This is the second book in the series. This time around it is with Dorothea or Thea for short. She loves chemistry and makes beautiful shawls with the dyeing techniques learned from a book. This was actually quite fascinating to learn about. Thea gets involved with Lord Castleroy who is part of the silk industry and he is very interested in how Thea makes her shawls. He of course is interested in her romantically as well. I liked how he help her overcome her fear of open carriages. Unfortunately the ending was the same as the first book so nothing new there. Overall the book was good and its a clean read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Dorothea Grantham spends her time involved in staining silks with various metals. Her fascination with chemistry leads her to embroider the beautiful gold and silver silk shawls she creates. However, her grandmother, Lady Longmore, is resolute that Thea does not reveal her work to anyone outside the family, for fear she will be ostracised. Yet her shawls garner a great deal of attention and Lord Castleroy is particularly interested. James has inherited a share in his grandfather’s silk mill in Macclesfield and is keen to invest in the silk industry. As James spends time with Thea, their feelings grow but soon James must do all he can to protect her, when her creations begin to gather unwanted attention.
An interesting read with considerable detail into the world of chemistry and the silk industry. A slow burn romance that a times tended to be overwhelmed by the historical aspect. Whilst this book is part of a series, I didn’t struggle to understand the connection, making for a standalone story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dorothea Grantham has always been fascinated by chemistry and spends most days conducting experiments in her laboratory at Grantham Place, staining silk with gold, silver, and other metals using chemical processes. Thea embroiders the beautiful gold and silver silk shawls she creates and enjoys wearing them, but her grandmother, Lady Longmore, advises her not to reveal to anyone outside the family circle that she has created the fashion items herself, concerned her granddaughter might be seen as an oddity. When she nearly has a disaster she’s saved & the flames are extinguished by James, Lord Castleroy, He’s captivated by the bespectacled bluestocking. James takes a particular interest in her work, having inherited a share in his grandfather’s silk mill in Macclesfield but believes her work to be smuggled imported silk. James isn’t the only person in London interested in Thea’s exquisite creations. And when a silken web of intrigue entangles her in real danger, Thea must trust the devotion of a man she never expected—or intended—to fall in love with.
The second book in the series about three unusual sisters & I found it to be a well written, very well researched book, which is easily read on its own. I loved Thea who is a very talented young woman who also has deep routed fears & I admire her for trying to overcome them. I also loved James who falls hard & fast for Thea but he has suspicions as to where she’s obtaining the silk & is slightly in awe of her talent when the truth is revealed. I loved all the information about the silk trade but felt the romance played second fiddle to it. There was chemistry between James & Thea but it was a simmer rather than sizzling, I did believe Thea fell for James but on her part she fought it more. An interesting book, which was different & I thoroughly enjoyed it
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I loved the plot of this book, but I didn’t always feel the chemistry between James and Thea. At times, it seemed like they didn’t even like each other very much.

There's not a lot of historical romance featuring a lady scientist and this one was entertaining and well plotted.
I had fun and rooted for the characters
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I will have to admit I skipped over books that were ahead on my reading list. I was so anticipating the book because the book about her sister was so entertaining. The lady chemist catches the eye of a Baron because of her shawl. She is not suppose to tell the secrets of her shawl. But of course it escapes. An intriguing yet romantic book nice for a leisurely read..
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

Thanks Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for access to this arc.

When reading the blurb, what caught my eye and my interest is the fact that heroine Thea isn’t just a dilettante about chemistry – no, she is making practical use of her interest and talent in the field. True, some of her family members aren’t thrilled with her interest and try to keep what she does hushed up because they don’t want the ton to think Thea is weird but her love of the science isn’t merely a soon-dropped hook to get readers to try the book.

Thea is a bluestocking but the societal interest in the science lectures in London make this acceptable and even fashionable which is a welcome change in my reading. Several men, our hero included, think nothing of taking their sisters, sweethearts, and family to these events. Thea’s interest in chemistry might not be seen as too odd but what she does with it? Yeah, that could smack of (gasp) trade. James is a Baron but his mother was married for her trade dowry and this caused James some issues at Eton. Luckily James and the hero from the previous book in the series (which it isn’t necessary to read before this one) became fast friends.

This is mainly a character centered book and I love the fast friendship that Thea and James’s sister Anne develop. James also carefully helps Thea with some issues of PTSD (not referred to that way, of course) which are the result of a horrible event in Thea’s past. Yay that Thea is the one who makes the decision to start this rather than being forced, though her grandmother does encourage her.

It’s refreshing that Thea is the one initially unconvinced of seeking a Grand Passion in marriage. Her parents were deeply in love and Thea saw how the death of her mother shattered her father. Thea wants nothing like that. Even after feelings have started, both James and Thea have moments of introspection and the realization that the needs and wants of the other person must be considered. Just feeling that they’re in love isn’t enough. A final act doubt on the part of one person was a drag but the way the other person convinces the doubter of their sincerity is sweet.

The tidbits and information about the silk industry are interesting and don’t come across as too much like a history lesson. They’re also important to the story rather than merely being stuffed into the book to show off research. What disappointed me is a penultimate act that too closely mirrors the first book which can only take place because Thea loses any hint of her intelligence. And also how the heroine’s grandmother reacts. No, This Person in book one didn’t abduct your eldest granddaughter because he loves her so why should you briefly think this time would feature a besotted swain?? Sigh …

I liked many aspects of this book but caution readers that it is definitely slow burn and no sex. But it does have a STEM heroine whose passion is actually pertinent to the plot and a lovely, gentle hero willing to gently woo her. I’m just going to forget the whole bit at the end that annoys me and give this one a B

This is my first Alissa Baxter. I'd like to thank Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the advanced digital copy of this book. I'm happy to leave an honest review. It is a clean, regency era historical romance.

There were many aspects of this story that I appreciated and even enjoyed. I love an intelligent female lead, especially one that isn't ashamed of her brains. I felt that the author did much research regarding the topics and historical aspects presented in the book. I learned facts that I didn't know and had no idea existed. Some of that was fascinating.

This is the second book in a series. There are connections to people and events in this book. I hadn't read the previous book but think that the main points and events of that book were conveyed to the reader in this one. (Almost to the point where I don't feel like I need to read that book now.)

I personally found the writing style of the author to be difficult to read. She seemed to jump around and introduce plot points at random. Rather than leading the reader I felt like I was being pulled at times. It is hard to describe. And this is just a personal observation. Sometimes when introducing what could be fascinating historical knowledge, I felt like I was being lectured in school. The author definitely knows her information, I just had a difficult time receiving it in story form. Sometimes the vocabulary was distracting to me.

Overall, I am glad I read the book and do appreciate all parties that were involved in providing me with the copy.

Thea's chemistry experiments have been her escape for years, and it never occurred to her that her hobby of chemically dyeing silk scarves could attract unpleasant attention when she has her Season. But when she enters society, everyone is convinced that her scarves are imported - and various people are unhappy about that, for their own reasons. Lord Castleroy, himself part-owner of a silk mill, learns her secret early and sees in it a way to improve the lot of his employees, if he can but convince Thea - the only problem is that he's fallen in love with her and busy trying to court her. Can he not only keep her safe from the hidden threats that surround her but also convince her that love is worth the risk?

A good read, with an enjoyable romance, some science on the side, and a thread of suspense thrown in for good measure. My main quibble would be the number of ways it's similar to book 1 in the series, which made parts of it feel fairly predictable. However, I enjoyed watching Thea fight against love and James fight for it - with James winning, of course (I wouldn't have liked it otherwise!). The story is clean and well written, both of which I appreciated, and I look forward to reading Abigail's story - hopefully a little more distinct from books 1 and 2.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This is not your typical story about a bluestocking meeting her match! This is about a science-minded, sheltered young woman with some serious PTSD trying to navigate the complexities of the social season. There's angst, sweetness, and also a lot of difficult moments.

Thea Grantham is the sweet chemist at the center of the story. She as applied the lessons in chemistry she got from her father to the silk dying process and makes beautiful accessories worn by friends and family. At the time, what she was producing was not coming from domestic silk merchants and some assume she's patronizing smugglers. One suiter, James Castleroy, manages to get close to her, but she questions his motives when he reveals that his family owns a silk weaving business and he wants to adapt her process.

Along the way, James helps Thea deal with the lingering trauma of watch her mother die in a carriage accident. He's winning points with Thea and the reader with his very kind, gentle courting.

Things take a turn towards the end of the book when Thea's intellect goes out the window and she doesn't realize some very obvious lies told to her by secondary characters. In a bonkers coincidence, {spoiler ahead} the cousin of the man who kidnapped her sister in the first book in the series kidnaps Thea. She walks right into the very obvious trap. I think if the rest of the story was a little bombastic, these final events wouldn't come off as goofy as they do.

Slow Burn
Due to witnessing her mother’s death and her father’s withdrawal into grief, Thea finds contentment in her scientific experiments. She has no wish for turbulent passion with all its associated risks. Somehow James, Lord Castleroy recognises that he needs to pursue Thea slowly but a number of misunderstandings and a villain cause bumps on the path to true love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars

Not a bad story. Our heroine is a chemist but tries to keep it under wraps as it smacks of trade and commerce. She meets the hero and is drawn to him but concerned as he seems to think she's buying silks from abroad. Doesn't realise that she's evolved a process. Hero's grandfather is in trade and hero is worried the business is not doing well. Nice characters apart from the baddies ;)


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Before reading this one, I read the prequel (The Duke and the Lady Gardener) in order to have the context if so required, but eventually found that this story is a standalone and can be read on its own. I like the premise of this series by Alissa Baxter - a strong, independent heroine with a passion in the scientific field - being in STEM myself. And having an interest in several art forms, I appreciated this one even more as the heroine combines her interest in chemistry with her talent in art.

Dorothea uses her passion for Chemistry to stain silk in a unique style and then finishes off the fabric with beautiful embroidery, creating one-of-a-kind unique garments. Her garments attract a lot of attention from the people around her, which include the hero Lord Castleroy as well as smugglers. What I liked about the plot was that it is Dorothea's talents and personality that is the primary basis of attraction for Castleroy. The hero and the heroine connect more because of a kind of shared misfortune - they each have a personal matter that should have been nothing to be ashamed of, but are forced to keep it hidden due to stringent social expectations. The book also provides some insights into the silk industry in Britain in that era, as well as into the severe problem of smuggling. Though I felt that at some places the descriptions became too academic for a wider audience.

Since I read the two books one after another, some comparison became inevitable. I liked the first book better because the dialog in it was quite witty and I prefer Regency books with a bit of humor. The heroine Alexandra of Lady Gardner is much more intelligent, while Dorothea demonstrated an uncharacteristic naivete in falling into the villain's trap. Moreover, the second book seems to follow a template of the first one, because of which it lost some interest from me. Overall, it is a well written book with a charming story, though not very outstanding. I liked it and would look forward to the next one in the series.

I received an ARC from Dragonblade via NetGalley, and thank the publisher for it. The opinion expressed here is entirely my own.

This is the first time I read anything by this author and I was impressed! Very enjoyable read and interesting!

Dorothea Grantham has quite a talent for dyeing silk for her beautiful handcrafted shawls by using chemistry. Unfortunately, her silks have caught many peoples eye in England including Lord James Castleroy. Their acquaintance soon turns into an unlikely friendship. Thea must hide her scientific abilities as she is swept through London for her first Season. But the silk industry is a dangerous one; and someone has their eye on her.

I like Thea’s character and the struggles that she overcame. I would have like to have a little more chapters in Lord Casteroy’s point of view so we can see what he is thinking as everything unfolds. I feel like the part where Percival takes Thea was just thrown together because nothing really happens and it doesn’t really add anything to the story.

Interesting story with an insight to the silk industry and females in the field of chemistry. They each had a secret but turns out they are complementary as they are to each other. Of course, someone has to covet their secret process and so they had to deal with that first. The heroine has a scientific mind and uses it as a way to hide from the world of pain. He provides support and brings her out of her self imposed prison to find the freedom to be happy. A lovely story with a little history lesson as well.

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

Charming Regency romance

Our heroine, Dorothea Grantham, has a very different passion/hobby. Chemistry, and in particular the using of electricity to dye silks into brilliant colors. Thea then embroiders the fabrics, often with gold or silver thread, producing the most startling shawls and fichus.
So lovely that many think she’s wearing smuggled goods.
Britain at this stage has banned silks from Italy and France. This has become a lucrative item for smugglers and Thea finds herself the target of many knowing nods.
Thea can’t explain her silks, as her grandmother has forbidden her to discuss her hobby within the hearing of Polite Society.
One of those inquiring after her ‘purchases’ is Lord James Castleroy, a baron and a rather bothersome man who caught her coming out of her workshop with her hem ablaze after a chemistry mishap.
Unknown to Thea, James is part owner in a silk mill near Macclesfield. Hence his interest in the silks she adorns herself with. Others, with more dastardly motivations, are also interested in the provenance of Thea’s silks!
I must admit that my imagination ran riot with the description of her work.
A lively plot that uses the silk situation and Thea’s loves and fears to ground this nicely woven story set in Regency England.
Part of Dragonblade’s Sweet Dreams publications, this title is refreshingly free from anything more than delightful kisses.

A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was a different sort of Regency romance. As a history teacher, I really appreciated that the author had clearly done a lot of historical research and it shows. She even had a bibliography of the research she’d done atabout the history of the British silk industry.

The heroine, Thea, has been doing chemical research on dying silk. Apparently, this was a thing back then when there were importation bans on foreign silk to protect the British silk industry even though their silk was of inferior quality. I didn’t really understand the chemistry of what she was doing, but I’m much more clueless about science than I am about history. I enjoyed learning about the history of the silk industry. The romance and bit of suspense were a bit less intriguing for me but still fit in with the apparent cut-throat business of the silk trade back then. It was fun to learn while relaxing with a romance novel.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.