How to Best A Marquess
Series: The Widow Rules #3
Author: Janna MacGregor
Published April 25th 2023 by St. Martin's Paperbacks

Goodreads Synopsis
Beth Howell needs to find her dowry, post haste. After her good-for-nothing first husband married her―and two other women, unbeknownst to them all―she’s left financially ruined and relegated to living with her brother, who cares more for his horses than he does his blood relatives. If Beth fails to acquire her funds, her brother will force her to marry someone fifty years her senior and missing half his teeth. She’d prefer to avoid that dreadful fate. But her now-deceased husband, Meri, absconded with her money mere days after their illegitimate marriage. To find it, Beth will have to leave town and retrace Meri’s steps if she’s to take her future into her own hands.

Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, cares not a whit for social norms and generally growls at anyone in his path. Grayson has had a heart of stone ever since his engagement to Beth Howell went down in flames―long before she married that cad, Meri, and sealed her own fate for good. But now she’s on his doorstep, asking for use of his carriage and accompaniment on the hunt to find her lost dowry. Surely Grayson cannot go on the road with the woman who has occupied his thoughts for the past decade. Yet, knowing she needs him, how can he resist helping her this one last time? And maybe that’s just enough time to change the ending to their over-too-soon love story.
Goodreads

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

After the truth came out about her marriage to a bigamist, Beth Howell has resigned herself to living with her spendthrift brother until she can reclaim her dowry. When it appears her brother cares more about his horses than his sister, and has agreed to marry her off to repay his debts. Beth needs help finding her dowry that Meri has hidden, and who better to help than her former flame, and neighbour, Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson. Julian has never forgotten his past love for Beth, but he broke her heart and knows it won't be easy to reclaim. 

I was looking forward to this book so much. Beth and Julian clearly had a backstory, and I needed to see their romance play out. I love second chance romances, and Beth and Julian definitely had the perfect chemistry for a truly great romance. Beth was feisty and knew what she wanted, but hated asking for help or relying on others. Her brother had proven to disappoint her time and time again, and she had to save herself for once. Discovering that Meri may have hidden her dowry, and she needs to travel to find it, she asks Julian for use of his carriage, and together they embark on a road trip. I wish the couple had talked more, and discussed the past rather than trying to gloss over it for so long. The angst may have been avoidable, but the conclusion, and redemption of Meri was well worth it. An extremely enjoyable ending to The Widow Rules series!

Dates Read:
February 11, 2023

Rating
4 Stars