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Love in Disguise #4

Reforming Harriet

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After weathering one philandering husband, Lady Harriet Worthington vows never to wed again. She is happily independent, having inherited her late husband’s share of a spice company. But Elias Westwood, her business partner, is at his wit’s end. Lady Harriet has been selling off shares of the company, and he means to win them back.

Elias’s extraordinary gifts of smell and taste — so useful in judging fine spices — prove his Achilles’s heel. He cannot resist her culinary creations, or her feminine charms. When she maneuvers him into masquerading as her fiancé for the Season, he never plans on falling in love…


About the Love in Disguise series:

In these tales of Regency intrigue, nothing is as it seems: A street wench masquerades as a debutante to fulfill a rake’s wager; an actress pretends to be a vengeful lord’s mistress to catch a killer. A noble war hero disguises himself as a much older man to woo an on-the-shelf spinster. An independent widow forces her disapproving business partner to pretend to be her fiancé — and teach her about passion.
All are daring masquerades, with love as the prize.

The books:

The Perfect Bride
The Dastardly Duke
A Passionate Performance
Reforming Harriet

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1998

20 people are currently reading
300 people want to read

About the author

Eileen Putman

17 books45 followers
Eileen Putman's love for England's Regency period has inspired her research trips to Britain, France and other European countries -- there being no substitute for stepping on the very soil that Beau Brummell and his champagne-polished Hessians trod in such incomparable style.


About the Maitland's Rogues series:

Andrew Maitland isn’t really the devil, but he might as well be. Feared and loathed, he has assembled an extraordinary group of daring rogues who worked clandestinely for England during the Napoleonic Wars. Hardened and deadly, they have no use for love--until it ensnares them.
The books:
King of Hearts
Lord Shallow
Lord Difficult

About the Love in Disguise series:

In these tales of Regency intrigue, nothing is as it seems: A street wench masquerades as a debutante to fulfill a rake’s wager; an actress pretends to be a vengeful lord’s mistress to catch a killer. A noble war hero disguises himself as a much older man to woo an on-the-shelf spinster. An independent widow forces her disapproving business partner to pretend to be her fiancé — and teach her about passion.
All are daring masquerades, with love as the prize.

The books:

The Perfect Bride
The Dastardly Duke
A Passionate Performance
Reforming Harriet

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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Sissy's Romance Book Review .
8,992 reviews16 followers
June 13, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
'Reforming Harriet' by Eileen Putman is book four in the "Love in Disguise" series.
This is the story of Lady Harriet Worthington and Elias Westwood.
Harriet is a widow whose husband was a partner of Elias. Harriet now has inherited her deceased husband's shares. Harriet is actually using her part of the partnership/shares for what she feels has helping others. She works/runs a bakery had helps the neighbors. When Elias comes to her and tries to get her to sell her part of the business to him he is shocked by her running a bakery not to mention how she is giving some of the of their business to others. One Morning Elias saves Harriet from a very hands on suitor but when he goes to comfort her they are caught.
Later Harriet talks to Elias about pretending to be her fiancé and before the season ends she will turn over her part of the business. Harriet thinks also this will be the perfect chance to learn about passion and to something she couldn't be to her husband.
This was another great book by Ms. Putman. This has great secondary characters, funny scene and just a all around great historical romance.

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Profile Image for romancejunkie.
390 reviews86 followers
August 5, 2019
Harriet and Elias story was magnificent, it has a wonderful plot and a way to make the hero and heroine find a way into you heart. It was amazing the way Elias worked to gain her love and trust and little by little began taking away the pains and insecurities that her former husband Freddy had put in her heart. I was cheering a lot for their happy ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for The Mysterious Reader.
3,589 reviews66 followers
March 22, 2019
Harriet and Elias’s story in Eileen Putman’s Reforming Harriet (Love in Disguise Book 4) is indeed the promised “Sensual Regency Romance” and I loved how the author used good as a “metaphor for their developing romance”. All-around well written and with a solid plot and characters. Surprisingly to me (as I love Regency tales), while this works well as s Regency Period romance I’d love to see it in a contemporary romance setting. That’s not really a criticism, however, as this was a definite fun read. Frankly, but for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed, I could go on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,557 reviews
June 14, 2016
This is a great book; this is the fourth book in the Love in Disguise series written by Eileen Putman. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this author.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Profile Image for LemontreeLime.
3,707 reviews17 followers
March 6, 2009
This was an excellent comedy of errors, combined with fantastic food descriptions and a story that makes you want to read the next chapter before putting it down, and the next and the next... A good regency romance novel read!
Profile Image for Sherry Westendorf.
4,593 reviews22 followers
June 10, 2016
A very interesting sweet story. Loved it. They take the long way through working through things to get to the love. Kept my attention. One to curl up with and get comfortable. I recommend it. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Space Cowgirl.
4,133 reviews144 followers
March 17, 2019
The Man🐺 That She Deserves💘

Wow! What a book! I was enthralled all the way through!
She💃💔 Doesn't Know What Love💘 Is.
Harriet💃 is the daughter of the cold, regal Duke of Sidenham. Raised in a huge medieval castle🏰 in windswept Cornwall her father blames her somewhat for being born. Her mother died when Harriet💃 was born.

Raised in isolation, the Duke gives her a season in London, only to have her fall for Freddy👺, the Earl of Worthington, a philandering gambler🃏. He basically marries Harriet💃💔 for her dowry, then ignores her and goes back to his mistresses.

The Duke deeds over a mansion and estate in Worthington to Harriet because he sees right through Freddy👺 and he knows he must protect Her.

The only thing Freddy👺 does right is become a business partner with Elias🐺🍆🌋, the impoverished Earl of Westwood! Elias🐺🍆🌋 grew up with a superior sense of smell and taste, and made it his business to become an expert in the spice trade. With Freddy's money, their business takes off and becomes lucrative.

Freddy👺 dies a few years later in the arms of his Mistress, and because of the marriage contract the Duke made him sign, Harriet💃💔 gets everything, including his shares in the spice partnership.
She doesn't realize what she has and trades some of them off, which begins to affect the bottom line of the business. Elias🐺🍆🌋 travels to Worthington to either get her to stop selling The shares or sell them all to him.

Harriet💃💔 has resigned herself to being alone at a young age. She knows nothing of love💔 and doesn't trust men. Tall, handsome, and suave, Elias🐺🍆🌋 sees a passionate, beautiful, headstrong woman, a woman who is a great cook and pastry chef, but she is innocent in the ways of the 🌎world. He must protect her!

ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems
The book was $3.99 on Amazon at the time of this review.
The Opinions expressed here are my own.
Profile Image for Narci.
375 reviews
March 16, 2019
I received this ARC and absolutely loved it! Widow Lady Harriet Worthington is a sweet, caring and amazing cook, however she knows very little about pleasing men. Harriet seeks out the help of her last husband Freddy's business partner, Elias Westwood. What Harriet isn't prepared for is for Elias to awaken a part of her she didn't know existed. Harriet and Elias believes clash, the only thing they really have in common is neither wants to marry. Elias believes women should not be in charge of finances and has no interest in romance. However, he find himself agreeing to a false betrothal with Lady Harriet in exchange for the shares of the spice company Freddy helped him with. I loved that Elias is a man with superb sense of smell and taste for food, and meets Harriet who loves baking. Whether its her cooking or Lady Harriet herself, he finds himself torn. Those meddling servant added that extra spice and push both Elias and Harriet needed, giving their story more character. I loved the different point of views and what each character brought to the story. I loved how Harriet has no use for societies restrictions, she is a woman born before her time with the belief that no one knows what is best for her. Harriet is a woman scorned, her heart is sealed with walls no man can penetrate. I absolutely loved this story. The 1800's is one of my favorite era's to read.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.7k reviews362 followers
August 18, 2019
Lady Harriet Worthington endured a loveless marriage and is now a widow. Her deceased husband, Lord Frederick Worthington, had been in partnership with Elias, Earl of Westwood, who was an expert in the spice trade. When Harriet inherited Freddy’s shares in the business after his death, she was using them to help her neighbors, which was financially ruining Elias’ business! To save his spice business, Elias meets with her to discuss her selling back the remainder of the shares she inherited to him. She ends up asking him to pretend to be her fiancé and, in return, she will give him back what he wants. Although Elias has no interest in engaging in a romance, by agreeing to a fake betrothal with the Lady, he can save his spice company and get the shares back – so he agrees. For Harriet, it will give her the opportunity to explore passion in a harmless way. She never expected it could turn to something more!

I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous book. Not only are the main characters interesting, but the secondary characters, although not acting in a manner realistic for their stations, add a humorous piece of action. Grab your copy and enjoy how their arrangement gives each of them what they didn’t know they had wanted!
7 reviews
March 17, 2019
I received this book an exchange for an honest review

With a couple of exceptions, I did enjoy the book quite a lot.

The things I liked about the book:
1. The tone of the book was enjoyable: light and slightly humorous.
2. The characters were charming (read: Lady Harriet) and engaging.
3. Harriet was loquacious to the extreme, a trait that was made more enjoyable by the semblance of a brain
4. Harriet's trauma from her first marriage was fleshed out really well.
5. Elias' seduction by Harriet's culinary genius.

The things I did not care for much:
1. The characters underwent abrupt changes of personality.
It is emphasized from the get-go that Elias is still quite hurt over his previous experiences and is emphatically against commitment. I don't think his reservations and subsequent change of heart in, firstly Harriet's seduction then the falling in love, was fleshed out enough.
2. The whole
3. The fact that
4. The whole story of
Profile Image for Patricia Solla.
1,333 reviews21 followers
March 28, 2019
Really good story about a young upper class widow taking care of her village and her feelings about her marriage. The story opens with a gentleman, Elias, going to Worthington, a village in England to find the widow of Lord Frederick Worthington, Lady Harriet Worthington. Elias has 'nose' for fragrances and Lady Harriet is a quirky young woman who runs the local bakery, full of interesting smells. Apparently there is a problem with a business partnership formed by Lord Frederick and Elias, because Lady Harriet inherited her husband's shares of the business and what she is doing with those shares is bothering Elias. Elias and Harriet strike up a very unique relationship which leads him on a merry chase. The reader is introduced to not only Harriet's baking but also her cooking of meals the entice Elias even more. Finding more about Harriet and the influences of both her father, a Duke, and her philandering husband that make Harriet a very independent woman keep Elias jumping. The author makes this story come alive with the smells and taste of foods and spices and romance. The HEA is quite satisfying.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
Profile Image for Jamie Bee.
Author 1 book122 followers
August 13, 2019
I am a great lover of Regency romance, sometimes reading several in a day. I found this book to be off-putting right away. Within the first chapter, the author used several words completely wrong, and beyond that, the language was exceedingly stilted, as if she were trying to affect a heightened level of historical speech (as we like to see in historical romance) but missing the mark and sounding not remotely like true human speech. I thought the characterization was just odd. Both the hero and the heroine seem to be extreme people, like no one you would ever meet. Characters have to be relatable and believable, and these were neither. There were some bizarre hijinks throughout the book as well. It didn't feel cohesive, like there was a master plot or plan. I just didn't like it.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Profile Image for Emma.
2,864 reviews39 followers
March 21, 2019
It is interesting that the overall storyline is about "Reforming Harriet". I found that there is too much emotional drama. It is distracting and uninteresting. I also found that the segue between Harriet and Elias becoming a faux couple is abrupt. It is not smooth. It jumps. It took me longer to read this book because I kept putting it down because I was bored. This does have very quirky characters in it and Harriet and Elias could not be more different in temperament but so alike in their passion. I am glad there is an HEA. I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,886 reviews4 followers
August 16, 2019
This is my second book by this author and she s=did not disappoint. Its a hot and steamy, sexy story filled with great characters, romance and intrigue. Elias and Harriet work well together, their relationship blends humor and passion to make for a very enjoyable read. They both have issues to work on but you'll need to grab a copy to see how they work through all the twists and turns. I will definitely be following this author, I loved this story!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
161 reviews1 follower
August 11, 2019
It was a slow start, but I did enjoy the story. Elias and Harriet were both hurt by love but did finally manage to find their way to each other in the end. They just needed to learn how to communicate with each other. I really like how Ms. Putman involves secondary characters and gives them their own HEA. Will definitely continue to read her books! Can't do half stars, but I would rate it a 3 1/2.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,372 reviews8 followers
August 20, 2019
This story was exceptionally written, well thought out characters, amazing storyline. I loved Harriet's independence even though she was struggling with her supposed downfalls as a woman but with Elias's help she soon realized that she was not lacking as Freddy had led her to believe. Harriet and Elias fight but when they make out woo that was powerful. Well done.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Pam Flynn.
113 reviews12 followers
August 2, 2019
Reforming Harriet is a wonderful book about an independent woman who takes over her late husband's shares of a spice business but is ultimately selling off the shares. A new aquaintance appears with an ability to not only help with the spice business but with the need for love in her life.
Profile Image for Laura.
3,205 reviews348 followers
July 6, 2016
"It is not a game, it is a business arrangement!"
Taking place in the early 1800s, this mismatched pair seems to have nothing in common.
Elias is only seeking to regain control of his spice company, formed due to his difficult life beginning and the blessing/curse of an absurdly accurate olfactory sense. He is a man on a mission who abhors any sort of disorganization and mess. He wants life to be lived according to structure and plan.
Lady Harriett is a widow. She endured a five year marriage and even though her husband died "of natural causes" while entertaining another woman, or being entertained, Harriett feels responsible for his demise. She is a contradiction of the most extreme.
A woman born before her time, she has no use for "society's musty strictures" (restrictions) or for any man to tell her what is in her best interests.
I truly appreciated how we got to take a look at issues from various points of view.
"A man's measure was not decided by the package in which it was wrapped."

Elias sees her as an out of control "spendthrift widow" where she sees she is spending money "for the greater good." All he sees is his future decreasing.
It is surprising when Lady Harriett proposes this "business arangement." It is out of character for her and Elias is not shy about calling her on it.

The book is amusing and entertaining and moves at a very steady pace.
I loved the language and the secondary characters are wonderful! I was so glad we got some closure with them before the book ended.

I did receive a copy of this book to review.
Profile Image for Ira.
740 reviews14 followers
July 17, 2016
I already read a couple of books by Eileen Putnam and really liked them but "Reforming Harriet" and I didn't get along that well. Somehow it took me ages just to read the first third of it. Things got a bit better afterwards but on the whole I had a problem with the characters and the plot.

Apart from the hero being a bit too much a victim of his higly developed olfactorial senses and the heroine being part naive and part disillusioned and disappointed by life I don't really get the feeling that they belong together, that they fall for each other. The supposed help or the intrigues of the other characters are not convincing either.

There are some rather unexpected twists but mostly they are unexpected due to the fact that they don't make sense, there is no reason for them to take place. One example is their faked betrothal. I didn't understand what that was about, it didn't make sense, especially when one looks at the conditions and at what she is giving up for this farce.

Somehow I got the feeling that she was living on love and air because she didn't need money, gave it up (but, well, she needed it, didn't she?) but, well, no love either so.... Her resources seem to be endless even though they are clearly limited and ... well. Misunderstandings and their likes litter their way and make life complicated and their love difficult. All in all it is rather predictable even though on the whole it is well written and I really liked the idea of the story.
So, not bad but not exactly my cup of tea either.
478 reviews4 followers
August 16, 2016
This not your typical boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after story. It is more of a love wary boy and girl meet and do not like each much story. Throw in the interfering (& humorous) servants and you have a good story. What I liked best is that this is not the usual storyline but tells Harriet and Elias' story just a bit differently and not being able to guess the twists and turns their story takes. I really liked the characters, both troubled but very worthy of finding happiness. This is the second book of Ms Putnam' s I have read (the first-the Dastardly Duke) and actually enjoyed it more. I will be reading more of her. Book is definitely worth the time to read. I received this book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
June 11, 2016
Lady Harriet Worthington meets Elias Westwood after her husband dies and they do not get along at the start, she has been selling shares of their company off ( as her husband left them to her) without Elias’s okay.Harriet loves to bake and her creations are Heavenly, Elias has a sense of smell that is why he was partners with Freddy Harriet’s deceased husband in a spice import business.This book made me laugh at some of the things these two did! Also this story tell something's about her servants. I will be looking for more books in this series. I was gifted a copy for an honest review barwatts@telus.net
Profile Image for Bibliongirl.
137 reviews
February 9, 2017
This book had everything I enjoy about historical romance, witty dialogue and interesting characters with a romantic and passionate love story, I couldn't put it down, I definitely recommend it. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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