Mina does not plan on marrying, she just wants to be allowed to pursue her interest in astronomy. Bram does not plan on marrying as he is too busy furthering his career as a barrister. When they meet and realize they have feelings for each other, they debate whether they should do anything about them. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my honest review.

An enjoyable read with sympathetic and entertaining main characters. I enjoyed Wilhelmina's voice and particularly enjoyed when she talked to her dog. Bram was strong but funny and completely in love which was great fun. I'm looking forward to reading the the rest of the series in the future.

This is such a fun and refreshing historical romance. It follows Wilhelmina, an amateur astrologer with an aversion to marriage, and Bram, a barrister asked to fake a relationship with Wilhelmina in order to attract potential suitors. Bram is a career-driven man with a love of reading. He never expected to be distracted by a woman, but when he meets Wilhelmina, his life is irrevocably changed. As the pair navigates a fake courtship, they find they have many things in common, and their feelings for each other grow, But they both have to decide if marriage is in their future.

I love Wilhelmina and Bram. They both have interesting backstories, and their romance is fantastic. Bram (love him!) really sees and understands Wilhelmina in a way that no one else does. With a new stepmother (She’s the worst. She’s younger than Wilhelmina, which she points out all of the time! Ugh! And she’s pretty vapid and hurtful at times.) pressuring her to marry, Wilhelmina is frustrated. She has goals that don’t revolve around being someone’s wife, and she does not abide by the rules of society. She challenges the status quo, and she fights for what she wants. I think Bram loves this about her. She’s so different from the typical society woman, and she intrigues him as no other woman ever has. He’s so career-focused, and he feels he has no time for women. But that all changes when he meets Wilhelmina.

Wilhelmina and Bram challenge each other, and their banter is fantastic. And their first meeting is so awkward and comical! It definitely sets the tone for the story. Whether they are debating, discussing literature or astronomy, or arguing, their connection is palpable. They make each other think and grow and change and experience new things. For example, Wilhelmina, who doesn’t like change, has never been to the opera, but she ends up going with Bram. The wonder and delight Wilhelmina feels when she goes are so lovely, and the wonder Bram feels when watching her experience new things is just as charming. These two were made for each other.

Both Bram and Wilhelmina are virgins, and the attraction and sexual excitement that they feel are new to both of them. They explore these feelings and new experiences together, which I liked. I don’t read a lot of historical romances where the man is as inexperienced as the woman, and it was refreshing. It was also awkward at times and very sweet. Plus, Bram falls first, and I adore romances with this trope. The way he goes about trying to convince her that they belong together is swoon-tastic.

And Bram’s best friends/brothers are the best. They’re hilarious together, and you can tell they’re really close. They’re the type of friends that will help you no matter what, no questions asked. I think it’s great that these men found each other when they were all boys and alone in the world. They are more brothers than friends, and I’m super excited that each will be the focus of future books in the series. They remind me of Alexa Aston’s Second Sons of London – swoon-worthy and unique men with hearts of gold.

I also love that they have discussions about books and reading, and they often talk about their love of reading, albeit in very different genres. They have an interesting conversation about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and they discuss astronomy books that Bram reads to learn more about Wilhelmina’s passion. Romances that include characters who love reading and learning make me so happy. There are also some strong messages about family expectations, gender inequality, the treatment of different social classes, and more.

I thought this was a great start to Megan Frampton’s new series. It has great characters, a swoon-worthy romance, an amazing found family, and more. I would definitely recommend it to historical romance readers, and I’m excited to continue the series. I can’t wait to see which of Bram’s friends will be the focus of the next book!

Special thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford would rather spend her time studying the stars than looking for a husband. But when her father unexpectedly brings home a wife younger than Wilhelmina, she finds herself thrust into society. Her new stepmother is sure that if the men of the ton see Wilhelmina on the arm of another man, they'll throw their cap at her as well, so she enlists the help of Bram Townsend, a barrister, to pretend to woo Wilhelmina. The only problem is the more time the pair spend together, the more they can't deny their growing attraction. Neither one entered this agreement intending to marry, but true love can be very persuasive.

I'll pick up any romance book if it has a fake dating trope, and I was so looking forward to this one. Sadly, it didn't work for me. I found the whole thing so boring. The writing felt repetitive and awkward, and I couldn't get invested in the plot. I did like our main characters, Wilhelmina and Bram, and thought they complemented one another nicely, but I wanted more from them. The relationship was a bit slower than I liked, and the payoff was slightly underwhelming. I did enjoy Bram's group of friends and will most likely pick up their books, but unfortunately, this one wasn't my favorite.

This book was very good with low angst and a super sweet romance. I really enjoyed Whilemina, she reminded me a lot of myself as I only like a handful of people, mostly family, my cat, and books. I loved that while she is pretty rigid in the things she assumes she won't like, like the opera or fiction books, when she has the opportunity to try them she lets herself realize she actually likes these things, I also loved Bram, he really sees and accepts Whilemina for who she is and even when he realizes he loves her, knowing how she feels about marriage he isn't going to try and talk her into it. If she decides to marry him it will be her choice with no outside influences. I thought their romance was super sweet and loved every time they were together. I thought they were very well-matched.

Lady Whilemina generally only likes her dog dipper, a handful of people, and astronomy. She has no plans to get married when she gets her inheritance in a few months she plans to go and live with her aunt in the country. It's too bad that fate had other plans when it place Bram in her path... or under her path when he comes across what he thinks is a woman about to jump off a bridge and pull her down.. on top of him... Of course, she didn't need rescuing and told him exactly that. All she wanted was to be a few feet closer to the sky to see the constellations better. Upon looking back, she might be able to see why he thought she was going to jump through so does ultimately forgive him. No names are exchanged and he drops her home both thinking they will never see each other again, but unable to stop thinking about their encounter.
When fate throws them together again at a bachelor auction where Whilemina'sstepmotherr wins Bram and sends him and Whilemina off to the opera. NOT so they might end up together, but so other men will see someone is interested and might want to court Whilemina... Neither one expects what a wonderful time they will both have, and that soon fate will bring them together again in a fake dating scheme set up by her father and stepmother, or that they could possibly not only like spending time together but ultimately end up falling in love.

I loved Aunt Fiona, I hope we see her again, and Bram's friends!... I can't wait to see who they are going to be matched with!

Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford is more interested in independence than finding a husband; however, this amateur astronomer's younger stepmother has different plans in mind: buying barrister Bram Townsend in a charity auction and suggesting a fake courtship to boost Wilhelmina's popularity.

This is the first book in the new School for Scoundrels series, which will focus on Bram and his group of friends who are all orphans that have made successes of themselves. Their comradery reminded me of Lenora Bell's Wallflowers vs Rogues, and the general plot of this book felt similar to Eva Leigh's How the Wallflower Was Won.

Auctioned plots are a favorite of mine, so I enjoyed the twist of Bram being purchased for charity. I thought these characters paired well together and I liked getting to see more of their personalities as the book developed. Bram was such a loyal and lovable beta hero, and I liked that Wilhelmina had strong opinions but was willing to admit when she didn't give things (like the opera or fiction novels) a fair chance. The end was a little over-the-top for me, but I was entertained enough by the rest of the book to round this one from 3.5 to 4 stars. (Also, bonus points for a non-Duke hero...refreshing!)

Tropes: Bluestocking, Virgin Hero, Auctioned/Gambled/Sold, Fake Relationship

Steam: 1

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

It was refreshing to read about about a barrister and a lady, which is a pairing that is much less common in historical romance. Lately it's been endless dukes. The hero is also a virgin, another rarity that gave some fresh material for the genre. I loved Wilhelmina's love for astronomy and how she wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. Bram's group of friends from the boys' home he grew up were interesting and clearly invested in their friends' success. The friends had the best lines in the book, although having five friends was a little hard to keep track of when they were being addressed by their first names by Bram and their last names by everyone else

Wilhelmina has no interest in marrying, in fact she has made a list of all the men she will never marry. A few months from reaching her majority and being to access her money, Wilhelmina’s father remarries and her new step-mother becomes determined to marry her off. Bram and Wilhelmina’s paths keep crossing and the pair agree to a fake courtship to keep other men away from Wilhelmina. As the two spend more and more time together they end up falling for one another.

This is the first book in a new series from Megan Frampton, and I assume that the rest of the series is going to fallow Bram’s friends on their romantic endeavors. There were so many aspects of this book that really worked for me. I really liked Wilhelmina’s ambition and her list of men she would not marry (each man was given his own interstitial page between chapters) kept me highly amused. I also really liked Bram’s group of friends so I’m excited to see them again. There were other aspects of the book that didn’t work as well for me. I’ve grown weary of the fake dating trope and I didn’t find that it added much to the story. I did like Bram and Wilhelmina together but their slow-burn romance was a bit too slow for my tastes, but it worked for the story that was being told. Overall I enjoyed the book and found it to bee a quick, light read.

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

Lady Wilhelmina is more interested in studying the stars than searching for a husband. Six months from acquiring her inheritance and setting off on her own, she is shocked when her change-averse father, Lord Croyde comes home with a wife... five years younger than his daughter. Her father and new stepmother are now dead-set on finding her a very unwanted husband.

When Wilhelmina's stepmother bids on Bram Townsend, a handsome barrister, at a bachelor auction for her - it becomes clear that they have many things in common; an affinity for books, intellectual conversation and a strong desire to remain unwed. When Lord and Lady Croyde discover that being seen with Bram entices more men to be interested in Wilhelmina, they encourage Bram to pretend to court their daughter, so make her appear more appealing. But what happens when they realize that perhaps their commonalities include a mutual attraction they aren't as inclined to fight as they were at the beginning?

I truly found this book to be enjoyable. Wilhelmina is smart and while she has clearly inherited some of her father's dislike of change, she is a bold and fun heroine.
Bram is just an interesting hero, having grown up as an orphan with his band of friends. It's nice to see a group of men who are friends who aren't all rakes talking about the notches in their bedposts.
The interactions between Bram and Wilhelmina are my favorite. They are both stubborn and love to argue, which makes their conversations dynamic and fun to read.

I highly recommend this book if you like books with intelligent heroines and equally smart heroes.

This one felt wayyyy too long. I like historical romance, but this one was painful to read. The only semi-redeeming fact was the friend group

I love, love, love Her Lessons in Persuasion! I don't think there is a Megan Frampton book that I have not loved! Her Lessons in Persuasion continues Megan Frampton's streak of great female characters and great complimentary love interests. I loved Wilhelmina and Bram, both separately and together! Wilhelmina was a great, independent character, and I loved how Bram and his gravitas complemented her perfectly. The chemistry of the two characters was a great match. These two may be some of my favorite HR couples.
I also liked the secondary characters, which I was really surprised about! I love how Megan Frampton didn't continue the trope of terrible stepmother, which was sweet and made reading this book even more enjoyable. I love the kookiness, loyalty-- all the interesting traits of the characters. I think this is another one of Megan Frampton's traits, and I really enjoy it.
The title and the cover also contribute to how much I liked this book. Her Lessons in Persuasion is a wonderful book-- I really enjoyed reading it and highly recommend! I usually think the first in a new series is the hardest to pull off, and if that is true of this first book in a new series we as readers are really lucky because it holds great promise going into the rest of the series!
I received Her Lessons in Persuasion as an ARC from Netgalley and was asked for my honest opinion after reading. The readers are going to have fun reading this one. Loved it!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Annnd another historical romance that doesn't feel historical at all. I feel like the last several Recency romances I've picked up have basically been contemporary romances that use the time period like window dressing. Stories should feel connected to their setting and this just doesn't. This was a DNF for me about 20% of the way in.

These characters are so cute! It is so nice and different to have two nerds be so enduring together. Usually it’s just one half with a popular counterpart, but to have both the h/h be so cute and nerdy together is just wonderful! Their chemistry was hot. They had great banter. Such a sweet love story. I look forward to the rest of the book club’s stories. These men all sound amazing. The book club sounds like a group of people I would enjoy hanging out with in real life. I can’t wait for more time with them.



Thank you to Megan Frampton and the publisher for the arc via Netgalley.

THE REVIEW
Bram is an orphan who was raised in a local orphanage and eventually adopted by a wonderful couple who raised him. He grew up to be a successful barrister and very starchy and set in his ways. He has goals of becoming a judge and, if he were to marry, it would be to someone very quiet and proper who would not cause a disruption to his goals.

Wilhelmina Bettesfords mother died when she was young and recently her father came home with a new bride, who is five years younger than Mina. But all Mina wants is to make it six more months so she can gain her inheritance and move to the country with her aunt, spend her days studying astronomy and live without a spouse controlling her.

Mina and Bram chance a meeting when he believes she is about to jump off a bridge when she is simply trying to get a better view to star gaze. Then, they bump into each other again when her parents bid on Bram at a charity auction! After that night, neither of them can seem to stop thinking about the other and the passionate kiss!

After seeing Mina on the arm of a handsome man, other gentleman took notice and showed interest in Mina. So Alethea and her father, determined to see her married, ask Bram to pretend interest in her so that other men will continue to notice her. Mina is obviously outraged but Bram agrees so he can help her avoid the wanted affects of her parents plan. Their fake relationship has an unwanted effect though…they start to develop feelings for each other…feelings other than the lust they both admit to having for each other.

Bram and Mina are both very intelligent, interesting character and, honestly, we’re made for each other. Both scientific and honest, they made for some funny banter and conversations! I really liked Bram’s friends a lot and am curious to read their stories in the future. However, I wasn’t really embedded in the story…I thought it was adorable that they were both virgins and their first time was so cute! And funny! But I just didn’t feel much passion between them; it might have been because, as was their nature, everything was very calculated as only two scientists could do! Again, cute couple, fun fake relationship, but just wasn’t moved by the couple or their relationship.

TROPES
Historical Romance, Victorian Era, Tom Society, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Orphan Hero, Lawyer/Barrister Hero, Self-Made Hero, Starchy Hero, Virgin Hero, Aggressive Heroine, Bluestocking Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Independent Heroine, Scientist Heroine, Wallflower Heroine, Fake Relationship, Lost Heir, Class Difference, Uptown Girl, Auction, Three Star, Two Steam

Sexy and fun, a juicy fake romance novel - there are lots of fireworks between Bram and Wilhelmina ... and it is fun seeing the male character at a loss with how he feels for someone he loves but is not supposed to.
The two are very different - he is bookish and nerdy, while she is a partygoer and loves to dance whenever she can. I guess they say opposites attract.

Her Lessons in Persuasion by Megan Frampton.

This was my first book by this author and I am happy to report, that I am a new fan. I really enjoyed this story of Lady Wilhelmina Bettesford and Bram Townsend, were perfect for each other. Bram was an orphan who was adopted and eventually became a lawyer and argued his way into Lady Wilhelmina's life. Lady Wilhelmina was set on her ways and never planned to get married because why would you give so much control of yourself to a man?! She was going to have money and live in a cottage with her aunt. #goals

This was the first book that I read where both the main characters were set on not getting married but somehow found themselves falling for each other. It was nice to see the hero falling in love first with the heroine. Love the way they communicated with each other and Bram was always honest with her and really wanted what was best for her even if that did not include him in her life.

I really enjoyed the book not only for the main characters but the side characters were really funny and entertaining too. From Mina's side you had the aunt, dad, and really young step mom (who was 5 years younger than her), from Bram side you had all these friends.

I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5
Steam level 2 out of 5

Available on Jan 24, 2023

All hail the virgin hero! This book had 2 things I love: hero falls first and a virgin hero. Both were on excellent evidence here. This was great, I loved the love story btn Bram and Mina and the friendship btn Bram and his friends. Mina was adorable and blunt and knew what she wanted and she was great. I did not love that stepmother. She was pushy and rude for no good reason and then just gives in and completely changes at the end. She was the one note that didn’t ring true in this story.

First read from this author for me. I barely made it to 60%, took me 3 days of forcing myself to push through, until really, I must call DNF. I will be rating since I feel like my main issue with this book can’t be salvaged beyond what I read. And that’s the fake dating set-up. I can suspend disbelief just to get us to that fun scenario, I really can. But too much didn’t make sense to me, so it ruined whatever could’ve gone well with the characterizations: ambitious argumentative self-made barrister and reckless, argumentative bluestocking astronomer lady, both with impressive eyebrows. The unfulfilled potential for great competence kink and banter foreplay alone is a damn shame. Her earl father and new stepmother want to marry her off, so they dangle a career step-up opportunity in front of a lowly barrister so his fake wooing will make other more suitable aristocrats want her? Masterminds, they are not. Even the virgin hero sole explanation was a bit of a mindboggler: apparently being a workaholic shot his libido, since he hasn’t a thought for carnal urges until she comes along. Also repetitive with the whole “I’ll never marry” thing” for both of them, and yet no one has figured out it’s an ideal sitch to get off, no strings. Hence, up to where I read, all we got was some rounding to second base, and I couldn’t be bothered to skim to the spice. We spent too much time meeting all the chums for the next books (it was cute they had a book club though) and some astronomer society debating just had me letting go of the ledge I was hanging on.
I can’t fault the writing, I just don’t think this was the trope for this premise, no stakes or tension in its foreseeable future, so it didn’t hold my interest.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was a good romance.
Contains spoilers.
This story was about a heroine who is 24 years old, about to turn 25 and the daughter of an earl. She has never been in love. Her mother passed away when she was 16 and her aunt was there to help her with her season. She doesn't like crowds and feels uncomfortable with the people. She is an intelligent woman, who studies astronomy and is confused as how society works, with it's veiled insults and lying people. She was lucky enough to meet a few like minded girls her age and she slowly removes herself from society and focuses on astronomy. One day, her father returns from his estates with a woman who is 5 years younger than his daughter and announced that they are married and this is her step mother. The heroine's step mother is determined to have her engaged before her 25th birthday when she will receive her mother's inheritance. Her aunt, who had a horrible marriage, has been telling her for so long that marriage is not a good place for a woman since she has to give up herself to her husband. No more.free thinking, no more astronomy and required to become a party girl.
One night the hero is walking home from work when he sees a young woman standing on the rail of a bridge, about to jump in the Thames. He quickly grabs her in an attempt to save her and they fall onto the road, with him on the bottom. She quickly gets up and begins to yell at him. She was looking at the stars and decided to see if she could see better if she climbed on the rail. She couldn't, but she is not going to admit it. The hero is an orphan that has been able to put himself through school and he is a barrister who is about to be moved up to a judge. When he drops her off at home, she gives him a quick kiss. She thinks he is the most handsome man she had ever seen, but since she will never marry, she just had to kiss him.
This story was a good story, but there were a couple of things that I didn't like. I did not like the heroine. I could not relate to her thought process all the time. She used most if her time to study astronomy, but when her step mother began directing her life to find a husband, the heroine used an orphanage as an excuse to get away from the house. She did some work at the orphanage, but she was not wholly invested. The orphanage was auctioning off an evening at the opera with an escort as a fund-raiser. Since this was the orphanage the hero was raised in, him and his 4 friends were auctioned off as escorts. The heroine's stepmother chose the hero for her, and won the bid with 100 pounds. They were surprised, but pleased to meet each other again.
This story spent some.time doing a debate at the "Star Above Society" about if women should be admitted. While this story brought up orphanages and women's rights and freedoms, it was such a small part of the story, not to make mention of it. If you are looking for a heroine or hero who is devoted to other causes, this is not the book for you. It was a decent romance and I liked the age gap of the main couple. I also liked that they were not from the same socio-economic level. I give this book 4 stars and recommend reading.

Really liked this book, even finished it in one sitting. The female lead was strong, witty and smart. The male lead was loyal, kind, and patient. The supporting characters were so varied and richly entertaining. Plot flowed smoothly and was a good, easy read.