historical romance with a murder mystery twist. This is a fun read with undercover work and a dashing widower. of course Gideon and Cecilia fall in love...then danger ensues.

I have no idea why I let this book sit on my NetGalley shelf for a year but boy, did I miss out.

I loved every single page. It sucked me right in from the very first page and I couldn’t stop until I have read the very last one.

It’s a historical romance with a dash of mystery. Gideon’s first wife died in mysterious circumstances and the villagers think he killed her. Meanwhile, he is taking care of his niece, surrounded by a few people he trusts, a gloomy castle, and his own darkness.

Cecelia is determined to find out what happened there. She wants to believe her own gut but she’s not beyond taking some precautions… Like finding out how deep the moat surrounding the castle is on her very first day being a servant in Gideon’s residence. And of course, he found her throwing rocks in the moat at that very moment. She finds an excuse but Gideon has his eyes on her… and soon finds out she’s not the best of servants but she sure knows how to handle toddlers.

Being this close to each other raises some feelings inside each of them but also danger around them. What’s really happening in that castle?

I’ll tell you one thing. I had my suspects since the first day but even I was surprised to see the story unfolding as it did.

Definitely not my last read by this author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

This book is book 2 of the Swooning Virgins Society, a series I highly recommend. Sophia was nominated by the intrepid Lady Clifford to find out if Lord Darlington really murdered his wife, as was the scuttlebutt of the time, and he was now slated to marry another woman. Sophia managed to get herself hired as a maid at the marquess' household, though she did not prove to be a very effective maid LOL. Her strength was in working with children, though, and Lord Darlington had the care of his niece, daughter of his late brother, so she became the niece's....governess? Nurse? Anyway, during her free time Sophia tried to investigate the alleged sightings of the White Lady (purportedly Lady Darlington's ghost) without Lord Darlington noticing, but she sure managed to get into a lot of trouble (with him and in general) along the way. As Sophia and the marquess got to know each other, she came to realize he would have never hurt anyone, much less his wife. But who, then, was responsible? And what lengths would the perpetrator take to ensure Sophia (or someone else) never learned the truth? This book was definitely a mystery with a nice side of romance, I enjoyed the read and recommend this book!
I read this series out of order (book 4, then 1, 2, 3), which works out OK, but I think I'd have probably enjoyed it a little more if I'd read the books in order, so I do recommend that.

This book is not one of my favorite books. I was really taken in by the plot but I just didn't get into the character. I do hope the next one is better.

I really enjoyed this book! I feel horrible it took me so long to get to it but I’m glad I finally did because it was a good read! Looking forward to reading more works by this author.

I like gothic novels and this one was just up my alley. I loved the mystery, the cat sub-plot and the writing style. The cover is also really nice (but the title is a bit silly in my opinion ;).

This book was given to me by netgalley in return for a honest review.

Trope: mystery romance, opposites attract, with some whimsical and gothic vibes.

Cecelia a resident at The Clifford School for wayward girls. These ladies are given missions that help bring justice to aristocrats who think they've gotten away with their crimes.

Cecelia is sent out to the investigate the truth of Lord Darlington who is also a Marquess. She's to find out what really happened to his late wife to prove if he is a murderer or not. With luck not being on her side, he is in residence, which will only make her job only more difficult. She is disguised as a maid then later on climbs the latter and becomes the Governess to his neice Bella.

During her employment she gets to know him very well, and on several occasions he tries to dismiss her because of his growing affections and attraction towards her. When that happens, she simply ignores it and talks her way out of it. As the pair spend more time together they form a strong bond and become good friends. Their friendship helps and creates the foundation of their relationship which ultimately leads them romance and lastly to love one another. Cecelia works her way and breaks the wall to his heart but can he trust her? But she is also falling hard for him.
The truth finally comes out and why she is there. Acourse he is very upset but they handle it like mature individuals and stay together.

The Romance in this book is set at a slower pace but the tension is definitely there gnawing at you (in a good way). Kisses and intimate scenes does not happen til later in the book but well worth the wait. This is book #2 to her newest series, but can be read as a standalone. I recommend this book if you enjoy romance with a twist of mystery.

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

Cecelia Gilchrist doesn't really understand why she's been chosen to go undercover as a housemaid in Darlington Castle, the home of the Marquess of Darlington, who is presumed to have murdered his late wife. Though she's an ex-student of the Clifford School, she thinks her friends may have better chance of discovering the truth, but she puts her faith in Lady Clifford's hands, and makes a go of it. As soon as she arrives, she locks heads with Gideon Rhys, the Marquess himself, and is dismissed no less than three times - but she refuses to leave. Because of Gideon's upcoming wedding, she needs to find out the truth quickly, and when she becomes nursemaid to Gideon's adorable four year old niece, Isabella, she's even less inclined to leave. But, the longer she spends at Darlington Castle, with Gideon, she realises he could never have killed his wife, and, even more worryingly, she's falling for him. Can they work out the truth behind the ghost who 'haunts' the castle, and be able to clear Gideon's name, once and for all?

I started this book straight after I finished the first in the series, and though I loved it, I was a little gutted with how little we saw of the others in the series - especially Sophia and Tristan. However, this one has definitely set the scene for book 3, which I can't wait to get into. In this book, anyway, we see Cecelia, who is slightly more soft-hearted, but just as feisty as Sophia, as she works to discover the truth about the late Marchioness of Darlington's death, and put an end to the murder rumours floating around - if possible. She doesn't get off to an auspicious start, but soon ingratiates herself in the household, and becomes indispensable to Lord Darlington. Little Lady Isabella just loves Cecelia, and Cecelia loves her back, and even if Gideon could force himself to send Cecelia away, he wouldn't do it to Isabella. Though Gideon is marrying in a few short weeks, to a young lady who seems to be able to face the idea of marrying a perceived murderer, he doesn't care for her at all, and can't keep his mind off Cecelia. And then there's also the issue of a 'ghost' haunting the town and his estate, forcing servants away, and keeping up the murder claims even after time has passed. Like in book 1, the mystery kept me gripped, and though this time around I worked out who the culprit was, it didn't lessen the enjoyment at all. Rather, I think I preferred this book to the previous one, somewhat, perhaps because of the way Gideon and Cecelia interacted with each other, and the love and affection they had for the other, and for Isabella. They quickly formed a little family within the household, even when it seemed like all was against them and they wouldn't be able to be together. Luckily, I've got a copy of book 3 already to read, as the little mentions of Lord Haslemere and Georgiana make me think it may be even better than the previous books! Another fantastic story from an author I'm so glad I've discovered!

This romance also had some mystery and thrill. I enjoyed the twist reveal even if I saw it coming as a fan of Jane Eyre. Gideon was a worthy leading man and his relationship with his niece was adorable. Cecilia's naivete could get a bit annoying at times but her relationship with Gideon was hot.

This book hit a couple of my sweet spots - historical romance and Gothic romance, so I was happy to get the chance to read an advance copy. I hadn't read the first in this new series so I did read that one first, and I very much enjoyed them both. The Virgin in the title has been sent "undercover" as a housemaid to investigate whether the owner killed his first wife. She's not well suited to be a housemaid, though, and ends up serving as nursemaid to the owner's 4-year-old niece. The Gothic element was strong in this one - from the creepy estate in the country (even the owner, Lord Darlington himself, acknowledges the creep factor) with locked rooms and secret passageways, to a ghost that reportedly has been spotted on the grounds. There's even a black cat. All in all I very much enjoyed this one and look forward to Anna Bradley's next installment in the series - and to finding more of her books to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

This was a great read! I loved how complex the mystery was versus just the usual romantic tension. Lord Darlington was the perfect combination of wrecked and romantic. Cecilia was engaging despite her lack of confidence in her ability to ferret out the truth. I am really looking forward to the story between Georgiana and Haslemere!

I loved this book till Cecilia accepted Gideon's proposal. But then I was disappointed because I didn't like the epilogue because wasn't much in the future. Only three months. After reading 829 pages (according to my phone of course), I couldn't think 'that' as an ending. Was that a joke? Then after the girls moment in Clifford School before the epilogue, there's no mention of what happened after Gideon's proposal to Cecilia. I mean no interaction between Gideon and Lady Clifford as well as Cecilia's friends? To me, they seemed to be a big part of this book but then they became invisible and totally unimportant; only mentioned at the end because Cecilia went back to them. I wanted at least some interaction between the Clifford girls before the whole investigation actually began. Then again, who cares what I want, right?🙄 Hence I think there was a big communication gap between the characters that should've been important. Anyway, moving along, I loved Haslemere, Gideon's best friend. Also, loved the all the investigation and the mystery part. Although, there wasn't much of a mystery to begin with.

The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington by Anna Bradley is a great read if you're looking for romance with a side of mystery/suspense! Cecelia is a member of the Clifford School, where she's learned to investigate and solve mysteries. When a friend of the school becomes engaged to "The Murderous Marquess", Cecelia is sent to find out if the rumors of his involvement in his late wife's death are true. She goes undercover as a maid to get to the bottom of the mystery. Gideon, Lord Darlington, wants a new mother for his young niece, and he doesn't trust the new housemaid. For one thing, she's far too pretty to be a maid...

This is the first book by Anna Bradley that I've read, and I wasn't sure what I was getting in to. The title threw me off a little, to be honest. However, the farther I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it. Cecelia was a wonderful character with a quick wit and was unafraid to speak her mind, even knowing it could jeopardize her whole mission. Gideon was a big softie (of course!) and it was nice to see him grow as well.

The biggest plot of this book was the mystery - a "white lady", rumored to be the late marchioness' ghost, has been seen haunting the grounds of Darlington castle. Bradley does an excellent job of feeding clues throughout the book, and the climax feels natural and satisfying. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

A gothic romance with a scary lady ghost terrorizing the castle, a brave, gentle and empathetic heroine and a distraught grief stricken hero. I loved the heroine, Cecilia, because she was one of the most tenderhearted and sweet pupils of Lady Clifford but was still quite fearless. My heart broke a little for Gideon, Lord Darlington for what he has been through. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Such a wonderful writer, whose work I really enjoy. I loved the first book in this series, and this one did not disappoint either.

Lady Amanda Clifford has sent Cecilia Gilchrist to investigate the mystery of Gideon Rhys, Lord Darlington, who has recently been vilified as a wife killer. He is now called The Murderous Marquess, and the locals swear that the ghost of his wife is haunting the woods on his estate. Despite the damage to his reputation, Gideon has finally managed to get himself engaged to a beautiful debutante, Miss Fanny Honeywell, in order to move on with his life and as a mother figure for his toddler niece Isabelle. His betrothed and her mother Mrs Honeywell are due to arrive when Cecelia arrives, masquerading as the new housemaid, when the estate is desperate for staff.

When Gideon sees a woman throwing stones into his moat, he is instantly sceptical when she says she is the new housemaid, and dismisses her on the spot, that is only the first of a number of dismissals that don't stick, because Cecilia refuses them.

Cecelia doesn't understand why Lady Clifford has sent her, rather than all the other girls, who she believes are more talented, so better suited than her to do this work. She is a very compassionate and empathetic, and tries to see good in everyone. While she investigates, Cecelia works for Mrs Briggs the housekeeper and befriends Amy the maid assigned to look after Isabelle. 4 year old Isabelle and Cecelia are instantly drawn to each other, and very soon, Cecelia becomes nursemaid to her. Cecilia instinctively doesn't believe the grumpy Lord D has murdered his wife, but she does know he is keeping secrets. Isabelle sleeps in Lord Darlington's sitting room, adjacent to both his room, and the late Lady Darlington's. Cecelia shares Isabelle's room, as she is never to be left alone, and she is absolutely forbidden to go into the marchionesses quarters, but of course, when there is a strange scratching coming from behind the door, of course she has to investigate.

This was a delicious read, with a classic Gothic feel; the mysterious White Lady, locked rooms, strange cats, lights flickering in the woods are all present and correct. Both the MC's were well fleshed out characters, Gideon suspicious and haughty, undermined almost immediately by Cecelia at their first meeting, intuitive, kind and resourceful Cecilia, indomitable and persistent, despite her self confidence issues. The romance was beautifully judged as always, and i enjoyed the gothic plot and all of the side characters, especially Seraphina, Lord Haslemere and little Isabella.

I loved it. <chef kiss>

i voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington by Anna Bradley is the second book in the series called The Swooning Virgin’s Society. (Isn’t the name of the series a riot!) This historical romance follows the women of the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. Their job is to find and ‘resolve’ members of the Ton who are dangerous and perhaps even evil. The women were plucked out of oblivion as children and have been taught to ask questions and find justice.

Cecilia Gilchrist was sent to find out if Gideon Rhys, Marquess of Darlington murdered his wife. If he did, then the Clifford Charity School needed to know to stop his new engagement. When Cecilia goes to Darlington Castle, she has been hired as a maid, but her talent for children is quickly uncovered and she is asked to help with the Lord's young niece. As the story progresses, she finds various pieces of evidence that suggests that there is more going on at the Castle than previously suspected, and that she is falling for Gideon.

I feel like I have read this story before - a shorter version without as much detail. I wonder if it has been published as a short story. Nonetheless, I seemed to know the ending and some of the happenings, but not them all. It was interesting with some of the newer story pieces. I found I enjoyed the novel as a whole.
The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington by Anna Bradley was a good read.

4.5 stars

Cecilia Gilchrist, now twenty-three, was rescued from the Foundling Hospital at the age of seven by Lady Amanda Clifford, who sheltered and educated Cecilia in the school she established. Lady Clifford’s passion is to aid women in whatever fashion needed when men and the system fail them. Her current quest is to discover whether the fiancé of a young lady is truly guilty of murdering his first wife, as society is whispering. Cecilia is the one chosen to do the investigating, posing as a maid, as she tries to uncover the truth. As this is Cecilia’s first assignment, she feels totally inadequate for the task, but is equally determined not to disappoint her benefactress.

Gideon Rhys, Marquess Darlington, has been dubbed as the Murderous Marquess by society and even by his own townspeople. They even perpetuate the rumors of ghost sightings on his property, convinced that his dead wife has returned, seeking vengeance. In truth, Gideon loved his late wife, and mourned her loss greatly. But now he’s determined to forge ahead, and find a convenient wife, one who will guide and care for his beloved young niece. His fiancée, Fanny, is due to arrive shortly, and their wedding is to take place soon after. He wants everything to be perfect for Fanny, so he is in dire need of servants. Though he’s convinced the new maid, Cecilia, is anything but a maid, he’s willing to put aside his doubts, and let her stay, at least, for the moment.

Though Cecilia manages to screw up time and again, she’s somehow able to talk around Gideon, convincing him to let her stay. When Cecilia forms a solid relationship with his niece, Isabella, Gideon includes the care of her as part of Cecilia’s duties. There is no doubt that there are strange happenings – locked doors mysteriously opening, clothing appearing out of nowhere, and a perplexing cat who comes and goes at will, seemingly determined to lead Cecilia into trouble with her employer.

Gideon can’t deny that he’s more attracted to his perplexing employee than he is to his beautiful fiancée, but he’s an honorable man, one who won’t take advantage of those under his protection, or dishonor his commitments. Gideon, is, in fact, a stellar man, one falsely accused and greatly hurt by the whispers about him. His life has been full of loss, first, his older brother, the former marquess, then his wife, and we soon learn that his loss has even more of a tragic turn. Will the “ghost” drive his fiancée away? Will he ever be free to pursue his attraction to Cecilia? Will he ever be vindicated?

Cecilia is an adorable bungler with the best intentions. Her investigations always seem to put her in the wrong place at the wrong time with Gideon, yet she always manages to talk her way around him. Their mutual attraction remains forbidden for much of the book, as he is committed elsewhere, but once they are free, I love how they are together. Though inexperienced, Cecilia brings joy to a man who has had to endure too much sorrow, as well as being the catalyst for solving the mystery. THE VIRGIN WHO VINDICATED LORD DARLINGTON is quick paced and entertaining, while still being able to be romantic and touching. It’s a book I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Loved everything about this story. Characters are well developed. The storyline is great. Kept my attention the entire time. It was emotional, fun, heartwarming and heartbreaking. I won't tell you any spoilers, just sit back and enjoy the mystery and the solution!

For me this was a solid read, if a little flat in some places, and more than a little unbelievable in others.

Gideon and Cecilia were interesting characters - I enjoyed the way she stood up to him when he was being unreasonable, and I loved the way she protected his niece Isabella. At times, I found him to be a bit of a brute, but once the story picked up and he started showing his more protective side, I warmed up to him (a bit. I still found him to be a bit ridiculous sometimes). What really got me about them as a couple though was the fact that although he finally let down his walls and became brutally honest with her, she continued to keep parts of herself hidden from him. And even once those things "came out", I still don't feel like he fell in love with her for who she really was. I wish he would have waited to tell her he loved her until later once the truth of her was revealed.

As for the haunting story-line, it was good until it crossed a point to where I started to think it would have been better off if there had been an actual ghost. Without giving anything away, all I can say is, one why wasn't a doctor summoned for his first wife (and if one was why did he not recognize what was going on), and two, how is it with all of Gideon's searching of the castle grounds, how did he not find the one thing that he would need in order to put a quick stop to the shenanigans going on? And more to the point, once he came to know the truth of the matter, why didn't he tell anyone else? Surely at least the footmen should have been made aware so they could have better protected everyone.

Despite these few things, this was still a fast paced story (while still managing to be a slow burn romance), that I believe will appeal to those who enjoy stories in a more "gothic romance" sort of genre. I will definitely read more from this author (especially if the next book is about Georgianna and Gideon's friend - I know there is a story there)!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I enjoyed this book and had to go back to grab the first book in the series! I'll definitely be picking up more books by Anna Bradley as I found this one to be a quick and enjoyable read.