I think what made me fall in love with this book was how the hero, Brandon, the Marquess of Hullworth understood the peculiarity of Elodie Parrish so well, that it seemed as if he was explaining to the reader what made her unique and irresistible in his eyes. Typically her long list of fears and misguided belief in others would have been off-putting but Brandon made it come off as endearing. The fact that Ellie was constantly explaining to Brandon how he made her feel was adorable (and I use that word as a high compliment).

I really didn't want this story to end. I wanted to see this couple through to their 80's as they hit all the milestones they had mentioned in this story. I am really hoping that Ellie and Brandon make several appearances as the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series continues.

Absolutely charming!

Elodie "Ellie" Parrish is a young woman who see chaos, catastrophe and death lurking around every corner. Her fear of an uncertain future has her clinging to a lifelong friendship with "boy-child" George and the promise of a safe and comfortable marriage between the two of them.

Enter Brandon.

Brandon Stredwick, Marquess of Hullworth and "London's Most Elusive Bachelor" is under siege by a gaggle of marriage hungry debutantes wherever he goes and quite fed up with all their little tricks to gain his attention. So, when he collides with a beautiful young lady at a garden party he automatically assumes the worst.

When the same young lady befriends his sister, Brandon believes his suspicions have been confirmed, but soon finds out that he couldn't have been more wrong. Even worse, there is an undeniable spark whenever they are together and there is nothing he can do about it once it becomes clear that Ellie is already spoken for.

However, some feelings just can't be denied and as their friendship grows into something more and Brandon works with Ellie to conquer her fears, it becomes clear that they are meant to be together...if only he can convince her of that!

Ms. Lorret's writing is poetry in motion, interlacing humorlessly, witty banter between characters, with breathtakingly sweet moments of tenderness and an artist's eye for detail when setting each scene.

"The dawn was still dreaming while a full moon hung over their heads, and a silver glow blanketed their path to the stables."

She has taken what could easily have been labelled a "Debbie Downer" character in Ellie and instead made her quirky, sweet, endearing and brave, and created a unforgettable hero with Brandon that would set any girls heart to flutter.

Brilliant storytelling from beginning to end, ensuring that The Wrong Marquess will definitely be placed on my "Read it again" check list.

I received a copy of this from the publisher, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Personally, I chose to regard this as a tribute to Jane Austen because, well... nothing happens in this book. Like literally, nothing. They go to balls, they go to the zoo, they go on walks and then they go to the country side. I suppose losing one's notebook a couple of times would count as 'events' in the book. There is a lot of 'he's thinking'/ 'she's thinking', the secondary characters are fun but not overly memorable and the angst in the story is very very low. There's something that resembles an event at about 75% of the book (because, let's be fair, that's the romance recipe) but it's still not overly exciting. Still, if we look at this as an Austen tribute there is much to be said for the use of the language and how witty some of the characters are. The (one!) love scene is outdoors - again, I think somebody sent a chain e-mail to HR authors saying that sex in a bed or at least under a roof is boring because the last three historical romances I've read had this activity on an island in the middle of a lake, in a cave and by fake ruins.

This book had me laughing from the first page until the last! In fact, I would say that I had not laughed so hard while reading a book all year, and The Wrong Marquess brought that smile to my face that seems so much more difficult during these tough times. The story is so goofy and loveable and fun, so even while there were moments where the heroine felt too naive and too blinded by that naivete, I still couldn't help but feel engaged and in love with the story. Vivienne Lorret has that wonderful way of writing that makes you feel like you're watching an episode of Friends - it's comfortable, relatable, and above all, entertaining.

Elodie Parrish, Ellie to her friends, has known who she would marry since she was seven years old. When her father died and she bonded with a boy from the neighboring estate, who was also an orphan like her, they made an agreement that they would marry each other one day. Ellie took that seriously but George...not so much. Fast forward 18 years and Ellie is still 25 and unwed...and disgruntled about it. Keeping herself occupied by assisting her friends in writing a guide on the marriage habits of gentleman, she is observing several proposals at a garden party when she collides with a man. Brandon Stredwick, the Marquess of Hullworth, has had it with the marriage-minded ladies - and their mothers - chasing after him. He assumes Ellie is just another young lady trying to catch him and treats her harshly, but when she befriends his sister, he has no choice but to spend time in her company. Jaded by a past love gone wrong, he wants nothing to do with love again...until he realizes Ellie might just be that special person for him. If only she weren't in love with someone else...

Ellie was a hoot! She was without guile, carefree yet kind, and she genuinely cared about everyone around her. Except for Brandon, at first, though she couldn't help but feel for him as she witnessed how her fellow unwed ladies treated him. She had never really experienced what true love felt like, and she just assumed that George was the one for her. I think she had convinced herself that she was in love, until she met Brandon and realized what love truly felt like. It was frustrating at times to watch her continue to fight her attraction to Brandon, while we as readers read on with disgust at George and his obvious disregard for Ellie. Not to mention what we learn about him later on in the book, which caused me to literally growl at my tablet screen. The man is not a good person, at all. Brandon, by contrast, was a wonderful human being and one more deserving of love than anyone in this book. The sweet man was gruff on the outside but a veritable marshmallow on the inside. He loved his sister, went to great lengths to woo Ellie and protect her, and even as she acknowledged their love, she was still held back from fully embracing Brandon. My heart hurt watching them two sort things out. Of course, as in all romance books, things sort themselves out by the end, and I was happy to see them happy.

I was so happy to read this book prior to publication, and I can't wait to continue reading this series. You don't need to read the previous books to enjoy this one, but of course, it always helps.

I am such a fan of this series! I loved this story of Brandon and Ellie. When she stumbles into him by accident, he assumes that she is just another marriage-minded woman out to catch a man and his history of being constantly chased by such women makes him skeptical and rude from the first moment. Ellie's fears and idea of marriage to a childhood friend keep her from seeing Brandon for the cinnamon roll that he truly is but her friendship with his sister and his continued kindness and consideration for her eventually win the day. I loved his love for her. I adored his patience and his thoughtfulness for her fears and anxiety. Brandon is a swoon-worthy hero that I will be adding to my list of faves. If you like a cinnamon roll, a historical anxiety rep and just a fun story, you need to pick up The Wrong Marquess. Don't feel like you have to read the first two books in order, but you won't be sad if you do.

Ellie has such debilitating fears of so many things. I believe that she keeps choosing George because he's an easy choice. By choosing Brandon, there are many fears to face first.
The Wrong Marquess, is a wonderful novel.

Another great example of why Vivienne Lorret has become an auto-buy author for me. This book had humor, heart, and a page-turning pace. I loved Brandon's emotional maturity, something that's often lacking in romance heroes. While he begins angry and suspicious, he doe realize he's wrong, and even recognizes his personal issues that have led him there. He doesn't hold grudges over past hurts. And when he falls in love with Ellie, he embraces the feeling rather than trying to deny or ignore it. As a person with anxiety, I really felt for Ellie and her difficulties. Her plight was funny at times, but also deeply serious, and seeing her slowly work to help herself with Brandon's support was lovely. I was left with a smile on my face and eager for the next in the series.

Hmmm. Let’s see. Should Ellie choose the man she decided to marry when she was seven years old? George is rude, demeaning, childish, and unfeeling. Or, should she marry Brandon? He’s kind, handsome, rich, and adores her, quirks and all. She does have quirks. Suffering from anxiety, phobias, and nightmares. She has an obsessive fear of dying. A sewing needle prick to her finger has her imagining dying from blood loss. Her parents dying when she was young traumatized her. I do admire her determination finally to overcome her fears. The story though is bland.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 & it’s just AMAZING! Every single page! By far my favorite read this year! (It’s going to be hard to beat) I love Vivienne Lorret and how wonderful her story telling and characters are. Just perfection. Brandon and Ellie have a fun meet cute, Brandon is grumpy and ungentlemen like while Ellie is trying to make her escape to the retiring area….she bumps into him. Brandon doesn’t believe for one second this was an accident, as all the ladies of the ton are after him for marriage. He’s had his heart broken once and he won’t be doing that again. Ellie has been waiting for her childhood friend to propose since, well her adult life. Ellie is getting impatient but knows there couldn’t possibly be anyone else to spend her life with. These two are in for an awaking in life, love, and lust! Brandon and Ellie start out as enemies than gradually become friends who eventually cross the line. Brandon is such a sweet hero once you get past his gruffness. Which really just adds to his attractiveness! I truly believe Ellie and Brandon were meant to be! They are perfectly match and push each other in ways needed! I love when a hero falls first and works for his heroine! *swoon* I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book! I’m 100% looking forward to the next in the series;)

The Wrong Marquess is the third book in Vivienne Lorret’s The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. It features Miss Elodie Parrish, a woman who has waited her whole life for her next door neighbor to propose to her, and London’s Most Elusive Bachelor, Brandon, Marquess of Hullworth. Brandon is great, I enjoyed the plot and I wish I could give the book  a higher grade, but Ellie was just so incredibly frustrating that she kept me from loving it completely.

Elodie’s father died when she was seven and two things happened on the day of his funeral: 1) Ellie became convinced nearly anything and everything could cause her death and 2) Ellie saw her neighbor George in a favorable light for the first time. They became best friends, with George promising to one day marry her. Fast forward eighteen years and Ellie is still waiting for George to propose. He continually tells her he just needs to sow his wild oats and she’ll be the first to know when he’s ready. While she’s waiting for this to happen, she literally runs into Brandon Stredwick, Marquess of Hullworth, and after he refuses to retrieve her dropped handkerchief, decides he’s incredibly rude and she will hate him until her dying breath. Almost immediately after this, she meets Brandon’s younger sister Meg and befriends her. Brandon is convinced every unmarried female is attempting to trap him into marriage, hence his rudeness  to Ellie. He suspects she has made friends with his sister with the single goal of getting closer to him, but finds himself intrigued by Ellie’s indifference to him.

Brandon finds Ellie’s ledger detailing the research she and two of her friends have been doing on gentlemen in the ton, with Ellie’s part being focused on getting a man to propose. As a result, he becomes even more convinced she’s trying to trap him in marriage until she laughs off his concerns. She tells him she’s set her cap at someone else, but George fails to appear time after time at functions he’s promised Ellie he’ll attend, and Ellie makes excuses for his behavior throughout and continues to hope he proposes, regardless of her growing attraction to Brandon. Finally, George arrives at a function and Brandon is surprised and dismayed to discover Ellie wasn’t lying about being interested in someone else after all. He makes it his mission to help Ellie overcome all her fears – such as going over bridges or riding a horse, both of which she's convinced she will fall from and die - or going into a loggia because she fears that the arches will not hold the weight of the roof.  (Somewhat surprisingly, normal doorways do not bother her.) Brandon also begins helping her get over her greatest fear: that she needs to marry George in order to be happy.

This was a good read overall. Brandon is a little churlish at first but this is understandable because of all the women trying to force him to marry them; the man can’t go anywhere in public without being bombarded with dropped handkerchiefs or fainting debutantes. But he quickly became one of the most thoughtful and charming heroes I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about. The secondary characters were so much fun to read about that I almost wish Ellie’s aunts would get their own book and I hope Meg does get one.

The main plot lies in Brandon subtly courting Ellie at the same time he’s trying to help her overcome some of her fears. He’s so incredibly patient with her while George merely makes fun of her and tells her to get over them. There is a subplot leading into the next book that involves the ladies’ guidebook on scoundrels, and Prue, Ellie’s friend who was ruined by a mysterious lord and sent into exile with her aunt and uncle before the events of the first book. Here, we finally find out which lord was responsible. I was shocked by this revelation and I’m so looking forward to her book now.

My only issue with this entire novel was Ellie. And not even Ellie as a whole but Ellie’s absolute refusal to see and accept what a jerk George really is up until around the eighty percent mark in the book. Her fears and her attempts to overcome them are very interesting and help to redeem her a little, but she was so aggravating because no matter what George does, she’s there with a ready excuse for him. And even after she starts falling in love with Brandon, she still insists on wanting to marry George. It was maddening.

With a great hero, fun secondary characters, and an interesting plot, the biggest drawback to The Wrong Marquess is the heroine and her stubborn refusal to accept that George is a bad person, and her irrational fears regarding nearly everything in her life.  After a while, the other constant pursuit of Brandon by other women also becomes tedious but not enough to drag down the entire narrative.

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This is the third in the series and is Ellie and Brandon's story! Ellie is a young women holding out for her childhood friend, George, to propose to her. However, she meets the utterly lovable Brandon and then things go awry.

I thought this was light and lovable good fun. It was a quick read (I read this in a day) and just the pick-me-up I needed. Vivienne Lorret did such a good job at making this enjoyable fun with a little light banter. Ellie was sweet, although sometimes her naiveté/fear wasn't my favorite. But I loved her at the end and I utterly ADORED Brandon. So much. Ugh.

I actually haven't read the first two books in this series and will go pick them up right this instant. I'm also looking forward to Prue's book (there's a delightful little teaser about her story at the end of this one). I can't wait. Vivienne Lorret has a new fan....it's me, I'm the new fan.

This is my first time reading this author and it's not going to be the last! I rarely read straight romance as I tend to get bored with just the developing relationship to keep me interested. Not this time! The characters were nicely developed, their sparing was amusing and the story pace and flow consistent. I had no problems, wanting to return to the story to find out what happened next! I now need to go find the first two books in the series to read and am looking forward to book #4. I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Since childhood, Ellie Parrish knew she would marry George, her next-door neighbor and Marquess of Nethersole. Now nearing twenty-five, George’s proposal is nowhere in sight. When she bumps into Brandon, the Marquess of Hullworth, Ellie is unimpressed with “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor.” However, the more Ellie gets to know Brandon, the harder it is to deny her growing feelings. Can Ellie forget her hopes of marrying George and embrace a new potential future with Brandon? Can Brandon convince her that his love is true?

This is a fabulous and swoon-worthy romance with great characters and a wonderful love story. I love Ellie and Brandon and enjoy how Ellie slowly gets to know Brandon, who is very different from what she expected. Not the arrogant and Brandon is strong, caring, and protective, and he cares deeply for others. He is not a man to be trifled with, and he is loving, trustworthy, and loyal. In short, he is a perfect match for the endearing, intelligent, and caring Ellie.

Brandon likes that Ellie isn’t a simpering female trying to get his attention by any means possible, like the other women of the ton. He finds her refreshing and unique, and he loves bantering with her. He also likes to throw her off balance and challenge her. He loves to see her blush, as that proves her feelings are as strong as his. Ellie is one of the few people that Brandon is himself around.

One of the most swoon-worthy parts of the story occurs when Brandon tries to help Ellie with her anxiety and fears. He doesn’t taunt or tease her and instead tries to help her conquer them. He is such a contrast to George, who always seems to put Ellie down especially in regard to her fears. He ignores her worries, which exacerbates her anxiety. Brandon shows much more understanding of Ellie’s needs, and his support of her is wonderful.

I found some of Ellie’s responses to Brandon comical. She has such strong physical reactions to him that she often thinks she is dying. She suffers from a racing heart, stomach flutters, and a variety of other strong and new feelings, and she doesn’t know how to process them. Brandon is so gentle and understanding with her while still showing her the wonder of love, and I adored every-single-second of it! Their romance is filled with swoon-worthy (and sometimes steamy) moments that are fantastic! However, Ellie still holds on to the understanding she has with George that they will eventually marry.

Ellie’s friendship with Brandon’s lovely sister, Meg her fears, his cynicism toward eligible women of the ton, and her definitiveness about waiting for George all prove worthy obstacles for this couple, and they both have to decide if their feelings are worth fighting for. Ellie doesn’t want Meg or Brandon to think she used Meg to get closer to her brother, much like other women in their social circle. At first, that is exactly what Brandon thinks. His jaded nature in regard to women makes him suspicious, but once they all get to know each other better, Brandon and Ellie’s worries dissipate. Brandon just has to convince Ellie that he is the man for her, not George.

George, though charming to some, is immature and insensitive, and he is not a good match for Ellie. He is, however, a great foil to Brandon, and his bad qualities definitely highlight Brandon’s good ones. Other characters, like Ellie’s aunts, Brandon’s sister, and some of Ellie’s friends are endearing and fun characters and add so much to the story. I love Ellie’s quirky aunts, as they add a bit of levity to the story while always showing their unconditional love and support. Brandon’s sister Meg is fun and lively, and she is a great friend to Ellie.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful read, and I loved the characters and the romance!! Though it is the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. Of course, I enjoyed this one so much that I have to go back and read the first two books! The romances are referenced in this story, and they sound positively swoon-tastic! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Avon, and Vivienne Lorret for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved it! Ellie is complex and it is exciting to see her develop throughout the book. The juxtaposition between the love interests stirs up so many different emotions.

This is the third book in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series and it did not disappoint! Ms. Lorret always writes interesting stories, and I love in romances when the hero's ego gets shattered. She does it so well in this story. Ellie and Brandon are a wonderful couple, and seeing these two overcoming fears in order to be together is what gives this story some heft. Overall, it was a great addition to the series!

Ellie has known George for most of her life and believes she will marry him someday. What she doesn't bargain for is Brandon, another Marquess, who disrupts her thoughts and orderly life. When the two are not quarreling, they're kissing.

I absolutely adored this book. I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5. I loved the first half of the book in particular. This is the first book I've ever read by Vivienne Lorret, but it won't be my last.

Pros:
1. Well-written dialogue that's engaging and entertaining
2. A heroine with a mental illness that the hero helps her tackle
3. A highly likeable heroine who is relatable
4. A hero who falls first (my favorite trope!)
5. A hero who starts out with a lot of swagger, but who is genuinely a good person
6. Great side characters! I adored Ellie's aunt's. I'm also excited to read Meg's story in particular
7. A fun story of great friendships (both old and new
8. A good slow burn
9. A believable love story in which we see the moment in which both characters recognize their feelings of love
10. I loved reading the story from both the hero and heroine's perspectives

Cons:
1. The drama with George could have ended a bit earlier in the plot for me. I'd have loved to have seen some other plot devices arise
2. Ellie's decision to return to London after falling in love frustrated me.
3. I have a hard time believing a woman could run and keep up with a moving carriage and have a conversation (particularly a woman who doesn't engage in regular physical activity)

Disclaimer: I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. This did not impact my review and response to the book in any way.

#netgalley #thewrongmarquess

4.5/5⭐️

Oh, I loved this book, and I’m wondering why I’ve never read Ms. Lorret before! I think it’s definitely time to rectify that mistake. Plus I need to go back and read the previous two in this series.

This is a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers story, and I simply adored the couple, Ellie and Brandon.

Ellie, who lost her parents as a young girl and was raised by two aunts, grew up taking for granted that she would marry her next-door neighbor, George. But she’s 25 and getting him to settle down and propose is proving to be a problem.

Brandon, known as “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor”, is tired and jaded from being pursued (by any means) by every debutante in the ton. He and Ellie literally run into each other at a garden party and immediately distrust each other. Ellie unwittingly becomes friends with his sister Meg, and they are often thrown together.

My favorite things about the story were the humor (loved!) and the aforementioned slow burn from enemies, to friends, to love. It is both unbearably sweet and very spicy and was hard for me to put down. My only complaint was that toward the end I became a bit frustrated with Ellie’s waffling, but overall I highly recommend.

Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Avon for providing me the early ARC for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ellie Parrish has spent her life believing that she is going to marry George, but he has spent years delaying their marriage to sow his wild oats. Brandon, Marquess of Hullworth, believes every woman he meets is scheming to marry him and he believes Ellie is no different. Time changes everything, and Brandon shows Ellie how to be strong and brave in love and in life.

This book was so adorable. I loved it. Ellie has a huge growth ARC in this story, and a lot of her growth comes from Brandon's understanding and patience. I really love a hero who knows what he wants, and fights to get it. He does that most of the book once he realizes he is the man for her instead of George. They had great banter and great chemistry. I think this series just gets better and better with every book. The ending set up the next one perfectly, and can't wait to read it!

Thank you for the ARC reader. I really enjoyed this installment of The Mating Habits of Scoundrels. Friends to enemies romances are great fun and this one does not disappoint. The two main characters are great. The chemistry between the two is wonderful.

So, I feel at a loss that I haven’t read not one of Vivienne Lorret’s novels and quite at a loss that I’ve missed the first two in this series of The Mating Habits of Scoundrels. With that being said, I finished “The Wrong Marquess” in one sitting (i.e., had to finish before bed).

Since childhood, Miss Elodie “Ellie” Parrish has “in her mind” had an understanding that she would marry George, Marquess of Nethersole. Unfortunately, she has wasted her entire seasons being strung along by George who has no plans to marry and who still sees Ellie as his life preserver. While attending a tea, she literally runs head on into Brandon Stredwick, the Marquess of Hullworth. Known as “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor” by all the debutantes and their mommas, he mistakenly believes Ellie is one of the scheming party when he sees that she has dropped her handkerchief at his feet. Oh, but it doesn’t stop there. Later, he uncovers that his sister Meg is not friends with said schemer and enters the dislike for one another.

This was by far a loveable, funny and enjoyable read for me. I loved Ellie and Brandon as well as her two delightful aunts who brought plenty of whit with their fascination for stealing food and recipes. This was a well-written story where in picked up quite few tropes that consisted of best friend love, love with boy next door, enemies to lovers, best friend brother and having to stay way too close in proximity to a handsome Marquess. Was totally not disappointed with all three. The transition of the story and development of their romance was very good. Both characters have their reasons for why they are…Ellie, fears of her past that have carried over into her prospects for a good future and for Brandon, having his heart broken and believing he will be unable to find that same kind of love. I liked how there was a gradual building of their relationship that led to their “steamy” intimate moments. It didn’t’ feel rushed and I liked that Brandon was patience with Ellie despite her shortcomings with George.

I became bored a bit with the circumstances surrounding George that dragged on a bit. I would have liked it to have been uncovered a lot sooner. George was a bit of a nuisance and I got tired of him about midway through the story which his antics and Ellie’s continuous notions and talks of marrying him. Again, this was my first book that I’ve read by Vivienne Lorret and most definitely put her in my list of fanfav authors. My plan is to read the first two in this series to catch up. Looking forward to Pru’s story with Lord Savage. Recommend the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.