A Marriage for the Marquess

Barrington’s Brigade #1

by Ruth A. Casie

In a world of secrets, love, and ticking clocks, their alliance of convenience may just become a marriage of the heart.

Ewan, the Marquess of Glenraven, finds himself returning to his home in Belgrave Square, summoned back to London by his former commanding officer, Lord Barrington. Ewan’s been entrusted with the task of unraveling a deceitful gambling scheme and uncovering the truth behind the mysterious deaths tied to it. He is also faced with a pressing personal either secure his trust by marrying by his 30th birthday, five weeks hence, or risk losing it all.

In Cavendish Square, a mile north of Belgravia, Lady Juliet Hayward carries the heavy burden of her late brother, Bradley’s gambling debts. Her own future teeters on the brink of destitution. Determined to confront the man who has her brother’s vowels and control of her survival, she’s determined to find him and negotiate a solution.

As Ewan and Juliet are drawn together, they conceal their true intentions, not knowing they both seek the one person who holds the cards. However, time is not on their side. In a bold move, they confess to each other and devise a plan—a marriage of convenience, a calculated business arrangement—to simultaneously fulfill Ewan’s inheritance requirement, settle Juliet’s brother’s debts, and expose the scheming ringleader As they dig deeper, they uncover a far-reaching conspiracy, orchestrated by a clandestine organization manipulating events from behind the scenes. Yet, a single kiss on their wedding day unleashes a deluge of conflicting emotions within each of them, shattering their carefully constructed façade.

This is a breathtaking Regency tale of love, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Barrington's Brigade
Book 1 - A Marriage for the Marquess
Book 2 - A Dilemma for the Duke
Book 3 - A Redemption for the Baron
Book 4 - A Vow for the Viscount
Book 5 – A Reckoning for the Earl
Book 6 – A Masquerade for the Baron

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2025

About the author

Hi! I'm Ruth A Casie. I write historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. My stories embrace strong woman and the men who deserve them. Within the pages you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat suspense, mind boggling drama, and heart melting emotions. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join my heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. I hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!

Here are five things you probably don’t know about me.
1. I filled my passport up in one year.
2. I have three series. The Druid Knight stories are a historical time travel series. The Stelton Legacy is historical fantasy about the seven sons of a seventh son. The Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea, a regency romance about ladies who all graduated from the same women's seminary. I also write stories in the Pirates of Britannia Connected World.
3. I did a rap to “How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow If a Tow Truck Could Tow Trucks.”
4. When I cook I dance.
5. My Sudoku book is in the bathroom. I’m not saying anything else about that.
My stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. Their stories will keep you turning the pages until the end. I hope my stories become your favorite adventures.
I’m a USA Today bestselling author.
My hobbies:
* counted cross stitch
* ballroom dancing - not just between the fridge and stove
* reading almost anything
* Sudoko - I'm still staying quiet about that

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A marquess needs to marry to save his inheritance before his thirtieth birthday. A young lady must save her family from public ruin. Suicide of her brother. Attempted murder of his father. High stakes gambling, four aces and one person backed by dark forces who must be stopped. The marquess and the lady work together to find the answers. A little complicated, a little confusing, but comes together at the end.
Very mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ewan, the Marquess of Glenraven, finds himself returning to his home in Belgrave Square, summoned back to London by his former commanding officer, Lord Barrington. Ewan’s been entrusted with the task of unravelling a deceitful gambling scheme and uncovering the truth behind the mysterious deaths tied to it. He is also faced with a pressing personal either secure his trust by marrying by his 30th birthday, five weeks hence, or risk losing it all. In Cavendish Square, a mile north of Belgravia, Lady Juliet Hayward carries the heavy burden of her late brother, Bradley’s gambling debts. As Ewan and Juliet are drawn together, they conceal their true intentions, not knowing they both seek the one person who holds the cards.
A new series & an interesting & enjoyable story but at times I felt as though I’d been thrown in the deep end & didn’t know what was happening. I liked both Ewan & Juliet from their first meeting at a Punch & Judy show & enjoyed their journey to a HEA the added bonus was the intriguing mystery
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started really cute. I honestly thought their first meeting was adorable at the puppet show and how they participated in it. There was some chemisty there, but unfortunately, that's all I can say I enjoyed it. I love period romance as much as the next person. Same goes for marriage of convenience plot.

To me, romance plot was lost in the ropes of the mystery that overwhemled the story. Romance quickly lost its spark and tension, and the mystery didn't keep me on the edge of my seat, and after 50% it felt more like a chore to finish it.

I could see the attraction from the start, but I don't believe in their love story.

Thank you #NetGalley for providing me with #AMarriagefortheMarquess to review.

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were just too many storylines happening in this book. My issue is there was very little romance. They ran into each other but i felt no romantic longing. I was surprised when he was declaring them to be soulmates because he didn’t even court her when he could have. I found that choice in particular to be confusing. One thing I did like was the housekeeper and the valets role in their story. I thought that this was cute and totally made sense. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Ewan who needs to marry before his 30th birthday, and Juliet who’s family is plagued by debts after the death of her brother. What their family has in common is the ace of hearts; a card left with Ewan’s father but also with Juliet’s brother, which is marked with a shadowy raven symbol of the order of Shadows, a terrorist-like organization. Juliet and Ewan quickly understand that a marriage between them would benefit them both, so the marry in secret because of the threats towards both of their families.

There's a lot of individual elements that were enjoyable, but as a whole book I came away feeling like the mysteries made overly complicated, so much that the actual romance between Ewan and Juliet got buried underneath it. I felt like there was too much mystery, which at times didn’t fit in the story and didn’t make sense to me. For example, Ewan and Juliet try to keep Juliet’s parents in the dark about their marriage so they come up with a ruse and told them Juliet had a secret admirer and benefactor. But Ewan also plans to court Juliet in public. So any villain paying close attention would be able to connect the dots, right? And why not just send a trusted employee to Scotland to explain their decisions?
There was also too much secrecy which wasn’t really necessary. I don’t understand the need to keep Ewan in the dark about his father’s health. That wasn’t explained satisfactorily. In turn, why keep the identity of Ewan’s wife a secret for his parents? (Again, how can he expect it to be a secret for his parents when he is going to court Juliet in public?) Bradley spilling the beans without actually mentioning the name of the villain - it didn’t make sense.
There’s also a lot of going back and forth on decisions made, like keeping the marriage a secret for his parents and then telling them. Or keeping it a secret to society and then planning on announcing it prematurely. Ewan and Juliet tackling the issues at hand together and then suddenly separately instead of as a team.
I do think this book has a lot of potential. Ewan and Juliet were smart, charming and lovable, as were the secondary characters. I also liked that both Ewan and Juliet quickly came clean about their problems and confided in each other. I liked Duncan and Ewan’s friendship, aunt Geraldine. The pace was also good. So generally, I enjoyed the book. It has a lot of good elements but could use a bit more structuring and more character development, romantic growth and relationship building.
Thank you Netgalley, Dragonblade Publishing and Ruth A. Casie for providing an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
..

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Marriage for the Marquess is the first book in the Barrington's Brigade series. There is a loose connection with the Sommer By The Sea series, as there some of the characters from those series in this book, but you don't have to have read them. In this book we meet Ewan, the Marquess of Glenraven, who is called back to London from France for a couple of reasons. First, his father was injured in an accident that might have been intentional, and second, he has to marry by his 30th birthday to receive his inheritance and retain the title in the family. Lord Barrington gets a message to him and he arrives home in time for a meeting with the family lawyer. On the way to the meeting, he is waylaid in the park by a puppeteer, who convinces him to be the voice of Punch. He and an unknown female do a wonderful job with their Punch and Judy scene. It turns out that Judy was played by Lady Juliet Hayward, and they hit if off instantly. She is in need of a husband to rescue the family from disgrace. Can these two find love and help one another rather than just a marriage of convenience?

I really liked both of these characters. Juliet is a strong, independent woman, who really wasn't interested in marrying. She wanted to find out what happened to her brother, as she won't believe he took his own life. Ewan is an honorable man, who is carrying a lot of grief. He loves his family and will do whatever he has to do to find who is threatening his family. He is also quite smart and is able to puzzle some things out. There is a villain in the story, but you will have to read it to find out who that is. Duncan was Ewan's best friend. A Scotsman, who grew up with him and served as his batman in war. He is also a smart guy, and seems to show up whenever his is needed by either Ewan or Juliet. I can envision him and hear his voice as I read this book. I wonder if he will get his own story? This is not a steamy romance, but a character driven story, with a mystery, some intrigue, and yes some romance. I really enjoyed the dialogue and the banter between Juliet and Ewan. I really liked how this one ended, with all the loose ends tied up nicely. I am already looking forward to A Dilemma for the Duke that comes out in a few days.

[Marion Löw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically, I liked the plot of the book and I also liked the characters, but I couldn't understand some of the events in the story and the protagonists acted illogically. I also missed deeper insights into Ewan's investigations. I didn't think that Ewan and Juliet entered into a marriage of convenience, even though they told themselves that all the time, as they felt attracted to each other from the very first and even talked about being soul mates. The constant switch from emotional to business-like was a bit vexing.
The authors' writing style is flowery and romantic. Throughout the book I thought it was sweet and clean( which doesn't bother me since I read all steam levels), but then there was a milder love scene in marital bed towards the end. Apart from that, the story has its suspenseful and dangerous moments, a few unexpected twists and a bit of intrigue. I would have liked to have learnt a bit more about the secret society and the villain's involvement.

Ewan Danford, Marquess Glenraven, is a member of the Barrington Brigade and is called back to England by Lord Barrington from his mission in France to take on a new assignment in London, where he is to track down a new secret organisation in the world of gambling. What's more, his father, the Duke, is seriously injured and Ewan must marry by his 30th birthday due to stipulations in the family legacy or forfeit his claim to his father's dukedom.
Since the mysterious death of her brother, which has brought the family to the brink of financial ruin, Juliet Hayward has been struggling to maintain her family's reputation and pay off his debts.
Ewan and Juliet meet by chance and are immediately attracted to each other. When her mother arranges a marriage with another suitor, they act quickly and enter into a secret marriage. But gradually it emerges that Ewan's mission, his father's accident and the mysterious death of Juliet's brother are connected and they are all in danger...

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

[Charmaine Fernando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ewan Danford, the Marquess of Glenraven is back in London at his home in Belgrave square, after being summoned by his former commanding officer, Lord Barrington to investigate a deceitful gambling scheme underway in London. When he gets to Lord Barrington’s office, he is informed that his father, the Duke of Aurington, has met with a carriage accident and is in critical condition.

Prior to meeting Lord Barrington and finding out about his father’s accident, he stumbles onto a Punch and Judy puppet show. With a few minutes to kill, he decides to take on the role of “Punch” to Lady Juliet Hayward’s “Judy.” The two strike up a lovely conversation and the chemistry between them is palpable. They keep bumping into each other over the course of several days which helps their interest grow.

Juliet is trying to get on with her life following the death of her beloved brother, Bradley and cannot accept that his death was due to gambling. This has left the family in a precarious situation on the brink of financial ruin, and it is imperative that she marry as quickly as possible.

The good news is that her newfound friend, Ewan Danford is himself looking to wed quickly with only five weeks to go before the deadline of his thirtieth birthday. This novel, while having many twists and turns and lots of subplots, was an interesting read. Lots of different scenarios playing out simultaneously however if you keep them in mind and continue to read through the story, you will not be disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and submit my honest review voluntarily.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Regency Romance with Heart, Heat, and High Stakes.
This is the first of the Barrington's Brigade series and is a story that delivers everything a Regency romance lover craves—danger, deception, slow-burning chemistry, and a couple forced into each other’s orbit by circumstance but bound together by something deeper.
Ewan, Marquess of Glenraven, is the kind of tortured hero readers root for—duty-bound, intelligent, and just the right amount of brooding. His mission to uncover a deadly gambling ring takes a sharp turn when he crosses paths with Lady Juliet Hayward, a woman whose grit and grace make her more than a mere damsel in distress. Their motivations are layered, and their emotional walls are real, which makes the evolution of their partnership—and eventual romance—feel authentic and well-earned.
The stakes are high from the start: a looming deadline, a crumbling inheritance, a secretive criminal network, and a marriage neither wanted—but both might need more than they admit. The moment their lips meet on their wedding day? A total turning point, and one that had me flipping pages late into the night.
While the intrigue kept me hooked, it’s the emotional arc—how these two guarded souls slowly peel away each other’s defenses—that truly shines. If you enjoy a blend of suspense, passion, and a touch of mystery in your historical romances, this one is for you.
Looking forward to continuing the series!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Marriage for the Marquess by Ruth A Casie, Ewan, the Marquess of Glenraven, and retired soldier finds himself in London with two things on his mind: a project for Lord Barrington uncovering an illegal gambling scheme and finding a bride as he must be married in five weeks in order to secure his trust. Both are looking rather dim as he walks through a park where he is called upon to provide voice to Punch in a puppet show. After the show he meets his Judy, Lady Juliet Hayward, and is immediately taken with her. He has much on his mind, however, including his deceitful second cousin who will inherit the estate if he fails to marry.

This is a fun book, with both parties quickly falling in love. That turned out to be the easy part, however, as things got dicey and put both of them in danger. Greed is probably the cause of more problems in society than any other and greed is the root of all problems in this book. Lady Juliet’s father has fallen into debt and the only way out is to make a quick marriage to someone who has the money to help. Her mother finds the perfect man, who claims he will be a marquess soon. Too bad he’s repulsive. These quick and clever characters manage to solve both problems before any impending deadline and the reader enjoys watching them do it. Circuitous plot: very entertaining.

I was invited to read A Marriage for the Marquess by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #RuthACasie #AMarriageForTheMarquess

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging mystery that was orchestrated long before the heroine and hero met at a Punch & Judy show!
We have Ewan James Alasdair Danford Glenhaven a Marquess and heir to the Duke of Aurington! His father was involved in a near fatal mishap that brought him home from espionage in Paris! There are several clues including an Ace with a strange symbol on the back that will lead to more mysterious and a resolution of some!
There is also a clause in Ewan’s inheritance that he has to marry before his birthday which is only weeks away!
We also have Miss Juliet Hayward who is clever beautiful and very strong willed! She is intelligent and shares several facets of what quickly becomes a secret shadow society with far reaching tendrils! Ewan and Juliet share a strong connection and quickly share secrets that will eventually close a net around a villain who is closer than we think!
Juliet is headstrong and intelligent and puts Ewan’s best friend in a precarious position while she tries to protect Ewan and their secrets!
Men are born protectors and when you try to take their role there is bound to be consequences!
Can their love survive Juliet’s determination to draw out the villain without Ewan’s help!?
It is a dangerous game full of intrigue and nonstop action! Bravo

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ewan is a marquess who is far too busy to find a wife, let alone get married in five weeks in order to keep his inheritance. He's in charge of bringing down an elusive gambling syndicate and investigating several deaths related to it. When he meets Lady Juliet, he's drawn to her. When they confess their true feelings, a plan is enacted. But when their marriage of convenience turns into something far more dangerous, will love connect their souls or yank them apart?

A Marriage for the Marquess is an intoxicating Regency romance full of emotion, intrigue, danger, and love. The romance is Regency at its best. Ruth A. Casie writes immersive historical romance with emotional narration and characters you'll fall in love with. There's quite a bit of suspense which had me whipping through the pages. The intricacies of the gambling ring propelled the plot. A Marriage for the Marquess may be book one in a brand new series by Ruth A. Casie but it is unputdownable.

Fans of Julia Quinn, Erica Ridley, and Emily EK Murdoch will love this book. Regency romance readers, dive into this book today to be taken on a remarkable journey.

My Rating: 5+ stars

Reviewed by: Nancy

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Janet Denise Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS, HISTORICAL ROMANCE DRAMA

Ruth Casie gets 5 STARS for her exciting & action packed storyline in the Regency Era of London. A good BLURB was presented, also. Book 1 in this series has started out with some great characters that one would like to have as friends and others you want to stay far away from. Hopefully some of the honorable people will reappear in the next books in the series.

There has been murders, attempted assasainations, cheating Lords & Gentlemen out of their money & inheirtances by cheating. Cheating at card games, forging their vowels, & other paperwork giving over control to the criminals.

Ewan & Juliet both are hurting from some traumatic issues they are dealing with & decide to ban together to fight the enemy. So, they secretly marry and continue to live apart but that ends up carrying more danger than they ever realized.

This is a page turner up to the last page!

RECOMMEND

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought that being pulled into a Punch and Judy show would result in bringing two people together, who have a vested interest in solving a problem that threatens both their families? Certainly, it would seem that Fate had a hand in the attraction that sprung up between Lord Ewan and Lady Juliet. As threats escalate, even those serving the two families are drawn in and I enjoyed their quiet manoeuvres behind the scenes. As the plot against the two families thickened and became more intense, I found that it overshadowed the growing romance between Ewan and Julie, which was rather bland in nature in spite of the sweet beginning and ending of this book. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Bernette Ramdass · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not an excellent read

It was painful to finish, but I persevered even though I had to skim and skip. The villain was easy to spot and the only mystery was why our characters couldn't figure it out. The actions of the (main) characters were nonsensical. The father's reason for his charade made no sense and neither did the son's reaction. The book includes the following: a marriage of convenience, yet our hero already said he was in love, a secret marriage that stays secret from his parents for about a day, a runaway wife who lacks direction and common sense. At one point, the author calls the main character Lora, the name of the heroine in her next book. The two star rating is for a good plot that required better execution. A good editor would have helped this book tremendously.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new series. I found this story enjoyable but occasionally confusing. For instance the couple proclaimed their love to the Archbishop prior to their wedding but then days later when speaking to the H’s parents it is a marriage of convenience and love hopefully growing from friendship. The plot also seemed to be over complicated and confusing - I am unsure how much of it only relates to this story but as subsequent books will feature different men of Barrington’s Brigade, I wouldn’t expect them to have dealings with Glenraven’s father. I look forward to reading the next book and being enlightened.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Anna Boliker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a first installment of a series.
While the description sounded promising for an engaging escape read (intrigue, mystery, romance,..), the story and the wrting is full of platitudes that are not being resolved. The characters talk and act in platitudes and the plot is very predictable. Never mind the bulkiness of the plot due to the multitude of story lines that have to fit into a conclusion somehow, the writing does not do any good to move the story along. It was a struggle to the finish line and not all an escape read.
The last chapter is a bit less clean to call the book a clean romance but it is still on the cleaner side.

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

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical Romance with Mystery and Suspense

They met at a Punch and Judy show, and they became a part of the cast. Was it destiny? Ewan and Juliet have the same goal. Someone targeted their families in a gambling scheme. They must uncover the villain and save the people they loved—at least, those who did not perish as a result of the villainy. Would a marriage of convenience be the answer? Would such a marriage lead to love?

This is an entertaining story. It has romance, mystery, and suspense. However, it got quite complex, and I found myself lost quite a bit. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this historical romance and look forward to the rest of the series, where I hope I will be less confused.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this author’s writing so much. She writes her characters age range at a more mature level. I so adore her for that. It leaves me without struggling to imagine what the young debutante would look like wrapped up in the arms of her male partner who may be eight - fifteen years older than her. A ghastly image if you ask me. I love the enjoyment of reading my book without the bumps in the road to get to the point of the story. This story had the excitement and moving storyline that was perfect for our characters. The romance is a slow burn and that’s ok. I was thoroughly entertained by the twist and turns the story has. The characters are all wonderful superbly written in. I give this story two snaps and a twist. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an interesting plot, a likable hero and heroine, and an enjoyable cast of supporting characters. I was intrigued by the mystery plot, as well as the marriage of convenience trope, but the latter turned out to be more “insta love” instead. There are some moments of great writing in the book; in other places, the wording feels stilted or needs editing. I still enjoyed this book as a quick, interesting read with mystery and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

Content note: I skipped the last few pages before the epilogue because the book seemed to be leading to sexual content; just a head's up for readers who might want to avoid "spicy" parts in books.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story, but there were inconsistencies within that keeps it from being anything more than three stars. The characters play chess together and the heroine wins several games. Later, she is being told about how chess is played. One spot, the heroine is called the wrong name.
Now - I would normally either not rate a book like that or rate it much lower. However, the story line is very well done. It's interesting and intriguing and I found myself wanting to know what happened next. So, that gives it a higher rating. Because some big "flubs" and I still finished the book and was happy with the ending.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have a historical romance with lots of intrigue and mystery.  All the characters are wonderful.  Our heroine is intelligent and brave. Our hero is unusual for his time in the way that he is not afraid to show his soft side to those he cares for. 

This is the first book in a new series, and I can't wait to read the rest.  This is what I would term a sweet romance,  no steam, but it really wasn't missed because our characters actually speak to each other. The intrigue is the real story. 

Great fun.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ewan has returned to London, called back by his former commander to investigate a deadly gambling scheme. He also needs to tend to finding a wife. He must marry by his thirtieth birthday to secure his inheritance. Juliet is struggling with her late brother’s gambling debts. When they meet, they do not realize that have threats from this group in common. His father is injured and her brother is dead, both left with a common clue. As they work together, they are plagued by a common thread pulled by a too-close villain. This is the first story in a new series. It is interesting and entertaining and is filled with mystery, intrigue, and danger. A fortuitous meeting and participation in a Punch and Judy performance lead to Ewan and Juliet to work together on the mystery, and to find their happily ever after.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed with this first book as it seemed way to busy with more than a few characters and storylines being introduced. That's not too say it wasn't interesting because it was. I'm thinking this author has a plan up her sleeve that will bring more to light with each new story in the series so I'm holding my fingers in hope of conclusions that flow with this original book. My rating is based on that hope and my encouragement to the author to circle back around to bring forth more conclusions. A 3.5 rounded is a 4 so best of luck.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the chance to read this on NetGalley. They met at the park after Ewan the Marque had returned from Paris. Juliet and Ewan knew each other but since he had been gone hadn't seen each other for some time. Juliet's brother has died and Ewan's father is recovering from a carriage accident. She needs money to pay her brother's debts and he needs to marry before he turns thirty which is only in a couple of weeks. They marry but pretend like they are still single to catch a bad guy. I don't want to give away the plot too much.

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book sounded like a good read and right up my street. However it just didn't quite live up to my expectations. It was overly sugary full of platitudes and the romance just felt like it was plonked in there with no real thought. There is a lot going on that made it a bit convoluted but it is only the first book so hopefully things will improve. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Texastwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not knowing who to trust in whom they travel the treacherous waters of the ton to discover the truth. She is trying to unravel a conundrum from her brother. He wants to know who to trust.
Wonderfully story with a who dunnit mixed in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

[Lisa H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deal...

Ewan is a marquess with a marriage deadline. Tick Tock. Five weeks to wed.
Juliet is in deep trouble. Her brother has left her with his gambling debts.
They strike a deal, a marriage of convenience while they look for the same culprit.
I think the focus should have been on their relationship, which takes a backseat to looking for the culprit.

[Mindy B (reader_of_the_lost_arcs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book was unique. Both of the main characters were pulled from the crowd to act in a punch and Judy puppet show. Juliet and Ewan were very likeable. Reading an old diary was charming. Otherwise, I was lost on some of the plot, and that made the storyline feel really dry.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

[Michelle Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this one but found it to be all over the place, like it wasn’t fully sure of what it wanted to focus on. This definitely affected my reading enjoyment.

I would read more by the author but this one wasn’t for me.



Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC