Such a great cover and a great concept for a book! I love the time period, the descriptions and the characters. Highly recommended for fans of romance and mystery!

Victorian bodyguard romance. Young widow Lady Violet has built a secret club for lady scientists to carry on their work without the scrutiny of (male) society. When someone threatens the club with a series of violent events, her stepson hires a protection officer to keep Violet safe. Ex-military intelligence officer Arthur is doing One Last Job before retiring to a quiet home in the country. Protecting one innocent lady seems easy enough, until he gets to know his brilliant and spirited charge. Real and metaphorical sparks fly.

Watching these two open up to each other was the real joy of the book. Arthur has deeply-buried childhood trauma, and Violet has been ground down by her late, much older husband. They have to gain confidence together, and figure out whether they can trust one another with their hearts.

For the most part, this was a very enjoyable debut. My only complaints were that the villain reveal didn't feel earned, and also the book could've used a content warning for people (like me) who are arachnophobic. I did not find the loose tarantulas running around throughout the novel to be charmingly eccentric--I found them distracting and terrifying. I'm sure I missed something, because I had to skim any time they appeared.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I feel like I've read a dozen books like this lately, and while I enjoyed this one, I feel like it could have been a little less angsty and more fun.

A Lady's Formula for Love is such a fun romance. It is perfect for lovers of historical romance that want a little adventure. Lady Violet Hughes and Arthur Kneland we such a fun match and perfect foils for each other. Check this book out if you are looking for romance with a little bit of a twist!

I tried to read this book at least five separate times, but I just couldn't do it. The opening was so chaotic and there were so many characters that I could not keep everyone straight. I was so confused in the first chapter that I wasn't interested in continuing with the book.

I'm sure it got better as it went on, but I was so turned off by the opening chapter, that I didn't want to keep going. If I'm not hooked by the beginning of the book, I don't want to do tons of work to slog through it and keep going to find out if it's worth it

A Lady's Formula for Love is the perfect read for anyone who loves a historical romance novel and a bit of adventure. Lady Violet Hughes is relatable, charming, and easy to root for. Arthur Kneland is our quiet and serious but sweet hero, who proves to be a perfect foil for Violet. I thought that the chemistry in this book - both the scientific kind and the romantic kind - was incredibly well done and kept me hooked. This book definitely had me wanting more in the best possible way!

This year I am on a mission to find, (and devour), more historical fiction books, (including the swoony romantic kinds). When I discovered A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett, I knew I would have to check it out! This is the very first book in the brand new series The Secret Scientists of London series, and it was absolutely fantastic! I very much enjoyed reading this book.

One of the things that I loved most about this book was ALL of the wonderful characters. I loved the main character in the story, Lady Violet, the most. Why? Because she’s brilliant AND a scientist, and I wanted nothing more than to visit her secret society to geek out with her and her fellow scientists. There’s also Arthur Kneland, the brooding, sexy Scottish bodyguard, who had me swooning right along with Lady Violet. (Seriously, that accent, though.) I love a man that will let a woman shine, and Arthur was fantastic at letting Violet shine.

There were a lot of really fascinating secondary characters in the story as well and I want to know them all so much more! I am super curious to know if any of them will be getting the next book in the series, or if we will at least see them again in the next book. I know I would happy with either because they are all so fascinating.

The storyline for this book was really interesting as well, especially with Lady Violet working on a mission for the Crown. (How awesome is that for that period in time?!) I also love that all the women were scientists, and getting to read about their inventions was both fascinating, and, at times, hilarious. (The hair lacquer!) This book also talks about women’s rights and suffrage, and I definitely need more books like it in my collection.

Overall; I very much enjoyed A Lady’s Formula for Love, and I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the sequel, which is currently untitled, but due to release sometime in 2022. I will most definitely be keeping my eye out for it, and for more books by Elizabeth Everett in the future.

This was so fun!!! I loved it so much! I loved how it focused on women’s rights and featured so many smart, amazing women!

3.5 rounded up - A fun, STEAMY historical fiction romance featuring smart, witty women in STEM fighting for women's rights in Britain and taking charge of their lives. For fans of Evie Dunmore's League of extraordinary women series.

This was a fun, steamy historical romance. I loved the group of women who were brilliant and obsessed with science. They created this safe, found family that accepted each other. This also features a sapphic relationship and a trans male side character.

The romance was insta-lust, but the actual romance felt slower paced. Probably because the hero is very reluctant to be vulnerable and get attached. I enjoyed their romance but the overall story kind of dragged on towards the end. I felt like there could have been three endings. Each time I thought the book was going to end it kept going. It started off strong but got a bit over-the-top and the romantic declarations were too flowery.

Overall I liked the premise, characters, and romance. If you’re a fan of historical romance but want something with more modern sensibilities, then this one is fun!

This is actually more of a 2 1/2 star review for me. While the premise and inclusivity - Female STEM characters in Victorian times! A transgender character! A few POC! – made me predisposed to wanting to support this book, the execution fell short of my expectations.

Lady Violet's creation of Athena's Retreat – a sort of haven for STEM ladies to work on their experiments and other projects – was intriguing, but I felt that depicting these women as mostly zany and absent-minded across the board did them no favors. There didn't seem to be much depth to the discussion of scientific ideas either, just a sort of STEM cosplay. Newton's laws of motion as a metaphor for character dynamics and dancing was overused to the point of my skipping forward through action just so I didn't have to read that part.

Arthur Kneland is a hired bodyguard because Lady Violet's life is in danger since she's secretly working on a project for the crown. Great premise! But the instant and intense attraction between characters based solely on looks also annoyed me since I felt the whole point of the book - a STEM woman with a mind, a man who isn't of the peerage - was to make heroes of people for their inner worth. The author eventually gets around to telling us why these people are worthy, but we don't actually see it.

Perhaps this premise was just too ambitious for the storytelling, but overall nothing was earned. So many characters were introduced, and I cared very little for them. Instead of telling us how generous Lady Violet is, maybe let us watch the origin story of Athena's Retreat and how she met her two supposedly close friends. I never felt they were actually close though! I never got into the mystery of who was threatening Violet/Athena's Retreat or the danger, and so when all was revealed, I found myself unmoved.

What did I actually like? There are blissful lines of dialogue or descriptions that give such an intense sense of longing and romance that I would pause, wishing the rest of the story would rise up to that level. I also found some humorous moments throughout. Those sparks and the very creative premise makes me hopeful. This is the first of a series, and I hope that brightness carries over to the next installment ... but with stronger storytelling and character-building.

'm counting this book even though I didn't finish it. I skimmed it to the end but, meh.

Now, normally a bluestocking, super intelligent and independent woman would be my jam. This character fell flat for me and I think it's because she had some unresolved trauma from her marriage to this older man that didn't appreciate her for herself, never loved her, and told her she wasn't smart etc. I also felt like she just let shit go down bc "ladies can't get angry"

The hero in this also was just boring. He has the potential to be at least as interesting as Violet, but doesn't manage it. Oh well.

I may try the next one bc this was very easy to read, and both of the friends seem to have more of that fire that I want to see in my main characters.

I loved the cover of this, the tithe too and was intrigued by the blurb. I do love the “body guard” trope! I tried several times to get into this story but it was a struggle for me. The main character was difficult for me to relate to but mostly the story just felt jarring in its pacing somehow. The flow of the story was confusing, moving too quickly & jumpy at times while moving glacially slow at others. This was my first book with this author so it may be that the writing style just didn’t mesh for me, or it may be that the story telling really was jumbled and clumsy. I’m honestly not sure which.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. But after having read several reviews of this book, I've decided I will not be reading and reviewing it.

I found the premise so creative! And I enjoyed the ending and the supporting characters were very likeable. I'm also very jealous of Violet having a secret club for other science-minded women. While some of the conflict felt a little contrived, I was able to forgive it for such a cute story!

Elizabeth Everett’s A Lady’s Formula for Love (Berkley) is a delightful historical romp with a decidedly feminist twist.

The setting is London, 1842, and widowed viscountess Violet Hughes runs Athena’s Retreat, a secret social club for women scientists. They are preparing to put on a public exhibition when Violet is hired by the British government to develop an antidote to a new chemical weapon in the hands of a violent group of radicals. Her mission makes her a target for threats and sabotage, so her stepson, Grey, hires protection agent Arthur Kneland to watch over her while she’s working on the formula.

As a favor to Grey, Arthur takes on what he believes will be a simple job before he retires to the Highlands, but he discovers Violet has made some real enemies. He quickly becomes captivated by her brilliant, passionate mind and her enthusiasm for her work. Violet is a forward-thinking woman who is willing to indulges her physical attraction to her handsome protector, but there is more between this unusual pair than can be satisfied by a casual affair. Can the lady and the bodyguard find true love?

A Lady’s Formula for Love is the historical romance for readers who don’t think they like historical romance. Everett’s debut weaves a satisfying tale of love and mystery, with two likable characters who are a bit older and more experienced — they know what they want, and they’re going after it. Violet and Arthur complement each other perfectly, and their story is tender, smart, and passionate.

3.5 / 5

If you are looking for a historical romance featuring a bodyguard with a troubled past, a STEM heroine who is feeling lost, an impressive group of brilliant women looking for a place to belong, not to mention laugh out loud moments, sexy interludes, and interesting history, then this is for you! A Lady's Formula For Love was a lot of fun and was a welcome addition in my quest to read more historical romance. I'll be on the lookout for the sequel!

In my opinion the first few chapters of this book--which I assume were supposed to start off the action with a bang!--were kind of a mess. There were way too many characters, a flurry of activity, and so much going on, that I was just confused. After a bit everything seemed to calm down and I began to enjoy the story and the two main characters. But then again, after about half-way through, the book seemed to lose it's focus. I couldn't tell if the author was trying to give us clues to the "mystery" in a much too heavy-handed manner, or if things were already being set up for sequels, or what. The main conflicts between the two main characters were confusing, as well. I really didn't understand what the big deal was about why they couldn't be together. This book was just not for me.

A Lady’s Formula for Love, by Elizabeth Everett, was a very charming read. The author takes us back to a time when women had to hide their scientific abilities. Lady Violet is one progressive woman and gives these scientists a place to work and converse on all things science. Lady Violet is a respectable widow and is taking a huge risk to afford herself & these ladies, the career the 1840’s won’t let them attain. Their is suspended at all turns, as who projects are being done for. Also love is found. Lady Violet & Arthur Kneland are brought together , when the club starts gaining the wrong attention. He is there to protect the ladies, the club and the secrets inside. Both are alone in the world and one wonders if love can find its way between the two. I liked the author’s writing and character development. I really did like what Lady Violet represented.
There were parts that got a little confusing to me, keeping all the characters straight. But overall I found this to be an interesting love story. This story is about the underdog, second chances and finding love in the least expected place. This was a four star read for me. I have shared this book on my Instagram page and reviewed it on multiple sites. As always I want to thank Netgalley & Elizabeth Everett for my ARC, for an honest review. The is always such a pleasure to read all kinds of genres by different authors. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This is my first historical romance book and I laughed throughout! This was such a delightful read! It was a little steamier than expected, but very fitting to the main character's development.

Thanks so much for my advanced copy!!