This book was interesting. I must admit I like the medieval stories by Mrs. Dickerson better, but then again, I've always like that time period better, so I am biased.

Felicity is a great character and I loved getting to know her quirks and characteristics. And Mr....well, whatever his name REALLY is. It was rather predictable that they would wind up together. That they would fall in love, but the story still took Felicity through the confusion of being engaged to another man.

I'm sure we've all had times when we wondered if we had made the right choice about something, well, Felicity embodies this issue. She becomes engaged to a man she thinks she cares for (but how can she truly know since she never had experience in the area before?). Then she discovers more and more about him and his past and becomes more unsure of herself, her safety, and who her friends are.

A little drama. An accidental profession of love. It's got it all. Another great book by Mrs. Dickerson!

One of the better books by this author I have read. I love the Regency era and throw a little mystery and romance into it and you have me hooked! The characters were interesting and engaging and the plot kept me engaged until the very end.

Really a wonderful book, I think one of my favorite by the author. I liked the unpredictability of the story, the danger and love, the historical elements... once I started reading it I couldn't put it down and finished it in the early hours of the morning!

Overall, well done. Like some other reviewers have noted, I found the first half a little hard to get invested in (I wanted to get on with the action and find out what happens). Definitely improved as the story progressed, especially the last parts back in London. The majority of the story took place elsewhere and got a bit repetitive (seditious activity, unstable distant relative, danger, slimy Rat 😜, etc.), but the Felicity-Phillip scenes and resolution were charming. Loved the ending!

Felicity Mayson is part of a large family, will not inherit much money, and consequently is rejected by the young men of her acquaintance. Then she is invited to her aunt's house, where she meets and quickly becomes engaged to Oliver Ratley. Little does she know that she has just made a life-threatening decision...
Philip McDowell is a spy for the British government, and he is assigned to the same estate Felicity is staying at in order to find traitors plotting a revolution. Can Felicity and Philip stop the revolution in time? Will they escape from Lady Blackstone and Oliver Ratley?
I enjoyed this book, especially towards the end. I thought the plot slowed down in the middle, but the ending was quite suspenseful. My favorite character is Philip - good men like him are rare in real life. I enjoyed the plot overall and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a clean, suspenseful read. You don't have to read the other two books first to understand everything happening in this one. I liked this book well enough that I'll have to go back and read the other two now!
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Melanie is such a wonderful author. I love her books! I've read all of them and eagerly anticipate the next one. "A Dangerous Engagement" takes you to the brink of danger. Felicity needs a husband but is on her way to spinsterhood until a aunt sends for her. Hoping that the man her aunt thinks will be a good marriageable match will be just that, a good match. The danger begins to surface after dead bodies are found, late night excursions, and an Aunt who seems to be two different people. Felicity soon gets her whole world shook up as the truth surfaces for the strange and dangerous behavior. She joins forces with Philip for survival. What will happen? Read the book!!!

Blessings,
Karen Hadley
Rating:5*
I received this book as a gift and all opinions are my own.

I'm sad to say that I have a few books from Netgalley that I DNF on... either it didn't hook me into the story and I lost least or I found out that there is more to the series and can't get the first and so on book from that series... Yup here it goes, Don't believe me wash the dishes! Look at the website: http://fkrants.blogspot.com/2017/09/ng-dnf-sept-edition.html

Hmm...honestly my overwhelming feeling about this book is one of disappointment. I really enjoyed a Spy's Devotion (the first in the series) and I haven't read the second one, but I was excited for this one. The cover is really pretty. Something just seemed really off in this book. Maybe it was because I don't remember A Spy's Devotion being YA. Not to say that YA wouldn't enjoy it, but the writing seemed to be a little more mature. This writing seemed very juvenile. And maybe that was because Felicity was supposed to be portrayed as young and inexperienced. Whatever it was it was annoying to me the whole book.

I had a hard time with the characters as well. Felicity was just annoying, Philip wasn't developed (he could have been a great character, but he wasn't), the Aunt and Oliver were over the top and their relationship was just weird. The revolutionist weren't a coherent group and I had a hard time believing that they would succeed in their fight. The escapes were overly simplistic and then you had to wonder since they were so simplistic why didn't they happen a lot earlier. Plus the ending was rushed and not well thought out.

Dickerson is a clean entertaining author, but I'd skip this one and read some of her other stuff.

*Review will post on www.LiteraryTimeOut.blogspot.com on Oct. 11th, 2017

This is the third book in Melanie Dickerson's The Regency Spies of London series, and I'll have to say...I have really enjoyed all three! Different than Dickerson's YA fairytale retellings, this series has a little more suspense, different setting, and slightly more romantic tension, although the books are still very clean. The romance is definitely PG and suitable for all audiences.

Similar to the other two novels, the pace begins a little slower as the characters and setting are established, as well as some backstory. The story's intensity and plot begin to go deeper as you continue to read. Felicity was a strong character but dealt with fainting and motion sickness, which were two of her physical weaknesses. Even though she struggled with this, she didn't let it get the better of her. I loved her perseverance through difficult circumstances. Philip is also courageous and a man of strong moral character, which definitely makes one want to cheer him on in his dangerous mission. (possible slight spoiler) From the beginning, just the name, Ratley, gave me a negative perception of Oliver. I guess that was the point. Even so, the full nature of his and Lady Blackstone's involvement were somewhat a mystery. It made the two of them an interesting contrast to Felicity and Philip.

I would definitely recommend this book as well as the others in this series! Melanie is great about connecting with her readers and fans. Go check her out on social media!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in order to share my honest opinion, which I did.**

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2094918638

I'm a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson's books. I read A Spy's Devotion earlier this year and loved the book. I didn't get to read A Viscount's Proposal prior to reading this third installment of the series. I enjoyed the book and anyone who loves Ms. Dickerson's books or who loves Regency romance with suspense would enjoy this book, as well as the entire series.

The writing is fluid and easy to read. The plot is easy to follow and the setting of Regency England is always lovely. The story took a bit of time to build up, but by 1/3 way into the book, the plot started moving quickly. A few twists and turns in the plot towards the end kept up a quick pace to the end of the book.

Phillip is a swoon-worthy hero, for sure. Responsible, attentive, loyal, self-sacrificing, and handsome. Felicity is a likable heroine, someone who grows into her true self in the book and becomes brave, committed to doing right. It was nice to see the characters from previous books in the series make their appearances.

The ending of the book seemed a bit abrupt and there were some time lapses in the storyline that I wished were explained in more detail. Regardless, the book was thoroughly enjoyable and I really liked getting to know Phillip and Felicity through this book.

I received ARC of the book from Waterfall via NetGalley. I was not required to write a review or a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

Despite some weaknesses A Dangerous Engagement was probably my favourite book in the Regency Spies of London trilogy. The writing style could be very repetitive, and the constant complaints about society’s expectations regarding marriage and rules imposed on women, which have been common to all the heroines of the series, were grating. I don’t like feeling that I’m being hit over the head with moral themes or modern judgments.
However, I liked the plot and the premise of this story, and it kept me interested to the end. I loved the hero Phillip, a younger son trying to find his place in the world who went into espionage to try to prove himself. Aside from the weaknesses outlined above, I did like the heroine Felicity as well, and her spinster Aunt who came into her own towards the end, was a wonderful supporting character.
The tension and mystery in the story were very well-written, not dependent on a lot of action, but more on the situation and underlying sense of danger. There was murder, intrigue and a dangerous group of political revolutionaries following an unlikely female mastermind. I must confess to having smiled when the characters referred to their planned violent revolution as a ‘glorious revolution’. The Glorious Revolution is the name given to bloodless coup in 1688 in which the Catholic King James II was ousted by parliament in favour of his Protestant daughter Mary, and her Dutch husband William of Orange.
The ending built up the tension and danger well, my only complaint was the treatment of the romance, which became a little corny, with the characters falling in love based on looks. This bothers me because the female characters in books by this author will frequently complain if men are only interested in them for their looks, money, childbearing ability or political influence. But it’s OK for them to base attraction on such superficialities. I was glad that Philip and Felicity’s relationship developed to be more than just that by the end though to be based on character and mutual beliefs.
Altogether, I found this a satisfactory conclusion to the series and an authentic Regency novel. I requested the e-book from Netgalley for review, and obtained the audiobook of my own volition. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

This Regency had a slow start for me, maybe because the blurb offered too much in advance. I knew Lady Blackstone and Ratley were bad news, so I was kept waiting for their evil deeds to develop.
Felicity’s naivety caused by repeated rejection over her meager dowry leads her to accept a marriage proposal from Ratley, whom she barely knows. It was good to see her gumption in aiding Philip, a government agent, in exposing their conspiracy.
Felicity's novel-reading aunt was a joy, going from a nervous woman to an eager accomplice living out one of her novels.

This book is the third book in Melanie Dickerson’s series The Regency Spies of London. This book was is not my favorite Dickerson book but it is not at the bottom. The idea of the story was good but in my opinion it dragged on. However, the story was still good.
The cover of the book was actually the reason I picked up this book and wanted to read the book. Also I knew it was a Melanie Dickerson book and I have read almost all of her books.
I would recommend this book because Melanie Dickerson is the author and all of her books have been good, clean books that can be read my teenagers and adults. I have younger teenage sisters and it makes me happy that there is an author that I can recommend to them because of her wholesome books.

Felicity Mayson has no dowry to land a wealthy husband. Her invitation to come for an extended stay at her aunt’s country estate lands her in the midst of a plot to overthrow the British government instead. Whom can she trust? How can she prevent rebellion and murder? When the tension races, the story rises above its mundane recital of events to grip the reader with its danger and excitement. I enjoyed the story but wish the author had been given time to more fully develop and deepen the entire tale. I received a copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Link to review on blog: http://faerytalesarereal.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-rollicking-regency-spy-novel.html

Have I mentioned before that Melanie Dickerson is one of my favorite authors? Yes, I know I have a lot of favorites, but she is one of them and her newest book has a beautiful story, fantastic characters, and a gorgeous cover to boot! I am also a lover of all things Austen and this series has many nods to Jane Austen's works.

"A Dangerous Engagement" by Melanie Dickerson is the third installment in "The Regency Spies of London" series. This book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but characters from the other books in the series do make appearances. Ms. Dickerson has mentioned before that she has gotten inspiration from Jane Austen while writing the books in this series. "A Dangerous Engagement" seems to have a lot of similarities to "Northanger Abbey" in particular. There are also some characters that remind me of characters from "Pride and Prejudice" and a certain section of the story brings "Emma" to mind. Ms. Dickerson inserts these tidbits from Austen, yet manages to weave her own delightful and unique story. I love that she adds the whole concept of spies and mystery. While some may find it a little slower than the first two books, it is still very good in its own right. At points it is especially hard to put down, as many of the chapters end in cliff hangers or a suspenseful plot twist!

The characters in this book are my favorite part. They are so well written and I really grew to love many of them and despise others. Felicity, our heroine (who doesn't think she is one), is nervous and emotional in the beginning. Her character changes a lot over the course of the novel and she is able to become more bold and courageous. She is more interested in wanting to make something of her life and instead of obsessing over the latest fashion; she can be found studying Chinese to become a missionary in China and quoting Hannah More. She often prays and learns to trust in God and look to Him when she feels anxious. What a great character and encouragement for those of us who struggle with anxiety! Philip, the hero, is very noble and has strong faith and morals. I also have a feeling many of us bookworms will find a kindred spirit in Aunt Agnes (I don't want to say any more and risk giving spoilers).

"A Dangerous Engagement" is another terrific book by Melanie Dickerson! It's a great read that can be enjoyed by young and old alike!

Content: This is a clean read, suitable for middle grade to adult readers. There is a mention that a character curses, but the curse isn't written. There is an instance where a character hears that at some house parties men take “liberties” with women. There is a reference to the marriage bed.

Genre: Christian historical fiction; Regency; Romance

Rating: I give this book four stars.

I want to thank Melanie Dickerson, Netgalley, Waterfall Press and Brilliance Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

I'm going to start by saying that the title is perfect for this book! And could be a play on the word 'Engagement'. I'll let you read the book to think about that idea and come to your own conclusions. This is part of a series but I hadn't read any of the prior books before reading this one. I felt that it could work as a stand alone novel. So if anyone else is thinking about reading this one and hasn't read the other two books, I think you'll be just find reading this one without feeling completely clueless. I wasn't sure if that would be the case before I started it. I checked other reviews and didn't really see anyone mention it either way so I just decided to dive right in and see how it went. There are a few references that I think were from the other two books but I didn't feel lost or feel that those were necessary to understand what was going on.

I think the first part of the book would be more of a 3* read for me but the last half would be a 4* so I'm rounding up to 4* for my overall rating.

Felicity has had no luck in securing a suitor. She has no fortune and therefore, no real prospects at marriage. But when a distant aunt invites her and another aunt to a house party, Felicity's life is turned upside down, placed in grave danger and her heart will be tried at every turn. Can she match the wits of those around her or will one mistake risk her and her aunt's lives.

There's quite a bit of suspense and intrigue going on throughout the book. It kept a pretty fast pace for action and moments where I was nervous for some of the characters. Yes, my heart was pounding and I was for sure during several scenes that there was no way they'd not be caught. Sorry for being vague but I can't spoil it for you.

While I did enjoy the novel overall, it wasn't my favorite by Melanie Dickerson. I had a hard time connecting with Felicity. I'm not sure if it was my tired brain because sometimes that definitely makes it hard to connect or to always follow along with dialogue. But for me, the dialogue seemed a little rushed or a little too much at the beginning and scattered throughout. Felicity started off with almost a downtrodden heart, sad but still determined to make the best of her situation, almost a little skittish. But then it felt like she instantly become strong and bold and then back to skittish. I think I would have liked a little more build up of her becoming resolute in her situation. Then again being caught unawares and placed in the dangerous position she was in, you would either have to buck up or melt down. So I'm back and forth on my feelings for Felicity. I will say that the last part of the book really picked up more for me and I really liked her character.

I could be the only one feeling that way so if you're hesitant to read it because of my thoughts, I say go for it and decide for yourself. It was overall a fun read. The danger, peril, and suspense were tangible and kept the pace going. The evil/bad character(whatever you want to call them-I know there's a correct literary term but I like saying bad guy so that's why I'm using it) was kinda scary crazy. Lol. One moment that character would be all serene and welcoming and the next very calculating and watching everyone very closely. And then the next, out of nowhere you wouldn't want to be caught dead anywhere near them. Again, I'm being vague on purpose, can't ruin the surprise of it all for you.

Mr. Ratley, Mr. McDowell, Auntie, Lady Blackstone and several other side characters make up the cast for this novel. I thought they balanced each other out pretty well. I had my favorite character that I was cheering on, and let me just say that the last several chapters with him (yes I'll give a little hint here that the character is a him) were awesome! I really, really enjoyed the last 25 % or so of the book...like a lot.

I've rambled on and on enough now. If you're a Melanie Dickerson fan, then I think you'll really enjoy this one. If you haven't read any of her books, definitely grab whichever one really piques your interest and enjoy.

Oh, one last thought that I had for this book...if you are a stickler for Regency etiquette, this one doesn't quite follow all the rules. Just thought I'd throw that out there for those of you who want that in your novels.

Content: Peril, nothing graphic. A couple fights, talk of murder, stolen kisses but definitely overall clean. There are a couple small parts where Felicity prays asking for help in her situation but nothing preachy, I thought it fit in nicely and would definitely fit with how somebody in this time period acted.

I received a copy from the publisher, Waterfall Press, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Melanie Dickerson brings Regency England and the unrest to life in the third and final installment of her Regency Spies of London series. And while this is part of a series, it is a book that stands alone. There are a few mentions of the other characters in the books, but Julia and Leorah don’t make an appearance until the very end of the story.
I appreciated that Dickerson explores the challenges of those who are not titled or part of the ton. In fact, Felicity has very little dowry and Phillip is a third son who is trying to find his calling in his life.
As Felicity walks the fine line between acting a part and getting caught, she must also deal with her fear, disappointment with herself, and her situation that led her to accepting a proposal from a man she doesn’t know at all. Meanwhile, Phillip is intent in succeeding in his mission and proving himself at the Home Office, all while keeping the beautiful Felicity Mayston from harm.
Filled with danger, mystery, falsehoods, and a burgeoning uprising, A Dangerous Engagement has plenty to keep readers interested in the story. Add the growing attraction and connection between Phillip and Felicity, and those who love a great story will not be disappointed.

I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

{2.5 stars}

Started good, weakened, and ended rather poorly for me, but I was so happy to finally have tried this author after hearing about her for a long time! :)

So really the cover is just gorgeous!! If nothing else I would buy this book just so I could display the cover! I found the he simple style of writing refreshing, although this ended being annoying to me in the last half of the book. It makes it easier for younger readers, and not like the author is trying to confuse her readers with words we've never heard of before.

But it's just awful if you don't like the main character main character!! It was really sad, but I just felt like Felicity was so weak and went along with the flow of things without really thinking things through. Her decision toward the beginning of the book just made me be like, "Ooookay, wasn't that hasty?" :P Also, she did a TON of lying. While I can give her a benefit of the doubt in a general sense, I really think she went overboard in how she fabricated how she felt about everything. On a positive note, I DID think Felicity's interest in learning Chinese was epic, considering a lot of her character wasn't interesting.

The progress of the romance irked me a lot. Maybe I'm getting pickier and pickier, but I just didn't really feel the emotions the couple felt. Toward the end I really felt like both of them were basing things on what each other looked like, wanting to kiss each other, etc.

I was disappointed by the lack of spiritual content. There was a bit of prayer thrown throughout, talk about Providence, following God, and one instance the main character thinking that the Scripture said those who lied would have a place in hell. It just wasn't meaningful at all, and there was no mention of salvation (that I can recall).

I kind of felt like the ending was rushed. I would have liked more intense scenes and guns firing and fights and...well, things didn't quite go that way! And the bad guys were carted out of the story hastily.

All that to say, I think readers of Melanie Dickerson will enjoy this one, especially if they've read the rest of the series. I am still interested in trying out this author again in the future.

Seeing as how this book was written by Melanie Dickerson, I knew from page one I was in for a treat and she hasn't disappointment me yet.

Felicity is tired of being well, shunned by sociality. Without much dowry to her name, it is unlikely that she will ever find a husband. Reluctantly she agrees to travel with her aunt to a distant relative's home where a mysterious Mr. Radley, asks her to marry him at almost first sight. She agrees but can't help feeling that something is off. There are more men than woman where she is. Secrets lie around every corner and her fiancé is in on it.

Philip isn't quite sure about Felicity and her aunt and why they would be involved with rebels planning to taking down the government. But she doesn't seem to like with their plans and she may be an asset to him.

This was a brilliant book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence, every word.

I recommend this book for everyone.