Dear Miss Carmichael, your vulgar father and the rumors surrounding your dear mother's passing have indeed left you unable to secure a suitable match. Without any further options, it is Her Majesty's opinion that you will attract more prospects, where you might mingle without your father's presence. Extend yourself, Miss Carmichael. Be brave and take hope, for you are hereby ordered to attend the Monsters Ball.
Lady Isabella Carmichael is desperate to be wed so that she can finally be free from her father, and yet he has ruined her chances at every turn. No remotely eligible gentleman has been willing to tie himself to such a cruel and vicious man, especially when they're led to fear for their own safety. Isabella knows those fears are only too well founded. The Monsters Ball is her last only because her father is not allowed to attend. If she fails, she fears she will be doomed to the same fate as her mother - a suspicious death at the bottom of the stairs.
She's soaking in the magic and mystery of the Ball when her drunk father breaks into the estate grounds, and tries to drag her home. How he escaped the orc footmen, she has no idea. She fears it doesn't matter, as he's shouting enough profanity to ruin her forever.
Until a massive, feline monster emerges from the darkness to save her.
Marquis Tyclon K'var does not deserve love; especially from a sweet, fragile human like Miss Carmichael. The monstrous plague brought him low, and he swears he'll remain unmarried in order to protect others from his unpredictable and dark moods. No matter how much he wants to ask her to dance. That all changes the moment he sees the young beauty being attacked on the verandah.
His feral nature demands he protect her. And once he's thrown her father out, there's only one thing he can do to protect her marry her. But is she truly safer with him, or without?
Nova Blake is a paranormal romance author based in New Zealand. She has an abundance of animals and children and it's a wonder how she gets anything done!
She enjoys coffee (and lots of it), devouring good books, and sleep (though she never gets enough).
The writing was bomb! I’m still a newbie when it comes to reading anything historical but dang, this was so good, I ate it up in a few hours. It’s got the romance and monsters so my nervousness for the historical speak/setting skedaddled 😂.
While the FMC was a virgin, she wasn’t completely naive to pleasure, which is what I’ve had trouble with in past HR books. I hated that the men always were ho’s, living it up, but the women never once even flicked the 🫘. Well not here 😌. Plus, Tyclon was just an all around great MMC. We love kitties.
There was a really fun and badass scene from the FMC near the end of the book that I wished was longer! It was kinda rushed, but still satisfying 👏🏻. Everything else in this book was paced well.
Highly recommend. Thoroughly enjoyable and an easy, fun read.
I kinda wanna read a book about Maris and Caleb now.
Isabella is living a life of misery. Her mother is gone, her father is abusive and she has no prospects to leave and create a better life. Luck is on her side when she is invited to the Monsters Ball. Her father is less than pleased at her attending and tries to whisk her away when she arrives.
Tyclon may be a monster but he isn't Isabella's father. Witnessing her father raise his hand to his daughter sets events in motion that he finds himself engaged and soon to be married to the beautiful Isabella.
These two were cute as hell and I enjoyed their road to a HEA. I wish it had been longer so we had had more development and steam but overall I enjoyed it.
KindleUnlimited. A regency monster romance. In that order. Heavy on regency(with some out of place/unnecessary slights at Americans), fairly light on the monster(Ty got sick and turned into a tiger man? Which was never really explained, orcs/others mentioned in the literal background), and liiiiiiiiiiiiight on the romance. Two conversations? Both interrupted. Yes they eventually fool around but
We get a lot of Isabella oddly naive and crying about her drunk abusive dad- and her alone thinking a whole bunch. With snippets of her being insecure, with the personality of cardboard.
Maybe don't write monster or romance if you don't want/don't feel comfortable with it?
I feel like the diary of a chaste woman from like 1815 in a remote village living with her ailing grandmother, and daydreams about climbing a tree(no other human/characters)would be more Nova Blake's jam.
Nova Blake tells a sweet story of finding oneself and love in How The Marquis Found His Meow. It's a true journey of finding oneself and growth, which is what I enjoyed best about it.
Isabella is a tigress in a shy girl’s costume, and it takes a tiger man, who is a kitty on the inside, to inspire that out of her. Loved that for them. Loved their dynamic.
My only real critique is the final confrontation Isabella has with her father. Without going into spoilers, I would have made her put forth more effort because she could do it. It was an enjoyable read, regardless.
This was such a fun paranormal Regency read. Ty and Isa are both damaged by people in their lives. Meeting at the monsters ball changes both of their lives in many ways. Secrets come out that threatens their new found happiness. Loved the plot and the twist on regency romance. Great steamy scences and wonderful characters.
Isabella and Tyclon Such a Nice twist to a regency romance! I love that the marquis is a tiver, it fits só well, all his restraint but underneath there is a beast, a wild animal with so Manny wants. Isabella also has a dark side that fits perfectly with the wild marquis. He is afraid to hurt her but maybe She Will surprise him more.
The title "How the Marquis Found his Meow" is almost a misnomer as while this story does give us a hero who learns to accept his monstrous self, it was much more a story about a heroine finding the courage to confront her abuser.
Admittedly, I was starting to despair that any other entry to this series would actually be a *Historical Monster* romance and not just another monster romance with a some fantastical historical elements involved. While the story did start off a bit rough, I'm so pleased with how everything worked out! The writing was descriptive without being flowery and smooth without missing what the reader needed to know.
We're first introduced to Isabella, a young woman trapped by her violent, abusive father, who forbids her to go to The Monsters Ball for his own selfish reasons. The man is a true villain, who is willing to raise his hand to anyone, but especially women, to get what he wants. Isabella knows that this is her chance to escape, and in spite of what her father says, pushes forward with her intent to go.
Tyclon is a young man cursed by the monstrous plague, content to exist alone but forced to attend the ball. It's there he stumbles upon and saves Isabella after her father violently crashes the ball, attempting to drag her home. In order to save her reputation and despite his claims to be savage monster, he does the honorable thing and offers for her. This is where our lovers' story begin.
The communication and banter between Ty and Isa was superb. While the story doesn't delve too deeply, there is enough baggage behind our main characters that allows for them to open up to each other. And even when secrets come to light, there is no confusion that Ty and Isa support each other whole heartedly. Even more exciting was that this isn't a story where the Ty swoops in to save Isa, this is a story where she saves (and avenges) herself.
I think what stood out to me in the storytelling is that Blake uses the ball simply as a location for a scene to happen, rather than the basis for the whole story (which is what I found to dislike about a number of the other entries in the series). The books takes our characters on a complete adventure instead of remaining in the same place for the same short amount of time. Returning characters remain supporting temporary minor characters rather than continuously showing up as well as a few new moments that introduce us to characters in other entries to the series.
Admittedly, there were some minor historical inaccuracies, but those were simply pedantic and easily edited with a bit of research. Nothing that hindered the actual storytelling. I'm definitely interested to see if Blake decided to delve into more Historical Monster romance!
Lady Isabella’s mother died tragically and in a suspicious manner, leaving her alone with her abusive, drunkard father. Her only way out is to get married. The more Isabella tries to find a match, the more controlling and violent her father becomes. The offer of marriage she received was quickly refused by her father, and his drunken behavior is embarrassing enough to repel the other eligible bachelors. No family of worth would want to be associated with that sort of man, so Isabella’s hopes for a better future are dwindling down to nothing.
That is until she receives an invitation to the Monster’s Ball – an event where those who haven’t been chosen for marriage by the higher-ranked society can potentially find a marriage partner with a monster. Isabella sets her sights on attending the ball and finding a husband; it’s her last hope before resigning herself to the bleak future of remaining with her father – and possibly ending up dead like her mother.
She’s starting to discover her confidence and enjoying the ball when her father shows up. He’s drunk, angry, and gets violent with Isabella as he attempts to drag her back home. She is utterly humiliated and terrified by his actions in front of everyone at the ball, but a man comes to her rescue and protects her.
Marquis Tyclon K’Var is a tiger-like monster. He was once human but turned into a monster because of a plague. He’s insecure and afraid to be around others because he fears the violent part of his monster. He’d only attended the ball out of the threat of losing his title if he refused. Despite his intent to lie low and leave the ball unattached, his sense of honor requires him to restore Isabella’s dignity and social standing by offering his hand in marriage.
Although a marriage is exactly what Isabella was looking for, the proposal didn’t happen quite the way she had hoped. Even though she needs a husband to escape her father’s clutches, she is still hoping to find love in the process. Can Isabella & Tyclon get past their own fears and insecurities to find their happily ever after?
I really enjoyed this book a lot! It’s such a sweet romance and I loved the relationship between Isa & Ty. The story kept me engaged; there’s a bit of spice, humor, tragedy, romance, and danger. It’s a pretty quick read and although I haven’t read the other Monster’s Ball books set in this world, I am adding them to my reading queue!
How the Marquis Found His Meow is an adorable love and rescue the Damsel in distress story. I loved reading how the the plot worked to draw me in to the pages of what was happening. It was super exciting to see how the main character and her maid/best friend worked together to create beautiful creations out of the main character's mother's magnificent ball gowns. Isabell (Isa for short) who I thought to be sweet and very courageous had gotten summoned by the Queen to attend the Monster Ball in order to find a suitable husband. But the Ball was no ordinary ball... It was a Monster Ball... meaning that the men were all monsters of various types. Maris is the kind hearted and very meek soul who bravely helps Isa find dresses that Isa's mother had worn and helps alter them to fit Isabell's smaller body frame. Isabell's father is a brute of a man and very abusive with the drinking of the spirits (Alcohol). When he drinks he becomes very mean and abusive to everyone around him. Tyclon is a unique character.. and there is a story behind Tyclon on how he became the way he is.. A monster if you will.. A Tiger Man. I love how he is very compassionate to Isabell when her father attempts to drag her from the ball... he jumps to her aid and protects her. How The Marquis Found His Meow was a fun read. So if you love Chivalry at it's best, Romance, Chivalrous Monsters, Love and best friends then this book is for you.
I must admit, regency and/or historical are not usually my first choice of story, but I enjoy the author's work so I gave it a go, and I really enjoyed it.
There is formal speech and social protocols that you would expect in this genre, but the author has managed to weave in the paranormal too and it works really well. We don't get much information about the monster plague, other than it happened and that it only seems to affect males. They live amongst the non-affected and other than being looked down upon they seem to continue living the same lives.
Isabella is stuck with her father who won't let her go now that her mother has died, she has missed out on many marriage opportunities due to his awful behaviour, but the monsters ball is her last chance, this is where guys who have been affected by the monster plague go to find a wife. It's there that her drunk father embarrasses her yet again but Ty jumps to her aid and society deems that she has claimed her as his, and he's too polite to protest.
Ty was a sweetheart, he wanted to do the right thing even though he was trying to stay away from everyone. But once they started spending time together they realised that they liked each other, they just needed to deal with her father trying to interfere.
- standalone - shared world - paranormal regency - virgin fmc but spicy
"I wonder what they are like up close." "I wonder what they are like beneath their breeches." Maris's eyes flashed wickedly, and Isabella could not help but laugh, her cheeks flushing crimson.’
In this Paranormal Regency Romance, part of a shared world author collection, Nova Blake provides us with a meek female lead who learns how to ROAR!
How the Marquis Found His Meow is a unique read for a variety of reasons. We watch Isabella’s metamorphosis from scared and timid, into a forced with whom to be reckoned. Looking for some way to get out of her treacherous father’s home, Isa is demanded to attend the Monsters Ball by the Queen.
After a perilous escape from her father, she finds Tyclon- a man who a year earlier had contracted an illness that turned him into a beast. Ty comes to Isa’s rescue and they find an attraction growing into a committed relationship. But her father continues to place roadblocks in the way of Isa’s happiness.
Twists and turns, pain and peril, flirting and fashion, and lust leaning into love are all found in this freeing story.
A fantasy romance set in the regency time period? You have my attention! Now, Isabella and Tyclon’s story is a standalone set in a shared world, and it can be read perfectly fine as just the single book. However, there seems to be at least one over-arching mystery and a couple of guest appearances that tie parts of the series together. Even though I didn’t need to have read any of the other books, my one-click finger is itching to get ahold of the rest because I desperately want to know more about their world. I loved Isabella’s strength and resilience. She was determined to make the best of this opportunity no matter what. And I couldn’t help but admire Tyclon’s honor and nobility. He gave this book a very Beauty and the Beast feeling because, despite his outward appearance, the heart and soul inside belonged to a great man. I really enjoyed the creativity they showed in getting their Happy Ever After and I can’t wait to see what else this series holds. I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author.
"How The Marquis Found His Meow" is a paranormal regency romance, and a standalone within an interconnected series. I was fascinated with the entire idea of people having turned into monsters, without the ability to shift, and still looking for marriage within the rules of the regency era. It's a little bizarre, but also quite fun to read, and I have to say: love is truly universal.
This standalone is Isabelle and Tyclon's story and I enjoyed the love they found for each other, and the obstacles they managed to overcome. These characters' personalities fit with the regency era, even though Isabelle clearly has a bit of rebellious streak. But most of all: she's determined to change her life for the better, and doing the same for the people she cares about. With this being a standalone, the author doesn't go deep into character building, but the storyline was quite interesting and this book was definitely an original read. If you're looking for something quite different, this series might be the thing you're looking for.
How the Marquis Found His Meow is a standalone Regency romance novel by Nova Blake. This novel details the story of Isabella, and the Marquis as they meet at Monster Ball set up by the Queen under unusual circumstances. Isabella is simply wanting to escape her father, find a good match, and live a happy life. The Marquis is only attending because it was this or losing his title. Well, since he didn't want to lose that..the ball it is! While he has zero intentions of taking a wife, fate throws him a situation that demands his honor. Can love bloom from it? The pacing of this story is okay. It's slow, but has engaging moments scattered throughout. The story mostly focuses on the FMC. As this is a regency romance, she is developed to be a demure young lady without a lot of spice or fire in her. For me, this makes her bland as a character, but just hang in there - the story does get more interesting. I wanted to really like this book, but it failed to keep me completely engaged so - 4 out of 5 stars.
An interesting combination of regency romance and PNR, the story follows lady Isabella Carmichael, an innocent young woman who lost her mother under suspicious circumstances and thanks to her abusive, controlling father has only limited prospects to find and secure a husband. Even the order of the Queen does not help her escape the house... until she manages to leave to attend the Monsters Ball, her only chance to marry. Yet even that won't go without a scandal.. I very much enjoyed the fresh air of the regency setup, all that etiquette and societal rules which are rarely seen in any PNR. Isabella is a sweet, delicate, and innocent young woman whose character is suppressed by fear yet starts showing up once she is on her own. Her golden heart and curiosity are obvious from the start, and who wouldn't love a good mystery too? I also enjoyed the glimpses into Tyclon's past that revealed a lot about his backstory and enabled the connection to the troubled man considering himself monster alongside others who label him as such thanks to his looks. Sweet and enjoyable story.
Lady Isabella is our fmc. Her Mother died in a suspicious maner and now she's left with her abusive and drunk father. Her only escape is to get married. But her father doesnt like this he gets worse the more she tries. he does everything to reject offers and scare off bachelors. Then she recieves an invitation to the monsters ball. its a special ball for those who havent been chosen or married. Isabell is eager to attend. She enjoys the ball until her father shows up, drunk and violent. he tries to drag her back home but then a man comes to her rescue. Marquis Tyclon K'Var is a tiger monster. He is insecure and afraid he might break out in violence because of his monster. He only attends the ball so he wont lose his title. He intended to leave the ball, but he had to rescue a damsel in distress and save Isabella from her father. He proposes to her. will she accept it, will they have an hea. read this book to find out
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. Regency Romance is not normally something I am interested in reading, so the addition of the monster theme made me interested. And I am so glad that I read this book.
It was fun and full of whimsy while also being a little bit period piece with some paranormal aspects to the story. Isabella is a lady whose father has cost her her Season for finding a husband. Since she has not found one, the Queen orders her to attend the Monster Ball to find one. Her father does not approve, but he is overridden by the Queen.
Tycoon is a lord who is still coming to terms with his condition. He was affected by the plague and turned into a feline. A tiger to be perfectly honest. His mother has told him that he harmed his last fiancee, so he feels like he is not good enough to be loved. These two are so good together, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
How The Marquis Found His Meow by Nova Blake is a regency monster romance that’s part of the (Monsters Ball world which is a fun interconnected world full of uniquely fabulous stand-alone stories all set in the same world. A world where a monstrous plague has occurred that has turned some of the inhabitants into “monsters” and where the unthinkable can happen at any minute.
Like for our sweet heroine, Lady Isabella Carmichael, a woman who wants nothing than to be free from the burden her father puts on her—even if it’s marriage to someone outside the norm. Like say a marriage to the massive feline that saves her from her father’s ire.
I absolutely loved Marquis Tyclon K'var and how wonderful Nova created this magical world! Seeing their relationship unfold was a quick fun ride and makes you want to dive further into this world! If you’re a fan of sweet, unique regency romances and love monsters of all shapes and sizes, then this is the one for you!
I wasn't sure what to expect from The Monster's Ball series, but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet this story was. Isabella is trying to get out from under her father. Marriage is her only way out, but with her father, finding a suitor has been near impossible. She decides to attend the Monster's Ball to try to change her fate. Unfortunately, her father crashes the ball. In steps Marquis Tyclon K'var, a human now turned into a monster. He has no intention of finding someone to marry and is only there out of obligation, but when he sees Isabella, he knows he wants to save her. He proposes marriage and what follows is a sweet romance where the two help one another grow as individuals and as a couple. The father is still a thorn in their side, so there are some twists and turns throughout, but overall, this was a very entertaining regency monster romance.
DNF @ 86% Started off well as we learn about the MCs' tragic situations. And then it became tedious. And then it went downhill.
Firstly, the author tried to do way too much in 180 pages. Which means none of it was done well.
Secondly, all the characters were pretty one dimensional with an OTT main antagonist.
And the FMC's solution to outing her father's criminal behavior? Pretend to be the ghost of his dead wife. 🤦♀️
And there's a best friend/employee who is beaten and used as bait. And there's a kidnapping. And teases of some NC incest. And really flat intimacy. And then...blood play. Ladies and gentlemen. This is 180 pages.
Plus, you are telling me that this young lady with no experience with intimacy at all, and no mother or adult females to talk with is just fine with AND enjoys blood play...during her first time having intercourse. W. T. F?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Miss Nova gives us a refreshing take on monsters in this shared world of The Monsters Ball! Miss Isabella and Tyclon meet when her father's forced to let her go to the Queen's Monsters ball after her season is declared a failure thanks to her father's behaviour. Because of a plague that affects normal people and turns them "beastly" Tyclon has been changed to resemble a half tiger man, but who is fundamentally a gentle person and is tortured by the idea of hurting anyone. Together these two people learn to love and accept each other and protect each other on the way to their HEA! I loved reading this beautifully written story and highly recommend it. Don't miss out on this book!
I loved this story of Isabella and Tyclon. After her mother died a tragic and suspicious death, she had to live with her father and his abusive ways. She ends up getting an invitation to the Monster’s Ball, which is an event for those that haven’t been chosen for marriage. Her father is so against her going. She eventually discovers her confidence and stands up to her father. She meets Tyclon at the ball and he thinks he is so unworthy of love. His intention is just to make it through the ball being unattached so he can keep his title. Tyclon and Isabella’s sparks fly though but will be enough for them to end up together? This story is just so good. It kept me turning the pages. I absolutely adored Tyclon. I will be definitely reading more in The Monsters Ball series!
“How the Marquis Found His Meow” is a book with all sorts of feels. This odd, strange sort of world in which monsters and humans collide: it’s mesmerizing. While it might seem strange, this book has so much heart. The emotion comes through. There is pain, love, fear, and hope. And so much suspense too!! Lady Isabella and Marquis Tyclon both have a chance to find a match and quite possibly, a chance at true love as well.
This is my first time reading a book from the Monsters’ Ball series and it certainly won’t be the last. I love this world and I definitely want to stay there longer!!
I really enjoyed this book and if you enjoy a different take on romance, I invite you to the Monster’s Ball.
A cute monster regency read that brought me back to when I first got into reading. Historical romances were my first forays into romance and I loved the nostalgia this book brought.
Isabella’s live is one of abuse and entrapment by none other than her worthless father. When the chance to escape her life of misery arises, Isa jumps at the chance. Not knowing the impact it would bring.
Tyclon has no choice but to live alone, cursed with the monstrous plague. When he rescues a young woman at the Monster’s Ball, he’ll change the course of their lives forever.
Both Isa and Ty carry around deep personal demons. I love the way they opened up to each and how they eventually started to heal. It’s such a sweet romance but definitely a quick read that left me wanting more.
This one fell just a little short for me, but was overall enjoyable. This book definitely had some darker themes to it and followed a little bit more of a darker romance trope. I think for someone else, this book could easily be five star worthy. It's just more of a personal preference and taste, that I don't read as much darker romance, or get into some of the darker themes that were in this book. That said, the romance was 100% on point and the storyline was pretty solid. The regency vibes were very well done in this book! I'm totally convinced that Maris (the maid) and the Orc (I think his name was Caleb?) need their own story. I loved how sweet their side story was! Overall, this book gets a solid 3.5 stars from me.
While I wasn’t too keen on the historical part of this(namely because of how the women are treated). The rest of the book,however, more than made up for it. Along with how Isa wants, and is allowed to act by Ty at the end. The title is a little misleading as the book mainly focuses on the growth of Isa and what’s she has gone through or is going through. But near the end I also kind of understood the title as well. It’s also sort of fitting with history brushing off women. All in all I actually really enjoyed this book, and got so much satisfaction out of watching Isa and Tys relationship evolve, and Isa’s confidence and resolve along with it.
I will say that regency-style stories usually are not my thing in any way, shape or form but I actually really enjoyed this one by author, Nova Blake. I'm also thinking I might give the other books in the series a go as well if they are anything like this one.
Isabella Carmichael is out of options, after her mother dies he father becomes obsessed with not letting her leave, but the Queen demands that she must attend the Monsters Ball as a last-ditch attempt to get her betrothed. The story weaves regency and the paranormal together into a perfect story of how sometimes the monsters aren't always the true monsters in the story. It's a cute story, with a HEA and I'm all here for it.
This is another engaging read for this fun multi-author series. Set in a Regency world, Isabella and Tyclon were fab together - think beauty and the beast ;) She was very strong in trying to make the most of life, despite her father, and he was beyond noble and caring, despite his outward appearance. Expect a fast paced read that has it all: humour, danger, tragedy, family drama and steamy romance. It kept me glued to my reader and looking forward to checking out the other books in the series ;D
I really enjoyed this story, it almost felt like a bit of a puss in boots story. Isabelle is desperate to go out to the ball and meet someone to sweep her off her feet, but her controlling, aggressive father won't even let her out of the house. When she finally escapes to the Monsters Ball, even there he comes to try and ruin it for her, but the Marquis comes in to save the day! A great read! I loved how Isabelle could see through Tyclon's insecurities to the man he was underneath his monster exterior.