Scan barcode
gothai's review
2.0
Setting is good with an artistic heroine. The pace was uneven. The premise of Blackmailer in a house party was interesting but the ending was a little disappointing.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
cgroup6's review
4.0
What a fun story!
I recommend reading the first story in this series (First Earl I See Tonight) because it introduces the characters and provides some background, but this could probably be read as a stand-alone..
Lily is not the typical debutante - she is also the author of a scandalous column - The Debutante’s Revenge, which advises young ladies to think for themselves (gasp!). Nash is a duke who famously has a heart of stone... but he’s hiding a secret. This is an amnesia story for the meet-cute - which aren’t always my favorite, but I liked the way she did this one. I really enjoyed this story!
Thanks to St. Martin’s press publicity & Netgalley! I received this book as a free ARC for an honest review.
I recommend reading the first story in this series (First Earl I See Tonight) because it introduces the characters and provides some background, but this could probably be read as a stand-alone..
Lily is not the typical debutante - she is also the author of a scandalous column - The Debutante’s Revenge, which advises young ladies to think for themselves (gasp!). Nash is a duke who famously has a heart of stone... but he’s hiding a secret. This is an amnesia story for the meet-cute - which aren’t always my favorite, but I liked the way she did this one. I really enjoyed this story!
Thanks to St. Martin’s press publicity & Netgalley! I received this book as a free ARC for an honest review.
00laura23's review
4.0
Gray and Fiona are well written and developed characters. They are strong, smart, caring and family oriented. Grey is stubborn and entrenched in his believe that love sucks and he doesn’t want anything to do with it or marriage. Watching him fall in love and fight for that love was a joy.
This was a good start to the series and the writing is very easy to consume. The blackmail mystery was interesting. The side characters added to the story and showed dynamics to the hero and heroine’s characters. I’m looking forward to continuing with this series and hopefully seeing these characters in the other stories.
This was a good start to the series and the writing is very easy to consume. The blackmail mystery was interesting. The side characters added to the story and showed dynamics to the hero and heroine’s characters. I’m looking forward to continuing with this series and hopefully seeing these characters in the other stories.
nipomuki's review
3.0
This was part of the „free“ selection of romances in the new audiobook app I am trying out. I like this kind of „regency“ historical romance and was quite taken with the beginning of the book.
It is all very contrived, but this is common in the sub-genre. It has a marriage (proposal) of convenience, an impoverished Earl (with a cold heart and a dark backstory) and a rich heiress with an upstart (step)mother, a younger sister in peril, a house party and the expected entertainments, and of course a ball. So: all the tropes we expect, not badly done, but without the wonderful and original new twists I have come to expect from the likes of Courtney Milan or Tessa Dare...
I had some smallish problems that threw me out of the story, like the way the hero says „shit“ all the time, or how close „the fortress“ seems to be to London. Also I wanted more depth to some of the characters - the narrator did do a good job with them, though.
I felt it dragged a bit after a while and started to listen at a slightly faster speed.
What I really liked about the story was the way the heroine‘s love of and talent for sketching was incorporated, and that the hero did not lose faith in her when they got to the dark moment: he had many reasons not to, but he went on trusting her! That was lovely.
It is all very contrived, but this is common in the sub-genre. It has a marriage (proposal) of convenience, an impoverished Earl (with a cold heart and a dark backstory) and a rich heiress with an upstart (step)mother, a younger sister in peril, a house party and the expected entertainments, and of course a ball. So: all the tropes we expect, not badly done, but without the wonderful and original new twists I have come to expect from the likes of Courtney Milan or Tessa Dare...
I had some smallish problems that threw me out of the story, like the way the hero says „shit“ all the time, or how close „the fortress“ seems to be to London. Also I wanted more depth to some of the characters - the narrator did do a good job with them, though.
I felt it dragged a bit after a while and started to listen at a slightly faster speed.
What I really liked about the story was the way the heroine‘s love of and talent for sketching was incorporated, and that the hero did not lose faith in her when they got to the dark moment: he had many reasons not to, but he went on trusting her! That was lovely.
jenno's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks NetGalley for the review copy.
I've been reading more and more romance this year and I feel the more cliché the title the better.
I had no expectations for this. I wanted to read a romance and found this. Picked it up and read it when I needed to shut of my brain for a while. Because there is no need to read between the lines in this.
Fiona proposes to Gray, Earl of Ravenport, since she's in a pickle and want them, who do not know each other, to see the marriage as a business arrangement. Ravenport says no, especially since Fiona will not tell him why there is such a hurry to get married.
Throughout the book we find out why time is of the essence, the back story to both Fiona and Gray and how they start to fall for each other. (That's not a spoiler, mind you this is romance.)
It's quite funny at times since Fiona is the opposite of graceful and is trying so hard to sneer Gray even though she has no experience with men, or sexual relations. Because there is sex in this too, again it's romance, no one should be surprised. And it's very easy to read which was perfect for my brain while I was reading it.
After reading quite a few romances this year I recommend this. If you want a cute, quite funny Regency romance. It will do the trick as a pallet cleanser between books perfectly.
The only thing that I, which really is more of a personal preference than the books fault, is that it wasn't as steamy as I am apparently now used to and kind of shamelessly want from romance. I mean there is still sex scenes, and they are quite good, but they didn't made me blush while reading, which has happened with other romance books recently. So again, more of a personal preference than the books fault. It is likely that I will read upcoming books in this series.
I've been reading more and more romance this year and I feel the more cliché the title the better.
I had no expectations for this. I wanted to read a romance and found this. Picked it up and read it when I needed to shut of my brain for a while. Because there is no need to read between the lines in this.
Fiona proposes to Gray, Earl of Ravenport, since she's in a pickle and want them, who do not know each other, to see the marriage as a business arrangement. Ravenport says no, especially since Fiona will not tell him why there is such a hurry to get married.
Throughout the book we find out why time is of the essence, the back story to both Fiona and Gray and how they start to fall for each other. (That's not a spoiler, mind you this is romance.)
It's quite funny at times since Fiona is the opposite of graceful and is trying so hard to sneer Gray even though she has no experience with men, or sexual relations. Because there is sex in this too, again it's romance, no one should be surprised. And it's very easy to read which was perfect for my brain while I was reading it.
After reading quite a few romances this year I recommend this. If you want a cute, quite funny Regency romance. It will do the trick as a pallet cleanser between books perfectly.
The only thing that I, which really is more of a personal preference than the books fault, is that it wasn't as steamy as I am apparently now used to and kind of shamelessly want from romance. I mean there is still sex scenes, and they are quite good, but they didn't made me blush while reading, which has happened with other romance books recently. So again, more of a personal preference than the books fault. It is likely that I will read upcoming books in this series.
booklovinmamas's review
4.0
Full Review posted at Book Lovin' Mamas
The story behind the debutante dairies will come to light too, and I loved how the author wrote Fiona’s diary entries into specific chapters. Overall, this was a very enjoyable story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series since it’s about Fiona’s little sister. The only thing that bothered me about the story was how the Earl handled the bad guy in the story. There should’ve been more to it. I was looking for justice at the end with the blackmailer since it was an awful thing that was done to Fiona. Poor Fiona has to go through that without confiding with someone until she had to in the story.
Story Rating: 4 stars
Steaminess Rating: 3 stars
Standalone or part of series: Part of series, but each follows a new couple.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes.
Tropes/Elements: Opposite’s Attract
Hero: Earl; Damaged; Adores his Grandmother
Heroine: Artist; Loves Her Family
The story behind the debutante dairies will come to light too, and I loved how the author wrote Fiona’s diary entries into specific chapters. Overall, this was a very enjoyable story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series since it’s about Fiona’s little sister. The only thing that bothered me about the story was how the Earl handled the bad guy in the story. There should’ve been more to it. I was looking for justice at the end with the blackmailer since it was an awful thing that was done to Fiona. Poor Fiona has to go through that without confiding with someone until she had to in the story.
Story Rating: 4 stars
Steaminess Rating: 3 stars
Standalone or part of series: Part of series, but each follows a new couple.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes.
Tropes/Elements: Opposite’s Attract
Hero: Earl; Damaged; Adores his Grandmother
Heroine: Artist; Loves Her Family
robinlovesreading's review
4.0
Miss Fiona Hartley is a skilled artist who is facing a serious dilemma. Her sister Lily's very future could be ruined and Fiona is being blackmailed. She must come up with a large sum of money to protect Lily. Lily's past is cloudy, but she is very much loved by Fiona, therefore Fiona comes up with a plan. She approaches David Gray, Earl of Ravenport, and convinces him that marrying her would be a wise idea.
Gray was hurt by his previous fiancée, so marriage is the furthest thing from his mind. However, the fact that he is suffering greatly financially makes the offer by the delectable Miss Hartley rather tempting. They both know if they go forward that it will be a marriage of convenience, with neither of their hearts on the line.
Fiona finds herself more than drawn to Gray. Not only is she now forced to deal with her powerful attraction and feelings for Gray, her blackmailer begins playing a dangerous game. How can she satisfy that situation, all the while keeping it from Gray?
First Earl I See Tonight is the first book in the Debutante Diaries series. This was an enjoyable story. I loved Fiona, she is a woman who loves deep and unreservedly. It was enjoyable watching Gray thaw towards her. Meanwhile, there was the edge of drama throughout the story. This book was a great start to a new series. I have already had a chanced to read the next book, The Duke is But a Dream, available now. The third book in the series, When You Wish Upon a Rogue, will be available spring 2020.
Gray was hurt by his previous fiancée, so marriage is the furthest thing from his mind. However, the fact that he is suffering greatly financially makes the offer by the delectable Miss Hartley rather tempting. They both know if they go forward that it will be a marriage of convenience, with neither of their hearts on the line.
Fiona finds herself more than drawn to Gray. Not only is she now forced to deal with her powerful attraction and feelings for Gray, her blackmailer begins playing a dangerous game. How can she satisfy that situation, all the while keeping it from Gray?
First Earl I See Tonight is the first book in the Debutante Diaries series. This was an enjoyable story. I loved Fiona, she is a woman who loves deep and unreservedly. It was enjoyable watching Gray thaw towards her. Meanwhile, there was the edge of drama throughout the story. This book was a great start to a new series. I have already had a chanced to read the next book, The Duke is But a Dream, available now. The third book in the series, When You Wish Upon a Rogue, will be available spring 2020.
turtlemagix's review
3.0
This book is really wordy so it took me a few chapters to get into the writing style but once I did I enjoyed the story quite a bit.