Personally felt like this book was wayyyyyy too long for a romance!! Almost 400 pages. Just felt like it kinda dragged on.

This was an entertaining amnesia trope historical romance that an interesting cast. It didn't massively stand out to me, but it's a solid mainstay for fans of the genre.

3.5/5⭐️
Due to the unfortunate losses in his family, Jasper is now Earl of Belhaven. While he copes with grief, he continues to care for his family and the members of the nearby community. To his surprise, he finds “Jane” injured and unconscious on one of his outings.

With Jane suffering from amnesia, she continues to live in his home (along with his sisters and aunt) as she recuperates. Their chemistry is blazing hot but Jasper vacillates between hot and cold towards Jane.

As the mystery behind Jane’s identity is slowly revealed, my heart ached for Jane who had been badly treated. The ending was a beautiful one with Jane striving to make a change to improve others’ lives.

Loved this and sped through it. The author does a wonderful job with characterization and alongside the romance, I felt propelled by the revelation of who Jane was. Charming, slow burn, and fun, with a deep thread of grief processing that I really enjoyed. I'm excited for the other books in this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read this title early. I cannot wait to dive in. Review to come!

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Lady Would Know Better follows to story of a young woman who, after an accident, is found without her memories. While recovering in Mulgrave Hall with those who found her, Jane works to try to regain her memories. Jasper, the new Earl of Belhaven, is vexed by their new houseguest. After promising to never open his heart again, meeting Jane and the feelings she awakes within him are making it difficult to keep that promise. Miscommunication, heartbreaking pasts, and absent memories cause turmoil in Mulgrave Hall. Their only goal was to help Jane heal, but maybe she’s helping the Maycotts heal too.

I absolutely adored this book! Jane was so kind and determined, her character warmed my heart. Jasper is the king of miscommunication trope and putting his foot in his mouth! A Lady Would Know Better is more than a romance, it’s a story of found family and healing from trauma. The multiple strong, resilient female characters were the icing on top!

I feel absolutely awful but I could not finish. I got about 25%. I started it, put it down since I couldn’t get into it. Decided to pick it up and try again and just sadly this one wasn’t for me. It just could not capture my attention and I’ve seen such great feedback I just couldn’t push through anymore.

In this fun Regency romance, the Earl of Belhaven, Jasper Maycott, discovers a woman unconscious in the snow, pleading for help. With no memory of her past, she takes on the name “Jane” and captivates Jasper with her charm and beauty. As they navigate the complexities of her amnesia and the dangers that threaten her, Jasper grapples with his own grief and the responsibilities of his title. The slow burn romance between Jasper and Jane unfolds against a backdrop of societal expectations and personal loss. The author masterfully depicts the emotional struggles of the characters while exploring themes of identity, love, and the societal constraints placed on women. With each turn of the page, readers are drawn deeper into Jane’s mystery, as her past threatens to catch up with her. The relationships she forms with Jasper and his siblings serve as a catalyst for healing, both for Jane and for Jasper as he learns to open his heart again. With relatable characters and witty banter, the narrative keeps readers engaged as they unravel Jane's mysterious past alongside her.

Romance readers will find delight in the rich character development and the intricate relationship dynamics between Jasper and Jane. The slow burn romance is filled with tension and yearning, allowing readers to invest in their journey toward love. The witty exchanges and heartfelt moments create a captivating atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre. Additionally, the exploration of grief and healing adds depth, making the characters' struggles relatable and engaging. With a blend of mystery and romance, this novel promises an enjoyable escape into a world of love and societal intricacies. I REALLY want a book with Japser’s sexy doctor friend ;) I also liked the family dynamics and how they all try to support each other. Definitely low on the spice scale, but a sweet and enjoyable weekend read.

I don’t know why I thought I would enjoy this book. I’ve never been a fan of “Bridgerton” era books. I guess at the tail end of 2024 I decided to branch out. Well I can officially confirm in 2o25 these styles of books are not for me. Maybe if this book was shorter I would’ve enjoyed it more but sadly this book dragged on.

The only reason I didn’t DNF this book was because of Jasper. I found him to be super relatable. He’s a character that has loved and lost and overall just a genuine good person. However, my love for Jasper wasn’t enough to sell me on his relationship with “Jane”. There constant push and pull felt repetitive and dragged from chapter to chapter.

Also another random gripe I had revolves around historical accuracy. I graduated from college with a history degree now my focus wasn’t on this era however if I remember correctly names were used in a formal manner. First names weren’t commonly used on first basis. Also Gentleman weren’t allowed to just visit ladies bedchambers. Like come on even Bridgeton got that right. Overall, this wasn’t for me and even though I didn’t love it maybe someone else will.

Big thank you to NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This really wasn’t for me. The amnesia trope is not really one I enjoy and I’ve also discovered regency romance is not for me. With all of that said, I feel like this book was well written, maybe just a little long for me. I enjoyed the banter between the MCs!

I really enjoyed this debut. I felt there was some plotting and character issues that kept me from giving this book more then 3 stars but overall I am excited to read more from this author in the future if the premise intrigues me.

“You cannot think that being reckless is living, either, Jane.”
“Neither is simply surviving.”

A Lady Would Know Better was an awesome read. Jane falls from her horse in Jasper’s lands and wakes up without her memories. That theme is written with a lot of tact, and creates some kind of suspense that makes the book a page turner. Far away the intention for me to spoil, but I loved that in the end we don’t know every little detail, it made the book feel truer. In the end, even without amnesia, we all have things to discover about ourselves, no matter how old we are. Women’s condition is another deep theme in the novel, and the author dealt with that with a great balance, crafting powerful feminine characters but without denying their need to be protected by a man –because of the Society’s rules that makes them vulnerable (OMG the epilogue).
As a consequence of her memory loss, Jane begins to think she’s a burden. However, she remains strong and empowered. Jasper –the MMC– is very interesting too. Afflicted by many losses, he closed himself to feelings –and life. He becomes an empty shell full of the torment of grief, making him complex and hesitant (and then very human). I loved how he progressively takes on his responsibilities and realizes it doesn’t have to come with pain. He is what I love the most in a MMC: empowering. He lets Jane and his sister act, and trusts them to make their choices, even though he doesn’t always approve, even though sometimes it doesn’t end well. His very mature behavior makes them stronger –makes him stronger– and in this very patriarchal society it was super refreshing.
In the end, that story felt like a mystery, but with a taste of a Christmas tale, in which characters find a taste for life again. I can’t wait to read Emma Thériault’s next book, and I hope it will feature the story of one (or several) side characters of this one, as they are all very lovable.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Emma Thériault and NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

I will say that at first I was not sure about this book because the cover seems like it would be a rom-com. Nothing wrong with rom-coms, they just are not for me. But this book? Oh my gosh. I loved it. The banter was hilarious, but I also loved the family aspect.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!,

This book had good potential and an intriguing plot, but fell flat at times for me. The pacing was too slow and I got tired of the miscommunication/infighting/stubbornness on display.

“A Lady Would Know Better “ is the first book I read from Emma Theriault.
This is a historical romance set in 1877 in England.

Jasper is the Earl of Belhaven. After he finds a woman in the snow, he takes her home and finda that she has amnesia. The woman, initially called Jane (after Jane Austen), tries her best to recover her memory. There is an insta-love (lust) between them, but Jasper tries his best to fight his feelings. He is still grieving after losing his fiancée, parents and older brother.

The story has a slow pace until the last 20% when there is a twist. The chapters are short, there is a dual POV with narration in 3rd person.
Reading this book I realized that I do not enjoy much the historical part of it, but the mystery and romantic part kept me interested.

Thank you Entangled for this ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was a delightful read! I loved the mystery surrounding Jane's true identity, and the way it intertwined with the complex issues both her and Jasper's families were facing with loss and grief. The characters were endearing, making the story enjoyable, though the slow burn romance did feel a bit drawn out at times. While I’m not always a fan of misunderstandings causing drama between characters, it was handled well here and resolved quickly, which kept the plot moving.

Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Emma Theriault for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Emma Theriault for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is a historical romance featuring a damsel in distress with amnesia and a family that has suffered the loss of several loved ones. Jasper, the main male character is struggling to figure out how to grieve and lead his family when he has lost so much. And Jane has lost her memories during an accident and doesn’t know who she is or where she came from.

I really enjoyed the start and the end of this book. What dropped the rating for me was the middle of the book. The start really got things going with a mystery with Jane and a grieving family with the Maycott family. The interactions between them all were great and I enjoyed all the characters. Unfortunately after this, we entered a long period of repetitive, internal fighting where the characters just couldn’t succumb to their longing for each other. This continued for too long and nothing much happened during this. Once the ending came, it was fairly quick and I did enjoy how the author wrapped it up. I just needed a bit more in the center of the story.

This book had some great moments but ultimately fell flat for me. This was just meh. It wasn't something I will keep thinking about after finishing and I'm not sure I would remember it to recommend to others.

This is the second book I've finished this year and unfortunately, it is the second book that was firmly meh. I read other Goodreads reviews after I finished it to see if I was alone in how I felt about this book, buuuutt there were a few other people that agree with me. 

This book was long. Like at least 100 pages too long. It was very back and forth on the "will they/won't they" romance between Jane and Jasper, and I often wanted to shout at them to get on with it. It is very much a slow burn romance in A Lady Would Know Better, and while I enjoy romances like that to an extent, I did not find this enjoyable until maybe the last 30% of the novel. How in the world am I supposed to stay entertained for 70% of a book that is just a back and forth between the two main characters of "I can't because I don't remember who I am!" or "I can't because she doesn't know who she is!" or, my personal favorite, "I swore never to love again!" It was so frustrating. And spice? Yeah, for how long we waited there is one scene. One. I'm not a huge spice girly, but I still want the ends to justify the means. The spice was very vanilla. So don't go into this book expecting that type of novel.

So, now that I've ranted about the back and forth romance that is wayyyy too slow burn, I want to talk about some things that I really did like. I loved each of the characters. I loved how developed they were and that the author clearly knew them so deeply. I could definitely imagine her writing these characters with a smile on her face because I felt how deeply she cared for each of them. I always love when I read a book and can tell how much love and care went into building the characters from the ground up. It was evident that the characters were her babies and it was my favorite part of the novel. 

Andddd I just remembered something else that really peeved me. The climax of the story when Jane finally finds out about her family and where she came from? Oh. My. Gosh. It was SO DISAPPOINTING. I'm going to add a quick spoiler alert and tell y'all why it literally was the worst. 

Spoilers ahead.

So when Jane/Hetty finally confronts her cousin and aunt who are trying to steal her inheritance, Jane/Hetty remembers that she was a master swordsman, points a sword at her cousin, and her aunt and her cousin pack up their things and LEAVE. No fuss. No fight. They are broke, being chased by debt collectors, and legitimately leave without a fight. Like WHAT??? I am so upset. I read through this whole book waiting for it to get super exciting for THIS??? Sigh. Someone should have developed a more satisfying ending because the lack of spice and this after all that buildup is probably the most disappointing thing I've finished reading in a long time. 

Overall, this book was far too long for the amount of plot that it had (or lack thereof). The characters were obviously developed with love and care and they were 100% my favorite part. The ending, though? Disappointing to say the least. 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3 for social platforms. A huge thanks to the publisher for offering an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

***This review will be posted on my blog on January 16th at 12pm CST, and then all other social platforms at publication or after it's posted on my blog if the platform allows pre-publication reviews.

4.5 🌟

Such a fun and cute period romance book! Perfect romance book to read with a cuppa tea and binge in a single sitting ☕️

Thank you Entagled Publishing for the ARC!