I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main character were Lady Radiance Diamond and Edward Lockwood.

Lady Radiance Diamond has fallen in love with gemstone. She like making jewelry and other fashioning trinkets. So when meets a geologist that snags her fancy she want to see him more.

Edward Lockwood has traveled the world look for precious stones. The Queen Victoria has a delicate undertaking that she want him to do. And he finds out that he will be working with Lady Radiance Diamond. He not sure about this.

This was fun to read. It had action, adventure and suspense throughout. It had a mystery within too. There was a few giggles within.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

Reading the story it was a little hard to get through. The stories plot was based all around being a gemologist and trying not to offend friends as you reticule their jewelry that they wear. I looked for the excitement and the entertainment. Something to get me to believe that this book will pickup and be that page turner. The book shows the writer’s abilities of researching for her book. The writer is very capable of writing a story that flows easily for the reader. The story has fine details that describe people, places, and things with clarity. This outline provided me a good visual of the story.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this story, and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book 4 of the Diamonds of the First Water series and about third sister Radiance. She has a love of gem stones and a desire to learn how to work with them and precious metals to make jewelry and as part of her desire to learn, she has apprenticed herself to a noted jewelry and goes to various lectures to learn more.

Edward Lockwood is a noted geology expert and scholar and Radiance meets him at one of his lectures. They are from different classes, with her being the daughter of an Earl, with wealth and social power. They appear to have different personalities as well, with him being a focused scholar who seems rather befuddled about other things such as social niceties, and other things he does not deem important.

But between his expert knowledge on stones, and Radiance's keen eye, they are both drawn into mystery involving the theft of noted jewels belonging to Queen Victoria's collection and their replacement with fraudulent stones.

Initially I found that Radiance and Edward did not strike me as a couple that worked well together. They seemed quite different and Edward was very cold and standoffish with her. He seemed not willing to take her seriously and was dismissive. I put off reading this for a bit because I did not feel any spark. But then I picked it up again and I was rather taken by the information and history of some of the crown jewels and how they and the royal couple of the time, Victoria and Albert, were woven into the story. The entire mystery and how the couple worked at it was and interesting part of the storyline, and I found myself enjoying that more than the romance. But it did act as a tool and foil for showing Edward how intelligent and capable Radiance was and helped develop his respect of her and of course making them work together, and building their relationship.

I can't help but think that while Radiance may find Edward's absentmindedness charming and endearing now, it would probably drive her crazy in the future.

3.75 stars out of 5

This is the first book I have read by Sydney Jane Baily, and overall, I would say that at its heart, it is a cute love story between an "absent-minded professor" of geology, Edward Lockwood, and an earl's daughter, Lady Radiance Diamond, who has an interest in gemstones and jewelry-making. Radiance's siblings' stories make up the other books in the series, but I didn't feel lost not having read about her older siblings, Clarity, Purity and Adam. The Diamonds are a close-knit clan, and Baily does a good job of fleshing out these familial relationships while filling in some backstory for their romances as well, which I appreciated. Both Edward and Radiance are likable characters, in my opinion, and I liked that Radiance is portrayed as confident and intelligent, a young woman who is taken seriously by Edward, other jewelers (all of them men) and by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who feature in the book quite significantly.

What I struggled with was the length of this book - even the author calls it a long story in her Acknowledgments section at the end, and the tale is a bit meandering, somewhat slow-moving, occasionally tangential. There were parts of this story which I think could have been condensed or edited out in order to make it a tighter, more focused read. I found myself putting the story down quite a bit, even though I enjoyed the characters. Unfortunately, it was not a page-turner for me. It does have a happy ending though, and I was glad to see Radiance maintain her independence and for Edward to be open-minded and supportive when it came to Radiance following her own dreams and working, even as a titled lady.

I also think it was hard to get a handle on whether this was meant to be a steamy romance or a closed door romance, and occasionally it felt like the author was only comfortable portraying their intimacy up to a point and then stopped altogether. Edward and Radiance pine for more physical intimacy with each other, and it starts out with some details being provided of their togetherness but then quickly fades to black. It feels uneven then, and I would prefer that the author either goes there full-tilt or not at all. As it stands, she straddles the fence between being a sweet (or clean) historical romance and a steamier one. This middle zone didn't really work for me; it becomes too much telling the reader about Edward and Radiance's growing love rather than showing us their developing relationship.

All in all, it was a sweet read, and I enjoyed learning about the various gems. I liked that there was a caper, with the two MC's working together as a team, which drew them closer, but in my opinion, it was too long a story, too drawn out and too uneven in its plot. For readers who have read the other books in the series and enjoyed them, however, this may be right up your alley.

I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of it. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

thank you to net galley and wolf publishing for the advanced reading copy of Radiance by Sydney Jane Bailey. this is a historical fiction romance set in London, 1800s. about Radiance diamond, of the diamond family. I did not realize this was a series or that this was not the first, the series being a book about each sister. Radiance loves gemstones and a geologist has caught her eye. now she tries to catch his. A mission to catch a forger and a thief keeps Edward focused instead of straying his gaze to her. it was enjoyable and i think i will eventually have to read the rest of the series.

Not the strongest of the series. The main characters didn't catch my fancy, and even the 'mystery' wasn't that intriguing. Lockwood annoyed me, and actually reminded me of the character Sheldon Cooper, with his inability to see past his own nose. Radiance was a little better, being an intelligent woman with a gift for working with jewels. But even she had moments where she was overthinking, which became aggravating. I had to push myself to finish this, and even then, I skimmed through the last few chapters. Hoping the next book in the series will be better.

Loved reading the amazing and engaging historical romance story. When Lady Radiance and Edward, a geologist, are charged by the Queen and her Prince Consort to find the missing jewels, both of them are surrounded by danger as Radiance and Edward's attraction toward each other grows. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of mystery and intrigue, and a riveting must read love story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the awesome author, Sydney Jane Baily.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Radiance Diamond has heard all of the quips about her name, and though she doesn't like the comparison with the gem, she is enthralled by stones of all types. Wanting to work with jewellery, she has been lucky to find an apprenticeship, and knows more than most about how to handle, and work with precious stones. So when she hears a renowned jeweller, Edward Lockwood, and realises that the Hope Diamond he has in his possession is a fake, they form a partnership that takes them to the very top. Some of Queen Victoria's favourite pieces have been swapped with fakes, and she tasks Edward and Radiance with the job to discover who is behind it, and stop them. As Edward realises that Radiance is not someone to underestimate, she finds love in quite the unexpected place.

Well, I really liked this one, a lot more than I was expecting. After the previous books, I found them a little lacklustre, and didn't see how the series could really improve. However, with Radiance and Edward at the helm, and the plot line being such an engrossing one, I was hooked. I liked that Radiance was stepping out from her box, and putting herself, and her brain, out there. She was more than the daughter of an Earl, and she wasn't happy staying at home. Yes, Edward underestimated her to begin with, but soon he saw the true Radiance, and he loved her. He embraced her expertise and brilliance, and supported her at every turn. I liked that the Queen was a part of the story line, and am now hopeful for the final book in the series to be as enjoyable as this one!

Okay I didn’t realize this was a 4th book in a series but man it’s good! I want to read about all the Diamond girls now so I think I’ll have my library purchase them. This book is set in Victorian Times and it’s about a girl who loves jewelry making. She attends lectures on the topic and falls in love. It’s a good romance!

I absolutely loved this book. I am slowly becoming Sydney Jane Baily's no 1 fan.

Although I still find the name Radiance absurd I love how in this book someone actually comments on it thinking it is a joke.

I adored Radiance as she is a fully flushed out female main character with her own mind, ambition and lust for life which makes a refreshing change from the typical regency novels I've read. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about gems and jewelry making process through Radiance's free apprenticeship plot line. Edward was a really interesting love interest and I really liked that the author gave him his own personality and profession which is explored through the whole book.

Honestly might be one of my fave reads this year!

Fancy and fun with lots of intrigue. It was interesting to read all the information about different gemstones and other geological interest. I could have done with something a little less steamy but ultimately the steam level was mild compared to other books I've previously read. Personally I believe stories are better without the intimacy found in a bedroom but that's my personal opinion.

This is my first Sydney Jane Baily book and it may be my last. I found that I needed to suspend my belief on too many occasions. There were a number of things that just didn’t gibe. I found, as I went along, that I was caring less and less about the characters and their actions. I went into full skimming mode at about the 60% point in the book. I’m not saying that the book was terrible. The main plot line had potential. I just don’t feel that it was portrayed well.

I could have really connected with Radiance. She has a very strong personality and is very action motivated. But she didn’t take an active approach with her relationship with Edward. We ended up with a lot of internal dialogue about her feelings for him and hoping he will do something about them. And there were several times when she acted without thinking. For example, she’s been assaulted and shot but she feels comfortable meeting with some shady characters? I was left shaking my head on a number of occasions.
Edward was the winner of the TSTL Gold Medal. He’s a geologist who is given to two have very precious gems and never recognizes that they are fake. He also takes little to no care about keeping them in a secure place. He’s just walking around show them to people. These are just a couple of many examples of pure stupidity. I know he was portrayed as absentminded but he came across and ignorant.

The idea of having a couple of amateurs investigating the theft of the queen’s jewels didn’t fly for me. Where were the government officials while this was going on. Am I to believe that they were just sitting around waiting to see what would happen? Sorry, I can’t buy it.

As I said, the book isn’t terrible. Radiance gave me hope at the beginning that this could be very good. But after a while I just started to breeze through it to find out how it ended. I lost interest about half way through and just skimmed to the end. I wanted to find out how Radiance and Edward got to their HEA. I just didn’t care about the rest. It may be that this author isn’t for me.

Another Diamond has found an alluring person to watch. Only watching and listening turn into much more. With circumstances turn and change as the jewelry raw stones turn into beautiful things to wear. This book turns into a wonderful tale. I love these books. I will be super sad when the last comes to fruition. I will just keep up with Sydney.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

4 1/2*STARS*
Radiance Diamond studies jewelry making for her own benefit. It's not a job, it's a craft she loves. Mr. Edward Lockwood would be your absentminded professor. A respected geologist, he's known for his travels, lectures and knowledge of stones. Jewels are missing from Queen Victoria's possessions. Radiance and Edward are charged by the Queen, her Prince and the Queen's Crown Jeweler to find them. And then there is the Koh-i-Noor. A Victorian mystery romance. Kissing with a little touch.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this.

A geologist finds a diamond in this sweet romance filled with intrigue, suspense and a gem of a romance!

An intriguing sweet romance with Radiance Diamond, who loves gemstones and lecturer, geologist Edward Lockwood. Edward is given a task involving Queen Victoria and the Royal jewels.

As these two come together, there is no telling what will happen or if they can find the romance that is sure to blossom!

And the fourth Diamond finds love. Radiance has a hobby that has become her passion, the fine art of jewelry making. Attending lectures on the topics of gemstones her path crosses that of the lecturer Edward Lockwood. Although his handsomeness is very distracting, Edward is more focus on his gems than the beauty sitting front and center in the lecture hall, but she is unforgettable and keeps sneaking into his thoughts. When a command audience to see the Queen has them working together to solve a mystery surrounding not one but two fake gems found with the Royal jewels. The close working conditions has the spark bursting into a flame.
Love the development of the characters. Edward with his absentmindedness and Radiance with her determination to not be excluded. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #Radiance #WolfPublishing

This is the 4th book in a series, but could be read as a standalone. This is the first book I've read in the series and the first book by this author. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the historically accurate facts woven into this story and it moved along at a fast pace. I liked the main characters and they were well developed.

I took one star off because toward the end of the book there were a lot of twists. Most of them worked but it seemed like there was one too many. It took me out of the story and felt ridiculous.

Overall I enjoyed this book and will be reading other books by this author.

This is the fourth diamond sibling to find love but this book is easily read on its own. Another well written interesting read which delved into the world of precious gems. I loved the verbal banter between Edward & Radiance, which started at their first meeting and all the Diamonds have been an interesting and entertaining family to read about with Radiance being no exception. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Radiance was probably my least favorite of Sydney Jane Baily's Diamonds of the First Water series thus far. I didn't like the MMC, Edward Lockwood. His constant forgetfulness and distractedness do not qualify as cute or sweet characteristics, IMHO. All I could think was that Radiance needed to run to someone more dependable.

Radiance herself comes across a little contrived. Her insta-love for Edward makes little sense for someone who is seemingly fairly strong on her own. She also sometimes seems rather disapproving of Edward's absentmindedness in a way that points to potential resentment down the road. I also didn't feel we had enough of his backstory to understand how he had the money and other resources that he did.

I also felt like the second layer of the mystery was more to fill pages than to truly add to the story. It did not hold my attention. Not Baily's strongest effort in my opinion. I will, however, still read Brilliance's book and other works by Baily.

2.5 stars rounded to 3. Thank you to NetGalley and WOLF for an ARC of this title. The opinions herein are my own.

Its nice when a book can induce emotion of a reader and this is exactly what appealed to me about the book. The story is well written and a thoughtful addition to the authors others books. I also liked how the author made you connect with the character in such an immediate way. Recommended.