A Fighting Chance

The Chances #1

by Emily E.K. Murdoch

William Chance, Duke of Cothrom, is tired of fighting for his family’s reputation.

And it’s not like his wayward brothers do much to help. Rascals, rakes, and rogues, the lot of them—and William is always the one picking up the pieces and staving off scandal.

He needs stability. He needs calm. He needs certainty.

He doesn’t need a wild young woman launching herself into his arms and demanding that he marry her . . .

But marriage is precisely what Alice Fox-Edwards does need. After surviving a scandal four years ago, the threats of a blackmailer now mean she must find a protector—preferably one with lots of money.

An unlikely pairing, to be sure, but William decides that a wife will give him the balance he so desperately needs. Because Miss Fox-Edwards has no outrageous past, does she? Nothing that might upset his calm or set any tongues wagging. Surely, she wouldn’t lie about a thing like that . . .

Soon they’re fighting their feelings, fighting the truth, and fighting the disaster that fast approaches as secrets and lies—on both sides—threaten what could be a chance for happiness.

This novel begins the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with four brothers and just as many problems. Tropes fallen woman, marriage of convenience, blackmail, secrets, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full-length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Read Free in Kindle Unlimited!

The Chances Series
Book 1: A Fighting Chance
Book 2: A Second Chance
Book 3: An Outside Chance
Book 4: Half a Chance
Book 5: A Chance in a Million
Book 6: Not a Chance in Hell
Book 7: An Eye for the Chance
Book 8: A Sporting Chance
Book 9: Any Chance You Can Take
Book 10: Chance Would be a Fine Thing
Book 11: Take a Chance on You
Book 12: Don’t Fancy Your Chance
Book 13: Give Him a Chance
Book 14: A Chance of a Lifetime
Book 15: In with a Chance
Book 16: Jump at the Chance
Book 17: Let the Chance Slip By
Book 18: Why Take the Chance?
Book 19: A Calculated Chance
Book 20: Leave it All to Chance

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Amazon

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2024

About the author

Emily E.K. Murdoch is also known as Emily Murdoch.

Emily Murdoch is a medieval historian and writer. Throughout her career so far she has examined a codex and transcribed medieval sermons at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, designed part of an exhibition for the Yorkshire Museum, worked as a researcher for a BBC documentary presented by Ian Hislop, and worked at Polesden Lacey with the National Trust. She has a degree in History and English, and a Masters in Medieval Studies, both from the University of York. Emily is currently working on a new four part Regency novella series, two of which are now published.

You can follow her on twitter and instagram @emilyekmurdoch, find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/theemilyekmurdoch, and read her blog at www.emilyekmurdoch.com

Reviews

[ଘRory (Hiatus ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I 𝙖𝙢 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮’𝙨 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙨𝙤. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚. 𝘼 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙮.”
William Chance ,The duke of chothrom , a gentleman and a respectful bloke ,one of his misgivings is the bad reputation ,so he always trying to keep his family name's in the society and doing his best to keep his brothers away from troubles,but they were the problem ,Aylesbury,Lidow and Elesbirth the illigitimate one .
His siblings told him that he should marry a well-bred lady then Aylesbury would stop gambling and Lidow will stop seducing women but how and when will he find the Woman of after his heart???

“𝗛𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲—𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲.”
Alice Fox-Edwards a stunning woman with blonde hair and a scandale arround her ,ppl never foget about it even after years of return back to london to snag a man,all she wants a safe sanctuary so ppl would stop gossip about her .
She concocted a charade to trap a man at Hyde Park but she failed ,Alice did not surrend she fixed another plan B .
𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗕:she was masked at the ball at the Earl of chester's ,in a party approching the same man at the Park he did not recognized her at first but he falled for her ,the duke of chothrom made an offer in public !

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙.😎

William the stoic man was thinking about her all the time and he wants to marry her fastly ,His brothers _the marquess ,the earl and the viscount_ were surprised of his desicion,the duke does not even know the woman ,he ought to be patient and dwell on his matrimony ,but he was infatuated .

"𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩."
William discovered that his betrothed trying to hide letters and she was lying about a cousin has the same name as her.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 ☠️
𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐃☠️

𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧:

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝘾𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙢, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚.”
Alice was married to another man ,she tried to buy back her marriage certificat to prove that her child is legitimate and put end to threatening lettres and the the blackmail of sheton .
I do not want to be a wet blanket but you should read the book to know the end of the marriage.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

I recently finished Murdoch's Dukes in Danger collection and I jumped at the chance when I saw that she had started a new series. I love her writing and try to read them at every opportunity. Her chemistry, sweetness, and great characters always keep me coming back for more. A Fighting Chance was the first book premiering the brand spanking new Chance empire. My jaw hit the floor when I saw that it contained 20 books featuring the Chance family. The titles are going to be rife with puns and I'm living for it. William and Alice were so well suited and I noticed their chemistry as soon as she pounced on him at the park seeking a marriage proposal. I really admired the shakeup of the traditional personalities where Alice was more aggressive and William was a cautious gentleman who constantly blushed. That is until he got all hot and bothered to do some pouncing of his own.



As much as I adored this darling couple, Alice had red flags the size of Hyde Park. She withheld vital information from her groom and lied more than she told the truth. I can somehow rationalize her actions because she was being blackmailed, but it gave me the ick regarding the constant deceit towards her husband. This book was an endless parade of deception and I was only somewhat mollified due to the couple's tender relationship. Alice was a sweet girl, but oof I swear she was allergic to the truth.



This was a great start to the Chance Family series, even if I was less than pleased with the nonstop lying. William was a very responsible man and I hope he can knock some sense into his knucklehead brothers. I'm really looking forward to their stories, especially if they can mature enough to stop wasting their family's money and philandering with debutantes. You can count on me to pick up a Murdoch romance from the catalog with nary A Fighting Chance.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Chance, Duke of Cothrom, is tired of fighting for his family’s reputation. He needs stability. He needs calm. He needs certainty. He doesn’t need a wild young woman launching herself into his arms and demanding that he marry her! But marriage is precisely what Alice Fox-Edwards does need. After surviving a scandal four years ago, the threats of a blackmailer now mean she must find a protector.
The start of a new series & a very well written enjoyable romance. I Really liked William but struggled to like Alice, I know she was being blackmailed but she couldn’t lie straight in bed! I did love the chemistry between the couple & actually became invested in their journey to a HEA. I also loved William’s brothers & look forward to their stories. An interesting series starter
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Mary Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

It's the start of a series of 20 books!! I didn't really gel with the hero. The heroine was quirky and in parts desperate. She's had a bad season previously and is desperate to get married. I wondered why she wasn't honest about her status. She throws herself at the hero and he is gullible enough not to ask too many questions but to take her at face value. The author writes well but I doubt I'm enamoured enough with the family to continue and as there were only a couple of the duke's relatives she must be going to add in a whole load of hangers on!

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

[InsyVinsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Emily Murdoch book and it did not disappoint.

The story revolves around William who is like any other protective older brother and also happens to be a duke. His younger brothers are always landing themselves in trouble and William has to bail them out. For this reason, William is very much concerned with his family reputation and tries his hardest to maintain his polished persona outside.

Alice, our FMC has re-entered society after her disappearance due to a scandal. She needs to find a stable man to marry since she is in dire need of money to save herself and her loved ones. William also happens to consider marriage in order to have his brothers in line. Their first meet cute is a disaster but William is smitten by her beauty. However, he wants a polite, acceptable, and graceful wife which was not the first impression Alice had on him. The second meet up is where all the bells start to ring and they get engaged to be married rather quickly. However, Alice is hiding a big secret since William is unaware of her past. Moreover, William has always worked hard to avoid scandal, so what are the chances of him actually getting married and falling for a woman who has been the victim of the ton!!!

I genuinely enjoyed the book throughout. It was very easy to follow and characters were well written. I especially loved the other Chance brothers and cannot wait to read more about them. Furthermore, I enjoyed how William lost his “famous” self control around Alice and let go of his “perfect gentleman” attitude and instead act on his desires and emotions. I also liked how double standards of women vs men virginity were discussed. Given this was a norm back then, it was refreshing to read that people still objected to it even back then.

William’s character growth was well done. I could feel myself getting pissed at his presumptuous self in the beginning but he overtime realises that he has always been privileged enough to not encounter a situation where rules were needed to be broken. I also liked how his relationship with his brothers got better over time.

I was however anticipating more on Alice’s background. I wanted more growth for her character. I felt like I could not connect with her at some points. Her secret was also revealed in a haste. Lastly, the ending was a bit rushed and a tad bit anti-climactic. I would’ve loved more communication between the couple, more tension, and more growth.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next one.

*Thank you Dragonblade and NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are based on my own reading experience*

[Diana N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The romance in this book was a bit different than I expected. First off Alice pretty much throws herself at William because she needs to find a husband. We don't find out the whole reason completely until much later in the book. William has 3 crazy brothers that he us constantly keeping in line, but he isn't usually the impulsive one, well, until now.

I think there could have been a bit more fire and angst between the characters, since disagreements really felt like sad moping moments. I did like the silly brotherly aspects to this book, since that lightened the plot a bit. Hopefully that continues in future books.

Overall I enjoyed this book and hope the next brother's story is a bit more wild and crazy.

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Chance, Duke of Cothrom, is a stickler for keeping his reputation unblemished. He's assaulted by a young woman in Hyde Park begging him to marry her. At a masquerade ball, he's infatuated with a masked young lady. It's the young lady from the park. Alice Fox-Edwards needs to marry. Her daughter's protection depends on it. She doesn't care if William is a duke as long as they marry. Unexpected is the way they feel about each other, but the truth will test William's resolve. Is it worth fighting for a happy ending? A very interesting first book in the series. I can tell the two younger brothers are going to have even more problems in the following books.
Descriptive sex. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Selma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars.

[Janet Denise Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS, EACH CHANCE HOLDS A TITLE

Emily E. K. Murdoch earned all 5 STARS for her interesting & fantastic well written storyline of Book 1 in the Series: The Chances plus provides a great BLURB. This is a bit different & refreshing from the usual Historical Regency Romance's one usually finds in this particular genre. Although like any great read, there are always more than the main issue happening in a reading adventure this center light shines here on Alice's fall from grace some 4 or 5 seasons prior.

Going on Alice is desperate to disguise the whole unfortunate situation with a big white lie & bravado. She feels she has not got any choice in this embarrassing endeavor because of the pressure she is receiving from an unavoidable threat & rehash of the negative parts of the old situation.

William lived to follow every single society rule in place regardless how rigid or simply silly & constantly was having to pay his younger brothers, mainly the Marquis & the Earl, newly acquired debts to speaking with enraged Father's demanding they marry their daughters or meet them at an arranged location at dawn. Not so much problems with the Viscount, who is both the youngest & the child of his father & his mistress. He felt he had to follow all of the rules for
the family's name because of his brothers' mischief. Plus, when his Father lay death bed he asked William to promise to take care of them, although he had already been doing so even when they had been in school, himself also.

This is more than just an ordinary romance story, it is a culinary delight of a read, not on the regular menu but part of the Chefs Cuisine. Followed up with a wonderful special blend cup of coffee served with a cart of masterpiece deserts for your choosing. A great start to a new series that I am eagerly anticipating the next read in line. I am very happy with Emily E. K. Murdoch and her fast paced read & her Chance family.

RECOMMEND

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Chance, Duke of Cothrom, is a stickler for keeping his reputation unblemished. He's assaulted by a young woman in Hyde Park begging him to marry her. At a masquerade ball, he's infatuated with a masked young lady. It's the young lady from the park. Alice Fox-Edwards needs to marry. Her daughter's protection depends on it. She doesn't care if William is a duke as long as they marry. Unexpected is the way they feel about each other, but the truth will test William's resolve. Is it worth fighting for a happy ending? A very interesting first book in the series. I can tell the two younger brothers are going to have even more problems in the following books.
Descriptive sex. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fighting Chance is the first book in a new series The Chances.

William Chance, Duke of Cothrom, made a promise to take care of his younger brothers, three to be exact. William the new duke goes out of his way to quelch any hint of gossip or ruination to the Chance family name. His brothers are enjoying causing as much havoc as they can knowing William will handle everything.

William does his best to bring honor to his position, so much so, that he forgets to enjoy himself. that is until he meets Alice Fox-Edwards. She sees him as a solution to her problems and falls into him claiming he must marry her. but in his very dignified and stuffy manor, says absolutely not.

Alice is more determined than ever and arrives at a masquerade ball. With her identity hidden, she sees William and he is instantly charmed by Alice. Unknown to him Alice is weathering the gossip of a scandal four years ago.

William makes a lot of assumptions which Alice does not correct. William has been fighting his feelings for so long, that he is determined to marry Alice a paragon of virtue completely understanding how important it is to protect the Chance name at costs.

But when William finds out part of the truth, will he be willing to throw it all away or will he listen, really listen to Alice in order to find a love he never thought possible.

This is a fun beginning for a new series. William is a bit stodgy from all the responsibility he puts on himself. It takes Alice to help him see that there is much more to life than being worried about everything all the time. I live the entertaining relationship between the brothers. The teasing and bantering back and forth makes me long to read the next one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Alexandra G · Rating 4 out of 5]

A double meet-cute, grumpy-sunshine, head-over-heels, lets-get-married-at-first-sight, fast-paced, romantic romp!
A trainwreck waiting to happen, but oh boy, Alice and William sure make it fun to watch!

Vivacious, clever and a little daring, she’s a whirlwind, constantly adapting to her everchanging circumstances. A little scheming, a small lie here, an innocent omission there… and she really has no other choice to keep her most precious possession safe.

Presenting himself to society as a proper upstanding duke, always in control , he’s in truth at the end of his rope. Desperately trying to keep the family reputation intact, all he does is clean up his younger brothers’ messes, leaving him little time for anything else, let alone fun.

She’s hunting for a husband, and she’ll catch him by force if necessary. He hopes a wife might do the trick to keep his family in line. Both looking for that magic trick to solve all their problems, neither of them ever dared to hope love would enter the equation. Alice’s bubbly beauty stirs Williams repressed passionate desires - she basically drives him nuts and he’s absolutely, completely, irrevocably unable to resist… and then the world comes crashing down.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Fun, fast and steamy with a solid plot and quirky characters you can’t help but love - this is exactly why I love Emily Murdoch’s stories, and this new series starter does not disappoint! I’m eagerly looking forward to discover what she has planned for the brothers!

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is er... patchy at best.

I feel like I might have read a couple of Emily EK Murdoch books previously and not been wowed but this one...

We have four brothers ... one is a Duke, and then... apparently one is a Marquess, one an Earl and then the last one who is also illegimate is ... a Viscount. This author has written something like 120 books and hasn't looked in to the British aristocracy, how it works and the rules of succession???

To clarify. A duke would have an heir - which could be his brother until / unless he had a son.

The heir may hold a courtesy title - so could feasibly be the Marquess of XYZ.

The other (legitimate) brothers would be Lord *insert name of the brother*. An illegitimate brother would be Mr. He could only be a Viscount if his mother was in a different marriage and he inherited his "legal" father's title or held a courtesy title.

I just don't really see the point of writing in the Regency if you can't be bothered to do basic research.

[Debbie Steed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first book in this new series is a great read.
Emily E.K Murdoch has a great writing style. The plot was well written and well paced. The characters, main and secondary were all very interesting and believable.

Miss Alice Fox Edwards needs to find a husband and quickly. She only has a short time in London during the season to find and trap a man who will marry her and then all her troubles will be over. A scandal sent her away to the country years ago and she has been tormented by blackmail for years.

William Chance, the Duke of Cothrom takes title and his role as head of the family very seriously. Even a whiff of a scandal in the family has him running to make things right. He is tightly wound, thinks too much and finds his younger brothers very trying.

The two briefly meet in a park but it’s not until they are at a society ball that events quickly happen and they are to be wed. William falls first and hard while Alice has to be a bit deceptive about her past but is shocked by the response she has to him when they are alone.
After the wedding, the truth comes out and William responds as he usually does. His brothers try to make him realise what is really important and William has to choose between what he wants and what he believes is expected of him.

This book packed a lot into it. I enjoyed the intensity and chemistry between William and Alice and the change in William as they spend time together. It was a very enjoyable read and had a lovely epilogue. I would have loved for it to be longer to really explore their relationship as they were courting and after they reunited but I finished the book satisfied with the story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Charmaine Fernando · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Alice Fox-Edwards an exceptionally beautiful woman who is in a crisis and desperately seeking a husband. She travels to London and while strolling in the park and comes upon the Chance brothers having an argument. Once the brothers break apart, she hurries after the man who walks off on his own and plans to bump into him in the hope, he would offer to marry her and give her the protection she so desperately requires. The man she bumps into is none other than William Chance, Duke of Cothram and there is a spark of chemistry that flows between them. They meet once again at a masquerade ball, only this time, William is a little less concerned with propriety and flirts with her. They have a dance together and he ends up proposing marriage to her!

Alice was desperate to seek a husband ASAP as she is being blackmailed over her daughter and the secret she is trying to keep hidden from the ton. Alice is such a sweet person and so compassionate in all her dealings with anyone she encounters.

Initially, the couple is blissfully married and enjoying each other's company until Alice sends for her daughter, Maude. It is then that William realises Maude is not her ward but her daughter and before Alice can clarify details with him, William banishes them to the dower house at his country estate.

When he finally comes to his senses, after speaking with his brothers, William decides to hear Alice her out and try to give their marriage another chance. All in, a sweet story that moved along at a good pace. I enjoyed it and would recommend it. I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley and submit my review voluntarily.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kicks off a brand new, captivating series, The Chances. I've just recently finished Ms. Murdoch's Dukes in Danger series and absolutely loved it, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read this new series and I tell you I was not disappointed! William Chance is the Duke of Cothrom and is the only responsible one of the family. He is constantly trying to save the family's reputation from scandal and frankly he's had enough. He just wants a peaceful, stable life. That's not exactly what he gets when Alice comes into his life. Alice herself has survived a scandal and now she's being blackmailed. She needs to find someone wealthy who will be able to protect her. She doesn't give William much choice in the matter when she demands he marry her. As their marriage begins with lies, they are off to a bit of a rocky start, but in the end, love will inevitably prevail!
I didn't really like the way Alice lied all the time. I think she should've had more trust in her husband early on. Nevertheless, the story itself was well-written and highly entertaining and I had a lovely time reading it. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduces the Chance family ( the original four, turns out the next generation have their own books as well). The male protagonist is the eldest brother who tries to do the right thing and control the narrative as much as possible. On the other end is a woman who is at her wits end to figure out how to marry into money. She manages to capture the other’s interest and that’s where the story begins.

It’s a quick point from meeting to falling but there are secrets that are just waiting to cause problems. There are a few explicit scenes which can be skipped without losing the plot.

I liked the overall approach but it seemed like the level of secrecy was probably not required since the readers also can jump to the wrong conclusions. I found it hard to understand what drew them to each other because it was extremely superficial, but the rest of the connection was well developed.

I think fans of the author and the genre who love long series’ will really be able to appreciate this.
I received both books of the series as ARCs thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Cherie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deception, Blackmail, Finding Love:
This story is a thought-provoking romance story of two very interesting people with very different personalities.
William the ever-cautious disciplined duke in charge of protecting his family from any scandals. Naive for sure but when smitten with desire what can you expect?
Alice a vivacious quirky character that literally jumps right in due to her desperate situation that is hidden until later in the story.
The plot follows the two through the usual getting to know each other with many complications due to Alice and her past which she must keep hidden to land the duke.
I especially like how the brothers came together to help William through his meltdown which brought this story to a happy ending with no cliffhangers.
I do look forward to more of the brothers and their own romance story in this new series The Chances,
📚Story Rating 4.4 out of 5.
💖Pretty Cover
👀I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy for my honest thoughts and opinion.

[Rod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly steamy story. I enjoyed this story, but there were some oddities. Given William’s rigid ideal of behaviour and adherence to society rules I am totally surprised he rushed headlong into the wedding. I accept he is head over heels with Alice but would he really act that quickly. Then there are the rumours about Alice. Lots of people are avoiding her and she even got the cut direct. She has told the Chances there
Is a cousin with the same name who had a scandal. But people know and recognise her, would not somebody say something at an event they are both at? Lady Romeral seems to know everything why is she not passing any comment. And the other Chance brothers. Two at least are obviously out and about on the town so would probably hear that THE Alice is back in town and realise there is no cousin and she is the scandalous one. I found all that a bit odd. I would also like to have heard what happened to the housekeeper at the dower house. However, this was readable and a different story line to most. I will be reading the next in the series.

[Poppet · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are introduced to Alice, who has returned to London for the first time after 4 yrs in Brighton. She had been having a London season but there was whisper of scandal and she returned to Brighton to care for unwell father. Back now she is in desperate need for a husband as she has dependents in Brighton and is being blackmailed. She seeks a potential husband in the most unorthodox way and fails. Then she secrets into a private masque ball without invitation and encounters someone. Under the disguise of their masks they are free to talk and flirt. He, William the Duke of Cothrom, normally a man of complete propriety and principle finds freedom to relax with his mask. William is overwhelmed by desire towards the lady in the mask and completely on impulse, and earlier dealings with his troublesome younger brothers, proposes.
What transpires is an unusual and short betrothal where the two try and get to know each other. But Alice has secrets from her past which she skilfully avoids talking about. But she does disclose one partial truth before the wedding which is surprisingly to Alice well received. The attraction and chemistry between these two is obviously and shouts off the page. Because William is a man of principle, they maintain propriety but bring the wedding forward. Alice is late for the wedding and William worries she won’t show up. He does not know the turmoil that Alice is having to deal with outside the church - as a secret from her past shows up to confront her. Once married, William is able to let his guard down and show his passionate side with his new wife and the marriage initially goes well. However things then turn dramatically and Alice is near banished to a dowager house in the country. William, the old brother who had to repair:cover up his younger brothers’ mistakes, gets them together to tell them what had happened. This is a great scene - with perceptions being turned on their heads about & by each other. But what his brothers do, is help William realise there are other ways to understand what has happened that he had not considered. William then has to find a way to seek Alice’s forgiveness. Will Alice tell William to truth? Will he believe her? Can they ultimately forgive each other and move forward?
This is the first of a series. It is a well paced fun tale with lots of secrets and turns along the way. There is romance, with some heat, there is humour, family, loyalty and love. Very enjoyable and I look forward to reading the next one.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
If this first book is any indication then this is going to be an interesting series. Four brothers, three legitimate, the first being a duke, the other three with honorary titles. This book is the duke’s romance - William spends every waking moment following Society’s rules, being careful, upright, strait-laced and trying (rather unsuccessfully to keep his scandalous younger brothers out of trouble). When he meets Alice he is deceived into believing she is as truthful and trustworthy as himself, not knowing that she will scheme and lie to marry any wealthy man. As Alice begins to fall for him she begins to feel guilty, but not guilty enough to risk all by telling him the truth. Unfortunately for Alice, her house of cards comes tumbling down shortly after her marriage - is there any chance of a future happy relationship?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have William Chance, Duke of Colthrom who believes in follow in all the rules and trying his best to keep two of his brothers in line!
Paying their debts and trying to keep them from one scandal or another! Definitely trying to keep them from emulating their father!
William is uptight and rigid but hiding a passionate and even voracious appetite until he meets one Miss Alice Fox-Edwards!
She has secrets that need protected and she has set her sights on William without knowing who he is they are both drawn to each other!
Their chemistry is explosive but William believes in strict rules of propriety throws caution to the wind and married in haste!
Will they regret in leisure? Can they have a fighting Chance when love is involved and it is not what William thinks? Will he throw away a chance at love or will he “fight” for what could be? Bravo well done! I own the first books in this series!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This enjoyable romantic romp is the first story in what promises to be a fun series. The Chance brothers have already made an interesting and entertaining introduction. The first story features William Chance, Duke of Cothram, and Alice Fox-Edwards. Alice is desperate to find a husband, even if she has to trick someone into marrying her. William is over-controlling and overprotective. These two have great chemistry. The first weeks of marriage are wonderful. Then a secret revealed makes William believe she has lied to and betrayed him. For once, the brothers advise him, and he listens. Is it possible to repair their relationship? Fast-paced, emotional, and full of wit and surprises, this is an excellent start to the series. I look forward to the brothers’ stories.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the start of a new series, I found this novel a little difficult to get into because of my own issues with having the wool pulled over my eyes. Alice is in a desperate situation and like most mothers, she will do whatever it takes to protect her child. It seemed the best idea to crash into the Duke of Cothrom and demand marriage when he holds her steady but it, unfortunately, backfired on her when the truth of the matter was revealed. Fortunately, despite Williams's judgmental stance towards Alice, his brothers voice their own views on the matter, making William rethink his decision. The novel is a standalone and comes to a lovely conclusion. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start of a lovely new historical romance series.  Our hero is the head of the family and is taking his responsibilities very seriously.  He is always trying to keep his brothers in line and the family name without blemish.  

Our heroine has a scandal behind her and is desperately in need of a husband,  anyone will do. 

There are a few giggles,  lots of secrets ,and towards the end, a few tears. I loved meeting this family and really look forward to reading the rest of the series.  The men in the Chance family are loving and friendly but also mischievous and complicated.  

I loved it. 

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast Paced Romantic Romp!

She tried to ensnare him, he had rules but they ended up married anyway.

Falling in love and being the man he was always meant to be didn’t come easy and when he felt she had betrayed him, then the bubble burst. Could he accept her for who she was or would he lose her forever?

A fast paced emotional love story written Ms Murdoch’s way to give you a fun witty read with characters that shine and a swoon-worthy HEA.

Great storyline to start what look like to be an amazing series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Pat Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit, I had a difficult time liking our Heroine, Alice. She seemed to be such a conniving little witch and it took quite a while to warm up to her. William’s attitude of being a control freak wasn’t much better. But watching the 2 of them grow into the wonderful people they became was so very endearing. This author has a way of bringing out all of your emotions. The brothers’ interactions were all very amusing and I can’t wait to read their stories as well. Would have loved to have seen something done to the blackmailer by the Duke though….being as protective as he is!

I received this story for free and these are my own opinions.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice was a great character in my opinion. I felt so much for her and the situation she was in, it must have been impossible in those days. she was never cruel in her plan. William puts a lot on himself, he feels like he must be the the perfect representation of polite society and righteousness because of his brothers. We habe a rouge, A rake, A man who I don't think asked to be there. I really felt bad for our last brother being treated as other even by William in desire to integrate him to the family. But Alice, I just loved her so much. Only gripe, I feel like that's not how custody titles work but I dong care cause I loved this book so much.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley. Alice has to find a husband and soon. She is about out of options. She sees the Chance men and follows one until he is alone. She runs into the Duke and asks him to marry her. He gets away and next she follows him to a masquerade ball. William is taken with her and asks her to marry him before she takes the mask off. His brothers have tried to get him to not be so rigid. His position means everything to him. They fall in love and marry. Then he finds out her secret and sends her away. But he misses her and realizes he has not given her a chance to explain herself. Can two people who meet the way they did find happiness? Members of Ton have done it with a lot less.

[Amberreads.alot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read many books by Emily EK Murdoch, some of which are better than others, This was not one of her better books. The FMC lies to the MMC pretty much the entirety of the story. The MMC feels a level of instalust I have not seen in a while. Neither are super likable, and the MMC's brothers, who somehow all have titles, including the illegitimate one, (And yes, I understand the concept of courtesy titles, but this seems excessive). I won't be continuing the series.

2 stars. Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.