Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Lord! I'm always excited for a Austen-esque heroine!

Petra, the main character, inspires all the feelings! I was outraged at the way men treated her, especially men close to her. I feel like Petra's story and the mystery were woven together very well, and at times it was difficult to tell where one began and the other ended, which I really liked! I'm not sure if this will be a series, but I think Petra's character is definitely leading lady material!

That being said, the ending left me disappointed. I wanted a banger of an ending to cap off the mystery, and the book kind of fizzles out instead. The ending resolution in a mystery is just as important to me as a romance, and this one left me hanging. I do like the author's writing style, though, so I would be interested to pick up another book if this does become a series.

Overall, I think this was a worthy mystery with just a bit of a rushed/shallow ending. This author can WRITE, though, so you need to check out this book!

Rating: 3⭐️

Let me start out by saying this is not my normal genre, however I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! If you like Regency era stories and mysteries, this book is for you. The main character, Petra, is extremely likeable and relatable, and I hope we get to read more about her future adventures! The end was genius!

This was such a cute but fun, Regency era mystery that included a mild romantic component. I was hoping for a little bit more on the romance end, but I though the mystery aspect was really done and kept me intrigued through out. I will definitely give this author another go and look forward to the resolution to the cliffhanger!!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally

304 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Release Date: November 14, 2023

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thrillers, Suspense

Lady Petra Forsyth has declared she will never marry after her fiancé dies from a fall down a set of steps. She can do this since her mother left her an inheritance and does not need to depend on her father or a husband for support. She hears her dear friend, Gwen, has died and she was not invited to the funeral. She cannot believe this has happened and confronts Gwen’s husband. Now it seems husbands are talking about sending their wives to a resting hospital for their nerves. Petra does not believe this is happening and begins investigating. When she starts asking too many questions, she finds herself in someone’s crosshair. She has no idea who could be after her because there are too many to choose from.

The book is fast paced, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I like the strength of character the author gave to Petra in a time when women held very little power. It certainly is a book with suspense built in. If you like historical fiction, you will probably enjoy reading this book.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Wow, here is a reaaaaaalllllyyy slow-starting book. It was extremely frustrating to have everything and everyone described in detail. The first half is infused with minutiae and inner dialoguing. The second half picks up. I have to admit it does get somewhat exciting, but the subject matter is what could be considered a sensitive one. (i.e. Snake PitSnake Pit) (Ten Days in a Mad-House) These books are a bit more modern than the era this author was writing about.

A typical mystery novel that has the heroine doing her best to get herself killed or, actually, worse and is always relying on someone else to get her out of her jams. She is an independent woman for her time (1815), and some small allowances are made for her.

The ending was fairly vague and dissatisfying, at least for me. There really is no romance, but there are hints of a future one. There is a bit of Sapphic and homosexuality discussion, but nothing in detail.


*ARC provided by NewGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author.

LOVED this book. A great author that I have not read before. Grab this book, a cup of tea, and your favorite blanket, and snuggle in for a wonderful read!

set in 1815
 for fans of the Lady Darby series, Agatha Christy, Brigerton (With less romance and
more mystery)
regency romance, murder mystery, with feminist undertones
the novel is narrated by Spunky, firey and independent Lady Petra Forsyth.
Lady Petra Forsyth’s fiancée and love dies in a tragic accident just before they’re about
to be married, leaving Petra heartbroken. Since the death of her mother left Petra an
independently wealthy woman, she vows to stay single forever, much to the chagrin of
her high society friends and family. When Petra hears that a close friend of hers has
died as a result of “melancholia”, she is shocked and refuses to believe the news, Thus
begins the mystery. What really happened to her friend
the book starts rather slowly as the reader is introduced to a myriad of players and tons
of world building. This book is the start of a new series so there is a lot of background
to get out of the way. Although slow to start, it is interesting and still kept me reading.
The theme of the story focuses on the helplessness of married aristocratic women.
They are but chattel and are subject to the whims and desires of the men controlling
their lives. Petra is a strong female protagonist and will not subjugate herself to any
man, which garners her quite a bit of grief within society

An enjoyable Regency mystery. Petra is very independent and a woman of her own. I enjoyed reading of her investigative skills and hope to see more books in the future.
Many thanks to St Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Minotaur Books and St. Martins Press for this gifted ARC. This historical fiction piece has twists that I was not expecting but adored. Petra is exactly who I would be if I was a woman in the 1800s. The banter and use of historically accurate language was perfect. This book gave me Pride and Prejudice meets Sherlock Holmes vibes which is an amazing pairing apparently. There were some slow parts but I highly recommend to give this one a read when it’s out 11/14/23.

Such a good cozy mystery with romance and adventure! The strong female main character is likable and independent. Very reminiscent of the Evie Dunmoor League of Extraordinary Women series in the best way possible. Highly recommend!

I wasn't too sure about the book after seeing the title, but from the start this is a great book. You don't think about a cozy mystery set in Regency times but it is a hoot! You really felt like what it was like for a woman in that time period. The mystery was expertly woven into the story and I hope there are more books in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book! I appreciate it more than you know.

I did DNF this book at about 35% due to not being able to get into it. I tried so hard to like the characters and get into the spirit of the "Bridgerton" vibes, but I couldn't get past how slow it was.

If you have read Bridgerton, I have heard that this is relatively close to the same style. For no, I will stick to fantasy, True Crime, and Mystery as my go-to's. Hopefully, I can expand my interests soon to include books like this.

This book starts strong - the author clearly has a good backgound in the time period in which she's writing. The language and characterizations are well pitched and Petra is a magnetic heroine. From there, I think it gets overwhelmed by too large a cast. clunky exposition, and character monologuing in the style of bad melodrama. I'm optimistic thought that future novels from this author could build from the strong groundwork that was apparent at the begin with a little more refining.

I really wanted to like this book, the plot sounded so thrilling. Alas, I just couldn't get into it. Not my cup of tea.

I just reviewed Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally. #NetGalley

I tried, I really did. I just couldn't get into it. Plot? Is there one? If there was, I couldn't find it.
I don't mean to be cruel, but I have hundreds of books waiting to be read, and I just couldn't try and bond with this book anymore. If I don't bond with it by the fourth chapter, after the second attempt...nope, sorry.

4 stars

Fun read! Lady Petra has decided she does not want to be married and live her life as a single woman. Thankfully when her mother passed away, she was endowed with the funds and means to do so. She stumbles upon a curious set of events where wives in her society are turning up dead. As she works to figure out the details, she could be the next victim.

Fun mystery set in the Regency era of the early 1800s. Would read again.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Nov. 14, 2023
“Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord” is a historical fiction novel by Celeste Connally. The author has other novels under another name, but she is new to me, and this was one heck of an introduction!
Petra Forsyth’s fiancée and love dies in a tragic accident just before they’re about to be married, leaving Petra heartbroken. Since the death of her mother left Petra an independently wealthy woman, she vows to stay single forever, much to the chagrin of her high society friends and family. When Petra hears that a close friend of hers has died as a result of “melancholia”, she is shocked and refuses to believe the news, especially when she hears rumours that her friend was seen just recently, very much alive. A new doctor is in town with big secrets, and Petra finds herself in terrible danger as she continues to investigate why women around her are disappearing.
Petra is spunky, independent and fiery and I loved every bit of her! As a woman in Victorian England who refuses to go along with social norms placed on women at that time, she runs the risk of ruining her family’s reputation as well as her own, but she continues to go against what’s expected of her in order to help her friends. There is absolutely nothing about Petra to dislike and I cheered for her from the outset.
Petra narrates the novel, and there are many high-society characters, so be prepared for numerous mentions of “Lord and Lady” this and “Baron” this and that. Once you can sort through them and determine who is really worth paying attention to, Connally has you hooked.
This is the first novel in a series and if you did not know that at the beginning, you will definitely figure it out by the end, as the conclusion drops a hint of things to come. The novel flows brilliantly, and each chapter leaves just enough of a teaser that I had to keep turning the pages. To ensure the novel hits a thought-provoking and emotional note, Connally includes the asylum plotline, where “women of suspicious character” who “dare to go against societal norms” are committed against their will. “Lady” will sit uncomfortably with readers in certain parts, and it is this hauntingly realistic reminder of our history that makes the novel all the more engaging.
“Lady” will give you “Bridgerton” vibes, with a little bit of Agatha Christie thrown in (and how is that a bad thing)? I eagerly anticipate more from Connally, and definitely- MORE PETRA!

This is the perfect read for a rainy day and a mug of tea. This would perfectly be described with "Downton Abbey" (my favorite show) combined with a cozy mystery. This was very fun and quick read too. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is the first installment in a new Regency-era mystery series. I thought it was pretty good, especially the second half. The first half gave a lot of details about the characters, but as the story went on the plot line picked up. When Lady Petra Forsyth's friend Gwen mysteriously disappears (her husband says she has died), Lady Petra begins to investigate what really happened to her. Her investigation leads her to an evil man, Mr. Drysdale, and an asylum for women. There seems to be the beginning of a romance with her childhood friend, Duncan. I liked the cliffhanger at the end-looking forward to the next book in this series.

I felt like it got off to a slow start, but when the story got going, it really got going! Lady Petra and her various friends are so SO entertaining. Smart writing, a creepy AF villain, and a charming cast of characters. And with that cliffhanger, I can’t wait to see what they get up to next!

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