Queen of Lombard Street

by Lisa Kleypas

'The rare author who can make you laugh and cry - on the same page'
JULIA QUINN, bestselling author of the Bridgerton novels

London, 1880. An exceptional female economist meets an undercover detective.
Thrown together by their work, soon it's not just their ambitions on the line, it's also their hearts . . .

Brilliant economist Reina Martin has spent her life defying people's expectations. As the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother and an English banker, she knows exactly what life is like for society's outcasts. That's why she's hired a household staff of paroled prisoners - to give them a chance to remake their lives, and come together as a found family.

With the help of her mentor, the aristocratic William Farlow, Reina pursues her dream of building to build the first all-women's bank, where women will be finally able to manage their own money and take control of their futures.

But soon Reina is shocked to learn that her enigmatic and handsome butler, John Pembroke, is actually an undercover police detective. He's investigating Farlow for vast financial fraud - and Reina, by association, is at risk of losing everything she's fought for.

When John asks for her help with a high-stakes heist to obtain incriminating evidence, Reina faces an agonizing either betray the beloved mentor she's always trusted, or turn her back on the thousands whose lives are at stake. As she and John search for the truth, they're swept up in a passionate love that neither of them ever dared to dream of.

From New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas comes a sweeping Victorian novel about a trailblazing female economist who's determined to succeed in business . . . and in love.

Perfect for fans of . . .
yearning
forced proximity
secret identity
found family
self-made heroines
Victorian era romance

'Lisa Kleypas turns her pen to historical fiction with considerable panache! Queen of Lombard Street is an absolute delight!' KATE QUINN

'Historical fiction with such a great romance . . . it is fantastic' ISABEL IBAÑEZ

'Dazzling and transformative' COSMOPOLITAN

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook

431 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2026

About the author

LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS ITS OUT TODAY! ITS. OUT. TO. DAY.


She’s given me a taste of what happiness might be like, and it’s fucking ruining me.

Lisa Kleypas is back!
I’ve been waiting for a new book from my favourite author since the day after I finished Devil in Disguise. And this was worth waiting for. It’s was achingly sweet and deeply topical. Reina was such a well developed heroine and her story resonates for women today as well. The side characters were also perfect threads tying the message of this story together and all of it as a backdrop to a quintessentially Kleypas romance.
John didn’t disappoint: a classic Kleypas hero who was reluctant and suspicious of love until he was in it and then he loved deeply and fiercely. He was a perfect foil for Reina, never overshadowing her as the central character of this story.
Though this book was obviously a Kleypas, and had all the elements of her romances, it had a new direction too. Reina was a self made woman, she made her circumstances through grit, intelligence and hard work and lifted others up in the mix, including the hero. She wasn’t rescued or aided by John, she was already a fully independent adult, thriving in spite of the world she lived in that kept trying to push her down.
John was merely the icing for her.
The found family elements were also deeply moving and adorable. We had the opportunity to live in the heads of her servants/ parolees and watched their growth as well. Maddock and June forever!

Overall I enjoyed this so much and won’t quibble over any imperfections. Now let’s hope Kleypas doesn’t go back into hiding for another five years.











*********


THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

I GOT APPROVED FOR THE ARC! 🚨




***************************



OH MY GOD, GUYS! SHE’S BAAAAAAACK! 🚨

[Ali Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reina wants to open a bank for women because this is the late 19th century and we couldn’t do SHIT that wasn’t making babies or wearing restrictive undergarments. Her household staff are all reformed (sort of) criminals and her new butler is both extremely competent and tragically hot. If you enjoy unrepentant shenanigans, you’re in for a great time! If you also enjoy plot twists that made me slap my hand over my mouth THREE SEPARATE TIMES, you’re also in for a great (traumatizing) time! Reina may be the queen of Lombard Street, but Lisa Kleypas is the queen of historical romance, and god damn am I happy to see her back on her throne.

[Liana Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! Full RTF!



Victorian era. Reina is an economist in London. She has a grand vision: to establish first ever bank for women in whole of Britain, at a time when women aren't permitted to do so and have limited rights. Her mentor and a powerful banker becomes involved in some financial conspiracy. Meanwhile, Reina is somewhat living outside of a respectable society with a very unconventional household staff. Her workers are all paroled prisoners but essentially are her found family. Her butler, is no butler, but an undercover detective investigating Reina and her mentor as he suspects both to be involved in some financial scheme.

This is a historical fiction novel with romance and some open door scenes but less romance focused and more mystery based!






Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Lisa Kleypas for an early ARC.

Publication date: October 20, 2026

[♥ℳelody]

Is the queen herself coming back to writing? WHAT IS HAPPENING? 😭👀 I'm not a Historical Fiction girlie and I'm sad this isn't HR but at this point I guess I'll read a damn phone book written by Lisa Kleypas.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lisa Kleypas announced a new book, every historical romance fan sat up straighter in their seat… and then, they all became conspiracy theorists when the book was listed as “historical fiction” and not romance at all. Every single one of us is a little nervous about what a non-HistRom Kleypas would be like. Well, as it turns out, this is still a historical romance, but with more of a “nouveau HistRom” feel (like if LK read a Courtney Milan and thought, “I’d love to write something a little more history- and politics-forward while still keeping my Kleypas style”). Kleypas’s previous books may have included characters like Garrett Gibson, woman doctor facing misogyny at every turn, or Pandora Ravenel, entrepreneur worried about marrying because her worldly goods would then belong to her husband, but those books almost always focused on the fantasy of living in the moneyed class. Even her “working class” heroes were really all self-made men with untold wealth. I honestly think this may be the first of her books that pairs a wealthy woman with a man who earns less than she does.

Queen of Lombard Street includes a ton of Kleypas’s patented historical tidbits, but this time, the book focuses on found family, including an economic genius/socially borderline FMC; her best friend and cook; a motley crew of ex-con servants; and the undercover cop MMC sent to spy on them all. The plot is meandering but never boring, with a financial scheme, an ex-con inspection, a bank for women, and more all playing a part. While there are a lot of different elements, the romance between Reina and John is at the heart of the book. There are open-door scenes, but the sexual relationship is not as important here as it is in Kleypas’s other romances. (Maybe this is why it’s classified as historical fiction?)

And yes, this all takes place in the extended Kleypas universe, with two previous characters appearing on-page. To my surprise, they were two of my favorites, not Lisa’s (Westcliff’s) or readers’ (Sebastian, the OG St. Vincent).

Anyway, I was really happy with this book and would happily read more “historical fiction” from Kleypas!!

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

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Far away from the glittering ballrooms and scandalous evening escapades, Queen of Lombard Street follows an unconventional woman of great ambitions and the house of misfits she founded.

Inspired by the extraordinary unsung finance women throughout history, this story celebrates those whose brilliance shone even when time has dimmed their existence and achievements—Kleypas took it upon herself to craft a heroine drawn from their shining legacy and thus came Reina Martin.

Reina Martin is unlike any Kleypas heroine that came before her. A self-sufficient woman with a lethal sense of wit and humor. A financial prodigy and a shrewd businesswoman. She scorns society by her unconventionality and unapologetically carves her own path.

For society's demeaning expectations at the time suffocates women and places them within very narrow molds, but for a bastard-born woman from an immigrant mother and with no family to rely on in the late 19th century? She is condemned to a life of misfortunes.

Rather than sit idly by and accept such a life, Reina will use her sharp intellect and wits and take part in the most challenging, male-dominated industry.

And not only make a name of herself in that industry, as a trailblazing female economist she aims to create the first all-women's bank in Britain. Run by women, for women.

However, as admirable as it is to follow Reina's greatest ambition and dream, but the heart of this story were the family she founded with the band of outcasts *cough*recently paroled prisoners*cough* who serve as her domestic staff, who also turned out to be the most delightful lot.

Their dynamic as a whole was utterly charming, comedic, and delightfully chaotic. I giggled at their bickering, became devastated at their misfortunes, and felt genuine happiness as I witnessed them rebuild a good life from scratch. Even with a questionable history, their loyalty and love to Reina was unwavering.

You might be wondering if this is all there is to it? It's a Lisa Kleypas book, surely there must be romance in it...?

First, I must convey my appreciation for Kleypas and her brilliant return to the book community. It's a privilege to have been gifted a new book by her after many years has passed and knew I was in for a rewarding story after a long wait. I admire that she forged a new path in her storytelling and paid a lovely homage to the historical figures she admired.

And the answer to the romance question is: Yes.
It's more of a subplot but it is quite present.

To set your expectations, the romance is indeed a little diluted in comparison to Kleypas's previous books, but it's woven into the story beautifully and it's a slowburn that is so tender and ignites once the longing and desire collide.

What's even more exciting is Reina and her eventual love interest end up living under the same roof, so the close proximity and the tension between them is quite delicious.

Oh, and you will be delighted to know that you may find some familiar beloved faces. It's not a Kleypas book without exciting cameos.

I cannot wait for you to feast on this book and share your love for it with me. A friend said that this book is perfectly made for a live adaptation even as a mini series (such as BBC's North & South) and now I completely agree and root for it to happen.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of the Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa Kleypas. Thank you Harper Collins and Avon Books for sending me an ARC it was the highlight of my year!

[Dab]

Look who’s back! Can’t wait 💗💗💗

[☀︎El In Oz☀︎ · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25/5

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for this e-arc!

Lisa Kleypas, Queen of Historical Romance, has returned to publishing after a five year hiatus with a stellar novel that will delight her fans and hopefully gain her some new ones! As one of my favourite authors, and my favourite ever in writing style, reading a new Lisa book early gave me ALL the feelings. Her writing is immaculate as always, filled with rich descriptions of Victorian England and all its inhabitants. She balances two romantic arcs with a decently sized plot, and the highlight of this book is, for me, the found family aspect. Lisa's humour shines here as always and I was laughing out loud.

I do think that this is basically a historical romance with more domestic focus than one with a huge external plot, it's what I imagine Alice Coldbreath's novels to be (I still need to read her haha). I don't think lovers of Lisa's stories should worry about this being too different from her previous works! The large cast of characters is something Lisa always balances well, this novel being no exception. I fell in love with all of them. And the cameos from Ravenels series?!! Even when they mentioned Winterborne's I was like heheh.

Reina is a really lovely FMC. She's strong willed and emotionally vulnerable. John is a great match for her, similar in so many ways, and their relationship was so CUTE. I just didn't completely fall in love with them. I think there is less focus on romance in this novel than most of Lisa's previous works due to the focus more on domestic life. I think I did prefer the secondary romance between June and Maddock (!!!). June is probably my favourite character in this novel. She's bold and funny and so full of life. Both romances are low angst and very sweet, which isn't entirely my taste I'll admit.

The side characters all have my HEART. Norman! Belinda! Tuppence! Maddock! Such a well developed cast, with so much banter and funny situations arising. This novel also has some very sad scenes and they were written beautifully. It's more explicit than any of Lisa's to date in the sense that it's full of swearing (a delight!) and does not shy away from the brutality that women face in the world. It does have much less spice than most of her novels though I'd say. I thought that overall, this was a really great step forward in the type of stories Lisa wants to tell.

The plot of this novel is excellent. There are so many fun threads that all connect together really well. The social commentary is on point and interesting, and this novel is quite educational about so many aspects of Victorian life. The examination of power imbalances is done with care and the inclusions of the Spanish community was something I loved. I almost wished the scope was larger, though, since the novel is pretty limited to Reina's house lol. The slice of life moments will likely appeal more to other readers. The pacing can also be a bit slow, but that also might just be the slice of life moments not having as much momentum.

Lisa Kleypas delivers with this novel, but it certainly has less angst and drama in the romantic arcs than I prefer personally. It's a lovely addition to her catalogue, and will certainly be a hit for historical fiction and romance fans. Now having read this early I have to wait for whatever she does next (please join me for manifesting a 2nd generation Hathaways series every day at noon as I have done since I first read that series in 2021).

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Lisa Kleypas for more than 20 years—she has long been the queen of historical romance, and for good reason. So when I got the chance to read her latest release, I was honestly elated. My expectations were high (and yes, I was a little afraid it might disappoint me), but fortunately, that wasn’t the case at all.

I read this book in one day. That alone says a lot—I had a fantastic time with it.

What stood out most for me was how emotionally invested I became in the entire household. The found family dynamic really made this book something special for me.

Reina is a standout heroine—driven, intelligent, and very competent. I also really loved how modern she felt without it ever being preachy or forced. It just worked.

The writing is strong, the humour was another highlight, and I honestly don’t remember laughing this much in a historical romance before. It has warmth, intelligence, and emotional depth, and it just felt really satisfying to read.

I can only recommend it to every Lisa Kleypas fan out there—you’ll enjoy this. We’ve waited a long time, but it was worth it.

4.5 stars
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Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen is back and she has truly outdone herself 5 massive stars to Lisa Kleypas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m starting this off by saying that this is a romance (there’s two in fact) and it’s fleshed out extremely well, so for the fellow Capital R Romance girlies fear not Lisa would never leave us hanging for a HEA!

There’s truly not much I can say without spoiling this book because it’s a RIDE. It’s funny (I literally was laughing out loud at parts) it’s heartbreaking, but it gets the balance down so so well. There’s also a found family aspect and my god is this done brilliantly. Every single character was so well thought out and given distinct personalities and characteristics.

The romance(s). Winterborne girlies RISE!!!! One thing Lisa Kleypas can write is a hard working man and John Pembroke is for us!! Reina and John have solidified themselves into one of my top 3 favourite LK couples (yes the other two are Helen and Rhys and Cassandra and Tom), their romance is super slowburn which I absolutely LOVE!! John is so protective of Reina from the minute he meets her and it’s so precious. These two are pretty steadfast when it comes to their relationship, a lot of the conflict in the book comes from other subplots which I felt suited the story best and made sense for these two.
Okay June and Maddoch. I loved these two and I was so glad they had a little romance going of their own it was so beautiful to see these two slowly open up and for June to trust someone other than Reina. Just such a delight.

There is some historical fiction mixed in but not too much that it felt completely out of the romance realm. I really think every word and every page here counted. There’s some emotional moments that had me gasping and I’d be lying if I said my eyes weren’t basically swollen in my head from writing this review.

you can tell Lisa worked hard on this and that she was writing something she really loved and believed we would love too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.

Potential spoilers? Idk I’m just being safe here
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If you haven’t read The Ravenels series I highly recommend reading them, not only because it’s a great series but because there’s some Easter eggs in this and big cameos so 🤷‍♀️

[Christi · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Our historical queen Lisa Kleypas is baaaack! Queen of Lombard Street is a historical fiction but we definitely do get two romances mixed in, they’re just not the main focus of the plot. Just being back with LK’s prose and characters was so good. The audiobook was also fantastic and narrated by Mary Jane Wells & Joe Jameson.

This takes place in Victorian era London, where we follow Reina. Reina is an illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother and an English banker father (who was already married with a family as well). We see Reina when she’s young and then as she grows up and becomes a professional economist and financial trader. Reina can’t believe women cannot open their own bank accounts and wants to start the first all-women’s bank in Britain where women can manage their own financial security. She’s working towards this goal with her banker mentor William Farlow. We do get a bit of upstairs/downstairs vibe of following Reina as she sets up her new Mayfair home and staffs the household with recently paroled prisoners who are starting over or building their new lives. We also follow John Pembroke, an undercover police detective who gets tasked by commissioner Ethan Ransom (from LK’s Hello Stranger) to work in Reina’s home and get intel on her and Farlow, who is believed to be leading a massive financial crime.

I loved the characters: Reina, John, June, Maddock, and the found family the household staff has made. I think there were parts of the book that did drag on a bit in the middle for me, a birth scene in particular. While the romance for Reina & John did feel quick at times, I still was invested in their journey. I loved the financial history in this book and Reina’s work as an economist. While I do hope LK returns to historical romance, I’ll obviously read anything she delivers to us.

I received an ARC/ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[Pearl Angeli (pearlreadsnovels) · Rating 1.5 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

Oh, this one hurts! 😭 I’m such a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas that I’ve binged her series before and gone absolutely crazy over her books because she really does historical romance right! She’s easily one of my favorite historical romance authors, right alongside Judith McNaught. So naturally, I went into this book with high expectations, especially since I signed up for this ARC without a second thought. I wanted to love it so badly, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me.



As always, Lisa's writing is impeccable. She has a way of drawing you into the story with her beautiful prose, and that part was definitely there. However, the story itself just didn’t do much for me. I appreciated the message behind it, especially the focus on women’s empowerment during the 1800's when women had far fewer opportunities and freedoms than we do today. It was an important message, but beyond that, I felt like the story had very little else to offer.

Maybe I went into this expecting the same magic I found in her previous works, but I just couldn’t connect with this one. The historical fiction approach with romance on the side wasn’t the best, and I found myself missing the kind of romance that made me fall in love with her books in the first place.

This book was also unbearably long. It took me quite a while to finish it. I kept pushing through, wanting to find something that would make everything click, but sad to say, that moment never came. Still, I’m genuinely thankful for the opportunity to read this ARC. As disappointing as this experience was, it doesn’t change how much I adore this author and what she has given me through her previous books. For now, I think I’ll be diving into her backlist and catching up on the books I haven’t read yet (My eyes are on Marrying Winterborne). I'm hoping to rediscover that same magic and remind myself why she became one of my favorite historical romance authors in the first place. ❤️

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and author Lisa Kleypas for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Kelcey | felinebooktrovert ✨️ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Happy Release Day!!

This was my first Lisa Kleypas book and it did not disappoint. All of the characters were so entertaining, and the story telling was gripping.

There were a couple overarching storylines, and I feel like the investigative portion didn't get enough page time. I came in thinking it was going to be more grounded in uncovering the wrong doings of of her mentor, but that didn't really get discussed until over halfway through.

But regardless of that, I was very much attached to these characters and their journeys and I might have teared up a time or two.

Would highly recommend 💛

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Stella]

RETURN OF THE QUEEN.

You found me at a very Historical Romance time in my life.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY. Lisa Kleypas is back... but not back to romance. Much to the surprise of some—and less so to others, ha—one of historical romance's legends has made her foray into historical fiction. The big questions so many of us had were: Will this work? (I mean, I think a lot of us knew that Lisa would at the very minimum write a good book, but still. Walk with me.) Is it actually historical romance in disguise? Will it be sexy?

First thing's first. I've seen a lot of lovely reviewers say this is really a romance after all, the love story is front and center, it's a historical romance novel in disguise. And (very few) other people have basically said "I GOT TRICKED, IT'S A HISTORICAL ROMANCE" and used that to bash the book.

I am here to tell you... no offense at all intended to the people who said this was a romance (positive)—it's not. Queen of Lombard Street is solidly historical fiction with a significant romance subplot and a smaller secondary love story. I want to make this distinction: the presence of a romance and an HEA does not a romance novel make. I've been rereading some of my favorite parts of my favorite Kleypas historical romances lately, and there is a STARK difference between those books and this one. Not a bad difference! But they are very clearly the same author, but not the same genre. I would go so far as to say that Kleypas's contemporary romances (TRAVIS FAMILY WHAT UP) have more in common with her historical romances than Queen of Lombard Street does. And they should. Because regardless of the setting, those are romance novels. Same genre, different decor.

And while the romance subplots of Queen of Lombard Street certainly matter and are crucial to the character development, I just wouldn't say that they're the core of the story. Which is all good, because Kleypas never marketed this as a romance novel. This is exactly what she said it is, and she accomplished exactly what she set out to accomplish: a good historical fiction novel. Before I got back into romance as an adult, I was actually a big reader of historical fiction, and I'd say this stands up next to any of the relatively lower stakes histfic I liked back in the day. The setting is great—you do get cameos from Kleypas's romance characters, and references to places like Winterborne's, among other things—and the characters are well-developed. While the romances don't get as much time on the page as they would in a Kleypas romance novel, they're charming and worth getting invested in. The prose is lovely, the writing quality draws you in. This is absolutely Lisa Kleypas with all her talents, just in a different genre.

I'd say this is on the lighter end of her fare, which is pretty consistent with what the Ravenels was serving up. There's a hot butler who's not really a butler, which is very hijinks-y. You have Reina's employee/BFF June, who's all "I am kinda like one of the scruffier Downton Abbey maids, and also I'm gonna have a romance with some big guy named Mad Dog [which is lowkey gonna be the best romance in the novel, no offense to Reina and John]". Reina does have Tragic Bastard Angst, but not to a severe degree.

The side effect of this being historical fiction versus historical romance is that I don't think the story is quite as invested in the men as it is the women. Which is fine—again, the book is not a historical romance, and I don't have the expectation that I'll get to know everyone who's falling in love on the same level. The only catch is that while Reina is a likable and endearing protagonist, we don't quite get the full scope of the adversity she's facing as a Business Bitch. We know, because this is the way of the world, that she's been up against challenges. But when the novel begins, she's doing well enough to hire basically the entire downstairs cast of Downton Abbey, so she can't be doing that poorly. She's also very much "everyone is welcome regardless of background", which is lovely. However, a part of me wondered what kind of tension could've been there had she responded to her upbringing with this desire to prove herself as "just as good". Would she reject those characters then, before evolving? But that would've been another book.

You see, though, how Reina has kind of undergone a lot of the internal and external development her situation faces before the book. Which turns this into a cozier novel than I expected, less about the hustle and bustle and drive and push of making it, and more about people who are kind of already good and decent dealign with the ways of their world and essentially building one big family. There is some tragedy and also John doing his secret investigation shit around Reina's scammy (or is he?) mentor. But nothing SUPER bad happens to our leads. And while some would say this degree of coziness is a Kleypas hallmark—well. Reread some of her books prior to the Ravenels. Hell, some of the Ravenels, really, too. That's not a criticism! I do find it interesting that in the pivot away from true romance, a genre often dismissed for being too nice, too neatly tied up (none of this is true), Kleypas has actually made one of her coziest, least rough around the edges books yet.

And you know what? Historical fiction can be that.

This is a solid, well-written historical fiction novel, and I think it will satisfy the majority of Kleypas die-hards who go into it with the right expectations. I would've maybe liked a bit more of the "how she got there" on the page, but I still enjoyed myself. Look, I won't lie: I will always want Lisa Kleypas to write romance. Because her best books are some of the best that have ever been done. But I respect her trying something new, and I really respect her doing it well.

Oh, and about the sexy thing: There is less sex in this one than her normal fare, but it's still there, and it's well-done. I mean, I'm never not gonna be open to more sex on the page, but hey. New beginnings, and all that!

Thanks to Avon for giving me a copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jan · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was a lovely read. I'm a big Lisa Kleypas fan, and I was delighted that she published a new book after somewhat of a hiatus. The book has a slightly different feel and pacing to her other books, but it's still very enjoyable, and I actually shed a few tears in the later sections. I was also pleased to see that the book is set in the same world Ms. Kleypas created for the wonderful Ravenels series, and a couple of past characters popped up at times. No dukes though - this one's all about the business classes and the servant classes. Made a nice change.

I avoided close reading of reviews, going in with an open mind. I'm a romance lover, and I was a little anxious that there might not be enough romance for me. But no problem, there was not just one, but two clear romance threads. Double value! Both romances were on the slow burn side, and there were fewer explicit scenes than in Ms Kleypas' previous books. I personally would have like the romance side to activate a bit more overtly and a bit earlier, but it wasn't really a problem. There was time for character and relationship development, and eventually the payoff of the whole last section of the book was very rewarding.

As in most Kleypas books, there's a bit of a mystery, and there's also some exploration of social commentary themes, in this case focused around the powerlessness of women in Victorian times, the (mis)treatment of lower classes and servants, and the unscrupulous nature of some upper class people who did bad things just because they could. The social commentary was more overt in this book, and was a strong thread throughout, but it didn't overwhelm, proselytise or become boring. Ms Kleypas has a light touch and writes deftly and interestingly. Some other HR authors who have explored similar territory but in a more tedious, preachy manner, could learn from her.

The FMC, the titular queen herself, Reina, is a 'nobody's child', bastard daughter of a posh, wealthy, married banker and his mistress, a Spanish dancer. Reina is blessed with a brilliant mind, and she works unstintingly to make her own way in the world, despite the obstacles in that time and place. She becomes an unheard of female economist, and works to make her world a better place for others, especially women and the poor.

MMC John is a detective posing as a butler in an undercover role in Reina's household, to root out information about Reina's banker friend Farlow and the suspicion of massive fraud at his bank. The two slowly fall for each other, amidst the backdrop of Reina's household of paroled prisoner servants. Most of the book takes place in this setting, as we get to know the motley assortment of characters who are developing (a little unbelievably, perhaps!) into a warm and interesting found family.

The secondary romance is between two of the servants, June and Maddock, and it's different from John and Reina, but just as sweet and satisfying.

The way that the pieces fell so neatly into place seemed a little far-fetched at a few points, but the story and characters were involving, and you just went with it. You so wanted it to work out for all of them, the whole crew, not just the MCs. The slower, steady pace really drew you in and you cared about the secondary characters as much as Reina and John. Overall this was a very enjoyable read. Ms Kleypas is back! Yay!

[GigiReads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Lisa Kleypas is baaaack! And no, this is NOT a romance. But also it's not not a romance? There are two love stories here and even cameos by certain characters from the Ravenels series so don't fret, she is feeding us! The romance isn't the focus, but it's a very big part of the plot. But I've never read straight up Historical Fiction (which is what this is marketed as) so I don't know if they're usually this romantic? I also don't know if what felt like a lack of focus is due to the conventions of this particular genre.

The Queen of Lombard Street is Reina Martin is the illegitimate daughter of an English gentleman and a Spanish dancer. So she was basically radioactive in ye olde Victorian times, but her mom safeguards her future by making sure Reina is educated. This education leads her to become a lawyer and later a lauded economist when the old farts refuse to let her practice law in her own right. Eventually, she meets a wealthy and connected banker who takes her under his wing and becomes her mentor. Reina's dream is to open the first bank for women and said banker is supposed to help her pull this off but Mr Moneybags is actually under suspicion for nefarious dealings. So that's how we get a delicious Welshman who says such aural delights like Cariad while playing a butler in Reina's house to ostensibly find info on Moneybags. If you've read Kleypas before I don't have to tell you that this hero is a dreeeeeamboat who would surely medal gold in the competency Olympics and that he immediately falls for Reina and her big beautiful brain.

Reading this was like cuddling under a warm cozy blanket in front of a roaring fire. I love Lisa's voice, the prose and the dialogue just felt so familiar and it healed something in me. I also adored being back in the Ravenel universe (even though they're only briefly mentioned).

There are multiple side stories, as Reina decides to staff her newly purchased home with paroled jailbirds and they all have a story, and while I really loved some of these characters, especially her cook and bestie June, I struggled with the lack of focus. The blurb and marketing made me think this was a story about the FMC being the first woman to break all these barriers and while it mentions her journey, it's only in passing.

The book begins in Reina's childhood and her discovery of being illegitimate. But then the book jumps to a fully grown Reina who has already obtained a degree and is a respected economist making serious paper money. So the reader never gets to see how she got there, like why was she the Queen of Lombard Street? Idk. She only ventured to Lombard Street once and the story was mostly about her found family made up of all these disparate characters working in her house. The nefarious Mr Moneybags gets what was coming to him but again a lot of it was told and not shown. This could all be super familiar to readers of Historical Fic, and maybe this is the way those books read? But to me it felt disjointed and a little hinkey.

That being said I adored John the sexy fake Butler, June the foul mouthed cook and Mad Dog the gentle tattooed giant who falls in love with her. Reina had her moments but I really never felt like she was as fully fleshed out as June for example. And the dialogue!!! Kleypas is a legend of romance for a reason:

"Whatever went into the making of you, the result is splendid. That's all that matters."

And:

"If I locked away a thousand poets for a thousand days, they couldn't write the smallest part of what I feel for you."

She's also freaking hilarious and June had some of the funniest dialogue:

"Don't even think of poisoning my tarts, Norman, or I'll use my rolling pin to flatten you into a shit biscuit."

On the whole, this was a solid read full of heart and characters you can't help but fall in love with even if the execution fell a little short. There was enough romance to keep me happy not to mention not one but two classically swoony Kleypas heroes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Kisses/Open door but short and not detailed.

Tropes:
Close Proximity
Fake Identity
Found Family

CW: mentions of SA and traumatic birth scene.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

After five long years, Lisa Kleypas is back with a historical fiction novel that is in the running to be my favorite read of 2026. Thanks to Avon for the complimentary ARC of Queen of Lombard Street.

Reina Martin is an investment savant, regularly outperforming her male peers because of her unique view of the world, both as a woman and as an illegitimate child who had to make her own way in the world. Born the daughter of a married English banker and a young Spanish dancer, Reina has built a reputation and fortune to rival any self-made man. But in Victorian England, women cannot open their own bank accounts, leaving a woman like Reina with nowhere to put her money until she begins working with William Farlow, her mentor and dear friend. With his support, she has a goal of opening an all-women's bank where no woman will be forced to wait for service or to have a man co-sign her accounts.

Since obtaining her fortune, Reina has purchased a large house, but it's hard to find domestic staff, with the shops and factories of 1880s London providing better pay and hours. In order to properly staff her home, Reina turns to a new organization for recently paroled prisoners and hires a whole crew of domestic help who have just been released from prison. Among them is John Pembroke, a Welshman who was recently paroled after a violent crime but has experience in domestic service and has become her butler. The thing is, Pembroke is not actually a parolee, but rather a detective from Manchester who has been placed in Reina's home by the Metropolitan Police to investigate William Farlow for suspected financial crimes. Now Reina is trapped between her mentor, who may be defrauding the public, and a man who has lied to her about his identity, and she doesn't know how she will get through this with her dreams for the future intact.

Lisa Kleypas is the queen of the modern historical romance for a reason. She's been consistently publishing since the late 1980s, with a few notable breaks to write contemporary romance, and has reinvented the genre multiple times. Without her, we would not have the self-made hero in historical romance, and the reformed rake would be decidedly less rakish. When she announced she was coming back with a historical fiction title rather than historical romance, I was intrigued. Queen of Lombard Street is very clearly not a modern historical romance, but reminds me more of the historical romances of the '70s and '80s than it does of contemporary historical fiction. Historical romance was much broader in the early days of the genre. Books had a wider scope, more narrators, multiple plot lines, and often multiple romances. It was not unusual to find a novel listed as historical romance that spent more time on the history than it did on intimate scenes. Go back and read authors like Roberta Gellis, and you'll see what I mean. Queen of Lombard Street feels like a continuation of that line of the historical romance genre, but in modern publishing, it doesn't fit into the conventions readers expect from genre romance, so it's been classified as historical fiction.

This book is a masterclass in character-driven plot work. There is a massive divide in the romance genre as a whole right now between cozy books that are devoid of any plot and books with primarily external conflict, where there is a heist, competition, or some external threat driving the plot forward. There is another option! In Queen of Lombard Street, we do have quite a bit of external plot. Reina's relationship with her mentor and his potential financial crimes, John's role with the Metropolitan Police, Tuppence Higgett's pregnancy (Reina's paroled housekeeper), and Reina's complicated place in the larger London society are all external forces driving the book forward. But we have a lot of plot that is driven by character decisions, primarily Reina's choice to hire parolees, her best friend and cook June's choice of work, and the multiple romance plot lines that run through the novel. It's clear why this book took a while to draft because not only is it meticulously researched, but it is clear that Lisa Kleypas put a massive amount of effort into seamlessly weaving each aspect of the story together.

Where I think this novel veers into historical fiction more than romance in modern publishing is the unflinching way it looks at the position of women in 19th-century society. I have a personal gripe with historical romance authors who don't think that their novels need to be accurate because they're not historical fiction, but rather romance, and they're trying to tell a modern story. I have news for them: You can do both. It is possible to be both historically accurate and pertinent to a modern reader. History repeats itself. Moments from the past are reflected in today's political and social troubles. Lisa Kleypas has never been scared of looking at parts of society that make us uncomfortable and has never shied away from forcing us to see how the present position of women aligns with the past (see my screed on Then Came You and how it aligns with the way the system failed women in the late '80s, leading to the Year of the Woman in 1992). Much like the late Victorian era, we are living in a time of massive technological advancement, widening income inequality, and conservative social norms. The modern historical romance genre seems to want to show that women of the 19th century could be anything they wanted and find a place in the world where they would be accepted and supported. Now, I am not opposed to this kind of escapism on occasion, but considering the world we currently inhabit, it feels a bit like the genre wants us to view everything with rose-colored glasses. In this book, Lisa Kleypas gives us a heroine who has made her own way in the world, very much the female equivalent of a Simon Hunt or Tom Severin, but is still in the real world where her gender and social class are still barriers to entry. Add in the challenges faced by the working-class women of her household, specifically Tuppence the housekeeper, and you can't help but see the way Lisa is indicting contemporary society for the way women and those deemed "less than" by the establishment are being treated in the modern world.

No Lisa Kleypas book review would be complete without discussing the romance. We have not one, but two beautifully written romance plot lines. Reina's story is the A-plot, but there is a secondary romance that has some of the most touching parts of the whole book. And don't worry, friends, there is on-page intimacy, and it is every bit as detailed and nuanced as you would expect from Lisa Kleypas. Like I said before, had this book been written in the '80s, it probably would have been shelved as historical romance because the romance is that good. And our A-plot hero is Welsh, so you know you're going to get the classic Kleypas endearments. If you loved Rhys Winterborne's Welsh moments, you're going to love John Pembroke.

I have so much more to say about this book, but I will leave it there and tell you to read it yourself. This is a title I am happy to buy in hardcover because I do plan to read it again and again. An easy 5 stars and a place on my Best of the Year list.

[Jody Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa Kleypas took a multi-year hiatus after Devil in Disguise, seemingly abandoning the new series she set up there. Well she's back, this time with a (highly romantic) foray into Lit Fic, which takes place in the Kleypasverse; characters shop at Winterborne's, and familiar faces make an appearance. This book may not technically be a romance, and it's plenty about power and the roles and lives we make for ourselves, and seeing others for who they are, not what they've done. But it is also a double romance, with typical Kleypas magic and chemistry between both the primary and secondary couple.

Reina is the natural daughter of a Spanish dancer and a banker. She rises over expectations (that she, too, will be a courtesan) because she is also a genius and self-made economist and investor. She's made her own fortune (well over two million pounds as it turns out), "A queen, she is, who built her own castle stone by stone." She also bought her neglected dream house, which she promptly makes into a home. She's living with her lifelong best friend June as cook, and they round out the staff by hiring a bunch of paroled prisoners on leave.

One of the themes of this book is being of service to others, both on the micro level, helping one person live a better life, giving one person a chance, and the macro level, where Reina is trying to enact systemic change to improve the lives of women, particularly working class women. She is after all, "Hopeful. Which isn't easy [...] it's a constant act of will." We're in the midst of "the servant problem" so Reina and June hire a bunch of parolees to work the house, including undercover cop John Pembroke as butler, who is watching Reina as part of an investigation of her mentor. He ends up watching her *real* close, as they are instantly drawn together with attraction and easy conversation. This group is knit together into a found family through John's skills at running a household and giving them purpose, and Reina's unwavering support in providing them what they need to be their best. There are a lot of glimpses here into the fellowship of servants, within the household and with other working class people. Even though Reina is fantastically wealthy, we spend most of our time in this other world.

The secondary romance between June and orphan turned terror "Mad Dog" Maddock was a delight. I lived for their scenes, where he is so gone for her, a gentle giant who would do anything for her. "'Why, if you asked me to murder someone for you, I'd do it, no questions asked.' 'I can kill my own people,' she said, her eyes narrowing. 'Not meaning to say you couldn't. Meant it as a courtesy, like.'" June had experience with a man, handsome and considered a catch in her village, and he didn't see her for herself, or respect what she needed. Maddock is the opposite, on the surface terrifying and unpredictable but truly focused on what she needs and making her life easier. He's transformed though this home, the first where he is accepted and given stability, and through her affection. She is as well, able to lay her burdens down at last.

The economics and investigation of it all was interesting and not overwhelming. Kleypas has always been a "I researched this so you are going to read about it" author, but the setting and details, whether it was the particulars of banking practices in the 1830s or the Spanish diaspora in England did not detract from the pace of the story.

Or the romances. The scene where John and Reina first kiss was so well crafted, just perfect Romance. They make eyes wide open decisions about choosing each other and finding balance that feel grounded in the characters and the story, especially given the differences in stations. And the build of trust and affection between June and Maddock no less so. Including, of course, my favorite microtrope made explicit of "He was a fine-looking man - a handsome one. Had he always been? Maybe her feelings were coloring how she saw him?" I won't even spoil how swoony the love declarations are in this book.

I found Kleypas' writing style as assured and skillful as ever, but also changed in this book. I don't know if it is because she is following a new muse here, or the gap between books. This was a deeply enjoyable read. Of course being Kleypas, there is immediately the appearance of a talisman that remains vital throughout. The writing is both laugh out loud funny, especially with any of the below stairs characters, and heartbreaking in a way that Kleypas does so well, with connection and loss. She's much more discrete than usual about her intimate scenes, the reader knows what's happening, but there are a lot of "..." doing the heavy lifting from pinnacle to pinnacle. We are used to Kleypas writing a full open door, and I would say here the door is open but occasionally the gaze is diverted. You may be able to take the author out of romance as she moves to Lit Fic, but you apparently can't take the romance out of the author. This was a very satisfying and enjoyable read, one I'm sure I'll be rereading as I do my other favorite Kleypas books.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc.

[Nisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lisa Kleypas is back and I wanted to like this more than I did. Lisa Kleypas is not my ultimate favourite, but I have an emotional soft spot for he and I consider to be one of the heavy hitters of HR and I do like her. I own/read a big chunk of her backlist and have genuinely enjoyed a lot of her books such as Love in the Afternoon, some of the Wallflowers, a couple of the Ravenels, Lady Sophia’s Lover. I also read a lot of historical fiction, not just historical romance, so I went into this trying to account for the genre shift and read it on its own terms.

But this was rough for me. I was bored. I skimmed parts. I was tempted to DNF.

The frustrating thing is that I don’t dislike the premise or the sentiment. A brilliant illegitimate woman trying to build a women’s bank in Victorian London? Great. Financial corruption, women’s legal/economic exclusion, found family, ex convicts trying to rebuild their lives, a heroine who understands what it means to be underestimated? All interesting bones. I can see what Kleypas was trying to do.

I just don’t think the execution worked for me.

My biggest issue was that the social commentary felt spoonfed. The book kept telling me what it meant instead of letting the plot and characters make me feel it. Reina’s early monologue to William Farlow about women needing access to banking and being treated unfairly is a good example. I agree with the point, but it felt less like organic dialogue and more like a thesis statement being delivered directly to the reader.

That happened a lot. Sometimes the book felt like a novel. Other times it felt like notes for a TED Talk or an undergraduate essay for a Feminism 101 class trying to hit the word count with extra metaphors thrown in for variety vibes.

And the thing is, to me historical fiction does not mean “more commentary.” Good historical fiction (like any well written novel) should dramatize its ideas through setting, conflict, consequence, and character choices. This often felt like Kleypas interpreted historical fiction as needing heavier thematic paragraphs and more explicit explanation of the social issues. The result was clunky and it felt like the book did not trust me to understand the point unless it underlined it three times.

The heroine, Reina was also difficult for me. In theory, I love the idea of her a self-taught, brilliant, illegitimate, financially independent, determined to build something for women. But in practice, she became too perfect and too preachy for me. She taught herself economics and law, built wealth, out-thought everyone, had the Correct Moral Position on basically everything, and often sounded less like a Victorian woman shaped by her time and more like a 21st century feminist commentator dropped into Victorian society.

The lack of sex knowledge thing also felt unbelievable to me. Reina is the daughter of a courtesan/mistress, she reads constantly, she is extremely intelligent, and her best friend has had sex, but somehow she has no real understanding of sex? It was unbelievable because of who Reina is supposed to be.

I also struggled with some of the trauma/consent/medical material. John being anti-rape is obviously good. We want men who are anti-rape. But the way it was put on the page sometimes felt oddly blunt and inserted, like the book needed to announce his moral credentials. Same with Tuppence. What happened to her is horrifying, and I understand why she would be anti-male doctor, but Reina giving a long moralising speech about respecting her choice not to have a male doctor while Tuppence is literally dying in labour annoyed me. There is a real ethical tension there, but the book handled it in a way that felt more like making a point than dealing with the awful practical reality of the scene.

The side characters were interesting at first, especially the ex-convict household, but even they started to feel a bit too curated. June annoyed me. Mad had potential. The household had potential. But the found-family material sometimes felt overly designed to prove the theme that society discards people unfairly. Again, I agree with the sentiment. I just wanted it dramatized with more subtlety.

Where the book worked best for me was the romantic tension. That was the part that felt most classically Kleypas. When she let characters notice each other, get flustered, circle around desire, and build intimacy through small moments, I recognized her. The June/Mad literacy scene, for example, was ridiculous but also very LK in the best way big dangerous man, unexpectedly gentle centre, charged domestic intimacy, body awareness, humour, softness, restraint, it was one of the most successful parts of the book for me.

So that is what makes this extra frustrating. The Kleypas romance DNA is still there. The emotional wounds are there. The found-family warmth is there. The sensual tension is there. But the book kept weighing itself down with commentary.

Genre wise, I don’t think this is purely historical fiction, and I don’t think it is purely historical romance either. To me it feels like historical romance with historical fiction ambitions, but those ambitions are where it stumbles. I actually think it might have been a stronger book if it had just committed to being historical romance and let the economic/social themes emerge through the romance, the banking plot, and Reina’s lived constraints instead of being so heavily explained.

So final feeling: interesting premise, some good Kleypas moments, flashes of strong romantic tension, but overall too clunky, too preachy, and too thesis forward for me. I didn’t hate the story or the message. I just don’t think the execution was handelled well.

Thank you Netgalley for ARC of Queen of Lombard Street.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgallery for an advanced copy

The Queen of Lombard Street is surprisingly the first book I have read by Lisa Kleypas. I was surprised to learn that this was her first book in five years!

Set in Victorian England, The Queen of Lombard Street reminds me of the PBS Masterpiece Series, Miss Scarlett and the Duke with Reina, the main heroine and John Pembrooke (an undercover detective working as Reina's butler).

Reina, the illegitimate daughter of an English aristocrat and his Spanish courtesan, represents an unconventional Victorian heroine, an exceptional economist. Like many women of this period, she faces challenges of maintaining her own financial independence because of laws restricting women from managing their finances. Destined to open the first female bank, she works with her mentor, William Farlow, one of the country's most powerful banker.

When Pembrooke is assigned to investigate Farlow for financial crimes, he goes undercover as Reina's head butler, finding himself managing an unconventional household staff of paroled criminals.

Inspired by real life women pioneers who pushed society boundaries, the book transfers readers back to a time that tends to be romanticized by many authors from a different approach. She introduces us to the working class neighborhoods and the influx of immigration - taking readers beyond the period stories that many of us are accustomed to. And, although Reina reaps some of the benefits of her inheritance, she still is still haunted by her childhood memories of the financial struggles she and her mother experienced.

While there were some parts of the book that I felt were bit slow, reading more of a historical romance rather than an historical fiction -Queen of Lombard Street gives me the cozy Masterpiece vibes that made it an enjoyable fall read .

Thank you so much HarperCollins giving me early access to this book.

[Medollga]

WHAT IS THIS???? IS SHE BACK????

[h o l l i s · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book consumed me for an afternoon. I couldn’t look away. I barely even reached for my phone (a miracle!). I shed tears. I laughed. I was fascinated. It’s pretty much the whole package.

What I thought was going to be more of a cloak and dagger investigative, thrilling, kind of coup instead turned into something far more.. domestic. But don’t take that to mean boring, this cast of characters is anything but. The whole experience is both heartwarming and a little heart wrenching (see aforementioned tears). And the whole issue with uncovering the scandal takes a backseat to it all.

So much of this is set around real events and or milestones, as well as people, and Kleypas spotlights the attention on the incredible achievements of women we might not know about, as seen through her fictionalized versions. The first female doctor. The first female economist. The first woman-owned bank for women. Additionally, we see that women helped lead the way when it came to prisoner reform and reintegration.

Kleypas really put the historical in her historical romance. You’re going to learn while you suffer and swoon! And you’re going to like it.

And there’s so much more than just what’s listed above. But you’ll have to read it to find out more.

What stops this from a slightly higher rating is that the main romance (there’s more than one!) wasn’t quite as good as the secondary. I was way more invested in the connection between another pair and felt them to be better suited. I enjoyed the main couple as individuals, their histories and experiences, but the romance felt.. a tad predicable. Whereas the other? Sure maybe you could see it from a mile away but it felt real in a way the other didn’t. I feel like romance one was ignited by a physical attraction that never really felt like it went any deeper, whereas romance two was the opposite; it took time, it was less about that first impression, and more about the slow unveiling of who a person was — and then finding the beauty in that.

But the ensemble on a whole, the found family, the hijinks (especially in the beginning), was just a delight. I loved the fun of it all, the gentle shift in dynamics when they had to come together to be more, work cohesively for the sake of each other, while still remaining their true individual selves — and that’s what made it work.

Also, there’s a dog. You’ll love him.

I hope this release means there’s more Kleypas to come. It’s been close to a decade since I first devoured her work (and thus went on a two year bender where I almost only read historical romance.. and maybe possibly OD’d on the genre because I now rarely go back) and I would be more than happy to have regular releases to look forward to in the rotation.

** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **

---

This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the hierarchy of Historical Romance authors Lisa Kleypas is at the top. I have always looked forward to her books and the wonderful stories they tell. A little mystery/suspense, a little humor, a lot of historical detail and a solid romance. Kleypas doesn't disappoint and "Queen of Lombard Street" doesn't either. This story of a hero and heroine who are not from the upper classes is intriguing and filled with the struggles those less fortunate in society faced in the Victorian England.

Reina Martin is an extremely smart woman, which is English society gets you nowhere. The illegitimate daughter of a English nobleman and a Spanish dancer, she and her mother were hidden in the shadows of society. As a woman Reina wasn't even allowed to open a bank account on her own. Her bestselling book on economics for women gave her some power over her destiny.

John Pembroke, a Welsh police detective, also knows well the backhand of English society. He is sent undercover in Reina's household her butler. She and her mentor, banker William Farlow, are suspected of fermenting a fraud that could harm thousands of people. John is to find evidence of their scheme. What John finds instead is a woman of profound intelligence who is loving and kind to this found family of Ticket-of Leave paroled criminals she has taken into her home as her staff. The woman he has come to know is nothing like he had been led to expect.

Reina's dream is to open a bank where women can take charge of their own financial destinies and build their worth apart from any man in their lives. To do that she has agreed to work with William Farlow, her mentor and a respected and powerful banker. On finding that John is actually an undercover police detective and why he is investigating her, Reina is concerned that her dream is in danger of never happening. She trusts John and reluctantly agrees to aid his investigation of William Farlow.

My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[Rebekah W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

How has Lisa Kleypas, in the year of our Lord year 2026, written my favorite Lisa Kleypas novel? I have read so much of her work, and I am a gigantic fan of this woman's brain, but this book? Queen of Lombard Street? It is an absolute masterpiece. This book is probably going to go down as my favorite historical romance of all time. This genre can be cheeky, silly, witty, and swoony, which are all things I love and admire. But Queen of Lombard Street gives you the beats you love about HistRom, while including the most beautiful commentary on what it means to be an outcast. Whether that's a bastard, someone trying to rebound from bad choices, or just a woman in man's world. I was sobbing uncontrollably at different moments in this book. Some from grief, some from happiness, and some from being seen as a woman striving for improvement like only another woman can.

The found family in this may also be the best I've ever read. Reina is a collector of underdogs, and watching this rag tag group of people come together and form their own chosen family was an absolute delight to read. Mad Dog steals every. Single. Scene. And I loved watching the relationship between June and Mad Dog unfold. Because what is better than one romance in a historical romance? It's absolutely two.

The multi POV felt seamless and it gave depths to this story that I truly haven't seen in this genre. Living in Reina's head is a true delight. The most understanding and accepting - a little bit naive - but also fierce, protective, and beyond smart? I want to be her when I grow up. And John is truly her perfect match. We love a confident man who lets his woman steal the spotlight. UGH. He was down so, so bad. Give me a Welsh man any day of the week.

AND the little threads from The Ravenels made me so, so happy. You must stop whatever you're doing and read this book. Whether you're new to the genre or Lisa Kleypas or a longtime fan, Queen of Lombard Street is going to work for any romance reader.

And behind them, a girl prepares to battle a dragon.

[Caroline Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words. This book exceeded my expectations in the very best ways.

Longer review to come once I can formulate my thoughts.

——————————————————————————-

📖: Queen of Lombard Street
✍🏼: Lisa Kleypas
⭐️: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lisa Kleypas is back and better than ever! I am unwell. What a read. Crying because it’s over!!!

This book has it all.
Powerhouse FMC ✔️
Undercover Hero ✔️
High stakes tension ✔️
Emotional damage ✔️
Slow burn romance ✔️
Two different love stories ✔️

I cannot even BEGIN to tell you how excited and I was when Lisa Kleypas announced her new book. And then I got the ARC??? I almost passed away.

Upon finishing the book, I had no words. I cried so hard during parts of it, I was giggling and kicking my feet at other parts, I cheered all the characters on throughout the book.

Reina Martin, what an amazing FMC. I loved her from page one. She’s smart, witty, kind. She’s now my favorite FMC of the Kleypas characters.

While there is two romances in this book, it reads more as historical fiction then historical romance. However, Kleypas knocks this out of the park. I could not put the book down.

I preordered this as soon as I was finished, and I cannot wait to have the physical copy on my shelf.

Thank you so much to Lisa Kleypas, Avon Books, and NetGalley for this fabulous book.

[Angelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went full steam ahead into planning to love Queen of Lombard. I requested the ARC, the ALC, and chose it as my BOTM. Thankfully it delivered on being a very entertaining story. I found these unconventional characters in the book to be quite endearing.

I was at times disappointed by the marketing of this story, as it was entirely a different book than envisioned, being more whimsical, cozy, and lighthearted than expected. The focus was more on the household of misfit characters and their relationships than it was on the story of Reina as a trailblazing female economist. Her Queen of Lombard moment does come in to play in the latter part of the book, but it seems like a loose end to tidy up rather than a main plot. It was also more historical romance than historical fiction in my opinion, but since I also like historical romance, I was able to ease into that aspect of the story with minimal frustration.

There is a vast cast of very interesting multidimensional characters that give it a bit of a Downton Abbey feel. It’s my first book by Lisa Kleypas, and she does a remarkable job penning lovable and unique characters.

I did find at times the book seemed too modern in its feministic prowess, but again, I mentally pivoted with some ease, accepting that this book is a work of fiction and was overall a fun read.

I had the opportunity to read and listen to this well-crafted story, and found that the audio gave it a much more whimsical read than when reading with my eyeballs. For that reason, I personally preferred the eyeball version, but the duet was very well done.



📢 Publication Date: 10/20/26
🎉 My Star Rating: 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖 Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction


Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon, and HarperAudio Adult | Avon for the ARC and ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

[triviareads · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5
Heat Level: 2/5
Pub Date: October 13th

My Review:

Lisa Kleypas has returned with a solidly-written historical fiction set in the Victorian era, featuring a romance subplot between a pioneering female economist and the undercover cop sent to investigate her. I am a big Kleypas fan— her prose and her attention to detail has a way of drawing you in, and I can't say I wasn't charmed by Reina, John, and the motley crew of ex-cons hired by Reina as household servants.

I knew going in this would not be a romance novel, and my expectations were met: there is a lovely, fairly light-hearted romantic subplot between the clever but lonely Reina, and John, who is initially stoic but is actually quite charming in a Rhys Winterborne lite (lite) kind of way. We do get an on-page sex scene— you'll recognize a lot of Kleypas hallmarks, but the physical descriptions are not lingered upon, and they're more euphemistic than you might be used to in her romance novels. There is also an adorable secondary romance between Reina's friend-slash-cook and one of the ex-cons she hires.

But here's the thing: the blurb and the marketing for this book had me expecting a main plot consisting of Reina's efforts to open a bank for women in an era where women's financial freedom was heavily restricted, and then Reina and John teaming up to investigate her suspicious mentor.

This is not what we get.

Instead, the story is largely set in the confines of Reina's home, with plenty of Downton Abbey-esque "downstairs" servant drama. Reina hardly ever leaves her home, and the story accordingly ignores her professional struggles and any actual drama associated with her mentor (we don't even get an on-page arrest, just a couple chapters near the very end of the book devoted to the heist mentioned in the blurb, and a weak confrontation). There is a valuable point to be made about the criminal justice system and reentry, but I do not understand why this had to come at the expense of a story ostensibly meant to be about a trailblazing female economist.

To add to the culturally-conservative-coded messaging, while Reina's work in starting a women's bank is barely discussed on-page, the story has a large, dramatic baby plot that concludes in Reina adopting the child of a servant after she dies in childbirth. Again, there is a valuable point to be made about Victorian-era healthcare, the precarious position of pregnant women, especially poor women, and illegitimacy back then (Reina herself is illegitimate and has had to live with that stigma her entire life), but I find it strange that it is the professional, career-minded historical heroine who has motherhood foisted upon her, and that adopting that baby is essentially the climax of the story, because the actual fraud investigation is crammed into the last few chapters as an afterthought.

There is a time and place for everything I've discussed. In fact, authors like Lorraine Heath tackle a lot of the themes mentioned above (prison reform, the struggles of illegitimacy, women's legal rights) excellently, taking on perhaps one of these topics per book, and skillfully melding it with the main romance plot. But for all the research on feminist trailblazers Kleypas has clearly done, the story she and the publisher have chosen to elevate is still a domestic drama. And quite frankly, in 2026, I should not have to read a hero telling a heroine, "The work done in a kitchen is an act of care and love", in any context.

Thank you to Avon Books for the advanced copies.

[Cathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I'm so happy Lisa Kleypas is writing again! I have really been looking forward to this book and was very happy to see my ARC request was approved. I have read almost all of Kleypas' previous books and have really enjoyed her writing style in the past.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book. The premise was extremely interesting and I was very intrigued early on, but I found that the way it was written really took me out of the historical environment and I generally did not find the writing to be very immersive or interesting.

I specifically found that Reina, the FMC, often spoke in a way that seemed more like she was a modern, 21st century woman who had been plopped into Victorian England to tell the other characters about justice, equality for women, etc. These are all great things and every single message in this book was important and valuable! However, I felt like they were all being told instead of shown. Some of the dialogue was like reading an essay or a pre-written podcast episode rather than authentic, spontaneous conversations between two real people. One of my friends described the writing as "this is reading as a modern woman telling the story of these Victorian people, as opposed to us experiencing the story through the characters." It seemed almost biographical at times. When the social issues were presented like this instead of a more subtle and natural manner, it felt very forced. It felt as though it was a story about social issues, with these peoples' lives built in a way to include all of the issues that LK wanted to address, and she was specifically telling the reader what the messages were through very explicit events and conversations. Personally, I prefer when messages are more subtle, so that it feels like I am primarily reading a story about someone's life, and if I remove a layer and take a closer look, then I can see further meaning to the story that was all carefully crafted. In this book, it felt like the story took a backseat to the social messages, to the point where I didn't find myself interested to know what happened next, or wanting to read the next chapter. This is just a personal preference and I found that the style of writing in this book just really didn't work for me because of it.

In terms of this being Historical Fiction rather than Historical Romance, I will echo other reviewers and say that readers of Capital R Romance do not need to be alarmed. There is a HEA and a very clear romance plot throughout the book. There are also a few open door sex scenes, but definitely not as much as LK's other books. In my opinion, the sex scenes being open door didn't do much to forward the story or the romantic relationships, which was disappointing and not what I would normally expect from LK.

The romance element itself was really nice for the first half of the book. The chemistry and build-up between John and Reina was really sweet and felt like classic LK. Once they admitted they had feelings for each other, the romance fell flat for me. Both characters were just too ... perfect? I think I'm just used to more mess in romantic relationships when I'm reading.

The non-romance elements were interesting, aside from my complaints in the previous paragraph. I liked the bank fraud plot and the connection with the police, as well as the cameos involved with that. It is evident that LK did a lot of really wonderful research about these topics.

I'm not sure I'm articulating all of my thoughts as well as I could be, so I may come back and edit this later. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!