I love Martha Keyes books, very nicely done. I could have hated Selina, she was hateful and mean especially to someone who was super nice like Sebastian, but in the spirit of book, I ignored her character and just went with the flow.

The audio was done well. I don't believe I have heard Paula Hunts narration before and I have no complaints. I will look for her books for sure.

#ToHuntanHeiress #NetGalley

The story is tender, witty, compassionate, sarcastic with sweet romance. Sebastian has been rejected from Whites, the men’s club, for being a fortune hunter. He is in desperate need to marry an Heiress so he can prove he can support and gain custody of his orphaned step siblings.
Selina Lawrence as a young widow and has vowed to never marry again. She is in London sponsoring her niece for the season.
This story just makes you smile, it’s entertaining, the banter is spot on, the escapades with children are delightful and Pip rounds out the chaos.
The narrator, Paula Hunt did a wonderful job differentiating the different characters and making the listening experience entertaining.
I highly recommend this clean, wholesome, charming audiobook.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Most historical romantic fiction seems to focus on the young, innocent debutante; so having the main character be a widow in this book was a fresh change. And while Selina was certainly not old, she also isn’t ignorant of men and marriage. Her wit and shenanigans in the book made it feel fun even with some heavy themes.

Sebastian was a great hero. While fortune-hunters always seem smarmy to me, Martha was able to capture his heart behind the actions and I really liked his character.

The multitude of children and Pip added whimsy to the story and I loved how it all wrapped up as Sebastian and Selina couldn’t help but fall for each other.

I usually prefer different narrators with dual point of view books but this narrator did a great job creating a slightly different tone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted audiobook. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Kisses

Thank you for the ALC

I had such high hopes for this one, and was let down so perhaps this review is harsh. Also, I might have enjoyed the book more if I read it instead of listened to it.

Historical closed door romance (which was fine for most of the book but didn’t make much sense considering they were making out at the end before they were married. Either stick to proper behavior or keep the door open).

I did not like the narrator. She didn’t really do different voices for the characters and her male voice was not good. Also, although this was dual POV in third person, it would have been better with a male voice from Sebastian’s POV.

I did not enjoy the first 40-50% of the book. It dragged. WAY too much about the monkey. I don’t care about the monkey enough to spend so much time on him. At least 50% of the monkey content could have been cut and the reader would have gotten the gist. Literally, this book was 50% the monkey, 10% the kids, 5% other stuff and the rest the romance.

The reasons this was 2 stars instead of one for me was because I really liked Sebastian and I found from 50% to 80% (halfway through to just past 2/3 through) very entertaining and I enjoyed it a lot. I wish the entire book was that kind of vibe.

At 80%, it got slow again. I hated the court session (and I usually eat that kind of content up). It was boarding and predictable (however, it may have sounded boring b/c of the narrator though).

This was a lovely historical romance with a strong fmc and a sweet mmc. Both seemed very different at first and the angsty slow burn was a little torturous. I loved the reasons the mmc needed to find his heiress but the obstacles were so numerous. Overall I enjoyed this story.

Take a reluctant widow, a desperate gentleman, and a deliciously tangled game of love and pride, and you get To Hunt an Heiress! I loved this enemies-to-lovers Regency romance! It has just the right mix of clever dialogue, strong characters, romantic tension, and emotional depth.

Sebastian Drake is not your typical fortune hunter—he's trying to get guardianship of his younger half-siblings. With time running out, he’s determined to do the practical thing: marry an heiress. It’s not exactly romantic, but he’s got charm, looks, and he's desperate to pull it off. What he doesn’t count on is Selina Lawrence.

Selina is recently widowed, happy with her independence, and not in the market for another man. When Sebastian sets his sights on her, she’s not flattered—she’s suspicious. And instead of falling for his polished charm, she decides to turn the tables and teach him a little lesson.

What follows is a fun game of cat and mouse that had me laughing out loud several times. Both Sebastian and Selina think they’re in control, but things quickly turn into something deeper than either of them expected. Their battle of wits is full of dry humor and and smart dialogue, and I loved every minute of it!

Selina and Sebastian are great characters! She's intelligent, confident, and unwilling to settle. He’s more than just a fortune hunter. Watching him go from calculating to genuinely caring is one of my favorite parts of the book. Their chemistry is believable and their romance is full of those little moments that make you smile. This is a fun, clever read with heart and humor and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really liked the narrator. She did a fantastic job with all of the voices (and there are a lot) and getting the emotions across. It was a delightful book to listen to. The books in the Bachelors of Blackstone’s series are loosely connected, but each book can easily be read as a standalone. I received a complimentary copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, Paradigm Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Romance, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance
Spice Level: Kissing
Language: Clean

TO HUNT AN HEIRESS is a madcap adventure of revenge and more revenge with kissing.

I've got to spill the tea—I was really nervous in the first chapter because I really didn't like our romantic lead. I even guessed the reasons behind his actions. Whew! I was so relieved that he did end up being charming and not so cutthroat. I tell you this, so you know you will want to read more.

This book had me in stitches!

The plotting. The ridiculousness of the plotting of revenge.

And ultimately the sweetness.

I thought this put a slightly different spin on the idea of fortune hunters and the heiress that had to keep guard against them. If you love Regency era books, you will definitely want to read this one. Especially if you like humorous books.

Happy reading!

Rating: 4.2/5
Selina Lawrence was married off to 45 year old George when she was just 17. Now, George is dead and Ms. Lawrence is a wealthy widow. She has no aspirations to marry again... until she spots Sebastian Drake. The two hit it off and Mr. Drake asks to court Ms. Lawrence. She's flattered, until she hears that Sebastian has done this to another widow before... he has a history of being a fortune hunter. Well, Ms. Lawrence will give Sebastian a taste of his own medicine by being coy and playing tricks on him. But what Ms. Lawrence fails to understand is WHY Mr. Drake is in need of the money. When she finds out, she finally understands his true heart.

This was such a fun, cute audiobook. I loved the banter between the two main characters and how the FMC came in to save the day! This was an adorable minimal-spice historical romance. Anyone who is a fan of Bridgerton would love this!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

"Be we paupers or kings, I have no intention of living as much as a second of my life without you. You may send me home with a hundred Pips and a thousand dead pigeons to test the barriers of my love, but I swear to you, Selina, you will come away empty-handed, for those limits do not exist."

This is a must read for historical romance fans!

Full of witty banter, smoldering chemistry, laugh-out-loud humor, and characters who are so much more than meets the eye...this is enemies to lovers done right!

I love how organic the romance felt even if Sebastian's original intent was anything but. I absolutely adored every second of this story and didn't want it to end.

After reading this book, I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and it was excellent. The narrator was emotive and engaging.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the first time I’ve read a novel by Martha Keyes, but it won’t be the last! This book is incredibly well-written, rich with historical detail and complex characters. It was very clever, and so funny that I even laughed out loud at some parts. The plot was engaging, with a few surprises, and I did not want to put the book down. Even though Sebastian and Selina made some bad choices, they are both so lovable! The heart of the story is the way both of them care about children.

Though some things about the book bothered me (treatment of animals; focus on intense physical attraction while knowingly deceiving each other; kissing passionately after being up for hours caring for a sick child), overall, it was delightful. I recommend this book to others who enjoy close-door historical romance and who don’t mind some absurdities or mentions of taxidermy.

A final note: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was good. It was a little slow for me, so I played it at 1.5x speed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Select, and Paradigm Press for free access to the audiobook. I post this review voluntarily with my honest opinions.

Content notes: semi-detailed kissing; one mild swear; mention of children being neglected; child is briefly ill for one night; mentions of taxidermy; mentions of pet store and wild animals kept as pets

This hilarious Regency romance tells the story of Sebastian and Selina. Sebastian needs to marry an heiress, so he sets his sights on the widowed Selina, who he genuinely begins to like, but when she finds out why he is spending time with her, she's furious, and then all kinds of funny things happen. I really enjoyed this sweet story.

This was such a cute story! I flew through the audiobook. The banter and the back and forth between the two main characters literally made me laugh out loud and I really enjoyed how their story developed! A quick and fun read.

To Hunt an Heiress by Martha Keyes
Narrator, Paula Hunt
The Bachelors of Blackstone’s series, Book One
I am looking forward to more books in the series and since the MMC has two best friends I expect it to be a trilogy. This story with misunderstandings on both sides, a gaggle of children and a marmoset is a romantic riot with a happy ending It is mostly low angst and has only some stolen kisses. It reminded me somewhat of the Regency romances of Georgette Heyer and that is high praise coming from me.
Narration by Paula Hunt was very good.

Actual responses I said out loud, to the room at large, in real time, with many repeatedly said: Oh My Goodness! I can't believe this book! I'm loving this book! I am simply amazed!OK People! Wow! Tears of laughter were shed!🤣 I finished reading and can I say...That was one book you must read just for the back and forth banter, inside jokes, and simple amazing writing?! Made it on my favorites of the year list. There are no swears, mild time-period social alcohol, and level 1.5 descriptive kisses only.

Martha Keyes is a genius! This was a delightful read from start to finish! The plot was well-paced and the characters were charming and witty. The audio narration was fantastic. This is definitely one I'll read again! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

An entertaining Regency romance. I love Pip he helps pull into the story. A great job by Martha Keyes can't wait for more!

Sebastian Drake is in dire need of a fortune. With limited time and a dearth of wealthy relatives to will him such a thing, he is left with only one marry money. Happily, London is full of eligible heiresses, but it is the newest arrival in Town who catches his eye.

Selina Lawrence is only just rid of one husband—the last thing she wants is to acquire another. When she finds herself the target of the charming Mr. Drake, a suspected fortune hunter, what is she to do but teach the man a valuable lesson?

However, both Sebastian’s attempts to woo Selina and her efforts to humble him backfire in unexpected ways, leaving them entangled in a battle of wits and hearts