We had a ton of fun reading this book. At first glance, it's a "brother's best friend" Historical Romance: Henrietta has been in love with Trem for years. She's now grown up enough to be truly in love, and grown up enough for him to notice. But when you look closer, Lydia Lloyd takes one of the most reactionary parts of HR and plays with it: Henrietta is "experienced." For many HR readers, even the ones who are feminist, this is enough to be a dealbreaker. "It's not historically accurate!" "She wasn't even in love with the other man!" Honestly? That's a huge part of what we liked about this one. Despite lip service to the double standard of the rake and the wallflower, having a truly "rakish" heroine seems to be difficult for readers to accept. In this book, Lloyd gives us an FMC who, despite having longterm feelings for the MMC, decides to make love to another man. In fact, that is what brings Trem and Henrietta together: Trem overhears her partner talking about their night together. Since he is a longtime friend of the family, he wants to save Henrietta's reputation. But now that these two finally have an excuse to be alone together, they honestly cannot stay away from each other.

This could have been read as Trem discovering that his friend's younger sister is DTF so why not take advantage? Instead, his discovery of her "sins" seems to be the catalyst that makes him realize that she's no longer off-limits - and he wants to lock her down ASAP. The beginning of the book is front-loaded with steam, as Trem uses the time-honored historical romance courting technique of seducing his beloved into marriage. We particularly liked that what could have turned into a miscommunication plot instead just led to a solidification as the couple as a team.

We really appreciate what Lydia Lloyd is trying to do with romance! Definitely recommend this one. Go in with the right expectations and we think you'll have a very (very) good time.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

This was a fun historical fiction romance. I liked the main characters a lot. I didn't read the first in the Rake Chronicals series, but would be interested in doing so.

Lydia Lloyd is a talented writer, her books are so well researched, one can identify very easily with her characters and their feelings.
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Lady Henrietta made a complicated decision believing that her friend the Earl of Hartley could keep the secret and remain as her friend, but of course things are different between men and women. And when the Earl of Hartley gets drunk and talks too much in the gentleman's drawing room and her brother's best friend, the Viscount of Tremberley, overhears him and decides to take matters into his own hands, Henrietta cannot hide the truth, especially when he decides to help her and begins to look at her with different eyes, the way she always wanted
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Among so many unexpected plot twists in the history, a bumpy road trip and some risks on the way, passion gives it rise to a beautiful love story that is difficult to forget.
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This is the perfect book for fans of Bridgerton and steamy historical romances.
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Thanks to Lydia Lloyd for give a copy of her beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

Second book in the series and still not perfect, but oh boy was it fun!!!
This book has best friend’s little sister, it’s always been you, a fake highwayman, road trip, one bed, compromised by curiosity, a lovesick fool who doesn’t quit, real parents, substitute parents, dead parents, tons of delicious steam and sizzling secret rendezvous, a brotherhood with a dent, loyal lady friends, a feisty heroine going after what she wants and a hero supporting her from the start.

Most of the characters from the previous book returned and I loved to see them interact one-on-one in different situations, the subtle changes and yes, with longstanding friendships like these, old sores are bound to come up in stressful situations. How they each handled them surprised me a little, but those very human reactions and interactions are so beautifully written and I could really feel the emotion - good and bad - in them.
The romance between Henrietta and Trem has been a long time coming, and when it finally ignites, it’s all-consuming. These two just fit so perfectly, and I really liked how they took the time to get reacquainted even though they’ve known each other their entire lives. Her impulsiveness lands them in trouble more than once, but he’s all in for the ride - bumps, bullets and all!
It’s really nice to read an open and honest relationship that evolves easily for once. It’s all the drama around and about them that drives the plot, and I really enjoyed it!
An excellent read, and you should definitely check it out!

Even though I enjoyed the uniqueness of this story, I'm disappointed to say that I didn't love this sequel as much as the first in the series. Henrietta was such a breath-of-fresh-air heroine; she was impulsive and a bit naïve but refused to be constrained by society's rules. Trem played the part of our handsome and charming rake, always available for a grand time and abreast of the finest gossip of the ton. However, one fateful conversation leads Trem to Henrietta's doorstep under the cover of darkness and changes their destinies forever...

I loved the first half of this story. Even though Trem and Henrietta's relationship seemed to progress rather quickly, I found it believable because of their shared history, which only added to the sexual tension that swiftly blossomed between them. Their clandestine assignations were some of the most heated scenes I've ever read (especially the breakfast room scene🥵), but I admit that part of me lost interest around the halfway mark as the plot seemed to plateau. Yes, the sexy scenes are great, but I prefer more action and danger interspersed between them. Overall, this was still an enjoyable if a bit disappointing read, but I'm still eager for Montaigne and Leith's books next🖤

Tropes: brother's best friend, childhood friends-to-lovers, rake hero, non-virgin heroine, 'it's always been you' vibes, age-gap, unrequited love, hurt/comfort, obsessed hero, illegitimate heroine, OM drama (no cheating), STEAMY🔥

Caught up in the makings of potential social ruin, Lady Henrietta Breminster enlists the help of the Viscount of Tremberley to keep the gossips of the ton at bay. Needless to say that her long held crush on Trem and his new attraction to his best friend’s sister makes this a situation that both do not regret.

The strength of this story lies in the individual growth that happens for Trem and Henrietta in confronting aspects of their past that haunt their present. They each had clear arcs that allow the reader to see each character and their actions through the culmination of their past experiences thus far.

If you are a fan of steamy historical romances, then this will be right up your alley. I am fine with steam as long as there is a strong emotional connection being built. Unfortunately, the emotional connection and romance was not particularly strong in this story.

Overall, this is an entertaining read about two people who grow and support one another while dealing with the ghosts of their past, and a more present and pressing issue that all comes to a head in a satisfying conclusion.

3.25✨’s

Thanks to Tule Publishing for the opportunity to respond to this book. All honest opinions are my own.

This is Lydia Lloyd’s second novel in her “Rake Chronicles” series. I enjoyed her debut, and was excited to read “When the Viscount Wanted Me.” I found it to be a more ambitious story with elements that did and did not work as a result.

I admit to surprising myself with some initial prudish feelings when Lady Henrietta Breminster (the little sister of the MMC in the first novel) decides to be intimate with a friend simply because she wanted to. I do not need virginal characters in my historical romance, and I am okay with characters (women, especially) having other sexual partners than the main romantic pairing. I think my reaction was based on the way historical romance usually portrays female sexuality – which is women who believe themselves in love with their early sexual partners (sometimes it leads to ruin, or the first lover dies, etc.). While I would never suggest anyone only have intercourse with someone they love, and I certainly don’t need it in my contemporary romance, I did have to recalibrate my regency romance expectations.

The hypocrisy of sexuality, the expectations on women, purity, sexual “rebellion”, etc., are all fascinating topics and somewhat under-explored. I think the story would have been better for focusing solely on these ideas. Instead, Lloyd also explores racial politics in England in the 1830s, but this is more of a non-sequitur since this involves side characters and isn’t as explored as it could have been.

I also thought there were ideas on character / personality that had me pause. For example, there was a lot of emphasis on the idea of personality as biologically determined; Henrietta is impulsive and hedonistic because her mother was the same way.

Henrietta’s actions cause scandal and a rift between her brother and his best friend, her love interest. Everyone is quick not to fault her actions, and sooth her guilt, but I would have liked a bit more ownership and real contrition – feelings I thought were missing, and I can understand if readers are turned off by an otherwise compelling character.

There is a lot of smutty smut in this book, including a set of pearls worn on the inside, fruit in interesting places, and regular boinking. It was almost too much – but only in the context of some under-explored ideas mentioned above.

I received an ARC of this book, but the review is my own.

When Lord Hugh Aldershot, the Viscount of Tremberley, overhears the drunken Earl of Hartley claiming to have bedded Lady Henrietta Breminster, his best friend’s little sister, he is livid. He drags the earl to Breminster House to confront Henrietta. It soon becomes clear that the story is true and that Trem realises that his anger is really jealousy. Henrietta has been in love with Trem since her teenage years, and now she wonders whether she can make him feel the same for her. When Henrietta asks Trem to help her keep her indiscretion secret and to help her keep away from Hartley and his stalker-like behaviour, they find their relationship taken to a new level.
This is a love born out of passion and yet, as they spend more time together, they begin to reveal their past. In discovering how their past has shaped them, they resolve past hurts. Whilst this was definitely a spicy romance, it wasn’t too overwhelming nor did it detract from the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed both characters as well as that of Trem’s friends which included Henrietta’s brother John. A wonderful romance and a great addition to the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the first. Especially for what I am about to say in this review.

Le sigh, well, I am conflicted.
I was extremely excited for this book. I am a sucker for brother’s best friend and age gap romances and then also making this a steamy read, I was so ready for it. And for the main story between the main couple, this book delivered! It was amazing, the steam was so freaking off the charts incredible. I love me a two pump chump and this scene… My goodness, I had to fan myself. It was so amazing! The Hartley plotline was worked out excellently, I had a great time reading that. I loved sassy Henrietta, I loved Trem realizing that he actually was a goner for Henrietta this whole freaking time and that it took the events with Hartley for him to actually notice it.

But then we get to the sidecharacters and mainly John (the MMC from the first book) and Mary (Henrietta’s mother). They behaved very strangely to me and it felt like these characters were total opposites from who they were in the previous book. John’s first reaction about the engagement was.., well it was something. Then his fight with Trem felt really out of character too. Especially if you compare it to his initial reaction to the engagement. Then we have Mary who didn’t want anything to do with Henrietta or the rest of the family and she just wanted to be left alone to enjoy her quiet life and her husband and two other children. She completely embraced Henrietta and then didn’t want to attend her wedding because of (valid!) reasons. Only to then suddenly attend the wedding and making merry with all the other guests (who she wanted avoid!).

Then we go to the scene with Mrs. Seymour’s salon. This is another classic tale of: show, don’t tell is the best way. There were so many descriptions of people and why they were there, only for them to never be mentioned again and it did nothing for the actual plot. It felt like it was put into the story to emphasize that there were people of colour present in this book. The show, don’t tell, was amazingly executed with Trem. It’s not often mentioned that he is a rake, but the way in which people around him act and how they interact makes it clear that he was a Rake.

I feel like this (just like the first book actually) story would’ve greatly benefited from another round of editing. There were just too many inconsistencies with the side characters that really pulled me out of this amazing love story with characters that had sparks flying off the page and had me fanning myself. If I could give it 2 different ratings at the same time I would, but sadly I can’t.

This one was a bit of a stunner for me. I really liked Lloyd's debut novel and I thought her four "Rank Rakes" were primed to have amazing stories. This one disappointed me a bit, mainly because I thought there could have been a lot more to it.

Quick summary (Maury edition):
John's (Duke, first book) little sister, Henrietta has been in love with Trem (Viscount, John's best friend and one of the four Rank Rakes) since she was a little girl. Trem lives a privileged, happy go lucky- albeit melancholy- life, until he overhears that his best friend's little sister has been debauched. This instantly opens his eyes to the fact that he actually loves her. Henrietta is impulsive and doesn't think through her actions. John is happy then upset then happy again.

I am all for a sexy time, however, this story felt like "how many sex scenes can I cram (pun intended) into one story". There were too many tropes to list out on top of the numerous sexy scenes, which were fun but doesn't really move a story forward. As it stands, there was very little tension in the book. The two big obstacles resolved themselves fairly quickly and most of the stories were wrapped up in the epilogue.

What I loved about it:
*Anytime you got at least 2 Rakes together, the story shined.
* It was a super easy read
*Trem and Henrietta together are adorable, and we got A LOT of that.

I am really hoping that we get more depth in Monty and Leith's stories AND more of the boys together! I am will be first in like to read Monty's!

Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hugh “Trem” Aldershot, Lord Tremberly is livid when he overhears the very drunk Earl of Hartley spewing lies about his best friend’s little sister, Lady Henrietta Breminster, and promptly carts the man to the Duke of Edington’s house to clear things up and set the foxed Earl straight! But things do not go as planned when Henrietta intercepts them in the foyer and confirms that the Earl’s ramblings are true, but is clear - she won’t marry him. Trem is shocked and if truth be told a little (OK, a lot) intrigued and realizes that he is seeing Henrietta in a new light – no longer as just John’s little sister, but a fully grown, beautiful woman. But he knows that she is completely off limits and though he might be a rake, there are lines that he won’t cross – until he does! He accepts Henrietta’s choice and vows to help her be rid of the pesky Earl, but close proximity to her proves to be his undoing and the two embark on a steamy affair. But it isn't long before he realizes she is the woman for him and proposes, she says yes, but almost immediately disappears, leaving Trem no choice but to follow her.

Lady Henrietta Breminster, sister to John Breminster, the Duke of Edington, can’t believe that Hartley is trying to ruin her reputation and belatedly realizes that Justin, Lord Hartley was perhaps not the best choice to teach her about passion. She thought since they were friends, they could share a night of passion without having to worry about being forced to marry. Clearly, she was wrong since he has proposed, been rejected, and is still hellbent on marrying her. Thankfully, Trem has promised to help her and when they ended up engaged, she is thrilled as she has been in love with him for as long as she could remember. But she knows that if she wants a true love match, she will have to share her deepest, darkest secrets with him. But before she confesses all, she wants to know more about her birth mother and takes off without telling him. Which will just be one more bad decision she makes before they finally get their HEA.

Just like the last book, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I liked Trem quite a bit, but Henrietta was TSTL, seriously, she was selfish, self-centered, impulsive, and lacked common sense. The book does have a deeper emotional undertone, as well as some humorous banter, angry brothers, rakes, a suitor that won’t take no for an answer, secrets, steamy love scenes, emotional growth, great secondary characters and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I will not deny that Ms. Lloyd has talent and I am sure with time she will refine her writing style to eliminate the excessive dialogue and smooth out the flow of the story to keep it on a steady pace. Hopefully, she will also take some time to learn about the etiquette and protocols of the era she is writing in, as well as, correct titles and formal address. I am not a historical purist by any stretch of the imagination, and I enjoy relatable characters – but relatable through emotion and experience, not because they are 21st-century characters in period dress, because if I wanted 21st-century ideals and morals, I would read contemporary romance. Overall, this was a good story that filled in some of the blanks missing from the first book, while still being its own story and not a retelling of the previous book. This is the second book in the series, and while there is a connection to the first book, this book could easily be read as a standalone title.

3, maybe 3.5 stars

*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.*

Trem and Harrietta have known each other since childhood. Henrietta has always had a crush on Trem but because he is her brother’s, best friend, she has always felt that he would not love her. Trem has always viewed Henrietta as his best friends little sister until one day his perspective changed. They began a love story that had to be kept secret, but that would help her in the end.

The book was entertaining. I enjoyed the book. I did like the characters and the angst. This is the second book in the series.

I have to admit I did not finish this book. I made it to chapter 9 before deciding it’s not for me. A few reasons:
- I didn’t like the double standard the text seemed to have for Henrietta’s behavior. It’s clearly trying to be feminist but Trem’s view of her was too tied to her being his friend’s younger sister. Relatedly, the author was not convincing me that his sudden transition from viewing her as a child and wanting her wasn’t creepy
-Trem took it upon himself to solve the problem of Henrietta’s reputation without consulting her on how it should go. He just invited the dude to his study and then ambushed her, and in the end all he did was yell and make him more resentful. Then, two breaths after establishing the power differential between them, and after stating he feels like an older brother to her, and without clarifying his real feelings, he starts seducing her? No thanks.
- I also felt like this book needs more/better editing. For me, there was too much empty interiority, Henrietta or Trem thinking about things we’ve seen happen on page without advancing the story or telling us anything new. The page space could have been used to better sell the tension/changed relationship between them with more concrete and sensory memories or experiences between them

Henrietta is a beautiful and sought after debutante who has a tryst with a man she believes to be her friend, but is now being pushy about marriage. Trem overhears the man lamenting over Henrietta’s rejection and suspects that the man is trying to ruin Henrietta’s reputation. Being Henrietta’s brother’s best friend, Trem tries to resolve the issue by questioning the lady. Turns out the pushy guy’s accusations were true and now Trem sees Henrietta in a new (and attractive) light. They pretty quickly start their own affair and end up engaged in the process. Henrietta has had a longstanding crush on Trem and is pleased that he desires her in return, but is keeping secrets about her parentage and worries over Trem’s reaction. This book was high on the steam, quick on the getting together, and also high in external drama. An entertaining adventure.

This is the second in a series, "The Rake Chronicles."
Lord Hugh Aldershot, the Viscount of Tremberley, is the best friend of the first rake, John Breminster, the Duke of Edington. John's sister has gotten herself into a bit of trouble, and Hugh rescues her and her reputation.
Henrietta has been in love with "Trem" since she was old enough to know when she was in love, as she put it. Trem never thought of her as someone besides her brother's little sister once she debuted into society. He doesn't acknowledge it to himself until his world gets turned upside down after he rescues her.
Their relationship takes off quickly, both physically and emotionally. While they are definitely hot for one another, they also grow closer as he helps protect and shield her from an obsessive "sort of" suitor she had. Once their relationship becomes obvious, Trem proposes. Henrietta is convinced it is only to keep her reputation intact.
There are deep emotions and a heart wrenching story beneath the surface. The storyline itself is a continuation from the first novel. While it might be helpful to read the first of the series, it is not totally necessary. There is enough explanation throughout to help it make sense. You also get to see how John and his wife's story has evolved.
Neither have a sense of security of themselves. Trem never knew his parents because both of them died suddenly when he was very young, and he has no real concept of family. This leads him to a path of having no real direction or purpose in life. Hers was upended when Henrietta found out she was not legitimate because her mother was actually the mistress of her father, and not his wife, who had died in childbirth. She and her brother only found out after their father died. Their mutual feelings of abandonment help them bond, but takes a long time to occur. Their relationship seems mostly physical until both have their own epiphanies.
No spoilers, but it is obvious from the beginning what will happen. That isn't the important or main point of their story. The journey of discovery is what drives it.
I felt Trem's lack of family, and not having a concept of even having parents was more tragic than Henrietta finding out her parentage was a lie.
I did have a problem with how it did not seem to be an issue for them to be alone together without any type of chaperone. During this time period, a reputation could be ruined if you went on the balcony at a ball. They spent over a week alone, and that didn't create a scandal. Not even her best friend's mother, who would go insane if a dress was too low-cut, didn't bat an eye.
The end was tied up very quickly after such a journey they had. I would have appreciated more of an insight of what Trem's life had been like growing up without parents, and how his butler was basically his only family. There was one conversation when the butler explained his childhood, and then all of a sudden Henrietta was able to help him come to terms with everything. The same could be said of the resolution for her story. One conversation, and all was well. I'm not sure I'd be as understanding as Henrietta.
I loved Trem and Henrietta as a couple. They definitely complemented each other. Their journey together was wonderful, and well-paced until it wasn't. Forgiveness, purpose, and resolution for all three plotlines were tied up nicely in a bow rather suddenly.
I still loved the story, and look forward to the next friend's story. A slight hint as to which friend is given, and it sounds fun.
While the story is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. I plan to go back, and experience both stories again.
There is a definite high level of heat, and quite a variety of situations. While graphic, they are written well, and further shows their growth as a couple.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would like to thank netgalley and tule publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable.

Thanks to Tule for giving me an arc of this! I previously enjoyed Lloyd’s first book a lot but there was something about this one that didn’t hit as much as the first. Despite this, I still found it to be cute. I’m looking forward to the next one!

I am so happy that Henrietta is finally getting her own story. I loved her so much in the first book of this series. I really like this book although it took a different route than I thought (not in a bad way of course). Tremberley may be a rake but he's just so sweet and loving to Henrietta. He wants her and isn't afraid to show it and I appreciate that. It was pretty fast paced in the beginning but kind of slowed down a bit in the middle. I love that Henrietta got the closure that she needed with her mother. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving the ARC. I cannot wait for what comes next.

When the Duke Wanted Me is the sequel to Lydia Lloyd’s debut which came out last year. I liked her debut very much, so I was excited to receive this one from Netgalley. I’ve been following Lydia on Instagram for quite some time, so I’ve been exposed to the type of things she likes for a long time. Because of that, I knew this book would be a good time.

This book follows Henrietta whom we first met in the first novel of this series, When the Duke Loved Me. Henrietta was my favorite character in the first novel so I couldn’t wait to experience her story in this novel. This novel takes place a few years after the first novel, so Henrietta is a few years older and dealing with suitors left and right.

We really jump into things fast with our hero, Trem. There is a lot of sex in this book, and I mean a lot. I usually like more of a slow burn and angst aspect to my romances, but I actually enjoyed the sexy aspect of this book. I loved Henrietta and Trem together. We also met Trem in the first book of the series, but we met him as John’s best friend. John is Henrietta’s brother, so we have a brother's best friend/best friend’s little sister trope going on here.

Overall, I really loved the book. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was how wishy-washy John was as a character. He was overjoyed and happy when he found out about his best friend and little sister, but he was very quick to turn his back on Trem when a small issue occurred involving Henrietta. I didn’t like how John was so hateful to someone he called a friend after being so supportive in the beginning. I loved everything about the book, but John’s actions altered the 5-star rating I had planned on giving When the Duke Wanted Me. I

Tropes include: brother’s best friend, secretly dating, mutual pining

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“When the Viscount Wanted Me” is only the second book by Lydia Lloyd that I read. It is also the second book in “The Rake Chronicles” series of, I presume, four books. I’ve been following Lydia on instagram for ages and I know what she likes to find in books, such taste translates into her stories for they are incredibly sexy although not over the top spicy. In this case I highly recommend to read the first book before this one because there is a plot line in that book that has very important developments in this one, for it affects its heroine.

Henrietta always thougth that the late duchess was her mother, but she found out that actually she was the result of the romantic liaison of his father and another woman. This is a secret that both her and her brother John and his wife keep very safe in their hearts, not even her brothers best friends Tremaine, Leith and Montaigne know, even if they all grew up together. Henrietta has always had a crush on Trem, but he never really saw her differently until a few years after her debut. What made him realize that she had become a woman was that she owned her body and she knew her own mind. So they become very much physically friendly until the situation was obvious for the two of them to be turning into something serious and they get engaged. But Henrietta doesn’t want to keep her deepest secrets from her fiancé, and after seeing her best friend and her mother’s relationship, she runs away from her brother’s home in London in search for answers. In the rush, she forgets to leave a note so of course, Trem, runs after her and once they find each other they start to really need to tell each other everything.

That was my favorite part of the story, the moment they have to find the answers that Henrietta is looking for. In the process they not only get to know each other well and learn to support each other and carry each other’s burdens. They both happened to be lost at this point in their lives, Henrietta needs to know who she is and where she comes from, Trem needs to find a meaning to his life, a purpose. It’s so beautiful how they open each other’s eyes, how they came from a good place to start with and how they find common ground. In the fist chapters Lydia Lloyd might make you think that she has written “just another spicy story” but this is historical romance, she knows very well her audience doesn’t dwell on TikTok, the spice is only the surface so you need to dive deep to see that actually she knows her craft, she not only writes beautifully but also her character study and development is incredible. This is anything but superficial and to me it is both a treat to her readers and a joke to the viral trends that we’ve seen in the last few years.

And there’s also the drama with an obsessive ex-boyfriend, what else could I ask for? I loved this book so much.