Bram is an orphan barrister and Wilhelmina an astrologer daughter of an earl. Both are unusual enough to create great chemistry and an interesting read. I truly enjoyed the secondary characters in this story as much as the main ones. The only reason it isn’t a 4 star is because it dragged in places and I found myself skimming.

Lady Wilhemina Bettesford, future astronomer, meets Bram Townsend one night while she is out standing on a bridge looking at the stars. Bram mistakes her reasons for being on the bridge and attempts to help her down from the bridge. Bram is an orphan who was raised in a home for unwanted children but is now working as a barrister. They do not share their names but the meet again when Lady Wilhemina's new stepmother, purchases Bram for her at an auction to be her date at the opera. Lady Wilhemina does not want to marry and is waiting until her next birthday when she will get an inheritance from her mother. She will then move out of her father's home and share a residence with her widowed Aunt Flora and her dog, Dipper. As an orphan, Bram also has no desire to marry. After they meet at several society events, they come up with a plan to pretend that Bram is courting her so that noone else will get a chance to propose to her. Of course, the best laid plans often go awry and in Mina and Bram's case, it is no different. As they spend more time with each other, they develop a deeper, more intimate relationship. It will take Bram's orphan friends assistance to show both he and Mina that they are meant to be together. Even though the storyline started off slowly, it worked up to a fast burn. I am looking forward to the next story in the series.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving a response

Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford isn’t interested in the social whirl or in finding a husband, but with six months before she can claim her inheritance and set herself up as an independent spinster, she has little choice but to comply with her new stepmother’s machinations. When said stepmother goes so far as to ask the ridiculously attractive barrister, Bram Townsend, to pretend to court Wilhelmina in the hopes of boosting other, more suitable suitors’ interests, he agrees. At first, Wilhelmina is furious, but when Bram explains that he’ll help her keep other suitors at bay and help her avoid an unwanted engagement, she realizes that their fake courtship will help her last another six months in her untenable situation.

Unfortunately for Bram, spending more time with Wilhelmina makes it increasingly difficult for him to remember that their courtship is meant to be fake because his feelings are quite real. He may not have a title or be able to trace his lineage, but Bram is ambitious, working his way up and fighting for justice with his eye on the position of judge. Escorting Lady Wilhelmina around in the evenings is a boon for him, allowing him to meet the right people while also helping her. But his biggest challenge will be making her see that marriage to him could be unlike anything she’d ever imagined, if he can just convince her to trust her feelings for him over her logical mind.

I never knew that what I really wanted to read in a romance was a solid group of male friends but here we are. Bram and his friends completely stole the show in this book and I adored them for their loyalty to one another and for the fact that they were open and clear in their brotherly affection for and support of one another. They joked and ribbed each other, but they were also very serious about helping Bram process his feelings and find his HEA. They even had a book club together, which of course just melted me. It was impossible not to be charmed by Bram and his friends and to root for him as he dealt with the realization that he didn’t actually want to be alone with nothing but his work and that his friends, though he loved them dearly, weren’t enough to fulfill him completely. Wilhelmina was harder to warm up to. She was incredibly judgmental and very presumptuous and I was just itching for her to finally stand up to her overbearing stepmother. Unfortunately, that never really happened to my satisfaction, but that lady did help Wilhelmina’s pompous father get out of the way of her HEA with Bram so that did redeem her a bit.

Fortunately, Wilhelmina did recognize her faults and tendencies to write things off before having tried them and she was willing to reevaluate her opinions, especially with Bram to challenge her. Really, these two challenged one another and I enjoyed seeing that blossom into the foundation of a true partnership. I loved how much they learned together, even exploring intimacies for the first time together. (Yes, we have an adorable virgin hero here). The character and relationship development between Bram and Wilhelmina was lovely for me, as such development always is, and I very much look forward to the rest of Bram’s friends finding their HEAs.

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

This was a delightful start to a new series from Megan Frampton. Featuring a fake dating trope, this book tells the story of Wilhelmina and Bram. Wilhelmina is a female who wants to do nothing more than study the stars. She has a fascination with astronomy and dreams of living alone and spending her inheritance on a proper telescope. Her dreams are put on hold, however, when 6 months before she's about to inherit, her father suddenly remarries and his new wife is determined to marry Wilhelmina off. Enter Bram.

Bram is an orphan who doesn't believe love his for him. However, he cannot help himself with Wilhelmina. These two are a fun match. Each is just that step outside of "traditional" society and appreciate the differences in one another. I loved seeing Bram support Wilhelmina in all her goals and dreams. I appreciated Wilhelmina's acceptance of Bram and how she slowly becomes more and more open with him. It's a fun transformation to watch for both of them and had me cheering them on in the end.

If you are a fan of fake dating, a virgin hero, a forward thinking heroine, and some mischief and found family, I think you will enjoy this one. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Bram Townsend…an orphan, a barrister, and has no time for socializing or idle pursuits. Wilhelmina Bettesford…is an astronomer, is impulsive, is fiercely independent. A change in family dynamics has the h doing things that she abhors. The H and the h get off to a very rocky start. The h is balking against Society and it’s rules and requirements for ladies. The H was career driven and sees women as an unnecessary distraction. The H and h didn’t realize how alike they were and it was funny to watch things unfold. The story had me laughing frequently. The h is bold and likes to have control of situations. Yes there is a big misunderstanding and lack of true communication but it adds to the growing romance. There is even a small mystery with a surprise. I definitely enjoyed this book. SN: if you don’t like strong female characters, then this book is not for you.

This fake courtship, class difference, astronomer heroine, and bookish hero is the first book in Megan Frampton’s new series that will follow a group of gentlemen friends who have their own book club. This novel has everything I would expect from a Frampton book, we have a fun story told in a soft and comforting way. Frampton’s writing is easy to engage with, has a charming level of quirkiness and wit, has a nice gentle pacing that all work in tandem to create a really lovely read. I truly believe that any historical romance lover will find something within a Frampton book to enjoy and I would recommend you check her out if you have not had the chance.

I absolutely adored the set up to this novel, I love a fake courtship and the fact that the heroine’s father and stepmother set up this fake courtship plan with the hero is such a refreshing and unique take to the story. I adored our heroine, she is smart, independent, level headed and focused and a delightfully grumpy counterpart to the hero. Who is bookish, gentle and kind. These two are charming together as they slowly get to learn that they have so much in common with the other. I also really enjoyed the fact that they both are virgins so when it comes to the physical side of their relationship it is definitely about trust building and consent. This novel is fairly low on the steam, only one explicit scene very late in the book, but I thing this worked well with who these characters are and their journey to love.

If all these tropes intrigue you then I am sure you will find this a delightful read! I definitely recommend this for all Frampton fans as well as if you are interested in exploring her work. I am eagerly awaiting the other books in this series!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Wilhelmina and Bram were both easy to cheer for. The story is filled with charm and funny moments. I loved Bram's group of friends and how they support and challenge each other. Even Wilhelmina's new stepmother added additional light. Fake relationships usually involve so much lying that I'm deeply uncomfortable. Yet here, everyone who matters knows the relationship is fake. It's an interesting twist on the trope and I enjoyed it. It was nice to see it play out without the cringe and tension of who they might hurt when the ruse is discovered. Instead, they both just need to decide it was what they wanted. And their debate skills came in handy, when it came time to say I Do and convince Wilhelmina's father. I am looking forward to others in the series

Goodreads review will be the same as above, and posted when the HC strike has been resolved..

2.5 Stars

This one was exceedingly hard for me to get into, and more often than not, I found my attention wandering to other things. I don't think this is a fault in the story as the writing is solid. I enjoyed the banter between the characters (even if I felt they were better off as friends and didn't really feel any sort of romantic spark between them); I just think it was a little too slow going for my tastes.

And while I enjoyed getting to know Bram's group of friends, I had a hard time telling them apart as they seemed to be interchangeable with one another. I get the feeling though, that we were only introduced to them because they will be getting their own stories in the future, which I might be compelled to check out if the synopsis sounds interesting to me.

All things considered, while this one wasn't a favorite for me, I do think others will enjoy it more than I did.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Bram Townsend breaks Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford’s fall however a damsel she is not in “Her Lessons in Persuasion,” book one of the School for Scoundrels series by Megan Frampton!!

Wilhelmina and Bram’s meet cute is anything but cute apart from the starry night! Barrister Bram and astronomer Wilhelmina frustrate each other yet the tension is magnetic!

How fun when they meet again and Bram’s role is to help bring boys to Wilhelmina’s yard! Although her father and stepmother want her to marry, Wilhelmina and Bram, both opposed to marriage, use each other for other purposes!

I do enjoy the list of men Wilhelmina do not wish to marry throughout the book! It gets very specific hence educational.

The other men in the story, Bram’s four best friends deserve honorable mention! They tell him what he does not know or want to admit then help him. I am excited for their individual story!

I love the trials throughout the book! Wilhelmina and Bram’s desire exponentially grows, and how apt that they begin new chapters in their life arguing their points!

If you enjoy class difference, close proximity, fake relationships, found family, self-made heroes, strong female characters, and virgin MCs then this book is a must read!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Megan Frampton is a newer author for me, and I was excited to start this series with her. I'm a sucker for a fake-turned-real courtship, and I especially love a heroine who doesn't want to play the courtship 'game'. Wilhelmina is a lady and an astronomer, while Bram is a working barrister. I love a bluestocking heroine, especially one as opposed to marriage as Wilhelmina! Both Wilhelmina and Bram are strong characters who don't have time for something as 'silly' as love. Wilhelmina's aunt was also wonderful and I loved her relationship with her niece. I'm excited to read the rest of this series, and Megan Frampton is definitely going to be an author for me to watch!

"Megan Frampton dazzles in the first book in her new series, A School for Scoundrels. Five gentlemen with unbreakable bonds navigate life—and love—in London. Perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean and anyone who loves BRIDGERTON!"
Wilhelmina and Bram are meant to be together. It seems that neither one of them want to marry to begin with but that soon changes.
Megan Frampton has knocked out the park with her new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

There is nothing I love more than a wallflower, a working-class hero, and a fake relationship to finish the cake with a cherry on top! I loved this one so much, aside from the fact that it's got my favorite trope, it was all because of Wilhelmina! She did not want to find a husband, much less love! but one thing will always triumph! and that is one sexy barrister to change her mind! Great story!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was steamy, fun and held my interest. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. This is a standalone book and also the first in the A School for Scoundrels series. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books in this series as well as others by this author.

This became such an unexpected favorite of mine! I loved the class differences angle and although the mock court scenes were a bit cheesy, they fit the characters of Lady Wilhelmina and Bram Townsend very well. I loved the fact that they were both virgins and that Wilhelmina was the dominant one 😏 (It made for some sexy sexy scenes).

I was also a fan of Bram's friend group! The fact that they have a book club is precious and I can't wait for the rest of them to find love!!!.

There is something so satisfying about two equally bullheaded people finding happiness in each other despite fighting their feelings and stubbornly denying what is clear to everyone at first glance.
On the surface, Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford and Bram Townsend might seem as different from each other as possible. Still, everything from their introverted nature to their headstrong personalities is a perfect match. They meet rather randomly and think they'll never see each other again, only for fate to find a way to bring them together that forces them to spend time with each other. Both come into their acquaintance with a fixed idea of what their future will be and both express a clear disdain for marriage. Yet the more time they spend together, the more they begin to realize that what they feel for the other might just be more than simple friendship and admiration.
This isn't a typical historical romance in that there are barely any balls and the usual ways that couples find to spend time together, but it's precisely that difference that made this book stand out to me. I loved seeing how sure Bram is in himself despite society telling him that he's not worthy of someone like Wilhemina. I also really liked the surety that Wilhemina had in who she wanted to be and how she was open to admitting when she might have been rash or wrong. Not to mention, that seeing their relationship develop and be supported by the other orphans who make up Bram's found family is positively swoon-worthy.
I need books where the rest of the 'scoundrels' find their HEA STAT, please!

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the happy romance endorphins!

Barrister Bram Townsend likes order in his life. He has his friends, their book club and his work. He doesn't need or want anything else. All of that neatness is turned upside down when he tries to save a lady from jumping off a bridge. Except, she wasn't planning on jumping; she was just star gazing. Lady Wilheminia Bettesford is an amateur astronomer and merely wanted to get closer to the sky when she's rudely pulled off the bridge railing. She's furious and lets Bram know she doesn't need or want his help, but she can't resist stealing a kiss from the tall, imposing man. Can two people who are adamantly opposed to marriage resist their mutual attraction, or will they go their separate ways forever wondering if they missed out on true love?

This was a delightful story. Not only did I love the banter between Bram and Wilheminia, but Bram's friends were so entertaining. Bram was so honorable, and he just wanted to make Wilheminia happy. He wanted her to be able to make her own choices about her life without any undue pressure from him or her family. The plot moves along nicely with a few slow parts. There were quite a few twists and turns in the story before these two were able to admit their love for each other. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and am looking forward to knowing more about Bram's orphan brothers.

Stories about fellow bluestockings are almost always a "must-read" for this bookseller - the added interest of the School of Scoundrels heroes being a mix of titled gentry and working gentlemen made this story stand out from the pack of rakes, lords, and dukes. I am eager to read the remaining stories as they are published!

Barrister Bram Townsend is on his way to his monthly book club meeting with his friends, four fellow orphans from the Devenaugh Home for Destitute Boys, or as they like to call it, The School for Scoundrels. Bram is rehashing his interpretations of their latest book when he notices a woman standing on a parapet of the Blackfriars Bridge, thinking she means to harm herself, he immediately intervenes by grabbing the woman and pulling her down to safety – or so he assumes. But the lovely woman currently sprawled atop him had no qualms about setting him straight, she was in no danger, she was looking at the stars before he so rudely pulled her down. He apologizes for his mistake and insists on seeing her home, even though it will make him late, but it is the right thing to do and Bram always does the right thing! He hails a hackney after she fails to do so on her own, and they chat/argue on the way to her home, where she uses him to hide from her aunt and then shocks both of them by kissing him before running inside. Bram continues on his way, but is out of sorts and intrigued by his mystery woman. Something his friends pick up on right away and tease him mercilessly. He reminds himself that he doesn’t have time for distractions and needs to focus on his new goal of becoming a judge.

Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford can’t believe she kissed a stranger, a drop-dead gorgeous stranger, but still a stranger! She is never impetuous like that, nor is her head turned by a good-looking man. She reminds herself that she just needs to wait out another six months, at which time she will inherit the money left to her by her mother, and then she and her Aunt Flora can purchase a cottage where she can settle into spinsterhood and devote herself to her passion – astronomy. But her world is turned upside down when her father returns from their country estate with a huge surprise – he has fallen in love and married his new steward’s daughter, Alethea, an astonishingly beautiful woman, who is five years younger than Wilhelmina! A woman who is hellbent on seeing Wilhelmina married off as soon as possible, but who despite that is innately likable – much to Wilhelmina’s despair. Wilhelmina is sure she can hold out until her inheritance is in her control – but what she doesn’t count on is Alethea bidding on her mystery man at a fundraiser for the orphanage, or her idea to have Bram pretend to court Wilhelmina to drum up interest in her. She is mortified, but more than anything, she is thrilled to cross paths with him again. But despite the undeniable attraction that is between them, they make it clear that marriage is not an option for either of them and as long as there are no expectations (although kisses are acceptable), they will get along just fine and he will help her fend off any real suitors until she in control of her inheritance and she will help him meet the right people, which will help him in his quest to become a judge. Well, at least that was the plan…

This is a wonderful book, it is well written, nicely paced, and filled with amazing characters that you can’t help but root for! I LOVED this story and it is a perfect example of why I fell in love with Megan Frampton’s writing, it is filled with humor, as well as intelligent, thoughtful characters who are both likable and relatable. There is lots of witty banter, great secondary characters, hilarious inner monologues, believable character growth, Wilhelmina’s list of men she won’t marry, debates, steamyish love scenes, a surprising revelation, and finally a very endearing ending that paves the way for their HEA as well as an epilogue. This is the first book in a new series and it was so good that I can’t wait for the next book! I highly recommend this title, it is a fabulous story that was an absolute pleasure to read.

*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 great read. Wilhelmina is determined to stay single, but her new situation has left her feeling a bit lonely. Bram is happy to fake date her, but he finds that arguing with her is extremely enjoyable. The story does a great job showing us that these two belong together. Their banter is fantastic, I laughed out loud several times. It’s so clear to the reader they need each other,, the tension in the story is whether or not they will figure it out.

*I was provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

VERDICT Frampton’s (Four Weeks of Scandal) series starter showcases two fiercely headstrong protagonists playfully matching wits. Bram’s quirky friends are immensely fun, adding generous amounts of humor to the romance, and fans will be excited to see each of their stories revealed in future installments.

The full review was originally published in Library Journal, December 2022, v. 47, no. 12, p. 91. Or see the full review online at https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/her-lessons-in-persuasion-1794167.