A Question of Worth

The Warrington Bequests #1

by Rose Pearson

A stranger's fortune. A secret condition. A love neither of them was looking for.

Miss Eliza Fairleigh has resigned herself to a life that will be quiet and unremarkable. So when she learns she has been named in the will of the formidable Lady Warrington—a woman she met but once—Eliza is left with far more questions than answers. Her fortune comes with a single condition: uncover how their lives are connected, or lose it all.

Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe is deeply unsettled by his great-aunt's final wishes. Lady Warrington was cautious and intentional in all things, and her decision to involve a young woman no one has heard of makes no sense. Resolved to protect his family's legacy, Nathaniel agrees to help Eliza uncover the truth—while keeping his distance from the one person who threatens to upend his ordered world.

But as whispers begin to circulate and long-buried tensions rise to the surface, Eliza and Nathaniel must confront a past neither of them expected—whilst fighting a connection that grows harder to deny with every passing day. Will the truth give them the future Lady Warrington intended? Or will it cost them everything?

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2026

About the author

Rose has read her way through countless romances over the years, “borrowing” them from her older sisters, and hiding them from her mother.

She has a special love for Regency romances and when she began writing, the Regency period was a natural place to start. The ton, the wealthy families, the Season, the dilemmas, and yes, the marriages, have always fascinated her.

She loves a happy ever after! Now she is happy to bring this passion to her stories and share it with her readers.

On a personal note, Rose lives in North Carolina, is married, and has a terrier that barks too much. She enjoys taking him for walks to tire him out!

Reviews

[Wendy Keane]

She found her inner strength.

A truly wonderful story of women supporting one another and finding inner strength. Truly a wonderful story that I recommend.

[Bagul Bazarova]

i liked it. but the book was so plain. no drama, no mystery, no humor, even romance lacked something.
i think it would be better if there were some humor. it least it would be rom-com book with feeling-good effect. otherwise the book gave me boring-drama-movie feeling.

p.s: i was going to read all books from this series, but now i think i will pass.

[Quenby]

An unusual and thoughtful romance

I was truly touched by this story of a young woman facing ruin. The kindness that she finds and ultimately allows from others makes this very special. I genuinely teared up.

[Danielle Carpenter]

Let us be entirely candid: this storyline requires a level of emotional endurance that even the most seasoned observer of high society might find taxing.
The premise begins innocently enough—a young woman inherits a staggering fortune from a late society matron she met precisely once. Naturally, the ton reacts with its customary grace and composure: by completely losing its collective mind. Rather than chalking it up to the eccentricities of wealthy widows, the aristocracy immediately paints our heroine as a calculating fortune hunter, unleashing absolute ruin upon her reputation. Worse still, she is left to face this pack of rabid wild dogs utterly unprotected. Her father, a selfish drunk and a gambler, cares far more for his next wager than the safety or honor of his own daughter.
Enter our lone savior, the Viscount. While he is arguably the only gentleman who manages to keep his head above the hysteria—gallantly stepping in to help uncover why Lady Warrington left the funds—his sudden heroic omnipotence at the climax feels entirely unearned. He carries himself with grand authority, but one suspects he lacks the actual power to single-handedly tame such a vicious mob.
What makes the book so frustrating is its relentless cruelty. It tries so hard to dismantle the aristocracy that it leaves the reader thoroughly drained. A story can certainly harbor dark turns, but tearing down good people without a proper reprieve isn't good drama—it is simply punitive. This narrative needed far more work before being unleashed upon the public.

[Fanosse23]

A Question of Worth is the first installment in The Warrington Bequests, a new series by Rose Pearson, and it has thoroughly captured my attention.

Miss Eliza Fairleigh leads a quiet life, doing her best to keep her distance from her father and his gambling troubles. Staying with her supportive Aunt, Lady Newark, Eliza is stunned to learn she has been left an inheritance by Lady Warrington—a woman she barely knew. The fortune arrives with a single, puzzling condition: Eliza must uncover the connection between herself and Lady Warrington, or forfeit the bequest entirely.

Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe and his brother are equally astonished—and more than a little suspicious—of their great-aunt’s decision. Lady Warrington was deliberate in everything she did, and leaving a fortune to a young woman outside the family makes no sense to them. Determined to protect his family’s legacy, Nathaniel cautiously agrees to help Eliza unravel the mystery, even as he wrestles with his doubts.

The story beautifully captures the tension of society’s speculation. Gossip, whispers, and malicious assumptions swirl around Eliza, as many believe that if a clear reason for the inheritance cannot be found, some hidden scandal must be at work. Yet through it all, Nathaniel’s growing support and willingness to defy the ton provide a touching counterpoint. Watching the two of them navigate both the mystery and the emerging affection between them is immensely satisfying.

What makes the story shine is the balance of romance and intrigue. The mystery unfolds steadily, deepening both the suspense and the emotional connection between Eliza and Nathaniel. I particularly loved how Nathaniel refuses to bow to society’s judgment, standing by Eliza even when few others do.

A Question of Worth is a charming, engaging read that kept me invested from beginning to end. The blend of heartfelt romance, layered characters, and a compelling puzzle makes it a delightful start to the series. I eagerly look forward to continuing The Warrington Bequests and seeing what secrets—and love stories—await in the books to come.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington]

Balancing the Scales . . .

Susanna had known her father was having financial difficulty, to the point that their most precious items had been claimed by creditors. So it was no surprise that as she sat in the window seat of the library reading, her uncle (Lord Atherby) and her father had begun discussing the issue brought about by her father's drinking and gambling. She just wished he had not chosen the library for their talk! He had waited too long to curb his foolish habit and would face ruin and scandal shortly if he could not find a solution. This would severely impact Susanna's future as well. She was to make her debut in a few months; this situation would make it impossible. There would be no invitations to afternoon tea, no balls to attend, no gentlemen to dance with due to her father's selfishness. He even tried to blame his actions on his wife's death. Then her uncle said he had come here because of Susanna... he had found her a suitable match! The gentleman, Lord Warrington (an Earl), is willing not only to meet Susanna but to announce their engagement immediately.

Miss Eliza Fairleigh has a similar situation to what Susanna had gone through with a gambling father. But with kind support from her Aunt, Lady Newark, Eliza has accepted her fate. Then she finds herself named in the Will of a woman she only met once. Lady Warrington provided an enormous inheritance with one requirement. She must discover how their lives are connected. Otherwise, she gets nothing. Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe is concerned at his great-aunt's decision since it made no logical sense to their family. So Nathaniel offers to assist Eliza in her odd mission. The Ton behaves (as usual) most disgustingly, judging her based on nothing she has done wrong, but circulating lies to justify their cruel gossip. Will Eliza and Nathaniel find the answer to Lady Warrington's strange challenge? Will they allow their own developing feelings for each other to guide them to figuring it out? Or will they give up trying to solve the strange puzzle?

[Janet]

4.5 Stars
Miss Eliza Fairleigh has resigned herself to a life that will be quiet and unremarkable. So when she learns she has been named in the will of the formidable Lady Warrington—a woman she met but once—Eliza is left with far more questions than answers. Her fortune comes with a single condition: uncover how their lives are connected, or lose it all. Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe is deeply unsettled by his great-aunt's final wishes. Resolved to protect his family's legacy, Nathaniel agrees to help Eliza uncover the truth.
The start of a new series & it was different as Eliza was left a fortune by an acquaintance & to receive it she needed to find out why, this wasn’t a mystery to the reader but it did throw Nathaniel & Eliza together. After a rocky start the couple grew close & worked well together. I disliked how horrid the ton was & sought to think the worst of Eliza & I loved how she did have some people in her corner who defended her. A riveting romance which I thoroughly enjoyed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Michelle]

Miss Eliza Fairleigh is in London with her aunt since her father is a gambler and is not a very nice person at the moment.
She is summoned to the reading of a will of a lady she has only met once. She is to be given an inheritance on the condition she discovers the connection between her and Lady Warrington.

Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe and his brother are upset about this since they do not know of any reason their great aunt should give such a sum to Eliza.

Nathaniel wants to understand what is happening and so agrees to help Eliza work out the mystery.

Will they work out the mystery in the time limit allotted?
Will Eliza get her inheritance?

This is a sweet clean easy to read Regency romance.

I received a free copy of this book and freely and honestly leave my review.

[Angela]

Lots of Questions

While this story had a decent plot to it, I really struggled to stay involved. The author seems to have a weird obsession with had placement with all of the characters. I quit counting how many times the male main characters stood, “hands clasped behind his back with his right thumb pressing into the palm of his left hand” or “sat with his hands resting on his knees, face up, palms open.” Not that much detail is needed! I don’t care where his hands are to be honest. I also felt like some of the actions or thoughts of the main characters in the the passages were over described. Not every single thought of every single character needs to be written down in so much detail. I felt like I was being patronized in several passages. I do not believe I will read another book by this author.

[Karen Brasher]

A Question of Worth

Eliza and Nathaniel have a heartwarming story. The will of a woman Eliza only met once Lady Warrington, designates a substantial inheritance to Eliza with a stipulation that she is to determine how the two of them are connected within three months. This angered most of the family who thought Lady Warrington’s generosity was unwarranted. However Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe took it upon himself to discover why his Aunt would leave such an inheritance to someone unrelated. Eliza and Nathaniel team up to discover the truth while the remainder of the family and the ton disparage Eliza. As they work together their relationship seems to grow. I recommend you read the book for more.

[Barbara Raue]

Miss Eliza Fairleigh is named in the will of Lady Warrington. She must discover why Lady Warrington chose her to leave a large sum of money as her inheritance. She was no family relation. Viscount Nathaniel Ashcombe is deeply unsettled by his great-aunt's final wishes. Wanting to protect his family’s reputation, Nathaniel agrees to help Eliza uncover Lady Warrington’s reason. The ton is up to its usual gossip and soon has Eliza fearful of going out. The ton doesn’t need to know and share the truth; they will pass on the dirtiest of lies and ruin anyone’s reputation they can.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[S.o.r.eviews]

What was the deal with all of the hand descriptions?

Also fairly repetitive with certain words in the same sentence, and of course hand placements.

Eliza was kind of boring, I feel like she really could have had more depth. And she did a lot of deep breathing in the middle of conversations? Like what?

Kind of strange messaging at the end about a man being someone’s entire life, but ok I guess?

Also, it was kind of obvious why she had been given the inheritance after that prologue, but I guess it isn’t supposed to be a mystery for us…

2 stars because I finished the entire thing, so in a morbid way, I MUST have enjoyed it at least a little!

[NelleRenn]

The FMC has a father who is a gambler so she is living with her aunt when she gets an inheritance from a woman she has only met once. She must find out the connection to this woman. The woman’s nephew is at first thinks then FMC is manipulative. As the MMC gets to know her, he decides to help her find the connection. This story really makes one aware of how gossip and rumors hurt many people. It was a clean sweet read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annette Drewett]

This book is a wonderful start to Ms Pearson’s new series. The characters are delightful and the storyline is full of some twists that kept me reading long into the night. Although their first encounter was not straight forward, Nathaniel and Eliza must work together to discover some answers to the condition in Lady Warrington’s will concerning Eliza. With most of the Ton against her, will her friends stand by her side and help? I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Aud]

“A Question of Worth: A Regency Romance”(The Warrington Bequests, Book 1) by Rose Pearson
Yes, a Worthy Read !
I was only going to read a few chapters but I blotted out the rest of the world and stayed in the story to the very end. Sometimes good does prevail in the real world; always in fiction (or we would stop reading that author).. This is a sweet Regency era romance with some tears and heartfelt joy, too. Happy Reading ! !

[Sheila]

I really enjoyed this historical era story. Meeting Eliza, Nathaniel, Lady Sarah, Lady Newark (an awesome aunt to Eliza) and a few others.
The Lady Warrington mystery started Eliza and Nathaniel working together - first for duty then friendship - not really caring what the TON thinks. I loved it when James apologized in front of everyone at the ball (even though he was embarrassed but knew he was in the wrong).
The plot and the story itself was/is a refreshing book and characters.

[Mary Jane McLeod]

Great Regency Read

A great beginning to a new series. I loved Ashcombe and Eliza's story. It's full of mystery and of course the ever gossiping English ton. I loved watching how these two worked together to solve the mystery and slowly became closer. It all makes for an interesting read that kept my attention from the beginning. I received this book in advance but truly loved it and my review is my own opinion.

[Mary Ann Camilleri]

Elisa had to endure many obstacles after she inherited a charismatic lady. Nathaniel had doubts about Elisa and how she had charmed lady Susanna to include her in her will. A very charming story where two strong character meet, fight society, Elisa's father and Nathaniel's brother, and find love. All thanks to a lady who found help when she needed it most and decided to help others they way she was aided.

[Lisa H]

The ties that bind…

I really liked this book. It starts with Susanna’s fate that was the only way out for her.

It’s only after she passes that Eliza finds herself in possession of a fortune on one condition. Figure out how they are connected. It’s a good one.

Nathaniel is a family man with a good nature who is tasked with finding out why his great aunt left her a fortune. Is his great aunt match making from the grave?

[Loreli Jessee]

Eliza went through so much, she endured it amazingly well. I loved how Nathaniel changed his thinking and became determined to succeed. This book will instantly pull you into the suspense and surprises. I loved how it all came together. You won’t be disappointed, I sure wasn’t.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joanna]

Eliza is given an inheritance with a condition attached. Can she answer the question that is asked? What can the family that the inheritance came from think of a non-family member receiving such a boon think? This is a great start to the next series from Rose Pearson. Can't wait for the next. Well done.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jody]

A bequeath to Eliza was meant to secure her place in society and to give her freedom. Instead Nathaniel, his family, and the ton turned on her. To find out why she received such a gift, Nathaniel and Eliza worked together to find the truth.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Luci Jamison]

clean and wholesome romance

Four and a half stars for the mystery behind a sudden inheritance and the journey to find out why.
The journey is difficult with rumor and society judgement.
The author does a wonderful job of creating tension and understanding of the circumstances and characters.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.

[Phylis Collins]

Heartfelt romance, a twist, down to earth and believable flawed characters, and witty, entertaining dialogue. I could not put this story down until the end. Just read it you shouldn't be disappointed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenessa M.]

Adding to my list of petty reasons to dnf: having your mc’s “lick their lips” wayyyyy to many times, once is weird enough and by 26% in I was up to 4 or 5 times. Honorary mention, multiple descriptions of how they breathed through their nose. Not all things need to be described, ok?

[Nancy Boccongelle]

Too many descriptions of same story. I did finish it as it was relaxing.