I really enjoy Manda Collins books, and was really excited to read A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes. This is the third in this series, and like the two other books, I love the titles and covers!!!
Poppy works with the heroines of the first two books in this series, and drops everything to run up to her estranged family's home upon reading an article that her sister is suspected of murdering her husband. On her way to catch the train, she runs into the man who she does not like-- the Duke of Langham, Joshua. He offers to take Poppy in his train car, and on the way they decide that it would be mutually beneficial for Joshua to use his influence to help Poppy to investigate the murder, and in return Poppy will pretend to be his fiancee so he can evade the marriage-minded misses that his grandmother will put in his way.
There is a lot of dialogue, and a lot of characters and it took me a while to remember who was who. The dialogue is well-written, if going on a bit too long. I loved the duke, and really liked Joshua and Poppy together! The ending is super sweet and the chemistry is amazing.
The undercurrent of the book is a bit dark for me, but abusive, dark men and villains who are abusive is not my cup of tea. The abusive men isn't as pronounced in this book as it has been in other Manda Collins books, but it still was a little dark for a romance for me to give a full five stars. I really enjoyed this book regardless! If you like historical romance and murder mystery, this book is for you!
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and my opinions are my own.

4/5 stars
1/5 spice

Secret societies, murder, a fake betrothal, and of course romance made up this fun historical romance.

Tropes:
Frenemies to lovers
Fake betrothal
Close proximity
Murder mystery
Reformed rake
Working heroine
Dual POV

I greatly enjoyed Poppy's personality and how out spoken she was. She was unapologetically herself in every scene. Her banter and wit made me laugh several times. She was a spinster and a bluestocking but didn't care what the aristocrats thought of her as long as she had her independence.

Joshua, the Duke of Langham, being the reformed rake spent a lot of time fighting his attraction to Poppy but throughly enjoyed her ability to speak her mind and stand up for herself. It was because he admired this about her that he grew to care about her and see her as a true prospect as his future Duchess.

The whole time they spend together they are trying to solve a murder mystery that affects Poppy's sister. They work together and are in close proximity to each other for an entire week. But of course they start to become more attracted to each other and eventually need to do something about it.

The spice is low in this one with one full scene that isn't very long and a few scenes of tension and kissing. I think the spice worked well in the storyline and wasn't overdone.

Overall a quick, fun read. Highly recommend for fans of fake betrothals and romantic suspense.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Forever Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Controlling parent, emotional abuse, claustrophobia, violence, blood, gore, murder, captivity, bullying, sexism, graphic sexual content

I will start by saying I did not read the first two books in this series. I requested this to see if I liked the writing style, then I would back track and start with the first one. Let me tell you I LOVED it so I will defiantly be back tracking. Give me whip smart and fierce female main character along side a "he falls first" male main character and I am toast!!! I loved the banter as well as the pace of this novel. I never felt like it dragged or could cut out certain scenes. Also I love the antithesis to the miscommunication trope... give me two grown adults who can talk to each other like nor Mal humans and I'm sold. I cant wait to go back and read the other books and cant believe I slept on this series for so long.

Miss Poppy Delamere, formerly known to readers as Flora Deaver, secretary to Lady Katherine Eversham, is frantic. After two years of hiding from her stepfather, Poppy has no choice but to return to her family so she can save her sister Violet from being convicted of murder! To Poppy’s utter shock, she learns that when she refused to marry her stepfather’s secretary and ran away, he forced his daughter Violet to marry the man – but now he is dead and Violet has been accused of his murder, by non-other but her father! It is an injustice that Poppy cannot ignore, so without a word of why, she sets out for Little Kidding, but almost immediately her plans are in jeopardy when a pickpocket steals her money. She goes after the man but loses him when she literally runs into Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham. A man she wants nothing to do with, but now that she is without funds, she agrees to travel with him, as he too is on his way to Little Kidding. As they talk on the train, she explains why she is going and he offers to help her clear her sister’s name, and suggests that she could repay him by pretending to be his betrothed for the duration of their visit. As much as she would like to refuse, it is a perfect solution to her problem, and having a duke on her side will open more doors than she could manage alone. And so begins their partnership…

Joshua isn’t sure why he asked her to pose as his betrothed when he had just reconciled himself to considering the ladies his grandmother undoubtedly gathered for his perusal. He is surprised to learn that Poppy has been keeping secrets from everyone and admires her desire to help her half-sister, she is definitely not who he thought she was, but he likes her all the more for it! Once they arrive in Little Kidding, he is surprised to be greeted by his sister and many of the house guests from his grandmother’s house party – immediately he finds himself defending Poppy, who really doesn’t need his help. And when he introduces her to his grandmother, she proves once again that she can hold her own and he finds himself liking her even more! As they start to dig into the murder, he knows he is in trouble, because the more time he spends with Poppy, the more he wants to make their faux engagement real – can he convince her that they are perfect for each other or will she walk away with his heart once her sister is cleared?

OMG – this is without a doubt the crown jewel of this amazing series. I felt the chemistry between Poppy and Joshua from the beginning and I loved how protective he was of her, even before his feelings were engaged. Add to that a very well-plotted mystery, wonderful secondary characters, nasty baddies who get what they deserve, cameos from previous couples, a slow-burn romance, steamyish love scenes, and an edge-of-your-seat ending that leads to HEA. My only complaint was that I wish there had been an epilogue, but even without one, this story is a must-read. Loved, loved, loved it – this is the third book in the series, but you could easily read it as a standalone title, but really, do yourself a favor and read the entire series in order – it is so good! Now we wait and wonder if Joshua’s brother will get his own book because he should – but, one can only hope and drop not-so-subtle, wishful hints to the author in their review😊

*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.*

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central pub for this earc

Another adorable book in this series. I really enjoyed how Joshua and Poppy spent time becoming friends first without even realizing before anything happened between them. They actually saw each other for who they really were and fell in love with true versions of each other.

Langham’a family was for a change actually really nice and fun. I had so much getting to know them and hopefully we’ll see them again

The mystery was good as well. Really enjoyed how all the pieces fell into place.

Overall really enjoyable continuation to the series. Keep them coming

This is a fun and fancy read from fans of Bridgerton who like a little mystery in their stories as well!

After a dismal first meeting, Joshua and Poppy embark on a mutually beneficial agreement. Being the Duke of Langham, he will wield his power to help clear Poppy's sister, Violet's, name in the murder of her husband. Poppy, in return, is in agreement for a fake betrothal to keep the pouncing dowager off of his back for a bit. Things start to heat up as each of them attempt to keep their end of the bargain. Part historical romance and part murder mystery, this book has a little bit for everyone!

This was a super fun and quick read. I enjoy the historical aspect, especially ones with a strong female lead who don't lean into society's expectations. I also enjoy the male lead who supports that. The banter between Langham and Poppy I found endearing - like he knew who she was and appreciated her all the more for it. Add in a good fake dating trope and I'm sold! The murder mystery part was always present but never overwhelmed the story, I felt like there really was a good balance of both. Although evenly paced throughout, the story definitely picked up even more at the end as both issues came to a head, and I really found myself not wanting to put it down!

While this is technically the third book in the Ladies Most Scandalous book series, it can certainly be read as a standalone. There are references to A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem made in the book, but easily explained and understandable. I myself have not read the first two, so although I may have missed catching on to things mentioned, it never detracted from the story.

Thank you to Forever Pub and NetGalley for my gifted copies in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This whole series is super fun and this was no exception! I really enjoyed these characters individually, especially Poppy. I loved her fierce protectiveness of her sister and her independent nature. I did find the reason behind the fake engagement to be a bit unbelievable but beyond that I really liked the dynamic between Poppy and Langham. Out of all the couples in this series, these two were definitely my favorite and I found the timeline of them falling in love the most believable. I did find that it took me a while to get into, but I still had a good time and would definitely read more of this series if it is ever continued.

This was a great change of pace from the first two books, taking the main characters out of London and into the country. I also found the female main character of this book to be my favorite of the series. A hilarious, installment that also stands alone!

Poppy and the Duke of Langham both need assistance. Poppy is trying to save her sister, who has been accused of murder and the Duke needs his grandmother to stop trying to find him a wife. Poppy agrees to pretend to be his for a week while he uses his connections to clear her sister’s name.

This was a good fake engagement regency story. I enjoyed Poppy and thought she was a tough cookie, willing to fight for her family and help her sister. And I loved how the Duke was protective of Poppy - he had no qualms sticking up for her to his family.

The third book in the Ladies Most Scandalous Series did not disappoint. I was completely hooked from the moment I opened the book until I finished it. I am by no means a lover of mysteries but I loved the mystery aspect of this historical romance- it kept the story interesting without it being overly saccharine.
The chemistry between the Duke of Langham and Poppy was perfect and full of witty banter which Manda Collins does so well. I am always a fan of the fake-dating/engaged trope and this was done really well without being over the top.
My favorite aspect of Manda Collin's writing is always the balance between the love story and the rest of the plot and this is yet another example of a romance that also has an interesting sub-plot.

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is the third book in Manda Collin's A Lady's Guide series. Poppy Delamare fled home at a young age to escape a horrible marriage and has not looked back. When her sister is accused of murder, Poppy speeds home to prove her innocence. When she comes across the Duke of Langham, she must set aside her dislike of him as the two enter a mutually beneficial fake betrothal. This book was filled with mystery, romance, and history. I devoured every page as I always do with Manda Collins' stories. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for giving me to the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Having not read the first two, this one did feel like a standalone. I wasn’t lost or confused or missing references (I don’t think!) - overall though, just not my favorite book. I do think in the time of Bridgerton this would land really well as a movie. There’s romance, fake dating, murder mysteries and scheming.

This was such a fun one! It's a blend of enemies to lovers/ fake dating romance, mystery, murder, and a secret society for added fun.

I do not know how I have gone so long not having read a Manda Collins novel. She writes the perfect mix of mystery and historical romance. I found myself instantly drawn into the story and continually paused it, not because I was not interested but because I did not want it to end.

I loved Langham's character and how protective he was towards Poppy. How he wished to do whatever was within his power to assist a woman that up until this point (according to the previous novels) was more of an antagonistic force towards him. I also loved the juxtaposition of Poppy's strength of character/determination in light of a situation where she really had little power or ability to assist her sister. She needed to lean into Langham's offered assistance and use her powers of deduction within the confines of the situation. Langham's appreciation of her skills and intelligence made me love his character even more.

The only (tiny) issue I had while reading, was that in the end it seemed like we reached the climax and resolution of the story rather quickly and with what felt like little pause between. Perhaps I had just been savoring the level of drama that had been unfolding up until that point that I felt like it was resolved rather quickly and wanted a bit more between the catching of the culprit and the last chapter which worked like an epilogue of sorts. Chapter 25 ends with Poppy and Langham leave the cave and chapter 26 starts with it being one month later. It just felt almost like a chapter was missing in a way. Which is to say that I was enjoying the story so much that I wanted more.

I enjoyed the previous books by the author and was looking foreword to read this new and third story in the series.
And I loved it. The characters and their banter and interactions made for a perfect story full of humor, sarcasm and more than once, love at its best. She is probably my favorite female character that I have read in a historical romance in such a long time and he is just as perfect for her as one would wish to see them.
The fats paced story kept me entertained and the romance parts filled my heart with so much joy. Loved it and i think it goes in my top 5 favorite books of the year.

🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪/5

Do you like murder mysteries, romance and historical fiction? These are three of my absolute favorite things, and this book did not disappoint at all!!

This story was chaotic, mysterious, steamy, romantic, and slightly hilarious. I loved Poppy from the first moment we met her! She’s so practical, realistic, protective of her sister, confident and entirely too smart for her own good. Joshua is compassionate, a big softy at heart, slightly entitled, but enthusiastic and encouraging when it comes to pursuing Poppy and helping her out by his outlandish “fake engagement” plan.

The pacing of this story was fantastic. It was fast paced in some parts and slow in others, but it never once felt rushed or boring. The conversations and interactions between the characters were real, intriguing, intimate, and relatable even though it’s set centuries before now. And the language and writing was refreshing and fun, and not too taxing or hard to understand in any way. The natural progression of the romance was genuine and when it came time for them to fight for that HEA together it never seemed out of left field or not sincere. It was as natural as breathing and utterly perfect.

Do yourself a favor and read read read read read this book!

Read this if you like:
❤️‍🔥Fake dating/engagement
❤️‍🔥Banter
❤️‍🔥Strong, independent FMC
❤️‍🔥Compassionate Earl MMC
❤️‍🔥Mutual respect
❤️‍🔥Spiceeeee
❤️‍🔥Murder
❤️‍🔥Interesting side characters
❤️‍🔥Real connections and conversations
❤️‍🔥Past traumas
❤️‍🔥Secret societies

Poppy Delamare has been living under a fake identity in London for the last few years in order to escape an arranged marriage. She has been hiding as the secretary of her two friends Lady Katherine Bascomb and Miss Caroline Hardcastle (now Lady Wrackham). When her sister is accused of murder in the countryside, Poppy flees London and on her way out of the city, runs into the Duke of Langham. Their previous meeting left Poppy with a bad first impression of the Duke. When he subsequently offers to help her with her sister if she agrees to a fake engagement with him so that he can avoid his matchmaking grandma's plans, Poppy finds herself agreeing against her better judgement. Can they figure out the true culprit of the murder before they start to catch feelings for each other?

I really enjoyed this 3rd book in the series! As with the others, the focus is split between the romance and the mystery so it's not necessarily your traditional Historical Romance but I think the balance is done really well! I love fake engagements/forced proximity so this book really worked well for me and I thought the progression of their relationship was actually quite lovely. Their banter is really excellent

Poppy as a character is one of my absolutely favorites of the series! All the women in this series are strong but there's just something about Poppy that I loved - she is smart and sharp tongued, and also handles the upper class women around Langham with so much skill and strength. I also loved just how gone Langham was for Poppy. Just like the other MMC's in this series, he unabashedly believes in Poppy's competence which we LOVE to see.

I did think that the mystery was wrapped up very quickly at the end and could have been just a little bit longer but that's the only slight criticism I had.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Spinster’s Guide To Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins is an utter delight! Come for the mystery, stay for the romance. There’s a delicious fake engagement between frenemies Miss Poppy Delemere and Joshua Fielding, Duke of Langham. Intrigue in spades! The banter is spot on! The players come to life right off the pages and there is quite a cast of characters!

I could not put it down! It is, without a doubt, the best in this series. I may have said that about every book in this series but this one hits all the marks!

This is the first book I’ve read by Manda Collins and it was such a delight! I can’t wait to go back and read the other two books in the series. It’s a historical romcom laced with mystery, colorful characters and a fast paced story line.

Poppy Delamere has been living under the false name and identity of Flora Deavers for two years in London after her con man stepfather plots to marry her off to a sleezy associate of his so she does what any lady with sense would do. She runs away! Two years later she reads in the paper that her younger sister Violet is charged with murdering her husband, the cad she ran away from. Poppy is on her way to the town of Little Kidding to prove her sister’s innocence when she runs into her nemesis, The Duke of Langham. He is headed to his estate for his grandmothers birthday house party and his estate just so happens to be in the same town as Poppy’s family. He proposes an an arrangement, she pose as fiancée in order to ward off ladies intent on snagging a Duke, and he will assist her in clearing her sister’s name. It’s not long before this fake engagement has them both yearning for each other in truth. They stumble upon more crazy schemes than they could have imagined and fall in love along the way. It’s a super cute romance! Absolutely recommend!!

Fake engagement + Mystery = happy reading!

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes is by far my favorite of the series. Secret identity, enemies to lovers, fake engagement, a gruesome murder, and the discovery of a resurrected secret society, what's not to love. I was consumed from the beginning by Poppy and Langham's relationship and watching them slowly realize they caught feelings. The details of the murder and secret society were salacious enough to keep me engrossed with out making it hard to sleep (I'm a wimp, I can't do scary at all). The twists and turns were perfection and kept me guessing. This is a fantastic historical romance with a bit of mystery thrown in, definitely recommend.