thanks to netgalley for my copy! i've been in my regency era lately and simply put, i enjoyed this one! it was simple to follow and had a fun plot that reminded me a little bit of bridgeton. the writing style/pacing was a little all over the place for me and the plot eventually went everywhere towards the end, but i really enjoyed the characters and thought they had a lot of depth. would definitely still recommend if you're into the bridgeton style, sexy romances and will definitely still be looking into the author for her other books!

Genre: historical romance
London, 1872

Anne Sheffield has a very limited time frame in which to seduce a man so thoroughly he will procure a special license and marry her before her father weds her to a much older duke. Anne’s father is a powerful MP, and relies on Anne’s memory to keep his secrets (mostly of blackmail) safe. Anne takes her future into her own hands and bargains with Richard Grey, notorious rake, by trading lessons in seduction for the secrets her father has been keeping. Richard arranges for the reputable Duchess of Hastings to host a house party, where Richard and Anne can meet. The threat of Anne’s father looms large, though, and it’s becoming clear that there may not be anyone more suitable for her than Richard himself.

I picked this up because Katrina Kendrick is a pen name for Elizbeth May, whose book To Cage a God has one of my new favorite anti-heroes. Knowing her ability to bring sizzling chemistry to the page, I wanted to read some of her historical romances as well. And let me tell you, this did not disappoint. This is high heat, and while Anne is innocent, she’s also attuned to her needs and never a wilting miss. Richard is immediately gone for her when she sheds the public persona she wears under her father’s control, and there’s nothing hotter than a man who has promised to help a woman find another husband but falls hopelessly for her first.

Because she also writes fantasy, Kendrick shines with politically entangled plots that don’t bog down the storyline. The driving plot is Anne’s father’s blackmailing scheme, and not only Anne’s opposition, but also Richard’s opposition to the way he bullies tenants and servants, and strong-arms men into quivering at his power. The villains are on the overstated side, both father and duke are smarmy men against whom you desperately want to seek vengeance, but it makes the payoff all the more satisfying.

I did not completely finish this b00k, but I got over halfway into it, and though I really loved the writing style and the political aspects and concept. I felt the romance was far to "Insta-love" for me, the relationship progressed really fast and I found myself asking "Woah??? how did we get here?"

Gearing up for the few weeks of freedom she has before she’s married to a man thrice her age, Anne Sheffield approaches the notorious rake Richard Grey to do the impossible: help her find a different husband. As her father’s political rival, Grey can hardly pass on the promising political secrets Anne’s gathered from her overbearing father in exchange for lessons on how to seduce a man.

This book was so much more than I was expecting: house parties, clandestine meetings, subterfuge, and murder come together to weave a story bigger than I could’ve imagined. The romance had me questioning if this was love or lust at times, but ultimately they got their HEA. The last 30% was a rollercoaster and definitely entertaining.

You can tell Kendrick was setting up several other novels: Montgomery/Miss Cecil, Alexandra/Thorne, and Caroline/Hastings, and it’ll be interesting to see where she takes all of their stories.

TW: parental abuse, sexual assault, violence, pedophilia

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the chance to read and review this ARC.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had everything that I wanted from the romance elements. It had a great overall feel in the historical fiction element to it. I enjoyed how well the characters worked with the the setting. I was engaged with the story overall and thought it was everything that I hoped for. Katrina Kendrick writes a strong collection of characters and glad I got to read this.

One of the best bits of feedback I can give is to say I wish it were longer! This regency romance was a great read, I just wish it were closer to 350 pages vs 250 to really let the characters develop and breathe. The story was definitely there, and while I appreciated bits of supporting characters, at times it just felt like set up for future books in a series. Fans of Jennifer Haymore and Sophie Jordan will enjoy this fun and spicy regency romance.

A notorious rogue and a politician’s daughter? Yes, please! Anne Sheffield acts as her father’s secretary as he wheels and deals as a member of Parliament. She has a photographic memory which allows her to blend into the background and benefits her intelligence gathering. However, her father never lets her out of his sight because of the secrets she keeps. She has decided to take control of her life and goes to Richard Grey, rogue and member of Parliament” on the opposite end of the political spectrum as her father. Trust does not come easily to either Anne or Richard, but Anne promises to turn over secrets in return for help with society and relationship “lessons” and some husband hunting. Anne is desperate and at this point, marrying any man would be better than staying at home with her abusive father. As one would expect, sparks fly between Anne and Richard as they spend time with each other and get to know each other. Richard might make some morally gray choices as a politician, but his heart is in the right place, making him a perfect match for Anne. I was not expecting the darkness of some of the secondary characters, but it definitely added to the urgency and mystery of the story and why Anne had to get out of the situation she was in. I love seeing strong and smart women in historical romances. The physical relationship was a bit of a slow burn, but when it got there…holy HOT! This was a good read. I read it late into the night because I just had to see how it ended. A great weekend read!

Anne Sheffield has never owned her life. The only daughter of a cruel politician, she spends her days keeping her father’s secrets and trying to avoid her impending marriage to a duke. Enter Richard Grey, her father’s fiercest political rival and a well-known rake. Sensing an opportunity, Anne makes a scandalous offer: Richard will teach her how to seduce a husband in exchange for her father’s political secrets. But the course of love (or seducing a stranger into marrying you) never did run smooth and as Anne and Richard begin their instruction, the chemistry between them may be too much to resist.

His Scandalous Lessons were two almost entirely separate books smushed together. The first half of the relatively short novel was your traditional historical romance with scenes swoon-worthy enough to take place in Bridgerton. The second half of the novel was a harrowing tale of domestic abuse, crimes against young children, and sexual assault. The issue was that neither arc was given enough time to develop, and while I liked both stories separately, I didn’t sense a connecting thread as much as I would’ve liked.

Regardless, Anne was a delightful main character. Despite living in a time when women, even those of the upper crust, enjoyed few rights, she managed to maintain agency even in the face of outward signs of passiveness. I liked that while she felt strong, it was a strength grounded in the period in which the novel was set rather than a 21st-century definition of feminism.

Richard was the perfect combination of rake and daring politician. He had healthy friendships with numerous people (imagine that! A support network in a period piece), a good head on his shoulders, and a mind that could match Anne’s blow for blow. He also cared so much about making her feel comfortable, and I loved that consent was obvious, asked for, and could clearly be withdrawn at any time for any reason (another historical romance rarity). While physical seduction obviously plays a huge role in the novel’s plot, the way these characters fall in love through conversation was by far my favorite part.

All in all, His Scandalous Lessons is a great novel to escape into for a little while. Though the plot and pacing are far from perfect, the prose is engaging and easy to follow, Richard says the sweetest and sexist things, and Anne shines with quiet strength. I look forward to exploring more novels in the series (especially Alexander and Nick, and hopefully Caroline sometime in the future).

The insta-love was a bit too much for me. I would have reversed the order of this book. The first 50% is all the the countryside at a house party and then we are thrust back into London with a million characters and no more lessons. Perhaps it would have been more natural if we met more characters in the beginning and got used to them. Felt so rushed and too tedious at the same time.

A very different book. The book was in a historical setting, but had some very modern take to it. This did not take away the romance in the book.

We have 2 very strong protagonists. Anna, who has a phenomenal memory and has been abused by her father mentally and emotionally all her life, is betrothed to a sadistic abusive Duke. She is trying to get out of her situation and reaches out to her father's arch enemy Richard Gray.

Richard is a charming charismatic rake, a reputation he has built as a facade for his political machinations. He is also very kind and fights for the rights of the downtrodden. Anna fascinates him, binds him, heart and soul. Over their lessons on courtship, their feeling physical and emotional develop that leads to a hea.

There is lots of angst, lots of manipulation, secrets, and lots of deep abiding feelings. The depth of thought, action and emotions was deep and I really look forward to more books from this author.

This was an odd one for me because the setup of it is very much to my taste. I love a feminist & political lens on my historical romances, so this bring about a politicians daughter really hit for me. And I could tell throughout that the author had a lot of great ideas for her characters. But the paving & development of the ideas was less successful, for me. It seemed like the characters personalities & motivations jumped & shifted dramatically & frequently. I don’t get the sense that the author had a clear vision of each character, they each feel like an amalgam of different ideas. It is especially notable with the hero, who we are told is a scandalous tale but who acts more often like a regular politician nice guy. I’m also not certain why they didn’t just get together, they both like each other pretty immediately & there isn’t really anything preventing them from being together. The conflict feels a bit contrived. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable read.

Today I’m reviewing His Scandalous Lessons by Katrina Kendrick. In this historical romance, with a fresh new cover, we follow a prominent politicians daughter Anne Sheffield, who is determined to find a husband on her own terms before she is forced to marry the man her father has chosen for her. Enter Richard Grey, the second son of an Earl, who bargains with his enemies daughter, only to find that his original deal turns into something he never expected.

Have you ever finished the first book in a series and immediately needed to read the next?

That’s me, book friends, with Kendrick’s series, Private Arrangements! Immediately after reading His Scandalous Lessons, I was excited to read the next novel, Tempting the Scoundrel. This one focuses on Grey’s youngest sister (and book friends this one is my absolute favorite), but let’s get back to His Scandalous Lessons.

His Scandalous Lessons is part of a historical romance series that I am hands-down ready to binge read. And with this opening novel, romance readers be prepared to be rooting for a group of women ready to change their world and challenge the men who would see them imprisoned in a gilded cage.

For this one I loved the slow-burn between Anne and Richard. Where, they unhurriedly unwrap each others defenses with heated looks, stolen kisses, and delicious banter. Midway they find their own desires and wants reflected back at each other and friends, the romance only burns brighter after that revelation.

Kendrick's novel can be read in one sitting, knowing this may be your next obsession.

Just a side note, please check the trigger warnings before reading this one.

ahhhhh what an intriguing story this was!!!! richard was equal parts rogue and dark politician but one with morals!! i loved that anne wasnt afraid to find her way out of a bad situation no matter the cost. i was thrilled to learn this was part of a series and have already read alex and thorns book sonce finishing this one!

It was a fast read. I liked the main characters- Richard and Anne. I liked their dialogue. A fun and fast!

I enjoyed the heck out of this book! I was totally hooked at 6% in and then devoured the whole book in less than a day.

Anne and Richard are two very interesting characters who aren't who they seem. Anne is the (fictional) Prime Minister's daughter, subject to abuse at her father's and fiance's (not MMC) hands. Richard is a MP who is an incorrigible rake, but takes on a request from Anne to teach her the art of attracting a man to make a different match than the one her father has arranged for her since she was 12. I love the taming of the rake theme as well as the FMC finding her inner strength.

I read this book in less than a day that's how much I enjoyed it. I thought the political intrigue, real historical issues, darkness, spice and romance were excellent. I would certainly read another novel in this series as well as more by this author.

This book is actually a few years old and I had a feeling I had read it already. It is a fun tale, too fast in parts. For instance the connection between the main characters is quite fast and I would have liked more detail and build up. Overall a good book with glimpses into the other books in the series

thanks for the review copy!!

boy this book reads FAST. i thinj i read it in just about 3ish hours. i love how quickly it jumps right into all the axtion, including the spice LOL. i enjoyed the easy way that this reads and the story was compelling enough to continue reading it without taking breaks but i also craved a bit more depth to the story. im a details person and i felt like we were missing a lot of those. overall i did enjoy anne and richards story and was glad when the duke and annes father were dealt with. definitely an enjoyable read.

Thank you Bloomsbury USA & NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this! It was a surprisingly very easy read; it didn’t feel nearly as long as it actually was, which I think is a testament to how well the story flowed. Really loved these MCs together :) I really want to read the other books in the series now!

4.5 stars. The daughter of a prominent politician seeks the help of a notorious rake to help her find a husband and get out of a horrific arranged marriage. I was dubious of the set-up at first but Richard and Anne’s story was full of darkness, angst, and swoon worthy romance. I ended up loving this historical romance and the author has set up her other books in the series with a lot of care. This will be a series that you need to read in order to get the full experience. I can’t wait to keep reading about these characters. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Ahhhh this was so good! I’d read the original version several years ago, but this is better than I remembered. It’s fast paced, with high heat and early and often spice. But it’s also got plenty of plot with political machinations and disturbing reveals about Anne’s father and her intended.
I loved Richard. He falls hard and fast; the way he was just gone over Anne left me with a grin on my face. Honestly all their scenes together left me giddy. I loved Anne’s strength and how she blossomed under Richard’s tutelage.
Are parts of the story a bit over the top? Maybe. Did I care? NOT ONE BIT. This is so bingeable and it just made me so happy to read. I highly recommend! (I also can’t wait to get Caroline and Julian’s story!)

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.