Charlotte is 20, prickly and decided that she will not marry. She loves solving mysteries and is not overly interested in her family's horse breeding activities. Charlotte is desperately missing her school friends who are all married and feels at a loss with what to do with herself.

Lawrence is quiet and finds the Deeping family rather loud and obnoxious. Staying with the Deeping family for the hunt season may be a mistake, especially when his family's brutal past becomes known to the Deepings. However, as Lawrence gets to know Charlotte, he finds he cannot leave and starts to enjoy the fun loving Deeping family.

With Lawrence's family secret about his murdered parents out in the open, Charlotte sees this as an opportunity to investigate this gruesome deed. Will Charlotte, Lawrence and the Deepings figure out who killed his parents and why? Will Lawrence be able to woo Charlotte without Charlotte seeing this as a way for men to take over? And why does Lawrence's horse hate the Duke's horse (sorry, I'm a horsey girl)?

I really liked this! The only let down was the lack of spice. I loved the characters, the feeling denials and the side serving of mystery. Thanks Jane and Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

A well rounded story with a blossoming case of characters what will keep you riveted.

Our cast:
Laurence Lindley, Marquess of Glendarvon, reclusive, lone child as his parents were murdered when he was four.

Miss Charlotte Deeping, the lone daughter of the household, and last of the four friends not married. She never thought she would find anyone she would lose her self identity on.

The brothers, Henry was set on the diplomatic corps, Stanley bulkiest of the four Deeping brothers, Stanley and Laurence friend, Cecil was unmistakably a dandy, Bertram the youngestbosterioust eighteen.

Sarah’s head full of odd facts, Harriet’s practical sense, Ada’s flair and vision, only mentioned but thought of often for insight.

Duke and Duchess, Cecelia of Tereford and Oliver Welden, "Merlin" he was a kind of hermit at their property in Cornwall.

As the fox hunting season gets started we have a werry Miss Charlotte wondering what will become with her life. Her family, loud, boisterous, and all horse mad have friends staying. Mama is trying to match-make to see her settled.
Lord Glendarvon is not use to the loudness and observes that this is the norm of the household. Not sure if he will fit, he keeps quiet.

When a mystery is presented to Charlotte she finds she can not resist. Her budding friendship with Glendarvon, who grudgingly agrees, added to her sense of belonging and wanting to figure him out. Lady Cecelia added counsel and sound reasoning that would have come from her friends help.

So join in to solve the last mystery of the intrepid Book club members as Lady Charlotte uncovers a twenty odd year old crime and mystery. Thru the wilds of the countryside and fox hunting to family-friendly dinners with loud debates and buttinsky brothers who think they know best. Watch as these two and Merlin grow, uncover evidence, and find yourself cheering them on. This will have you cringing in a few spots, I did, overcoming fears, and a calming peace of mind

A Gentleman Out to Know wraps up the Duke’s Estates series nicely, and I think it might be my favorite installment. Charlotte is clever and often described as “prickly” by her brothers, but underneath all her bluster is a vulnerable heart that she’s clearly trying to protect. I loved watching her find her place without her closest friends, who have all married before her. And Laurence is the perfect match for her, once he stops pretending to be something he’s not. They have a sweet romance that grows as they learn to love each other for exactly who they are.

The central mystery (no spoilers here!) is interesting enough to keep the plot moving, but it was the characters that I really loved. Charlotte’s parents want her to get married, but only so she’ll be happy. They’re not overly pushy or cruel about it. And her brothers are so wonderful, and each has a truly distinct personality that jumps off the page. There’s enough set up in this novel that I wouldn’t be surprised to see a spin-off series about the Deeping brothers, or at the very least, a standalone novel about the eldest, Henry. And I would read it in a heartbeat.

A small complaint, one that has bothered me throughout the series. It’s called the Duke’s estates, so the duke and duchess from the first novel have featured in every book. I like them as characters, but the short snippets of their POVs really jarred me and took me out of the narrative every time it happened. Especially in this book, I really just wanted more of Charlotte and Laurence and less interruptions.

I was thoroughly sucked into this book, I really enjoyed the interactions between all the Deepings, and how they just kind of sucked Laurence into the family. The mystery was really intriguing, and I really wanted to see how everything was going to be solved. I enjoyed the methodical way Charlotte went about solving the mystery of the burned-down building, on the Duke's property, and how she connected it to the murder of Laurence's parents.

While at times I did want to give Charlotte a good smack because of the way she sometimes acted while coming to terms with her feelings, I felt her friends and parents did a great job of calming her down and explaining things in a way she could understand.

Merlin was a hoot as always, I'm hoping that he's finally found something he can throw himself into.

I hope we get to see Charlotte's brothers paired off, especially Bennett as I think we met his match, and they would make a great couple.

Unconventional Charlotte has no plans to marry. Yet she's intrigued by enigmatic Laurence. When she learns of the unsolved murders of his parents when he was just a child, she wants to help him find resolution. Can she solve the mystery before someone else gets hurt?

This is a nice opposites-attract romance with a mystery subplot. Lots of intrigue, and contrast between the two main characters. It was fun to see Merlin show up in this book, with his ambitions of becoming a Bow Street runner. I'd love to see him get his own HEA.

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

A tenacious lady who wants to forge her own path
A guarded marquess with a troubled past
An unresolved mystery that brings them together
And a love stronger than anything that might want to keep them apart.
Charlotte and Laurence are meant to be together.
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.

A lovely romance with a side of mystery!

Laurence and Charlotte are about as unlikely a pair of lovers as I've ever read. Charlotte is far too outspoken and analytical to ever consider herself to be the sort of lady that a gentleman would want to settle down with, but she hadn't counted on Laurence.

Laurence has lived a quietly controlled existence since the death of his parents when he was very young. Everything about Charlotte challenges his thinking and dares him to consider new possibilities. He's not comfortable talking about the past, but Charlotte is always looking for a problem to solve so when she discovers his parents were murdered and the killers were never found, she's determined to see what she can turn up.

There's also a bit of mystery surrounding a recent fire at an abandoned holding near Charlotte's home, one that belongs to the Duke of Tereford, who with his wife, Cecelia, one of Charlotte's closest friends, is staying there while they rebuild the home. This fire seems to be a less emotionally-fraught mystery to solve, and that's where Charlotte starts.

Investigating all the assorted clues provides a unique framework for Laurence to unofficially court Charlotte, despite her insistence that she has no intention of ever marrying. This is where he figures out that the traditional methods for wooing young ladies won't have any effect on Charlotte, and this process - both for him and for Charlotte - is really the best part of the book.

Most of the story takes place at Charlotte's family estate, so we get to know her brothers very well as they also participate in all the various activities. I really identified with Charlotte's sibling camaraderie as the only daughter of the five Deeping offspring. The contrast of her large, boisterous family with Laurence's solitary upbringing was exquisitely done.

I loved how all the secrets and mysteries were revealed and resolved in the end, and I really enjoyed the way Charlotte and Laurence secured their HEA. The side story revealing more of James and Cecelia's future was a very nice treat. I also very much enjoyed Merlin's role throughout the story, and was happy to see his future settled as well.

This is the fourth book in the series, and in my opinion it is the best. Plenty of action, engaging characters, and never-a-dull-moment action sequences kept me glued to the story from start to finish. I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves historical romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This is an unusual mystery, I admit that I have never seen or heard of using this premise in a cozy mystery. I knew it was described as a Georgette Heyer style mystery, but this is a very slow, very low burn of any kind, while I don't care for sexual content, I do not believe that if you are attracted to someone you don't kiss them until you are two thirds through the story! However, my biggest problem was not liking the heroine at all, Charlotte is so full of herself that she is obnoxious to the point I wanted to stop reading the story, I keep saying that I will not read another story where the main character drives me nuts, and she is offensive, she is unkind, narcissistic, she truly behaved as if she is better, and smarter than everyone, including her Mother, and the hero of the story, Laurence, The Marquess of Glenndarvon! He is kind, introverted, and too complacent for me, I like Alpha Males, and believe me he is not! As is typical for these types of protagonist, the feminist ideology triumphs, while degrading men, all men. The only reason I am giving it three stars is that I enjoyed her brothers, and kudos for the mystery, even though I was up to 80 percent before it came out of the blue, totally out of left field, it was a good idea, but it lacked finesse.
Thank you #Netgalley
carolintallahassee

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book when I first finished reading it. So, I decided to let it stew for a few days before writing my review. My impression is still basically the same. I generally liked the story and I thought the mystery was a good one. What I didn’t like was Charlotte! She was often described as ‘prickly’ – I would amend that to ‘bit***’ as that is how she acted most of the time. I loved Charlotte’s brothers and I can certainly see them with books in the future, and I loved Laurence and was so happy to have met him. Laurence Lindley, the Marquess of Glendarvon, is good friends with Charlotte’s brother, Stanley, who invited him to be a house guest for the annual hunt. Laurence hasn’t had a very happy life, but although he constantly thinks of what happened in terms of scandal, it really wasn’t. He was only four when his parents were gruesomely murdered. He never, ever, talks about it. It isn’t a secret, exactly, he just doesn’t wish to discuss it and doesn’t tell people about it. He is excited for the hunt since it is one of his favorite ways to pass the time – and he loves being able to gallop across the countryside on his excellent mount, Ranger. He even finds himself enjoying the ‘prickly, Miss Charlotte Deeping.

Charlotte learned about Laurence’s parents and she also learned from both him and her brother that it was a very private matter for him and he didn’t want to talk about it. However, Charlotte just couldn’t leave a good mystery alone no matter anyone else’s feelings about it. Then, to add another mystery, there was an odd finding at the estate of her good friend Cecelia and her husband the Duke of Tereford. When Laurence seems to recognize the find, Charlotte is off and running – and dragging all of them along with her – whether they wanted to come along or not.I enjoyed the basic story and most of the characters. I didn’t care for Charlotte at all – I found her to be bit*** rather than prickly. She could have been a great character with a great romance, but she just didn’t cut it for me. I found her to not only be bit***, but she seemed to have no respect for, nor kind thoughts about any male.

I really wanted to like this book, but I found Charlotte to be such a difficult character that she basically ruined the book for me.. She was very judgmental and didn't seem to like men at all. I did love Laurence though. Unfortunately, I lost interest in this book at about the 35% mark which is too bad because I usually thoroughly enjoy Ms. Ashford's books. However, I am looking forward to any of the books involving Charlotte's brothers.

For a slow burn romance, this is a smoldering trailing one, in fact for most of the story, due to a stubborn heroine whose head I would have bashed many times.
I could have understood her need to leave a mark or to make her own path, she can act shrewdly without being dismissive of others.
She is quick to judge someone by its cover, she misinterprets when it suits her, she jumps into any disparaging talk because it is easier than to rethink things, she denies her own emotions and gives the cold shoulder instead of opening herself.
She would have made a good heroine if she was not so set on her ideas, opinions and own worth.
When in fact, she quickly assesses people and belittles those around her by believing they are lacking, as she did with the hero or she some times does with her brothers.
Glendarvon is a quiet fellow, having never been mothered, especially after the murder of his parents. He has come to accept it as a fait accompli, and if not for Charlotte, he would not have sought to learn more about it.
Among the Deepings, he discovers chaos and noise can be appreciate, he witnesses a family’s dynamic has he has never known. For a man who has only known loneliness, it is unsettling at first, yet he comes to appreciate it and enjoy his talks with the many siblings, and Charlotte more specifically when she is not shutting him out or thinking him dim witted.

I confess after a while, I had enough of Charlotte’s treatment of Laurence. So I become more interested in solving the mystery than seeing the romance come to fruition.
The end was a bit weird with suddenly the men all deaf and singleminded and the women the bearer of the right answers.
3.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

A slow burn love story amidst witty banter between siblings and friends, hunting and fishing activities and solving a twenty year old mystery. Loads of enjoyable reading time..

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

** 3.5 Stars **
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book when I first finished reading it. Well, I KNEW, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I think. 😊 So, I decided to let it stew for a few days before writing my review so I could then look back and see what really stood out for me. My impression is still basically the same. I generally liked the story and I thought the mystery was a good one. What I didn’t like was Charlotte! She was often described as ‘prickly’ – I would amend that to ‘bit***’ as that is how she acted most of the time. I loved Charlotte’s brothers and I can certainly see them with books in the future, and I loved Laurence and was so happy to have met him.

Charlotte Deeping met her best friends when they went away to school and they’ve been the closest of friends since. They solved mysteries and enjoyed each other, but now, Charlotte is the only one who remains unmarried. She didn’t do well on the marriage mart because of her ‘prickly’ personality. Now, at home in the country, with none of her friends nearby, she’s a tad on the bored side. If she just had a mystery to solve or something to keep her occupied, she’d get through it all. It is hunting season, and her family is a renowned breeder of hunting horses, so maybe someone or something of interest will show up at the annual hunt.

Laurence Lindley, the Marquess of Glendarvon, is good friends with Charlotte’s brother, Stanley, who invited him to be a house guest for the annual hunt. Laurence hasn’t had a very happy life, but although he constantly thinks of what happened in terms of scandal, it really wasn’t. He was only four when his parents were gruesomely murdered. He never, ever, talks about it. It isn’t a secret, exactly, he just doesn’t wish to discuss it and doesn’t tell people about it. He is excited about the hunt since it is one of his favorite ways to pass the time – and he loves being able to gallop across the countryside on his excellent mount, Ranger. He even finds himself enjoying the ‘prickly, Miss Charlotte Deeping.

Charlotte learned about Laurence’s parents and she also learned from both him and her brother that it was a very private matter for him and he didn’t want to talk about it. However, Charlotte just couldn’t leave a good mystery alone no matter anyone else’s feelings about it. Then, to add another mystery, there was an odd finding at the estate of her good friend Cecelia and her husband the Duke of Tereford. When Laurence seems to recognize the find, Charlotte is off and running – and dragging all of them along with her – whether they wanted to come along or not.

I enjoyed the basic story and most of the characters. I didn’t care for Charlotte at all – I found her to be bit*** rather than prickly. She could have been a great character with a great romance, but she just didn’t cut it for me. I found her to not only be bit***, but she seemed to have no respect for, nor kind thoughts about any male. The book was filled with male-bashing and that just makes me want to put the book down. Yes, I know feminism is the theme of the day right now, but – does being for females actually mean being against males? Every female in this book had nothing but negative things to say about the males. It just made me really sad.

Can I recommend this book? Well – yes and no. If you don’t mind a prickly, male-bashing female lead who steps on everyone’s wishes and then acts as if she is the injured party, then yes, I do recommend it because the mystery and bones of the story are good. Otherwise, I can tell you that I enjoyed the bones of the story, I disliked Charlotte, and I would not read it a second time.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Gentleman Ought to Know
by Jane Ashford

A Regency Romance with the right blend of intrigue, mystery, action, and adventure which I definitely enjoyed.

Overall, it was a satisfying story with well-rounded characters who were easy to wish the best for.

While this was fourth book in the Duke's Estates series, don't worry. It can easily be read on it's own.


Thank-you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#AGentlemanOughttoKnow #NetGalley

Another great read by Jane Ashford.
This is a slow build, romance. I enjoyed the fact that the main characters were a little "different" than normal in historical fictions. She was smart, and not your typical debutant. He was quiet, and at times a bit overwhelmed with his surroundings and friends. It made for an enjoyable story. The plot built slowly as the book went on. Little intrigue and mystery, , lots of family, and a sweet romance.
I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I have two minds about this book. Hear me out, but there may be spoilers.
The heroine, 20 years old and the 4th of 5 children and the only girl, is walking along her family's estate. She is musing over her life since her 3 close friends have all married and she herself was not comfortable with her Season. She was questioning her future when a horse came jumping out of no where and almost clipped her with its hooves. She stumbled back and fell and lost her breath. The rider, a guest of her family, hurries over to her to offer aid. Once she catches her breath, she admonishes him. They argue a little and he tells her he is her older brother's friend, come to stay for the Hunting Season. The heroine's family, in addition to being part of the noble class, breed racing and hunter/jumpers. The rider, who is the hero, is a Marquess who went to school with her brother. The hero feels that her brother saved him when he first came to school. They are very close friends, but this is his first visit to their estate. He is 25 years old and just visited London for a partial Season. He was not happy with the debs looking for husbands. He felt they were too accommodating to any future husband they met.
With the heroine not sure if she would get married, plus she is very smart and doesn't hid her intelligence, she us a difficult deb. If someone does something stupid, she can verbally eviscerate them and protect herself. Because she is this way, she feels that she is not made out to be married. She is afraid to lose herself. The hero is attracted to the heroine, but is not sure he wants to share his life with a lady because he had a bad childhood. His parents were murdered when he was four years old.
This is where I do not know if I like the story or not.
The heroine and her 3 friends have a reputation for solving mysteries and when the hero tells the heroine about the way his parents were killed, she becomes intrigued as to who and why they were killed. The author did a good job trying not to trivialize his trauma, but I still felt there were a couple of times that the heroine was interested because she was bored and didnt have any direction in her life. It took almost the whole book for the characters to confess that they loved each other, and the trauma from the hero was dealt with in a sensitive manner. So I think that I like how this story was written. I was able to immerse myself and I felt that I was actually there,watching the events unfold. I recommend reading and give the book 5 stars.

Jane Ashford is the BEST writer. She is able to pull you into her stories without the extreme sex scenes. You get to enjoy the relationship of the characters instead of skipping pages of ‘yada, yada, yada.’

Laurence and Charlotte’s relationship is adorable. Laurence is quickly intrigued by Charlotte but realizes she is not the typical London Miss. He is trying to figure her out, while she is trying to figure out how to continue to be true to herself in a relationship with him. There is a bit of quality silent, internal conversation that clues us into what each thinks, what they worry about and how to they become more acquainted to the other. We, also, learn more about Laurence’s inner turmoil as he begins to remember that fateful night of losing his parents.

Having Cecelia and James return as prominent characters is enjoyable as we see their relationship continue after marriage and as their family grows. It is always nice to have former characters wrapped in a new romance.

The Deeping family is awesome with all the brothers each having their own lives, personalities and quirkiness. Even Mom Deeping seems to have a strong personality with which to deal! I hope to see a series come about from this family!

I think Ashford writes great books for book clubs. There is so much to talk about, when it comes to the many characters of this book. It is nice to read about a hero who isn’t the perfect guy, who is great at everything. He felt very human.

And the Deeping family dynamic was beautiful! I love close knit families. I felt the love between them, and I’m glad the hero gets to be a part of it.

Charlotte is intrigued by Laurence when he comes to her family’s estate for hunting season. Laurence is equally intrigued by the forthright woman. Though her four brothers try to intervene, they can not stop her from helping Laurence to solve a family mystery. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for my honest review.

This was a strong end to the series. I am so tired of Insta-lust, and this book was NOT that—of course, a Jane Ashdod’s book never is. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the main characters gradually unfold. I also appreciated how this book showed how limited women’s lives were and the frustration that arises as a result. Really hoping some of the new characters we met in this book will be part of a new series.