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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Easy reading romance.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Audiobook
Manda Collins' books have really grown on me. I feel like she has grown as a writer, and her characters are more complex and interesting. I read the first in this series, and liked it, but I thought it was a bit slow. This one I could get into more readily, and the murder plot here kept it. moving along quite nicely.
Joshua, the Duke in this book, is kind from the beginning. I liked that I didn't have to warm up to him. He was decent from the start, and very patient with how Poppy seems to immediately dislike and distrust him. What you learn about Poppy's past helps explain why she's so suspicious of men. Poppy and Josh work well together, and their relationship grows naturally out of their time trying to solve the case of Poppy's sister's husband's murder. I also really admire the way Collins wrote the sex scene between the two, with lots of communication, and Poppy's own determination to be in charge of her decisions.
A sweet book. Nothing that you wouldn't expect from a Regency Romance, and sometimes that's just really nice.
Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.
Joshua, the Duke in this book, is kind from the beginning. I liked that I didn't have to warm up to him. He was decent from the start, and very patient with how Poppy seems to immediately dislike and distrust him. What you learn about Poppy's past helps explain why she's so suspicious of men. Poppy and Josh work well together, and their relationship grows naturally out of their time trying to solve the case of Poppy's sister's husband's murder. I also really admire the way Collins wrote the sex scene between the two, with lots of communication, and Poppy's own determination to be in charge of her decisions.
A sweet book. Nothing that you wouldn't expect from a Regency Romance, and sometimes that's just really nice.
Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4⭐️
A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes was a fun time. It had banter, a strong female lead, a brewing romance, and fake dating (betrothal?)!!
I loved Poppy, she was quick witted, knew what needed to get done, and was fiercely loyal to her sister. Despite odds being against her favour, she did whatever she could to clear her sister's name.
Langham was fun too, it was nice to see him support Poppy, and the way he fell for her was so sweet. The two of them together were definitely a power couple, and while the ending was a tad cliché, I was glad for it. This mystery kept me on my toes; I did not know how it would unravel till they figured it out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes was a fun time. It had banter, a strong female lead, a brewing romance, and fake dating (betrothal?)!!
I loved Poppy, she was quick witted, knew what needed to get done, and was fiercely loyal to her sister. Despite odds being against her favour, she did whatever she could to clear her sister's name.
Langham was fun too, it was nice to see him support Poppy, and the way he fell for her was so sweet. The two of them together were definitely a power couple, and while the ending was a tad cliché, I was glad for it. This mystery kept me on my toes; I did not know how it would unravel till they figured it out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
BookClub: Me, Myself & I *
Month: October, 2023
Theme: Read a Book Set in a Historical Period
* BookClub Me, Myself & I is just a "book club" where I pick up a prompt each month and I have to "force" myself to read a book that fits that prompt.
How come a series that got four stars on the first two books got so low?
Synopsis:
The story begins with Poppy Delamare living a lie as Flora Deaver, the secretary for the authors of the famous murder mystery column, when her sister is accused of murder. She has to abandon the safe life she created for herself to face the demons of the past.
However, en route, she encounters Duke of Langham, Joshua Fielding, anxious to escape the betrothal party his grandmother has prepared for him. Though they had not the best encounter before, Joshua and Poppy can mutually help each other: the duke with his power of his title and Poppy with the fake intent of becoming his duchess.
The longer the ruse, the more their feelings get tangled like the web of lies and betrayals surrounding her sister’s murder accusation.
Review:
There is not a lot of things I can say because the story was very meh.
The writing is good, as always, and I firmly believe the mysteries are executed fairly well – some better than others, but hardly something to pick on.
There is nothing particularly wrong with it, but it missed a lot of marks.
The rush in them falling in love and wanting to get married was unreal. We’re speaking of the same two people who have disliked each other strongly, somehow have fallen in love in a span of three (?) days.
Obviously I don’t read fiction books for its realism, but it is something that can really damp your reading experience and your ‘escapism’.
I think the story missed a lot of the individual and collective character development of the first two books and it missed the development of the relationship as whole. It went from zero to hundred in a blink of an eye.
I will continue the series because I find it particularly interesting, especially the mysteries/murders aspects.
Other reviews of Ladies Most Scandalous series:
✨ A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
✨ A Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire
✨ A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril
Month: October, 2023
Theme: Read a Book Set in a Historical Period
* BookClub Me, Myself & I is just a "book club" where I pick up a prompt each month and I have to "force" myself to read a book that fits that prompt.
How come a series that got four stars on the first two books got so low?
Synopsis:
The story begins with Poppy Delamare living a lie as Flora Deaver, the secretary for the authors of the famous murder mystery column, when her sister is accused of murder. She has to abandon the safe life she created for herself to face the demons of the past.
However, en route, she encounters Duke of Langham, Joshua Fielding, anxious to escape the betrothal party his grandmother has prepared for him. Though they had not the best encounter before, Joshua and Poppy can mutually help each other: the duke with his power of his title and Poppy with the fake intent of becoming his duchess.
The longer the ruse, the more their feelings get tangled like the web of lies and betrayals surrounding her sister’s murder accusation.
Review:
There is not a lot of things I can say because the story was very meh.
The writing is good, as always, and I firmly believe the mysteries are executed fairly well – some better than others, but hardly something to pick on.
There is nothing particularly wrong with it, but it missed a lot of marks.
The rush in them falling in love and wanting to get married was unreal. We’re speaking of the same two people who have disliked each other strongly, somehow have fallen in love in a span of three (?) days.
Obviously I don’t read fiction books for its realism, but it is something that can really damp your reading experience and your ‘escapism’.
I think the story missed a lot of the individual and collective character development of the first two books and it missed the development of the relationship as whole. It went from zero to hundred in a blink of an eye.
I will continue the series because I find it particularly interesting, especially the mysteries/murders aspects.
Other reviews of Ladies Most Scandalous series:
✨ A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
✨ A Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire
✨ A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril