I'm going to start by saying that I do not care for the narrator at all. All of voices sound the same, and all sound unbearable petulant and whiney. I don't know why they would use an American narrator with a half-decent English accent and not an actual English one. I read (listened to) this book despite that fact, and am glad I did.
I did not know this was the 4th in a series, but luckily that didn't seem to matter and I had no issues with understanding the plot or characters.
Something about Regency-Era queer romances just get me. This was very well done, on par with Cat Sebastien. I'll now have to go back and read the previous 3 in the series.

Warren is a barkeep at an underground queer pub and Matty was once investigating them but has now moved on to other cases. When he’s looking for a place to go he ends up at the Curious Fox with Warren and their undeniable chemistry turns to friendship through art lessons and trying to keep themselves out of jail together.

I don’t read very many historically set books but this one was very fun. It felt pretty rushed and kinda forced at the end to bring everything together but I thoroughly enjoyed the set up and them building their relationship. Spice was good and very historically coded, the whole book was immersive and I haven’t read any other books related to this one but I definitely want Warren’s brother’s story now too!

So excited to have read the 4th Lucky Lovers of London book. I love this series so much. Each couple has been so much fun and it has been great to follow Jess Everlee's writing progress as these books have come out. I would definitely say she has continued to grow as an author with each subsequent novel being even better than the last. This book was no exception. We finally get Warren the bartender's story at the famous Curious Fox club. His story was quite interesting and really well done. I think one of the things that stands out the most about Jess Everlee's stories is the focus on family and friends. The stories are all romances but she does a fantastic job of balancing the romance with the characters daily lives and problems. The characters also care deeply about their friends and family and it is always very nice to see how dedicated they are to them. Warren loved his mother and brother and wanted them to be happy. I also loved Matty as a character. He was kind of sad but also so beautiful to watch as he flourished and found what he really wanted to do with his life. I had a lovely time with this story and I was also so happy we got to see the other three couples as well. Jess Everlee is a must read for me and I will be keeping my eye out for any of her future works.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this audioARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The story itself was fun and engaging, with a nice balance of romance, intrigue, and character development. What really stood out for me, though, was the narrator’s performance. They brought so much personality to each character, making the dialogue feel lively and distinct. Their delivery added an extra layer of charm to the whole experience.

While the story wasn’t completely perfect there were a few pacing moments that dragged a bit for me the narration kept me invested throughout. Definitely recommend if you enjoy historical romance with great voice work to bring it to life.

Scandalously Charming

To Sketch a Scandal, the fourth installment in Jess Everlee’s Lucky Lovers of London series, feels like the perfect culmination of the delightful groundwork laid by the previous books. While each book stands on its own, it’s clear that Everlee’s interconnected world and recurring characters add depth and charm to Warren and Matty’s story.

Let’s start with the narration—Joel Leslie is simply brilliant. Having listened to the earlier books, I felt that Tommy Hawthorne (narrator of the first two) didn’t quite capture the range or nuance of the characters. But Leslie? He brings the entire cast to life with vivid energy and emotional authenticity. His performance elevated the experience, matching exactly how I imagined these characters would sound.

As for the story itself—Barkeep Warren Bakshi and Detective Inspector Matthew “Matty” Shaw easily became my favorite pairing in the series. Their dynamic is engaging, with just the right blend of tension, vulnerability, and flirtatious spark. The plot is entertaining, weaving in familiar faces while giving Warren and Matty their own well-earned spotlight.

I found the ideal listening speed to be between 1.5x and 1.75x, where the pacing felt smooth without losing emotional beats.

Whether it’s the strength of the narration or the charm of the story—or both—To Sketch a Scandal stands out as a favorite in the Lucky Lovers series.

Thank you Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, and Jess Everlee for this eARC!!

This was so. freaking. sweet. and I enjoyed it so so much. Warren and Matty were both such sweet and lovely characters, with such big hearts and the capacity for love. The forbidden nature and the regency era backdrop provided stakes that felt real and a love that was so genuine and beautiful between the two. The various plot lines and conflicts kept the story interesting. I really enjoyed this and binged it in one sitting - I didn't even realize it was book 4 in a series!! The only drawback for me as the narrator - I didn't connect his voice with the characters (mainly the voicing of Matty). However, narrators can be so subjective so don't keep it off your TBR for this reason!

4.5 stars! This is my first read by Jess Everlee and I really enjoyed it! If you like Cat Sebastian, you should definitely check this out. I received an ALC and Joel Leslie did the audio. I love Joel Leslie and he has done most if not all of Cat Sebastian's audiobooks! I love queer historical romance with a happy ending. I thought Warren and Matty were both well developed characters that you just wanted to root for. I will definitely check out the other books in the series.

This publishes July 22nd. Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ALC, this is my honest opinion.

Dear NetGalley and the author. Thank you so much for the ARC. I was really enjoying the story, but wasn’t a fan of the audiobook narrator. I’d really prefer to read the physical or e arc if possible. Thank you, again!

I absolutely adored this book! I was a little wary at the beginning knowing it was a romance between a cop (and one who specifically went after gay clubs) and a gay bartender, but I thought Jess Everlee really pulled it off. The yearning was next level, and the relationship between Warren and Matty was very sweet and fun (with some really great spice, as well)! I don't read as much queer historical as I'd like, and this absolutely delivered. I thought it was beautifully narrated, too. I'll definitely be reading the other books in the series!

This was a dud for me. Mostly I'm not a fan of the narrator. The way he portrays intense emotion or passion is not it, in my opinion.

It's a typical romance with a detective who specializing in going under cover and a bartender at a certain kind of bar meeting and sparks flying. Problem is they're in (I believe) Victorian era London and their relationship would be a crime.

Of course there's plenty of side drama happening too with family, work, and societal expectations.

It's fine. If you like romances, particular those by KJ Charles or The Last Binding series, you'd probably really enjoy this.

This book is great for readers who love the poetic prose of classic literature. Unfortunately, that’s not me. The story is cute and I felt like I was transported back in time with excellent descriptions, but the verbosity got to me. My qualms with the book are purely my preferences though, and I think the author did a fantastic job writing a modern book that transports the reader with both the writing style and descriptions. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ALC!

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one. I did realize it was book four in a series I had never read before but I don’t think that was the issue. This story just didn’t grab me. Even the narration of the usually fabulous Joel Leslie seemed flat to me and I had to give up.

To Sketch a Scandal is a quietly compelling M/M historical romance that weaves together longing, secrecy, and difficult choices in late 19th-century London. I found myself invested in the slow-burn dynamic between Detective Inspector Matthew Shaw and Warren Baksh, a bartender with a complicated past and even more complicated present.

What really stood out to me was how the novel tackled the challenges of being queer in a time and place where living openly was dangerous, even impossible. That tension shaped every moment of Shaw and Warren’s relationship and added emotional weight to the story. I appreciated that the resolution didn’t come easily—it required sacrifice, and while I felt a bit torn about how things wrapped up, I respected that the author didn’t offer a simplistic happily-ever-after. The ending made honored the skills that Shaw brought to his new life.

Joel Leslie’s narration helped bring out the distinct personalities of the characters, especially the quiet intensity of Shaw and the charm and resilience of Warren.

This is the fourth book in the Lucky Lovers of London series, and while it can stand alone, I suspect I missed some character development and context that would have deepened my experience. I’m looking forward to reading the earlier books to better understand the world and relationships Jess Everlee has created.

This series makes me so happy 🖤 Jess Everlee is one of my favorite historical romance authors. I loved the first book in this series, and they just keep getting better as they go. Warren and Matty’s relationship grows so naturally both in their physical and romantic attraction. It was really sweet to see the cynical bartender finally find someone who captured his heart. Warren was a fun, cheeky side character in the other books, and I’m glad he got his own :)
I listened to the audiobook arc of this one and the narration was top tier. I love Joel Leslie’s British accent for narration. He captures all the emotions and tone inflections perfectly
Idk how many books are going to be in this series, but I hope there’s more!

1886 London.
Warren Bakshi has spent most of his adult life helping his mother at home with the cooking and cleaning, and earning money as a barkeeper at the Curious Fox, an underground queer club. He's saucy and charming, and very good at his job. Matthew Shaw, Scotland Yard detective, walks into the bar one night (and nearly gets kicked out by club owner David Forester for whom he once valeted for 6 months in an undercover operation), and once he lays eyes on Warren, there's an instant connection. When they meet again, it's at an art school - Warren needs to do something with himself now that his brother has returned with a wealthy wife, and Matty is working on a plainclothes operation to see if the owners of the school are committing fraud. This gives them time together...and an excuse to draw one another. But there's no way a detective and a queer bartender can amount to more than an occasional hasty coupling, is there?

Warren Bakshi is South Asian, and he and his mother have made do with very little for some time while his brother is off maybe on a pirate ship?! Warren never fully trusts his brother who has been gone for so long, even when he brings back a wife and money. Once he does, Warren is in a difficult place. He no longer has to work at the club, but that's his home away from home, and he no longer has a place in the home to cook or clean. Drawing gives him some purpose, but Matty gives him even more reason for passion. Matty desperately wants a promotion at Scotland Yard, but his superiors keep finding reasons to tear him down. This puts both Warren and Matty in a place where they need the friendship and love they can offer one another, without them realizing that companionship can be available to them.

This series gets better with every book. Jess Everlee has found her stride in writing queer HEAs in a historical setting, and her solution to Matty and Warren's HEA both made sense and made me grin. Any time a reader points to a lack of diversity in historical romance, this is a book I want to recommend. Neither characters is from the aristocracy, Warren and his family are of South Asian descent, and the story is a tribute to underground queer clubs and queer relationships. The research feels careful and thoughtful, and the worldbuilding and love story are all the better for it.

Joel Leslie narrates the audiobook magnificently (even if I still haven't forgiven him for Nick's accent in We Could Be So Good), and he made me want to keep listening.

This book was lovely, and Warren and Matty together were so cute, and it really is about how their relationship grows than any detective work or promotion regarding Matty or Warren’s family, it was really about their own hangups and fears and how they handled them.
I wanted to hug Matty, he was so alone, but maybe not alone as he thought.
Lovely to see Forrester and Noah back.
And Joel did a wonderful job narrating this book, it made me emotional.

If you like an adorable, low stakes, gay historical romcom this is for you!

I really adored following Warren and Matty as they navigated not only each other, but their circumstances. Is it really forbidden love? Not really, but it is cute so it’s okay 🤣

The stakes are very low in comparison to other historical romances I’ve read, but I thought it worked.

This is also the 4th book in the lucky lovers of London series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin audio for the ALC!

ALC Review: To Sketch a Scandal by Jess Everlee
Pub Date: July 22nd
Narrator: Joel Leslie

I have really enjoyed this series by Jess Everlee - we all know I love a queer historical! For some reason this book took me a bit to get into and I kept putting it down to read other things instead. I fear this was more of an issue of the mood I was in and not the books fault. I really appreciate how historically accurate these books are - while that isn't always something I look for in queer historicals, the HEAs and relationships here feel true to the time.

I liked both Warren and Matty as characters and thought their chemistry was good. They were both complex characters that also really truly cared for each other.

I've listened to Joel Leslie many times before and am always very pleased with his narration. He really transports me to the location and the time period.

Thank you to Harlequin for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This series has been alternatingly hit or miss for me, but Jess Everlee is shaping up to be much like KJ Charles, who is a writer of queer regency romances who does the social complexities of the era right. This one particularly drew home that parallel given how Warren Bakshi is so incontrovertibly a Punjabi man, from a Punjabi family in London, while working at the queer social club that this series is centered around. I was deeply pleased with the portrayal of his family dynamics and change in station, how lovable they were and how much he grew in the span of this story. I honestly forgot about Matty from the previous books. But his POV was also very intriguing , of being raised in the police force but kept at a distance, and trying to imagine a life with his own identity as a priority, not his lifelong gratitude to a seemingly uncaring mentor. Warren and Matty don't really make sense on paper but while there was insta-attraction, I think the feelings and love part actually happens surprisingly organically as they navigated learning art, uncovering mysteries, making peace with family and found families, and just wanting to carve out a space for themselves when their usual, assured places in life cannot hold them anymore. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. There IS a dependency of context based on reading the previous books, since a LOT of the final movements involve remembering what happened to like 3 other couples, only some of who make an appearance or have lines in this. So if you're picking this up cold, it would be hard to see why Warren wants to hold on to friends who don't really seem worth it in the scope of this novel. Gonna knock off some points for not re-establishing the context enough. That said, the audiobook narrator does a FANTASTIC job and you almost forget about the narrative structure flaws. Easy listen, and solid perspective on a Regency era corner that does not get enough mainstream attention. Thanks for Netgalley for the audiobook ARC.

DNF due to the narrator. He has a warbling cadence. The story is excellent, however. I did not realize that the narrator goes by different pen names. I should have looked up the sample on another platform and then I would have realized this, so this is my fault.
Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.