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Sweet Historical Romance Shorts #4

The Solicitor's Wife: A Sweet Comedy Romance

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He expects an arranged marriage to a sweet, biddable wife—but gets her spirited twin sister instead.

A straightforward solicitor, Rupert Iverson looks forward to an uncomplicated arranged marriage to a distant, quiet family friend. Yet when the woman he brings home is anything but meek or mild, Rupert questions everything he’s ever thought he’s wanted—and whom he wants it with.

Determined to save her twin sister from an unwanted marriage, Ruby Galehart takes her twin sister’s place at the altar. When her ruse starts to slip, she worries for her secret. But as she warms to the kind, bookish solicitor she’s married, she starts to worry more for her heart.

A sweet, bite-sized, switched places historical romance.

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2025

56 people are currently reading
27 people want to read

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Iris Lim

38 books94 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for Gill M.
378 reviews28 followers
August 1, 2025
The Galehart family have many children and not much money. So when a well heeled distant relative suggests a match to a London solicitor, Mr Galehart jumps at the opportunity.

Unfortunately, twin daughters Ruth and Ruby are less impressed. Ruth is quiet and biddable, so is chosen as bride. However, Ruth has a sweetheart and is heartbroken. Her biddable nature also makes her unwilling to challenge her parents.

Ruby is desperate to spare her beloved twin, so concocts a plan to take her place at the altar.

She hadn't considered the possible fallout from this fraud. Nor had she anticipated the consequences of the truth being revealed, just when she was coming to love her "husband"

This is a sweet novella and well worth reading.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Pauline Ross.
Author 11 books363 followers
October 28, 2025
A fun little novella, which drew me in by the plot device of an arranged marriage with switched brides. I’m always fascinated by the legalities of Regency marriage so I was keen to see how the author would tackle this.

Here’s the premise: Rupert Iverson is a well-established solicitor who arranges a marriage to a demure, biddable wife. What he doesn’t know is that the proposed wife is in love with someone else (an apothecary’s apprentice - good luck with that!) and so her identical twin sister takes her place, and she’s not at all the biddable sort. Hoyden would be a more apt description. For her part, Ruby Galeheart hasn’t thought much about the marriage beyond saving her sister, so it’s a surprise to discover that her husband is rather an agreeable sort, who doesn’t seem to mind when she creates all sorts of chaos.

Now, this is a wonderful premise for a book, and of course the reader is on tenterhooks wondering what will happen when Rupert realises that he’s been duped. And then there’s the even more intriguing question - is the marriage even legal? Happily, the author doesn’t attempt to whitewash over the consequences, and since Rupert is a solicitor who knows the law, he has no hesitation over the legality or otherwise of the situation, and what needs to be done about it.

The book is too short to have much depth beyond the basic plot, but even so, the characters are not mere cardboard cutouts, and the story is an engaging and amusing read. I have one or two historical quibbles, namely, Rupert would be an attorney at this date, not a solicitor (which was a much more specific and unusual sort of lawyer), and there would only be one wedding ring at the ceremony, not two (husbands didn’t wear wedding rings until well into the twentieth century). None of that mattered much, though. This is a fun little read, short but sweet. Four stars.
Profile Image for Bryanna.
144 reviews1 follower
June 22, 2025
Cute, simple, happily ever after. The story is short so the love is quick but it is so very sweet. I enjoyed the characters and wished it was longer to see more of their growth. Their love story was precious though and I always enjoy arranged marriages that lead to true love.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Fanosse23.
680 reviews
July 16, 2025
Iris Lim's The Solicitor's Wife is one of those short, snappy reads you’ll gobble up in no time. The premise? Two identical twins—Mary Ruth and Mary Ruby—who may look like carbon copies but are as different as coffee and tea. When their dad arranges a marriage for Mary Ruth (who’s secretly in love with someone else), Ruby pulls the ol’ switcheroo and marries Rupert Iverson, a no-nonsense solicitor who dreams of a peaceful life with a proper, obedient wife. Spoiler alert: Ruby is none of those things.

This story had me chuckling more than once. Ruby’s fiery spirit shines through, and watching Rupert scratch his head, wondering why his "wife" is suddenly full of surprises (and, um, opinions) is absolutely hilarious. Their chemistry? Think fireworks with a side of confusion.

What I really loved is how both Ruby and Rupert start out convinced they know exactly what they want—only to realize life has other, better plans. It’s a fun reminder that sometimes what we need isn’t what we think we need.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. If you’re looking for a quick, witty read packed with humor, and heart, I recommend you give this one a try.
922 reviews31 followers
August 8, 2025
This is a sweet, clean, arranged marriage book.

Rupert Iverson, a solicitor, is happy with his quiet, orderly life, but at his uncle’s urging, he determines that he’s ready for a wife. At nearly thirty years old, he’s ready for a bit of comfort and better food. When his uncle points out a young woman at a party, he agrees to approach her parents with an offer.

Mary Ruth Galehart’s parents approach her with the offer of marriage from Mr. Iverson. She’s an obedient child, so she agrees, especially since their family is so large, and she’s twenty years old. In truth, she has a sweetheart that she love, and she doesn’t want to marry anyone else. Her identical twin sister, Mary Ruby, offers to sacrifice herself and wed Mr. Iverson in Mary Ruth’s place. The idea of an adventure and a chance to live in London appeal to her, for she’s outspoken and impulsive. The sisters agree to trade place and not tell anyone.

The newly married couple heads to London. Different forms of interruptions ensure that they remain separated. Once in London, Rupert is immediately called to tend to business, leaving Ruby alone much of the time. To entertain herself, Ruby comes up with inventive ways of organizing their small living quarters, perplexing her new husband. He had thought that he’d married a docile and compliant wife, not an outspoken and outrageous young woman.

Will Rupert be able to deal with Ruby’s opinionated and capricious ways? Will the truth of their marriage come to light? Will they be able to find the happiness they both seek? Will sister Ruth find her own happiness? This delightful book, a short, quick read, will answer all of the questions.

I highly recommend this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author through BookSirens. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
250 reviews5 followers
July 20, 2025
Rupert Iverson is a very meticulous man. As a solicitor, he leads an orderly, balanced life that some people might call dull, but suits him just fine. When he decides it’s time to take a wife, he doesn’t have time for courtship or the other frivolous things young lovers do. He picks a young lady he sees at a ball and enters into a contract with her father for her hand. Although he’s never met her, he’s sure Miss Ruth Galehart will be the perfect wife for him. By all accounts, she’s a sweet, gentle, quiet lady who will fit into his neat, orderly life just perfectly.

While Ruth Galehart would be the perfect wife for him, she’s in love with someone else. Her sister, Ruby, however, is completely unentangled in any romance. So maybe she’s not demure or quiet. And maybe she’s a bit of a tomboy and a klutz and possibly outspoken and irrepressible.

Iris Lim has written another sweet, romantic novella that’s a joy to read. The characters are likeable and charming. The story is charming and romantic with a swoon-worthy ending. I absolutely loved this book! While it is a standalone story, I highly recommend you read Lord Pennington’s Ward. It’s a good introduction to Rupert Iverson and adds to the fun of this story.

I received an advanced review copy of this book and am enthusiastically and voluntarily leaving this 5-star review.

272 reviews
July 17, 2025
Pages📄: 78 pages (Kindle)
Main trope: Arranged marriage💍
Spice💋: Tame (not present - only kisses)
Ending: Happily ever after❤️
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Iris Lim comes through again.

This was such a cute, funny and beautiful story.

Rupert and Ruby were just chefs kiss.

From the very first chapter I knew this was going to be an excellent story, and it indeed was.

Ruth and Ruby's plan, our main characters first meeting and wedding, Rupert and Ruby in London - everything was just to greatly executed and written.

The arranged marriage trope was spot on, and I loved every single thing about our main characters marriage.

Another thing I think is worth noticing is how wonderful of a story this was in just a few pages. A short and quick read that delivered a great story, that even some long books don't manage.

The one thing I feel would have made this story even better would have been a little epilogue a few years later.

Once again, a splendid job done by Iris Lim👏🏻

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
945 reviews9 followers
August 9, 2025
Rupert Iverson was only ever destined to be plain, effective and trustworthy. He wants a wife, but when he marries and brings home Ruby Galehart, little does he realize she's the twin of the woman he had arranged to marry.
Ruby Galehart's sister is in love with a man whom she one day wishes to marry, so when Rupert and her father come to an arranged marriage agreement for said sister, Ruby takes her sister's placet. However, Ruby's a complete opposite in personality from her twin. She tries her best but can't hide her bubbly and fun personality, along with her outspoken opinions from Rupert when she marries him. Will this marriage survive? Can what started out as a sacrifice become something long lasting and filled with love?
I enjoyed this clean historical romance with its humorous moments, and I wholeheartedly recommend "The Solicitor's Wife" by Iris Lim. I received a complimentary ARC of this book and have given my honest opinion in this review.
Profile Image for Jess Reads Fiction.
105 reviews13 followers
June 23, 2025
The Solicitor’s Wife by Iris Lim was such a fun, refreshing read! I don’t think I’ve ever read a story quite this short—only 69 pages—but I absolutely adored it. Iris Lim is a talented author, and I was impressed by how quickly she pulled me into the world and characters. Even more impressive was how she crafted a believable slow-burn romance within such a limited page count. That’s no small feat!

By the end, I found myself wishing there was more—not because anything was missing, but because I simply didn’t want it to end. This story is a delightful one-sitting read, perfect for when you’re in the mood for something sweet, slightly comical, and charmingly historical. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys bite-sized love stories with heart. The Solicitor’s Wife is the fourth installment in Lim’s Sweet Historical Romance Shorts, and I’ll definitely be checking out the others!
322 reviews10 followers
July 13, 2025
A gem of a tale, Iris Lim's "The Solicitor's Wife" features identical twins who switch places as the bride for unsuspecting solicitor Rupert Iverson. Mary Ruth and Mary Ruby Galehart are successful, leading to amusing scenes with a confused Rupert.

Lim's prose is always a delight. You won't find dark themes, violence, or bedroom scenes. For such a short work, the primary characters are fairly well-drawn. With witty and clever banter, plus plenty of lighthearted scenes, "The Solicitor's Wife" is a joy to read. Although Rupert appears in "Lord Pennington's Ward" and Pennington pops up briefly here, the stories are unrelated.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Shilo Goodson.
Author 1 book8 followers
July 25, 2025
This is a cute novella. I finished it in about an hour. It's super predictable, so if you don't like predictable stories, this one's not for you. My only complaint is that I had a hard time believing that the twins could pull this off without people figuring things out sooner.

I'm generally not a huge fan of novellas. I feel like they are often not fully developed novels. I've read probably 4 or 5 Iris Lim novellas, and I feel like she's one of the best novella writers. She's able to tell a great story without it feeling like the story needed to be longer.

This is a clean novel. There's no swearing, sexual content, or violence.

I received an ARC from BookSirens, and I left a voluntary review.
1,593 reviews22 followers
August 3, 2025
Well written, fast paced novella. With an arranged marriage of Ruth to Rupert, Ruth is unhappy as she is in love with someone else. So what's a girl to do but ask her twin to step in and switch places. Ruby marries Rupert but is not quite the quiet lady her sister is. Rupert is a solicitor who is a little bit of a control person and Ruby is just the opposite- acts before thinking. What is Rupert to think after meeting Ruby and believing something is very different from what he remembers. Love wins out and they get their happily ever after. Only wish it was a bit longer or maybe have an extended epilogue. Would recommend to others.

I received this story and leave this unbiased, honest review.
151 reviews1 follower
July 18, 2025
I wouldn't call this a book, but a short story. It is perfect for when life is busy and you need a small escape; can easily be read in one sitting. I would give it a lower rating for being so short, but it was advertised as a bite-sized historical romance, which it was, so I can't complain. Still I was surprised at how quickly it ended and wished it would continue to flesh out the story into a novel. I enjoyed that the characters were kind and thoughtful with plenty of wit and amusement and a happy ending that was sweet and blissful. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for HfbR.
151 reviews3 followers
July 19, 2025
This is the story of Rupert Iverson and Mary Ruby Galehart. Rupert needs a wife and his uncle sets him up with a distant cousin from a large family, except he unknowingly marries the wrong twin………

This was a well written story with a simple and predictable plot. It’s great for a quick afternoon read, but there’s not really time to get to know the characters, so an epilogue set a few years later might have been good. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author so it may be that some characters have a background in other books, but as a standalone it was a bit too short for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Faith.n.clean.books .
80 reviews
July 24, 2025
The Solicitor's Wife by Iris Lim is a cute and clean Regency RomCom Novella. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it. I give it 4 stars and would recommend it. It is a breath of fresh air for the comedy and romance packed into 9 chapters. The main characters are likeable and you root for their HEA. I would have loved to read more about the HEA and the funny scenarios that are likely to happen and then it would be 5 stars.

I received a free complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given
Profile Image for  Sophie.
2,028 reviews
August 5, 2025
This is a fun story. I enjoyed every bit of it. The characters are interesting. Ruby and Rupert make their story highly entertaining. Ruby is fun and full of sunshine in my opinion; she is willing to do anything to help her twin sister. I liked her for it. Rupert is a solicitor who only wanted a wife, but he got more than he bargained for.
I enjoyed Iris's writing. I loved her storyline. I also loved the dialogue. It felt so real. I liked that I could hear their voices clearly in my mind as I read.
I received a complimentary copy of this story, and I freely left this review.
Profile Image for Cindy Stone.
266 reviews6 followers
August 9, 2025
My only "gripe" is that is was a very short read. Loved the exchange of brides and since the marriage was never consummated out of Rupert's concern for his new wife, it was invalid. How Rupert reacts when he finds out about the exchange between Mary Ruth, his supposed bride, and Mary Ruby, the twin he actually married is delightful. Rupert's supposed match would never have brought him the happiness he had found with Mary Ruby! Although I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Birty.
634 reviews6 followers
January 19, 2026
Sweet romance

Ruby and her identical twin, Ruth, decide to switch places at Ruth’s wedding so that Ruby marries Mr. Rupert Ivenson. Unfortunately, nobody tells Rupert or her parents. The story moves from there with Rupert slowly realizing that he married a lively woman and he likes her. When the truth comes out, the story takes a turn and a happy ever after may not happen.

Rupert is serious but loving, wanting a wife and family. Ruby realizes that she really likes Rupert and wants to be his wife. Strong characters even for this short story.
Profile Image for Delphia  Von Heeder .
1,747 reviews53 followers
June 15, 2025
The Solicitor's Wife is a sweet rom/com by Iris Lim. I thought that this story was wonderful. Ruby loves her sister and protects her by marrying Rupert. I enjoyed having Rupert be a quiet lawyer who wants peace and tranquility. He gets the fiery Ruby. This wonderful story flies off the pages in comedy, fire followed by romance. Iris Lim writes delightful rom/com. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
2,506 reviews19 followers
July 20, 2025
Switcheroo.

What family names identical twins so very similarly and not expect some shenanigans to happen? Rupert, Mary Ruby and Mary Ruth each have different interests in this whole arranged marriage thing. It was fun seeing how details and realizations emerged. For a novella, this was a sweet story that acknowledges personal connections despite arrangements and legal process.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
170 reviews
July 21, 2025
A short sweet book on twins taking each other's place, one sister had a beau and the other didn't. Their parents were unaware of the beau, so had agreed for her to be bethrothed and the groom never met her. Both girls had the same first name, so went by their middle names.

The marriage goes by without a hitch but situation will change. I won't spoil the story as it is short and enjoyable.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
702 reviews
August 6, 2025
Fast, short story! Great subtle humor and characters. Ruby and Ruth are sisters, so in the beginning pay close attention or you might get confused. Rupert is a solicitor who wants a wife and structure. The plot is a bit different because it's not really about lords, ladies, dukes, etc., more about what would be considered middle class. I thoughly enjoyed this story and plan on reading more from this author.
1,084 reviews5 followers
August 8, 2025
What a cute story!

While short, this story lacks nothing. There is a wonderful plot, it is exceptionally well written, and it moves right along to the heartfelt sigh at the end. Honestly, this story lacked nothing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the perfect example of why sweet Regencies are one of my favorite genres to read.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Mary Ansell.
Author 8 books8 followers
June 12, 2025
A Charming Story
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet regency romance novella. Despite the best of intentions, the appealing main characters find themselves in a challenging situation, which takes all their integrity to solve. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for MaryEllen.
2,935 reviews30 followers
July 6, 2025
This is my voluntary review of a copy I was given.

I loved this story! I was drawn in immediately.
It was short but complete and not rushed.
We are told very little about the characters, but we see some important traits as the story progresses. These are good people who find themselves in a unique situation.
371 reviews8 followers
July 27, 2025
I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily

A short funny regency tale of twin sisters swapping places that turned out to be quite the undoing of our poor Mr Iverson

It puts me in mind of how I once swapped places with a colleague ( we really were identical) when she was hungover

I still don’t quite understand how a license overides the need for banns?
Profile Image for Jill.
548 reviews12 followers
August 3, 2025
A very quick read that packs a punch of a love story. Ruby cares deeply for her sister Ruth. She is willing to sacrifice her life so Ruth can find her happiness. Rupert thinks he wants one thing, but finds that the wife he gains is more exciting than what he planned for. The story is sweet and filled with lots of emotion.
148 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2025
A fun, short, sweet book.

The characters were likable, the book was a quick read & I enjoyed how it played out. It wasn't predictable. I appreciated the hard choices they sometimes had to make & how it turned out well because they chose honesty.

Thank you to the author & publisher for the ARC read. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Barb Hegreberg.
883 reviews14 followers
August 10, 2025
Lim’s historical novellas are always sweet clean reads. I have enjoyed them all. They can be read in an hour or two and their storylines are not dependent on one another.

I received this book free from the author, publisher, or other source. My only obligation is to provide a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews

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