I love this series! The theme adds some consistency to the storyline and each book is unique in its on special way. It’s also given me an opportunity to read new authors and Linda Rae Sande was one. This definitely won’t be my last by this author! Hawke was so genuine and kind that you just want him to have his HEA. Match that with Apollonian steadfastness and determination and you know they’re meant for each other, almost as soon as Mrs. Dove-Lyon does. There’s just enough of a twist to make this a fast read and keep you hoping for that moment that our main characters figure it out too.

Robert Stratford, Marquess of Hawke, is a widower who was robbed by his stewart. He needs an heiress for a wife. Appollonia Alexander, spinster, is an heiress who cannot get access to her money without a husband. Both have hired Mrs. Dove-Lyon for her matchmaking. Passing each other at the Lyon's Den, it's love at first sight for the marquess. Apollonia is intrigued and receptive to his advances. Mrs. Dove-Lyon knows her business. There's more to the story when wrongs are made right.
Love this series!
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

The Loyalty of a Lyon by Linda Rae Sande
The Lyon’s Den Connected World

The Black Widow ~ Matchmaker extraordinaire ~ Always finds her clients the perfect match ~ And this time she does it again in this wonderful story.

What I liked:
* Robert Strathford, Marquess of Hawke: widow, loved his first wife, loves to travel, wants a partner for many reasons…including the need for an influx of cash, seeks a matchmaker’s assistance, drawn to Appollonia the first time he saw her
* Appollonia Alexander: spinster, lost her mother when young, traveled to widely with her father and when older assisted him, inherited money but not the business, needs a husband to access her money, goes to a matchmaker with a list of her needs in a husband
* Bessie Dove-Lyon: owner of the Lyon’s Den, matchmaker, known as the Black Widow, successful businesswoman, intriguing
* The secondary love story of George Styles (butler & valet) and Sarah Cowper (lady’s maid) – smiling thinking of them now
* Rochester: Robert’s son, takes over for his father when Robert goes on his honeymoon, would like to read his book if/when the author writes it.
* How well-suited Robert and Appollonia are for one another – and thinking about their travels and what they might do should she become pregnant
* The glimpse of people that work at the Lyon’s Den and wondering if any of them have had books written about them
* The advice Appollonia gave her cousin Christopher
* Spending the afternoon getting to know Robert and Appolonia – I think I would enjoy having them as friends

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the lack of independence women had in the past
* How easily a few people were able to steal money from others

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

4.5 stars!

Oh, he swooned for her SO fast, I love it! Always happy to read a fun romance where the MMC is down bad for his FMC and this was no exception.

I absolutely devoured this story, and I loved the instant connection between our MCs Apollonia and Robert. Even without the arrangement of the Black Widow they would have wound up being with each other. They are too perfect a match not to.
The silliness of loving one another after a day together is baffling, but I must admit that I love it in a romance novel. It has its charm and whimsy, and fairy tale vibes without being a fairy tale. And darn if they didn't have fairy tale moments - smooching in the rain and having a cute little dessert date. Really liked all the little moments the author weaved into the story.

And come on, if you weren't rooting for the love affair of their lady in waiting and butler from their first flirt with each other...did we even read the same book?? There was a handful of subplots dotted throughout the main story, and they were all such good additions to making it a great read. Not one thing was done too much or too little, each highlighted in just the right way. With the shorter length that these Lyon's Den novels often are, that can be really hard to do sometimes, but I felt like Goldilocks finding my perfect bowl of oatmeal with how well each bit of the story fit into each other part and it was grand.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book to read and review. I will jump at any chance to read a Lyon's Den story!

Aah, my favorite series of stories! Mrs. Dove-Lyon is approached by both Robert and the Apollonia, both looking for a marriage of convenience but for different reasons. This story is a bit difficult because both characters are older than the normal Regency couples. Fasted paced, beautifully written, great character depth, a sub plot romance (just to add to the story), a twist at the end and oh so much more. If you have never read one from this series, this is a good one to start on. Always a standalone and written by different authors, you get the thrill of both the story and the joy of discovering new authors to engage.

This was an excellent addition to the Lyon's Den series. It sticks with the marriage of convenience theme, connecting wealthy women with men who need their money. This one is a little different because Robert and Apollonia are a mature couple. The story is fast-paced with touches of humor, intrigue, and steam.

Robert, Marquess of Hawke, is a forty-five-year-old widower on the edge of financial ruin due to past bad investments and embezzlement by his man of business. Robert needs an infusion of funds to care for the estate and his tenants until the crops begin producing again. Twice before, he had enlisted the help of Mrs. Dove-Lyon, but both times, he lost the wagers to other men. This time he insists on a straight-up match, no games. I liked the conversation between Robert and Mrs. Dove-Lyon as they worked out the particulars.

Apollonia is a thirty-four-year-old spinster. After her mother's death when Apollonia was five, she accompanied her merchant father on his travels around the world, learning the business and acting as his hostess. When her father dies, her cousin Christopher inherits the company, while Apollonia inherits her father's fortune. Unfortunately for her, she can't access any of those funds without a male relative present. Her lawyer suggests she appeal to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for help finding a suitable husband. Allowing Christopher anywhere near her inheritance is the last thing Apollonia wants.

Apollonia's meeting with Mrs. Dove-Lyon goes quite well. She knows what she is looking for in a husband. I had to laugh at Mrs. Dove-Lyon's reaction, as she has never had two people so ideally suited to each other. She quickly makes arrangements for them to meet and marry.

Apollonia arrived at the Lyon's Den just as Robert was leaving. Her appearance intrigues him, causing him to wait around until she leaves. She gets a little freaked out when he approaches her about the gown she is wearing and makes her escape as quickly as possible. Robert increases the tension by following her to her hotel. Despite her wariness, Apollonia does note that she is attracted to him.

Both are surprised the next day when they show up to meet their prospective spouse. I loved their honest exchange of expectations and practical planning as they spent time getting to know each other. Their first kiss rapidly becomes intense, culminating in a tour of his home.

Robert and Apollonia's wedding goes smoothly, but settling financial matters is complicated by outside shenanigans. I loved Mrs. Dove-Lyon's involvement and the information she uncovered. The resolution with Apollonia's cousin was not what I expected. The epilogue was fantastic.

There is also a surprise below-stairs secondary romance. I laughed out loud at the interactions between these characters and rooted for everything to work out for them.

This story in the Lyons Den Connected World series was an absolutely captivating, heartwarming, and well written marriage of convenience. A father's passing changes the lives of his daughter and her cousin. An unfortunate incident changes the life of a Marquess. By a twist of fate or a bit of luck, both reach out to the Lyons Den. I really enjoyed the beautiful passion and strong feelings with some interesting and unsuspecting relationships. I thought it was really interesting how we learn some new information never mentioned before about Mrs Dove-Lyon and her bodyguard. The ending was lovely. I'm hoping we may look forward to another look into the Hawke family in the future. I highly recommend reading!

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced marriage of convenience romance. The plot is very well written and has humorous moments, a touch of intrigue, steamy love scenes and very likable main and supporting characters. Robert and Apollonia are a mature couple He is a honorable hero and Apollonia a determined, strong heroine. They are immediately attracted to each other and are a perfect match. I also liked their servants and those of Lyon‘s den. There is a secondary romance as well that reminded me a bit of a Shakespearean comedy.

All her life, spinster Apollonia Alexander has been travelling with her father, a successful merchant. When he dies, he leaves the company to her cousin and his entire fortune to her, but as a single woman she has no access to it. She therefore decides, on the advice of her solicitor, to find a husband who shares her interests and lifestyle with the help of Mrs Dove-Lyon. Marriage to her cousin is out of the question.
Widowed Robert Strathford, Marquess of Hawke, is on the brink of financial ruin after his man of business stole his fortune and fled abroad. In desperate need of money, he again decides to enlist the help of the Black Widow of Whitehall, who was supposed to set him up before. This time she's to find him the perfect woman who is willing to share his love of travelling and help him out of his financial predicament, but Bessie’s help goes beyond the promised matchmaking...

Overall, an enjoyable read that I am happy to recommend!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

The Loyalty of a Lyon by Linda Rae Sande is part of the Lyon’s Den Connected World. I love this “series” and read all of them but this is amongst my favorite. These people are perfect for one another, and the selling point is that they are not young. Robert Strathford, Marquess of Hawke had watched his wife die in his arms. It was a carriage accident as they returned from one of their many trips abroad. Apollonia Alexander was a spinster who had travelled many years with her father, who was an importer and merchant. When he died he left all his money to Apollonia and the business to her cousin. Her current problem was that she could not withdraw funds without a male relative accompanying her. His problem was bad investments and a man of business with sticky fingers.. Their solution was Mrs. Dove-Lyon, although they never made it to speak to her to meet as it happened outside her establishment. It was love at first sight. But, it was not without its difficulties.

Apollonia had never pictured herself married. For one, what man would be able to satisfy her need to travel. Robert needed money but he fell in love with Apollonia at their first meeting and fell more in love as time wore on. Both were realists. And both understood the bargain they were making. Apollonia had never anticipated being married so she was nervous. They were both likable characters and I was cheering for it to all work out.

I was invited to read The Loyalty of a Lyon by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #LindaRaeSande #TheLoyaltyOfALyon

4,5 stars

Quite a light read. The heroine is 34 and the hero heading for late 40s. He doesn't really want to remarry but his financial advisor has embezzled money from his estate. Apollonia has been left money by her father but the business which she helped run has been left to a cousin. As a woman she needs a man to help access her accounts. She goes off to see Bessie to see if she can find a husband and Bessie selects Robert as the best match. They both like travelling and exploring the world. Once they meet they realise there's also passion to explore. There was a lot more interaction with Titan of the Lyon's den...perhaps his book is coming soon?

Apollonia was very generous to her cousin as she realised he made poor decisions because he was out of his depth.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

In this historical romance our Black Widow from the Lyon's Den has her easiest couple to match.
Our heroine is a spinster who travelled the world with her father. She is intelligent and independent, but finds out after her father's death that banks do not allow women to draw their own money. She needs a male relative to access her fortune.
Our hero is a widower whose man of business has run off with the funds.
As our characters are older they know what they want.
An entertaining story with fabulous characters.
Good fun.

This is another fun, enchanting read from the Lyon's Den series by various authors.
The characters are older in this story than the typical historical romance. Robert, the Marquess of Hawke, is 45, and Appollonia is a spinster who is 34.
Both need to marry. He needs money for the marquessate, and she needs to marry to access her inheritance. They both enlist the help of Bessie, the matchmaker who runs the Lyon's Den.
The storyline was wonderful, with fabulous chemistry between the two main characters, a secondary romance below stairs, and interesting secondary characters that add to the story .
It is definitely a 5-star read.

I always enjoy the way in which this author brings her adventures in travels to liven the pages of her books, as well as a bonus secondary romance below stairs. I found it sad that although Apollo's father was open-minded and enjoyed having his daughter on his travels with him, when it came to drawing up his will, he put her in the horrible situation of not having finances because she was a woman, and in order to access them, she needs to marry posthaste. Fortunately, there is Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon to turn to, who finds the perfect match between Apollo and the Marquess of Hawke. Widower Robert Strathford had loved his wife dearly and was devastated that a carriage accident took her life. If it were not for the need for funds in the wake of his man of business's theft, he would not have been so desperate to remarry. Setting out his seemingly impossible requirements puts the Black Widow of Whitehall in a quandary until Apollo arrives, making an almost identical request for a husband. The couple is drawn to each other even before Mrs. Dove-Lyon can introduce them, and their meeting only highlights that they belong together. Unfortunately, Apollo has a conniving relative who is not satisfied with the windfall he received upon the death of Apollo's father, but together with the Lyon's Den and Robert, they manage to sort out more than one financial mess. The romance between their respective staff members is also sweet, bringing the novel to a very satisfactory conclusion. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

A Lyon’s Den connected world

I heard about this series from the Fated Mates podcast, built around The Lyon’s Den, a fictional gambling house and matchmaking business run by a woman in London in 1815 ish. Different authors and many stories, love this set up.

This was a quick fun read with 2 characters that are immediately attracted to each other and don’t mess about. Robert Hawke, 45, marquess, is a widower. He needs to marry for money after getting swindled. Appollonia Alexander is a spinster, 34, her father recently died and left her well off with funds. But because patriarchy she can’t access them without a male relative. Both characters visit the Lyon’s Den to see the matchmaker and basically describe each other as their perfect mate. #mustlovetravel. They even see each other outside and it’s immediate sparks. This man takes out his opera spy glasses and checks her out from his carriage!

There’s some bad cousin shit, because patriarchy. But love wins. There’s a fun secondary romance too, which I miss seeing more of in romance.

Fun read, cool set up and world building. The characters insta love I haven’t read in a while and it was relatively low drama. I liked the older hero in a historical too.

Historical romance, marriage of convenience, money bags (she’s the one with money), hero over 40

An older match...

I liked that this was an older match. Robert, a widower who enjoyed traveling with his wife, until she passed away in an accident two years ago. Now broke, he needs a match fast. Apollo needs to weds, so she can access her cash. They both have enjoy traveling.

What are you looking for in a partner?
Friendship, loyalty and the willingness to ride a camel!

The both of them seasoned travellers with a particular love for the Mediterranean, Robert is the widowed Marquess of Hawke who’s businessman stole most of his funds, and Apollonia is a tradesman’s daughter and happy spinster who just inherited her father’s fortune.
He needs a wealthy wife - and, if he’s honest with himself, female companionship - and she needs a man to access her inheritance and isn’t about to settle for her sleezy cousin.
Purely by chance they both turn to the Black Widow of Whitehall on the same day to find them a match. Her job has never been this straightforward; what match could be more fortuitous than Apollo and his hawk?

It’s a no-fuss-no-muss love-at-first-sight whirlwind three-day romance between two mature MCs - she’s 34 and he’s 45 with an heir attending university. He’s pure charm and adorably rusty, and she may be innocent, but she’s not ignorant. They simply click, and what started as a potential marriage of convenience quickly sizzles into more… It’s kissing in the rain, ices at Gunter’s and a very thorough tour of his home 😉😉
It’s a naughty sideline romance for her maid and his butler.
And thanks to her cousin there’s exactly the right amount of drama.

A wonderful low-angst read with a certain old Hollywood quality! The perfect warm & fuzzy afternoon read; relaxing and romantic with a delicious splash of steam! I loved it!

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

The Loyalty of a Lyon is the next book in The Lyon's Den Connected World. I thoroughly enjoy reading any book that is a part of the Lyon's Den world. There are many different authors, and each story is uniquely its own. But it keeps the heart of the Lyon's Den characters intact which is what makes each and every book rewarding.

This one is the story of Robert Strathford, Marquess of Hawke. His beloved wife, Eleanor dies in a carriage accident. After two years he decides he needs to take advantage of Mrs. Dove-Lyons services to find him a wealthy woman to become his wife. On his way out after meeting with her, he runs into Apollonia Alexander who has also arrived for her appointment. She catches his attention, and he waits until she has finished.

Apollonia Alexander, daughter of a wealthy trader, has loved traveling about with her father for his business. Apollonia finds that she is wealthy but unable to access the funds needing a male relative to assist her. Uninterested in marrying her cousin, she seeks out Mrs. Dove-Lyons for help to find a husband.

Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon is stunned after speaking to both Robert and Apollonia since they are obviously perfectly suited for one another. and makes the arrangements for them to wed promptly, but Apollonia's cousin presents himself as her husband and steals her money. Will they be able to retrieve the stolen money and find love along the way.

This was a wonderful story. I loved how strong both the characters were. The story moves fast and is a quick enjoyable afternoon read.

Robert Strathford, Marquis of Hawke, had thought to spend his older years traveling the world with his beloved wife, but when Eleanor dies in a carriage accident, he’s left heartbroken and broke. While he was on the Continent, his man of business made off with most of his fortune, his whereabouts unknown. After two years of mourning both his wife and his livelihood, he’s in need of a matchmaker—his past two attempts to land a wife using the Black Widow of Whitehall failed. He is determined Mrs. Dove-Lyon find him a wealthy wife. Apollonia Alexander, the only daughter of a wealthy trader, has lived her entire life on the move. Her father chose to take her with him when he travelled to various ports and marketplaces. When he suddenly dies, she is devastated. Although her inheritance is substantial, her cousin inherits the Alexander Trading Company. Christopher will end up with her and her fortune if she’s unable to land a husband she needs a male relative to access her funds.
Another delightful romance in this connected series, I loved both Robert & Apollonia both older & both ripe for falling in love, they were perfect for each other down to the willingness to ride a camel! A quick read which I read in an afternoon & thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written, fast paced, lovely characters, some mystery & a secondary romance. An engrossing, captivating romance
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I appreciated that the characters in this book were a little older. Nothing wrong with young couples, but it's always nice to be reminded that women in their 30s are allowed to have happy endings of their own. Apollonia and Hawke are clearly perfectly suited for one another so you know they will be able to make their relationship work, no matter how they actually met and got started. I liked that, in the end, they didn't actually need to marry for money. The only part that did not ring true for me was when Apollonia's cousin was so easily able to steal all her money from the bank. But I guess it showed how women were viewed in those days - Alvanby knew Apollonia was supposed to be marrying his friend but with no proof at all believed she was just stringing him along or trying to scam him. I also thought her cousin did a 180 a little too quickly. He spent most of the book trying to undermine and steal from her and then as soon as he got caught almost immediately changes his ways and attitude about her. And of course, I can't wait to find out more about Titan his backstory!

It’s great to finally have an older gentleman, Robert find himself a bride with the help of Mrs. Dove-Lyon. The story is very entertaining and well written. It’s also great to have a strong woman like Apollonia take her own future in hand and excel. It’s a great story that was worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.