This was so much fun! The regency era paired with such wit and banter and sass is something that I will never stop loving. When Rosalie is invited to a dowager duchess' house party, she has no clue what's happening. An old friend of her mother's supposedly, but she can't figure out why she's there. When faced with the real reason and the responsibility required, Rosalie must decide if she will stick with her decision or not.

Lord James is the second son, running the estate for his lazy duke of a brother. Burke has been a brother, if not in blood, in sprit, for most of his life and clearly enamored with Rosalie. Their friend Tom also feels similarly. They can't get her out of their heads, despite the fact that she is the least suitable match for each of them. They all want her, but what, and who, does she want?

So much sass, so much slow burn.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC. I absolutely adore Emily Rath and was beyond excited that I had the opportunity to read this ahead of its rerelease.

I am a massive Jane Austen fan and it was nothing short of delightful to read a book that was written in that style but with spice. The characters are engaging and I loved that we got to see the story unfold from each of their perspectives. The character development throughout the book was exceedingly well done as was the story telling. I found myself equally drawn to all of the male leads which is unheard of for me and can only be credited to Emily Rath's gorgeous character portrayal and writing style.

Beautiful Things is spicy regency romance that ticked all the boxes. Cannot wait to read the next instalment!

A regency why-choose romance novel?! What can’t Dr Rath do!!

This book was everything Emily Rath does well - nuanced characters, even with multiple MCs, that have depth and emotions that have you hooked from the beginning. If you’re a fan of spicy, untraditional romance and are here for the DRAMA, this is the book for you!

I love our FMC Rosalie and her commitment to stay true to herself and refusing the “cage of marriage.” The friendship between our MMCs, Burke, James and Renley was great to see from the very beginning…and I’m excited to see where that friendship goes 👀 and I want to know more about our many side characters!

And as per usual, the spice was SPICYYYY even tho I would categorize this a slow burn.

I will say, it is important to note that this book has a cliffhanger and is to be continued in book 2, His Grace, The Duke - but it just left me wanting more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Beautiful Things (Second Sons Book 1)

If Jane Austen and Julia Quinn had a why choose book baby, this would be it!

Rosalie Harrow, nearly destitute, suddenly finds herself summoned by the Dowager Duchess of Norland, an estranged friend of her mother. Vowing to never marry but in need of income, Rosalie remains at Alcott Hall, navigating high society and matrimonial pairings for the Duke of Norland.

While seeking answers, she finds herself drawn to a broody viscount, charming sailor, and irritatingly handsome rake.

Tropes:
👀 Multi POV
🎩 Regency Romance
💐 A decadent summer house party
🎹 Sultry piano duets
💋 Brooding in stairwells
🦢 An angry swan
💕 The OG storage closet 😉
🎩 Three best friends…and the lady who *comes* between them (MMFM)
🔥 Slow burn 🌶️

If you love the scandal, drama, and propriety of the Regency era and epic yearning like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, this book is for you!

Lord James may be the second born son, but he shoulders the burden of the dukedom and is exhaustingly steadfast in upholding his duty and expectations. Lieutenant Renley is in need of an advantageous match but is still haunted by his past. Mr. Burke, the enigmatic flirt, is dashing and dangerous but his hubris may be a mere facade.

Rosalie is perceptive, strong-willed, and fiercely independent. As she learns more about these three best friends, she finds her feelings muddled and heart conflicted.

My eyes were glued to each page, savoring the razor-sharp wit and searing tension of this forbidden polyamorous romance. With wickedly smart and refreshingly modern prose, Beautiful Things is transportive, hysterical, and sexy as hell. I am feral for the next book!

So grateful to the author, Hambright PR, Kensington publishing, and NetGalley for the review copy opportunities. This is my honest and voluntary review.

In Beautiful Things, Emily Rath serves up a historical romance that is as smart as it is steamy.

Imagine if Pride & Prejudice ran off with Bridgerton, added a few shots of rum, and decided to ditch all the societal rules. That is this book! Rosalie Harrow is the Regency heroine of my dreams. She is headstrong, witty, and not about to be married off like a prize cow, thank. you. very. much! 👏

This book is full of familiar tropes turned on their heads and characters who burn with desire, intelligence, and defiance. Emily weaves in sly humour, a modern feminist lens, and moments of real emotional depth. The result is a book that feels contemporary in sensibility without abandoning the richness of its historical backdrop.

The slow-burn romantic tension is masterfully sustained across the story, with each romantic thread given space to develop. The chemistry isn’t just physical (though, yes, this book does bring the spice!). It is deeply rooted in shared ideals, intellectual sparring, and emotional evolution. Rath excels at giving her characters layered motivations, particularly Rosalie, whose resistance to marriage isn’t merely a plot device but a deeply felt conviction shaped by grief, pride, and fear of being owned.

What to expect:
🫖 Drawing room drama
💋 Delicious slow burns
🏰 Country house party chaos
🎭 A surprise twist on classic tropes

If you love your historical romance with spice, sass, and zero tolerance for patriarchal nonsense, this one is for you 🖤 completely delightful and just a little bit scandalous.

Thank you to Kensington and Hambright PR for the ARC of Beautiful Things!

I will pick up almost any regency romance read. I love the time period. The way the characters talk and interact. The details big and small and all the parties and balls. What I don't usually enjoy are love triangles (if it's four is it a love rectangle?). But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. It was on the spicier side, which I can take or leave. The FMC had so much personality and was so determined and strong. I really enjoyed her character. Her love interests? There was a clear front runner the entire time. But all of the men were decent in their own way. They each had strengths and distinct personalities with clear story lines. I wasn't really rooting for anyone in particular. One of the last scenes left me a little puzzled. DM me if you want to chat about it when you're finished reading. The story does end on a cliffhanger and it looks like this will be a trilogy. Am I interested enough to read on? I think so!

✨4/5

Look, I’m not usually a historical romance girlie, but if Emily writes it, I’m gonna read it and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the regency aspect of it! This has me looking for others to try out next. Was it super historically accurate? Probs not, but that’s a-ok for me! This gave me that wonderful slow-burn-Mr-Darcy-hand-flex vibe and I can’t wait to pick up the next book to see this story continue.

Read this if you’re looking for:
- Why Choose romance
- Multi-POV
- Slow burn
- Some seriously broody MMCs

Thank you to @kensingtonbooks @hambright_pr @netgalley for the ARC of #BeautifulThings in exchange for an honest review!

Anything Emily writes is going to be excellent. I enjoyed this book so much. I feel like everyone should read this if they can or heck even listen to it if it’s on audio.


Highly recommend!
10 out of 10 stars

This is escapism at its finest. Look, put historical accuracy to the side. It’s not important and we don’t need it. This is a fun why choose romance that’s lets you enjoy several different types of regency heroes.

Is it a bit silly? Sure, but it’s always a good time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of the special edition in exchange for an honest review!

Historical romance has been a favorite of mine for many years. Then, I discovered my love of why choose romance. This story combines the two, and I couldn’t be more in love with Rosalie, Burke, Tom, and James! Definitely a slow burn, but the tension leading up to the spicy times is so great! The Duchess is a problem, but I can’t wait to see how they handle her. Loved it!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

✔️ Why Choose?
✔️ Regency Romance
✔️ Multiple POVs

Let me first start by saying this is not your grandma’s regency romance! 🤣 As someone who has fallen in love with Bridgerton and Jane Austen I can tell you - this book has all of the regency charm but is better and spicier! If you couldn’t tell, I absolutely devoured this book and have become completely obsessed with this trilogy. (This series is already out with model covers but is getting a fancy new upgrade.)

First and foremost it’s gotta be said, Emily is the queen of the “why choose” trope. 👑 This book had SO much tension, banter, and chemistry and every male had his own distinct special charm. I mean who needs Mr. Darcy when you could have Burke, Renley, and James? 😍 Burke is your outcast with the quick wit, smolder, and fiery edge. Renley is your brokenhearted, sweet, golden retriever type sailor. And finally James is your “Atlas” loveable character with the weight of the world on his shoulders and more responsibility than anyone should. Truly there is something to love for everyone in each of these men. 💋 Now our FMC Rosalie has had a tough life but she is a very loveable siren who deserves her version of a happy ending. ❤️ In an effort to not berate this I will leave you with the fact that so many of the side characters were SO entertaining and really deserve their own reviews. (Like the duke and his mother the duchess - both of whom I do not trust. 🤣) I absolutely can’t wait to see what happens next in this series! ❤️

“I never had much need for the church and now I know why. You are my goddess, I worship only you. Claim me, ruin me, own me. I don’t care.”

I’m not usually a fan of regency novels, but this one has a modern feel to it and a unique spin. It follows Rosalie who is penniless, untitled and without family as she makes her way through society by her own rules. When the Duchess summons her to her home, she goes and discovers there are more plots in the works than she is being told. Rosalie is confident in who she is and isn’t afraid to stand up against those who have more than she does. Soon she’s turned more than one head and is trying desperately to decide what role she wants to take. This is book one is an ongoing series and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.

This was my first book by Emily Rath AND my first regency piece—and oh my gosh, it did not disappoint! Think Bridgerton, but waaaay spicier 🔥 Like so spicy I had to remind myself to breathe. I couldn’t put this book down—it had me hooked and wanting more from the very first page!
Rosalie isn’t your typical high-society woman—she doesn’t care for marriage or being caged by societal rules. She’s not from wealth, doesn’t have a title, and yet she still manages to steal the hearts of three incredible men. And let me just say…I was obsessed with all of them.
Each man brings something totally different to the table—and even with their differences, they’re best friends (which made their connection even hotter 👀). The chemistry, the tension, the longing—it’s a slow, torturously good burn that gave everything I needed and more. That ending?? Did not see it coming and I am screaming over the cliffhanger! Book 2 cannot get here fast enough!
Huge thanks to @hambright_pr and @emilyrathauthor for letting me read and review this gem! 💜

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was very much okay. A little underwhelming if I’m being honest. I’ve only read one Emily Rath book before and it was her fantasy which was fantastic, so I was looking forward to this one very much, especially because I love historical romance so much. I’m pretty new to the reverse harem side of romance but there really wasn’t much in this one other than some kissing which I’m no stranger to reading about. How can a book be boring when there are three different guys placed as love interests??? Emily Rath figured out a way to do it. This one just dragged for the majority of the story and I don’t think I would’ve had the motivation to finish it if I hadn’t been listening to the audio. I don’t think I’m going to continue on with this series because I haven’t seen many good reviews for the next two. I am excited about starting her hockey series!

This is my first historical/Regency romance, and I enjoyed it. The tension and angst were 🔥🔥

3 men, all forbidden, all sexy, and all can not keep away from Rosalie. The spice is hot 🥵, and the men are swoonworthy. Burke is definitely my favorite MMC

Rosalie is a lady who knows what she wants and does not apologize for it. I can't wait for the next book!

His eyes lashed with some unreadable emotion, but he gave a curt nod. "Done. You shall hold the whip. Hell, hold the reins if you want. Leave me to run alongside you. I'm sure the exercise would do me good."

He had his brows knit together, his face all seriousness. Fuck, why did he look even more handsome when he was serious? It wasn't fair. Damn, Burke's rotten luck that he had to compete with a bloody Adonis.

"And since you are such a fan of my jealous nature, let me say this: If you so much as look at another woman tonight, I'll cut off those traitorous fingers and feed them to the feral swans in the lake."


When Rosalie gets an invitation to Alcott Hall, she believes she’s only there to meet the dowager Duchess, her late mother’s mysterious childhood friend. But as soon as she arrives, Rosalie is thrust into the middle of a house party full of eligible high society ladies who have one goal: win the hand of the new Duke.
The more Rosalie tries to avoid the high society husband hunt, the more she finds herself charmed by three very different men.
♡
The first chapter had me hooked, lined, and sunk.

I had no idea the need I had for a why-choose Bridgerton/Jane Austen inspired gem of a book. But here we are, and I ate it up, and left no crumbs.

Rosalie Harrow is a headstrong force of a woman, and you'll never catch her begging for attention or a helping hand. Not only did she manage to rein in one man, in high society, oh no, she managed two. Or, two and a half. Listen, the last one is a work in progress. James' a little headstrong too, but Rosalie is nothing if not tenacious.

I might be a simp here, but I adore all of them. Rosalie goes with saying. But Mr. Burke and his aggressive love had me giggling during the first chapter.
Lieutenant Renley, and his sea colored eyes and easy smile, won me over with his steady nature. And Lord James, the Duke's younger brother, well, we'll get there.

This ended on a cliffhanger so violent, I think I ended up with whiplash!

TROPES:
• A decadent summer house party
• Sultry piano duets
• Brooding in stairwells
• An angry swan
• The OG storage closet
• Three best friends…and the lady who *comes* between them

Thank you Hambright PR and Emily Rath for this reading copy!

Normally historical romance is not my go to trope but I do love this author's writing so I jumped in. While I overall did enjoy the story it did lag a bit for me. I did find the characters interesting and entertaining and since this ended on a cliffhanger will have to read the next book to see what happens!

Swoony Shenanigans & Scandalous Slow Burns 💋🎩

Review:
This is definitely not your mama’s historical romance!!! Think Bridgerton meets spicy chaos 😏 Rosalie is bold, witty, and totally uninterested in being anyone’s wife—which makes it so fun watching her attract three deliciously different suitors. The banter, the mystery, the longing looks across ballroom floors… chef’s kiss. And yes, it delivers on the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Obsessed with the deluxe edition details too—it’s a STUNNER 😍

Pride and Prejudice meets Bridgerton but I get to have my cake AND eat it too.

Beautiful Things reminded me why I love regency romance and gave me why choose on top of it. I found the story true to regency romance in the angsty, tension filled, slow burn extravagance of it all but delightfully modern with the bold brashiness of the FMC and MMC’s.

We meet Rosalie Harrow, a twenty-two-year-old penniless woman, traveling from our Aunt’s house to the grand estate of Alcott after a mysterious invitation from the Dowager Duchess shows up. The reason for the invite and the opportunities that await are completely unknown but too advantageous to ignore.

From here we are thrust smack into the middle of a very complex game of political chess where everyone is a player and the rules are different for each rank, class, and gender. Rosalie wants to no part of the game, and refuses to play by societies rules.

This is not one of the regency romances I snuck from my mother when I was younger. It is so much more with generally open communication from all parties, accepting of love and relationships different than societies conventional definition, encouragement of females being bold, smart, and independent, and where love matches are actually sought after over ones driven by power and politics.

Also, yes there is a cliffhanger and I CANNOT WAIT for the next book!

A massive thank you to Kensington Publishing, Hambright PR, NetGalley, and Emily Rath for my gifted ARC.

Beautiful Things by Emily Rath was an okay read, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me personally. The writing was solid and the characters had depth, but the romance wasn’t really my style. I can see why others might enjoy the emotional intensity and chemistry, but it didn’t fully resonate with me. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not my favourite type of romance. If you like angsty, character-driven love stories, it might be more your thing. I wasn’t a huge fan of the polyamory and it isn’t my favourite trope in a book.