Pure paranormal historical romance fun! I absolutely love the crazy, fantastical world India Holton has created. In this latest installment of her Dangerous damsels series we get to know Lady Charlotte Pettifer, member and future leader of the League of Gentlewomen witches and Alex O'Riley, a rogue pirate searching for an elusive amulet. Charlotte and Alex cross paths when they both go after the amulet and end up joining forces when one of the Grand dames of the Wisteria Society flies off with it foiling them both.

This book is full of forbidden love, witchy magic, strong women, quirky characters, steamy chemistry, flying houses and of course, a hot pirate lover. I love how much Charlotte loves Jane Austen and all the Austen heroines, using them as role models for her own life. There are also fun cameos from some the last book and I can't wait for the next installment. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for my advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. If you haven't read this series yet you are missing out.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish!

The League of Gentlewomen Witches is a perfect sequel/spin off from book one. The plot in this one is cleaner, the banter is FRESHER, and the characters are (in my opinion) more enjoyable.

The League of Gentlewomen Witches is one of the funniest, most entertaining, and refreshing books I've read this year. This story is perfect for fans of a strong heroine (think Sarah J Maas, or the Lady Janies series) as well as for fans of historical fiction (such as Bridgerton). It has witches, pirtaes, and lots of fun pop culture references to popular books and movies.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good funny and exciting read.

First of all I loved that the book started with a table of significant characters. Can we have this in all books with a large cast please?!
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Second of all this story is simply delightful. Pirates, Witches and a long lost amulet provide a swashbuckling tale. I love pirate stories and I love stories about witches. I loved the combination of both.
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Charlotte, who is a witch joins forces with pirate, Alex O’Riley to steal the amulet that everyone else wants. Turns out the amulet isn’t the only thing stolen…their hearts are on the line too.
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This fun story is out today.
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Thank you @berkleypub for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰” -India Holton

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁
🧹Miss Charlotte Pettifer is destined to become the leader of a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts (witchcraft)
🧹Charlotte crosses paths with an Irish pirate named Alex O’Reilly.
🧹They join forces to steal the powerful lost amulet of Black Beryl to keep it out of the wrong hands.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
While not a genre I would typically pick up, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 is a delightful and fun read! This book is the second in the Dangerous Damsels series, and I did not read the first book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘴, although it would be fun to go back and learn about the lady scoundrels (pirates) and fill out the world-building.

India Holton’s quirky writing style is tongue-in-cheek, never too serious, laugh-out-loud funny. In my imagination, this world of flying houses, sassy damsels, and low-down scoundrels is painted in the color palette of the Alice-in-Wonderful Teacups ride.

Charlotte’s love interest, Alex, is swoon-worthy, and together, they generate plenty of steamy fun.

The delight in reading this series is more in the words and witticisms in the writing than the plot itself, although the plot is quite fun. I loved Charlotte and Alex from the start, and dare I say, perhaps more than Cecelia and Ned from the first (although I was so happy to reunite with them for brief moments in this one). The coming-of-age for Charlotte and the coming to terms with his traumatic past for Alex made for two characters the reader will hold close to their heart. I also simply loved their dynamic.

I do think because of the writing and how much it demands your attention it may take longer than expected to read and may be a good one to pair with a heavier book as a respite or palette cleanser. I do so hope the series will continue.

A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

The League of Gentlewomen Witches was magical! Witty, clever, deliciously funny - I had such a blast following along on Charlotte and Alex's adventures, and was completely charmed by their romance and the whole fantastical world India Holton created!

Happy book birthday to The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton, the second book of the Dangerous Damsels series.

Welcome to a world where pirates fly houses and stealing must be done in the most polite manner.

Miss Charlotte Pettifer is a witch. Unlike pirates, witches don't use their magic in front of other people. They are a secret society of proper ladies called the Wicken League. There’s a prophecy that says that Charlotte is the true heir of Beryl Black (the first witch of the League), that she will be their leader and that she’s going to bring a new era of greatness.

That’s why, when the British Museum announces an exhibition on Beryl Black featuring an amulet that contains the incantation where their powers come from, Charlotte knows that she has to steal it. What she didn’t expect was that not only the Wicken League but also the members of Wisteria Society were going to be eager to acquire the talisman. And if this wasn’t enough, she’s going to have to protect herself from the transgressions and the charms of the despicable (but also gorgeous) pirate Alex O’Riley.

Pirates and witches have always been enemies, but then everything goes wrong and Charlotte and Alex must work together to recover the talisman.

I cannot put into words how much I loved this story and this whimsical world! From the marvelous plot full of humor and adventure to the witty characters and clever dialogues, this novel has it all. The absurdity of the situations and the chemistry between the characters makes you swoon and laugh out loud from the first page. I seriously don’t know how India Holton managed to create such an extraordinary world full of magical elements and wonderful characters.

If you like Jane Austen, fierce heroines, swoon-worthy love interests, witty banter, fantastical elements and laughing out loud through the entire book, you must read this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Books for the digital review copy of TLOGW. I fell in love with the first book so I was very excited to read more from this magical world!

I really enjoyed The League of Gentlewomen Witches which is the second book in the Dangerous Damsels series and I'm not at all surprised as I loved the first book too!

This book follows Charlotte (a witch) and Alex (a pirate) as they chase down the amulet of Black Beryl. I really loved both of these characters. From their first meeting all the way through to the end of the book, they kept things interesting and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. As the story picks up and these two go from trying to outsmart the other to obtain the amulet to realizing they need to work together...even if neither can really be trusted.

I loved getting to revisit some of the characters from book one too - that's always an added bonus in my opinion!

If you're looking for a historical romance with a bit of a twist, definitely check this series (and this book) out!

Thank you Berkley Pub and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so flipping cute. It's quirky and just an incredible amount of fun to read. The League of Gentlewomen Witches is a beautiful combination of historical romance, fantasy, and so much wit. Don't go into this expecting a super serious, high angst novel because this is decidedly not it. But it is a joy to read and once you get into the flow of the prose it is hilarious. I really don’t know how to describe it but if Monty Python and the Princess Bride included witches and flying houses and a lot more romance.

Loves:

Look, I'm all about that forbidden romance. The setup between witches and pirates being sworn enemies and then with Charlotte and Alex, I’m sold. This was done incredibly well by Holton. I loved the insta-lust situation and “we’re only doing this to get over this” mentality. AND THEN THE FALL!

Charlotte has been raised strictly and her overcoming that was so enjoyable to watch. I know that Holton writes in her acknowledgements that she wasn’t supposed to be likable but I loved Charlotte. Plus all of the Jane Austen moments? LOVED IT! Don’t even get me started on how much I loved Alex. Attractive Irish pirate that is rogue-ish. Please sign me up for that.

The plot was over the top and bananas fun. I seriously ADORED the whole setup once I got into the story and started to understand everything.

Meh:

This isn’t a me issue, more of just be aware that the writing style is very different. I ended up loving it, but it did take me a bit to get used to. Expect humor and absolute joy.

Long story short I ended up loving this book and read it within a day. And it’s been almost a month since I’ve last done that so… I recommend it if you want something a little over the top and FUN to read. I NEED to go back and read the first one (yes, I skipped) because I adored Cecilia and Ned in this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! The first review I read of this author described her style as “delightfully bonkers” and I feel like that’s a very accurate description of Holton’s writing and storytelling. This was my second read from India Holton, and if you’ve never read her before, you’re in for a wild, funny, joyous ride! This book is a historical romance, featuring Charlotte, a lonely witch, destined to take over the Wicken League of witches and Alex, a lonely pirate, looking for his next escapade. The main characters meet while trying to steal a magical amulet and chaos ensues. This is the second book in the author’s “Dangerous Damsels” series, but can be read as a standalone. This story is full of magic, whimsy, and adventure, and is refreshingly different from any other historical romance I have read. It’s also refreshingly sweet and tender when it comes to the romance, with both characters growing through their connection, while also having a great time in the process. I recommend this book for anyone who likes historical romance, romantic comedy, fantasy and magic, and adventure.

What do you get when you take the quirky humor, witty banter, and absurd plot elements of a book like Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and set it against a backdrop of late-Victorian England instead of the galaxy, replace spaceships with flying houses, and make your main characters pirates and witches instead of robots and aliens? Well, friends, you get the The League of Gentlewomen Witches, the second book in the Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton, a highly entertaining and romantic romp that will leave you wondering “What did I just read?” while at the same time exclaiming “How utterly delightful!”

Having not read the first book in this series, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, I had no idea what to expect from this book. I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb, and having been told I didn’t need to read the first book to enjoy the second, I decided to jump in. I’ll admit, at first I was completely unsure of what exactly I was reading. The first time, for example, I encountered text with a strikethrough I was baffled, only to later realize it was not only purposeful, but also quite a novel and effective way to deliver a joke! And what about our FMC Charlotte’s references to the propriety of Jane Austen’s heroines while stealing a briefcase and inciting violence in a teashop? Or the image of a prim lady of the Wicken League carrying around a stuffed poodle? Was I supposed to take these things seriously? The answer, of course, was no – The League of Gentlewomen Witches is very much a purposefully whimsical satire that takes the reader on a fantastical adventure filled with pirates, witches, meddling aunts, burgeoning friendships, steamy romance, and plenty of tea.

The romance between the witch Charlotte and pirate (and therefore mortal enemy) Alex, was surprisingly satisfying. At first, I wondered if this book would deliver a full, A-plot Romance given its whimsical, quirky nature, and did it ever! Charlotte and Alex’s story is a true enemies-to-lovers tale. Witches and pirates are pitted against one another in age-old historical feud. And to make matters worse, Charlotte has been predestined to lead the Wicken League with exacting manners and uphold their feud with the improper pirates, while Alex hates witches after being horribly abused by one as a child. But throughout the course of the book, Charlotte and Alex grow together to overcome the limiting strictures of Charlotte’s upbringing and heal the terrible wounds of abuse that have turned Alex away from friendship and love. I was happy to see their character backstories explored and their relationship develop in deeply meaningful ways. I wasn’t sure it could be pulled off given the tonal context, but Holton did a superb job at delivering a truly satisfying and fleshed out Romance amid the chaotic adventure that is this book!

A word about steam – these are two thirsty protagonists! Both Charlotte and Alex’s gazing and the internal monologues they have about each other build a definite and palpable sexual tension, but, like other aspects of this book, it is done with wit and humor. When our couple finally comes together in a hilarious spin on the “only one bed” trope it is unexpectedly and deliciously steamy without being overly explicit – this book did a great job of threading that needle!

The League of Gentlewomen Witches is laugh-out-loud funny. The prose is easy to read while at the same time utilizing Regency and Victorian language reminiscent of Jane Austen. In fact, the book pays homage to Austen and Shakespeare, and fans of both will be pleased at Holton’s treatment of their favorite authors. I’d recommend it as a slump-buster or to anyone who loves Fantasy Romance and is looking to lighten their mood. I will most likely read the first installment of the series at some point as well as the third book, which is definitely coming given the Epilogue, but I will wait for the right time to do so, i.e. when I’m need of a good laugh and a warm heart.

This is just such a fun romance, and a worthy successor to last year's The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. There's a delightful and somewhat steamy romance, in addition to capers and quests. The dialogue is witty and fresh, and the story never takes itself too seriously with plenty of humor as well as romance. You don't need to have read the first in order to read this one, but it might be helpful for world building.

When a book makes you smile from start to finish you know it's good! I absolutely loved how India weaved this story and added all of the literary references! Fans of Pride and Prejudice as well as Pirates will love this novel!

Alex O’Riley has replaced Jack Sparrow and the Dread Pirate Roberts and ascended to the hallowed title of “Pirate I Want to Run Away With.” Charlotte Pettifer is the “Woman Most Likely to Tame a Rogue.”

India Holton’s newest addition to the Wisteria Society series is a rollicking romp through the gossip sheets, and the bed sheets, of Victorian England. The spark of attraction between the rakish pirate and the heiress to the legacy of the witches begins with an almost kiss, a briefcase theft and a flying bicycle.

I adored this hilarious, madcap roadtrip romance. It’s peppered with references to my favorite Austen heroines, sly innuendo and wit, and a gloriously uproarious love story that will make you smile and laugh out loud.

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to review an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is full of spot-on literary references from classics like Pride and Prejudice and other works of Austen. Charlotte tries to model her good behavior off these heroines, with hilarious results, seeing as these women were in no way built for the world of pirates and witches (which do not exist, but if they did). Watching her imagine their reactions to various scenarious is one of the main reasons I kept laughing out loud while reading.

In all, I think Holton has done a masterful job of crafting an adventure/romance that pokes good fun at itself. The lit nerd love kicks up a notch in this book and the BA in Literature in me was thrilled.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh and keep you guessing at what the characters will do next, look no further than The League of Gentlewomen Witches. I recommend it particularly to former (or current) lit majors, lovers of Jane Austen, and anyone looking for a lighthearted laugh of a book.

Utterly entertaining, sassy FUN. This cheeky enemies to lovers historical romance is a high key romp of ridiculously fun proportions (and copious amounts of tea), and will henceforth and forever more be my go-to when I want to read something that makes me outrageously happy.

India’s writing style and humor is absolutely, gloriously impeccable…you cannot help but cackle, and possibly chortle in a most unladylike manner, all the way through. I definitely recommend reading Wisteria Society first because 1) it is also FANTASTIC, 2) it provides context and background into the world these books exist in.

As a forever adorer of Jane Austen novels, the frequent references made me very happy…and I think I may love Charlotte even more than Cecilia, if that’s even possible. The pirates vs witches storyline is highly amusing fodder for India’s perilously sharp wit, the banter between them is hysterical. And the enemies to lovers arc between Charlotte and Alex is delicious, spicy fun…but also sweetly tender and I just adore them. 

I can only hope and pine most fervently for many more Dangerous Damsels books to come in the future, I am so here for any/all of these wonderfully mad cap adventures!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing with this eARC.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. This book is utterly delightful and charming. I spent the entire book with a smile on my face, and it raised my mood at least 3 notches. Alex and Charlotte were absolutely perfect together, and I loved every minute. If you enjoyed the first book, you'll love this one, and I cannot wait to see what the author does next.

I'm not usually drawn to historicals, but received Holton's last release in a sub box. I found it delightful, but this one is more my speed. I love the idea of witches mingling with pirates to the tune of Jane Austen. This was very funny as well!

I think I'm gonna need to reread before I can write a fully fleshed out and comprehensive review of this book, because I inhaled it in a delighted frenzy, too caught up in the absolute joy that is this book to actually...take notes or process my thoughts. So. Here are the main takeaways:

This book is as delightfully bonkers as the first in the series (The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels), and if you know how much I ADORE that book, you'll recognize how big of a deal that is.

Our main couple, Alex and Charlotte, wind up stuck together earlier in the book than Cecilia and Ned did in TWSOLS, and their relationship gets steamy much sooner as well, so it feels like the romance takes priority over the adventure a tiiiiny bit. Not enough to bother me (I actually prefer it), but it does feel heavier on the romance than the first. But seriously, their relationship is delicious and downright swoon-worthy. Enemies to lovers at its finest.

The Jane Austen references are frequent, hilarious, and incredibly clever. There are constant references to famous lines that Holton turns on their heads, and Charlotte's habit of relying on the Austen heroines of her imagination to help her when she's unsure what to do (besides being a little too relatable) is such a lovely way for a neurodiverse HR heroine to have adapted to having difficulty in social situations.

Speaking of Charlotte—I love her. She is a little prickly and deflects from her insecurities with pride and her wit, but the core of her journey—learning to give herself the freedom to explore the world and be imperfect, recognizing that she is, in herself, enough—speaks to me on a very personal level, and I think is one a lot of folks will relate to.

Since Charlotte's story felt so personal to me, I'll have to wait for my reread to really go more in depth on Alex, but for now just know that he is maybe the love of my life? And he deserves the world. Also that man is fiiiiiiine the descriptions of his piratical boots ALONE had me sweating.

The League of Gentlewomen Witches delivers all the witty Victorian satire and drily delivered fantastical adventure of the first book and more, with plenty of absurd chapter titles and characters that seem to leap off the page. It also happens to be one of the best enemies to lovers romances I've read, which is no small feat. But it's India Holton's style that really makes the Dangerous Damsels books for me. It's dry, witty, romantic, whimsical, ironic, heartfelt...I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Pros: I can't think of a single thing NOT to like about this book??
Cons: If you don't know what you're getting into when you pick it up, it may be a bit jarring (for some readers at least; that's what I see a lot with TWSOLS)
CW: Explicit sexual content, violence, child abuse
Recommended for: HR and/or fantasy readers, Janeites, romance lovers, enemies to lovers fans, readers familiar with Victorian/Romantic lit, anyone looking for a good laugh

The League of Gentlewomen Witches is the second book in the Dangerous Damsels by India Holton. A paranormal historical romance with a hint of magic. This fast-paced well-written read is clever and engaging, with numerous references to Shakespeare and Austen. Highly recommend to readers who enjoy fantasy and romance all rolled into one.