback to traditional Regency romances.

That said, the genre of this series is hard to categorize: the books aren't exactly romances or mysteries. Perhaps "historical adventure" might be the best way to describe them? Whatever you call them, I love them, and I already can't wait for the next book to be released. The slow burn romances are really working for me, and I really love having slightly older characters take center stage. I said slow burn - there is no steam in either book, just some heated kisses and passionate hand clasps. The unresolved sexual tension is impeccable!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Fans of period novels, and readers who enjoy strong, feisty female characters will enjoy this historical novel.

I loved the two principal female characters and found the complicated family dynamic in the novel interesting. The pressure to make “ appropriate choices” may still exist, but when reading a book like this, even if it is ficti9n, we realize how dramatically women’s positions in society have changed.

The incursion into the scandalous, secret club was a fascinating part of the novel…and, the thought of activities even approaching that level of behavior ,was sobering. I was also intrigued by the story behind a false murder charge….and, the almost impossible attempts to right a wrong.

The book was not always fast-paced, and some of the interpersonal dynamics se3med repetitive, but the book held my interest and Inloved the period setting and detail.

While not as strong as its predecessor, The Benevolent Society for Ill-mannered Ladies, the second in Alison Gooddman's very clever series still delivers plenty of clandenstine romance, ladies ahead of their time, and just deserts from those who would try to drag them down. I think it is my strong desire for a happily ever after for heroine Lady "Gus" Colebrook and her beau, the wrongfully convinted Lord Belford that makes the lack of a concrete ending for them wrankle.

Another novel of sass and sensibility, starring the two spinster sisters (Augusta and Julia), full of danger, wit, poor decision-making, and the triumph of heart and sheer willpower over evil.

In tracing the truth of the death for which Lord Evan was transported, our heroes are led to a Gentleman's Club full of the worst the aristocracy has to offer, and threatened by a thief-taker who thinks themself above the law. Terrible decisions on the part of all characters concerned threaten to pull the sisters' hidden secrets onto their heads, and there are several entirely awful brothers on display.

Somewhat too much romantic pining for my tastes, but this may be a feature for other readers.