Month: July 2025

The Earl’s Unlikely Bride by Ella Matthews

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Earl's Unlikely Bride (The Dashworth Brothers #1)The Earl’s Unlikely Bride by Ella Matthews

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Dashworth Brothers, #1

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Lord Frederick “Freddie” Dashworth and along with his two younger brothers are called to the home of their elder brother the Duke of Glanmore, to meet with a solicitor regarding their brother Sebastian who left England years ago for America. They are shocked to learn that Sebastian is dead and that he left behind a 3-year-old daughter, Charlotte. His will states that the brothers must all live together for 2 years and raise Charlotte, an heiress, at the end of the time, the solicitor will award guardianship to one of the brothers. If the brothers refuse to follow his instructions, Charlotte will be sent to live with their aunt – the woman that raised the brothers after their parents died. As the brothers are united in their hatred for their aunt, they agree to the terms – problem is none of them know anything about raising a child. When Freddie runs into his neighbor, Miss Emily Hawkins at the modiste, he is wary about asking for help, as they have been at odds all their lives, but since he caught her in the Duke’s garden, he is not above blackmailing her to help Charlotte. He just never expected to fall so hard for the one person who is completely immune to his charm.

Emily Hawkins is the youngest of three daughters and the only unmarried one, making her the sole focus of her overbearing mother. Emily strives to be the perfect debutante, but she hasn’t “taken” and her mother is relentless in her criticism of Emily. She escapes into the duke’s garden for a respite and is found by Freddie. She has always thought Freddie was lazy and entitled, but after seeing him with his niece and getting to know him better, she realizes how wrong she was about him. But when they are caught in a compromising situation, she worries that marriage to him may cost her more than her happiness.

As usual, Ms. Matthews delivers a well-written story with wonderful characters. I loved Freddie and Emily, they both have their own insecurities to overcome, but when they work together, they are a force to be reckoned with! The book is not quite the story I thought it was going to be, but I am hooked! I can’t wait to find out the mystery surrounding their brother Sebastian’s death and seeing the remaining brothers find the women who will help them heal from the trauma of their upbringing. Highly recommended!

*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. *

Don’t You Forget About Me by Shana Galen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Don't You Forget About MeBarbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: 7/15/25
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 110

From the first page where Marjorie comes to and finds herself in a cave rapidly filling with water to the last page with Simon’s unique proposal, this is a wonderful story filled with excitement and delightful characters. You never go wrong when you choose a book written by this author.

Marjorie Clawson is one of, if not the, best spies in the Home Office. She’s worked hard at her craft and has built quite a hard shell around herself because being one of the very few female spies is a difficult thing. The males she works with respect her because she’s tougher, harder, and just downright meaner than they are, so they have no choice. So, how did Marjorie come to be a nice, caring, even loving person? Well, she just got hit on the head and lost her memory. OH!

Simon Burrows works at the Home Office as well and cannot imagine why Marjorie Clawson absolutely hates him. Yes, she’s cold and hard with the other spies, but it seems she has taken a particular dislike to him. Sometimes, that is really hard to bare because he’s really infatuated with her and it’s really hard to hide it.

Simon and Marjorie are sent on a vital mission in Cornwall, where they are to deliver the location for a weapons drop to smugglers delivering weapons to a British contingent near Spain. Without the delivery of these weapons, many British lives will be lost. Marjorie is the only one who knows the drop location, and when she loses her memory, the mission is in jeopardy.

SPIES!! Whoopee! I love spies, and mysteries, and romance, and this book has them all. I really liked Simon and Marjorie as they worked through the mystery, the memory loss, and finally found their way to their own HEA. This is a novella, so it’s a quick read, but the story never feels shortchanged. I can definitely recommend this book and this author. Happy Reading!

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

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