4.5 Stars
Lady Pheobe Hunt was shipped off to America to pay for her crimes and has spent the last few years there. Now she’s back in England to help her mother and sister get situated after the death of her father. What a horrible man!

Sam Fenley, an enterprising and now wealthy businessman, wants to buy their London Estate and agrees to help them catalog their country house and get it and the contents ready for auction as well. He thinks he might offer for the younger sister, she’s beautiful and titled and it would be a step into the aristocracy that Sam has been looking for. However, Lady Phoebe is the one that captures his attention with her icy demeanor, sharp wit and air of sadness that hangs about her like a cloak.

There’s a lot of bad memories and ghosts for the poor Hunt women! Sam was the breath of fresh air needed as they sorted things out! I absolutely loved him! He was kind, confident, and determined but didn’t take himself too seriously.

Lady Phoebe Hunt was introduced in the previous series, and she certainly was a villainess, but of course, there was far more to her story.

The Lady Sparks a Flame was lovely! The writing was gorgeous and clever with splashes of humor that balanced out some of the more serious parts. The romance was delicious and spicy with the perfect foundation and buildup! I think fans of Tessa Dare or Lisa Kleypas would definitely enjoy this story! Characters from the past series figure in and appear here, but I feel you could read the story as a standalone.

In a nutshell: Black cat girlfriend meets golden retriever boyfriend.

This book started rather slowly, but it eventually picked up once the romance kicked into gear in the latter half. I will say I did not feel as strongly about the intrigue aspect of this book as I did with its predecessor. However, I did enjoy peeling back the layers of Phoebe and seeing her find happiness with someone who loved her wholly for who she is.

Another highlight, aside from Phoebe's relationship with Sam, is Phoebe's relationship with her sister Karolina. Both are vastly different people. But they are both highly intelligent and insightful in their ways, and it was great to see them come to understand each other.

I don't even know what to say. This book is so great, just wonderful. Elizabeth is bold and brash and beautiful in her words, her prose, and her message. 

I absolutely adored Phoebe and felt her pain and her loneliness and her anger at the world and herself. Sam was absolutely adorable in his clumsiness and his honesty. He was also ridiculously brave, unabashedly loving Phoebe from the beginning IMO. He just didn't realize it. He refused to give in to the attacks Phoebe lobbed at him or give up on her. He saw through her anger and her sharp bladed tongue and even sharper wit as she constantly waged war with those around her.

At first I was a little hesitant because I thought this was going to be a love triangle, but I should have had faith in Elizabeth (sorry babes!), knowing that she would quickly squash that and make it very clear that Sam knew who he really wanted (Phoebe). And maybe to finally not trip over air but that's another battle to be waged, dear Sam.

The book was dark at times especially when Phoebe, her mother, and her sister visit their ancestral home. But Elizabeth provides great moments of levity to counterbalance all the darkness and trauma that permeates this home; trauma that predates Phoebe and her family, going back generations, centuries even. Elizabeth provides humor, clever banter, rays of joy to pull us gently from the moments of sadness and regret. As I read, I was often consumed by these darker parts, that weighed on Phoebe and Sam, BUT as I read them, I was also able to process it with Sam and slowly heal with Phoebe.

I highly recommend A Lady Sparks a Flame. This might be Elizabeth's best book to date and that is saying a lot considering her other books are outstanding. I don't even know that I have enough words to convince you to try this one. But if you have ever been mad at the yourself for acting out in a way that harmed you and you cannot forgive yourself OR angry at the world and lashed out brashly with regret because of the consequences of your actions OR if you've just been mad at the world for being THE WORLD, this book is for you. May it spark hope, love, and faith in humanity, but also faith and forgiveness in yourself. 

Thank you Elizabeth Everett and Berkley for the Advanced Review Copy.

An incendiary, mesmerizing romance about a woman who’s built a fortress around her heart and the determinedly pugnacious man who wants to tear it down.

He’s a ten, but…
He calls you a villainess of majestic proportions…
He’s afraid of ghosts…
He doesn’t understand what’s so great about pictures of fruit…

She’s a ten but….
She wants to overthrow the patriarchy…
She has a penchant for blowing things up…
She calls you a blockhead…

The Lady Sparks a Flame delves into the complex personality of a woman the world perceives as callous and brittle - a woman who has forged her own way her entire life in a bid to escape the haunting demons of her childhood. Those demons have made Phoebe strong and formidable. They have given her an incisive wit she wields like a weapon.Her constant teasing of Sam is her way of keeping him at a distance, and watching him slowly convince her to let down her defenses was one of the most tender, empathic love stories I’ve ever read.

Read this book if you love tender cinnamon roll heroes who are fierce in their loving and don’t shy away from jagged edges or scorn that masks vulnerability. Read this book if you love heroines who learn to love their scars- to truly see them as badges of courage and the things that have made them invincible and inviolable in the face of cruelty and violence. Read this book if you want to laugh and have your heart torn out.

Favorite quotes:
She needed to feel something other than the guilt and grief her mother’s gesture laid upon her. Phoebe’s fingers tightened around the ivory carving in her hand, breathing with relief at the pain where its sharp edges cut into her skin.

It was this notion of surrender that sent a wave of fear through her, frost smothering the fire of desire. Phoebe pulled Sam’s hands away from her face, ready to hurt him, ready to rend herself as well when he let out a gasp. His palm was streaked with her blood.

If the squinty-eyed, prodigiously endowed little gremlins cavorting on the rood screens below could see him, they would piss themselves with laughter as he tried to reach his arm up and over the angry woman who writhed next to him.

That sigh undid something tight within him. He knew this woman now. Knew she would never flat-out say she needed help. That she was overwhelmed and tired and so sad. Phoebe Hunt would have to be safe to use those words. Sam Fenley wanted to give her safety.

Phoebe’s anger had resulted in the creation of a chemical bomb. A bomb was exactly what Sam wanted to level at the world when he heard Phoebe’s story. Phoebe wasn’t a villainess. She was an avenger whose anger had been misdirected because the man who hurt her was beyond her reach. He drew closer but Phoebe held up a hand, palm facing him, to stop him.

All she’d wanted was to live loud enough that no one could erase her.

“Hmmph.” Phoebe made a sound of disagreement, but said nothing more. She would put up a fight; Sam knew it in his bones, but it would be a good fight. A fair fight. A fight worth getting hurt in when all was said and done. Phoebe had lived up until now equating love with pain. Sam was going to help her unlearn that equation.

Phoebe had seen to the heart of him, seen the man behind the jokes and smiles. Every time she’d examined him, she’d come away with indisputable findings; he did deflect with humor, he did need to step back and appreciate his successes. She couldn’t have come up with these theories if she didn’t care for him, worry about him . . . love him. And Sam loved Phoebe in return. Loved her in a way that had permeated his bones. This was a love he’d never wanted to find. He’d been permanently altered; loving this woman ran through his veins, his fingers, his mouth, his words, and his dreams from now until the day he died.

Their love would be huge and unwieldy and require he strip himself as bare as she had when she admitted to her scars. Sam wanted that love more than anything.

Love is an invisible current like electricity. It has the power to pull the world out from beneath your feet, to light you up, or to propel you forward into the unknown. Their love gave off a spark, and a spark is all it takes to set the world on fire.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book. These opinions are my own.

This is the second book of the Damsels of Discover series. But I found it called back even more to Elizabeth Everett's previous series, the Secret Scientists of London. Indeed, I strongly recommend reading A Lady's Formula for Love before reading this. I had already read and loved all of those, so I was even more excited to learn about the many crossovers in characters.

I really like a complicated FMC, and wow, did Phoebe deliver. She has been living in exile in the US, but she returns to England to help her mom and sister settle her father's affairs. She is perceived as quite the villainess, and I enjoyed learning her backstory so much.

We knew just a bit of Samuel previously, and he brings a mix of golden retriever energy with incredible business acumen. I loved how nuanced and dynamic both characters were.

The plot was a bit quieter than I expected, as much took place in a remote (and haunted?) manor in the country. But that just left more space for character development and romance. I especially appreciated how beautifully consent was handled in this book.

But most of all, I loved the description of science:
"she understood why women scientists threatened men. Why the world was ambivalent toward scientists in general. Science proved men and women were made of the same stuff. That the same life force flowed through colonizers and the people they oppressed... Science is a truth hard to swallow."

I will continue reading every historical romance Elizabeth Everett writes. Her books are so relevant right now with their strong women fighting the patriarchy.

CW: self harm

4.25 stars

Oh my goodness, what a great read! It's been a minute since I've read a book by Elizabeth Everett, and I'd almost forgotten how immersive, fun, and clever her writing is. The Lady Sparks a Flame is the second book in her Damsels of Discovery series and is set in Victorian England. While you wouldn't think of that time period as especially great for anyone who wasn't an aristocratic white man, Elizabeth demonstrates how many stringent societal rules are in flux by having a fallen aristocrat fall for a wealthy merchant... to the surprise of them both. The story is full of action, adventure, and some very good spice - definitely worth a read!

I LOVE a villain redemption story, and it's so interesting to see how this can be done with a female FMC. Phoebe has been through so much pain and trauma, but all she really wants is to find her place in the world. She's smart, driven, and sensitive, but it makes a lot of sense why she has little trust for most men. I truly believe that sweet golden retriever Sam is uniquely suited to finally make her feel worthy of love. I am OBSESSED with Sam. He's very much aware of his humble origins, which he often uses to his advantage, and while he initially courts Phoebe's sister as a way to gain social status, it's pretty clear from early on that he's met his match in Phoebe. I love that he's one of the few people to make her laugh and smile, an how obviously besotted he is with her.

I'll end this by saying how bummed I am that Elizabeth is not going to be able to continue this series as it stands. Modern historical romance is so freaking GOOD and NEEDED right now. This isn't your grandmother's historical romance - give it a shot!

A lady with a past.
A man with ambition.
A romance to celebrate.

This series is one NOT to be missed so mark your TBR. You’ll rage, like its heroine, against the patriarchy. Phoebe’s character is complicated, yet she yearns for love and respect. Together with Sam, they put their trust in one another for a slow-burn historical love story.

Sam is a delightful cinnamon role with his clumsiness. He’s sexy, ridiculous at times, forgiving and kind. Just get to the epilogue, and you’ll simply fall even more in love with him.

Thanks for the free book Berkley Romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I wouldd recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-woman in stem
-the characters we loved from other books
-opposites attract
-slow burn
-close proximity
-political intrigue

Elizabeth Everett's books always feel like an act of rebellion of just screaming against the patriarchy and the lady Sparks a Flame was no different. About how the impact of men as we grow up continues to reverberate throughout our life and how it also impact people in the family differently. I really enjoyed how we got a different look at Phoebe who was such a cmplicated character from other books in this series. Contrasting her experiences and her family with Sam. The trust they put in each other, the slow burn as they fell. I just loved everything about this book and the world Elizabeth created and I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Everett for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was far and away one of the best books I've read so far this year and I would go so far as to say it will end up in my top 10 of 2025.

Lady Phoebe Hunt, sort-of bomber (she designed an incendiary device, and gave it to a criminal who used it and killed a police officer), has returned from exile in America to prepare her properties and items for sale. She needs to raise funds to support her sister and mother once she returns to Chicago. Meanwhile, Sam Fenley, entrepreneur, is always on the lookout for a good investment; the Hunt properties are appealing and a title vis-a-vis marriage to Phoebe's sister Lady Karolina is even more so.

Of course, Sam strikes immediate sparks (pun intended; Phoebe's great scientific love is the study of electricity) with the wrong sister. Like the FMC in the other book I read this week, Phoebe has a LOT of baggage and is a very prickly character. Her baggage includes multilevel trauma and many, many years of repressed pain and emotions, and it is understandable that it takes a lot of effort to move through it.

I LOVED everything about this book. The characters were GREAT: I loved klutzy golden retriever Sam, I loved thorny Phoebe, I loved the squabbling between Grantham and Arthur and Greycliff. I loved survivor Moti and insightful Karolina. Letty and Violet were great too. The dialogue was snappy, the plot moved quickly, and there was even some humor tucked in there, too.
All in all this was a 5 star read for me. HIGHLY recommended although as always ymmv :)

Happy pub day to The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett.

The Lady Sparks a Flame is book two in the Damsels of Discovery series. Everett loves to bring us a strong woman with convictions as our heroine. And in this book we also get a really charming, flirty, golden retriever of a man who I was in love with.

Lady Phoebe Hunt was exiled to America after an invention of hers kills a man (it's a little confusing) and she's back because her terrible dad has died and she's trying to help her mom and sister with their new impoverished life. Sam Fenley is rich - but he's not nobility, he got his money by *gasp* working. He really wants the aristocracy to take him seriously so what if he marries Phoebe's sister? Oh wait, he actually doesn't like the sister, he's taken by the very snarly racoon of a woman that is Phoebe. I really really love Sam. He is so easygoing and also hot. And really loves his sisters. And all he wants in the whole world is for Phoebe to feel safe and supported after a really awful upbringing.

Thank you to Everett, Berkley, and NetGalley for the advanced review copy. Check out The Lady Sparks a Flame! All hail historical romance!

The Lady Sparks a Flame is without a doubt my favorite story from Elizabeth Everett. It has everything I loved from all of her previous books, but then a little extra something that really appealed to me.

Phoebe and Sam absolutely stole my heart. I am obsessed with them. Sorry!! Phoebe’s past was so heartbreaking, and I loved watching her open up, learn to trust, but also take accountability for her actions in the past. Sam is TOP TIER!! Absolutely my new number one Dandelion Boy™. This was ultimate grumpy-sunshine dynamic and I’m here for it. He was kind, patient, witty, and completely in tune with what Phoebe needed. Their chemistry was everything, and they just might be my favorite romance couple of the year.

The atmosphere of every setting was so well done. Phoebe’s family home was eerie and haunting, but then their time in London was warm and exciting. There were so many layers of family secrets to unravel which kept me hooked, and Everett’s writing was immersive and well researched as always.

I’m SCREAMING at you to add this book to your TBR if you’re looking for historical romance with a golden retriever hero, feminist scientists, creepy manors, and off the charts chemistry.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for an opportunity to read this ARC!

I'm just gonna be honest right out of the gate, this book started off really slow for me and usually for me to stay interested in a book it has to hook me within the first 100 or so pages. This book didn't really do that for me, but nevertheless I persisted. It picked up about 2/3 of the way through for me. If you need to be hooked within the first few chapters, then this may not be the book for you. With that being said I loved the black cat x golden retriever aspect between the two main characters! I absolutely live for a black cat FMC and golden retriever MMC. Also do make sure you check your TW before reading this book. The FMC, Phoebe, does have a troubled past and that is prevalent within the story, especially with how she dealt with some of her trauma. I will say that this story had excellent representation of some of the more sensitive topics within the story. I also think while her story was relatable it wasn't the most interesting so again, I wasn't really hooked. I think my favorite part of this book was the MMC, Sam, he truly was the best part of this story. His overall banter and demeanor had me cackling throughout most of the story. I think this book would be great for people that felt like they could relate to Phoebe and enjoy books with slower pacing!

The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett ❤️
The Damsels of Discovery, Book 2
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Historical Romance
ARC Review
384 pages
🗓️ March 25

❤️grumpy x sunshine
❤️golden retriever MMC
❤️(in recovery) morally gray FMC
❤️maybe sister’s suitor
❤️close proximity

📍“All she’d wanted was to live loud enough that no one could erase her.”

📍“You are compelling for the whole of you, not only the part that makes me laugh.”

Can villains have redemption? They sure can if written by Elizabeth Everett. I deeply regret not having read the other previous series to which this book connects heavily. Not that it was needed but I wanted to feel that same feeling of pleasant recognition I experienced every time they mentioned America or anything else related to the first book in this series of interconnected standalones.

I didn’t particularly connect with Phoebe. I didn’t particularly care for her villainous past. And yet, there I was crying at midnight reading the last few chapters of this book.

I didn’t particularly care about Sam’s desire to marry Phoebe’s sister. I even found it quite dragging. And yet his conversation with her got me yet again in all my feels.

The reason is quite simple: Elizabeth Everett. If you never read one of her books let me explain. She is one of the best writers of historical romance I’ve ever came across. The way she carries a story makes it absolutely impossible to stay away; your heart gets immediately invested, even with less likable characters. You can’t put it down, you can’t turn off your heart.

Now, I must go back and read about Violet and Sam’s sister 😁

I don’t understand why I haven’t been hearing more people shout about Elizabeth Everett’s writing, because it is truly beautiful. This is only my second book of hers, but I didn’t feel lost even with the connections to her other series. This is definitely a darker romance as Lady Phoebe Hunt, the FMC, along with her mother and sisters suffered an abusive household. As a result, Phoebe self-harms and although this may be triggering to some readers, Everett handles her characters with sensitivity, thoughtfulness and affection. Phoebe is angry—the epitome of feminine rage and in this way I found her relatable. She is strong despite her circumstances, has a brilliant mind, and feels tremendous guilt for an incident in her past she’s trying to make amends for.

Enter lovable, can’t-walk-two-feet-without-tripping himbo Sam Fenley whom is as opposite as possible to Phoebe; so much so that he initially courts her sister. Yet Sam is everything Phoebe needs even if it takes them both awhile to realize it. Sam and Phoebe work to catalog her family’s household items and even though they seem to both be unwilling participants, the gloominess and past ghosts of Hunt house oddly enough draw them together. Oh I loved Sam so much. He is steady and true, he never pretends to be anything he isn’t, and he makes room for Phoebe to be vulnerable. The epitome of a golden-retriever MMC, Sam sees Phoebe for the woman she is, and not for how she perceives herself.

This story is a perfect example of how two people make each other better than they are by themselves. Sometimes difficult to read, the HEA is truly well fought for and deserved by both protagonists. This is a couple that as opposite as they are, will continue to love fiercely far beyond where the pages end. To that point, the sex is ridiculously well written. Everett can do no wrong writing a love scene and I loved how sex was just one more form of communication for Sam and Phoebe to speak to each other with their bodies, learning each other. I would highly recommend this novel, but please heed any content warnings in the author’s note. I foresee bingeing Everett’s backlog in my future. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭.5
Number of times Sam uses the nickname Phoebe-girl: 1️⃣4️⃣

I just adore the covers on this new series! This is the Damsels of discovery series. In the same universe as the Secret scientists of London.
This explored the unromantic side of being a woman in those times. Even with a title you had no rights and you were at the mercy of the men in your life- father, brother, uncle, husband ( I need to have a talk with my keyboard it types banana when I swipe husband). Most of these books do but our fmc was banished to the US because of a crime and her every move is tracked.
Phoebe's father was an awful narcissist that tortured them, mostly with words but he was awful.
Sam is new money trying to get into the ton. Which is how he meets Phoebe and though he was courting her sister he was def more into her.
They had some very interesting trysts around the property too. I loved her friends and how brilliant they all are. And Sam was just the most clumsy. He sounded like he was very handsome but they were always concert over brain damage cause he would fall. Not all of us can understand complex science 🤣

3.5 stars. This is the second book in the Damsels of Discovery series by Elizabeth Everett. You do not need to read The Love Remedy, however, in order to read The Lady Sparks a Flame. However, it is helpful for character continuation as some characters are also making appearances in book 2. This story, however, focuses on a new couple, Sam and Phoebe. She has secrets, he has ambition and there's a whole lost of romantic tension. Cute if you like a slow burn.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this digital e-arc.*

I absolutely loved this book. A main female character who has done something terrible, who doesn’t think she deserves happiness, who then finds someone who loves her for exactly who she is and understands her completely? Yes, please. Fantastic.

I love Elizabeth Everett's feminist historical romances but man this one was difficult to get into at first. I felt lost, bored and a bit dumb listening to the first third or so (and I've heard others say the same) but trust me when I say the world building and politics of the period are necessary and the last two thirds will have your swooning and sighing and hoping Phoebe gets her much needed HEA.

I loved that Sam was a clumsy golden retriever type who really balanced out Phoebe's jaded black cat energy. There was also fantastic (and rare in the historical romance realm) self-harm rep (Phoebe dealt with her depression and anxiety by cutting in her youth and has the scars to prove it).

Good on audio and while this does work as a standalone, there are cameos from characters in Everett's previous books. Recommended for fans of authors like Mimi Matthews and Evie Dunmore. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Phoebe is most definitely a mood, her dry humor and wit spoke to me throughout this book. Elizabeth writes such unique historical romance with a focus on women in STEM, during a time when women venturing outside of their role as wife and mother was definitely not the normal or considered acceptable. Sam was an interesting match for Phoebe and ultimately a perfect one. Phoebe doesn't fit the mold and Sam most definitely doesn't either.

The Lady Sparks a Flame is a great historical romance with layered characters, a heartfelt love story, and meaningful messages about forgiveness, resilience, and self-worth.

Phoebe’s story was so interesting, and I was skeptical at first because she had a villainous reputation. She’s a woman haunted by mistakes made in the past, and the guilt weighs heavily on her and shapes her. Fiercely independent but a bit unlikable at first, she takes a while to warm up to. But behind her tough exterior is so much more. You see her need to atone while still protecting herself and how she pushes others away before they have the chance to hurt her. Through it all, she is strong and determined, and even when she believes she doesn't deserve happiness, she keeps going, and she faces the consequences of her past actions.

And I love Sam! He's such a great balance to Phoebe. He’s ambitious and determined, and he's so patient with Phoebe. I love that about him. The way he saw past her icy exterior was super swoon-worthy. Their romance was great. It was a slow build, which made sense considering it definitely took time for them to trust each other. I loved how their connection grew and how they slowly began to share their vulnerabilities and let down their walls.

The story is a bit of a slow build overall, but the stakes felt high, not just because of the emotional risks Phoebe and Sam had to take, but also because of the external threats they faced. Phoebe’s past comes back to haunt her with new accusations and threats that jeopardize her future, and loving and trusting Sam means opening her heart after years of convincing herself she is unworthy of love. For Sam, it meant risking everything - rejection, love, and possibly his own well-being.

I really enjoyed this read. It was emotional and romantic with well-layered characters, especially Phoebe, and I really liked the themes of starting over, forgiveness, female empowerment, and love. I think it's so interesting that the author shows many societal and gender-related struggles that people went through at this time and still go through today, (though it's actually kind of bothersome that we still face the same issues and prejudices). Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.