This was a well-written, entertaining book. The Marquess of Chatton and his neighbor Fenella Fairclough have known each other for years, and their parents tried to make them marry each other. Now they are seeing each other in a new way and they are starting to question what they thought they knew. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Lady Fenella Fairclough and the Marquess of Chatton were childhood acquaintances when their fathers decided to force them into a marriage. Being young and stubborn they rejected each other and the idea of a marriage between them. After five years, time spent in Scotland, a marriag, widowhood and ailing parents, thees two are forced back into each others company. They have grown up and now see the other for their true worth… it it not too late for them to find happiness together? Perhaps with a little help they will make it work this time!

This is Jane Ashford’s third instalment in The Way to a Lord’s Heart series. I read the second book, A Lord Apart and this past April. Though this is part of a series, and it was nice having the background knowledge from the other book I had read, this book can stand alone. One major highlight of the series and the connecting factor is the delightful Lord Mackin, who is trying to help his band heartsore lords find love and happiness.

I enjoyed this book of second chances and forgiveness. I found that the characters had won and developed into people who truly deserved to find happiness together.

How to Cross a Marquess by Jane Ashford is due to release August 27th, 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#HowToCrossAMarquess #NetGalley

• Provided by Netgalley •

I’m familiar with Jane Ashford’s works and they seldom disappoint, Fenella and Roger’s story proves that.

Fenella is a heroine whose belittle and undermined by her own sire until she’s taken under her grandmum’s wing to grow a backbone.

Roger is a hero who was a spoiled, careless and absolutely bratty heir until like dealt him some harsh reality checks!

Their fathers conspire to get them married and they try their very best to resist that. I sometimes felt as if the chemistry between the chatactere intensified as their denial of their attraction kept getting on my nerves. LOL.

This was a beautiful read all in all and I recommend to all REGENCY lovers ♥️

How to Cross a Marquess is third in the Way to a Lord’s Heart series. Roger and Fenella seem like star crossed lovers in the difficulty they have to survive to their HEA. So much stands in their way, including themselves. I had a bit of trouble getting into the book at first but am glad I stuck with it. Self-styled matchmaker Macklin knows these two need to be together and is going to make sure they make the journey together.

I loved them strength of Fenella earned during her years in Scotland. And, Roger truly comes to know himself as he sees who he was and who he is now. The secondary characters add a lot to the story with their wit and personality, Roger’s mother, John and Tom. You will like them all.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence my review.

I’ve been following Jane Ashford’s Regency Romance series: The Way to a Lord’s Heart. In these novels, an older gentleman, the Earl of Macklin, uses his experience with grief to aid younger lords who have lost someone dear to them.

In How to Cross a Marquess, Macklin’s current project is Roger Berwick, Marquess of Chatton, whose wife died from a fever a year earlier. (The story behind the fever is complicated and drives the plot.)

Roger returns to his ancestral home in Northumberland where he meets up with his old neighbor, Fenella Fairclough. They had been children together. He was a few years older, a mischievous boy much admired by the others in their gang. Fenella was a smitten, shy, insecure girl. Their lands abutted and their fathers argued over boundaries until they hit upon the idea of marrying their children to each other. Roger had rebelled at the thought; he rebelled against any project of his father’s. Fenella, humiliated, also refused – by running away to her grandmother in Scotland. There she grew into a mature, self-confident, and beautiful young woman.

Roger went to London where he met and married a young beauty (Arabella) whom he accidentally compromised, at least according to the girl’s mother. The mother arranged the whole embarrassing charade in order to see her beloved daughter make a grand match. The marriage was a disaster. When Arabella died after an ill-advised outing in the rain (one that Fenella had tried to talk her out of but could not), Roger was more relieved than saddened, which led to a tremendous burden of guilt. In response to the guilt, he tended to blame everyone involved, including Fenella.

When Roger returns, he and Fenella are frequently thrown together by circumstance. Macklin arrives to see how Roger is faring and watches with benign amusement as the two find their way to one another. Macklin takes a more passive role in this romance than he has in previous stories, because the two don’t need much help. They just need time and proximity.

The plot is well-constructed and the characters pleasant. Fenella is a particularly level-headed heroine. It isn’t my favorite story of the series but Ashford’s Romances continues to entertain.

I felt it was really rather wordy in the beginning. It literally took me 3 days to get through three chapters because I struggled to get through it. It did not hold my attention. Most of the time I devour a book in one sitting if it is really good.

It started to get better around the fourth or fifth chapter where it started to grab my attention. After that I really did like the book and wanted to know how it ended. I will most likely read the next book in the series.

I enjoyed how the heroine saved herself, without anyone’s help. The authoress made a very strong heroine. It is a sweet romance with like zero steaminess. I like books like that because sometimes authoress/author believe they have to put a sex scene in the story and it might not be necessary.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. It was unusual and very welcome to have a hero who wasn’t perfect. The Marquess of Charon is recently widowed, which has released him from an ill made match with the beautiful and wilful Arabella, who has made his life a misery. Her mother blames him for her death, however it was caused by her own reckless actions. Roger is well off and wealthy, with many accomplishments, but he struggles with finding the right words, eloquence is not his strong point. He has become a little crazed by this event and has been blaming other people for Arabllas death, including his neighbour Fenella Fairclough.

His father, and Lord Fairclough once plotted to marry Chatton to Fenella in order to resolve ownership of a disputed piece of land, however they both refused to do this, and Fenella went to stay with her Grandmother in Scotland.

Fenella is the third of three daughters, with a very crotchety father, he is ill and infirm and also very bitter that he had no son, and he takes it out on Fenella. Fenella had been a shy and quiet person as a girl, excluded from the Popular children’s group when she was a girl because of her demeanour, she wistfully looked on as they got up to all sorts of adventures. She has returned to look after her father, and transformed into a beautiful and confident woman under her grandmother’s influence, and she is very competently managing the estate and her father

There is bad blood between Fenella and Roger, and they are wary of each other, however when Richard sets eyes on Fenella he notices how beautiful she is and feels that she is very different from the girl he knew. He also starts to feel guilty for blaming her for Arabella’s reckless actions. As Richard works through his grief and his feeling he realises he has behaved badly and blamed people unfairly, he tries hard to make amends and apologise, including to Fenella. They start to spend time together, and feel ever more attracted to one another, however they are wary of seeming to finally give in to their parents machinations.

Fenella has her own problems, her father is constantly critical, he complains about her and her sex, blames her dead mother for not giving him a son, and is constantly trying to get her to marry Roger. Her older sisters have left her to the hard work of looking after her father, but are constantly critical of her efforts.

As she and Roger grow closer, nasty rumours start to circulate that Fenella had a hand in Arabellas death because she wanted the Marquess for herself. Fenella’s father dies and her brothers in law come to take over the house and her person, and she and Roger run away to marry at Gretna Green, to rescue her from this fate. How will they be able to quash any nasty rumours and outwit her family. And how will they be able to confess how they feel about each other, when they have been forced to wed in haste due to their circumstances. Can they discover who has a grudge against them and is trying to destroy the marriage.

I really enjoyed the way that Jane Ashford developed the characters of the hero and heroine. They were complex, nuanced individuals. I also enjoyed the sub plots with Roger’s mother and Lord Macklin, trying to promote the match, Fenella’s snake loving nephew John and Lord Macklins ward Tom. I also really liked the way Jane described the society they lived in.

Recommended.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads.

In Jane Ashford's How to Cross a Marquess, the third installment in the Way to a Lord's Heart historical romance series, this romance will sweep you off your feet. For Roger Berwick, the Marquess of Chatton Cottage, he had known Fenella Fairclough, his neighbor for years. They once had gotten close of getting married. But he married Arabella Crenshaw, a mismatch in heaven, when it was a marriage doomed from the start. She had gotten sick on a horse ride and later died. Roger didn't mend his broken heart since things didn't work out for them. But now, five years later, they met once again and sorted things out about how Arabella died and the suspicions behind her death. But Fenella had to deal with her ill father, who never really appreciated her like he had with her two older sisters. She took care of him until the day he died. And when they he died, Roger and Fenella decide to tie the knot and elope when they had some obstacles along the way before they could profess their undying love for each other and for the future.

This is #3 in the series but you don’t need to read the others unless you want to understand Lord Macklin. I haven’t read the others when I went into this story and I had to trouble following along since these are standalones. The main characters in this have known each other for years but Fenella has had a difficult childhood, her father hated her since she was the last child and not a son, her mother died when she was young and also there was discord, her 2 oldest sisters rub their friendship into Fenella face, never allowing her to play or even be around them. She pretty much grew up by herself. Roger was the opposite, loving parents many friends and the obvious a son. Their father’s pushed a marriage on these two but Roger was a young buck and wanted to do what he wanted and marriage to Fenella Is like “Sodding Sheep”, Roger’s words. The pushed Fenella to run away to her favorite relative, her mother’s mom. While Roger gets caught in a marriage to someone else....

Book Title: How to Cross a Marquess (The Way to a Lord’s Heart #3)
Author: Jane Ashford
Pub Date: August 27, 2019

***ARC was provided to me by Net Galley and the Publisher for a fair and honest review***

Overall rating: 3/5 Old friends find that while they wouldn’t have made a good pair in the past, they think they will be a love match now.

Heroine (Fenella Fairclough): 3/5 She was a timid girl that went away to become a fierce and opinionated young woman. She runs her father’s household with a kind yet efficient hand.

Hero (Roger Berwick, Marquess of Chatton): 3/5 Roger has a habit of getting tongue tied and often followed by word vomit. While most find it endearing, he finds it extremely embarrassing and often chooses silence over trying to talk.

Plot: 3/5 Roger and Fenella were childhood friends, but when their parents try to force them into marriage, both retreat and rebel against their parents wishes. In the next five years Roger marries another young woman but loses her to a tragic accident four years into their marriage. Fenella had grown into herself while visiting her grandmother in Scotland.

Now forced to spend time with each other during a neighborhood pageant, they find that they share a spark of attraction and want to see where it will lead.

Personal Review: Roger and Fenella do share a spark of attraction but for me it gets doused each and every time the past is brought up, which is seemingly every other page.

I almost wish we got to spend more time with Arabella, Roger’s first wife. The reader is told about her but is shown how she was by doing a flashback that would show off her unhappy, impulsive nature after marrying Roger. While dead, she is integral to the plot and should have been a bit of room to be an actual character.

I loved Tom, the lad who follows around Macklin. He is a strange kid who is weirdly empathetic and wise beyond his years. It’s almost like he has a sixth sense about certain things. Maybe he will get his own story as an adult one day. But likely his story will be concluded in the next and final instalment of the series.

I received an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

I have to be honest and say that I did not particularly care for this book and could not finish reading it. I have read the first book in this series and I feel that they both have the same problem. Both of the stories and incredibly overly wordy with crowded description and it takes away a lot from the book. I read roughly 50% of the book and nothing had happened with either of the characters to keep my interest and when I put the book down, I couldn't bring myself to pick it back up. If you are familiar with her work and enjoy the way she writes, then you will most likely like this book. I however didn't.

I love historical romance books.
I like the author of this book.
I like the plot of the story and second chances theme.
I like the series and plan to read more.
I like and like and like this book from the beginning till end.

I had a hard time feeling involved in this book. Although their parents had tried to match Fenella and the Marquess of Chatton up when they were young, both had forcefully rejected that idea. Fenella had fled to Scotland to stay with her grandmother where she came into her own. Now she’s back and her neighbor, the Marquess, is a widower and surprisingly attracted to Fenella. He seems rather a clueless sort but, eventually, he and Fenella get married and then have to deal with mysterious threats.

It all seemed quite contrived. I didn’t feel any real connection between these two except for the how the author wanted them to be together. The threats to Fenella come out of the blue and just didn’t feel at all believable.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This was a charming, endearing tale of second chances, revenge, disappointment, sorrow, courage, redemption, cunning, friendship, hope, and love. I enjoyed the author’s writing style, the plot, and especially the characters she brought to life on the pages of this book. There are several substories told too that are just as enticing as the main one. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series as I’m already lamenting the end of this book.

Childhood friends were promised to each other by their parents. A couple who doesn't want to do what their parents want. Now as adults will they defy their parents or give into passion. A lovely take childhood friends.

This is second-chance romance adjacent, in that the H/H were once matched up by their fathers, only to reject the match, but later come to appreciate the changes life has made to each other. Circumstances throw them together and both are surprised to find a growing appreciation...and attraction. Perhaps one that has always been there? For readers looking for second chance, I think its a nice spin on how time can heal wounds and get people to the place where they are finally right for each other. Its a very romantic sentiment that I think is well executed and will give readers the gooey kind of feels they look for with second chance romances.

I have never read Jane Ashford, so didn't know what to expect, but found her a great storyteller with a good sensibility on the era.  Details were subtle and added to the plot.  However, the historical romance was not so overweening that it might alienate a reader new to the genre.

The pace was engaging, the action if sometimes a little over the top (I think maybe I wasn't in the mood for sort of predictable villains) entertaining, and the romance sweet. This is set in the country, for the most part, so not a glittering party/marriage mart type of Regency. However, the provincial setting is used to great advantage. There are some fun theatricals, moody horseback rides, lots of characters, and a frustrating family members a plenty.

Intimate scenes were on the page...sort of. They were really limited, mostly a tease of kissing or undressing then one sentence to describe the interaction. And that was it. So while not strictly kisses only, close enough for most readers looking to avoid sex scenes.  I am never quite sure how to categorize this type of book because the intimacy is so light.  If we went with a movie rating, maybe PG-13?  Regardless, I found the scenes to be innocuous.

Because of said villain, there was some violence. It wasn't graphic but featured arrows, choking, and the sea. The multiple scenes served to advance the plot and help the characters realize their true feelings, but also were predictable. I think it was meant to add a mystery element, but I didn't feel it enhanced the romance which was really center stage in this book.

Part of a series, it functioned great as a standalone. The running theme also peaked my interest for other books, as its well played and focused on a unifying experience of grief which I thought was a unique foundation for a romantic series. The grief element is not belabored in this book, particularly as Chatton is not really in mourning for his wife, but it does tie him to some interesting characters that come to play fairy godfather.

That's probably my biggest criticism. While I liked the idea of a support group or godfather helping grieving men, the chief grief support/counselor role in this book seemed pointless. I am not sure if its more pronounced in the other series novels, but his presence in this book was unnecessary.

The title was also clever but not a perfect fit, but that's a quibble.

I would recommend Regency Readers looking for a second chance give this one a try. Its not likely one I will re-read, but I definitely will be checking out more from Ashford and the series.

Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes! Loved this one. Very enjoyable!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Heat Factor: There’s some kissing of shoulders and some titillating undressing.
Character Chemistry: Enemies to lovers has unconvincing results.
Plot: They have to overcome their enmity...and also a crazy person at the end for good measure
Overall: My enjoyment was shaped like a Gaussian curve

Roger, Lord Chatton, the titular Marquess, is a crankypants who is intent on casting all the blame he can muster for his wife’s unfortunate death. He’s pretty whiney at the outset of this story. He turns his vitriol to Fenella Fairclough, a lady he grew up with who had befriended his wife and went out with her into the storm that ultimately caused her demise. It’s okay, he’s just feeling guilty that his marriage was terrible and he doesn’t feel worse about his wife’s death, so his immaturity is understandable. OH ALSO, Roger and Fenella’s parents had tried to force them to marry to resolve a land dispute, so he turned into a jerk and she ran away to Scotland for three years. As with all enemies to lovers stories, a promising beginning.

As we meet our protagonists, therefore, they dance around each other when they happen to meet and avoid each other when they can. ...Until they don’t. This is one thing I have a hard time with about enemies to lovers. Apparently it is just not my trope. They’ve gone months to years living as neighbors who assiduously avoid each other and then the book begins, a switch flips, and suddenly they get over that in 100 pages. What?

Anyway, Fenella gives Roger a set-down for his rude behavior and he decides he needs to take ownership of his actions and feelings. It is at this point our Gaussian curve swings up, and the middle of the story is quite pleasant. Once they acknowledge their feelings for each other, there’s plenty of room for drama and misunderstanding, but Ashford doesn’t take that path, thereby creating a feeling that their marriage will work and thrive...once they overcome that last emotional “I love you” obstacle. Right?

NO. WTH? Our Gaussian curve begins to swing down again as an allusion made after the marriage that Fenella might not be entirely happy (because WHY? → unclear) is apparently forgotten and a completely brand new, I mean, shiny with the wrapper still on external threat is foisted on us. These two have plenty of other issues--crazy, vengeful external threats not required.

Something about the storytelling made me feel quite remote from the characters. I believe it’s because the narrator was so often in Roger’s and Fenella’s heads that there was a lot of uncertainty teased. But there were almost no gentle allusions that lead to those stomach-fluttering convictions that are later proven to be correct. That, combined with the enemies to lovers trope, combined with not being convinced that Fenella was happy about her marriage until all of a sudden everything was fine, contributed to an overall sense of removal from or lack of investment in the plight of the protagonists. My favorite characters were the ones who presumably float through each book in this series, acting as matchmakers: Lord Macklin and his youthful companion, Tom. They were delightful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

A splendid historical romance with a great plot. Interesting storyline and super characters. I really enjoyed this one.

How to Cross a Marquess by Jane Ashford

🌟🌟🌟

I was pleasantly surprised by this read! I’d first like to mention that it is a sweet story, with only a few kisses described and everything else is fade to black or heavily glossed over. (Example: she opened to him and moved from
maid to wife) I was NOT expecting that. The fact that I enjoyed this story despite that is a testament to how much I liked it 🤣 I definitely prefer mine on the steamy side.

Fanella and Roger knew each other years ago. In fact, they were almost betrothed, but both refused to accept and whatever their relationship was at that point became nothing. Fanella escapes to her grandmothers in Scotland, Roger falls into marriage with another girl. After a few years of marriage, Roger is widowed.

The very beginning has a prologue that was a little confusing to me at first. I gather the Earl of Macklin has experienced loss and pulls a handful of people together for a dinner to share their sorrows. The hero of this book attends that dinner. Macklin then attempts to matchmake for them. It’s an interesting concept but also seemed a little random. His presence in the book felt a little random to me as well.

The story starts as Fanella and Roger meet again. They both have their judgements about each other but as they get to know each other, they find how wrong they were. Roger especially goes through a lot of growing up (that you can judge from his own musings and Fabellas remembering of his behaviors in the past) and I did love that about this book. He has his flaws and he was very open about them and trying to overcome them.

I really enjoyed the heroine. She’s strong and has shouldered so much with her disappointing family. I really admired her character.

I found the writing somewhat funny in plenty of parts. Especially loved their scenes in the town play. The stars get cut for me for a few reasons. The hero fell just a tad flat for me. The drama was rather all over the place at the end as well. And the missing sex. This was my first Jane Ashford and I would definitely consider trying another book by her.