Lord of Chance kicks off a new series.
Charlotte and Anthony were just great together. With a mishap that gets them married to each other they are set for a journey of self discovery and what really makes a person happy. The things that thought they wanted turns out not to be in the end.
I received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Another solid historical by Ms. Ridley. I liked the whole romance. GOod!

Erica Ridley’s newest project, the Rogues to Riches series, has a Cinderella theme. LORD OF CHANCE is the first of six books planned for release.

Absolutely brilliant! Both Charlotte and Anthony hold the keys to be the prince – providing all that is needed to make the other’s dreams come true – and each is Cinderella in their own mind. Aren’t we all?

Each are living lives a hair-breadth away from scandal. Well, actually, each has practically been born into scandal, but each is determined to make the world their own and rise above. They just need the right bit of luck.

Ms. Ridley provides the luck – good and bad – and sends us all on the roller coaster of chasing chance along with Anthony and Charlotte. Now add in, we are treated to a bit of a peek back to our friends from the Dukes of War series, and this new series is a no-brainer for me. I am already deeply captivated and anxiously awaiting the next episode when we will all fall in love with Lord Wainwright, an infamous rake who is about to learn the art of love is more than the art of love-making.

Two per find themselves unexpectedly married. They come to care about each other but these growing feelings are threatened by the threat of debtors prison for him and secrets from her past. Very nicer done.

Lord of Chance takes place in 19th Century England and away from the the ton . Well not quite! The "stiff upper lips" of the society still has an impact on the story.

Anthony Fairfax is the lovable rake who finds himself in hot water. A trip to Scotland is just what he needs. It gives him a chance to redeem himself and carry on with his family commitments and have the life that he wants.

Charlotte is frowned upon because of her background and going to Scotland to find her "long lost" father could be just the answer to her prayers.

Anthony is happily playing a game of chance when he sets eyes on Charlotte who happens to be watching the game. He decides there and then that she is his lady luck! Unfortunately, this is short lived. Being a gentleman, he wouldn't dream of allowing a lady to walk back to her lodgings on her own.

Unbeknown to them, the Scottish law is different to the English one and a little mistep lands them in more hot water. All of a sudden, they are shackled to each other! There is no way out and they have to work together for the sake of their reputations. Keeping up appearances is fairly easy to begin with but then they both have to come clean and confess. It turns out that they have to return to England to resolve at least some of their problems.

Anthony's approach to their dilemma is more than honourable and Charlotte is loyal to a fault. They also find that they quite like each other's company. Sexual tension excepted!

It's a gripping story but somehow, they manage to make light of this "accidental relationship." From the start, they both want a place in society but soon discover that there is more to life than social standing. Status doesn't always bring happiness.

Anthony and Charlotte are noble main characters! There are times when I was laughing out loud, others when I was cringing and those where my heart was breaking. I was enthralled by the whole story from beginning to end. I absolutely love the storyline.

I received a complimentary eARC from the author and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

I really liked this book. The main characters were fun and the storytelling style was good.

These two characters were an absolute joy to get to know! They were both equally well-rounded and well- developed characters that made the story more enjoyable. I enjoyed the circumstances surrounding their marriage, and the way they found a way to forge a friendship despite their odds.

Even the secondary characters added something to the overall enjoyment of the story, from the way Charlotte's mother interacted with them, to the way Anthony's family was wiling to sell everything left in their possession to help him spoke a lot about loyalty and the bonds of family. I also enjoyed the unorthodox ways that Charlotte and Anthony were able to find employment.

With witty banter between the characters, and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to forge a lasting love, this story will definitely appeal to those who enjoy a well written historical romance novel. I would read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

"Lord of Chance' by Erica Ridley was an engaging story about two perfectly pleasant people who through no fault of their own had difficult backgrounds and upbringings. I appreciated the way Anthony enlisted humbling means to improve his situation, and ended up gaining a measure of self esteem in doing so. There is much love, understanding and forgiveness in this delightful story, with a truly happy ending because of the changes Charlotte and Anthony made in their hearts. It was unique, and I highly recommend it.

Didn't enjoy this like I enjoyed Ridley's other books.

excellent read

I read this book some time ago, not sure why it's reissued. I liked it the first time, still do. The couple is delightful and interesting. The story well written.

I really loved this book, Anthony and Charlotte are wonderful leads - He is charming, funny and supportive and she is loving, smart and practical - together they bring out the best in the other.

Anthony (brother to Sarah from The Brigadier's Runaway Bride) is a gambler and is currently "rusticating" in Scotland trying to win enough money to keep him out of debtor's prison. Charlotte is on a quest to find her father. When these two accidently end up married, it seems like they are doomed.

They agree to work together to find Charlotte's father and try to find a way to pay off Anthony's debt.

When Charlotte's dreams are crushed, Anthony really steps up. He doesn't want to end their marriage, but he doesn't want her to have to give up all she has to save him from prison. He decides to become worthy of her and gives up gambling.

Charlotte is crushed when she finds out the truth about her father, she had fantasied that meeting him would change her life for the better. She adores Anthony, but doesn't think she is good enough for him.

This is the story of two people who do not realize their own worth and don't really know how good their lives already are.

I loved how this story progressed and how it ended - it was really well done and believable.

I am happy to recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the series!

4.5 Stars!

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Miss Charlotte Devon lives in the world in-between society and poverty. The daughter of a famous courtesan, her only chance to live a respectable life is to find the father she believes is a Scottish Laird. She travels from London to Scotland for the sole purpose of finding her father. She finds herself a husband instead.

Anthony Fairfax is a charming gambler who owes more money than he ever has to the kind of people who break legs or worse. Fairfax journeyed to Scotland in hopes of winning a fortune and keeping out of prison. When the tantalizing Miss Devon sits to play a round of cards, his life is turned upside down. Once the pair find themselves accidentally married, they have more problems than they did before.

I cried a lot while reading this story. These two characters were formed with devastating back stories, yet their optimism kept them going. Each of them lost a bit of their light at one point in the tale only to have the other bring it back again. I wasn’t sure there could ever be a positive outcome when the two found themselves in such desperate circumstances, but Ridley didn’t let me down. She really did take a lemon and made the sweetest lemonade!

In a refreshing story of two people on the fringes of society, a famous courtesan's daughter and a heavily indebted rake accidentally become married in Scotland. After winning Anthony's protection services in a card game, Charlotte and Anthony's hasty words find the couple hand-fasted in marriage. In attempt to avoid scandal, the couple attempt to save Anthony from debtors prison while dealing with personal insecurities and gambling addiction. Throw in a little drama and love for a sweet and fast paced, feel good story that leaves you with a smile and wanting more long after the HEA. My review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Superbly done, hats off to you Erica Ridley. Mr Fairfax and Miss Devon journey was a lesson on what brings happiness and acceptance, and the ever elusive true love. Packed with bits of tension, filled with embarrassing and humiliating circumstances; one by his own hands and the other by her birth gave this book the right amount of flavor that keeps your looking for more.

I really enjoyed this book. The main characters, Charlotte and Anthony, were thrust into an almost unbelievable situation and "forced" to be a married couple. While each was hiding secrets about the past, Charlotte' was an innocent and Anthony knowingly gambled away his future. Throughout the book, I appreciated when Charlotte chose reasonable solutions to problems, such as realizing that, while traveling alone, Anthony's protection was much needed. Thankfully, Charlotte did not engage in any TSTL moments, allowing the better, more gallant, aspects of Anthony's personality to shine.

Anthony was a complex character, in that he was a dissolute gambler, on the run from his many creditors. Although his family's backstory explained much about the development of his character, it did not satisfy me, as he was a grown man, continuing to perpetuate his own brand of bad luck. When he bet on the sheep's activities, my disappointment in his choices actually surpassed that expressed by Charlotte.

When Anthony accepted responsibility for his actions and vowed to place Charlotte's welfare above his own selfish desires, my respect for him grew exponentially. By the end of the book, I liked him and was satisfied with the growth and maturity that he experienced throughout their journey.

Charlotte was a likable character that was born into a hopeless situation. I felt sympathy for her plight and understood her lifelong wish to simply fit into society. When she found her place, as Anthony's wife, the rest of her story fell into place. I mourned along with her, when she finally found her errant father, only to discover that it was too late to ever meet him. Her father was a despicable character and growing up without him was probably no loss. However, knowing that he subjected his own daughter to the life she lived, was almost too much to believe. I liked her aunt and wished to see more interaction between Charlotte and the lady.

I would purchase the book and would recommend it to others. I have read other works by the author and found this to be among her best offerings. The romance that developed between the characters felt genuine and not forced..

Sweet story of adventure mixed with romance. Author did fairly well in weaving two lonely hearts into one unified couple.

This is a different type of historical romance book. While Anthony is known as the Lord of Chance, he is in a sense just a middle class citizen. To me this book was about just that, middle class people trying to make better of themselves by lowering themselves to lower class jobs. I enjoyed how both Anthony and Charlotte took responsibility for their actions. No job was beneath Anthony and he always did it with a smile on his face, not because of the money he made, but because of the happiness he brought someone with his help.

I received this from Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is the start to a new series by Erica Ridley. I enjoy most everything that she has written. I have to say that I enjoyed this as well. The story was fun and engaging. I couldn't put it down! I want the next one already!!

This version of Lord of Chance is the Erica Ridley's expanded edition. It originally appeared in the collection Scandal's Daughters. It's a fun start to the Rogues to Riches series.