Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: 2/24/26
Period: Victorian
Number of Pages: 368

I first discovered this author in the early ’90s and quickly became addicted to her writing when she launched the Sherbrooke Brides historical romance series. What’s beyond addicted? I’m not sure—but I reached that level when I found her suspense-filled FBI series. In short, I’m a long-time fan. So I was delighted to learn she has returned to her historical romance roots, featuring members of the Sherbrooke family once again. It was especially lovely to see Ryder Sherbrooke and his beloved Lady Sophie.

Alex Ivanov’s life truly began eleven years ago, when he was pulled from the Thames and brought back to life by Ryder Sherbrooke. With no memory of his past, Alex was taken in by Ryder and Sophie, given a name, an education, and a carefully constructed history that allowed him to function in society. He developed a passion for all things mechanical, constantly improving everything from farming tools to trains. While waiting on a park bench for Ryder to finish a meeting at Parliament, Alex is approached by a young lady who chatters away without hesitation. Far from being annoyed, he is completely charmed—despite knowing he is socially beneath her, even as Ryder’s ward.

Lady Camilla (Cam) Rohman is a radiant force of nature—beautiful, witty, warm, and impossible not to adore. Everyone loves her… except her new, young stepmother, who is determined to see Cam married off and out of the house as quickly as possible. With her father thoroughly besotted with his new bride, Cam knows she has little time before she’s forced into marriage with some odious suitor. Then she meets the most handsome man she has ever seen—sitting quietly on a park bench—and, to her delight, her chatter doesn’t seem to trouble him in the least.

When Alex finally discovers his true identity, he is stunned. Meeting his real father brings complicated emotions—especially since Ryder is the only father he has ever known. His biological father is kind, loving, and has mourned his lost sons for eleven long years. Yet Alex has no memory of him or the estate he once called home. Who kidnapped Graham and his brother Simon all those years ago? If Graham was thrown into the river and left to drown, what happened to Simon? And are those responsible still out there, determined to finish what they started?

I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a cast of characters this much. Cam and Graham are delightful together, and their fathers—along with Ryder—round out a wonderfully engaging ensemble. There’s witty banter, scandalous secrets, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. There were a few plot points that felt slightly unresolved, and I would have loved a bit more in the epilogue to tie everything up. (As for the runaway wife—let’s just say I wouldn’t have minded a less-than-comfortable fate for her!)

This is a truly delightful story with two leads who are perfectly matched. If you enjoy a blend of romance, mystery, and charming characters, you can’t go wrong with this book.

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A Scoundrel for the Suffragist by Melissa Oliver

Tracy’s Rating: 3 / 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Disreputable Marsden Brothers

Release Date: February 24, 2026

Cecily Duddlecott is not your typical Victorian heroine; she was one of the first women admitted into Oxford and is a pioneer in the suffragist movement as a founding member of the Women’s Enlightened Reform Movement (TWERM) which supports the right to education for all women. She is passionate about education, but after a scandal that forced her to leave Oxford before she earned her degree, she had to return to her brother’s home and tried to give the appearance of conformity. It isn’t until her brother marries that things become difficult and her brother pushes her to marry newspaper mogul Samuel Millington. And if that was not enough, her best friend’s annoying brother-in-law, Dominic Marsden, seems to be stalking her!

After being raised as golden boys of the ton, only to be cast out of society after their father died and the truth of his bigamist marriage to their mother came to light, Dominic “Dom” Marsden and his brothers lost everything. But instead of giving up, the brothers fought back and created an empire of their own in the form of Trium Impiorum, an exclusive and wildly successful gaming club, and Dominic enjoys his new persona of scoundrel. The last thing he expected was to be dragged into service of the Intelligence Office, Sir Algernon Pendle has commanded Dom to keep his eye on Cecily, as her brother is a known cohort of Samuel Millington, who is suspected of treason. But Dominic never anticipated developing feelings for Cecily or that she would insist on putting herself in harm’s way to help him complete his mission.

I am not sure how I feel about this story; I liked the idea of the book and found both Dominic and Cecily to be relatable and likable. But I struggled to stay immersed in the story due to the author’s use of overly descriptive explanations, for example, there is almost a whole chapter about how to play the game of Loo, while interesting, this information did nothing to move the story along and was boring. There are other instances of this throughout the book, and it made it hard for me to stay focused on the real story. This book has a bit of mystery, a bit of spice, a smart and strong heroine, a hero with a true heart of gold, a book that has been thoroughly researched, a surprise twist and finally a happily ever after. Overall, I liked the story and found some of the history to be very interesting, so while I am glad, I read the book, I don’t think I would read it again. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

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