Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the eARC of this title.
You have to be willing to out aside Emily's Icehockey books to really enjoy this historical romance. I did really enjoy the story line.

I’ve met Emily through PA, and been obsessed with her ever since!
I knew this book was already out, but I haven’t read it yet, so I just thought, why not? and requested the ARC for the deluxe edition.
HOLY HELL.
i will be reading the next two, oh boy you don’t have to worry about that AT ALL.
emily, my QUEEN i love you. don’t ever change. din’t ever stop writing.

as beautiful as this book was it just wasnt for me. I couldnt connect to the characters and was pretty annoyed with them. It bored me. I may not be the target reader for this book. It is however gorgeous!

Good story, but i liked more about Emily´s other books. Somehow this was kinda boring for me :( I looove the icehockey romances :)

Thank you so much to Emily Rath and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the eARC of this title. After reading Emily past books, I was so excited to get the eARC. Im not much for historical romance, but this one was pretty good. it a why choose with forbidden relationships. It is also in 3rd person. Although her book are long they are well worth the read. Emily does slow burn so extremely well!

“I am convinced marriage would take a soul such as mine and clip her wings, leaving her beating the bars of a cage, desperate to escape.”

I really enjoy Emily Rath’s writing. This is my first why choose regency romance, and I really enjoyed it.

I adore Rosalie, but I do wish there was a bit more chemistry with all of the men. I just didn’t really feel why these people were so drawn together. Hoping that is explored a bit more in book 2.

I do think this was a little long for a first book in a duology. I got a little bored at parts, but I enjoyed it enough to want to continue on with book 2.

I have loved all of Emily Raths other stories and this one is no exception!

A historical regency romance being a why-choose! The scandal- but oh so delicious!

This follows Rosalie Harrow, Lord James , Mr. Burke and The Duke. This is a slow-burn romance, and the first book really beautifully set up the world. I will be reading the rest of the series and can't wait to see the other beautiful covers

This is book 1 of 3 in the Second Son Series.

Rosalie, Burke, Tom, + James

-historical romance
-mmmf whychoose
-forbidden relationship(s)
-third person

I don't know if Emily Rath is capable of writing something I won't like...
She proves herself every time. Are her books long to the point of hilarity often? Sure. But, holy mother of all things romance, does she know how to write a slow burn, reverse harem, historical romance.
This is unrealistic in all the ways I love. These characters are more open-minded and free than they could've even been irl! Well, most of them...

Twenty-two year old Rosalie Harrow is penniless, but has no plans to ever chain herself to a husband. When she's surprised by an invite to Alcott Hall, she did not expect to land in the middle of a high-society house party where everyone’s competing to wed the new Duke. Rosalie wants no part of the marriage games, but three intriguing men make avoiding romance harder than she planned.
Bridgerton, but make it why choose. YES, PLEASE! I haven’t read many historical romances, but if they were all light this, they would line my shelves. The slow burn, the longing, the tension, the scandal! I love a good slow burn, especially when the wait is well worth it. This Regency era romance manages to feel innocent yet so forbidden and I could not get enough.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley

Really enjoyed this book, it’s very different to my usual reads but was a nice change.

Will definitely look out for more by this author

4.5 stars! I loved this! I am not normally a romance fan but this had me enthralled. I am a huge Bridgerton fan so I was hooked from the beginning. Rosalie is a great MMC and The three fellas are extraordinary companions. Can't wait to read #2. The twists at the end had my jaw on the ground.

Dying for the next season of Bridgerton but then Emily Rath comes running in with Beautiful Things and now I’m dying for the next book.
The second I started this I was captured, I wanted to better understand each character and how they contributed to the story and I immediately fell in love with Rosalie and her “I don’t give a f*ck” mentality. And don’t get me started on Burke. That man…. We need more of this man!

Rosalie never expected an invitation to Alcott House, let alone one from the Duchess herself. At twenty-two, a commoner with nothing but her mother’s fading memory, she steps into a world of polished halls and whispered secrets, only to discover that her late mother and the Duchess once shared a friendship that ended in silence. The Duchess wants Rosalie to help her son settle into his role, but it is James, the Duchess’s second son, and his friends Tom and Burke, who find themselves irresistibly drawn to Rosalie’s quiet strength.

What I loved most about this book was Rosalie herself—a heroine who knows her mind and does not bend simply because the world around her demands it. She claims space where she stands, and you can’t help but root for her as the past unravels around her. The slow-burn tension with James, Tom, and Burke is delicious, and while I wanted even more poly moments, I’m hopeful book two will deliver the tangled intimacy this setup deserves.

This story wraps the Regency era in a cloak of secrets, longing, and slow-burn want, keeping you turning pages to see which truths will shatter and which will heal. It is not predictable—a rare joy in historical romance—and it left me eager for the next book in The Second Sons series.

Thank you to Kensington publishing and NetGalley for this arc.

Unfortunately, I did end up DNFing this one, but not for any trouble on the authors part. In fact, I think the book is written beautifully. I have just realized that I am not a fan of books written in this time period. They just don’t keep me engaged. But for those who are, I highly recommend as miss emily rath is an amazing author.

Rosalie is a likeable enough fmc but I have yet to get some compelling evidence that she’s worth all the trouble and these three men’s hearts. The duchess sucks and I hope the sequel gives us Rosalie and her harem thriving while the duchess cries into her money all alone. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for an advanced copy of the deluxe version in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. I realized I’m not a fan of books set in this time period, and the POV style just didn’t click with me. That said, I think readers who enjoy historical settings like this and this type of book will probably really enjoy it!

Although I did really enjoy that it was a RH book which is one of my favorite tropes!

This is a fun and fast-paced story that will have you turning pages at top speed! Each MMC has their own motivations that make it believable that it's difficult for Rosalie to choose between them. Rosalie knows what she wants and stands up for her boundaries in a way that is refreshing and not often seen in a regency romance. While this book is by no means an accurate representation of the period (but really what regency romance is?), it's an engaging story that will have you wanting to know what happens next throughout the entire story. I can't wait to read book two!

This is a regency era, why choose romance à la Emily Rath. Think of Bridgerton, but way spicier and funnier. So much fun!

Rosalie, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, is invited to Alcott Hall by the dowager duchess of Norfolk, a former friend of her late mother’s. There she meets Burke, the bastard son of a …, James, a viscount and Renley, a lieutenant. Each of these men can’t help but fall for Rosalie’s charms. She’s fierce and uniquely and unapologetically herself.

I’ve been a fan of Emily Rath’s for quite some time and this book did not disappoint. It was so much fun! I loved all of the characters, especially George, the silly and irresponsible Duke of Norfolk.

This special edition is breathtaking. So many details that allude to the story and very classy. The empty cage is on point.

I can’t wait to see where this story will take us next.

A fun, flirty Regency poly/why choose romance with a stunning cover that delivers heat and charm. If you love a Bridgerton-esque drama with a twist, this one’s worth a read.

Rosalie, a smart and captivating heroine, defies the era’s rules, not your typical “wife material” but definitely a magnet for three irresistible men who don’t mind sharing. It’s a fantasy playground with witty humor and steamy moments.

That said, the “why choose” trope felt a bit forced at times, and Rosalie’s freedom loving stance clashes with her jealousy, making the dynamics uneven. The story ends on a cliffhanger, but thankfully it is the first in the series.

If you’re into bold heroines, charming bad boys, and some spicy Regency fun with a twist, Beautiful Things is definitely worth a try.
Not really for the traditional crowd, but super entertaining!

I loved loved love the slow burn here.

This continues to enforce why I find Emily Rath to be such a comfort author for me. She writes such readable and engaging stories even in a sub genre I tend to not read a ton.