Wilhelmina offers to give her husband a divorce. Not easy to get in the nineteenth century. Knowing her reputation will be ruined, Mina is willing to sacrifice herself for her husband's happiness. Mr. James Dale is a solicitor and lived with a cheating wife. He has no respect for Mina, until a journey to save his son and her daughter from making a mistake, reveals she is not the woman she portrays. What a nice change to have James and Mina from working class families. An unusual plot that revolves around divorce and it's consequences.
Likable characters and a nice progression to an HEA. A definite 5*STARS* for the beginning of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Wilhelmina Hewitt was just publicly divorced her husband and Mr. Dale is a very proper barrister… they make a very unlikely pairing as they race across the countryside for Mr. Dale to stop their children from marrying.

This was a delicious tale with absolutely endearing characters. I adored how these characters had so much more to offer than meets the eye. Both the hero and heroine had such courage and strength to do what they felt right for their loved ones and would move heaven and earth for them.

The debate over right/ wrong and what constituted goodness warred throughout this book as many heartfelt actions resulted in dire consequences and vice versa.

Sophie Barnes is a gem at creating HR characters on the fringes of high society and delivering unique stories that result from it. Divorce before the 20th century was not an easy prospect. I really appreciated how she tackled this in a creative way that stays true to the time.

In the end, I couldn’t put this book down! I’m eager for the next instalment of the Brazen Beauties series!

Mr. Dale and the Divorcee by Sophie Barnes was released November 23rd, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sophie Barnes through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#MrDaleandtheDivorcee #SophieBarnes #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

Loved the premise.

Mina and her husband George carefully orchestrate her fall from grace.
Just as they embark on a lengthy divorce, she met James Dale, briefly.
James was smitten with Mina at first sight, but burned with continued disappointment at Mina's divorce proceedings.

What I really liked was that Mina was 38 when she initiated the divorce and James in his forties. I liked that they had both been married before, had a child each and had experienced life, good and bad.

James sat in the strictest judgment of Mina, without knowing all the facts, just the public divorce, because of his own shortcomings. He made Mina pay for his own wife's crimes. That was so frustrating, was his continued judgement of her.
I did like that their story is a long, slow simmer, spanning a great deal of time.

Recommend.

As I’m posting this review the day after Thanksgiving, I want to start out by saying this book made me really, really thankful that I was born in the latter half of the 20th century and not any damn earlier at all. But I’m also feeling kind of sorry that I plan to read a book I would have liked better for the holiday – or at least felt less conflicted about.

The story feels historically accurate, at least as far as the amount of control and agency that women had over their own lives during the Regency period. Whether it actually is or not, the situation that the heroine is in matches the way we believed things were during that time, or the image that has taken hold in the popular imagination.

Which, quite frankly, is that she has no agency or control at all.

This is a story about a woman who only has as much control over her life as the men in her life and society in general allow her, which is not much. The only control she has is over how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice, knowing that she will always be the one to pay the price for that sacrifice no matter who might truly be to blame.

The first half of this one left me on the horns of a giant dilemma. Because the heroine’s actions and society’s reactions felt true to what we expect of the time. She’s put herself in a terrible situation for reasons that were never in her control, and society punishes her for it exactly as one expected they would.

Which means that both she – and the reader – get repeatedly slapped in the face with just how terrible conditions for women could be.

I very nearly DNF’d at that halfway point, because I was getting really tired of the smell and the taste of that wet fish of horribleness. Not that it’s written horribly, as the author writes well and I generally like her books, but that the situation the heroine is IN is horrible and at that halfway point seems as though it’s only going to get worse as it goes.

That was the point where the son of the man who raped her 20 years ago makes it clear that he has the exact same plan as his vile old man and isn’t planning to let anyone or anything stand in his way, either.

You could call that a low point in the story. It was certainly a low point in my reading of it and I stopped for a while and picked up something else.

But I picked it back up because I thought the worst had to be behind me. And the heroine. And it was.

Escape Rating C: For a story that actually does have a happy ending, this is kind of a sad story for a lot of its length. Mina’s entire life seems to have been about being stuck between a rock and a hard place and letting herself be ground between them in one way or another.

Letting herself be divorced at a time when the only way for her husband to be allowed to remarry afterwards was to accept all the blame, all the calumny, all the social opprobrium and for both of them to commit perjury that she had numerous affairs when she never had any seems harsh and is harsh and society deals with her harshly as a result.

Her ex-husband leaves the country, marries his pregnant lover, and society forgets him except as her victim. She has to suck it all up and move on, which she honestly does. At least until her widowed daughter falls in love with a man whose father will not allow the marriage because of Mina’s reputation as a scarlet woman.

(Whether any of the scenario around Mina’s divorce was legal or possible at the time this story takes place seems to be a matter of some debate.)

The young couple elopes to Gretna Green, the older couple chase after in hot pursuit, and truth gets revealed all around – after more than one misunderstandammit.

This is a story where the happy ending is earned through a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears and a very literal change of heart on the part of the hero. Who was in serious need of getting the stick out of his ass.

I ended this with mixed feelings, which was a definite improvement after my near-DNF at the midpoint.

I liked both that the main romance of this story is between two people who are on either side of 40 instead of barely over 20. It made the situation much more complex and the characters more interesting because they had more depth as well as more emotional baggage.

I also liked that the member of the nobility who featured prominently in the story was the villain. The hero is part of the upper middle class. His family has land but no title, and he is a practicing lawyer. He works for a living, something we still don’t see often enough in Regency romance but does seem to be on the uptick.

So I want to say that this story did gel for me after all. Except it jelled kind of like the two-layer Jell-O cups where the top flavor is one I hated and the bottom flavor was one I almost liked. But a lot of reviewers absolutely adored this book so reading mileage obvious varies on this one.

This is an author that I have loved reading from her very first book I picked up. Her writing style and attention to details are such that her stories are realistic and they pull you in. This book is no different. It is a well written story about James and Wilhelmina. James would never go after another man's wife but he is guilty of being charmed by one. She has agreed to help her husband in a divorce but she never expects to meet James. What will happen when their children marry? Could there be more to Wilhelmina than meets the eye? This is a great historical romance story that I had a hard time putting down. It is fast paced and engaging. The plot growth is great as well as the characters. This is a must read and one of my favorites by this author. I highly recommend this book.

A wonderful story about middle class people caught up in the burdens of the mores of their time in history, when marriage was far more permanent than disposable and the social fallout from such deviation was far more grim. Mr. Dale is a by-the-book barrister who sees the world in more absolutes than shades of gray and Mina is a blight on the lives of those she knows due to her status as a wandering wife. The book captures the weight of societal opprobrium and its consequences to the people of that time. Sometimes mere survival takes courage that is as great as that soldiers assume for battle.

This is the first book in the Brazen Beauty series.

I have not read any regency books that mention divorce or how it took a long time to finalize it, if one wanted to re-marry. Very interesting and sadly a long procedure.

Wilhelmina “Mina” Lawson is freshly divorced and disliked by the ton. When her daughter falls in love, she is happy. But when she hears who Micheals father is, she loses hope for her widowed daughter.

James Dale is a barrister and followed the divorce proceedings of Mr. Hewitt and his wife, now known as Mrs. Lawson from inside the courtroom. He is not happy and threatens Mina to ruin her daughter, if she doesn’t stop seeing his son.

Both parties drive off into the countryside to get away from London and the temptation for Cynthia and Michael to see each other. Little do they know they aren’t that far apart and when the kids run off to elope in Gretna Green, both Mina and James have to travel together to stop them. Slowly they get to know each other and James changes his thinking of why she divorced her husband…

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wilhelmina Hewitt knows she's in for a rough ride when she agrees to help her husband George get a divorce. Nothing, however, prepares her for the regret of meeting Mr James Dale on the eve of her downfall. No other man has ever sent her heart racing as he does. Unfortunately after the long divorce proceedings she’s utterly ruined. James Dale would never pursue another man’s wife. Or a woman reputed to be a deceitful adulteress. Furious with himself for letting the lovely Mrs. Hewitt charm him, he strives to keep his distance. But when her daughter Cynthia elopes with his son Matthew, they're forced into a partnership where passion ignites. And James soon wonders if there might be more to the divorcée than meets the eye.
A well written book & I think the first I’ve read to feature a divorce in Regency England, it was very different & some conceptions of mine went out of the window as I believed remarrying wasn’t possible, so Google was heavily used at the start of the book & whilst the three different hearings were explained I would have appreciated an Author's note about them. I thoroughly enjoyed the book & really liked the two romances. I was routing for the selfless Mina all the way through & loved how she came through all that was thrown at her. I really liked James but had misgivings about him at the start he did redeem himself. I enjoyed their verbal bantering & how the chemistry between them grew from simmering. I was glad the villain got his just desserts. Strong characters & a well paced story kept me engrossed all the way through.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is a story about Mina and James. Mina meets James at a ball the same night she and her husband put in motion the actions that will ensure that they are able to get a divorce. James and Mina don't meet again for two years, right after her divorce is final. There isn't much of the book devoted between the ball and right after the divorce, but those two years are summed up nicely so you don't feel you missed anything important. I don't want to go into the plot any further so I don't spoil anything, but the story does progress smoothly and believably. I really enjoyed it and am excited about the next book in the series. I am happy to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley for this hones review.

This is the first book in the Brazen Beauties series and it is off to a wonderful start! I have not read too many Regencies that bring up divorce, so this was a unique story in that way and also an interesting one to see that topic addressed in the Regency fashion. Ms. Barnes did a great job of describing and explaining this in an authentic way.
Wilhelmina and George have always been there for each other. They even ended up marrying each other, although they were not in love. Then, twenty years later George is in need of saving and he and Wilhelmina hatch a plan to create a scandal so they can divorce. After they do divorce, she becomes the pariah of the ton. There is a chance she may find happiness with James, but will he accept such a scandalized, cast-out of society?
The writing and storyline were well done and I enjoyed reading this first installment. I look forward to reading more of the series.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️4 🌶3
CONTENT WARNINGS: divorce, adultery, widowhood, mild violence, sexual assault
This book constitutes a lot of firsts for me. It’s my first time reading anything from Sophie Barnes, for starters. It’s also my first time reading a Regency romance that revolves around divorce. It’s even my first time reading a romance from any time period where the main characters are past their thirties.

The age, in my opinion, is what makes all the difference. There’s a different set of problems and life questions to be borne when one is in their 40s and has been out in Society for a time, as opposed to when one is in their 20s and only beginning to think about marriage and children and everything else that comes with them.

WHAT DIDN'T QUITE WORK IN THIS BOOK
• The time skip early on in the book was weird, considering it was unlabelled and came out of left field.
• The few random changes in POV were disorienting as well; otherwise, we can chalk it up to another subversion of the genre on the author’s part and my being unused to other POVs aside from the main characters’.

WHAT WORKED IN THIS BOOK
• The romance tropes: The enemies-to-lovers, the fake relationship, the one bed — they always hit different when outside the contemporary setting.
• Wilhelmina Hewitt’s (née Lawson) whole personality: She’s a strong, at times stubborn woman, but her strength is not something she openly brandishes as a personality trait, and nor is it completely impenetrable. Her character — and it’s a stellar one at that — has been tested over and over, through the years.
• The complexity of Mr. Dale’s attraction: He wants her bodily, but is repulsed by her reputation and memories of his own unfaithful wife. As their journey progresses, though, he also begins to like Mrs. Lawson for her mind, even when social norms say it would be unwise to do so.
• The overall maturity with which the characters confront their issues: They’re all refreshingly level-headed. Mr. Dale, Mrs. Lawson, and even Michael Dale and Cynthia Petersen approach their problems differently, with a surety that only comes with age.

If you know and love your Regency and historical romance, I highly recommend this book. Mr. Dale and the Divorcée was easily 4 stars for me — me, the perpetual 3-star rater!

This book touched on a subject I really had no clue how it worked in Regency times – divorce. I knew it was practically impossible to get a divorce and took a long time but that is about all I know. Interesting premise and I really liked both main characters. One plot line I dislike is the big misunderstanding and I hate how Mina would not tell her story. I know she wanted to keep everyone from being shunned but she really “fell on the sword” for her husband. I totally get it but the misunderstanding went on and on. That being said, Sophie’s writing flows so well and you get absorbed into their story. This a kind of a bonus book in that two stories are portrayed. Lovely epilogue.

Amazingly complex, romantic, and heartwarming story!

How can we get behind a female main character who willingly ruins her reputation just to help her husband divorce her? The author really took on a daring challenge here, and I was absolutely blown away by the exquisite execution of the story.

Mina turns out to be one of the most heroic of historical heroines, and I adored every bit of her story. James, on the other hand, is such a staunch rule-follower that he's positively beastly toward her until he starts to question the facts of her divorce. Still, Mina handles it all with grace and dignity, which ultimately forces James to reevaluate his opinions and what he thought was true.

I loved the coincidence that brought these two into each other's personal lives, forcing them to look past their public personas and work together for a common goal. Even when you think there's no possible path to a HEA for everyone involved, still you hope, and trust that the author will get you there by the end. And the ending truly is splendid for everyone.

The writing is simply sublime. Because we understand where each character is coming from we can sympathize with them even though they're at odds with each other. Here's a wonderful example of the lyrical, heartfelt writing:


He tilted his head. “You truly do think the worst of me, don’t you?”

“It’s no less than what you think of me,” she countered.

Pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, he closed his eyes briefly and finally shook his head. “God help me but I’m bound to regret this.” With apprehension in his eyes, Mr. Dale sighed and gestured toward the carriage. “Get in.”

When Wilhelmina hesitated, he took a deep breath and appeared to reach for a secret supply of good manners and patience. With a grimace, he offered his hand to assist her and said, “Please, Mrs. Lawson. Time is of the essence.”


There are some truly despicable people in this story, and I loved how they were put in their places. One of the main reasons I read romance is for the "good wins over evil" satisfaction and the author easily delivers that here.

I admit that the premise made me hesitate a bit, but I'm so very glad I gave this book a chance. As much as I've loved this author's other books, this one is hands down the best I've read. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Quite a different storyline. A divorce and how it would have had to have been handled in that era. I enjoyed reading the story of an older couple finding their happily ever after. There was also another romance going on in each of their children falling in love and wanting to marry each other. The characters were engrossing and the storyline drew me in. I wasn't able to put the book down once started.

I was gifted this book as an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.

Will their past wounds and her present circumstances keep them apart…

This is the problem with books you want to read, even in your hands, you have to wait because of other obligations, for me to be such a glutinous bookworm I had to make a schedule for all my reads.
So here, I am finally able to sit and read this book. It is not often I have read a story with a divorcée. Set in Regency, I do believe only one, and the hero was the divorcé. As difficult to make of an adulteress a heroine.
Yet here the author passes the challenge with flying colors. A divorce during the period was quite a much difficult action but not impossible, yet the women were the ones to pay the price.
Wilhelmina is a willing sacrificial lamb, she wants so much to please everyone, she is left behind with nothing. Yet, it is understandable she wants the best for the man who has been her lifelong friend and rescued her when she needed saving.
But she might not have grasped all the ins and outs she would face after the divorce.
James used his past wounds to taint his view of Wilhelmina, and after all, he is like everyone else, he witnessed her downfall. So normal for him to believe the worst of her. Yet he is a man of facts and proofs, why despite everything he can’t shake the idea something is not right, all the while he loathes everything this woman reminds him, his own unfaithful late wife.

There is in addition a second love story between their own children, who are quite mature for their young age, they counterbalance James’ very arrested opinion and Wilhelmina’s own struggles because of her many secrets.

I loved those two couples, the youngest more sensible than their elders. Yet James once he understands the errors of his way redeems himself wonderfully.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I received an ARC of "Mr. Dale and the Divorcee," from Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Sophie Barnes' ability to tell stories is fantastic as we readers are drawn in to the lives of her characters.
Wilhelmina (Mina) Hewitt, cordially asks her husband, George for a divorce so he can marry someone he loves.They had married 20 years ago  for practical reasons, not romantic at all, and lived like siblings, rather than spouses. A nasty 2 year ordeal finally ends in a divorce that leaves Mina seemingly as the cheating conniving culprit who broke her marriage vows. Finally, a single, but outcast woman, she finds herself drawn to the magnetic charming barrister, James, who is trying to save his son and his reputation from the clutches of Mina's widowed daughter, Cynthia, who by association to her mother, her name and character are also tarnished.
This is a beautiful love story of not believing all that we see and hear without first knowing the circumstances behind the actions and deeds. To learn about another, sometimes,  we have to analyze our own behavior and past experiences to see how biased our views may be.

I love it when I learn something new while reading a historical romance – especially something about the Regency period. Everything I had ever read on the subject led me to believe there was no way for either partner to marry anyone again, so when I saw the whole premise of this book was a Regency couple obtaining a divorce and then marrying others, I scoffed at the idea. However, the author’s explanations seemed so valid I just had to do more research and I found there really was a way to get the divorce and the participants marry others. That doesn’t make the idea of the divorce any more plausible given how very few were ever granted or how prohibitively expensive they were, but depending on which ‘type’ of divorce they got, the participants could marry others. Here is a link to an article on the subject – and it lists references: Click Here For Article. Just in case you are interested. 😊

Wilhelmina and George grew up together and were best friends – as were their fathers. They were there for each other when the ship both of their fathers were sailing on sank and everyone on board was lost. They were always there for each other – and that is how they ended up married. While they did love each other – as friends – they were never in love with each other. However, when Wilhelmina desperately needed saving, George and she married. That was twenty years ago and they have had a comfortable, amenable, celibate marriage for all that time. They are still best friends. But now, George needs saving, and Wilhelmina is willing to do anything she can, endure anything she has to, in order to give George the life he deserves. So, they hatch a plot to brand Wilhelmina as a fallen, scandalous woman in order for George to pursue a divorce.

Widower, Mr. James Dale, is a highly successful barrister from a very well-placed family. He and his two friends (who will be featured in the next books) are attending a ball when James is introduced to the most alluring, beautiful woman (Wilhelmina) he has ever laid eyes on. He is intrigued – and very interested – until he learns she is married. Then, SCANDAL! Wilhelmina’s husband loudly accuses her of adultery and publicly shames her. James is shocked. How could she have seemed to be such a wonderful person and yet be cuckolding her husband – regularly. She’s just like his wife, Clara, had been – scandalous and wicked.

After two years, Wilhelmina and George are divorced. She is the scandal of England and people spit at her and cross the street rather than walk near her. Getting the cut direct is the least she must endure. James attended all of the court sessions and came to loath the woman. The stories that were told of her painted a very sordid picture indeed. Just imagine James’s visceral reaction when he learns his son wants to marry Wilhelmina’s daughter.

I never came to be truly invested in the characters and I’m not sure why. I liked them and I wanted to see them get to their HEA, but I just wasn’t totally enamored with them. Frankly, I liked the younger couple much better than the older couple – mostly because they seemed much more sensible. I’m sure I was supposed to like and admire George, but I didn’t.

I am glad to have read the book, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not been so ensnared with the ‘facts’ of the divorce. I should have just stopped reading at that point and done the research, and then I would have probably have enjoyed the rest of the read more.

I’m looking forward to the second book in the series, Mr. Grier and The Governess featuring Olivia Poole (who we didn’t meet in this book) and Grayson Grier, whom we met because he is a friend of Jack’s.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Credit to Sophie Barnes in Mr. Dale and The Divorcee for writing something a little more unique in historical romance. It took me a awhile to settle in because it immediately starts off with the heroine, Wilhemina, or Mina, suggesting to her husband, George that they divorce. She assumes that once their daughter (who is really hers; he married her to save her situation) is married, he can then safely be with the woman he truly loves. This was quite hard to imagine--simply marriage wouldn't keep her daughter from being cut, and what of her husband to be? It would only work if he had significant clount. After this rough start, she meets James Dale, a barrister who is immediately attracted to her. He was cheated on by his now deceased wife, and when George sees them together, he believes he's part of the set up for the evidence needed for their divorce. Things go south from here. This is a well-written but somewhat mechanical reading for me. I didn't feel the real angst or deep pull between the characters. Unfortunately the word "serviceable" came to mind frequently as I worked my way to the end.

Three stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed Mr. Dale And The Divorcee due to its differences and uniqueness. This book focuses on a more mature couple that is not members of the aristocracy. I related quickly to James and Mina. It was refreshing to read about more seasoned, experienced characters than the usual eighteen-year-old debutantes. This book tackles complex elements that come with experience and age.

James Dale is a barrister in London. To James, everything is either right or wrong; there are no grey areas. James judges quickly and adheres to strict societal norms. Jame’s reputation is everything to him. James becomes enraged when he discovers the woman he is attracted to is embroiled in an ugly divorce. Mina’s reputation is obliterated, and James is her harshest critic.

Mina has led a complicated life. Mina has faced atrocities in her past and has overcome enormous odds. However, Mina’s sweet spirit shines brightly in this book. There are complicated circumstances involved in Mina’s divorce. She is ostracized and ridiculed. Mina gives up everything and places those she loves first. Mina has an indomitable spirit and a fierceness about her that is breathtaking.

The couple who are sworn enemies is thrown together when their children fall in love. James is adamantly against the marriage. He is cruel, but his motivation resonated with me; in the end, he is a father trying to protect his son. James fears for his son’s heart and reputation. James was especially harsh on Mina because he was jaded by his past and ignorant of Mina’s situation. Mina is unflappable and loyal to a fault; my heart went out to Mina and her plight. She was so alone and held a quiet grace.

The enemies-to-lovers theme is played out beautifully. The couple’s connection, understanding, and passion build at the perfect pace. Each character was charmingly well developed, and the storyline was complex yet entertaining. I loved that the couple was in their forties; their life experiences were organic and brought depth to the plot. The emotional growth of the characters throughout the entirety of the novel was exquisite.

Mr. Dale And The Divorcee is the first book in The Brazen Beauties series. These books follow a group of former soldiers that find love in unconventional ladies. The biggest strength of this story was the emotional depth of the main characters. The couple evolves into better versions of themselves throughout the journey of the book. Sophie Barnes has created a well-orchestrated, ingeniously written love story about flawed, broken people who find healing in the understanding power of love. This novel is messy, angsty, and full of sweet redemption! The epilogue was fantastic. This is an elegant, raw romance that will keep you wanting more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of the story is Wilhelmina (Mina) helps her husband (a childhood friend who she has a marriage of convenience) obtain a divorce so that he can marry his true love. But in doing so she will be shamed and ostracized. During the staging of her downfall to enable the divorce, she meets Mr. James Dale. There's instant attraction between them both, but all seems lost as James is led to believe she is a cheating schemer.

Years later, their paths cross again, as their son and daughter have fallen in love, requesting their parents' blessing. However, James cannot see past Mina's scandalous history and refuses to give his blessing. This leads to Mina and James chasing their offspring to prevent their elopement. Shenanigans and misunderstandings ensue. I found the initial insta-attraction of Mina and James a little jarring, but I became more invested in the couple as they came to know each other during the pursuit. Take the story like a little farce and enjoy the ride!

3/5

Many thanks to the Publisher, the Author and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.