Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

Improper was an interesting take on Historical romance. I enjoyed Tobias and Fiona, as well as the supporting characters. It was my first Darcy Burke novel and I ended up enjoying it. I liked that it wasn’t the same old story you usually see in a historical romance, given the forbidden aspect of their relationship.

Very good story with interesting characters. The heroine cannot seem to control herself and consequently causes trouble. Truthfully, some of her lack of self-control was a bit irritating to me, because any sensible person would have know better than to do some of the things that she did. Still, it was a very good story with some steamy scenes and some romantic scenes. I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading the next installment.

I am a sucker for a good historical romance and this book did not disappoint!

The story follows 'Tobias Powell, Earl of Overton' and his ward Miss Fiona Wingate. The book starts off quite a slow burn and has funny moments throughout, it is well written and the story flows nicely. I liked reading their journey to HEA.
The book overall is a typical historical romance though in a good way and I will definitely be reading more of the author's books.

I wasn't sure if I'd like this book based on the description. The hero is desperate to marry so he must marry her off first. Ms. Burke did an excellent job of taking this plot and turning it into a lovely romance. I like that while their arrangement could be seen as improper amongst the rigid Ton, they overcame Society's silly rules and found their happily ever after.

I really enjoyed their journey, especially how the Phoenix Club is woven in this book and others in the series. Also, with other characters appearing the the other books, you don't have to worry that you will not see these characters and others again as they tend to appear in each other's books, a feature I thoroughly enjoy in Ms. Burke's writing.

I rate this book 4-stars. A lovely read and a great story in a series with lively characters, fun plots, and steamy romance.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book in a new series, but the characters seem familiar, as if they were in a previous series, but I don't remember where. The Phoenix Club is an exclusive, by invitation only club, for those who are excluded from high society. I enjoy Ms. Burke's books, with engaging characters and interesting plots and this book is no exception.

Tobias Powell, the new Earl of Overton, never had a good relationship with his father. It was his mother, that he was close to. When Tobias is spurned by the woman he wanted to marry, instead of sympathy, his father just got more difficult, and in a childish reaction, though an adult, Tobias cloaked himself in the veneer of a rake. But that comes back to haunt him, when his father changes his will, giving him 3 months to marry after his death or he will lose his mother's beloved home. In addition he is made guardian of a young woman, the daughter of his father's best friend. His plan is to quickly marry off the girl and find his own bride, but those plans go awry, when he finds that not only does Miss Fiona Wingate not wish to marry, but he finds that he enjoys her company and is soon dangerously attracted to her. But is he willing to risk rejection again?

I read an ARC provided by NetGally.com. this is my unbiased and voluntary review

This book was to repetitious for me. I liked the characters but there wasn’t enough character development. A lot of plot points seemed to go nowhere.

This book tells the story of Tobias, the Earl of Overton, a man of doubtful reputation who is a member of a renowned and exclusive club, who, after the death of his father, acquires the title and a ward, named Fiona, to whom he must find her a husband as soon as possible, not to mention that he must find a wife within six weeks so as not to lose the only remaining possession of his late mother.

The book is quite simple, the story tells itself, from beginning to end, for my taste it is somewhat repetitive and has scenes that have already been written before. The characters are not very memorable, their predicaments are their personalities, but I liked it, it is very easy and fun to read.

The most pleasant to highlight are the funny characters, the light dialogues, the lack of conflict and the period settings. And if you like spicy scenes, this book has a few.

This checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Historical fiction oh yeah. Total fan of Darcy Burke

Toby's unpleasant father has recently died and Toby is now the earl. Along with the title and the estate (except his mother's old home), he discovers he has also inherited a young female ward, Fiona. Toby decides to marry her off as soon as possible, although Fiona has her own ideas about that.

He needs to find himself a bride as quickly as possible, as his father has made his marriage a condition of receiving his mother's estate, which is very important to him. It was the place where he was happiest as a child. If he doesn't marry within the next few weeks, the estate will go to his ward. (Right away I could see the answer to his problem.) He is also busy starting his new club, the Phoenix Club, where both men and women can be members.

I usually enjoy reading Darcy Burke's books but this one just didn't quite come together for me, although it was well written. I suspect that the book suffered from the setup necessary to introduce a new series.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher. via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Sultry and inviting, with the right amount of intrigue. Fiona found herself afloat in the wonders of London, and by Lord Overton especially. No man can resist a challenge, and Fiona was a huge one. Lord Overton found himself in a royal mess, with only one scintillating and sexy outcome.

4.5 this book was so much fun! i love a good ward x guardian romance and this was such a lovely take on that trope that didn't feel creepy or predatory like some can. the heroine, fiona, becomes the hero's guardian because his father and her father were close friends despite their differing social classes and he had it in his will for our hero to provide fiona with a season once she becomes of age. so it's a bit of a fish out of water story with fiona coming to london for the first time and going to ball's and making friends but it's also a good "both of us are looking for spouses and should be getting with other people but are slowly falling for once another even though it's forbidden trope" which i absolutely love. that part reminded me a bit of when he was wicked by julia quinn (the sixth bridgerton book) which is one of my favorites!

though my favorite thing about this book (and my favorite thing to explore in historical romances in general) was the talk around power dynamics and gender roles. fiona, in the beginning, is very excited to come to london and have her season because it's a new experience, but once she realizes she's being rushed to marry someone quickly by the hero to get her off his hands, she feels very trapped and the way the hero realizes his mistake and atones and apologies was so mature and lovely and showed how he respected her wishes and concerns. the exploration of power with him being her guardian was also done very well! ugh this was just such a fun sweet book!

i really want to go back and read the prequel story for this series now and i'm very excited for the next book!

This is the first book of Ms. Burke's new The Phoenix Club series and I think it is off to a splendid start! Fiona and Tobias were great characters and their interactions and dialogues were entertaining and at times humorous. They really had good chemistry and I really enjoyed them together. Tobias is tasked with being the guardian of Fiona. He not only has to find her a good husband, but to satisfy his father's will, he must marry as well. Finding a husband for Fiona is not easy, as she is a free-spirited, willful, handful. Despite all that, she has quite the talent for making Tobias laugh. Fiona's mischievousness gets in her in a quite a few scrapes, and ultimately causes a near scandal. Tobias comes to her rescue and an unexpected spark flickers between them, which neither can deny. If you're looking for a fun, witty, and entertaining regency, then I think you should definitely give this a try. I think it was an enjoyable book, and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

I received a complimentary advanced reader's copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Darcy Burke is one of my go to authors. She has the ability to write stories that take you away and allow you to forget your troubles and transport you to a world of Lords and Ladies who appear perfect yet have troubles of their own. I love how her characters are flawed and imperfect yet find that one person who sees them as a perfect creation, made just for them by God. The romance is hot, yet believable, the characters are deep and meaningful, the plot is always rich and developed, and I just love to close my eyes and imagine the scenes she creates. I loved this book and I believe you will too.

I just reviewed Improper by Darcy Burke. #Improper #NetGalley

This is a fun, interesting and romantic story. When Tobias's father dies he shocks Tobias with the fact that he's had a ward, which would now be on Tobias to deal with, and that if Tobias wasn't married within 3 months of his father's death, he would forfeit his mother's estate, a place that holds a very big part of Tobias's heart. Tobias decides to deal with his ward first before he attempts to find a wife, but she isn't cooperating. And after he'd put in an effort to not be a rake or scoundrel so that he could find a wife, it turns out that he may really be a rake and a scoundrel. And while Fiona has found a suitor that she genuinely likes, he makes the decision to pick a wife that works for him. He had wanted love, but his father made having it an impossibility. Neither Tobias, nor Fiona, realized that they developing feelings for each other, because they were so focused on their futures. A shocking secret comes to light and it explains much. Erica is one of my favorite authors, her books are always entertaining, well written and very hard to put down. Her characters are always likable, as are their friends. This book did not disappoint in any way and I can't wait for the next one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

Improper
by Darcy Burke

Thank you to NetGalley and Zealous Quill Press for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy the themes of this book. It’s somewhat a regency spin on the bad boy step brother must now be responsible trope.

The behaviors of some characters were a little outside of what I’m used to from a regency especially the initial scene where the wards chaperone meets her gaurdian.

I was not swept away by any means in this story but it has merit and in a mood that is a better fit for this book could be greatly enjoyed. 3.5/5 stars.

A slow burn, beautifully written Historical romance novel set in London during the Regency period. The historical details are well done and the story is interesting and entertaining. There are tasteful yet steamy romance scenes in the second half and lots of fun banter between the characters, as well as some drama. Highly recommended! My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This is book two in the series, The Phoenix Club and although it can be read as a stand alone, I would recommend reading it as part of the series. I loved the heroine especially her fascination with maps made her extra endearing. But I would have loved to hear more about this. It was such a fascinating part of her personality but I felt like there was no back story about it. I also didn't quite understand Fiona's fascination with the Phoenix Club and the way decides to break into the club. It seems a little immature. Even with Tobias, the whole secrecy about the club and how he was on the board and his attitude about making decisions about who gets to be in the club or not, it seemed a little irrelevant. I mean, so what? Why all the secrecy? I didn't understand what was the big deal. I liked the book towards the end but would have enjoyed it even more if not for the points I mentioned above.

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

Society’s most exclusive invitation...

Welcome to the Phoenix Club, where London’s most audacious, disreputable, and intriguing ladies and gentlemen find scandal, redemption, and second chances.

Wow...This book is surprisingly pretty good than what I've thought. It's such a well-written book, I enjoy everything especially the characters and their relationship with each other!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Well-written, romantic, sweet, with a heroine that reads maps for fun - what’s not to love? I am heartened that the author broached the topic of homosexuality in this historical romance, without judgment or bigotry being the main feature. I truly love a HEA and am pleased that this one was so delicious and lovely.

I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. The opinions are entirely my own.