Really liked this book. Liked the characters and story flow. Always like a good romance with twists and turns thrown in. Would recommend this book.

Normally I really enjoy Erica Ridley, but I wasn’t all that big a fan of Lord of Chance.

Here’s the description:

Disguised as a country miss, Charlotte Devon flees London, desperate to leave her tattered reputation behind. In Scotland, her estranged father’s noble blood will finally make her a respectable debutante. Except she finds herself accidentally wed to a devil-may-care rogue with a sinful smile. He’s the last thing she needs…and everything her traitorous heart desires.

Charming rake Anthony Fairfax is on holiday to seek his fortune…and escape his creditors. When an irresistible Lady Luck wins him in a game of chance—and a slight mishap has them leg-shackled by dawn—the tables have finally turned in his favor. But when past demons catch up to them, holding on to new love will mean destroying their dreams forever.

So to begin, I didn’t have a lot of respect for Anthony Fairfax. He’s a gambler and he seems to be reckless and stupid. Charlotte is a good character, but I find it a little bit unbelievable that she gambles in a public inn with strange men or that they let her, or treat her like a lady. It just struck me wrong. I also wasn’t all that engaged in their relationship or in the ending. For me, the story just didn’t have the fun and quality of characters that her books usually have.

Erica Ridley always writes a fluent Regency style novel. Historically correct with speech adjusted to modern nuances and mannerisms.
Here we have two very sad specimens adrift in a society where women are wives, servants or harlots, and society men do not toil for a living.
So an illegitimate daughter of a courtesan cannot be respectably employed and a man without an income has no recourse but to gamble to fund his lifestyle and to support his family.

Erica Ridley’s Lord of Chance is the first in a new series from the author entitled Rogues to Riches. Our rogue this time out is one Mister (not Lord – so what’s with the title?) Anthony Fairfax, a charming but rather rackety young man whose appetite for gaming has seen him run up such large debts in London that he has travelled to Scotland in order to try to win enough money to enable him to repay them and return home.

While enjoying a reasonable streak of luck at a small inn not far from the border, Anthony’s eye is repeatedly caught by a young woman whose face is hidden behind a hood, but whose form is pleasing. He nicknames her ‘Lady Fortune’ in his mind, as her presence seems to have helped turn his fortunes. All that changes, however, when she is invited to the table and decides to play. Anthony’s Lady Fortune makes her own luck, it seems, and she cleans him out, winning everything on the table, and in addition, Anthony’s promise to do her bidding for the night ahead. It will come as no surprise when I say that his idea of doing the lady’s bidding all night is rather more lascivious than hers.

Anthony may be a wastrel, but he’s still a gentleman, so when the lady is accosted on their way out of the public room, he steps in and tells her drunken admirer that she is his wife and he should treat her with more respect. The pair then proceed to her room, where Anthony proceeds to make himself useful by ironing and folding her gowns (er… okay) and, in gentlemanly fashion, spends the night on the lumpy sofa.

Charlotte Devon has travelled to Scotland in search of the father she has never met. Her mother is a famous – or infamous – London courtesan, so when Charlotte ruefully reflects that she was ruined before she was even born, she isn’t wrong. Unfortunately, this is an era where the sins of the father were visited upon the children, and her illegitimacy, her mother’s profession and her strong resemblance to her mother all mean that Charlotte has little chance of achieving the sort of respectability she craves.

Judith Devon hinted that Charlotte’s father was a wealthy man, a Scottish Laird, in fact, and Charlotte intends to find him and present herself to him as his daughter in the hope that the kind man her mother recalls will find some space for her in his life, or that at the very least, her being the daughter of a lord will help erase some of the stigma of her birth. To this end, she is wearing a distinctive ruby necklace and pair of earrings that he gave to her mother, in the hope that someone will recognise them and be able to direct her to him.

The flimsiness of this plot point was too much for me to swallow, I’m afraid. I’m supposed to believe that Charlotte is reasonably intelligent, yet she travels all the way from London to Scotland – an extremely difficult and possibly dangerous journey in 1817 – to find a man whose name she doesn’t know, whose place of abode she doesn’t know and whom she has never even seen – hoping that someone will recognise her jewellery?! (The fact that someone actually does recognise it later in the story is by the by – that’s just an overly convenient plot-point and doesn’t excuse such a ridiculous reason for Charlotte being in Scotland in the first place.)

But back to the story. Something both Anthony and Charlotte had failed to take into account is that by announcing they’re man and wife they have become so; this is Scotland and simply by declaring themselves to be married in front of a roomful of people they are, in fact, wed. This creates even more problems, seeing that Anthony is likely to find himself in debtor’s prison unless he can find two thousand pounds with which to pay off his debts (a huge sum) – and because Charlotte is his wife, everything that was hers is now his, and thus can be used to clear part of what he owes.

Anthony is determined not to drag her down with him, however, and thinks that perhaps he can persuade his major creditor – a former friend – to take payment in instalments. To this end, he starts doing odd jobs to earn money, and although the pull to take his earnings to the tables is strong, to his credit, he manages not to do so. There’s one particular passage where Ms. Ridley does an excellent job of showing that Anthony really does have a serious problem, but unfortunately, it just adds to the difficulty of believing, later on, that a man in the grip of such an addiction can turn his back on it and reform practically overnight.

While the overall tone of Lord of Chance is quite light and fluffy, the author does touch on some darker themes. Anthony’s gambling habit is not glossed over (although as I’ve said, he is able to break it too easily) and the situation faced by someone like Charlotte, whose parentage means she is destined to be looked down on through no fault of her own draws the reader’s sympathy. And then there’s Anthony’s family, who live far beyond their means and have no clue how to make the sorts of changes to their lives to enable them to get themselves out of that cycle of being plump in the pocket and then in debt in which they are living.

The author has a talent for writing light-hearted, funny and sometimes innuendo-laden banter, and there’s no question that, but for his gambling habit, Anthony makes a charismatic and rather endearing hero. He’s upbeat, generous and is clearly devoted to his family, no matter that he is pretty much supporting them by whatever means he can and they don’t make it easy for him by being such spendthrifts. Charlotte’s character is less well-defined and I found her fairly dull for the most part, although I did like her pragmatism and could understand her yearning for respectability.

The romance, however, is weak and underdeveloped. I felt like I blinked and missed the part where we saw Anthony and Charlotte actually falling in love; they trade quips and feel attracted to each other, but there is little chemistry between them, and while I’ve rated the book as ‘warm’ in the sensuality stakes, the principal love scene is pretty tame, and honestly, I only used that rating because ‘subtle’ doesn’t quite cover it!

From looking at Amazon and Goodreads, it’s clear that Ms. Ridley has a large following who appreciates her particular brand of frothy, light-hearted historical romance, and I’m sure there are many among them who will enjoy Lord of Chance. I, however, tend to like a little more substance and character/romantic development in the romances I read, both of which are lacking here. That said, the book is well written (in spite of a few typos) and if you’re in the mood for a quick, low-angst story, it might suit your tastes more than it did mine.

Grade: C+

Adorable plot! I especially loved the way their marriage began. I did want to see more strength in both characters. They both seemed to accept their lot in life. I kept wanting Luke to be a little more alpha male and I wanted to see Charlotte's deflated confidence roar into a strong heroine in the end.

This book was actually quite funny... The banter between Charlotte and Mr Fairfax seemed very believable. The story is hard to review without being a spoiler, so let me say that you will REALLY enjoy this book.... another gem by Erica Ridley!!

I enjoyed this story, it had a few twists to it and the story line flowed well. The characters were well developed and Anthony and Charlotte were good together.

Lord of Chance is a fantastic start to Ridley's new historical romance series. I loved both Charlotte and Anthony, their vulnerabilities were so well hidden they hardly even noticed them anymore themselves. Even with all the hurdles put in the way of their romance, it was a beautiful story, and I can't wait to read more in this series.

I loved reading the amazing and intriguing historical romance by the wonderfully talented Erica Ridley. I voluntarily reviewed a copy through NetGalley.
While Charlotte is in Scotland looking for her biological father, she meets the charming Anthony Fairfax. Even though Charlotte wins all of Anthony’s winnings, he is a gentleman and walks her broken into room, stays to protect her, and both claim to be married. In Scotland, claiming to be married is the same as being married. As Charlotte and Anthony get to know each other, Charlotte’s secret past and Anthony’s dangerous past collide.
Read the highly recommended, engaging story line with captivating characters, and a must read love story.

Great book. I enjoyed the characters. ☆☆☆☆☆ rating.

Lord of Pleasure ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ written by Erica Ridley
(Rogues to Riches #1)

Anthony Fairfax a rake with gambling problem. His has made his way from London to Scotland to escape his creditors. His debt is over two thousand pounds and as any gambler he continues to bet hoping for the big win.

It is while he is on this jaunt to Scotland he loses all his blunt to Charlotte Devon. He finds himself fascinated with this Lady Luck. Charlotte is fleeing London to free herself from her reputation. Her mother is a well known courtesan and Charlotte is the by-blow of one of her mother's protectors. Charlotte is on a mission to find her father but learns all her mother's stories about him being a Scottish laird are false.

It is by happenstance and Scottish law they find themselves married to each other. Just declaring you are husband and wife is good enough in Scotland. After they both realize the pickle they are in they try to make the best of it. Anthony found himself in awe of Charlotte from the beginning but felt he was unworthy of this lady. Charlotte hide her background convincingly but as she and Anthony get to know each other she reveals her personal turmoil.

I did read this book out of the series order but nevertheless enjoyed it immensely. Ms Ridley presents you with many twists and turns and keeps you turning pages to find the outcome. This was a genuinely warm romance to be enjoy by anyone that loves to see romance grow from a seedling to a flower.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this, the first book in the Rogues to Riches series.

I think I appreciated the fact that it wasn't centered on the highest echelons of the haute ton. Most characters would, I think, be considered middle or lower middle class. The heroine in this one is actually much lower class, only because the children always suffer the consequences of their parents actions. The main female lead in this book is Charlotte Devon. Her mother is a well-known courtesan.

Charlotte decides that the only way to get any sort of peace from the disparaging looks and snide comments, not to mention the men who assumed she was the same as her mother, is to find her father. She remembers her mother saying he was a laird. She had a necklace and earrings that belong to him so she is sure she can find him in Scotland.

On her search, she meets a man at a gambling table and wins the entire pot on a fluke. This man is Anthony Fairfax.

In a strange twist of fate, they end up married! The story is fresh and sweet. I enjoyed the characters immensely. Mr. Fairfax is an upbeat sort of person. Nothing gets him down for long. Miss Devon is a victim of circumstance.

Great ending with a bit of a twist! I think you will enjoy this one! I know I did!

Well go ahead handout another five star win in Ms Ridley's pile from me with this delightful first book in her Rogue to Riches story.
Ms . Ridley introduces us to Anthny Fairfax a rogue with a problem, a bad run of luck at the gaming tables has left him heavily in debt, but the gambling houses that he usually attends will not grant him access , so he has traveled north to Scotland in hopes of making his money back in proverbial greener pastures

Sitting in the common room of an he plays a casual game with some fellow travelers and finds himself winning, and winning large, luck has come back his way , but he attributes it to the young women sitting a few tables away watching, his Lady Luck . "Lady Luck " Ms Charlotte Devon eventually finds herself allowed to play cards with the gentlemen. charlotte is hoping to win some funds herself , she's farfrom home in search of the one thing she has always wanted, her father. The daughter if a courtesan and not accepted by society because of nothing she did, but simply because of her mother and Charlottes similar features. Why search Scotland? Charlotte was always told her father was a laird, so armed with a necklace and ear bobs that where from him she has set about her journey in search of him. Cards and luck can take an evil turn so when Anthony luck deserts him and to honor his last bet he will,ensure that Charlotte gets to her room safely . Anthony indeed ensures that Charlotte makes it to her room safely , but to protect her honor they did have to state that they are married . Turns out these two get a bit more than they bargain for and Charlottes search for her father must end to allow time yo find a way to know get Anthony out of debt , because a wife is responsible for a husbands debt and Scottish law married them when they announced it in front of a group of people! Oh the tangled webs....
Through the couples journey, they grow closer to spite still speaking of annulment , but the more time Anthony spends with Charlotte the more he believes they could work! But does Charlotte ?

Arc copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte tries to go to Scotland to find the father she has never meet. She meets a gambler named Anthony Fairfax and while Anthony is trying to protect her, he complicates both their lives. Who knew you only had to say you were married to be considered married? How will they solve this perdicament?

**This book was reviewed via Netgalley**

First in the Rogues to Riches series, Ridley’s Lord of Chance sweeps us back in time, to England's Regency period. Charlotte Devon is a young woman traveling alone through Scotland, searching for her father. All she has for clues are a name, and some family jewels. At the amusingly named Kitty and Cock Inn, Charlotte is allowed to join a gambling table, where the vagaries of fate win her the services of Anthony Fairfax for the night. While he teased otherwise, Anthony is content to serve in the most mundane capacities requested, in this case, serving as a hallboy for the night. He had his own reasons for wagering a night of service. Win or lose, those needs are met.

In the wake of several misunderstandings, when Anthony pretends to be Charlotte's husband in order to protect her from undesirables, the pair find themselves married in truth due to quirks of Scottish law intended to preserve the virtue of maidens from unscrupulous men who might take advantage of them. To compound things, debt collectors have found Anthony, and witnessed his declaration of being married. If he cannot repay his debts, Charlotte's family jewels will be seized towards them, and Anthony will be sent to the infamous Marshalsea prison. Now, as the pair travel back to London, they must get to know one another- both the good sides and the bad, yet both have secrets they are reluctant to reveal to a near stranger. And they dare not consummate this false marriage, despite the growing attraction, or an annulment will not be possible.

This is one of my first forays into romance, a genre I have long avoided. As one who prefers historical fiction, a romance in this genre seemed just the ticket. Regency England is not an era I am familiar with, though it's close enough to eras I do enjoy. Victorian is a big favourite. I loved Ridley's attention to detail, and to language. I did grow somewhat weary of the word 'fashionable’, though. I'm not really sure why. It was appropriate to context.

Reading this got me to thinking that, while romance is considered by many to be 'trite’ and 'shallow’, a romance writer's job is harder in some ways. These stories are more character driven than plot driven. They have to dig deeper in their characters heads. There may also, as in this case, still need to be a lot of research done.

While I occasionally found Charlotte, and Anthony's musings somewhat angsty, I had the realisation that, well, this *is* quite rather how people blather on inside their heads. Where no one can hear, and we argue only with ourselves, we play, and replay, and replay our deepest fears and darkest secrets, turning molehills to mountains with self-criticisms, 'what ifs’, and 'could have beens'. We make assumptions about others and their motivations all the time, and more often than not, when the truth is revealed, we couldn't have been further from it if we had tried. Anthony’s thoughts were so sweet, even when he was being incorrigible. Yet it was Charlotte, with her terribly low self-worth, that I could identify with most. I suffer the same, and it sucks.

This book gave me a greater appreciation for a genre I previously disdained and helped me be more willing to try others in the future. I hope delving into other sub-genres besides historical will lead to the same satisfactory results. I'll certainly be on the lookout for future works by Ridley.

🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻 Recommended for those who like historical romance

Another great read from Erica. Ready for the next one!!

Three and a half stars.

Charlotte Devon is the illegitimate daughter of a Scottish Laird and a courtesan. She has fled London (and her mother) to try to find her father. She knows little other than his surname and the fact that he gave her mother a ruby necklace and matching earrings. In a Scottish Inn she stumbles across a group of gentlemen playing three-card Brag.

Mr Anthony Fairfax is a gentleman who has supported his family since he was 14 years old by gambling. Unfortunately, his luck has run dry of late and he has fled north to Scotland to escape his creditors and hopefully recoup some of his losses. His luck appears to be on the turn, something he attributes to the young woman sitting in the corner watching the game.

Unfortunately, Lady Luck knows when men are desperate and a series of unfortunate coincidences result in Charlotte and Anthony being married (it hinges on an ancient Scottish law which means if you state, in front of witnesses, that you are married then legally you are married). Then Anthony's creditors send the bailiffs after him and there is a very real danger that Charlotte could lose her winnings AND her jewels if Anthony doesn't pay his debts within two weeks. The two hatch a plan to annul their marriage whilst still trying to raise £2,000 to pay off Anthony's debts.

At first this dragged a little for me. It was the age old tale of married by mistake but being fiercely attracted to each other and having to resist (although admittedly the reasoning was better thought out than most). But then, just over halfway the book improved immeasurably, Anthony had a come to Jesus moment and realised that relying on gambling to look after his family is a bad idea.

Overall, this was an interesting story, Charlotte's experiences as the daughter of a courtesan were less rosy than other novelists would lead you to believe, less satin and more uncomfortable bruises. Although Anthony's family are spendthrifts they aren't blind to the problems they face and Charlotte realises some hard truths about her mother and father.

After a slow start I really enjoyed this, the story focused more on those struggling to survive on the fringes of society than the ton. Looking forward to the next book.

I'm a big [author:Erica Ridley|3087787] fan, but this isn't her strongest work, IMO. Don't get me wrong, this is a very decent, readable story, but there was that special something that was just missing for me.

I love the forced/accidental marriage trope, and [book:Lord of Chance|31279946] had just that. The two MCs had a pretty uneventful dynamic from the start: though they experienced lots of twists and turns of circumstance together, there is very little relationship drama, which is surprising considering they didn't know each other at all before they were wed. I liked the two MCs together, but they didn't have that tension, that build-up that I usually look for.

The actual plot was engaging, and I loved the backstories of the two MCs. I feel like there were some missed opportunities with each of their histories, but I was really into how each character came to this particular point in their lives.

I had a hard time believing that a life-long compulsive gambler like Anthony would change his ways so quickly. Everything was a bit too convenient for my tastes. Still, I kept being won over by the plot, and it was easy to get wrapped up in the story.

A solid effort by Erica Ridley, though I've read better from her. I'm excited to see where the series takes me.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

As always, Ridley gives us a fun little romance. There's not a lot to really make it rise above the crowd, but it's a pleasant way to pass some time. This one ties directly into the Lords of War series, as it focuses on Sarah Fairfax's (The Brigadier's Runaway Bride brother, Anthony. When he loses in a card game and finds himself unexpectedly saddled with a wife just as he's about to land in debtor's prison, he does his best to win his way out of a bad situation. Both characters are endearing, though it's hard to buy that an obvious gambling addict can just quit cold turkey "all for the love of a good woman." But, romances don't have to be realistic to be enjoyable, so you just roll with it and have a good time.