Category: Tracy’s Reviews

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

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

A Lady's Guide to ScandalA Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Lady’s Guide, #2

Release Date: July 11, 2023

After 10 years of enduring a loveless marriage to a pompous, self-righteous man more than twice her age (who also happened to be the uncle of the man she once loved and the new Earl), Eliza Courtenay née Balfour, the Countess of Somerset, is widowed and soon to be once again dependent on her parents. But in a shocking twist, the late Earl did the unthinkable and left Eliza a fortune, more than enough to maintain her independence, but this gift does not come without strings, in order to keep the bequeathment, Eliza will have to live a life of decorum and bring no scandal to the Somerset name. And now that her mourning has passed, her parents are pressing her to return home to them, but for the first time in her life, Eliza doesn’t obey and sets out to live her own life, on her own terms. She relocates to Bath with her cousin and dear friend and cousin, Margaret. It is here that reconnects with her first love, Oliver, the new earl and the man with the power to rescind her fortune, she then makes the acquaintance of Max, Lord Melville; a known rake, and she pursues her passion for painting, all the while making strides to become the woman she wants to be, but will that include a second chance at love or is there to be a new love in her future?

This was a well-written novel that not only gives readers a fresh twist to the oft-used “widow of a loveless marriage finds love” and “love triangle” tropes but also incorporates a bit of a “Persuasion” vibe. Personally, I am not a fan of love triangles and I have to agree with other reviewers who felt the heroine may have crossed a line and cheated on one man while engaging with the other – since promises had been made and declarations shared, it did smack of cheating. This book has a lot going on, betrayals, a heroine finding her true self, a secondary romance that was handled appropriately for the era, more than one hero, more than one shocking twist, threats, angst, heartache, and finally more than one HEA as well as a twist at the end that I did not see coming, but one that left me with a smile on my face. I do wish there had been a bit of heat, but considering everything that was happening, I guess I understand why there was none. Overall (and despite the perceived cheating), I enjoyed the story, it was a bit slow to start and could be frustrating at times, but still worth reading. This is the second book in the 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. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Season of the Rake (Wicked Widows League, #15) by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Season of the Rake (Wicked Widows' League #15)Season of the Rake by Jane Charles

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Widows’ League, #15 with ties to Wedding Wagers and the Trent Series

Release Date: June 20, 2023

After rusticating for over a year thanks to scandal and then mourning their brother and husbands, Octavia Murphy, the widowed Countess of Kepple, and her sister Lavinia, the widowed Marchioness of Teviot are finally out of mourning and returning to London to launch their younger sisters into society. But aside from acting as a chaperon and hopefully saving her sisters from making the same mistakes she made, Octavia plans to find herself a lover. Octavia’s marriage left her bitter and determined to never marry again, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be alone, so to safeguard her heart she has come up with ten rules that will ensure that not only will she protect her heart, but protect her family from yet more scandal. Angelo Evans, Earl of Bolton is rumored to be the best lover in England, but the latest gossip says he is in the market for a bride, which should eliminate him from the running but Angelo is not willing to be denied, so will he agree to her rules?

Angelo’s father the Marquess of Dargate is not well, causing his mother to pressure him into agreeing to marry by Christmas. Angelo agrees to marry but plans to enjoy his freedom to the fullest before he has to enter the bonds of matrimony. He sets his sites on Octavia as his first lover of the season, when she rejects him, it only makes him want her more, but when he learns of her rules, he is not he is willing to comply. But once they come to terms, their affair is more than either ever expected and they find their hearts engaged. But Octavia has more than just a bad marriage keeping her from committing completely to Angelo, and with promises made to his parents, Angelo may have to let her go, even if it breaks both their hearts.

As usual, this is well written, nicely-paced story about a charming rake and a lovely widow who despite their best intentions, fall in love. The story is filled with witty banter, rules, promises, secrets, steamyish love scenes, a bit of angst, great secondary characters, family members who feel the need to give their opinions, surprises and finally a happy ending that didn’t seem possible, complete with an epilogue. I liked this story, and I loved both Octavia and Angelo, but I wasn’t thrilled by the ending, I was happy for them, but I wasn’t left with a “love conquers all” feeling. While this book is part of a large author collaboration series, it also has ties to other series by Ms. Charles and can 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. All opinions in this review are my own.*