With every book in this series I enjoy it more. Lady Ivy is a heroine much to my tastes. Almost 30 and a wallflower capable of cowing even the Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Lessons in intimacy on top of this make for a great dynamic between them. This series is about ladies absolutely capable of defending themselves, but who find their ideal partners and protectors along the way. They work together and are equally in charge. I honestly thought this would be the last book, but the overarching plot isn’t fully resolved. Some things that I think are or have been red herrings, but I think I was able to guess at least part of the direction this will continue to take. A fun, sexy, historical romance, and absolutely a fun series. Just considering how industry never feels like it’s really part of these books, aside from the fact that Queen Victoria is ultimately in charge these do feel like they might have been Regency era, and the covers don’t do much to dispel that. Nonetheless, looking forward to the continuation and absolutely recommend.

Give it a try if any of this makes interests you:

- Victorian setting
- evil secret society
- kick ass women
- A+ tension and yearning
- comedy
-🌶️🌶️🌶️

- This follow a cute romance between Ivy and Edward who are trying to keep watch over an orphanage and try to catch a criminal organization involved in the kidnappings of young children in a human trafficking ring. Ivy has had a lot of hardships from her family's fall of grace from the aristocracy and the emotional and verbal abuse she received from her father prior to his death (Note: abuse was sexual, not physical but verbally). She may be shy and fragile but she has a quiet resilience and strength about her that Edward can't help take note of fall head over heels for her. Did I also mention that Ivy is able to hold her own in a fight (She's part of a group of ladies who've been trained in weaponry and self-defense to protect those most vulnerable). Edward could be a bit of an idiot at times (constantly thinking he's not good enough for a long term relationship) while also dealing with his own trauma. Their relationship started off exploratory and then sweet/emotional as they slowly start to fall for one another. Overall, this was a sweet, swash-buckling romance with some dark elements as they both try to help support each other and heal from past wounds.

ARC received with thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

A Most Unlikely Lady is the fourth installment in Darcy McGuire’s series, but it works perfectly as a standalone, as each book focuses on different characters.

This historical romance was a refreshing and thoroughly entertaining read. The witty banter and the characters’ inner monologues had me laughing out loud more than once. The story centers on Ivy, who has recently accepted a position as headmistress at an orphanage. When an intruder breaks in, Ivy—trained by the Queen’s Deadly Damsels—doesn’t hesitate to defend herself and shoots him.

Edward, a lord and the commissioner of Scotland Yard, already has his eye on Ivy. When he hears of the incident, his protective instincts kick in, and he moves into the orphanage to ensure her safety. Together, they work to uncover who is behind the break-in and the mysterious group known as the Devil’s Sons.

Amid the intrigue and danger, Ivy and Edward must also confront past traumas before they can acknowledge their growing feelings for one another. Their emotional journey adds depth to the fast-paced plot and charming romance.

A delightful mix of mystery, action, and romance with strong, likable characters—this book is a standout in the genre and a joy to read.

📖 Title: A Most Unlikely Lady-The Queen's Deadly Damsels #4

✍🏾 Author: Darcy McGuire-I've read books#2 & 3 both 4*

📅Publication date: 6/6/25 | Read 5/29/25

📃 Format: e-Book 333 pgs.


Genre:
*Historical Romance
*Adult Fic
*Mystery/Crime Thriller

Tropes:
*damsel in distress
*friends to lovers
*opposites attract
*forced proximity
*secret identity
*slow burn

👆🏾POV: 3rd person

⚠️TW: orphanage, h attacked, death of family members, sex trafficking ring, virgin h

🌎 Setting: Islington, England

Summary: When headmistress Lady Ivy shoots an intruder at the orphanage, Commissioner Edward comes to investigate even though he's already spying for Lady Philippa. Ivy doesn't know Edward has been tasked with keeping her safe while searching for the leaders of The Devil's Sons (TDS), a "flesh" ring that prays on young women who come to London looking for work as housemaids. They are trafficked and forced into prostitution with no recourse. Ivy and Edward join forces to bring all the rogues to justice.


👩🏾 Heroine: Lady Ivy Cavendale- 29, headmistress of All Souls Orphanage. Her father Lord Cavendale was a mad duke who died after murdering her brother Alfred. Her father taught her to fear/be repulsed by men and sex.

👨🏾 Hero: Commissioner Edward Worthington/Duke of Landbourne- 39, a spy for Queen Victoria tasked w/ finding TDS

🎭 Other Characters:

* Lady Olivia Smithwick/Marchioness of Brightmore-offered Ivy the headmistress job as Committee of Concerned Ladies for Community Betterment-ladies of the beau monde who organize and fund the orphanage.
*Lady Philippa Winterbourne/Duchess of Dorsett-distrusts Olivia, trains Ivy to protect herself
*Liza-Edward's deceased sister
*Lady Millicent Drake, Lady Hannah Killian, and Lady Penny Renquist-Ivy's BFFs
*Mr. Reading- Edward's secretary
*The Wolf and The Crow-leaders of the Devil's Sons still at large

🤔 My Thoughts: Ivy was a shy wallflower who wanted to fade in the background, but Edward saw more in her. He knew she was independent, brave, and an amateur sleuth. Ivy had her sexual awakening with Edward, and she accepted him the more time they spent together. Edward's flirty banter and humor made him a swoon-worthy hero.


Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5 🌶️

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Darcy McGuire for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The commissioner for the met and a disgraced wallflower hunt down the next member of the brotherhood. I loved the relationship between the heroine and the hero, and how her sexual trauma was dealt with.

I really hope the next romance in the series is queer.

I’ve read the previous books in this series and have to say I prefer these last 2 to the earlier ones. Ivy is a lovely character, meek and innocent, ruined by her father and brother’s legacies. She’s just started a new job as headmistress of an orphanage but disaster strikes on the first night!

They soon find out that The Devil’s Sons are behind the intruder and along with The Queen’s Deadly Damsels, plans are put in place to flush them out. But as we know from the previous books in the series, there’s also a man involved and love starts to bloom.

I really enjoy these, the characters are likeable (well, most!) and well written, each bringing their own story to the novel. Love the dynamic between Stokes and Philippa, makes me chuckle every time! I’m hoping there will be another one, but there doesn’t seem to be any single characters left!

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book.

I knew this was a part of a series going into it, however I was able to completely read it as if it was a standalone. This did deal with some very serious situations, however it was still a very fun read. It really drew me in, and it's made me very curious to read the other books, and see where the full story goes. Apart from a few loose ends that I know would be mentioned in future books, I really enjoyed the ending, it was perfect! I also really adored the growth of the main characters and Philippa. I'd love a story for her as well! Reading (the character) is everything though and he really stole the show. I think it's that related concept that gave me the most issues with this book. I think I just really wanted more actual action/mystery solving, and it wasn't really there. But other than that this was a good book.

Thank you so very much again for allowing me the privilege of reading this book I really appreciate it!

This was really hard for me because I have loved the other books in this series, and especially loved The Confessions of a Lady. However, I found it almost impossible to click with this story. Unlike the previous books in the series, the love in this one lacked depth and longing. It was very insta-love/insta-lust, and while it could've worked, it just didn't for me because of Ivy's trauma and past. I understand their relationship was something to help Ivy overcome her fears, but it came off like they both ignored her own boundaries where she was comfortable and moved too quickly.

I also didn't love Edward and Philippa's relationship, past or present. I thought the "oh what happened" was drawn out too long, and when we did find out what happened, I thought both of their takes on the situation felt unrealistic considering how long it had been. It also, for the first time, made me dislike Philippa to a degree.

I did enjoy the mystery portion of this, and thought it had a complex nature to it for the rest of the series, but I do wish there had been more mystery in this one; it could've been interesting.

A Most Unlikely Lady, the fourth story in The Queen’s Deadly Damsels series, is set in Victorian London. The story pairs Lady Ivy Cavendale, the new headmistress of All Souls Orphanage, and Commissioner Edward Worthington, Duke of Landbourne, in a battle to save London’s orphans from a perfidious child smuggling ring called the Devil’s Sons. Ivy has always been a wallflower, preferring to exist in the shadows of society rather than seeking marriage as is expected of a young lady of quality. Ivy’s deceased father spent her formative years tormenting her with lurid stories of the things her future husband would do to her and she now fears intimacy as a result. Edward is also reluctant to enter into a relationship as he feels he is unworthy, having had a hand in driving hius younger sister Liza to kill herself years earlier. Despite their backstory, these two feel an instant strong attraction and as their story unfolds and the sexual tension increases, they learn to trust each other. They’re strong characters and easy to like as are their group of close friends, who assist in setting out to trap the leaders of the Devil’s Sons. The plot is engaging and for the most part believable, though I wasn’t entirely convinced by the behaviour of one or two characters at the end of the story. That aside, this has been an entertaining read.

First I need to thank the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book!

I LOVED this installment of the series. These characters are so fun and the way they work together to better the community from the Devil’s Sons is terrific. I loved seeing Ivy grow and develop into a strong woman stepping into her strength.

Thank you netgalley and Boldwood books, for this arc.
This book is my second Darc Mcguire book. I loved it just as much as I loved, book 3 "the confessions of a lady".
The setting, was top notch.
The mystery was unpredictable and fast paced.
The romance storyline was utter perfection.
There was lines of dialouge that I will quote unntil my daying day. " Did you have a reason for coming in here other to annoy me, Reading?" page 103, Being one of them.
I wonder if Reading will get a novella of his own.
Anyway. I loved every single word of this book.
I have zero complaints.
This book is realised jjune 6th. run to the store and preorder or get it from your local library.

This is a story of two completely opposite people who are brought together during trying circumstances. On one hand the main characters have a lot of chemistry. On the other hand the leading man has an almost obsession with the leading lady. It hits the wrong notes a few times especially because the leading lady had past trauma.

“A Most Unlikely Lady” by Darcy McGuire was probably my favourite of the Deadly Damsels series. The really loved Edward Worthington’s story of redemption and how he manages to win over Ivy all while convincing himself he will keep his vow to remain single. He was so gentle with Ivy as she found her strength after having survived an abusive father. I loved seeing Ivy come into her own and discover her power and it was neat to see Edward help her there.

Ivy takes a position as the headmistress of an orphanage at her friend’s request but Phillipa her friend and self defence teacher as well as a spy for the queen does not trust her other friend’s motive. After Ivy shoots an intruder, Edward poses as a servant to help protect the house and brings Ivy on his investigations to help ID the man. The forced proximity leads to Edward starting to loose control of his vow not to love and for Ivy to start loosing her fear of men with Edward. The chemistry heats up near the end and so to does the action! A great book from start to finish and such a great series so far!

Mystery, Romance, Spies and Spice set in Regency England.

Ivy Cavendale, a wallflower & Edward Worthington, a dashing Duke and Scotland Yard Commissioner have an undeniable attraction, but can they overcome their tortured pasts and give into temptation?

This was a fun read with the two main characters, Ivy and Edward, and a return of the supporting cast from the first three books.

Darcy McGuire definitely knows how to keep your interest in the fourth book of the “Deadly Damsels” series. This could be read as a stand alone, however each book builds on the previous and adds to the enjoyment.

Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely adored this book! The author did a perfect job of balancing the mystery, the romance, and the main characters backstory. I loved Ivy so much, loved Edward, and adored them together. The mystery was a fun twist. Highly recommend this one!

Darcy Macguire writes such fantastic historical romances, so I was super excited to get an ARC of A Most Unlikely Lady. It was such a good story! I loved the main characters, the romance, the children, and the mystery.

Edward and Ivy have a swoon-worthy romance! Filled with angst and longing and spice, their love story is a great blend of sweet, sexy, and funny. I love their banter and the way their feelings for each other grow. They are definitely a well-matched pair, and their romance contrasts with some of the darker elements of the story well. The children are another bright spot in the story, as are the many comical scenes. There are a few scenes with laugh-out-loud moments that I just loved.

The author also sheds light on the social inequities of the time while also creating a unique and mysterious story that kept me guessing. I love a little suspense with my romance! There is some violence inflicted on the MMC toward the end of the book that felt completely unjustified and actually brought my rating down. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

The mystery was engaging as was the romance. What I liked best of all was the healing process and character development for the female lead character. It was a journey I was happy to go on.

4 out of 5 stars

I picked up A Most Unlikely Lady thinking I'd just read a couple of chapters before bed... and suddenly it's 2 AM, I'm emotionally compromised, and I’m ready to throw hands for Ivy Cavendale.

So here's the tea: this isn’t your usual balls-and-bonnets historical romance. Nope. It’s got trauma, spies, fake names, an actual orphanage (!!), and a broody duke who low-key moonlights as Queen Victoria’s secret agent. Wild, right?

Ivy..daughter of a disgraced duke, now headmistress of an orphanages swore off men forever (understandable, considering her father was the worst). But then this random man breaks into her school and she straight-up shoots him. Turns out he's tangled in the same creepy child-trafficking ring she’s unknowingly standing in the middle of. And boom, in walks Edward, the undercover commissioner/duke/guilt-ridden softie who’s supposed to keep an eye on her. Cue sparks, secrets, and slow-burn healing that had me feeling things.

What I loved most? Their chemistry simmers but never overshadows the bigger plot. It’s slow-burn but delicious. The action scenes weren’t fluff – they actually mattered. And Edward? A man who listens, respects boundaries, and isn’t afraid to confront his own ghosts. More of that in fiction, please.

The mystery wasn’t shocking, I’ll admit – kind of guessed it early on – but honestly? I didn’t care. I was in it for the emotional payoff, and this book delivered.

#AMostUnlikelyLady #NetGalley

an unlikely book to love. nope. a likely joy of a read. correct.
this book was a great addition to the series and also held its own perfectly.
the characters the plot, premise and pace was all done in a way that kept you learning, then excited, then steady and then tense. it has it all this book. and so much more. i love it when you come across books you like the look of but give you so much more besides.
this book gives us Ivy. she has been through enough. her family left her feeling like she just wanted peace. or to be left alone by people that would betray her. she is now coming into her own in the role of headmistress of All Souls Orphanage. she is determined to put her life into something meaningful. but when one night there is an intruder she knows she will do what it take to protect those in her care. because there are dark things happening out there. especially to young girls who are being bought and sold across countries. so Ivy shoot the intruder and calls for help.
this starts of a chain of events and fantastic read to come.
told to head the case is Edward Worthington the Duke. he is the queens friend and undercover agent. but he has his own troubles and pain he also carries. and so this is a job and job only and he will do it with the directness yet detachment it deserves. right???
but as Ivy and Edward work together they both see more in eachother. they both heal more than they thought possible. they both find something so much more than they thought they could be given.
the story starts us off with a bang and carries on throughout. i loved what Darcy gives us in the character of Ivy. she is a heroin we all want to read about.
and Edward too is so much more than your average. his depth is both heartening and intriguing. and then together then two are a fab duo.
this book is packed with everything you could want from the cover onwards.

A Most Unlikely Lady by Darcy McGuire has a lot of charm, but as the fourth book in a series, it didn’t entirely work for me as a standalone.

Commissioner Edward is all in immediately, and while I usually enjoy a good instalove story, it felt a bit rushed here—like I missed some key context or development from earlier books. His attraction and devotion are sweet, but without the emotional groundwork, I found it hard to fully connect with the romance.

The heroine is interesting and complex, and I appreciated the contrast in their personalities. There’s a nice tension between propriety and passion, and McGuire’s writing has an elegance that suits the genre well. At its best, it recalls Sarah MacClean—her earlier work in some of the longing (in particular, a moment with ungloved hands touching) and her more recent work (in moments where the women are working together.)

That said, I think readers who are already invested in the series will likely enjoy this one more than I did. The emotional stakes probably hit harder if you’re familiar with the returning characters and their arcs.

All in all, a pleasant historical romance with some strong elements—but I’d recommend starting from book one to get the full effect.