I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Of course, I know and have read Alison Goodman's other books (Dark Days Club is one of my favorite series) but they are sooo different from what this book is that I wasn't sure what to expect. With that said, I started this one and found myself not wanting to put it down.

This book focuses on two forty-something twin ladies living in Regency London and while they face the restrictions ladies in Society normally do, they have found a way to be who they want to be...for the most part. I loved the relationship Gus and Julia have with each other. They love and trust each other unconditionally and it was one of my favorite parts. Their brother on the other hand was a piece of work and I hated how he treated Gus...I'll be curious to see how their relationship moves forward based on how this book ended.

As Gus and Julia take on "projects" to help ladies they know, they find themselves in plenty of danger and I loved how resourceful and willing they were to do whatever it takes to make sure things are right. Along the way, Gus finds herself drawn to the man who tried to rob her (who happens to be someone with a past and a secret) and he strangely becomes a key participant in their work.

A lot happens in this book and I can't go into everything. If you take anything out of this, I hope that it's that you should read this book. If you enjoy Regency era stories, I highly recommend you pick this up. There's mystery, action, and a bit of romance that will keep you turning the pages.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Notorious Lord Knightly is book 2 in the Chessman series by Lorraine Heath and while part of a series, I thought this could easily be read as a standalone.

The main characters are Regina and Knightly and this fits nicely into the second chance romance trope. I enjoyed both characters as Heath did a great job of setting the stage with their backstory and tying that into who they are now. I thought the character development was well done and I love that Regina had the strength and willingness to put the story all out there on her terms. Of course, she has to scramble a bit but that only means she and Knightly truly get a chance to see who they are now and what that means for each of them. For Regina, there's a very fine line between love and hate and despite what was in their past, she has to decide if she can trust him again.

If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider this one. I always enjoy Heath's stories and this one hit the mark.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for a review.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal is book 2 in Sophie Irwin's A Lady's Guide series but it is definitely readable as a standalone if you didn't happen to pick that book up.

Eliza is our fmc and we find out that she was forced to marry a man not of her choosing and twenty years her senior. While not out of the ordinary for ladies of her station, it wasn't truly what she wanted as she had already fallen in love. When the story begins, we find our her husband is dead and Eliza has become a very wealthy lady but there is one caveat. Her inheritance comes with a morality clause and those who were expecting to get the inheritance originally are those that are determined to see how they can make her lose it. And just to add some complication, the new Earl of Somerset is the man she was formerly in love with.

After living under the strict guidelines of society and her husband, Eliza is determined to make her own decisions (within reason) and do what SHE wants to do so she decides to head to Bath with her cousin and it's there that things get interesting.

I admit, I didn't love the love triangle that occurs with Eliza, Somerset, and Melville. I wasn't truly expecting it either based on Eliza's past but in the end, I think it helped to tell the story more so I get it. I'm not going to say much here but I enjoyed the end so I won't hold it against the book or the author.

I definitely look forward to more books from Irwin. I loved her first book in this series and hope to see more along similar lines. Her stories are well-written, have solid characters, and a story that keeps me turning the pages. Pick this one up if you can.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not That Duke is the 3rd book in the Would Be Wallflowers series by Eloisa James and I'll admit, I haven't read the first two books and that may have impacted my enjoyment of this one. Especially as I have gone back to read the summary of book 2 and realized the main characters in that book are actually tied to the entire first half of this book (Yasmin and Giles).

With that said, I thought this was a good story and the characters individually were interesting. At the point that Silvester leaves and heads off into the country with Yasmin and her family, I was slightly confused as to how he turned the corner while gone and comes back in love with Stella.

Overall, this was a solid book. I enjoyed the ending but I think I will go back to check out the other books to see if that helps to align on the rest of the characters and stories. Consider picking this one up if you enjoyed the other books in this series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 6th book in the Palace of Rogues series and admittedly I've only read a few (not all) so it could be that I've missed something that I don't know but ultimately I enjoyed this book and thought Long did a great job of setting the stage with these characters specifically while still integrating them into the day to day world at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

I loved both Daphne and Lorcan. They have their own backstories but when they inadvertently cross paths one evening and find themselves sheltering together at the Grand Palace, despite their different backgrounds, they find some common ground to establish a bit of a friendship and then ultimately something more.

As a Lady, Daphne grew up taking care of her family's household when her mother passed away and she has always done everything for everyone else. When she finds herself in London trying to earn money to pay off her father's gambling debts, she crosses Lorcan's path and this is the catalyst to truly seeing how her father has been taking advantage of her. She comes off as a bit of a pushover too but I think it's more so the fact that she just wants to give those around her what they need to be happy (as evidenced by her breakup with Henry).

Lorcan grew up on the streets of St. Giles and he's been a smuggler and a privateer so he hasn't necessarily led a life that many men would support. When he finds himself staying in a suite with a Lady, his true colors come out and he is able to show Daphne how she matters. I loved the coffee and scones ritual and the fact that he got her a birthday present...and what he got her...it was perfect. I appreciated how Lorcan challenged Daphne's perceptions too and helped her to recognize who she wanted to be.

There were some chapters from the other character's points of view and it added to the story but I think had I read more books in this series, I might have gotten more out of them. If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider this one but definitely determine if you want to jump into the late stages of a series if you haven't read the others yet. I have heard great things about the others so based on that, I would recommend picking this up.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book of the Drop Dead Dukes series by Anna Bradley so that means it's a good time to pick it up and dive into something new. I enjoy Anna Bradley's other books so I figured I would enjoy this one as well. Bradley writes a solid story and enjoyable characters.

In this book, our main characters are Francesca and Giles. Their families have a history and I don't want to reveal anything that could ruin the story for you but just know that it's a pretty big deal and plays a role in prompting Giles to build a relationship with the Stanhope family so he can address the stains his father has left on the family reputation. Giles' plan is to marry Susannah Stanhope, Francesca's cousin, but on the night he commits to this, he has a run in with Francesca and can't stop thinking about her.

Francesca and her mother have been relegated to the country for the last 10 years and things are getting a bit dire. Because of that, she agrees to go to London in the hopes she can influence her uncle to help her and her mother out. When at a ball, Giles makes a statement that gets leaked to the gossip pages, Giles is put in a position where he has to build a relationship with the whole Stanhope family and that includes pushing Francesca to support the match with Susannah and showing that support in public.

Just a things are to be made official, things take a turn and Giles and Francesca find themselves married shortly after. Of course, this isn't the end of the story. There's a bit more angst to get through as they figure out how they truly feel for each other but overall I enjoyed this one. I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the series as I do enjoy Bradley's books. If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Heiress Swap is the first book I've read by Maddison Michaels but I will say, it won't be the last if I can help it. I enjoyed the story and the characters and hopefully the next book gives us Aimee's story as I truly interested in what she was up to while Evie was taking her place inthe ballrooms.

Our main characters in this story are Evie and Alex. I loved Evie. Having grown up as a companion to her wealthy cousin, she knows the ins and outs of what's required in society so when she agrees to take her cousin's place in London, it's not as difficult as one would imagine. With that said, the only caveat is that she not accept any proposals of marriage which she feels should be an easy task. Little did she know about the Duke of Hargrave.

When his cousin declares himself in love with a new woman visiting from the States, Alexander Trenton―the sixth Duke of Hargrave―is determined to prove that the young lady in question is just another American "Dollar Princess" desperate for an English title. Alex is determined to expose her…by thoroughly seducing her and proving to his cousin that she is not for him but when his plan goes sideways and he compromises Evie, he finds himself betrothed to her himself.

I enjoyed this story but Alex's determination to make Evie the bad guy in this story drove me crazy. I understood that his backstory sets the stage for his feelings but at the end of the day, it's not like these ladies had any choice in the matter and the fact that he held her responsible for all the wrongs he experienced was slightly annoying. I also think that as Evie started to have feelings and do more than just be betrothed to Alex (despite their plan to get out of it), she should have come clean with him. I suppose she was holding out hope that he would never have to know, but she took a pretty big step with him still calling her another name and thinking she was someone else.

Like I said, I did enjoy the book. The banter between the characters, the storyline, and the writing were all well done and I'll definitely pick up more by this author. If you're looking for a new historical romance, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review to come