Lord Humphrey

Sons of the Marquess #2

by Mary Kingswood

A traditional Regency romance, drawing room rather than bedroom.

Lord Humphrey Marford has a way with cards, dice and gambling of all forms. He’d love to start his own gaming house, but that takes a lot of money, far more than he or his brothers can come up with. His only solution is to marry an heiress, and he can’t be too choosy.

Miss Hortensia Blythe seems perfect - pretty, charming and very, very rich, she’s just home from India where her father made a fortune and left her every penny of it. But even as he courts the ladylike but rather dull Miss Blythe, Humphrey is drawn to her companion, who isn’t nearly so ladylike, and isn’t the slightest bit dull. Unfortunately, she’s not rich, either. Whatever is he to do?

Book 2 of the 5-book Sons of the Marquess series, each a complete story with a HEA, but read all of them to find out all the secrets of the Marford family!

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Regency, Regency Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 16, 2017

About the author

I live in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with my husband. I like chocolate, whisky, my Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, chocolate, going places in my campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. I dislike driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals.

The lovely lady in my avatar is Archduchess Clementina of Austria (1798-1881), Princess of Salerno, painted around 1839.

NOTE: I read Regency romances as well as write them, and I review them all on my website, or you can find them right here on Goodreads on my real-name account at Pauline M. Ross.

Reviews

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

7/25/19:

Lord Humphrey wants to open his own gaming house. An honest one. It'll take 100,000 pounds, which he hasn't got. So he needs an heiress (as Reggie did in book one). His sister-in-law Connie, the Marchioness of Carrbridge, sets up a tea party with ten heiresses so that Humphrey can just drop in and get an idea of what lady might suit his fancy! Georgiana Darcy in Pride and Prejudice had 30,000 pounds. Humphrey's chosen lady has .... 200,000 pounds - from trade.

7/26/19:

After just finishing Lord Reginald, I dove right into book two, and I'm enjoying it! The blurb states that it's a traditional Regency - a drawing room rather than a bedroom tale!

7/27/19:

I'm really liking this series by Mary Kingswood so far. Lord Humphrey is a wonderfully honorable character. His situation is all tied up in a knot, and I'm pretty curious how it's going to work out! There is a plot thread that has continued on from the first book, but I suspect that it's not going to make stopping at any point in the series difficult, because each book has it's own main plot which comes to a conclusion at the end. I hope that I'm going to find that all Kingswood's books are as clean as this one, because that's exactly what I want.

7/28/19:

Regency manners: Lord Humphrey and Hortensia share a passionate kiss during a waltz. That is completely outside of what is acceptable in the period - though it does not feel totally out of character for Humphrey or Hortensia. However, a Regency woman would be considered ruined, so I was quite shocked. I listened to this part again, and they were in a minstrel galley. So it seems they weren't seen, but it was a little risky, I'd say.

7/29/19:

I have very little to say about this story, unfortunately. I must be in a strange mood. I will say that I'm glad I went straight from book one to this one. And now I've started book three, and it begins less than two weeks from the end of book two.

Kingswood has given each brother his own distinctive personality and special interest. And I love the close relationship of the siblings. It's wonderful to see. It is one of my dearest hopes that my own six kids are close as adults. I love fiction with close siblings. I would like to say, however, that I hope to see more of the sister in future books!

5 stars!

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

January 2025: I can’t believe how much I missed because I didn’t read the first series before this one. This books are even better now that I know the references to the other characters.

October 2024: I love this family! Humphrey is the smart one, it seems, and he needs an heiress to start his gambling club. He meets one…but is much more enamored with her companion. They’re an adorable couple!

No spoilers, but this one is delightful!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Humphrey Marford needs to marry an heiress so he can set up a respectable gaming house and earn his fortune. As a younger brother of a Marquess, Humphrey must make his own way, especially since their family is large and the estate can barely support Humphrey's eldest brother and growing family. Humphrey's sister-in-law Connie is eager to play matchmaker. At a tea party held for new money heiresses to meet Humphrey, he connects with the beautiful Miss Horetnsia Blythe, recently arrived from India. In an effort to get to know her better, Humphrey allows Connie to invite the lady and her companion to Drummor, the family estate in Yorkshire. At Drummor, Humphrey discovers all is not as it should be with his brother's agent, Mr. Sharp and an unlikely family member who bears an uncanny resemblance to Humphrey himself. In an effort to please Miss Blythe, Humphrey decides to pay attention to her companion, Miss Quayle. Humphrey soon discovers Miss Quayle has a lively mind and sharp intellect behind her demur demeanor. He has much more in common with the lowly companion than her beautiful friend. What if the situation were reversed and Miss Quayle had a fortune and Miss Blythe nothing? Could he court the plain, older woman for her fortune? That would make him a fortune hunter and somehow the prospect doesn't appeal to him and giving in to his desires would mean ruin for himself, the lady and his family. What's a gentleman to do?

I enjoyed the first book in the series when I read it but it was forgettable. This one is a little more interesting but LONG. I found the mystery subplot bogged the story down too much as did the illegitimate brother subplot. The main mystery was fairly easy to figure out. I nearly missed the clue but when little things didn't add up to Humphrey, I went back and found it. It's subtle and meant to be ambiguous but I think readers can figure it out. Occasionally the story switches from Humphrey's point-of-view to the ladies' and finally the heroine's. The mystery would be less easy to figure out from only Humphrey's point-of-view. Humphrey's dilemma stretches on too long and I had to skip a few chapters (and go back later) to find out how the happily ever after was accomplished.

I liked Humphrey for the most part. He's a little too serious and uptight at times. He doesn't have a choice but to let his older brother, Lord Carrbridge, dictate his life. When he's alone with Miss Blythe, he is charming and a bit reckless. I didn't like that he's a gamester but he isn't addicted and doesn't spend more than he has. He just likes taking risks and taking chances. However, his inability to take a chance on love frustrated me as a reader. As a younger son, Humphrey isn't free to follow his heart. I appreciate the author showing how gentlemen were also prisoners of their birth and breeding and not just ladies. However, if Miss Blythe has her own way, she'll shock Society and be ostracized, whereas Humphrey would be forgiven. I wasn't sure I liked Miss Blythe or Miss Quayle at first. One is very demure and worries a lot. The other is quick-witted, has tons of energy and nerves of steel. I'm not crazy about her devil-may-care attitude but can relate to her feelings about what she's supposed to do and not do. Both ladies seem intelligent but one is a little less sure of herself.

The secondary characters complicate the story. There are way too many Marfords to keep track of and add in some from the wrong side of the blanket and that makes it worse. I apparently liked Connie a lot in the first book in the series but here I found her matchmaking annoying. She was so focused on material concerns she couldn't see true love. I just found her too silly for my personal tastes. The Marquess of Carrbridge is very uptight and stuffy. I feel sorry for him that he inherited at a young age and his estate matters are in need of sorting out but he doesn't have any empathy for his younger brother. He's too focused on family duty. I also didn't like how he just accepts his father's past indiscretions like it's no big deal. I liked Daniel Merton, his secretary, much more. Mr. Merton is all about the family and helping the family. He has his own private heartache but he keeps calm and carries on. He is sensible, intelligent and also seems to have a sense of humor.

Charlie is a rogue and they give him get away with WAY too much. No one else would have been so understanding or kind. Julius is not an honorable fortune hunter at all. He isn't as thoughtful or kind as Humphrey. Lord Kilbraith is very nice and clever too. He'll worship his wife and always treat her like a queen. Mrs. Andrews is a terribly tragic figure. She illuminates the lack of power for women at that time. I thought she might be a bit silly and unintelligent based on the first time she appears, but she proved to be a lonely and powerless lady longing for companionship and forgiveness. Sharp is an evil villain. I wanted to know what he was up to but that plot didn't get fully resolved.

A note on content:Although this story is technically a kisses-only romance, there is one implied, off-page love scene. It's only implied and the reader really doesn't know for sure what happened other than a lady spending the night in the room of a gentleman. There's also one just married couple kissing passionately with her sitting on his lap. Nothing else. Do not read to the end of the book if any of that bothers you. It's strictly kissing and anything else is implied off page.

[Krys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Until this point, I had thought Kingswood's books to be fairly accurate for their times--much closer in style to Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer than Johanna Lindsay or Julia Quinn--which is why I was a little disappointed in the ending of this novel. Knowing that marrying Miss Blythe will completely shred her reputation and bar them from polite society, as well as break a promise Humphrey made to his brother, Humphrey decides that they must wait one year until their marriage. This request to wait infuriates Miss Blythe, who declares him a coward and goes on to question his love. In the end, she forces his hand and they marry immediately, not even waiting the prescribed three month betrothal period. The platitudes of "love trumps all" and "people can be happy even if they shun polite society" are such a modern idea, and have no place in historical, traditional Regency romances. I was quite disappointed to see that even Kingswood was susceptible to writing these kinds of cliche anachronisms in her stories. A better ending would be for Miss Blythe to realize that disregarding the ton could seriously impact her happiness, and that Humphrey was right to be cautious. This ending would give readers a chance to see Miss Blythe be humbled, allowing her to mature and realize her own weaknesses of understanding while coming to appreciate her husband's good sense. Sadly, that was not the ending Kingswood chose to write.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the 8th Marquess of Carrbridge died, his secrets in the form of his by~blows were slowly turning~up on the pages of the books comprising this series, aside from the half~brothers that have turned up so far (and what interesting and diversified specimens they turned~up to be with the unmistakable Marford nose, too). There were sundry other properties (be they estates or human) the deeds of such were mostly in the hands of the Marford agent except for the humans (daughters and/or retainers) who were still in the hands of their families specifically with regard to wagered and lost daughters. All of these fell under the Debts of Honour that the present holder of the marquessate was expected to fulfill as per his late sire's will. Aside from the hilarious events surrounding the appearances of the half~brothers, it also seemed apparent that their trusted agent had been robbing the marquessate of hundreds of thousand pounds worth of income over the years. To all these, the search for an heiress for Lord Humphrey must also be commenced with alacrity for him to realize his dream of putting up a very respectable gambling house for which he needs a hundred thousand pounds, now that Carrbridge has relaxed his control (on account of his deep abiding love for them) over his brothers' lives. Another fun and entertaining read... and now on to the next book.

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Kitcatscratch · Rating 4 out of 5]

My love of Kingswood novels started out a bit shaky with "Amy." I read it and was both simultaneously creeped out by it and loving it. So much so that when she started a new series, "The Woodside Sisters," I gave it a shot. And was I glad! I have thoroughly enjoyed each installment and eagerly await the next. Which led me to this series. I admit, I started with the first book and stopped. I just couldn't quite wrap my head around the tone of the book and wondered at how...well...I hate to say stupid but rather average the male characters were. I also stopped reading the "Daughters of Allamont Hall" series after Amy because I could not stand (actually, hate would be a better word) the sister Connie closely followed by Dulcie.

Suffice to say, I am glad I came back to this series. I absolutely adored the story of Lord Humphrey. I loved not only his personality but the personality of all his brothers. Also, I found that instead of being turned off by their "average" intellects, etc. that they were in fact very interesting and diverse persons held together by their true affection for each other. It sounds boring to say that they felt like real people because we read to escape from real life for the most part. Yet, rather than be bored or feel the need for more escapism, it made me think more about my own real life and how I truly love and appreciate the good people in my life. Just like the characters in this series.

I also loved the relationship between Humphrey and the h whose name I will not say because it may be spoilerish. Speaking of, spoiler alert My absolute favorite part of the story deals with their very open discussion of their relationship and where it may (or may not) be heading. It happens at a party and they've gone to the minstrels gallery for privacy and sit listening to the waltz and just...sharing openly. Then later when the h goes to his room to push the issue and force him to make a command decision on whether they will be together or not it was just wonderful. I found myself moved with this:

"Very well," she said. "We will let chance decide." From a pocket in her robe, she produced a dice cup and single ivory die. "You may throw for your future, like the gambler you are."
" No, Hortensia," he whispered. "I cannot do this."
"If you throw a one or a two," she went on relentlessly, "then we part for ever. If you throw a three or a four, I shall be your mistress, and you may have whatever life you wish for otherwise. If you throw a five or a six, then you marry me and we work out our differences together. But Humphrey - you will be bound by the outcome. However, the die falls that will decide our lives, whether together or apart."
"No," he whispered. "This is madness."
She set the dice cup on the table. "Throw."
"No."
"Throw."
"You cannot make me."
"Very well, then I shall throw in your stead." She snatched up the dice cup and shook it.
"No!" he cried, and lunged forward to grab it from her. She jerked it high to keep it out of his reach, but the sharp movement shook the die free and it sailed through the air. With a cry of despair he leapt after it. It fell on the floor, bounced out of his grasp, fell, bounced again. He dropped to his knees and stretched for it, missed, cried out in terror. It settled...
It was a six.
"Oh, thank God!" he whispered, his head lowering until it almost touched the floor. "Thank God, thank God, thank God!"



Who knew that nice, honorable and sweet natured could be so wonderfully sexy!

Now, on to the next one in the series! I may even go back to the Allamont Sisters since I find Connie not quite as horrible in this series and wonder just how Kingswood managed to make her more likeable.

[Inés · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice closed-door regency romance. It's also quite difficult to rate: for me it's above my usual 3-star rating (ok, nothing especially wrong, nothing especially exciting either) but doesn't quite qualify for a 4-star (quite good, I did enjoy reading it and have no major objections).
What I liked: the way the romance starts and grows between Lord Humphrey and his beloved. Lord Humphrey is intent on marrying a rich heiress from trade, without expectations of love, so he can start his own business project and become independent from his brother, the Marques. But soon enough he realises he can't be so detached/interested/cynical and his honest personality weighs more than his financial interests. He gradually discovers hidden qualities in the woman who will capture his heart and does this in a very sweet and respectful way. It so happens that his beloved has a strong unconventional personality, no milk-and-water miss, and he loves her the more for this. So, up to here, definitely a 4-star book.
But, there are two issues, essential to the plot, that don't sit well with me. First and foremost, the obstacle to Lord Humphrey proposing to his beloved (who is clearly reciprocating his love) is, supposedly, to do with reputation and the opinion of the Ton. To me it seems a bit flimsy, but I trust the author to know better the social conventions of the time. However, if there's really a problem, it doesn't make sense how this seems to magically disappear when the couple finally gets engaged. Also, the female protagonist, not caring at all about the reputation issues, comes out not so much as a daring lady , but as a silly one. She's also quite inflexible, too much for someone supposedly in love, not willing to compromise (the author tries to justify this with some story from her past, but still...)
The second issue is my feeling of being cheated by the author. There's a plot twist that has to do with mixed identities and, probably to reinforce this, the author hides it from the reader and makes a deliberate use of surnames or given names depending on the scene. However, in the end, instead of keeping the surprise for the reader until the moment when everything is uncovered, I still figured it out in advance and, for the first chapters, I kept having the impression of not understanding something and getting confused with the different characters, constantly going back to check that I remembered names right. In summary, the "literary device" didn't achieve its goal, since there was no surprise, and instead generated unnecessary confusion.

[Simo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the h, but the whole identity exchange was pretty lame

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hortensia and Humphrey
-Hortensia and Rosemary are heiresss and companion newly arrived from India to London.
-The Marford family is in debt and the sons all need to marry heiresses to keep their lifestyle.
-Connie (The countess) arranges for Humphrey to meet all the eligible heiresses she can think of so he may choose one.
-He is immediately drawn to the cute little blonde introduced as Hortensia Blythe. Connie arranges for her and her companion, Rosemary Quayle, to join them at the end of the season at Drummond, the family estate.
-Humphrey tries to get himself to like Miss Blythe but she is not as interesting as her companion. He ends up spending a lot of time with the quiet Miss Quayle
-He soon finds out that she also has an adventurous spirit and a quick mind and begins to fall for her.
-Miss Quayle is also drawn to Humphrey with his quick wit and generosity- allowing her to ride his horse and drive his curricle with speed.
-Miss Blythe and the visiting Max (cousin from last series) meet and fall in love.
-The two ladies decide the truth must come out now that they are both in love and want to marry. They must tell the men and their families and friends that they had switched names and roles. The quiet companion is actually the heiress Miss Blythe.
-Lord Carrbridge is angry that they had been fooled and tells H he cannot marry such a person. H tells LC that he loves Hortensia and LC concedes because of love for his brother but tells him they should wait for a year to give the “scandal” time to blow over. Furthermore H will look like a fortune hunter if he is seen to switch his interest from fake heiress to the real heiress.
-Hortensia doesn’t care about society’s strictures and wants to marry. Humphrey can’t decide if he should disregard his brother’s wishes and society’s judgement and marry h anyway.
-H decides he cannot go outside of society’s good opinion and is ready to leave Drummond until a year passes and hopefully h will still be available.
-h decides she must force H to make a decision with his heart and makes a wager with him (that he disagrees with but she does it anyway). She tells him she will roll a die and whatever number it falls on will decide their fate. Marry, mistress, or goodbye forever. H is so upset that whatever number it falls on it forces him to realize what he really wants and they decide to marry.
-They sleep together that night and therefore demand a hasty wedding from the family. (This was weird after all the talk of propriety and reputation. I was liking this book until this contradiction)
-Meanwhile…
-Merton (LC’s secretary) has uncovered ways to save money and still live comfortably. One issue seems to be the estate agent Mr Sharp. He is always out of town but no one knows where- not even his wife. H finds out that S has taken over a nearby estate- Sislby Vale-calling it his own (but it really belongs to LC which his father won in a card game) and has taken the original widowed renter (Mrs Andrews) as a mistress. But he is cruel to her and the estate staff.
-LC sells the Silsby Vale estate to h. h plans to let Mrs A live there with her. In the end h gives the house to her new husband. Not sure what is happening with Mrs A now.
- Capt Edgerton is introduced at the end of this book. He attends H and h’s wedding as Augustus’ guest. Maybe the rest of the books will be more exciting. BUT Capt E is excited to meet Miss Blythe due to her reputation as a tiger and elephant killer in India. And that’s when she really lost my favor.
-We meet another by-blow son of the 7th marquess. Charlie is a mischievous thief who looks just like Humphrey. His mom was a maid at the Silsby Vale estate.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Humphrey has the second story in this series. As a successful gambler, he wants to open an honest gaming venture in London. However, he knows he will need 100,000 pounds to stay solvent through the ups and downs of gaming.

Connie, his sister-in-law, and the Marchioness gather ten of England's wealthiest women for Humphrey to meet. When Humphrey falls for the companion to the heiress (instead of the heiress), readers know there is something afoot. It was very predictable.

After a while, Humphrey grows some conscience too (Reggie did in the earlier book). Humphrey realizes wanting a woman only for her money is not honest. Of the five sons, Humphrey has the most morality.

Two other threads are woven through these stories. First is the story of Mr. Sharp, the steward of the rents, etc., for the Marquess. He is turning out to be a dishonest man., but he's hard to pin down. The other thread concerns the by-blows of the former Marquess. We are introduced to the second illegitimate son in two books. The current Marquess feels a moral obligation to give these sons some assistance in finding their way to a steady career and income.

Sons of the Marquess – Total of 6
1. Lord Reginald (2017)
** 2. Lord Humphrey (2017)
3. Lord Augustus (2018)
4. Lord Montague (2018)

[lori huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great good fun

Like the first in this series, Lord Reginald, the characters in Lord Humphrey are people I would like to know. Although each of these brothers has some quirk or vice, they love their family and value decency and kindness. Lord Humphrey is a gambler, which in most other regency tales is a serious fault and nothing to be proud of. Humphrey owns up to it and looks on it as his way to make his way in life. He is calculating and has a goal of a business venture, but since the family is in financial straits his funding for his business must be acquired through marriage. As in the first book, his sister-in-law steps in to help find the girl.

There are a couple of sub-plots, one involving the love interest, and another involving the estate agent's abuse of his powers. Throughout everything the Marford family members are almost annoyingly kind hearted, even when you think maybe they should be a little tougher. But kindness and compassion always get them the desired result in the end, and we like these people even more.

I like this author. She is a talented storyteller and has a proficient team of proof readers and editor.

[Sarah Stegeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to continue Mary Kingwood's Sons of the Marquess series in this book. I am a big fan of the regency era and I think that she remains more historically accurate than many in the genre. I appreciate the way she gives each character their own distinct personality. Lord Humphrey and his brothers were not generic romantic heroes, all tall, handsome, and dashing. They each have their own likes and vices, and meet women who suit them well.

In this book, Lord Humphrey is obliged to marry an heiress to fulfill his dream of owning his own gambling house, but he finds that the woman he is drawn to is not the one he had intended to marry. I enjoyed getting to know him and his brothers more. I didn't expect to like Humphrey very much, as he is a gambler. But throughout the book I found myself liking and respecting him.

When I rate books, I use three stars as an average—enjoyable, but not especially good or bad. So this book gets four stars. It is above average in it's historicity and characters. I also like how this series has a common thread tying them all together in the mystery of what happened to the Marquess's fortune. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Judy W · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narration on this audible is outstanding. The story is a skosh formal but works beautifully. Think Balogh when it comes to manners etc. Lord Humphrey, who basically lives off his titled brother, finds they are running short of the ready and decides to find a rich heiress wife to finance a gaming hell. As ludicrous as it sounds Lord Humphrey is actually quite a fine gambler and knows "the house" is the best way to make money. His helpful sister in law invites a few candidates and he picks one instantly who at first glance will be perfect. Unfortunately he is more drawn to and has more in common with her companion. You can probably guess what secret the two women share about their identities. After the big reveal Lord Humphrey becomes a stickler about propriety and nearly loses the girl. But this is a romance so it all works out. Lord Humphrey first appears a little dim witted but soon redeems himself as the story goes along. I'm digging this series immensely.

[Terry Southard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoying this series greatly. We learn more about Mr. Sharp, but not enough yet. Merton continues to impress. I like the family.

Slightly less believable than the first one (but then do we really read Regency romances for BELIEVABLE?) Lord Humphrey is a lovable character, but slightly more cardboard-y than I found Reggie to be. But that may just be me. I still liked him. And Hortensia? A cool and collected almost modern-day woman, which is kind of weird in a Regency, but still a wonderful character. My favorite part was when Humphrey watched her ride for the first time and realizes that he may have met someone who is a real Match. "She is magnificent!"

Read it in a day - these books are only 250 pages or so and I have a husband working long hours during tax season.

Very much worth the time.

[Reader (Show me, don't tell me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I am getting to really believe that Sons of the Marquess is not really about the sons but that they are just by-stories in the real story of the very clever and sharp estate agent Sharp. After all, whatever is happening with the boys, their stories are satisfactorily resolved at the end of each book but not Sharp's.

At the end of book 2, my questions are, what the dickens has Sharp and the eighth Marquess been up to? What the dickens is Sharp is up to now the eighth Marquess is dead? for how long has he been up to his tricks? and when the dickens will he get caught and be made to pay?

So the carrot here is to read each book for little bits and teasers about that rascal Sharp. Luckily the books are now on kindle unlimited -so read away peeps!

[Scout · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, Lord Humphrey is the most dynamic of his brothers. He is the third son and is on a tiny allowance which he supplements with gambling and he is good at it.

He saw that His brother Reggie was successful in getting a love match. His ambition is to open an honest yet high-ton gaming house in London but he needs 100,000 pounds of the ready to make it work. He decides he doesn't mind marrying an heiress that has no title. He asks his sister-in-law, the matchmaker, to set up a tea, inviting the richest women she can find for him to meet. Anyone he chooses will be invited to spend a month at Drummoor, the Carrbridge estate. He chooses one person and her companion. The fun starts there.

Well-written and fast-paced.

[Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a smart love story between Lord Humphrey, the 3rd son of the 8th Earl of Carrbridge and Hortensia, a plain but young, wealthy woman whose father left her two hundred thousand pounds, in trade in India. She and her poor but beautiful companion, Rosemary, decide to switch places since Hortensia thinks society a huge bore. Unknowingly, Lady Carrbridge introduces Rosemary as an eligible wife to Humphrey, but Humphrey begins to fall for her "companion." Mary Kingsbridge is a superbly intelligent writer. I am surprised at the complexities of her plots. And told from the viewpoint of the man they are quite enjoyable.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite of the Allamont-Marford bunch, and it's a guarantee that when reading a Mary Kingswood book your attention will be absorbed completely for a couple of hours.

This book featured the winningest couple so far, in my opinion, and by the end of the thing I was so genuinely invested in their relationship it almost shocked me. I've rooted for heroes and heroines before, sure, but something about this story and the panache and charming recklessness of the heroes drew me in 100%.

Very much looking forward to the next installment.

[Lisa G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would’ve rated this book at least a 3.5 if not 4 based on characters and plot but I’m just too disappointed in the two main characters. As a lover of CLEAN fiction, and don’t get me wrong there was no scene thankfully, I just didn’t like the fact that a night together before their marriage was even alluded too. And it was quite unbelievable actually bc the female main character while loving risks and shunning most propriety never would have placed herself in such a damaging position of utter vulnerability before marriage like that. So a 2 it is.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, as always

It’s such a pleasure to read Mary Kingswood’s books. They are so well written with excellent characterization, engaging plots, believable romantic development, secondary characters that add substance, and deeply satisfying happily-ever-afters. My only criticism of this book is that the pacing was a bit slower than I like but all-in-all, I found it an enjoyable read.

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook is nicely narrated. A sweet follow up to Lord Reginald. Clean, no angst but with a mysterious series arc.

Lord Humphrey is a proper gentleman and not willing to gamble with his personal life, although he needs to marry an heiress in order to open a gambling den. Hortencia is a great heroine, clever, spunky and tired of fortune hunters. She knows what she wants and goes after it. Or rather him.

[Kathy Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lady from India who shot 7 tigers and an elephant - will she find her mate?


The Marford brothers have to retrench. The eldest brother, the marquess, has inherited his title, but the family’s once great fortune has dwindled. His brothers need to find work or marry an heiress. Lord Humphrey hopes to marry a wealthy woman so he can open a high class gaming establishment. Will he succeed?

[Melanie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unconventionally delightful

Humphrey's dream of owning his own gaming hell wants only a large sum of money to come true. Lacking any other alternative, marriage to an heiress seems to be the only means to that end. Too bad he falls hard for the heiress' penniless companion. Mary Kingswood spins a deliciously convoluted tale of true love and false identities in this romantic walk on the wilder side of Regency high society.

[Kim Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another triumph by Ms Mary Kingswood!!!!

A wonderful novel beautifully written! I truly enjoy Ms Kingswood engaging well written novels. I could not put the book down at all! A sweet wonderful and engaging story of two people meant to be together. I do love Ms Kingswood's work. Most highly recommended!!!!

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

A soft four. A little slow at times. Frankly the Marfor brothers are not the sharpest tacks. But overall they're nice honorable guys who have the knack of picking out women who can save them from themselves. True of most men I'm sure. An easy read if a little long.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. The characters are always interesting in Mary Kingswood's books and this book was no different from the others. I don't find the method of getting to the end of the story to be at all predictable and that is one reason why I enjoy these books so much. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this couple much more than the first, although upon reflection I wonder if the first couple weren't supposed to be more satirical a la Austen anyway. I chose to take the whole nabob thing on its romantic face and not think too deeply into it. Once again, the biggest star for me remains the continuing investigation into the family mystery.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the characters, but it seemed their problem was trivial, or there were numerous ways to have them be together without people thinking Humphrey was a fortune hunter. That was frustrating. Also, no one actually doing anything about Sharp, even though he is just an employee who could be let go at any point in time. Also frustrating. But great characters and love story despite!

[Phylis Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Humphrey Sons of Marquess book 2 by Mary Kingswood is a wonderful story. It has some intrigue, a little mystery, and two very stubborn people that are perfect for each other. A stand alone yet part of a series. I liked this couple. ARC My free opinion. Thanks