Can she truly love him if she thinks he is someone else? Jessica Standish is considered an upstart in the eyes of society because she is merely the daughter of a wealthy merchant. After a failed season, the devastating loss of her father and his fortune, her chances of a good match seem impossible. When her mother arranges for them to attend one of the biggest house parties of the summer, Jes dreads the idea of being seen as a fortune hunter. But then Lord Ian arrives. Even though Jes has only danced with him once, he has become the man of her dreams. As the connection between them grows, he seems so different from the man she thought she was. Conrad Pinkerton, the Marquess of Kendal despises the ton and all the scheming, the guises and the games that go with it. For years he has declined their invitations. Then his twin brother, Ian, calls in a favor and Conrad grudgingly assumes a guise of his own--pretending to be his brother at a house party. When he meets Miss Standish, he wants nothing more than to pursue her. But that would mean exposing his lies which would hurt both their reputations and threaten the relationship he didn’t know he wanted. With family names and fortunes on the line, can Conrad and Jessica see past their schemes and guises to find a lasting love together?
This was another fun read in this series. I enjoyed this one. It did drag out a bit longer then necessary. A good author fills the time with a believable reasons why the secret can't be revealed. It almost got 3 stars for it but I just enjoyed the story and the interconnecting of this whole series. There was also a very unanswered question in this one and I am wondering if it will be answered in another story so I am not going to knock a star off for that either. SPOILER( Is the Ghost real? That was such an odd ending of that scene) This can be read on it's own but is much funner read in order so you can see the previous stories woven in.
Mistaken Identity was a fun, lighthearted Regency featuring an identical twin taking his rascal of a brother’s place at a house party, only to fall in love with a woman who believes him to be his brother. I haven’t read too many romances featuring mistaken identity but it was a fun trope to watch unfold.
Conrad and Jes’ relationship was adorable, full of plenty of sweetness and humor, especially their made-up names for the rooms in the Estate where they were staying. Jes finds herself in a mess as she unknowingly becomes caught between these identical twins, who both treat her completely differently, which made the unfolding romance between her and Conrad full of plenty of angst. I did think the deception carried on a bit too long but overall I thought it was an enjoyable story.
I enjoyed this audiobook more than I expected. The premise was intriguing. Mistaken identity involving twins is always enjoyable especially when it’s done well. I think this author nailed it. This was a light, sweet, romance. It was by no means perfect but I don’t have any complaints. This was just a refreshing read.
I am enjoying this series of novellas. Each story is told about a couple at the same house party. Every story is told by seeing the other characters from a different point of view. Each story is penned by a different author.
In this story, the mistaken identity of an identical twin leads to a better happily-ever-after. I look forward to reading the next one. Each book can be read in any order.
I didn't care for this book. I couldn't tolerate the silly made up stories the hero told the heroine that she seemed to enjoy so much. I didn't like the hero's twin brother, a total ass. And I didn't like how the hero allowed his brother to manipulate him. Suffice it to say, I only made it too chapter 9.
Even pacing, superb editing, and a touch of humor prevent this story from sinking entirely into tedium. All ends well for the main characters, including the heroine's mother. The next book featuring the hero's ne'er-do-well brother may be more interesting, assuming there's character growth and redemption.
This one was my least favorite of the Regency House Party series so far. I found both main characters likable, but not so much their story line. It seemed to drag on for far longer than the others.
This book grabbed my attention at the beginning with the promise of fun mischief to be had when twins switch places. Conrad Pinkerton, the Marquess of Kendal arrives to play the temporary role of his brother Ian. It wasn't the greatest plan, but it became even more so a disaster when Miss Jessica Standish becomes involved in life .
What is neat about this series is each book is written by a different author from different characters all taking place at a house party at Somerstone. They are standalone stories and can be read in any order. I did find small inconsistencies throughout and in varying degrees between the books, but overall I would recommend the series to anyone who enjoys clean regency romances.
I would give the series as a whole 4 stars.
And, to keep it all straight in my mind... I'm going to list out my favorites: 1. An Unlikely Courtship (#2) 4.5 stars 2. The Unwanted Suitor (#1) 4.5 stars 3. The Stable Master's Daughter (#4) 3 stars 4. Mistaken Identity (#3) 3.5 stars 5. Tabitha's Folly (#5) 2 stars 6. Damen's Secret (Novella) 2 stars
(It's really hard to pick a favorite between books 1 & 2. I would happily reread either; but I think If I had them on my shelf, I'd grab An Unlikely Courtship first.)
When Conrad Pinkerton attends Lady Du’Breven’s house party posing as his twin brother Ian, his main goal is to get out of the situation with as little interaction with others and as soon as possible. But when he meets Jessica Standish, his plans change.
Jes can’t quite reconcile the Ian at the house party with the one she danced with two years ago, but his attention is something she doesn’t want to give us. The man makes her life and she flourishes in his presence. But sometimes he acts so differently than the man she’s come to know, she’s not sure what to think.
Ghost stories, a few close calls of the ruse being discovers, and the early blooms of love—not infatuation—make Mistaken Identity a quick and entertaining read. While appearances can be deceiving, this book stresses that the heart of the person is where the true beauty lies.
Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story! Perfect I have been enjoying the whole series… I definitely recommend reading them in the order that they came out, but you can read them as standalones if you so wish. I like the fact that all of the stories correspond to the others. It is always intriguing to see things from another persons point of you. I really enjoyed the character development for Lord Kendall. I can’t go into particulars, otherwise I’m afraid I will spoil it! Suffice to say I found him to be quite swoon worthy. In fact, I think he is my favourite hero in this series so far!
This is the first book I have ever read by this author. I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading more! This is a clean and fun filled read – I can definitely recommend it!
Part 3 of a collaborative series I have yet to read, but also Prequel to the Scoundrels, Rakes and Rogues series by Ms. Strunk. This was as entertaining as the two books I have read so far in the SR&R series, giving much background information and developing an understanding of the contentious relationship between identical twins, Conrad and Ian (introduced in Reforming the Gambler.) I was happy to encounter her books in audio format on her YouTube channel.
Mistaken Identity Regency House Party: Somerstone #3 By Mindy Burbidge Strunk
Jessica Standish has been drawn to Lord Ian Pinkerton since she saw him, hoping that he would notice her. But with little to recommend her since her father's untimely death, her hope is unlikely to be fulfilled. But as Aunt Lydia repeatedly reminds her Lord Ian "is a complete rake and would destroy" her "tenuous status within the ton."
When Jes and her mother Lady Rachel Standish are invited to a house party, Lady Rachel sees this as a chance to secure a suitable match for Jes before the true state of their dire financial situation is known. At the Somerstone Estate of the Countess Du'Brevan Jes is surprised to see that Lord Ian is in attendance. And upon closer acquaintance, he seems quite different from his reputation.
But Lord Ian is not whom he appears, rather he is Conrad Pinkerton, the Marquess of Kendal, Ian's older twin brother. Hoping to aid his brother Conrad pretends to be Ian, though other than appearance the two couldn't be more dissimilar. One to normally avoid social events, Conrad is pleasantly surprised when he makes the acquaintance of Miss Jessica Standish. But as he finds himself drawn to this most unique young lady he finds himself in a quandary - Jes thinks she is heading towards a possible understanding with Ian!
With a case of Mistaken Identity, someone is about to get hurt if, or rather, when the truth comes out. The only question is how many hearts will leave Somerstone forever broken?
Mistaken Identity is a most enjoyable addition to this series. It is interesting to see how Ian's "friends" interact with him at this house party. The interactions between Jes and Conrad are fun especially Conrad's stories about Somerstone. And then when one gets glimpses of Ian himself, ughhh what a total jerk.
This is the third book in this series all of which can be read in any order or as a standalone book. The series is written by different authors who focus on a different pair of main characters which adds a unique voice to each story. I enjoyed this book and read it in one evening which when one has an early morning workday isn't always a good thing but it was well worth the late night and lack of sleep.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book through SLB Book Tours with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion ~ all thoughts expressed are my own.
Conrad and Ian are identical twins. Ian asks Conrad to pretend to be him because he's courting a woman, and the house parties overlap. Conrad agrees, although he hates house parties, hoping that Ian will settle down. He meets Jessica Standish at the house party, and is attracted to her. Jes is at the party as her mother's last effort to get her a husband because, although they were a wealthy merchant family, the father has died and left them destitute. Jes has always found Ian to be attractive, and so thinks she's falling for Ian. She's confused, and Conrad is frustrated. It's a great story!
I loved the development of these characters. For me, if the characters are not well-developed, no matter how good the plot is, the story doesn't work. The dialogue was excellent, the games they play with naming rooms and events that happened in them, did so much to show who these two people are. The plot moved well, and the setting was described sufficiently.
Stand alone HEA, with hints of further books.
Contains no sex scenes, no swear words and violence (threat of harm with gun).
That Conrad agreed to impersonate Ian (the whole plot hung on this) was incompatible with any of Conrad’s personality. There was no valid reason he needed to do that (the whole idea of Ian’s marriage proposal was pretty flimsy) and Conrad’s personality was far too serious to really prank everyone. I had to just suspend judgment and read. However, A higher level of unbelievability was when Conrad thought he could (a) alternate places with Ian and things would go well and (b) leave the party and everything would stay harmonious with Jes, particularly after alternating turned out so poorly. I was also disappointed that Conrad didn’t take Jes into his confidence earlier. He was written as so competent and serious-minded that anything less strained credibility. It became difficult to continue reading once the two of them were together at the party (Ian and Conrad) and then ore so when he left all of a sudden. He also seemed like such a chicken for not dealing with Ian and with Jes early on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A fun, witty and entertaining read despite the unlikely situation of most of the husband~hunting debutantes and their mamas being unaware of the twins' identities. One would have thought that the ladies' familiarity with Debrett's and the Domesday books to have clinched the matter as no self~respecting fortune hunting miss would not have allowed herself to be ignorant of... if ever anyone admits to being ignorant of anything, it most certainly not be to those two most Important books, at least in this particular context this side of Fortune Hunting 101. Furthermore, since it is well known that Ian is not the heir, nobody in that house party even bothered to determine who the heir is?... considering that he should be the prime target despite his reputation as a dull dog compared to Ian? This is not directed towards Jessica because she is not interested in titles and estates but towards the other members of the house party barring Ian's disreputable friends.
Jes is poor, she knows this but keeps her chin up. Her mother’s father was the Duke and when she married below her station she was pushed aside by the Ton. Jes’s father was a merchant captain of his own vessel. A storm took his life.
She keeps noticing a certain man Lord Ian, she is warned off by her mother that he is not what he seems, she does get a dance from Lord Ian.
The next season is upon Jes. She and her mother are invited to a house party which will last two weeks.
Lords Conrad and Ian are identical twins. Lord Conrad never goes to balls or party’s, he has a duty and his brother Ian is a gambler and rake. He agreed to swap places with Ian because he was told he was trying to get married and it would be only a few days. But when Lord Conrad meets Miss Jes Standish he finds he is having a good time and Jes thinks he is Lord Ian.
This is a light, clean, quick read romance. I liked the idea for the plot. I am not sure that it would truly have worked as well as it played in the book since it seems odd to me that Conrad got away with spending such a small amount of time with his brother's friends while trying to impersonate him. I would think the friends would have figured out that it wasn't actually Ian. But if you can set that aside, it is a fun read. I enjoyed the secret jokes between Conrad and Jes especially the outrageous historical "facts" he shared with her. Too funny to base a relationship on. You'd know that he'd always make you laugh...
Contains a mildly threatening situation but no actual violence.
I found this a good book. Jessica is a strong character with tons of pride. When she sees Lord Ian at the start of the house party, she strikes up a friendship with him unaware there is something amiss about him. Conrad is pretending to be his brother Lord Ian as he is off trying to win the hand of another girl which doesn't work out as he plans. When Lord Ian finally arrives at the Countess's house party he doesn't realise his brother is falling for Miss Standish and ends up alienating her in the space of an afternoon. Conrad is smitten with Jessica but he doesn't know how to tell her he is Conrad the Marquess of Kendal and not his younger brother. At the last ball of the house party can he finally win her heart.
An excellent read! The author maintained the proper protocols of the time in both manner and speech, while managing to write an entertaining Regency tale. I don't think I've read a book set in the Regency era that played out in just this way and I commend the author for work well done.
I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil the story for others. But I also want to say enough to encourage others who enjoy the genre to give it a try. I think lovers of historical romance would truly not want to miss reading this one.
The plot kept me wondering what would happen next. The hero and heroine were intriguing and kept me invested in their story.
I say again, if you enjoy Regency romances, don't pass this one by.
Mistaken Identity is an excellent story, which I highly recommend. Lord Ian, played by his twin brother Conrad, the Marquess of Kendal, is the opposite of his rakish brother and he finds it hard to impersonate Ian for even a few days. Things get even more difficult when he begins spending time with Jes, a young lady who has met Lord Ian and held a tendre for him. Conrad is an excellent hero and Jes is more than a match for him. Alas, the course of true love is never easy. Of course, the real Lord Ian returns and of course the lies get in the way. Conrad has an uphill battle to convince Jes of his sincerity and love. Being the man he is, Conrad finds a way in the best way possible.
Clean historical romance. This was a sweet romance. When The Marquis of Kendal agreed to attend a house party acting as though he were his identical twin brother Ian, he did not expect to fall in love.
Jessica Standish and her mother have recently fallen from favour with the ton after her father’s money was presumed lost in an investment of goods at sea. Deciding to brave a house party she is surprised when her Ian, who she has had a tendre for awhile, is there and actually spends an enjoyable time with her.
Predictably there are challenges when identities are not known or when deception is present.
I really liked this one, though, and will read more from this author.
A delightful Regency era romance featuring twin brothers who trade places. One is a wastrel and the other a highly respected Marquess. It all takes place at an enormous mansion with beautiful grounds and plenty to keep the many guests occupied. The twins both use the same name for this exchange, as the wastrel, Ian must try to make a good marital match that has his brother, Conrad, hoping she will mature his brother and his wild ways. Never did Conrad suspect he would find the love of his life there. Well-written, good use of commonly used speech of that era. I look forward to Ian's story.
Banter, banter, banter, loved it! This story kept me glued to the pages until the last word. I love how Ms Strunk developed the characters of Jes and Conrad. Their banter was very entertaining. I could not help smiling and at times chuckling to myself. However, my smile quickly disappeared whenever Ian showed up in one way or the other. He was very duplicitous and a scoundrel, certainly the less responsible twin than Conrad. I loved watching Jes and Conrad fall in love and reach their happy place. Such a sweet clean romance, one I can easily recommend.
A book that will keep you reading to the last page
Twins that look alike that are so different in personalities. I like the characters in this book And the way the author portrait them. The storyline was pretty much like most Regency, spoiled young guy older brother reserved but very sensitive the girl that was the main part of this story just Wasn't innocent but she also had sass. The author spills out the bag that if you didn't have money you weren't in with the ton and you filled the girls Uncomfortable status as the story progresses. She gets her HEA.
I listened to the audiobook of this on Youtube and I loved the narrator as much as the book. I had read the series from Mindy called Scoundrels, Rakes and Rogues which has both Conrad and Ian in it, but I hadn't read this one with comes before that series.
It was fun to see Conrad's story and see how he and Jess fall in love. I loved the premise of the book and as usual Mindy's writing was exactly what I needed. Perfectly paced, great swoony kisses, and just an overall great book.
Physical Intimacy: Lvl 1.5 (Sweet Kisses and a few longer ones) Zero Swearing
Really enjoyed this one! Conrad and Ian are twins who could not be more different. Ian is something of a rake, and Conrad is very down to earth and a bit reclusive. I loved that Jessica started off with an infatuation with Ian and then falls (unknowingly) for Conrad while he is pretending to be his brother. It really gave her character so much room to grow as she discovered what she really wanted in a relationship and what love truly looks like. Conrad was very sweet and charming. I couldn't put this one down because I was so on edge! A shorter but excellent read!
Another fun and entertaining read in this series and it connected with the rest of the series well. Not my favorite in this series but well written and enjoyable. The party guests are all so interesting and fun that it kept me reading to the end.
The author handled the whole mistaken identity troupe well and an a fun way. It can be read as a stand alone, though it will be much more enjoyable and fun to read in order of the series.