I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When she found the man she wanted to spend her life with, Miss Rebecca Rowley never expected it would be so difficult. Keeping her engagement a secret from her family due to her fiancee being the son of the man who ruined her father, she longs for escape and freedom. Her moments spent alone with her horse are her lifeline, but she finds herself saving the sister of her new neighbour, Lieutenant Nicholas Avery, and crossing paths again and again. With Nicholas, she can be herself, and doesn't need to hide her bareback riding, nor her ambitions. But she soon realises that she's been thinking less of her fiancee, and more of Nicholas, but they can't be together, can they?

This was another really quick read that I don't know why I had put off for so long. I liked Rebecca and Nicholas' relationship, and the way that they worked together to help each other, and to help Nicholas' sister, Olivia come to terms with her mother's death, and their new home. I do wish that Rebecca had spoken with Nicholas about the truth of her relationship with the fiancee. However, the angst was dealt with perfectly, and there was the right amount of pining and longing to whet the appetite. A lovely read from a new to me author!

I admired Rebecca's independent spirit and even though I found her little and not-so-little ways of rebelling often immature or thoughtless, the author soon showed us her deeper layers as she became acquainted with Nicholas and a natural friendship developed amid humorous situations, witty banter, and dynamic chemistry. I didn't care for Rebecca's deception (but I also had parents who answered my questions) and Rebecca's frustration grew each time her inquiries were turned aside. A love triangle and misunderstanding create complications that force Rebecca to face some realizations and make decisions that will direct her future happiness. A sweet, slow-burn romance with a satisfying ending!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

In chaotic times like these, what more can you want than to settle in with a lighthearted love story that holds your attention from cover to cover?

With a spunky heroine and loveable minor characters, this is a novel that inspires the reader to be true to themselves - a lesson that will resonate with all ages.

Joanna Barker's Otherwise Engaged did just that for me and I look forward to returning to the series in the books to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this outstanding book!

I've really enjoyed Joanna Barker's novels, and Otherwise Engaged was no exception! I found Rebecca to be a wonderful regency heroine who might not fit within the typical regency mold, but she's not so headstrong that she becomes annoying. It's a difficult balance to reach, and I think Ms. Barker does it beautifully! Nicholas is a wonderful hero to match Rebecca's spunkiness and I enjoyed watching first their friendship and then somewhat forbidden romance bloom. There were definitely some twists I didn't expect and that made the book even more enjoyable! One detail I really appreciated was that the man Rebecca is first engaged to, Edward, does not turn out to be an evil mastermind following in his father's horrible footsteps. He was genuinely a good man, the two were just ill-suited. I loved this detail because I feel like it would have been the obvious answer to have him be cruel and I love that it didn't turn out that way.

Thank you NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC!

Oh, i adored this story! Our heroine hastily agreed to a secret engagement, but is slowly falling for a handsome new neighbor and his infuriating little sister. So much to unpack in this book. Reminded me a bit of myself. The ending felt a bit contrived, but still totally believable. 5 stars for a sweet romance filled with swoony and humorous moments.

It has been way too long since I read this, so I need to go back and read it again, but I really enjoyed it.

Otherwise Engaged is my first introduction to Joanna Barker's writing. It will not be the last. I thought it was pretty good. I am giving four stars.

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
I really enjoyed this story as it has a intriguing plot, a feisty heroine and plenty of sweet moments. There writing is good and fast paced. I found it pleasantly different from the classically seen Regency Romance as it was quite modern.
A great read.

This is a sweet Regency story about a Lieutenant and his neighbor, a woman who has already given her heart and hand to another man.
I’ll be honest I did not like the heroine nearly as well as the hero. She was a bit selfish, doing things behind her brothers back, defying convention to have her own way. She seemed a bit fickle to me. While I believe this is meant to present her as a bit of a brave forward thinker, I felt she was a little stuck on herself and she indeed realized this as well by the end of the story. I think it takes courage to write a flawed character and redeem that character by the end of the story. The author did an excellent job doing so.
The hero was very noble and everything one would desire in a Regency hero. He is committed to caring for his orphaned sister and is willing to make his own sacrifices. Loyal, empathetic, kind.
In conclusion, I found this story to be a sweet little Regency romance and will be looking forward to reading more by this author.

This was a cute, pleasant regency. I enjoyed the country setting and thought the author did a good job creating a welcoming ambiance for our characters. Rebecca finds herself in a tricky situation, being secretly engaged to a man her parents don’t approve of, while slowly building a friendship with her new handsome neighbor Nicholas.

This was such an enjoyable read, in part because of the protagonist alone. Rebecca was a spirited person who does what is right, even when it is difficult, and I appreciated that about her.

For the past few months I’ve been in a bit of a reading funk. I’ve started several books and just couldn’t finish them. However, that all changed when I started this book. I loved it from beginning to end!
Rebecca was just perfect. She is happy, quick witted, feisty and adventurous and then Nicholas Avery was the perfect balance of serious, good sense of humor and handsome. I loved all the banter and chemistry between them.
The whole story was entertaining with nothing horrible going on but with an interesting enough plot that it was hard to put the book down.
Little side note, after a few chapters, I realized I recognized some of the characters. Rebecca’s brother and sister in law are William and Julianna from the author’s debut novel, “The Truth About Miss Ashbourne.” You don’t have to read that one first to enjoy this one, but it’s always fun to recognize other characters and see a glimpse into their continued stories.
Anyway, so glad I get to end 2020 with a great book! Definitely one of my favorites this year. :-)

Rebecca Rowley is not afraid to break the rules society places upon her as an unmarried lady. From learning to ride bareback to laughing too much, she does what she makes her happy. Which now includes a secret engagement to a man her family would never approve of. She is overcome by all the secrets she is keeping from her family and finally finds someone to share her burden.
Lieutenant Avery is placed in Rebecca's path after she saves his sister from drowning. She is left with a very unfavorable impression of him, which slowly begins to change as she see's him in more normal situations. As their interactions become more than friendly, she decides to tell him the truth; about her engagement, and all the other oddities she indulges in. Lieutenant Avery seems to be a safe bet since he is not interested in marriage at all. But as they spend more time together, Rebecca's life becomes more complicated.
Things finally come to a head when all her secrets come out in the open on the same day, Rebecca has to decide how to manage all that is going on, while trying to be strong for her family in their time of need.
Otherwise Engaged is a delightfully enchanting read that will sweep you off your feet with all the romantic descriptions it contains. Joanna Barker does a wonderful job weaving a tale that is honest and hopeful. Rebecca is who she is, she isn't trying to impress anyone or rise to certain expectations, and as such she occasionally has to deal with awkward circumstances. The character development is beautiful and believable.

Rebecca's hiding her engagement but then she meets Nicholas after she rescues his little sister. The combination of the friendship, the engagement and the family secrets all come out at once. I found the book really easy to read and it was a lovely style. Joanna Barker captures your attention in the details as well as shying away from over-the-top romance which is always a welcome change!

This is the first book that I’ve read by Joanna Barker.

The characters seemed very modern, while the realities of the time, including the rules of conduct and engagement were most certainly of the era. I enjoyed the mix of characters that I could relate to alongside the structures and challenges of days gone by.

This sweet friendship turned romance was a thoroughly enjoyable, light read. I recommend it.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Otherwise Engaged is a romantic historical novel written by Joanna Barker.

Summary: Rebecca Rowley may seem like a (mostly) proper young lady on the outside, but she is hiding many daring secrets-one of which is that she is engaged.

But when Rebecca rescues a young girl from drowning, she finds herself drawn into a friendship with the girl's older brother, Lieutenant Nicholas Avery.

A wonderful friendship, a secret engagement, and a future to look forward to. Everything seems to be headed in the right direction until.....things aren't.

What will happen when her secrets, her family's past, and her future all collide at once?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, and read it in a single evening. It is well-written, has likeable and interesting characters, and I loved the storyline. I also thought the romance was wonderful-not in the least cheesy or overdone.

I am not sure what else to say other than it is a highly-enjoyable read, and definitely worth buying. It is so good, and one of my favorites for 2020-which is saying something as I am approaching 300 books for the year.

I would like to thank Covenant Communications for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Thank you!

Opening line:
"Of the many things that could be depended upon to make a young lady swoon, a love letter certainly made the list."

What a sweet regency romance! It was all told from Rebecca Rowley's point of view and it's fun to 'see' how family and friends view her. She's brave, independent and determined to live her own life. One of the things she enjoys is teaching herself to ride bareback (gasp!) which no well-brought up lady would dare do. She's also got a secret romance! She just has to tell her family that she's engaged to their family enemy.
Nicolas Avery is a navy man who returned home to take care of his step-sister. His duty is to find a good situation for her and return to the sea. But his plans change when his step-sister is saved from drowning by Rebecca.
I loved how this love story slowly progressed. I totally feel in love with Nicolas! He was so sweet and charming and had a quiet humor that was fun. Rebecca is strong and determined and makes some decisions that aren't great, but she learns from them and doesn't let them stop her.

Thanks to Covenant and netgalley for the early read.

This was a good read. Loved the character development and the story line was nicely done. Thank you to netgalley.

The more I think about this book, the more I like it. This heroine is a flawed, headstrong, and bordering on annoying young woman when the book opens, but by the end she matured beautifully. I so enjoyed the fact that, when confronted with certain childishness, she didn’t lash out, but reflected on it and found the truth in it. I was a proud mother hen in that moment. This book offers interesting characters and situations, and the language of the day was so well done! I will definitely read more by this author.

This clean, sweet Regency romance was a delight to read. The main character, Rebecca Rowley, was an unusual Regency heroine. Her independent thinking and intelligence, combined with a touch of immaturity and impulsiveness, made this a fun book to read. Nicholas made the perfect “hero” for Rebecca, although she would not admit that in the beginning of their relationship. She stubbornly held on to her secret engagement (one of which her family would not approve), even though her feelings for Nicolas grew in a more tender direction every day. The interaction between them was both frustrating and intriguing to Rebecca, and that led to some humorous moments in the book. This storyline moves along very well, and I enjoyed every moment of reading entertaining story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.