The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray
By: Anna Bradley
Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️

This book is first in the series and features Tristan and Sophia. This is an opposites attract story. She is full of life and wiling to take chances to help people she loves. He is dull, responsible, and resigned to do his duty as the Earl by settling down and getting married to the lady of his mothers choosing.

- H likable? Yes. Tristan has recently come into title after his older brother’s death. He is a former Bow Street runner, aware of his duty to his mother and the earldom.
- h likable? Yes. Sophia is reckless, stubborn, and willful. She is an orphan who was taken in by Clifford School. She is trying to save a male servant who was framed for the murder of a Bow Street Runner.

- h virgin? No
- First time they kiss: 48%
- First time they sleep together: 75%
- OW/OM drama? No
- H/h cheat? No
- Steamy? No
- Did I skip pages? Yes, the murder mystery ones
- Big secrets? No
- Did I cry? No
- Cliffhanger? No
- How it ends: HEA
- Recommend? Yes. I really enjoyed interactions between Tristan and his best friend Lyndon. The focus of this book is on the finding the person who killed the bow street runner not the romance.
Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC.

I loved this book! This was definitely a darker and grittier historical romance and it was oh so good. Both the main characters are crime fighting badasses, just one does it as a Bow Street Runner and the other is a nighttime vigilante.

Sophia Monmount was rescued as an orphan by Lady Clifford who collects orphans and trains them to help her seek justice against bad aristocrats "under the table" so to speak. Sophia is not your usual heroine. She isn't a lady, there are no glittering ballgowns and fan waving for her. In fact, she spends the majority of the book sneaking around London at night dressed in breeches. Sophia is on a mission to clear her friend who has been wrongly charged for murder. She is fierce and strong, but also vulnerable and feminine. I just loved her!

Tristian Stratford is the second son of an Earl, who has made his way in the world as a Bow Street Runner. With the death of his brother Tristian now finds himself retiring from being a runner and assuming the position of Earl, a position he never wanted. While waiting around to see his friend's killer brought to justice, he meets Sophia in a rather unorthodox manner.

Tristian, known as the Ghost of Bow Street, meets his match in Sophia. She challenges him in ways he has never been challenged. Tristian has a strong moral compass and believes in the justice system, a system which Sophia claims is failing the lower class of London. She calls his whole belief system into question, but in a good way.

I just loved their bond they formed while unraveling this mystery of Sophia's friend. While Tristian is a rule follower, Sophia is a rule breaker who takes big risks. The first half of the book is a slow build up, laying the foundation of the characters and the story they are in. There is attraction, lust and a mutual distrust between them at first. The second half of the book builds on their relationship and their trust begins to grow. Sophia and Tristian become a team and it is magical.

I loved this breakaway from the traditional historical romance. This was a breath of fresh air. It brings to light the injustice of the justice system during this time period and I really appreciate all the research the author put into this. I really enjoyed the author's note at the end which is full of historical facts she incorporated into this book. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this series!

I started this book with low expectations. I don't know why as I am a big fan of Anna Bradley, but I was quickly swept up in the thrill of the chase. I usually can figure out the bad guy well before the big reveal. I was kept guessing with this and was shocked by the reveal. 

This story is well-plotted, with engaging characters. There is a natural flow to it, and it keeps the reader engaged. There is the perfect balance of intrigue, danger, romance and sex. 

I don't get the name of this book as neither of our main characters are virgins. Sophia had one previous lover, and she openly admits this to Gray before anything happens. This is no one affects the story, but it was a bit of a surprise given the title.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a solidly written romance with lots of classic tropes and a much loved HEA. While the book felt a little slow to start, once embedded in the story, there is plenty of action and romance to keep the reader engaged.

The main characters were likable and show some growth, their romance is rooted in finding a middle ground on issues of trust and justice. The premise of the Swooning Virgins Society is a great base for a series. Lady Clifford and her carefully selected crew of smart women adds a fun flair to the romance genre. The background of solving a murder gives the book a little more excitement in addition to the love story.

This will make a great cozy fall read and I look forward to seeing more books in this series.

This story started out kind of slow and confusing, but then it got down to business. The heroine is a orphan that Lady Clofford collects. She doesn't take just any child in, she is training them to slide round London and correct justice from behind. Very ingenious. The hero is a second son who inherited the earldom after his brother died. He was a second son who worked as a detective for Bow Street. At first I thought he was very old, like in his 30's, but he became younger as the book moved along into a more serious minded younger man in his mid 20"s. The heroine is 20-ish. There is a great deal of intrigue and kidnapping people from prison and everyone gets bashed on the head at one time or another,,,,that is an exaggeration. But a lot of head bashing does go on for a romance novel. I like the mix of aristocrat and common people in this story. I am sure there were many people who inherited titles and looked at the ton like they had been taken out of normal and placed into delusionia. There was some learning about the justice system. This book was all over the place, but in a controlled and comprehensive manner. Most authors can't do that and this author was able to take a romance story plot and turn it into a memorable love story. I look forward to seeing what else this author has written. I highly recommend it with 5 stars. The grammar and spelling are correct and the story has a definite beginning and end with no dangling bits.

Two souls in pain.
Sophia Monmount. Rescued as an orphan by Lady Clifford. The first of several rescues and taught many useful skills by Lady Clifford. She gathers information.
Lord Gray, retired bow street runner, upset over the murder of a dear friend.
Their worlds collide and despite their suspicions of one another, they must work together to achieve the goal they both desire ...at the moment.
Together they endure intrigue and danger, both getting attacked and injured. Eventually they stop fighting their lust and enter a steamy and sensual arrangement. They come to realize their 'lust' is love...the enduring kind.
Plenty of action and intrigue and erotic scenes make this book a fast read.
Recommended for like heat with their romantic mystery. That it is historical also is just another plus.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

My first thought was that this book is better than the somewhat cheesy (and misleading) title.

This was my first Anna Bradley book and I’ll definitely say that the characters are probably the best part of this book. Sophie is smart and likable and Tristan is likable too with a pretty strong sense of justice.

An interesting plot with a somewhat modern take on the era - with a friend of Sophia’s wrongfully imprisoned for killing Tristans’s friend.

Full review to come closer to publication date.

An enjoyable read by Ms. Bradley that includes action, romance, and spying. Sophia is an intriguing woman, smart, witty, loyal, and clever. She is able to get around with none the wiser, until one day she draws the Ghost of Bow Street's attention. Tristan has a title that he never wanted and formerly worked for Bow Street. He believes in justice and bringing down those responsible. He is curious about Sophia and is frustrated with her plans to discover the true killer, who killed a friend of Tristan's and wrongly put Sophia's friend in jail for the murder. Tristan keeps an eye on Sophia, who has her own agenda, for justice has already been served. However, his original decision changes when more facts come to life. Sophia and Tristan begin to work together to discover the truth of the matter and it goes deeper than they suspected. Neither thought feelings would enter into the equation, but time is running out and Sophia's involvement has put a target on her back.
I received this novel as an ARC from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Set in 17th century England, the book provides an interesting story line with many unique features. A female detective, marrying out of class, females with self determination, and supportive male roles. The first few chapters are somewhat slow as the author sets up the time and place. The plot takes off right after that and becomes a page turner. The title is misleading as Sophie admits that she is not a virgin. The loose end of Sophie's parentage is not resolved at the end of this book. A good read for a weekend or during travel.