I adore Stacy Reid. I’ve read many of her books and I love her writing and the passion she puts in her stories. I even smile at the dedication to her husband, always the same, always lovely. So, obviously when I learnt that her newest novel “A Matter of Temptation” was up for request on Netgalley I clicked the button and the I got my request accepted. I had high expectations. And probably that was my mistake.
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I loved the chemistry between Mina and Simon. I loved Mina’s passion for life, her excitement, her bravery, and I love the banter she had with her earl. But I wasn’t emotionally invested on this book, I don’t know why. The relationship between the heroine and the hero was everything that I liked. The rest felt a little bland for me, I didn’t find the power and the strength Stacy Reid usually puts on her writing. I was thinking “Hey woman! You can do better!” But then, after reading some comments from romance book tubers that had read the arc and whom I trust faithfully I realized that it was me who wasn’t in the right place to fully enjoy the book. It sometimes felt like a chore and I hate feeling like that, especially with my favorite writers. I hate not enjoying good books. But I have to be honest and say that I found it hard to keep reading about half way through.
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Anthony is an empoverished viscount who, due to a misunderstanding over a game of cards challenges our hero to a duel. Anthony’s sister, Mina, is a better fencer than he is so she drugs her brother and cross dresses to meet Simon and fight with him for her brother’s honor. Mina’s reputation is that of a woman who once attempted to elope with a lover but failed, so there are rumors about her and her scandal. She has no hopes to marry. Anyway, she’s strong and independent and somehow she manages to convince Simon to hire her as his secretary. And soon enough, especially after being attacked by an adversary of Simon’s, she chooses to risk it all and “carpe diem”, she will take Simon as a lover.

I really enjoyed Mina and Simon's story. I just loved watching these two together. The fact that they not only had a physical attraction, but could just talk for hours was a refreshing change from most HR books I've read.

I was a big fan of Stacy Reid's "My Darling Duke" and unfortunately none of the other works she has publsihed recently has lived up to that book. My issue with this book was that it lacked a certain degree of emotional death between the characters. So many times in romance books, I'm like sure they're attracted to each other, but is there any depth to their relationship that would make me truly understand why their meant for each other? The answer for this book, like so many others, was no. I didn't see much depth in the relationship nor why these two were together. The writing was okay, the story was okay, but nothing exceptional.

Absolutely loved this historical romance from Stacy Reid. It’s been a while since an historical romance has grabbed my like A Matter of Temptation has. It’s my favorite historical romanceread so far this year replacing another Stacy Reid book.

Mina is a woman that hides in the country running her brother failing household. She shunned by the people in London because of a mistake that the town continues to whisper about even though it’s been six years. When her brother Anthony tells her he is to take part in a fencing duel she decides to take his place knowing she is better than him. So off she goes to duel with the Earl of Creswick. Simon is a prominent and respected member of Parliament. He hides his feelings and hardly let anyone in. So after being impressed with Mina after the duel he hires her to be his secretary. What happens after is a romance that I couldn’t help but love.

I really love this book. Firstly, the romance of Mina and Simon was my favorite thing about this. It was a charming, steamy, and even at time angsty. I loved the story of them coming together. The things Simon would do for her and how he help fulfill the the thing she had yet to experience was some of my favorite parts of the book. Also loved Mina and Simon as individual characters. Both are up there on my favorite heroes and heroine list. They way both showed they cared for one another it was easy to cheer on both. Stacy Reid for me does a great job making the chemistry of two characters come alive on the page. I honestly can’t say enough about how much I loved this. I really hope people pick this up.

Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid gets a big five star rating from me.

Thank you Net Galley and Entangled Amara for this arc.

I received an e-galley of A Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I've always enjoyed a good Victorian romance but it's been awhile since I had read one. At a certain point, it felt like they were getting repetitive and the storylines/characters were limited to certain plots and types. But A Matter of Temptation felt new and different and modern - as strange as that is for a Victorian romance. I really liked that the characters felt more deep and had more purpose beyond the romance, courting, wooing and seducing plotlines. To be fair, that is also still there - I am all for the romance and sexual tension that just comes hand in hand with these historical romances - but the characters were also interesting. In that here, we have Simon, an Earl, who is interested in bringing about political reform and change. And we have Mina, disgraced and ruined, but still intelligent and a match for Simon in intelligence and wit. I am all for politically ambitious heroes and smart and strong heroines. Of course, I don't know exactly how historically accurate such characters and events were at this time but I doubt any of us are picking up this book looking for the history rather than the romance. I look forward to continuing this historical series by Stacy Reid.

I voluntarily received a copy of A Matter of Temptation in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mina is a woman shunned from society due to scandal who now spends her life teachinf village children and running her brothers failing household. But when her brother gets himself into a duel and she takes his place she meets Simon, the Earl of Creswick. A cold but highly intellegent man who is working on passing a highly controversial bill. Hope is insight for a better life for Mina when he hires her as his secretary... but he is faced with the first woman he has ever wanted.

Despite Minas past she has a lot of confidence and is quick to tease and smile. This really challenged Simon! Especially when he bans smiling (only cause it makes him distracted). I really liked that Mina not only actes to help her brother but also did so in a way to give herself an outlet.

Though this is not quite a virgin hero... Simon doesn't have a lot of experience. Kissing is weird to him and he's never wanted to pursue a woman. But when he wants Mina... well lets just say he adapts!

4/5 Stars due to the ending being too drawn out along with the angst. Though I enjoyed Simon defending her there was a few things I felt were too over the top.

A Matter of Temptation is an office romance between a starchy Earl and the ruined daughter of a Viscount. I always look forward to Stacy Reid's new books and this one was such a delight to read. Top notch banter, sizzling chemistry, and lots of memorable scenes.

I love a starchy hero above all else and Simon is the whole starchy, cold, and emotionless package. That is until he meets Mina. For the first time in his life, Simon begins to experience The Feels™ and he's utterly confused by what's happening to him 😂 It's hilarious how Simon is baffled by Mina and her brazenness. She loves teasing him and laughs at him when he scowls. And he's so shook because no one has ever dared tease him before 😂 Simon's office rule for Mina is No Smiling™ and Mina's idea of occupational hazard is Ravishment™ 😂 I honestly giggled and swooned my way through this book. Simon and Mina gave me all the feels and butterflies. There are soooooo many swoon-worthy quotes that I highlighted 🥺

This book would have been a solid 5 star read, but the pace slows down a bit in the final act. I'm also not sure if I like the conflict in the climax? I like that the conflict motivates Simon to defend Mina and fight for her. The conflict creates a bit of angst, but the resolution is very underwhelming and anticlimactic. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed Simon and Mina's romance.

I absolutely loved this. Stacy Reid does it again! Muna, our heroine, goes in her brother's place to a duel, disguised as a man. Skilled at fencing she quickly defeats the Earl (Simon) and completely captivates him. He realizes she's a woman but is so won over by her boldness and bravery he offers her a job as his secretary.

Mina has a haunted past with a secret scandal she keeps running from and an estate that us quickly running out of money so she readily accepts the job.

Simon, a man who processes emotions differently than most, and with an incredible intellect can not stop thinking about Mina and she him. They gradually fall in love but obstacles in their way keep the reader guessing...how will this work out?

I was xometely transfixed with this romance, epic and swoony in typical Stacy Reid tone this romance still felt fresh, unique, and very hot.

A near death experience Mina has is actually what catapults the two together and not only do we get to see two people realizing that life is short, so risk it all for this moment, but also to risk everything for love.

I adored every page and can't wait to add the physical copy to my collection.

I was provided an ARC for review.

Stacy Reid is an automatic read when she comes out with a new book. I just love her work. She has a way of writing emotions in a story that make you feel the emotions yourself. This story was no different.
Mina was a ruined woman who spent her time at the country seat of her twin brother, Anthony. She had reconciled herself to life as a spinster.
But her brother was struggling to make ends meet. When he finds himself embroiled in a duel, Mina panics. She drugs him, disguises herself and takes his place. Where she meets Simon, the Earl of Creswick.
The emotions, the chemistry, the dynamics between these two is off the charts. Why is that surprising? Because Simon is known to be a man of logic and intelligence, but not emotional in any way.
There are a few surprises to be found in the story but nothing too dramatic.
I loved this book .
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 stars!
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

How dare this book be this good?! This is a life-ruining-because-it’s-so-good book. If you only ever read one book on my recommendation, let it be this one! It’s perfect 🥰

A controversy in her past has ‘ruined’ our heroine Mina and she’s been hiding out in the country ever since. Her and her twin brother are also financially ruined—which is the situation behind this book’s inciting incident: our heroine’s twin challenged our hero, Simon the Earl of Creswick, to a duel and Mina is terrified that he might lose.

Mina! The way that Mina dressed like her brother and went to the duel in her brother’s stead had me living my Mulan fantasy (when she was about to cut her hair—in my mind, it was with a sword). And then, of course, Simon was so impressed (and possibly turned on 😉) by her that he offered her a job requiring them to work closely together every day—enter the forced proximity trope of my dreams!!

Oh book, how I do love thee, let me count the ways…
💛 Simon!! This man was so swoony, I can barely wrap my head around it. A neurodivergent hero with serious Big D Energy, he was earnest and forthright, not used to emotions but unafraid of them when he started feeling feelings. He was starchy, a political activist, and he loved and respected Mina for her mind.
💛 Mina, please be my friend. I was completely hooked by her. I loved how smart and driven she was, how self-sacrificing she was, how mature she was. I can’t resist a heroine in men’s clothes and I loved the bluestocking, working woman vibes. Plus, they played chess together and the more she beat him, the more he loved her. And same, tbh.
💛 The pining and longing in this book was so powerful, that it deserves an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. If we ever needed proof that there’s no such thing as too much ‘staring at each other and thinking how much they love/want/respect the other person’ then this book is it. Because it has the absolute most and it was amazing!
💛 The story itself was just great and this romance plot felt really fresh. There was an interesting flavour to what was keeping them apart and all the little details in the story really sold it.
💛 "I will be the shelter for the storm over our heads" has officially entered the pantheon of swoony book quotes.

I read the whole book with a big grin on my face. What a delight!

The impoverished and scandalous Mina Crawford is taken on by the Earl of Creswick as his secretary. Simon Loughton has never been tempted by a woman, his entire focus is on politics and helping those without a voice, but this feisty redhead who beat him at fencing has a strange pull over him and he agrees to an outrageous salary to employ her. Likeable characters, a crusading politician with a cold heart that slowly thaws, wanton behaviour and heartache. Loved the epilogue. Recommended reading.
Note: as the daughter of a Viscount her title on being formally introduced should have been, The Honourable Wilhelmina Crawford and I was surprised when Simon, who was so intent on her not being disrespected, never did so.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well this one sucked me in. I think the plot is very unique with what Simon is trying to achieve and even Minas secret! I wasn't expecting that at all. This one I think you won't want to put down.

I love this cover and the color scheme.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book.

I'm a huge Stacy Reid fan but this one slightly missed the mark for me. The premise was great as the couple initially meets when the heroine (disguised as her twin brother) bests the hero in a fencing duel. Mina, the heroine, is pretty headstrong and independent with a secret past that prevents her from current and future happiness. Simon, the hero, is a busy member of the House of Lords and hires Mina to be his secretary. Falling in love ensues but Mina's past stands in their way. The ending "twist" was a little predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have always been a fan of this author's work, and this book is no exception. Mina and Simon's interactions are funny and compelling from the beginning - you can practically see the sparks fly off the page. Simon is a wonderful combination of repressed aristocracy and devil-may-car liberalism, and Mina is sweet without being cloying, forthright without being bullish. I can totally understand why these two can't help but fall for each other.

It's obvious that the author has a strong grasp on history and the political landscape of the time, as well as exactly where the boundaries between history and fiction can be blurred.

This was such a great read - I could not put it down and eagerly await this author's next book.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book.
Mina has buried herself in the country after a scandel ruined her future. Her only family is a brother and they are destitute. When her brother challenges an earl to a duel, Mina decides to fight instead.
Simon hires Mina as his secretary. And the sparks fly.
I live how fun Mina was but I really loved Simon. Simon is a progressive hell bent on social reform. He is serious but is quickly charmed by Mina.
I loved this book.

Wilhelmina (Mina) Crawford is not marriageable in the eyes of society. She eloped to Scotland at a young age, and realizing her mistake returned to her family home in shame. Now she’s 24 and when her twin brother challenges the neighboring earl to a duel she shows up instead disguised to fight. To make things right again Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, hires her as his personal secretary. He’s never had a problem keeping his desires in check until she beguiles him at every turn.

I like how the author brings in a lot of the reform bills being discussed and championed at the time. Also both MCs are likable. Refreshingly I like what prompts Mina to take action into her own hands and I love his unwavering devotion to her in face of many obstacles. A few times the author wrote very formally and that took me momentarily out of the story. But for the most part this was a very enjoyable romance with some passion. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(3.5 stars rounding up)

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was sooooo good, but I don't want to give too much away. This is a story that both made me laugh and cry, and I want all future readers to get the full experience. Many pieces of information are revealed as the plot progresses, some that you expected and other bits not so much.

Both Miss Wilhelmina "Mina" Crawford and Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, are likable characters from the start. After meeting, they both grow and make each other better. There were a few devices used that have been done before that have even frustrated me, such as I'm leaving for your good because I love you. However, Stacy Reid did it so well I didn't even mind. I was fully invested in the story. In fact, my only complaint was that I couldn't put it down.

I definitely plan to continue the series and recommend for all adult readers.

I will end with my favorite quote from the book:

"“I will be the shelter for the storm over our heads, Mina, you need not fear what I might lose. What I know I cannot lose is you.”"

Stacey Reid delivers another solid read with “A Matter of Temptation”, the first book in her new series. In this historical, we see Miss Wilhelmina Crawford match wit and swords with Simon Loughton, Earl of Creswick.

Mina is a likeable heroine – smart, brave, and fiery. Her only flaw is having once trusted a less than scrupulous fellow with her heart. Ruined in the eyes of the ton, she spent a chunk of her 20s sequestered away in the countryside. Thanks to a duel and a business proposal proffered by Simon, Mina returns to society with a newly animated disposition.

Simon, a reserved politician, too begins to develop a new vivacity. His devotion to Mina, even upon learning of her past transgressions, is both admirable and endearing. Despite the danger her past relationship poses to his political career, he never wavers in wanting her by his side.

Though there is no real villain and no real danger – aside from a minor attempt on Simon’s life, which hardly factored into the overall plot – the story still captures the attention of the reader with the will they or won’t they tension.

As is typical of a Stacy Reid book, there are plenty of swoon worthy love scenes, and a nice, satisfying epilogue.

You can’t go wrong with this read!

I never expected to see feminism in this story, moreover in historical romance. Usually, the authors write a story based on the cultures and the life styles at that time, so I really appreciate Miss Reid to bring this topic in the story.

First half of the story felt bland for me. Nothing much happens. They're just doing their daily activities. But, the second half of it, I liked it! Some secrets start to reveal, their connection starts to blooming, everything gets interesting. I could not put it down!

BOOK: A Matter Of Temptation
GENRE: historical romance
TROPES & THEMES: mistaken identity, workplace romance, ruined by scandal, social commentary
HOTTIE METER: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
RELEASE DATE: June 28th, 2022

If you are a reader of the genre and haven't read Stacy Reid, what are you doing?

This was such a beautiful and heart-warming story with the magical connection between two lovely characters. Mina and Simon have a fantastic and hilarious meet-cute. It is something I adore about Stacy's books, the ability to enthrall me into the story with wonderful chemistry between the main couple. This book is bursting with steam, heart, and a joyful storyline.

If you are looking for a book with a fearless heroine and hero who will do anything for a heroine look no more, this book delivers it perfectly.

* Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review