Lord Ravenscroft Is Not A Gentleman...except he really is!

This book is exactly as described in the blurb - but I still ended up feeling a little misled because of the title and the inference that Perry is a bit of a scoundrel. He may well be, but we never really see it - just one tiny joking example in the first few pages. We are told that he seems like he might be trouble, but almost immediately Perry and Edith are involved in the boat accident and both their lives change forever. In fact, we see much more 'scandalous' behaviour from Edith who even refers to herself as a 'lady rake' at one point. Perry, meanwhile, is courteous, kind and respectful (although he does cross some boundaries that would generally not be the norm in books of this period this is with enthusiastic consent and encouragement from Edith). This is all quite enjoyable but not at all what I was expecting!

This is a historically set story with quite modern values - all the key men support Edith's desire to become a surgeon, and women have a certain amount of autonomy. Perry in particular has very progressive views about women's position and how he treats Edith. There is recognition of medical advancements, the scourge of poverty and its impact on health and some quite tongue-in-cheek moments around Edith's nude portrait and the fall-out from this. Perry suffers from seizures following the boating accident so there's also quite a bit of incredibly harsh (but I imagine appropriate for its time) commentary from secondary characters about his mental health and fitness to be in society.

I liked Perry especially and enjoyed reading a book where the Victorian FMC was so 'badly' behaved (but was still a member of a respectable family). I also thought the concept was brilliantly unusual. However, I didn't find the characters to have anything which drew me in - they felt a little two-dimensional, built on their disabilities and fears but not owning a clear space outside of that. The five years they were apart could have shown some of this growth but the reader is not privy to this time period. I was disappointed by Edith's lying and bad choices, I could see what had driven them but felt it unlikely she or her family would have let it get so bad.

Overall this is an enjoyable book - a 3.5* read for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

An historical romance with a bit of heat and a very unconventional woman. I loved the direction this took and the way the characters all interacted to provide several twists.

This is the first book I’ve read by Barbara Russell and I really enjoyed her writing style and the pace of the story. I binged it. Perry, oh my heart! I enjoyed the very messy humanness to the characters and how they had to work to overcome their fears.

This author is fast becoming my favorite! You know there will be drama and intrigue but it’s the resolution of the drama that keeps the pages turning!
We have one studious want to be doctor in Edith Winkworth! Her father is a doctor and she has studied and loved medicine most of her life!
Lord Peregrine Ravenscscroft younger brother of an Earl! Mischievous, adventurous and very handsome also forever changed after the accident! Peregrine aka Perry is very observant and noticed that the boat was going the wrong route and impact was imminent!
This changed Marianne, Edith and her parents in ways they had yet to understand!
Edith became wild and took tumbles with random men!
Perry became very studious as the accident also compromised his health!
Edith told “stories” to make up for her wild behavior and it was some years before Perry found out the truth!
I know near death experiences change people usually for the better
Edith went from brave and discerning to truly gullible! She seemed shocked that her actions bordering constantly on scandalous would affect her family!
Perry and Edith courtship seems to involve water, scandalous painting and accidents!
There are private detectives and some black mail! If you want to keep turning pages and reading nonstop then this is your book! The stars are for Perry being way more discerning of fraud and ill will than Edith! Bravo! Well done! Love this series!

This is a lovely regency romance. The book starts with a tragic accident and the impact of that on Edith and Perry. As Perry starts to heal he comes home to find Edith is a bit lost and has friends who are manipulating her. There weren't any major surprises in the story but is was an enjoyable read.

This historical romance novel is quite fast paced, and unchallenging, which makes it great for a reader wanting to read a book in just a couple of hours. There were quite a few unique elements in it, but it followed the familiar pattern of books in the genre whereby there’s romance, a villain gets in the way, there’s a few twist and turns with said villain, but eventually the HEA follows. There are explicit scenes in this book, but they can be skipped without losing any of the storyline. Overall a good book to while away a morning