By No Means a Gentleman

Ladies Who Dare #2

by Tanya Wilde

If he intends to fight dirty, so will she . . .

Lady Harriet Hillstow never imagined even in her wildest dreams that she’d discover her father had arranged a marriage for her with the wicked and wily Marquess of Leeds on the very day he shows up with a special license! Never mind the man’s unnerving handsomeness, Harriet made a vow to her mother that she would never marry a man who would not fight for her. Can she allow such injustice to occur all because the men are worried about of a few silly wagers circling about town? Certainly not! Leeds is about to discover she is not so timid as the gossip rags claim.

William Fitzgerald Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds, has never been an opportunist. Until the moment a chance to marry the woman of his dreams fell into his lap. There’s only one problem. For some reason, Harriet loathes him. William has no choice but to go all in to discover why and win her over, lest the spirited beauty slip through his fingers forever.

Will this proposed arrangement become the source of their greatest misery or the surest passion that might just set their marriage aflame?

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Ladies Who Dare
Book 1: Almost A Scoundrel
Book 2: By No Means A Gentleman
Book 3: A Knave By Any Other Name
Book 4: A Little Bit Of Hellion
Book 5: Just About A Rake
Book 6: Only A Duke

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2024

About the author

Hello there!

I have a free book for you.

Get your copy of Under The Highland Sky here: https://authortanyawilde.com/under_th...

Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper followed soon after she had devoured all of the library’s historical romance books!

In 2020, she won the Romance Writers Organization of South Africa (ROSA) Imbali Award for Excellence in Romance Writing for Not Quite a Rogue.

When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or drinking copious amounts of coffee, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa.

Be sure to follow Tanya on BookBub for the latest on her sales: https://bit.ly/3AbLlwz

Reviews

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 13th book by Tanya Wilde. Six of those books I read before I started really leaving reviews so I can only go by my personal notes. I wrote that they were good stories and had sex scenes although not super descriptive. I LOVED book 1 in this series. I listed it as a December 2023 favorite read.

I really enjoyed reading Harriet and Will's story. It was a bit of a slow burn but overall a good read. I loved Will's unwavering faith in them and how he never gave up even when she refused him so many times. I enjoyed their adventure. I see there will be 4 more books in this series so I am glad of that.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Harriet Hillstow never imagined even in her wildest dreams that she’d discover her father had arranged a marriage for her with the wicked and wily Marquis of Leeds on the very day he shows up with a special license! Harriet made a vow to her mother that she would never marry a man who would not fight for her. William Fitzgerald Hamilton, the Marquis of Leeds, has never been an opportunist. Until the moment a chance to marry the woman of his dreams fell into his lap.
The second book in the series & I’m on the fence with this one. I really liked William who would walk through fire for Harriet but the same couldn’t be said for her. I disliked her & almost didn’t finish it but I was intrigued to see if Harriet could be redeemed, whilst she did open her mind & heart to William I wasn’t totally convinced. That said it was a well written book, the characters were well portrayed, the pace was good & there was some humour. It just didn’t give me all the feels
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel torn on this book. I loved William; he was great so kind , considerate, and caring. My enjoyment of the story increased when they married, but Harriet made it hard to root for them as a couple. She was dismissive of William and seemed to reject everything he said. I understood it to a certain degree but the first 40% of the book, I’m not sure Harriet was worth it. Once she begun to trust him, I appreciated how strong that bond was and I liked her friendship with his bestie. His friendship with his bestie may actually be the best part of this book he was great. However, the very last bit of this book made me laugh, I’m excited for the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

[Anna (Literaria Luminaria) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was pretty damn cute ♡

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Fitzgerald Hamilton, Marquess of Leeds, has made up his mind to marry the lady of his dreams and protect her from fortune hunters. Thinking the fiasco of the betting book from Whites would help his cause, it doesn't seem to make a difference to Harriet. What betting book? Lady Harriet Hillstow doesn't even know Leeds and has no intention of marrying him. It's a mad chase for Will to woo the lady to be his wife and court her to win her heart. He won't give up! What about that betting book?
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This story was captivating from beginning to the end.

I loved that the Heroine stood by her convictions and didn't give in even after she and the hero got married. She had him actually court her properly even though they were married. And he didn't mind because he wanted one thing: her heart.

I can't wait for the next book in this series

[Chavonne Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much laughing

I laughed so much that I had almost made a boo boo and can I just say the characters are amazing and that I am now officially hooked on historical romances.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Almost A Scoundrel last year and I was expecting the same experience with By No Means A Gentleman. I was disappointed by the heroine and her horrid actions towards the hero throughout the novel. Having protagonists kicking and screaming their way to the altar makes me so sad. How can you expect me to root for a romance when the character wants nothing to do with it? I can expect hesitancy when the love interest is a monster, not when he is a waving green flag of the deepest verdant. William was a soft, sensitive marquess who was deeply infatuated with Harriet and was too self-conscious over his stutter to ever talk to her. He didn't deserve the awful way she treated him in this book. She tore up multiple marriage contracts, made him jump into the Thames after her, and got drunk on her wedding night to protest her nuptials. This guy can't catch a break!



Frustrating heroines aside, I did read this book in one sitting. I was desperate to know the ending and see if Harriet ever got over her misguided prejudice. William was so sweet and willing to withstand her poor treatment because he was so dedicated to her. I liked the way he called her "love" the first few times, but it became repetitive as it occurred in every other sentence he spoke. I won't continue with this series or this author, but it was nice while it lasted. Harriet's nasty interactions with the darling marquess really turned me off and I felt awful for him. It may have been called By No Means A Gentleman, but Harriet didn't act like a lady either!

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all. What is this sorcery that Tanya writes?

11/8/25 - Full Review:

I cannot express to you how much I adore William Fitzgerald Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds!! He is strong, he is composed, he is kind, and respectable, a real man of the time, if you will. I only like "love at first sight" if it's done correctly, and boy, was this done correctly. Our main character, Lady Harriett Hillstow is a "wallflower" but only in name. She is a headstrong, confident, and quite outspoken lady with a fire burning in her and she will ONLY marry for love! She promised her mama on her death bed, she would never marry unless her husband fought for her, and loved her.

William has seen from day one that Harriett is not a silent, or mute wallflower. He knows that is fire, and passion within her, and he's totally captivated. He's totally smitten. He KNOWS she is the one for him, and he will stop at nothing, including wooing her pants off, to make her see just how much he loves, and cares for her. William, being so respectable, asks her father for her hand in marriage and her father excitedly agrees because of the wagers going around town. However, Harriett's father doesn't think telling his spitfire daughter is important, so Harriett only finds out on the day William is to arrive with the special license. Harriett is livid! She is disgusted in her father, and she certainly, isn't going to marry the likes of Leeds, that devil! She doesn't even know him!

Except... when she comes face to face with Leeds she realizes how handsome the man is, and how she's irrevocably attracted to him, but she cannot agree! It goes against everything within her! Her mother's promise! So Harriett does the only logical thing. She RUNS away, with intent to board a ship to America to escape her fate. Thinking to herself, well Leeds will only be worthy if he fights for me. Leeds, being the incredible man he is, and the loving man he is, knows exactly where Harriett intends to go. He finds her aboard a ship that has already pulled anchor, and is heading away from the dock. He does the only thing a man in his position could do... he sheds his clothes, and his shoes, and jumps in after the ship. I mean... ladies... this man is amazing.

Of course, this is enough to convince Harriett to go through with the marriage, but she's not going to make it easy for Leeds. She's going to make him work for what he wants, and WORK he does! The rest of their story is truly a wonderful tale of push and pull as the two of them fall madly in love with one another (in secret of course, neither of them could admit it). Under the composed façade, Leeds hides an incredibly thoughtful, kind, and loving man. Harriett is delighted to know more, but the two of them need just a little bit more pushing, which is where Harriett's lifelong friend Rohan comes into play. He stages a kidnapping, and lures William and her father to his home. Once there, Harriett has to face forgiving her father, and finally admitting she's madly in love with her husband, who once again, has gone to lengths to rescue his beloved wife.

Y'all, I am seriously smitten with William Fitzgerald Hamilton. He is the one of the greatest, sweetest, most enjoyable main male characters I've read. Nothing about him is rough. Nothing about him is in any way "too much" or boring for that matter. I ate up every POV of his, and wanted more. The parts in which he attempts to seduce his wife, are literally so good. Tanya Wilde has an amazing ability to write angst in this manner, and still leave you wanting more, and more! This is probably one of the better books I've read this year, definitely in the top 10. I adore both of them, and think their love story is an incredible one.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

It took me a little while to put together that this book was pretty much overlapping with the first book. We briefly met Harriet and Will in the first book and it was clear there was a story there so it was nice to get to find out about their entire history. It also took me a little while to like Harriet. I was completely on her side over how she was treated by her father and had the wedding sprung on her, but she was so busy being upset she didn't really look at Will as anything more than her enemy. Her plan to sail to America completely alone was not only poorly thought out, but she never seems to really understand just how dangerous it was. Even when Rohan turns up practically the next day and tells her that he was planning to settle down in London for the time being she doesn't seem to realize what a huge mistake she almost made (and was only saved from making by the actions of Will). Luckily she wasn't so stubborn as to not open her mind to the idea that maybe Will was a good guy and she needed to give him a chance. And how many more ways could he have proven himself to her? And how could you not fall in love with Will? He proves wiling to do just about anything for Harriet and supports her participation in what is going on with the book from White's. All he asks is that she keep him in the loop so he knows what he may have to protect her from. There are some very amusing moments in this book - primarily brought on by Calstone and Rohan, but Will and Harriet both turn out to have pretty good senses of humor as well. And oh how I wish we could have found to Will's reaction to Harriet's final confession! Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Charmaine Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story did not have me rooting for the heroine – Lady Harriet Hillstow. Harriet is unaware her name appears in the betting book at White's - being an heiress and unmarried was a recipe to have all the fortune hunters come out of the woodwork to try to get their hands on it. She is unaware her father and the Marquess of Leeds have already drawn up the paperwork for the marriage and Will arrives that morning to meet her and get married by special licence.

William Fitzgerald Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds who has been in love with Harriet for the longest time but has always been unable to approach her due to a stutter that had all the girls teasing him as a young boy and made him self conscious. He has admired her from afar and has attempted a few times to approach her to request a dance but always becomes tongue tied at the very last second and walks away. When her name appears in the book at White’s, he is determined to protect her, marry her, and approaches her father, unknown to Harriet.
Will’s best friend Carlton is hysterical! He has always had Will’s back and even in this instance when Harriet runs away prior to even meeting her betrothed, decided to accompany him and goes so far as to jump into the Thames with Will to swim to the ship bound for America with Harriet on it. The interaction between the two of them on multiple occasions are the scene stealers in this story.

Eventually, Harriet marries Will, after destroying a few marriage contracts and making his life extremely difficult. She does come to fall in love with him and realise the treasure she has in Will and have her HEA.

Overall, an ok read for me. I received an ARC from NetGalley and submit my honest review.

[Amberreads.alot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first entry in Tanya Wilde's "Ladies Who Dare" series, so was excited to dive into the second book, "By No Means a Gentleman". I did really like the latter, but not as much as the former.

"By No Means a Gentleman" opens with heiress Harriet learning that she is to be married - that day - to William, Marquess of Leeds, a man to whom, from her recollection, she has never spoken. Will is secretly in love with Harriet, but positions their marriage as him saving her from a number of nasty bets about her and other heiresses that are making the rounds at the infamous White's. Harriet is (unsurprisingly) unimpressed and chooses to run away instead. This is a convenient choice because she promised her mother to marry only a man who would fight for her - and Will's chase becomes that fight. Back together in London, the pair have to figure out their future together.

Harriet is not my favorite at the beginning. She seems a bit petulant and impractical. But she comes into her own once Will brings her back to London. She is honest with Will about (almost) everything, making no secret of her goals in and thoughts about their marriage. Will took a minute to grow on me, too - he was almost too willing to let Harriet have most of her way at the beginning, but again, he came into his own as the book progressed. His wooing of his wife is simply adorable, as is his acceptance of her as she is. The side characters here are also fantastic - I would love to see Calstone get a book of his own.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonsblade for a complimentary ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.

[Marion Löw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Reluctant Bride

I loved every page of the book, it was great fun to read! The plot is very nice with marriage of convenience and He falls first tropes, and the characters including the side characters are endearing. The chemistry between sweet cinnamon roll hero Will and defiant heroine Harriet is delightful. I really enjoyed her esprit and his resilience and patience. Their battles of wills, their banters and the way she riles him up were very amusing and made me laugh out loud.

Lady Harriet Hillstow is a romantic wallflower. She always believed in Prince Charming who would fight for her and sweep her off her feet.
When she is learns from her father that she is to marry aloof William Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds, she is furious. But nothing seems to deter Will. So she runs away…

Will falls in love with Harriet at first sight, but because of his stutter and awkwardness with women, he is unable to show or express his feelings. But he never would have thought that his fiancée would be so reluctant and keep him on his toes...

Absolutely worth reading!

[SH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Harriet Hillstow discovers her father had arranged a marriage for her with William Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds, she is astonished to find the marriage is planned for the very same day. Having vowed to her mother that she would never marry a man who would not fight for her, Harriet is determined to escape such a marriage. William cannot bring himself to tell Harriet, that she is the woman of his dreams, for fear that she will discover the reason for his sudden proposal. Realising that Harriet loathes him, William must do all that he can to win her over.
I liked the character of William who does all that he can to show that he cares for Harriet, without revealing his true feelings. However, I found Harriet quite difficult to like as she does all that she can to dismiss William, despite her attraction to him. At times, her behaviour and manner were quite erratic.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[HfbR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Harriet Hillstow and William Fitzgerald Hamilton, Marquess of Leeds. The repercussions of the list of heiresses in the White’s betting book continues. Will has long admired Harriet, but with the danger to her from her name being on the list it’s time he made a move, and he arranges with her father to marry her. Harriet swore on her mother’s death bed that she’d only marry a man who’d fight for her, so when Will arrives with a special license in hand she runs away. Does a dive into the Thames to board her ship count as fighting for her ………..

This is the second book in the excellent Ladies Who Dare series. It’s another well written story with great characters and plenty of banter. I enjoy the author’s writing style, it’s the added snippets of what the characters are really thinking rather than just what they say that really add to the story. The plot is excellent, and as it continues on into the rest of the series I know there’s more great stories to come 🐈‍⬛

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will is one of the sweeter and more endearing MMCs I’ve read in a while. Hampered by a stutter he’s worked hard to overcome, Will has been too shy to properly court Harriet, the pretty bluestocking he’s admired from afar. When a betting book appears at Whites listing various heiresses, including Harriet, Will is spurred to action and arranges marriage with Harriet’s father to stave off fortune hunters - not knowing that Harriet’s father has never told her of the plan. Harriet, upon learning that a marriage has been arranged for her without her knowledge or consent, blames Will, assumes the worst of his motivations, and tries to run away, boarding a ship headed for America. After Will jumps into the Thames to swim after the ship, Harriet still makes poor, smitten Will prove himself before she will accept him as her true husband. Amusing supporting cast, especially Will’s best friend Calstone.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angry with her father and prospective groom, Lady Harriet takes umbrage when maneuvered into marriage without consultation or warming. Taking matters into her own hands requires some quick planning, but she did not reckon on the Marquess of Leeds and his best friend, who come after her and before she knows it, she is married to William Hamilton. William is an honorable man, but even he can see that forcing Harriet into a marriage she had no say over is not well done. I chuckled at the number of times he was forced to get a special license, but loved how he set out to woo his new bride, despite his limitations. Although Harriet fights her own rising attraction to William, she begins to understand that she has married a man she can trust and knows that his efforts are sincere. Unfortunately, there is still the matter of the missing Betting Book of Whites to deal with and ultimately the culprit who set things in motion is severely dealt with. I received a copy of this entertaining book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Reba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not read too many historical romances and this book is going to absolutely change it. I completely fell in love with this book almost immediately. This was such a fun read and I couldn't put it down.

I loved Harriett and Will. Their banter was just absolutely brilliant. I loved seeing Harriett warm up to him after everything. Because my heart was absolutely MELTING because of Will. The secret pining?? Him being shy?? God he truly was the sweetest thing. The two of them, along with Calstone and Rohan just kept me laughing through this book.

I know some people weren't a fan of Harriett and her actions, but I feel like it made sense. She had a great point in my opinion. Why would she trust him when she doesn't know him and thought he didn't know who he was. Was she a little extra by trying to run to America? Yes, absolutely but I also completely love her for it lol I'm so excited to see where the rest of this series goes.

Thank you NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing me an arc copy of the book in return for my honest review.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Historical Romance with Humor

She boarded a boat to America to escape him. Did she hate him that much? No, what Harriet hated was that her father arranged the marriage without her knowledge or consent. She promised her mother she would wed a man who fought for her. Harriet would not be so easy to win. She was attracted to Will, but she was about to give him the fight of his life.

How far would Will go to win his lady? Why did he not court her instead of going to her father and getting a marriage license so they could marry quickly? It turned out that Will had a secret. What happened when he shared it with Harriet?

Will and Harriet would take us on a romantic adventure full of humor and mischief. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like historical romance.

[Valerie Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the feels

This is a second book by Tanya Wilde I have read. She is a good author. I love this story right from the beginning. When the MC already has a thing for the FC, I always adore the tale. He was a paragon from the start. He was strong and capable and so head over heels for her. She, however, was a bit over the top at first. She gets better throughout the novel. My only reason for 4 stars is the "bangxiety" you will get for their love scene. I think it was finally around 75% of the way through, and then it wasn't as descriptive as the 1st story in this series. So that was a letdown. Still a good read and I do recommend it

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a series, but apart from a certain stolen book, that might appear in all of them, each book can be read on it's own.  

Our heroine in this one is certainly a strong and independent young lady. Not at all what society believes her to be. She definitely gives our hero a run for her heart. Our hero thought he was going to be able to cut corners. Just how wrong can a man be ? 

Lots of adventure, giggles and fabulous characters.  

I can't wait to read the next book in the series.  

Great fun. 

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harriet is shocked to learn from her father that she is to be married to a man she never met on the very next day! She decides to run away to America. Will who has loved Harriet from afar stops her from running and convinces her to marry him. They both have insecurities and think they are not worthy of each other. Can they find happiness? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harriett discovered her father set up a marriage of convenience without her being involved. She hadn't even been introduced to the marquess. Will was in love with her and wanted to marry right away. She didn't make it easy for him. His friend the duke was right behind him to help him get her. She agreed to marry and they got to know each other as they lived together and became friends first. There is quite a bit of humor in the story. Thank you NetGalley.

[Enola M Bloomfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harriet and Will

Tanye Wilde had me completely captivated. Will and Harriet are the most lovely people. This story was filled with
th laughter, high jinx, love, and sexy moments. Very good friends. That I pray will receive their own stories.
Please take the time to read this wonderful story.
You won't be disappointed.
🥰

[delisa smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was excellent!!! Absolutely loved the characters!! For once in a romance-regency-, the female has a spine and a tongue. Unfortunately I didn't read book one will probably do so next, but in all 300+ regency books I've read by many different authors, this one held my interest, I didn't skip to the next chapter And the story line flowed❤❤

[Linda Brugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Breathless

The turns of this story jump from one outlandish episode to another. The dialogue is filled with wit. If you insist on historical accuracy, you will be disappointed, but if you want a truly fun read that leaves you thinking of more adventures with the supporting characters, don't wait too long to pick it up.

[Rebekah Carulli Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I loved this story! I didn’t like Harriet right away but she grew on me as the story unfolded. Leeds was every woman’s knight in shining armor. Tanya did a phenomenal job of capturing my heart with the characters and the storyline. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun and engaging romance with a little bit of 🌶️.

[KAREN MARTIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story

The book had me from the very beginning. Harriet and Will were destined for one another but it was a long rode and Harriet being drug down it. There was humor, adventure, friendship, mystery and most of all Love. I really love this authors books and what a great series so far. Enjoy!

[Kylie Nespoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love

I just loved it, that’s all. I loved him, I loved her, I loved their love story. Simple as that. Highly recommend.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, see I am easy to please. One star removed for the writing.

I am a simple woman I just want a simple romance, nothing fancy just comfort :D