This was the historical romance I didn't know I was missing in my life. I loved the sleuthing, the romance, and the banter was top notch between Lady Allen (Olivia) and Marquees Lowell (Thel)! I am a fan of en medias res for stories and the backstory unfolding as we go along with the story. That was such a big turn on for Olivia's story; we get bits and pieces of what her former marriage was like, and we also see how she was viewed by the ton through the slanderous stories in the newspapers about her. Olivia was such a strong female main character and I'll be honest that I expected her to be as insufferable as some strong fmc's, but she was breath of fresh air with her realness and battles with the demons of her past. Her somewhat jaded behavior was very akin to what I would expect from her circumstance, but we also see her wondering about her skills as a matchmaker and if she missed the signs in others that she didn't realize were in her former husband until it was too late. Her protective nature, especially over Constance, makes her an endearing figure early on and one can empathize with her on a deeper emotional level.

Now on to Thel...what doesn't this man do that makes me a mess? He's not looking for love for himself when he engages Lady Allen's services as a matchmaker for Constance, but slowly we see love bloom in him as his and Olivia's relationship changes from one of business to one of true love. The spicy scenes are also top tier between Thel and Olivia. There were some pleasant surprises (nipple rings and chains) and I loved them as much as I imagine Thel does. The anxiety that Thel experiences made him most relatable and loveable to me because I can empathize with those feelings having experienced them myself. I think he takes his issues in stride and comes to realize that he can't control everything all the time and it's okay to give control over to others that you love and trust.

The only complaint I have is I want more of their story...perhaps in the next book they'll make another appearance. If you want a historical romance, with banter, spice, and potential murder, this is the read for you.

Unfortunately, Mentor to the Marquess was a little too all over the place for me, thus I was never so pulled into the story that I really wanted to keep reading.

I wasn’t the reader for this one.



Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing #NetGalley for the DRC

Tropes: MFC is a matchmaker for MMC's daughter
Steam level: 4

Interesting premise and solid writing style, with an uncurrent of psychological darkness. Intriguing characterizations as well, particularly of MFC, who seems to be on what we would call on the spectrum today but has been forced to hide her mannerisms. MMC is also different, a bit of a cinnamon roll but controlling in his own way when it comes to his family.

I fully expected to like this, but a couple things dampened my enjoyment:

--MFC underwent what amounts to severe psychological and sexual abuse by her late husband and I didn't feel that her behavior with MMC really reflected this. She gets physical with him pretty quickly. The scene in her old bedroom made me uncomfortable. Eventually the sex scenes start to overpower the plot. They tend toward erotica and include a "power exchange." theme. Not my thing; might be yours.
--The mystery isn't too tough to figure out and is resolved abruptly and rather unsatisfactorily. The motive isn't all that strong.

Overall: if you like your HR's darker, with erotica and "power exchange" involved, this could be for you.

In this story, the heroine, Olivia Heather, the Dowager Countess of Allen and a survivor of spousal abuse, dedicates herself to helping young women avoid her fate. However, her efforts are complicated when newspaper articles accuse her of murdering her late husband. To confront the situation, Olivia attempts to persuade Thellusson Vaith, Marquess Lowell, the allerged man behind the accusations, to stop his attacks, but he instead asks her to find a match for his daughter. Olivia becomes involved with the marquess, mentoring him in romance. As they uncover letters indicating that someone is manipulating his daughter using tactics similar to those Olivia endured, they must confront her painful past and family issues to protect the girl and clear Olivia's name.
The story is well written and provides some welcome plot variance to the usual Regencies. The mystery is not quite captivating, as there is not enough described action to identify the culprit. Although being the second book in the series, the story can be read as a standalone.

Some technicalities: In chapter 10, when Saffron visits Olivia, there is no mention of the tea being requested or brought; nevertheless, it is described as being there and being cold. Also, it is hardly imaginable that in a household with staff and a mistress in residence, there would be cobwebs in her sleeping room.

In chapter 11, "okay" is mentioned quite often. Not sure this word is time-appropriate.

In chapter 26, Olivia's reaction does not follow her earlier reasoning—she doesn't even get an apology but still reacts as she does.

I was provided with an ARC by NetGalley and read the book voluntarily.

Thellusson (Thel) Marquess of Lowell hires Olivia, the Countess Dowager Allen, to find his daughter a husband, but it has to be a love match. Olivia's reputation is on the line as articles in the newspaper are accusing her of her husband's death. Thel doesn't believe she's guilty, but it makes being a matchmaker more difficult. Her past is replayed in his daughter's future. It's a game she must win to prevent heart break. An erotic affair between Thel and Olivia starts from the beginning. Very explicit sex.
This is the second book in the series and is good reading.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.