Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. The Lady Petra mysteries are very cute and this does pick up right where the last one left off so can be read right in a row. It is somewhat true to history but also not which makes it fun for readers to see exactly what is going to occur next. Another moment of communication gone awry which could have been easily resolved but this is the main conceit, You may know what you are getting as you go into this book but you will still enjoy the ride. 3.5 stars.

All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is the latest in the Lady Petra Inquires series. Once again Lady Petra is investigating a murder, but as she starts to gather the clues she believes Duncan killed her fiancé and is plotting against the Crown. As she gets closer to solving the murder she and her friends are caught in the killer’s crosshairs. Will she be able solve the murder before the killer strikes again, this time very close to home? Read All’s Fair in Love and Treachery to find out.
I love that the author has created several strong and independent female characters in this series including the main character. I loved catching up with Lady Petra, Duncan, and the rest of the gang and can’t wait to read what happens next for all of them.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for my honest review.*

I wouldn't call myself a fan of the Regency novels, but this series is a mixture of Regency and cozy mystery and just sucks you right into the pages! Lady Petra is a curious rule-breaker in 1815 England and her friends follow her where ever she leads them on adventures and investigating. I enjoy the pacing and the plot and the twists and the characters. And while I may start the novels in this series with a bit of dread for the frivolous phrases and wording from the 1815's, it does not take long at all before I am swallowed up by everything in the stories.

I could not love this series more!

This was such a fantastic read! I really enjoyed the first one, and I was excited to see where this one would go! Lady Petra has a lot going on, with her personal life, and with what she's been tasked by the Queen to deal with, yeah, I had to keep reading!

Petra's personal life is in turmoil. The idea that her current lover might have killed her fiancé when it was thought to be an accident, yeah, that's a horrible thought. But given that her instigation into the death of a orphanage matron tied into his looking into a group trying to take down the monarchy, things are messy.

The Napoleon War might just have been settled for good (the internet told me that he stayed in exile until he died this time) but it was a time of upheaval, and now that it's over, society has to find it's footing again. But many don't want to go back to the way that it was, leading to plots against the monarchy that Petra gets tangled up with.

Absolutely loved the mystery, it was so intriguing to read, and I love following Petra as she investigates. This book had a lot going on, and it was all so great! And I'm glad that this is a series, so we'll get more time with her, and more mysteries to solve!

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Celeste Connally!

This is the second book in this series and since I enjoyed the first one so much I was excited to when this one came out. I found however that I didn't like it as much as the first. There are a lot of characters from the first book who make an appearance, but I often found that I couldn't keep them straight which made the story a little confusing at first. I also found that the story just wasn't as interesting as the first, and it took me longer to get interested in the book. I found the ending to be mostly satisfactory though and am glad I finished but feel like if I had not read it I wouldn't have been missing much. If the author chooses to publish a third I would give it a try, after all this might just be a blip, but this one wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 25%

I like (but didn't love) the first book in this series, but wasn't sure if the issues I had with it were debut book issues or if I just didn't connect with the author. All's Fair in Love and Treachery had a lot of the same elements that I didn't enjoy in the first book, so I think this is a not for me situation.

I love the vibes of a lady detective solving mysteries and having more agency over her life than we see in many historicals. What I struggle with is that the world felt so big and there were so many characters, I struggled to keep them straight. I also always felt like I was watcing a conversation between people who have known each other forever, and I have just met, and felt left out of much of the context.

While I do like cozy historical mysteries, I like mine to have as much focus on the romance as the mystery plot, so I think this series just reads more like a mystery than a romance, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys that balance!

(Thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing an eARC of the book to review.)

The story was bogged down by descriptions and wordy sentences, and Petra's thoughts were repetitive. There wasn't much mystery-solving, and a character even told Petra everything about one of the mysteries. The lack of character depth and development, paired with the predictable mystery, was disappointing.

There’s so much glamorization of past eras which, frankly, were probably, all-too-frequently, anything but.

I’ve done it, you’ve done it.

The Regency era, though, certainly wasn’t without its charms.

That showiness—of anyone who had a title, money, or was somehow positioned favorably—of the time, combined with the delicious intricacies of what was (and was not) acceptable, have made for compelling reading in more modern ages since... well, the Regency, when Austen, and others, were penning their tales (of men with fortunes in want of wives, and whatnot).

The clothing... the manners... the balls and luncheons and teas and promenades... the rules that polite society (mostly) followed... We need look no further than the massive success of Bridgerton (both book series and Netflix show), to understand the widespread appeal of it all.

But what if something even more exciting than who had their hat set at whose fortune—like, say, an unsolved murder—were at play... with a rather striking and headstrong young woman responsible for figuring it all out?

Ah, in that case, you’d get the second in author Celeste Connally’s series about just such a gal, All’s Fair in Love and Treachery.


When you’re an invited guest to the court of Britain’s Queen Charlotte, you know a couple of things.

You’d best be on your very best behavior... and your reply should always be “yes” to whatever the queen asks of you.

So, when Lady Petra Forsyth finds herself in that very position, and the queen requests that she get to the bottom of a murder(!) at the Asylum for Female Orphans—the untimely demise of the orphanage’s matron, herself—she readily acquiesces.

But, after just a small amount of digging, Petra is disheartened. There are three prime suspects: one of the older orphaned residents of the home, the woman who was second-in-charge, and one of Petra’s own dearest friends, a generous patroness.

Nonetheless, when Queen Charlotte tasks you with a duty, you fulfill it, so Petra soldiers on... only to find that her not-so-secret paramour, one Duncan Shawcross (another favorite of Her Majesty, in a performing-of-clandestine-missions sort of way) is also somehow involved.

But, when Petra tries to find him, she discovers that he has also disappeared... with one of the few clues—a letter, which one of her sources claims to have seen—missing, along with him.

With a plot that grows increasingly complicated by the moment—traversing London, on a quest to find missing persons, waylaid missives, and put a stop to what sounds more and more like a deadly mutiny directed at the very monarchy, itself—Petra, along with a group of friends, acquaintances, and even enemies, engages in a mad race against the clock.

Because as surely as London is currently in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime, citywide celebration of Napoleon’s surrender at Waterloo, Petra understands that she, her friends, and the much-nearer powers that be are in grave danger of something far worse than any of them can imagine.


This was the first Celeste Connally book I’ve read, but I’m hooked.

Connally absolutely nails the Regency intrigues, manners, and pageantry—all the fun of the things long lost to us—while also imbuing it with a bit of modern sensibility.

Lady Petra is no shrinking violet... there’s nary a scene where she’s embroidering anything, nor playing a convenient pianoforte. Instead, she’s a smart, clever, and headstrong young woman, bent on forging her own path, on her own terms.

Definitely a woman whose exploits Ms. Austen would’ve enjoyed reading about, hmm?

And honestly, I can’t think of anything more delightful than that. All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is a wholehearted YES from me.

~GlamKitty

This historical mystery is an enjoyable read, though it has some flaws. Lady Petra, the main character, is a determined sleuth, but her impulsive decisions and the underdeveloped supporting cast can be frustrating. While the mystery itself is engaging, the pacing can feel uneven, and it helps to have read the first book in the series to fully appreciate the story (which I did not).

While promising, all's Fair in Love and Treachery is a historical mystery novel with a meandering plot and underdeveloped characters. The central mystery, intertwining the death of a viscount with a more recent fatality at an orphanage, is intriguing but bogged down by excessive repetition.
Lady Petra Forsyth, our amateur sleuth, is a conflicted heroine torn between her past and present. While her passion is commendable, her frequent distractions hinder her investigative prowess. Though serviceable, the supporting cast lacks depth and relies heavily on the reader's familiarity with the previous book.
The novel's pacing could be more consistent, with the crucial clues emerging abruptly in the latter half, feeling more contrived than cleverly deduced. While charming, the romance between Petra and Shawcross feels extraneous.
Despite its shortcomings, the story remains accessible, and the historical setting is well-realized. However, a prior reading of the first book is essential to truly appreciate the full depth of the narrative and its characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting! I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Celeste Connally. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I couldn't read all of it, after about 30% of the story I began to skip around. What I found was just as uninteresting. I didn't like Petra, the lead character, or the other characters to be honest. The plot was more contemporary than historical and I felt it was forced into the genre when it would have been better off in modern time. Reading the first book would help a lot, it seems to pick up right where the first ended and it was confusing.

#All'SFairinLoveandTreachery #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #whodoneit #LadyPetraInquires

Celeste Connelly knows how to write a mystery that keeps you on your toes! I have been anxiously awaiting the second book in the series since the first one ended on such a cliff hanger. I’m pleased to report that the 2nd book in the series did not disappoint. I adore Lady Petra and her friends, and every chapter in this book had me flipping to the next page to see what would happen. Highly recommend for historical mystery fans.

I received the ebook and audiobook as Arcs from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley!!

This book, like the first one, is a fun historical mystery with memorable characters that keep the story moving. The pros are definitely the overwhelming compassion and respect shown by the main character to everyone she meets, her tenaciousness and determination to solve the mystery and catch the bad guy, and the relationships among her friends. The cons - sometimes our FMC does the “I’m going to make a stupid decision that I know is dangerous, find myself in a perilous situation, and then act like I had it handled all along when someone jumps in to save me.” She runs right into situations that she should anticipate seeing as how she is this wonderful detective that solves murders and cracks open cases involving political subterfuge, spies, and well guarded secrets from the elite and wealthy. My other con is the openess of the female characters about their sex lives. I don’t doubt that it occurred but the amount of times they made statements about their sex lives in ear shot of so many others seems unrealistic. One of the characters seems to be doing an impression of Samantha from Sex in the City but in carriages and at balls.

The narrator was well spoken and fun to listen to. She provided just the right amount of sass and snark to our FMC and enough differentiation to the voices used for the other characters, that each was unique and distinguishable. 4 ⭐️

Thanks, Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books, for the ALC and arc!

I needed the second book when I finished the first book in the LADY PETRA INQUIRIES series. One year is much too long to wait, but I have to say the wait for ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND TREACHERY was worth it. Lady Petra returned strong, smart, and snarky, and I love her so much. She also gets the best book blurb, “BRIDGERTON meets Agatha Christie in this dazzling next installment in a captivating Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin.” Are you excited about her books now?

The ending of the first book solved a case but left us with a devious cliffhanger that surprised me. I started reading as soon as I received the arc because I had to find out what would happen. I missed the audiobook and ended up pausing my read until I got the new audiobook because Eilidh Beaton is such a good narrator for this series!! I love her voice for Lady Petra! Plus, her side characters are excellent! Reading is a splendid decision, but I adore this series on audio.

I love how quirky this series is. It truly is BRIDGERTON meets Agatha Christie. We get the gorgeous dress descriptions, the events of the ton, the tea, and then we get the crime-solving - sometimes in the silliest of ways!

If you’re a fan of either of the previously mentioned series, this is a series for you!

This is book 2 in the Lady Petra Inquires series. They can be read as stand alone novels, but you get more from book 2 if you read book 1 first. The narrator for the audio book is Eilidh Beaton and she did a wonderful job. She also narrated the first book, Think Like a Lady, Act Like a Lord.

Set in 1815, Lady Petra is requested to investigate a murder at the all female's orphanage by Queen Charlotte. Meanwhile, her lover and childhood best friend, Duncan Shawcross, is also working from a different angle on the same case. They cross paths but do they work together or pull against one another for the investigation?

I enjoyed the setting and the characters. I loved both Lady Petra and Duncan from the first book. The sub-characters are really fun to get to know also. I hope there are more books with some of them having a larger part in the investigating (or perhaps as suspects again). The one thing that always unsettles me on books such as this, with an outspoken female, is wondering how realistic it would have been. Way back when, I don't believe there were a lot of moments where a woman was allowed to speak her mind in public, so sometimes I get a little hung up on that. If you like the regency era time, you will enjoy this book.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.

I really wanted to like this book. While I enjoy some of the characters, there are still too many, which I didn't like about the first book. It becomes a chore to keep them straight, and then my mind isn't on the story. The mystery is pretty good.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is the second in the series and I find myself liking Petra and Duncan a lot more. There were a lot of characters and I am glad I made myself a character list as I needed to reference it often. In the beginning the head of the girls orphanage is found dead and Petra starts an investigation. She also finds a note claiming that Duncan murdered her fiance, Emerson. There was a lot of intrigue that at times i found hard to follow and familial connections that were all eventually explained.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a digital copy

The sequel was enjoyable and provided more insight into Petra's long-lost fiancé as well as her current love interest.

The mystery was well-crafted and kept me engaged throughout.

I still absolutely adore Sable—what a standout puppy!

The dynamic with the Duchess manipulating Petra was intriguing, especially since some of the seemingly innocent characters weren’t entirely forthcoming with her. I didn’t quite understand why they insisted on her piecing things together on her own. I’m particularly looking at the Duchess and the main male character here.

The ending tied everything up nicely, with some unexpected twists and turns that genuinely surprised me.

Overall, I had a great time with this book!

Thank you to Minotaur books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was so much fun! I love this series and this one was even better. Whenever I’m deep into fantasy and need a break, I grab a mystery and this was the perfect solution. I love Celeste’s prose and I can’t get enough. Petra was such a fun character to follow and I loved that this is a historical mystery. It was so fun to read. I read it in two sittings. I definitely think if you’re a mystery or historical fan, you need to pick this one up!