The Very Definition of Love

by Sophia Benoit

A plucky yet innocent wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang arranges her own marriage to the ultimate the town rake. As sexy as it is witty and as charming as it is irreverent, The Very Definition of Love is Emily Henry for the regency era.

1816– Harriet Barrington may be on her fifth season with no marriage prospects, but she’s fine with that. It gives her more time to write her dictionary of modern slang. Words are her passion, especially the exciting, filthy ones men have kept hidden from women for far too long.

While researching late in the library during a party, Harriet accidentally finds herself in a compromising situation with notorious rake, Lord Alexander. To save her reputation and her younger sisters from ruin, Harriet has no choice but to slightly kidnap Alexander and strong arm him into an elopement. This arranged marriage has a very particular condition—it will be in name-only, leaving each of them to follow their own interests. For Harriet that’s her work, for Alexander, that’s women.

But soon Alexander’s rakish existence is not nearly as fun as spending time with Harriet, and Harriet’s beginning to worry about how much she actually likes her husband. Behind the closed doors of their respectable home, things become a little… complicated. After all, who better to teach her the very thorough meaning of these indecent words than the renowned lover, Lord Alexander Stirling?

Perhaps this marriage will teach them both a little more about that word they’ve been avoiding—love.

If Carrie Bradshaw wrote a Regency romance…. Meet an irresistible new voice in sex and relationships columnist and lifelong romance fan, Sophia Benoit.

Tropes
Enemies-to-lovers / Marriage of convenience / There’s only one bed / Yearning / A misunderstanding / He teaches her / Regency era / Rake x wallflower

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Marriage Of Convenience, Regency

448 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2026

Reviews

[Kimberlylovesreadingbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and Zando publishing for this Earc in exchange for an honest review ♥️🎀.

I have a big space in my heart for regency romance and this book didn't disappoint 🤭.

I read this book in one sitting because of how interesting it was.

Harriet, our fmc, is writing a modern slang dictionary and one day as she's researching in a library at a ball she's found in a compromising situation with the well known rake, Lord Alexander. 🙂

Alexander is used to women fawning over him but something about Harriet, the quiet Wallflower, makes him experience emotions that he doesn't want to explore.

I loved the dynamic between Alexander and Harriet, the tension was top tier.🛐 I found myself giggling at the funny banter between them🤭.

I just wish the epilogue was a little bit longer and that we actually read about Harriet 's reissure of the slang dictionary.🙂 Maybe it should have been written like months later instead of just the next morning.

Other than that I loved reading this and I hope we get books about the sisters.🤞🏾🙂

I can't wait to see the cover!!!! The cover is sooooo 😍✨🎀

[Nicole is Reading Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that you need to force yourself to put down or else you’ll stay up all night reading it.

As far as regency romances go, this one was top-tier. Harriet and Alexander were such a good pairing: the intelligent, overlooked wallflower and the rakish, bastard son of a duke - a matched made in chemistry heaven. The tension and spice were immaculate, but there were also many tender and romantic moments between them that made their connection feel so genuine.

If I had nitpick anything, it would be that I was hoping for a bit more from the final scene. Regardless, this book exceeded my expectations!

Thank you NetGalley and Zando (Slowburn) for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 Stars
This was pretty delightful and a fun romp. The gist is that Harriet is a big nerd (complimentary) who just wants to learn naughty words so that she is contribute to Mr. Dawkin’s dictionary and make some money for her sisters. When she is found in a compromising situation with well-known rake, Alexander (he is literally holding her wrist in a library when they are alone but that is SCANDALOUS for their time), they have no choice but to get married. Chaos ensues.

You will probably like this book if you like:
🌸 Regency era historical romances
🌸 Opposites attract
🌸 Rake MMC x Wallflower FMC
🌸 Spicy lessons
🌸 Reformed Playboy MMC x Virgin FMC
🌸 Oops, there’s only one bed

I really enjoyed Harriet and Alexander together. Alexander is a rake (cough, man slut, cough) but he is a thoughtful, kind rake with a traumatic past that makes you root for him. Harriet is shy and nerdy and sometimes comes off as very naive but again, there are good reasons for it. They are both really endearing and they work together as a couple. She throws him off balance which I LOVE and he just stares at her with stars in his eyes. This is another idiots to lovers story because neither one gets that the other likes them and they make assumptions and jump to conclusions. While I would find that annoying in other books, I think it worked here because these two just don’t have the life experience to do otherwise.

There is definitely some insta-lust but Alexander lives his life very … penis forward so if there wasn’t insta-lust it would seem out of character. I did find it slightly unbelievable that Harriet knew literally NOTHING about sex. Like I get that there was no sex education in Regency times but girl, you didn’t talk to your older sister about sex? Or like do any self discovery of your own ever? You’re learning these bawdy terms and none of them seemed interesting to piece together in a practical sense? I feel like I needed a little more about why she would be so clueless because it started to feel like a plot device instead of an understandable character trait.

Overall, this was fun and had some of my favorite tropes. I learned a lot of fun words and there is a literally glossary at the end.

Thank you Zando Projects | Slowburn and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: June 23, 2026
___________
Pre-Read Thoughts: It really tickles me that we call slutty men "rakes" in historical romances. (And of course, women don't get a cutesy term like that but you know, the patriarchy). Also prepare to be sick of me when I learn all of the "bawdy terms" from this book.

[cat (slow) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought this one would work for me and i'm definitely in the minority here but... unfortunately it just didn’t.


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴅᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ” x ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴍᴀᴇsᴏɴ
0:12 ─♥────────── 3:57


The biggest issue was that I had such a hard time connecting with both the story and the characters. The writing itself wasn’t bad, but something about it never fully pulled me in, and I found myself struggling to stay invested from the very beginning. I almost DNF’d multiple times, especially during the first half 😔

Harriet honestly frustrated me quite a bit. I understand that she’s meant to be a wallflower, but her level of naivety felt unbelievable at times. It was especially confusing because we’re constantly told how intelligent she is and how passionate she is about compiling a dictionary of slang and indecent words, yet she seemed completely unaware of things that felt like basic knowledge??????? How did she know NOTHING about the body. It just didn’t add up for me, and she often came across as immature and whiny rather than endearing.

Alexander wasn’t much better for me. The book makes it very clear that he’s a rake, but I never really understood what drew him to Harriet in the first place??? He just somehow changed his ways for her?? Their relationship felt rushed, and I never bought into their feelings. The chemistry just wasn’t there for me, which made the romance difficult to invest in.

The second half was stronger than the first, but the constant miscommunication became exhausting. It felt like there were always excuses keeping the characters apart, and by the end I was more frustrated than emotionally invested.

I also think the book tried to juggle too many tropes without spending enough time developing the actual relationship or plot. It felt like new tropes and situations kept getting thrown into the story, but none of them were explored deeply enough to make a strong impact. Instead of building naturally, a lot of the romance and conflict felt like it was happening because the trope required it rather than because it made sense for the characters.

Overall, I think the premise had a lot of potential, and I can absolutely see why other readers enjoyed this one. Sadly, I just never connected with the characters or romance enough for it to work for me 🤷🏼‍♀️

things to know about the book ↓

♥️ enemies-to-lovers
♥️ marriage of convenience
♥️ miscommunication
♥️ only one bed
♥️ scandal
♥️ he gives her lessons
♥️ regency era
♥️ rake x wallflower
♥️ written in 3rd POV

swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 12, 18, 21, 31, 32

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ ♥️ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

regency romance?! i'm not so sure about this 😭
but i loved the first season of bridgerton so maybe just maybe...

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This feels like a classic historical romance in the best way. Harriet is a bluestocking wallflower who's been corresponding with a scholar about her favorite subject: linguistic vulgarities. She normally hates going to balls but is finally excited to attend one - because her mysterious etymologist will finally be in Town! But when she arrives at the ball and (totally logically!) goes to wait for her scholar in the library, she's instead met by the biggest rake of the Ton, Lord Alexander. Simply by being in the room with her (and, to be fair, looking quite closely at her arm where Harriet has written a vulgar euphemism), Alex compromises her. And hop! they're off to Gretna Green.

It will come as no surprise to any romance reader that Alex turns into a real wife guy even before the wedding. It's basically torture for him to have to share a carriage ... or a room ... or a bed with Harriet. They take a bit of time to finally get together (there's a smidgeon too long of an odd miscommunication conflict, considering how well the two have been in expressing their wants and needs to each other beforehand) but it's such fun to read that you almost don't notice.

This is funny, sexy, and like I said feels like a classic HistRom.

33-Word Summaries:⁠
⁠
Meg: Harriet is really hot but she’s the least hot in a family of hotties so she thinks she’s uggo. Alexander doesn’t want to admit his wife’s hot but he honestly can’t deny it.⁠
⁠
Laine: Sometimes the only way for a man with a family promise not to procreate to get over himself is to have his hand forced by propriety, a kidnapping, and a really great dress.⁠

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot form a complete thought - this book was SO CUTE

I picked it up on a whim bc I was in a weird reading mood & I didn’t want to put it down. An absolutely addicting regency romcom.

Rake x Wallflower x Forced marriage to save her reputation

SO so cute. This book comes out later this year & truthfully I haven’t seen much buzz about it but pls know - you need to read this. I’ll 100% be getting a trophy copy.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew that touching hands could lead to a lady kidnapping a lord?

✨ Happy Release day ✨

"Drink up and then tell me what you did," she said with an irritated sigh, as if Alexander were the one not performing his usual role in this scene.
"Why do you presume it was me?"
"I never take a man's side if I can help it."

Harriett, a wallflower and middle child of four sister is once again forced to attend a ball, only to watch (one of) her younger and the elder sister being surrounded by men.
All this changes when she’s discovered with a duke in a library, sadly not doing anything scandalous but touching hands (but you can never know what people interpret and fantasize in scandals), so she does the only sensible thing: She kidnaps the duke (who’s also a rake btw.)
While learning of naughty words and their meaning brought them the scandal in the library, it also brings them quite close after. Really, really scandalously close.

While I had lots of fun with the banter and the way they discovered their friendship, I was rather surprised how fast the spicy scenes were integrated.
Next to nearly no time to get to know each other before doing something spicy, we also have lots and lots of miscommunication.

But, I did have a few things I liked, like the banter, the sisterly love, the way he tried to get closer to her by searching and lending her books.

Also, I absolutely adore this cover.

[Berry ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Sophia Benoit, Zando/Slowburn, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 / 5 ⭐️ I ATE THIS UPPPPPPP omg
3 / 5 🌶️

I devoured this book in a day. Absolutely loved it, wouldn't change a thing, Harriet and Alexander live rent free in my mind now.
Marriage of convenience? Yes.
The tension?? Yes.
SPICY lessons??? YES!
ONE BED???? YES!!

I had such a good time reading this. Regency-era books aren't typically my thing, but I am so glad I took a shot and requested this arc, because it brought me so much joy! I was charmed from the very beginning.

Harriet, our sweet little wallflower FMC, is so timid, naive, and smart in such an endearing way. Her personality doesn't feel too forced. I loved her, and reading about her so much!
Alexander is... a capital R rake. A bastard child of the duke. But ohhhhh my gosh. He was just so thoughtful. It was so easy to fall for his character.

After an accidental meeting, they get roped into quite the tricky situation, and the only way for them to move past it is to... get married. The marriage of convenience plotline was executed flawlessly.
Together, they were SO cute. I thought they both suited eachother nicely, and I truly did root for them til the end!

This was such an amazing read, and an even more amazing romance debut novel by Sophia Benoit!

♡ pre-read ♡

I am going to devour this regency era marriage-of-convenience book HEHEHEHE

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The men of the ton are absolute fools, which is something me and Alexander can agree upon. Harriet is a fucking DIAMOND and it’s a crime nobody noticed. I have been on a major regency romance kick recently and this perfectly scratched that itch. I devoured this in one sitting and now I’m all moony-eyed over Harriet.

Harriet is the second born daughter of a bankrupt noble, entering into her fifth season with no marriage prospects. Shes accepted this fact and has turned her attentions toward her sisters and collecting new bawdy words for her slang dictionary. When a misunderstanding leads to a compromising position with the notorious town rake Lord Alexander, Harriet must strong arm him into an elopement to save her family’s reputation. Their marriage is meant to be in name only, but they soon find their mutual attraction and feelings begin complicating things.

Usually I’m weary of the reformed rake trope, especially when the female character is an innocent virgin. But what I think worked great with this book is how unabashed Harriet is. She might be an “innocent,” but she very much wishes she wasn’t and her open curiosity completely taking Alexander by surprise really turned the trope on its head. The way she made HIM blush multiple times was to die for. I also appreciated how Alexander was a little bit of a loser. Even though he has so much charm and is a major flirt, he’s just a lover boy at heart and wants his woman to boss him around. It just took him some time to realize that. Harriet deserves a man who worships the ground she walks on. I was happy that she slowly gained so much confidence and finally realized that she was an absolute catch. I also loved their sexual chemistry and how much fun they have together.

I think the weakest part of this book was how Harriet’s relationship with her father was handled. Harriet’s dad just kind of came and went, but we did see how her low self esteem was a product of his verbal abuse. What I didn’t like was how him being physically abusive was just completely glossed over. There were some throwaway references to Harriet’s weariness around Alexander drinking. I thought it would lead to an important conversation between them but never did. It felt like more narrative exploration was given to Alexander and his family.

This was super fun and sexy, I was consistently giggling and twirling my hair. There’s just something so enjoyable about a chaste girl with a dirty mouth completely manhandling and scandalizing a renowned rake. Thank you Zando for the NetGalley ARC!

[Allison E · Rating 2 out of 5]

The thing about this book, is that I did not like it very much. At first I was like it’s probably just because of the impeccable historical romance series that shall not be named which I just finished. Surely it’s the comparison thieving my joy right? Nope. I actually just don’t like this book.

A wallflower semi kidnaps a notorious rake and semi forces him to marry her after getting caught in a compromising ! position with him. She’s also trying to compile a dictionary of scandalous leaning slang words and he exists to well, mostly think about her.

While I wouldn’t say the writing here is bad, the author’s voice is distinct and quite breezy actually, I really couldn’t stand either of the two main characters. They weren’t even annoying to me in the interesting way. I like a character if they’re annoying in an interesting way.

Harriet the fmc is a very whiney “wow is me, everyone thinks I am ugly and no one ever notices me and everyone likes my sisters more than me and I am such a wallflower !!” kinda gal. She also genuinely acts like she was born yesterday. Like displayed a level of naivety that made me want to bash my head in. You could argue “well she’s a wallflower, that’s her character type.” Trust me I’ve met wallflowers I like. I’d push Harriet in front of a moving carriage if it would cease her blithering.

The love interest Alexander loves women. He loves all women so so much. The author wants you to know this. He is a lover with seemingly no particular taste in who he beds. What is it about Harriet then that causes Alexander to stop his man whore ways? He doesn’t know. And I don’t know either.

Sorry to sound like such a Scrooge. Add that to your dictionary Harriet. You annoyed me so much I have become a disgruntled miserly old man. I reject the fun of this story !!

Hehe here is where I say my classic line that I think a lot of ppl would still have fun with this. It’s classic regency type shenanigans.

[har. · Rating 4 out of 5]

┆ ⤿ 🌸 ⌗ started: june 19, finished: june 25

4 star 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ mini arc review with no spoilers.

⋆.˚ ★— read this with the sweetest yueting. i had the most amazing time yapping and giggling over alexander!! 💗

thank you to zando, sophia benoit and netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

tropes: ⋆˚࿔
.ᐟ opposites attract
.ᐟ rake x wallflower
.ᐟ spicy lessons
.ᐟ regency era historical romances

summary: ⋆˚࿔
harriet barrington has no interest in finding a husband. while society expects her to marry, she'd much rather spend her days compiling a dictionary of modern slang, especially the scandalous words men have long kept hidden from women. but when she's caught in a compromising situation with the infamous rake, lord alexander stirling, her reputation is suddenly at risk. with little choice, harriet takes matters into her own hands and forces alexander into a marriage of convenience.

their arrangement comes with one important rule: it's a marriage in name only. harriet can continue her research, while alexander is free to continue his carefree, rakish lifestyle. however, living under the same roof proves far more complicated than either of them expected. as friendship turns into attraction and stolen moments become impossible to ignore, harriet begins to wonder if the notorious rake might be more than his reputation suggests. meanwhile, alexander finds himself preferring his clever, unconventional wife over the life he once thought he wanted.

thoughts: ⋆˚࿔
i loved this story so much. even though the chapters were on the longer side, i never found myself losing interest. if anything, i kept wanting to read just one more chapter because i was having so much fun. i was constantly giggling at the banter, smiling at the little moments between harriet and alexander, and completely invested in watching their relationship develop.

harriet was such a lovable heroine. i admired how intelligent, curious, and determined she was, especially with her passion for writing a dictionary of scandalous slang. she felt different from the typical historical romance heroine, and i loved how unapologetically herself she was. alexander was also such a pleasant surprise. beneath his infamous rake reputation was someone incredibly caring, patient, and devoted, and it was impossible not to fall for him as he slowly fell for harriet.

their chemistry was absolutely amazing, and the marriage of convenience trope was executed so well. the slow burn, the witty conversations, the mutual respect, and the growing trust between them made every romantic moment feel earned. it was funny, charming, heartwarming, and surprisingly emotional all at once. this was such a delightful regency romance, and i finished it with the biggest smile on my face.

[Silvy (silvylinings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you’re looking for something to fill the bridgerton season 4 sized hole in your heart, THIS IS THE ONE!!!! THIS IS IT!!!!

i have been CRAVING a romcommy historical romance ever since i forced myself to stop rebingeing bridgerton over and over again, and this cured me. of everything. of every single ailment that has ever existed in my mind body and spirit, actually. THIS WAS A DELIGHT AND I’M OBSESSED WITH IT AND I NEED MORE LIKE A BLACK HOLE OF HISTORICAL ROMANCE BANTERY YEARNING THAT WILL NEVER BE SATISFIED.

i’ve been a sophia benoit follower for years, used to read (and submit to!) her advice substack back in the Despairs Of My Early Twenties, and was utterly GIDDY when she released well, this is exhausting. so naturally i genuinely writhed on my floor in romance reader GLEE when i saw she was taking her talents (wit, charm, creative geniusry) to the historical romance subgenre.

AND THIS DELIVERED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. i’m not a seasoned historical romance reader, but i do dabble (feverishly & enthusiastically, as all hyperfixations manifest), and this hit all of my boxes. a handsome heir-to-the-dukedom rake who is ALSO a golden retriever angel baby boy??? a smart, witty wallflower with a penchant for vulgarities? A KIDNAPPING!! AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE!! a forced proximity DELIGHT in every possible way!!! i tore through this in 24 hours with delighted joy in my heart and i’m begging for more.

this was clearly painstakingly researched, hilariously funny, and hits all of the trope boxes with a sizzling spicy cherry on top. i’m obsessed, actually, and i can already tell this is one i’ll reread over and over again for the next 3-5 business years while we wait for bridgerton season 5 to cook.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to slowburn for the chance to read this early!!! i loved literally every second of it and also learned something in the process (catch me casually dropping the word godemiche at the next book club meeting). pick this up when it releases so i can relive it vicariously!!! i beg!!!

[tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Very Definition of Love is, quite truly, one of the best books I have read all year. I am just coming off the high of having finished it, and I can already assuredly say that Sophia Benoit has spoiled me for any book that I will pick up hereafter. I thought none could rival Tessa Dare in the historical romance department, but I have been delightfully corrected.

These characters - I love them as individuals, and I love them even more together. It’s so refreshing to have an MMC in a historical romance that accepts his lady exactly as she is, and encourages her eccentricities. ALEXANDER THE MAN THAT YOU ARE.

And Harriet - oh, Harriet. My innocent but not meek wallflower with an insatiable hunger for knowledge (a gal after my own heart).

I could read a whole series dedicated to these characters and not tire of it. This romance has it all: heart, swoonworthy love, banter, and great humor.

[°✧ sultana ✧° · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the PERFECT book to satiate my regency romance needs. Especially for the upcoming Bridgerton season that’ll be out by the time this releases!

The tension was absolutely delicious. There really is no other way to describe it. From cute banter to meddling sisters and a noisy ton, every element brought Harriet and Alexander together even when all they intended to do was be far apart as possible.

Harriet and Lord Alexander are found in a compromising position, which forces them to wed. Although Alexander avoids the act as much as possible.. he kind of gets kidnapped by Harriet? 😭 She just wants to avoid her family from getting ruined and I mean, you go girl. So this ends up being a forced proximity, marriage in name. But after spending so much time together, Alexander can’t help but think of Harriet and realizes he doesn’t want anyone else.

They are so so cute. The bashful nature of Harriet does well with Alexander confident ‘rakish’ one and they compliment each other very well. Also Harriet isn’t afraid to be herself around him, when she usually sticks to the sidelines and is quote on quote a ‘wallflower’. He cares for her and her sisters’ wellbeing, and really really hope they get books too!

Great chemistry and highly recommend.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good Lord, this was a mind-numbingly boring read. I want to be kind but honest and I'm sure this author worked hard to write this book but here's the problem, or at least, one of the main problems in this book. She's a wallflower and he's a notorious rake and essentially, they're caught in a compromising position (nothing improper was actually going on) and she essentially kidnaps him and manipulates him into marrying her so they go on a road trip to Gretna Green to have a hasty marriage in name only except, this is a historical romance so of course, it turns to real love. And if that is, in fact, a trope I wanted to read, then I'd rather just read Devil in Winter by the unparalleled Lisa Kleypas. She's got a terrible father, he's got a terrible father, they both have siblings that are good (his brother is dying, meaning he will become the heir to the dukedom) and she's also obsessed with with co-authoring a dictionary of dirty words? IDK. There's some vague sex lessons and dirty word lessons and I think the main issue with this book is that there are too many tropes and not enough by way of actual plot. You can't just write a book full of tropes. I'm gonna confess, I mostly hard skimmed this book and I'm not entirely sure why either one of these people fell in love with the other but I also feel fully confident in saying that if I had read every single word of this book with great concentration, I would still be asking the same exact question. It's trying to be witty and subversive (oh, look, he's got a mistress but she's not evil, she's actually supporting the new wife and wants them to get together and be happy and gives him advice on how to sexually pleasure the wife) and I don't know, it just didn't work for me at all.

ARC from publisher, review is all mine.

[Sanjana]

i was charmed! i 1) breezed through it in a day 2) genuinely giggled at points 3) will be reading the sequels (phillippa’s book in particular).

it’s still very much a debut— the tone of dialogue gets, as my friend allie says, “breezy” to the point of being overdone at times. the character work could be richer/fuller/more complete (why words? why dirty words? when? how? in this way? in general harriet is harder to put a finger on than alexander). there are points in the plot where it’s hard to follow exactly why something is happening, and the miscommunication doesn’t feel *totally* earned.

STILL. i think there’s something lovingly referential about the story to iconic historicals of the past (devil in winter, lord of scoundrels) and there’s more than enough to have a good time. closer to a tessa dare than a laura kinsale, if that means anything to you. i had a truly good time!

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a hundred more interesting historical romances out there today that have done this similar plot in a more thrilling, imaginative way. If you're going to be writing a historical romance in 2025/2026, and the main character is deeply interested in words and definitions about dirty things men talk about, and she didn't even seem curious about her own body, there's a problem here. The fact that that's the most unique part of the plotting of this book pretty much proves that there's nothing new to offer from it.

I get that there's a toeing of the line with historical romances and what feels appropriate for the times and what doesn't, but a woman pleasuring herself shouldn't be something that she needs to learn from a man. I may sound Too Woke right now, but it's frankly a little frustrating to read.

[Olena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was filled with witty humor, warmth, and romance. 💖
Thank you to Zando Projects and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

You’ll find so much packed into this story: an accidental kidnapping, a compromising situation, a charming rake of a hero, a wallflower heroine, and plenty of conversations… and “not conversations” too. 😉
It’s such a delightful historical romance about two people who never expected to find love — especially not with each other.
Harriet attends a ball hoping to finally meet her pen pal and perhaps find something romantic… only to end up in the completely wrong place at the worst possible moment, with her reputation suddenly at risk. 🤦🏻‍♀️
She has been secretly corresponding with a scholar, helping him compile a dictionary of unusual words. The problem? He has no idea he promised Harriet 25% of the profits because he believes he’s writing to a man. 🙈
Meanwhile, Alexander is adored by nearly every woman in London — especially widows and unhappily married ladies. He loves balls, fencing, and women perhaps a little too much. One unfortunate mistake later, and he wakes up in a carriage speeding toward Scotland. 😅
Watching these two untangle the chaos they accidentally find themselves in was incredibly entertaining and charming. I highly recommend this to fans of historical romances looking for a light, funny, and heartwarming read. 💝

Tropes ✨

* 💃 Historical romance
* 😏 Rake hero
* 📚 Wallflower heroine
* 🔥 Forced proximity
* 💞 Unexpected love
* 🗡️ Charming rogue hero
* ✨ Romantic comedy vibes
* 🫶 Slow-burn chemistry
* 🔥 He “teaches” her 💦
* 🎀 Reputation at stake

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up!

i want to preface this review by saying to take my opinion with a grain of salt because regency era romances are not my end all be all favorite. the cover was stunning and it sounded like fun so that is what drew me towards picking up a regency romance! in no way did i dislike this book, i thought the writing was very good and it was super cute BUT i did find myself hitting a wall quite a few times, especially in the beginning. to be honest i dont think i truly started having fun with this book fully until over half way in, hit a wall again right before 80% due to miscommunication and then it picked right back up for me once they realized how dumb they were being lol.

i think that A LOT of people are going to absolutely love this one, especially if theyre a regency romance lover — its cute, its quirky, its hot. i did an immersive read with the audiobook as well and quite liked that experience, the narrators were super fun! i really liked that they gave a voice to alexander even though he doesnt have his own pov, it added a really nice depth to the audiobook!

[Nikki (awallflowerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more books where she kidnaps him! This one was a trope-tastic delight that sucked me in from the start. Harriet is a wallflower on a mission to create a dictionary of slang words. And when she’s accidentally discovered with the biggest rake in town, Alexander, she must solve the problem like she does all her family’s. Alexander is not interested in stopping his rakish ways, but he is immediately intrigued by this curious girl who writes words like “qu!m” on her arm. He’s uncertain of marrying her, but she can’t take no for an answer and quite literally kidnaps him for an elopement to Gretna Green. It’s a hilarious and bonkers good time, with characters that were instantly lovable and a writing style that hooked me right away.

I loved how Alexander was that charming type of rake, who might appear shallow on the surface but turns down bad by the 35% mark. Charming rakes are some of my faves, because they typically have really interesting layers to discover while also keeping me giggling. And Harriet is kind of a wonderful foil due to her ability to (mostly) see though her attraction of him. This is a classic- charming rake gets rocked when the girl he’s not really interested in (sure Jan) shows zero interest. And I eat that sh*t up, with a request for extra helpings please! The steam in this was sooooo well done, and this author knows how to bring the heat. While it could just be hot and descriptive physically, it also feels true to the characters and their playful banter. Needless to say, it was very hot and the scenes kept delivering on the amp up in intimacy.

I can not rave about this one enough- I really loved so much about it! This might be the author’s first historical, but you can tell she’s a fan of the genre and combines so many great tropes. She takes the classic wallflower and rake trope and does exactly what I want with it: there’s yearning, misunderstanding, “I’ll teach you” moments, and a lovely banter and chemistry between these two that I couldn’t get enough of. Neither character is one-note, or exactly what they appear, but thats what makes this specific trope work so well. He’s also a down bad man who has no idea he’s down bad, which is my favorite kind. And Harriet is the perfectly curious and hilarious wallflowers, with her interest in naughty words providing endless laughs. Harriet’s sisters are such a treat, and I really hope we get future novels with them! I can feel Sophia setting this up for us, and I hope she gets the chance to follow it through. Because they were all so interesting and unique.

Ultimately, this one is getting such high praise because Sophia blends the rom com of this so perfectly, while delivering high heat and delicious chemistry that you want to devour. I could not, and did not, want to put this one down when I started- it was a blast of a time!

Thank you to the publishers for an eARC of this novel.

[Lex ✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ [🎧]

i had so much fun with this one! i don't often read historical/regency era romances but i really enjoyed this one, especially the audiobook! it's flirty, fun, and quite spicy. the premise of our fmc, harriet creating an entire dictionary for slang words was also a fun addition. my girl was an absolute wallflower through and through but when she finds herself in a compromising position with the mmc alexander, they have a bigger proposition to follow. i liked the connection between her and alexander, they had such a playful dynamic. and the way that alexander fell for her was quite sweet!

i found myself kind of dragging through this in the middle, but i think the audio really helped pull me out of it and finish strong.

[Brooke ✌︎㋡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so fun! I’m always looking for a great regency romance and this one checks all the boxes. I was giggling and having tons of fun moments reading this. The way she drives him crazy while he’s teaching her because she had so many questions was just the best 🤣.

This regency romance hit so different from others and in the best way. You’re not getting Bridgerton vibes. You’re getting something MUCH BETTER. Like I want a different type of regency romance show and this is exactly what’s needed! The blurb explains plenty but my personal take is you will love the characters, you will even love the rake and you will love the spice! DEFINITELY get this when it comes out!

Tropes:
💘 Enemies-to-lovers
💍 Marriage of convenience
🛏️ There's only one bed
🥺 Yearning
🗣️A misunderstanding
✍️ He teaches her
🎩 Regency era

Thank you to NetGalley, Zando Projects Publishing and Sophia Benoit for the awesome opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Stroop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly charming! Harriet’s goal in life is to co-author a dictionary of slang and curse words. She has long given up on finding love. Enter Lord Alexander…literally. He walks into a room where Harriet is alone and they are discovered in a compromising position. While they agree that marriage is their only solution, they also agree that they should basically do whatever they want behind the scenes as they don’t have a real marriage. However, going back to “normal” may prove difficult as their feelings for one another develop.

This is a fun read. Harriet is a plucky and endearing lead and Alexander is sweet and thoughtful (even though he may not think so). 4.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Zando and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

EDIT: I actually haven’t stopped thinking about how awful this book is so I’m changing my rating for the second time. 2 ⭐️

I’ve been waiting to read this once since it was announced. This was a bit of a mixed bag, there was things I liked and things that didn’t work for me but I do think if you aren’t familiar with historical romances you might enjoy it more than me.

While the premise of writing a dictionary for vulgar words is unique and something I haven’t read before in a historical romance, I did want more from this that the majority of past histroms are able to give me such as: emotion, worldbuilding, setting, growth and depth.

I’ll start off by what I liked first. I do think that the writing is good here, it’s easy to comprehend and entertaining. I really enjoyed the mistress. I think of all side characters she was the most interesting and she wasn’t on page much. I’ll always be a sucker for a little light kidnapping in histroms and double points if it’s the fmc to do it 🤷‍♀️

Onto what didn’t work for me.
I found that our main couple are so inconsistent throughout that it was hard to really get a grasp of them. Harriet is referred to numerous times as smart and intelligent but she’s not? She continuously does and says stupid things and she’s writing a dictionary of vulgar words but can’t read into context clues as to what those words MIGHT mean? She also has an older and experienced sister so her being clueless about certain subjects just didn’t work for me.
Alexander is a rake (his mistress—who he continues to pay until like 80% but doesn’t sleep with— mentions he’s a lover not a rake and I cannot agree with this) and doesn’t want to marry, of course they get caught in a library and he refuses to marry Harriet. Alexander leaves so Harriet has to take matters into her own hands and kidnaps him and brings him to Gretna Green. On the way there he sees that he might actually have need of a wife because he has to charm this man of god who isn’t a fan of his lifestyle because he wants land?? (a reason that doesn’t get brought back up again)

The romance. Listen I LOVE growth and development it’s one of the things I adore about romances but Alexander doesn’t seem to do much in either respect. He is just such a lustful mmc that it’s hard to root for him. I don’t think he went one chapter without talking about Harriet’s boobs so much so that it felt like he fell in lust with her rather than love because they never actually talk about anything deeper than the physical stuff. This man also still thinks about how many women he’s bedded 70% into the book. It actually takes him until 87% in to stop talking/thinking about other women.
Harriet actually seems to regress as a character,in the second half of this book. Again I’m unsure what she sees in Alexander for her to change her mind on him.

There is sooooo much miscommunication in this book. I think it takes more effort to want to skew things to make it harder for yourself than actually just asking the other person what they meant by what they said or did. I can deal with a little miscommunication because nothing is ever straight forward but it seems like there was miscommunication over every single subject in this book and it got tiring.

Okay plot holes or things that irked me.some of these are a little spoilery!!!:
- the land?? The whole point of him marrying her was that he wanted the land and he had to look good in order to get it.. it wasn’t brought up!
- His brother. It’s mentioned like 60% in that he has a brother who’s sick, he’s brought into the picture but doesn’t really do anything?
- His father. His mother. Brought up a few times and never mentioned again
- The ring. She gave her ring away and never got it back?
- Her father. So he’s just left for good? I really don’t think a daughter can just banish you from your home.
- Money was just flung at all the problems towards the end that it just wasn’t satisfying.
I understand this will probably be a series but I needed more closure from this book considering we didn’t even get an epilogue and the next book will probably focus on another sister.

Overall it’s very much a historical romance debut. I think there’s a lot of potential though and just because this one didn’t work for me 100% doesn’t mean the next one will be the same.

[꧁ ༺Minne༻ ꧂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everything about this story irritated me. RTC

[bella (bellasbookreview on ig) ᯓ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallet for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Get you a man who redoes his whole library and saves all the erotica for you to read and learn new slang terms!

This is my first regency romance read. I keep seeing them everywhere and I’m always temped to pick one up. The Very Definition of Love was amazing and I am officially an enjoyer of regency romance novels!!

Starting off, I really like the many different aspects of Alexander’s character. I like that Alexander’s character is in direct opposition to Harriet’s father. Harriet can own money and that doesn’t stress him out. He doesn’t abuse her or boss her around, like her father does. He is everything her father is not and that is nice to read. He doesn’t want to own her, he just wants to love her, and my knees feel weak reading it. I like that tried his best to do what her feels is right. I like that he’s honest and kind.

I also really enjoy how easy love feels between Harriet and Alexander. He smiles with her and feels emotions he’s never felt before (cough, LOVE, cough). He’s thought he’s felt them all, but he’s learning so much about himself with her. She trusts him to be honest about what words mean, and to be open with her. They’re both so playful together and make love fun again and I really enjoy reading that. AND THE SAILORS! Alexander loving Harriet came so easily to him.

Harriet is also a powerhouse on her own. She didn’t take shit from anybody, literally making her own personal dictionary of dirty words men hide from women. She’s so true to herself and forward and it is honestly my favourite quality about her. She takes charge! She doesn’t cower from her father, she sees the things she can control in a situation and acts accordingly. I loved her from start to finish.

The side characters have just as much personality as our two main characters and they were such a hoot to read. Giuliana is truly one of my favourite characters in this story. She is the reason everything stayed running smoothly. She took care of both Harriet and Alexander and ran a TIGHT ship making sure everything worked out. John is also a personal favourite of mine. I was worried for a while that he was only going to be mentioned during sad monologues, but when he started having time on the page, I was really happy to see how powerful his character was.

The tension and chemistry between Harriet and Alexander is INSANE! To have me literally blushing and reading 100 pages at a time because I need to know what happens next is crazy! Also side note, the smutty scenes in this book are some of the best I’ve ever read! Holy cow I think I stopped breathing after some of them.

ANYWAYS! Here are some quotes that I absolutely loved and will be updating after the book comes out so then everything is still correct!

"Any man who would overlook you is a fool, and I don't plan on being a fool."

"Harriet, all the ale in this tavern won't change the fact that even half as clever, you're twice as brilliant as most of us in this room.”

"I've already decided I'm going to love this question."

“Trying to guess a man's mind was like eating soup with a fork.”

"God's teeth, I've done it! I've rendered her speechless,"

“Harriet, I want you to love me because I love you."

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

it’s been so long since i finished a book and immediately wanted to start it again because i just enjoyed it so much. this did that for me!!
i will definitely be saying LOTS more closer to release, but WOW this was tens across the board for me. i had such a blast reading it.

[Milou · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️

The very definition of love?? It’s how I feel about Harriet and Alexander. I adore them.

Now, I’ve always had a soft spot for historical romance, because whenever the stash of books I’d brought on holiday ran out, I’d start in on my mom’s deliciously trashy bodice-rippers. But I especially love historical romance when there’s humor involved. And this?? It was the middle of the night and yes, I was supposed to be sleeping but I was full-on CACKLING. My cat came to check on me.
When I wasn’t giggling, I was kicking my feet and making demented “oh my god they’re so cute” faces at my kindle. Truly, the effect this had on me was insane. Pure crack. It’s the exact same that happened when I read When A Scot Ties The Knot by Tessa Dare a while back.

“You can toss yourself off if you’d like. I don’t mind at all.”

I loved Harriet’s never ending curiosity and her obsession with filthy words. How authentic she felt, and how unfiltered she became once she got used to Alexander. And Alexander??? Ugh. I love a man that doesn’t recognise he’s in love even when he’s become a total simp. It’s my favourite. He was so playful and genuine with Harriet from the beginning, and I loved how he didn’t shy away from giving her allllll the dirt.

The side characters were extremely enjoyable as well, especially Harriet’s sisters, Alexander’s butler and Giuliana. I inhaled the entire thing in a matter of hours and while I quite enjoyed the overall pacing, I did notice some minor lulls. The investment you have with the characters at that point more than makes up for it though! The only thing I didn’t love about the story itself is the teeny bit of miscommunication we dealt with near the end (although I LOVE how that was resolved) and Harriet’s father’s storyline. I just hated the dude and felt like we could have solved things differently, but it did make a lot of sense overall! What I got stuck on with this book, however, had a little more to do with writing than storyline.
While I truly commend the author on the work she did researching accurate linguistics and really staying true to the time period (because it definitely shows!), that’s also exactly what tripped me up. I found myself looking up words and rereading sentences quite a bit more than I’m used to, which took me out of the story sometimes? It’s most likely a personal problem, but it’s not one I have often with the amount and variety of books I read so it does feel like it’s worth pointing out. But there IS a very fun glossary in the back that makes up for it!!

I’m 10000% going to be stalking the author for more books (especially ones about the Bancroft sisters) and I can’t wait to get my hands on a shelf trophy. PLEASE read this if you have any love for historical romance at all. Even if you don’t. I promise, you’ll love this.

Major thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown UK for letting me read this gem early!!

[Lexi🫶🏼 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What to say about this book? I simply will be sold on any books about a wallflower and a character everyone loves! It will get me every time!! Harriet was such a delightful character to follow, she is incredibly funny and smart. Alexander was a character I wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did! I found myself being moved by his charms, there’s something about a man that sees something in a woman that no other person seems to see! I don’t know what that trope is but it’s spectacular and I need 14 of them right now!! This book was so funny, the aspect of the dictionary was so refreshing for a historical romance. So often when it’s any media taking place during that time women aren’t supposed to know anything or even be curious about things! Harriet’s love of knowing meanings for words and connecting synonyms really helped me as the reader form a stronger connection to her! As a modern woman sometimes it’s hard to form a connection with a character from regency (??? I think that’s the time period of this book) because their experiences are vastly different from mine, it sort of takes you out of it sometimes! That wasn’t a problem with this book because of how curious Harriet was and how open Alexander was with sharing any and all information with Harriet!

The only reason this book was not a five star is that I would have liked to explore John as a character a little more and I am not sure if maybe the author is possibly going to make this a series. I would be very interested in reading more about the supporting characters! This is a new to me author and I really enjoyed their writing style!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book! Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical romance and characters that feel modern in a regency (I think) setting!

[Sof · Rating 2 out of 5]

idk man but this was just so frustrating. harriet’s characterization makes zero sense. she’s allegedly very intelligent and curious and yet….needs to be taught how to even remotely explore her own body?? what? and I cannot get behind MMCs who seem quite genuinely like sex addicts. I think there’s a lot of overcorrection in the romance genre lately to resist slut-shaming and puritanical conditioning around sex which I appreciate, but that’s trying too hard and ends up being kind of gross. why is his major personality trait how horny he is? and why would harriet be special if he’s indiscriminately horny for so many women?? I was mostly icked out and had a very hard time believing that their romance would endure past lust since that seems to be the mmc’s primary character engine. idk maybe I’m just weary of the rake trope because of the weird obsession with male characters having to be super experienced and to basically think of sex with so little emotional depth that it makes me uneasy.