Oh my word! What a tale that evokes all the feels!!! This is the first book in a long time that made me ugly cry and I loved it. Of course it was written by the very talented Janna MacGregor.

Very entertaining from start to finishing, and an excellent conclusion to the series. It’s second-chance love and a road trip rolled into one, and filled with sweetness.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

How to Best a Marquess, by Janna MacGregor. Well no one loves a good historical suspense romance story like I do. In this story we have Beth and Grayson two people who tried as they might to deny the passion and love lost that burns between them. Throw in hunting down a criminal supposedly husband (ex-husband) and you will have an adventure on your hands. The writer did an amazing job with the realistic points of the story.
The entertainment from the story was intriguing and heart warming as well. For instance during the heart warming moments when Grayson realizes that his world has crumbled just from one word from a single person who stood in the way of his happiness. The book didn’t continue as a wet sobbing story, their was action and some spying here and there. The main part that I loved was the romance. Grayson’s character was wonderful in the book.
His male physic and lust for Beth was described so seductively that I did not look up from the book until the end. Beth was a true woman and rare form. There were moments that I had enough of her independence from matrimony to she lust for only one man. I was like, either you’re in or out. There’s only so much that you can pull a man’s string before he moves on.
I think during these moments the writer wanted the readers to be invested in the book. This story is a great page turner to cuddle up to. I give this story two snaps and a, twist. Until next time my fellow readers… move on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A steamy historical romance book. It is the 3rd book in the series and to me the best of the series so far.

Beth is tired of being the good girl regency England dictates she be. She always followed the rules and what did that get her? Nothing but scandal and disgrace, not by her making. Before she’s forced to give up her hard won independence and be forced to wed another lout that her spendthrift brother chooses for her she decides to take matters in her own hand and found the dowry money that her deceased “husband “ took. There’s just one thing, she needs help and the only one who can help her is the one who deserted her all those years ago, Julian the Marquess. Julian has always tried to be the gentleman but his family situation forced him to make some hard choices. Since he never got over Beth he decides to help her and hopefully win her over again. This is the third book in the series about the three “wives” and we finally get some closure about the disgraceful husband and bigamist of Beth and her friends. While set in the 1800s the main characters are quite forward thinking and independent (no simpering misses here), which is nice. There’s a lot of heat and tension between the two but also a bit of softness. Those who have read the other books in the series will be happy to see many familiar faces, but there are also a lot of good new characters too (fingers crossed we’ll find out more about the Duke). You need not worry if you never read the other books there’s still plenty to enjoy with this one, although I do suggest reading the others. 4.5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed an arc copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Bland story, bland characters. She demands he travel with her but then she’s not even really very nice to him. She’s obsessed with her “mystery” to solve to the detriment of actually being nice to her friends. She uses her body, her riches, whatever at hand to control him.

So many scene where they just waste time talking and dithering and doing nothing and then something bad happens. Have some common sense, people.

How to Best A Marquess is latest installment in The Widow Rules series., and was absolutely satisfying in every way. A second chance, sensual, charming, and a slow burn that was oh so sweet. I have been waiting for this adventure, a road trip that promises to keep you reading until the very last page.

Beth Howell is the last to discover her deceased husband had three wives, and now the legality of her marriage is in jeopardy. With unresolved questions, her financial status in peril, and her brother insistent she find a husband, Beth will need to act fast to avoid a huge scandal. In order to recover her dowry she will ask the one person who still might have a piece of her heart, and possibly the only one willing to help her.

Julian Grayson is on the cutting edge of changing society designing steam engines, unfortunately his plans require more funding and his account is running perilously low. When a sudden proposition from the last person he ever expected to cross paths with needs his help, will he agree? Even after Beth makes it clear of her intentions to never marry again, will that change his decision, or will he risk his heart again in the name of love?

When Grayson agrees to help Beth find her lost dowry their journey is a second chance, one that will change their lives forever and possibly rekindle something so decadent, they may finally get the ending they deserve. Julian is cautious not to move too quickly with Beth, he wants to ensure she has complete control of expressing her desires and feelings towards him. Prepared to let her set the pace and see if love will blossom again, if it does it will be because she truly desires him. This time he'll be there, and this is one of the many reasons it's must read romance.

I could not put this book down until I discovered all the secrets, the truth behind what had happened, and find out if Beth would fall in love again and have her happy ending, one she deserves. This epic, saucy, and addictive story will hopefully satisfy your historical romance adventure. It delivers an ending with a few twists and will leave readers satisfied in every way.

While this is part of a series, it can be deliciously enjoyed as a standalone. Should you desire to find out more about characters from the previous two books, head over to your favorite e-book retailer and download a the prequel for free and then happily pick up the first and second book from your favorite bookstore or library, and dive in.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Janna MacGregor for the advance reader copy giving me the opportunity to read this for a fair and honest review. I hope there is more from this series as I didn't want the adventure to end.

What a great way to end an already amazing series! Grayson and Beth’s story really rounded out the series and brought a nice conclusion to everyone’s, including Meri’s, stories. I adore when the H falls first, or in this case, falls first all over again. Grayson was a super likable hero who was easy to fall in love with as a reader. He is smart, caring, and not shy about sharing his feelings. While I found Beth’s reluctance to be a bit much about 3/4 through the book (and it’s not hard to see why she was reluctant with her heart) she really made up for it in the end! She really redeemed herself! This was a fun, witty, and pleasurable read. I think my exactly response to myself when I finished was, “That was quite lovely.”

This was a quick read story for me. I didn't find it that riveting and could easily put it down to read later. The characters were lackluster to me.

This is the third in a terrific series. Ms MacGregor has created an innovative premise. Three women were all married to the same man at the same time. This book is about the third wife, Beth.

Life has been very difficult for her since that marriage. The man left her, died and she has become a figure of shame within the ton. Her brother has wasted the family money and now he would like it if she would marry an old man who is wealthy – they need the money.

Beth has said no. And she has a plan. She has asked her first love to travel with her and try to find the dowry her late husband stole. It has never been found and if the two of them can find that money, life will be better for both of them.

Julian is a member of the ton, but he is also an inventor. He is in need of money in order to promote his steam engine being purchased and his life becoming better.

Beth and Julian have never forgotten the feelings they shared. Well, Julian has not forgotten. It is hard to figure out what Beth remembers.

She has become a bitter woman who thinks all men are dishonest, like her late husband and her despicable brother. She believes this even though her two best friends, the other wives of her late husband, are married to two terrific men who are honest and supportive and everything Beth says she wants.

But since no man is worthy of her, she will never marry. There was a lot of she loves Julian, she does not love Julian. She wants to tempt him or he is a terrible man because she is tempted by him. That got rather tiresome.

Julian is a man who has worked hard to become a successful inventor. He is kind and smart and funny. He is trying to earn enough money to support his tenants and all the people who depend on him. And he loves Beth with all his heart. Their travels together have all kinds of side adventures. At every turn there is another surprise.

Julian’s butler/valet/coachman, Cillian, is a wonderful supporting character. He is a real joy in this story.

I wanted the happily ever after for Beth and Julian. But, I would have enjoyed the book more if there were not so many pages of Beth’s ambivalent feelings. It could have been better for me if the story were a little less back and forth.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

I thought this was a good book. I enjoyed the story and thought this was a well developed plot that was an excellent read. I am looking forward to reading more books from the author. I would recommend to others.

I was never able to really get into this one - the miscommunication was annoying and the MFC was so off balance in her interactions with Grayson. I kept having to return to this because it wasn’t compelling me to keep reading.

I’ve enjoyed this series a lot, but this one wasn’t for me.

This story was different because of the prior relationship between the two main characters. I love the fact that the author did not shy away from the heat and steam. Their simmering attraction enhanced the overall story and the scandal hanging over their heads

The characters are bold and definitely not the norm that we see in historical romance. This made for an intense and steamy read. I enjoyed their connection, friendship, and developing love.

One thing that did annoy me was the main character, Beth. She was extremely overpowering in some instances. I don’t know if that’s the right word, but she was definitely driving the bus. But then in other scenes, she came across as meek. There were areas where she kind of bugged me.

Overall, How to Best A Marquess is very engaging, different, and interesting. The ending is a trip! Plus, I love the spice of life and the overall attraction and desire MacGregor built into the story.

I am posting an honest review of this story after reading an ARC.

Oh my, It's the end of the Widows Rule series, I'm sad. This story takes us, finally, to Beth. She lost her sizable dowery to the trigamest Meri and even after being repaid a small bit by her friends Duke husband, she's broke. Her nasty brother took what he could get his hands on. I will tell you this, he sold her horse! Without telling her & kept the money. He's no good, drinks too much, gambles too much, you name it it's too much. I despise him, in case you couldn't tell. Julian, our hero, once courted Beth but her dastardly brother refused his offer of marriage. She needs help without having to answer questions or have what's left of her reputation ruined. She thinks Julian owes her and so he's dragged into the mess. They're such a good couple I was rooting for them even though I knew there was an HEA.
#JannaMacGregor #Netgalley # HowToBestAMarquess #WidowRules #historicalromance #romance #StMartin'sPaperbacks

This was a great ending to this series. I loved Beth and Julian. I enjoyed how honest and straight-forward Julian was about how he loves Beth. The adventure to find where Meriweather took Beth's dowery was so fun. I would recommend reading the previous 2 books just to understand more about Beth's past with her first husband, but you can read this on its own as well.

3 out of 5 stars.
This was a lovely second book to a well-written, swoony, and romantic series. I just didn't feel the romance as much in this book as I did in book 1. As of right now, I feel like this is a 3-star read for me. I need second-chance to have just a bit more angst and tension, and I feel like this was lacking in that area. The steam was a bit too short as well, and again, when it is second-chance there needs to be way more emotion and internal monologue during the steamy scenes if they're going to be on the shorter/less descriptive side.

I enjoyed this book which follows the story of a widower, Beth, who is looking for her dowry and asks the guy she was once in love with for help. This is the third book of the series which could be read as a standalone but I recommend reading it in order to get the full experience. I have to say that I really love MacGregor's writing and how she captures every moment the readers want in her books. I really enjoyed the storyline of this book and how entertaining it was. There were some very unexpected scenes in this book that made just made me want to keep on reading. The pacing was perfect for this book and I enjoyed the setting of the story. I do have to say that this book was probably my least favorite in the series. I really enjoyed the first two books as there was a more romantic plot to them compared to this one. I felt that in this book it was more of Beth trying to find her dowry in order to make her future.

This book is from dual povs of Beth and Julian. Beth is the woman looking for a dowry to get away from her brother and Julian is a marquess that doesn't have much. Beth annoyed me a bit at times with the questions she asked but I really loved how she never gave up on her mission. Julian is such a sweetheart who would do anything for Beth and I truly loved him for that. Both characters have amazing character development and I enjoyed reading their stories. There are many side characters, some who made appearances in the first two books and some new ones. I really enjoyed the side characters in this book especially the very minor ones as they caused so much drama to keep the story entertaining. The romance in this book is a second chance and I was truly here for it as Beth and Julian have that special connection for each other. The book 2-3 steamy scenes which were so cute!

The ending was well done and from the looks of it, this is the end of the series. I really enjoyed reading this series and going on a journey with the past widowers. They truly went a lot after ending up married to one guy. I did have some minor issues with the book but overall it was a great book. I truly recommend that you read this series because it's great and so much better than the Bridgerton books.

Jana MacGregor's latest offering How to Best a Marquess is an attempt at the new incarnation of the romance novel, the historical early feminist. Her heroine Beth had been disappointed in love and then married off by her guardian brother to a bigamist. She has lost her dowry and her standing in society, but with the bigamists death and ensuing scandal she has gained her freedom. All she needs now is to recover her lost dowry and ensure equality for all women. Sounds very simple and easy.

Through the novel Beth makes her intentions to never marry again very clear. To marry would require her to give up her freedom and identity, and most importantly to risk her heart again. MacGregor carefully crafts scenes to demonstrate Beth's internal struggle to remain independent, but at times the repetition become monotonous and the reader is ready to move along. There are several historical inaccuracies in the novel, but nothing too serious to ruin the pleasure of reading. My main concern was that I didn't feel a connection to either of the characters. I wasn't invested in their story. MacGregor put the right words into their mouths but didn't give them the depth of character to make those words impactful.

I loved Beth and Grayson!! I really enjoyed How to Best A Marquess! I ;think if you have good characters the story flows. Beth betrayed by her brother decided to take control of her life. Grayson her true love helps her and at the same time of course reunite and realize the love each other!
The story was running around England with inns, horses and craziness with lots of fun thrown in.
For me I would have liked to see the brother suffer a bit more lol.
Nice read, definitely worth it!





I was given an advanced copy for a honest review.

⭐⭐⭐.5/ - Any time the regency era bourgeoise has to roll up their shirt sleeves and put in some hard work... you can almost guarantee I'm going to enjoy the book! 😂🖤

A SHORT PREVIEW:
When Beth is on the edge of losing everything thanks to her short-sighted first husband, she knows she's running short on options. The stakes are high as she looks to reclaim her missing dowry, all while trying to keep a professional distance from the man she once loved: Julian, the Marquess of Grayson. Julian, for his part, has never forgotten Beth but knows that he must make his steam engine invention a success if he's to create a life for himself and his future family.


THOUGHTS:
- You'll always see me loving regency-era romances because while times were still difficult for the common man, there's just something relaxing about a less complicated generation.
- I also loved that our main characters, Beth and Julian, didn't immediately just jump into a relationship. They know that by entering into a relationship - their future spouses could be offended because they have the same friends. That takes a level of maturity that a nubile young virgin of the ton wouldn't necessarily have!

FAVORITE QUOTE(S):
'With the lightest of touches, his fingers brushed against her cheek, then tucked her hair behind her ear. The sensation so erotic that she couldn't help but inhale sharply'. - Mr. Darcy *hand-flex* level swooning lol

NOTES:
- 🌶🌶/5 ( A few open-door s3xual scenes.)
- Second-chance romance
- Regency Romance
- HEA Ending with that coveted extended epilogue
- 3rd book in a series, and I didn't realize that when I started reading, but I don't feel like it took away from me wanting to read the other books at all!

**Thank you, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks, and NetGalley, for this advance reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. - SLR 🖤