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Women of Worth #1
Love in the Bargain
A vow to remain unwed and a bargain designed to find her a husband.
What could possibly go wrong?
Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry.
But when Elsie begins her first season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.
She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.
The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.
What could possibly go wrong?
Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry.
But when Elsie begins her first season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.
She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.
The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 222 reviews
April 20, 2020
The setup is intriguing: a young woman and her friends vow not to marry in the hopes that they can maintain some form of control over their own lives in a Regency where women have few rights and give all of them up to their husbands. In full awareness of her vow Elsie's mother makes her a deal she can't refuse: say yes to all invitations for a whole season, and if at the end of the season she hasn't formed an attachment to a man, then she can have her inheritance and her independence. But it's far from an easy challenge, with attention from one of her friend's brothers, an increasingly nasty gossip campaign about her in the newspapers and her friends faltering.
The setup dragged me to this. A central premise that if fulfilled would go against the whole idea of a romance novel and with male characters all around that deeply justify Elsie's vow in the first place, I was intrigued to see how it could possibly turn out satisfactorily.
Unfortunately, there's a simple answer to that: it can't.
The male lead is an arse that gets away with far too much without consequences. Elsie's family are abominable and never receive a comeuppance, and the friends that Elsie suffers through so much for don't turn out to be honest with her at all. It's a great and fascinating start, but ends in an unsatisfying mess.
The setup dragged me to this. A central premise that if fulfilled would go against the whole idea of a romance novel and with male characters all around that deeply justify Elsie's vow in the first place, I was intrigued to see how it could possibly turn out satisfactorily.
Unfortunately, there's a simple answer to that: it can't.
The male lead is an arse that gets away with far too much without consequences. Elsie's family are abominable and never receive a comeuppance, and the friends that Elsie suffers through so much for don't turn out to be honest with her at all. It's a great and fascinating start, but ends in an unsatisfying mess.
May 7, 2019
I am such a sucker for a good regency romance. Seriously I might have an addiction. I wonder if the same author wrote a contemporary book if I would like it as much....hum. Anyway this was a great read. The author knows her regency time period. This is the first thing I have read of her's and I am impressed. The romance didn't even start till 30% and I was still hooked. These three girls, but especially Elsie just wrapped themselves around me and I wanted to hear there story. It was very well done and very satisfying:}
March 29, 2023
Best Kasey Stockton to date! 5 stars! This book was fantastic. Kept you guessing. I love the friendship between Elsie, Freya, and Rosie!! Each one learning perhaps they don't hate the idea of marriage. I can't wait to read the other stories in this series!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 9, 2020
In this light-hearted read, Elsie barters with her parents for her financial freedom. She's made a pact with her girlhood friends to stay single but, in order for her to do so, her parents require her to have one Season in London. She's not allowed to say "no" to any invitations. Elsie tries a few different ideas to lessen her attractiveness to others. Her failures are amusing, to say the least.
I've read a couple of books now by Kasey and she has a great way with a story's flow. I appreciate her pace and tone.
I've read a couple of books now by Kasey and she has a great way with a story's flow. I appreciate her pace and tone.
July 30, 2019
Enjoyed This Romance
I enjoyed this romance about one of three women who had made a pact while young schoolgirls to remain unmarried in order to not lose the power to govern their own lives to men. Well-written characters and plot twists kept the story interesting. I enjoyed the ending.
I enjoyed this romance about one of three women who had made a pact while young schoolgirls to remain unmarried in order to not lose the power to govern their own lives to men. Well-written characters and plot twists kept the story interesting. I enjoyed the ending.
May 20, 2023
Enjoyable regency romance with a super cute storyline! I am looking forward to seeing what this new author writes in the future.
August 17, 2024
One of my favorite regencies. I love the story, and of course it was clean.
October 19, 2021
4.7
The reason why this book gets somewhat of an odd rating is because even though the romance could’ve been more developed, this story was very realistic in what it truly means to be a woman of that era instead of having everything be gloried sunshine and roses like some other books. I truly appreciate this book of its frank and moving depiction of what it means to be a young woman in the Regency era. And this book really pulled a one over on me until the end. I didn’t see that coming lol. I felt really connected to Elsie because of the way the author pieces the story together, even though Elsie and I are as different as could be. Combining this with how well written the book is and how vividly the descriptions of Elsie’s emotions and situation is, I’m giving this book a well deserved round up to 5 stars.
The reason why this book gets somewhat of an odd rating is because even though the romance could’ve been more developed, this story was very realistic in what it truly means to be a woman of that era instead of having everything be gloried sunshine and roses like some other books. I truly appreciate this book of its frank and moving depiction of what it means to be a young woman in the Regency era. And this book really pulled a one over on me until the end. I didn’t see that coming lol. I felt really connected to Elsie because of the way the author pieces the story together, even though Elsie and I are as different as could be. Combining this with how well written the book is and how vividly the descriptions of Elsie’s emotions and situation is, I’m giving this book a well deserved round up to 5 stars.
October 9, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I had previously one other book by this author which was a lovely introduction to her writing style but this story took me on a journey which kept me intrigued & guessing the whole way. Whilst it is a romance, it is a sweet, clean read - I also like that there is an element of intrigue in this story & look forward to the next in the series!
I can highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys clean Regency Era novels (which are my personal favourites), that have happy endings but also a few twists & turns along the way to make it that much more interesting.
I can highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys clean Regency Era novels (which are my personal favourites), that have happy endings but also a few twists & turns along the way to make it that much more interesting.
August 15, 2022
My first read of a book by this author and I will definitely be reading more by her. Very enjoyable, fun Regency read.
Listened to on audiobook thanks to my local library!
Listened to on audiobook thanks to my local library!
October 4, 2023
This was all over the place.
June 19, 2022
2/5
I almost gave up on this one several times. Elsie seriously got on my nerves. I’m a feminist myself, I get it. But these young, privileged Regency girls swearing they’ll never marry and answer to a domineering husband with zero life skills or planning. These characters just irritate me. Especially when they start complaining about how oppressed and trapped they are to their lady’s maids! So cringe.
However, I stuck with it. Even when Elsie jumps into the middle of a DOG FIGHT to save a tiny terrier and gets her arm bit up (lucky she didn’t get torn to pieces or get rabies). Even when Elsie then saves the small dog and convinces Cam she knows what is best for the dog and can care for it. Then doesn’t have an animal doctor look at it, doesn’t realize the dog will have to go to the bathroom, thinks she can hide the small yappy terrier mix from her parents, and doesn’t realize the dog needs a leash when she’s outside. Almost everything is left to her sainted lady’s maid. And this is the girl who wants to live independently for the rest of her life on only her dowry. Dangerously naïve.
I read to the end, and my god the end. So much jammed into the end. All of this felt like setting up a cliffhanger-esque ending for the side characters to get you to read their stories. I’m gonna pass.
I almost gave up on this one several times. Elsie seriously got on my nerves. I’m a feminist myself, I get it. But these young, privileged Regency girls swearing they’ll never marry and answer to a domineering husband with zero life skills or planning. These characters just irritate me. Especially when they start complaining about how oppressed and trapped they are to their lady’s maids! So cringe.
However, I stuck with it. Even when Elsie jumps into the middle of a DOG FIGHT to save a tiny terrier and gets her arm bit up (lucky she didn’t get torn to pieces or get rabies). Even when Elsie then saves the small dog and convinces Cam she knows what is best for the dog and can care for it. Then doesn’t have an animal doctor look at it, doesn’t realize the dog will have to go to the bathroom, thinks she can hide the small yappy terrier mix from her parents, and doesn’t realize the dog needs a leash when she’s outside. Almost everything is left to her sainted lady’s maid. And this is the girl who wants to live independently for the rest of her life on only her dowry. Dangerously naïve.
I read to the end, and my god the end. So much jammed into the end. All of this felt like setting up a cliffhanger-esque ending for the side characters to get you to read their stories. I’m gonna pass.
September 6, 2020
I have become quite the fan of Kasey’s books this year. Her three newest books have become some of my favorites—they’re written so well and you can’t help but love the characters.
I didn’t love this book as much as I loved her newest books. The opening scene is really great: a “society of deserving females,” vowing never to marry so they would be granted the freedom they never saw their mothers have is golden. But I found I got confused by the girls when they were older. Rosalind getting angry at Freya, to do more than Freya was doing, was perhaps the most confusing. I didn’t understand ever. I also struggled to understand the deal with Lord Cameron. I didn’t really like him much.
Honestly, I think if some things could have smoothed out more I would have liked it better. Some of the character & relationship development could have been clearer and stronger, and a plot point or two could have been cleared up. Anyway, it’s not bad but not my favorite. I’ll still read the rest in the series. As I said, Kasey has become one of my favorite authors and I’m excited to watch her develop as an author through the rest of this series.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Mary Sarah: I do not want to be mean, but this narrator actually made me crazy. Even listening at 1.5x speed she was just annoying.
I didn’t love this book as much as I loved her newest books. The opening scene is really great: a “society of deserving females,” vowing never to marry so they would be granted the freedom they never saw their mothers have is golden. But I found I got confused by the girls when they were older. Rosalind getting angry at Freya, to do more than Freya was doing, was perhaps the most confusing. I didn’t understand ever. I also struggled to understand the deal with Lord Cameron. I didn’t really like him much.
Honestly, I think if some things could have smoothed out more I would have liked it better. Some of the character & relationship development could have been clearer and stronger, and a plot point or two could have been cleared up. Anyway, it’s not bad but not my favorite. I’ll still read the rest in the series. As I said, Kasey has become one of my favorite authors and I’m excited to watch her develop as an author through the rest of this series.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Read by Mary Sarah: I do not want to be mean, but this narrator actually made me crazy. Even listening at 1.5x speed she was just annoying.
January 18, 2022
The main character was a little shrewish in my opinion. I couldn’t tell for sure why the Lord Cameron fell in love with her. She was always mad at him for some silly thing and overreacting with snarky remarks. She even refused to thank him properly after he went through a lot of trouble to save her dog, and was even rude to him after. It was strange. And when he finally actually did something for her to be truly angry at, she forgave him pretty quickly without much plot to justify it. I found this book a little lackluster. There were very few times I felt any tension or anticipation rise, romantic or otherwise, and the decisions/reactions/attitudes of the characters often felt quite inconsistent and a little random. There wasn’t enough action to propel the storyline. And the audio artist did well, but was a little too soft-spoken for my taste. Meh.
February 6, 2025
This is as bad as other 1 and 2 star reviewers have indicated. I got to Chapter 16 and the pace was really slowing down. The story getting stale. I skipped to Chapter 36 because I didn’t want to endure anymore. I’m not getting any younger and the book didn’t get any better. From Chapter 36 and the end a lot happens, but all the characters are just icky. Not a like able one in the bunch except maybe Jack, maybe Elsie (Elisabeth), but she is annoying also.
The epilogue was hardly the thing. Gave me nothing as a reader.
I was looking forward to a new series and a new author for me. Well these aren’t them. Deleted all I had of this author.
Damn shame really. That book description was good. Writing execution of story, subpar.
The epilogue was hardly the thing. Gave me nothing as a reader.
I was looking forward to a new series and a new author for me. Well these aren’t them. Deleted all I had of this author.
Damn shame really. That book description was good. Writing execution of story, subpar.
October 30, 2022
A childhood bet has kept Elsie from ever wanting to marry. After all, she doesn't need a husband when she has her own inheritance to look forward to, but her mother has other ideas. Determined to prove her resolve, she makes a bargain that will ensure she receives her inheritance early. All she has to do is keep her heart from feeling inclined toward any gentleman until the end of the Season. That should be easy enough.
But when Lord Cameron begins to show interest in her, she cannot refuse him. Literally. Her mother ensured it within the bargain's stipulations, and Elsie's heart is becoming all too compliant. As she takes the spotlight in the London gossip, Elsie faces a ruined reputation, but losing her heart (and thereby the bargain) may be the greatest threat of them all.
Loved this story. It isn't very often that I can read a Regency and have all make guesses and assumptions thwarted. (And I LOVE when I can be a little surprised!) I won't spoil with details, but I really enjoyed all the twists in this one and by golly did I cry. Great emotional depth for sure. Can't wait to read the rest of this series!
But when Lord Cameron begins to show interest in her, she cannot refuse him. Literally. Her mother ensured it within the bargain's stipulations, and Elsie's heart is becoming all too compliant. As she takes the spotlight in the London gossip, Elsie faces a ruined reputation, but losing her heart (and thereby the bargain) may be the greatest threat of them all.
Loved this story. It isn't very often that I can read a Regency and have all make guesses and assumptions thwarted. (And I LOVE when I can be a little surprised!) I won't spoil with details, but I really enjoyed all the twists in this one and by golly did I cry. Great emotional depth for sure. Can't wait to read the rest of this series!
February 9, 2024
I started this book hoping for regency romance escapism, unfortunately, this book did not fit the bill. I was so annoyed with the anti men mindset of these 18 year old girls, who have vowed from the age of 12 to never marry cause men are evil and they aren’t property. On the one hand, I get it, I get that in that time period most women were considered property and that’s not good and would be hard. But this is a romance? Or was trying to be? The FMC doesn’t think that love exists and that every time the MMC asks her a question she finds fault and is offended by everything. I also really HATE when girls “flirt” and it’s full court press over exaggerating their flirtation and they act different than they normally do. I’m over here cringing from the second hand embarrassment. The MMC was not Darcy or Knightly or anyone in regency that is swoony, so this was just a huge miss for me.
May 6, 2023
A sweet read, I liked a couple of characters, but there were so many large and small betrayals from people the main character should have been able to trust it felt like there was no one she should trust by the end of the book… So I didn’t love how the author closed out the book. Even with a happily ever after, the character she ended up with wasn’t someone that I as the reader, trusted in the end.
November 7, 2024
A quick read. I appreciated how lighthearted and clean it was. The ending was super rushed and could have been flushed out better for sure. I’m curious to read the next and see if the writing gets better as the series goes on.
July 29, 2025
This book was all over the place. Did I eat it up? Yeah, sure. But the synopsis was misleading. I expected more from it—maybe that’s why it was such a page turner to me? I, essentially, kept wondering when things were finally going to pick up 😭😭😭😭. The shock I felt when I reached the end and things finally did pick up. I just wish more chapters were written like that last one.
tbr-2
June 18, 2022Free on Amazon (6.17.22).
February 12, 2023
Not bad.
October 2, 2024
The narration was distracting and the story was too long and portrayed whiney females with unrealistic expectations. I am not inspired to continue this series.
May 29, 2019
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
November 15, 2023
Hmm Bridgerton lite
dnf
May 21, 2024dnf @ 11% - the writing has that "historical romance teenage" tone that i can't stand
August 7, 2022
The story was interesting enough and kept my attention. It did take a while to realize who the male love interest was to be. That wasn't a huge deal for me, but I know some would fine that off putting. There isn't a great deal of romance. My biggest issue with it was that I listened to the audio version and the narrator is frustrating. She has a lilt to her voice and makes 75 percent of the sentences read sound dramatic. "She sipped her tea politely" is made to sound as if it is a major plot point or activity in her day. I'd listened to some other books from her and now remember that I can't listen to many at one time. I'll have to spread this series out over time for that reason.
September 27, 2021
I enjoyed this clean historical novel. The beginning of the book was funny as Elspeth (Elsie) Cox and her friends make a pact and have to drink an awful concoction to seal the deal to never marry. This Sisterhood of Desrving Females is due to the fact that each of the girls' fathers were men whom dominated their families with very little love shown to their wives or children.
Elsie is forced to accept all dance partners and any invitations that follow from the men who call upon her in order for her to gain her independence. This leads to her becoming the talk of the Ton as she is prominently featured in the societal page. Elsie finds that she cannot escape rumors and shows her courage as she stands up to the social elite instead of running away after her Aunt Georgina gives her some sound advice,“You are only as brave as you choose to be. Courage comes from within. It cannot be bought or traded, but it can be feigned until it is real. Telling yourself you lack bravery, however, is nothing more than an excuse to not even try.” She also says,“You are only as brave as you choose to be. Courage comes from within. It cannot be bought or traded, but it can be feigned until it is real. Telling yourself you lack bravery, however, is nothing more than an excuse to not even try.”
While I did like the story, I felt that the relationship between Elsie and Lord Cameron could have been developed more. Much of the book was focused on Elsie's friends and her embittered Aunt Georgina and not as much on Lord Cameron and their developing feelings. I was happy to see that after his intentions and feelings were revealed that he would love and support Elsie in whatever endeavors she chose.
I liked Elsie's friends and will read the next book in the Women of Worth series. I thought Ms. Stockton developed an interest in finding out what happens next to her other sisters from her childhood pact. I would be interested in having Aunt Georgina's story told too since she is a central character in Elsie and her friends' lives.
Elsie is forced to accept all dance partners and any invitations that follow from the men who call upon her in order for her to gain her independence. This leads to her becoming the talk of the Ton as she is prominently featured in the societal page. Elsie finds that she cannot escape rumors and shows her courage as she stands up to the social elite instead of running away after her Aunt Georgina gives her some sound advice,“You are only as brave as you choose to be. Courage comes from within. It cannot be bought or traded, but it can be feigned until it is real. Telling yourself you lack bravery, however, is nothing more than an excuse to not even try.” She also says,“You are only as brave as you choose to be. Courage comes from within. It cannot be bought or traded, but it can be feigned until it is real. Telling yourself you lack bravery, however, is nothing more than an excuse to not even try.”
While I did like the story, I felt that the relationship between Elsie and Lord Cameron could have been developed more. Much of the book was focused on Elsie's friends and her embittered Aunt Georgina and not as much on Lord Cameron and their developing feelings. I was happy to see that after his intentions and feelings were revealed that he would love and support Elsie in whatever endeavors she chose.
I liked Elsie's friends and will read the next book in the Women of Worth series. I thought Ms. Stockton developed an interest in finding out what happens next to her other sisters from her childhood pact. I would be interested in having Aunt Georgina's story told too since she is a central character in Elsie and her friends' lives.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 222 reviews