Miss Hawthorne's Unlikely Husband

The Troublemakers Trilogy #3

by Addy Du Lac

Will this unlikely match withstand secrets of the past?

The privileged daughter of a viscount, Elodia has been in love with Richard Thornfield, her best friend’s handsome, charming and loving brother, ever since the first time she met him. But just as she gains the courage to confess her feelings, a series of twists leave her with a broken heart and a shattered image of her happy childhood with her parents. Despite this setback she is determined to make a way for herself, even if it doesn’t include Richard Thornfield.

As a wealthy businessman Richard has always had a very clear idea of his rights and what he does and doesn’t deserve. When he decides to give up his mistress and turn his mind to matrimony he knows what to expect from the women of the ton; materialism, duty, possibly companionship, but little else. The last thing he expects is a love confession from Elodia Hawthorne, his younger sister’s clever, alluring and mischievous friend. He has always admired and felt close to her, but it’s obviously not love. Or is it?

The rules of the game are clear; the son of a merchant has no business being with a daughter of the nobility. But stranger things have happened besides this unlikely match. When love starts to blossom despite all odds, will it be strong enough to withstand the destruction left by secrets of the past

…with a little help from their friends?

Tropes you'll
✔️ Best friend’s sibling romance
✔️ Class differences / forbidden love
✔️ Longtime unrequited love
✔️ Wealthy self-made hero
✔️ Damaged family past / secrets revealed
✔️ Love against society’s rules
✔️ Friends-to-lovers with a twist

This series is part of Dragonblade's Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

The Troublemakers Trilogy
Book 1 - Miss Thornfield's Daring Bargain
Book 2 - Miss Mason's Secret Baron
Book 3 - Miss Hawthorne's Unlikely Husband

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Historical, Slow Burn, Family Drama

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2025

About the author

Born in the tropical paradise of Trinidad and Tobago, Addy Du Lac moved to the US with her mother at the age of twelve. She began writing historical romance while she received a double major in History and Creative Writing from the University of South Florida. She enjoys writing books with diverse characters and steamy happy endings. When she isn’t plotting her next series, she enjoys reading, traveling, and tempting her fate with new recipes.

Addy Du Lac lives in Tampa Florida with an eclectic library of books and a carefully curated wall of beautiful men.

Reviews

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋 (I had feels in the first half! And some heart break! But then it faded)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine and the evil mistress
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, 3% (prologue)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, like 7 years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form
Why I chose this book: Loved the cover and have been wanting to try more DuLac!
Mains: Richard Thornfield and Elodia (Ellie)– This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Should I read in order?
Maybe? These three girls are friends and the heroines of the series. There are some references to past experiences (Ada being kidnapped, etc). This is my first from the series and I found the romance stood alone okay. But the repeated references to the evil Uncle and kidnapping did make me wish I had read the series in order.

Basic plot:
Elodie is looking to marry and she finally gets the courage to bare all to her best friends brother...

Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian – 1853
- London setting
- Trinidadian/English heroine and Chinese hero
- best friend’s sibling
- class difference – heroine is the daughter of a Viscount and he’s a merchant
- unrequited love (on her part)
- small chested heroine
- bit of an age gap – he’s older by 11 years
- he’s 6’ 2”
- friends to lovers
- medium steam but SLOW burn – nothing until 75% but you get 3 full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 23, hero is 34

First line:
They had stolen the boat again.

My thoughts:
Something I appreciated here is the little blip of setting and date for each chapter – I really love knowing how much time has passed and where we are and enjoy when authors do this little extra tidbit!

I was so into the premise of this book. I loved both mains and the first part of this novel. I thought this was going to be a favorite for me!

But by halfway, I was getting annoyed with how little interaction Richard and Ellie had. I wanted them together more. And I was hoping for that in the second half. And I think it did happen – they were together more, but a bunch of other things happen that irritated me and didn’t save the book :(

I was a touch annoyed with the play out of some events. I wanted more...awareness from Richard. The way he was cruel to Ellie (which I totally ate up with the angsty follow up afterwards), but then wanted it back to the way it was before he messed it all up for his convenience and comfort. And then the way he agrees to a kiss bargain before really changing his feelings on this? I NEEDED this first kiss to absolutely knock his Victorian stockings off.

And it fucking did and I LOOOOOOOOOOOVED that.

But then the rest of the intimate scenes somehow fell flat for me. I was hoping for more explosions like the kisses did for me. Maybe it was just me letting the plot things get to me, but I just didn’t feel the same level of passion and wanting that I felt earlier.

Some other things frustrated me here. Mostly it was the flow of events and some things not making sense to me 100%. It kind of felt like whiplash in some parts where things changed for the convenience of the plot/book. The hero’s ex-mistress left him to be on the continent for years but then comes back (with her continental lover) and is suddenly jealous and possessive? How the hero doesn’t think of the heroine in a relationship way and is rather cruel to her only to do a 180 almost immediately after? The heroine is encouraged to marry by her father but when she finds someone to marry he says no? And that he doesn’t seem to care about her happiness or that she’s in love, it suddenly becomes all about marrying another nobleman? Even though he married a freed Black slave? There’s this established parental love between Ellie and her father, but it’s all gone with a simple rumor that she doesn’t even ask him about for a long time and lets fester? Ellie was struggling to meet anyone that she could entertain marrying, no callers, no men were paying attention to her. But then when her father decides he doesn’t want her to marry her love he suddenly has so many callers bringing her flowers (even though there’s rumors she’s a bastard??) These things just didn’t feel….right to the characters for me. It just didn’t make sense. And at the end of the book when the hero isn’t even open with her about his ex-mistress? That annoyed me so bad.

So I feel bad for not loving this one – I think there is a lot to love here especially if you like some outside drama keeping the mains apart!

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one

Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize


She was as lovely as ever in her bright blue silk, with orchids in her hair, and her demeanor was still graceful and charming. It would have taken a trained eye to notice the unusual reticence in her now. The natural joie de vivre that allowed her to float from room to room was gone and he knew, he fucking knew it was his fault.
---
He couldn’t back down now, even if his stomach was writhing with what he told himself was discomfort, not anticipation. That it was her scent making him lightheaded, not the nervous eagerness in Elodia’s dark eyes.
Her fingertips brushed his jaw, and his mouth went dry.
//
At the first brush of her plush lips, his grip on the windowsill tightened and he breathed in sharply.
//
No matter his determination to keep his hands where they were, he couldn’t help leaning into her, parting his lips slightly while she adjusted, moving her focus to his top lip.
If she didn’t stop, the wood was going to snap off in his hands at any moment.
He felt the moment she began to pull back, and it took everything in him not to chase after her lips. He wanted to feel them again, to part that soft mouth and taste her, to pull her closer and wrap himself up in that sweet earnest affection until it seeped into his skin. Was this what I felt like to be touched by someone who cared?
It was monstrous to get this feeling as a farewell. What the fuck was he meant to do now? He didn’t want to let her go, but he knew better than anyone he had no right to take what she wanted to offer.
---
“You’ll call on me tomorrow?” Her eyes were shining up at him with love and trust.
“Would you like that?”
“Yes,” she replied wit ha shy, delighted smile and his heart began thumping even more forcefully in his chest, his stomach swirling with giddy anticipation. This was what he wanted to feel his entire life.



Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- parental death, childbirth death and infant death
- xenophobia and racism
- the hero is intimate with his mistress off page after meeting the heroine (about 15% in or so), they (hero and heroine) are friends but not romantic

Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any (I always encourage you to check author’s websites, since Amazon penalizes authors for certain content warning words in their novels)


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: I don’t think so?
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? side characters have children in the story and the mains have children in the epilogue
Chapter 8 (32%) – kiss
Chapter 13 (51%) – kisses
Chapter 16 (61%) – kiss
Chapter 21 (75%) – 🔥 kiss that eventually leads to fingering for her, missionary
He shivered and pressed his brow to hers. “More,” he groaned, “please, more.”
Chapter 24 (86%) – kisses at the opera
Chapter 24 (88%) – 🔥 him behind her sex in front of a mirror
”I’m always jealous of your mouth when you lick your fingers. I’m especially fond of the way they feel on me, in my hair, on my skin.” He lowered her hand to her side and then moved his over her hips.
Chapter 27 (97%) – 🔥 oral for her, her on top
Then his mouth was at her throat, pressing kisses along the line of it as her head fell back. He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer so their bare bodies touched. She pushed against his shoulders, leaning him backwards onto the bed. His hand curled around the back of her neck as he kissed her back harder, his mouth opening wider beneath hers.
Then he flipped her onto her back, his fingers blazing a trail down her body with his mouth following close behind.

Total chapters: 27 and an epilogue (and a prologue)


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgment (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (5) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


Find me
Instagram || The Storygraph || Bookbub ||

Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is outstanding. I found myself excited to read this. My expectation of the plot was high and boy did the book deliver. All the characters were magnificent, but it was the main character Richard whom I found to be a beneficial asset to the story. His irresistible charm and feelings for Ellie were so romantic. Ellie is a woman who held her head high and didn’t waiver from anyone. The story is pure, sweet and romantic. The story is a slow burn for me, but that’s alright. It was the story of how Richard and Ellie got to their romance that was beautiful. It won me over. I enjoyed the book.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Miss Hawthorne's Unlikely Husband-Bk#3 The Troublemakers Trilogy

Author: Addy Du Lac- I've read the other 2 books in series 4&5 ⭐ reads

Publication date: 9/19/25 | Read: 9/19/25

Format: e-Book 338 pgs.

Genre:
*Historical Romance
*Multicultural Interests

Tropes:
*best friend's brother
*interracial relationship
*friends to lovers
*class differences
*unrequited love/childhood crush
*family drama/secrets

POV: 3rd person dual

TW: racism, classism, bullying

Setting: England 1846 & 1853

Summary: After her two best friends get married and have families, Elodia wants her own HEA. She's been in love with Ada's brother Richard for years and finally confesses her love for him. Richard believes Elodia is too young for him and thinks she deserves better. 

Heroine: Elodia "Ellie"Hawthorne-23, raised in Trinidad, viscount's daughter

Hero: Richard Thornfield-34, Chinese businessman

Other Characters: 
* Ada-Richard's younger sister/Elodia's BFF, married to Basil w/ twins
*Regina-Elodia's BFF, married to Leo
*Simon-Richard's estranged uncle he lives off an allowance from Richard
*Trent-kidnapped Elodia and Ada 2 years ago
*Lord Melbroke-Elodia's father, must remarry to get Elodia's dowry and the rest of his inheritance
*Elodia's aunt-Theo
*Isolde Walsh-Elodia's companion
*Lady Rachel Tremaine-Richard's mistress for 13 yrs. is disgruntled when Richard ends their affair

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the commentary on Elodia's and Richard's racial dilemmas. The ton caused an identity crisis for Richard with Lady Tremaine, and Elodia with potential husbands. She had the added complication of her parents' relationship.

Rating: 4/5 
Spice level: 4/5

Thanks to NetGalley, Dragonblade Publishing, and Addy Du Lac for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

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

*****Update: I did buy the book!

I enjoyed reading this third book of the series and have all intentions to buy the book when it's released. There was nothing disappointing about this book. As with the other two, it dealt with all the emotional drama that comes from being 'other'. There were times I wanted to shake the sense into certain characters, particularly Elodia's father. He may have fallen in love and married her mother, but he was still foolish in thinking no one would question the validity of the marriage or the legitimacy of his daughter. While I can not begrudge him mourning the death of his wife and son, he did his daughter a gross disservice by not ensuring her place within the ton. He's lucky his in-law knew how much father and daughter cared for each other, for it was his encouragement that helped them repair their relationship. Speaking of the in-law, Richard was stupid to have engaged with that vicious woman for as long as he did. There wasn't enough grief and loneliness in the world to have made him stay with someone he knew was a racist idiot. Tolerating her clear cruelty and ignorance is what gave her the gumption to view him as her property or toy, existing only for her pleasure. I'm glad what ended up happening to her and to Uncle Simon. He's not even worth ranting about. He was vile - plain and simple.

This is how I know this was a great read...by the amount of emotion it invoked in me. But it also made me wistful for the happy ending, knowing you will go through life with your soul's other half as one. Thanks to NetGalley for access to this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Miss Hawthorne's Unlikely Husband by Addy Du Lac is a third person multi-POV Regency romance conclusion to the Troublemarkers Trilogy. Elodia has been in love with Richard, her best friends’ older brother, since she was a teenager, but he has never really considered her an option due to their age difference and her status as a noble’s daughter and his status as a merchant. When Elodia confesses her feelings, Richard starts to reconsider and begins to fall for her while Elodia tries to move on.

Like the other books in the series, this one does not shy away from the social mores of the time, especially in relation to anti-Black and anti-Chinese racism. We see some very derogatory language slung at Elodia and Richard, both behind their backs and to their faces, and also racism directed at their friends. As a lover of historical romance, I know that this can make some readers uncomfortable as they are turning to romance as an escape, but I really do appreciate it when authors do not shy away from the realities of the time periods they are writing about and how their characters would have moved through the world.

Elodia and Richard’s romance takes a bit of time to get off the ground, mostly because Richard is convinced Elodia is out of his league and a lot of that has to do with his own self-worth issues. Elodia has similar things to work through as not only is she a biracial Black woman in the ton, but she notices that she’s not really getting suitors to come to her and has had people comment on her body in ways that gave her a bit of a complex, including a seamstress who called her a centaur. The two of them help each other work through all of this over the course of their relationship and Richard even finds creative solutions during the spicier things to make sure Elodia is comfortable while also giving them both what they want.

The other thing standing in their way is Richard’s uncle, the same man that kidnapped him in book one in order to get Richard’s inheritance, and Richard’s former mistress who is both racist and feels entitled to Richard’s affections. Elodia’s father serves as a bit of a barrier, but not in the same way as the other two as he does ultimately want what is best for Elodia and is struggling with Richard being what she wants.

Content warning for depictions of racism including racial slurs and a brief depiction of assault

I would recommend this to fans of historical romance who want realistic depictions of the social mores of the time and readers of romance who want to see more interracial couples as the stars

[ToniReads_1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC READ!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the TROUBLEMAKERS TRILOGY. This was one of my favorite tropes ( Bestfriend’s Brother) Elodia knew since she was in love and going to marry her best friend brother Richard. All along Richard was none the wiser treating Elodia as a little sister.
Both Elodia and Richard, treated differently by the ton because they both did not have titles as well as being a different race. Both had finances and were self sufficient but not accepted by the ton.
It was definitely an emotional ride. Being part of activities put on by the ton and realizing everyone is whispering about you. Not only that, but for Elodia who overheard people talking about her being a woman of color and her father who was not. Elodia heart is shattered because she believes not only was her mother a woman of color and her father white, that because of that they were truly not married being a former slave. And she also felt that her father allowed people of the ton to speak ill of her mother and not stand up for her.

Richard has a secret lover in the ton and when he decides to break it off with her, he sees her for her true bigoted self and realized she only used him because she thought he was exotic. As much as Richard is beneath her, she won’t just let him go.

Although he was financially independent being a merchant he wasn’t able to marry up and not allowed to be a part of the ton. Therein lies the issue with wanting to marry Elodia. Although she is a woman of color, because her father is the Viscount she is still considered royalty.

Elodia and Richard fight for their love and to be married but obstacles are always in the way. Besides the ton who is totally against their union, Elodia father the Viscount will not give his blessing.

The question is will Elodia and Richard be together?

This was like a movie in my mind

#ARC #NETGALLEY

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story that is fully entertaining. Great characters. A uniquely different plot as this author delves into the complexity of multi racial diversity. Most historical romance stories deal with the privilege of one race. This author challenges the reader with a blend of the very different and difficult merging of racial privilege and their downfall. Highly recommend this series it's been fantastic.

[Chia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming and witty historical romance with a heroine who refuses to play by the rules. The “unlikely husband” dynamic is executed with humor and a lot of heart, making this a refreshing twist on marriage-of-convenience. Sweet, funny, and utterly romantic.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC! I'll make sure to follow Addy Du Lac for more books and will dive right into The Troublemakers Trilogy books 1 and 2!

Really, this was such a wonderful book! Elodia was a QUEEN, and Richard... well, he was perfect for her ♥

[Rosadoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOME RUN! The tropes (best friend's brother being a favourite of mine) and set up leading up to this were so good, so there was a lot riding on this one. Elodia and Richard are the only ones without titles and spouses and children. Sharing understandings and secrets (and now co-god parents) does not guarentee a smooth love story, though. She has been harboring a love for him since they met, but will he reciprocate once she makes it known to him? FOR ANYONE WHO WAS DISAPPOINTED BY BRIDGERTON SEASON THREE, HERE IS WHAT YOU ACTUALLY WANTED.

The heroine shines. Elodia went on an emotional journey, facing rebuttals left right and centre. She was broken down and built herself back up (with the help of her besties) and watching her clamber her way back into strength and confidence was an emotional ride. I love the time that was spent into developing her character, as a woman as well as a partner.

These two have had the hardest time in the series, protecting their loved ones, and in this book they are forced to protect themselves. It pained me to see either of them hurt, especially Ellie, with her heart of gold and bad rep. But each of these books are optimistic and hopeful and each of the girls fight for their right to be loved and respected and appreciated and triumph, and Richard learning to appreciate her as the person he should have seen all along was beautiful. Richard was sexy as always, but I loved the richer understanding his identity.

I love the inner circle, the surrounding families, the pressure from villains. There wasn't an element I would have taken out.

This was the icing on top of the trilogy. It was fun but emotional, with the perfect amount of intrigue/drama, as is in every book. The romance was expertly done. Addy DuLac is now an auto-buy author. Never have I had such a GOOD time with a series. This book is so very worthy of being called a love story. Every kind of love. It was a celebration of not only the couple but the tapestry of the whole series. Romantic perfection and a hit finale.

[CLorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes: Diverse characters, age-gap, best friend's brother, she falls first, historical romance, class difference, working class hero

I was introduced to Addy Du Lac a few years ago when I read her novel, A Season With The Duke. A Season With The Duke is a book I return to often (Confession: sometimes I read certain passages of this book just for the cathartic release it gives). Her most recent book will be released later this month (Sept. 19, 2025), and I was privileged to read it as an ARC. Miss Hawthorne's Unlikely Husband is the third book in her series, The Troublemakers Trilogy. The books follow the loves, misfortunes and adventures of three young ladies who met in an English boarding school. The girls are from diverse backgrounds and suffer some level of ostracization. They band together loyally but Elodia, the daughter of a viscount, is the group’s fearless and fiery protector. Books 1 and 2 feature Ada and Regina, and while it is not necessary to have read the prior stories, some of the action is referenced and reading the other books will make for a more cohesive experience. Richard Thornfield has been acquainted with Elodia as one of his sister’s closest friends for nearly a decade; he considers her to be an engaging, beautiful and witty young lady in a brotherly way, of course! Elodia’s feelings for Richard are far from sisterly, from the moment she looked into his beautiful eyes she was in love with him. Now that both Richard and Elodia are expected to make advantageous matches, Elodia is determined to approach Richard with a memento from his past and the hope that they will start a future together. For many multifaceted, self-sabotaging and even noble reasons, Richard does not respond to Elodia’s proposal favorably. Elodia is understandably devastated, but Richard eventually comes to understand that he has rebuffed one of his life’s greatest treasures. However, a slithering former mistress, their age-gap, poor self-esteem, a diabolical uncle and a disapproving father (Elodia’s) conspire to hinder his efforts to regain his place in Elodia’s life-plans. Ms. Du Lac has again crafted an emotionally rich book with resilient, engaging characters grappling with societal expectations, brazen villains and troubles of the heart. I totally enjoyed this author’s diverse and fresh voice. I can see myself reading this book over and over again!

Favorite Lines:
He couldn't decide which was more embarrassing to him, her candor or his response.
Throughout every word they'd spoken, every dance, every game, every smile and jest, she had been loving him and quietly hoping.
It should have been a relief to hear those words. Instead they filled him with something like sadness and pride.
As if that swine in a dress was more worthy of him than a true lady of the peerage.
Was he proud of her or terrified?
You are a rarity. Not every man will have the courage to pursue you.
That indefatigable determination to take up space and make demands.
He had been in some kind of berserker rage fueled by years of insult and pain.
It felt as though my heart, my whole body came awake for you.
I want you to know that I love you as you are, for all that you are. Even when you are stupid.

https://theretiredreader.com/f/miss-h...

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️ Genre: Historical Romance
✨️ Tropes: First love, best-friends brother, happily ever after

**Thank you to NetGallery and Addy Du Lac for providing me with an e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**

⭐️ Star Rating: 3.75 / 5 stars
🌶 Spice Level: 3 / 5 peppers (hot/spicy - open-door intimacy)
⚠️ Content Warnings: Attempted sexual assault, sexually explicit scenes
📅 Release Date: September 19, 2025


He’d heard what she’d done and seen a protector instead of a ruffian. In an instant, all of her shame and anxiety melted away, leaving behind a steady glow in the center of her chest and so it was, on an otherwise ordinary summer day in England, Elodia Hawthorne lost her heart to Richard Thornfield.

Addy Du Lac brings her readers the final installment of the Troublemarkers Trilogy. Set two years later than the first installment of the series, this novel focuses on the lives and relationships of our FMC, Elodia Hawthorne, and our MMC, Richard Thornfield.

(While reading the first two books in this trilogy is not mandatory to understand the premise of Miss Hawthorne’s Unlikely Husband, it is strongly recommended that readers take themselves on the full journey of the Troublemakers Trilogy to fully understand all of the characters intertwined within each other's lives.)

What I’ve really enjoyed throughout this series is the author’s ability to continue a familiar pattern and storyline while also making each story unique to the characters and their traits. With Elodia, we have a fierce and strong-willed woman willing to fight for what (and who) she believes in. Her determination was well illustrated through this series, and especially so in this novel. Despite the barriers and setbacks she faced throughout the novel, Elodia was always one to handle each situation with grace and respect. This was something I was appreciative to see - Miss Elodia Hawthorne might be fierce, but she was also reasonable - she was written with such a great balance of both a fiery and soft personality, making her an easily relatable character.

Readers can also expect a small return of our favourite familial monarch - Aunt Theo! While I know she was not meant to be a main side character, having more of her witty banter would have made this a four-star read for me.

Aside from missing more of Aunt Theo, I also thought the trilogy's conclusion was slightly lacking in some of the banter and adventure that the first two books held. With that said, I definitely felt there was a different level of “fight” and yearning in our FMC and our MMC - something true to both their characters in their overall lives.

Additionally, readers can also expect a satisfying conclusion to the Troublemakers Trilogy - wrapping up some… “loose ends” from book one!

Overall, this is definitely an enthralling read for lovers of historical romance - one that I would recommend curling up with to make a rainy day a little brighter.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, refreshing historical romance with just the right amount of heartache, longing, and secrets-from-the-past drama. The summary had me hooked right away with the idea of a viscount’s daughter and a successful merchant’s son—very much a “we really shouldn’t, but oh no, we definitely should” kind of pairing.
Elodia was a character I connected with almost instantly. She’s privileged but not spoiled, and watching her world crack a little—and seeing her decide to stand on her own anyway—made her easy to root for. I especially loved that she wasn’t the typical meek society miss; she’s clever, playful, and determined, even when her heart’s on the line.
Richard, on the other hand, surprised me in the best way. At first, he seems like your standard aloof, duty-bound hero who thinks he’s above messy emotions. But as the story goes on, he really grows on you, especially when he starts questioning the walls he’s built around his own feelings. His shift from “this can’t be love” to “oh wait…this might actually be love” was one of my favorite parts.
Of course, no romance is complete without a few well-placed secrets, misunderstandings, and social obstacles—and this story delivers. The tension between their different worlds felt real, and the final question—can their love survive the past?—kept me turning the pages.
Also, the friends! I’m a sucker for supportive side characters who nudge the romance along, and this book gave me exactly that.
If you enjoy historical romances with class differences, slow-burn feelings, and characters who have to fight a little for their happiness, you’ll really enjoy this one. It’s heartfelt without being heavy, and the ending left me with that warm and satisfied feeling.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review. 

[East of Reality · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable historical romance with actual characters of color. And not just character who happen to be half black or half Chinese, but people who have to deal with the polite and not-so polite reactions of society to their differences. Elodia’s mother was an enslaved woman until freed by Elodia’s father; while the two of them had no romantic or physical relationship during her enslavement, society has a lurid imagination. For all that Elodia’s father claims her loudly, publicly, and lovingly, Elodia is still half black and stands out because of it, and daughter of a Viscount she may be but she’s still seeing almost no suitors while looking to marry.

Richard is half Chinese, speaks and uses Mandarin in the book, but — as a man — his rank is held more against him than his skin, because Richard isn’t a member of the ton but of the merchant class. Still, there’s racism — from the villains, framed as vile and course language — faced by both characters.

The focus is on the flirting, the courting and the eventual marriage. It’s a light story, well written with a bright and lively pace. Considering that this is the third book in a trilogy I think it stands well enough as a standalone, easy to follow and while the other characters make cameos, they don’t steal the stage from the main couple.

Overall, it’s cute, fun, and makes me interested in picking up the first two books in the series. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Catharina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a historical romance, and this book delivered exactly what I needed. From beginning to end, it was engaging, charming, and genuinely entertaining. Even though I didn’t read the previous books in the trilogy, I never felt lost or confused about the character dynamics. Addy Du Lac does a great job giving you just enough context to follow the relationships while still keeping the spotlight on the main couple.

I love an age-gap romance and this one scratched that itch perfectly. Elodia has been harboring a quiet crush on Richard since she was younger, and everyone around them seemed to notice it long before he did. Watching her feelings finally come to light, only for Richard to initially reject her, added a nice emotional tension. But as circumstances shift and secrets unravel, we get to see how their connection slowly transforms into something deeper and more meaningful.

Richard’s mistress also brings an unexpected level of drama and conflict to the story. She is not letting go easily, and her presence adds another layer of intensity that makes the romance even more satisfying.
Overall, this was a delightful, heartfelt historical romance with an age-gap twist, rich characters, and a refreshing sense of diversity. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance, age-gap relationships, or stories featuring multicultural couples.

[Alexandra G · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when an Anglo-Caribbean viscount’s daughter handpicks an Anglo-Chinese merchant’s son as her prince charming...

Elodia & Richard
She fell for him, her friend’s brother, at first sight when she was but 15. Over the years he was always kind and attentive, she idolised him, and now, at 23, she finally gathers the courage to tell him how she feels – only to be firmly rebuffed...
He’s an island; always on the fringes, always looking over his shoulder, envied by some, snubbed by others. With his two best friends and his little sister happily settled, the idea of marriage becomes rather appealing – if only his mistress would retract her claws.

There’s a lot of bigotry, class divide, misplaced entitlement and jealousy. Combine that with a 10 year age-gap, meddling friends, body issues, aloneness, roots, doubt, honour and a marriage with a bumpy start – and, while not always pretty, it makes for a riveting read!

The rejection was heartbreaking, I really felt for Ellie even though she’s strong and brave. I won’t reveal the other thing rubbing salt in her wounded heart; just know it’s an emotional ride. The fun thing is everybody saw that she had a crush on Richard; only he didn’t. The fact their distance unexpectedly pains him, shocks him into realising his feelings. Cue a bit of soul-searching, a big aha-moment, and things move fairly quickly afterwards, but it’s not all roses and rainbows... The steam, however, is most delicious!

Throughout the story you know the other shoe is bound to drop, you just never know when. It’s not a big mystery, but the slow build-up is enthrallingly twisty. I loved all the colourful multicultural detail, the flavours, the way these two see each other, and how all three couples from this series come full circle in the epilogue.
I happily devoured this book, and I highly recommend this entire series if you’re looking for engaging, swoonworthy, grand romances with a different point of view!

[Tiffany P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story with a lot of different twists. There were great characters with strong friendships and good family connections. The story was a friends to lovers trope that had elements of class difference as well as mixed race in a society that frowned on anyone different. This was a second chance romance of sorts for a girl that fell in love as a teen when she met her best friend’s brother. It took bravery and daring for her to admit her feelings and accept rejection until he realized his feelings. This steamy novel had well developed characters, discussed important issues like slavery and bigotry. The story had villains and bigots, in the form of jilted mistresses and hateful family members, that had to be handled for a true HEA. I do feel the story dragged on a little bit cause the villains were allowed to manipulate and pull strings for too long.

I received a copy of this from Net Galley and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Ashley Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Bridgerton with a diverse cast, and I loved every moment of it. It explores the trials and tribulations of being part of a very white society, weaving in different cultures and their traditions. It gives such a powerful perspective on what it might have been like to live in a time when other races weren’t accepted.
The friend group in this story is absolutely beautiful, true friendship goals. And the men in these books? Outstanding. They love their women wholeheartedly, and Richard was no exception.
I felt every emotion alongside these characters, and the writing was so vivid it played out like a movie in my mind. I highly recommend this to even newbies in historical romance, you’re going to fall in love with these characters.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the epilogue. It was really good and gave us such a lovely ending for group of friends. I also liked that this was the least traumatic book of the three. Race is discussed in very real ways which can be positive (how supportive the girl friend group is) or negative (how people discuss the main characters. I also liked that the biracial couples did not have to include one white partner.

Both characters are not perfect people, I can remember instances when each were taking someone thing out on the other but they also communicated so well to forgive and apologize.

I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Josee A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie and Richard are wonderful characters who fought for each other because of a profound love they found for and in each other. The side characters were great and forceful and it provided for a very suspenseful plot. I would have loved to see more of Richard and Ellie's interactions, especially in the middle. Overall though, this book is a continuations of these 3 friends and I loved how they were each in all the stories. Great series.

[Isabella Kamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addy Du Lac's latest addition to her Troublemaker series is my favorite one yet! This book had me holding my breath more times than I can count, and blushing twice as many times as that. Richard and Elodia are perfection—their romance will tug at your heartstrings, remind you of the power of love and acceptance, and prove for the millionth time that my taste in book boyfriends can't be beat. Five stars!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Tw; racism, violence, and sexual harassment

This was a really good end to the trilogy. I loved the uniqueness of the trilogy and can’t wait for the authors next book.

[Ejatu Bah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Richard and Elodia story it flowed well. They were great together and I liked that they just fit for each other and you can tell that grey have always wanted each other.

[Danielle Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

I had a good time with this ARC! While the POV switches were sometimes confusing (I often only caught on once the pronouns shifted), the story itself was really enjoyable.

Elodie was a standout for me—she knows what she wants and doesn’t settle, which made her easy to root for. The book also explored challenges to love in a way I appreciated: family expectations, class differences, even scorned lovers. It showed that no matter the time period, relationships are complicated!

Overall, a solid read that proves historical romance can be just as messy (and fun!) as modern romance.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.