I liked this book a lot. It was very focused on the MCs and particularly the FMC and her growth into a woman. She's challenged at every turn, both in her perceptions of the MMC and her beliefs. There are some sexy scenes and I totally want Sam's story now.

#PretendingtoLoveaLyon #NetGalley

Good brother's best friend/best friend's sister story. Amelia and Graham are very different people. He is stoic and controlled and gives off grumpy vibes. Amelia is impulsive and always optimistic. Amelia lives with her twin brother, Sam, the Earl of Alston, and has no plans to marry. Matters become very complicated when Sam sustains a life-threatening injury. To protect her brother and herself, she must keep his injuries secret. Her only help is Graham, whom she has never gotten along with.

Amelia has no idea that Graham has been in love with her for years. As her brother's best friend, Graham believes she is off-limits to him and uses his standoffish attitude to keep her at a distance. However, they put their differences aside to work together to care for Sam. It doesn't take long for Amelia to realize she may have misjudged Graham's attitude toward her.

Trouble arises when Amelia's aunt and cousin become suspicious about Sam's lack of public appearances. The cousin is Sam's heir and is eager to step into Sam's shoes. He and his mother scheme to force Amelia to marry him, putting her inheritance under their control. Amelia and Graham's only option seems to be a fake engagement to keep them at bay. As their engagement forces them into frequent public appearances, it becomes obvious that Graham's feelings for Amelia are much stronger than he wants to admit. Nor does Amelia wish to acknowledge her growing attraction and feelings for him.

Amelia seeks help from Mrs. Dove-Lyon in carrying out their plans, putting her in the widow's debt. The terms were quite interesting, and I suspect they will significantly impact the author's next book in the series. One of her people makes several appearances, providing assistance at a critical time. Mrs. Dove-Lyon also steps in when looming disaster makes it imperative that Amelia and Graham marry quickly.

The fast-paced conclusion, from the confrontation with the aunt and cousin to the medical crisis with Sam, broke down the walls that kept Amelia and Graham apart. I loved seeing them admit their feelings and work together to protect and help Sam. There are a couple of twists that bode well for future books.

This book was amazing! It was action packed and full of tension and banter. I really liked the main couple! Would highly recommend.

Pretending to Love a Lyon by Dayna Quince is a classic enemies-to-lovers story with tons more thrown in for fun. Mrs Dove-Lyon hasn’t much to do with this romance but will with Sam’s, once he is recovered, although she is always ready to help. Lady Amelia Clark is given the news by her brother’s friend, Graham Blackwood. Sam had fallen off his horse and it didn’t look good. He would not die. She wouldn’t allow it. And she was a force. They sat by his side, Amelia and this man she didn’t particularly care for. Praying, hoping, and speaking a little. The doctor did not hold out much hope. Sam appeared to be bleeding internally and for that there was no cure. In order to keep up appearances and keep her greedy aunt and cousin away, the two began appearing in public and told a story of Sam being called to Scotland. Amelia was as frightened for what would become of her as she was Sam dying. They found a doctor who could operate and stop the bleeding, maybe. It would be an experiment. Amelia gave the go ahead.

As Amelia sat with Graham at Sam’s bedside and spent evenings with him at ton events, she started to change her opinion of him, or at least her body did. One night she blurted out that they were engaged. That took everyone by shock, including Graham. He had loved her for years, but he was Sam’s friend and could not take the next step. Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s assistant was underfoot all the time, watching them. At last Amelia put him to use by asking him to have Mrs. Dove-Lyon approach the surgeon about operating on Sam. It all came to a head when the aunt and cousin showed up with a doctor and made demands. She needed protecting. At the same time Mrs. D-L’s lackey showed up with a special license. Imagine Sam’s shock when he awoke to all of this and so much more. Great characters. Good story. Very involved, as it would have been. Enjoyable. Quince got it right.

I was invited to read Pretending to Love a Lyon by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #DaynaQuince #PretendingToLoveALyon

4.5 stars

This connected World Series is so fun. This one is a fake engagement, enemies to lovers, keeping secrets, working together to save a brother/friend.

Lady Amelia’s twin brother Sam, Earl of Alston, is thrown from a horse and badly injured. The doctor practically calls time of death as soon as he enters the room, but Amelia won’t let him die. Graham Blakewood is Sam’s best friend, and has never gotten along with Amelia. These two are like cats in a bag together, constantly picking on each other, eye rolling, scoffing. Amelia would like to kick Graham out of the house, but her bigger enemy is her cousin that will inherit the earldom that’s been trying to marry her for years, and her aunt that’s after her inheritance.

Amelia and Graham work together to keep Sam’s accident and condition a secret, and end up ‘fake engaged’ as part of the cover up. As they spend more time together it’s clear Graham is actually pining for Amelia, and Amelia really does need him around and is intensely attracted to him.

There are some really great sex scenes and sweet moments between these two as they work together and open up to one another.

I wish we had seen a little of Graham’s family, maybe in a future book. And we see a little of Mrs Dove-Lyon that owns the Lyon’s Den and her meddling. I would also have liked to see some revenge on the aunt and cousin.

Overall a fun read that I look forward to returning to.

This book in The Lyon's Den Connected World series was a captivating and exciting historical romance. It had ak many different plot twists happening, that it was intense and very entertaining. Twins, a best friend, an accident, a terrible aunt, a troublesome cousin, Mrs Dove-Lyon, her minion, a radical doctor and medical procedure, extreme luck, delicious passion, a signed contract, a surprise wedding, and so many interesting and emotional issues, that kept me very engaged. I really enjoyed this Lyon's Den story and how it left me needing to read the next one. I highly recommend reading!

Okay, so I *devoured* this book in one sitting—partly because I couldn’t put it down, and partly because I needed to know if Amelia and Graham would stop bickering long enough to admit they were crazy about each other. (Spoiler: They do, but ohhh, the journey there is delicious.)

First off, if you love a good fake engagement trope with *all* the tension, this one’s for you. Amelia is basically Regina George in a Regency gown—sharp-tongued, stubborn, and convinced Graham hates her. Meanwhile, Graham is the ultimate "I’ve been in love with you for years but can’t say it because ~bro code~" hero, which is just the right level of angst. Their chemistry? Off-the-charts steamy. The fact that they have to pretend to be madly in love while actually *being* madly in love (but refusing to admit it)? Perfection.

The plot’s got stakes, too—Amelia’s twin brother is seriously injured, and if word gets out, their scheming relatives will swoop in like vultures. Enter Graham, playing the dutiful fake fiancé while secretly being the only person who truly sees Amelia for who she is. And of course, there’s Mrs. Dove-Lyon lurking in the background, because no *Lyon’s Den* story is complete without her meddling. (Though honestly, I wish she’d been more involved—she’s such a fun character!)

The only downside? The ending leans into a *tiny* cliffhanger (ugh, why?!), so now I’m stuck waiting for the next book. But if you’re into historical romances with messy emotions, witty banter, and a side of drama, this one’s a winner.

**Final verdict:** 4.5/5 stars—would fake-marry Graham Blakewood in a heartbeat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

A Delightfully Entertaining Historical Romance
When Amelia’s brother suffers a grave injury, she finds herself in a desperate situation, one that requires pretending to be engaged to her sworn enemy: Graham, her brother’s best friend. With scheming relatives lurking nearby, ready to take advantage, a fake engagement seems like the only solution.
But things aren't as they seem. Amelia believes Graham detests her, unaware that he's harbored feelings for her all along. He kept his distance out of loyalty—but now he’s playing the role of her fiancé. As the lines between pretense and reality blur, emotions run high, and hearts become tangled.
Add in the ever-meddling, always-charming Mrs. Dove-Lyon, a notorious matchmaker with her own agenda, and you’ve got a recipe for romance, secrets, and delightful twists. Will Amelia’s brother recover? Will the fake engagement lead to something real?
I found this story charming, heartfelt, and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it to fans of historical romance, especially those who enjoy a touch of mischief and heart. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

A stellar addition to the Lyons Den series, as well as an outstanding start to Quince's new 3-book series.. Tropes include fake relationship, class difference, best friend's little sister, he falls first (hard) and enemies to lovers. A twin, Lady Emilia Clark is shielding her injured twin brother and herself from her greedy relatives interference. Mr. Graham Blakewood is going to help her, however he can. Even if that means a fake engagement. It will allow him to shield Amelia from questions from the Ton and her family regarding her brothers whereabouts. The lies stack up, and watching this story unfold was heartwarming.

Bessie Dove Lyons role in this series so far is diabolical, She is not the matchmaker for this couple, but she does love a good love match. so she'll help, for a price. She is after Amelia's brother, Alston and Graham, but he's off the market in his fake engagement. There are several twists, a sick turn and some vengeance. I read this in two sittings, and did not want to put it down. If I could give a sixth star, I would. I felt there were a few cliffhangers, and I can't wait to see who the 2nd book is built around, because Quince leaves options. A fantastic read!

He's a rock...

Lady Amelia is selfish, spoilt, brittle and impulsive. She's hard to like to relate to. She refuses to see reason when her twin suffers a bad fall. Graham, her brother's best friend is ten years older than she and has secretly carried a torch for Amelia for a couple of years. He keeps his distance because he wants her and she thinks he doesn't like her.

I really liked Graham, who was stable and mature. Amelia was very hard to like. Its a bit like Emma in that sense.

Amelia and Graham have a complicated relationship. They can barely stand each other but they both love Alston. When Amelia's twin brother has an accident that is very serious, the two of them put their differences aside to protect Alston in his hour of need. What follows is a delightful love hate story and two polar opposites trying to find common ground. Of course, the story wouldn't be exciting without a villain or two in Amelia and Alston’s family.

For a female main character, I found Amelia had a good heart though sometimes I felt she should have been tempered for the era she was in. This part of her personality made the book entertaining though and it caused me to laugh at Graham’s reactions.

Author Dayna Quince did a stellar job of portraying these two clashing main characters who have more in common than not, creating a book worth reading.

Desperate times call for desperate measures in this enjoyable romance. Having spurned Amelia at her come-out ball, she has no time whatsoever for her brother's best friend, Graham Blakewood. However, when her twin has a serious accident and the vultures begin to circle, Amelia latches onto the promise that her brother tried to extract from her, little realizing that becoming betrothed to Lady Amelia is no hardship for Graham. Nevertheless, when the situation deteriorates, it is only when the Black Widow of Whitechapel steps in that things begin to turn around. I enjoyed this novel, the recognition of the attraction between the main characters and the suspenseful conclusion, and was glad that it came to a successful conclusion. I received a copy of this well-written book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I absolutely adore this series and get so excited when a new book comes out. Each is a standalone so there isn't a reason to stress over who other characters were in prior stories. Mrs. Dove-Lyon is carried through beautifully from author to author. Even though it has morphed a bit away from her gambling and challenges, each story carries the same enjoyable experience. Graham and Amelia are well known to each other as Graham is Amelia's twin brother's best friend. They must work together to protect her brother's health issues from everyone. Enter Mrs. Dove-Lyon who isn't believing what is being stated and you will find yourself hooked on what takes place next. If you have never read a book from this series, I highly recommend grabbing this one and a cup of tea. You will have an enjoyable experience, a relaxing afternoon and a memorable read.

Dare I say, this might be my favorite Lyon's Den story I've read to date. And bonus!! It's the first of what will be a trilogy within the world, a first for me since all the others have just been standalones in the same world. But I loved these characters, so I will gladly read more and more about them.

The story itself was quite a fun one to embark on. We've got an injured brother, who is also an Earl, and his sister and best friend left alone to handle things while he recovers - but oh, yeah, that also needs to be a secret. We don't want the evil aunt and gross handsy cousin to interfere in their lives!! Those two were truly detestable characters, written so well as to make me scowl while I was reading scenes that involved them.

But for Amelia and Graham?? All smiles and giddiness. I love them. I love their conversations, the way their relationship gets built over the course of the book. And I am very intrigued as to where it will go, and what the Black Widow has in store for some of the characters in the next book.

The author's writing was fabulous, I really liked how she presented both the characters and the story and I am interested in picking up whatever else she has written.

As always, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Dragonblade Publishing, for a copy of this book to read and review.

I really enjoyed this gripping enemies to lovers romance with its added brother’s best friend/best friend’s sister, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, fake engagement, hero obsessed and he falls first tropes which I read in one setting. The plot is very well written and brimming with heartfelt emotions, secrets, intrigue, suspense, angst, drama and steamy love scenes. Amelia and Graham are very likable characters and couldn't be more different. She is impetuous and stubborn and he is stoic and self-controlled. Of course, there is a lot of unresolved tension, sizzling chemistry, verbal sparring, teasing and taunting between them. The side story about Amelia’s brother is poignant and I really empathised and sympathised with her and Graham. Their feelings were very palpable. It was heartwarming to see the two of them supporting each other and working together as the story progressed. There is a little cliffhanger at the end and I am looking forward to read what will happen next.

Lady Amelia Clark has no desire to marry and submit to a man. She would rather enjoy her carefree life alongside her twin brother Sam, the Earl of Alston, even if she has to put up with the presence of his stern best friend Graham Blakewood, who always seems to criticise her. When Sam falls off his horse and is seriously injured, it is up to her and Graham to conceal the sad fact that Sam is on the brink of death and thus not alert their conniving relatives.
Graham has been attracted to Amelia for years, but as his best friend's sister she's off-limits, so he kept her at arm's length with his dismissive behavior. But now he has promised Sam he will look after and protect her while they are both forced to work together to keep Sam's condition a secret.
When Amelia is cornered by her aunt and cousin who want to force her to marry him, she pretends to be Graham's fiancée and they have to fake to be a happy couple despite their quarrels. And then there's the Black Widow of Whitehall, who won't believe their lies about Sam...

If you like fast-paced and moving historical romance novels with opposite characters, banter and bickering, intrigue, drama and spice, you are sure to enjoy this book!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

Lady Amelia Clark finds herself in a desperate gamble when her twin brother, the Earl of Alston, falls victim to a tragic accident. To protect them both, Amelia must keep his dire condition a secret from their enemies, and Amelia’s only ally is the man who loathes her, her brother’s best friend, Mr. Graham Blakewood. Despite their tumultuous past, Graham vows to protect Amelia at all costs, even if it means masquerading as her fiancé. In a final, desperate attempt to save her brother’s life, Lady Amelia strikes a bargain with the notorious Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, for her discreet services and powerful influence. But there is always a price to pay when gambling with love and death.
Another part of the connected world featuring Bessie Dove-Lyon but this was different from the others, Bessie didn’t play matchmaker. A well written very enjoyable book with strong characters & a well paced story. I really liked both Amelia & Graham & loved the chemistry between them. I also enjoyed the banter. This was well on the way to a five star read until it ended in a cliff hanger & I now have to wait for the next book
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Another entertaining story in the Lyon's Den Connected World. This is an engaging story with a fake engagement and undeniable attraction between Amelia and Graham that leads them into complicated and dangerous implications. True happiness can come when you least expect it.

Thank you NetGalley. This was a great read though you need a Kleenex. Amelia is so upset over her twin brother maybe dying after his accident. Graham is his best friend and though he doesn't get along with Amelia. he loves her secretly. Amelia needs his help now to keep the aunt and cousin from interfering. Her brother is unconscious. They get help from Bessie at the Den when the aunt and cousin is getting too intrusive.

I think this is the first story that I have read that Mrs. Dove-Lyon did not have a hand in arranging this marriage. It’s an excellent storyline, well thought out and executed perfectly. Tragedy brought Graham and Amelia together and was present all thru the story. This story seems to lead into a future story involving Ms. Smith and Amelia’s brother, Sam. I loved the story and hope to find the next chapter coming soon. It’s a great story worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

When Amelia's twin brother is seriously injured, she decides to keep it quiet so that her aunt and cousin don't come and take over the house and her life. Her brother's best friend, Graham, gets in on the deception even though he and Amelia have a cantankerous relationship. Pretending to be engaged and that her brother is away in Scotland, Graham becomes very protective of Amelia and comes to appreciate her impetuousness. Amelia, in turn, realizes that steady and calm might not be such a bad thing in a man. I enjoyed this book by new-to-me author Dayna Quince. I look forward to reading the next in this series since she left off in a cliff hanger. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.