A review by readwithmekt
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

Lady Agusta, Gus, Colebrook and her sister Lady Julia are not exactly in their prime in society. Gus has decided that she is happy this way and wishes to do something a little more unconventional with her days. When their good friend Charlotte asks for help retrieving sensitive letters, Gus knows that she has found her calling. With more women needing aid in a society where men can make all the decisions Gus will stop at nothing to help these women in need. When she crosses paths with a highwayman, Lord Evan, Gus begins to learn her own strength and maybe even begins to learn that not all men think the same way… 

 

This book was absolutely incredible, every aspect from the writing to the plot to the break of the different parts. I did not want it to end and I am honestly so sad that I have now finished it. I think that historical fiction is working its way up into a genre that I am starting to love. The book combined parts of Pride and Prejudice with mystery and intrigue and it was perfect for me. 

 

Lady Gus and Lady Julia were incredible FMCs. I loved that they did not care that they were considered spinsters. To an extent they embraced it and were more interested in making sure that they were enjoying the time they had left. The bond between these twin sisters was amazing. I loved that they accepted one another for who they were and were willing to make sacrifices to make the other happy or to feel comfortable. It was extremely heart warming to have these sisters create a family for themselves after losing both parents and having quite possibly the worst younger brother ever in existence. 

 

The book was broken into 3 parts, all dealt with a different lady needing assistance. The growth from one challenge to next was fun but I also adored the fact that so much of it was Gus, Julia, and Evan flying by the seat of their pants and kind of just hoping for the best. The amount of emotion that came from reading this book was abundant. There were many times when I would become so frustrated with how the female characters were being spoken to that I would have to put the book down and take a slight pause. There were times when my heart melted because of the sweetness that I was able to read and feel. There were times when I felt extreme sadness because of the sacrifices that characters were willing to make. 

 

With medium and elegant pacing and chapter lengths that varied, though most were on the shorter side, this was a book that I am so happy to have read. There is so much more that I could gush about in regards to this book but there is not enough space or time. I cannot remember where I saw it for the first time but I am so happy that this book found me because I know it is one that I will definitely revisit in the future. I did google and it appears that there is likely to be a second book and I need that to happen immediately! I want to see what the future holds for Lady Gus, Lady Julia, and Lord Evan. If you love Pride & Prejudice, mysteries and strong female MC this is definitely a book you should add to your tbr. 

 

Have you read The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies? What did you think?