Month: June 2022

The Unwanted Corpse by Elizabeth Bailey

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

The Unwanted Corpse (Lady Fan Mystery Book 8)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: A Lady Fan Mystery #8
Publication Date: 4/6/22
Period: Georgian – 1794 England
Number of Pages: 362

Lady Ottilia Fanshawe (Lady Fan) and her husband Lord Francis are trying to settle in for a nice quiet period after the birth of their son, Luke. They long for the peace and quiet of their home where they can spend time with their adopted daughter, Pretty, and get to know Luke. That, of course, is a pipe dream. First, Lord Francis’s mother Sybilla drops in to stay for a while – and she’s soon followed by Mr. Maplewood, and then their niece Lizzy. Oh! And lest I forget – there was the corpse of Mr. Marmaduke Gibbon dumped at their front door. So much for peaceful family time.

Once they’ve identified the body – and Ottilia is pretty sure of the cause of death – there are plenty of suspects to go around. All of them are hiding something. All of them are telling untruths – even the victim’s best friend, Percy Pedwardine.

Richenda Vexford, a spoiled, sly, manipulative, wealthy young lady seems to be at the bottom of everything. Or, is she? It certainly seems all of the suspects are in her thrall, and the victim was there to pursue her – or at least her fortune. Did some of her suitors feel threatened by Marmaduke’s dashing good looks? Or, is there another motive behind it all? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I have become invested in the lives of Ottilia and Frances as well as their motley mix of family and friends, so I enjoyed this story and getting to meet new baby Luke. The story was a tad slow in some spots and some of the author’s word choices puzzled me – but none of it was anything I couldn’t overlook. What I didn’t like was that the perpetrator got away with no punishment – or at least none that was worth noting.

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Up All Night with a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Up All Night with a Good Duke (The Byronic Book Club, #1)Up All Night with a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Byronic Book Club, #1

Release Date: June 28, 2022

After a disastrous first season that ended in heartbreak, Artemis Jones swore off marriage and set her site on a new goal, opening an academic college for women and she spends the next 10 years pursuing that goal by working as a teacher in a finishing school by day and writing the wildly popular gothic novels by Lydia Lovelace at night, she is close, but still doesn’t have the funds necessary to quit her jobs and open the school. But when she gets a letter begging for help from her dear friend and fellow Byronic Book Club member, Lucy, she quits her job and heads to London. She hopes to help Lucy and secure a wealthy patron to fund her school all while sidestepping her aunt’s attempts to marry her off. But never did she imagine that her first day in the city would have her crossing paths with the first man in ages to capture her interest.

Dominic Winters, the Duke of Dartmoor, is a widower raising his 15-year-old daughter, he knows she needs a mother figure, but with nasty rumors started by his late wife’s family have society calling him the Dastardly Duke and whispering that he killed his wife, he is finding that remarrying is not as simple as he had hoped, not to mention, he can’t seem to forget the intriguing woman who collided with him. Soon their paths cross again and the magic is still there, too bad she isn’t “duchess material” – or is she? When they met yet again, it is at a ball and they share a waltz and a spectacular kiss. Dominic is smitten and so when Artemis proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement, he agrees and wonders if it is possible to change her mind about marriage, but before that can even be considered, a shared foe must be dealt with otherwise, there will be no chance of a HEA for anyone.

What a great start to a new series! This well-written nicely paced love story is sure to become a fan favorite. I loved Artemis and Dominic, they aren’t perfect, but they are perfect for each other. The book has secrets, good friends, a lonely 15-year-old, a nasty villain, steamy love scenes, instant chemistry, and finally a well-deserved HEA. This is the first book in the series and I highly recommend it and am really looking forward to Lucy and Jane’s stories!

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