This was a lovely enjoyable lesbian romance read. It is a great representation of the LGBTQ+ community. The ending felt a little rushed but overall a good read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Nora considered. “This seems a fair bargain. I will gain a husband, and you will gain respite from your mother.”
“So we have an agreement?”
“We do.”

Set in the Regency era, Lady Nora was brought to London from the countryside by her Aunt Mildred to find a match and carry on her lifeline. After a stumble with Miss Jacqueline Lockhart at a ball, the pair made their acquaintances and Nora took the opportunity to befriend the former after being enticed by her charisma, ease and presence.

Repeatedly and openly rejected and deemed too shy, Nora kept seeing opportunities to get a suitor pass her by until she sought the help of Jacquie.

Jacquie, the belle of dances was highly sought after yet fiercely independent and mindful of her own passions. With no plans to settle down while nursing a broken heart got her to work together with Nora to get her mother off her back.

With Jacquie’s free spirited ways and guiding, Nora blossomed. Coming into the city, Nora’s deep yearning for freedom opened her eyes to another world and with her growing admiration for Jacquie, things came to a standstill with Nora’s plan to be married.

3.5 stars for me. The ladies were gusty and lovable characters, finding and fighting their way for love while trapped in an era where women were only to wed a man and to wed a noble man.

I just reviewed Her Lady to Love by Jane Walsh. #NetGalley

A country mouse meets a fabulous party girl looking for love. What more could you ask for in a historical romance? The story begins with small intimate interactions as Jacqueline and Nora discover that they can be more than friends. Their friendship blossoming into something more was absolutely delightful.

I also enjoyed the conflict of Nora actually having come to London to find a husband (despite her wishes) and the deadline in finding one also added a hint of urgency to her romance with Jacqueline. Not to mention that Jacqueline has also promised to help her friend (and another ex-lover) Beatrice to land a husband as well. And when both women seem to land on the same man for a prize...well, the drama does get quite entertaining. And as in any good fluffy historical romance, the last third of the book cranks up the romantic comedy for a final flourish of entertainment.

Of final note, I did also appreciate the tact in which Jane Walsh handled some brief but important scenes. For example, having the male not-so-love-interest discuss how fireworks made him anxious because of his time in the army, and having one of Jacqueline’s friends confront her about the shocked feelings she had when Jacqueline learned one of her female friends actually preferred to present himself as a man. These could have been throwaway lines, but I really appreciated seeing them in a romance novel.

Netgalley:

Her Lady to Love was a fun take on the lesbian romance. It is hard to write period dramas and have happy endings for lesbian characters. This was satisfying and happy, a bit indulgent but most likely if you are reading this, you know that already. 3 stars easily.

I'm always on the hunt for historical romances about women who love women, and 'Her Lady to Love' hit all the right emotional buttons for me. This charming opposites attract story follows two queer women on the marriage mart who build an alliance to help each other reach their goals. But when they fall for each other, will they choose their relationship or the heterosexual marriage expected of them by their families? I loved the world that Jane Walsh created: Lady Honora and Miss Jacqueline develop friendships with a number of other LGBTQ+ characters within society. There are many different versions of LGBTQ+ life depicted in a way that feels historically appropriate while still hopeful and fun. I'd definitely recommend this books for fans of historical romance looking for a queer HEA.

The storyline seemed like it would be a good book but I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. I got about half way through it and really didn't car if I finished it.

When I read summary of this book, I wanted to dive into it as soon as possible. Better yet, immediately. I love historical romances. And a sapphic historical romance? It's what the world (and this humble reviewer) needs more of!

Sadly, in the end, I feel a tiny bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong - this was a good story. Definitely would recommend. It's fun, it's sexy (though not explicit), it has this regency vibe of longing and "a touch of your ungloved hand kills me" thing going on.

At the same time, there were some issues with this book that took away from my general enjoyment, such as pacing, which was all over the place. The beginning dragged on quite a bit, while the ending felt absolutely rushed. More than that, the romance between Honora and Jacqueline didn't really have time to develop in all of that? They had some amazing moments and I loved their meet-cute, and the flirtation that followed (like sending gifts, the covert glances, innocent not-so-innocent touches - I live for that stuff!). But other than that, to me it didn't feel like they actually got to know each other that well, as their conversations mostly revolved around their attempts at finding husband for Honora.

Now onto what I absolutely adored about this book - the secondary characters and the sense of community. Apart from Nora and Jacquie, author introduces a plethora of queer characters as well as a transgender character. I loved the kinship, solidarity and support that was shared between them and how author focused on LGBTQ+ community, not only on the romance. To be honest, I would love to read more stories set in this universe, especially book on George, but also Phin and his Duke, and even Bea.

What it all comes down to is this - while this was not perfect, "Her Lady to Love" is still an impressive addition to the genre and one I don't hesitate to recommend. There are times when make-you-feel-good vibes are more important than pacing issues and this is one of those times.

Historical romance has become a draw for me. The attraction is the reserve of the time period with folks navigating the restraints to finds their true self. I like the language of the time. I had to take a pause here and there to look up some of the words and that was fun and enlightening. The reads also provide an education about what were the thoughts and happenings during that time, which in my opinion is always a good thing.

What an interesting read with strong characters that were easy to like. To be "anyone" and to find comfort in life, you need to marry and if possible, marry well. Lady Honora (Nora) Banfield, is looking for a husband. This marriage will provide the resources to repair her country house. She grew up and loves the country and hope to return at least part of the time after she marries. Nora believes this will make her, her deceased parents, and her Aunt Mildred happy. Miss Jacqueline (Jacquie) Lockhart, is not looking for a husband. She is looking to have a good time in her sixth season. The supporting characters are a wonderful addition to the story, especially Lady Georgina Smith and Miss Beatrice Everson.

The only thing that holds me back from a five star is the ending. It is difficult to find the words to describe how the ending unfolded. In my opinion, I was dissatisfied due to that fact it did not fit the flow of the read.

I jumped at the chance to read this because a F/F regency romance? sign me up.

Unfortunately, this was not at all what I was expecting. I've had to force myself to read it and have made it to 25% over several days and just can't anymore. The pace is glacial. For every sentence that actually moves the plot or characterization or anything along, there are five that are just filler of excruciatingly slow movements (putting on gloves, pushing food around a plate, etc.) The characters are completely flat and I'm not interested in reading more about any of them. The plot is so far nonexistent.

This is a DNF because reading it is sloooooooooow torture and I have other better things to read.

A fun and enjoyable lgbtq+ Regency romance, exploring some interesting themes and the difficulties of the time.

I'm sure all would be well if I could just be friends with Phin and George, what lovely supportive friends and really interesting characters in their own right. Where as Bea...I was not a fan of. Tbh I didn't particularly like the two main characters that much either but that's just personal taste, they were all well written and I enjoyed their story overall. This is my first book by Jane Walsh but I'm sure it won't be my last!

Thank you Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

We need more sapphic historical romance in this world, and this book is definitely a step in the right direction. Romance lovers, be warned: this is a slowwww burn, but it is delightful to watch. The sex scenes are on the tame side, so this would also be a great book to give to someone who isn't looking for steamy or erotic content and/or just entering the world of romance. There's a lot of information here about "seasons" and "debuting" and finding a husband (ironically), but it makes it feel grounded in the era. An excellent addition to any romance collection.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

When I read the description for this book, I knew I needed to read it; I mean, a lady who goes to London to look for a husband but ends up falling in love with the woman who was supposed to help her find one? Yeah, more of that please.

I will start by saying that even though this book had great representation and the solidarity between the various LGBTQ+ characters was really heartwarming, I feel like it needed to be worked on a little more.
The execution was a bit weak and boring at times especially in the first half. The second half picked up a little, there were some romantic and emotional scenes that I enjoyed, particularly one in the last chapter.
I think the main flaw this book had was the characterization: most of the characters didn't feel realistic because they acted and spoke in a very theatrical way, their actions were often over the top. One of the characters I liked the least was the main character's supposed best friend, I wrote "supposed" because she was more of a frenemy and a parody, she would say everything and the opposite.
Moreover, the relationship between the two main characters was very superficial and underdeveloped, I would say it got better in the last 30% but before that they didn't really have any chemistry.

Despite these things, I didn't struggle too much while reading it, sure the plot could've been more entertaining and the love story more fleshed out but overall it was an okay read.

I'm always excited about queer historical romance, but I found Her Lady to Love a little bit underwhelming. I struggled to like one of the heroines, Jacquie, as she was often rude and self-centred to the point where I really couldn't see why any of her friends liked her, let alone Honora. The pacing is incredibly slow - the first few chapters are well done, with the women meeting and navigating the awkwardness of flirting without knowing for sure if the other is interested in women, but after that, the book becomes extremely repetitive.

It's realistic for sapphic women in this period to be concerned about marrying a man to hide their sexuality, but this seemed to make up 95% of the book as both characters flip-flopped about whether or not Honora should marry an earl. It got very tedious, and after this painstaking discussion of the realities of queer life, the Happily Ever After felt like an enormous cop out - it's the stuff of pure fantasy. I feel like this book really struggled to know what line it wanted to walk - the HEA seems to have been shoehorned into an otherwise non-fluffy read without much thought as to tone. It does get bonus points for the side character of George, a trans man who has a much more realistic way of carving out space for himself, but I felt short-changed to have persevered through so much time agonising over Honora's decision on whether to marry or not to disguise her sexuality, only to have it all thrown out as if it didn't matter at the end.

Historical romances are my jam, man, and Jane Walsh did not disappoint. I loved the story and how the two MC’s felt a connection in the beginning, while one understood what that connection meant, the other was clueless. I loved how they became friends and how their bond grew stronger as they got to know each other. Well done!

This historical romance focuses on "wallflower" Lady Honora, who has been living in the country following the death of her parents and is coming out into society to find a husband, accompanied by her overbearing but loving(?) aunt. Miss Jacqueline Lockhart is in her sixth season and is much more interested in her fellow debutantes than she is in finding a man to marry. Jacqueline makes a deal to help Nora find a husband in exchange for invitations to more upper-crust balls to relieve some pressure from her mother, leading to the women spending more time together and develop feeling for each other. There is also a supporting cast of a number of queer characters.

First, I love historical romance, even the wallflower trope. I also love lesbian romance. (Yes, I guess I just really like romance.) With all of this, I thought I would love this book. Unfortunately, I did not. I didn't care about the characters and found many of them outright annoying. The plot was fairly unbelievable, as well. Even the sex scenes were anemic and featured language such as "her sweet pearl". Not my favorite, but also not a lot of f/f regency romances, so maybe it's worth a read anyway?

I love this book. Incomparable, happenstance - reading these words made me swoon with delight because they are so regency romance. The book isn’t Pembroke Park, but I’m not sure any book could ever live up to my first foray into lesbian historical romance. Regardless of my yearning for books gone past, this book does a very good job of matching those heady early reading years of mine. Indeed it has all the highlights. Ladies at balls, searching (or maybe not searching) for a husband. Aunts helping nieces launch into society. Earls and Duchesses. Joy upon joy. And is there a happy ending? Well, read it and find out!

3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgallery and Jane Walsh for the ARC!

Her Lady to Love is a lesbian love story about two women trying to find their place amongst nagging families, gossiping society and so-called friends who might cause more harm than genuine friendship. It's sweet, light and funny but could benefit from some editing in regards to the overall pacing.

I rounded this up because overall, I really enjoyed HLTL; the story was light and full of easy-reading charm. It had moments of depth and emotion and I wished it developed certain plot points outside of the central romance (especially the lgbt+ community and its place in this era). The main two characters are lovely and their romance blossoms rather quickly but earnestly; I like seeing women become friends and lovers without questioning themselves, but rather the issues coming from outside sources such as societal pressures. It's nice to see good communication as well!

The book gets a lot of points for addressing issues of gender and lgbt+ roles but I really wish the author cut down on some bits in the beginning and expanded the ending further instead; I would've loved seeing Nora and Jacqueline find their own place in a society they've created and a found family they chose too. The ending was a bit rushed too, but I felt satisfied for the hopeful ending hinted at too.

All in all, a lovely enjoyable lesbian romance read.

What a delightful queer Regency era romance. While the plot felt a bit drawn out and meandering at times, as a whole Her Lady To Love was a beautiful addition to the romance genre, and a much appreciated queer involvement. I'll definitely be looking into more of Walsh's works!

I was not expecting a cozy historical romance with this one, and I did. This is set in London during the Georgian Regency era of the early 1800's. I loved, that while it still concentrates on the London 'season' it still brings in some of the issues of the day. It has talk of the start of the women's movement in England, some lgbt issues, and even minor political jockeying that happens at the balls. It gives just the right amount of historical ambiance to help provide some tension between our two leading ladies.

As for our leads, you have the bubbly, charismatic Jaqueline Lockhart who is a beauty and loves the attention she garners from attending the balls. And then you have the quiet, sensitive Lady Honora Banfield. They meet when Jaqueline is literally turned into Honora by Jaqueline's dancing partner. It was a lovely meet cute, and the attraction is immediate on Jacqueline's part. Jacueline was taken with Honora's reserve and grace, when others found those characteristics off putting. They seemed to understand each other, and each meeting seems to deepen that bond. Of course, there's some tension about their lot in life, and how they overcome it. I found the conflict and resolution to be very grounded, even if not common. I think that's what so good about this book and the romance. It builds so smoothly that it is hard not to appreciate. By the end of the book I still couldn't believe that the women had really only met and been involved with each other for only about two months or so. The romance felt fast, but it still felt like they knew each other so well. This is one of the few books that managed to pull of the whirlwind romance well, and I loved it.

I also have to give a shout out to the little historical and cultural details that are used throughout the book. Sometimes, especially in lesfic, they are only here or there that it doesn't help the emersion. Then there's the heavy focus on details that grinds everything to a halt. This one just seamlessly integrates them into the action, and it gives the whole thing more depth. Walsh uses fan language, actually as a servant give a character a calling card, and they all sound like they belong in that era. I loved all of it.

If you are looking for a sweet, cozy romance with grounded leads, this is for you. The author's dedication to the little cultural details do help flesh out the setting so much more. I also loved how buttery smooth everything tied together. Nothing seemed to be out of place, and the romance had some stakes. Loved all of it, with only a couple of minor quibbles. Highly Recommended.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

* I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

First time reading something from Jane Walsh and it definitely won't be the last. I normally don't read historical novels as they are not exactly my cup of tea but this one intrigued me a lot from the description and thankfully it was a great read.
Lady Honora, a country mouse, comes to London with the only objective to find a husband with her aunt's help. She meets Jacqueline in a social gathering and they decide to help each other with their respective goals. Jacqueline will help Nora find a potential suitor and Nora will get Jacqueline invites to the most exclusive events and somehow satisfy Jacqueline's parents who start to wonder why she haven't found a powerful husband yet.
I really liked the language and the descriptions the author used, it really helped me get into the book and I literally devoured it in one evening. I wholeheartedly recommend it!