Unfortunately I did not finish this title, I just didn't get in to it, but I think as I've been in a reading slump for a while it was purely down to my motivation. Hopefully I can pick this up again in the future as the plot and writing is exactly what I usually like.

Another great book from Heather Boyd. I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. All views are my own.

Lady Jessica Westfall is done with this year’s London season and returns home to the estate she loves expecting peace that is until Lord James the biggest fortune hunter follower her home. Jessica decides to enlist her friend and neighbor Gideon Whitfield’s aka “Giddy” help. Can Gideon help to thwart the fortune hunter and not fall under the spell of Jessica and her interest in all things of an intimate nature? Giddy has always adored Jessica his good friend and neighbor’s daughter, but now the tides have turned as passions are awaken and explored. A captivating book about to head strong people who end up having have trouble guarding their hearts and not fall in love. This my honest opinions is resolved to build a school for ladies in after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

3.5 stars.

This is a sweet, if slightly unusual Regency romance with a slow-burn relationship that deepens from a lifelong friendship into something a little different. I enjoyed it, but there is an age gap and the history between Gideon and Jessica will not appeal to everyone. He’s in his mid-thirties, she’s an eighteen-year-old debutante, which is a pretty big gap but not unusual for the time.

More unusual is the fact that Gideon has known her since she was a few days old. He’s been there throughout her life, her biggest supporter, closest confidant and most indulgent friend. Despite all this neither one ever expresses any kind of sibling feeling towards the other. Yet somehow, and I’m not quite sure how, the way the story is told never felt weird. At least to me. Others may feel differently, so YMMV. But there’s definitely no sense of predatory feelings or grooming from Gideon. Jessica is the one in control of their relationship and what boundaries they decide to push.

I liked it. I liked Jess and her general commonsense and the way she pursued Gideon for all the right reasons (even if her habit of calling him Giddy was excruciatingly childish and kind of uncomfortable given everything else). I liked how sweet and generous Gideon was, even if his father issues and bachelorhood were a little cliché. I also felt those same things were removed incredibly swiftly and without any fanfare simply because the chapters were ticking along and an ending had to happen at some point. I also feel like things heated up a bit too swiftly between him and Jess for exactly the same reason, especially considering the slow burn up until that point. One moment he’s barely able to bring himself to kiss her, then, boom, off to bed. Their chemistry really isn’t given any time to develop, despite the book being slow enough to have allowed for it.

Which is a shame, because uneven pacing aside, this is sweet and steady and all kinds of adorable in many ways. Gideon and Jess are really cute together, and I enjoyed the slow build towards the change in their relationship. It’s not perfect, but I found it undemanding and enjoyable, and I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one.

A Gentleman's Vow, the second book in Heather Boyd's Saints and Sinners series, was an entertaining read. Lady Jessica Westfall has returned to her country home after her first season in London. The experience left much to be desired, as she continually dodged fortune hunters after her large dowry. She is looking forward to being home and seeing Gideon "Giddy" Whitfield, her lifelong friend who lives on a neighboring estate.

Jessica becomes jealous and realizes she has more than friendly feelings for Gideon when she witnesses a local widow flirting with him. Jessica is half Gideon's age but knows what she wants and is determined that they will be together, and Gideon doesn't stand a chance.

The book features characters from the first book but reads well as a stand alone. Jessica's sister, Rebecca, was an interesting character and appears poised for her own story.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Gentleman's Vow by Heather Boyd is book Two in the Saints and Sinners Series. This is the story of Gideon Whitfield and Jessica Westfall. I have read the previous book, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Gideon and Jessica are friends and neighbors who are close. When Jessica returns home a would be fortune hunter follows her home to peruse her. Gideon is having a similar issue with a widow women who is perusing him. They team up to help each other other with their non-wanted pursuits. Jessica and Gideon start to feel more than just friendship with their closeness starts to grow into something else. Enjoyed their story!

Jaded by the experience of dodging fortune hunters during her first season, Lady Jessica Westfall returns home to the estate she loves expecting peace…until the biggest fortune hunter of all follows her from London. To keep Lord James at bay, Jessica enlists the aid of her neighbor, Gideon. As her lifelong friend, Giddy can be trusted to help thwart James’ pursuit, while also satisfying Jessica’s budding interest in things of an intimate nature…things like the kisses she’d missed out on during her season.

Gideon Whitfield’s quiet bachelorhood is interrupted by the arrival of a marriage-minded widow to the nearby village, with her sights set on him as her savior. But the greater threat to his peace proves to be his dear friend’s daughter, Lady Jessica Westfall. Gideon has always adored Jessica, and had expected the headstrong beauty to marry well in her first season. When she comes to him for help avoiding the unwanted advances of a fortune hunter, and also lessons in love—he may prove utterly incapable of helping her while guarding his own heart in the process.

My Thoughts:

I have read and enjoyed other books by this author including the first book of this series but this one frankly disappointed me.
The age difference was not a problem. My own maternal grandparents were much more than a decade apart in age.
For some reason there was a lack of intimacy between our heroine and hero. I know most people of this era would not have engaged in pre-marital relations but a little bit of spice is expected in this type of book.
It seemed that Gideon found it difficult to even kiss Jessica. There was just no obvious chemistry with these two.
I gave this book 2.75 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a low sensual rating of 2 of 5 flames.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book by invitation to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This was a good historical read for me. The story had plenty of drama and I found it entertaining, this is the second book in the series and a stand-alone. My only wish is that it was a bit more fast-paced and Gideon was a bit to weak for me. Overall the story held my interest throughout.

A delightful romance that brings two people together who have know each other forever. The heroine Jessica, is done with the London season. It seemed all the men were fortune hunters and did not take her into consideration. Going back home she sees her neighbor Gideon, who she has know since she was a baby. Older than her, Gideon does not see himself ever marrying but has a hard time when Jessica begins to entice him with kisses and wants him to teach her all about love.
How can he resist her? A sweet story that will entertain you until the end! Looking forward to the next one!!

3.5 Stars
Jaded by the experience of dodging fortune hunters during her first season, Lady Jessica Westfall returns home to the estate she loves expecting peace until a fortune hunter & his father follow her from London. To keep Lord James at bay, Jessica enlists the aid of her neighbour, Gideon who has been her lifelong friend, Giddy can be trusted to help thwart James' pursuit, while also satisfying Jessica's budding interest in things of an intimate nature like the kisses she'd missed out on during her season.
Gideon Whitfield's quiet bachelorhood is interrupted by the arrival of a marriage-minded widow to the nearby village, with her sights set on him as her saviour. But the greater threat to his peace proves to be his dear friend's daughter, Lady Jessica Westfall. Gideon has always adored Jessica, and had expected the headstrong beauty to marry well in her first season.
I have mixed feelings about this book Gideon is thirty five & a close friend to the Nicholas Westfall Duke of Stapleton, he's known Jess since she was a baby & been the person she turns to & confides in all her life so for them to go from friends to lovers seemed a bit incestuous. Gideon also changed his mind from very confirmed bachelor to willing / wanting to marry very quickly. Jessica is eighteen mature in some ways but immature in others, she's however very determined to get her own way. The story flowed well & held my interest all the way through, not my favourite book by the author but still a very enjoyable read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is a lighthearted romance. Gideon is an older neighbor who has watched Jessica grow up. She has shared her deepest secrets with him. Coming home half way thru her first season, he finally faces a truth. A quick read. Enjoy!

Lady Jessica Westfall has given up on the men in London, having come to the conclusion that they are all fortune hunters and shallow. She returns to her family home and soon convinces her neighbour, Gideon to introduce her to all the aspects of love, that she has missed out on during her season. Compounding this is that Lord James, a man who she had thought might propose to her but became engaged to another, has changed his tune and is determined in his pursuit of her.
This was a sweet romance between two people who had known each other for all of Lady Jessica’s life. This aspect was a bit of a challenge where a man in his late 30s could fall in love with an 18-year-old. Putting that aside, Gideon was definitely the adult in the relationship with Jessica, struggling to match him. Whilst I enjoyed the story, I did find Jessica’s lack of maturity a struggle.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy from netgalley and exchange for an honest review. A gentleman's that was a quick fun read about a friendship that turns into love. I actually did like the two main characters and their relationship however I was bothered a little bit about the age difference. 17 years is a big age difference especially since he has known her since she was literally a baby and he is also her father's best friend. Overall an enjoyable read.

No drama really happens, no cheating just a sweet romance between a 38 year old Gideon with no title but very wealthy has been saying that will will be a forever at being a bachelor and never will father a child because he won’t make a good father because he do t want to become a monster like his father was to him and his mother. Jessica the youngest of her father (his book was #1 in The series) children from his beloved 1st wife has just not back for her season in London and is glad no man wanted her but the fortune hunters wanting her very large (total with 4 or more zeros) but in her heart the only man she has ever loved was her neighbor, her father’s best friend Gideon. Mostly a clean but with 1 sex scene but loads of kissing, a trick Jessica will use on him to get said kisses. A fortune hunter and his purse string holding gruff father will be in her house finding, bribing and convince Jessica’s father to give her to the boy, a coward and a jerk.

An easy to read regency romance. A tale of a lady requiring some assistance, a handsome gentleman who was a childhood friend willing to offer his help, and then of course a romance. Pick this up if you need a few hours of relaxation.

I really wanted to enjoyed Jessica and Gideon's story since I really like them from the first book in the series. But it just felt really weird whenever it was brought up that Gideon has known Jessica since she was born and that he used to hold her as a baby as he was the only one that could seem to calm her down...just made me cringe. Also, Jessica just seemed so immature. How can a 35 yr old man be attracted to that?

Fingers are crossed that the next one in the series is better...

***ARC was provided to me for a fair and honest review***

Overall rating: 3/5 it moved a bit slower than I would have liked

Heroine (Jessica Westfall): 4/5 She is 18 years old and out for her first season. She is free spirited and takes what she wants. She’s a fun if not naive character.

Hero (Gideon Witfeild): 3/5 He is 35ish years old and is a neighbor of Jess’. I found him a tad boring, more of the deny himself of what he wants type and lay down ground rules type.

Plot: 2/5 Jess comes home in the middle of her first season in London due to her new stepmother’s pregnancy with a lack of suitors. Jess begins to employ her bachelor neighbor Gideon for help with intimacy lessons. Long suppressed feeling quickly begin to rise.

Personal Review: It was slow, they barely even touch for the first half of the book. Gideon is terrified of hurting someone that he keeps pushing Jess away. Jess feels well informed and very naive about intimacy at the same time, which felt just a little odd. Either she needs Gideon’s lessons or she doesn’t.

My biggest problem with the pairing is not the age gap itself, it’s that Gideon was there when Jess was a baby and helped raise her. He acted as something between a brother and uncle to her for her whole life up until now. He’s not family by blood but the rest of the family treat him as such.

Some plot threads seem to just get dropped, like Jess’ friend Natalia just disappearing after about the 50% mark. And we never find out why Rebecca is back at her childhood home, her book is the next to come but still.

There’s an implied villain or rather advisory but nothing really ever happens there. The guy is just in the background in a few group scenes. He doesn’t do anything. I don’t even think he’s a bad guy, he just was being forced to peruse Jess by his father.

First off, the cover – smoking hot! Having read and loved the first book in this series, I was looking forward to this book – Gideon and Jessica. While I liked Gideon, he was a little too much of a gentleman. I know this type of beta hero will appeal to lots of people, I just wanted more. Jessica who was adorable in the first book was a little too immature for me (i.e., calling Gideon “Giddy” and running around asking for kisses). The story itself was very nice and I did enjoy it, just not as much as I would have liked.

I am not sure who the next story is about but am hoping it is Rebecca and Rafferty. Yep, that would be explosive!

Lady Jessica has just come back from a season in London. All she found was fortune hunters and unsuitable men. When she gets home, one of the first people she wants to see is Gideon, a neighbor much older than she. They have known each other since she was a baby and he is a friend of her father's. When one of the fortune hunters follows her to their country estate, Gideon watches over her. Jessica wants to marry Gideon but there are problems with that. He doesn't want to marry anyone, her father thinks he is too old and she sees him kiss another woman. Will Jessica convince Gideon to marry her or will the other woman win his heart? I enjoyed this book, although I felt the maturity divide was very obvious. Jessica wasn't ready for marriage due to how young she acted. I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher for a honest review and no compensation otherwise. The opinions expressed are my own.

This novel was a huge disappointment. I was expecting more from such a well known author of historical romance. The plot and the romance was so boring, my eyes kept closing every time I turned the page. I had to force myself to get through it. Gideon and Jessica acted like shy children with secret crushes on each other. He spends a quarter of the book wanting to kiss her but barely doing so. The books was stuffed with so much back story and fluff that it took a while before the actual plot picks up. Just not my type of novel.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.