Delightful! I have not read the first book in this series, but Eloisa James rarely disappoints. I loved the juxtaposition of Clara and Isla, the sweet villagers who took to Clara immediately and of course, the sexy Laird.

I really liked this HarperAudio romance. Lady Clara Vetry and the Laird of Castle Caerlaven are forced to marry. Clara doesn't mind, though, because she is already in love with him.

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperAudio Adult for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**Review: *Hardly a Gentleman* by Eloise James – 4⭐️**

*Hardly a Gentleman* is a fun and lighthearted historical romance featuring Lady Clara Vetry, a spirited and bookish heroine, and Caelin, the brooding Laird of Castle Caer Laven.

Still mourning his first wife’s death, Caelin has let both himself and his crumbling castle go. Desperate, his sister suggests hiring a housekeeper from England—since no Scottish woman will take on the task. Enter Lady Clara, who’s been sent away from London after an unfortunate encounter with Prinny. A case of mistaken identity has her whisked off to the Highlands as the new housekeeper—and so begins her unexpected adventure.

Clara’s inner strength and warmth shine through, making her easy to root for, and the romance unfolds with charm and gentle wit. A thoroughly enjoyable escape with just the right touch of heart and humor.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

The author says her inspiration started with the idea of a Scottish laird fly fishing in a loch naked and that was all it took to get me interested lol. On top of being absolutely hilarious this book had so much heart. I adore romances where one (or both) characters are unique and unappreciated and then find the person who revels in the parts of them that society doesn’t understand. Clara's optimistic, bookish nature was deeply relatable. While she is an avid book lover she is also not adverse to adventure and I truly believe Caelan and Clara are well matched in their adventurous natures. I was already have a fabulous time with this book but the ending really sealed the deal for me. Eloisa James left no conflict unresolved and she didn’t settle for mere happiness. She had to prove that Clara and Caelan are made for each other and I totally believed it. They are both so gone for each other and it's adorable to see.

Note - The story starts with Clara being groped and this inciting incident does continue to cause her some distress throughout the book so if that's a sensitive topic for you definitely check trigger warnings to get more details.

Mary Jane Wells is a queen of audiobook narration!! This might as well have been a full-cast narration for all the distinction each character got. If she reads it, I gotta listen to it (especially when Scottish accents are involved!). All the heart and humor were elevated with her narration.

She wanted a Scottish castle and a rugged man in a kilt and accidentally found BOTH, naked, by a lake. 🫣🏰 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

This book had me fighting for my life in the beginning, not from the plot, but from the ACCENT. I swear I spent the first few chapters like, “what did he just say??” 🤨 But once my brain adjusted, I was suddenly INTO IT. Honestly, the narration ended up being beautifully done.

Our girl just wants to escape, fix her life, and maybe not be groped in a ballroom again. (same, girl)

She’s not waiting for a man to save her. She’s got dreams, grit, and absolutely NO plan for what to do when a naked Highlander shows up mid-fishing trip and ruins her peace. (and her panties.)🤭

And him??? Oh, he FALLS FIRST**. 🩷

- The brooding laird with hairy thighs and sad eyes energy
- Says things like “I’ll buy her all the books you want” 😭
- Honestly a cinnamon roll disguised as a grumpy, large man

Clara disguises herself as a housekeeper after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, well, “disguises” is a strong word. She couldn’t hide it for a second🤭 he’s so curious about this mysterious adventures book girl that he follows her around like a puppy and listens to her every order.

He even helps her clean his castle just so he can be close to her and then they kiss.
And I was GIGGLING.

But then... they got married.
And I kinda clocked out. 😐

The tension dipped, the spice stayed (thank God), but virgin FMCs just aren’t my thing. And she was so overly innocent, I rolled my eyes every few pages.

It was good audiobook!

- Spice: spicy but not scandalous
- Narration: hard start but ended strong
- Plot: strong opening, kinda fizzled after the "I do"s

Would I read another Highlander romance? Yes.
Would I survive another audiobook with that strong of an accent? Unclear.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the advanced audio book.

💙 He fall first
💙 Virgin FMC
💙 Highlander MMC
💙 Found family
💙 2/5 🌶️

I was really looking forward to this audiobook because the plot sounded so interesting and fun, and I love a good historical romance. But I found the narration so incredibly distracting—it pulled me out of the story, and I just couldn’t get past it, even though I really tried to finish. On top of that, the plot itself felt a bit thin and lacking in depth for me. I keep wondering if I’d like a book version better.

Hardly a Gentleman was a fun book, I enjoyed the characters and the story. Historical romances are not my favorite genre (probably because I secretly am a feminist and hate the gender discrepancy that can run rampant in historical fiction), but this one was clever and well-written. I listened to the audiobook, done by one of my favorite narrators, and she hit it out of the park. Probably most surprising to me was how this one hit me with the feels, specially about feeling wanted as you are and not as you could be. I really liked it and would recommend.

This book has got to be one of the cutest comfiest books I’ve read that clearly communicated historical and more severe cultural themes. I thought it was just a fun story with extremely lovable characters and was taken aback when the narrated spoke about the research and how books affected the girls of that time. Reflecting I realized how tastefully the author incorporated those findings into the story and appreciated them all the more for doing so. I honestly loved the main characters and would happily read more about their lives as a couple and follow them through parenthood. I can only imagine what they would get up to. This is my first experience with the author and I had such a wonderful time that I’ll be looking for more books to read from them!

I really wanted to enjoy Hardly a Gentleman, but the audiobook made it tough. Between the narration style and the pacing, I found myself constantly distracted or frustrated. The story itself had potential—some fun banter and a classic setup—but it just didn’t come through in audio form.

Maybe I would’ve had a better experience reading it in print, but as an audiobook, it was a struggle to stay engaged.

Hardly a Gentleman was another wonderful display of Eloisa James’ charm and humor! And of course Mary Jane Wells brought the characters to life in her perfect MJW way. I will say my attention kept slipping throughout the book because there wasn’t much to the plot and the relationship itself was pretty cutesy.

*Spoiler*
It’s happened a few times, and I’ve decided I really like when a widow/widower isn’t like *that sad* to be in their current situation lol. Everyone assumed this dude was just so bereft but that wasn’t the case at all.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5


I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.

I loved this bodice ripper story about an adventurous Lady and a good hearted Laird. The author did a great job challenging novels of the time while writing an empowering romance for modern times.
I loved the narrators for this story. They fit the characters perfectly and brought the story to life.

Scotland, 1803. 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.

Mary Jane Wells is the perfect narrator for this - her Scottish accents are impeccable, and she brings the humor and romance to Eloisa James's writing.

4.5 Stars Hardly a Gentleman is the perfect historical romance for anyone who loves a Scottish MMC, a brave and feisty FMC, and cheers for the anti-heroes.

After a disastrous end to her Season, with no marriage proposal in sight, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry boards a carriage bound for Scotland. Since her mother only sees her as a disappointment and she's running from scandal, she might as well become a housekeeper in a Scottish castle. Laird Caelan MacCrae sees no need to marry, despite his sister and his late wife's mother insisting that he still needs an heir. But when he sees his new housekeeper--who surely can't really be a housekeeper with how little she knows how to do--Caelan changes his mind and does everything he can to win Clara's hand. Except, Clara refuses, again and again. When her true identity is revealed and the two must marry to save her reputation, Caelan realizes he must convince his new wife that his feelings are true and try to win over her heart.

Caelan and Clara are a perfect match! Both introverted, well-read thinkers who enjoy solving problems and getting down to work. They prefer the realistic and comfortable to the fantasy and beautiful. Their chemistry leaps off the page and they form a friendship right from the start. It's easy for both Caelan and the reader to see how they fit together so well. Though this book has a few small references to the previous book in the Accidental Brides series, it can be easily read as a standalone. I really feel like I've never read a historical romance quite like this one and really enjoyed it!

Clara is a walking scandal after hitting the prince with her reticule. On her way to Scotland to stay with her aunt, she hitches a ride with another carriage who’s there to pick up a new housekeeper. She’s clearly not a housekeeper and an even worse fake housekeeper, but she’s befriended the driver and she’s on her way. Caelan is the widowed laird who has basically let his estate go to rot because he’s completely apathetic and rustic. But the whole town thinks that he’s heartbroken over the loss of his wife and he doesn’t even have the interest to correct them. When Clara shows up as the new housekeeper, he knows she’s really a lady, but he’s instantly attracted to her and eventually decides he wants to keep her. I loved how delightfully messy these two people are and how they’re able to be fairly direct and honest with each other. It was a lot of fun to read their romance develop and get to know that meddlesome town Caelan oversees.

This was a delightful read. I enjoyed Eloisa James's most recent book, which was full of hijinks and passion. The narrators did a great job with pacing and demonstrating the chemistry between the MCs. I can't resist a Scottish brogue.

Mary Jane Wells delivers a stellar performance in this delightfully wacky historical romance by Eloisa James. Hardly a Gentleman is full of humor, heart, spice and chaos.

Caelan and Clara are refreshingly non-traditional leads, and their quirky chemistry is what makes this story sparkle. Their meet-cute had me grinning, and the witty banter throughout is fab. Bonus points for Caelan’s nephew—and his pet chicken Wilhelmina—who completely stole every scene they were in.

I actually went back and listened to the first book in the series after this one, and while that was enjoyable, Hardly a Gentleman easily tops it for me. My only complaint? A little too much of the "everything could be resolved with one honest conversation" trope. But honestly, the humor and charm more than make up for it.

A fun listen with lovable oddballs and sharp dialogue—can’t wait to dive into the next installment.

Clara needs to get away from a scandal that was completely not her fault and in Scotland Caelan happens to need a housekeeper. Problem is Clara knows nothing about housekeeping and can’t imagine the kind of mess in store for her. Also Caelan’s family keeps pushing him to marry and give up his solitude and he doesn’t really want that. This was such a delightful story with the perfect combination of being narrated by Mary Jane Wells.

Clara is such a kind and utterly sweet character and I loved reading about her. Her playfulness with Caelan was so easy and believable. I loved how Mary Jane Wells voiced her. You could just hear her personality through every laugh and sigh. Clara is sweet and naive about things but she is not dumb and Caelan very much commands the room but he as a character was straightforward, practical and kind. I loved them together. The banter is fun. The found family is amazing.

I think some things could have been cleared up quicker with communication but it didn’t really come to play till the last act so it was not a problem you kept expecting to fall on your head. It didn't ruin the overall enjoyment of their love story. The Accidental Bride series so far have been so good and I'm excited for the next one.

Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult|HarperAudio for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.