I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me. The story itself was charming, but I didn't get a strong enough sense of the setting and atmosphere to feel really invested.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this novel, but it was a good surprise! The book starts off with the hero, Emerson, already head-over-heels in love with Olivia, a young lady that he's known for years as a friend of the family. Better yet, the hero even admits right off the bat that he's in love with her to his closest friends. In a lot of novels, the hero holds out FOREVER to come to terms with his feelings or the couple has to gradually get to know each other and then they fall in love. This was a unique change to a romance novel set-up one that I think worked out and it breaks up the repetition that you see in a lot of these Regency romances. I also had fun with this tight-knit group of friends. I enjoy seeing heathy male and female friendships.

Now onto the games part. Playing a secret game of tag while at a ball? I started out not too sure, but then the games quickly became my favorite part of the novel. It made the ballroom scenes about 10x more exciting in my opinion. Why aren't we all playing a low-key game of tag with our friends when at a boring social event? Let's make this the norm.

The only thing I could've used a bit more of was some closure at the end of the novel about what happened to Olivia's father and the baron she was being forced to marry. The action at the end was a bit abrupt. I wanted to see these evil men get their comeuppance, but it did end in a way that might leave room for those questions to be answered in a future novel. I'd definitely read more books by this author. Hopefully, she'll continue the story with some of the other characters she introduced. I'm intrigued by the other members in the couple's friend group, especially Northcott. I want to know what he's got going on underneath that somber countenance. I will *try* to wait patiently to learn more about him.

TW: domestic abuse
CW: clean content with only a few kisses

I was provided an e-ARC of the novel from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was delightful and charming! I loved this group of friends and their banter and sense of humor. This plot was unique and was definitely a fun and romantic regency! The brotherhood of friends was entertaining and I loved that they each balanced the others out in some way! Is this a series? Are we getting more? I just want more from this group of characters! Olivia and Emerson were engaging as characters and their back and forth games offered sparks of chemistry and unpredictability to this story! I would happily read more from this author!

3.5 rounded up to 4

What drew me to this Regency romance was the cover and the synopsis that included a game. I have to say I’m not a fan of the childhood friends-to-lovers trope so immediately that part of the story wasn’t for me. My favorite part of the book was the game aspect and I’d like to have more of it. I liked the idea of a friend group in a regency novel too. The book definitely lagged a bit in the middle. I really liked the last third of it. It was very cute and I’d read another book from this author especially if it’s hate-to-love or marriage of convenience.

Enjoyed this book so much! The writing was beautiful. I believe this is a Friends to Lover's story that was done very well! Would have liked a little more back story on Oliva and Emerson's childhood together. I would love to read a sequel on Emerson's friends and Arabella!

Listen. This was going to be a two-star review. By the halfway mark of this regency romance, I was already eager to close the book and doze off. The characters are cliches, the tropes are overdone, and the premise is underdeveloped. Though the banter between the characters was entertaining, it occurred against a tedious backdrop. But the last 25% of Games in a Ballroom hit me out of nowhere, so here I am, adding another star. Hey: I never claimed to be consistent.

Games in a Ballroom borrows its name from the book’s central plot device: a game of tag played among a group of friends in 1815 London society that restarts at every ball they attend. Emerson Latham, the male protagonist, proposes the game as a way to alleviate the group’s collective boredom at these parties, but secretly, he plans to use it to pursue his sister Arabella’s best friend, Olivia Wilde.

This unique hook was enough to make me excited to read the book, but its unraveling fell flat. Emerson was set up to be a clever, scheming-in-love type who used wit to get his happily ever after. His character disappointed, however, with his central personality traits being torment over his father’s death and what a good man he is (I cannot stress how much this is told rather than shown). Much of the cast is comprised of historical romance tropes: there’s Lady Bixbee, the strict society matron who every bachelor is afraid of; Mrs. Latham, the brokenhearted widow dedicated to making sure her children find their soulmates; Arabella, the upper-class rebel who’s outspoken and bored at the idea of marriage; and Lord Valencourt, the scheming dowry thief.

The final quarter somewhat redeemed the entertainment quality that the rest of the book lacked by finally introducing stakes (way too late in my opinion, but better late than never). The characters were able to actually put their wits to use in furthering the plot instead of just standing around quoting Shakespeare, and the romance between Emerson and Olivia became more believable once they were forced to fight for each other.

If a lighthearted romance that doesn’t require too much engagement sounds like your cup of tea, this may be the book for you, though it wasn't the book for me.

#gamesinaballroom #netgalley

I loved this cute story, filled with romance and intrigue. I enjoyed it very much.

I love the premise of a group of friends playing games like tag to pass the boredom of the ballroom. While this book was a mostly lighthearted read, I was hoping for more humor or action based on the silliness of childhood games.

I was more interested in the supporting friends (and would definitely like to read their books) than in the main characters of Olivia Wilde (yep, that's her name, just like the actress) and Emerson Latham. Olivia and Emerson were very vanilla, quite boring. I love friends to lovers, but there was no chemistry between these two. Olivia and Emerson barely had any scenes together. I felt more chemistry between Emerson's sister and his friend. There were nearly two chapters devoted to Emerson and his friend stealing a pig, dressing it up, and letting it loose in their gentlemen's club. Not much came of that, and as funny as it could have been, it had no laugh out loud moments.

There really wasn't much plot. It was very slow, and then a lot was thrown in at the end. No epilogue, and it just kind of ends. There's a HEA for the main couple, but we don't see much in the future.

Very clean romance. Only two very short, non-passionate kisses, the first kiss not until after the 80% mark.

2.5 stars rounded up because I really did enjoy the supporting characters and I think this author has promise.

Possible trigger warning: domestic abuse off page

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

Jentry Flint's "Games in a Ballroom" is a sweet Regency romance featuring appealing characters who have a whimsical sense of humor. Emerson Latham, with help from his friends and sister Arabella, resolves to court the unsuspecting Olivia Wilde by playing tag in a ballroom, of all places. This original premise is entertaining as they attempt to dodge other ball attendees, especially Olivia's father. While stories about those in trade (gasp!) tenaciously attempting to climb the social ladder are not uncommon, Olivia's father Joshua is in a class by himself. He is crass and repulsive, his long-suffering wife is intimidated, and his daughter is resigned.

The reader wonders how Emerson and Olivia will overcome the giant obstacle that is Joshua Wilde. Another game comes to the rescue, thanks to fun-loving Emerson and his friends. The story is peppered with Shakespeare quotes uttered by Emerson's sister, and the Bard plays a unique role at the end.

This mostly lighthearted and playful novel does have some serious moments. Flint's prose is lovely and her characters are charming (with two notable exceptions). That being said, the players could have been more fully developed. This is a short novel, though, and back stories are frequently lacking. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Several secondary characters deserve their own tales, and I hope they get them. I look forward to more offerings from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this engaging novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of this book for the eARC.

A beautiful and light-hearted romance, perfect for any period piece lover. I very much enjoyed the writing in this book and am obsessed with the trio of gentlemen in this book. Emerson's friendship with Bradbury and Northcott is well-achieved and of course Bradbury manages to steal the spotlight whenever possible. Be sure to pick this up if you're in the mood for a light period romance with a dash of drama.

A fun, easy read that meandered a little bit plotwise, but was filled to the brim with great characters and entertainment.

I thought this was just going to be about Emerson trying to court Liv, but it ended up being more a story of friendship and had more action than I expected.

Games in a Ballroom had PILES of characters, and Flint managed to make each one of them unique and engaging (even the one that didn't engage- looking at you, Northcutt). I love seeing a friend group that's men and women in historical fiction because the dynamic is always changing and so interesting. While I think just about none of this book would have ever happened (propriety does not let you run through a ballroom without being noticed, among other things) this was still a charming read and I was happy to suspend belief to enjoy their games.

Liv was, unfortunately, the palest of the characters. We're told a lot that she's spunky and independent, but I got more of that from Arabella, her friend. I just didn't see a lot of her motivation or her real personality.

I did also appreciate that the plotline that emerged of her father really pushing her to get married to a titled man that added conflict and some kind of stress to the situation. I would have liked more resolution but there was action and I liked that it all tied back to their games in the end.

In this HR, Olivia Wilde is the only child of a self-made business man with anger issues and an abusive streak. Now that he’s earned a lot of money and found his way among the peerage, his primary focus is on marrying his daughter to a peer in order to elevate himself to the highest possible social standing.

Emerson Latham is Olivia’s best friend’s older brother. The three of them, along with Emerson’s friends, grew up messing around and playing games together. However, when we meet him, Emerson isn’t as playful as he used to be; after having lost his father, he’s now in charge of the family’s estate and its tenants, as well as his grieving mother and unwed sister.

But grief and responsibility haven’t taken Emerson’s eyes off of what he wants most: to marry Olivia. Because he doesn’t have a title, Emerson knows her father won’t let that happen to easily, so he comes up with a plan to state his intentions and spend as much time as possible with Liv: he proposes a discreet game of tag for the duration of the Season’s balls among themselves, his sister and his friends. That way, he has a legitimate reason to chase after her (I don’t hate it 😏).

The premise is lovely and I really liked the writing; I guess my main problem is that not a lot happens plot-wise! For the first 60% or so, the main plot points are the game, Olivia’s certainty that Emerson doesn’t actually like her (though he makes it very clear that he does, all the time) and a bet involving a pig and a waistcoat.

Things do move a little further from there, but I guess when I’m reading a slow burn I need two things: a lot (and I mean A LOT) of tension between the main characters, and for the payoff to be worth it. It needs to burn at some point! Unfortunately, I didn’t get any of those things with this book. Even the chemistry between Olivia and Emerson was lacking for me.

It bums me out not to have liked this book as much as I’d hoped, but I guess it can’t work for everyone.

This book felt like a needed warm hug. You know those days where you feel heartbroken, lonely, and tearful and you just need a soft heartfelt novel? Games in a Ballroom is just that novel! It gives similar vibes to Emma by Jane Austen in the sense that it is a friend to lovers but with more twists and turns with lots of cute scenes between Emerson and Olivia as Emerson struggles to court Olivia. If you like the boy falls first trope, historical romance, non-toxic and friendly banter then definitely check Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint!

Regency has become one of my favorite genres in the last year or so and I’m always excited to discover a new author! So with a cover and title like this I definitely was intrigued from the get go and knew I had to check it out! And thankfully it paid off and was everything a Regency should be!
I loved the fun twist of the ongoing game of tag! From the description I wasn’t sure how it would work but it did and was such a clever way to add more interactions!
This was friends to more trope which I’m always here for and I enjoyed Emerson’s (which is a great name btw) attempts to woo Olivia and bring out her fun playful nature and Olivia’s slow realizing of her feelings that ran deeper than friendship. The two of them made a great pair and I loved their banter.
Besides the romance my other favorite part of this book was the friendship between Emerson and his two friends! They had such a fun dynamic and were cracking me up! I absolutely hope we get their stories as well because I loved them!
Basically I have absolutely no complaints about this debut and I cannot wait to read more from this author!!

I enjoyed this book by new author Jentry Flint. She created likable characters and an intriguing spin to regency ballroom romance. Add in nefarious characters and intrigue and you have a recipe for a fun story! The supporting characters almost stole the show and I'm hoping to read their stories in the future!

I really like the cover of this book but the story failed to gel finally for me.
I do realise that finding a new slant on a Regency Romance - see also 'Intolerable' review. I think that even though i realise they did play parlour games, lacking other forms of entertainment in the evenings, playing 'IT' in a ballroom - well -
The remainder of the storyline is pretty much standard - an over-bearing father, marriages arranged for either wealth or status, fights and so on.
I begin to suspect that I can put set a of stock paragraphs together....

This is such a fun story! I’ve read a lot of regency romances, but I’ve never read any with games woven throughout the story in this way! Tag, hide and seek, and other games make appearances, and it was so much fun to see which games would be in the book and how they would play out.

I really enjoyed how Emerson kept pursuing Olivia. Her difficult family life made things very constricting for her, and it was sweet to see how he tried to help her have fun and feel alive, all while trying to show her his feelings for her. Olivia was a sweet character, and I enjoyed her friendship with Arabella, Emerson’s sister. I especially loved their game of using a line from Shakespeare’s works in normal conversation.

Like the title suggests, a majority of the book takes place in various ballrooms. Jentry Flint kept things fresh and interesting through the descriptions of different ball themes and through the game the characters played while they were there.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I’m looking forward to more books by Jentry Flint! There are a few side characters in particular that I’m hoping will get their own stories in the future.

4.5/5 stars!

Content:
Clean romance
Abusive father (he is manipulative and yells a lot)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A compelling book of struggling to find your happiness
Emerson has been trying to catch Olivia’s eye and make her aware of his interest in courting her but she sees his attentions as just her best friend’s big brother trying to be nice. Little does he know that she is interested in him. But their mutual interest is irrelevant to the reality Olivia faces. Her father is a violent man, prone to rages and not above hurting his wife. And he will only accept Olivia marrying a man with a title. Character, age, finances, holdings, nothing matters except the title, any title and Emerson does not have a title, therefore, he does not qualify. Unfortunately, Olivia’s father insists on approving her clothing and when he is satisfied Olivia stands out in the crowd because of the gaudiness of her attire, which is not helpful to his cause. Of course, her father will not hear that he is wrong. Olivia doesn’t confront him from a real and honest fear not only for herself but for her mother, who frequently is hiding bruises. But Emerson is determined to win Olivia, so he begins a game of tag to be played by himself, his two friends, Olivia, and his sister while they are attending events with dancing. Just as things seem to be moving in as Emerson desires, Olivia’s father finds a titled peer, Lord Valencourt, willing to accept Olivia, undoubtedly for a good price. Lord Valencourt appears to be just as prone to anger and violence as Olivia’s father but if Olivia doesn’t comply, what will happen to her mother? If Olivia does comply what will happen to her? What can Emerson possibly do when confronted with the situation not only effecting Olivia but her mother as well? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

charming and witty! a delightful read. the writing is simple, the plot is sweet, and the characters are cute!

i had so much fun reading this book! a sweet and cozy regency romance, games in a ballroom was told in a dual POV, which I think worked really well for the story. emerson has feelings for liv from the start, but seeing her feelings develop as the game went on, through their friendship and banter was great. i really loved the rest of the characters, as well (at least the ones we're supposed to like!!!), especially arabella and northcott.

there is an underlying darkness in the book that makes the stakes feel very real and high, and i think the ending payoff was really well-done. i wish we got to know mrs. wilde a bit more than we did, as a woman in an abusive marriage. i enjoyed the few moments where we get to see her small rebellions in spite of her really terrible circumstances, and i wish there were a few more of them.

i can't wait for this book to come out and then get all my romance-loving friends to read it!!

thank u netgalley, i am your humble servant