A Matter of Convenience by Lana Williams

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Mayfair Literary League, #1

Release Date: January 26, 2023

Lady Phoebe Fitzroy is the leader of the Mayfair Literary League, a book club made up of 6 ladies that have endured at least five seasons and remain unwed. Phoebe has turned down at least three proposals over the years and she knows that her parents are getting impatient with her, but they don’t know that Phoebe has a groom in mind, Anthony Stanhope, the Earl of Bolton, but unfortunately he doesn’t seem to see her as anything more than his sister’s friend. So Phoebe decides enough is enough, she needs to be bold and encourages her fellow league members to follow her lead and take their fate into their own hands – she calls her initiative the “For Better or Worse” agenda and promises to report her progress at their next meeting. Armed with a list of reasons they would make a good couple, Phoebe visits Bolton House to propose a marriage of convenience to Anthony.

Anthony is flabbergasted when Phoebe proposes a marriage of convenience, Anthony wants to marry for love or not at all, and even that is not something he is pursuing until he sees his younger siblings settled. He politely and gently declines her proposal, yet keeps her list. And for some reason he can’t explain, he can’t stop thinking of her. When he sees her a few days later at a ball, he asks her to dance, and later takes her for some air on the terrace, where he ends up kissing her and is shocked at the connection he feels. Did he make a mistake by not accepting her proposal? But then he remembers that she mentioned nothing of feelings for him, only practical reasons they would be good together and after witnessing his father and mother’s forced marriage, there is no way he would chance marriage without a love connection. He tells himself that he needs to leave her alone, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans…

This was a well-written, nicely paced, absolutely charming story with very likable characters and the setup for more delightful stories to follow when the other ladies from the Mayfair Literary League perform their own “bold acts”. This book has a friends-to-lovers trope, unspoken feelings, stolen kisses, compromising situations, more kissing, a villain bent on revenge, wagers, misunderstandings, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue set years later. I am happy to recommend this title, it was a great read, it is the first book in a new series and I am already counting the days until the next one releases!

*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.*