Sophie Reads YA: Bethany Bennett

Waiting on Wednesday: Dukes Do It Better (Misfits of Mayfair #3) by Bethany Bennett

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2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Dukes Do It Better (Misfits of Mayfair #3) by Bethany Bennett

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Dukes Do It Better
Series: Misfits of Mayfair #3
Author: Bethany Bennett
Published May 31st 2022 by Forever

Goodreads Synopsis
From the series guaranteed to "win the hearts of Regency fans" comes a story of secrets, scandal, and unlikely love that will warm even the coldest of hearts (Publishers Weekly).

After a debut season plagued by scandal, Lady Emma Hardwick is ready to return to London, now with her young son in tow, and make a match. She's looking for someone respectable. Someone wholly unlike Malachi Harlow, the new Duke of Trenton and former ship captain, whose long hair and tattoos make him decidedly dangerous to her peace of mind.

Malachi would rather be at sea than in a London ballroom. But until he can sort out why the admiralty brought him home, he has to stay landbound. That becomes less of a hardship when he meets the beguiling Lady Emma, whose dimples and easy laughter capture his imagination. When they start receiving threatening notes, they realize that there's more to their connection than chemistry, and they'll have to work together to figure out why someone wants to ruin their lives.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Emma Hardwick's first foray into society left her plagued with scandal, and though she managed to come out of it relatively unscathed, she's shunned society for years. But now that her son, Alton, is no longer a baby, and she's wanting more from life than her little village and cottage, she's return to return to London. She wants to marry, someone respectable, who will care for her and her son, and hopefully give her more children. But the one person she finds herself drawn to, is the only person she shouldn't have. Malachi Harlow, may be the new Duke of Trenton, but his past a naval captain, and the torrid night they spent together without knowing each other's names, means he is wholly unsuitable. However, their friendship, and the relationship between their friends and families, is undeniable, and when danger comes to their door, there's nothing either wouldn't do to protect those they love.

I went into this book a little apprehensively. If you've read the previous book in the series, West End Earl, you'll have met Emma as the hero's younger, vapid, and shallow sister. She finds herself pregnant, on the verge of scandal, and to save herself - and Ophelia, if we're being honest - they marry with Ophelia playing her brother, who then dies, and leaves Emma as a comfortable, and pitied, widow. I'm extremely glad to see that she's grown up a lot since becoming a mother, and has really grown on me too. I was fully invested in her having her happiness - and with Malachi, because no one else would do - which I didn't see happening when I first started. Bethany has created characters, and plots, which are fantastic, and the interaction of all characters, but especially seeing Emma, Mal, and little Aston be a family, was the dream! Any plot holes which had arisen in the previous books were fully dealt with here, and the epilogue to Dukes Do It Better really tied up a wonderful series!

Dates Read:
February 14-15, 2022

Rating
4 Stars

2021 New Release challenge

ARC Review: West End Earl (Misfits of Mayfair #2) by Bethany Bennett

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West End Earl
Series: Misfits of Mayfair #2
Author: Bethany Bennett
Published June 29th 2021 by Forever

Goodreads Synopsis
While most young ladies attend balls and hunt for husbands, Ophelia Hardwick has spent the last ten years masquerading as a man. As the land steward for the Earl of Carlyle, she’s found safety from the uncle determined to kill her and freedoms a lady could only dream of. Ophelia’s situation would be perfect—if only she wasn’t hopelessly attracted to her employer.

Calvin, Earl of Carlyle, is determined to see his sister married this season. And he’ll do it with the help of his trusted right-hand man. But when he finds out his man is a woman, and that her life is in danger, his priorities change. Their attraction is passionate, all-consuming, and if they aren’t careful, it could turn downright deadly—for both of them.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

During her childhood, Ophelia Hardwick lost her parents, became a ward to an evil uncle, lost her twin brother, Adam, and had to masquerade as said twin in order to save herself. She's been 'Adam' Hardwick for the last 11 years, and only has one more year to get through before she comes into her majority, and can finally claim her rightful inheritance. Luckily, she found herself work as the land steward for Calvin, the Earl of Carlyle, and she's formed a friendship with the Earl, and his friend, Ethan, Lord Amesbury. But, no one knows the truth about her identity, and she needs to keep it that way, lest her uncle get a hold of her. But, when she's attacked, and it seems her uncle is behind it, Cal discovers the truth, and realises that his 'Puppy', the man he relies on to make it through his sister's debut, is a woman, and one who get's his blood pumping, he may have to change his priorities. Will the two be able to be happy, or will their differing positions in society, and the ever present threat hanging over them be too much to overcome?

This book just blew me away. After reading Any Rogue Will Do, I fell in love with Bethany's writing and her characters, and couldn't wait to get my hands on Cal's book. So, when I was sent the NetGalley widget for West End Earl I couldn't wait to start it, and devoured it all within hours. All I knew going it - I didn't read the synopsis - was that this would be Cal's story, and I was overjoyed to realise that the Puppy who we all came to know and love in book 1, was in fact a woman in disguise, and to see Cal and Ophelia (as we now know her as) fall for each other.

Obviously, it wasn't without it's issues. First of all, there's the whole fact that for the start of the book, Cal and others didn't know Ophelia was a woman, and even when Cal realised it, and they started their relationship, many people still thought of her as Adam. I loved seeing the valet, Kingston, not be phased by it all, and adapt his work around it all - and even keeping the real secret once he knew it. Then there's the fact that Phee is hiding for an important reason, and she needs to make it to 25, or marry, before she can claim her inheritance, and it seems her wicked uncle has put an insurance plan on her - as Adam - and hired thugs to kill her in order to retain all the money. And, finally, Calvin's own father is a bit of a scapegrace, though a Marquess, and has decided to bet his son off to the highest bidder, to marry a friend's daughter, in order to pay off all his debts. Cal really doesn't want to marry anyone other than Phee - though he hasn't told her that yet - and decides to host a house party with the hope of finding a groom for his younger sister, Emma, and his 'fiancee', all the while being able to have a normal relationship with Phee in the process. I loved the house party part of the book, and seeing how Phee and Cal went from friends, to lovers, and being so intimate with each other, and revealing they hopes and wishes.

Like with most romances, there's the inevitable section where our heroes are separated, and I felt like the way it was done in this book was absolutely perfect, and helped everyone who needed it. Emma and Phee's budding friendship was a joy to see, and I seriously hope there's more of that in book 3, All Rogues Lead to London, when Emma finally gets her happy ending. West End Earl was a fantastic book, and I'm so pleased I had the chance to read it!

Dates Read:
April 14, 2021

Rating
4 Stars

Bethany Bennett

Waiting On Wednesday: West End Earl (Misfits of Mayfair #2) by Bethany Bennett

10:00

2020 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Any Rogue Will Do (Misfits of Mayfair #1) by Bethany Bennett

10:00

Any Rogue Will Do
Series: Misfits of Mayfair #1
Author: Bethany Bennett
Published October 13th 2020 by Forever

Goodreads Synopsis
He ruined her reputation―now he's the only one who can save it.

For exactly one season, Lady Charlotte Wentworth played the biddable female the ton expected―and all it got her was society's mockery and derision. Now she's determined to be in charge of her own future. So when an unwanted suitor tries to manipulate her into an engagement, she has a plan. He can't claim to be her fiancé if she's engaged to someone else. Even if it means asking for help from the last man she would ever marry.

Ethan, Lord Amesbury, made a lot of mistakes, but the one he regrets the most is ruining Lady Charlotte's reputation. He's older and wiser now, but his attraction to Lottie never wavered. Going along with her charade is the least he can do to clean the slate and perhaps earn her forgiveness. And, if he's lucky, her love.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

During her first season, many years ago, Lady Charlotte Wentworth was embarrassed and ruined by who she thought was her suitor, Ethan, Lord Amesbury, and left with the Paper Doll Princess moniker. Now, after losing her brother and mother, and her father ignoring her in his grief, she has been running her family's estate, and wants only to be allowed her dowry and to have her own estate. Her father has other ideas, though, and has arranged for her to marry Lord James Montague, the youngest son of one of his friends, and Lottie only has until the end of November to find someone else to marry. After a carriage accident that leaves her with a head wound, and her carriage driver with a broken leg, she is to recuperate at a nearby inn, and the person to come to her aid is none other than Ethan. She's determined to ignore him, but once she gets to London to start her husband hunting, he's everywhere, and wants her forgiveness. When Ethan first met Lottie, he had just inherited his estate, and being transformed for a Scottish shepherd to an English lord is a big shift. He knows he'll need to marry well, to keep the estate afloat, and sets his eyes on Lady Charlotte. When her father refuses him, though, he runs his mouth, which leads to Lottie being ridiculed, and hates him. He's never forgot her, not really, and living near her in town allows him to form a friendship, and later a fake engagement to put off Lord Montague who is hiding something. Will Lottie and Ethan be able to cope with their attraction, and call off the fake engagement by the end, or will their chemistry ruin them for all others.

This book is one I had one my radar for a while, and when I was initially rejected for the review copy, I was gutted. Luckily, I was sent a widget to read, and as soon as it downloaded onto my phone, I couldn't stop myself for starting it. Lottie was such a lovable character, who sort of reminded me a little bit of Elizabeth Bennet, in her ability to take charge, and run the estate when needed. She's never really wanted to marry, not after seeing how her parents basically ignored their children, or when her mother died, but being forced to marry Montague, who was a wrong-un, through and through, makes her take heed, and try and find someone. With her trusty maid, Darling, and godmother, Aunt Agatha, in tow, she starts going to society events again, where Ethan is at every corner. All of the ton is expecting there to be a scandal when Lottie and Ethan meet, but they won't fall for it, until it comes for them to start their fake engagement, and Montague is lambasting them to all who would listen. When Ethan and Lottie are together, the chemistry sizzles, and it's impossible to not ship them. There's definitely ups and downs in this book, where we are at the edge of our seat, hoping the heroes will be together, and being unsure how they can be when events occur. I'm overjoyed with how the book ended, though, and can't wait to read West End Earl, which is Cal's story, because he was a perfect friend to the pair!

Dates Read:
July 10-11, 2020

Rating
4 Stars