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The Marleigh Sisters #1
Unladylike Lessons in Love
"Sizzling romance with a splash of intrigue." --Julia Quinn
Amita Murray takes us on a journey from the pleasure gardens of society to the dangerous streets of 19th century London, in this spectacular romantic debut by an unforgettable new voice.
"Women mind their reputation if they want to marry. I don't want to marry."
As the eldest daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila Marleigh knows what it's like to be an outsider from "polite" society. As children, she and her sisters were wrenched from their home and sent to England, never quite accepted by those who claimed to care for them. Now Lila has set herself up as hostess of an exclusive gaming club, charming the ton that flocks to her establishment each night, though it shuns her by day.
One night, Ivor Tristram comes barging through her door, accusing her of being his father's mistress. Lila defies his expectations at every step and convinces him to navigate London's rat pits and pleasure gardens with her, in her quest to solve a violent crime.
As they set out together to uncover the truth, an irresistible passion ignites that will shake them to the core. Lila must fight to protect those she loves, yet the biggest threat is to the sanctity of the heart she has guarded so carefully all her life.
Amita Murray takes us on a journey from the pleasure gardens of society to the dangerous streets of 19th century London, in this spectacular romantic debut by an unforgettable new voice.
"Women mind their reputation if they want to marry. I don't want to marry."
As the eldest daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila Marleigh knows what it's like to be an outsider from "polite" society. As children, she and her sisters were wrenched from their home and sent to England, never quite accepted by those who claimed to care for them. Now Lila has set herself up as hostess of an exclusive gaming club, charming the ton that flocks to her establishment each night, though it shuns her by day.
One night, Ivor Tristram comes barging through her door, accusing her of being his father's mistress. Lila defies his expectations at every step and convinces him to navigate London's rat pits and pleasure gardens with her, in her quest to solve a violent crime.
As they set out together to uncover the truth, an irresistible passion ignites that will shake them to the core. Lila must fight to protect those she loves, yet the biggest threat is to the sanctity of the heart she has guarded so carefully all her life.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2023
159 people are currently reading
16801 people want to read
About the author
Amita Murray
13 books199 followersAmita is a writer, based in London. She writes in two genres: contemporary mystery and historical mystery romance. Her Arya Winters series of mysteries is published with Agora. The first came out in 2021. Her mystery novel Thirteenth Night won the Exeter Novel Prize in 2022. Her first novel The Trouble with Rose came out with Harper Collins in 2019. Get in touch @AmitaMurray and amitamurray.Wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
May 11, 2023
I fear I may be entering a book rut. The last few weeks I have struggled to find books that hold my attention and pull me in. The summaries all seem like something I would love and then I begin to read and I seem to only find fault in them. This book was no different. I was excited for a historical romance that included a mystery but the delivery was sloppy at best. The characters seemed underdeveloped and the plot not thought out. Often I forgot that this was historical fiction as the language and actions of the characters veered toward contemporary more than once. I skimmed the last half of the book in hopes the mystery or romance would become interesting, but in the end, I was just glad when it was over.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
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July 24, 2023History riffing on Faro's Daughter by Heyer (woman who runs gaming house is accused by angry man of seducing his male relative, refuses to deny it out of pique. There's also a young female relative in an inappropriate relationship with an older bad guy, and a London to Brighton race, but used in significantly different ways to Heyer, which is clever.)
Something of a book of two halves. On the one hand it's a far more realistically diverse book than many histroms, with black and Indian characters in a variety of social positions, and strong themes of the abuses of the powerful, racism, and the sexual abuse and exploitation of women. On the other, it's written in a very breezy, romcom sort of way, with buckets of implausibilities in plot and language, that I'd classify as the frothy end of histrom; I couldn't guess when it's meant to be set. For me the tone and the content didn't entirely match. Others might well feel it's getting over heavy ground as lightly as possible (to quote Heyer). YMMV.
It's got a lot of plot elements and a lot of minor characters, several of whom I liked more than the hero tbh: judgy, Dares Not Love because of his parents' bad marriage, and blames the heroine for being assaulted by an unwanted suitor. He realises he's wrong and grovels a lot, but he'd lost me by then. I really appreciated that we don't see the heroine's sisters until the epilogue: many a book has been ruined by unnecessary sequel bait characters.
Something of a book of two halves. On the one hand it's a far more realistically diverse book than many histroms, with black and Indian characters in a variety of social positions, and strong themes of the abuses of the powerful, racism, and the sexual abuse and exploitation of women. On the other, it's written in a very breezy, romcom sort of way, with buckets of implausibilities in plot and language, that I'd classify as the frothy end of histrom; I couldn't guess when it's meant to be set. For me the tone and the content didn't entirely match. Others might well feel it's getting over heavy ground as lightly as possible (to quote Heyer). YMMV.
It's got a lot of plot elements and a lot of minor characters, several of whom I liked more than the hero tbh: judgy, Dares Not Love because of his parents' bad marriage, and blames the heroine for being assaulted by an unwanted suitor. He realises he's wrong and grovels a lot, but he'd lost me by then. I really appreciated that we don't see the heroine's sisters until the epilogue: many a book has been ruined by unnecessary sequel bait characters.
May 14, 2023
I'm giving this book 3*s because the writing is good and the story wasn't too bad. It had some witty lines in it and I liked that Lila was a strong, independent woman.
On the other hand the story was a bit chaotic. There was lots happening but I didn't understand some of it. I don't think we ever got to know why Sarah Marleigh wanted the girls to live with her. She also had them educated. It seemed totally unbelievable. I'm not a prude but I found parts of it very vulgar and one word was used often and it seemed just for the heck of it. I had to skim two chapters because I found the contents stomach churning but that's because of a personal phobia.
The author says she's been influenced by Georgette Heyer but don't expect her books to be anything like those gems.
This really wasn't for me.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
On the other hand the story was a bit chaotic. There was lots happening but I didn't understand some of it. I don't think we ever got to know why Sarah Marleigh wanted the girls to live with her. She also had them educated. It seemed totally unbelievable. I'm not a prude but I found parts of it very vulgar and one word was used often and it seemed just for the heck of it. I had to skim two chapters because I found the contents stomach churning but that's because of a personal phobia.
The author says she's been influenced by Georgette Heyer but don't expect her books to be anything like those gems.
This really wasn't for me.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
April 13, 2023
A fun, flighty historical romance with plenty of suspense and intrigue to shore up the love story, with a stronger second half than first. An entertaining read, but a fairly equal number of hits and misses for me.
As much as I enjoyed reading it, it was kind of… all over the place. One a line level, I found the prose choppy and dominated by short sentences. There were points that would get repeated in consecutive paragraphs (although this may be sorted for the final book, I was reading an eARC) but I also found various elements repetitive at the story level as well. There was also extraneous/mistimed details that would pop up in odd places, for example descriptions inserted several pages after a character was introduced, and in the middle of a paragraph that had nothing to do with that they looked like. Something similar that immediately comes to mind was this, placed between dialogue and noticeably after her on-page entrance: “Tiffany, whose name came from the Greek name Theophania, flounced down in the chair again, raising a froth of of hair and dress at her sudden movement, and tossed her head.” [this is a quote from the eARC, it may change by publication]
(Other than the inclusion of ‘whose name came […]’ being clunky, it is also a heavy-handed explanation of the ‘Tiffany Problem,’ which historical fiction writers will recognise as the issue with some names/words/customs seeming to the reader to be modern, despite their period appropriateness. I was enjoying the hat-tip to this - by naming a character Tiffany - until the explanation got shoehorned in, which sort of ruined the effect for me).
Unfortunately I was unconvinced by some of the emotional aspects - I think probably because this particular combination of insta-lust/love and fractious beginnings isn’t really my cup of tea (these two were kissing by the first third of the book, and the balance between ‘they captivate me’ and ‘they aggravate me’ wasn’t to my taste).
Nonetheless I was always tempted to pick it up again, any time I put it down, and it wasn’t a chore to finish. I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
As much as I enjoyed reading it, it was kind of… all over the place. One a line level, I found the prose choppy and dominated by short sentences. There were points that would get repeated in consecutive paragraphs (although this may be sorted for the final book, I was reading an eARC) but I also found various elements repetitive at the story level as well. There was also extraneous/mistimed details that would pop up in odd places, for example descriptions inserted several pages after a character was introduced, and in the middle of a paragraph that had nothing to do with that they looked like. Something similar that immediately comes to mind was this, placed between dialogue and noticeably after her on-page entrance: “Tiffany, whose name came from the Greek name Theophania, flounced down in the chair again, raising a froth of of hair and dress at her sudden movement, and tossed her head.” [this is a quote from the eARC, it may change by publication]
(Other than the inclusion of ‘whose name came […]’ being clunky, it is also a heavy-handed explanation of the ‘Tiffany Problem,’ which historical fiction writers will recognise as the issue with some names/words/customs seeming to the reader to be modern, despite their period appropriateness. I was enjoying the hat-tip to this - by naming a character Tiffany - until the explanation got shoehorned in, which sort of ruined the effect for me).
Unfortunately I was unconvinced by some of the emotional aspects - I think probably because this particular combination of insta-lust/love and fractious beginnings isn’t really my cup of tea (these two were kissing by the first third of the book, and the balance between ‘they captivate me’ and ‘they aggravate me’ wasn’t to my taste).
Nonetheless I was always tempted to pick it up again, any time I put it down, and it wasn’t a chore to finish. I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 5, 2023
4.5 Stars
A fun, flirty and unapologetically feminist debut that explores a refreshingly diverse (and period accurate) London we don’t often see in Regency Romance.
From the opulence and grandeur of the upper classes to the desolate and poverty stricken slums, Amita Murray doesn’t shy way from depicting the eras’ social issues (sexism, racism, class inequality and the exploitation of women), by intricately weaving them into every aspect of the plot to create an immersive and compelling read that I didn’t want to end.
We follow Lila Marleigh, a salon hostess (and the illegitimate daughter of an Earl), who has worked hard to build her business despite the ton’s views on her scandalous birth. And Ivor Tristram (the respected son of an adulterous gambler) who, upon his first meeting with Lila, gains her ire by accusing her of being his father’s mistress.
Naturally, Lila is deeply offended and wants nothing to do with the arrogant,self righteous and utterly handsome Ivor. But when an old friend shows up on her doorstep, pregnant & desperate for help, Lila has no choice but to work with Ivor to save the girl’s fiancée—a Lascar accused of a crime he didn’t commit. And whose life is at risk should the real culprit go undiscovered. But working in such close proximity is having a strange effect, as Lila and Ivor might be developing feelings for one another…
I enjoyed this soo much! The writing was beautifully descriptive and the characters were all well written and full of personality. I was actually surprised by how many characters managed to steal my heart with their antics and sass (besides Lila, that is.)
Especially Hannah (Lila’s maid) and Hector (Ivor’s Valet), whose Alfred Pennyworth levels of intuition, and easygoing bonds with Lila and Ivor made their teasing, humour-filled interactions soo entertaining. Maisie too was an interesting character to explore, her wicked sense of humour was amazing and I couldn’t help but want to hug her for all the hardships she’s endured.
Lila, our bold and clever protagonist, was definitely my favourite. A compassionate and resourceful woman, Lila has worked hard for her success and despite the naysayers who’ve looked down upon her (both for her illegitimate status and half-Indian heritage), she proud of what she’s accomplished. I loved how fearless and determined she was to help those less fortunate, especially Maisie, whose tragic past connects the two.
Ivor, on the other hand, with his Darcy-esque sense of pride definitely took a moment to warm up too. But, his sense of honour and duty definitely helped to win me over.
As did the sizzling chemistry between Lila and Ivor, which was thoroughly addictive and reminded me soo much of Kate and Antony’s steamy/ love-hate dynamics from the second season of Bridgerton.
Overall, a romantic and mystery filled romp that’s perfect for anyone who loves Bridgerton, swoon-worthy Historical Romances or headstrong, Enola Holmes-esque protagonists with depth. Can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes.
Also, a huge thank you to Amita Murry for the finished copy.
A fun, flirty and unapologetically feminist debut that explores a refreshingly diverse (and period accurate) London we don’t often see in Regency Romance.
From the opulence and grandeur of the upper classes to the desolate and poverty stricken slums, Amita Murray doesn’t shy way from depicting the eras’ social issues (sexism, racism, class inequality and the exploitation of women), by intricately weaving them into every aspect of the plot to create an immersive and compelling read that I didn’t want to end.
We follow Lila Marleigh, a salon hostess (and the illegitimate daughter of an Earl), who has worked hard to build her business despite the ton’s views on her scandalous birth. And Ivor Tristram (the respected son of an adulterous gambler) who, upon his first meeting with Lila, gains her ire by accusing her of being his father’s mistress.
Naturally, Lila is deeply offended and wants nothing to do with the arrogant,self righteous and utterly handsome Ivor. But when an old friend shows up on her doorstep, pregnant & desperate for help, Lila has no choice but to work with Ivor to save the girl’s fiancée—a Lascar accused of a crime he didn’t commit. And whose life is at risk should the real culprit go undiscovered. But working in such close proximity is having a strange effect, as Lila and Ivor might be developing feelings for one another…
I enjoyed this soo much! The writing was beautifully descriptive and the characters were all well written and full of personality. I was actually surprised by how many characters managed to steal my heart with their antics and sass (besides Lila, that is.)
Especially Hannah (Lila’s maid) and Hector (Ivor’s Valet), whose Alfred Pennyworth levels of intuition, and easygoing bonds with Lila and Ivor made their teasing, humour-filled interactions soo entertaining. Maisie too was an interesting character to explore, her wicked sense of humour was amazing and I couldn’t help but want to hug her for all the hardships she’s endured.
Lila, our bold and clever protagonist, was definitely my favourite. A compassionate and resourceful woman, Lila has worked hard for her success and despite the naysayers who’ve looked down upon her (both for her illegitimate status and half-Indian heritage), she proud of what she’s accomplished. I loved how fearless and determined she was to help those less fortunate, especially Maisie, whose tragic past connects the two.
Ivor, on the other hand, with his Darcy-esque sense of pride definitely took a moment to warm up too. But, his sense of honour and duty definitely helped to win me over.
As did the sizzling chemistry between Lila and Ivor, which was thoroughly addictive and reminded me soo much of Kate and Antony’s steamy/ love-hate dynamics from the second season of Bridgerton.
Overall, a romantic and mystery filled romp that’s perfect for anyone who loves Bridgerton, swoon-worthy Historical Romances or headstrong, Enola Holmes-esque protagonists with depth. Can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes.
Also, a huge thank you to Amita Murry for the finished copy.
June 6, 2023
I love the trend toward more diverse historical romance books lately. This was no exception, featuring a biracial, British-South Asian older FMC who runs her own gambling den and teams up with the man who thinks she's having an affair with his father.
Part murder mystery, part love story, and fully entertaining with the perfect amount of spice. Great on audio too narrated by Aysha Kala. I'm excited to read the next book in this new Marleigh sisters series. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Erica Ridley or Adriana Herrera.
Part murder mystery, part love story, and fully entertaining with the perfect amount of spice. Great on audio too narrated by Aysha Kala. I'm excited to read the next book in this new Marleigh sisters series. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Erica Ridley or Adriana Herrera.
March 1, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! I wasn't expecting much as historical fiction can be tricky, but the I became so enthralled in these strongly written (especially the female) characters and their tribulations that I literally finished in a day. Could not put it down. Well developed characters that I loved... and hated, and plot that kept me turning pages until the very end.
I won a copy of this book as part of a giveaway and was not otherwise compensated for this review.
I won a copy of this book as part of a giveaway and was not otherwise compensated for this review.
June 9, 2023
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lila Marleigh is a woman of independent means having escaped the brutal house she grew up in with her stepmother, and half-brother following the death of her father. Being the daughter of a white aristocrat and his Indian mistress means Lila has had to make her own means in the world, and she has made her fortune by being the hostess of an up-and-coming salon where those that cross the threshold can gamble and drink to their heart's content. Lila is used to being adored in her salon so it's a surprise when she meets Ivor Tristram who appears to loathe her. But soon the pair have to team up on a mission to right the course of justice and it's hard to hide their true feelings towards each other.
This book was.....fine? I enjoyed many parts of it and I liked the chemistry and relationship between Lila and Ivor (though the third act break-up wasn't a particularly good one imo). The romance does really take a back seat in this one I think due to the other storyline with Maisie and Sunil, and obviously this one is a lot more important as it's a case of life and death. I think there were small issues with the writing and the story-telling that shows the author isn't quite a seasoned author yet but the potential is there. There was some repetition of phrases and words that grew annoying (there was a scene where Lila had a bit too much too drink and therefore kept giggling incessantly and it was very irritating). I also thought there was a little bit of telling and not showing.
I appreciated the cast of characters that included people of colour from Lila herself, to Maisie and Sunil. I'm looking forward to eventually reading the other Marleigh sister books as I think racial identity within high society at this time is an interesting thing to read about, and important as well - and not often told enough.
Lila Marleigh is a woman of independent means having escaped the brutal house she grew up in with her stepmother, and half-brother following the death of her father. Being the daughter of a white aristocrat and his Indian mistress means Lila has had to make her own means in the world, and she has made her fortune by being the hostess of an up-and-coming salon where those that cross the threshold can gamble and drink to their heart's content. Lila is used to being adored in her salon so it's a surprise when she meets Ivor Tristram who appears to loathe her. But soon the pair have to team up on a mission to right the course of justice and it's hard to hide their true feelings towards each other.
This book was.....fine? I enjoyed many parts of it and I liked the chemistry and relationship between Lila and Ivor (though the third act break-up wasn't a particularly good one imo). The romance does really take a back seat in this one I think due to the other storyline with Maisie and Sunil, and obviously this one is a lot more important as it's a case of life and death. I think there were small issues with the writing and the story-telling that shows the author isn't quite a seasoned author yet but the potential is there. There was some repetition of phrases and words that grew annoying (there was a scene where Lila had a bit too much too drink and therefore kept giggling incessantly and it was very irritating). I also thought there was a little bit of telling and not showing.
I appreciated the cast of characters that included people of colour from Lila herself, to Maisie and Sunil. I'm looking forward to eventually reading the other Marleigh sister books as I think racial identity within high society at this time is an interesting thing to read about, and important as well - and not often told enough.
April 18, 2023
A gorgeous cover and a unique main character drew me into this story. Our heroine is the half Indian illegitimate daughter of an Earl raised with her sisters by his widow. That was the first of many strange and implausible things that happened in this book. I can typically suspend reality in a book if everything else comes together (writing, plot, character development). This book was just all over the place, it was as chaotic as the heroines personality. The was way too much internal dialogue telling the story rather than letting the story tell itself. It just did not work for me. Hopefully once it goes to editing this will be worked out.
August 20, 2023
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
A light-hearted Regency romance with a touch of mystery and mayhem.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
A light-hearted Regency romance with a touch of mystery and mayhem.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
May 8, 2023
To be honest, I have almost DNF’d this book.
It was really hard to go through it for me.
Lila had an hard life growing up as an half Indian illegitimate daughter, and so her sisters.
As an adult, she owns a gambling game place. And one day, a gentleman comes to talk to her. His name is Ivor Tristam, and he is asking her to stop being his father’s mistress.
This is only the beginning. Other things happen in this book, but really it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the writing, the plot and the romance.
Something that I really liked though, it is the independence of the FMC. She is a strong woman, whom is not looking for a man to marry.
This was refreshing in this book, considering that was really unusual in the historical period of time that the book is placed.
I would like to thank NetGalley and author Anita Murray for this Arc and this is my honest review. .
It was really hard to go through it for me.
Lila had an hard life growing up as an half Indian illegitimate daughter, and so her sisters.
As an adult, she owns a gambling game place. And one day, a gentleman comes to talk to her. His name is Ivor Tristam, and he is asking her to stop being his father’s mistress.
This is only the beginning. Other things happen in this book, but really it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the writing, the plot and the romance.
Something that I really liked though, it is the independence of the FMC. She is a strong woman, whom is not looking for a man to marry.
This was refreshing in this book, considering that was really unusual in the historical period of time that the book is placed.
I would like to thank NetGalley and author Anita Murray for this Arc and this is my honest review. .
August 27, 2023
I really liked the concept of this book and pieces of it were very good. But the hero was a dick about the heroine being nice to other men one too many times and the multiple apologies ended up feeling hollow to me after awhile. And the revelation at the end that there are was just a total WTF. I guess that's one way to potentially extend a series.
July 14, 2024
I love a storyline with a strong and independent female lead. I especially love a lead who gives chances to the underdogs of society. Throw in a mystery to solve and a Bridgerton timeline and you have yourselves a winner.
March 21, 2023
this was my first time reading both historical fiction and mystery and i’m glad i started with this book! i loved the setting and the detail when it came to describing the environment the story took place in. i thoroughly enjoyed learning about the characters and the plot and just had a lot of fun reading :)
July 15, 2023
19th Century London. I sure hope the author has the next book ready to go because this story was excellent. I loved this story, and it was a completely different mix up in that the FMC did NOT want to get married! I’ll leave that portion of the story for you to find out as to why, but polite society has all kinds of things to say about that. I adored that there was a build of atmosphere in this story, the romance is built like a waterfall would build after a spring snowmelt, and when Lila meets Ivor it is an instant crackling, like a flash of lightning. That’s the only way I can describe how I felt when they met! Maybe it was the narrator, but I’m giving the author the credit for the way she captured the moments throughout the story when they came together repeatedly. Truly a beautiful love story.
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May 13, 2023
4 ⭐ I read this in one day, it was so good!
The "spicy and romantic Regency debut perfect for fans of Bridgerton" read kind of clunky but omg it's so true. And, in my opinion, this book was even better than Bridgerton. Definitely 100% better than books the Netflix Series is based on, but I digress...
Lila Marleigh, the fmc, is the bastard daughter of the late Earl of Beddington and, most importantly, the owner and hostess of a Maison/ gaming parlour were she earns enough money to live comfortably without having to marry. She learned long ago that the reputation of a bastard girl from India is always going to be bad, so she might as well do her best to defy any and all society expectations and live as truly to herself as possible. Ivor Tristram is a distinguished and wealthy gentleman who's looking for two people: the first is the servant who attacked his cousin during a party in his own home, and the second is Lila Marleigh, rumoured to be his father's mistress.
This book was amazing. I loved Lila as an fmc. I loved Ivor, even though he can be too stubborn for his own good. I loved Kenneth and Maisy and Sunil and Hannah and... I just adored this book! The beginning was a bit rough, especially muddling through Maisy's ordeal and the rat pit chapter, where the narration gets a bit confusing. But Lila's strength really shines through and makes the whole thing interesting. Ivor is hardly a perfect mmc, which I kind of liked until the fight and subsequent third act breakup. The man really fumbled the bag with that one. But all's well that end's well, I guess.
This book tackles racism, sexism and the inherent abuse the comes from granting nepotistic titles to the already privileged and wealthy. It was fun when granted, and serious when needed. And I would 100% recommend this book to any reader who likes a little intrigue and spice with their romance.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
The "spicy and romantic Regency debut perfect for fans of Bridgerton" read kind of clunky but omg it's so true. And, in my opinion, this book was even better than Bridgerton. Definitely 100% better than books the Netflix Series is based on, but I digress...
Lila Marleigh, the fmc, is the bastard daughter of the late Earl of Beddington and, most importantly, the owner and hostess of a Maison/ gaming parlour were she earns enough money to live comfortably without having to marry. She learned long ago that the reputation of a bastard girl from India is always going to be bad, so she might as well do her best to defy any and all society expectations and live as truly to herself as possible. Ivor Tristram is a distinguished and wealthy gentleman who's looking for two people: the first is the servant who attacked his cousin during a party in his own home, and the second is Lila Marleigh, rumoured to be his father's mistress.
This book was amazing. I loved Lila as an fmc. I loved Ivor, even though he can be too stubborn for his own good. I loved Kenneth and Maisy and Sunil and Hannah and... I just adored this book! The beginning was a bit rough, especially muddling through Maisy's ordeal and the rat pit chapter, where the narration gets a bit confusing. But Lila's strength really shines through and makes the whole thing interesting. Ivor is hardly a perfect mmc, which I kind of liked until the fight and subsequent third act breakup. The man really fumbled the bag with that one. But all's well that end's well, I guess.
This book tackles racism, sexism and the inherent abuse the comes from granting nepotistic titles to the already privileged and wealthy. It was fun when granted, and serious when needed. And I would 100% recommend this book to any reader who likes a little intrigue and spice with their romance.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
May 7, 2023
Lila runs a gaming club out of her house. She decided many years ago that she would not attempt to aspire to respectability - something that would probably have been beyond her grasp in any case, as the daughter of an earl and his Indian mistress. She embraces her reputation and admits to anything she might have done. But when Ivor asks her to stop her liaison with his father, she's taken aback - she's never slept with the man, and has never even wanted to. She can't stop a liaison that hasn't ever started, and she's offended that Ivor hasn't done any research about her, so she rebuffs him and his request. Lila and Ivor are thrown together again when an accused criminal comes to her for help - and Ivor is the one doing the accusing. Soon they are working together to find the true culprit...and if they happen to fall in love along the way, who's to stop them?
Lila's family dynamics were fascinating and heartbreaking - one of the most intriguing parts of the book. We also appreciated the nuanced take on the SA that informs most of the book. Ivor 100% believes his cousin even as he works to clear the name of the accused. The resolution to this subplot wasn't traditionally satisfying, but it felt true to life and to the characters. The book emphasizes the racial and economic strata in British society, which is a welcome change from the glittering fantasy so often presented in a traditional historical romance.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Lila's family dynamics were fascinating and heartbreaking - one of the most intriguing parts of the book. We also appreciated the nuanced take on the SA that informs most of the book. Ivor 100% believes his cousin even as he works to clear the name of the accused. The resolution to this subplot wasn't traditionally satisfying, but it felt true to life and to the characters. The book emphasizes the racial and economic strata in British society, which is a welcome change from the glittering fantasy so often presented in a traditional historical romance.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
January 15, 2024
Well written, but very predictable. While some things about the ending remained a surprise, the major points I had figured out pretty quickly. I wasn’t too impressed with the book overall but since I had gotten it free with a goodreads giveaway I can’t really complain. It’s an OK book but I didn’t find that it really stood out to me. I didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it. The story didn’t really grab me.
July 12, 2023
I had a hard time getting into this book. It was kind of boring. Even the sexy time was boring. Maybe I’ve read too many Georgian era British romance novels??? Naaah, I think this was just boring. Will read more.
May 21, 2023
In short: started off good, then put me into a reading slump. So thanks for that (:
It didn’t really feel like a historical romance either…
It didn’t really feel like a historical romance either…
April 7, 2023
*𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴.*
𝑼𝒏𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑰𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆
𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑺𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍
𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒚
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖/𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
This was a fun adventure with a nice touch of romance and spice. It fell short for me a bit with some aspects that I put my rating at 3 / 3.5 ☆s. For me that's not bad but I do understand that some people see 3 stars as bad so I definitely want to be clear that there was many parts I enjoyed. This was very well-done and a great diverse cast of characters. The spicy moments were nice although I did feel like we needed more, and more focus on the romance. Which is why I lowered my rating. I just felt that I didn't get enough romance in this. Although the mystery and intrigue and drama were very enjoyable. Alot of readers seem to really love it so this was just my personal experience. Definitely would say try it yourself!
Great strong lead heroine, wonderfully broody hero, and a great adventure as they band together to solve a mystery. Definitely a fun read!
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒:
•𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦
🔥🔥/𝟓
•𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡
❤❤❤/𝟓
•𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡
🤣🤣/𝟓
•𝐂𝐫𝐲
-/𝟓
"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰. 𝘔𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭! 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵 @𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺_𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵_𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.
𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺."
𝑼𝒏𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑰𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆
𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑺𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍
𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒚
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖/𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
This was a fun adventure with a nice touch of romance and spice. It fell short for me a bit with some aspects that I put my rating at 3 / 3.5 ☆s. For me that's not bad but I do understand that some people see 3 stars as bad so I definitely want to be clear that there was many parts I enjoyed. This was very well-done and a great diverse cast of characters. The spicy moments were nice although I did feel like we needed more, and more focus on the romance. Which is why I lowered my rating. I just felt that I didn't get enough romance in this. Although the mystery and intrigue and drama were very enjoyable. Alot of readers seem to really love it so this was just my personal experience. Definitely would say try it yourself!
Great strong lead heroine, wonderfully broody hero, and a great adventure as they band together to solve a mystery. Definitely a fun read!
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒:
•𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦
🔥🔥/𝟓
•𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡
❤❤❤/𝟓
•𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡
🤣🤣/𝟓
•𝐂𝐫𝐲
-/𝟓
"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰. 𝘔𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭! 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵 @𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺_𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵_𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.
𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺."
October 7, 2023
3/5. Releases 5/16/2023.
For when you're vibing with.... diverse historical fiction, "but she fucked my dad"/did she tho?, heroines who know what they're about.
The daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila Marleigh was taken from her home as a child--with her sisters--and sent to be raised by her father's wife (who wasn't, like, THRILLED to do so). Making the best of it to grow into an independent, strong-minded woman, she's on the cusp of diving into a mystery when Ivor Tristram comes onto the scene, accusing Lila of being his father's mistress. Working together to uncover more than one truth, Lila and Ivor are drawn to one another... and quite unable to resist.
So--this is a case of a book being marketed incorrectly, in my opinion. The writing quality is good and there is a lot of interesting work being done here. It is a capital "R" Romance, though? Not so sure.
Quick Takes:
--I wish I was more into this, because I do like the way Amita Murray writes. There are cute things like a character named Tiffany. There's a clear effort made to highlight the diversity in England beyond Lila and her sisters, as well as a solidarity between women of color. The thing is, I think this works better as historical fiction with a mystery a plot and a romantic subplot than a romance.
--I just wasn't super convinced by Ivor and Lila's clashes or what drew them together, and I think that some of that is because the story didn't super prioritize them either. The mystery is a big deal. If you like mysteries with romance, you'll probably like this. I need mysteries to support a strong romance plot, and as such I don't think this book and I could match.
--I will say, I did have questions about the portrayal of one supporting character. I'm not entirely sure if her role in the story landed the way it was supposed to (and I'm trying to be vague for a reason). Generally, I think that if the mystery had been less prominent, character development could have gone further in that sense.
--Lila being a woman in her mid twenties who isn't a fragile, chaste flower and isn't insecure about being unmarried was cool. In general, I liked her a lot. Do I think her hero was bringing as much to the table? Not really. I've read another book with the "she fucked my dad OR DID SHE" plot, and honestly, I don't think we got enough guilty conflict bonerism from Ivor. But then, how could be? He didn't have enough of a POV. I keep saying--a lot lately--most romances really need a good POV split in order for the reader to buy the love story.
The Sex Stuff:
It's good. It's not super descriptive, it's not super vague. Lila isn't a blushing virgin and does assert herself during sex--but when you are dealing with a non-virgin heroine, especially in a historical where that's not as common, why not make it a bit more creative?
Again, this is all well-done in many ways, but it felt like it was trying to be a romance when it really wanted to be something else, and so it didn't quite hit for me. I think it will for other readers, and I do appreciate what Amita Murray is trying to do here.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For when you're vibing with.... diverse historical fiction, "but she fucked my dad"/did she tho?, heroines who know what they're about.
The daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila Marleigh was taken from her home as a child--with her sisters--and sent to be raised by her father's wife (who wasn't, like, THRILLED to do so). Making the best of it to grow into an independent, strong-minded woman, she's on the cusp of diving into a mystery when Ivor Tristram comes onto the scene, accusing Lila of being his father's mistress. Working together to uncover more than one truth, Lila and Ivor are drawn to one another... and quite unable to resist.
So--this is a case of a book being marketed incorrectly, in my opinion. The writing quality is good and there is a lot of interesting work being done here. It is a capital "R" Romance, though? Not so sure.
Quick Takes:
--I wish I was more into this, because I do like the way Amita Murray writes. There are cute things like a character named Tiffany. There's a clear effort made to highlight the diversity in England beyond Lila and her sisters, as well as a solidarity between women of color. The thing is, I think this works better as historical fiction with a mystery a plot and a romantic subplot than a romance.
--I just wasn't super convinced by Ivor and Lila's clashes or what drew them together, and I think that some of that is because the story didn't super prioritize them either. The mystery is a big deal. If you like mysteries with romance, you'll probably like this. I need mysteries to support a strong romance plot, and as such I don't think this book and I could match.
--I will say, I did have questions about the portrayal of one supporting character. I'm not entirely sure if her role in the story landed the way it was supposed to (and I'm trying to be vague for a reason). Generally, I think that if the mystery had been less prominent, character development could have gone further in that sense.
--Lila being a woman in her mid twenties who isn't a fragile, chaste flower and isn't insecure about being unmarried was cool. In general, I liked her a lot. Do I think her hero was bringing as much to the table? Not really. I've read another book with the "she fucked my dad OR DID SHE" plot, and honestly, I don't think we got enough guilty conflict bonerism from Ivor. But then, how could be? He didn't have enough of a POV. I keep saying--a lot lately--most romances really need a good POV split in order for the reader to buy the love story.
The Sex Stuff:
It's good. It's not super descriptive, it's not super vague. Lila isn't a blushing virgin and does assert herself during sex--but when you are dealing with a non-virgin heroine, especially in a historical where that's not as common, why not make it a bit more creative?
Again, this is all well-done in many ways, but it felt like it was trying to be a romance when it really wanted to be something else, and so it didn't quite hit for me. I think it will for other readers, and I do appreciate what Amita Murray is trying to do here.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 30, 2023
This was not my favorite story because I thought it could have been told better.
This review may contain spoilers.
This story is about a lady who was the daughter of an earl. Her mother was his second wife and so her and her sisters are his second family. His first family do not recognize them as legitimate family members, but her father's first wife did raise her and her two sisters. We find at the very end of the book that there were 6 sisters and the youngers ones were split up and adopted out to different families. There is no mention at any time that the heroine has more sisters. With all.thw angst and stress caused by her horrible upbringing, I find it disingenuous that she did not remember them or that they never crossed her mind until she spoke to her sisters that she is estranged from. There was a scene in the book when she is in the house that she was raised in and is having flashbacks to some of the punishments she received and she never thought of her younger sisters.
And this is the problem I have with the book. The heroine is one of 3 (6) daughters born to an English earl and an Indian woman. They live India until her father dies and they are sent to England to be raised by her father's wife. The heroine's mother has passed at some point. The heroine's half brother turned the sisters against each other to the point that they do not talk. She meets with them to invite them to her wedding and they do not seem to care. Each one has had to find their own way of supporting themselves. The heroine is a hostess of salons, so I am assuming she charges a fee for the people who come to her home for libations and entertainment. I do not fully understand how the whole hostess thing worked; for example, how did she get the home she lives in? She says she rents it, but where did she get the money to rent a house in a good neighborhood?
And the author keeps alluding to different things and sending the story spinning in different directions The heroine saw the half brother with his hand on her middle sister's thigh, so is she saying that incest was going on? And the story revolves around a maid's daughter. The young girl played with the heroine and her mother was also a maid and found with a jewelry box and hung and her daughter was thrown out of the house. This happened when the heroine was a young girl herself, but she was able to get a carriage to watch the hanging.
The main problem with the story is that the author wanted to write about India natives in Regency England and how bigotry was. But then the author diverts into all of these unfulfilled story lines about other kinds of bigotry and drama, and who framed the maid and why was the young girl, who is now 17 years old and pregnant, and the drama filled plots keep coming with no resolution.
I think if the story stayed on the main path and did not go in so many confusing and contrived directions, it would have been a better story. As it is now, I give 2 stars and so not recommend reading
This review may contain spoilers.
This story is about a lady who was the daughter of an earl. Her mother was his second wife and so her and her sisters are his second family. His first family do not recognize them as legitimate family members, but her father's first wife did raise her and her two sisters. We find at the very end of the book that there were 6 sisters and the youngers ones were split up and adopted out to different families. There is no mention at any time that the heroine has more sisters. With all.thw angst and stress caused by her horrible upbringing, I find it disingenuous that she did not remember them or that they never crossed her mind until she spoke to her sisters that she is estranged from. There was a scene in the book when she is in the house that she was raised in and is having flashbacks to some of the punishments she received and she never thought of her younger sisters.
And this is the problem I have with the book. The heroine is one of 3 (6) daughters born to an English earl and an Indian woman. They live India until her father dies and they are sent to England to be raised by her father's wife. The heroine's mother has passed at some point. The heroine's half brother turned the sisters against each other to the point that they do not talk. She meets with them to invite them to her wedding and they do not seem to care. Each one has had to find their own way of supporting themselves. The heroine is a hostess of salons, so I am assuming she charges a fee for the people who come to her home for libations and entertainment. I do not fully understand how the whole hostess thing worked; for example, how did she get the home she lives in? She says she rents it, but where did she get the money to rent a house in a good neighborhood?
And the author keeps alluding to different things and sending the story spinning in different directions The heroine saw the half brother with his hand on her middle sister's thigh, so is she saying that incest was going on? And the story revolves around a maid's daughter. The young girl played with the heroine and her mother was also a maid and found with a jewelry box and hung and her daughter was thrown out of the house. This happened when the heroine was a young girl herself, but she was able to get a carriage to watch the hanging.
The main problem with the story is that the author wanted to write about India natives in Regency England and how bigotry was. But then the author diverts into all of these unfulfilled story lines about other kinds of bigotry and drama, and who framed the maid and why was the young girl, who is now 17 years old and pregnant, and the drama filled plots keep coming with no resolution.
I think if the story stayed on the main path and did not go in so many confusing and contrived directions, it would have been a better story. As it is now, I give 2 stars and so not recommend reading
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March 22, 2023DNF. This just isn't for me. I'm not liking the characters and find the writing to be rather facile.
May 16, 2023
Genre: historical romance
London
Lila Marleigh is the bastard daughter of an Earl and his Indian mistress. When her father and mother died, Lila and her sisters were sent to live with the Earl's wife and their half brother. She runs a salon frequented by members of society who may not have places elsewhere. She makes them feel welcome and cared for and earns herself some money in the process. But something has haunted her for years - her nanny was hanged for stealing some of Lila's stepmother jewelry, leaving her daughter to fend for herself. Now that daughter, Maisie, is in trouble…trouble that's linked to an accusation brought against Maisie's fiancé by a gentleman who has taken an interest in Lila. Lila works to persuade Ivor Tristram of Maisie's fiancé's innocence, but that may not be enough to save Sunil from the noose as well.
Unladylike Lessons in Love is Amita Murray's first foray into historical romance, writing primarily mysteries prior. You get the sense that Murray loves to build suspense and atmosphere, reveling in reveals large and small, looking to keep her readers on their toes. It's an interesting tone to take for a historical romance, and while I found it clever at times and with components I really enjoyed, it didn't pan out overall for me. The balance between romance and mystery wavers, with portions of the book feeling more like a mystery and others feeling more like romance, and not always blending well for me.
That said, there's a lot in Unladylike Lessons to get excited about. A half-Indian woman who earns her own income with poise like Lila's is a breathtaking character on page. Used to holding her family together and putting on a facade, Lila is close to cracking when she meets Ivor. Ivor Tristram, who initially accuses Lila of being his father's mistress, falls very quickly for Lila. He's sensitive, and he believes not only Lila, but also his cousin Tiffany who was assaulted leading to the accusation against Sunil. He's a steady partner for Lila in untangling the mess that's twisted their lives together.
As a romance reader, I always want to see more of the lead couple on page together. Lila and Ivor spend a lot of time trying to solve the mystery together, but less time solving their emotions for one another. While this one wasn't a huge hit for me, I found a lot that I liked in Unladylike Lessons in Love, and I'll be excited to read more of the Marleigh Sisters series in the future!
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for an eARC for review.
London
Lila Marleigh is the bastard daughter of an Earl and his Indian mistress. When her father and mother died, Lila and her sisters were sent to live with the Earl's wife and their half brother. She runs a salon frequented by members of society who may not have places elsewhere. She makes them feel welcome and cared for and earns herself some money in the process. But something has haunted her for years - her nanny was hanged for stealing some of Lila's stepmother jewelry, leaving her daughter to fend for herself. Now that daughter, Maisie, is in trouble…trouble that's linked to an accusation brought against Maisie's fiancé by a gentleman who has taken an interest in Lila. Lila works to persuade Ivor Tristram of Maisie's fiancé's innocence, but that may not be enough to save Sunil from the noose as well.
Unladylike Lessons in Love is Amita Murray's first foray into historical romance, writing primarily mysteries prior. You get the sense that Murray loves to build suspense and atmosphere, reveling in reveals large and small, looking to keep her readers on their toes. It's an interesting tone to take for a historical romance, and while I found it clever at times and with components I really enjoyed, it didn't pan out overall for me. The balance between romance and mystery wavers, with portions of the book feeling more like a mystery and others feeling more like romance, and not always blending well for me.
That said, there's a lot in Unladylike Lessons to get excited about. A half-Indian woman who earns her own income with poise like Lila's is a breathtaking character on page. Used to holding her family together and putting on a facade, Lila is close to cracking when she meets Ivor. Ivor Tristram, who initially accuses Lila of being his father's mistress, falls very quickly for Lila. He's sensitive, and he believes not only Lila, but also his cousin Tiffany who was assaulted leading to the accusation against Sunil. He's a steady partner for Lila in untangling the mess that's twisted their lives together.
As a romance reader, I always want to see more of the lead couple on page together. Lila and Ivor spend a lot of time trying to solve the mystery together, but less time solving their emotions for one another. While this one wasn't a huge hit for me, I found a lot that I liked in Unladylike Lessons in Love, and I'll be excited to read more of the Marleigh Sisters series in the future!
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for an eARC for review.
May 6, 2023
This enemies-to lovers story had an intriguing premise combining romance with mystery.
Lila Marleigh is the bastard daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. After her father’s death, she and her sisters are sent to England to live with his widow and their half-brother (and the new earl), Jonathan. Neither Jonathan nor his mother have any warm feelings for Lila and her siblings and make life as miserable as possible for them.
In #UnladylikeLessonsinLove, Lila is running a gambling club and is estranged from her sisters. Ivor Tristam enters her life to convince/bribe her into ending what he believes to be an affair that she is having with his father. Although Lila is not his father’s mistress, his attitude and accusations infuriate her so much that she refuses his offer of money and does not tell him that he is mistaken about the relationship.
Circumstances bring them together again when Maisie, the daughter of Lila’s childhood nurse and a former playmate shows up at Lila’s door, desperate for help to try to save the father of her child (Sunil) from hanging. Sunil has been falsely accused of attacking Ivor’s cousin, Tiffany, in Ivor’s home. Tiffany, who is an heiress, is hoping to marry Lila’s half-brother, Jonathan, despite the disapproval of Tiffany’s father and Ivor. Lila and Ivor find themselves working together to try to determine who is actually responsible for the attack on Tiffany and why it took place.
Although the lead characters had interesting backgrounds, the story suffered from a couple of significant flaws. The writing style slowed the pace down and made it difficult to stay immersed in the story. There is a lot of needless repetition of words, phrases, plot points, thoughts and details. Some of this may be streamlined in the final published book, however, it is so persistent in the review copy that it seemed to be an intrinsic characteristic of the author’s style.
The other main issue is that it the true explanation of the attack on Tiffany seemed like a viable possibility fairly early on, yet this alternative did not occur to Lila or Ivor until three-quarters of the way through the book. The solution to rescue Sunil also came off as melodramatic and rather implausible.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #AvonBooks for the ARC.
Lila Marleigh is the bastard daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. After her father’s death, she and her sisters are sent to England to live with his widow and their half-brother (and the new earl), Jonathan. Neither Jonathan nor his mother have any warm feelings for Lila and her siblings and make life as miserable as possible for them.
In #UnladylikeLessonsinLove, Lila is running a gambling club and is estranged from her sisters. Ivor Tristam enters her life to convince/bribe her into ending what he believes to be an affair that she is having with his father. Although Lila is not his father’s mistress, his attitude and accusations infuriate her so much that she refuses his offer of money and does not tell him that he is mistaken about the relationship.
Circumstances bring them together again when Maisie, the daughter of Lila’s childhood nurse and a former playmate shows up at Lila’s door, desperate for help to try to save the father of her child (Sunil) from hanging. Sunil has been falsely accused of attacking Ivor’s cousin, Tiffany, in Ivor’s home. Tiffany, who is an heiress, is hoping to marry Lila’s half-brother, Jonathan, despite the disapproval of Tiffany’s father and Ivor. Lila and Ivor find themselves working together to try to determine who is actually responsible for the attack on Tiffany and why it took place.
Although the lead characters had interesting backgrounds, the story suffered from a couple of significant flaws. The writing style slowed the pace down and made it difficult to stay immersed in the story. There is a lot of needless repetition of words, phrases, plot points, thoughts and details. Some of this may be streamlined in the final published book, however, it is so persistent in the review copy that it seemed to be an intrinsic characteristic of the author’s style.
The other main issue is that it the true explanation of the attack on Tiffany seemed like a viable possibility fairly early on, yet this alternative did not occur to Lila or Ivor until three-quarters of the way through the book. The solution to rescue Sunil also came off as melodramatic and rather implausible.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #AvonBooks for the ARC.
May 31, 2025
2.5 Stars
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did.
The premise: A biracial child born out of wedlock to a married Earl who ran away to India to have a family with his mistress, how she makes her way in the world after being left orphaned to be raised by a cruel "step mother" in a society where she will never fit in, no matter her education or "beau monde" manners. So she flaunts all proprietary to "give them what they expect".
I think this author has a lot of potential but is in serious need of someone who will help guide her ideas and keep her focus on telling one GOOD story vs trying to tell 4 or 5 in one book. So many sub-plots, repetitive inner monologues, tell vs show. The pacing was all over the place. Her
"rebellion" plot is drowned in everything else going on but she TELLS us how outrageous she is. Her salons are barely sketched out... what happens during them? How do they work? Who are her guests? How do those guest treat her outside of her front door?
Why do I care about this random mystery that is thrown into the plot? Why should I care about this character that is mostly off page and the significant other of a "side character" that hangs around to be rude?
As a chronic DNF'r... meaning there are too many books to read and not enough time for ones that I don't vibe with...the story was strong enough to keep my interest till the end. I will try the next in the series.
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did.
The premise: A biracial child born out of wedlock to a married Earl who ran away to India to have a family with his mistress, how she makes her way in the world after being left orphaned to be raised by a cruel "step mother" in a society where she will never fit in, no matter her education or "beau monde" manners. So she flaunts all proprietary to "give them what they expect".
I think this author has a lot of potential but is in serious need of someone who will help guide her ideas and keep her focus on telling one GOOD story vs trying to tell 4 or 5 in one book. So many sub-plots, repetitive inner monologues, tell vs show. The pacing was all over the place. Her
"rebellion" plot is drowned in everything else going on but she TELLS us how outrageous she is. Her salons are barely sketched out... what happens during them? How do they work? Who are her guests? How do those guest treat her outside of her front door?
Why do I care about this random mystery that is thrown into the plot? Why should I care about this character that is mostly off page and the significant other of a "side character" that hangs around to be rude?
As a chronic DNF'r... meaning there are too many books to read and not enough time for ones that I don't vibe with...the story was strong enough to keep my interest till the end. I will try the next in the series.
May 7, 2023
Ever since Bridgerton hit the screens, I have searched out Regency Romance novels, devouring the Julia Quinn books and several others.
The premise for this book intrigued me, with a woman, the illegitimate child of an English nobleman and his Indian second wife, or mistress, as the rest of the Ton would say, and how she navigates the world of the wealthy in upper-class London.
Lila Marleigh is a fantastic character, full of spunk. She's carved out her own place in society as the hostess of salon nights, where gambling and drinking take place, as well as some more (in)discreet meetings of lovers and the suchlike.
You can tell she has resigned herself to a life alone regarding relationships, but she has a huge heart, which shows in how she treats her staff, and those around her.
Things go awry with the arrival of a certain ice-blue-eyed gentleman to her salon nights. Ivan looks like he might be trouble, wrapped up in a nobleman's guise...
I have to say I devoured this in a day and enjoyed the diversity at play, as well as the storyline. And this is another example of how racy those Recency folk were, too!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.
The premise for this book intrigued me, with a woman, the illegitimate child of an English nobleman and his Indian second wife, or mistress, as the rest of the Ton would say, and how she navigates the world of the wealthy in upper-class London.
Lila Marleigh is a fantastic character, full of spunk. She's carved out her own place in society as the hostess of salon nights, where gambling and drinking take place, as well as some more (in)discreet meetings of lovers and the suchlike.
You can tell she has resigned herself to a life alone regarding relationships, but she has a huge heart, which shows in how she treats her staff, and those around her.
Things go awry with the arrival of a certain ice-blue-eyed gentleman to her salon nights. Ivan looks like he might be trouble, wrapped up in a nobleman's guise...
I have to say I devoured this in a day and enjoyed the diversity at play, as well as the storyline. And this is another example of how racy those Recency folk were, too!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.
June 6, 2023
I really wish I had liked this book. It had everything I love in a book: regency-era romance, a strong and offbeat female character, and a great storyline. Only the author failed to deliver that, for me. There were lots of phrases that were repeated and that annoyed me. Some descriptions were unnecessary and some things were almost impossible to happen, but well, that's fiction.
Although I liked the characters, I feel that the story and writing was all over the place. I would have liked to have seen a little more about Lila's relationship with Ivor and in my opinion it all happened too fast.
It has some very well done parts, strong female characters and a great plot twist, but I think the author could have done much better with this story-line.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an early copy of this book.
Although I liked the characters, I feel that the story and writing was all over the place. I would have liked to have seen a little more about Lila's relationship with Ivor and in my opinion it all happened too fast.
It has some very well done parts, strong female characters and a great plot twist, but I think the author could have done much better with this story-line.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an early copy of this book.
May 10, 2023
It should be noted that romance is not my usual genre, but this one seemed to have enough mystery and differ from the standard Regency stories that I gave it a try.
It was okay. I found myself skimming a lot of it. And I know the book comes out in a week, but at 49% on my Kindle copy, it says Lady Crowther has a cockatoo from the Amazon. Cockatoos are from Australasia. :)
Thank you very much to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
It was okay. I found myself skimming a lot of it. And I know the book comes out in a week, but at 49% on my Kindle copy, it says Lady Crowther has a cockatoo from the Amazon. Cockatoos are from Australasia. :)
Thank you very much to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
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