Paddington Station, London - 1867

Miss Poppy Delemere, who goes by the name of Flora Deaver, has been working for Lady Katherine Eversham and her writing partner, Caroline Wratham. Poppy has just decided to hurry to her home in Little Kidding as her sister, Violet, 18, has been accused of killing her husband, Mr. Alistair Lovell.

As Poppy rushes to purchase a train ticket, a man steals her reticule and all of her money. Giving chase, she runs right into Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham. He is a friend of her employers. Learning she has been robbed, he offers to pay for her ticket. But, she is stubborn woman and distrustful of men. As she hesitates, he talks her into going on the train with him in his private car and he is also heading to Little Kidding and his home Langham Manor. It is his grandmother’s birthday and he knows she has invited eligible young ladies to be there in hopes he will choose one for his wife. When Poppy explains about her sister, he suggests they help one another. With his influence, hopefully he can get her sister out of prison while the authorities look for the truly guilty person. In exchange, she will pose as his fiancee to thwart his grandmother’s subjecting him to the young ladies. After all is over and settled, they can just call off the engagement. She agrees. At the train station, his entire family is waiting for him and shocked when he introduces Poppy.

This is a very good novel which is full of suspense. Poppy and Joshua are great characters and perfectly matched for one another. Secrets from the time of Joshua’s great-grandfather are revealed and boy are they crazy. I know readers of historical romance with suspense will really like this story. Manda Collins in a very talented author so enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

def 14% I don't know why this series just doesn't work for me. I can't get myself to enjoy the books. I always struggle with mysteries in romance, but I couldn't get myself to care about the characters. I felt like this book was an odd mix of both too much exposition and yet not enough because I felt like I needed to already know who the characters were from the previous books (which I've read but don't remember). Maybe I'll come back to this one when I'm on less of a tight reading schedule.

I think this installment of the series is one of the stronger ones, especially on the mystery part. The mystery was pretty strong overall. I liked the inclusion of the cult, which was really interesting. I liked this romance probably the most of the three only because it took most of the book for the couple to decide that they wanted to actually be together. We get a really good establishment of their friendship and that they do actually care for one another. Where this book lacked a bit was the beginning. The establishing chapters felt really forced and clunky, but once the set up was done, the author hit her stride more. I think trying to make this a kind of hate to love romance was not really the move. It felt hamfisted in their meeting in the second book and really forced in the opening chapters of this book. It’s okay for a couple to just be friendly and tease each other and discover they feel more than they thought. This series is stronger on the mystery front and sometimes the romance seems glossed over in certain points where I would love to know the feelings. For example, there’s a scene where the hero is talking about why he loves the heroine and his speech gets cut off and it ends with basically saying “he listed all the ways he loved her” I would have loved to hear those ways and maybe her reasons for loving him back? I would definitely give another book by this author a try!

Poppy leaves her life in London working with Kate and Caro when she finds our her sister is accused of murder. After her bag containing her money is stolen at the train station, she turns to the Duke of Langham, who is traveling in the same direction and offers his aid. Poppy agrees to be his fake fiancée to save him from a house of matchmaking mamas, their daughters, and his grandma. Together they try to solve the mystery of who really killed sister’s late husband and try not to fall for each other while they do.

I just adore this series! I love the smart female leads, their wittiness, and their mystery solving. I loved the romance between Langham and Poppy. He truly cared and wanted to help her regardless of their arrangement. They had great chemistry and banter! I read a mix of the ebook (thank you @readforever for my gifted copies!) and the audiobook because I have to own the whole series and I love Mary Jane Wells.

This is a well written romance and mystery. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I kept thinking the characters should be doing “more”. Especially since Poppy was supposed to be so concerned about her sister. She had a powerful Duke at her side so couldn't she demand to be taken to her sister? There is also some repetition which I always view as an author trying to fill-out the pages. Is the plot interesting? You betcha. It had exciting breathless moments and action. The romance was rather lukewarm but then it did heat up as the H/h got to know and like each other.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. A Spinter's Guide to Dangerous and Dukes is the third book in the "Guide" triology, but it can easily be ready as a standalone title. After seeing an article in the paper, Poppy Delamere is frantic to return home after seeing her sister's name in a newspaper about the death of her husband. After an boy steals her bag with all of her money, she runs into the Duke of Langham. After some sparing, they realize they are traveling to the same location, and she agrees to travel in his private rail car.

Langham is traveling to his estate to celebrate his grandmother's birthday; not wanting to deal with the eligible misses that she likely invited to the house party, he gets Poppy to agree to pose as his fiancé by pointing out that his position can only be beneficial. Poppy goes to visit her sister, but her stepfather prevents her from seeing her. Her sister is the prime suspect in the death, and Poppy needs all the help she can get to clear her name. I enjoyed the banter between Poppy and Langham and found the balance between the mystery and romance to be very nicely done. The mystery itself has a few nice twists that kept it from being too predictable. I'd really like to see what Ms. Collins could do writing a historical mystery series featuring the same lead characters with romantic elements after enjoying many of her historical romance titles featuring mystery elements.

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is a masterfully crafted novel that seamlessly blends mystery and romance. The plot is cleverly constructed, the execution is flawless, and the writing is delightfully witty. The mystery element of the story propels the action forward, while the romance adds a pulsating beat to the narrative. The two elements are expertly intertwined to create a captivating and entertaining tale that will appeal to fans of both genres.

💍 Book Review 💍

Thanks to @readforeverpub for a free copy of this book. It came while I was out of the country (on Spring Break in Spain!) but I started it on @netgalley on the plane and devoured the physical copy when I got home last night.

✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Solving a Mystery
✔️ Opposites Attract (Eligible Duke + Wannabe Spinster)

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes (just published this week!) is the third book in the Ladies Most Scandalous series. I loved the first book but this is my favorite of the series. It's about Poppy and the Duke of Langham who pose as an engaged couple so she can investigate a crime her sister is accused of while he can avoid his family's matchmaking.

I love the Fake Dating trope and it is executed flawlessly here. I love when "affection for show" unlocks real attraction and there were some fantastic scenes where the eye contact and pining were both emotional and a little steamy!

The characters are well-matched and I loved how each chapter built their esteem for each other where you can tell they like each other as people and it's not just about physical attraction (though there is plenty of that too).

Sometimes when I read a book where there is a case to be solved, I don't always feel the need to reread - I know what happened. However, so much else went on here with the characters and the relationship that is worth revisiting so I would definitely pick it up again.

Highly recommend - I'd give this one 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

From the moment Poppy collided with Langham at the train station, I was hooked. Poppy Delamare is smart, headstrong, and resourceful. Joshua Fielding is dashing and commanding as the Duke of Langham should be. Together they are magic. I enjoyed their witty banter and passionate chemistry. They're so good together!

I love period stories and reading about customs of those times. I smiled at the clever references, including one to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Add in a fake betrothal, murder, and a secret society, and you have the perfect read to keep you entertained.

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is book three in the Ladies Most Scandalous series. I didn't feel lost at all even though I haven't read the first two books. This book is perfect for those who like some mystery and/or Regency Romance. I'll be adding the first two books to my tbr and keeping an eye out for future books by Manda Collins!

This was a fun opposites attract, fake dating historical romance with dual POV and a murder mystery thrown in. Great on audio narrated by Mary Jane Wells and perfect for fans of Elizabeth Everett, India Holton or Martha Waters. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

A Spinster' Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins was a lot of fun to read!

When her sister is accused of murder, Flora Deaver knows she must go to her side. But when a pickpocket steals her money and Flora is forced to turn to Joshua Fielding for assistance, she knows she has to come clean: her name is really Poppy Delamare, and she is rushing home to clear her sister's name. Joshua knows that, as the Duke of Langham, his name might carry weight and help Poppy acquit her sister. In exchange, Joshua asks Poppy to pretend to be his fiancée in an effort to stop his scheming grandmother from playing matchmaker. But as they spend more time together, Poppy and Joshua realize that real feelings might be behind their fake engagement...and a real killer is on the loose.

While A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is a historical murder mystery romance, I would say the emphasis was on the murder mystery and romance, which I enjoyed a lot. Collins does a great job developing their relationship through mutual support during stressful and somewhat scary situations, and I enjoyed watching Poppy and Joshua grow closer as they investigated the murder of Poppy's brother-in-law.

I also loved how smart and driven Poppy (and Kate and Carol, for that matter) is. Despite having some pretty frightening circumstances in her past, Poppy is a fighter, and I respected her for standing up for herself, whether it was against Joshua, his family, or even the constable.

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is out now, and if you a the first two books in the Ladies Most Scandalous series, you won't want to miss out on Poppy's story! Many thanks to Forever, Manda Collins, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading Manda Collins (I hadn't a clue it was the third book in a series when I requested!) and I really enjoyed it! I loved Poppy and Joshua and their quest to clear Poppy's sister's name. Even though this was the third book, you were given enough context clues to piece out loosely what happened in the previous books enough to understand this book but not so much that you don't want to read the other two books (which I definitely want to do now). I did find it a little predictable as far as the murder plot, but it did not take away from my enjoyment.

I love all the tropes in this one: fake dating, he falls first, grumpyxsunshine, and probably more that I'm forgetting.

I loved how there wasn't really any dumb miscommunication that you often see in romcoms.

One thing that did irk me was that the cover pics don't match the descriptions? But maybe I'm just going crazy. I could've sworn Joshua's hair was referred to as golden multiple times?

I can't wait to read the first two books in this world!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

this was such a good book! it was my first by Manda Collins, and I don't think it will be my last. To start off, the plot was great. The book was fast-paced, and the plot moved along at a perfect speed. The story kicked off nearly right at the beginning of the story, and I couldn't put the book down once I started it. The romance was really well done, as were the friendships throughout the book. The murder mystery on top of this was great as well!!

the characters were great as well. I wasn't sure if I would like some of them after *that* introduction at the beginning in the train station, but I was pleasantly surprised by the dynamic that we ended with as the story went on! Poppy was a stellar female main character; she was strong, funny, and stubborn, yet also in touch with her emotions, and she wouldn't let anyone get in her way - I loved her! I also adored the dynamic between Joshua and Poppy; their banter was so fun to read, and they were adorable!

as for the tropes, you guessed it - I loved them too! fake relationships are one of my favourite tropes, so I was so excited to read this! I don't think I have anything negative to say about this book, to be honest (except for the fact that I didn't read it sooner)! I'd definitely recommend it!

I haven’t read the first two books in this series but they’re definitely moving up my TBR. This was a delightful book with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue. Poppy and Langham embark on a mission to be in a fake relationship as well as save her sister who has been accused of murdering her husband. So we have the drama of a society house party mixed with an investigation, plus a sweet couple falling in love! Both Poppy and Langham were well written characters and their enemies to friends to lovers story was a fun read.

This is book three of the ladies most scandalous series. Poppy and Joshua, the Duke of Langham, have met several times through friends. They didn't particularly like each other.
But when they meet on a train station platform both going to the same area, Poppy decides to let Langham help her out in getting home.
But first Poppy has to tell him the truth. Poppy had fled home and resumes life in London under a different name. She tells him she is now going back home to find out why her sister is being accused of murder, killing her husband.
Langham, office to help her find out what is going on with her sister if she would return the favor by entering into a fake betrothal. His grandmother is trying to play matchmaker and this would help him ward off all the debutantes.
The story has kidnapping, murder, secret societies and blackmail.
Little by little Poppy and Joshua fall in love.
The story brings in the main characters from books 1&2. It possibly sets up a book 4.
All in all I enjoyed this book.
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Poppy has a lot of troubles at present: she’s been lying to her employers and friends about her identity for two years, her sister’s under arrest for the murder of her husband, and someone just stole her purse. When the stuffy and arrogant Duke of Langham steps in to offer her a way to get to her sisters side and help determine what really happened, Poppy begrudgingly accepts. All she has to do is agree to be his fake fiancé for a week at a house party. The two quickly come to understand that Poppy’s sister is in more trouble than they realized and that it’s going to be much harder to end their “engagement” then they originally supposed. But while the former is a problem they must solve, increasingly neither Poppy nor Langham is upset by the idea of being together permanently…

This series is so great. It’s a fairly close mystery/romance split and I loved both plots equally. Poppy’s backstory really worked—I think it’s actually quite hard to pull off an evil villain but Manda Collins nailed it in her stepfather who is absolutely The Worst. He’s not even the only terrible person in this book, and it’s extremely satisfying to see all the terrible people get their comeuppance but the end. In addition to the mystery, which has an almost comical occult element (based on real events from history!), the romance between Langham and Poppy is so believable. They are obviously attracted to each other physically, but their appreciation for each other comes out of their conversations, kindness, wit, and crime solving, not their looks. It’s a bit of slow burn as the result, but the pay off worked really well for me. I would have liked a little more time at the end of them together to really solidify their relationship, which is knocking this down from 5 stars to 4.5 (would not have minded one more intimate scene either…).

I genuinely have been loving this series and hope it continues!! Adrian next?!

This is a great addition to the Ladies Most Scandalous series! Picture a Victorian Era historical romance with a side of a murder mystery that may or may not involve a hedonistic cult. I liked both Poppy and Langham and appreciated the way they both had to take a step back and examine their first impressions of each other. I also found their relationships with their families fascinating. The ending felt a little rushed to me, but I still enjoyed the story overall.

NOTE: This is the 3rd book in the Ladies Most Scandalous series but can easily be read as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy ebook.

If you like historical romance and you like mystery novels, this is a nice balance of both. Poppy is a strong leading lady and I'd say she could even border being a grump. But what I like most is that she can hold her own with the upper-class snooty people she encounters.
I like that Joshua doesn't just try to step in and fix her problems. He understands that some men aren't willing to openly discuss things with her but he finds a way to get the information for her.

Poppy was living under a different identity when she moved to London. It was to protect herself from her stepfather, who tried to marry her off to an odious man. What she never expected was that he'd force her sister to take her place. Now her sister is being accused of murdering her husband.

She's heading back to support her sister when she literally runs into the Duke of Langham. They aren't friends but he is friends with the men who married her former bosses. Sensing that something is wrong he vows to use his title to help her and her sister. But he has a small request of his own, pretend to be his fiance to protect him from the women his grandmother has lined up for him to meet.

The better to get to know each other the more the lines of fake and real get blurred for them. Langham would like to make the engagement real. But they still need to find the real killer and are surprised to find that it ties to Langham's great-grandfather. Will they be able to find the person responsible before they strike again?

Thank you so much to the author and Forever for this ARC to review.

Manda Collins’ third installment in her Ladies Most Scandalous series is an absolute delight! Collins weaves romance and mystery together to create a charming treat. Collins’ writing is well paced and easily pulls the reader into the story. Her characters and fun and interesting and the plot lines and tropes to this novel work perfectly hand in hand to create an interesting and engaging read. I have found each installment in this series to be so fun and charming and with each installment Collins becomes more and more in control of her writing and her story in a really lovely way!

This novel gave me all the cat nip I needed to quickly jump into this story and stay interested and invested in our characters. I loved that this fake engagement, murder mystery romance has a strong heroine at its center. She is independent and she decided to take her own life into her hands but now that her sister is in need she will work hard to clear her name. I love that this murder mystery is the perfect catalyst to bring our hero and heroine together and they must unravel secrets, learn to trust each other and work hand in hand to unveil the web of lies and secrets to get to the heart of the truth. Collins brilliantly sets this outside of the London society circles which helps to give our hero and heroine more freedom of movement. While working together, Collins is able to build the tension between them in perfect tandem around the mystery plot.

I would highly recommend this novel by Collins, as well as the others in this series. It can be read as a stand-alone but this series is really fun and each novel just gets better and better!

The heroine had fled her old life to escape a forced betrothal and began a new life as a secretary with a new name. However, when the heroine learned that her sister is accused of murder, she returns to her old life to help her sibling. Along the way she meets the hero, who asked for a favor in return to helping her. With a fake betrothal between the hero and the heroine, the couple learn more about each other and began to fall in love. With this burgeoning romantic relationship, the couple also deals with the accused sister's case, which brings with it trouble that may or may not a detriment to their happy ending.

This is the third book in the A LADY'S GUIDE series. It features a vicar's daughter and a duke that are both in need of each other in one way and another. Along with the mystery of the accused sibling's case, there are also some ladies who are in need of husbands, which the hero is using the fake betrothal with the heroine to guard against. I enjoyed the strong friendship circle that supported the main couple. I also enjoyed the sibling relationships that the main couple have in their lives. I even enjoyed the cameo appearances of a rapscallion canine companion that is the lovable pet of a senior character. I would have liked more details in certain areas of the story, in both the mystery and the romance. Overall, the nice flow and great story vibe of this Manda Collins book provided a wonderful reading experience.


** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **