I adore all of Emily Larkins books, especially the Baleful Godmothers series.

The blurb:

Letitia Trentham is noteworthy for three reasons. One, she’s extremely wealthy. Two, she can distinguish truth from lies. Three, she’s refused every man who’s ever proposed to her.

Until Letty receives a proposal she can’t turn down.

Icarus Reid barely survived the Battle of Vimeiro. He lives for one thing—to find the man who betrayed him to the French. He doesn’t want to marry Miss Trentham; he wants to use her talent for uncovering lies.

Suddenly, Letty finds herself breaking the rules, pretending to be someone she’s not, and doing things a lady would never do. But her hunt for the truth may uncover more than one secret—including the secret that haunts Icarus day and night. The secret he intends to take to his grave…

This is a lovely story that I read in one sitting. It's well written and the characters are believable. I would recommend this book and give it 4.5*

Trusting Miss Trentham is the third installment in The Baleful Godmother series. Similar to other members of this series, this is a historical romance with a hint of magic mixed in. Letty, the leading lady, was granted the gift of knowing truth from lies. This has lead her to become a bit jaded when it comes to finding a good match for a husband. Icarus Reid enters her life and takes her on an adventure to find the man who betrayed him during times of war by utilizing her special gift. I found both characters to be somewhat one dimensional. There was very little character development. Icarus is the depressed warrior dealing with ghosts of the past. Letty is the heiress who trusts very few people due to her gift and is bored with the countless number of proposals she keeps getting from men who just want her for her money. The two eventually fall in love. Just an okay story overall.

Letitia Trentham is a wealthy heiress that has been turning down marriage proposals for years because she is gifted an ability from a faerie to be able to tell when someone is lying. Letty knows her suitors have only been after her money so she has no plans to marry. Icarus Reid has come to seek the help of Letitia when he hears of her ability to detect a lie although he doesn’t know that it comes from faerie magic.

Icarus had barely survived battle and now only lives for one thing, to find the man who betrayed him to the French. As Letty and Icarus team up to get to the truth Letty finds herself crossing all the lines, breaking the rules and doing things a lady would never do. During their time together Letty discovers the secrets that Icarus has kept and just what the battle had done to him.

Trusting Miss Trentham is the third book in the Baleful Godmother series by Emily Larkin. There is also the Fey Quartet series by Emily Larkin that is a series of novella prequels that give a look into the ancestors of the characters that we find in the Baleful Godmother series. It wouldn’t be completely necessary to read the prequels or other books in the series to understand a single read but it was nice to have read more depth into how the characters in all the books came about receiving their birthday wish from a faerie.

While I have enjoyed other books in these series this one was my least favorite only rating in at 2.5 stars. I’ve been enjoying the mix of historical romance with a bit of fantasy involved with the faerie magic being gifted to the female main characters however this particular time the gift of detecting lies seemed a bit boring really so that was one thing making this story drag.

On top of not being excited with the faerie gift involved I was not a fan of this particular couple. Icarus is suffering after being in battle so Letty quickly dove into the roll of nursemaid which wasn’t particularly appealing to me. But as time went on in the story it seemed that Letty was pushing and pushing and even crossed a boundary during the book which really didn’t sit well.

Overall, at 2.5 stars this has been my lowest rated book of Emily Larkin’s but I will continue on with the series and hope to find the next couple more to my liking.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm not a reader of supernatural so this aspect of it did take away my enjoyment of this book. But I was able to appreciate the writing style and good characterization.

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was my first book by this author and I did not read the prequels but I do not think it took anything away from it. I am left with questions about the whole god mother process but like I said it did not take away from the book. At first I was not sure how I felt about it- it just did not jump out and grab me but I stuck with it and was not disappointed. Not the typical story of the girl who is beautiful but does not think so story but a story plain girl/heiress and man who has no need for a wife. I was not the biggest fan of Icarus but he grew on me. I felt for him and his inner demons. It really was a nicely developed relationship- not forced. I loved that they were both so kind (not necessarily to each other) and how they held themselves. It had dark features but it touched a topic that was relevant then and relevant now. I was pleasantly surprised by Letty and Icarus' story and look forward to checking out more of Emily Larkin's books.

Five macaroons and a piece of plum cake....

...or how to bully someone back to life - and (perhaps) to love!
When Letty, or rather - Miss Letitia Trentham, heiress and a faerie's goddaughter with her own special kind of magic, meets Icarus Reid at the Hammond's ball, she doesn't know that his quest for the truth, his quest for justice will change her life forever.
And Icarus? Well, let's just say that he definitely underestimated the power of a woman bent on saving someone despite himself. Not just any woman but Letty Trentham, strong, generous, compassionate - and extraordinarily stubborn. And macaroon per macaroon, nightmare per nightmare, Letty, a vial of valerian and of course Herodotus bully Icarus back to life.
Always at their side - Houghton, Green and Eliza. I loved that even the minor characters are well developed and very very likeable.
I felt with Icarus and Letty, I loved to see how they found their way to each other, I loved their big hearts, their compassionate nature and their loyalty.

The whole story is unique and romantic and emotional and simply amazing. I loved "Unmasking Miss Appleby" by Emily Larkin and I loved every other of her books of the Baleful Godmother Series as well. It's just the right mix of Regency paired with the little bit of magic that makes them special. The gripping story and the wonderful characters just topped it off and kept me glued to my reader.

Another very good book by Emily Larkin - strong characters and very good plot, very enjoyable on the whole!

Wow, I was blown away by this book, waaaaaayyyyy better then I anticipated. It was a great twist on historical romance with the little magical twist. I guess if I could be completely honest I would have liked more story into the faire godmother, but when I finished i was left with awe on such a well rounded book.
Psssssts..... big kudos to this author and not shying away from the introduction on the relationship in the next book, can't wait to read it.

London – 1808

Miss Letitia (Letty) Trentham, age 27, is England’s most wealthy heiress and yet unwed even after countless proposals.

Laurence Darlington is at the Hammond Ball with Letty and when he suggests they visit the conservatory, Letty knows this is a ploy for yet another proposal. Letty knows all about him and he is shocked when she tells him she knows he is nearly bankrupt. Angry when she calls him out on the truth, he stalks away. Yet Letty can’t help but feel sad because all the proposals she receives seem to be for her money and not for love. All she wants is for someone to love her for herself.

A Mr. Icarus Reid, the fifth and youngest son of Sir Hector Reid of Yorkshire, introduces himself and asks to speak to her. Noticing that he appears to be thin, gaunt and unwell, she encourages him to sit down. He tells her that he has heard of her and her talent to always be able to tell if someone is lying so he wants to enlist her help.

It appears that when he was fighting the war, one of two of his men was responsible for passing information to the French and he wants her to accompany him while he questions these men and let her decide which one is lying. At first, Letty is hesitant to help him, but when he confesses to her that he is dying, she agrees to help him.

One man Icarus suspects is Reginald Grantham who happens to be a suitor of Letty’s. The other man is George Dunlop, a debtor in prison.

Letty and Icarus meet in the park the next day and sure enough, Grantham comes by and they all chat. When Icarus asks him if he was the one who passed the information, he denies it.

Then, Letty and Icarus go to the prison to question Dunlop. While the inside of the prison is distasteful to her, she realizes that she truly wants to continue to help Icarus in this adventure. So, she leaves her maid behind and they travel as Mr. and Mrs. Reid.

The first part of this story kept my interest but at this point it lost me. Weak men who can’t seem to get a handle on life are just a total turnoff to me. I think Letty’s attraction to Icarus was that she felt she could help and “save” him. Sorry, but this book just did not appeal to me. As Emily Larkin is a new to me author, I do want to try reading more of her books.

Connie for b2b

First of all, I got this one from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I havent read the two other books in this series but it doesnt really matter because it isnt really important to know the other stories - just in the very end, the two other ladies with equal hidden talents are mentioned.

Anyway, this story is full of surprises and it took me a little bit to get into it because I so wasnt interested in another Spy-female Hero story but this one was different. Icarus' pain was so authentic and I just wanted to see, if they are ever able to find the man who caused it.

I couldnt put the book aside!
5*

A tormented hero!

Icarus Reid is all the tormented hero that one could want. A battle scarred, dedicated officer searching for truth and justice. If you remember Icarus flew too close to the sun, his wings melted and he fell. Icarus Reid was certainly burnt--not by the sun (although he was an important satellite of General Wellesley), but by betrayal at the Battle of Vimeiro. A betrayal that caused incredible trauma for him. All Icarus lives for is to find the traitor.
Enter Letitia Trentham, an heiress who has the magical gift (yes true! compliments of a faerie godmother) of detecting when she is being lied to. Those who lie to her are perceived as a loud clanging bell. Unfortunately for Letty those clangers have been heard over the years by suitors seeking her fortune, not herself. Letty is becoming reconciled to a lonely life doing good works.
Somehow Icarus learns that Letty seems able to detect the truth from lies. Icarus wants Letty to assist him in his quest.
And here is where the story digresses from the norm. Letty agrees, which means as Larkin says the reader is taken, 'on a journey from the glittering ballrooms of the aristocracy to the dark underbelly of Regency England – with passion, danger, adventure, romance, and a little magic thrown into the mix.'
Letty joins Icarus in his search. Along with Letty the reader is treated to a 'darker, grittier side of the romance fence.'
Larkin refers to this writing as Regency Noir.
This description certainly fits a number of Regency novels I've been reading over the past couple of years. I find the term apt.
There are some quite wonderful secondary characters that add to the story.
I rather enjoyed Letty and Icarus' story.

A NetGalley ARC
(February 2017)

Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review Copy from the Publisher

Third volume in the Baleful Godmother series where the heroines receive a gift from a fey, Trusting Miss Trentham slightly differs as here Letitia received her gift earlier than the previous heroines, and so was able to refuse the gold-diggers’ proposals as she hears a noise when she’s lied to. The hero will ask for her help to discover the man who betrayed him during the war in Spain.

Icarus is a somber hero, tormented, he suffers from post-traumatic stress at a time when this disorder isn’t known, and he blames himself to be still alive when the members of his team died in an ambush. He has a thirst for vengeance and he’s ready to put aside all proprieties to achieve his ends. He’s often very terse with the heroine, he rebuffs her easily, and he’s going to need a very long time before opening a little. So I missed out a little on his feelings for her.

Letitia is kind and likeable, and has always done what’s appropriate. She recently lost her cousin who was much more audacious, and when she decides to do something unconventional she justifies it by thinking it’s what her cousin would have done. She’s also a little naïve and obstinate, and when she has an idea she insists till she gets an answer, which profoundly annoys the hero. She’s fast attracted to Icarus but I felt it was more a need to care for him and to save him that was urging her for the most part of the story (he told her he would die and she’s understood he intended to suicide once the traitor’s been found).

Both are very generous, they help a lot of people during the novel by giving money or hiring those in need, and if the author wanted to show their good side I ended thinking it was too much in such a short time.

The plot with the traitor is the occasion to have coming one after the other several situations in which the heroine shouldn’t be (visiting a prison, traveling with the hero without a chaperone and posing as a married couple, …) without them really being a problem of conscience. Letitia also spends a lot of her nights in the hero’s bedchamber to comfort him after his nightmares, taking the initiative to kiss him (and more) on a quite wantonly way for a young woman from high society.

But this plot goes on slowly but surely, with the suspicions being eliminated one after the other with Letitia’s power (which seems really super handy). Too bad I wasn’t convinced by the couple.

This has been a story of contrasts. On the one hand we have relatively complex MC´s, well described, with a lot of potential and good chemistry between them. And, unfortunately, on the other hand we have absurd, silly and trivial situations that take away realism from both the characters and the story itself.

Icarus Reid is my kind of hero. He is a war´s veteran with a severe PTSD due to incidents occurred during the battle of Vimeiro. He has become a shell of the man he used to be and has consecrated the rest of his life to find the traitor who betrayed him to the Frenchmen. This is where our heroine, Letitia Trentham, comes into play. She has a gift: she can “hear” the lies, which makes her an object of great value to Reid and his crusade.

Reid is a complex and honest character, with a great sense of propriety that he himself has relegated to the background in favor of his thirst for revenge. He knows perfectly well that what he is doing is neither fair, nor honest, nor what is best for Letitia, but he can´t help it. Or rather, do not want to. And I have no choice but to admire his honesty. However, Letitia has ended up being a stifling character. I can understand that she is not pretty (for me it is usually a plus as long as it does not become “her cross to bear”) and I know she has to deal with all the gold diggers around the country who go for her inheritance, which loses its dramatic value since she is able to avoid them (remember, she can “hear” the lies), but that does not justify her overbearing attitude towards Reid. Since she knows (in 5 minutes) him, she decides that his cause is hers as well, and without thinking twice about it, she throws caution (and good manners and decorum) to the wind. This has basically been my problem with the story. As much as Letitia has convinced herself that what she is doing is for Reid´s sake and, therefore, is above social conventions, I can´t convince myself. Her behavior and her attitude to incredibly traumatic situations are so frivolous, shallow and unsuitable for the times.

See spoiler.

Letitia ends up being a pathetic character, who throws herself into Reid´s arms as soon as she can, who blinks her eyes every 5 minutes, who acts as if she was Reid's nurse (taking care of him during his nocturnal episodes) and as his mother (forcing him to eat constantly) and all this properly accompanied by her internal monologues where she reminds us that she is not beautiful and nobody wants her.

And although at this point I was quite disconnected from the story, it has also been trivial the 4! occasions when they come to the rescue of people they not even know, they just met them in the street (or at a dance) offering them money and settling their lives. That easy. That unreal ...

This story is not for me. Not even with Reid ... I quit @ 53%.

*Spoiler*
I will not go into details because they are really complicated, but Letitia gets to go without a chaperone with Reid to a prison to interview an inmate. Not only that, she also, twice, gets to spend a week alone with Reid at Inns investigating the events of Vimeiro, with no one being the wiser and spending half the night reading sitting at the foot of Reid's bed to relax him. .. And on more than one occasion Reid regains sleep with Letitia in his arms and endless kisses. Kisses that she always starts when Reid has a few shots of… whiskey? (I don´t remember) and valerian to knock down a horse ... But the last straw was when Letitia discovers the two most important men of her life (they are like family for her) performing fellatio(in the middle of nowhere…) and all she does is to blink fiercely (throughout the story is her favorite expression by far, I think the author has not been very careful in this respect, it is shocking the times it is repeated), she thinks “oh, oh ... ooohhh” ... and look for one of those men later to subtly show him her support. Easy-peasy. Do not get me wrong, it is perfectly natural and desirable nowadays but unfortunately it was not in the 1800's. If the author was going to treat a subject as tricky as that, it would have been preferable that she had done it in a realistic way, and not only for the sake of adding melodrama to the plot.


***

Esta ha sido una historia de contrastes. Por un lado tenemos unos personajes relativamente complejos, bien descritos, con mucho potencial y con buena química entre ellos. Y, desgraciadamente, por otro lado tenemos unas situaciones absurdas, tontas y triviales que le quitan realismo tanto a los personajes como a la historia en sí.

Icarus Reid es mi tipo de héroe. Es un veterano de guerra con un severo trastorno post-traumático debido a incidentes sufridos durante la batalla de Vimeiro. Se ha convertido en la sombra del hombre que fue y ha consagrado el resto de su vida a encontrar al traidor que lo delató a los franceses. Es aquí donde entra en juego nuestra heroína, Letitia Trentham. Ella tiene un don: puede “oír” las mentiras, con lo cual se convierte en un objeto de gran valor para Reid y su cruzada.

Reid es un personaje complejo y honesto, con un gran sentido de la propiedad que él mismo reconoce ha quedado relegado a un segundo plano en favor de su sed de venganza. Él sabe perfectamente que lo que está haciendo no es justo, ni honesto, ni lo mejor para Letitia, pero no puede evitarlo. O mejor dicho, no quiere evitarlo. Y yo no tengo más remedio que admirar su honestidad. Sin embargo Letitia ha acabado siendo un personaje agobiante. Vale que no es guapa (para mí suele ser un plus en tanto en cuanto no se convierta en la cruz de guía de su vida) y vale que tiene que lidiar con todos los caza fortunas del país que van detrás de su herencia, cosa que pierde su valor dramático ya que ella es capaz por sí sola de evitarlos (recuerda, puede “oír” las mentiras), pero eso no justifica su actitud tan agobiante respecto a Reid. Desde que lo conoce (en 5 min) decide que su causa es la de ella también, y sin pensárselo dos veces tira por la borda los buenos modales y el decoro, sin miedo a las consecuencias. Este ha sido básicamente mi problema con la historia. Por más que Letitia se auto convence de que lo que está haciendo es por el bien de Reid y, por lo tanto, está por encima de las convenciones sociales, a mí no consigue convencerme. Su comportamiento y su actitud frente a situaciones increíblemente traumáticas son muy frívolos, muy superficiales y muy poco adecuados para la época.

Ver spoiler.

Letitia acaba siendo un personaje patético, que se tira a los brazos de Reid en cuanto puede, que parpadea para no llorar cada 5 minutos, que actúa como si fuese la enfermera de Reid (cuidándolo en sus episodios nocturnos) y como su madre (obligándolo a comer constantemente) y todo ello debidamente acompañado de sus monólogos internos donde nos recuerda que ella no es guapa y que nadie la quiere.

Y aunque a estas alturas ya estaba bastante desconectada de la historia, también me ha resultado muy banal que hasta en ¡4! ocasiones acuden al rescate de personas a las que se encuentran por la calle(o en un baile) y a las que no conocen de nada, ofreciéndoles dinero y ayuda y solucionándoles la vida. Así de fácil. Así de irreal…

Esta historia no es para mí. Ni siquiera por Reid… lo dejo al 53%.

*Spoiler*
No voy a entrar en detalles porque son realmente muy complicados, pero Letitia consigue ir sin carabina y a solas con Reid a la cárcel a entrevistar a un recluso. No sólo eso, también consigue hasta en dos ocasiones pasar una semana a solas con Reid en posadas, investigando el suceso de Vimeiro, sin que nadie se entere y pasando la mitad de la noche leyendo sentada a los pies de la cama de Reid para relajarlo... Y en más de una ocasión Reid recupera el sueño con Letitia entre sus brazos y unos besos interminables. Besos que siempre empieza ella cuando Reid tiene unas copas de más y valeriana para tumbar a un caballo…Y la gota que colmó el vaso fue cuando Letitia descubre a los dos hombres más importantes de su vida (son como familia para ella) llevando a cabo una felación y todo lo que hace es parpadear insistentemente para evitar las lágrimas (durante toda la historia es su expresión predilecta con diferencia, creo que la autora no ha sido muy cuidadosa a este respecto, es chocante la de veces que es repetido), pensar Oh, oh…ooohhh… y buscar a uno de los involucrados más tarde para sutilmente mostrarle y ofrecerle su apoyo. Plis plas. No me malinterpretes, es una actitud perfectamente natural y deseable hoy en día pero desgraciadamente no lo era en el 1800. Si la autora iba a tratar un tema tan peliagudo como ese hubiese sido de agradecer que lo hubiese hecho de una manera realista, y no por añadir algo melodramático a la trama.

Letitia Trentham is noteworthy for three reasons. One, she’s extremely wealthy. Two, she can always distinguish truth from lies. Three, she’s refused every man who’s ever proposed to her & so far eighteen have proposed this season alone.
Icarus Reid barely survived the Battle of Vimeiro. He lives for one thing, that is to find the man who betrayed him to the French & caused the deaths of the four men who were with him. He doesn’t want to marry Miss Trentham; he wants to use her talent for uncovering lies.
Suddenly, Letty finds herself breaking the rules, pretending to be someone she’s not, and doing things a lady would never do. But her hunt for the truth may uncover more than one secret, including the secret that haunts Icarus day and night & has him having horrific nightmares every night. The secret he intends to take to his grave.
Whilst this is the third in the series it could be read as a stand-alone novel. Another entertaining well written book from the author The story is well paced The characters are well portrayed both Letty & Icarus are likeable. It’s also uplifting that the author’s characters are flawed they aren’t extremely beautiful but can be plain with a long nose & wide mouth. The beauty of her characters is in their characters Icarus may be living in his own hell but he still has time to help injured soldiers & Letty uses her wealth to help underprivileged women & children. I look forward to more in the series.

London - 1808

Miss Letitia (Letty) Trentham, age 27, is England’s most wealthy heiress and yet unwed even after countless proposals.

Laurence Darlington is at the Hammond Ball with Letty and when he suggests they visit the conservatory, Letty knows this is a ploy for yet another proposal. Letty knows all about him and he is shocked when she tells him she knows he is nearly bankrupt. Angry when she calls him out on the truth, he stalks away. Yet Letty can’t help but feel sad because all the proposals she receives seem to be for her money and not for love. All she wants is for someone to love her for herself.

A Mr. Icarus Reid, the fifth and youngest son of Sir Hector Reid of Yorkshire, introduces himself and asks to speak to her. Noticing that he appears to be thin, gaunt and unwell, she encourages him to sit down. He tells her that he has heard of her and her talent to always be able to tell if someone is lying so he wants to enlist her help.

It appears that when he was fighting the war, one of two of his men was responsible for passing information to the French and he wants her to accompany him while he questions these men and let her decide which one is lying. At first, Letty is hesitant to help him, but when he confesses to her that he is dying, she agrees to help him.

One man Icarus suspects is Reginald Grantham who happens to be a suitor of Letty’s. The other man is George Dunlop, a debtor in prison.

Letty and Icarus meet in the park the next day and sure enough, Grantham comes by and they all chat. When Icarus asks him if he was the one who passed the information, he denies it.

Then, Letty and Icarus go to the prison to question Dunlop. While the inside of the prison is distasteful to her, she realizes that she truly wants to continue to help Icarus in this adventure. So, she leaves her maid behind and they travel as Mr. and Mrs. Reid.

The first part of this story kept my interest but at this point it lost me. Weak men who can’t seem to get a handle on life are just a total turnoff to me. I think Letty’s attraction to Icarus was that she felt she could help and “save” him. Sorry, but this book just did not appeal to me. As Emily Larkin is a new to me author, I do want to try reading more of her books.

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

I enjoyed this Baleful Godmother story. There were a lot of shocks and surprises with a bit of mystery and misery. I loved her gift but it makes a heavy life. I loved meeting the characters and watching them grow throughout the book. I loved the part where she meets a fellow cousin and wish it was expanded upon. I look forward to more!

This book gripped me from the start as it was beautifully written and I was able early on to empathise with the characters. It was very much a page turner and the reader needed to know who was the "villain" and if he was repentant. Love it.

This novel was a good read. Letty Trentham is an heiress with the ability to detect truth from lies. She received this gift from her fairy godmother. She has rejected many suitors since they want her money and lie to her about their motives. Major Icarus Reid asks for Letty's help in figuring out who betrayed him at the Battle of Vimeiro. Icarus has no desire for a wife and believes he does not have long to live. His only purpose is to discover who betrayed him to the French. Letty and Icarus travel from town to town, searching for people who knew about the mission and meeting other people who have gotten into unfortunate situations or circumstances. They pose as a married couple to protect Letty's reputation. However, Letty's stepbrother keeps pushing men towards her to marry. He is jealous of her fortune but also sees her as a burden. Icarus has nightmares from his experience at the hands of those who captured him. Letty helps Icarus and they grow closer and begin to form an attachment to each other. Icarus has other plans though once he finds the traitor and Letty is doing everything she can to stop him from travelling down that path. Letty and Icarus realize they love each other but Icarus believes himself a broken man and Letty believes Icarus would not want to marry someone like her. Will Letty be able to save Icarus from himself? Will Icarus discover who betrayed him and why? I guess you will have to read this novel to find out.