This is a classic high expectations leading to a bit of an underwhelming read situation for me. The rest of this series was really wonderful for me so I was just excited to be back in this world and somehow this just fell quite flat to me.

For those of us who read Evie Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women series and waited on baited breath for Catriona Campbell to finally find a love worthy of her remarkable mind, the wait is at last over. In The Gentleman’s Gambit, the quietest of our core four Suffragettes reveals her hidden depths, falls in love on her own terms, and shows she has a spirit every bit as adventurous as her best friends.

The story kicks off when Elias Khoury, a handsome new colleague of Catriona’s father, arrives ostensibly to catalogue Middle Eastern artifacts currently in possession of British academics. Catriona is tasked with playing guide for Elias, all while ignoring the inconvenient crush she’s developing, while Elias must also squash down his budding feelings for Catriona — especially since he’s actually come to England to repatriate the artifacts in question back home to the Middle East. It’s rare to find a book that really proclaims “fuck the British Museum” so wholeheartedly and consistently, and I am here for it.

Where Dunmore’s series has always thrived — besides the agonizingly delicious slow burns — is how realistic it all feels. The plot is richly steeped in history, heightening both the personal emotional stakes, as well as the larger ones for the world around our characters, and nowhere is it clearer than in The Gentleman’s Gambit. Elias is a foreigner, a Middle Eastern man who has adopted enough of the education and graces of English society that white men have no trouble referring to him as one of the “good ones” to his face, or indeed, simply remaining ignorant of his origins. Catriona is unmarried, and an academic, with no mother to teach her social graces, or any real fortune to fall back on (advantages afforded to the rest of her friends). She is also a neurodivergent woman in a time and place that didn’t really know what to do with a woman like that (not to say things are all that much better now) making things that much harder.

None of these hurdles are brushed aside, and there is no effort by the narrative to pretend that any of them are particularly easy for Catriona and Elias to overcome. But like the best sorts of romance, they are addressed, if not overcome, when the two of them work together, in mutual understanding and support. The romance aspect of The Gentleman’s Gambit is so sweet and tender, and so unique that this is easily my favorite of the series.

It’s also refreshing that Dunmore chose to include a plot point illustrating how the backwards mentality of the time did not just affect white women, but people of color as well. My only real regret is that we never had a woman of color’s point of view in the series (though never say never for a sequel series?). The English characters in the novel make no secret of how necessary they feel their involvement in the Middle East is, and show such a profound sense of entitlement over it. I wish I could say that any of the issues in the novel were things of the past, but alas, that’s not the world we live in. The book does end on a hopeful note however, one that speaks across the decades and centuries, promising that as long as there are those willing to fight for what is fair and what is right, there’s always going to be a silver lining, bleak as things may seem.

The Gentleman’s Gambit hits shelves December 5. Special thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advance copy for review purposes.

I just finished reading "The Gentleman's Gambit" by Evie Dunmore, and I must say, it was an absolute delight. This historical romance novel is a captivating blend of intellect, passion, and wit, set against the backdrop of the women's suffrage movement in England.
Catriona Campbell, the bookish suffragist, immediately drew me in with her strong character. Her dedication to her work at Oxford and her fight for women's rights is both admirable and relatable. I found her introverted nature endearing and her dreams of romance, kept locked away due to past heartbreak, made her a character I couldn't help but root for.
Elias Khoury, the charming and enigmatic colleague, brings a touch of intrigue to the story. His ulterior motives add depth and complexity to the plot, and his growing attraction to Catriona is both heartwarming and intense.
The chemistry between Catriona and Elias is electric, and their forced proximity at Oxford's academic halls adds a layer of tension and anticipation. As their relationship develops, a risky game of love and trust ensues, keeping me eagerly turning the pages.
Evie Dunmore has woven a tale of romance, self-discovery, and societal change that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. "The Gentleman's Gambit" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a historical romance with strong, independent characters and a compelling storyline.

Very grateful to the publisher @berkleyromance for my review copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.
Will post this review on my blog pages closer to pub day.

The last of this series - I've enjoyed every book that Evie Dunmore has written. I loved the heroine of this book - unconventional and brilliant.

I love this series and I am so sad it's over!!

The Gentelman's Gambit rounds out Evie Dunmore's A League of Extraordinary Women series in an epic fashion. We get to see the couples from the first three books happily together as Catriona remains the lone single. Not for long, if her meddling friends can do anything about it!

Elias is a historical romance hero unlike any other I've ever read about. He is kind, sincere, sweet to Cat, and an ethical thief-- stealing artifacts from England and bringing them back to his homeland (the Middle East). An utterly unique and wonderful story full of progressive politics and pages full of pining-- The Gentleman's Gambit is the perfect historical romance.

Although I'm sad to see this series end, I cannot wait to see what Dunmore writes next. Perfect for fans of Lisa Kleypas and Joana Schupe.

I was so excited to dive into Catriona's love story and I wasn't disappointed. Introverted Catriona had been scorned before and had sworn off love. Elias Khoury was the romantic hero that I didn't see coming, since he didn't make an appearance in the rest of the series. Evie Dunmore created the perfect partner for Catriona and their relationship developed in a believable way. I also appreciated the rich culture and history he brought to the story as well. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

I have loved every book in the A League of Extraordinary Women series, but this one was a bit of a letdown. It maintains the same elements of women's suffrage, strong female characters, and a love interest who sees our main character for who she is and loves her for it, but it was lacking in a few ways for me. The romance itself was a bit lackluster; I wasn't rooting for them in the way that I wanted to. I wasn't indifferent, but I also wasn't super invested in their relationship. Our love interest is also attempting a heist of sorts, which was interesting and also drove a good portion of the plot, but I found it boring at times because, while there was good reasoning for it, it wasn't enough to keep the plot moving as the main driver. The same could also be said with Catriona's part in women's suffrage--important, but not a great plot driver. The book wasn't bad, just a bit boring. I did love seeing all of our characters from the past books, though, and they each get a chapter and are all included in the (amazing!) epilogue. I would still recommend this because it has such important historical discussions and concludes an incredible series, but it wasn't my favorite of the four.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher's for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore!

I love Evie Dunmore’s writing, she really was able to pack to much research and it was beautifully done. Just FYI this is more a women’s fiction, journey of discovery of the heroine and historical fiction than a romance. The romance is there but much on the sidelines.

I really enjoyed this book. It's perhaps a bit "deeper" than others in the series. Clearly well researched. If you care about previous characters in the series, you'll find satisfaction in this novel. This is certainly a series to read in order. The characters were well developed and the book's themes go beyond traditional romance tropes. This isn't your typical historical romance - there is depth here that I enjoyed. The book also provided me much needed perspective on how far we've come as a society. Big thanks to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy, opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book after reading the rest of the series, such a unique take in the romance genre. I look forward to the author's future work!

"Bookish suffragist Catriona Campbell is busy: An ailing estate, academic writer's block, a tense time for England's women's rights campaign - the last thing she needs is to be stuck playing host to her father's distractingly attractive young colleague.

Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women's suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head - until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague.

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell's circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artefacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona's favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing...

Forced into close proximity in Oxford's hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake."

Here's to romance and returning artefacts to their homelands!

Evie Dunmore can do no wrong. The Gentleman's Gambit may not have been my favorite of the series but I thought it was the perfect ending and goodbye to the Extraordinary Women and I loved seeing their stories all come to a very happy close.

I loved Catriona's story! This entire series has been a delight and a customer favorite! They will not be disappointed by this one! I loved the friendships, the romance and the continued fight for these suffragettes.

This one was not for me. I think it's me, not the book, though. I just didn't enjoy the writing and couldn't connect to the characters. It will probably do really well, I fully accept that this was a me problem.

I am in tears because the series is over, because this book was perfect, and because Catriona is the heroine of my heart. I had such high hopes for this one, and while I was apprehensive about who the love interest was, this exceeded every expectation I had. Not only did we get to continue our journey in the fight for women’s equality with all of our favorite heroines, we explored a new area for justice seeking in the quest to repatriate stolen artifacts. I really loved this aspect of the book. It seems super relevant with discussions around colonization and colonizers, who owns history, and how badly outsiders rode roughshod over native peoples and lands.
I really liked Elias. (Though, no, no one will EVER top Tristan Ballentine in my heart). But his and Catriona’s delicate yet fiery slow burn romance was just fantastic. And I just don’t have enough words to say how much Catriona holds my entire heart. Her internalized struggles were so relatable to me, her desire to be seen as her very own person speaks to me on an incredibly deep level.
Ahhhhh, seriously I’m so in love with this book. I can’t recommend this series enough. You’ll learn something, you’ll swoon, you’ll cheer, you’ll get angry, and hopefully you’ll fall in love like I did.
All the stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced look at the book to review. All opinions are my own.

Catriona does not disappoint, and neither does Evie Dunmore. This latest installment in the A League of Extraordinary Women series is just as entertaining as its predecessors.

Dunmore’s most daring and ambitious to date, both storywise and character-wise. Each woman in the series is vastly different, with varying obstacles, and Catriona’s neurodivergence is explored in harrowing, but not exaggerated, ways. Social, political, and national commentary, some obvious and others enlightening. This is her most comprehensive history lesson yet, all wrapped up in an emotional and passionate story.

Still, with 35% of the book left I was getting bored. I was ready for all the threads that had been set to finally play out. I stalled and it was a bit of a push to make myself stay with it and not take an extended break. However, it also felt like the full culmination of all the books’ efforts. And the end really pushed forward the emotional and mental trials of Catriona and Elias. So, it worked.

The most beautiful and poignant, in several ways, of all the books in the series. It’s almost more than I could take, overwhelming. But that seems like a me problem. Evie Dunmore is in a class all her own with this genre and deserves all the stars anyway. You won’t be disappointed.

3 stars

This series has been fun. “Too historically informative,” but fun. This is probably my least favorite in the series. I didn’t completely feel their connection. The romance was overshadowed by the historical informative stuff that used to add something in the previous books, but here it seemed like it’s the main focus rather than the development of the romance.

Huge Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy.

Enjoyed the way Dunmore brings Catriona's past relationships into the story. Wish we'd gotten a little more about the heist. Loved Elias and Catriona, and appreciated the way the other characters were brought into their story. A thoroughly enjoyable -- and informative -- end to this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.