Adam: Forbidden Governess Victorian Romance

Diamonds of the First Water #3

by Sydney Jane Baily

The heir to an earldom needs a suitable wife, but he falls arse-over-elbows for a governess with a shadowy past.

Dark-haired and wickedly handsome . . .
Lord Diamond leads a charmed life. The only brother amongst four sisters, he is touted as the best thing since frothy syllabub. Every young lady in London wants his leg shackled to hers. Summering in Bath brings freedom from the marriage-minded Mayfair mothers and reaps a new crop of single females to enjoy. Problem solved!

She’s living a terrible lie!
Mrs. Alice Malcolm has an ideal situation, tutoring two young ladies in an upper-class home. A clean room, a roof over her head, and best of all, as long as she keeps her former identity hidden while pretending to be a meek governess, she is safe from the demands and threats of the past.

While Adam pursues Alice to be his mistress — and duty battles with desire — only two options remain for her . . . ignore his impossibly tempting, amorous advances or flee for her life! Will pride, prejudice, and secrets keep these two from their happy ending?

Engaging characters, entertaining stories, and passionate romance with a touch of intrigue — you’ll find it all in the books by USA Today bestselling author Sydney Jane Baily.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Victorian, Romance, Historical Fiction, Amazon, Fiction

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2024

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Sydney Jane Baily writes historical romance with engaging characters, attention to period detail, and sensual romance ~ often with a touch of intrigue. Amazon page: author.to/SydneyJaneBaily

A first-generation American daughter of Brits from either end of London, Sydney resides in Massachusetts with her family -- human, feline, and canine. The rest of her extended family live in the U.K. where she spent many happy childhood summers. She loves shandy, Maltesers, Cadbury bars, fish and chips, and anything from Harrod's food hall or in a Fortnum and Mason's basket.

Learn more about her books, read her blog, and contact her via her website at https://www.SydneyJaneBaily.com. She loves to hear from readers. On her site, you can also sign up for her Readers' Group and receive an occasional (not bothersome) newsletter along with a free book.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5.0

An interesting historical romance by Ms. Sydney Bailey!

Read full review in the 2022 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam should be nominated for sainthood. While Alice’s checkered history was pretty scandalous by the standards for a lady of her time, her attempts to keep it from Adam were the real danger to this love story and any other man would have cut and run after the first ambush or two. He handled it well, and the author of this story did a superb job establishing her characters and delineating the plot arc to tell a meaningful story of love and redemption. I was engaged the entire time, though I did begin to think Alice’s refusal to trust in her husband’s love became stubbornly dim-witted: faced with the choice of “protecting” Adam by working with him or running away, she chose the one guaranteed to hurt them both the most. I hate it when that happens in romances.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Diamonds are a close family, but the heir to the Earl of Diamond, Adam makes his own way in the world. From the moment he encounters Alice, his heart rules over his head. She may be a governess, but Adam reaches the point he doesn't care and wants her not as his mistress, but as his wife. Alice has a complicated past that keeps her from entering society functions and is hesitant to marry Adam. The last thing she wants is someone to recognize her, bring up her past and jeopardize her relationship with Adam. The one man who threatens her the most is the one she fears will destroy her marriage. Running away is always her first instinct, but the Diamond family takes care of their own. The third book in the series keeps a nice pace with an exceptional hero, but sometimes a frustrating lady.
Heat level 3+
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam by Sydney Jane Bailey. It’s another wow from me about another amazing book that I have read. If I’m not mistaken, I believe that this is a new writer to me. I had the most fun reading Adam and Alice’s romantic love story. The plot of the story was indeed captivating, but it was the journey of Alice and Adam. The romance journey I’m referring to.
I loved the fact that Adam new the woman that he wanted and didn’t give up in his pursuit. It was all rather sweet and charming at how the many different ways Adam tried to win Alice over with his seductive ways. Alice was a wonderful woman who often thought of other people, as well as put others before her. I enjoyed reading the parts were Adam slowly helped Alice to shed this darken habit. I give hands down to the writer, because I felt that this story was an easy read.
The story stayed very close to a number of realistic events. The characters were all fantastic including George, the brother in law. His wicked ways was fantastically written in the book. The entertainment was brilliantly written. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lord Adam Diamond has seen his two elder sisters fall in love and marry, and considers that now might be right for his own nuptials. Off to Bath to decide whether to sell or keep his maternal grandparents home, he meets Mrs. Alice Malcolm, working as a governess to friends of his family, and he is smitten. He wants Alice, and she seems to want him too, but she's keeping a secret - one which if it was revealed, would ruin everything. Can Adam break through her barriers, and show her that being with him will be nothing like her late husband, and she can take a risk?

With this being the third book in the series, we already know most of the Diamond clan, but Adam has always been a little aloof from his sisters. As heir to the Earldom, he's a catch, but he's never really considered marrying yet, but seeing Clarity and Purity find happiness, he wants the same. I liked Alice, a lot. She had a past, and though she was extremely secretive, I did understand why she was that way. She was extremely lovable, and it was lovely to see the way the Diamond's rallied around her, particularly when times got tough. A good addition to the series!

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Diamond is the third child, heir to the Diamonds and a eligible bachelor, who chooses Bath as the place to look for his future wife.
What he didn't count on is the existence of Alice, a governess with a dark past and who will challenge many of his concepts.
What she didn't count on is that the feelings awakened by Lord Diamond will force her to leave the safety of her self-exile from London society and face her unspoiled past.
After initially struggling with his class prejudices, Adam supports Alice in different ways and she needs to learn to trust him and other people to share her problems, overcome loneliness and believe that she can be worthy of the love and admiration of the other.
I really liked the author's choice of having an imperfect girl, with flaws, with a past love (different from the usual girls) and who will have to face the consequences of her actions and evolve with it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JenReviews4U · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet and romantic story of following your heart.
Adam Diamond is the only male heir of the fortunate and famous Diamond family and every marriage-minded debutante wants him. So he hides out in Bath hoping to allude the marriage mart and finds himself falling head over heels for - a governess!
Alice Malcolm didn't come to Bath to seek out a mate, she's in hiding as a governess and if she can just lay low for a few years, the scandal that happened in London will certainly blow over. She just has to escape the notice of everyone, especially Lord Diamond.
I enjoyed this story. Adam is just such a sweetheart and wants so much to see the positive. And poor Alice just wants to be left alone yet loved for who she is. After her disastrous marriage, she needs to learn to trust again but when she finally takes a chance on love. she might end up blowing it because of this lack of trust and her fierce independence.
The only critique I really have of this story is that it was so heavily focused on Alice when it should have been more so on Adam as this is his story. He felt secondary to her drama which is too bad. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series which do focus on the women as they are Adam's sisters but I really feel he got a raw deal. The storyline was good but the villain just sort of gave up which was disappointing. And there were a few scenes at the end that I felt didn't need to be there as they did not contribute to the story in any way except to pass time.
Overall though I would recommend this, strong writing, a nice story, and a continuation of the series although it could be read as a stand-alone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Adam Diamond leads a charmed life, the only brother amongst four sisters, every young lady in London wants his leg shackled to hers. So he decamps to his grand parent's house in Bath. Mrs. Alice Malcolm has an ideal situation tutoring two young ladies in an upper-class home. A clean room, a roof over her head, and best of all, she is safe from the demands and threats of her former brother-in-law. Then she meets Adam
The third Diamond sibling to find love & a charming, entertaining read it was. I loved Adam who fell hard & fast for Alice & he never gave up. I really liked Alice but I did want to shake her a couple of times especially when she ran. I loved the chemistry between the pair & thoroughly enjoyed their road to a HEA & how Alice eventually learned to trust not only Adam but all the Diamonds
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice is in hiding after a disastrous marriage. Her brother in law blames her for his brother's debts and death. She has a position as a governess. Adam comes on the scene to court her employer's daughter. Adam cannot keep Alice off his mind. Adam wants to make her his wife even though she is a governess. She hides her upbringing as a lady. By hiding her past it brings Adam some misgivings but he is not willing to give up on their love.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from Netgalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book three of Sydney Jane Bailey's series Diamonds of the First Water, and is the story of the only son of the Earl and Countess of Diamond, Adam.

Adam, Lord Diamond, is in Bath to deal with his grandparent's home on their behalf, considering whether to sell it, lease it, or keep it. On an outing one day he runs into a young lady who draws his interest, when she drops a package while out shopping and as he returns it, he finds himself drawn to her and interested, but she fails to introduce herself to him, and he does not see her again on his social outings, despite searching for her.

While he is there, he figures he is of an age to consider starting the hunt for a wife, and will pay a visit to his mother's friend, Lady Beasley, as she has a daughter of marriageble age. There, he finds his mystery woman, the governess to the Beasley's younger daughters, Mrs. Alice Malcolm.

Alice has been working for the Beasley's for the past couple of years as a governess, but there is a mystery about her from the beginning. She has the demeanor and knowledge of a lady, and it is indicated from the beginning she was raised a lady, but hiding that fact. But what from her past is she hiding from?

Adam is disappointed that the lady who caught his attention is not a lady but a middle class woman and governess. He finds the Beasley's eldest daughter attractive and agreeable and pays lukewarm courtship to her. Alice is at times reluctantly pulled into chaperoning the daughter. She does not want to be pushed into social circumstances, as she is reluctant to be recognized by members of high society. As the story goes further, more is discovered of Alice's background. It turns out that she is a titled daughter of a nobleman, and widow of another. Her parents are neglectful and uncaring and she was allowed to ran wanton during her debute. She ended up in a scandal and married the man at the cause of it, but he turned out to be a terrible husband, rake, gambler, and drunkard, and died after less than 2 years of marriage. His younger brother blames her for his death and has been threatening Alice, seeking monies for their outstanding debts. Alice, to escape her problems, with nowhere else to run as her parents hied off to Spain themselves, took on a new identity as Mrs. Malcolm, the governess.

Adam, while appearing to court Suzanne Beasley, cannot ignore his attraction to Alice, and considers how he would convince her to have an affair with him while he is in Bath. But things do not go his way, considering Alice's lack of trust in young rakish noblemen, so he tries the route of public courtship. It is difficult for Alice as she does not trust his motives and is still fearful of being recognized as her former self in high society functions. Adam himself, not knowing Alice and her background, has trouble reconciling his own prejudices about a working middle class woman and his attraction to her.

Things come to a head when she is recognized for who she really is at an event, and fearing that her past will catch up with her, Alice resigns her governess position and abandons Adam, running away again. She runs home to her abandoned family estate, hoping to at least be able to have shelter until she can figure out her future. She finds that it has been stripped of all valuables and sold off, as her brother in law sent people to take anything of value. But some old family retainers stayed on and lived there as they had no place else to go and she is brought back into the fold.

Adam finds his way to her and they reunite, and as he finds out more about her and her true past, he realizes he does love her and wants to marry her. Alice is conflicted as she feels she is not right for Adam, having so much taint from her marriage and her past behaviour, but she loves him as well and they do marry. But she fails to tell him everything about herself, not wanting to lose his regard or taint their marriage further, but as with all things, the truth will out. Her brother in law, when they are in London, dogs her footsteps, making accusations and threats and causing a great deal of distress to Alice and forcing Adam to seek out her past and truth. Adam becomes frustrated by Alice not trusting in him and telling him all herself, and seeks more information to help Alice, but Alice, afraid of the past and how it could harm Adam and his family, runs away again.

It was initially difficult for me to like Adam as I did question his behaviour at the start of the story, probably like Alice. After all, he was a happy go lucky, wealthy, handsome, young bachelor appearing to court a perfectly suitable young woman in Lady Suzanne Beasley, but then propositioning Alice, her governess/chaperone? Alice, obviously having been burned by men before, does not trust him. Also, when he comes out and offers to court her publicly, considering his beliefs about her as a middle class woman and widow, I did wonder if he was doing so as a ruse to get her in his bed for an affair as well. If she wasn't attracted to him also, and likely missing being treated as an attractive woman, I would not have blamed her for tossing him out of her life.
But when he followed her to her old family home and still proved he wanted to marry her I found myself convinced in their HEA, and especially how supportive and protective he and his family were of her. But then Alice could not seem to accept that she had the love and support of the Diamonds. Understandable considering what a lack of family support she had before from her own terrible parents, and how . What I would have liked to have seen was some kind of resolution or confrontation of Alice and her parent's past, as it sounds like they were terribly neglectful parents and a lot of her past behaviour was because she was neglected and disregarded by them, and seeking attention from others to make up for their lack as parents - like a child acting out, or someone seeking the love they never got as a child.

Overall, an enjoyable story with interesting nuances, though initially I did not like the route Adam was taking because it seemed like he was seeking to advantage of Alice and her situation.

3.75 stars out of 5.

[Melody Tregear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not clean

The premise intrigued me but there was no available info at the time of purchase as to content. Unfortunately. For those who care about that, this book contains blasphemy, crude language - albeit wrapped in old English - swearing and sex outside of marriage. Some scenes are very detailed, but the subject felt ever present. Even having sex under the trees in the orchard; where a gardiner or groundsman could easily come upon them. Unlikely. Will avoid this author in future.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Alice is a runner. When something disagreeable about her past surfaces, she runs. When life deals her a bad hand, she runs. When her husband is made aware of her reputation, she runs. When a nasty bounder from her past reappears to threaten her, of course she runs. She always has an excuse—which she calls a reason—for running: she can’t face being a social pariah, she can’t bring shame onto her husband, she needs to get away to think. Regardless of the excuses, she runs. As far away as she can manage.

This is not what I want in my heroine. Problems? Bring ‘em on. Heartache? Hand out the hankies. Misunderstandings? Turn the page for a resolution. But running away? No. It’s an act of cowardice, despite the heroine’s false rationale.

I enjoy Sydney Jane Baily’s writing style. It has a pleasant cadence in the mind when read. It isn’t always easy to read because she uses many Regency terms that are wholly outdated, and she offers no help in understanding them. I’m off to google them in the middle of the book and it takes me out of the story. Turning on—and building—Kindle's X-Ray capability would be a splendid help. For example, the term rum-duke is used several times and could be construed to mean a fun fellow or a drunk one. Google helped because the Kindle’s link to a dictionary and Wikipedia did not define the word. (Google defines it as “a jolly handsome fellow.”)

Ms. Baily also uses the word, “lobcock,” quite often, generally with humor. Google defines it as “a dull sluggish person,” but if one keeps looking, eventually another definition appears, “a large, flaccid penis.” Okay. In context, that makes sense. However, if Ms. Baily is going to use terms purportedly used in Regency England, then their definitions would be much appreciated. I enjoy research, and looking up words that are new to me is fascinating, but it takes me out of the story and sometimes I don’t return immediately.

Ms. Baily introduces a new (to me) term that I could not find in any dictionary, nor article on Regency slang. Even Google told me it didn’t have “many great matches for your search.” It’s the term, “to jark,” as in “What if she jarked it by ferry to the Continent?” In context, it probably means to make a run for it, because that is what Alice (the “she” in question) is so good at, running. [BTW, spellchecker didn’t like the word at all.] Again, Kindle’s X-Ray could’ve been helpful and would have kept the poor reader inside the book, rather than having to go to another device to search for the term. [Speaking of which, Kindle’s Search option doesn’t work with this book, either…harrumph!]

There are a few oddities. For instance, at the end of Chapter 4, we’re told the heroine’s thoughts about a kiss she had received from Adam Diamond; she tells us, “It had been almost chaste….” No, it hadn’t. The kiss, detailed in Chapter 3 (Kindle page 24) is described like this: “…Adam slanted his mouth against hers and licked the satin seam of her lips, ready to dive in and taste her sweetness.” Does that sound like a chaste kiss? Nope. And it was not.

Sometimes, in a dialogue, it can be difficult to discern who is speaking. For instance:
“The acoustics?” Susanne asked, but neither did Lord Diamond’s head turn toward her, nor Alice respond. She couldn’t take her eyes from his, “I doubt we shall hear the vocals tonight, but no matter, the music speaks for itself.”
This sounds as if Susanne is the speaker, and this would be a logical conclusion since the second part of the conversation is in the same paragraph as the first. However, Susanne is flighty and has neither an ear nor an appreciation for fine music. She wouldn’t even understand how music could “speak for itself.” The “she” in “She couldn’t take her eyes from his…” is most likely Lady Alice, who is refined and tasteful, and a lover of beautiful music. She is probably the one who speaks about the music. I mention it because it jars in the reading of the scene and removes the reader from the book to consider who is talking.

By Chapter 16, Alice’s incredibly low self-esteem was becoming tedious. Once again, she is worried that “Adam would know what kind of woman he had married.” And just a few pages later, she muses, “Adam would learn the truth about her.” This is repeated far too often and only serves to highlight the perfidy of Lady Alice who is not only a runner, but a practiced liar…complete with the ready excuse that she was only trying to protect herself. Hmmm.

I went back and forth when rating this book. I do enjoy reading Ms. Baily’s books and her characters really do seem to be part of their Regency background. They could not easily be plucked up and moved into the 21st century. I appreciate that. However, the constant deceptions, the lying, the running away, on the part of our heroine got old by the halfway mark; these traits emphasized that she was not a diamond of the first water. I rated it 2.5 stars and rounded up because Ms. Baily’s style is enjoyable. I liked the second book, Clarity, very much and rated it an easy 4-stars. This one was not as good.

This book, Adam, is okay. I didn’t care too much for Lady Alice. She was far too often at sixes and sevens with herself. She was supposed to be a strong, independent woman but did not exhibit traits of moral strength. And independent she certainly was not. She needed help from everyone, yet never seemed to see this. While this book was disappointing, it won’t keep me from enjoying other books by Ms. Baily. She is a prolific writer.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

not as good

Definitely not as good as the two previous novels. The female protagonist was not very likeable and it was difficult to discern what Adam saw in her. The very last part of the book attempted to rush along the characters future and repeated again and again the same sentiments throughout the book. Almost felt like a story with a word requirement. Disappointing.

[Anonymous 5]

This is the third installment of Ms. Baily's Diamonds of the First Water series and it is a wonderful addition to the series. The story is engaging and sweet and filled with romance and I enjoyed it very much. The story is about Adam, the male sibling and heir of the Diamond family. He is considered the catch of the season, so pretty much every marriage-minded debutante has her sights set on him. While Adam is looking to marry, he doesn't want just any society miss to become his wife. He wishes to have an intelligent and accomplished lady by his side and wants more than just passing affection in his marriage. Not trusting the young ladies of London and desiring some freedom from the marriage mart, he decides to retreat to Bath for a while. While in Bath, he meets Alice, who is hiding out as a governess. She is not looking for love or even companionship, but she and Adam are drawn to each other. Alice is a widow hiding out in Bath to escape the scandal left behind in London. After the experience of her disastrous marriage, she has trust issues. She keeps her past hidden but as her relationship and feelings for Adam grow, she risks losing it all by not trusting him with the truth.
This is a well-written story with an engaging storyline that kept my interest all the way through. Ms. Baily has a great gift for writing historical romances that will captivate and enchant you, and this was no different. This was a delightful and passionate love story and a great addition to the series. Although it can be read as a stand alone, I would highly recommend you read them all as each book focuses on one of the siblings. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!
Thank you to Wolf Publishing and Ms. Baily for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Adam in the first two books of the series and was thrilled when he got his own story. I still like him and I liked Alice, his love interest. What I didn't care for was that she lied about who she was, her station, and just about everything in her life. I get why she did it, but she should've come clean with everything long before their relationship escalated.

Adam thinks Alice is a governess. She is when they first meet, but why she is a mystery until well into the book. It's understandable why she was hiding and in her favor, she tried time and again to tell Adam why a relationship between them was impossible. She was asking for trouble with being with him. She was ever mindful of this and soon let her heart get in the way of her head.

Adam knew Alice was a widow and a governess. He wanted her for a mistress and when she turned him down, he still pursued her. He thought she was beautiful, charming, intelligent, cultured for being a governess, and he wanted to spend more and more time with her. He was enchanted and gosh darn the consequences.

The reason I gave this book four stars is because I got frustrated with Alice running away, giving Adam information on a "need to know"' basis, which caused him embarrassment, and to doubt her when he probably wouldn't have had she come clean with everything up front. Like I said, I understand why she did it and I have to hand it to him, he stuck with her, even when he wasn't sure what the whole story was. I also didn't like how he interrogated her, but at the same time, I couldn't blame him.

Overall, this is a good story and a good addition to the series. It had some angst, steam, and an ending that I loved.

*This book is part of a series, but can be read independently

[Mariama Thorlu-Bangura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Wolf Publishing for this ebook arc, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. "Adam" is the third installment of author Sydney Jane Baily's Diamonds of the First Water series. Having previously read the first two in the series, I was eagerly awaiting the third. I wasn't disappointed. Most historical romances are told from the woman's point of view. Therefore I enjoy when it's presented from the man's viewpoint. Adam, Lord Diamond meets and falls for widow and governess Alice Fairclough. Just one little though...she's living under the radar in Bath to avoid her dead husband's brother, who holds her responsible for said dead husband's death and debts. Adam goes against the grain in falling for Alice, believing she's just a middle class woman. But eventually, her secret of actually being a lady, and thus a member of his class, is revealed. After some bumps in the road, they find their happily ever after. The story was engaging, but there are quite a few times Alice got on my nerves. Her answer for trouble is to run away, and that cannot and does not always work. Her fear of trusting Adam almost cost her her marriage to him before it even hit the six month mark! As for her brother-in-law...he needed a sound thrashing for being such a rude idiot! One punch to the face (spoiler alert!) wasn't enough for me. But he does get his comeuppance, and it was thoroughly enjoyable! I thought it was a nice touch to have Alice and her dead husband's first fiancée have that moment of conversation. (Sorry...another spoiler) It was good to see that she as well found happiness with the right man, and to acknowledge her mistake in not warning Alice about the idiot she married. A good read, as it accomplished what all romance novels aim for: sparking a gamut of emotions in the reader. I look forward to the next book in this series.

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Wolf Publishing. Having read the previous books in this series, Clarity & Purity, I was familiar with their brother Adam Diamond, but this book reveals so many more layers about him. Because he is the only boy growing up in a family with four sisters, he has a unique view into the world of women and an understanding that few men have. I was surprised that he initially only wanted Alice to be his mistress, and relieved when he eventually realized that would never suffice. In this instance, at least, Alice was smart to deny him what he wanted because the more time he spent with her, the more he realized how much he adored her, and this led him to fall in love.

Alice was “in hiding” for something that happened in her past. Though she was born to a noble family, she had married and been widowed and something unknown caused her to flee everything she ever knew and seek work as a governess. This is where Adam discovers her. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about her history and he’s not a gossip so he doesn’t inquire. Whenever he brings up her ex-husband, she clams up and won’t say anything more. Over time, he becomes suspicious over what she may be hiding—although he never thinks it’s anything nefarious.

Alice is genuinely afraid of what might happen if anyone recognizes her, but for someone so well-educated and intelligent, she makes some stupid assumptions and acts foolishly. Every time she’s presented with an opportunity to come clean with Adam, she chooses to only share parts of her history while hiding the rest. And this inevitably impacts his trust. Although I felt empathy for Alice, I was infuriated by her inability to confide in Adam and allow him to help carry her burden. There was never anything he did to cause her to fear he’d stop loving her.

The stupid heroine doing stupid things, whether it’s to protect herself or the person she loves, is my least favorite trope. I find it especially annoying when a character who has proven to be wise in most other aspects of her life, decides independently to do something that any objective person would advise her not to do. And let’s be honest, it’s always a woman doing the stupid thing. I have to keep in mind that at this time in history, women had few choices, so when they contemplated doing something on their own, there were probably few people in whom they could confide. On the other hand, the fact that some would like to push women back to that time in history might make me see this in a different light. It’s a cautionary tale, warning women not to run away, to fight back for what is right, and to allow others to help. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, except for when Alice acted like a ninny.

[Amberreads.alot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying the Diamond family series. This newest installment is funny and sweet. Adam is a genuinely good guy learning to rise above his mild classism who brings his whole self to his relationship with Alice. Alice is an intelligent woman trying to protect herself from her past, who finds a family she never had in Adam and the other Diamonds. I enjoyed watching Adam and Alice's relationship blossom and the way he and his family came together to protect her. The pacing and flow worked for me. I think some readers might be annoyed by the never-ending epilogue but it worked for me. I look forward to the youngest Diamond girls' stories. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are entirely my own.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam's Pursuit of His Lady . . .

Adam Diamond is the only son among four sisters and is destined to be an Earl. All the young ladies have an eye on him, so he goes to Bath to visit a friend of his mother and her daughter, Susanne, who unfortunately does not present herself as well educated. He is more interested in the woman who is there as governess.

Mrs. Alice Malcolm is a widow who is grateful she only had to endure her husband for two years before he died. She is now in hiding from her brother-in-law and is keeping her past identity secret. Gerald Fairclough still threatens both her freedom and her finances as he has accused her of murdering his brother, Richard, and she could not prove she did not. When Gerald inherited Richard’s estate, he had sold all the furnishings in her home to pay Richard’s debts. Richard himself would have sold the house to gamble away the money but had not known about the deed restriction of a legal trust preventing that. But Gerald could get his hands on money from selling all the furnishings and quickly did so.

Because Adam is very interested in Alice, he was aware he could only accept her as his mistress due to their social stations. She refuses. He doesn’t know that her father is actually an Earl and her mother is a Viscount’s daughter. But her past closes in and she immediately runs away. Will Adam continue to track her down and seek a relationship? Or will he let her go? And how will they deal with Gerald?

There is so much more going on, but the story line is intriguing and will keep the reader fully engaged. Grab your copy and enjoy!

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Even though the title is Adam it is more Alice's story who is his love interest but I'm not complaining because I really enjoyed Alice's point of view and story.

I really enjoyed the characters and story from this book. Compared to "Purity" which is the previous book I felt like the author has improved as the flow and conflict in this book made so much sense and merged really well.

Would definitely recommend this book if you are interested in period drama books.

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adult Victorian Second chance romance💕
I like the story of this book but it was way too angsty In execution. The author Has Alice, the main woman character, as a governess but it takes the whole book to actually get to the real reason why she is not living as a lady Since she is the daughter of an earl.
I got this e-book from Amazon for $0.
This is the 1st book I have read in this series and it was a disappointment.

[Carmelita Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patient & Persistent

Enjoyed this Regency novel.

This novel is enchanting. Alice and Adam's first meeting leads to a beautiful HEA. As an only child she has had to learn from her mistakes - alone. Allowing herself to depend on someone else and as patient as Adam, is something she must do learn to do if she truly wants to correct her former mistakes.

Eager to read the rest of the series now.

[Marjorie Messerschmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely my favorite in the series so far. A woman with a past she’s running from and with no family to help her. A man looking for a wife away from the London scene. A strong female in Alice but with fears of letting anyone in to help. Adam is lusty but sweet and loving but with prejudices he doesn’t appreciate he has. I appreciate the story continuing to a point where we know what occurs after the bad guy is out of the picture. Characters were all easy to love.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Diamond leads a charmed life. The only brother amongst four sisters, he is touted as the best thing since frothy syllabub. Every young lady in London wants his leg shackled to hers. Summering in Bath brings freedom from the marriage-minded Mayfair mothers and reaps a new crop of single females. Problem solved! It was an entertaining read. And am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 15th book by Sydney Jane Baily. I have been reading her since 2019. Even though I don’t follow her book releases frequently, I do check periodically and found a few new ones. Book 1 in this series being one of them. I have been loving The Diamonds.

Adam and Alice were such great characters and I loved their story. Really good read.

Definitely recommend.

[Fredine Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam (Diamonds of the first Water Book 3) Sydney Jane Baily

This was a most enjoyable story of the Heir to the Diamond Family and a chance meeting with the governess of a family, friend of his mother, in Bath. Their trial and tribulations, lend to an interesting roads on the way to happiness.

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a rollercoster of emotions for me. First of all, let me tell you that it’s a solid five star, but there were times when I hated the characters and soon after a few pages I loved them to distraction! And then I started hating them again…
Adam is refreshingly honest with himself and the others and even a bit naïve… But at the beginning he’s the typical nobleman, self-confident, even cocksure, and full of prejudices, despite coming from a wonderful and unconventional family. Society’s rules have shaped his character even if he’s not fully aware of it and he fancies himself different from the others. But then love drives him to search his soul and he grows and changes for the best and I loved him for that. On the contrary Alice started as a great character, bold and independent, but then she revealed all her insecurities and her faults and she infuriated me quite a lot every now and then. I started to understand her motives only at the end, together with Adam. So the author is very good at that: she guides the readers through the various steps of Adam and Alice acquaintance and lets us see what they see and feel what they feel… A great writer indeed. And this entire series is quite great! I have great expectations for the last two sisters and I’m sure they won’t let me down.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lessoned learned

I enjoyed reading Adam and Alice's story, although it seemed long. Some of the chapters didn't hold my attention, you could say I wasn't interested in the brother-in-law and the small part he played.
Thank you ❤️

[Mary Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The troubled governess

This was a great story of a governess with an appearance of a lady. She held a lot of secrets until she met the Lord who was seeing one of her charges. What a tale, you'll love it!

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam

Diamonds of the First Water Book 3,was a good as the first two I read.So good was the first I had to buy the others I hadn’t got.Now on to the forth.A well written and the storyline’s are fabulous.