The Lord’s Reluctant Lady: Medieval Historical Romance

by Elizabeth Heights

He’s her best-friend's brother and the man she has long adored. Can she hide her true feelings to act the part of his betrothed?

Tristan de Neville has it dashing good looks; bucket-loads of charm; a loving family and wealth to rival the King himself. Now 26 years of age, it’s high time he took a wife. But Tristan has no intention of accepting just anyone. He wants to marry for love.

As the orphaned ward of the Earl of Wolvesley, Mirrie grew up alongside the beautiful de Neville siblings - all the while pretending that the first son and heir did not make her heart pound. When the sting of unrequited love grew too painful, she left the gaiety of Wolvesley Castle to live a simpler life at Ember Hall. But now Tristan has followed her - with a proposal that leaves her reeling.

To evade his parents’ command that he find a bride at their Midsummer Ball, Tristan decides to announce a faux betrothal. And who better to join him in this ruse than his oldest friend? Caught up in his enthusiasm, Mirrie wonders why she should deny herself this chance to dance with man she loves. But misfortune awaits them at Wolvesley and in the days ahead, Mirrie must harden her heart in order to protect it.

Tristan soon discerns new depths to his feelings for Mirrie. However, the rocky road of love proves to be unknown territory for this seasoned knight. Romance, he discovers, cannot be planned like a battle.

Will he learn his lesson in time, or is this one campaign he is fated to lose?

Tropes you'll Best Friend’s BrotherChildhood Friends to LoversUnrequited Love / Secret LongingOrphaned HeroineFake Betrothal / Pretend EngagementKnightly HeroSocial Pressure / Family ExpectationsBallroom Romance (Midsummer Ball)Forbidden / Risky LoveFriends to Lovers AwakeningEmotional Tug-of-War
Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Sisters of Ember Hall
Book 1 - The Scot’s Secret Love
Book 2 - The Lord's Reluctant Lady
Book 3 - The Earl's Indifferent Daughter

Genres: Historical Romance

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2025

About the author

Elizabeth grew up in a rambling old farmhouse high on the Yorkshire moors, where a sense of history was never far away. She studied English at university, specialising in mythology and folklore and often bemoaning the lack of sword-wielding heroines. After graduating, she spent several years moving between northern France, southern Germany and London, where she worked in travel publishing and PR.
She now lives a stone’s throw from her childhood home, with her husband, children and a feisty black cat who enjoys interrupting her writing. She plots most of her novels while walking in the rugged Yorkshire countryside, finding endless inspiration in the rolling hills.

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dragonblade Publishing has been such a boon to me and I always find such gems in their catalog every month. I was drawn in by this book's synopsis and I stayed up late to finish it. It was that good. I had to know how the book ended. Mirrie and Tristan's romance was so compelling. It was a slow burn, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience masterpiece. I loved the majority of the book except for the dreaded third-act breakup. Who knew medieval romances could even have those? Mirrie was such a likeable, sweet heroine who I could relate to as a reader. She lost her parents young and became a ward of the hero's family. The de Nevilles loved her like a daughter even though Mirrie secretly pined for the eldest son. Oof, it's one of those books where your heart breaks and you just wanna shake the hero.



As I stated, I enjoyed the majority of the book even though the hero's inability to see what was in front of him was a bit frustrating. There was a line in the book I liked which said that he left his common sense in the armory. He was great on the battlefield, but oblivious in his daily life. Tristan was a big golden retriever hero compared to Mirrie's calm, steady housecat energy. They were paired so well and I wanted them to be together so badly. My favorite part about this book was the writing. The characters felt so real with easy dialogue and seamless narration. This was so engaging and no surprise that I read past my bed time to finish it.



The Lord's Reluctant Lady was a darling book and I would love to read more from the author's backlog. I want to learn more about the de Neville family and see their happy endings. I'm especially drawn to Jonah who has a club foot and a poet's heart. I have found yet another angel in the Dragonblade collection. I could see Mirrie's reluctance to be Tristan's lady in truth, but it wouldn't take much convincing for me!

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, emotional, and enjoyable friends-to-lovers romance. Mirrie and Tristan have known each other their whole lives, but while Tristan sees her as his trusted friend, Mirrie has secretly adored him for years. Their story really tugs at the heart, especially when Tristan arrives at her quiet home with a wild plan—a fake betrothal to avoid being pushed into marriage at his family’s Midsummer Ball.
The setup is full of all the best tropes: best friend’s brother, secret longing, fake engagement, and a heroine trying to protect her heart. Mirrie’s feelings are written in a way that feels tender and relatable, and her struggle to stay strong is one of the highlights of the story. Tristan, meanwhile, is charming but a little clueless about love, which makes his slow realization of his true feelings both sweet and satisfying.
The setting—Wolvesley Castle, Ember Hall, and the festive Midsummer Ball—adds a lovely sense of atmosphere. The social pressure from Tristan’s family and the emotional push-and-pull between the characters keep the tension steady throughout.
Overall, this is a heartfelt, cozy romance with plenty of longing, miscommunication, and eventual emotional payoff. Perfect if you enjoy gentle historical love stories filled with warmth, yearning, and a beautiful friends-to-lovers journey.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review. 

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this romance, one where the hero is self-confident and very sure of himself, to the extent that he, at times, is oblivious to the fact that he causes resentment in the hearts of the people closest to him. Mirrie has grown up hero-worshipping Tristan, but does not realize that everyone, except Tristan, knows it. When pressure is brought to bear on Tristan to find a wife, his brother puts forward a proposal that he and Mirrie embark on a fake proposal, long enough for their parents to stop nagging him. Arriving back at Wovesley Castle with Mirrie in tow, they find disaster awaiting them, resulting in Tristan making decisions that result in saving his father, but leaving Mirrie devastated and unsure of herself. It is only when Mirrie is once more out of reach that Tristan comes to the conclusion that Mirrie is all that he needs. Convincing her, however, is another story. Nevertheless, the novel, which is a standalone, comes to a sweet conclusion, bringing hope for the future. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Melmotka · Rating 3 out of 5]

💍⭐️⭐️⭐️


This was an interesting friends-to-lovers marriage of convenience love story.

The pacing was great, and I read it all in one go, which isn't typical for me.

And yet, there are a few things that tampered my enjoyment:

• Tristan himself was...infuriating for the majority of this. A bit of an oblivious golden retriever type with no common sense, I felt bad for Mirrie throughout the book and think he realised his own feelings a bit too late in the game. His default approach to romance was frustrating and confusing.

• the flirtations with Juliana - nothing wrong with them technically, but I really dislike it when MMCs are so brazen with 'other' women, so I wish that this trope would've been mentioned on the synopsis somewhere.

• the 'false engagement' trope felt underutilised - I expected more scenes of them needing to pretend in front of others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💍

[Petula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a medieval romance where our hero is admired by everyone. He is a brave warrior in battle, loved by all those who live on the family lands, and is handsome enough to get any lady he wants. Not everything can go his way though, can it?
Our heroine is an orphan, brought into the family as a child. She is determined to honour the wonderful people who have treated her as one of them. Making herself useful and hiding her secret feelings is all she will allow.
A witty story full of fabulous characters.
Good fun.

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

The writing is excellent. What frustrated me was that it took so long for the conflict to be resolved between Mirrie and Tristan. I would have preferred to see more of them being happy and together.
I hope Jonah gets his own book.
Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting hero worshipping/friend to lovers story. Well written with an even pace. I enjoyed the plot and for the most part the characters. Although Tristan was annoying to me as he was so full of himself that he was kind of oblivious to Mirrie. Family pressures and a fake engagement round out the basis for the book.

[Chia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An elegant Regency romance between a proud lord and a woman determined to protect her independence.
Elizabeth Heights writes with a graceful touch, blending tenderness and restraint.
A charming slow burn that rewards patience — refined, romantic, and emotionally satisfying.
Thank you for the copy, NetGalley!