Category: Check Content Warning/Triggers

The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Viscount's Forbidden Flirtation (A Season to Wed, 2)The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: A Season to Wed, #2

Release Date: April 1, 2025

French emigree, Miss Seraphine Mounier first meets Ezra Hart, heir to Viscount Hart when she tries to prevent a duel between Erza and her brother Henri, Baron Mounier. She is too late, but thankfully Erza deloped and apologized for the insult he paid to Henri, when he made derogatory statements about the French immigrants in England. This doesn’t pacify Seraphine, and she makes it clear that she doesn’t like Erza and wants nothing to do with him. But their paths keep crossing and the more time she spends with him, the more she softens towards him. Erza needs a noble wife with an impeccable background and there is no way the Viscount would accept her. She tries to distance herself from him, but Erza can’t seem to take a hint and when disaster strikes, he is her hero, and she falls head over heels for a man she can’t have. Too bad falling in love doesn’t guarantee a happy ending.

Ezra Hart is the heir to Viscount Hart, but that is not a right he was born to, and it is conditional. When Ezra was just 10 years old, the Viscount’s son died and he approached Ezra’s parents with a proposition, Ezra would come to live with them as their son and the Viscount will make him his heir and in exchange, he would give Ezra’s father a home and a living. Ezra missed his family, but had no contact with them, and never felt like he belonged with the Viscount. So, when the opportunity to go to school came, he was happy and made some lifelong friends, friends he convinced to go into the military with him when they finished school. He fought for years and now that the war is finally over and he has returned to England, his is trying to come to terms with his life. His experiences in the war skewed his feelings towards the French and while in his cups one night he made some awful comments that ended up published. Words he regrets and after meeting Seraphine, he will do whatever he can to make things right. He would love to make Seraphine his wife, but his inheritance is conditional and without the Viscount’s approval, he has nothing to offer her.

This was a well-written and interesting story with a very unique plot that touches on sensitive issues regarding prejudices and social status. I liked Erza and tried to be understanding of his original opinions of the French immigrants in England, especially as he had just returned from the war. I also tried to give the same empathy to Seraphine who had lived in England most of her life but was still treated like an outsider, yet I had a hard time warming up to her. However, I had a hard time believing she was as ostracized as she claimed, as she and her family were accepted into the highest echelons of society and had no shortage of invitations. Yes, there were a few people who were nasty – but that was more about jealousy than xenophobia. This was a very fresh story, but it did have a lot of etiquette errors – by my count Seraphine was ruined at least three times and seemed to have no concern for her reputation. Overall, I liked the story and thought the author handled the sensitive plot points very well. This is the second book in an author collaboration series but could easily be read as a standalone title.

*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. *

The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett

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

The Lady Sparks a Flame (The Damsels of Discovery, #2)The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Damsels of Discovery, #2

Release Date: March 25, 2025

After designing a weapon that was used in a bombing that killed an innocent man and then accidently shooting Arthur Kneland, Lady Phoebe Hunt, one of the founding members of Athena’s Retreat, was exiled to America and warned not to return without permission. But when her father dies, she does return to sell off the unentailed estate and ensure her mother and sister are taken care of. She approaches Sam Fenley, brother of her once best-friend Letty, to post an advert in his paper about the estate auction, never expecting any further contact with him. But when Sam shows an interest in both the estate and her sister Karolina, it is clear that she isn’t going to get rid of him any time soon. They travel to her family’s estate, Prentiss Manor in North Cumbria, a place of unknown horror and pain. Phoebe has to come to terms with the past and fight her attraction to Sam, but that is easier said than done. When they return to London and learn that there has been another bombing, one that Phoebe is a prime suspect in, it becomes clear where Sam’s affections lie. Phoebe admits to herself that she loves Sam, but with her past and the new accusations against her, she believes she is not worthy of him and thinks it would be better if she just returned to America.

Sam Fenley is a self-made man, but he longs for acceptance among the upper echelons of society. When Lady Phoebe askes him to place an advertisement in his newspaper, he sees an opportunity for success and insists on helping Phoebe. He makes an offer on the London townhouse and makes his interest in Karolina known. He then offers to accompany the ladies to Prentiss Manor to catalog the contents of the manor. Raised in a loving family, he is shocked by the air of despair and horror lingering in Prentiss. Slowly, he begins to chip away at the thick shell encasing Phoebe and finds himself falling in love with her. But Phoebe has no intention of making their road to HEA easy, but lucky for her, Sam can be just as stubborn as she is and never gives up on what he wants – and he wants Phoebe.

This story was a lot darker than I was expecting and featured a sort of reverse Grumpy/Sunshine trope. I loved Sam, he was so gentle and kind with Phoebe. I will be honest, I had a hard time liking Phoebe, I understood her pain and tried to be compassionate, but she doesn’t make it easy for the reader or Sam. She fought him at every turn, but ultimately, he won her heart. This book is filled with emotion, secrets, past abuse, self-harm, kindness, compassion, steamyish love scenes, forgiveness and finally a very hard-won HEA. This story does touch on some dark issues and may be triggering to some readers, I would strongly suggest reading the content warnings before reading this book especially if you are sensitive to self-harm and physical/emotion abuse. This is the second book in the spinoff series, and while it could be read as a standalone title, you will have a better understanding of Phoebe if you have read The Secret Scientists of London series.

*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. *