Everything a Lady is Not
Series: Bow Street Beaus #1
Author: Sawyer North
Published August 17th 2020 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Scandalous)

Goodreads Synopsis
Lucy Locket, the long lost granddaughter of a duchess, has never been a part of Society. One day, she was living a secluded life as the prisoner of a criminal, and the next day she was an heiress in a world she did not even remotely understand. She does not embody the typical qualities of a well-born lady...at all. She can't curtsy, she doesn’t hide her emotions, she’s too clever by far. But in three months, she must marry a suitor with a royally-bestowed title, or she forfeits a fortune—leaving her and the duchess in dire straits.

All Henry Beaumont wants is to prove himself to Society and step outside of his half-brother’s shadow. So when the duchess asks him for a personal favor involving her newly found granddaughter—with a hefty thank you reward at the end—he leaps at the opportunity.

It seems as if Lucy is trading one prison for another. Henry has now become a permanent fixture as her charming yet iron-fisted taskmaster and tutor in the ways of High Society. Like oil and water, Lucy and Henry spar in an epic battle of wills—and even rapiers. But Lucy’s past and her surprising, undeniable feelings for Henry may doom their undertaking if he declares his love for her...because without a title, he can never be hers.
Goodreads

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

When she was 9, Lady Margaret Huntingdon, also known as Lucy, was lost/kidnapped following a carriage accident that dumped her in the Thames. Since then, she's been a part of the infamous highwayman, Steadman's, crew, and forgot all about the fact she is the granddaughter of a Duke. When Steadman plans another heist, and it all goes wrong, Lucy finds herself being caught by one of the Bow Street Runners, Henry Beaumont, who remembers Lucy from an encounter 11 years ago, and realises that her grandmother would be thrilled with her return. Once Lucy is restored to her place in society, it's revealed that she has only three months to prove herself to be a proper society Lady, and marry someone with a royally bestowed title, or else her inheritance will be lost forever. The Dowagers hires Henry to act as Lucy's guide and teacher in the ways of the Ton, and together they need to counteract the entire 11 years of Lucy's life to make her someone the society would embrace. To say it was difficult would be an understatement, and as both Lucy and Henry work together, it's obvious their attraction is undeniable. If only Henry had a title, and wasn't the second son, all would be right.

From the minute I started this book, I was hooked, and didn't put it down until I was finished a few hours later. Lucy was a wonderful main character, who experienced so much growth and change throughout the course of the book. Her history was fantastic, and I loved seeing how her life as a criminal had moulded her into the person she now was, and helped her - in a way - to become the proper Lady she needed to be. Yes, she had struggles, but this showed her as a real person, and made it much more believable. Her relationship with her grandmother was sweet too, especially when you consider that in the space of losing her granddaughter 11 years ago, her two sons and husband tied within a year, so she's been alone for a long time. Henry was really sweet underneath his hard exterior, and when you hear more about his childhood and the way his elder brother treated him, you really understand him much better. He and Lucy were perfect in every way, and the banter and chemistry between them was one of the best I have seen in a romance recently. I needed them to be together but didn't know how they would overcome the ironclad dowry agreement, but I'm happy to say the solution to all their problems was perfect, and the ending was beautiful! Definitely a favourite of mine!

Dates Read:
July 19, 2020

Rating
4 Stars