Brilliant! I was hooked from the first page. A gothic tale with sinister undertones and reasonably friendly ghosts. A great read.

this was such a fun little read!! i'm so thankful to netgalley for letting me read this one early!! if you like sweet and cute characters, then pick this one up!!

A fascinating, atmospheric, and gripping story that mixes paranormal, historical fiction, and mystery creating a unique mix with gothic vibes.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling, the story surprised me and kept me guessing.
I appreciated the atmosphere and i think I will read other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A highly enjoyable read! Lizzie and Esme are , two sisters growing up in a not so well to do family thanks to their father’s gambling addiction and their mother’s drunkenness. Esme, the older of the two, always made sure that her and Lizzie had food and shelter, although it was never quite enough. Soon Esme found herself married off Lord Blountford. She was whisked off to start a new life with a much older husband who she did not know in hopes of providing him an heir to his fortune and businesses. In return, Lord Blountford would pay her father’s debts. Misfortune would soon befall Esme as she ended up dead within a year of her marriage.

Lizzie was left alone and afraid. Having first lost her sister to marriage, then being assaulted by a very powerful man, and finally losing her sister to a mysterious death, she felt very lost. As if things couldn’t get any worse, during her birthday party she found out that Lord Blountford, her ex brother-in-law, had now acquired HER in marriage too. Poor Lizzie had very little choice in the matter and was sent off to his estate.

Once in Lord Blountford’s estate, Lizzie learned that her soon to be husband had lost an alarming four wives to mysterious deaths. What was happening in this house of lost wives? Was her own life in danger? To complicate matters even further, Lizzie has the gift of seeing the dead who have yet passed on and soon meets many of the previous Mrs. Blountfords.

This book was a thrill to read and I couldn’t wait to find out what was happening behind the scenes. It didn’t disappoint.

I’ve been holding out on you with my favourite gothic read this side of summer because I’ve just been so busy!

The House of Lost Wives by @rebecca_readsbooks - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thanks so much to @headlinebooks and @netgalley for my advanced copy!

In 1813 Lizzie’s older sister Esme is given away in marriage to the ageing Lord Blountford as part settlement for their fathers debts. All alone in a house with a drunken mother and gambling father, Lizzie can’t wait to go visit her sister - only to find the invitation that arrives to Ambletye Manor is not for a visit, but to her sisters funeral.

Soon Lizzie finds herself in the same position: packed off to become Blountford’s next - and that she is about to find out - fifth wife. What happened to these other women? Marisa? Anne? Pansy? And her sister Esme? How did they die? And how can Lizzie save herself from being next?

Oh I loved The House of Lost Wives so much. Lizzie was a brilliant, bright, but still very much a flawed character to spend time with. The mysteries woven through this book were unexpected, even when you thought you’d figured it all out, and at points I became quite panicked that the ending would not be what I hoped it could. This is a full on gothic ‘house with secrets’ novel with a touch of the uncanny and a lot of fun - with a beautiful atmosphere, I know it is only been out a few weeks but I hope it is such a success Headline will let Rebecca write another one!

Absolutely yes! I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend!

An engaging and fast paced read with a dynamic and likeable MC. Part gothic regency tale, part fresh take on the Bluebeard fairytale, this was an extremely enjoyable book. I look forward to reading the author’s next offering.

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt like the pacing was a little too slow and I never found myself eager to pick the book back up. It wasn’t the writing that I didn’t care for but the development of the story.

This was a unique story that was filled with mystery and a touch of the paranormal. While I thought there would be a sinister feel to the story because of the deaths of the four previous wives, I felt the story missed its mark. There wasn’t much atmosphere just a pragmatic setting of the scenes. The ‘bad guy’ was more a sad, feel-sorry-for character. I liked the story because of the uniqueness but I was disappointed that there wasn’t more to it.

Set in 1813 England Lizzy's older sister Esme, has been sold to the elderly Lord Blountford to settle the family's debts, but a year later she has died under mysterious circumstances and now Lizzy herself is to become the next wife, the trouble is Lord Blountford's other wives have also died mysteriously. What happened to her beloved sister and what happened to the wives before her?
After the heartbreaking news that her sister Esme has died, beautiful, headstrong Lizzy has been ordered to replace her as the new bride to the cold hearted old Lord Blountford and is sent to Ambletye Manor in preparation for the upcoming wedding. Once there Lizzy seeks to uncover the truth behind these deaths when the ghosts of the former wives begin to appear to her but the servants and the lord's brooding but handsome nephew Charles are reluctant to share the secrets they all know. As the wedding looms near Lizzy continues her search for truth but Lord Blountford has become more dangerous and Lizzy is fighting a race against time before she becomes the next dead wife.
This was a pretty good read filled with a gothic atmosphere, intrigue and suspense. I also liked the author's after notes about how she had actually began this story as a 15- year old in hopes of becoming an author and I applaud her because her dream did come true. Recommended.

Thank you to author Rebecca Hardy for granting my wish request on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this didn't grip me in the way I hoped it would and I found myself uninterested. I did't like our main character, who's name I've already forgotten. I very quickly found myself uninterested in what was actually going on and the chapters seemed to slog. I had really hoped and thought I'd love this but it just didn't work for me

Rating 3🌟
Plot twist: 3🌟

Very charming mystery/romance novel. I quite enjoyed the storyline and the book setting/atmosphere.

Unfortunately there was something about the writing style that bugged me, as well as the character development. It was quite hard read for me, but I think that's more personal preference than the books fault.

There is nothing particularly wrong with the book, it just wasn't for me.

There was many plot and character twists that definitely held the interest in me to finish the book. I actually adored the FMC and her character and spirit.

The book had some paranormal bits to it too, such as the FMC talking to ghosts lol which I liked.

If you would like to enter a world of mystery, suspense, love & friendship, this book will definitely sweep you off your feet! 👀

I enjoyed the premise and the writing of this book but felt like the pacing was a bit off. I did enjoy the characters and would still recommend it.

Immersive and atmospheric which transports the reader with well-paced potting and clue placement. Characters are believable and relatable. I didn't want to set the book aside to deal with real life and was sad when the book concluded.

The House of Lost Wives by Rebecca Hardy
Earc: NetGalley
Publisher: Headline Accent
Publication Date: 13th October 2022
Genre : Romance, Women's Fiction, Historical history

Lizzie has just lost her sister Emse after been married to Lord B now it's Lizzie turn tk be married to Lord B. One thing she concern about is she's his 5th wife and no one knows what happen to the others they've a died mysteriously. She's their for the sake of her parents whom are drunk and gamblers and the Lord is now looking after her.

Lizzie is wanting to undercover the truth about what happen to the previous women including her sister. She finds some letters and is investigating this when she starts to speak to specters of the previous Wives.

Charles is Lord B Newphew and has been working for his uncle after coming home from been an officer.

An authors i will highly recommend.

#TheHouseofLostWives #NetGalley
#bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads @headlinebooks

The House of Lost Wives was a very different read. It was entertaining in some ways and very strange in other ways. As I was reading the story, I was thinking to myself “how will I review this one?” I guess to sum it up, most of the story just seemed so far fetched and unbelievable. With that said, I did have to keep reading to the last pages just so I knew how it would end.
There is a supernatural aspect to the story that was somewhat intriguing.
I don’t want to give too much away in my review but the ending with the main characters parents just grated on my last nerve. There is no way I could forgive their previous behavior.
I recommend this as a historical mystery read that you will either like a lot or dislike a lot. Give it a go and see what you think. It will keep you entertained with a bit of eye rolling going on.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

A very intriguing story line. In the early 1800's it was not unusual for a woman to be sold into marriage by her parents, especially if the parents had more children than money. So when Lizzie's older sister is sold to a man much, much older than she, it raised few eyebrows. At least she was escaping a less than happy home. Fast forward one year. Lizzie's sister has died and her parents are now selling Lizzie to the same much older Lord Blountford. But when Lizzie arrives at the manor, she finds she is not the second wife, she is the fifth. Insert spooky music here......
The House of Lost Wives was a very good read. Great back story, great characters, great buildup to the surprise ending. I enjoyed.....bet you can't guess......greatly! Definitely an author that I'll be following.

Kind of a gothic-tinged Bluebeard's wives tale. Lizzie is being forced to become the wife of a wealthy lord after her sister, his most-recent wife, dies. She discovers she is to be his fifth wife, and slowly learns what became of his prior wives. Spooky.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: A mixed bag

1813, Sussex
Lizzie and her older sister Esme have a tough time dealing with their father’s debts. Esme is sold off as a wife to an aging Lord Blountford to clear the debts. However, Esme dies within a year of the marriage, and Lizzie is ordered to take her dead sister’s place.
Lizzie is taken to Ambletye Manor as Lord Blountford’s fiancé to discover that she would be his fifth wife. Apparently, all four wives have died in the manor. Can Lizzie find the truth behind their deaths and save herself?
With growing feelings between Charles Blountford (the old man’s nephew) and Lizzie, she has a lot more at stake in getting to the bottom of the truth. It certainly helps that Lizzie has a special gift. But what will this cost her?
The story comes in Lizzie’s first-person POV.

My Observations:
The blurb makes the book sound like an atmospheric paranormal mystery. However, the story is more of a romantic drama with a couple of ghosts and some social issues.
The pacing is great, an advantage, as I could breeze through the book in a couple of days.
There is no atmosphere despite the book being set in an old Manor with a vast estate. Imagine cloudy days, dark manor rooms, and secret spots in the estate. All of these are used, but none create the atmosphere.
Lord Blountford is supposed to be some sort of villainous old man with too many secrets. But most of his secrets aren’t the kinds that send chills down the spine. In fact, when Lizzie herself feels sad for him on multiple occasions, it’s hard to consider him ‘the villain’. He ends up being more of a controller than sinister.
The book is a blend of romance, mystery, and family drama. It has a bit of everything though none of them feel intense. One theme gets extra focus and is handled pretty well.
How you like the book depends on what you expect from it. If you’re looking for a slow-burn gothic setting with intense scenes, this isn’t for you. However, if you like something fast-paced with zero spookiness, you’ll enjoy the book more.
The book doesn’t require any effort from the reader’s side (be careful of the triggers), which is an advantage and a disadvantage. I liked it okay and enjoyed the pace, so it worked decent for me.
The ending is satisfactory, though the climax is as dramatic as it can get. Lizzie has to do something idiotic, right? Still, the following scenes could have been used to bring out the real darkness in Lord Blountford, but that doesn’t fully happen.
The side characters are a treat. Jordie, Price, Judith, etc., deliver their best and shine better than the main leads. I’d love it if Jordie and Price get a book each. Such potential!

To summarize, The House of Lost Wives is a regency romance (clean) with some friendly ghosts and great side characters.
Thank you, NetGalley and Headline, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

P.S: It gets easy to root for the heroine when her opponent is a true baddie. Giving him a soft side is okay if it doesn’t dilute his villainous nature. If the heroine alters between feeling sad for him, lashing out at him, realizing his ‘true’ side, and feeling bad for him again, it puts the reader in the same position (this being first-person POV).
**
TW: Sexual assault (multiple mentions), gambling, death
****
Review on Amazon rounded up to 4 stars.

Lizzie Dawson and her sister Esme grow up in a house plagued with drinking, gambling and poverty. Esme escapes this life by marring Edgar, a wealthy, elderly land owner but when she suddenly dies and Lizzie is then lined up to be his next wife she discovers there are a string of lost wives haunting the house as restless spirits.

Edgar's handsome nephew Charles befriends Lizzie, but jealous Edgar isn't prepared to share his wife with anyone... can Esme find out what happened to the lost wives in time to call off the marriage to Edgar?

This is great fun, a Regency romance with ghosts and intrigue.