I’ve had this book sitting in my to read pile for a while now and I’m wondering why I didn’t pick it up sooner! I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is loosely based on one of my favorites, Cinderella. With endearing characters, humor, some dastardly villains, and a menagerie of animals, this book quickly captured my attention and was hard to put down.

I loved Louisa! She’s the main character who was treated so shabbily by her relations after her parents died. She’s secretly an heiress, but forced to live more like a servant. When faced with the prospect of being forced to marry her despicable cousin, she runs away with the help of the servants. She encounters a handsome marquess who mistakes her for a runaway governess and she soon finds herself at the marquess’ home with his younger sisters and their various exotic pets, including snakes.

Wick, the Marquess of Cheswick, is shocked to learn that the woman he thought was his sisters’ runaway governess is actually an heiress from a neighboring estate. He immediately wants to return her to her home, but when he learns of her cruel treatment, he decides to help her. He’s attracted to the red-headed beauty, but doesn’t feel worthy of starting a relationship with her due to a tragedy that happened in his youth. He ends up packing her, his sisters, and several kittens off to London where Louisa can fulfill her dream of a season and hopefully gain control over her inheritance.

I ended up falling in love with Louisa and Wick! Wick is such a caring, thoughtful brother despite the antics of his younger sisters. He has such a great relationship with his siblings and friends which makes Louisa trust him and leads to her falling in love with him. Louisa is such a sweet young woman who really grows throughout the book. She goes from a subservient mouse to a tower of strength. Once she realizes the lies that her guardians fed her through the years, she becomes more confident in herself. Don’t get on the bad side of her sewing needle either! I loved her ingenuity and the friendships she forms not only with Wick but with each of his sisters, especially Mantheria.

I’m excited for the next book in the series and hope Mantheria gets a happily ever after! Despite the fact that this is a Harlequin romance, it’s what I would consider clean. There are a few innuendos and some mildly spicy kissing scenes (French kissing), but other than that, it’s a tame, wholesome Regency romance. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

I love fairy tale retellings and I love regency era novels so this book was the best of both worlds. The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is loosely based on Cinderella. I adored Louisa and how she grew throughout the book and became a stronger person. Wick was endearing and his sisters were my favorites!!! Rarely does a book have such wonderful characters that I love them all, but Hastings has managed to do it with this one (except for the villains of course!) I loved the entire Stringham family and how close and tight knit they were. They were loving, kind, and open with each other. It made me want to be a part of their family too! Hastings does a great job keeping the pace going throughout the book and I never lost interest for a moment. I adored the story and hope she writes more fairytale regency stories soon! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable romance and also sweet and dealt thoughtfully with grief recovery as well. Well done.

Pick this book up if you enjoy regency romance with a touch of Cinderella vibes. You've got characters who have been faced with difficult situations, heartbreak, betrayal and more. There are characters who will entertain you and have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what comes out of their mouths next. Plus, characters that you just can't help but root for from the very start of the book.

Hastings has done a wonderful job at transforming you to the regency times with the delightful and entertaining Stringham family who Louisa comes upon by accident. Everything that unfolds from there will change her life and watching that happen is magical in and of itself. Especially with that touch of romance. Ok, there is more than a touch, Wick and Louisa have a chemistry that is swoony, sweet and just right. And "the crazy and entirely loveable Stringham family" only adds to the beauty and delight of it all.

I love Wick and Louisa's story and I can't wait to see where Hastings takes the Stringham family next. These characters are going to steal your heart, watch out and enjoy this one!

*I received a complimentary copy from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors. A review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

If you're looking for a cute, clean romance with little depth to the characters, then you will probably enjoy this one!

Sadly, while I enjoyed this story to an extent, the writing was solid, and the story moved at a decent pace; the characters were both lackluster and forgettable. In fact, I am more interested in Wick's sister Mantheria and her story than I was in Wick and Louisa. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that, as previously stated, there is little depth to any of the characters.

Wick's younger sisters are all painted as hoydens who are incapable of keeping a governess for very long due to their antics, but aside from one minor instance involving a snake, you never really see them doing anything that isn't commonplace for a young lady. It is obvious from their interactions with each other, with their brother, and with Louisa that they have genuine affection for each other and their family and friends. Louisa's guardians, uncle and cousin, are painted as over-the-top villains who either steal from her, attempt to compromise her, or simply refuse to lift a finger to help her despite knowing how dire her circumstances are.

And then you get to our two main characters and their supposed instalove which honestly? Made no sense whatsoever.

Wick has resolved never to marry after losing two of his siblings to scarlet fever years ago and blaming himself. But of course, when he sees Louisa, there is just something about her that he is attracted to, so of course, he must find a way to rid himself of her. Or avoid her when it appears that he will either have to endure her being around him and his family, or he has to send her back to her wicked "guardians" (although it was stupid that although she became of age at twenty-one and therefore didn't need guardians anymore, she was unable to access the trust left to her until she had either married someone her guardian's approved of or wait until she turned twenty-five).

Louisa has been held prisoner in her childhood home for over a decade since her parents died, left penniless by her conniving aunt and uncle, who used her allowance for their own upkeep while she was left in clothes that were little better than rags and boots that didn't fit. Upon learning that she is to be married to her cousin as soon as "he is ready to marry," she runs away, hoping to find help from another family member. Understandable, but then she seems to be in love with Wick only days after meeting him, or well, I suppose being rescued by him is a more appropriate way of putting it.

Instead of feeling a genuine connection between them, it felt more along the lines of, well, he saved me, and his sister is giving me a season; therefore, I must love him. While he figured he had a claim on her for helping her because seeing her dance with anyone else, even someone who wanted to marry her, made him green with envy.

Overall, I think there are definitely some things that could have been improved on that would have increased my enjoyment of the story, but all in all, I don't think it will stop others from enjoying 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.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Louisa knows that she needs to escape her cruel aunt and uncle, and soon. Running away from her home, where she is treated as little more than a slave, she is lucky to be found by the Marquess of Cheswick and his sisters. They can tell she is a lady, but with little more than her first name as a clue, they had to trust she has a good reason for hiding. Finding a home, and family, with Wick and his sisters, Louisa reveals her family wants her to marry her degenerate cousin, and only then will she gain her rightful inheritance. But as the sparks fly between Louisa and Wick, will returning to London, and to society, allow them to be together, and save Louisa?

A Cinderella-esque romance, this was definitely the book for me. Louisa's tale was so heartbreaking, and with Wick, she found a kindred spirit. As the children of a Duke, Wick and his sisters had a life of privilege, but they had lost loved ones, and it affected them greatly - Wick in particular! He never felt like he should be the heir, and he grieved his lost siblings openly. Eschewing the Marriage Mart, he wanted to protect his family, and his sisters were hard work. However, Louisa was able to understand them, and help the sisters to become who they wanted to be, without any judgement. During the London scenes, Louisa truly came into her own, and I loved the secondary romance between Mantheria and Sunny - hopefully they'll get a book too! A great romance from an author I haven't read before, but who will be on my to buy list in future!

I not so secretly love fairy tale retellings so it's only natural for me to jump at the chance to read them all. This one is a Cinderella regency and instead of wicked stepsisters, Louisa has a wicked auntie. Her one saving grace is reaching her majority and finally claiming the inheritance that's rightfully hers. Except when it's clear that won't happen, Louisa escapes an unwanted marriage in an attempt to find refuge with other relations. On her journey, she's mistaken for a runaway governess and hauled to an estate with the unruly siblings of a handsome Marquess.
I was so grateful to see the Harper contract negotiations finally come through and gave Samantha's writing a try immediately. It's sweet and sometimes silly (I had a pretty big laugh when Louisa is described as looking terrible in yellow and that's the cover model's dress color). I think historical romance fans will find this to be a fun and easy entertaining read.
Thanks to @samanthahastingsauthor for the gifted copy! All thoughts are my own and this is available now.

This book is a bit of a take on a Cinderella story. Someone to despise and plenty to swoon over. Louisa was such a sweet character and Wick is just flat out swoony. I absolutely adored Wick’s sisters!

It’s a story about finding strength in who you truly are and claiming love when given the chance.

“She was going to return to London. To her season. To the courtship she’d waited for her entire life. She wasn’t going to let her aunt, her uncle or her cousin take another dream from her.”

Wick is the Marquess of Cheswick and is burdened by massive responsibility and guilt. He is fiercely loyal to those he loves and would protect them at any cost. Lady Louisa Bracken is treated like a servant in her own home. Her wicked aunt and uncle control her allowance and inheritance. They refuse to let her go to London to have a season and to marry. When Louisa leaves to find family who might help her escape the difficult life she’s been living she meets Wick and everything changes for both of them.

This story has nods to the Cinderella fairytale and I am all over that! Mix it with a sweet regency storyline and I’m sold! I love the character development between the two main characters. From the beginning they have their difficulties but together they help each other to grow.

I loved the side characters in this story! The Stringham sisters are a force to be reckoned with! Their personality and humor brought so much to the story. I’m so excited they will be getting their own stories.

This was a fun read! And I can’t wait to see where future books will take them!

This was another fun read from Samantha Hastings and one inspired by Cinderella. When Lady Louisa runs away from her terrible aunt and uncle she's mistaken for a runaway governess by the Marquess of Cheswick (aka Wick) and taken to his estate. This leads to some fun moments and introduces us the the Marquess' younger sisters.

Once Louisa is taken in by Wick to be a governess for his sisters this became the most delightful read. Louisa is a sweet character that grows so much in this story, and although I found the Stringham sisters a bit annoying at first, I soon fell in love with these entertaining young ladies.

Things I loved in this book:
* First off the dual point of view, it's my absolute favorite thing in books.
* The relationships--between Wick and his sisters and the sisters and Louisa. His sisters may drive Wick up a wall with some of their antics but he loves them dearly. I loved how the Stringham sisters immediately wanted to help Louisa and bonded with her.
* Mantheria (Wick's married sister) and Louisa's relationship. Her kindness and generosity towards Louisa warmed my heart.
* Louisa's transformation from someone who hid her identity to a young woman who stood up for herself made me want to stand up and cheer.

This is part of the Harlequin Historical line. In case you didn't know, Harlequin has different lines that are sweet and clean. I received a copy from the publisher, Harlequin Romance, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

What a wonderful book from Samantha Hastings! I knew I would love The Marquess and the Runaway Lady after reading the author's last book The Secret of the Sonnets. Add to the mix
that it is a regency fairytale retelling and you have a perfect read for me!

This book is based on Cinderella but it had a uniqueness that really stood out! Louisa is so sweet and kind! What I loved most is how she grew into a stronger person who knew her worth. Louisa takes control of her own situation and stands up for herself instead of just taking the mistreatment from her guardians.

Wick is such a perfect hero! He loves his sisters so much, which I found totally endearing. He takes Louisa in after his sister's governess leaves. It is a case of mistaken identity that works so well. The sisters are so much fun! They are so delightful it would be hard not to love them.
They also know how to speak up for what they believe in which made them strong female characters alongside Louisa.

Samantha Hastings knows how to write amazing wonderful characters that have unique traits. Seriously I loved every single one of them so much. She writes in a way that you really get to know them so well you want to be their friends.

This book was absolutely adorable in every way possible. Samantha Hastings has become an auto read author for me. I highly recommend you pick this one up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fun Cinderella-style story. Louisa is an heiress who has been kept under the thumb of her cruel aunt and uncle since she was ten years old. Upon learning that they plan to marry her to their ne'er-do-well son, Louisa runs away, hoping to take refuge with her other uncle and finally get the London Season she's dreamed about. But she's waylaid on the way by a gentleman who believes she is his sisters' governess.

Wick is the head of his family while his parents are away, leaving him in charge of his three younger sisters. The girls are quite mischievous and have driven away several governesses. Wick takes his responsibilities very seriously and is often overwhelmed by their antics.

I liked both Wick and Louisa. Louisa's aunt has done a number on her self-confidence and belief in her own worth, but she has enough spunk to escape when she learns of her plans. Louisa is a kind soul who only wants to love and be loved. I loved how she was taken in by the Stringhams and made to feel like part of the family. As she experienced life away from her aunt, her self-confidence and worth grew. By the end, she had the strength and independence to stand up for herself. I especially enjoyed the friendship that developed between her and Wick's sister, Mantheria, something she'd never had before.

Wick is a good man but a little too wrapped up in responsibility. He is still grieving the loss of two of his siblings ten years earlier. He believes their deaths were his fault, even though the circumstances were beyond his control. I loved his relationships with his sisters and brother. There is a great deal of love there, which shows in their interactions. Seeing how the girls tried his patience was fun, yet he always had their backs.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Wick and Louisa. The attraction was there from the moment they met, but Wick fought hard against it. Louisa initially had a strong case of hero worship, but as she got to know him, those feelings turned to love. There are some sweet scenes between them, from balls to walks with his sisters. Wick can't deny his attraction but vehemently argues that he isn't in love. Because of those guilty feelings from the past, he believes he is not worthy of love. When a run-in with her cousin risks Louisa's reputation, Wick steps up to do the right thing. But Louisa doesn't want a marriage based on duty, not love. It takes some time with his sisters to finally let go of the past and believe in a future with Louisa. I loved the ending.

The secondary characters were great. I loved Wick's sisters. They are quirky, fun, and loving. Each has a unique personality, and I would love to see more of them. I ached for Mantheria and her heartbreaking situation. I also adored Wick's friend, Sunny. I liked how he supported Wick but also called him out when Wick denied his feelings for Louisa. The housekeeper was terrific and made me laugh out loud in the scene with the snake.

Meanwhile, Louisa's relatives were awful. The aunt and uncle who raised her were downright criminal in their treatment of her. Their son was even worse and deserved every bad thing that might happen to him. The other aunt and uncle were unsympathetic creatures, more concerned with their status than helping Louisa.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Samantha Hastings for the review copy.

This was so much fun. Samantha has the best “Meet Cutes” in her romances and this one did not disappoint. I loved how fierce Louisa is from the start. She’s been sheltered by her mean aunt and uncle but with the help of four sisters, a lady’s maid, and one handsome Marquess, she’s about to make her grand debut!

The setting of course was perfect and I want to go strutting around the English countryside on the hunt for the animal sanctuary that the Marquess and his family run. Wick’s sisters are fantastic. I love how much fun they always have and the mischief they get into. I enjoyed getting to know them all and loved how welcoming they are to Louisa. She definitely stumbles upon the right family to help her out of her predicament.

The romance develops at just the right pace and gave me some Elizabeth & Darcy vibes. Wick’s past has lead him to keep those close to him at arms length because he knows what it feels like to lose someone you love. His fight against his feelings for Louisa made for a very entertaining read because he’s the last to admit what is clearly seen by all those around him.

I will always read, love, and recommend these regency romances to all those looking for some history with their romance!

I really, really loved this book! It was so good. Samantha has such a way with writing characters you just fall in love with. Louisa was so sweet and brave. Wick was charming and so kind. I just adored those two. She also has THE BEST side characters. What I would give to meet the Stringham sisters, they were so fun!

This book was take on a Cinderella story but was so much more than that. The characters were all so well written. The storyline, while having that Cinderella feel, was a story completely it's own. I would definitely recommend this book.

Read if you like:
💛 A good Cinderella story
💛 Loveable, fun characters
💛 Closed door romances
💛 A bit of suspense
💛 Swoon worthy kisses

I really enjoyed this story by Samantha Hastings. I liked that it had a bit of a Cinderella story to it. I liked how Wick didn’t want to fall in love but eventually Louisa won him over. I liked that it had just the right amount of romance that I liked. I also loved the characters, especially the sisters. I loved how unique they were and how Louisa and Wick loved them anyways. I liked seeing Wick work through his grief and realize that he can have love. I thought this was a good story and would recommend it.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

If you’re looking for a good and quick read and like retellings, you have to read The Marquess and the Runaway Lady by Samantha Hastings. It is a fun retelling of Cinderella with great leads and charming side characters.

The Marquess and the Runaway Lady stars Wick, the responsible, never going to fall in love future Duke, and Louisa, the sweet and kindhearted heiress, who has run away from her horrible relatives. They help each other heal and make their dreams come true. I loved Louisa’s courage and determination. Wick earned points coming to Louisa’s aid but sometimes I wanted to smack him. He’s so stubborn!

The side characters were great! Wick’s sisters are the best. They reminded me of my sisters and me. Each so different but supportive of each other! They’re relationship with Wick is what every sister wishes for with their older brother.

I enjoyed this one. Hastings writes great stories and this retelling of Cinderella was so fun! Make sure to read this one if you enjoy slow burn romance, brave heroine and happily ever afters.

P.S. This is a clean romance but there is one kiss that is a little more intense.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Marquess and the Runaway Lady by Samantha Hastings is a new Regency Romance. It features an orphaned heiress, Lady Louisa, who is being treated by her aunt and uncle as a penniless servant (a Cinderella story). Louisa is essentially being held prisoner until her cousin Barnabas, an awful creature who is deeply in debt from gambling, deigns to marry her and take over her fortune. On her twenty-first birthday, believing herself of age and free of her guardians, Louisa runs away.

She is rescued on the road by the Marquess of Cheswick (Wick.)

Wick is the oldest son of a duke. The duke and duchess have gone off to Africa for a while and have left him in charge of his incorrigible younger sisters. The last time they did this, when Wick was only 16, a scarlet fever epidemic swept through his family and claimed the lives of two of his siblings. He has never forgiven himself.

Louisa and Wick are instantly attracted to one another (lots of mutual ogling but no acting upon the attraction other than some kissing.) Wick brings her to London (along with the sisters) to be chaperoned by his one married sister. This sister helps to “bring Louisa out” for a London season.

In order to claim her inheritance, Louisa must be twenty-five (four more years) or marry. Everyone can see that she and Wick are perfect for one another. And they are mutually smitten. However, Wick does not want to marry. He fears taking responsibility for another person since he was unable to save his siblings.

Louisa is well-received by the ton and, given her beauty and wealth, does not lack for suitors. Aware of Wick’s determination not to wed, she resigns herself to a loveless marriage in order to truly escape the clutches of her aunt and uncle. But her conniving cousin is unwilling to let that inheritance slip through his fingers. He is determined to compromise her and gain her for himself.

The novel combines a few romance tropes into a sweet storyline. The protagonists are gentle. Wick’s self-chastisement goes on a bit too long, but he makes up for it with his devotion to his siblings. The novel is recommended for fans of Regency Romance that is sweet rather than steamy.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Samantha Hastings for the review copy. All thoughts are my own*

I absolutely loved this regency era Cinderella retelling! Lady Louisa has been living in her own home under the guardianship of her cruel aunt and uncle for years, practically as a pauper, even though she is an heiress. Now that she is coming of age, her aunt plans on marrying her off to her despicable cousin with a gambling problem. Lady Louisa escapes with the aid of some servants so that she can head to London and make her debut for the season. On her travels she is mistaken as a runaway governess and is accidentally “rescued” by Lord Simon Cheswick, aka, Wick.

Away from her cruel family, and in the home of Wick and his sisters, Louisa begins to come into her own. To her surprise this family is kind and loving, and she begins to develop friendships with Wick and his sisters. She also tries to ignore her growing attraction for Wick. Wick has been grieving the loss of some family members and hasn’t been able to open his heart to anyone. He stays away from the marriage mart and tends to things at his family home. He quickly tries to ignore his growing attraction for Louisa. However, when Lady Louisa discovers she needs a husband to claim her inheritance, he is determined to help her. They soon set off for London as a family to help Lady Louisa take control of her fortune.

I quickly fell for these delightful characters! I enjoyed watching Louisa grow and develop after getting out from under the cruel clutches of her aunt. The Stringham sisters and their brother Wick are an absolute delight, and I love their relationships with each other. I also enjoyed the unique animals that the family has on their sanctuary. The romance is sweet and there may be some kissing!

Will Louisa and Wick have a happily ever after, or will she marry someone else?

I highly recommend this lovely story, available now. I can’t wait to read more from this author and hope we have more stories about this beautiful family.

This was the sweetest fairytale retelling!! I loved the sisters SO much and hope that they will be in future books, they were feisty and unruly and oh so much to handle for their big brother. Wick is adorable with his sisters and you can tell how much he truly loves them (even when he is upset with them for some sort of foul play or another) but he doesn’t quite feel deserving of love, due to circumstances outside of his control. Lady Louisa is just one of those people you fall in love with right away. She is kind and sweet, and has been treated horribly over the years by those around her. She thinks she is ugly, and her self worth is pittance. You will adore this Cinderella story. Kisses are a little on the spicy side, but all in all this is a sweet and clean story that will make you swoon and maybe even tear up in a few spots.

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC reviewer, but a positive review wasn’t required. All thoughts are solely what I personally thought of this beautiful book. Thank You to Samantha for all of the beautiful swag! You are a sweetheart!

This was such a fun story. While I was appalled at the treatment of Lady Louisa by her aunt and uncle, I loved her fortitude, strength, and the way she kept her hear in her nearly impossible situation. She would have been in worse straits if not for Wick, he was everything a Regency hero should be - dashing, responsible, and caring for his younger siblings.

The story was delightful and I loved the characters, both Louisa and Wick as well as Wick's siblings. They showed that they had intelligence and creativity as they sought solutions for Louisa's predicament.

This story was well written and a delightful escape. The how was something that kept me interested and entertained. I really enjoyed the journey with these characters and could see many enjoyable stories with this family. There was a strong sense of family but also it was a story of figuring out where you belong.

I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.