⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

If you love Bridgerton and love a why choose, then this book is for you. 🥵

I absolutely DEVOURED this book & the ending leaves you needing more. I can’t wait for the second book.

I loved the FMC, Rosalie, she is strong and independent. The multiple POVs added so much to this story.

A well written and engaging book with some very interesting and unusual characters. I like the “why choose” aspect of it and look forward to that being explored further in the next book, although I wasn’t expecting this to be a series and was surprised by the cliffhanger ending. The spice level was just right.

You know what a new fav subgenre is now? Why choose regency romance. I never knew I needed this in my life, and now I just want more!

It had been a looooong time since I picked up a regency romance, so it took a bit for my brain to adjust to the genre and style of writing. But once I was adjusted, I was SO invested. The characters really stand out to me. This book is thick, but we get so much backstory and character and relationship development.

What I liked:
- Burke, James, Tom, and Rosalie are all incredibly likable characters. I feel like I knew each of them personally.
- Rosalie is probably my favorite regency romance FMC??
- The tension and the slow burn! OMG. Every single lingering touch made me gasp.

I’m eager to dive into book 2.

Book Review
Beautiful Things by Emily Rath

What its Got
✅ regency romance
✅ Jane Austen vibes
✅ marriage of convenience
✅ bromance squad
✅ feminism
✅ rogue swan
✅banter and witticism
✅ dowager Duchess with a hidden agenda
✅ polyamorous relationship
✅ found family

FMC
Rosalie aka Cabbage Rose
Loved her indomitable spirit! She doesnt shy away from confrontation and is direct and generous with her opinions.

MMCs
Tom Renley- Lieutenant in her majesty’s Navy, broken hearted, second son
Burke- the Rake, charming, effusive, gallant and full of wit and good humour, also a bastard
Lord James- second son, silently manages Alcott estate and everyone around him, burdened by the barriers society inflicts

Thoughts
Is this book a completely accurate Regency romance- adhering to the language and verbiage if the times- no- but I was not expecting fine tuned English literature
I was looking for a steamy and spicy escape where I could get lost in someone else’s trials and tribulations for a few hours
This book did exactly that!
The highlight for me was the bromance between the men and their fierce loyalty to eachother .
I was frustrated by the cliff hanger ending but I will most definitely be reading the next chapter


Thanks to the author and @hambrightpr for my digital ARC in return for an honest review
Opinions expressed are my own.

If you love regency era reads, then add this one to your list! I absolutely
LOVED this book. It definitely gave off Bridgerton vibes. The FMC, Rosalie is a total bad @*$! I love her wit, determination, and F off attitude. From the get go she exudes confidence and was not afraid to lay the cards on the table. I definitely lived vicariously through her! Anyhow, enough about her! Let’s talk about the men…. Uff! Yeah…that is all I am going to say because YOU have got to read it yourself!

This was definitely a 5 ⭐️ read for me! The vibes were vibing and I was there for it all. If I have not convinced you, check out the 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

This was an entertaining, well-written Regency romance, though I was not expecting it to be reverse harem, or end on a cliffhanger. It was steamy, fun and held my interest. I wanted to keep reading ro find out what would happen next and how it would turn out. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

ARC Review ✨️

♡The best♡

This was the most unhinged regency romance ever, and I'm all for it!!! Emily Rath is an incredibly talented author, and I don't think there will ever be a book she publishes that I won't love!

If Bridgerton was your vibe, this story is perfect! I am so excited to read the next book!🔥😍

Rosalie was such a loveable fmc. I'm highly obsessed with her. 😍💞💞 The writing was super easy to get lost in, and I definitely lost track of time while reading🤣🤣

The one thing I wasn't prepared for was that epic cliffhanger. Desperately need to find out what happens!!

Tropes:
💞Why choose
💞Regency romance
💞Bridgerton vibes

Thanks so much to the author, Hambright Pr, and Netgalley for the ARC!

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

Frankly the entire concept of “historical romance but make it “why choose”” sounded a bit outlandish but I thought, okay, why not? If anyone could pull it off, it would be this author, who is famous for the reverse harem situation in her hockey romance, Pucked.

Ro saline, our fmc, is a penniless orphan with nothing going for her other than her pretty face and her great rack. Oh, and let’s not forget, she’s Not Like Those Other Girls TM. And so of course, all the eligible men at Alcott House, where Rosalie has shown up at the invitation of Her Grace the Dowager Duchess for Reasons of Mystery, immediately fall into fervent lust for her. And the intrepid Rosalie, who has disavowed marriage forever bc her dad was a deadbeat, drunk loser, is willing to fool around but that’s it. Which she proceeds to do and then, to be continued, that’s all, folks. I have to say, the abrupt cliffhanger took me by surprise and I did not care for it. I also was a little annoyed by the way Rosalie insisted the three men play completely by her rules including chewing them out for showing any jealousy - how dare they judge her for lusting after multiple men simultaneously - but then threw a huge temper tantrum when Burke so much as talked to another woman. I dislike unfairness and that got on my nerves. Rosalie’s special snowflake “not like the other girls” vibes were pretty strong too, which is not a trope I love. I also, idk, expected a little more steam in a book masked as a why choose romance. Things were pretty tame which surprised me. But the real kicker was that cliffhanger. Be warned!

I really liked Marianne and was waiting for a twist in which Marianne and ice queen Olivia got together, or maybe Marianne ran off with the butler, or something juicy like that, but so far nothing. Maybe in book #2. I also (Lord help me) enjoyed the irreverent, irresponsible, irredeemable idiot Duke George. He’s a pain in the butt but terrific comic relief.

First off, the cover of this book is BEAUTIFUL! I am super into regency-esque shows like Bridgerton, the Crown, etc. so I was very excited to receive this ARC.
I went into it completely blind, not realizing it was a polyamorous romance. I loved the slow burn and never felt like it was dragging too much. I was excited when it finally picked up on the romance side at about 75% through. I felt like the timing was perfect. My only gripe was at times, the dialogue between characters didn't feel time-appropriate, like "bagging a husband". I could be wrong but that dialogue just didn't feel like it fit with the time & the characters. However, it wasn't all that often that dialogue like that came through, so it didn't take away from the feel of the book for me. The ending left me wanting more and I can't wait to read the next book later this year to find out what happens.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions.

Regency romance will forever be my first love and the only thing that makes it even better is when the story is unique and different. One of the reasons I prefer this genre is because of the comfort and familiarity it brings. Most regencies follow a formula, and very rarely does one deviate from that formula. Enter BEAUTIFUL THINGS, which not only deviated from the expected, but still managed to retain the things I love about regency romance in general.

This is a why-choose romance where our delightful FMC Rosalie has not one, but 3 dashing suitors who are all vying for her attention. The only caveat? She’s against marriage, first and foremost, and the duchess who has offered Rosalie her hospitality has forbade her from trying to win the attentions of her sons. Things get complicated very quickly as things heat up between all 3, and of course things spiral out of control just as fast. Each suitor has something different to offer Rosalie, each suitor has their own strong personalities and emotional baggage, and I loved getting to know more about each one. I’m glad we don’t have to pick teams for these guys because just like Rose, I too adore all 3.

The ending is a cruel one, leaving readers on a very tense and rather abrupt note. I can’t wait for the second book in this series to see how things pan out for dear Rose and her boys. All told, I loved this one to pieces and look forward to the next one. 5 stars.

I went into this blindly from this author’s hockey series. This may have been a mistake as I’m not a big fan on historical romances, but I am a fan of our author and was hoping to be convinced to give this genre another chance. The character of Rosalie is solid, we know (and more importantly SHE knows) who she is from the jump. A classic case of “born in the wrong time” character and as such sticks out from all the other eligible young women. One part of me loves the idea of a young woman fighting against what is expected of her. The other part finds this so unlikely for the times and that knowledge takes me right out of the story.
The banter between Rosalie and the guys is great, the story itself is great. I think for me it falls short because it seems so far fetched for the time the story is taking place during. Call this a user error, I am just not a historical romance girlie.

4.5⭐
I had a huge historical romance era back in my late 20s where I couldn’t get enough Eloisa James, Susan Wiggs, Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Johanna Lindsay, Julie Garwood, and...well you get the point. Ever since the “Bridgertonaissance”, I’ve been thinking about diving back into corsets and carriages again, so when I saw that Emily Rath had a why choose series set in the Regency period, it immediately shot to the top of my TBR.
Let me tell you, I ate this up. It’s got all the things I love about regency romance along with a messy, angsty, why choose twist. It’s a tantalizing slow burn, and I went in blind, so I didn’t know it was going to end in a cliffhanger until I was thrown off the edge. Luckily, this is a trad pub re-release, so I can dive right into the next book in the series if I can’t bring myself to wait for the re-release of “His Grace, The Duke” on October 28th.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Emily Rath for the ARC opportunity!

4.5⭐️ | 3🌶️

If Bridgerton had a spicier, sassier why choose cousin who didn’t care for society’s rules but still loved a good dramatic moment…that would be this one!

I was super lucky to snag an ARC of this gem thanks to @hambright_pr and let me just say: I devoured it.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a historical fiction girlie. But this book? It was so much more than that. It had all the drama, all the tension, and all the chemistry I love in my romances… just with fancier outfits and slightly more rules to break.

Rosalie Harrow is modern, mouthy, and has absolutely no intention of marrying…until she finds herself at a house party with three men who make her question everything. And when I say I couldn’t pick a favorite among the sailor, the rake and the lord? I mean it.

The banter is sharp, the vibes are immaculate, and the burn? Deliciously slow! Like throw-your-kindle slow. But the payoff? So worth it. Bonus points for a handy aristocracy cheat sheet at the front (which I consulted often and still don’t fully understand…but I tried).

Is this historically accurate? Probably not. Do I care? Absolutely not. This isn’t your grandmother’s Regency romance and that’s the point. It’s dramatic, juicy, a little chaotic, and completely addictive. Fair warning: the cliffhanger is rude, so keep book two close.

If you like fierce heroines, found-family friendships, and scandal under candlelight, you need Beautiful Things on your shelf. Or better yet…on your nightstand.

Beautiful Things by Emily Rath is a dazzling, marvelous & entrancing historical romance that feels like Bridgerton but make it why choose. Beautiful Things is a masterpiece of an unique journey about a fierce heroine & the gentlemen & friends she encounters along the way in the path of discovery that ends with heart, heat, piano duets & love that will have you clamoring for the next book.

This is book .#1 in the Second Sons duet & oh what a magnificent start it is.

Beautiful Things is great for those looking to read…
🩷 Historical Regency Romance
🩷 Why Choose Romance
🩷 Decadent Summer House Party
🩷 Forbidden Slowburn
🩷 Headstrong Heroine
🩷 Family Secrets

Emily Rath is royalty at showcasing queer joy & bringing romances that are the epitome of gorgeous love to the forefront that are guaranteed to tug on all of your heartstrings.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Kensington Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

I’ve never read a why choose regency romance before, but after reading Emily Rath’s other books, I trust her entirely. The banter was top notch, as one expects from regency. And, of course, the slow burn was just right. I’m still not totally sold on the relationships (although one is definitely the star of the show), but I’m excited to see where the next book takes them.

A Regency-era romance with a reverse harem/why choose? Yes please! When I saw this sign up, I think I ran to snag it. And I am glad I did - it was a really intriguing and fun read, and I am ready to dive into the next one.

Rosalie is a penniless orphan living with her aunt, having also inherited her deceased father's extensive debts. Barely surviving (and definitely not thriving), she receives an invite from the Dowager Duchess Norland, inviting her to visit Alcott Hall. Intrigued, and having zero idea why she has received this invite, she makes her way to the house.

This results in a comedy of errors that left me alternating between kicking my feet and giggling, groaning in annoyance (at the characters), and swooning. Emily has a knack for weaving romance and sexiness into an intriguing story, and this was no exception! She paints the picture easily, and I found myself getting lost in the scenes.

Despite the matchmaking efforts of the duchess during the month-long stay at Alcott (not including Rosalie, of course, as she has nothing to offer), and Rosalie being adamant that she doesn't want a relationship, she certainly doesn't shy away from the flirtations sent her way. There's plenty of banter, smouldering glances, and illicit kisses. Who will she end up with? Any why should she have to choose?

The slow burn definitely burned me up, but the payoff (and semi-cliffhanger) was worth it.

Thank you so much to Hambright PR and NetGalley for the eARC! My opinions are my own.

Thank you to Hambright PR and Emily Rath for the ARCs of this book. All opinions are my own.

I don’t know what Emily put in this, but I simply couldn’t stop. It was addictive and perfect. I had so much fun with this! It just felt natural for all of them to be together. I loved the connections and the chemistry. The spice was fantastic. I literally could not get enough!

A spicier Bridgerton?! Sign me up! I really enjoy historical romance, and was intrigued by the blurb. A reverse harem regency romance sounded good and it didn't disappoint. It was pretty slow moving but then picked up and ended on a cliffhanger. It was different than other regency romance that I've read and I enjoyed it!

Thank you Emily, publisher, and HambrightPR for the #gifted ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, it was a wonderful read 📚💖

My first book by Emily Rath and I can say, I started with a banger (pun intended)z

Beautiful Things was fun, chaotic, and totally unexpected twist on Regency romance! Rosalie is broke, bold, and absolutely refusing to marry just to survive. But when she crashes a high-society house party, she finds herself dodging drama, unraveling a mystery, and accidentally catching the attention of three very different, very swoony men.

Rosalie is sharp, stubborn, and way ahead of her time. I loved how she challenged every expectation thrown at her. James is the sweet steady one, Renley is emotionally available and flirty, and Burke? Whew—pure tension and enemies-to-lovers vibes. The chemistry between them was chef’s kiss, even if it was very much a sloooooow burn (you’ve been warned!).

This is definitely not your typical historical romance—think Bridgerton meets The Bachelor, but with a modern voice and reverse harem twist. Be ware of the cliff hanger ending theyll have you reaching for book two! Definitely a must add to TBR.

What a stunning book this is!!! Thank you so much @hambright_pr to have given me a copy of this cleverly written novel to read! It was fantastic from the get go and I couldn’t put it down. Think historical fiction, but with spice and slow burn romance, Bridgeton style, but more! The imagery that the author builds in your head is gorgeous and takes you back to the Regency era 😍

The story follows Rosalie who is 22 and is unmarried, which during those days is a crime. She must either marry or take work as a governess. Arriving at the Alcott Hall under fall expectations she grabs the attention of 3 dukes, and she cannot for the love of god choose between the 3. Will she end up choosing? Or just enjoying the thrill of the hunt?

Gosh it was such an easy and fun read! Rosalie is such a relatable and funny character. And it ends with a massive cliffhanger! So I would definitely be keeping an eye out for Book 2!!