This was a great story! The story is about Lucy Holbrook, a young woman in London, who has recently inherited her father's inn after he passed away. Lucy and her father were very close, however she never knew her mother, being told she passed away when Lucy was born.

Lucy's friends are trying to find Lucy a husband and even arm her with the "Husband Hunter's Guide to London." Lucy's friends think that she should become a lady of the ton instead of manning the inn, however Lucy loves the inn and cherishes the memories of her father there. Lucy also feels responsible for a blind man who depends on his "job" at the inn.

Lucy is introduced to Captain Harry Clare, an officer in her Majesty's employ, when he comes looking for the blind man, Adam. Lucy knows that Adam arrived twenty years ago following an attack which left him blind. Adam is somehow important to Harry's assignment and inexplicably tied to Lucy and her father.

I loved the mystery surrounding the story and thought it was a great read. My thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book.

Ahhh the Regency period. I am such a sucker for this period and A Lady's Guide to Passion and Property satisfies the itch for my favorite historical period. Add a bit of mystery and this is a great addition to the genre! Well done!

This was my first reading of Ms. Moore and I loved it!
Her father gone and her mother a mystery, Lucy is left alone to run her father’s ale house. As a woman of property, she’s deep in suitors. But Lucy doesn’t want a husband. She likes her life and knows her patrons count on her, especially Adam. Adam was blind and prone to rage by odd things. Her father had taken care of Adam her entire life. Now it was her turn.
Harry Clare is on a mission. Find a blind man who had witnessed a murder and get his testimony. Harry has found him at the Tooth & Nail, an ale house run by the capable Lucy Holbrook. Harry has spent his life observing. It’s his job. But he doesn’t expect the attraction he feels for Lucy.
As Lucy and Harry are thrown together when strangers come calling, questions begin to arise: Who do the bloody baby clothes in her fathers chest belong to? Why are so many suddenly interested in Adam? Who was her mother?
Get comfortable and enjoy the twists and turns as Lucy and Harry set out to solve a mystery and maybe find love along the way!

4.5 stars


Lucy Holbrook has continued to run the inn, Tooth and Nail, after her father's recent death. The work is hard and the days are long, but it's the only life Lucy knows. Her late father always wanted her to be a lady, and some of her friends from school are determined to take her to town so that she has a chance to sample society.

Captain Harry Clare is a former soldier, and now an agent for the crown. His current assignment is somewhat vague, tracking down a mysterious blind man, but the path leads him to the Tooth and Nail Inn. Adam, the blind man, has some mental difficulties, and does small tasks for Lucy, who is very protective of him. He showed up at the inn twenty years ago after being attacked, which is how he was blinded, and Lucy and her father have always cared for him. Being asked about the attack always greatly agitates Adam, so Harry gradually befriends him, trying to win his confidence.

Initially, Harry just wants to complete his assignment so that he can collect his pay and purchase the family estate from his wastrel older brother, the Earl of Mountjoy. First he has to win Adams's trust and Lucy's confidence that he can care for Adam while she has her brief sojourn into town life. Soon, it becomes clear that the attack on Adam somehow involves Lucy and her father, and that someone still today wants to keep the details a secret. While I'm generally not a fan of spy novels, this story was particularly well written and works perfectly against Harry's and Clare's developing romance.

Harry is the kind of hero I love - he's solid, dependable, intelligent, and dedicated. He's attractive, but not flashy, and he's someone I'd want on my side. Lucy doesn't let her head become turned by the rash of proposals she's receiving now that she's the owner of the inn, and her care of Adam is heartwarming. She also enjoys her visit with her friends and dipping her toe into society, but she's happy to get back to her inn.

A LADY'S GUIDE TO PASSION AND PROPERTY takes a surprising turn, and I enjoyed every part of this engaging read, from the slow building romance to the twenty year old mystery. The solid hero and heroine only added to my enjoyment of this second installment of the HUSBAND HUNTERS series, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book from Kate Moore.

A Lady’s Guide to Passion and Property is a delightfully complicated spy hunt wrapped around a love story. Second in the “Husband Hunters” series, it would perhaps be helpful but not necessary to have read the first of the series.

Captain Harry Clare is far from being a rogue. He is a courageous veteran with a job to do, and the additional motivation of rescuing his hereditary property from his wastrel brother. He has no intention of falling in love with Lucy Holbrook, but firmly intends to protect her from the danger that is threatening her. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, as well as the supporting cast, and look forward to more in the series.

If you want to feel like you are actually a part of the Regency era then Kate Moore is your go-to author. Her dialog sets the scenes and feels so authentic. Captain Clare is perfect for Lucy. Lucy is a kind caretaker of Adam. It is only surprising that Lucy’s father didn’t give her more information about Adam and her own history. But then there wouldn’t have been a book with such a page turning mystery and romance.

One thing I have to mention is that I have not read the first book in this series, and while I had no trouble understanding this story and the characters contained within, I have to wonder if the first book also included passages from the husband hunters book at the start of each chapter. Because for me, I felt those passages took away from the overall plot instead of adding to it.

I feel that this story held its own and stood out among the bevy of spy stories already in circulation to such an extent that the husband hunting guide wasn't needed. I didn't care that Lucy way in London hunting a husband. I cared more about who wanted to hurt Adam (the blind man in her care), and what other mysteries the other spies would uncover.

I adored these characters, from the major to the minor and every cast member in between this story made it easy to not only enjoy the differences in the characters, but also to see how they added to the overall arc. There were so many different threads being woven throughout that it is obvious the author knows how to write an engaging story.

This story will appeal to those who enjoy a well written historical novel that focuses on romance and mystery. 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.

I was engaged by the mystery in this Husband Hunter Romance. The intrigue takes place over the lifetime of Lucy Holbrook, an innkeeper's daughter in Regency England. There is a multitude of characters which I had some difficulty placing, as it was the first book in the series that I had read. I'm going to go back and get the first in the series, and I look forward to more.

2.5* rounded up
Lucy inherited her father's inn after his death. She is content to live, work, and care for Adam, a blind elderly man. But, her friends, believe she should sell the inn and get married. Enter Harry, ex-military, now spy. He is tasked with finding out Adam's story (after 20 years).
This one was okay. There were moments where I felt I was missing something (some of the relationships were already established- Nate and Miranda, the club are examples). I really didn't see the romance between Lucy and Harry. They didn't have much dialogue IMO.
I did like and I also thought the romance between Nate and Miranda was better. It felt like they talked more than Harry and Lucy. I could see them together. Harry and Lucy? Nope.
I liked the mystery of who Adam was (and one of the main characters as well), but I felt let down by that too. It was never really explained what happened to Penelope (I know what happened- but the why was left hanging). Penelope's offspring just found out they have family still living. Nothing happens with that. It was just wrapped up too quickly and too many loose ends.
While I know this was the 2nd in a series (I haven't read the first one), because this had a new couple getting their HEA, I expected things to be wrapped up more than they were. Oh, and Harry found a glove in the woods that had been there 20 years (moved a pile of leaves and there it was!). And the hidden compartments in the coach I expected to have a place in the mystery/story.

eARC courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books
Published July 3, 2018

A young lady who has inherited property may suddenly find herself with a surfeit of suitors…

Lucy Holbrook has just inherited the Tooth And Nail, her father’s inn, along with her father’s blind friend Adam, a gentle but simple man who depends on her to survive. Captain Harry Clare’s arrival and offer of assistance is most timely, especially as all her neighbours seem to have lost their wits and begun proposing to her on the flimsiest of pretexts.

There is a fascinating mystery about Lucy’s identity at the core of this romance, which I really enjoyed puzzling out at the protagonists uncovered it. Lucy was a great heroine, with her feet firmly on the floor and well aware of the consequences of her actions. She never did anything which would drop her into the trap of being either a Doormat or Too Stupid To Live heroine, and she had a wonderful hero in Captain Harry Clare, a soldier turned spy who has seen and done too much, leaving him weary and jaded. Lucy is a breath of fresh air to him and despite being assigned to a curious case involving the blind man Adam, he finds himself protective of her.

There’s a nice secondary romance in the book involving Nate, a young ‘wannabe’ spy, and his love interest Miranda, a shop girl. The only issue I had with it is that this is obviously one in an ongoing series and prior events and characters are referenced and have significant influence on the story, limiting the potential of the book as a standalone. I haven’t read the previous books in the series and there were definitely moments when I was confused as to what was going on.

As such, I have to give it four stars, but if you’ve read the other books in the series, you’ll undoubtedly thoroughly enjoy this.

London - 1826

Lucy Holbrook lives at The Tooth and Nail Inn. Before he passed away a fortnight ago, her father had tried to keep the Inn up.

Lucy’s friends have come to talk her into leaving the Inn because it is not proper for her to live there without a female companion. However, she disagrees saying that she is now the Innkeeper. Lucy had been schooled well and her father had wanted her marry well and be a lady. Now, her friends want her to sell the Inn and go to London for her season. They also give her a copy of a book called “The Husband Hunter’s Guide to London.”

Captain Harry Clare has been staying at the Inn. He is trying to figure out why the elderly, blind man named Adam Pickersgill stays at the Inn and is cared for by Lucy. Other men in the area are hanging around the Inn hoping to court Lucy and gain her inheritance of the Inn. Lucy just cannot bring herself to leave the Inn for she feels responsible for it and for Adam.

Harry is the brother of the Earl of Mountjoy who is allowing the family home, Mountjoy Manor, to moulder away as he drinks himself into oblivion. Harry is part of a group of men promised by Goldsworthy, a spymaster, to have their debts paid for one year’s service to the Crown.

Harry convinces Lucy to help him find out who Adam is because it appears that someone is looking to harm him. Why will they uncover?

Oh dear. This is the second book of this series. I read the first one and it was as difficult a read as this one. A rather convoluted story, I simply did not care for. I decided to read the second book because Kate Moore is a new author to me and I wanted to be sure and give her writing another chance.

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

A Lady's Guide to Passion and Property is book Two in the Husband Hunters series. This is the story of Lucy Holbrook and Captain Harry Clare. I haven't yet read the previous book, so for me this was a standalone book.
Lucy father owned and operated a Inn that Lucy calls home but now he has pasted, leaving her the business. Although her friends have been talking her into selling up the business and moving to town. But Lucy doesn't want to and besides inheriting the business she has 'inherited' a disabled, blind man that her father cared for.
Harry is out to solve a mystery and he is thinking they the blind man is the one that may have the answers he needs..and maybe more.
Besides the love story between Lucy & Harry there was a underlining mystery.
Enjoyed this book!

A well crafted historical mystery with a slow budding romance thrown in. Imagine being left with an inn to run and people to watch over, but everyone encouraging you to go husband hunting. Lucy Holbrook found herself just in that circumstance when her father passes away. She really did not want to sell the place and abandon those patrons including an elderly blind man she had always been around. But when handsome Captain Harry Clare arrives seeking to solve a crime and feels the answer is there at the Inn, what's a girl to do? The two find themselves attracted to each other but it is a gentle building that was refreshing to see. With many twist and turns and when unexpected secrets come into play, this is a well writing story that will keep you entertained until the very end.

Lucy Holbrook has inherited the Tooth and Nail inn from her father as well as the responsibility of Adam, an old blind man that has been at the inn for as long as Lucy can remember. Adam was injured years ago and taken in by her father, Adam is mentally disabled and suffered an horrific event, one that her father took great pains to keep secret. Now that Lucy has inherited the inn, her friends from London think she should find a husband, they offer to bring her to town and sponsor her for a season. But Lucy is not sure she wants a husband and can't leave Adam or the inn. They leave her a copy of the Husband Hunter's Guide and encourage her to reconsider.


Captain Harry Clare has been staying at the inn since the Pantheon Club closed, he needs to finish his final case and reap his reward. Harry is sure that Adam is the man he has been tasked in finding - a blind man who witnessed a murder. Harry is sure that if he can unlock Adam's secrets, he will find the person responsible for leaking information to England's enemies and will finally finish his mission, get his promised reward, save his family home and get the Pantheon club re-opened. But first he has to get Lucy to trust him enough to leave Adam and go to London. Simple, right?

This is a complex story with lots of secrets, surprises and twists. I felt that it would more accurately be described as an historical intrigue novel rather than an historical romance - the romance in this book is VERY light and subtle - I have no idea how Harry and Lucy fell in love as their relationship really it wasn't the primary focus of the book. But there is a really great mystery to solve and a lot of surprising revelations made. There are cameos from characters in the previous book that tie up some loose ends and the introduction of a new character that will make you want to read the next book!

Publisher's Description:
Beauty, wit, and charm may catch a gentleman’s eye, but nothing attracts suitors quite like property . . . as beloved, award-winning author Kate Moore reveals in this delightful Regency romp. For an innkeeper’s daughter new to the dance, a discreet volume of courtship wisdom may help discern the intentions of a mysterious newcomer.

Lucy Holbrook has recently inherited her father’s south London inn, the place she’s always called home. Now her fashionable friends, arming her with The Husband Hunter’s Guide to London, are urging her to sell the establishment and become a society lady, just as her father always hoped. Lucy would rather toss the little book into the hearth—she could never desert the alehouse or its patrons, including an elderly blind man who depends on her care. But she may need every bit of good advice when a handsome stranger arrives with a secret agenda and a baffling crime to solve . . . and Lucy finds herself navigating a most dangerous attraction!

My Thoughts:
This is my first time reading this author's work and I may give her another try but I was not bowled over by this book. It has an intriguing plot but I found it bogged down in the middle and didn't totally pull me in.
I was intrigued by the blinded old man and how his past was tied into this story but that wasn't enough to make me a fan. I found out later that this is in fact book #2 of a series and maybe if I had read the first book this one would have been a better read for me.
Spying and such in Victorian or Regency England seems the norm with books based in that time period so it takes an outstanding plot with just the right twists and turns to hold my attention at present.
I gave this book 3.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 2.5 of 5.0 flames.
This story contained almost no intimacy. It is more a story of discovery and spies than a real love match.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book via NetGalley to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This is book 2 in the Husband Hunter series. Although it can be read as a stand alone, you would have more background if you read the first book.
This is the story of Lucy and Harry. Lucy is the daughter of an innkeeper and Harry the 2nd son of an Earl and a spy. Harry is staying at the inn looking to solve a case.
This story was better with the intrigue then the romance. At times I was confused as to who all the people were or how they fit in. I did like the storyline but felt it could have been developed better.

Lucy Holbrook has recently inherited her father’s south London inn, the place she’s always called home. Now her three fashionable friends, arming her with The Husband Hunter’s Guide to London, are urging her to sell the establishment and become a society lady, just as her father always hoped. Lucy would rather toss the little book into the hearth—she could never desert the alehouse or its patrons, including Adam an elderly blind man who depends on her care. But she may need every bit of good advice when Captain Harry Clare arrives with a secret agenda and a baffling crime to solve.
I enjoyed the book but it was a bit of a slow burner for me in that the pace was slow to begin with but gradually increased until I was galloping through the pages only to find the ending was fairly abrupt & left some unanswered questions. The characters were well developed, I liked Harry & Lucy, their attraction built throughout the book, they also liked each other. I look forward to more in the series

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Sweet regency romance with a cozy mystery twist.
Lucy Holbrook inherits her father's inn upon his death along with blind Adam, whose lived there as long as she can remember. She doesn't know how or if he's related, but she knows he was important to her dad and to her personally.
Her friends want her to sell out and push the issue when a handsome war veteran appears on the scene.
Capt. Harry Clare is working as a spy hunting down a valuable witness and winds up at the inn. The pair try to ignore their attraction as she is trying to find her way in her new circumstance and he is trying to complete his assignment.
It's a tale of mystery, angst and romance that is engrossing.
I requested and received a NetGalley Arc.

This is a tale of love, with danger, intrigue and spys. It had an enjoyable storyline with likeable characters.

A lively,historical romance full of surprises. Good characters and good storyline. The interactions between all the main characters was good and the guide to husband hunting hilarious.