I love the premise-- an historical fiction about female scientists. STEM heroines thwarting the patriarchy and pursuing their goals! Add in a steamy romance, and I am there!

The plot is engaging, fun, and there is even a little mystery woven in. I liked the heroine well enough, and the romance between her and her newly assigned body guard was sweet. However, I don't think it quite lived up to its potential. This might be because I am already a huge fan of Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, and that book also includes a bad-ass, smart female trying to break through the bounds society has on women. Dunmore does it with more style and (it must be said) more heat.

Overall, if you like this historical romance genre, I think this book is just fine. However, if Everett aims to make this a continuing series, I hope she finds a little more steam to go along with the STEM.

CW- none that I can think of from my POV.
Steam - open door
STEM

One of my fav tropes (bodyguard) which I have rarely read so far in historical romance .So glad this was the one i read.

The book was like a soft love that kept rolling with joy as I went through each chapter. My nerdy self immediately relates with Violet her sense of belonging with the club she found, her frustration of her work not being seriously taken by society, and her cuteness that she speaks her mind even when seducing the Hero, the buttoned up Arthur. That was in fact the highlight for me. When Arthur asks how you would seduce me and her scientific mind comes up with the option that is likely most successful. Not going to add here because well spoiler.
The pull between then was adorable. The Earl of Grantham was a hilarious touch (I hope his book comes next!).

All in all, it was such a delightful chaos of the scientific minded ladies coming together and creating something beautiful. A wonderful read.

This book was just astonishingly good from start to finish. STEM heroine who's also been widowed and really has not prioritized romance in any way, shape or form finds herself literally tackled by a handsome, broody Scottish bodyguard who's been tasked with looking after her and her "women's club" (which is actually a cover for a group of scientists so they can pursue their often dangerous experiments in a safe place). Someone's threatening the club and its members, though, especially Lady Violet herself, and in trying to untangle the mystery, she and her bodyguard Arthur are unable of fighting off their attraction to one another. A mature romance with sparkling wit, wicked-good chemistry, and delightful characters. People who wanted more smooching from Miss Scarlet and the Duke will probably really like this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the arc of this title.

Romance novels with women in STEM are a relatively rare thing, much less in historical romance. I love that the Lady Violet Hughes, the heroine in this book, is not only a scientist, but one who has put together a safe haven for other women like her. As someone threatens her and her club, Violet's step son hires protection officer Arthur Kneland to help keep her safe.

What follows is a romance with some great characters. Add in a bit of mystery as well as some steam and it all adds up to a fun read! ⁣

It started off with a decent bang, but devolved into a dud. Instant, forbidden attraction. Cold focus hero, scattered but brilliant heroine. Formulaic, and ultimately forgettable.

This book is slow to start but it's worth the effort! Once you get to know the characters, you begin to care about their stories.

This book didn't rate higher as it was pretty typical in terms of contemporary romance. I cared for the relationship but often felt that if the characters didn't end up together at the end, I wouldn't care. I did appreciate the inclusion of a trans character in a work of historical fiction!

The book is mainly about women and the oppression of women in 19th century Britain. I did have a bit of trouble keeping all the characters straight -- they all had similar names and personalities that left me confused until the very end.

Overall, worth the read as a work of historical fiction in the contemporary romance category. Don't give up on it.

4 1/2 stars

Women in STEM is not a recent development. A Lady's Formula for Love, with its rousing and romantic story, is a marvelous ode to the women scientists who came before to pave the way for future generations.

Lady Violet, who has an enthusiastic passion for science, is a misfit in Victorian London society. She's in her element (pun intended) working in a lab or working out formulas than she is in any social situation that requires her squash her innate curiosity whilst making insufferable small talk. Realizing she wasn't the only lady to feel this way, she created Athena's Retreat, a community and safe haven for women to pursue their intellectual interests away from the prying eyes of judgmental husbands, parents and socialites alike. Because she's been working on a secret formula for the Crown, her stepson hires his friend Arthur, a former spy to be her bodyguard. Yes, folks, this is The Bodyguard Victorian-style and it is fantastic!

From the onset, Lady Violet and Arthur feel an inexplicably strong attraction which is highly irregular for him because he's in the habit of disassociating himself emotionally from his charges. Lady Violet has become the rare exception. He falls for her extraordinary mind and beauty, and is amused when she's flustered leading her to make unintended inappropriate puns. (Those were so funny!) She also has the biggest heart and most trusting nature, the latter of which tends to make his task of keeping her safe that much harder. Lady Violet has never felt so comfortable with a man, not even with her deceased husband who used to frown upon her intellectual pursuits. Arthur sees her brilliance, and Lady Violet sees beyond his stoic manner to someone who carries a lot of pain and anguish. I guess you can describe their situation as a sort of instalust. There's some mutual recognition there that knows what they need from each other. They're both so well-suited, physically and emotionally.

The charm of reading about Athena's Retreat is down to the eccentric characters who frequent it. They're all committed to the pursuit of learning and carving a space for women to contribute to the world. Each interaction is almost an adventure in itself because of how their minds tend to roam, and I love how their individual personalities shine through. A heavy air of sinisterness hangs over it, though as Arthur attempts to uncover the identity of who's desperate to sabotage Lady Violet's work which is embroiled in controversy and a growing social movement looking to upend the ruling class. The possibility that the saboteur has potentially breached Athena's Retreat and that the next incident could be deadly makes finding the perpetrator a priority. I enjoyed the suspense of it, and of course, Lady Violet and Arthur's impassioned interludes.

In her author's notes, Everett mentions the names of the pioneering women of science who inspired this story. In giving recognition to these remarkable and brave women, we are reclaiming our part in history, and I am so thankful to Everett for being a resource to learn about their contributions. A Lady's Formula for Love is inspiring because it encourages the beauty of having different interests and not fitting in to the social norms. It's a must-read for anyone who loves reading about women empowering themselves and finding romance in the Victorian age, and also The Bodyguard 😉

~ Bel

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

Didn't expect to read this one from start to finish, but once I got into it, I didn't want to set it down until I knew everything. I enjoyed the set up with the secret women's science society. Violet and Arthur were great characters. The romance and the mystery worked well together. There's more emphasis on the romance, but both were satisfying. I can see where the author might be setting up future pairings and stories in the secondary characters, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for a sequel. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

My feelings about this one are fairly mixed. I love the premise and the main characters are interesting and worth rooting for... but I often found myself picking up another book instead of this one. I felt that the relationship between the main characters was rushed and somewhat unbelievable. I also found many of the side characters to be somewhat one dimensional. I loved the idea of a lady's club devoted to STEM in Victorian London, but think it would have been wise to really focus on that and the preparations for the club's debut instead of the addition of an outside threat due to the main character's secret experiment. The plot felt a little harried because of the different directions the story took. Romance can be tricky to hit perfectly and I think with a little more editing and development this could be an even better concept. If the plot is tightened up, I will definitely be watching for the sequel - I love the idea of a STEM centered romance with tough and smart female protagonists.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An utter delight from start to finish. Everett writes like a seasoned author in her debut. Such a fun, fast paced read. And the steam?! Yes please and thank you! Cannot wait to read more in this series and whatever else Everett writes. I am now a fan for life!

DNF at 20%. Sadly, the writing style isn't for me at all and I am having difficulty become engaged to the story. YMMV.

A Lady's Formula for Love is Elizabeth Everett's debut novel. It's a historical romance featuring women in STEM. As a woman in STEM I was so excited to read this. Let me tell you that Elizabeth Everett delivered! The connection between Violet, the lead scientist, and her bodyguard Arthur, is instant. I loved watching them grow together and find themselves.

Set in London in the early Victorian era, A Lady's Formula for Love brings us into a world of female scientists and the pressure society puts on them. I loved the secret society of intellectuals. I loved Violet's group of scientists, they were inspiring and so brilliant.

This was a great historical romance and I cannot wait to read the next book in the Secret Scientists of London series!

Yes - read it!! Because this is going to be a really fun series!

The description of the book is spot on but I thought it was much more robust then that. I enjoyed the two main characters a lot but you could see the series coming into development with all the other characters.

I also liked that is was a smart read. You have to enjoy learning to appreciate all the different nuisances of the story. Granted, I failed chemistry but that didn't keep me from enjoying the book immensely.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC to prepare for my review.


Note to publisher:
I particularly enjoyed the big words that required investigation. Don't cave when people complain about the words they didn't know! It's nice to be challenged for a change, made the read way more fun.

A completely charming historical romance! I loved loved Lady Violet and her secret society of scientists. Everett remixes the historical romance category in a completely fun way. Can't wait for more from this author!

A Lady's Formula for Love utterly stole my heart! Violet was the most charming heroine I have read in a long time. A widow whose husband had crushed her spirit, she is now a haven for others seeking shelter and support. Arthur is a bodyguard with a heap of self inflicted guilt who helps Violet find her own comfort.

Violet is brilliant and has created a special place for other women who are brilliant and innovative. Athena's retreat is her special project. However, she is also tasked with coming up with an antidote for a terrible new chemical weapon that has placed her and Athena's Retreat in danger. Enter Arthur: bodyguard extraordinaire! Arthur is solemn and withdrawn; he is also ready to retire but agrees to take on a final job for a friend.

Arthur has trouble opening up and getting to know people due to a terrible event in his past. Violet cares so deeply for others, she can't help but try to understand them. There is lots of chemistry between these two and I loved it. Their stolen moments gave me butterflies. What I adored most is what Arthur gives Violet: a safe space. Violet has done so much for others, but she herself has been beaten down and diminished. Arthur begins to help her repair her self image and confidence. It's simply beautiful.

I really can't express how touching A Lady's Formula for Love was to me. I cried several times because I was so moved. I adored Violet and Arthur and will forever want more of them.

In the heart of London lies Athena’s Retreat – a social club for ladies that hides their true interest: science. How could I resist A Lady’s Formula for Love when it features not one but innumerable women with vast and varied scientific interests in a time when women’s ideas were dismissed, stolen, ridiculed, and more? Elizabeth Everett’s debut has a lot of promise and when it focuses on the sharp minds and diverse characters that inhabit The Secret Scientists of London series the book shines.

Lady Violet Hughes is the founder of Athena’s Retreat. Violet is a brilliant scientist who can sometimes get lost in her work and I enjoyed her absent-minded professor qualities. She’s also the survivor of an emotionally abusive marriage and I loved watching her find confidence in herself over the course of the story. It’s clear from the start that she’s strong. After all, even though her husband spent years tearing her down she still created a place as glorious as Athena’s Retreat. But Violet is vulnerable in other respects, particularly when it comes to her desirability. It was lovely to see her appreciated mind and body by Arthur. When Violet is tasked with coming up with an antidote to a toxin being used by radicals, her stepson hires Arthur Kneland as a bodyguard. Arthur is a man haunted by death and this is his last job before retirement. Arthur knows better than to see his assignments as people but from the start Violet barrels right through his well-constructed walls. Arthur tries to be remote but Violet and her staff all quickly find their way into his heart. I loved the friendships the lonely Arthur formed. And as for his relationship with Violet…the two of them have definite chemistry. Their attraction is impossible to deny and though they want to keep things strictly physical, it’s clear there’s no way for them to prevent their hearts from becoming engaged. Violet and Arthur are likeable as individuals and their romance is easy to become invested in.

There’s a lot to like about A Lady’s Formula for Love, but there are also some missed opportunities. Athena’s Retreat is a place where people can be themselves and be supported by the group. However, though Violet is supportive of everyone her closest friends don’t do the same. I hated seeing Violet hurt by their dismissiveness and wanting to put the club above all else. Their reasoning is realistic but problematic and the latter is never discussed. I really wanted to see strong female friendships in this story and felt like Everett missed the mark a bit. Then there is the mystery of who is going after Violet’s work for the Crown. The predictability of the villain wasn’t all that bad, but the resolution of this plot given all that happened left a sour taste in my mouth. The book’s climax is messy and the false equivalencies drawn in order to resolve the plot to the heroine’s satisfaction were incredibly dissatisfying to me, the reader.

A Lady’s Formula for Love is a bit difficult for me to stick a rating on because it had big pluses and minuses for me. Ultimately, I am in love with the wealth of STEM characters enough to come down on the side of highly enjoying this book. I also could swoon over how Arthur cared for Violet and how he appreciated her for all that she was. So while A Lady’s Formula for Love was a bit uneven for me, I’m looking forward to the next Secret Scientists of London book because I think this series has a lot of potential.

Alright. I'm pretty sure the tags for this one proved irresistible for most romance readers: female scientist! "Enigmatic" protection officer! A secret women's club comprised of England's most brilliant FEMALE scientists! Female empowerment! Feminism! Spies! Shadowy threats! Seasoned principal characters! An inclusive cast of secondary characters! Yep, yes, more please! Look, these bona fides plus a DIK at my favorite romance review site had me rushing to read this one. But.

Good news first? I liked both principal characters. I liked the premise. I liked the mystery surrounding the villain - friends, you totally don't see it coming. I liked the diverse cast. I liked women looking out for and supporting each other. I liked this story! Sort of.

The not so good news? The author substitutes introspective dual PoV's for character development and comes up short. The cast is TOO BIG and overstuffed with stock characters that serve no purpose whatsoever except to distract us from our principal couple. Speaking of...

Our principal characters meet-cute after Lady Violet Hughes (our heroine) is nearly killed by an exploding bomb. Violet is saved when Arthur Kneland, the British secret agent tasked with protecting her, recognizes a bomb is about to go off (huh?!) and rushes to pull her away from the blast zone and shield her with his own body. Violet immediately feels safe and protected. Ahem. Arthur feels the first stirrings in his stone cold heart since the death of his younger sister decades ago. And lust. They both feel that. And keep feeling it. And thinking about it. And feeling it. And thinking about it. And acting on it. Trust me on this.

Meanwhile, we meet a bewildering array of slightly odd or quirky or straight up weird or "damaged" women (the gangs all here, folks!) who comprise the membership of the Athena's Retreat . Athena’s Retreat, housed in a building attached to Violet's own London home (Beacon House), provides an ultra secret! and safe! workplace/sanctuary for female scientists to complete their research and investigations and lab work and other sciencey things (don’t judge me). Things often catch on fire or explode. No worries! Everyone is used to it and the housekeeper can get any fabric clean!

Anywho... the public is curious about the Retreat - which purports itself as a women's social club, and gossip columnists love to write about it. To keep the public at bay from discovering the true purpose of the club, the membership is hosting a public exhibition. Arthur, now masquerading as a major domo and one of a handful of men on staff, must keep Violet safe in the lead-up to the Big Event (there’s a running joke about the name of the event and it’s unfunny and odd so I’m not going to mention the various iterations) and as she completes work on a clandestine government project. Why? A secret, villainous group also wants to get its hands on her research and will stop at nothing to get it. Arthur has to keep Violet alive even though her work and absentmindedness and desire conspire against him. Poor guy.

Look friends, these two fall head over heels in love/lust while they're lying on the pavement after a bomb nearly kills Violet. Literally 2 seconds after they hit the dirt. Their chemistry is HOT, HOT, HOT and before long they're confessing their deepest secrets and desires and hooking up. Like, a lot. They have the lust. And the desire. And the thoughts. Ad nauseam. Arthur might be doing a lot of investigating? If he does, it's mostly off page. He might be a badass super amazing investigator - and the author really, really, really wants us to believe it, but the text doesn't support it. He's always mooning over Violet or hanging out in the kitchen with the servants, or fighting with Violet's handsome best friend. Or, even worse, arriving after Violet’s nearly been killed. And the same holds true for Violet. SHE'S BRILLIANT. But mostly she just seems like a lonely odd-ball who makes messes in her lab, forgets to eat, and is often excluded from group activities by the women she supports. WTF.

Friends, I wanted to get on the Violet and Arthur gravy train and I wish the author gave us more time to get to know each of them as individuals and less of them as "Violet and Arthur and the Never Ending Story of Their Longing and Loneliness And Amazing Sexy Times." It's a bummer.

I'm also on the fence with the diverse cast of secondary characters. We get a black servant and a trans footman, and obv, lots of women scientists. I don't like feeling as if an author is pandering to inclusive rep...but...well, I felt pandered to. So there's that.

Since this is a debut and the foundations of a good story are here, I'm predisposed to give it the benefit of the doubt and round it up just a smidge. I give it a C+ for execution and a B for entertainment value, or 3.5 stars.

Debut novel from Elizabeth Everett, A Lady's Formula For Love had a fabulous sounding premise that I was so excited about! The promise of a historical bodyguard romance featuring eccentric Victorian-era female scientists running a secret club mixed with a bit of intrigue had me eagerly anticipating this book. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting through it and ended up wanting to like the book much more than I actually did. As the first in a series, there is an expected amount of exposition, but there are a distractingly large number of characters. I had a hard time keeping track of who everyone was and my confusion frequently pulled me out of the story. The romance got bogged down by all of the other various plot points and I wasn't really invested in Arthur and Violet as a couple. I think this book wanted to say a lot, but it all felt underdeveloped and confusing. Overall a GREAT concept, but clunky execution with too much going on.

This book is fantastic. It made me laugh, it tore at my heart. It's inclusive, it's exciting, it's steamy. If you're looking for women in STEM romance, look no further. Violet is a strong heroine and Arthur stole my heart. The cast of side characters drew me in and I cannot wait to learn more about them in future installments.

Lady Violet, owner of London’s first club for ladies which acts as a front for a secret women’s science club, is working to create a formula to counteract a dangerous poison being wielded by an extremist group in London. To protect her while doing this work, bodyguard Arthur Kneland steps in. The two very quickly grow close, but the last time Arthur let his guard down while on the job, it was a fatal mistake for his client, and he won’t let himself make the same mistake twice.

This was fun. I really love a bodyguard romance and having it set in Victorian London was great. I liked Arthur and Violet, but found that I didn’t really like most of the side characters.

There were so many side characters introduced immediately that it was almost overwhelming and I couldn’t remember who was who. I found that throughout the book they would mention the name of one of the female scientists and I would have no idea who they were talking about.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable romance.