Only The Valet Will Do
by Sophie Barnes

When Lilliana gets stuck in a hole Tristan Henley comes to her aid. Sparks fly there is potential for things to go further but unfortunately he is a mere valet and it would cause ruin for lilliana. There is a quite a bit going on in the short read mystery adversity and romance . A good read. 3.5/5

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Lady Lilliana (Lily to friends) has a dilemma. She is running out of time to secure a match. After an unsuccessful season, something needs to be done. She receives a crystal necklace with magical power - the man she is meant to marry will cross her path.

After arriving at their country estate, Lily goes for a walk and ends up in a rabbit hole. Mr. Tristan Henley is out for a walk and hears her calls for help. As her brother's valet, there is a line that should not be crossed; however, sparks fly. As their infatuation with each other grows, they realize they cannot be together. Unless Tristan comes clean about who he really is.

Cute novella. I found out at the end this was the last of a series. Bummer. I wish I had known that to read the others first.

It's love at first sight when Lilli meets Mr Henley, but the trouble is, he's her brother's valet. It's a nice, sweet, clean romance novella. Personally I would have preferred there to be a bit more resistance to this class-divide romance - there doesn't seem to be much of an obstacle for the pair getting together, and it is all resolved a bit too neatly and conveniently.

A quick ,easy and enjoyable read. Historical romance with plenty of twists. Good lead characters who spark of each other.

This was a quick and easy read. It was a charming and sweet romance! I really enjoyed seeing love blossom between Lilliana and Tristan. I didn't realize going into this that it was part of a series, and that detracted from my enjoyment a bit. I would be interested in reading the others at some point.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a really cute and funny quick read novella type title. Only the Valet Will Do by Sophie Barnes will make her fans remember why they are her fans with this latest quirky installment. Tristan, Viscount Islington is rather poor despite coming from a titled family. That fact clearly creates a vast class difference between him and Lady Lilliana, whom he caught instead of dinner in his rabbit snare. Tristan working for much needed funds is none other than her brother Henry’s valet but as she was wearing her grandmother’s rose quartz crystal which is known for helping one find a love match, Lilliana wants her family to look beyond Tristan’s means and focus instead on her happiness and the wishes of her heart. I did not give this a perfect score because there was mentions of the crystal having worked and it seemed to be lacking continuity because I then was wondering oh how, this is not a myth thing, Lilliana had a reason to be exited and talking about being glad it was her turn to use it. Overall though the characters were relatable and the story enjoyable. . I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review

Love from different social classes. This was a quick and charming read. I really liked the characters and their chemistry.
Many thanks to the author and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Only The Valet Will Do By Sophie Barnes Is The Tale Of The Lady Lilliana Enshaw And One Mr. Tristan Henley A Mere Valet For Whom She Is Attracted To After A Chance Encounter With His Gallant lAssistance & Tantalizing Kisses… BUT He Is Socially Beneath Her Station In Life & Therefore Forbidden….However .. Tristan Is NOT Who He Appears To Be..His Guise Is But A Ruse The Purpose Of Which Cannot At The Present Time.. Be Divulged To The Bewitching Lady Enshaw. It Is Beside The Point He Is Filled With The Qualities That A Promising Match Would Make…He Himself Wouldn’t Be Considered “Quality” Due To His Reduced Circumstances…So Now He Is Doomed To Long For A Lady He Can Never Possess …Or Can He?!? Read and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This Book.

Do you believe in magic? After several unsuccessful seasons, it’s finally Lilliana’s turn at the quartz pendant her Grandmama got from a gypsy woman. Allegedly, said pendant will bring your true love.
But Lilliana’s true love is, to her shock, her brother’s valet, Tristan.
Will her father allow the marriage or has the stone chosen wrong?

This was a sweet and enjoyable novel, and the two leads were fun to root for. I could have gotten more details about each of them and why they connecgted with each other but I enjoyed this

This was a fun regency romance with a twist ending that kept me guessing. The writing style was entirely to my liking but still an enjoyable read

I love Sophie Barnes books, they’re always tricky to figure out and worth the effort. This was fun, not as great as the first in the series but enjoyable.

Tristan was Lilli’s brother’s valet. Tristan was gentry but he had to get a job to help his family financially. Lilli and Tristan fall for each other. Her father is an Earl and won’t give his approval for her to marry a servant.

The heroine is strong and sees the value in people. The hero wants to help his family but he wants to marry the woman he loves. Sophie Barnes has written another wonderful story.

Ms. Barnes has fast become one of my go-to Regency authors. Her stories are always entertaining and captivating and this was no different. When Lilliana gets stuck in an embarrassing and awkward situation, Tristan is there to save the day. They have an immediate attraction to each other, and the sparks fly. However, Lilliana is a Lady and Tristan is a valet, so how can anything progress between them? Lilliana is wearing the special rose quartz necklace that undoubtedly seems to lead the wearer to their true love. Despite the obvious hindrance between their union, could Tristan actually be her true love?
This was a charming romance that was an absolute delight to read. The story had a lot of heart and I enjoyed the mystic charm aspect of the story regarding the necklace. Tristan and Lilliana were such a good pair and they were great together. This unlikely romance is sure to bring a smile to your face and warm your heart. I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Is a nice different class romance. Ideal for those who love rich girl x poor guy in HR. Also i love how nice he was.

I really enjoyed Lilliana and Tristan's story! I was fun watching these two fall in love! If you want a quick, fun read, this is it!

DNFing this

I really didn't want to, I even tried skimming, but I just...I can't. I wanted to love this book. And I *did* love the parts the synopsis promised

But it's also about a magic amulet that destines the two main characters to be together and while I LOVE insta-love, it's a stretch, even for me. And the synopsis gave no indication of any sort of magic plotline, I thought it was straight historical romance

The characters were sweet, and I'm happy imagining them living happily ever after together. I just... can't make myself read the rest of the book to see them get there :/

I enjoyed this sweet story about a down on his luck member of the gentry (Tristan) who meets his employers sister, Lilli and gets himself into... a bit of a tangle.

Received an ARC from Netgalley.

This is a story of Lilliana, the daughter of an earl who has been gifted a quartz necklace that has been worn by three of her cousins and led to them being happily married. Lilli is now hoping that the necklace will bring her the man of her dreams. While she and her parents are away from London she doubts she will have much luck finding a husband at their country home. Her brother brings his valet, Tristan home with him and he and Lilli meet when he rescues her from a hole he dug as he was trying to trap a rabbit. Tristan and Lilli are attracted to each other but she fears nothing will come of this attraction once she learns that he is her brother's servant. This is a short novella that chronicles the development of Lilli and Tristan's romance and the trials they have to go through with her family in order to be together. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will recommend it to other readers who enjoy historical romance

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley an I am voluntarily leaving a review

Lady Lilliana (Lilli) has returned home from her season without a match. Now, she is wearing the family’s rose quartz crystal which has been used by many ladies in the family to help them find a match.

One day, she is rescued by her brother’s valet, Tristen Henley, when she steps into a hole used as a trap. As they get to know one another, they find they have very much in common and soon they fall in love. As Lilli is the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Stratton, it would be unseemly for Lilli to marry a man without a title.

When Lilli and Tristen are caught in a compromising position at a ball, Tristen is fired and sent away. But Lilli knows that the rose quartz crystal has brought her true love to her and refuses to let go of him. But Tristen is hiding a secret about his real background and is determined to prove to Lilli’s family that their match could be a good one. What is his secret and how could they possibly be together when they come from such different backgrounds?

Once again, Sophie Barnes has written a story that takes when seems to be the impossible in a relationship and makes it possible. Do read this charming story to see how the possible is done with the help of the magical rose quartz crystal.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.