A Maiden to Remember. Oh my word my fellow readers. How is it that I fell so easily for the romantic love story? Could it be the leading male character Vincent? Or could it be how Ellie was drawn to Vincent roguish ways? I say that it’s both.
I enjoyed everything about this story. Not only was the romance fascinating, but the mysterious shenanigans taking place during Vincent and Ellie’s courtship. I was so invested in reading who might the culprit be. The danger that lurks around each corner amongst Ellie’s path was scary and very frightening. Strangely for Vincent he understood his assignment.
Each character was very interesting and engaging with the plot. The dialogue was clear and understanding. The background was sensible and incorporated with the plot. For me all these attributes made this such an easy story to read. I also the spicy heat our two main characters enjoyed with one another on more than one occasion. Vincent quivered at the knees at each moment that he enveloped Ellie in his arms. Either these moments were under the knight sky among the hidden tree shadows. How about out on the front doorsteps where Vincent and Ellie could easily be seen by nosy eyes. This is story is precious, savvy, seductively hot and exciting to read. I give this story two snaps and a twist.
Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

Historical Romance with Mystery and Suspense

She proposes a marriage of convenience, but he does not think there is anything convenient about marriage. Then, he realizes that he does not want anyone else to marry her. However, someone does not want this marriage to happen, and the threats begin. Who can it be, and what will happen to Ellie and Vincent if they become engaged?

I enjoyed this historical romance and would recommend it. It has romance, of course, but it also has mystery, intrigue, suspense, and unexpected twists.

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

Lady Eleanor Middleton lost her heart when her fiancee was killed in battle three years ago, and has refused to entertain the idea of marrying ever since. Though she may be the daughter of a duke, she can't get away with spinsterhood forever, and has been told she must find a husband within the month, or she'll be forced to marry her stepmother's cruel nephew, Lord Stone. Ellie needs to find a way out, and quick, and does something she could never imagine - proposition her brother's best friend, Vincent, Lord Trenton, for a marriage in name only. He needs a rich wife, and she needs a husband quickly - a match made in heaven, right? Well, when feelings start to bloom between the two, and they struggle to stop kissing each other all the time, it may not be as plain sailing as they imagined.

I honestly felt like the Trenton we meet in this book is the complete opposite to that in book 1. He's had a complete personality transplant, and though it is for the better, it's hard to really see how the books in this series actually are linked together. Vincent and Ellie were an okay couple, but nothing really stood out for me to make them special. They definitely had chemistry, but some parts of the book felt forced. It was also a little farcical the number of different impediments between the pair that appeared. It was as if the author needed to pad out the story a bit more, and get the word count up, which I didn't like. I found myself turning off from the book at times, and ended up putting it down on more than one occasion, when normally I would be able to finish a book like this in one sitting. I'm glad it was the last in the series.

This is Book 3 of the series but can be read as a standalone. Ellie is still grieving the loss of her love Adam, who died in war. Now she has to try and avoid marriage with a repulsive man that her father has chosen for her. She only has one month's time, and being desperate, she is willing to enter in a loveless marriage with her brother's friend, Vincent, Earl of Trenton. While Vincent has no intention of ever marrying and being tied down, he can't help but feel protective of Ellie. She wants a marriage of convenience and he doesn't want to settle down, but despite themselves, they can't help the sparks that flicker and ignite between them. But when secrets are revealed, their relationship is threatened and Vincent will need to fight for the woman he has grown to love.
A well-written story with interesting characters, I found it to be an enjoyable and entertaining read. I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

DNF at 30% enemies to lovers, fake dating, strong independent heroine.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable romance between two people, one of whom needs to get married and the other avoiding it at all costs, the plot is a bit involved with some suspense. Holding onto the memory of her deceased betrothed, Ellie finds herself in the unenviable situation of having to find a husband within a month, but given the iceberg reputation she has cultivated, it is not going to be easy. When Ellie offers Vincent a marriage of convenience, one in which both will benefit, he is so fixated on not being tied down, that he is initially almost insulting in the way in which he puts her down. However, seeing Ellie exercising the charm that has been obscured by her grief for so long, Vincent realizes that he cannot stand by and see her married to anyone else and in spite of themselves, their attraction bursts into flames. However, things are not quite what they seem on the surface, and when secrets and subterfuge are exposed, it is Ellie who is most affected. Although part of a series, this novel is a standalone and comes to a lovely conclusion. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Eleanor Middleton's father, the duke, has given her an ultimatum. She must marry in a month, a man of her choosing or his. Vincent Wallace, the Earl of Trenton, is best friends with her brother. On the day of the ultimatum, he appears with all his charm, the rogue. Eleanor lost the man she loves in the war three years ago. How can she think of marrying another man? Vincent is the best character of the book. Charming, sexy and seductive. Eleanor is young and immature, but Vincent soon sees the woman in the girl.
Hot kisses!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

A Maiden to Remember is the third book in a series. I had not picked up the other two but I do believe each book in the series can work as a standalone. I did not have any trouble following the plot or characters of this book.

This book starts off as the main female character, Ellie, trying to convince Vincent, main male character, to have a marriage of convenience with her. It turns into a marriage-to-avoid-scandal a little while into the book. While Ellie starts off not liking Vincent because of his rakish ways, she starts to develop feelings during the prospect of them getting married. Vincent, already attracted to Ellie, starts to develop feelings, too. I liked the idea that while these two are sort of thrust upon each other to try and avoid a scandal, they end up finding things they like about each other and it turns into feelings of love. I do wish there had been, at least, one more courting scene between the two of them. I thought their "date" at the park was a great way for them to build into a relationship but felt it needed a bit more bonding between the two to really sell the idea of them falling in love.

I did enjoy the growth Ellie has from grieving over Adam to opening herself back up to love. It had been 3 years since her fiancé died and I appreciated that Ellie was still grieving. Everyone has their own mourning time.

My main issues with the book lay in the pacing with some of the twists and turns. There are moments of intrigue and some of the events seem a bit wonky with the timelines of when things happen and when. Also, there's a part where the villain of the book could have killed the main male character and while there is a reason why the villain waits so long, it does feel a bit forced. My main question reading that part was "...Why is he keeping him alive?" As stated, there is an answer, I just didn't feel it was a great answer.

Also, this one is a quibble, but I did find it hard to like Vincent after he thinks about how his previous paramour had gained weight and that it was through laziness. Like, I know in that time people don't know that when people age, its pretty natural for them to gain weight and fluctuating hormones may be the reason but still, I was like "...is this guy supposed to be the hero?" It is a small throwaway line he thinks and it is never brought up again but it bothered me upon reading it.

I will say that I think the author does a good job with narrative style and sound voice. I will be reading the other books in this series.

Their love story started with a bang, and then the sparks started.
Eleanor has spent 3 years mourning Adam Haddington, her fiance who died in the war fighting Napoleon. Her father and stepmother, Augusta, who has a secret agenda, have told her she needs to marry, and plan to betrothe her to Edgar Stone, Augusta's nephew, a known woman abuser. Her father agrees to wait one month for her to find one on her own, or the papers are signed.
Fleeing the room, she runs into Vincent Wallace, Earl of Trenton, while he's waiting for her brother. Vincent tries, but fails, to get her attention by using an old pick-up line, which he had also taught his best friend Adam, who had used it on Ellie years ago with success. I am not sure how it did not trigger her memory since it was how she and Adam became acquainted. After finding out Vincent is in desperate need of funds, she proposes a marriage in name only, but he won't since he's a rake, and doesn't want to settle down, let alone end up in a chaste marriage. This doesn't stop them from sharing a very passionate kiss which ends up sealing their fate for marriage.
People and events begin to conspire against their upcoming betrothal. Some are surprising, and some are obvious. However, even the obvious events/people help further the story, and aren't used as filler. I do have a problem with the believability of some of the proof of evil doing. Finding a letter under a rock in a garden, written a couple of years ago? She did seem to cry a lot. She did have good reasons, but it made me think she will become one of those women who always has to retire to her room, or use her fan a lot as she gets older.
Their passionate kisses are swoonworthy, and I can understand why they make them want to take it further, even though every attempt fails. Each of the roadblocks brings Vincent and his precious, as calls her, closer, eventually leading them to realize they love each other. While the novel gives the impression it is a slow burn, the timeline is very short. It does not prevent them from having a true HEA.
This is a wholesome love story, but for the few passionate kisses. However, they make any love scenes unnecessary since they are very believable. It was not necessary to make it explicit.
I have to admit I did reread the novel again before I wrote this review. It was so sweet. I love Vincent and his precious Ellie.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow, this couple was made for each other, and not in a good way.
This review contains spoilers.
This book had such a great premise. It was a story about two people who knew each other because the hero was a friend of the heroine's older brother. The heroine was being threatened with a forced marriage to her step mother's nephew. The hero is a rake, only interested in one night stands, but he is the guardian for his sisters. The heroine proposes a marriage in name only to the hero because he has finacial problems and she has known him for years.
Great! A strong heroine who takes action, but still is within the approval of society. But, no. This story is about two self absorbed, shallow individuals. I even read this book twice because there were so many things that just fit into place too neatly. Like a formula. There were so many plot lines that did not make sense. As if the hero or heroine were idiots, or the author thought the reader was less than aware.
Beware, spoilers start here.
One of the main plots of this story was that the heroine was twenty three years old and unmarried. She had been engaged when she first came out, but her fiance went to war and died. It was very sad but we find out that he did not die at the end. We are introduced to his cousin in the beginning of the book, who is a noble and they remark how much he looks like the deceased fiance'. The cousin wears a beard or goatee, it was described as both. The fiance went to war and his family was notified he was missing and then notified he had died and the funeral took place in France because his family was traveling at the time (who travels the Co to ent during the war?).The fiance's sister had written to the heroine to advise her. But the cousin ends up being the ecesed fiance. He has had at least three different names. But if he was his cousin, where is his cousin's body? If he is a noble and has a title, then he would be listed in Debrett's. He would be in line for a title in his family. Is his immediate family aware that he is himself and his cousin? I mean he can't say he is one person in the branch of a family and grew up with the person he is impersonating in another branch of the family. One of them has to be in hiding or dead. And to learn that he had has numerous aliases because he is a spy? That just doesnt make any sense. Think if you had a cousin and faked your death and came back as that person. Your siblings would know you on sight. The characters would say how much they resemble each other, but for the heroine not to recognize the man she loved and grieved is not believable. And then it is just passed over in the story. The heroine isn't even mad, because she is so happy in love with the heroine. Doesn't make sense.
Another red flag was the hero. He already had one suspicious incident when burrs were put under the horse's blanket while he took the heroine for a ride to the park. The hero and heroine and maid walked around the park with the horse and carriage waiting. Normally, there are gutter rats who offer to hold the horse for a penny. The horses are just not abandoned. It is under constant watch. The park is crowded with people who wish to see and be seen. So, the next suspicious incident sent was that a rock with a note in it was thrown through his dining room window. His two sisters, who are too young to have a Season, bring him the rock which has a note attached to stay away from the heroine. The hero acts like a rude jerk and doesn't calm down his sisters. He actually yells at them and slams the door in their face! What a piece of crap brother! It doesn't make sense.
The last red flag that I will mention was that  the hero and heroine are leaving a ball early by lying at telling her father her stomach is upset. They are sneaking away to have a tryst, but when they happen to go by his house, his stable is on fire with the four horses he just purchased to use as studs on his fledgling horse breeding business inside. It is mentioned that he doesn't have very many servants because of his financial situation, but we are talking about the Regency time period. People live above the stables incase the horses need assistance. They are under care 24 hours a day. The head groom has his own room next to or above the tack room. The grooms all live in the upper level near the hay storage. And these are horses he just purchased. Four stallions that have all their testosterone and will fight with each other and need 24 hour care. And the reader is supposed to believe that the stables burnt to the ground, with the horses in it and not one servant noticed? And the hero isn't frantic because his dream of breeding horses just went up in smoke?  Again, it doesn't make sense.
I give the author props for writing a story and putting it out there for us to read, but I want historical or Regency romances, not fairy tales. I want something believable with a little artistic license thrown in. The characters were not likeable or believable. The hero kept spouting drivel about suddenly falling in love. This book left me mad and confused. Where was the author's proof reader or editor to point out the obvious problems? This book was too unbelievable. I give 1 star for effort, but do not recommend reading

3.5 Stars
Ellie Middleton has exactly one month to find a husband. If she doesn’t, her father will betroth her to a vile man. Although her heart still belongs to the soldier who died in the war, she is willing to enter a loveless marriage. Out of options, Ellie does the unthinkable when she runs into her brother’s friend, Vincent Wallace, the Earl of Trenton, and boldly makes him a proposal of marriage in name only.
Vincent has no desire to marry and tie himself to one woman. However, he doesn’t like the idea of Ellie settling for just anyone, either.
The third book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written, enjoyable book with a different twist on a marriage of convenience. Whilst I liked both Vincent & Ellie I didn’t love them & I found Ellie to be annoying & several times wanted to shake her. Things also moved quickly for the coule & whilst I believed they fell in lust I had difficulty in believing they fell in love.
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I enjoyed the premise of the story, and it was a very easy read. The problem I had with the book was that every complication was resolved seemingly within minutes. Any situation that arose didn't cause any lasting problem no matter how complicated it was. While I don't enjoy books that overcomplicate issues, there has to be something of a consequence to various events to keep the book believable.

An interesting twist on the marriage of convenience with Ellie doing the asking instead of Vincent. I enjoyed it very much it was well written and evenly paced to hold my interest apart from when Ellie became jealous which seemed a but much. 3.5 rounded to 4. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A lovestory between Ellie and Vincent. Ellie’s been mourning the death of her fiancee for three years when her father tells her she has one month to choose a husband herself or else he signs the betrothal papers to the horrible Edgar. Ellie is furious but quickly sets her mind on marrying Vincent, her brothers best friend.
The book started out quite nicely. I found it refreshing that Ellie at first considered Vincent but later angrily scrapped him from her list of potential hushbands, becuse he had the audacity to kiss her and refuse her marriage proposal! Unfortunately, I felt their romance was rushed, they were in love so quickly, I didn’t buy it. And the book had her speak to her father in a way that would have been unheard of, especially in that society: “If that is the way you want to play, then I suppose I have no other choice. I shall find a man to marry in four weeks, because I will not marry Lord Stone.”
My parents would never allow me to talk to them like that, and neither would I allow my children to talk to me so disrespectful. It might happen in families anno 2023 but this is definitely not the way people spoke to their parents in that time and age.
The story also has one or more villains, an attempted murder mystery, spy games and more. Kudos for the writer to keep this a clean story and let any leave any passionate scenes to the imagination of the reader. I highly recommend that!
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

P.S. I think two lines in the book didn’t quite add up: “Tell me, Lord Trenton, when did you receive your title?” “Because my father died and left the earldom to me.”
The word ‘because’ isn’t the correct word in my opinion and should be exchanged for ‘When’.

Unfortunately, the book lost me quite quickly.
The premise was great, and the chemistry between Ellie and Vincent was great, but then the "plot twist" started and it went downhill from there because each one was more ridiculous than the previous.
Too much happened and I can only describe it as overdone and silly. It would've been better if we had just gotten the love story and one or two plot twists, no more.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A shocking proposition turned into a compromising circumstances into a love match. In between however, are a treacherous pair, attempted rape, kidnapping, murder and treason to resolve. Never a dull moment with wonderful main characters, with events unfolding..

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

Unfortunately, this book didn't meet my expectations.

I enjoyed the beginning, I liked the premise of the heroine and the hero entering some kind of marriage of convenience where through trials, they fall in love. But the moment they got engaged was where the story started to go downhill for me. Suddenly, Ellie becomes jealous of Vincent's pass lovers, even though she was the one that told him their marriage would be in name only. Then he can't decide if she's a harpy or a goddess. Then the next thing you know, they can't keep their hands off each other. The underlying conflict was predictable and went on for too long. Also, this could be just me, but everything Vincent called Ellie his precious, my mind totally pictured Golemn from LoTR.

Thank you to the publisher and netgally for this ARC. Opinions are my own.

This book was so good. It captivated me from the first page and I did not want to let go. It has great characters and exciting chemistry. I felt like I was in the book.