I am intrigued by the idea of a male regency romance novelist (I also loved several books by Leigh Greenwood) so I was excited to pick this up. Overall, interesting story line with sometimes confusing execution. The h is a newly destitute daughter of an aristocrat and the H is an earl with a terrible mother. They end up in each other's bodies and end up questioning what they think they know about the other and about themselves. The body switch is something I have not seen before in regency romance (and I have read a LOT of regency romance) and it definitely added some levity and unexpected moments. I did, however, find some of the scenes between the H and h confusing because of the body switch. I ended up muddled on who was actually having the emotions/engaging in the action being described. I did love the H learning just how difficult it was to be a non-traditional woman in that time period. I also loved the h's new friends, and would definitely read their stories. I would have liked more backstory to the phenomenon that led to the body switch but if this is the start to a series, maybe that will be coming in the next books. North did a good job with the characters developing through their experiences in each other's bodies. 4,5 stars.

I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own,

The first book in the Red Lion Ladies series by Sawyer North is titled The Lord Pretender. This was a fun, lighthearted read that I really enjoyed.

This was a fun, lighthearted read that I really enjoyed. It was interesting to see how each person felt living in someone else’s body and also seeing themselves as others saw them. I liked the characters of Simon, Earl of Blackburn and Emma. Simon had quite a different personality to the one he showed in public. Emma was all for helping her family. I enjoyed the way they got to know each other as well as their journey of self discovery. There is a villain out to spoil any happiness. This was an entertaining read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had not read the summary for this but just liked the cover so I was really shocked the direction that this took. Therefore be warned that while this is an historical it is also a paranormal romance. The story was pretty good just wasn’t what I was expecting.

Freaky Friday meets Regency Romance - a mix I didn’t know I needed.

The Lord Pretender starts slow but once the switch happens ALL hell breaks loose for Emma and Simon. The characters witty banter added an element of fun to their budding romance. The most you’ll read in this book is a ravaging kisses sprinkled in the pages - ZERO STEAM!

Overall, it is a good story but a bit unbelievable. Thank you Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy of this novel.

Things I don't usually read:
1. revenge stories
2. body switching stories

This book is both, and I loved it. Emma and Blackburn have good reasons for despising the other, but the switch forces them to see the other's perspective. The fact that they were initially attracted before learning the other's identity leads to more delicious fun. There's a nice mystery subplot, but this is first and foremost an emotional romance with a high level of sensual tension. Even though they're in each other's bodies for much of the story, the author really pulls off the attraction between them. The characters are charming and the banter delightful. I'm glad I took a chance on this book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

An awesome Freaky Friday regency tale. The story is told from the perspective of the two characters in their own bodies and when they swap which is just hilarious. Emma is the daughter of a Baron who is smart and fierce. When her father dies and leaves them destitute, she vows revenge on the men she blames for this. Simon is an Earl with a dragon of a mother. He is on Emma’s hit list. You will love the characters especially Dodie and the ladies that befriend Emma. They are a wholly delightful bunch and make for interesting reading. As Emma and Simon spend more time together and eventually fall in love to the delight of everyone around them except the dragon.

The body swapping plotline in this book is truly unique and not something I would have normally chosen but it proved fun and entertaining with lots of witty banter and amusing dialogue and really good secondary character's. It is a clean romance and doesn't touch too much on what they could have done with each other's bodies. It would have been a 5 but it just missed on the romance side as this was overshadowed with the body swop issue's and had no real depth. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Emma Watts was looking forward to having a season until her father joined the notorious Prometheans’ Club and gambled away all her prospects. Now, cast out of society, and with only her name intact, Emma will do what a young, intelligent lady can when she is thwarted by circumstance. Take revenge, of course. And the gentlemen's club, including its members, is first on the list. Simon, the Earl of Blackburn, one of the most prominent members of the club, knows firsthand how dangerous a wily woman with an agenda can be; after all, his mother is the most devious of the species. But a string of chance encounters with a charming and breathtaking stranger leads him to reconsider. Upon learning that a mystery woman is digging up dirt on his club brothers, Simon volunteers to uncover her identity and ruin her by any means necessary. But all it takes is a nasty thunderstorm & a lightning strike to completely switch Emma's and Simon's lives. Their perspectives aren’t the only things that change though, when they wake up in each other’s bodies.
I don’t think I’ve read another body swap in a Regency romance & I loved it. A very well written book full of humour & very witty banter. Simon & Emma were attracted to each other from their first meeting & the attraction changed from attraction to lust to liking & finally to love. There were also intriguing secondary characters who I’d love to meet again. Dodie was also a delight & stole the book as only a nine year old could. I found the start of the book a little slow but the pace picked up after the lightning strike & I found I was loathe to put it down. I found myself laughing at the everyday things, which the couple experienced from a different perspective especially Simon experiencing Emma’s visitor. Thank goodness Emma wasn't pregnant!!! A captivating, engrossing read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Emma Watts is the daughter of Baron Heathkirk. Before his death, he sold everything of value to feed his gambling addiction. Left with no home, Emma, her sister and mother must live with an aunt in a hovel on Red Lion Square, one step above a lean-to. She vows to exact revenge on the members of the Prometheans' Club for leading her father to ruin, particularly Simon Pike, Earl of Blackburn. Simon has his own problems with his mother, Countess of Blackburn. Known in his household as the dragon, she is determined he marries the lady of her choice. Simon's life changes when he literally runs into Emma. They may not know each other's identity, but neither can forget the other. On the night of a storm, lightning strikes and they exchange bodies. With hilarious results, Emma and Simon find out what it means to be in each other's shoes.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I was not expecting the plot twist that occurs here! Very interesting and different for a historical romance. I think I've only ever seen one other dealing with body swapping called My Lord, My Lady by Katherine Ashe.
The characters are fun and it was nice that the body swapping part of the story highlights the social/gender injustices.
I think the romance was okay. The two leads had nice banter but not much steam between the sheets if ya know what I mean. I think I would have liked to see more tension between them, especially because of the body swap! This plot provided an interesting opportunity to experiment with how love scenes are done and I felt it wasn't taken.
Besides the romance aspect of the book, this was a nice, unique historical read.

I absolutely loved this book! The humor is subtle but definitely gets your attention. Situations are mentioned by Mr. North, who then allows your imagination to fill in the rest. So, let me back up, Emma is out for revenge and does not go about it quietly as she pays employees for dirt on the Promethean Club members. She blames them for her father’s ruin and the family’s fall from grace.

Of course, her biggest enemy is the stranger whom she kisses in the bookstore. Emma and Simon have an instant and unexplainable attraction. Once she realizes who he is, the war is on. But, wait! They exchange bodies in a thunderstorm and it gets even better. I loved the situation of male/female exchange and the way they told each other not to look or touch. Ha! The romance that develops as Emma and Simon literally live in the other’s shoes is sweet. They get to see a side, not only of the other, but they get to see the life of the opposite gender and how it effects their thinking. Anytime some grows is a win.

Another charming part of this book is their friends and family and how they added to the story line taking care of each other; Emma’s Order of the Red Lion ladies; Simon’s Promethean Club members/friends, the ward, the Dragon sweet sisters and really odd aunt. I am hoping to see more from these characters in future books as they drew my interest with their lives and stories. And, the mysterious Clockmaker who knows everything; there has to be more!

Miss Emma Watts, her mother and younger sister have been left with nothing after her father gambled and drank away everything. The people who encouraged that behavior must be held to account.

Simon, the Earl of Blackburn has been brought up by an old dragon of a mother who will destroy anyone to get her own way. That means he knows just how devious women can be. That makes him the one to find the woman who is out to cause trouble for the members of his club.

Ohh what a wonderful twist to this historical romance! I'm not going to give anything away by telling you more of the story. I don't think I've ever read a historical romance written by a male author before and I didn't know while I was reading it. It's a interesting story with lots of surprises. The characters are fabulous and learn some funny home truths. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series.

I loved it.

Emma Watts is the daughter of a disgraced baron. She vows vengeance on the group responsible for her late father’s fall from grace. Emma intends to find incriminating dirt on the members of the Promethean, a gentlemen’s club that caters to nobility. The first person on her list is Simon Pike, the Earl of Blackburn. However, a fateful encounter with Simon, and a thunderstorm, gives Emma the advantage she needs. She soon discovers there is more to him than she originally thought. Can Emma let go of her need for revenge? Or will she lose far more than what she anticipated?
Simon Pike is an important member of the infamous Promethean club. He volunteers to learn the identity of the woman hellbent on ruining his club brethren and bring her to justice. Simon knows the harm a cunning and devious woman can do unimpeded. However, his chance meetings with a mysterious lady causes his opinions to waver. An unexpected accident allows Simon to walk in his spirited adversary’s shoes. Can Simon dissuade Emma from her vengeance? Or will he willingly help her bring about the Promethean’s demise?
Emma is a fascinating character. She is an unfortunate young woman who has experienced the worst thing that could happen to a noblewoman. I admire Emma’s determination not to be a damsel-in-distress, despite her family’s social standing. She knows there will be no knight, or lord, coming to their rescue nor does she expect one. What I love the most about Emma is her temerity to stand up to Simon’s mother. She is not afraid to put the dowager countess in her place.
Simon is a nice change-of-pace from the usual arrogant, alpha, and entitled nobleman in the genre. He struggles a bit to balance the two sides of his nature, until he finally realizes it is okay to be different. I adore Simon’s closeness with his young niece. She is the only female that he could openly be himself with without fear of repercussion or emotional harm. Simon also shielded her from his mother’s cold indifference. What I admire the most about Simon is his acceptance and admiration of Emma’s intelligence. He did not feel intimidated or belittled by her fiery wit or spirited demeanor, unlike most men of his status.
THE LORD PRETENDER is the first book in Sawyer North’s historical romance series, RED LION LADIES. This is my first time reading this author’s works. I have not read many (if any) romance novels written by a man, so I could not wait to give this story a try. I like the paranormal element Sawyer North weaves into the story. It is one that I have not really experienced before in the genre or book form, just in movies. The story reminded me a little of the movie IT’S A BOY GIRL THING but in a regency setting.
THE LORD PRETENDER is a delightful tale of two people forced into an unusual situation that changes their preconceived perceptions. I cannot wait to see which resident of Red Lion Square is next!

It's a wonderful story that has me smiling often. I loved both the main characters and their respective best friends. It was such an interesting story, but then I have always been a fan of the body-switch trope. And combine it with historical romance; you have perfection! I think that the author has done a great job of capturing all the different emotions resulting from the switch. It was fun to see how Emma and Simon tried to adjust to each other's bodies, and learn more about each other's lives, habits, loves, and hates. However, it's not the only thing I loved about this book. I also enjoyed the romance between them as well as the premise of the book. This story has been a real treat for me. It's one of those books which are hard to put down and you end up finishing them in one or two sittings. That's how good I found it to be. So glad I picked it up and would definitely recommend it to all readers. If you like historicals and/or romance then you should read this book. It's beautifully written and I hope we get to read more books about some of the side characters. They should all have their stories told. ;)

Maybe 3.5 stars

When Emma Watts’s father dies and she learns that he gambled away everything at the notorious Prometheans’ Club, she becomes bent on revenge. She decides to make the members pay and starts snooping around, looking for anything that she can use to ruin the members. Concerned by her actions, Simon Pike, the Earl of Blackburn offers to look into the matter and take care of it. Simon knows that women shouldn’t be underestimated and that they are more than capable of destroying someone – he just has to look to his mother for proof of that.

Emma and Simon share an immediate attraction, that they both ignore as they are intent on destroying the other. But when a lightning bolt strikes a bit too close and they wake up in each other’s bodies, there will be no ignoring the other until they find a way to switch back!

This was a quirky take on “Freaky Friday” with a regency twist. The book was a bit slow to start, but once they switch bodies, it does pick up speed. The book is filled with witty banter, situation comedy, an interesting mix of secondary characters, and finally a HEA. For me, this book was not what I hoped for, the romance wasn’t there and the book had zero steam, which I can deal with, but I think the author missed out on incorporating a very unique love scene into this book. Anyway, it was a fun read that I am sure many people will enjoy, but in my opinion, Katarine Ashe did this better in My Lady, My Lord.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

This was a fun read.. 'It's a Boy Girl Thing' & 'Freaky Friday' type trope - made fun with historical aspects.. 

<spoiler>

I did have some questions/ comments  like  'oh was this possible during that period?' 'A bit more inputs on background research would have helped' 'oh not so smart to take a grownup's prob to a kid' etc.

</spoiler>

But overall, I enjoyed this body swap trope and the book kept me entertained.

The Lord Pretender by author Sawyer North is a pleasant read with a lightish storyline. Emma's character held strength, and Simon too, had moments that brought about some chuckles. The underlying persona swap was a bit far fetched in believability, however, the character interactions were smooth and, at times entertaining. Some of the supporting characters held merit, and overall, the story and characterisations were likeable.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley

I must admit that the body-switching aspect of this book is not my normal cup of tea. If you're looking for a classic Historical Romance, this is not it. The body-swapping provided interesting insights into and from both characters, but detracted from the main point of the plot that intrigued me to begin with. I did enjoy the characters, their arcs, and their relationships with others, so that shone through some of my wariness.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

OK, if I had read the description for this more carefully, I may have skipped it. I am not a fan of Freaky Friday body swap type situations - not that I hate them, but they just don't attract my interest generally. But the blurb did not imply that they would literally switch bodies!

However - on saying that, I am very very glad I did read this as I found it to be a delightful, fun novel with some fabulous, well defined characters, and quite amusing dialogue, and situations!

Emma Watts is the daughter of a disgraced peer who lost his fortune gambling, then lost his life. She, her mother, and sister, deprived of their fortunes, and shunned by society because of the associated disgrace of his spiral downwards. They are forced to move in with Great Aunt Gertie who lives in genteel poverty in a small, rundown home in Red Lion Square. Emma blames her father's fall into sin and disgrace on members of the Prometheus Club, and seeks revenge on the members, and on the top of her list is the Earl of Blackburn.

Simon, the Earl of Blackburn, is nowhere near the evil persona Emma believes he is. What he does have is an evil, manipulative dragon of a mother who drove his father to death, and on his deathbed, made Simon promise to never go against his mother, as his father was afraid that it would lead to Simon's downfall as well, since she would not be afraid to mow down anyone in the way of what she desires, even her own child. Unfortunately, his view of women in general is shaped by his mother, so he thinks them all to be lying, conspiring, manipulative shrews who will do anything to get their way. He has learned to put on a stone-faced facade to try keep her and others from delving to his thoughts, and to protect those he truly cares about.

Emma and Simon literally run into each other, and are instantly beguiled by each other, not knowing who the other is, and this happens again, strengthening the attraction. But Emma is seeking information to bring down members of the Club, and Simon, not knowing that the woman he has deemed a goddess in his mind, is the woman seeking to bring down his friends, vows to trap and stop her.

When this happens, he chases her back to Red Lion Square, and through the magic of a lightening strike and a totem to Cromwell, their spiritual beings are transported into each other's bodies. Now forced to live each other's lives, they truly learn more about each other. Emma learns how Simon truly sees her, despite her own lack of self esteem and confidence in herself. Simon learns that not all women are like his mother. They see each other truly for who they are, despite the skin they wear, and they learn to love and respect each other for that.

This was a sweet and funny story, with some really great passages that had me laughing, especially when they are coping with managing their new bodies, and learning to live with the foibles of being another gender, both the physical as well as the social. Including when Simon learns about the joys of wearing women's wear, and having a menses. I love Emma and Simon's interactions with each other, right from when they meet, to when they become each other, and are forced to work together and learn to love each other. Love their enlightenment about themselves to, being forced to see themselves differently, when they are living as the other.

I quite enjoyed the side characters as well, including the other women who become Emma's friends and the Order of the Red Lion, and I am intrigued by Aunt Gertie. She does not have a lot of pages and dialogue herself, but there is an implication that she is more than she appears in terms of influence and knowledge.

This was a joy to read; so much so, I did it pretty much in one go.

4.75 stars out of 5.