Wie ruiniert man einen Earl? (Clifford School Society 1)

The Swooning Virgins Society #1

by Anna Bradley, Jeanette Mey (Translator)

Auf der Suche nach der Wahrheit setzen sie nicht nur ihr Leben, sondern auch ihre Herzen aufs Spiel …
Der Auftakt der leidenschaftlichen Regency Romance-Reihe von Anna Bradley Während andere junge Damen ihre Freizeit mit Zeichnen oder Handarbeiten verbringen, klettert Sophia Monmouth auf Dächer und beschattet verdächtige Personen. Ihr Informationen zu beschaffen, um die Unschuld eines Freundes zu beweisen, der wegen Mordes im Gefängnis sitzt. Doch sie hat nicht damit gerechnet, dass jemand anderes sie beschatten würde. Und ausgerechnet ein Earl! Noch weniger hat Sophia damit gerechnet, dass dieser mysteriöse Earl nicht nur ihren Geheimnissen, sondern auch ihrem Herzen gefährlich nahe kommen würde. Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, hat als der „Geist der Bow Street“ auch einige Geheimnisse. Fasziniert von der wunderschönen Sophia will er mehr über sie erfahren. Er schließt sich ihr bei ihrem waghalsigen Plan an. Bringt die aufkeimende Leidenschaft beide noch mehr in Gefahr – oder finden sie gemeinsam Stärke in ihrer Liebe?Erste
„Ein sehr vielversprechender Reihenauftakt! Empfehle ich allen Fans von Elizabeth Hoyt und historischen Liebesromanen im Allgemeinen.“
„Leidenschaftlich und romantisch, aber auch spannend und geheimnisvoll, perfekte Mischung!“
„Prickelnde Szenen, schlagfertige Dialoge, packende Story, was möchte man mehr von einer Regency Romance?“

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2020

About the author

Anna Bradley writes Regency and Georgian historical romance with heat, heart, and happily-ever-afters. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, and Library Journal, and her debut novel won the Romantic Times’ award for Best First Historical.

Anna is originally from New England, but now makes her home in Oregon, where she lives with her family, an overgrown English garden and a menagerie of wayward pets. If she isn’t writing, she’s probably hiding in a corner reading, chasing the dog, or herding the cats. Find Anna on the web at www.annabradley.net

Find Anna on the web at www.annabradley.net

Reviews

[Alexis Hall]

I found this super charming. For my money, it’s a really well-judged mixture of action-adventure hijinks, mystery solving and romancey timez. It’s got a grittiness to it because you’re dealing with murder, imprisonment and conspiracy that I kind of appreciated—not, I hasten to add, that I’ve anything against Dukes and Almacks—but there’s still a lovely chemistry between the leads and lots of sparky dialogue.

The premise is that the heroine belongs to a team of lady spies, who work under the auspices of the frankly fabulous Lady Clifford (book about Lady Clifford, please and thank you?). They all love gothic novels so they call themselves The Swooning Virgins, irrespective of their sexual experience, hence the … slightly peculiar name of the book? I mean, I get it’s meant to be playful and a deconstruction of the idea that identity and sexual behaviour were inextricable for an 18th century woman, but you only really get that context when you’ve read the book itself. And until you’ve got that context you’re kind of stuck with this book that is called The Sexually Defined Nameless Human Female And The Man Who Is A Person.

I think what I’m saying is: I don’t like the title. Even though I’m aware of its subversive intent (including the fact ‘ruin’ is something generally attached to women, rather than men). Also I don’t think Sophie ruins Lord Gray exactly? So much as, hangs out with?

But I guess: The Woman Who Is A Person Who Hung Out With The Man Who Is Also A Person is an even worse title.

ANYWAY: main point is, I liked this a lot. Sophie is impulsive but highly competent, and shady AF (I adored her) and Gray is … actually okay? I mean his main angst is that he used to be a Bow Street Runner, which made him feel useful, but now he is an Earl AND OH WOE IS HIM AND THE TERRIBLE WEIGHT OF HIS IMMENSE WEALTH AND INSTITIONALISED PRIVILEGE. I mean, okay, he’s not actually super angsty about it, so much as bored, but it’s especially out of my place against all the rest of the characters in the book who are from rather non-exalted backgrounds. But I think what worked for me about Gray is that he’s a fundamentally good man? I’m kind of a sucker for characters who want to do the right thing and I think one of the most interesting dynamics in the book is the way both he and Sophie share a moral code but not necessarily an ethical one. While Sophie isn’t a cold character at all, she is in some ways cynical, she’s had a hard life and has none of the fundamental trust in powerful institutions that Gray—heedlessly privileged—instinctively has. I liked watching their worldviews collide and I liked how well both characters served the larger thematic concerns of the book.

Like most historical romances, this book is not super kind to the lower classes—despite the fact its set literally *among them*. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some dialect but I’m increasingly troubled by the way historical romances tend to use dialect. It usually feels that it’s about conveying ignorance or brutality, or exists mainly highlight an unquestioned distinction between the “higher” and “lower” orders. It’s all getting a bit Great Chain of Being for me. I should clarify this is a general concern. It's not specific to this book, and I have read way, way worse poor person dialect.

I was also a bit troubled by Jeremy. He’s essentially The Plot, in that he has been wrongly arrested for a murder he definitely didn’t commit, and Sophie is trying to stop him from being hanged. And the deal with Jeremy is a bit vague, but he apparently has some kind of intellectual disability but, like, he suffers appallingly throughout the book. And, yes, Newgate was a terrible place and I can definitely those sections of the book existing to raise broader points about miscarriages of justice and the inhumanity of the prison system, especially in the 18th century. But there are just long descriptions of this poor man with his health totally ruined, covered in lice and weeping sores, chained to the floor—all of which seems to exist as much to give Sophie and Gray opportunities to demonstrate they are Good People TM, as offer commentary on the rubbishness of historical incarceration.

Basically, I don’t think Jeremy ever felt like a real person? So much as a combination of plot device and mechanism by which other characters could show their quality. It doesn’t help that the driving action of the first part of the book is getting the poor guy out of prison, then rescuing him from prison and … then never seeing or hearing from him again? I mean, come on? Is he okay? Is he traumatised? Does his health recover?

Okay, so this was a lot of picking. Because apparently I can’t help myself.

But I genuinely found this a polished, refreshing, satisfying read, with a well-judged conspiracy plot and a pair of characters it was easy to like.

PS - I totally forgot to mention that there was a deliciously romancey line about the hero's penis. Errr, I'm not mocking. Or if I am, I am doing so with absolutely sincere love and adoration because I fucking live for this shit. Honestly, I probably don't really consider it a proper histrom unless the hero's wang has developed its own identity. On this particular occasion, he wakes up to find himself, I mean, I would assume incidentally hard because it's first thing in the morning. But no. He is specifically hard because of his desire for the heroine. Whereupon he slides a hand beneath the coverlet to give himself "a comforting squeeze" (gawww, what a lovely relationship between the hero and his genitals) but, gasp, his cock "refused to pacified."

REFUSED TO BE PACIFIED.

HIS PENIS IS OUT OF CONTROL AND WILL NOT BE CHECKED.

HIS PENIS BE LIKE



One of the saddest lessons I had to learn as a romance reader is that my genitals are boring. They never act independently of me. They don't exhibit their own emotional states. It's like they're just a part of my body or something. Sadness.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a long-time fan of Anna Bradley, so I was thrilled to see that she started a new series, and I couldn't wait to dive in. The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray was a great read and kept me wanting more.

I usually don't like mystery or suspense, but I found that the suspense elements didn't overpower the book for me, which is important for my tastes. Overall, The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray was a little angstier and darker than Anna Bradley's normal style, but I really enjoyed it, even if parts of the story broke my heart.

I loved how strong and resilient Sophia was as a person. She has been through so much in her past, and she is really striving to right some wrongs the best ways that she can. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers vibe of the story, and the pairing with Sophia and Tristan was very nice. Tristan was a bit stuck in his imaginings of right and wrong, and some parts of the story were painful to read, but I think he learned and grew throughout the story. I always like class differences in historical romance, and we also get that here with this pairing. Also, just note that neither MC is actually a virgin, a trend that I think will continue with these books as I think the title is a nod to the books that Sophia and her fellow society members read during the story.

I don't think this story was a particularly uplifting read, but it was a very strong start for a historical romance series, one that I will absolutely devour. Keep it up, Anna Bradley!

goodreads|instagram|twitter|tiktok

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 4 out of 5]

1793

This is the first in a new series by Anna Bradley, whom I LOVE. I think she's my favorite writer. I just adore her descriptions and her tensions and her love scenes and kisses are so hot and poetic at the same time...sigh.

Anyway. This book had a different feel than the others by her I have tried. This book has way more plot going on, more danger, more mystery/crime solving and less on the romance. This makes me very sad. Very, very sad. The romance in this book is SO GOOD. But I do think it was secondary to building the entire case and main problem taking place in the story. Some of you may prefer this. I'm hoping her future books amp up the romance in this series because she does it so so well.

In this story, our heroine Sophia became an orphan at a young age. Her story is quite heartbreaking. She was rescued by Lady Clifford and schooled at the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. A school where more goes on than it seems behind the closed doors. Sophia has spent her life in the shadows. She's very agile, invisible in the London night, and ready and eager to stalk those that must be stalked and brought to justice. She's a tiny thing, and prefers wearing trousers to get around, especially since she's developed a love for traveling on rooftops.

Tristan was a bow street runner. Was, because he has now had to take on the responsibility of the earldom and is now Lord Gray. But it's very hard to leave his past career behind when he suddenly spies someone on his neighbors roof lying in wait. Tristan still isn't over the gruesome murder of his colleague and fellow bow street runner. He refuses to return to his country estate until justice is served. But when he meets Sophia, she challenges everything that he thinks he knows about justice.

This book is not particularly steamy. It has a few kisses, then 1-2 full open door scenes around 80%. She does write explicitly, but they aren't especially long in this book. I find her love scenes and kisses filled with feelings. I adore them. Though in this book I was desperately wishing for more. More balance with the love and crime solving. A bit more tension.

Give this book a try if you like:
-a splash of enemies to lovers. There's a bit of time in the beginning when they are feeling each other out and they definitely aren't friends.
-Some type of crime/murder mystery to solve. This one is the main plot in the book and some of it might surprise you as you get to the conclusion.
-A bit of action. There's plenty of running through the London night, some attacks, stalking
-class differences – hero is an earl and heroine is born in the gutter of seven dials
-a non virgin heroine. Yes, I know, the title. I was pretty disappointed. But Sophia has had one lover but she's not vastly experienced.
-Heroine disguised as a man – she regularly runs around in trousers and Tristan actually believes she's a boy when he first meets her.
-A bit of darkness with a crime to be solved, multiple murders taking place/talked about, and a corrupt justice system being experienced

So, I liked a lot of this story. I was interested in the solving of the murders and the look into the justice system. However, I have also been feeling really depressed about things going on in current events and I didn't love it all in my face during my 'escape time'. But Bradley did it wonderfully and I was still interested in everything going on and wondering what was going to happen. I wanted more romance, more of them focused on each other instead of the crimes that were paramount here. I was also sad that Sophia wasn't a virgin, the title made me expect it, but as I read I also understood about her group of swooning virgins and that it didn't mean they themselves were virgins. I just prefer that, I'm sure others won't care about it. The action was fast paced and wonderfully written and I was super engaged and waiting on my toes for what would happen.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions about the book are my own.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Perfect for the first day of fall 🍂✨

The title is interesting because I get that it’s supposed to be a play on the swooning virgin books they read, but she wasn’t a virgin lmao. It was a murder mystery romance and I enjoyed the banter between the two. Gray was a bit tedious at the beginning with all of his “law over morals” talk but it made sense for his character. I think there was only one sex scene? I can’t quite remember but I definitely wanted another BUT it was a good scene. This book had me at the atmosphere it created and I stayed for the romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶.75/5

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series.

What's not to LOVE! Take a dubious school, the Clifford Charity School on the edge of Seven Dials, led by the mysterious Lady Amanda Clifford, and a small cadre of different and fascinating girls.
The fact that they all love to read Miss Radcliffe's stories is rather endearing. There are rules of course. All must be present for any reading to continue is one of the most important.
Take one of their members, Sophia Monmouth, who is an endearing, brave and shrewd spirit, who has mastered the art of surveillance, of disappearing into the background, mostly!
Then take a Bow Street Runner turned Earl!
(Oh my, putting two of my fav tropes together is so a recipe for success! Add in treachery, murder and an innocent branded killer! My cup runneth over! )
It seems these young women, Sophie in particular, are trained in quite different ways at this mysterious school. Ways that scream ... spying, survival tactics? Lady Amanda has some strong connections in high up places it would seem.
Ex Bow Street Runner, Tristan Stratford, now the Earl of Gray, was renowned as 'the Ghost', and when Sophie is pursued by him she fairly groans with dismay over having locked horns with him.
And what caused that? Why Tristan spying a slight youth on the roof next door of the house belonging to Lord Everly. Of course this looks like a would be thief casing the place. Only Tristan found that this is so much more, leading to a young man incarcerated for murder in Newgate, a deadly scam, and a more recent murder of a Bow Street companion, a crime that has so troubled his heart.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up!

Sophia Monmouth is wholly unlike most young women, spending her time skulking after suspicious individuals rather than perfecting her embroidery. Her current task is to clear the name of a young man who’s been wrongly accused of murdering a Bow Street Runner. She didn’t expect to be seen and then trailed back to the Clifford School by a mysterious earl with too much curiosity.

Tristan Stratford may now be titled Earl of Gray since his late brother’s death, but before that he was a successful Runner, earning the nickname Ghost of Bow Street. Sophia is a new challenge for Tristan, but the murdered man was his best friend and Tristan is determined to see the man responsible brought to justice. He’s convinced Sophia is lying or just wrong about the accused man’s innocence, but as he trails her to Newgate and beyond, Tristan grows increasingly uncertain. His desire for Sophia is most inconvenient, especially as she challenges his views on justice and duty and they both find themselves in more danger than they imagined.

Now this is more like it. I’ve enjoyed many of this author’s books, but the last few releases have fallen short for me. This book, however, is much more in line with the first books I read by her and reminds me why she’s a favorite author. I was very unsure of Tristan as a hero at first because he was so arrogant and judgmental, assuming the worst of Sophia for no good reason. But he really had a good heart and he allowed Sophia to open his eyes to what was actually happening and didn’t shy away from it, instead working with her to make things right. I enjoyed Sophia as a heroine and appreciated that she was a bit unconventional. These two were very sweet together, especially Tristan, but a couple more scenes with them together and just focused on each other would’ve been nice. I’m intrigued by this concept and would’ve liked a bit more backstory on the Clifford School and why Tristan was so predisposed to mistrust anyone associated with it in the first place. There also seemed to be a few loose ends in the final action scene that were never taken care of and I would’ve liked more information there, though this didn’t detract from Tristan and Sophia’s HEA so I’m not too fussed about it. Hopefully more details will be forthcoming later in the series. I like where we seem to be going here with this mystery/suspense, almost gothic feel and I’m looking forward to more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyable if not that memorable
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: The Swooning Virgins Society #1
Publication Date: 10/27/20
Number of Pages: 268

**** 4.5 Stars Rounded Up ****

Oh! What a lovely, fun, exciting read, and just what I needed. It is well-plotted, well-written, very exciting, and romantic. I usually like one of the main characters and am more neutral on the other – but that isn’t the case here. They are wonderful characters who are deep, complex, and fully formed, and I adored both of them.

Sophia Monmouth has lived at the Clifford Charity School since her mother was murdered when she was seven years old. She lives there along with her friends Cecilia, Georgiana, and Emma – all under the guidance of Lady Amanda Clifford. The household is in a huge state of upset because Jeremy Ives, a member of the household, has been arrested and accused of murder. Everyone who knows Jeremy knows he is innocent, but nobody wants to hear it. It is Sophia’s mission to find a way to free Jeremy and she doesn’t intend to fail. Sophia is a tiny sprite of a woman who is quick, agile, crafty, and highly skilled at disguising herself and blending into the shadows. Sophia knows a servant of Lord Everly, Peter Sharpe, is lying about Jeremy – this isn’t Sharpe’s first involvement in a criminal case. She has been trailing him all over London and he always ends up back at the scene of all of the crimes – St. Clement Dane’s church.

Tristan Stratford, formerly a Bow Street runner known as the Ghost of Bow Street, is now the Earl of Gray. He never had a desire to be the earl but had no choice after the death of his brother. Tristan is only in London to wrap-up some affairs and to see justice done for his friend Henry Gerrard, a Bow Street runner, who was brutally murdered. The murderer has been arrested and is awaiting trial – Tristan cannot wait to see him swing. One day, as he’s looking out his window, he sees a boy lying totally still on Lord Everly’s pediment. The child is so still – totally unmoving – until – he’s up, off the pediment and…. Is he trailing someone? Tristan heads out and trails the boy – until he catches him …er…well catches HER. Oh! My!

Tristan and Sophia come from two very different backgrounds and they have very different views of justice and just how equal it is. Sophia manages to turn Tristan upside down and inside out. He thinks she’s a lawbreaker, but he’s drawn to her. Can he fight his attraction and bring her to justice? Is she really a lawbreaker? Their journey toward the HEA is one filled with danger and excitement.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tristan and Sophia’s story. Now, you’ll have noticed that I gave the book 4.5 stars and rounded it up. The reason I did that is that I learned more about the Clifford Charity School and its mission by reading the book blurb than I did from the book. I have absolutely no clue why Lady Clifford began the school, why she takes in these girls, what the mission of the school really is, etc. It really annoys me when a book raises a lot of questions in my mind and doesn’t answer them. Maybe future books in the series will enlighten me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[hedgehog · Rating 2 out of 5]

This takes place in... Georgian England? Maybe? Aside from some plot-relevant mentions of actual historical figures, this is one of those OTT romps that is about as "historical" as the costuming in Bridgerton, so who cares about the time period except to note that there are carriages and no electricity. The premise of a ~lady's school full of vigilante crime fighters is delightful and absolute nonsense, A+, Sophia is similarly a ball of kick-ass nonsensical tropes. Unusually for a romance novel, she STRAIGHT UP murders a dude! Sure, it's self-defense, but girl kicks in a grave and cold clocks the guy who tried to kill her with a marble cross. The HEROINE of a romance novel! NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR MY GIRL!!! 15/10, love it, may we all mete out justice and brain juice and then get away with it scot-free to bone an earl on silk sheets for the rest of our days. #GOALS This should have been a brain-candy treat to toss back in one go!

AND YET THIS TOOK ME EIGHT DAYS TO READ BECAUSE #HETER-OH-NO

Other reviewers have confessed disappointment that this was so plot-heavy at the expense of the romance. All I can say is, I thoroughly preferred that so much page space was devoted to the murder mystery, because when it wasn't, I had to read about this fuckboy of an earl, replete with the het romance tropes I most dislike (Men TM who don't respect a woman's autonomy and just grab them/loom over them/threaten or actually go through with tossing them over their shoulders like they're animals? ROMANCE *jazz hands*). He does pull off a proper Grovel (TM) midway through the book, but I didn't like that either, because he suddenly turned into a different person and it didn't seem to feel earned/logically follow? Anyway, half of the MCs' ridiculous conflict was Lawful Good vs Chaotic Good, but it was so badly written the fuckboy earl had to say shit like "Flawed justice is preferable to no justice", which makes him either a moron or the kind of privileged where you know he'd have a Blue Lives Matter bumper sticker on his Tesla or whatever. Sophia deserved 10000% better! I have erased all memory of this book and have written in a version in my brain where she and the other girls in the school are crimefighting lesbians in a giant polycule with each other, thank you and goodnight.

[Leanne | Read Sweetly to Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophia Monmouth was plucked from the streets as a child. Now she spends her days chasing after justice, scaling walls to bring hidden truths to light. She's determined to free her wrongly accused friend from prison, and no one, especially Tristan Stratford, a Lord with carries just as many secrets as she does, is going to get in the way. But desire soon wars with justice, and succumbing to their developing feelings may just lead them into the worst danger of all...

This was my first by Anna Bradley and I found myself really loving it! There is a lot packed into this novel with a murder mystery, the burgeoning romance, the trauma of the past, and the class division between our two main characters. I will say I probably would have preferred a bit more romance to action, but that's just the sort of reader I am. And also I love the way she writes love scenes, they're just so lovely, with the right amount of steam and sweetness and I honestly just wanted more.

Tristan starts the book in a bit of a rut. He's had to shoulder responsibilities he doesn't want, leave behind his career as a Bow Street Runner behind, and he's still stuck on the murder of his friend. And then he meets Sophia who quickly turns his life upside down, making him question everything he once knew.

I absolutely loved Sophia! With all she's been dealt with she was honestly so strong. I loved how much emphasis was put on her abilities, even from the very first she's scaling rooftops. She's a hunter of justice and she's determined to uncover the truth and save her wrongfully accused friend and the way she goes after what she wants was brilliant.

If you're a fan of crime novels you'll find a lot to like here. There's a lot of talk of the murders, a lot of investigating and snooping. The way the justice system is discussed is fascinating and I enjoyed finding out more about the time period. Also the scenes inside Newgate Prison were absolutely chilling, the words Anna Bradley used were brilliant at describing just how horrendous the conditions were for the prisoners.

All in all this was a brilliant book of murder, suspense and love and I'll definitely be eagerly waiting for the next one!

[Lisa C · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, a former Bow Street Runner (now an Earl), and Sophia Monmouth, a brilliant, fearless woman who runs around the streets and over the rooftops of London. (Not a swooning virgin as the series name implies) Tristan is definitely swoon worthy, however, as he is a strong character with honour and determination to spare. These two are amazing together and their investigation leads them to many dangers, including the danger of losing their hearts. Highly recommend.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray
The Swooning Virgins Society Series 1
Anna Bradley
https://www.facebook.com/annabradley472/
Release date 10/27/2020
Publisher Kensington Lyrica

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

Behind the doors of the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls there lies a secret society of brilliant, fearless women who are bringing justice to London’s most corrupt aristocrats, one nobleman at a time…
 
Other young ladies might occupy their spare time with drawing or needlework, but Sophia Monmouth spends hers scaling rooftops and shadowing suspicious characters. Her objective: to gain information that will free a friend wrongly accused of murder. She hasn’t bargained on being spotted and followed back to the Clifford School by a mysterious earl who holds almost as many secrets as she does.
 
Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, earned the nickname the Ghost of Bow Street because no man has ever escaped him. Sophia—all soft curves beneath her disguise—is a unique challenge. Determined to learn the truth about the Clifford School, he joins Sophia in a scheme that leads from Newgate’s cells to the pinnacle of power. But when desire is at odds with justice, succumbing to temptation may lead them both into the heart of danger. . . .

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Will he be able to open his eyes in time to see past his own vision of right and wrong ...

Wow, I just loved this book, I read it in no time considering I worked today.
The words flowed smoothly, the plot was intriguing, the protagonists a mix of lights and shadows with side characters I want absolutely see again and learn more about them

Sophia is a force to be reckoned, in spite of her pint size. She is the product of a drama and the uprising she was granted when she was rescued and given shelter by Lady Clifford.
I confess I would have loved to learn more about this school, in this installment we learn few about the training provided there, if there are more pupils than the group of friends, what is the true goal behind this peculiar school, and of course wha are the inhabitants.
Tristan is ready to do his duty to his title, until he spies a boy lurking on this neighbor’s roof. Just it is no boy but a miss who leads him to a merry chase.
From there, begins a race alternating between a hunt and a courtship, as their hate-love and suspicious-trusting relationship moves on.
It was a delight to watch them run after and around the other. While they are far from perfect, she is no shrew nor he is a rogue. They are persons who made do with their circumstances and try to adapt when changes upend their lives.

While the end is satisfying, I wondered about the villains’ first victims, did they have to pay for crimes they did not commit as not all the bad guys did get their right comeuppance.

After some thoughts as I wondered why give this book such a name, I came to realize the Virgin of the title is not related to a virtuous maiden but at the group of friends, Sophia included, very keen of gothic novels and their swooning and weeping heroines.

4.5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Kensington, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray features a wonderful romance between a criminal heroine and a former Bow Street runner.

The Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls trains women in unusual pursuits that allows them to right the wrongs committed against those less fortunate. Sophia Monmouth spends her nights shadowing suspicious men hoping to gain the information she needs to free a friend wrongly accused of murder. What she didn't count on was being pursued herself by an earl who was once considered a legendary Bow Street runner. Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, has never let a suspect escape him until he meets the beguiling Sophia. Determined to uncover her true motives, Tristan works with Sophia to uncover a scheme that reaches the highest levels of the government.

Sophia has attended the Clifford School since she was six years old when she became its' first student. She ended up at the school after her mother was murdered and she was found by Lady Clifford. Over the years, Sophia has learned a number of skills including an uncanny ability to blend into her surroundings which is quite useful in this book. I really enjoyed Sophia's confidence in her abilities and how much she enjoys what she does. Tristan never expected to become the Earl as a second son and so he devoted himself to working at Bow Street. Tristan was exceptional at his job and earned the nickname of the Ghost of Bow Street for his ability to always get his man. He clearly loved his work and has struggled with giving it up since inheriting. I liked that Tristan didn't act like a normal nobleman and actually still thought like a runner.

Sophia and Tristan's relationship begins with an interesting meeting after Tristan sees her on his neighbor's roof and believes her to be a thief. I liked that they both originally underestimated each other and were then appreciative of each other's talents. The pair work well together once they're able to get past the initial mistrust. I enjoyed the mystery plot in this book and how Sophia and Tristan worked together to solve it. The chemistry between these two is fantastic and I found the steamy scenes to be very well done although there aren't a ton of them until late into the book.

Overall The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray was a great start to a historical romance series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington, soon.

**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Behind the doors of the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls there lies a secret society of brilliant, fearless women who are bringing justice to London's most corrupt aristocrats, one nobleman at a time. Other young ladies might occupy their spare time with drawing or needlework, but Sophia Monmouth spends hers scaling rooftops and shadowing suspicious characters. Her objective: to gain information that will free Jeremy Ives, a friend wrongly accused of murder. She hasn't bargained on being spotted and followed back to the Clifford School by a mysterious earl who holds almost as many secrets as she does. Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, earned the nickname the Ghost of Bow Street because no man has ever escaped him. Sophia--all soft curves beneath her disguise--is a unique challenge.
The start of a new series & it was a very well written story that flowed effortlessly & with strong characters it made for an enthralling read. I loved both Tristan & Sophia, he’s not had a good year, first his brother dies & he very reluctantly becomes the Earl which means he has to leave his job as a Bow Street Runner, then his close friend & fellow Runner Henry is murdered but the murderer has been caught or has he? Sophia was rescued by Lady Clifford years ago & she knows Jeremy is no murderer & she’s determined to find the true murderer. I loved the chemistry between Tristan & Sophia & the underlying sexual tension, they constantly clashed but grew closer with each meeting. I found the book to be a riveting read & found the visit to Newgate to be harrowing, the description really brought home the conditions & treatment of prisoners. I would have loved to have had closure for a couple of characters who were wronged. I look forward to more in the series & finding out more of Lady Clifford’s backstory
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Ermione Pickwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED IT!

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen to Audible Edition 5 stars for the narrator Jessica Bright.

This reads more like a Modern Day Lady Spy story. But we as readers or listeners are suppose believe this is 1793 Georgian England. No way!! The Characters and banter between them is to Modern!

The other problem I have with the story is the title "Swooning Virgins". Sophia is no Virgin from what she says she has had many lovers!! I don't think none of her colleague are virgins. So why would the author deceive the readers implying you are reading about Virgins?

This is more of a Modern Day Spy story. It definitely NOT Historical Romance story!!

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an arc of this book by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lord Gray is a bow street runner who has never failed to track down a man, until Sophia comes along. She's nothing he was prepared for and his attraction to her leads to some delicious complications as they team up to track down the actual killer and free Sophia's friend who has been wrongly accused.

This book was a very fun read! It is unlike any other historical romance I've ever read with a heavy emphasis on the mystery rather than the romance. I loved seeing Sophia unafraid to risk it all to save her friend, and watching Tristan and Sophia fall in love was wonderfully soft and filled with some really sweet longing.

I did feel the first half of the book was a tad slow and I wish the romance had gotten the same attention as the mystery but it was overall a very fun read! I'm excited to check out more from this author.

[Ashton Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book! I will say that the title feels a bit misleading, and I wish perhaps it was slightly changed to more accurately represent the book, but that's my only critique with this novel!

This is my first Anna Bradley, but it certainly won't be my last! This was the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and action, as well as having a dark gothic feel to it. This is a random thought, but if anyone has read the Webtoons titled Purple Hyacinth, this was giving me verrrry similar vibes, which I loved! If you're looking for a book that only focuses on the romance, you might be a bit disappointed, but I found the unfolding murder mystery to be mesmerizing. And the characters! Sophie was a heroine I immediately rooted for; she's brazen, outspoken, intelligent, and *gasp* wears breeches haha. And then we have Tristan, who was a refreshing hero in that while he was stoic and grumpy, he was also unproblematic and caring towards Sophia, despite his resistance to his developing feelings for her. The two of them made a compelling pair, and their banter and dancing around one another was entertaining from start to finish. I wasn't sure if we'd get a good dose of steam in this, as it's always a toss-up with historical romances, but after a bit of a slow burn build-up the author did indeed give the sexy times I was hoping for!

I definitely want to pick up book 2 when it's released, which follows one of the other women at the Clifford School who we got glimpses of in this book. Bradley is definitely an author I will now be keeping an eye on. She deserves more recognition for her work, so if you're looking for an entertaining historical romantic suspense novel, then give this one a go!

***Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review***

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The H is Tristian Stratford, Earl of Gray formerly a Bow Street Runner aka the Ghost of Bow Street. The h is Sophia Monmouth one of Lady Amanda Clifford’s charges.along with Cecilia, Georgiana and Emma. They meet when Sophia was lying on Lord Everlys roof and the Earl of Gray spotted a young “boy” on his neighbour’s roof. He watched and when he saw the boy sprint easily down the roof in pursuit of a man he followed catching him finding out it was a she and followed her home.

Mystery and Crime to Solve

“Six weeks ago, a Bow Street Runner named Henry Gerrard had been stabbed to death in front of St. Clement Dane’s Church. Peter Sharpe was the only witness to the crime, and he’d identified Jeremy—their Jeremy—as Gerrard’s killer.
Dear, sweet, blue-eyed Jeremy was now an accused murderer.
A murderer, and a thief. The Bow Street magistrate had come to the wise conclusion that Jeremy— a young man incapable of doing all but the simplest of tasks—was part of a vicious gang of thieves terrorizing London. Jeremy, in league with criminals so clever they’d “been thumbing their noses at the law since the thefts began earlier this year.
Henry Gerrard was meant to have unraveled the mystery of Jeremy’s identity, and Jeremy to have slit Gerrard’s throat for his trouble. Sharpe, who’d been loitering in the doorway of St. Clement Dane’s Church at the time, claimed to have witnessed the gory scene unfold right before his eyes.
Now here was Sharpe, at St. Clement Dane’s again tonight.
“You’d think he’d stay away, wouldn’t you? But Mr. Sharpe didn’t appear to be at all concerned for his safety. He didn’t skulk about, or make any attempt to hide himself. He marched right to the front of the church, as bold as you please, and hung about there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.”

Earl of Gray Tristian’s first impression of Sophia Monmouth:
“A barbed tongue and soft, full pink lips.
Damn it. Her lips were of no consequence. She was an outrage, chaos in boy’s breeches and a black cap, roaming London’s rooftops and stalking innocent citizens in the streets.
Silky dark hair, bewitching green eyes…
An irritated growl rose in Tristan’s throat. Very well, Miss Monmouth was lovely, but she was also sly, and with the way she scaled townhouses and wriggled through fences, distressingly agile.
Delicate but strong, lissome, with perfectly proportioned curves—
“Well? Is she, then? “ “Lovely?”
A denial rose to Tristan’s lips, but all that emerged was a resigned sigh. “She is, damn her. Exceedingly.”
“Ah. I thought so.” Lyndon shot him a satisfied grin,”

First Kiss

“Her green eyes were dark with anger, but her lips were soft, and still parted for him, and there was nothing more to say, nothing he could do but cover her mouth with his own.
This wasn’t a soft, tentative exploration. It wasn’t gentle. Tristan took her lips hard, his tongue insistent, demanding she take him into the slick warmth of her mouth. She opened to him at once, meeting him stroke for stroke, the kiss angry and desperate, each demanding the other yield and both of them resisting, their lips clinging together in a battle of the wills.

First Making Love:

“If their kiss earlier that day had been darkness, this one was pure, sweet light.” “There’s nothing in the world softer than your lips.”“Open for me, Sophia,” he murmured, stroking the tender skin
She opened her mouth with a soft gasp and a low, hungry growl vibrated in Tristan’s chest.” “He sank his hands into her hair and eased her head back so he could feast on her neck. He nibbled at her silky skin, chasing her flush of arousal to the hollow of her throat. Her pulse fluttered against his tongue, the skin there warm and faintly scented with honeysuckle, and he couldn’t stop himself from scoring it lightly with his teeth before skimming lower to drop kisses between her breasts.” “She arched her back, offering herself to his roaming hands. “Tristan, please.”
God, it drove him mad to hear her breathless whimpers, to see her writhing for him. “I want to suckle you here.” He pinched her nipple gently, a groan tearing from his throat when her body shuddered against his. “Will you let me?”“Tristan.” She dropped her head back, baring her neck for him.
Tristan pressed a half-dozen open-mouthed kisses over her tender skin before pulling slightly away. “Not here. Come to my bedchamber with me, Sophia.”“Come here.”
She went to him without hesitation, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her body flush against his. He captured her hand and raised it to his lips, kissed each of her fingertips one by one, then swung her up into his arms, carried her to his bed and lay her down on top of the coverlet. Her cheeks flushed as he looked down at her spread across his bed, his gaze touching her everywhere. “You’re beautiful.”“Yes. Touch me, Sophia.”
She did as he asked, watching his face as she learned his body, pausing to linger on the secret skin behind his ear, the base of his neck—wherever her tentative strokes made his breath catch, or his eyes drift closed.”

“Tristan drew in a sharp breath.
The plump, dark pink buds of her nipples, swollen from the caress of his fingers and lips. Tristan’s tongue touched his bottom lip as a powerful tremor of desire shook him. God, he wanted to taste her there, without the barrier of her tunic between them.” “But with every breath he took, every stroke of his fingers over Sophia’s warm skin, she grew more real to him. Not a shadow, and not a ghost, but a living, breathing woman, one he desired more than any woman he’d ever known.”
Next day

“Tristan had never launched himself over a table before. Earls didn’t scramble over tabletops, spilling the cream and sending teacups crashing to the floor. They didn’t lose control of themselves and behave like savages. It might be the only thing they had in common with Bow Street Runners. He wasn’t even fully aware he’d done it until he’d snatched Sophia into his arms, dragged her over his lap and taken her mouth with his.
His head spun as he teased his tongue between her lips, a helpless groan rising from his chest. Good Lord, but she was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted.

Sophia initiates lovemaking

“He eased her head down onto his chest and settled back against the pillows, determined not to lay a finger on her. He might have succeeded, too, if Sophia hadn’t had other plans.
It started subtly enough—just her fingers stroking lightly over his chest. Even such an innocent caress as that was enough to challenge Tristan’s better intentions, but he gritted his teeth, ignored his cock’s hopeful twitching against his falls, and remained still.
That is, he did until Sophia’s hand moved a tiny bit, sliding lower until she was stroking his ribs, then lower still, her fingertips gliding over “his stomach. It was so gradual Tristan could almost persuade himself he was imagining it”“until her fingers brushed over the straining head of his cock.
“Sophia!” Tristan groaned, his body arching. “What are you doing?”
She shot a teasing glance at him from under those thick, dark eyelashes. “My goodness, Tristan. If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right.”
Tristan let out a strained chuckle. “Oh, you’re doing it right, pixie, but it’s late, and you need to rest.” It took every bit of his will to do it, but he captured her wrist and tugged it gently away from his body.
Sophia put it right back on him again. “I’m not tired.” She stroked his aching length through … ““Though if you really insist, I’ll stop, and we’ll go to sleep.”
Tristan tried to insist. A half-hearted protest gathered in his throat, but as he was groping for” “His hips shot up from the bed and he squeezed his eyes closed, an inarticulate groan on his lips as she loosened his falls, tugged them down his hips and took the head of his cock into her warm, welcoming mouth.
There were no more arguments then, and no more objections. Tristan sank his hands into her hair, tipped his head back against the pillow and let the woman he loved drive him to madness.” “Sophia? Do you want my mouth on you everywhere?”
“Yes.” Sophia gripped his hair, closing her eyes at the slide of those silky dark strands between her fingers, the rough scrape of his emerging beard against the center of her chest as he nuzzled his face between her breasts.
“Here, pixie?” he whispered, rubbing his bristled cheek over one stiff nipple. “Do you want my mouth here?”
Dear God, yes. Sophia plunged her fingers deeper into his thick hair and tugged hard, nearly clawing him with her nails in her desperation to feel that friction against her tender nipples again. He growled ““Look at me. This is what you do to me.”“She watched in fascination as his cock twitched and throbbed, her own skin flushing with every broken moan that left his chest until all at once, she couldn’t wait another moment for him. ““Make love to me, Tristan.”“Sophia.” He let out a harsh groan when she traced one finger down his rigid cock, reveling in the heat of that velvety skin and the way it twitched against his stomach, as if inviting her touch. ” “ “Harder, pixie. Yes, like that. Your touch drives me mad, Sophia.”“She tightened her grip around him, stroking him faster now.”“he caught her wrist with a strangled groan. “No…no more, or I’ll lose my seed in your wicked little hand.”“You’re everything. I don’t want only a single stolen night with you, Sophia. I want all of you, always.”“She was half-lost in the pleasure when she felt his large palms against her inner thighs, the scratch of his emerging beard against the secret skin there, and then he—
“Tristan!” Sophia twisted away from him, more from shock than anything else. “Did you just…”
He’d…it felt as if he’d just licked her. There. “his mouth hot against the tender pink skin between her legs, his lips and tongue stroking into her throbbing center, ruthlessly wringing shudders from her writhing body and incoherent whimpers and pleas from her lips. Sophia clutched at the posts above her head, her knuckles white as Tristan teased and circled, sucked and licked.
“Tristan, please. I need…I need you.” Sophia arched against him to urge him to move on top”“Sophia opened her legs wider, offering herself to him, and he pressed the head of his cock” “against her slick entrance. He gasped when he felt her heat, then gave one restrained thrust, just enough so the broad head slipped inside her.
She let out a soft gasp, but it wasn’t a gasp of pain. She wrapped her legs around his hips and tilted her pelvis up to draw him in deeper. “I want all of you, Tristan.”“Sophia, you feel so good.”
“You feel so big.” Sophia gave an experimental nudge with her hips that made Tristan moan. “You feel huge inside me.”
Panic flashed across his face. “Is it too much? Am I hurting you?”
He began to draw back, but Sophia wrapped her legs around his hips to hold him in place. “No! Don’t move. I mean, do move, just not…out.”
Tristan let out a quiet laugh, but he did move inside her then, each thrust so slow and careful Sophia felt her throat close with emotion at how gentle he was with her. “He tangled his fist in her hair and drew her head back, staring down at her as his hips jerked against hers, all restraint at an end. “Come for me, pixie. Yes. Take your pleasure, Sophia.”
His fingers moved feverishly between her legs, coaxing and teasing. Sophia’s head thrashed “against the pillow, her fingernails scoring his back as her center drew tighter with his every wicked stroke until at last, she shattered beneath him with a cry.
“Yes, Sophia. So good…” Tristan drove into her once, then again before he stilled, holding himself deep inside her as a low, guttural moan fell from his lips, his powerful body shaking with his release.
Afterward, he collapsed onto the bed beside her and buried his face in her neck. As their ragged breathing began to calm, he lifted his head and looked down at her. His eyes were soft and sleepy as he traced his finger over her … I already want you again.”


Realization of Love ❤️

“he knew without a shadow of a doubt if the worst had happened, he never would have recovered from the loss of her.
I’m in love with her.
This wild, reckless lady, so small and dainty yet so fierce, this dark-haired pixie, half-angel and half-thief, with her devastating green eyes

Declaration of Love and Marriage Proposal

“I should have known right then what would happen,” Tristan murmured, still toying with her hair. “I should have known I’d fall in love with you. Perhaps I did know, even then, because I’ve been chasing you ever since.”
Sophia let out a shaky laugh. “Perhaps I should have known as well, since you’re the only one who’s ever caught me. But Tristan, I…you’re an earl, and I’m just—”
“You’re just the only woman I’ve ever loved, and the only woman I ever will love. The only woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.” He let the lock of her hair fall onto his shoulder and turned her face to his. “Do you love me at all, Sophia? Because nothing else matters.”“She gazed up at him, the firelight catching the tears shimmering in the green eyes he loved so well. “I do love you, Tristan. You’re good and kind, and the best man I’ve ever known, for all that you are an aristocrat, and terribly proper.”
He chuckled. “Perhaps I am, but I see a great many improprieties in our future, my lady.”
She raised her hand, and her fingertips drifted over his lips. “Oh, dear. I’ve ruined a perfectly good earl, haven’t I?”
“You didn’t ruin me, pixie.” He pressed a kiss to her fingertips, then buried his face in her hair with a sigh. “You’re the one who saved me.”

Favourite quotes: “Swooning virgins were all very well in romantic novels, but a lady fragile enough to fall into a swoon in London would soon find her pocket picked, her person assaulted, and her limbs crushed under carriage wheels and horses’ hooves. ”

“Her hat was the first thing to go. She swept it from her head, and with a quick, furtive flick of her wrist tossed it down a narrow alleyway without a second glance. Then she went to work on the white fichu tucked into the neckline of her gray dress. It was the sort of plain, bland dress a shop girl might wear, but with one sharp tug of her fichu the prim little garment went from dully respectable to downright scandalous, the low-cut bodice revealing a generous expanse of smooth, olive skin even the most principled of gentlemen couldn’t fail to notice.
She pulled some pins from her hair, l “ letting a few long, dark locks fall loose, and just like that, she’d gone from a governess to a tempting siren.
Tristan came to a halt in the middle of the road, suddenly breathless. That was…well, that was one way to manage Sharpe. “ rather ingenious way, really, with her curls brushing against the soft skin of her neck, and her…that is, the curves of her—
Damn it. She was a menace, a danger to society. “Just before Sharpe melted into the crowd, she reached under the gaping neckline of her gray gown and drew out something shiny. She darted forward with it clutched between her fingers, and with a subtle pass of her hand…
What the devil?
Tristan was behind her, so he couldn’t see precisely what she’d done, but it looked as if she’d—
“Thief! Thief!” A high-pitched feminine shriek rent the air. Tristan froze, still a few paces behind her, unable to believe what was unfolding in front of his eyes. She hadn’t…she couldn’t have—”“What sort ’o scoundrel snatches a lady’s dead grandmother’s locket right off ’er neck, I ask you? Oh, my poor, sainted grandmother is like to be turning over in ’er grave, she is! Why, ye’re a blackguard sir, and make no mistake.”

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good paced story with very likeable characters. Tristan, Earl of Gray had been a Bow Street Runner until the death of his older brother and he became the earl. Sophia Monmouth often adopted disguises in the line of her work with Lady Clifford. Whilst working on an assignment, Sophie encounters Tristan. At first, they disliked each other but there is an underlying attraction. Sophie is working to clear a friend’s name, who has been charged with murder. Sophie did have a mischievous side but she was also very caring. The perpetrators came as a surprise as to me and the reason behind the acts. There is also the romance developing between Sophia and Tristan but his mother has a lady lined up for him to marry. This was an engrossing read that kept my interest to the end. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters, great story, but too wordy and there are a lot of little inconsistencies. With a heavier editor, her future books should really shine.

[Michelle Rupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved an ARC of this book from the author via Netgalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, is a former bow street runner who has recently retired since he inherited the Earldom from his brother. He is a staunch believer in the justice system and wants to see his friend's murderer hanged. The person accused of murder is Jeremy Ives, a student of Miss Clifford, who is a simple man who doesn't understand the crime he committed. Jeremy is like a brother to the heroine, Sophia Monmouth, and she will do anything to save Jeremy including trying to convince Tristan to help her.

I'll admit that I had never read Anna Bradley and the title had me thinking that this book would just be okay. I was wrong! I really loved this book. Sophia was such a fun character. She was always doing things like sneaking around and coming up with crazy schemes. Tristan had trouble keeping up with her, but once he fell for her he was all in. He trusts her instincts, believes her, and protects her. These characters were really fun and well-developed. I am excited to read a story about Miss Clifford, her girls, and Lyndon.

The only thing I disliked was the title because it really doesn't mesh with the story, but don't let that keep you from reading this because this was a fun story packed with intriguing characters, lots of mischief, and my favorite trope class difference.

[Fae · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I’ve read this author’s books and decided to read some again, hoping that it would be better than the previous few I’ve read. Unfortunately, I wasn’t invested in this book. I felt the mystery had more priority than the actual romance between grey and Sophia.

The mystery bored me to tears. I was skimming the mystery a lot towards the end of the book. It didn’t help that grey and Sophia didn’t have much chemistry with one another either. I was surprised i finished this when I couldn’t find much things to love about this book. Grey was alright.. but Sophia was reckless in my opinion. I hope the next book is better.

[Les Romantiques · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Fabiola
Review Copy from the Publisher
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray is the first volume in the new Anna Bradley’s series, titled The Swooning Virgins Society.
The author has already been published in France with A Wicked Way To Win An Earl that I read and loved for the same reasons I loved this one.
Clearly TVWRLG is a favorite. There’s everything I like: very likeable characters, a beautiful evolution for the love story, humor, emotion, suspense, and a beautiful happy end we can believe in.

The novel features Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, and Sophia Monmouth. Tristan is a former Bow Street Runner who had to quit his job to become earl after his older brother’s death. Sophia is an orphan who was raised by a noble woman, Lady Clifford. The latter also took three young women under her wing (Cecilia, Georgiana and Emma) and she provides for their education in her school for young girls, Clifford School.
The establishment is well known by the Bow Street Runners, and so by Tristan, who considers Lady Clifford’s young students as outlaws. However, she has well-connected relations and no proof was found to take them out of circulation.
When our heroes meet, Sophia is hidden on the roof of Tristan’s neighbor’s house. He first mistakes her for a young man and decides to follow her in order to confound her. Between the high-speed chase and the revelation of the young woman’s identity, the hero understands why she was there. I won’t tell here and I’ll let readers discover exactly why. 
Tristan is inevitably very suspicious, however the immediate attraction he feels for the heroine has him hesitating on his actions, and he takes advantage of an unofficial investigation given by the magistrate to go on watching her.
Gradually as the story progresses and our heroes rub shoulders together, the hero’s basics in term of justice begin to bend, and he understands that, when feelings meddle, you just have to find the middle point.

The book’s suspense is very well done and even if I had doubts on the whys and the wherefores of the investigation, I only had the answers at the end. By the way, when I closed the book, I had all the answers to my questions. The second volume will be about one of Lady Clifford’s protégées, but clearly no plot will link the two volumes.
I also appreciated the fact the author talked about areas I didn’t know at all: Seven Dials, St. Clement Dane’s Church… The descriptions are precise, showing she made researches. The Bow Street Runners’ presence can’t mislead us on the period (especially when you know they stopped their activities in the 19th century).

I liked the different good characters: the hero, his friend Lord Lyndon, the heroine, the other wards of the school, Lady Clifford, Daniel Brixton and Jeremy Ives. I won’t tell you about the secondary characters because I’d like for the readers to discover them, but I can tell Jeremy is the one who broke my heart.

The hero is a character of great integrity: there’s Good on one side and Bad on the other. He’s quite surly and withdrawn, but when we know about his childhood and his recent past we understand why. I especially liked the evolution of his realization and the way he lets himself be caught by the feelings he has for the heroine.
The heroine is a very determined young woman, who makes her own choices according to what she believes in. She’s also very strong and knows how to extricate herself from dangerous situations, even if she will sometimes need the hero in the book. Her actions are sometimes risky but they are calculated risks.
There are not many love scenes but the attraction is very present, as I already said, and we believe in their feelings and in the HEA.

The only downside concerns the word virgin in the title, and by extension in the series, but I won’t say more about it. The word “swooning” is well chosen however. Indeed, the heroine and her friends (future heroines) are fans of Ann Radcliffe, but they think the heroines in her books pass to much time swooning. In TVWRLG, they are reading The romance of the forest.

You’ll have understood I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the second that will be titled The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington, expected in February 2021.

[Norah Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray by Anna Bradley is the first book in what looks to be an intriguing new series, The Swooning Virgins Society. Sophia Monmouth resides at the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls. She was one of the first students at the school. When one of their own is unjustly accused of murder, she is willing to do anything to help set him free, be it scaling rooftops and following suspicious characters. Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, never expected to inherit the title. Still, when his brother died, he gave up his career as a Bow Street Runner and is uneasily settling into the life of a peer when he notices a boy lying on the roof of his next-door neighbour's pediment. Confident that the lad can be up to no good, he follows when his suspect leaves the roof to follow an employee of his neighbour Lord Everly, only to be completely shocked to find that the miscreant he has captured is a young lady. What first seems to be an open and shut case of murder soon grows into a conspiracy whose tentacles reach the highest offices in government. I enjoyed reading this book and do recommend it but warn that it does have one plot point that sent me flipping back pages to check Sophia’s age and still has me puzzled as to why it was included. Sophia, despite the title, is not a virgin, and she was betrothed once long ago to a kind and quiet man. My problem is that she’s only 21or 22. How long ago was so long ago that it seemed a lifetime ago, and why would a penniless orphan who lives in a girls' school and solves crimes be betrothed in the first place? It made no sense to me, and I found it to be a flaw in an otherwise delightful book. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: October 27, 2020. #TheVirginWhoRuinedLordGray #AnnaBradley #KensingtonBooks #HistoricalRomance #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #RomanticSuspense

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like some of it. For me it seemed to drag a bit. I wished I loved it, but I didn't. It was o.k.
A generous 3☆

[Sara Reads (mostly) Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75
Good premise and potential, but mediocre execution.

I have questions.
What exactly is taught in Lady Clifford's special school?? That question was literally never answered??
THIIS BOTHERED ME SO MUCH WHY IS THE TITLE VIRGIN WHEN SHE ISNT A VIRGIN????
Their romance didn't develop at a good pace. it was like LAFS and then some bickering and then Sexy time (reference to memphis and hamza from 90DF before the 90 days please tell me someone else on hear is watching that)

Anyway - all together, great concept. Bow street runner books are my fave but this was aight

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray, by Anna Bradley. This was a beautiful story. Simple as that. Thank you to Anna for the wonderful opportunity of reading this romantic suspense. I was intrigued.
I was very impressed and I was drawn to the intense drama. The suspense and the exciting passion that transpires between Tristan and Sophia is superbly written. The book was written like a Saturday night TV drama. Anna’s writing instantly drew me in with the suspense that takes place in the beginning. Her descriptive details plays on the readers imagination as the creepy shadows runs threw the darkened cemetery.
Her descriptions of the scenes from the book, helped me to visualize the story as it played out in my mind. This helped me get comfortable with the book and feel the intensity. The passion. The rage. The trust and the betrayal Tristan and Sophia felt during their investigative journey.
I also enjoyed being able to connect with the characters in the book. This really tugged on my emotions. It had me rooting for a good outcome for the lead characters. Anna’s ability of writing a love story while adding mystery, suspense and some crazy drama, is profound. The witty banter, the tender moments and the darken moments are written so well.
Tristan and Sophia team up together to help the Bow Street Runners uncover a murder. At the same time they must rescue Sophias friend Daniel from the noose. Things don’t seem to go so well between the two from the beginning of the investigation. Trust, lies, and secrets play a big part between the two. To help them, longtime friends are called upon to lend their expertise.
As the duo gets closer to the truth in the darkened ally’s and cemeteries of London, Tristan and Sophia recognizes the attraction that that seems to be growing between them. Tristan realizes that he must protect his feisty little Pixie, Sophia. Little does Tristan know that his Pixie can take care of herself. Sophia’s character is written so well. She didn’t play the innocent, scared girl in this book.
She took charge of the situation and stared down the darkest danger that stood before, as Tristan stood by her side. These two people are woven together so well. As I read their tender, heart warming moments. I was able to see that the writer wanted her readers to get to know the characters. Having Tristan and Sophia share their struggles of their past and how they were able to overcome them, accomplished that.
From that point, the strong desires that Tristan desperately tried to hold back from Sophia, exploded with a seductive love dance behind closed doors. I recommend this book with two snaps and a “ Tribble?! Where are you man? What the devil are you standing there for?” Until next time my fellow readers...read on! I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.

[Cassie Durrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! This was definitely a darker and grittier historical romance and it was oh so good. Both the main characters are crime fighting badasses, just one does it as a Bow Street Runner and the other is a nighttime vigilante.

Sophia Monmount was rescued as an orphan by Lady Clifford who collects orphans and trains them to help her seek justice against bad aristocrats "under the table" so to speak. Sophia is not your usual heroine. She isn't a lady, there are no glittering ballgowns and fan waving for her. In fact, she spends the majority of the book sneaking around London at night dressed in breeches. Sophia is on a mission to clear her friend who has been wrongly charged for murder. She is fierce and strong, but also vulnerable and feminine. I just loved her!

Tristian Stratford is the second son of an Earl, who has made his way in the world as a Bow Street Runner. With the death of his brother Tristian now finds himself retiring from being a runner and assuming the position of Earl, a position he never wanted. While waiting around to see his friend's killer brought to justice, he meets Sophia in a rather unorthodox manner.

Tristian, known as the Ghost of Bow Street, meets his match in Sophia. She challenges him in ways he has never been challenged. Tristian has a strong moral compass and believes in the justice system, a system which Sophia claims is failing the lower class of London. She calls his whole belief system into question, but in a good way.

I just loved their bond they formed while unraveling this mystery of Sophia's friend. While Tristian is a rule follower, Sophia is a rule breaker who takes big risks. The first half of the book is a slow build up, laying the foundation of the characters and the story they are in. There is attraction, lust and a mutual distrust between them at first. The second half of the book builds on their relationship and their trust begins to grow. Sophia and Tristian become a team and it is magical.

I loved this breakaway from the traditional historical romance. This was a breath of fresh air. It brings to light the injustice of the justice system during this time period and I really appreciate all the research the author put into this. I really enjoyed the author's note at the end which is full of historical facts she incorporated into this book. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this series!

I received an ARC of this books from Netgalley. This review is my honest opinion.

[Fabiola Chenet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my best read for 2020. I highly recommend it.
However the title is not very accurate