The Lady Makes Her Mark by Susanna Craig
Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series #3. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
Miss Constantia Cooper is an artist. She earns her wages drawing satirical cartoons of the Ton for Mrs Goode’s magazine for young women. When everyone at the magazine receives threatening letters about exposure, Constantia immediately grabs her already packed bag and runs, trying to get out of the city without being followed. She’s struck by a carriage and suffers a head wound.
Alistair Haythorne, the Earl of Ryland, heard the commotion of the carriage accident and allows the hurt and witnesses access to his house. The doctor advises rest for a few days for Constantia and Alistair is unable to turn her away. Even if she’s the artist that has been making fun of him for so long in the magazine.
She needs to get out of the city. He doesn’t have funds for anything other than the mail coach. They make an agreement to travel together to his estate where she’ll spend some time teaching his sisters to draw while she hides in the countryside for a bit.
Wariness turns to respect and then admiration as the two travel to his estate where their relationship grows closer even under the watchful eyes of his sisters and an aunt who insists he must marry an heiress without delay.

I love historical romances that aren’t all ball rooms and debutants. Constantia is independent and smart and actually has more funds than he does. The magazine plays only a small part in this book, and also set up changes for the future.
Steamy with a fortuitous surprise, this romance was amusing and engaging.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Again, another wonderful book in a lovely series by Susanna. It didn't quite have the pull of the first two books in the series but did bring a new and different perspective to this series, which was needed. There is a lot of action and plot twists which kept me entertained.
For some reason I didn't quite gel with these two characters as I have with previous characters in this series. I think the character development may not have been as in depth as previous novels in the series. The ending felt a bit quick and a slightly forced. Too many surprising small aspects that could have been brought up earlier in the novel instead of feeling convenient. Still looking forward to the next in the series!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Susanna Craig for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

The Lady Makes Her Mark by Susanna Craig
Goode’s Guide to Misconduct #3

~ Soft-hearted protective Alistair takes steps in when a woman is hit by a wagon in front of his home little knowing that the encounter would change both of their lives ~

What I liked:
* Constantia: artist, “Miss C” cartoonist for Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses, on the run, moves around a lot, difficult backstory, survivor, sought and found a “steel spine”, deserving of love and a safe place to land, attracted to Alistair
* Alistair: Earl of Ryland, brother of seven sisters, responsible, lumbered with his father’s debts, wants the best for his sisters, honest, supportive, caring, focused on doing what he feels is best for his sisters though attracted to Constantia
* The road trip to Ryland made by Constantia & Alistair
* The five sisters of Alistair met in this book and wanting to find out who the ones not engaged or married might end up with
* Hints of characters from past books in the series – do want to find out what happens to Oliver eventually
* Schenk when he appeared and the story he shared
* The way that what seemed impossible for Constantia and Alistair became possible
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* Suspecting there are other books still to come in this series
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Aunt Josephine: dragon of the first water and paternal aunt to Alistair and his sisters
* Thinking about how difficult Constantia’s life was after her mother died

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

The Lady Makes Her Mark is the charming third installment in Susanna Craig’s Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series, though it works perfectly as a standalone. Readers may remember the clever and elusive artist Constantia Cooper, whose satirical “Unfashionable Plates” have stirred society and amused magazine readers alike.
When Constantia receives a suspicious letter summoning her to a mysterious staff meeting, she suspects someone has uncovered her secret identity. Her plans to flee are abruptly halted when she’s knocked unconscious by a carriage—only to wake up in the home of Alistair Haythorne, the Earl of Ryland, one of her frequent (and reluctant) caricature subjects.
Alistair, burdened with debt and responsibilities to his seven sisters, is drawn to Constantia but knows he must marry for money. When Constantia pretends to have amnesia to avoid exposure, Alistair takes her to his country estate for safety—igniting a tender, slow-burning romance that’s as heartwarming as it is complicated. With danger from Constantia’s past creeping closer, both must confront their fears and desires to claim a future together.
This story has everything: a secret identity, a protective nobleman, endearing secondary characters, simmering tension, a touch of danger, and a lovely blend of humor and emotion. I enjoyed how the author delivered a surprising ending.

Sexual content - a couple open door scenes
Violence - Constantia feels someone is after her, wagon accident
language - a few uses of d@mn, no F word.

In this third installment of her Goode's Guide to Misconduct series, we turn our attention to artist Constantia, an unconventional woman with a secret, and Alistair, Earl of Ryland, a man who is more than his public reputation would indicate. The circumstances that bring them together (feigned amnesia on her part following an accident in front of his London home) and lead him to offer her a position as art teacher at his country estate (he has several sisters; he knows when a woman is lying but also when she's afraid) put them on the road (yay, road romance!) to forced proximity (I do so enjoy that trope). This, of course, gives ample opportunity for them to slowly reveal themselves to one another amidst lively banter, a slow-burn attraction, and deepening feelings.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Constantia and Alistair while watching them slowly fall for one another. Craig uses the supporting cast of characters (his mischievous sisters and snobby aunt) to great effect in revealing the true natures of both Alistair and Constantia. I'd love to see more of his sisters in future books.

These characters - Alistair, Constantia, the sisters, and even the despised aunt - as well as the obstacle keeping our lovebirds apart and the way each of them reacts to it, feel realistic and authentic to time and place. And, while Constantia is most definitely ahead of her time in thought and deed, she never feels too modern for the time in which this book is set. That is a facet of Craig's writing that I always appreciate. Her research is impeccable and her stories always feel both authentic and relatable, whenever and wherever they are set.

If you enjoy well-researched historical romance with humor, passion, heart, lively banter, engaging characters, and happy (didn't see that coming!) endings, give this one a go. It's a fun read.
4.5 stars

*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

This is the second in the series that I’ve read and again a wonderful story of a heroine with secrets. Constantia is mysterious and self reliant and Alistair an impoverished but honorable gentleman. Sounds like a typical tale but Susanna Craig weaves a remarkable tale with well developed characters that draw you in to their attraction and ultimately love. Constantia has been running her whole life from an unknown danger and Alistair is weighed down by overwhelming responsibility and they only know that they cannot have what they both know they need and most definitely want. How their love wins out is just magical.

Constantia is Miss C., the satirical cartoonist for Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses. When the ladies who work for the magazine receive letters threatening to reveal their identities, Constantia panics. She already thought someone was following her. In the rush to flee London, she is hit by a carriage. She is rescued by Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland. She recognizes Alistair as he has been the subject of her caricatures on occasion. She pretends to have amnesia to keep him from questioning her. Alistair is not the kind of gentleman who leaves a lady in distress, even one he knows has mocked him. They travel together to his country estate where he plans to introduce her as his sisters’ art tutor. Their trip is interesting, and they come to see each other differently. This is an entertaining slow-burn romance with a bit of mystery. I liked Alistair and Constantia. The secondary characters, especially Alistair’s sisters, are likeable and bring added wit and humor to the story. Constantia has been running from her secrets and fears for years. Alistair has inherited an earldom that is suffering financially. There is a surprise or two, the good kind and a happy ending.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I think this was my favorite in the series so far! Ali stair and Constantia complement and bring out the best in each other. I loved the setting away from the city and the magazine, his sisters were amazing, and even though I briefly forgot the “mystery” even existed, it resolved in a very unexpected way. And I really enjoyed all the art and details in the descriptions. Just a really enjoyable histrom all around!

Pretending amnesia...

Constantia is an artist, a sort of grifter who reinvents herself, she is employed at Goode's Guide to Misconduct, with Alistair being a frequent target of hers.

Alistair is an earl to a household overrun with females. He's a decent sort, more of a fuddy duddy than a rake so he can't understand why Miss C. targets him. But he takes her in when she is sort of injured in an accident and he knows who she is. But Miss C. is faking amnesia...
Recommend.

It was an enjoyable read to this series. I think i liked the previous book more, though these two are so adorable self-sacrificing and the yearning was next level. It's always fun when you have an artist MC as you don't know what kind of portrait you'd get of their love interest. I would say that the ones Constantia makes are kind of both. I didn't love her assumptions about him as they seemed to very strong on a basis of nothing and she kept being surprised by it though I don't recall anything other than his proximity to Miles Devereux that made him remotely a rogue. The man is too poor with too many sisters! Anyway I digress. I loved the big reveal and would enjoy more of the series. It has been really fun and I love seeing the cameos from Lady Stalbridge and Lord Manwaring. I hope he gets his own story or novella!

Steam: 🔥
Heart flutters: ❤️

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was steamy, fun, action packed and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I really enjoy Susanna Craig books. Sometimes the 'lady's magazine' storyline - which does show up in a lot of HR - is a bit trying but I like her books enough to go with the flow, and there's enough mystery here to keep you reading!

Known only as “Miss C.” Constantia Cooper creates satirical cartoons for Mrs. Goode’s. Yet when a scandal at the magazine threatens to expose her, Constantia packs up and flees. In her haste, she is struck by a carriage and suffers a blow to the head, but she is rescued by Alistair Haythorne, the Earl of Ryland, whom she has depicted in her cartoons. Feigning amnesia seems Constantia’s best strategy to prevent Alistair from discovering her secret. Soon Constantia and Alistair grow closer, and they find their feelings growing for each other. Yet Alistair needs to marry an heiress to keep his family’s estate intact, and Constantia’s past is dubious.
Both characters are delightful, and I particularly enjoyed Alistair, who shows such affection for his sisters and also Constantia. There is plenty of chemistry between them, making for a great read. Again, this book has a great pace like the others in the series, and the touch of mystery helps to keep the story engaging.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this book was delicious: Constantia works for a ladies magazine where she makes satirical drawings. Alistair, a stuffy peer, has been the target. She gets into an accident in front of his house and he takes her in to care for her.

Both of them are involved in a misunderstanding, but I'm glad it didn't last too long.

These two were very well matched, and both made incorrect assumptions about the other that turned out not to be true. His sisters were darling. I'd read a series just of them. The romance is very hot and when Alistair tells her that he's not a rake, my cold heart melted.

Thank you to Kensington for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

Smoke and mirrors_____3.5

I’m not sure why I pulled back from this title in the Misconduct series.
I loved all the characters Constantia, Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland, and his wonderful sisters. They were all fabulous.
Constantia is the sketch artist for the ‘Magazine for Misses’ broad sheet, talented and so attractive—but a lady with dark secrets.
Constantia is different sort of character but who she really turned out to be was just a step too far for me.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Constantia is the anonymous satirical cartoonist at a ladies’ magazine and is always fearful of being followed. When all the writers at the magazine receive some suspicious letters, she goes on the run, only to be hit by a carriage in the street and knocked unconscious. Luckily, Alistair, the Earl of Ryland is there to save the day, although he doesn’t quite know what to do with her. When she wakes up, she pretends not to know him (even though he knows her) and he promises to take care of her until she gets her memory back. They have a bit of a contentious relationship, since he’s often the subject of her unkind cartoons, but Alistair is really the sweetest guy and mostly worried about taking care of his seven sisters. It’s chaos and calamity and actually a really great story.

This story follows Constansia, Miss C, who is the artist for Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses, who tries to make a run for it after learning that someone has found out the identities of the authors for the magazine as she is currently in hiding and does not want to be found, and Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland, who jumps in to help her after she gets hit by carriage in the street outside of his townhouse. Miss C as she's known for a majority of this book fakes amnesia as a way to convince Alistair to keep her under her protection and get her out of the city. Alistair has been depicted in her satirical drawings quite a lot as a miser and a rogue, but none of this really bothers him all that much. He's at his wit's end already dealing with a scantily funded earldom and 7 sisters who are in need of dowries, three of whom are quite wild. The feelings develop between Alistair and Constansia on their road trip to his crumbling abbey in the moors and bubble over after he's installed her in the house as the art tutor for his 3 youngest and wildest sisters. I really loved the sisters in this book. I do kind of hope for a spin off with them in it. The romance was very cute as they were both pretty wary of each other but learned more and more that they liked as the story progressed. Where the story lost me a little bit was again near the end when all is revealed. It was bonkers and a little cheesy, but not in the way that I typically like. Overall though, it was another really fun and cute romance from Susanna Craig. I am intrigued to see who is next up in the series.

This was a cute read by one of my favorite authors. Ms Craig has a knack for giving the reader lots of funny stuff which enhances the story line. I like how the characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. This is a feel good book that can be read as a stand alone even though it's in a series.
Known only as “Miss C.” Constantia Cooper works a an cartoon artist for Mrs. Goode's. She is
talented and hides her work under anonymity. When a scandal newspaper threatens to expose her situation and packs up to leave but is struck by a carriage. When she awakens, she fakes amnesia and is helped by a gentleman she knows.
Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland is the man who rescues Constantia. He know who she is and is the bane of his existence. She has a bad opinion of him in the cartoons she draws. He threatens to tell about her activities, so he gets her to teach his sisters how to draw.
As they become involved with each other, secrets abound and love is the key.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.


Reading Progress

Miss C has lived a tough life. Her fear draws her to constantly change her life and move at a moment's notice. Her art has kept her solvent and if she lives frugally, she can survive. As fear causes her to race into the night, the least likely man to help her arrives. The Earl of Ryland is a misunderstood character. He is my favorite character in this advance reader copy I received. This is a lovely story with a fairytale ending.

4.5 Stars
Known only as “Miss C.” Constantia Cooper creates satirical cartoons for Mrs. Goode’s. But her anonymity hides a more shocking secret—one that requires she remain elusive. When a scandal at the magazine threatens to expose her, Constantia packs up and flees. But in her haste, she is struck by a carriage and suffers a blow to the head. Fortunately, she’s rescued by a gentleman. Unfortunately, he is all too familiar. Feigning amnesia seems Constantia’s best strategy. Alistair Haythorne, Earl of Ryland, would never turn away a lady in distress—even if he’s often the target of said lady’s biting satire. In fact, while “Miss C.” recuperates, he will have her teach his sisters to draw. But secrets make interesting bedfellows and as Constantia and Alistair grow closer, their opinions of one another change—drastically.
The third book in the series & whilst characters do overlap it can easily be read on its own. I loved both Alistair & Constantia. He has a heart of gold, loves his many sisters but is on his uppers his father nearly bankrupted the earldom. Constantia has secrets & has been running for years. I loved the chemistry between the couple & loved their journey to a HEA. Whilst primarily a romance there’s also some intrigue & mystery, which I love. There are also surprises & very likeable secondary characters, especially the Haythorne siblings