Clara Vetry (the Honorable Clara Vetry, in fact) needs to leave London, and badly. Prinny, heir to the throne of England, has marked her as a favorite of his. Clara reacts impulsively to an untoward advance, hitting him, and perhaps making her mother shrink in horror. So, she's off to Scotland to live with an aunt she's never met. But another impulsive moment has her on a different coach instead, heading to a castle where there's a young laird in need of a housekeeper. It's extremely clear to the widower Caelan MacCrae that Clara is a lady and not a housekeeper, but her company delights him and he's in need of delighting, and in more desperate need of a woman in his house again than he knew.

A delight to read, this book had me laughing almost from start to finish. I haven't read as many of Eloisa James's newer books (I've read many of her older books though) and I love seeing how she takes her keen eye to character-building and applies humor that works well for a 2025 reader.

When a book has a widowed main character, I often prefer a book where the deceased spouse was loved. Caelan loved his late wife, though the relationship was far more complex than most people understood. It's very easy for Clara to spend intimate moments wondering about comparison. Additionally, the attention Clara has had from Prinny is understandably woven into her reactions to sex and intimacy, but her resilience and interest in Caelan make her embrace her passions rather than shrink.

I particularly liked the author's note from Eloisa James, who approached this novel through the lens of the literature her main characters may have been reading at the time. She imagines Clara and Isla reading similar books of beleaguered heroines and having the opposite effect on them as women, from climbing trees and being adventurous to the rigidly chaste and prudish. I enjoyed reflecting on that dichotomy.

I did not read the first book in the series - I'm waiting for my library hold months later still - and did not find this romance lacking. You can safely start here.

I am a huge Eloisa James fan, and I have been waiting for this book!
In this adventure we meet Caelan who is laird of Castle Caerlaver. He isn't interested in marriage. He is happy with the way things are, well…except his home is falling apart and can't even find a housekeeper. Now we find Miss Clara Vetry. Her Season didn't go so well, in fact it ended up disastrous. She takes matters into her own hand, she is that strong willed. She jumps in a carriage headed for Scotland, as a housekeeper of all things. She is okay with this turn of events because she isn't too fond of marriage to begin with. She prefers her books and freedom. Turns out she is supposed to be the housekeeper to Caelan. Soon they begin to fall for each other. And when a unexpected marriage to each other takes priority he must find a way to win her heart.
This story has it all strong characters, great storyline & back-story and a keeps you on the edge of your seat for more type of story. The perfect combination of great conversation, wit and of course that magical passion you're not going to want to put it down! You are going to love this adventure.
I loved it!!! You will too. Enjoy the adventure.

Hardly a Gentleman is my favourite Eloisa James novel I've read!
When the opening scene is of the MC fly fishing naked in a loch I knew I was going to love the vibe of this book. And Eloisa James just doubled down with reprising the scene for when the MCs meet for the first time ―esp. with how shocked Clara is later on in the novel with Caelen's anatomy after her first glimpse.

There were so many times I laughed out loud during this book. I loved Clara's character from her animal inspired reticules to taking her future into her own hands in a coaching yard in by assuming the identity of a housekeeper. How Caelen fell first and kept asking for her hand. The whole idea that he was like 'you want a castle and books and I have a castle and books' and Clara is like pass. Until she could not pass any longer. I enjoyed Caelen's slight cluelessness on how to win Clara's heart & how his widower past effected him in ways that he did not foresee.

We've got a hidden identity trope (well Clara's attempt at it...), the elements of forced proximity that only a small town can provide as well as a forced union to avoid scandal.

To say I loved this story would be an understatement. I have never laughed while reading a story as much as I did reading this one. The author wrote fantastic dialogues that made reading a great joy. I loved both Caelan and Clara and the banter between them was hilarious throughout the story. There were secondary characters who added greatly to the story. This was a new author for me and I intend to read more of her work. I highly recommend this story.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

Eloisa James is a treasure! I've loved every one of her books.

Clara Vetry is having a difficult time. After a scandalous incident at a ball caused by the Crown Prince, her mother decides to send her to Scotland to live with an aunt. Her mother intends for her aunt to find her a husband - any husband.

Clara does not like her mother's plans for her. She is supposed to be chaperoned by her dresser to the aunt's house but they each go their separate ways. A carriage is waiting for a housekeeper - Clara tells the driver that she is the housekeeper, and eventually arrives at a somewhat dilapidated castle in Scotland. Her first meeting with her new employer is when he is at the loch, wearing nothing. Unless holding a net or a fishing pole counts.

Caelen is the Laird and he is a widower. Caelen quickly figures out - as does the rest of the staff - that Clara has no idea of how to keep a house. They each had misunderstandings to overcome; while Clara thought that Caelen was grieving his deceased wife, Caelen thought that Clara was married since she wore a wedding ring. It took a while for the two of them to figure everything out.

I received an e-arc from Avon and Harper Voyager, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

This book touch on grief, loss of a loved one, and sexual abuse/harassment as part of the plot. Yet, it also brings the reader around to healing, fun, joy, and strength. Clara and Caelan are brought together due to issues not of Clara's making. Excellent banter, secret identities, some steam and the beauty of protection when necessary. Beautifully written, well paced and full of colorful characters. A solid read!

We both really, really loved this one! Clara Vetry is banished from London by her mother after a frightful encounter with the Prince Regent. Instead of going to her relative's house, Clara instead takes the place of "Mrs. Potts," housekeeper-to-be for Caelan, hot Scottish laird (complete with kilt, castle, books, and whiskey). There's major instalust, super fun banter, and so much sexy sex! (I personally loved how much Caelan liked dirty talk AND how much Clara just wanted him to shut up and get on with it.)

We both agree that THIS is how you write a book without a major driving plot. It's also a master class in how to work with lots of different tropes without letting them get out of hand: the fake identity never causes issues; the sunshine/grump pairing never devolves into stereotype; and side characters who could have read as stock (the matchmaking sister, the meddling ex-mother-in-law, the precocious child) all had plenty of complexity and interiority. And while the book begins with an absurd but awful groping from the Prince Regent, the incident doesn't feel underplayed or overblown.

This is just a great historical all around. 10/10 would read again.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

We first meet the exceptionally sexy Laird Caelan MacCrae when he is fishing. Midstream. In the nude. With thighs like tree trunks. It was then that I knew I would love this book, and the rest of the book continued to fulfill my desperate, current need for a five star romance. The introduction to the heroine, Miss Clara Vetry, also shines as exceptional and memorable. After being mauled and harassed by Prince George, Clara defends herself using her very own mammalian inspired fashion design. She then takes the first opportunity to escape her circumstances by “pretending” to be a housekeeper to the messy and masculine laird, Caelan. Widowed and publicly pitied, Caelan’s past continues to haunt the couple, but their robust, physical love defeats their past legacies.

Oh, how I love this book. Let me count just a few ways…

1. Eloisa James’ dialogue always resonates as exceptionally witty, dynamic, and romantic. I could spend my life smiling as I read her banter between couples. Caelan and Clara are certainly no exception to this, and when they are together (picnicking, fishing, bathing), I found myself completely enthralled. James uses humor beautifully, and I often (quite literally) laugh out loud while reading her novels.

2. Eloisa James composes allusions and connections to other literary classics in such a brilliant manner. From the digs at Juliet to the inclusion of Robert Burns to the motifs of Rebecca, I relished the literary tapestry James creates here.

3. This book depicts both masculinity and femininity as messy, vibrant, and sensual. Clara and Caelan are each marginalized by their partners and communities for their hearty presentations of their gender. This results in a fascinating social commentary and creates truly electric physical chemistry between the two characters.

4. I applaud Eloisa James for having this hairy, huge, sexy Scottish laird be naked as much as possible in the book. What an absolute delight.

I highly recommend this book to those who are new to Eloisa James or to those who are James aficionados (Jamesinados). This book reveals the power of historical romance to connect us to the past (James’ research is always notable) and to help us escape the present. Cheers to James for this triumph and many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Overall rating:

This was such a delightful, unique love story.

Clara’s mother sends her away from London (and the unwanted attentions of married royalty) to Scotland, where she is to meet an acquaintance. Instead, desperate for freedom, she hops into a waiting carriage, asserting herself as the housekeeper hired for Castle CaerLaven, whose laird is a young widower, Caelan.

It becomes apparent to everyone immediately that Clara is not a housekeeper, but she is accepted into the community with open arms and without (many) questions. And when she and Caelan feel an immediate pull towards each other, it’s not a question of *if* they’ll get together, but how and when.

Full of humor, frank discussions about grief and loss, and found family, this historical romance was a steamy delight.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, steamy, heartwarming and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

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

When Eloisa James is on her game, her books are among the best historical romances out there. This one was a delight, despite a few weak spots. Clara, our FMC, has suffered under Prince George's unwanted attentions, which have blighted her Season going on three years and which finally escalate into outright sexual assault. Her mother basically throws her out, exiling her to Scotland to find a man, ANY man (although a titled one would be best), who will have her now that her reputation is in tatters. Clara decides to take her future into her own hands and answers a post for a housekeeper to Castle CaerLaven in the remote Scottish highlands, where she will be unknown and can finally live as she pleases.
Cue our MMC, Caelan, Laird MacCrae, owner and currently sole human (not counting the multitudinous vermin nor the litter of puppies) ostensibly living in said castle. Caelan spends his days fly fishing (naked) in the nearby loch, writing a book about fly fishing, and ignoring the absolute squalor surrounding him. His wife died a couple of years previously, and he is living apex bachelor life. Ostensibly he is pining away with grief for his dear departed spouse, or so the villagers (and everyone else) believe, although it was made fairly obvious that this isn't exactly the case.

Caelan and Clara have an absolutely ridiculous meet-cute (just suspend all sense of disbelief and roll with it) and improbably Clara is taken on as housekeeper despite very clearly knowing absolutely nothing about the job. The banter between Clara and Caelan is sparkling and enjoyable (albeit historically extremely unlikely) and they quickly grow to be friends who are... wildly attracted to each other. Clara, who wavers between being blithely oblivious and startlingly perceptive, is blind as a bat to the fact that Caelan isn't exactly grieving his wife. And Caelan is apparently unable to put even the smallest words together to explain things, which drags the situation out interminably. One decent conversation would have put the entire matter to rest much earlier, although I suppose thereby negating the entire conflict of the book.

Things I really loved about this book:
-The dialogue(s) between characters. Ms. James really had a handle on the Scottish dialect; not too much (sometimes books take it way too far).
-The romantic scenes were A+++.
-LOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVED Fiona. Far and away, best character. Absolutely lived for the scene when she put Isla's mother in her place for good. And how patient she was with Alfie's pet chicken, and her derelict brother's disgusting living conditions. Fiona was a capital-F Force to be reckoned with, and I enjoyed her so, so, so much.
-I really appreciated that Isla's parents were made to feel welcome in Caelan and Clara's family (albeit with the caveat that they stop bringing up Isla every 10 seconds, which, fair).
-Yay for the cameo from Torrie's sister, Leonora (Lady Bufford); what a small world :)

Things I loved less:
-The Big Miscommunication trope is one of my least favorites. I like when couples, ahem, talk to each other. Odd that Caelan and Clara could be such clear communicators in bed but not about other things.
-I would have liked some resolution to the sexual assault trauma. It was such a present issue for Clara and then it suddenly... wasn't. Is this realistic? I was curious.
-I definitely would have liked some resolution to Lady Vetry and Clara's relationship (and while we're at it, tell me more about what happened to Hortense!). That felt like a definite loose end to me.


Interestingly:
There is a scene when Fiona describes her brother and Isla emerging from the church on their wedding day, and it did seem very, very, very reminiscent of a certain scene in Outlander. Strong vibes anyway. Right? Right? Am I crazy?

Overall, the zest of the relationship between Clara and Caelan was so effervescent and entertaining that despite a few quibbles I enjoyed the book a lot. I look forward to seeing whose story Ms. James will tell next. I vote for Hortense!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tumbling into adventure!

Having slapped Prince George because he’d groped her and made a mockery of her, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry had been banished by her mother to live with an elderly great aunt.
Except Clara did the unexpected. Making a break for freedom, she hurtles into a carriage and announces that she is indeed Mrs. Post the newly appointed housekeeper for Caelan Eneas MacCrae, Laird of CaerLaven.
And so Clara’s highlander adventure begins, gaining momentum when she finds the laird naked, fly fishing in the loch. Oh my!
Caelan finds himself with a very irregular housekeeper who insists on having her own maid, and Clara finds a Laird presumably cut to the quick by the loss of his dear wife. Hmmm?! Among other things, like an unkempt castle gone literally to the dogs.
Well all that becomes moot as we follow the hilarious times these two have as they move through this rather delicious story.

An Avon and Harper ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Any book that starts with a naked Laird fly fishing in a cold Scottish loch has got to be a winner and this one is. Both the hero and the heroine, who starts off being mauled by a drunk prince, are a match made to take a reader far, far away from whatever mundane life they are leading.

Spunky is an adjective I would use to describe the heroine, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry, who after making the mistake of defending herself against the Prince of Wales is trundled off to Scotland to a distant relative by a mother who cared more for her social standing than her daughter. Clara decides on a whim that she is going to make this an adventure and jumps into a different carriage taking a housekeeper to the Highlands and Castle CaerLaven.

Caelan, Laird of Castle CaerLaven, could care less that his castle is a moldering pile of worm rot and termites. As long as he has his tea in the morning, can fish in his loch and write his books, he's a happy man. The villagers all see him as a heartbroken widower who loved his wife and that is why his castle is falling down around his head. Caelan, he just plain doesn't care. His sister, Fiona, cares and advertises for a Housekeeper and is thrilled with the one who turned up. So is Caelan, even if he won't admit it.

Caelan is toast from his first encounter with Clara and knows it. But when he asks her to marry him, she refuses him. He is secretly delighted when her true identity is uncovered, and they are forced to marry. What he realizes is that while he may have the wife he wants, what he really wants is what everyone thought he had with his first wife.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone.

Eloisa James is my favorite historical romance writer. Her books are always the perfect blend of romance and humor, and Hardly a Gentleman is another winner.

Clara Vetry is a debutante who's having a miserable time. The odious Prince Regent has developed a liking for her and plagues her at every ball. His attentions make it difficult for her to meet anyone else, and things come to a head when the prince gropes her breasts in public. Fed up with the sexual harassment, Clara whallops the prince, which sadly leads only to her disgrace. Her unsympathetic mother wants to pack her off to the country, but Clara takes a carriage to Scotland, pretending to be the new housekeeper for a Scottish Laird's castle.

Caelan McCrae, Laird of CaerLaven, is a widower with a penchant for being shirtless (and sometimes kiltless if he's alone on his estate). Since the death of his wife, the castle's staff have left and the place is going to ruin. He doesn't particularly care about the castle's condition, but his sister insists on hiring a housekeeper. Caelan is surprised and intrigued by his new housekeeper, a woman who's clearly upper class and enjoys reading much more than any household duties.

This book is delightful. Clara and Caelan are both great characters, and their growing romance is charming. Clara isn't a typical society debutante, and she quickly makes herself a part of Caelan's community, developing relationships with Caelan's sister and his late wife's mother. I really liked how becoming part of this world helps her move from her disastrous season and being banished by her mother. The romance is perfect, with just enough tension to make things interesting.

I loved this one, and I definitely recommend it. Eloisa James is one of the authors I always recommend to people who want to try historical romance, and I think Hardly a Gentleman is a great place to start.

DNF at 20%

Unfortunately at just about a quarter into the book, I found myself completely disconnected from the characters and storyline. Both the hero and heroine felt like caricatures and a bit too extra for me to relate to. Also I think I'm in the beginnings of a book slump, so I don't want to waste my time on books I can't connect with. This book is not for me, but maybe you'll enjoy it.

I thought this was the best book so far by one of my favorite authors. Ms James has written a funny story in the next series of Accidental Brides. I felt this one has me at the first page and never let go.
The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own.
I felt for Clara who has been through several seasons on the marriage mart. She shoves a man at a party that was trying to get his hands on her person. It was a smart woman who finally had enough of over bearing males and did something about it. But her mother is upset with her and threatens to send her to Scotland at her aunts home. So Clara decides on her own that she will do as her mother's says but goes to another carriage to be a housekeeper.
When she arrives at Castle CaerLaven know one believes her a housekeeper but a lady. Clara meets Caelen is the widowed laird who just wants to be left alone. He has his nosy sister for getting a woman into his domain which he doesn't want. But things turn funny when pranks begin to happen to each other without missing a mark. Caelen keep his eye on the woman who makes him burn with lust and decides to marry Clara. She turns him down. But as they say, love has a way of making a way to hearts and they both get their happy ever after.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable, easy read. It felt simultaneously fresh and nostalgic as a historical romance. The plot is a bit off the wall, but it was humorous and lighthearted, while also having depth and intensity. The pining was sweet and though the main conflict really was miscommunication or an inability to communicate, both main characters were sweet and enjoyable and lovely. A great palate cleanser of a book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

When life is tough, I just want to read a book where two nice people meet and fall in love without major angst. Eloisa James has given me exactly what I was looking for in Hardly a Gentleman.

Clara is a delight. Banished from London by her awful mother after a scandal involving Prinny, she takes advantage of a misunderstanding at the coaching inn and jumps into the coach that is bringing a new housekeeper to CaerLaven. It's an adventure! Clara wants nothing more than to make it to the Scottish Highlands and buy herself a castle that will hold all of her books--and maybe find someone who will love her for her--and she thinks this is the perfect way to make her dream happen.

Caelan, laird of CaerLaven, is a rough, fish-in-the-buff kind of guy. His has let his castle fall into such disrepair that his sister has hired an English housekeeper for him since all of Scotland knows how far bad it is. The village is convinced that it is because he is in deep mourning for his first wife but in reality it is because he's just not bothered by the mess. He gets one look at Clara and starts to fall for her.

The misunderstanding trope isn't my favorite. Did I want them to just sit down and have a talk? Yes. But also, I love them. I love their banter. I love how he comes to love her. It was the just the sweet story I wanted.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Badly a Gentleman is a love letter to dreamers, readers, and lovers of banter! Her wit shines throughout this book and I was giggling and kicking my feet. This is a sweet story you don’t want to skip.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.