Very much enjoyed this latest book from Susanna Craig. I'd really the prequel novella a while back so it was fun to revisit our intrepid magazine publishers.

In this book a new columnist is recruited (Miss Busy B - Daphne) and she promptly causes a slight havoc with her first article when a debutante breaks off her engagement with Miles, Lord Devereaux - better known as That Devil Devereaux.

Miles believes that Daphne owes him after this little episode so proposes that he court her instead. Daphne is happy to remove herself from the marriage mart but agrees fully intending to break off the engagement in a dramatic fashion later on.

Of course then she gets to know Miles - is he quite the devil she thought?

Lovely book - I liked both main characters and the supporting cast and I'll be keeping an eagle eye out for the next one!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley. It was a quick and enjoyable read. Now I want to read about the other siblings and their romances.

I am just finishing this book and it was good, not the best but good, the premise of her leaving him without a bride and he blackmailing her to get him one… *chef kiss* however two of the main things I didn’t enjoy is how in reality we didn’t met Daphne, like she is the protagonist but we see her so little doing what she loves, we are being told that she writes but we only see her writing three times, it would’ve been better for me if we get her writing more like notes or something that gave me the feeling that she was in fact a person who loved writing.
The other fact was that the magazine is given so much an important role in the story as how it leads characters actions but it actually is featured so little.
The rest the leading man… Miles was so good, that actually I was left with a wanting to know more of, he is charming but imperfect, aware of its imperfections, very hard not to love, Daphne was smart but not Mary Sue.
I am torn about who I want the next book to be about…
Highly recommend for those who want to start to read HR but something very HR would scared them away

After reading Nice Earls Do, I was very excited for this book and find out more about Mrs. Goode's gang. It turns out that the FMC Daphne is the 2nd youngest sister of the Burke clan, of which there is a previous series with more stories to read (love that!). She ends up causing a public break up of Viscount Devereaux (that devil, Devereux) and gets herself in a pickle resulting in her replacing his bride. Devereux might be the least rakeiest rake I have come across without intending to be. I also never got a good read as to why that is the case. In other novels, there is a very deep seated reason and it usually is there at the beginning of the book... Also I had a hard time believing no one wanted to wed him and that his reputation was that bad.... So maybe more instances of his rakishness would have made his reform that much sweeter. I do love how he interacts with Daphne... How soft he is and how he appreciates her, even early on. The second part at his home is almost like another book and I did like the low angst of it all. There seem to be some slower parts, especially in the middle where there are a lot of confused feelings and in terms of secondary characters I really can't wait to see what happens with the other writers and that Mrs. Goode herself gets a happy ending.

Steam: 🔥
Heart flutters: ❤️❤️

4.5 stars

Good story. Miles is wanting to marry. He's engaged but shocks his fiancee by going off and playing chess with a widow. The fiancee contacts Goode magazine and asks for advice. Daphne is persuaded to reply. She assumes that playing chess is a euphemism for something more sexual and recomends Arabella dumps him. Miles has agreed to some wagers about marrying by the end of the month. He realises that Daphne was the author of the advice and blackmails her into marrying him. His friend Alistair points out this isn't really very fair so Miles begins to court Daphne. It's witty, some sexual practices and overall I was pleased that they got their HEA. I think this is the first book in a series so I'll be eager to read more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story had a very interesting premise. I like that Miles was very unapologetic about his coercion lol it was a nice change from typical heroes, especially because he is genuinely a kind man and he’s merely putting Daphne in a position of power to choose him.
I liked the idea of daphne being an advice columnist that kind of fails to take her own advice, I just really wish that we had seen MORE of Daphne giving advice. She only wrote one article, so when the characters around her are telling her how great she is at speaking to people through the magazine, it kind of doesn’t ring true because she’s literally only done it once. I think it would’ve been much more fun if Miss Busy B had been a notorious advice columnist amongst the ton, the threat of her identity being revealed could’ve also held a lot more weight if she was more notorious than just a one hit wonder.
That said, the story itself was enjoyable enough. Though it could’ve been better. I liked that the hero’s main problem was his fear of being alone, and he recognized it and knew how to navigate it. It was different for a hero to be that vulnerable.
As for Daphne, I know we met her family in another series (that I haven’t read) so I feel like her dynamic with her siblings kind of got lost on me sometimes. I couldn’t tell if they were mean to her or not.
This was a solid 3.5/5 stars but I will round it up to 4 because the one thing I got out of it is that Alistair’s character hooked me enough to come back for future books in this series!

Daphne is the plain, boring sibling. Nothing exciting ever happens to her. Until something exciting does happen!! She meets Miles and has to help him out of a situation. Things get misconstrued and she ends up writing an article in a paper that shows Miles in a bad light. She tries to fix it...read the book to find out how it ends.

Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this book for purchase at our library. I don't believe it would excite readers as it had limited momentum and stalled several times throughout the story.

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

For Miss Daphne Burke, stumbling across a meeting of the writers of Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses was like a dream come true. Now the author of her own column, she is shocked that her first advice piece results in the breakup of an engagement, and the man who's lost his fiancee is not happy. Miles, Viscount Deveraux, has bet that he can find a respectable bride by the end of the Season, and he thought it was all sorted until Miss Busy B. arrived on the scene. Now the ladies of the ton avoid him like the plague, and there's only a matter of weeks left until his deadline. Dancing with the lovely Miss Burke, he discovers she is the cause of his problems, and blackmails her into finding him a wife. But even the devilish Deveraux could never expect that she would offer herself up? Or does Daphne have an ulterior motive?

I was so happy when I realised there was going to be a new series from Susanna Craig, and even more so when it became available on NetGalley. I wasn't sure whether to read it as soon as I downloaded it, or wait til closer to the release date, but on a cold January Sunday, I thought now was the time. Daphne Burke is the fifth in her family, and the eldest unmarried. Whereas all of her siblings are gifted, she believes she is just normal, and has nothing really to offer. Often off to the sidelines, her youngest sister, Bellis, is the one who men flock around, and ask to dance, or send flowers. Finding 'Mrs Goode' and the rest of the magazine's staff, she has a purpose finally, and answering the letter of 'Aggrieved in Grosvenor Square' is her first step into finding her place. But the breakup of Miss Grey and Lord Deveraux has caused more scandal than anyone could expect, and Deveraux is now after her. I liked the way he realised Daphne was special from the get go, and Miss Busy B. too. Miles was a Rake with a capital R, and most of the ton knew he had a bet to marry, but he had a softer side which you only see when he's at home with his grandmother - who was a hoot - and his friends. Miles didn't back away from the Burke family when they all came together to grill him, and he proved time and again he was the one for Daphne. He saw her more than her nearest and dearest, and he fell hard. I was expecting the drama which occurred, and sort of wish it wasn't there, but all turned out right in the end. The perfect first book in the series!

The columnist & the notorious rake!
A whisper of deception and blackmail may underpin Daphne and Miles' fragile association but the swirl of intrigue and mystery... that slowly reveals their true characters... leads to a compelling romance that not only heightened their desire but made me - like them - eager to look deeper.  Ultimately, seeding an all encompassing promise of hope that superseded misperceptions and together fulfilled a desperate need to discover they are worthy and so much more than the facades they erect. A combination which held me invested until the end as I smiled, swooned and even shed a tear or two along the way.
THE LADY KNOWS BEST, unexpectedly took me on a journey of revelation and slow burn romance. Far from the humour and high tensity passion of the prequel, this tale dissected a deep unravelling of Daphne and Miles as individuals, that I really enjoyed. It subtly sang with witty banter and a thrumming chemistry that fed off their longing, deeply hidden cravings and vulnerabilities and evolved into a budding romance so much more fulfilling and rewarding than either expected or so delightfully thought they would ever need.
With a great cast of three dimensional subcharacters that were a joy to sink your teeth into as well as explore. Enriched and immeasurably added a vibrate array of colour, heart, warmth and context... without overshadowing our leads... by bringing a continuity and believability to the tale that helped the story spring from the page and flow fluently into life. That all collated beautifully to make this a wonderfully absorbing start to a fun new series!
Can one arrogant bet by a nonchalant flirtatious rake and a damaging advice column bring more joy that the scandal it insights? Or can something soooo satisfyingly fulfiling result from such a precarious beginning?  I really did enjoy finding out and I recommend you do too!
Eagerly looking forward to book 2 and hunting out Daphne's family's stories in the mean time... as there is definitely a wealth of amusing and intriguing backstories there to uncover and indulge in!

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of The Lady Knows Best.

It was a fun story with so many good characters.
I loved Alistair and how annoyed at everyone he seemed. Miles Grandma was the best. All of Daphne's siblings and brothers and sisters through marriage were a delight.

That is also my negative point. Maybe don’t make everyone so much more interesting than the two main characters. I just wanted to know more about lord Ash and unearrh the secrets of the rest of the family. I kept reading the book for everyone but the main characters.

Don’t get me wrong, the main couple was sweet and they had nice moment, but nothing truly memorable. Meanwhile, we’re constantly reminded how badass and interesting everyone else is. The main romance was very forgettable. I barely reminber the milestones of their relationship after closing the book, but I remember the spy, the novelist, the botanist, etc.

I must say though that everything is well written and the story always has you wondering how everything will be resolved. It is quite the page turner.

Overall a fun historical romance that will please fans of the marriage of convenience trope.

This book is about Daphne who gets to write for a lady’s magazine as an advice columnist. As a result she gives advice to a lady to call off her engagement to a viscount, who’s a rake. Miles, who’s the viscount, needs to get married to win a bet so he blackmails Daphne to help him now that he lost his bride. She agrees to marry him but he must court her first- but did Daphne really plan to go along with the marriage? This story was great, the dialogue between the main characters was great, and the chemistry was great! A must read!

Miles and Daphne’s love story was fun. It made me laugh but also made me really appreciate how they came together. I love the use of the supporting characters they added to the story. It was a fun read.

This is the story of Daphne Burke and Miles, viscount Devereaux. Daphne considers herself very plain, without qualities, whereas her siblings all are very pretty or excel at playing the piano or writing, things like that.

When she visits a bookstore with her sister and their cat in a basket (yes, weirdly), the cat escapes and walks into a room where a secret meeting is held by the writers of the ladies’ magazine Mrs Goode’s Guide to misconduct; a magazine that promotes free thinking, education, art and independent decisions. The group women is discussing a girl who is betrothed to a man who was caught ‘playing chess’ with another woman and wagered he could get married to her. The girl is miffed about the wager (which was nothing malicious) and it is assumed that ‘playing chess’ means he cheated on her (he just played chess!). Daphne overhears the conversation about the girl and blurts out that she has to break off her engagement. Daphne is then offered a column in the magazine and indeed writes the column in which she encourages the girl in question to dump the man, which she does. But primarily because the girl in question (miss Grey) was in love with another man.
Daphne doubts the advise she gave, but Miles finds out she is the woman behind the column and threatens to expose her, unless Daphne finds him a bride in time to win his wager. Daphne suggests he marries her instead. She thinks this way she can get to know him and thus expose him in an essay for the magazine and escape marriage.

What they both didn’t take into account, is how her family would feel about them courting. A bit naieve, if you ask me. They both live in a society that is build on rules and reputations, so how can they expect her family to just stand by and see a rake showing their sister a lot of attention without honorable intentions.
And why Miles would consider marriage to any random woman because of a wager, since he is wealthy. Why not shrug it off and go on your merry way? Nobody forced him by making a bet. It is implied that he is lonely:
“He was incapable of being alone . . . and to ensure such a fate never befell him, he was willing to marry a woman who disliked him intensely.” A bit of a lame excuse. Men can have mistresses and they have friends who can come over. Besides, being married doesn’t guarantee that you’re not lonely. And why being desperately searching for a wife within three weeks, when loneliness is the only reason? Quite silly.

These issues shaped the story, and I was disappointed that this wasn’t handled better. I think the story needed more banter, quick witted conversations and definitely chemistry between the main characters. I felt that was missing. Miles and Daphne were both bland, a bit pathetic people with not much to offer, unfortunately.

Devereaux doesn’t comes across as very attractive or wickedly funny. And Daphne doesn’t seem very interesting or witty herself. For instance, when her brother and brothers-in-law invite him for dinner to give him the third degree about his intentions, all she does is sit quietly and miserably at the table, head down, not eating a bite and not participating at all, despite the fact that this is about her future.

I had expected a lot from this book, but unfortunately it just didn’t feel it. Maybe the next one in this series will, because the concept is great and has a lot of potential. Alistair, Miles’s friend, seems a marvelous chap, and he has 7 sisters (2 older, 5 younger) with funny nicknames: Georgie (Georgiana), Bernie (Bernadette), Freddie (Frederica), Harry (Harriet) and Charlie (Charlotte). Not sure about the other two names but I think they’re funny, too.

I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig is the first book in the new series, Goode's Guide to Misconduct.

Daphne is the second-youngest member of the Burke family from the Rogues and Rebels series and is overshadowed by her brilliant siblings. When Lady Stallbridge offers her the advice column in Mrs Goode's magazine for independent young women, Daphne assumes the offer was made because of her family connections but takes it on with enthusiasm all the same. In her very first column she advises a young woman, betrothed against her will to a rake, to break the engagement. On meeting the rejected fiance, Miles, Viscount Deveraux, who has wagered that he will be married by the end of the season, Daphne is attracted despite herself, but plans use the experience for an instructional pamphlet on identifying and resisting the attractions of a rake. In order to spend time with Deveraux, and to prevent him from revealing her role on the magazine, she offers to marry him herself, fully determined to humiliate him by breaking the engagement.

I've read all the Burke family books and, unfortunately, Daphne is the least interesting sibling. Miles doesn't stand out either. Sterling qualities lurk beneath his rakish facade, and it doesn't take long for Miles and Daphne to recognise each other's worth. We need more backstory for these two so that we can become more engaged with their romance.

Overall, this was a cheerful, entertaining read, with pleasant characters and not a lot of drama. It ends with hints of a romance between two other characters we've met in this book: Miles's reliable friend and a frizzy-haired ironical illustrator. I'm already interested, but the character I really want to find out more about is Oliver, the stepson of Lady Stallbridge and the original Mrs Goode.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig is a strong addition to her new regency series Goode's Guide to Misconduct. Looking forward to the next book.

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of The Lady Knows Best from Netgalley. Susanna Craig is a new author to me and I hope to continue reading her books. Though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. The author does a great job in reviewing some old characters. Daphne Burke inadvertently becomes one of Goode's Guide to Misconduct's newest silent contributor as an advice columnist. The person she is tasked with writing about is Miles, Viscount Deveraux. Except, she ends up being engaged to him to prevent her secret being revealed. This is a great story about how we sometimes portray ourselves to society when in fact we are someone so very opposite. The main characters were great as were all the friends and family and pets involved. I can't wait to read her other stories.

The first in a new series from Susanna Craig, #TheLadyKnowsBest is a charming tale about a couple who learn the value of looking beyond the surface. Daphne Burke happily stumbles into an opportunity to write the “Miss Busy B” advice column for a new women’s magazine since it offers her a chance to stand out among her talented siblings which include a poet, a novelist and a botanist. In her first column, Daphne recommends that a reader end her engagement after the woman learns that her betrothed only got engaged to win a bet. Despite the fact that names aren’t used in the column, society recognizes that the man in question is actually Miles, Viscount Devereaux, a well known rake.

Although a pseudonym is used for the advice column, Miles soon figures out that Daphne is the writer. In exchange for his silence on the matter, he holds Daphne responsible for finding him a new fiancée in time for him to win his bet. Unable to come up with an suitable alternative whose family would find Miles’ proposal acceptable given the short time frame, to preserve her reputation, Daphne suggests that Miles marry her after a brief courtship. With few other options, Miles accepts. What he doesn’t know is the Daphne actually plans to use the courtship to get to know Miles better so that she can write a follow up column for the magazine on how young ladies can recognize and resist unworthy suitors.

As Daphne spends time with Miles and his grandmother at his estate, she sees a different side to him than the careless, selfish man appears to be in London. And Miles finds Daphne also has hidden depths, offering the possibility of more than the shallow, conventional marriage that he thought he wanted.

It’s an entertaining story that despite a potential last-minute obstacle, leads to a HEA for Daphne and Miles. Those who have read Craig’s earlier Rogues and Rebels series will have the added bonus of catching up with characters from those books which introduced other members of Daphne’s family.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for the ARC!

Daphne is an advice columnist, who writes under the name of Miss Busy B. Viscount Deveraux’s fiancée ends their engagement in a public letter. Deveraux believes/feels Miss Busy B should marry him instead.

This is a romance about two flawed characters who need each other to find the love they deserve. Well done.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

4.75 stars - this was a delightful read!

Love a good (defiant) bluestocking + (secretly lonely) rake pairing, and this book had fun poking at the archetypes using the feminist magazine that Daphne finds herself writing an advice column for.

There was also a touch of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, with how Miles blackmails Daphne into marrying him because he needs a bride to win a wager, and Daphne agrees to a courtship so she can observe his rakish ways for an article… which basically involves him growing more smitten and trying to win her over for real.

I really enjoyed this book - it had a fun plot, charming characters, and a lot of *romance*. The love declaration was pretty swoon-worthy (I re-read that scene already). I also liked a lot of the side characters, who I gather are part of earlier books that I will definitely check out.

0.25 stars taken off because the timeline is a bit short (I only realised when Miles said he fell in love with Daphne over the course of a week?!). Also I was a bit concerned about whether the Widow of St. Albans made it home.