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To Shoot a Sinner
Readers will love To Shoot a Sinner, the first book in Lydia Margett’s unapologetically feminist Regency romance series Dreamers and Dukes. "Delightfully sexy, rich in voice, emotionally resonant, and full of heart," Margett's writing brings a fresh new taste to the adored genre.
Lady Charlotte Aston was never taught how to fire a pistol. She certainly was never taught how to partake in a duel. And so, she never considered the possibility that she might find herself in such a situation: standing in a misty field at the crack of dawn, pistol in hand, opposite the king of London’s underworld. The outcome of her next moments—the salvation or the destruction of her family.
Mr. Benjamin Scarsdale is too familiar with death to be daunted by the prospect of standing twenty paces downfield from a flying bullet. But his challenger’s contempt for the capriciousness of life has Benjamin itching to teach him a lesson–how quickly one can find themselves out of charity with fate. However, when Benjamin’s lesson lodges itself in the shoulder of Charlotte Aston and not her good-for-nothing brother, Benjamin finds she is not a problem he can just solve and walk away from. Lady Charlotte Aston might just be the thing that unravels his entire empire.
A duel brings them together, and an unexpected proposition binds them, but will they be able to overcome the chasm that divides their worlds and give their love a shot?
Lady Charlotte Aston was never taught how to fire a pistol. She certainly was never taught how to partake in a duel. And so, she never considered the possibility that she might find herself in such a situation: standing in a misty field at the crack of dawn, pistol in hand, opposite the king of London’s underworld. The outcome of her next moments—the salvation or the destruction of her family.
Mr. Benjamin Scarsdale is too familiar with death to be daunted by the prospect of standing twenty paces downfield from a flying bullet. But his challenger’s contempt for the capriciousness of life has Benjamin itching to teach him a lesson–how quickly one can find themselves out of charity with fate. However, when Benjamin’s lesson lodges itself in the shoulder of Charlotte Aston and not her good-for-nothing brother, Benjamin finds she is not a problem he can just solve and walk away from. Lady Charlotte Aston might just be the thing that unravels his entire empire.
A duel brings them together, and an unexpected proposition binds them, but will they be able to overcome the chasm that divides their worlds and give their love a shot?
- GenresRegency
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2026
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Lydia Margett
1 book4 followersLydia Margett is a historical romance author and creator of the Dreamers and Dukes trilogy. Lydia was born and raised in the United States and moved abroad as a teenager. She studied International Relations and Spanish at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and completed a Masters in Political Science at the Technical University of Munich before settling down in Germany, where she is now a permanent resident. Lydia tries to incorporate her experience working in human rights and foreign policy into her work, weaving in social justice causes into what is otherwise a light and entertainment-driven genre. Learn more and follow along for updates on her work through her website and newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 18, 2026
Lydia Margett has a strong writing style for a historical romance and enjoyed getting into this world and characters as a opening chapter. The plot was what I was hoping for and enjoyed getting to know Lady Charlotte Aston and Benjamin Scarsdale, it was a great concept and enjoyed the overall journey of this book. The characters were really well written and enjoyed getting to go on this journey with the characters and how well they worked in the time-period. I'm excited to read more in the Dreamers and Dukes and from Lydia Margett.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
"To Shoot a Sinner" by Lydia Margett 💕📖
5 ⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC.
What a better way to start January (my Bridgerton Month, because yes, my favorite season is finally coming!) So if you’re a Bridgerton fan just like me, or if you just enjoy Historical Romance with a little bit of spicy scenes, well, this is the perfect book for you!
"Charlotte Aston hardly ever got enough sleep—a commodity she valued above all others. It was worth its weight in gold and, like gold, was all the more precious when one did not have enough of it."
"To Shoot a Sinner" is the first book in the Dreamers and Dukes series. Lydia presents us to Lady Charlotte Aston, our strong and determined FMC, who gets into a tricky and very scandalous contract with Benjamin Scarsdale, our MMC, better known as The Master of London Secrets. All this after taking the place of her very irresponsible brother Freddie in a duel, where Charlotte gets injured so Benjamin takes care of her, and let’s say that the obsession (or love at first sight begins...🤭).
During the whole story, these two try to convince each other, that the contract (yes, Benjamin has the brilliant decision to ask Charlotte to be his mistress) is merely a convenience for them. For Charlotte is nothing more than financial gain (she’s already struggling to keep her family state afloat after they lost basically everything, add to this taking care of her two younger brothers, plus keeping an eye on his other brother, Freddie, who OMG, I wanted to just get into the book and beat the shit out of him for being so bloody irresponsible!) and for Benjamin, a repayment for taking care of Charlotte brothers debts. Well, THEYRE BOTH LIARS!
They immediately fell for the other. Benjamin is a character with a very tragic background, he keeps telling himself his incapable of feeling something like love but come on, the guy was destroyed from the minute his eyes set on Charlotte. And talking about Charlotte, she recognizes there is something that keeps drawing her towards Benedict, and no, its impossible this is because of all the great gestures the man has with her, right…?
But I wont spill more details, don’t want to ruin the book for future readers hahaha.
I absolutely adored the way Lydia set this book during London in 1800s. As probably many other books, that follow just the pretty dances, the courtership, the fashion, and the gossip (there's nothing wrong with that btw, its just my opinion), here, we only have a little glimpse to that, what is more important in my opinion is how we have this other storyline, where we find out thanks to Charlotte, the struggles the other part of the society is having. Even thanks to Benjamin, the man itself was in a very bad place during his first years in the city.
This is something that its good to be brought to attention. Who doesn’t love to read or watch a romantic story set during the 1800s, but the truth is during that time. Social differences were stark, dividing society into rigid classes: the wealthy elite enjoyed luxury in West London, while the vast working class, including recent rural migrants and immigrants, endured horrific poverty, overcrowding, disease, and dangerous labor in overcrowded slums (like the East End), with severe contrasts in housing, sanitation, opportunities, and daily life, creating a chasm between the rich and poor, further deepened by new industrial realities. The fact that the author mentioned this during the story was an excellent point for me.
I loved the side characters, I hope we can read more about Wells, it was nice to see how he showed concern about Charlotte's situation. Also he was a tremendous help to Benedict so he could stop being so blind about his feelings. Elsie was another one of my favorites (her background story was very scandalous of course, but it was lovely to see how her family and husband supported her), the way she embraced Charlotte and became her friend was adorable, I hope we can see a bit more about her too.
I know I gave the book 5 stars, but my only issue was the ending, it felt like it was too rushed. Yes, we know that Freddie was struggling too with addiction, gambling problems and more, but I feel like we probably needed another 2 or three chapters, just to give a proper closure. I’d have loved to read a scene between Charlotte and Freddie, where he apologizes for being so reckless and stupid.
To Shoot a Sinner goes to my top ten of the month 📖💕.
5 ⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC.
What a better way to start January (my Bridgerton Month, because yes, my favorite season is finally coming!) So if you’re a Bridgerton fan just like me, or if you just enjoy Historical Romance with a little bit of spicy scenes, well, this is the perfect book for you!
"Charlotte Aston hardly ever got enough sleep—a commodity she valued above all others. It was worth its weight in gold and, like gold, was all the more precious when one did not have enough of it."
"To Shoot a Sinner" is the first book in the Dreamers and Dukes series. Lydia presents us to Lady Charlotte Aston, our strong and determined FMC, who gets into a tricky and very scandalous contract with Benjamin Scarsdale, our MMC, better known as The Master of London Secrets. All this after taking the place of her very irresponsible brother Freddie in a duel, where Charlotte gets injured so Benjamin takes care of her, and let’s say that the obsession (or love at first sight begins...🤭).
During the whole story, these two try to convince each other, that the contract (yes, Benjamin has the brilliant decision to ask Charlotte to be his mistress) is merely a convenience for them. For Charlotte is nothing more than financial gain (she’s already struggling to keep her family state afloat after they lost basically everything, add to this taking care of her two younger brothers, plus keeping an eye on his other brother, Freddie, who OMG, I wanted to just get into the book and beat the shit out of him for being so bloody irresponsible!) and for Benjamin, a repayment for taking care of Charlotte brothers debts. Well, THEYRE BOTH LIARS!
They immediately fell for the other. Benjamin is a character with a very tragic background, he keeps telling himself his incapable of feeling something like love but come on, the guy was destroyed from the minute his eyes set on Charlotte. And talking about Charlotte, she recognizes there is something that keeps drawing her towards Benedict, and no, its impossible this is because of all the great gestures the man has with her, right…?
But I wont spill more details, don’t want to ruin the book for future readers hahaha.
I absolutely adored the way Lydia set this book during London in 1800s. As probably many other books, that follow just the pretty dances, the courtership, the fashion, and the gossip (there's nothing wrong with that btw, its just my opinion), here, we only have a little glimpse to that, what is more important in my opinion is how we have this other storyline, where we find out thanks to Charlotte, the struggles the other part of the society is having. Even thanks to Benjamin, the man itself was in a very bad place during his first years in the city.
This is something that its good to be brought to attention. Who doesn’t love to read or watch a romantic story set during the 1800s, but the truth is during that time. Social differences were stark, dividing society into rigid classes: the wealthy elite enjoyed luxury in West London, while the vast working class, including recent rural migrants and immigrants, endured horrific poverty, overcrowding, disease, and dangerous labor in overcrowded slums (like the East End), with severe contrasts in housing, sanitation, opportunities, and daily life, creating a chasm between the rich and poor, further deepened by new industrial realities. The fact that the author mentioned this during the story was an excellent point for me.
I loved the side characters, I hope we can read more about Wells, it was nice to see how he showed concern about Charlotte's situation. Also he was a tremendous help to Benedict so he could stop being so blind about his feelings. Elsie was another one of my favorites (her background story was very scandalous of course, but it was lovely to see how her family and husband supported her), the way she embraced Charlotte and became her friend was adorable, I hope we can see a bit more about her too.
I know I gave the book 5 stars, but my only issue was the ending, it felt like it was too rushed. Yes, we know that Freddie was struggling too with addiction, gambling problems and more, but I feel like we probably needed another 2 or three chapters, just to give a proper closure. I’d have loved to read a scene between Charlotte and Freddie, where he apologizes for being so reckless and stupid.
To Shoot a Sinner goes to my top ten of the month 📖💕.
January 6, 2026
To Shoot a Sinner (Dreamers & Dukes, #1) by Lydia Margett
5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
How exciting is it that my first new book of 2026 is an ARC, and a slam dunk 5 start read. Lydia is setting the bar high for the rest of the year! Historical Romance was my first love in book genres before I dove into the Maasverse and the door was opened to Romantasy. I can confidently say that Lydia has rekindled my love for Historical Romance, and I will be weaving in a few each month in 2026!
To Shoot a sinner is the first installment in the series of hopefully 3 interconnecting stand-alone books. Channeling some serious Bridgerton vibes, Lydia delivers secrets, gossip and a very grumpy MMC in her first novel. Our headstrong FMC, Charlotte, enters into a scandalous contract with Benjamin, the ‘Master o’ London’s Secrets’. She tells herself the contract is simply for the repayment of the financial support Benjamin has provided her – by collecting her brother’s debts. It cannot be because Charlotte feels an invisible draw towards Benjamin, and every moment spent with him makes her feel more alive than she has in years. Absolutely not – feelings make agreements like being a mistress to a notoriously dangerous man messy, and Charlotte cannot handle messy when she’s already supporting her two younger brothers through schooling and keeping Freddie out of the gutters. Benjamin is self-made and worked his way up from the streets. Proposing a spontaneous agreement and being thrust into the spotlight of the London ton was not on his bingo card. But Benjamin can’t seem to stay away from the tenacious woman that fate dropped in his path.
The Writing: Cleverly written and consistent with the language and dialect of 1800’s London. Bravo, Lydia! The internal monologues from both our main characters helped bring them to life. Lydia’s writing is playful, which makes this book an easy page turner. Her style of writing is similar to Evie Dunmore, one of my favorite Historical Romance authors.
The Characters: The main and side characters are well-rounded. I’m hopeful that the second and third book in this series delves into other storylines. Particularly Wells, who seems like the Casanova of the bunch. I would love to see which lady is able to stop him in his tracks. At times, I wanted to shake Charlotte and Benjamin, the two had a lot of unspoken feelings and miscommunication throughout the novel. The only loose end I felt was Freddie. We didn’t get to see what happened to the brother who squandered his entire wealth on women, gambling and drinking.
Looking forward to reading more from Lydia Margett!
5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
How exciting is it that my first new book of 2026 is an ARC, and a slam dunk 5 start read. Lydia is setting the bar high for the rest of the year! Historical Romance was my first love in book genres before I dove into the Maasverse and the door was opened to Romantasy. I can confidently say that Lydia has rekindled my love for Historical Romance, and I will be weaving in a few each month in 2026!
To Shoot a sinner is the first installment in the series of hopefully 3 interconnecting stand-alone books. Channeling some serious Bridgerton vibes, Lydia delivers secrets, gossip and a very grumpy MMC in her first novel. Our headstrong FMC, Charlotte, enters into a scandalous contract with Benjamin, the ‘Master o’ London’s Secrets’. She tells herself the contract is simply for the repayment of the financial support Benjamin has provided her – by collecting her brother’s debts. It cannot be because Charlotte feels an invisible draw towards Benjamin, and every moment spent with him makes her feel more alive than she has in years. Absolutely not – feelings make agreements like being a mistress to a notoriously dangerous man messy, and Charlotte cannot handle messy when she’s already supporting her two younger brothers through schooling and keeping Freddie out of the gutters. Benjamin is self-made and worked his way up from the streets. Proposing a spontaneous agreement and being thrust into the spotlight of the London ton was not on his bingo card. But Benjamin can’t seem to stay away from the tenacious woman that fate dropped in his path.
The Writing: Cleverly written and consistent with the language and dialect of 1800’s London. Bravo, Lydia! The internal monologues from both our main characters helped bring them to life. Lydia’s writing is playful, which makes this book an easy page turner. Her style of writing is similar to Evie Dunmore, one of my favorite Historical Romance authors.
The Characters: The main and side characters are well-rounded. I’m hopeful that the second and third book in this series delves into other storylines. Particularly Wells, who seems like the Casanova of the bunch. I would love to see which lady is able to stop him in his tracks. At times, I wanted to shake Charlotte and Benjamin, the two had a lot of unspoken feelings and miscommunication throughout the novel. The only loose end I felt was Freddie. We didn’t get to see what happened to the brother who squandered his entire wealth on women, gambling and drinking.
Looking forward to reading more from Lydia Margett!
Review of advance copy
Thanks to Booksirens for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
This is a new-to-me author and first book in a series, and I am looking forward to more from her.
A historical romance with strong, but flawed characters, and an unlikely couple who form a relationship from the most unlikely of situations.
Benjamin Scarsdale has known death, loss and strife since childhood - raised the bastard son of a nobleman, and left alone on the streets to fend for himself after the traumatic deaths of his mother and sister. He has no love for toffs other than those who have proven their loyalty and friendship to him. He has grown an empire over the years, and a reputation for ferreting out and weaponizing secrets.
Lady Charlotte Aston is the daughter and sister of Earls, but instead of living a life of privilege and ease as a member of high society, she is living on the fringes of poverty, trying to hold together what is left of the earldom for her young brothers, as the current Earl impoverishes the estate living the life of a wastrel.
When her brother drunkenly takes offence against Benjamin at one of his clubs, and demands satisfaction, Charlotte finds herself disguised, and taking his place to face down Benjamin at dawn. Benjamin is shocked to discover the ruse when his bullet finds it's way into Charlotte's shoulder and he whisks her off to his townhouse to save and care for her.
This is a steamy and dramatic story of two wonderfully complex, flawed individuals from literally opposite sides of the field find themselves drawn together. A relationship develops but is fraught by missteps and miscommunications, as well as outside threats and Benjamin's past. Benjamin finds himself deeply attracted to Charlotte and her strength and determined to help her despite her distrust of him and determination to find solutions herself. Charlotte however is alone and fighting a losing battle against her wastrel brother, and turns to Benjamin when he offers an unusual solution to her situation. Their relationship is complex, messy, but grows despite of this, and their own stubborness and pigheadedness. It was a delight to read for me because underneath it all Charlotte and Benjamin are good people with good hearts, scarred by the past, the present, and their other relationships. They are used to being strong and independent, but maybe unconsciously wanting to find love, acceptance, and support. They eventually find this with each other, and after a difficult path, find their way to each other.
4 stars out of 5
This is a new-to-me author and first book in a series, and I am looking forward to more from her.
A historical romance with strong, but flawed characters, and an unlikely couple who form a relationship from the most unlikely of situations.
Benjamin Scarsdale has known death, loss and strife since childhood - raised the bastard son of a nobleman, and left alone on the streets to fend for himself after the traumatic deaths of his mother and sister. He has no love for toffs other than those who have proven their loyalty and friendship to him. He has grown an empire over the years, and a reputation for ferreting out and weaponizing secrets.
Lady Charlotte Aston is the daughter and sister of Earls, but instead of living a life of privilege and ease as a member of high society, she is living on the fringes of poverty, trying to hold together what is left of the earldom for her young brothers, as the current Earl impoverishes the estate living the life of a wastrel.
When her brother drunkenly takes offence against Benjamin at one of his clubs, and demands satisfaction, Charlotte finds herself disguised, and taking his place to face down Benjamin at dawn. Benjamin is shocked to discover the ruse when his bullet finds it's way into Charlotte's shoulder and he whisks her off to his townhouse to save and care for her.
This is a steamy and dramatic story of two wonderfully complex, flawed individuals from literally opposite sides of the field find themselves drawn together. A relationship develops but is fraught by missteps and miscommunications, as well as outside threats and Benjamin's past. Benjamin finds himself deeply attracted to Charlotte and her strength and determined to help her despite her distrust of him and determination to find solutions herself. Charlotte however is alone and fighting a losing battle against her wastrel brother, and turns to Benjamin when he offers an unusual solution to her situation. Their relationship is complex, messy, but grows despite of this, and their own stubborness and pigheadedness. It was a delight to read for me because underneath it all Charlotte and Benjamin are good people with good hearts, scarred by the past, the present, and their other relationships. They are used to being strong and independent, but maybe unconsciously wanting to find love, acceptance, and support. They eventually find this with each other, and after a difficult path, find their way to each other.
4 stars out of 5
January 14, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this strangers-to-lovers historical romance with its added class disparity and illicit liaison tropes by an author who was new to me.
The plot is rather unusual because it doesn’t really take place in the typical Regency milieu, but gives an insight on the hard life of the lower classes. The story is very well written, well paced and brims with emotion, past drama, humor, a villain and spice. Charlotte is a strong character who, as a writer, deals with the problems of the lower classes and keeps her family afloat, but unfortunately is often too kind-hearted, especially towards her irresponsible brother. Benjamin's story is one of rags to riches with a sad childhood. He is a bad boy but with a soft spot. The chemistry between them sizzles throughout the book and it was fun to watch the two of them deny their feelings for each other. Ben's friends are very likable and I liked the bond and the funny banter between them. I'm already looking forward to their stories. As for Charlotte's brother - no comment, otherwise I'll get abusive.
TW: drug addiction
Benjamin Scarsdale is the illegitimate son of a marquess and grew up on the streets of London before becoming wealthy through his clubs and his collection of information and secrets. When he is challenged to a duel by a young, pleasure-seeking aristocrat, he accepts and shoots him in the shoulder, only to discover that his opponent is a woman.
Spinster Lady Charlotte Aston has long devotedly managed the household of her spoilt younger brother Freddie, who squanders the entire family fortune on alcohol, gambling and women. When Freddie finds himself in trouble once again, Charlotte steps in for him and, disguised, duels with club owner Benjamin Scarsdale, but is injured in the process.
Benjamin takes Charlotte home and nurses her back to health, fascinated by the feisty beauty. He also buys up her brother's debts. When Charlotte wants to work off the debt, however, Ben makes her an illicit proposition – to be his mistress for a month and then go their separate ways. When Freddie incurs additional debts and wants to marry her off to his new creditor, a creep, Charlotte accepts Ben's offer, as she is attracted to him...
Overall, a very entertaining historical romance novel with appealing characters, humor, heat and heart, which I‘m happy to recommend.
I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.
The plot is rather unusual because it doesn’t really take place in the typical Regency milieu, but gives an insight on the hard life of the lower classes. The story is very well written, well paced and brims with emotion, past drama, humor, a villain and spice. Charlotte is a strong character who, as a writer, deals with the problems of the lower classes and keeps her family afloat, but unfortunately is often too kind-hearted, especially towards her irresponsible brother. Benjamin's story is one of rags to riches with a sad childhood. He is a bad boy but with a soft spot. The chemistry between them sizzles throughout the book and it was fun to watch the two of them deny their feelings for each other. Ben's friends are very likable and I liked the bond and the funny banter between them. I'm already looking forward to their stories. As for Charlotte's brother - no comment, otherwise I'll get abusive.
TW: drug addiction
Benjamin Scarsdale is the illegitimate son of a marquess and grew up on the streets of London before becoming wealthy through his clubs and his collection of information and secrets. When he is challenged to a duel by a young, pleasure-seeking aristocrat, he accepts and shoots him in the shoulder, only to discover that his opponent is a woman.
Spinster Lady Charlotte Aston has long devotedly managed the household of her spoilt younger brother Freddie, who squanders the entire family fortune on alcohol, gambling and women. When Freddie finds himself in trouble once again, Charlotte steps in for him and, disguised, duels with club owner Benjamin Scarsdale, but is injured in the process.
Benjamin takes Charlotte home and nurses her back to health, fascinated by the feisty beauty. He also buys up her brother's debts. When Charlotte wants to work off the debt, however, Ben makes her an illicit proposition – to be his mistress for a month and then go their separate ways. When Freddie incurs additional debts and wants to marry her off to his new creditor, a creep, Charlotte accepts Ben's offer, as she is attracted to him...
Overall, a very entertaining historical romance novel with appealing characters, humor, heat and heart, which I‘m happy to recommend.
I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
We have Lady Charlotte Aston and Benjamin Scarsdale! Lady Charlotte should be well taken care of as the daughter and sister of an Earl! She is not! She is half starved trying to ensure her worthless brother Freddie does not send them to Debtor prison!
He and her two twin brothers are half and she has spoiled and sheltered them since birth!
We can not like Freddie he is not wicked just worthless!
Freddie challenges Benjamin to a duel! Charlotte takes his place and shoots Charlotte! He feels remorse and tends to her and is halfway in love with her before is completely well!
He admires her but propositions her! Yes Benjamin is our wounded, wealthy self made man but he is friends with two Dukes and she is a Lady!
Their relationship is tumultuous and passionate but I love how Charlotte doesn’t cheapen him making her his mistress by accepting extravagant gifts!
Why would Charlotte consult someone from his past to determine their future? I’m not sure!
But there is of course a villain that will stop at absolutely nothing to get Charlotte for his own! Charlotte makes a new life for herself far away from Benjamin but is drawn back to London because of her love for her younger brothers!
Of course the villain awaits but it is how heartless and evil his set up of Freddie is! They may not ever fully resolve them! Freddie will deal with them for a lifetime! Do Charlotte and Benjamin get a HEA? Yes but Benjamin knows that he absolutely does not deserve her! Bravo
He and her two twin brothers are half and she has spoiled and sheltered them since birth!
We can not like Freddie he is not wicked just worthless!
Freddie challenges Benjamin to a duel! Charlotte takes his place and shoots Charlotte! He feels remorse and tends to her and is halfway in love with her before is completely well!
He admires her but propositions her! Yes Benjamin is our wounded, wealthy self made man but he is friends with two Dukes and she is a Lady!
Their relationship is tumultuous and passionate but I love how Charlotte doesn’t cheapen him making her his mistress by accepting extravagant gifts!
Why would Charlotte consult someone from his past to determine their future? I’m not sure!
But there is of course a villain that will stop at absolutely nothing to get Charlotte for his own! Charlotte makes a new life for herself far away from Benjamin but is drawn back to London because of her love for her younger brothers!
Of course the villain awaits but it is how heartless and evil his set up of Freddie is! They may not ever fully resolve them! Freddie will deal with them for a lifetime! Do Charlotte and Benjamin get a HEA? Yes but Benjamin knows that he absolutely does not deserve her! Bravo
December 9, 2025
I was lucky enough to beta read this book before it came out and again as an advanced reader and I have to say it is an exciting thing to be on the ground floor of such a series. Margett's writing style is clean and confident and the story she has created is exciting and swoon-worthy. I have read regency romance for years and years and To Shoot a Sinner brings a delicious modern take to the genre without losing the timeless, escapist nostalgia that draws all us readers in.
Charlotte Aston is a brilliant heroine. She is strong and determined yet caring and interesting. Her story arc is the tale of a woman taking hold of her life with elegance and charm and I found myself rooting for her from the very beginning.
Benjamin Scarsdale OH MY! Your classic bad-boy with a heart of gold. Completely ~dreamy~ I love an imperfect hero especially in a genre where sometimes the MMC can be a bit dull in all his gentlemanliness.
Margett's writing has me hooked and I am so excited to see more from this author! It is a 10/10 recommendation from me for anyone who loves historical romance.
Charlotte Aston is a brilliant heroine. She is strong and determined yet caring and interesting. Her story arc is the tale of a woman taking hold of her life with elegance and charm and I found myself rooting for her from the very beginning.
Benjamin Scarsdale OH MY! Your classic bad-boy with a heart of gold. Completely ~dreamy~ I love an imperfect hero especially in a genre where sometimes the MMC can be a bit dull in all his gentlemanliness.
Margett's writing has me hooked and I am so excited to see more from this author! It is a 10/10 recommendation from me for anyone who loves historical romance.
Review of advance copy
This is the story of Charlotte Aston and Benjamin Scarsdale. Charlotte’s family is in dire straights, and her drunken brother has challenged Benjamin to a duel and made a £300.00 wager that he’ll turn up to meet him at dawn. With her brother in a drunken stupor and knowing that they already have spiralling debts and can’t afford to lose more money, Charlotte decides to take his place at the duel. Dressed in her brother’s clothes on a misty London morning, Charlotte faces Benjamin and prepares to shoot…………
This was literally off to an explosive start, and the story continues on at a good pace. It’s well written with a good plot and excellent characters, some of whom I presume we will learn more about as this Dreamers and Dukes series continues. Charlotte is a strong character who’s not at all typical of the times and Benjamin is a bad boy with a helping hand for those in need. It’s a first novel to be proud of, and I look forward to reading more by this author 🐈⬛.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was literally off to an explosive start, and the story continues on at a good pace. It’s well written with a good plot and excellent characters, some of whom I presume we will learn more about as this Dreamers and Dukes series continues. Charlotte is a strong character who’s not at all typical of the times and Benjamin is a bad boy with a helping hand for those in need. It’s a first novel to be proud of, and I look forward to reading more by this author 🐈⬛.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
I absolutely adored this passionate romance that starts with a duel. Lady Charlotte is a flawed but loving older woman and Margett demonstrates that in so many different ways, from the way Charlotte supports her family, to the difficulties she has with her spoiled younger brother, it is easy to care for this character and understand the mistakes that she has made in being forced to parent a “golden child” who has more power over her than she has over him.
Benjamin is similarly well fleshed out — and his friends and found family are interesting and three dimensional characters.
The story is driven by the forces of society, capitalism and one very awful man. I finished this book in one sitting because I needed to see what would happen.
I would actually give this 4.5 stars but no one allows half stars. It would have been a full 5 stars if only the plot point of Frederick had been fully resolved.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Benjamin is similarly well fleshed out — and his friends and found family are interesting and three dimensional characters.
The story is driven by the forces of society, capitalism and one very awful man. I finished this book in one sitting because I needed to see what would happen.
I would actually give this 4.5 stars but no one allows half stars. It would have been a full 5 stars if only the plot point of Frederick had been fully resolved.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 14, 2026
The premise is promising, but the story takes far too long to gain momentum and ends up dragging in several parts. Benjamin has a dark and compelling past that helps carry the narrative, but the romance gets bogged down by repetitive conflicts and constant miscommunication. Charlotte is strong and determined, yet she is trapped in an infuriating situation largely because of her brother. The current earl is a spoiled, irresponsible drunk, utterly useless, who runs the estate into the ground through sheer selfishness while dumping all the responsibility on his sister. The relationship between Charlotte and Benjamin has potential, but the excessive drama and the insistence on this wasteful brother make the book feel much longer than it needed to be. In the end, it’s a good idea stretched far beyond its limits.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
December 27, 2025Loved this story! Very smart, funny and suspenseful. A good twist on the traditional romance with a strong plot and intriguing characters. Charlotte is a heroine you can cheer on and Benjamin is a swoon-worthy bad boy. While Margett delivers on the romance genre, she also gives us strong, clever and capable women who support each other (and men who value these women) as they navigate systems and a culture determined to devalue them. If you are looking for a sexy romance with heroines, heros and villains you can relate to and a storyline that keeps the pages turning, this is the series for you. I am so glad there are two more books coming out in this series so I can fill in the gaps with other intriguing characters.
Review of advance copy
Passion, intrigue, injustice, and humour!
This is an excellent book.
The standard tropes for the genre are presented with detail and pace. There are (as always) some guessable points but they are well blended into a coherent, gripping tale.
I loved the way that all of the main characters developed through the book.
There are - as expected - issues, both class-related and from the inherent misogyny of the time, however they are blended with humour and heart-warming actions and, combined with the strong, appealing, yet intermittently vulnerable MCs, the overall feel of the book is simply described as "delightful".
(I was fortunate to receive an ARC however the above is, as ever, my own opinion.)
This is an excellent book.
The standard tropes for the genre are presented with detail and pace. There are (as always) some guessable points but they are well blended into a coherent, gripping tale.
I loved the way that all of the main characters developed through the book.
There are - as expected - issues, both class-related and from the inherent misogyny of the time, however they are blended with humour and heart-warming actions and, combined with the strong, appealing, yet intermittently vulnerable MCs, the overall feel of the book is simply described as "delightful".
(I was fortunate to receive an ARC however the above is, as ever, my own opinion.)
January 18, 2026
The first romance I read in years and, oh, how pleasantly surprised I was! The narration was the perfect tempo for me, and I genuinely couldn't put the book down. I loved that besides the strong chemistry of the main characters, their friendships were also very well written - I feel like they shaped the story and made the book universe feel real. And the character development itself was just wonderful, I got really attached to Charlotte - I never had to ask myself what I ask with many romantic leads: "what is so special about her?". She is definitely very special and I can't wait to read next parts in this series.
P.S. Extra shout out for the spectacular vocabulary and the local dialects integration!
P.S. Extra shout out for the spectacular vocabulary and the local dialects integration!
Review of advance copy
Absolutely delightful Regency. First line grabbed me:
“Charlotte Aston hardly ever got enough sleep—a commodity she valued above all others.”
A doting elder sister has had to once again fix things for her younger brother- to the extent that she takes his place in a duel. Naturally, the other participant, Benjamin Scarsdale, is the handsome owner of a gambling establishment with influential friends. Highly entertaining, strongly recommended. I received an Advance Reader Copy from the author and BookSirens, but my enthusiastic opinion is my own.
“Charlotte Aston hardly ever got enough sleep—a commodity she valued above all others.”
A doting elder sister has had to once again fix things for her younger brother- to the extent that she takes his place in a duel. Naturally, the other participant, Benjamin Scarsdale, is the handsome owner of a gambling establishment with influential friends. Highly entertaining, strongly recommended. I received an Advance Reader Copy from the author and BookSirens, but my enthusiastic opinion is my own.
January 15, 2026
I enjoyed the storyline. I felt that the ending could have been a little more inclusive about the heroine’s brothers, especially what was happening to the twins. The Earl brother was one I would like to shake some sense into, even though I know he was a drug and alcohol addict, plus a gambling addict, but he showed no concern for anybody but himself. There is an other villain in the story that gets what is coming to him. The two main characters have an instant attraction but don’t know how to deal with it. I enjoyed the secondary characters who were friends of the MMC.
Review of advance copy
I enjoyed this book, particularly as I thought the two main characters were strong and interesting. Their interactions give the whole book its energy and keeps the reader fully invested in the outcome of the plot.
The only real issue that I have is the use of some distinctly modern language in the dialogue at times, such as "getting your knickers in a twist".
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The only real issue that I have is the use of some distinctly modern language in the dialogue at times, such as "getting your knickers in a twist".
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
One of the best books I've read recently and I read a lot of them. Unique characters that don't seem copy-pasted from your previous read, real-life themes and problems and masterfully crafted plot that aligns the romantic thread with all the other plot lines. Steamy scenes are tasteful and spicy enough. Recommend and looking forward to the next books in this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
My first time reading this writers work and I absolutely loved it. I was hooked from the first page, the characters were well developed and came alive on the page. The plot was enjoyable and well balanced with angst, steam, humour and romance. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 14, 2026
This is a powerful love story! I love how life in high society, life in regular peoples olives and life in the underworld are woven together to create a deeply satisfying story. Charlotte loves her family so much, but as a woman she is limited in how she can help and protect her brothers. Benjamin has built a world he can control. Their story is beautiful. Awesome story!
January 16, 2026
To Shoot a Sinner was an enjoyable read! I loved the contrast between our hard working headstrong FMC & our salt of the earth man of secrets Scarsdale! Really enjoyed the concept of the storyline - although at times I wanted to shake some sense into the current Earl!
Overall a spicy, easy to follow read :)
Overall a spicy, easy to follow read :)
January 18, 2026
To Shoot a Sinner is a clever book. The main characters are three-dimensional and sympathetic with lovable secondary characters, as well. The dialogue is witty, and the story is detailed and engaging with pertinent social issues nicely woven into the narrative.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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December 26, 2025I am a big fan of romance novels and I really loved this one! The language was rich, the historical background well researched, the plot interesting, funny and full of surprises. I can't wait to read the next books of this series! Hopefully they will be published very soon. :-)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was SO fun; I finished it in a day! Beautiful, fast paced, historical romance (1800s London) with main characters I loved and a great story. This is a smarter than most, well written, eloquent and fun romance.
January 3, 2026
What an absolute heart warmer! As a reader who usually only gets out of a reading slump through a smutty romance, I was already very much expecting to love this book. Nonetheless, I was impressed - not only was the romance making-you-hide-your-pages-on-a-train level steamy, but the heroine‘s story managed to make an even bigger mark. Lydia‘s dedication to both true romance and fight for women‘s rights intertwines in an impactful guilt-free quick-read. Can‘t go wrong with this one!
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