I was completed swept up in this friends-to-lovers, star-crossed romance. This was my first Julia Bennet book but now I'm eager to read her back catalog. She has a great voice for historical romance.

So, the "worst woman in London" is just a lonely wife trying to rebuild her life. Fran is trying to get a divorce from her cheating husband Edward during a time in England when women were held to impossible standards while men were held to none. Yucky Edward sends in his friend James with a counteroffer, but James soon becomes more concerned with Fran's happiness than Edward's. It's a romance about timing, following your heart rather than your head even though it can make life harder, and second chances. James and Fran were so cute together, their chemistry came off the page and their banter was fantastic.

One thing I really wish was left out was Edward's storyline with his new lady. Number one - because his mistress was FAR more likeable and interesting and Number two - because he was the philandering villain and I feel like he didn't get his just desserts in the end.

I loved this book and thought the storyline was unique which is hard to do in the romance genre which typically features the same few plots.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my
The book was okay. Oppressed woman with intenlence gets out of her husband's condescending presence.
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I do enjoy the fact that wr knew what we were getting from the book right away, Anand the characters were very distincky written. It was, however, a little slow at time.

3 1/2 stars.

This was an interesting story in that it's not a conventional Victorian romance. The story opens with the first chapter with James meeting his best friend's fiancée Francesca and realizing they are not suited to each other.
In the second chapter, it's ten years later and we see Francesca, how unhappy she is, and how she wants a divorce from her husband. He's unfaithful and doesn't care to hide his affairs, quite on the contrary, he flouts them.
Despite his behavior, society is against divorce and Francesca is shunned by society including her family. She is adamant in pursuing the divorce and Edward is not. James, as the best friend, is thrown in the middle when Edward asks him to present an offer to Francesca.
I liked that the story is not told in 1st person POV.

There are a lot of social issues in this story which made for an interesting read. It's incomprehensible to modern readers nowadays the way Francesca was shunned and condemned for petitioning a divorce while her husband paraded with his mistress in public and nobody condemned him.

Sexual content.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Divorce in Victorian times

When James Standish first met his best friend’s fiancée he knew the relationship wouldn’t work. He recognised the streak of individuality Thorne’s beloved displayed, especially her humor, her way of laughing. His friend, Edward Thorne was oblivious. He thought of Francesca Heller as everything a wife should be. Gracious, womanly, taking her rightful place at his side gladly. (If anything he was to be shocked by her sensual advances.)
Francesca wasn’t like that and two years later Thorne left Hertfordshire for London leaving his wife with his mother, whilst he cavorted his way through London, setting up a string of mistresses.
Now eight years later Fran has come to London, opened up her own house and is suing for divorce. Shock and horror! Society is both titillated and outraged. Thorne is beside himself with righteous anger (the swine!) Fran is cut by many in society including her beloved uncle and aunt, the Lytton’s, who’d raised her from a child when she’d been orphaned.
Thorne asks James to talk Fran out of divorcing him. Of course one thing leads to another and Fran and James are in lust with each other—at this stage love is in neither’s vocabulary. Them trying to avoid detection by Thorne is fraught. It could cause problems with Fran securing a divorce.
The settling of the matter takes a strange turn. Somewhat puzzling is Thorne’s standards about a woman should be seems later to turned on it’s head.
An interesting comment on divorce in these times, the double standard of society with regard to the behavior of women and men, where women are often the unkindest critics of all.
I enjoyed the part when Fran met with Thorne’s mistress he’s been flaunting all over the place.
Maybe a bit too complex towards the end.

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

As a lover of historical romances, I couldn't wait to see what this story had to offer. Especially that the title and the cover gave me feeling of something a little bit scandalous for Victorian era and I’m all for it!

The story follows Francesca Thorne, a Victorian wife trapped in a miserable marriage with a husband who is far from faithful. Francesca yearns for her freedom, especially when she falls in love with her husband's friend, a man who offers her escape. I have to say that I was really curious about the plot including the issue of divorce in Victorian society. It's not often that historical romances include such a taboo subject, so I was really curious to see how Bennet would handle it.

Francesca completely won me over. She was no hero, and she certainly wasn't perfect, but that's what made her so fascinating. It takes real courage to pursue your dreams and fight for your freedom, even if it means risking everything.

The strong bond between James and Fran, as well as James's noticeable character development, plays an important role in this book and is its highlight. I found it fascinating to witness James's growth, which was not only shaped by Fran's influence but also driven by his own motivations.

But as much as I wanted to love this book, there were a few things that made me feel a little... meh.
Like, sure, it's great to have complex characters, but I couldn't shake the feeling that we spent way too much time trying to redeem Francesca's husband. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for characters with layers, but his whole romantic subplot with another woman felt kinda forced and took away from Francesca's story.

"The Worst Woman in London" has its moments, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. Still, I appreciate Bennet's efforts in tackling rather heavy topics, and I'm really curious to see what she writes next.

Is she, really?

Francesca is trying to divorce her husband in Victorian times. That sounded promising and intriguing. James is her husband's best friend and is tasked with dissuading her. James plans to marry well, meaning not a woman already married to his best friend. James was a bit of a let down and there wasn't so much turmoil, which I was ok without that drama. But I don't think she was the worst woman in London. Far from it. Just one trying to get out of a marriage that was at its end.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ebook.

The Worst Woman in London is a husband's best friend situation and I enjoyed it. I was going to DNF this book about 25% in because I was losing interest however, I kept reading and I absolutely enjoyed the last 50% of the book. I loved reading Fran and James love story.

The Worst Woman in London by Julia Bennett presents a promising premise for a historical romance, set against the backdrop of Victorian society and featuring a forbidden love affair between Francesca and her husband's best friend, James. While the novel touches upon several intriguing themes and plot elements, it ultimately fell short for me in delivering a fully engaging and satisfying reading experience.

One of the primary issues lies in the portrayal of the central romance between Francesca and James. Despite the potential for a passionate and tumultuous love story, their relationship often felt underdeveloped and lacking in genuine chemistry. The interactions between the characters, while significant for character growth, failed to evoke the depth of emotion expected in a romantic narrative. This disconnect between the characters' actions and my emotional investment detracted from the overall enjoyment of the book. It's a personal preference for a much more passionate take.

The narrative structure also presented challenges, with sporadic shifts in point-of-view and inconsistent character motivations. The frequent switches between perspectives, including those of Francesca, James, and even Francesca's husband Edward, can lead to confusion and disrupt the flow of the story. This lack of narrative cohesion hindered me to fully immerse myself in the characters' experiences and diminished the impact of key plot developments.

Additionally, while the character development for James is commendable, other aspects of the characterization did not resonate strongly with me. Edward, portrayed as a convincing antagonist, underwent a secondary romance subplot that felt forced or unnecessary, and detracted from the focus on Francesca and James' relationship. This narrative choice, coupled with inconsistent character behaviors, contributed to a sense of disjointedness within the story.

Furthermore, the execution of certain thematic elements, such as the exploration of Victorian divorce norms and societal expectations, while informative, may not be seamlessly integrated into the narrative. Or I just didn't feel the way it was incorporated. The balance between historical context and storytelling could be improved to create a more cohesive and immersive reading experience.

In conclusion, while The Worst Woman in London offered intriguing insights into Victorian society and featured moments of character growth, it struggled to deliver a compelling and emotionally resonant romance. The issues with character chemistry, narrative structure, and thematic execution detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of 'The Worst Woman in London' in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast read for me! I thought that Francesca seeking a divorce was a novel plot and I appreciated learning more about how divorce worked in this era. Bennet also fully fleshed out the women in this book and I was particularly glad to see Mrs. Kirkpatrick not stereotyped. I liked the shifting of perspectives as well. I did feel that Francesca's relationship with James could have taken some more time to develop; similarly, Edmund's character development felt a bit abrupt to me.

'best friend from your brother' trope? more like 'best friend form your husband'!

It was a decent read, althougt the main characters felt more like friends than lovers to me. It was lacking the swoonig i am used to in historical romances, but it was a fun read anyway. Now i am glad that we're living in the times where i would just divorce my husband if i wanted to (i do not want to divorce him, but it feels nice thinking that i could).

It didn't get me Bridgerton vibes, but i have a feeling that every historical romance book right now is called 'like Bridgerton' (and i will buy every book called that)


This book is about forbidden romance between to people, but the thing is, are their feelings strong enough for them to fight the whole society? Are they ready to become outsiders just because they are in love?


I am very grateful for the opportunity to get my hands on this book!

I enjoyed this one it was very cute regency romance

I wish it was longer tho i would ve liked that more

Thank you netgalley for the arc 🫶🏻🫶🏻

The Worst Woman in London by Julia Bennet is a captivating historical romance novel that tells the story of James Standish and Francesca Thorne. James is a respectable gentleman who knows how to play society's game. He's set to follow the rules and marry a virginal debutante to inherit a massive fortune. However, his plans change when he meets Francesca Thorne, who is already married to James's friend Edward.

Francesca is determined to divorce her philandering husband and flout convention. James is tasked with convincing her to abandon her dream of freedom, but he's unprepared for the passion that flares between them. As they're torn apart by conflicting desires, they must choose whether to keep chasing the lives they've always wanted or take a chance on a new and forbidden love.

The author has done an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and making them relatable to the readers. James and Francesca are well-developed, and their struggles are relatable. The world-building is excellent, and the descriptions of the setting and society are vivid.

The Worst Woman in London is a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical romance novels. The book is beautifully written, and the plot twists keep the readers engaged. The story is well-paced, and the characters are engaging and memorable. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.

I got 25% into this book and I had to DNF. I couldn’t connect with the characters because of the 3rd person element. I also think I realized that historical fiction is just not my kind of read.

JUST… AHHHHHH!!! I cannot get enough! I thought everything about this was perfect! I love a good forbidden romance and this one was done so beautifully! I cannot wait to read more from this author!

This is a very unique romance, and I really enjoyed it. What makes it unusual is that I knew there would be a happy ending since it's a romance, but I really did not know how the author was going to get to that happy ending.

Francesca Thorne wants a divorce, but this is Victorian England and divorces are hard to get and incredibly scandalous. Francesca and her husband Edward have been married for 10 years and separated for 8. He's been chronically unfaithful to her and put no effort whatsoever into the marriage. But this is the Victorian, so Francesca is expected to put on a smile and put up with it.

Edward sends his best friend James Standish to try to get Francesca to drop the divorce. It doesn’t work, but it does lead to them reestablishing their friendship. This friendship eventually leads to love. This is a very angsty romance. If Francesca and James give in to their feelings and they're found out, the stakes are very high: James will lose his inheritance and position and Francesca may not be able to get her divorce.

I really liked this book, but it's also infuriating to read about how unfair society was (and still is in many ways) to women. Francesca is treated as a pariah for not shutting up and letting her husband walk all over her, while no one minds that Edward is a jerk who can't keep it in his pants. There's a scene where the estranged spouses are both at the opera, and he's pawing his mistress, a notorious courtesan, in public and yet everyone is staring daggers at Francesca.

Overall, this is a really great book. It made me rage against the patriarchy, but I liked how the story played out and how much the hero grew as a person. I also really wish Edward got his comeuppance, but how things played out were historically accurate, just less satisfying to me personally.

When in want of a divorce from a philandering terrible husband, the one thing you definitely shouldn't be doing is falling for his best friend... and he might also be the man to jeopardize your chance at freedom if anyone finds out. James Standish has always been one to play society's games, someone who has valued money and done what was expected of him to get his inheritance. So when he first meets Francesca Thorne, he just knew she wasn't the person to marry his best friend Edward. Now years later Francesca is demanding a divorce and Edward has asked James to speak to her and convince her to stay married to him, despite the fact that he is constantly sleeping around and parading his mistresses about. Francesca has been miserable in her marriage, Edward makes her miserable, he humiliates her, belittles her, and has been everything but an actual husband to her. She wants freedom, she wants to be freed of him, yet he refuses, he expects her to be his wife and be fine with his adultery and accept it... but Fran will not. Fran and James have a somewhat friendship between them over the years that they've met. James is meant to convince Fran to abandon her dreams of freedom but he doesn't expect to be falling for her himself. Fran is completely off limits since she is his best friend's wife... only James is beginning to see Edward for who he really is and begins to question if he wants to be friends with someone like that. Fran knows that if she falls for James it'll ruin her chances at freedom, especially if someone finds out and tells Edward and he uses it in the divorce court to deny her her divorce.... yet the more time James and Fran spend together the harder it becomes to resist. All the while, Jame's aunt is trying to find him a "suitable" match and abhors Fran, yet James is finding that maybe what he wants more than anything, more than money and his inheritance, is the love that is beginning to bloom with Fran. Can he convince her that she is it for him or will she slip through his fingers again? This was a fun historical romance, though you spend a majority of the novel being angry for Fran and everything she is being forced to go through from both her husband and society. i loved that James really did fall so hard for Fran and wanted her happiness above everything else. They both had a great bond but my only real major dislike was the fact that Edward had his own romance in the story and it felt undeserving after everything he did. I did not enjoy him getting a happy ending, I hated that he had a romance with someone so young and we are just suppose to support him and this poor woman that is next in line, despite everything he put Fran through???? Please no way. I disliked that random bonus romance for him and could have absolutely done without it. If i ever saw him it's on sight, I swear. Like you expect me to believe that this terrible philanderer suddenly just changed his entire ways and personality in the span of a few weeks after meeting this woman and sleeping with her ONE time and he barely even knows her? Get out of here. Besides that, I did enjoy Fran and James's love story and would recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and Union Square & Co. - A subsidiary of Sterling Publishing | Union Square & Co. for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read The Worst Woman in London! Historical Romances aren't usually my thing, but this was spicy and fun, and I really enjoyed it!

I found this book a very enjoyable and well written read, and will definitely look out for future books by this author.
The chemistry between Fran and James was adorable. I loved how their relationship built from half-hearted dislike to liking to friendship to love. Their dialogue was amusing and their pleasure in each other’s company added richness to their sexual spark. They were complex and felt plausible, and as a reader I really rooted for them to achieve their happy ever after.
The premise of the book hooked me from the start and I found the storyline about the difficulties for a Victorian woman in trying to obtain a divorce very interesting.
This book could have been a 5 star read but for me there were some points which jarred a little: primarily the plot line involving Edward’s new love interest. It seemed to me that he desired her for all the qualities he disliked about his wife, which felt implausible. I can understand that his new passion was a useful plot device, but it didn’t quite ring true for me. I also disliked the frequent head-hopping which will hopefully be ironed out in the final copy (I read an ARC). Finally, a personal preference this - given that the story is set in Britain, I disliked the use of American spellings and felt that U.K. English spelling would have been more appropriate.
Overall though, a highly entertaining read and a satisfying, at times steamy romance.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had a great overall feel to the historical feel and was everything that I was looking for. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how the overall feel of this Victorian romance element going on. Julia Bennet has a great writing style and I enjoyed how good the timeline was. I enjoyed the romance elements and thought the characters worked and it was realistic. I enjoyed the way it was written and glad I was able to read this.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was incredibly fun, just watching the romance play out with all its twists and turns. Is it improbably? Yeah. But I loved the characters, especially their growth. This is a great example of the genre and I was fully immersed.