⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 — A charming Regency romance with a twist of mystery!

To Catch a Lord was a light and enjoyable read, perfect for fans of historical romance with a dash of intrigue. The banter between the leads was fun, and I appreciated the cleverness of the heroine — she was no damsel, and I loved that! The setting had that classic Regency feel, with ballrooms, secrets, and scandal simmering beneath the surface.

That said, the pacing dipped a little in the middle, and I didn’t always feel fully swept away by the romance — it took a while to warm up. But once things picked up again, I was happily turning the pages to see how it all would unfold.

A solid read if you’re after something a little different in your historicals — with a spirited heroine and a mystery that keeps things moving. I’d happily try another book by Emma Orchard!

A story of rumors and innuendo that gets wilder by the page! I loved how strong and cheeky Amelia is as she repels rakes and fortune hunters. The description of her dancing shoes is amazing. The gossipy ton loves to whisper and create scandal. Amelia and her sister in law come up with a solution that begins a funny, weird courtship which then gets even weirder. I enjoyed the story and think it is a worthy read.

📖 Title: To Catch a Lord-can be read as a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Emma Lord- I read The Viscount and the Thief & gave 5 ⭐

📅Publication date: 6-21-25 | Read 6-15-25

📃 Format: eBook 332 pgs.

Genre:
*Regency/Historical Romance

Tropes:
*love triangle
*fake engagement
*slow burn
*family drama
*marriage

👆🏾POV: 3rd person

⚠️TW: sexual harassment, misogyny, bullying, blackmail, attempted murder, virgin h

🌎 Setting: London, 1813

Summary: Tired of being harassed by rogue gentlemen, Lady Amelia and her sister-in-law Sophie come up with a plan for Amelia to fake an engagement. She wants to silence the gossip about her family and Lord Thornfalcon is a man above reproach. His widowed sister-in-law and ex-lover Lady Lavinia wants him back. Amelia and Lavinia compete for his affection willing to fight for love.

👩🏾 Heroine: Lady Amelia Wyverne-19

👨🏾 Hero: Major Lord Marcus Thornfalcon-27

🎭 Other Characters:

* Marquess of Wyverne Rafe + Sophie-Amelia's half-brother and sister-in-law-her guardians
* Lavinia Hall-was in love w/ Marcus as a teenager, but married his brother Ambrose-now deceased
* Priscilla-Lavinia+ Ambrose's daughter
* Judith + Helena Thornfalcon-Marcus's mother and 19-year-old sister
* Jeremy "Jem" Gastrell-Marcus's BFF
* Lady Millicent Keswick-Amelia's paternal aunt
*Rosanna Wyverne-Amelia's stepmother, an actress who married Amelia's father Gervais


🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the fake engagement trope between Marcus and Amelia. There were a lot of people trying to insert themselves in their business, both family and foe. Lavinia was ruthless trying to get Marcus back, even willing to commit murder. Rosanna was given a redemption arc after being approached by Lavinia. This ended in a nice HEA, and I hope Jem and Helena get their own books.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 2/5 🌶️kissing, off page

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

I found out part way through reading that this book is apparently a part of a series of interconnected stand-alones from author, Emma Orchard. It was clear through reading it that some context and history to some of the characters backstories was missing which could have been helped if I had read any of the other books. That being said, there are enough context clues and commentary that I was able to mostly follow what was going on.

Amelia Wyvern comes from a family with a disreputable reputation, thanks to her father. Now in her second season, she finds herself with less than desirable prospects and a dream to have the freedom of choice. With the help of her sister-in-law, they concoct a scheme for Amelia to fake a courtship and engagement to someone with an upstanding reputation to help lift up her own.

Enter, Marcus Thornfalcon. Returned war hero and known all around “good guy”. Marcus agrees with Amelia’s scheme so he can put a stop to the forward advances from Lavinia, his former childhood sweetheart and widow to Marcus’ late brother.

I love a good fake dating trope, but it just did not work for me here. I feel like there was some build up that was skipped. I actually was so sure that I skipped a few chapters and had to check multiple times that I did not. Marcus and Amelia do get on right away, and have an instant chemistry. But they went from less than a handful of fun conversations to being in love in a snap. I thought they had potential as a couple, and I was sad that I didn’t really feel it happening. I prefer to feel and see the build up in the feelings of the relationship versus being told it happened.

And don’t even get me started on whatever the heck was going on with Lavinia for the entire book. She was so unhinged and a bit too over the top as a “villain” of the story. I understood her motivations, but the execution of her schemes didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Especially at the end.

The premise to the story is a good one, but the execution felt all over the place. There were a few too many twists and reveals. The second half of the book felt very disconnected from the first half. And the ending left me scratching my head thinking, “That’s it?”

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchid is the second book that features the Wyverne Family. However, the book can be read as a stand alone without any issues. The characters are clearly drawn with one nasty character named Lavinia.

Lady Amelia Wyverne is tired of her family’s reputation. It certainly means the only men that ask her to dance are creeps. She has stepped on toes and poked several with pins to get them to unhand her. She knows there must be a way to change her circumstances. Her sister-in-law believes that if she finds a “hero” and pretends to get engaged, the quality of her suitors will change.

Together they determine Lord Marcus Thornfalcon is the best candidate and Amelia approaches him with their idea. For Marcus, this will stop the constant harassment about marrying his brother’s widowed wife. Something that is not going to happen, no matter what Lavinia does. Marcus agrees to the fake engagement. However fake soon enough turns real, although neither is willing to admit it to the other until…

I enjoyed reading the novel despite or in spite of Lavinia and her mechanisms. There is something about an evil character pushing people together. What I didn’t like was the stilted speech patterns in the beginning of the book. I am not sure if the pattern changed or I just became accustomed to it as the book progressed. To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchid was a good read.

The book comes out on June 21, 2025

4.5 stars – To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchard was a fabulous read!! Lady Amelia Wyverne approaches Lord Thornfalcon about entering a fake engagement. Both are subject of heavy ton gossip and Amelia believes that an engagement will improve their situations. Unfortunately, Lavinia, Thorn’s childhood sweetheart and widow of his brother, wants to marry him as well and she won’t let anyone get in her way.

This was my first book by Emma Orchard but I plan on going back and reading her others. While this is book two in a series, it was absolutely fine to read as a stand-alone. There is wonderful banter and strong chemistry between Amelia and Thorn and it really made this so much fun to read. I loved the plot twist in the middle of the story – completely unexpected! If you like to read books about this time period, you will love this book!

A big “Thank You” to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to receive a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks

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

This features one of my favourite tropes, the proper hero and the scandalous women. Though the heroine isn’t really scandalous, just subject to gossip about her family. I loved seeing the villain get her comeuppance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
It was my first Emma Orchard book. I enjoyed the storyline. Rumours and intrigue- great fun. The main characters are likeable, the romance between them for me lacked a bit of chemistry.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I continue to enjoy Emma orchard’s historical romances she is really an up and coming author in the genre

I loved every minute of this witty and charming book. From the lovely characters (and kooky ones, too!) to the tension built between our Lord and Lady. Throw in a dash of mystery with some twists and turns and I was up well into the night to see how our couple fared!
This was my first time reading a book by Emma Orchard and it certainly won't be my last!

Slower pace than I was expecting, but still with enough storyline for me to stay interested

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a very slow read. I enjoyed the plot, though! The characters were likable and the ending was action-filled.

A fun read. A feisty heroine and a strong and personable lord. Spicy but not too spicy. A good story involving an ex love who wishes to be the current love with twists and turns on the road to happiness.

Another perfect, engrossing, and immersive Regency romance from Emma Orchard. There's no-one else who deserves the 'modern day Heyer' label as much as this author does! Her language and tone are so perfect for the genre - she writes so well within the period, there are no glaring anachronisms and no characters who behave like twenty-first century people in hats; and I love the peppering of period-appropriate slang. The main characters are both people I rooted for from the beginning, because they are both intelligent, thoughtful people with believable back-stories whose actions make perfect sense. And I now have a craving to read more about a certain memorable Bow Street Runner! A sweetly sparkling romance.
Thanks to Boldwood/Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy

I am in my Bridgerton era after just having finished “The Viscount who Loved me”. So I’ve been on the hunt for any regency romance I can get my hands on. I’d seen Emma Orchard’s name around Amazon while looking at kindle books so I was excited to get my hands on it. Did I love it as much as I enjoyed “The Viscount who Loved me”? No. But in no way did I enjoy this engagement of connivence regency romance. The start of the book drags as the author builds the world and set up the story. But once you get past the first few chapters the story picks up. As long as you’re okay with a less historical accurate regency romance you’ll enjoy this.

To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchard

Regency Romance with Wit, Charm, and a Dash of Scandal

Emma Orchard’s To Catch a Lord is a delightful return to Regency-era London, where scandal lurks behind every lace curtain and a single misstep could ruin a reputation—or spark a romance.

At the heart of this charming tale is Lady Amelia, a headstrong and spirited member of the infamously scandalous Wyverne family. Determined to avoid a string of suitors more interested in her dowry than her heart, she proposes a fake engagement to the upright and ever-honorable Lord Thornfalcon. It’s a classic ruse—but one that quickly spirals into deeper complications when the past comes calling, and genuine feelings start to stir.

Orchard excels at bringing her characters to life with sparkling dialogue, slow-burn tension, and the subtle dance of Regency manners. Amelia is no shrinking violet; she’s bold, witty, and refreshingly modern in her views. Thornfalcon, meanwhile, is a wonderful counterpoint—stoic, loyal, and harboring secrets of his own, including a history with the elegant and enigmatic Lavinia, whose reappearance throws the entire arrangement into turmoil.

The plot moves at a gentle but satisfying pace, with just enough twists to keep readers guessing. Orchard handles the “fake engagement” trope with flair, giving it emotional depth and layering in themes of personal integrity, redemption, and the constraints of society. While newcomers to Orchard’s Wyverne family saga may initially feel a bit behind, the book still reads well as a standalone, thanks to its tightly focused central romance and compelling character arcs.

Final Thoughts:
To Catch a Lord is a treat for fans of historical romance who enjoy clever heroines, noble heroes, and a setting rich in period detail. With its blend of humor, heart, and just the right amount of scandal, this novel proves once again that Emma Orchard is a rising star in the Regency romance genre.

⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended for fans of Julia Quinn, Tessa Dare, and Jane Austen—with a modern twist.

“It is most frustrating that my bad reputation is entirely undeserved.”

Like other Emma Orchard’s books, To Catch A Lord si the typical Regency Romance unless… it isn’t. Because it’s so much more.
Like most FMC, Amelia cares about her reputation, which is –afterall– her only asset. Problem is (and you know it already if you’ve read For The Viscount’s Eyes Only) said reputation is completely tattered. What I’ve loved is that Amelia doesn’t scheme like any “classical” debutante would. She’s strong and full of abilities. If someone bothers her, she attacks with hard shoes and pines (and, yes, that’s very funny). And if she needs to improve her reputation, she goes lengths and plans schemes that could be used in one of Sophie’s old heists. That’s the funny part.
But under the varnish of that entertaining cover, there is more in this book. Amelia does damage controls for something she isn’t –by no means– responsible for. What begins like an hilarious classical farce unfolds into something deeper, more concerning, that could cost her her life. The second part of the novel is full of unpredictable twists and shows us how dangerous gossip and court’s scheme can become.
But To Catch A Lord is also the occasion to see some great redemption arc, and I loved that, because it gave nuances to characters we already knew (that being said, you don’t need to read the other books to enjoy this one –even though Delphine’s cameo were the most delectable!!). I also loved how the MMC is so deeply involved in honor and properties that he almost becomes a wallflower sometimes –while women act like busy bees– even though he resurfaces to empower his lady when he’s most needed. Like often in her novels, E.O. hints a few things about mental health –and trouble– without naming them, and, once again, it gives perspective and flesh to her characters.
Once again, the story carried me away with its rhythm and realistic characters, and I’ll return for the next story.

Thank you to the author and Boldwood books for the eARC on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

4.5/5

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I tried really hard to read this but it was SOOO slow in the beginning and I just couldn’t connect to the characters and bring myself to read anymore of it so I ended up DNF’ing it. Maybe if the huge chunks of run on paragraphs had been edited and there was more a desire to know more about the FMC it could have been better.

I posted a small story on Instagram on 6/4/25. I did post a short blurb on goodreads about this book.

Thank you to boldwood books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I want to say thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book!

I honestly don't know how to start this review, I'm not very content with this story apart from when you find the story within the story, then it's fantastic! This book does a fantastic job of immersing you in a regency time period, along with roles, rules and expectations. This book I would say is Bridgerton inspired almost like a fanfic, it's not as captivating as the Bridgerton books are.

To Catch A Lord suffers deeply because a large majority of it is too much 'thought', and assumptive thought. I got so excited for any interaction, or actual event, to be disappointed that it was lengthy discussed in thought instead of "before my eyes" like I desperately needed. It's not quite the same experience, and I feel like the book suffered a lot from this because the true story within is fantastic! The actual twists in this book were done so well, with a book of this genre that's really unexpected and I loved what it really held inside! I just wish there had been more actual time with the characters outside of their heads, and that the actual story within was allowed to shine through.

The story itself is what brought up my rating for this book. If the thought was scaled back and the actions and interactions brought out this would 100% be a 5 star read, but I honestly can't rate it that high as it is.

I want to say thank you again from the bottom of heart for allowing me to read this book I really appreciate it.