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Ambrosia #1
The Lady Unmasked
Charlotte Mabry loved Simon Browning, the elder brother of her dearest friend, right up until the moment he broke her heart and humiliated her in front of half of London. In the years since, she has rehabilitated her public image and climbed to heights she would never have dreamed she could reach, but experience has taught her better than to love or trust in any man ever again. Instead, she has turned her attention to business. It is a secret that could ruin her if it ever fell into the wrong hands—after all, who would ever expect the darling of the Ton to be the owner of an illicit ladies’ club?
Simon Browning, Baron Clybourne, has recently returned to England, ten years removed from the worst night of his life which sent him fleeing from his home in shame. He is haunted by what might have been had he only owned up to his feelings for Lottie—and now he must contend with the fact that the sweet, shy girl he had once known has been replaced a veritable jewel of the Ton. But even her perfect, glittering façade cannot hide her lifeless eyes and smothered spirit.
Simon is ready, at last, to be the man he ought to have been ten years ago, and he is certain that there must be something of the girl he still loves buried beneath the armor of the consummate lady that she has donned in his absence. But if he cannot uncover the dangerous secrets she holds and protect her from the consequences thereof, she may be ruined. Worse still, if he cannot win her forgiveness and convince her that he loves the Lottie who hides behind the mask she wears, he may lose her forever.
Simon Browning, Baron Clybourne, has recently returned to England, ten years removed from the worst night of his life which sent him fleeing from his home in shame. He is haunted by what might have been had he only owned up to his feelings for Lottie—and now he must contend with the fact that the sweet, shy girl he had once known has been replaced a veritable jewel of the Ton. But even her perfect, glittering façade cannot hide her lifeless eyes and smothered spirit.
Simon is ready, at last, to be the man he ought to have been ten years ago, and he is certain that there must be something of the girl he still loves buried beneath the armor of the consummate lady that she has donned in his absence. But if he cannot uncover the dangerous secrets she holds and protect her from the consequences thereof, she may be ruined. Worse still, if he cannot win her forgiveness and convince her that he loves the Lottie who hides behind the mask she wears, he may lose her forever.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
108 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
October 10, 2022
"The Lady Unmasked" is the story of Charlotte and Simon.
When I say I ADORE Aydra, I really do. She's one of my top favorite authors now, and almost every book is perfection.
“Ask me, then, what I want from this marriage.”
With her distant eyes affixed somewhere over his shoulder, she gave a tiny sigh intended to convey tedium, and said, “What do you want, then?”
“You,” he said, and cast back the last of his whisky, setting the glass aside with the decisive clack of glass on wood. “I always wanted you, Lottie. Always."
The book starts with a heartbreak. Our tall, gangly redhead heroine is madly in love with the hero, who is her best friend's brother. She suffers under the hands of her cruel mother, and the friend's family has taken her in. That is, until she is publicly humiliated by the hero, shattering her heart and soul.. and the hero leaves the country in its wake.
Ten years later, he returns with sorrow and longing in his heart. He was never proud of how he dealt with his attraction to the heroine, and always carries a regret.. that is soon amplified.
Turns out, the heroine is now belle of the ball, and a shell of the person she once was. His beloved Lottie is gone, but in her place stands the cold and serene Charlotte, who runs a secret ladies gaming club. Yet as he notices signs of abuse and exploitation, and manages a small crack in her demeanor, things change.
But as they become part of each other's lives again, will the heroine finally accept his love and forgive him? Will they get over their past traumas?
Honestly, the book was BEAUTIFUL. It sucked me in from the first chapter, and I couldn't stop reading and relishing in it. It was angsty, heartbreaking and pure happiness at the same time. There is long drawn grovel, a hero who is apologetic, very much in love and eager to show it to the very traumatized heroine. Our heroine a successful woman who stood against societal pressures, has a kind heart and forgave when time came. The courting at the end was just cherry on top, and the few lovemaking scenes were sexy!
“A father knows,” he insisted. “That is my baby in there.” Squirming down, he laid his ear over her stomach. “I can hear it!”
“Simon,” she said patiently. “That is digestion.”
“You are absolutely no fun at all.”
I LOVED IT!
Recommended to everyone.
Safe
50/5
When I say I ADORE Aydra, I really do. She's one of my top favorite authors now, and almost every book is perfection.
“Ask me, then, what I want from this marriage.”
With her distant eyes affixed somewhere over his shoulder, she gave a tiny sigh intended to convey tedium, and said, “What do you want, then?”
“You,” he said, and cast back the last of his whisky, setting the glass aside with the decisive clack of glass on wood. “I always wanted you, Lottie. Always."
The book starts with a heartbreak. Our tall, gangly redhead heroine is madly in love with the hero, who is her best friend's brother. She suffers under the hands of her cruel mother, and the friend's family has taken her in. That is, until she is publicly humiliated by the hero, shattering her heart and soul.. and the hero leaves the country in its wake.
Ten years later, he returns with sorrow and longing in his heart. He was never proud of how he dealt with his attraction to the heroine, and always carries a regret.. that is soon amplified.
Turns out, the heroine is now belle of the ball, and a shell of the person she once was. His beloved Lottie is gone, but in her place stands the cold and serene Charlotte, who runs a secret ladies gaming club. Yet as he notices signs of abuse and exploitation, and manages a small crack in her demeanor, things change.
But as they become part of each other's lives again, will the heroine finally accept his love and forgive him? Will they get over their past traumas?
Honestly, the book was BEAUTIFUL. It sucked me in from the first chapter, and I couldn't stop reading and relishing in it. It was angsty, heartbreaking and pure happiness at the same time. There is long drawn grovel, a hero who is apologetic, very much in love and eager to show it to the very traumatized heroine. Our heroine a successful woman who stood against societal pressures, has a kind heart and forgave when time came. The courting at the end was just cherry on top, and the few lovemaking scenes were sexy!
“A father knows,” he insisted. “That is my baby in there.” Squirming down, he laid his ear over her stomach. “I can hear it!”
“Simon,” she said patiently. “That is digestion.”
“You are absolutely no fun at all.”
I LOVED IT!
Recommended to everyone.
Safe
50/5
December 19, 2022
2.5/5. There is barely a trace of the author who wrote the wonderful A Duke in Disguise in this book. Where is the humorous banter that left me humming with joy? Where is the emotional subtlety that made me sigh in sympathy? Instead, we have an overly faux-angsty storyline with the author overtly trying to harvest tears by putting our lacrimal ducts through the wringer. I just did not buy such blatant over-dramatisation. Instead of the wonderfully capable heroine from A Duke in Disguise, we have a pitiful, colourless woman who is such a frustrating contradiction. *spoilers* She is a very wealthy 28 year old, confident outside her home but within her four walls she continues to be cowed and bullied by her mother, which makes no sense when she is not only financially independent but in charge of her late father's estate/will and her mother is entirely reliant on her for spending money. This same supposedly savvy businesswoman signed her marriage settlement without so much at glancing at its terms. The hero fares marginally better, running away from mess he made instead of staying back and easily rectifying the situation with a few words. He finally stops running after ten years but still does little upon his return to right the wrongs of the past. Instead the useless man passes time stargazing upon the imaginary constellations of her freckles. I was going to hurl him into outer space if he mentioned 'Cassiopeia' one more time. The story felt ill planned. It lacked the wit and charm of A Duke in Disguise. Still I will continue to read this author's other books because I know she is capable of brilliance.
November 17, 2022
I enjoyed this one, but it lacked the convincing angst of His Favorite Mistake. The h, Lottie, frankly got on my nerves. Though she had been very wronged, I felt like she played the victim to the extreme, essentially changing everything about her personality, and Simon bore the brunt of the blame instead of her 100% guilty EVIL mother.
I felt like Lottie’s character diminished over time. I felt impatience and exasperation on Simon’s behalf because Lottie was so stubborn and closed-off. I liked Simon’s character more than Lottie’s, but I felt like he was sort of one dimensional. I also (surprise) thought he groveled too much and was too perfect. This book’s resolution just came too easily for me.
Also, the historical inaccuracies in this book bothered me, but to the author’s credit she does a great job acknowledging them in the author’s notes. Overall, an entertaining read I am rating 3 1/2 stars.
I felt like Lottie’s character diminished over time. I felt impatience and exasperation on Simon’s behalf because Lottie was so stubborn and closed-off. I liked Simon’s character more than Lottie’s, but I felt like he was sort of one dimensional. I also (surprise) thought he groveled too much and was too perfect. This book’s resolution just came too easily for me.
Also, the historical inaccuracies in this book bothered me, but to the author’s credit she does a great job acknowledging them in the author’s notes. Overall, an entertaining read I am rating 3 1/2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2023
Loved this couple who go through so much before they make their HEA. He hurt her and was celibate during the significant time they were apart. She's become very capable, able to challenge both of them to be better. Great couple and a wonderfully written, unlikely story which had rather low ratings. I really enjoyed it and will buy the next book in the series.
February 9, 2023
3 stars
This was the dedication at the start of the book:
To Fitzwilliam Darcy’s hand-flex (Pride & Prejudice, 2005).
Who doesn’t love a pining hero?
Like many I am sure, this very scene, along with all the feels in it, is engraved in my mind. And so, reading it, I was happily anticipating all kind of delicious feels. Sadly, I was disappointed. There were many hand flexing and none worth mentioning. Poor Darcy thus remains alone in his angst. It was not a bad book. It was well written, the prose of AR was rich and denoted strong skills, and I liked that she did her research when writing the book (although why use American English? And why flinging left and right all the absurd sums of money?).
The only thing more painful than a breaking heart was a heart mending itself again, disparate shards pulled from the tissue in which they had been lodged for so long, tearing open old wounds with them. Even ones that had nothing to do with him.
However, I did not get the feels. At all. The pace was too slow burn with little reward at the end. It felt bland and passionless. The H's reason for running away for ten years was meh and weak and the h, all cold and shut down, did not move me at all. She felt really cold and too distant to elicit empathy from me. I was in fact surprised by my lack of feeling because I usually like this shut down trope. In the first third of the book, I was almost choking with stomach reflux the sheer number of times the H described the h as a (lifeless) 'doll'. I got it already that she had retreated into a protective shell. No amount of bland hammering would elicit angsty tears if the hammer is not done right in the first place.
And I hated the way she caved to her mother, as if dry Charlotte would cave! I even cheered at her deserved misfortune when she discovered she had carelessly allowed her bank statement to be found by her mother (I mean why would she be careless like that?). There was a little anxious angst at the nefarious plans of the h's horrible mater and that disgusting scoundrel... but it all ended to be a storm in a tiny teacup. I did not mind the brevity of the danger but I did mind losing so many pages on it with little results.
I found it cheap that the reason for them marrying in a rush was because of a 'rumour' which readers are not even privy to! Was it to tease a non-suspense? It is only several chapters later that the H finally reveals that the rumour was that they had kissed (they had not at the time)! It's utterly ridiculous that the h had not even enquired on what the rumour was and how aggravating it truly was!
Things got a bit better in the last 10 chapters, as finally, the leads started talking, cards on the table. Their two love scenes were well done and did feel more alive with real emotions than anything else happening in the book.
Hmmm... I still respect AR and her fresh take on HR but this one was definitely not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
So good. I really enjoyed this one.
The girl friendships.
The girl bossing.
The men loving their wives & supporting them.
Lottie's been in love with Simon since she was 13, but he didn't notice her until she was older. When she was finally out in society he started to grow feelings for her but was confused because she was his sister's best friend. By this point he's completely in love with her but reluctant to act on it.
In an attempt to protect her, he said some awful things that not only she, but the entire ballroom heard. He fled for 10 years and she reinvented herself into a beloved, confident, bad ass entrepreneur/business owner.
The things Simon did to show her how much he loved her were so sweet and it all just went over her head bc she didn't think she was lovable. He played a part in that as well, but he really made up for it big time. He was so patient and kind with her, and I loved that he refused to call her Charlotte lol
I didn't like that he was gone for 10 YEARS, seems a bit dramatic for what he did. Like 3-5 would've been understandable but I guess we needed time to get Ambrosia up and running.
Oh the best part - he was celibate from the moment he realized he was in love with her. He didn't want anyone else, even when he ran away.
The girl friendships.
The girl bossing.
The men loving their wives & supporting them.
Lottie's been in love with Simon since she was 13, but he didn't notice her until she was older. When she was finally out in society he started to grow feelings for her but was confused because she was his sister's best friend. By this point he's completely in love with her but reluctant to act on it.
In an attempt to protect her, he said some awful things that not only she, but the entire ballroom heard. He fled for 10 years and she reinvented herself into a beloved, confident, bad ass entrepreneur/business owner.
The things Simon did to show her how much he loved her were so sweet and it all just went over her head bc she didn't think she was lovable. He played a part in that as well, but he really made up for it big time. He was so patient and kind with her, and I loved that he refused to call her Charlotte lol
I didn't like that he was gone for 10 YEARS, seems a bit dramatic for what he did. Like 3-5 would've been understandable but I guess we needed time to get Ambrosia up and running.
Oh the best part - he was celibate from the moment he realized he was in love with her. He didn't want anyone else, even when he ran away.
May 17, 2025
This is my second Aydra Richards and it definitely won’t be my last. She writes some great bangers and maybe some of the best grovel novels ever. This one contained an abusive mom, a villain desperate to marry the heroine for money, and a hero who had essentially put himself in cold storage for a decade for the way he’d hurt the heroine. But then he returns and in an effort to protect her (and also bc he LOVES her and has done so for years), he marries her. Ughh the angst, the slow thawing of her emotions, it’s so so good.
October 25, 2022
Second Chance for Love
If you love a book about second chances and a Hero who realizes he has messed up royally this book is for you. Lovely story, but if abuse is a trigger it may not be a book for you, the abuse is not at the hands of the hero. If I have one complaint I wish the heroine would have forgiven him sooner but with everything that is going on in her life I can see why she didn’t. Aydra Richards never disappoints.
If you love a book about second chances and a Hero who realizes he has messed up royally this book is for you. Lovely story, but if abuse is a trigger it may not be a book for you, the abuse is not at the hands of the hero. If I have one complaint I wish the heroine would have forgiven him sooner but with everything that is going on in her life I can see why she didn’t. Aydra Richards never disappoints.
Read
July 20, 2024I was bored so not finished 🤷🏻♀️
October 24, 2024
The prose of how she described Lottie’s mask of Charlotte was so so beautiful and descriptive and horrifying I lived for it
May 5, 2024
- 3.75 stars rounded to 4
- 3% oh shit. I was not aware this was a Pride and Prejudice inspired novel. Harsh “she’s tolerable” scene, when Lottie’s been in love with him for years, and he’s been in love with her for one year. I wonder what’s the reason he runs off that night for 10 years. Better be good grovel.
- 16% oof. Lots of regret from Simon’s side, but he still couldn’t help being callous talking about her in front of others. Lottie is just mad and her pretending not to remember him was great.
- 49% pretty frustrating… they’re actually MARRIED now because Simon spread a rumor to ruin her before Sterling could… and he STILL hasn’t told her what really happened that night, nor has he really told her that he wants her now (aside from telling her that he loved Lottie, even if she didn’t believe him). Poor communication sucks.
- 60% ahhh I’ve always loved a good sleep together before they have sex
- 62% lol these fools who are in a weird ass relationship and are having a baby to bring them closer together smh. Of course it’ll work perfectly though, probably, since it’s a romance novel
- 65% One arm cradled her to his chest, and his hand combed through her tangled hair, brushing it away from her face until he could find her chin, tilting it up so he could peer down into her face. “There you are,” he murmured softly, as if it had stumbled upon some revelation, something profoundly meaningful, perhaps only to himself. “My Lottie. How I have missed you.”
- 73% “You can argue with me,” he said, “until you’re blue in the face, and it won’t change a damned thing. I am still going to love you, Lottie, and someday you are going to believe it.
- 75% “I won’t press you,” he said in her ear, tucking her once more into the curve of his body, and that same security that she had long relished washed over her. “But I love you, Lottie. I will tell you every day, until you would never think to doubt it.” Hands caught, fingers threaded, his palm to hers.
- 86% okay… damn that’s a pretty fucking good present, buying a new club space for her
- Okey overall…. There were some really great moments in this book. The grovel was good, Lottie finding herself again was nice. I was amused the whole story, but not hooked.
- It is so hard to good grovel… but this was very sincere and good to me. Simon consistently showed Lottie he loved her and would support her in every way he possibly could every single day. And she needed that because of her terrible mother and the way she grew up.
- I still feel like the premise was weak though… he stayed away 10 years instead of fixing the situation or ever apologizing to her? Not even a letter?
- I did like that he was celibate during the 10 years, even though I don’t mind when they don’t when they’re separated
✅ feels
- 3% oh shit. I was not aware this was a Pride and Prejudice inspired novel. Harsh “she’s tolerable” scene, when Lottie’s been in love with him for years, and he’s been in love with her for one year. I wonder what’s the reason he runs off that night for 10 years. Better be good grovel.
- 16% oof. Lots of regret from Simon’s side, but he still couldn’t help being callous talking about her in front of others. Lottie is just mad and her pretending not to remember him was great.
- 49% pretty frustrating… they’re actually MARRIED now because Simon spread a rumor to ruin her before Sterling could… and he STILL hasn’t told her what really happened that night, nor has he really told her that he wants her now (aside from telling her that he loved Lottie, even if she didn’t believe him). Poor communication sucks.
- 60% ahhh I’ve always loved a good sleep together before they have sex
- 62% lol these fools who are in a weird ass relationship and are having a baby to bring them closer together smh. Of course it’ll work perfectly though, probably, since it’s a romance novel
- 65% One arm cradled her to his chest, and his hand combed through her tangled hair, brushing it away from her face until he could find her chin, tilting it up so he could peer down into her face. “There you are,” he murmured softly, as if it had stumbled upon some revelation, something profoundly meaningful, perhaps only to himself. “My Lottie. How I have missed you.”
- 73% “You can argue with me,” he said, “until you’re blue in the face, and it won’t change a damned thing. I am still going to love you, Lottie, and someday you are going to believe it.
- 75% “I won’t press you,” he said in her ear, tucking her once more into the curve of his body, and that same security that she had long relished washed over her. “But I love you, Lottie. I will tell you every day, until you would never think to doubt it.” Hands caught, fingers threaded, his palm to hers.
- 86% okay… damn that’s a pretty fucking good present, buying a new club space for her
- Okey overall…. There were some really great moments in this book. The grovel was good, Lottie finding herself again was nice. I was amused the whole story, but not hooked.
- It is so hard to good grovel… but this was very sincere and good to me. Simon consistently showed Lottie he loved her and would support her in every way he possibly could every single day. And she needed that because of her terrible mother and the way she grew up.
- I still feel like the premise was weak though… he stayed away 10 years instead of fixing the situation or ever apologizing to her? Not even a letter?
- I did like that he was celibate during the 10 years, even though I don’t mind when they don’t when they’re separated
✅ feels
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2024
“Are you-are you untying my hair?" She lifted her hand to grope behind her, which put her cheek directly against his chest, and she made a sound of displeasure. "It tangles if it's not plaited!"
"I'll brush it out for you."
AAAAAHHHHWHHENEEH BYE
"I'll brush it out for you."
AAAAAHHHHWHHENEEH BYE
December 2, 2022
So I love that this author is taking some of the usual regency tropes and bringing a refreshing viewpoint to them, really digging into the characters. Here, we have the hero, Simon, who has been in love with Charlotte for years, but he insults her at a ball in a futile attempt to save her from ruin. It's basically Julia Quinns's Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, but I loved this story so much more.
Simon goes away for ten years but returns to find that Charlotte has reinvented herself as a leader in society but has lost her authentic self. It's such a lovely story as the two struggle to find each other once more, as well as freeing Charlotte to be herself again. There are sections that are very dark, but the romance is lovely. Simon is a wonderful hero, a true cinnamon roll man who only want to help and love Charlotte. I loved this story, so on to the next.
Simon goes away for ten years but returns to find that Charlotte has reinvented herself as a leader in society but has lost her authentic self. It's such a lovely story as the two struggle to find each other once more, as well as freeing Charlotte to be herself again. There are sections that are very dark, but the romance is lovely. Simon is a wonderful hero, a true cinnamon roll man who only want to help and love Charlotte. I loved this story, so on to the next.
July 21, 2025
I don’t remember much. Oops! That’s the crux of not writing reviews as you read. My notes don’t help me in this case… they’re rather illegible, lol. I just remember that the hero’s apology and remorse were believable, and that I liked it.
____Ratings____
Plot: 2 📚📚 Some plot.
World Building (Immersion): 3 🌍🌍🌍 Submerged.
Angst: 2 👹👹 Having your arm pinched.
Funniness: 2 🌝🌝 I laughed inwardly
Scariness: ❎ Not scary.
Romance: 4 💖💖💖💖 Very romantic
Spice: 2.5 🌶️🌶️💫 Between poetic and explicit
Goriness: ❎ No gore
Sadness: 1.5 🥲💫 A twinge
Overall Star Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 On the edge of glory.
🚨🚨🚨🚨 SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨🚨
____Romance Information:____
Safe.
There is a long separation, but the hero had no one over that time period
Hear it from the stud himself:
“I am telling you that the last time I took a woman to my bed was well over a decade ago,” he said, and he watched the confession settle into her chest along with a shudder. Watched her eyes waver with it. Watched her struggle against it and herself in turn.“I don’t believe you,” she whispered, finally, maddeningly.That was it. The very last accusation he was willing to withstand for her sake; the last bit of nonsense she would ever convince herself of. “I am sick unto death,” he snapped, “of not being believed.”
The heroine is inexperienced… as usual.
—————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨🚨 SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨🚨
Some ( Very Random) Moments of Notice Along With (Sometimes) My Very Live Reactions Straight From My Notes App to You:
📌 “He was in every way a perfect gentleman, and Lottie—Well, Lottie had been in love with him for years”
>😬 I just read a book that had that same exact situation and it did not end well
📌 “Mama’s eyes look too closely placed, as if she had too much face and not enough features with which to fill it.”
>that is one way to say that 🧐
Excerpt From
The Lady Unmasked
Aydra Richards
This material may be protected by copyright.
📌 “But her bent head revealed the smooth line of her neck, bared with that mass of vibrant red curls pinned up, and there just at her nape was a splash of freckles that looked just like the constellation Cassiopeia.”
>Homegirl, has Orion and Cassiopeia as freckles why can on I be organized like that? I feel with a couple more in my back I could have Pegasus as a freckle tramp stamp 🤣
📌 “The stars in her eyes she had always had when she looked at him had gone cold and pale, dying between one breath and the next.It was a quiet sort of death; soundless, really. Just a small, silent slip into eternity. And he knew that that was what her wounded face would become to him—eternal”
>This made me irrationally tear up and now I am invested
📌 “The very next day, he left London.The day after, he left England.And he would not return for ten years.”
> WHAT?
WHY?!
GO MAKE THINGS RIGHT?!!
📌 “His careful circumspection was shaky this evening, and it was an effort not to let his gaze linger upon Lottie for too long. He had been in love with her for at least a year; possibly longer even than that, though it had taken some time for him to acknowledge it as such.”
>OH MY GOSH THE FEELING ARE MUTUAL SINCE WHENNNNNNNNSHURHDHDHDJD
📌 “I beg your pardon, sir,” she said at last, her voice crystalline and pleasant. “Have we been introduced?”
>Shheheheheh I take perverse gladness in this 👹👹😈😈
📌 “After all, he had simply left—it had been so simple a thing for him to escape. A man could always run from the wreckage he’d caused, ignore it, let it fester in the wake of his carelessness.”
>You better give him hell for it
📌 “I suppose much has changed since I’ve been away. I would not have expected Lottie to come into fashion.” Society’s taste, by and large, had never run to women of considerable height or hair of any hue brighter than perhaps a pale strawberry blond. Lottie had been decidedly out of fashion since her debut—what had changed?Albert’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly—but Simon had frequented locales far more dangerous than his mother’s dining room, and had come to know a threat when he sensed it. And Albert had not liked his insinuation. “What, exactly, do you mean by that?”
>POINTS FOR ALBERT, wreak him!!!
📌 “…arranged precisely in the formation of the constellation Lyra.”
>Seriously? Another constellation?? Maybe SHE has the Pegasus tramp stamp 🤔
📌 “I taught it to her,” Mother whispered, as if she could sense the very bent of Simon's thoughts, and there was a sliver of agony in her voice, of self-recrimination. “I taught her to hold her head up again, to let criticism flow off of her as if it had never connected at all. Only, I think she took the lesson a little too well. I never meant—I never intended—”She had never intended for Charlotte to smother herself beneath that placid façade. She had never intended for Charlotte to lose herself beneath it, buried so deeply that there was nothing of truth in her eyes, nothing of sincerity in her face.”
>Your mom is a real one
📌 “Her pulse fluttered above the neckline of her gown, and there, tucked into the hollow of her throat in a cluster of freckles was the constellation Pegasus.”
>I MADE ONE JOKE AND I CANT BELIEVE I MANIFESTED IT 🤣🤣🤣🤣
📌 “She swayed—just slightly—and her breath wheezed in her throat, at once shocked, surprised…titillated.“Wh—what are you doing?”“What else? Supplicating.”
>BOYYY YOU DO HAVE SOME GAME
📌 “I want you to give me your joy, your pride, your pleasure. And I want you to trust me with your pain, your anger, your grief.” The words seemed to dissolve like a film of bubbles, sinking into her skin as well as her ears. “And then, Lottie, when you can understand that you can trust me with those things—I will have your love again. I still have hope for that.”
📌 “The to-do,” he said, “is absolutely crucial to my nefarious scheme.”“Your…nefarious scheme?” Her voice trembled over the words as he parted the fabric of her gown and tugged it down her shoulders, trapping her arms within the sleeves of her gown.“Oh, yes. You may have heard whispers of it a time or two—to make my wife fall in love with me. Truly, abjectly depraved.”
📌 “Albert made a sound of aggravation, shooting Simon a jealous glance. “That’s hardly fair,” he said. “Harriet, let me inside just once before you open. I’m dying of curiosity.”“Then perish,” Harriet said, tilting her nose up haughtily as her husband sputtered his annoyance.Lady Bridmoore gave a delicate sigh, a moue of discontent pursing her lips. “I suppose I must also confess to curiosity,” she said. “And don’t you dare tell me to perish, Harriet—I am your mother”
>LOLLL
July 4, 2025
The relationship in this one had more angst than I would have liked, but the story was entertaining and I loved the female friendships and everything that had to do with Ambrosia. I've also read that this one is the weakest in the series, so I'm sticking around for Jenny's story.
August 3, 2024
I liked this book a lot. I like most of what Aydra Richards has written.
But I had a hard time liking the pushy kinda annoying MMC -Simon. Not to mention he humilated the FMC publicly and just fled like a coward for ten freakin years!! And the first thing he does upon his return is not to apologize and grovel. Asshole.
I know the book wanted us to call the real Charlotte, Lotte, but I just can't take that name seriously. Charlotte is so much cooler.
Anyway, I was mostly fine with Simon by the end of the book but only because he helped Charlotte open up a public Ladies' Club!
That was a really beautiful and heartwarming gesture.
But I had a hard time liking the pushy kinda annoying MMC -Simon. Not to mention he humilated the FMC publicly and just fled like a coward for ten freakin years!! And the first thing he does upon his return is not to apologize and grovel. Asshole.
I know the book wanted us to call the real Charlotte, Lotte, but I just can't take that name seriously. Charlotte is so much cooler.
Anyway, I was mostly fine with Simon by the end of the book but only because he helped Charlotte open up a public Ladies' Club!
That was a really beautiful and heartwarming gesture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
3.25 ⭐️
What started off as a strong opener and a unique story dwindled and became a flimsy mess.
This was super good up until around 45% where the story just went downhill and I felt the author just lost a little vision in what they were trying to achieve.
Essentially our mmc has betrayed our fmc twice, we get a pretty solid apology for the first betrayal but the fmc doesn’t learn about the second betrayal until 90% in and the grovel just wasn’t enough in my eyes.
The mmc also has zero respect for privacy, rummaging through her personal belonging and stealing her things but fobs it off as if it’s no big deal.
The second half of this book felt like it was written by a different person. The first half was so well written, the characters really shined and at one stage I did think this was going to be a 5 star read until everything became a pantomime.
The whole baby thing came out of nowhere, and tbh I thought we were going to see a little push back from the mmc which would have lead to get conflict but we just didn’t
I will say I loved the friendships and she gets extra points for passing the bechdel test. I’ll be continuing on as it’s only 3 books and apparently the second is a lot better.
What started off as a strong opener and a unique story dwindled and became a flimsy mess.
This was super good up until around 45% where the story just went downhill and I felt the author just lost a little vision in what they were trying to achieve.
Essentially our mmc has betrayed our fmc twice, we get a pretty solid apology for the first betrayal but the fmc doesn’t learn about the second betrayal until 90% in and the grovel just wasn’t enough in my eyes.
The mmc also has zero respect for privacy, rummaging through her personal belonging and stealing her things but fobs it off as if it’s no big deal.
The second half of this book felt like it was written by a different person. The first half was so well written, the characters really shined and at one stage I did think this was going to be a 5 star read until everything became a pantomime.
The whole baby thing came out of nowhere, and tbh I thought we were going to see a little push back from the mmc which would have lead to get conflict but we just didn’t
I will say I loved the friendships and she gets extra points for passing the bechdel test. I’ll be continuing on as it’s only 3 books and apparently the second is a lot better.
July 25, 2025
This felt so tedious. It’s frustrating too because it started with so much promise. I spent the first 60-70 pages kicking my feet with glee at this couple.
But then we got bogged down in so much drama and angsty emotions - the result being an emotionless heroine that never really overcomes being a bit of a bore and a hero with not a whole lot to recommend him. They had zero chemistry and no good banter. It was sad.
I get what Aydra was trying to do with Charlotte’s emotions and being closed off after being humiliated by Simon and emotionally (and physically) abused by her mother. But it felt bulky and over-the-top, especially with the constant comparisons to a china doll.
And Simon. Ugh, he loved Lottie, but he absolutely disrespected boundaries time and time again. The way he discovered her secret about Ambrosia just pushed me over the edge after everything else he’d done. We’ve got a repeated concern of Charlotte’s being that she can’t trust him…then him stealing the key to her business and barging in and rifling through her records without permission. And that’s not even framed as a WRONG thing. She’s not even bothered. It’s such a disconnect from her character, and it felt clunky.
The “mystery” aspect was done in a way that left no intrigue or any sense of dread. I refuse to give it any more space in my brain by saying more in this review.
This really felt like the worst I’ve read by Aydra so far. I’m happy I read book two first, and Albert was the absolute best part of this entire book. I’m furious he and Harriet don’t get their own book.
But then we got bogged down in so much drama and angsty emotions - the result being an emotionless heroine that never really overcomes being a bit of a bore and a hero with not a whole lot to recommend him. They had zero chemistry and no good banter. It was sad.
I get what Aydra was trying to do with Charlotte’s emotions and being closed off after being humiliated by Simon and emotionally (and physically) abused by her mother. But it felt bulky and over-the-top, especially with the constant comparisons to a china doll.
And Simon. Ugh, he loved Lottie, but he absolutely disrespected boundaries time and time again. The way he discovered her secret about Ambrosia just pushed me over the edge after everything else he’d done. We’ve got a repeated concern of Charlotte’s being that she can’t trust him…then him stealing the key to her business and barging in and rifling through her records without permission. And that’s not even framed as a WRONG thing. She’s not even bothered. It’s such a disconnect from her character, and it felt clunky.
The “mystery” aspect was done in a way that left no intrigue or any sense of dread. I refuse to give it any more space in my brain by saying more in this review.
This really felt like the worst I’ve read by Aydra so far. I’m happy I read book two first, and Albert was the absolute best part of this entire book. I’m furious he and Harriet don’t get their own book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2023
I think 3 to 3.5/5. I loved the angst and found this through recommendations on “heroine overhears hero speaking ill of her,” and this was an interesting execution of that. Ultimately however it was missing some of the spice of true angry hatred and repression, and the hero’s efforts to “unmask” the heroine at times came off as a little sexist ‘I know what’s best for you even if you don’t know yourself.’ While I always love a slightly overbearing hero, and I’m curiously into emotionally dominant book heroes in tropes but don’t approve of anyone being pushy/domineering in real life, this book didn’t really commit to the bit of domineering hero and tried to toe the line; the overall effect was weakened, and I just felt it was the negatives of him trying to be a little overbearing without some of the fun tropey upsides.
December 26, 2023
The pace might have been off, some plot points weren't flawlessly executed and it also feels a bit excessive to flee for 10 years over a misunderstanding, but I loved it nontheless and truly enjoyed every word I read. I fell in love with both the writing and the MCs, especially Simon (and the grovel) of course. I actually really liked all of the characters and am looking forward to reading more about them in the next book. It was so much better than I expected and I'm only sad that it had to end. I really should read more HR.
November 21, 2024
This was a rare miss for me in an Aydra Richards book; I don't think I would have forgiven Simon if I was Charlotte, and he definitely didn't grovel sufficiently enough to earn any forgiveness in my view. Even his obnoxiously persisting in referring to Charlotte as "Lottie" in the face of her express wish that he not do so was so frustrating to read. What a heel; Simon is unworthy of Charlotte's time and attention and nothing I read here has changed my mind.
May 11, 2025
Struggled to get through this one. It felt like it took far too long for the meat of the story to really get going. In the meantime we just heard over and over about how the FMC was still and emotionless like a porcelain doll. An interesting concept when it came to the ladies’ club but overall the story didn’t resonate with me.
April 22, 2025
3 stars.
The plot: Charlotte is the youngest daughter of a noble marriage, but her mother despises her and her father ignores her. She only finds solace in her best friend Harriet, spending so much time at her home, and because of that Charlotte falls in love with Harriet's brother Simon. He's also in love with her, but feels inadequate because Charlotte is too young and his sister's friend. One day at a ball, trying to scare his enemy away from Charlotte, Simon says hurtful things about Charlotte, which she and all society hear. After that, Simon runs away to Europe for 10 years. When he returns, Charlotte is a refined, sought-after woman who has made a fortune running a women's club. But of course, Charlotte now rejects him, so Simon must win her over while the ambitions of others threaten to destroy them.
This is definitely not Aydra's worst book, although it's not her best, honestly, there's nothing wrong with it. It's well-written and the plot is well-constructed. But I found it very bland, predictable, and basic, maybe it's just me, and I'm fed up with this author's books, I don't know, but I really didn't enjoy my reading that much. Charlotte is a good heroine: smart, brave, and hardworking. I loved her dysfunctional relationship with her mother and the way Charlotte manages to move forward, however, the fact that she creates this new personality, although it's tragic and dramatic at first, it gets really tiring with this Lottie/Charlotte thing.
Simon is not even close to my favorite hero, in fact I found him average, and I feel that this is where the main problem with this novel lies, EVERYTHING is based on Simon speaking badly of Lottie, and EVERYTHING would have been solved if he had been honest or if he had apologized like decent people, which he NEVER does! 10 years later when he comes back, he complicates the problem even more when the only thing he should have done was apologize, so I really thought that the whole plot was nonsense and that Simon as a hero was a coward and a fool, really he couldn't write a letter in 10 years ?????? He couldn't do anything to show his regret ????? Really ??? He just sat and waited...... he is supposed to have loved Lottie but he didn't care that she could get married or be rejected, and besides you are telling me that he gave up any female company those years ????? MMMMM, I don't know. It doesn't seem credible or logical to me in the slightest, and like I said, it's a bunch of nonsense...
The club thing isn't realistic either, but it's a nice touch. However, there's no mystery at all. We know from the start who the villain is and why, this author really isn't known for providing the most unexpected plot twists, but here I think she missed something. The secondary characters aren't interesting either, and in the end, I got bored because at the 50% mark, there wasn't much to unravel, and you can skip to the end without missing anything.
Definitely, it's not a risky novel, but it's solid.
The plot: Charlotte is the youngest daughter of a noble marriage, but her mother despises her and her father ignores her. She only finds solace in her best friend Harriet, spending so much time at her home, and because of that Charlotte falls in love with Harriet's brother Simon. He's also in love with her, but feels inadequate because Charlotte is too young and his sister's friend. One day at a ball, trying to scare his enemy away from Charlotte, Simon says hurtful things about Charlotte, which she and all society hear. After that, Simon runs away to Europe for 10 years. When he returns, Charlotte is a refined, sought-after woman who has made a fortune running a women's club. But of course, Charlotte now rejects him, so Simon must win her over while the ambitions of others threaten to destroy them.
This is definitely not Aydra's worst book, although it's not her best, honestly, there's nothing wrong with it. It's well-written and the plot is well-constructed. But I found it very bland, predictable, and basic, maybe it's just me, and I'm fed up with this author's books, I don't know, but I really didn't enjoy my reading that much. Charlotte is a good heroine: smart, brave, and hardworking. I loved her dysfunctional relationship with her mother and the way Charlotte manages to move forward, however, the fact that she creates this new personality, although it's tragic and dramatic at first, it gets really tiring with this Lottie/Charlotte thing.
Simon is not even close to my favorite hero, in fact I found him average, and I feel that this is where the main problem with this novel lies, EVERYTHING is based on Simon speaking badly of Lottie, and EVERYTHING would have been solved if he had been honest or if he had apologized like decent people, which he NEVER does! 10 years later when he comes back, he complicates the problem even more when the only thing he should have done was apologize, so I really thought that the whole plot was nonsense and that Simon as a hero was a coward and a fool, really he couldn't write a letter in 10 years ?????? He couldn't do anything to show his regret ????? Really ??? He just sat and waited...... he is supposed to have loved Lottie but he didn't care that she could get married or be rejected, and besides you are telling me that he gave up any female company those years ????? MMMMM, I don't know. It doesn't seem credible or logical to me in the slightest, and like I said, it's a bunch of nonsense...
The club thing isn't realistic either, but it's a nice touch. However, there's no mystery at all. We know from the start who the villain is and why, this author really isn't known for providing the most unexpected plot twists, but here I think she missed something. The secondary characters aren't interesting either, and in the end, I got bored because at the 50% mark, there wasn't much to unravel, and you can skip to the end without missing anything.
Definitely, it's not a risky novel, but it's solid.
June 22, 2025
This is a really fun, well-written book. The character's have great chemistry and the side characters are interesting without being too intrusive. It lost some stars for me because the fundamental conflict that launched the story didn't make ANY sense.
It's regency England and she has been on the marriage market for 2 seasons. He is in love with her. He knows that no one else wants to marry her and that, as a woman, she needs to get married. They are of the same status and their families would have no issue with it. He knows she likes him as well. The only reason he doesn't pursue her is because she is friends with his sister (who would also not have a problem with them being together...) and because he is 5 years older than her (again, she's been of an average marriageable age for 2 years). The author has done enough research into the time period to KNOW this doesn't make any sense. There were so many other, more believable reasons for him not to pursue her that I don't get why the author would make up such a weirdly contrived one. (He has a betrothal that ends up falling through for example). It made all the conflict in the story feel annoyingly pointless because it was started by something completely illogical.
It's regency England and she has been on the marriage market for 2 seasons. He is in love with her. He knows that no one else wants to marry her and that, as a woman, she needs to get married. They are of the same status and their families would have no issue with it. He knows she likes him as well. The only reason he doesn't pursue her is because she is friends with his sister (who would also not have a problem with them being together...) and because he is 5 years older than her (again, she's been of an average marriageable age for 2 years). The author has done enough research into the time period to KNOW this doesn't make any sense. There were so many other, more believable reasons for him not to pursue her that I don't get why the author would make up such a weirdly contrived one. (He has a betrothal that ends up falling through for example). It made all the conflict in the story feel annoyingly pointless because it was started by something completely illogical.
August 27, 2025
Charlotte is tall for a woman, with red hair and freckles. She doesn't get much male attention. But her BFF Harriette's older brother Simon always dances with her, which she thinks is very kind of him. She has fallen in love with him over time. When Charlotte is 18 and Simon is 23, they are at another ball. This time, Simon has figured out he's in love with her, too. But he sees her as forbidden or off limits, because Charlotte is his little sister's BFF.
A guy named Sterling is also at the ball. He's a frenemy of Simon, I guess. He notices Simon is staring at Charlotte, but Simon doesn't want Sterling to notice. Nothing good can come of Sterling noticing Charlotte. So Simon says some pretty awful things to throw Sterling off the scent. But Simon's been drinking a little too much, and his voice is a lot louder than he realizes, and Charlotte (and everyone else) hears him.
Simon just decides to leave England after that because he's so ashamed. He comes back 10 years later to find Charlotte has changed. She's secretly running a lady's version of a gentleman's club above a dress shop, where nobody thinks to look for it. And now she gets lot of male attention.
A guy named Sterling is also at the ball. He's a frenemy of Simon, I guess. He notices Simon is staring at Charlotte, but Simon doesn't want Sterling to notice. Nothing good can come of Sterling noticing Charlotte. So Simon says some pretty awful things to throw Sterling off the scent. But Simon's been drinking a little too much, and his voice is a lot louder than he realizes, and Charlotte (and everyone else) hears him.
Simon just decides to leave England after that because he's so ashamed. He comes back 10 years later to find Charlotte has changed. She's secretly running a lady's version of a gentleman's club above a dress shop, where nobody thinks to look for it. And now she gets lot of male attention.
September 25, 2024
This book had so much potential but Aydra fucked it up. The first half of the book after the prologue was infuriating to read. The whole "china doll" description kept on going FOREVER. Yes we get it, Charlotte doesn't have emotions and is a facade for Lottie. WE GET IT! It didn't have to be repeated every fucking paragraph. By the way, Simon made me hate the nickname Lottie.
By the second chapter, the marriage of convenience should have been hinted at and by the third, should have been executed. Majority of the 1st half was not necessary. I will say the MOC kind of redeemed the book. It gave it the slow burn we were looking for while moving the plot forward. The sexual shit Simon started spewing feels like it came out of nowhere. He never hinted it before then, so it felt very random and out of place.
Then the spice, sooooo boring and just 2 scenes???? We drudged through all that bullshit for 2 mid spicy scenes???? What a disappointment. Charlotte is such an infuriating FMC. Would not recommend.
By the second chapter, the marriage of convenience should have been hinted at and by the third, should have been executed. Majority of the 1st half was not necessary. I will say the MOC kind of redeemed the book. It gave it the slow burn we were looking for while moving the plot forward. The sexual shit Simon started spewing feels like it came out of nowhere. He never hinted it before then, so it felt very random and out of place.
Then the spice, sooooo boring and just 2 scenes???? We drudged through all that bullshit for 2 mid spicy scenes???? What a disappointment. Charlotte is such an infuriating FMC. Would not recommend.
November 14, 2024
Ok this was cute! And a really well done second chance historical romance which I feel like is really hard to do.
This is Lottie and Simon’s story. Simon is secretly in love with his sisters best friend and awkward lanky Lottie is secretly in love with Simon. In an effort to steer men away from Lottie, Simon shits all over her and ruins her and he runs away. 10 years later (!!!) Simon returns to learn that Lottie is now covered by all and Lottie is just waiting to be fully on the shelf so she can access her money she’s made by running a ladies club secretly with her best friends.
This drama of Lottie’s mom trying to ruin and force her own daughters hand in marriage for money and just being a terrible person in the second act and THEN the story not being fully really resolved and resulting in third act drama was fun and honestly I enjoyed it.
I do wish there was more groveling from Simon but other than that it was a treat!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
This is Lottie and Simon’s story. Simon is secretly in love with his sisters best friend and awkward lanky Lottie is secretly in love with Simon. In an effort to steer men away from Lottie, Simon shits all over her and ruins her and he runs away. 10 years later (!!!) Simon returns to learn that Lottie is now covered by all and Lottie is just waiting to be fully on the shelf so she can access her money she’s made by running a ladies club secretly with her best friends.
This drama of Lottie’s mom trying to ruin and force her own daughters hand in marriage for money and just being a terrible person in the second act and THEN the story not being fully really resolved and resulting in third act drama was fun and honestly I enjoyed it.
I do wish there was more groveling from Simon but other than that it was a treat!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
July 2, 2025
The Lady Unmasked
“Never again,” he said, “accuse me of not wanting you. Never that.”
Ang ganda ng dedication nito kasi na shout out iyong hand flex ni Mr. Darcy. Tapos it served the pining hero talaga huhu + delicious angst of public rejection. Tipong bff of my brother oa siya tapos ice princess na heroine na business minded. Nakakakilig basahin iyong patient waiting time ni Simon for Charlotte, pampering her (holding her while she cries 🤩), being obsessed with her (ruined her with rumor oa talaga huhu), helped her sa accounting kasi she's always sleeping late, tapos alam mo iyong tipong he let her shine 🥺 without interfering.
Tapos nung upset si Lottie kahit na dapat may pending business matters, he would prioritize her. Tipong if he wanted to, he would talaga. Christmas gifts niya pa iyong new lot for Ambrosia, flowers na parang flowershop and many more pa.
I like Aydra Richards na talaga huhu. I would love to reread it ito sa future 🥺.
“Never again,” he said, “accuse me of not wanting you. Never that.”
Ang ganda ng dedication nito kasi na shout out iyong hand flex ni Mr. Darcy. Tapos it served the pining hero talaga huhu + delicious angst of public rejection. Tipong bff of my brother oa siya tapos ice princess na heroine na business minded. Nakakakilig basahin iyong patient waiting time ni Simon for Charlotte, pampering her (holding her while she cries 🤩), being obsessed with her (ruined her with rumor oa talaga huhu), helped her sa accounting kasi she's always sleeping late, tapos alam mo iyong tipong he let her shine 🥺 without interfering.
Tapos nung upset si Lottie kahit na dapat may pending business matters, he would prioritize her. Tipong if he wanted to, he would talaga. Christmas gifts niya pa iyong new lot for Ambrosia, flowers na parang flowershop and many more pa.
I like Aydra Richards na talaga huhu. I would love to reread it ito sa future 🥺.
did-not-finish
August 11, 2025DNF after 26%
I'm annoyed with the MMC, he completely overreacted and left the country for 10(!) years because of a shitty comment he made. Like yeah, it was stupid but instead of apologising and making amends he left and now paints himself as a martyr!? Sorry, does he want a gold medal or what!? It's absurd, it just feels like he wants to be praised because he left. He feels like the typical "nice guy" that's turning out to be a toxic idiot. And the way he talks about her being a lifeless doll and her being his Lottie, like he knows her so well, when they were never even close friends to begin with.
And don't get me started on the "epic romance". Should I feel something after I just got told that they are secretly in love with each other with nothing backing it up!? Instead of showing some meaningful interactions we are just presented with the fact.
It's not a super bad story, it's just not good enough for me to keep going.
I'm annoyed with the MMC, he completely overreacted and left the country for 10(!) years because of a shitty comment he made. Like yeah, it was stupid but instead of apologising and making amends he left and now paints himself as a martyr!? Sorry, does he want a gold medal or what!? It's absurd, it just feels like he wants to be praised because he left. He feels like the typical "nice guy" that's turning out to be a toxic idiot. And the way he talks about her being a lifeless doll and her being his Lottie, like he knows her so well, when they were never even close friends to begin with.
And don't get me started on the "epic romance". Should I feel something after I just got told that they are secretly in love with each other with nothing backing it up!? Instead of showing some meaningful interactions we are just presented with the fact.
It's not a super bad story, it's just not good enough for me to keep going.
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