No Match for Love

by Karen Thornell

Lucas Berkeley has a secret—one he cannot risk anyone discovering. After all, a future marquess belongs in drawing rooms, not underground boxing circles. Yet with a painful past and a need to control every aspect of his life, it is his only outlet. And when his brother begins to court the one woman who could ruin everything, Lucas needs the secret diversion more than ever.

Lydia Faraday is exhausted from living a life in which she has no say. When her taciturn guardian drags her to London intent on marrying her off, she determines to thwart his plans. If she is to have freedom in any aspect of her existence, it ought to be with whom she marries. And when a solicitor turns up with new information, she thinks that just might be possible. Or it may complicate her future further.

 When Lucas and Lydia become entangled in a dangerous scheme, they cannot help but become closer, even as the obstacles between them grow. The last thing either is looking for is love. But their hearts have different plans.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Clean Romance, Audiobook, Historical, Historical Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2024

About the author

Karen Thornell grew up reading when she should have been sleeping, but it wasn't until 2019 that she started writing. Tired of ending books and saying 'goodbye' to beloved characters, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters that lived in her head always. It was probably a mark of sleep deprivation that she wanted people living in her head, but the idea was planted regardless.

Karen lives in Utah with her husband and kids. When not writing contemporary or regency romance, she spends her free time doing endless loads of laundry, playing board games, and, yes, talking to those characters in her head.


You can connect with Karen on Instagram, Facebook, or on her site at www.karenthornell.com

Reviews

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, a family's machinations. Don't you just love when your family gangs up against you for your own good? When they tell you that you really should be picking out a wife? When your guardian demands that you find a husband?

Lydia and Cole find themselves in such situations, but of course they aren't exactly feeling it. Well, they ARE feeling it, but don't want to admit to such things. Which of course leads to banter, tension, and glances exchanged.

I do love their hearts for the less fortunate, and that Lydia has medical knowledge. I don't, however, love when we put our modern ideas into historical settings. That keeps this from being a 5 star read for me. That, and it was a little slow for my taste.

The conclusion, though, is very satisfying.

~I was given a complimentary copy of this book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.~

[Tasha (the_clean_read_book_club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

'...ladies lived a horribly tedious experience. It was lucky, then, that Lydia Faraday was no lady.'

Right from the opening scene I knew there was going to be a lot to enjoy from this book!

Some of my favorite elements were the dual POV (trust me you're going to want to be in our stoic MMC's head for this one!!), a slow-burn romance with great tension and so many forced proximity type, swoon-filled moments!!!

'Lucas's eyes strayed back to Miss Faraday. He had been struggling to keep them from her all day...'

Karen Thornell is becoming a top favorite historical romance author for me and this is an absolute showstopper! I especially loved the intrigue and mystery behind this one. SO WELL DONE!!!

Yes, the caps are coming out, my friends!!!

The pugilism aspects, the secrets, the friends (all of the hearts for a few of my favorites making a cameo!), Lucas's family, Lydia's determination; all make this book one of my favorites of the year!!!

DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS ONE!

If you like historical romance, moments of suspense and mystery, main characters who are not looking for romance (but romance finds them *swoon*) and tender moments sprinkled throughout...you should absolutely pick this one up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Content/Trigger: loss of loved ones (off-page), guardian/orphan, mild violence (nothing overly descriptive), romance-kisses only.

[Emily Cronk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, y'all 😍😍😍

I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of Karen Thornell's books, and this one is no exception. It has definitely claimed a spot on my favorite books of the year list.

I'm pretty sure this book has everything you could ever want in a book - a determined, kind-hearted leading lady, a protective hero, a secret identity, a grumpy guardian, awesome side characters, a villain that deserves a facer (or fifty), plot twists you didn't see coming, the sweetest slow burn romance, the very best teasing and banter.....seriously, what is there not to love here??

Lucas and Lydia were so perfect for each other. They definitely did not have the easiest lives, but they still were so kind and loving to those around them. I loved that they were still able to spread so much goodness despite the trials of their pasts. They are two characters you can't help but just love.

If this book is not on your TBR lists, it needs to be. Because trust me friends - this is one book you don't want to miss.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the early copy; all thoughts are my own.

[Telma Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

História fascinante e original, com romance e mistério. Gostei imenso! Quando iniciei a leitura deste livro não tinha uma ideia exata do rumo que o enredo tomaria, uma vez que li a sinopse de forma apressada, e nem sequer me lembrei de relê-la com mais calma, mas ainda bem por isso. Adoro quando sou surpreendida por uma boa história!

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! I loved it so much, I had a hard time putting it down! Lydia is under the guardianship of Lord Tarrington. She doesn’t know about her parents because Lord Tarrington won’t tell her anything but has just found out that her grandfather left her an inheritance but only if she doesn’t marry until 25 years old. Lucas lost his twin sister to a mugger incident years ago and he still carries the guilt that he couldn’t protect her. He wanted to make sure that something like that wouldn’t happen again so he took up pugilism. When his brother, Charles, starts seeing Lydia, he is persuaded to accompany him on 5 outings. However, it seems that Lucas and Lydia may be more compatible for each other even though neither one is looking to marry. But when circumstances arise that keep putting them together, will they give in?
Like I said, this book is fantastic. All the characters in this story are so well developed. I love Lucas and Lydia so much. Their personalities, character and chemistry with each other are great! I also loved Charles and Lucas’s parents are just great especially the mom. If you like clean regency stories with great romance, and a little danger, I highly recommend this one!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Karen Thornell's books. They are so beautifully written. This one kept me interested from the very first page.

I loved Lydia. She's a young woman just trying to make her way through life, with a guardian who seems to care nothing for her. I loved that Lydia just keeps going, even when things are hard. I really loved that she has a sense of right and wrong, and she follows that, no matter what her guardian or her maid might think.

Lucas...I loved that the reader knows that Lucas has a secret, and what it is. I loved the way Lucas keeps seeing Lydia over and over, because his brother is interested in her. The two of them just seem to be thrown together all the time. That made me laugh. I really loved Lucas' sense of honor. He wants to help others, be kind and do what a gentleman ought. And that does get him into trouble sometimes.

I loved the ending of this one. I didn't want to put it down. This one kept me up past my bedtime reading. And I'm not mad about it!

[Suzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a delightful and engaging story!

There was so much I loved about it. Wonderfully layered main characters and well drawn side characters, unexpected plot twists, the mystery, fun banter, and a sweet slow burn romance!

I loved Lucas and Lydia. She was intelligent, independent, and so kind-hearted. Lucas was a stoic, protective hero, and I loved how good and honorable he was. The tangible attraction and tension between them was wonderful, and I was so happy when they finally got together.

💕 What I loved:
Dual POV
Pugilist MMC
Secret heiress
Forced proximity
The carriage ride
Boxing lessons
Helping the children
Boat ride
The ball
The first kiss
Lovely ending

No Match For Love is a sweet and charming Regency romance, and was an absolute pleasure to read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Austenprose for a gifted copy.

[Whitney Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed Lydia and Lucas!!! It was wonderful to see how they grow and come together from start to finish!! I loved that first encounter. And Charlie is such a great character, I am hoping for something in the works for him. Learning about pugilism was intriguing in this story. It really is a delight to read!! Highly recommend for any regency romance fans out there!!

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ish

Thank you to Austen Prose PR and Covenant Communications for the gfited copy.

WELL.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

I wanted to love this and I don’t know if it was totally a me issue or if I just had a disconnect with this book. A lot of the writing felt stagnant. It was missing an aura of romance and the characters didn’t have a lot of those crucial connection moments to build up to the kissing scenes I love.

I did like these characters. Lydia learned to stand on her own and I liked her personality and demeanor. I still don’t know how she was all of a sudden medically trained enough to perform stitches?? But I guess that’s a question for another day.

Lucas was good too. He was endearing and kind. I liked the effort he put into helping others and learning to let go of his guilt. His brother was sweet too and I loved the addition of Charles to the story.

I found the plot to be somewhat incohesive. It felt like two stories were happening and they didn’t smoothly come together. I found myself having a hard time picking this up to finish.

Overall audience notes:
- Historical romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: low; some blood depiction
- Content Warnings: physical altercations, physical assault, sexual assault (unwanted kissing)

[Amanda Morrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this may be my favorite book from Karen! There is so much depth to these characters. Lucas has a secret life as a pugilist and Lydia soon figures it out. They grow to trust and care for each other but Lucas is still reluctant to fall (for reasons stemming from his past). Lydia seeks freedom from her guardian and answers about her past. I love the bit of mystery and the suspense had the right touch. A slow burn Regency romance with so many swoony moments and well paced.

[Regency_Fan_ Michelle RegencyFanMichelleAndMore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by the author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a charming, clean Regency-era novel that I found impossible to put down, thanks to its witty banter, well-balanced pace, and dual narrative perspectives. The slow-burn romance was expertly woven throughout the story, making it a truly captivating read.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Lydia’s character! Lucas had his moments and they were great together but Lydia was the best. The ending was a little abrupt and weak and there were some loose ends that didn’t get tied up very well but overall this was a very enjoyable read.

[Ashley Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely charmed by this story! Karen Thornell knows how to expertly infuse wit and humor into her dialogue and I absolutely loved it! Lucas and Lydia were a slow burn with plenty of getting to know you moments that kept me coming back for more. I truly loved how their romance developed and blossomed. These characters had depth from past experiences and it really connected them in a a beautiful way. The conclusion and declaration of feelings was absolutely perfection for these characters! I really enjoyed this romance and love this author’s writing!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Karen,
OH MY GOSH! In all the best ways, I am completely stunned by your newest book. I loved it! I couldn’t put it down, binged it in an entire day, and was sad when it was over. I’m completely in love.
Lucas is just the sweetest hero. Have I ever mentioned that I love a flawed hero? I love it so much when male protagonists aren’t perfect, and the way Lucas tries so hard, but still messes up, just made me love him more. Also, the way he falls for Lydia might be my favorite thing ever.
Lydia’s propensity to speak her mind, and jump in with both feet whenever she sees someone in need makes her so endearing. I loved how she spoke her mind and didn’t worry about societal conventions. I loved her honesty with Lucas, her scheming to get what she wanted, and her good heart.
The entire thing surrounding pugilism and Lucas’s backstory was so well done. I was deeply invested in his story, and teaching how to box may have been my very favorite.
I loved the small bit of intensity and mystery coupled with the romance. And goodness, did you ever deliver on the swoon with this one! Woo! Those kissing scenes, the tension between Lucas and Lydia, were superb. And the way everything ended was so good! I didn’t expect it, and that made it even better.
This one may just be taking the top ranking spot for my favorite of yours. Absolutely beautiful book, Karen.
All my love,
Jessica

[The_Power Of_The Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always up for reading a book from Karen Thornell. Her storytelling is superb. Great characters with engaging wit and humor.

This is not a cookie cutter Regency. I loved all the twists and turns. The ups and the downs.

This is an intriguing story of an orphan girl who knows nothing of her family. She has lots of questions but a very closed mouth guardian. More than anything she wants freedom to choose for herself. She’s tired of her life being dictated by others. When she finds a chance for freedom she’s willing to do what she must to obtain it. Until she’s not…

Lucas is the heir to a Marquessate. He’s seemingly got everything he could want, but peace. Will he ever share his secrets or his heart?

If you’re a lover of Regency romance, adventure and mystery you’ll love this book. It has it all!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydia and Lucas were absolutely adorable in this regency romance. Lydia is living with her guardian and attending her first season in her early twenties. Her guardian is hopeful to get her married as quick as possible, but Lydia has other ideas. She isn't in a rush for marriage and the hustle of the ton is quite exhausting for her. Lucas is a title heir and also doesn't care much for social gatherings, but comes from a lovely family and he always follows through with his obligations.

But both of them have secrets they'd rather others didn't find out. As Lucas' younger brother decides to attempt courting Lydia, the three of them are spending much more time together and it's becoming difficult for Lydia and Lucas to deny the attraction they have to one another. But those pesky secrets threaten to ruin everything both of them want for themselves.

I really enjoyed the amount of humor and lighthearted banter in this one. Lydia isn't afraid to put herself out there, and sometimes to her guardians chagrin. She prefers a simple life and is overwhelmed by the boredom of social expectations. Both Lucas and Lydia are drawn to each other's philanthropic natures in the ways they try to help those less fortunate than themselves. This is really what brings these two together.

In a society where social class is everything, both of them are pushing the boundaries of the reach of their own social class with the honest hope of helping people get on their feet and find a decent living. It's a dangerous game though, because there are lots of people within society that don't want to see those in lower classes be successful.

This regency romance brings together two kind hearted individuals and shines a light on social class disparities providing hope for a better life and a safety net for those that are struggling. Inspirational and emotional, this is a spirited read that had me wanting to stay in the pages for much longer!

[Angela (justwant_2read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, Karen Thornell did it again. She wrote two fantastic main characters, and cast us all under her spell. I absolutely could NOT put this book down once I got into the thick of it (sorry kids, mom still loves you 😁😂). The buildup to the thick of this story was so good too. A slow burn, but that doesn’t mean the reading will be slow. Oh no, you will find yourself thinking about this book each time you have to put it down, and rush to get back to it.

I loved the way she perfectly balanced all the emotions- the perfect amount of wit and humor, suspense, heartache, stupidity 😜, romance and swoon… it was *chefs kiss. 😘
Lucas and Lydia were a great couple who balanced each other out so well. The side characters were also PERFECT in this and played an important role in our main characters path to love. I loved it! I loved it!! I LOVED it!!!

Thank you to the author and publisher for an advance copy. All opinions are my own!

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you plan when to fall in love and with whom?

Lucus and Lydia have their reasons to want to control when they marry. Friendship is okay though.

Lydia’s situation with a cold guardian who insists she marry had me completely on her side. Who wouldn’t want freedom? Is marriage in the regency era just a transfer of who controls your life?

Lucus keeps his life very tidy. He’s driven and secretive in his pursuits. As his life starts spinning out of control, he starts to see Lydia differently.

I loved watching these two be thrown together. Watching their relationship grow without either of them realizing it. There were so many great moments with them on the page, which made the ending extra sweet. I loved the romance. I loved the mystery. I loved the emotional healing. A new favorite by this author.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so so good! I’ve been mostly reading fantasy, so this was the perfect little dash of regency that I needed. This book has it all - pugilists, scheming mothers, horrid guardians, tragic pasts, daring rescues, and just enough twists to keep you on your toes!

Lucas reminded me of Mr Darcy - never able to say things correctly! And Lydia was nice and spunky. I loved all the side characters and the bits of history thrown in.

If you love sweet regency romance, definitely check this out! And if you’ve read Karen’s other books, you’ll be delighted to see some characters again 😘

Romance: sweet kisses
Content: previous death of loved ones, injuries from street fights

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark my words, Lucas, you're in love."

This book did not play out how I expected but make no mistake, not a single part of it disappointed me. It was entirely dreamy and I am actively looking forward to adding it to my paperback collection.

If you like regency, found family, pugilism, brothers, healing, and opposites attract, read this one and fall in love!

[Korynn Mangum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story!! My first time reading this author she did a good job! My favorite part was so much of the clever banter—definitely got a few audible laughs out of me!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book. No words. Just love. So much love for this beautiful story!! I have wanted to read a book by Karen Thornell for SO LONG! I am so happy that I finally got the chance to read one of her stories that I’ve heard nothing but love for.
 
No Match for Love had everything I love in a story. This is one of those books that will have you smiling on every page. You won’t be able to put the book down. I’m having trouble finding the words to describe how much I loved this book. To say I loved everything about it is too simple but so true. The characters. The fast-paced storyline. THE ROMANCE.
 
Let’s talk about the romance for a moment. Cute. Adorable. Had me smiling like an idiot. Did I mention adorable? Lydia and Lucas are one of my new favorite book couples. I love storylines like theirs where one or both of them don’t want to fall in love. Reading how they slowly fall for each other without even meaning to was so sweet. I won’t spoil anything, but the storyline with Lucas and the pain from his past was so touching. Especially how Lydia helped him heal and learn to be happy again.
 
This book, y’all. I cannot recommend it enough. I can see myself reading it over and over and never tiring of it. I now see why Karen Thornell’s writing is so loved and praised. She has written a phenomenal story that will be on my mind for a long time. No Match for Love deserves a million stars.

[Modern Miss Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

🤍 Thank you for the arc of No Match for Love 🤍

This was an easily bingeable, romantic story! Perfect for regency romance lovers who love a little mysterious flare!

I did think that my attention wondered a bit with this one and I wanted more romance and tension between the MCS

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let me say, the cover is beautiful! It pulls you into the story before you even turn the first page. Once you start reading, you quickly see that Karen Thornell has created something truly special. "No Match For Love" has become my favorite book by her. I found myself reading whenever I had a moment because I just couldn’t put down this slow-burn romance.

The main character, Lydia, is in London to find a husband at her guardian's request. She has never had control over her life and is eager for change.
Lydia soon meets Lucas Berkeley, a future marquess with his own secrets. After the loss of his twin sister, he has shut off his heart, believing her death is his fault. He channels his pain into boxing and other hidden activities.

This Regency Romance features two main characters who are flawed and hurting but are also innately searching for love. Lucas's gloomy attitude gets a shake-up from bright and determined Lydia, who begins to open his heart. I really enjoyed their playful exchanges and the way they struggled not to be drawn to one another. The double point of view is a great choice because this author creates such rich characters. I also loved Lucas's brother and parents.

I'm confident that fans of Regency Romance will enjoy "No Match For Love," thanks to its mix of mystery, relatable characters, unexpected twists, and the undeniable chemistry between Lydia and Lucas. Overall, this book is a total winner, and I’m excited to give it a five-star rating.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydia is the type of character who is very easy to love. Although life has handed her many challenges, including a difficult guardian who is determined to marry her off, she’s full of sunshine and happiness. An interesting street encounter with a pugilist breaking up a fight leaves her bewildered when she later recognizes him in polite company.

The twinges of secrets and mystery, as well as the entertaining interactions between Lucas, his brother Charlie, and Lydia left me eagerly devouring every page of this delightful and fun Regency romance. All the longing glances and resistance to romance only served to deliver clever banter and swoony interactions. Lucas is definitely on my favorites list of complex and intriguing main characters.

This is such a fun story with multi-dimensional characters and smart twists.

Content: mild romance; very mild fighting

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was so refreshingly sweet! Sometimes I find myself in the mood for a clean, innocent romance--and this was the perfect choice for that!

The draw that the main characters felt for each other was just perfection. But it didn't feel contrived and it wasn't stilted. Their relationship just took a natural progression, much to Lucas' denial of wanting love. 

I feel like these two brought out the best in each other--rather than some romances where the couple doesn't seem to complement each other very well. Lucas and Lydia were perfectly matched. 

I really loved the fact that we got to know Lydia's roots, also. I felt like she deserved to know where she came from after being left to a guardian who didn't have much of a relationship with her. 

And what an ending! Such a beautiful story!

[Courtney | Bookish Beach Babe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goods✨
•turns about the room
•ball gown mishaps
•boxing
•keeping secrets and discovering secrets
•caretaking
•he nods a lot
•shared grief
•dual pov
•the kisses

I adored this beautiful, tender love story. I loved how these two were avoiding marriage for different reasons, but ended up forming a beautiful bond through friendship first. They were able to open up to each other and eventually love won.

I loved Lucas’s steadfastness and stoicism. Lydia was so inquisitive and always stood up for what was right. Together these two did all they could to help others and I love how they bonded over that. Lucas and Lydia found family with each other and it absolutely melted my heart! Karen Thornell never fails to deliver a swoon-worthy romance!

Content: kisses

Thank you to the author, Covenant, and Austenprose for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.

[Jessica McAvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fine. There seemed to be a lot of stuff thrown in I think in an attempt to distract you on how this was going to resolve. The book was probably 9 chapters longer than it needed to be. The entire inheritance from the grandfather had no impact on the story. The almost forced elopement also felt thrown in. You never hear what happened to the bad guys. Why didn’t Lucas parents talk to him about his sister’s death sooner? That seems like an obvious conversation a 17 year old would need to hear. The instinct to stop loving new people after a death doesn’t make sense to me. It is a common troupe, but do people really do that? Anyway, it was entertaining at parts. It would be improved if the characters stopped choosing to be obtuse. Having said that, it is a lot deeper than other books of this genre.

Lydia is the neglected ward of a Baron. Lucas has been crushed by guilty over his sister’s death. Lydia travels to her first season in London. She grew up with the servants and tenants not really feeling like she belonged. She is pretty so easily men start paying attention to her. Lucas’s brother, Charles, was one. He gets Lucas to agree to accompany him on 5 outings for him to decide if he likes Lydia. The reason he wants his brother along is to avoid damage to her reputation if Charles decides not to court her. He does decide that but the family still thinks her reputation was damaged. Lucas is part of the gossip too, so he convinces his mother to let her stay as her mother’s companion when Lydia’s guardian has to go to the country due to illness. Lucas developed a boxing club in honor of his sister. It lets him blow off steam and develop his muscles which Lydia notices quickly. He starts using the club to find men down on their luck. He acts as a working man at the club and goes by Luke. However, by day he uses his connections to elevate the men to better positions. Lydia is all about serving people when she is sad and Lucas notices that about her. The club comes under attack when a fellow Lord’s business operations are threatened by all the men leaving for better posts. Lucas destroys the reputation of that Lord presumably causing his business to collapse. Charlie gets beat up a few times over it and you learn that his sister was killed by highway in a robbery gone bad. Lucas blames himself for not being able to fight off the men, for going with her, for not stopping sooner in the road, etc. His dad finally has a conversation about how Lucas is not to blame (why did this conversation not occur sooner?). Lucas begins to see he had grieved all wrong and begins to remember the good things about his sister. Lydia learns she will inherit 30000 pounds if she waits to marry at 25 and doesn’t marry a Lord. The inheritance comes from her mother’s father who never got to meet her and her guardian kept him away. You learn the guardian is her uncle and older brother to her father. She doesn’t met either requirement because she love Lucas. After a night where Lucas’ loved ones follow him to danger (like how his sister died), Lydia is compromised by a dude who tries to force her hand to marriage. Lucas doesn’t care and after deciding he wants to be a real boy instead of a robot he proposes to her. She is informed that her uncle died and his barony passed to her. She comes home to see the entire neighborhood showed up to welcome her home.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydia Faraday has lived a lonely life on her guardian’s estate. She has suddenly been called into London by her guardian to have a season amongst the ton. She is not sure why he has a sudden interest in marrying her off, but she is going to experience London to its fullest. Lucas Berkely escapes the pain of his past by starting a secret club and becoming a prize boxer. He wants to keep this secret from society, but through a chance meeting, he is afraid that Lydia has uncovered his secret. When his brother Charlie decides to court Lydia to appease his mother, Lucas finds himself drawn to Lydia. Why has Lydia’s guardian suddenly decided she is to be married? What is the secret of her past? Will Lucas’s secret come out and will he be able to come to terms with the tragedy in his past?

My thoughts on this novel:

• Lydia and Lucas were wonderful characters. I loved the growth that both characters had during this novel. I also enjoyed the chemistry between these characters. Both were believable characters. Lucas is socially awkward and haunted by the death of his twin sister. Lydia grew up without a family and was raised by servants at her guardian’s estate. She has become a healer, and she loves to help out those less fortunate than herself. She shares this with Lucas.

• The chapters alternate between Lucas and Lydia’s points of view.

• The side characters are fun as well. I loved Lucas’s entire family, especially Charlie and their mother.

• I enjoy that this is set during the Regency time period. I love Regency romance.

• The storyline was enchanting. I really wanted to know both Lydia and Lucas’s back stories and what would happen to them. The mystery and suspense in this novel was very fun. I also loved how they both helped others throughout the book and this willingness to be a helper is what attracted them to each other.

• No Match for Love is a clean read.

Overall, No Match for Love was a very engaging read with great characters, story, and romance. I couldn’t stop reading this book once I picked it up. I highly recommend it.

Book Source: Review copy from Covenant Communications as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2024...

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars for this book! No Match for Love is a new Regency romance favorite! I loved the mystery, wit, charm, & sweet opposites attract, not looking for love romance. There’s a lot of heart in this story along with the endearing characters & mystery. I adored the pugilist MMC who fights his own demons while fighting opponents & a FMC who charmed me from the first.

Lydia Faraday’s intelligent, kindhearted, & has a sunny personality despite her losses. After losing her parents at a young age, she’s become solely dependent on her taciturn guardian who’s brought her to London to marry her off. When she meets a dirty faced handsome pugilist breaking up a fight, she’s surprised to later recognize him in an unlikely place. Determined to thwart her guardian’s plan, she investigates a claim by her grandfather’s solicitor that’ll finally make it possible for her to have a say in her life.

Future marquess Lucas Berkeley carries a lot of pain which he secretly takes out in his underground boxing ring. But when the woman his brother is courting recognizes him, he tries to do everything he can to ensure she keeps his secret. But Lydia gets under his skin & while he’s determined to keep his emotions fully in check & not marry for love, her draw proves irresistible.

I loved this story! Lucas is such a stoic man who carries a lot of undue blame. I loved the way Lydia was able to get him to laugh & brought some lightness into his life. Lydia was such a fun character & I loved her compassion, self taught medical knowledge which she uses frequently, & her independent spirit. They both have kind hearts & I enjoyed the way they served others especially the less fortunate. I adored having both their points of view & watching their delightful romance unfold.

I enjoyed all the side characters especially Lucas’ brother Charlie. He was so much fun & I’d love to get his story. Also loved the mystery! There were several potential villains, & one you absolutely want to see get his comeuppance. I enjoyed the twists & turns & exciting conclusion.

This book honestly has it all! Highly recommend. Though it’s a standalone read, it was fun recognizing some familiar faces from previous books. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.