Eloisa James is a constant on my list of favorite historical romance authors so it pains that I so strongly disliked this book. To be fair the plot wasn’t one that spoke to me and I only picked up this book for the author. However strong characters can really make any plot work and these characters were not helping. Giles was supposed to be our hero but I found him spineless and wishy - washy. There wasn’t very much to Yasmin the heroine. The villain has far more presence than she does although her reasoning is so nonsensical. My favorite character by far was Yasmin’s grandfather who made me smile every time he was on the page.

I will continue to pick up anything that James writes, I just won’t be recommending this title to others.

Every once in a while, I read a Reg Rom that makes me sad.  And not just the climax/conflict angst/feels, but just sad that anyone would think the hero's behavior is remotely romantic and not a precursor to abuse.

This was one of those books.

There was a time when Eloisa James was one of my favorite authors.  I tried the first in this series earlier this year, and while it wasn't one of my favorites this year, I did enjoy it.  I have to acknowledge that more often than not my tastes changing reflect my own experiences, growth, and understanding.  Given the many high rankings of this book (albeit coupled by a slightly lesser amount of low ranks), its evident some readers will not take issue with the MCs or the story.  I do, and I want to tell you why.

The Reluctant Countess is sort of an enemies to lovers story, with a grumpy hero/sunshine heroine.  These are tropes that, while I don't dislike them, are not necessarily a must read for me.  The angst level is not off the charts, but is ever present thanks, in large part, to a truly terrible sister of the hero character.  I am still a bit befuddled by her ending which felt like no resolution at all, especially for a character who deserved a comeuppance.  If you are reader who has had a fair amount of in-law or toxic family angst, Lydia could be a trigger for you.    

More troubling for me than the machinations of Lydia (and honestly, while I know there are just as many toxic men out there as women, I get so exhausted by the scheming woman trope) are her brother's inability to deal with it.  His helplessness in the face of it, his willingness to knuckle under it.  It made no sense to me in the context of his character, and honestly made him a poor match for the heroine.

There are aspects of Giles, the hero, that I do somewhat understand but there is a whole pathos about him that is frightening rather than endearing.  I will harken back to an article I have cited a time or two, when trying to describe a hero that doubtless many women find romantic but just sends up giant flare guns of red flags for me.  His jealousy, his controlling and withdrawing behavior, contrasted with the love-bombing...its not exactly chapter verse from the narcissist handbook but its something not good.  Given his behavior, his words at the end fell flat for me.  The fact that he obsesses over Yasmin's many admirers and sex appeal, shaming her while simultaneously showing up at her grandfather's house every night for a late night booty call...just no thank you.  In the year of 2022, gorgeous gorgeous girls have more respect for themselves than to find a jealous controlling guy anything but pathetic and not worth their time.

Yasmin feels like a character a smart woman writes about another type of woman, but with judgment.  She has redeeming qualities and a naiveté that underlies her sophisticated, devil-may-care presentation to the world.  She describes herself as frivolous, loving gossip, and stupid, although James tries to counteract this by having the hero point out her love and gift with language.  Its like James wants to present this sunshine character who exudes warmth and laughter in spite of her terrible upbringing, but can't help but judge her for not being more serious about something.  The judgment mainly comes in the form of having Yasmin relent to Giles' pitiful attempts to reconcile not once or twice, but several times.  In the context of Giles kind of being an abusive leaning character, this just screams co-dependency yuck yuck to me and not romantic at all.  

Also Yasmin is not, even remotely, a wallflower.  Would-be or otherwise.

Yasmin's grandfather is a king (truly, a Duke in the book) and one of the redeeming features of the book.  He loves with humor, without judgment, and with an authenticity that felt real.  I also loved Silvester, a Duke rival after Yasmin's hand who seems like the true one Yasmin should've ended up with.  He was supportive, funny, caring, really the whole package. Except she wasn't attracted to him, so she had to chase after the object of her lust.

If I were her girlfriend, I would have had some stern words of advice for her about crazy love making you crazy. 

The book is technically well written, easy to read, and I did have emotional reactions to elements.

I also want to talk about one thing that was in the book that was interesting because it was uncommon.  Specifically, Yasmin's reaction to intimacy.

There is a fair amount of intimacy on the page.  These MCs go at it about as much as the Duke and Duchess in Bridgerton Season 1 (maybe more).  But the first scene is fascinating because Yasmin is visibly disgusted by it, and calls the act disgusting. 

Its a bit weird how James sets this up to be a conflict (with Giles promising a platonic marriage) but then its sort of not ever directly dealt with again, as Yasmin finds herself increasingly wanting intimacy.  Yasmin later describes childbirth disgusting, so it may be James was wanting to capture a character who has a low tolerance for bodily functions?  Initially, I assumed it would be the main conflict as Yasmin tried to work through her trauma of being manipulated into intimacy at too young of an age, which is surely something other readers could relate.  I also wondered if it could be hinting at a neuro-spicy reaction to intimacy or a specific type of orientation (I was getting a little bit of demi and a little bit of ace).  I still am not sure what the point of introducing Yasmin's disgust was, other than maybe to sell the intimacy as a signal Giles was "the one".   It would have been more interesting to explore Yasmin as demisexual.

Overall, this isn't a book I would recommend for most readers.  There were adult themes and a fair amount of (albeit vanilla) intimate scenes, and one assault.  But more troublesome were the MCs. 

As always, I will remind Regency Readers that there are as many opinions as there are books in the world, and according to GoodReads reviews, some readers loved this book so if it peaks your interest, check out a few other reviews first.

Light, witty and at times emotional, The Reluctant Countess is an easy read with a predictable ending. It’s the journey to that ending that makes this an enjoyable book. Overall, I enjoyed this story and, while it wasn’t Eloisa James’ best ever book, it was a good read and a nice start to her new series.

As a French woman who endured scorn at the French court of Napoleon due to her family’s behavior, Yasmin is not interested in marriage at all. She enjoys flirting, but she does not need a man in her life. Then she meets Giles whom , even though he is very conservative, she is attracted to. Giles himself can not figure out what he wants from Yasmin. Together they must find out if the attraction is just physical or much more. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon for my honest review.

I've always appreciated the amount of research that goes into Eloisa James' books and her ability as a writer. She applies all of that here in The Reluctant Countess. Unfortunately this book didn't land well for me.

The hero Giles, is attracted to the heroine, Yasmin, and contrives to dance the first waltz at every ball with her, to the extent he bribes the musicians to play a longer waltz so he may have her close company for longer. Yasmin has a scandalous past and lineage which makes her ineligible for Giles, who is looking for a wife. I'm not a fan of the I want you but you're not pure enough for me storyline for starters.

Then there is Giles' younger sister Lydia, who is very problematic. She engages in her own scandalous behavior, yet is extremely critical and rude to Yasmin. It was unbearable for me to read these scenes, I want women supporting women, not the opposite, especially when one is a hypocrite.

By the end of the book, the only person I liked was Yasmin, and I wish she had picked a different hero to fall for. Also an honorable mention for Yasmin's grandfather, a duke, and their relationship which is sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up. I really liked the two MCs and thought they had great chemistry together. Yasmin is "ruined" because of a childhood indiscretion and doing her best to navigate a cruel and catty <i>ton</i>. Giles is also living under the shadow of scandal - his parents'. They are drawn to each other despite being a terrible match on paper. The plot was a little bit oddly structured with a few rounds of running hot and cold by both of them. And there was also a bit too much Lydia. Despite that, I found this to be a quick and engaging read.

I found the book vaguely unpleasant. At 16 Yasmin was tricked by a fake wedding ceremony into thinking she was married. After a week together the man tried to blackmail her father who wouldn't go along. She was ostracized for her low morals and gossiped about afterwards. Throw in her mother was Napoleon's mistress. Nine years later she can't take it anymore and moves to England from France to live with her grandfather. She's giggly, frivolous, gossips, and dresses in extremely low cut gowns and dampened skirts. The most beautiful woman in the room and every man wants her. The gossip about her morals follows her and she's given the cut direct by most of society. Giles is grim, judgmental, humorless, friendless. He always asks for the first waltz because he can't help himself but in no way could she be his countess. After a while they have sex which she found unpleasant and a "sickening act." He still can't help wanting her so much he proposes a platonic marriage. This soon changes with him coming to her home every evening to spend the night with her. With her grandfather's full knowledge. This begins the back and forth, they are getting married, they aren't getting married. He wants her but doesn't like her, wants her to change her way of dress, doesn't think she is good enough for him, she's asking for attention, always has to be the center of attention in every room, it's her fault men want her, she's a strumpet, he's ashamed of her, jealous of any man looking at her.... Is this supposed to be romantic? More like domestic abuse waiting to happen. I wanted to call a hotline for her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No one does historical romance quite like Eloisa James and oh does she bring the angst! The stuffy Earl,Giles looking for a wife… but once he finds her, treats her like an object until it’s almost too late. Meddling sister and a wife with a backbone of steel makes it a wild ride.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for honest review.

I have been missing some angst in my recent reads, so I was pleasantly surprised by how angsty this was! I really enjoyed both the hero and heroine, and their romance was to die for. Looking forward to more books from James.

This was absolutely charming. I loved the touches of historical accuracy, and the one instance where I raised a brow, the author was kind enough to explain.

Overall, I loved Jasmine and Giles’ romantic “suffering” for the other. My only complaint was that at times, the point of view transitioned poorly. For example, I felt it very distracting when Giles’ thoughts and feelings were very suddenly switched to Jasmines’. When it began happening to other characters, I felt it hurt the story pacing at parts.

Overall though, I loved this and hope to read more in a series.

For my first Eloisa James, I found this to be a good introduction. I particularly enoyed the character voices and the moments women throughout.

It wasn’t bringjng anything new, but it’s just whag I expected from the genre and had a good time while reading.

cute story. I really enjoyed the characters. Such fun and whit and heart. great storyline. Flowed well.

I didn't enjoy this title as much as others did. I was just disappointed. I really love Eloisa James and look forward to her upcoming releases though. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC

Eloisa James’s books are usually a little denser for me; you know, not the usual light hearted romp a lot of other historical romances tend to be.
This one was no exception but it was no less enjoyable. I need to go back and read the first one but I felt like the characters still really shined without it. The plot is just the characters coming to grips with their attraction for one another, particularly the hero who finds Yazmin unsuitable. Im sure some people will have a problem with this but I like this kind of tension; even if it’s a liiiiittle problematic of the hero. maybe it’s a me problem.
One criticism is that It spent way too much time focused on the sister.

Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, has never made a fool of himself over a woman—until he meets Lady Yasmin Régnier. Yasmin is ineligible for his attentions in every way: not as a wife, certainly not as a mistress (she is a lady!), nor even as a friend, since they vehemently dislike each other. Her gowns are too low, and every man in the ton dances attendance on the little flirt.

Her mother was Napoleon's mistress, and scandal and gossip follow Yasmin everywhere. She says she will never marry, but the starchy Earl of Lilford may be able to change her mind. #TheReluctantCountess #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, has never made a fool of himself over a woman, he is a by the book man—until he meets Lady Yasmin Régnier. Yasmin is unworthy of his attentions in every way: not as a wife, certainly not as a mistress (she is a lady!), nor even as a friend, since they vehemently dislike each other., or so they thought that they were. Her gowns are too low, and her skirts are dampened to cling to admittedly lovely thighs. She loves to gossip—and giggle.

She isn’t dignified, or polite, or even truly British, given that her father’s French. Not to mention the fact that her mother had been one of Napoleon’s mistresses, a fact she makes no effort to hide. Plus her heart was ripped out and stepped on, she is not planning or getting married to anyone.
So what—in heaven’s name—possesses him to propose?
I found myself wanted to hug Yasmin for the way she was constantly talked about, behind fans and in the retiring rooms at balls. She is nothing like her mother, but the ton and be mean and cruel no matter who your family is. She held her head high and smiled at everyone so was mean to her. I really enjoying GIles and Yasmin romance and how no matter what family or the ton said they found each other. This is my honest review for I received an advanced copy from NetGalley

This story is rather flighty. The two main characters conversation was all over the place for me. I was looking for something that would lead me to the plot of the story. I also looked for the main objective to the story, a wonderful love match. The dialogue moved fast. I saw that the writer used a number of flamboyant words that left me as the reader to trip over, therefore me away from the enjoyment of the book.

2.5 Stars. As a teenager Yasmin, the daughter of Napoleon’s mistress was seduced and left by a member of the french court. Years later she is living in London with her grandfather and is navigating society while being the center of gossip. One constant in her life is Giles, the Earl of Liliford, who has become a verbal sparring partner. A kiss in the garden begins a romance between the two despite Giles’s sister Lydia’s best efforts to keep them apart.

I usually love Eloisa James’s books but this one was a struggle for me. I really liked Yasmin at the beginning of the book, but somehow as the book went on instead of rooting for her I found myself feeling bad for her and her fate in life. She started as such a strong heroine but Giles and his sister just sucked the life out of her. I did not like Giles. He was a spineless twit. He couldn’t stand up to society and he really couldn’t stand up to his sister. The more the book progressed the worse he became. He showed no growth and Yasmin just deserved so much better.

My biggest issue with the book was Giles’s sister Lydia. She was absolutely awful and I kept waiting for her to face some sort of consequence for her actions but there was none. She was the honest to goodness villain of the story and something needed to happen to wrap up that thread of the story but it was just dropped. I was also annoyed to read the author’s note and see that Lydia was supposed to be based on Lady Catherine from P&P. The reason that Lady C works in P&P is that there are power dynamic involved and both Lizzie and Darcy stand up to Lady C despite her status and influence. There was none of that in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yasmin is the strong heroine everyone wants in a historical romance. She overcomes her mothers scandals and her own. Why she falls for Giles, who treats her so terribly, I don’t understand. He is blinded by his prejudices and doesn’t believe Yasmin about his sister’s dalliances. He literally tells her Al la Darcy that she is not the right woman for him.

Their HEA works out, but not before a lot of will she won’t she give him a second chance.

Her grandfather and the Dowager Duchess are the silver lining to this book.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

"Being in love is not a condition to which Englishmen are prone."

I loved this book! I didn't read the first book in this series, but this one definitely makes me want to.

Also we need to talk about how horrid Lydia is. What a menace - a true villain. And I loved the author's note because I 1000% caught whiffs of Pride and Prejudice in her character.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.