The Boxing Baroness
Series: The Wicked Women of Whitechapel #1
Author: Minerva Spencer
Published October 25th 2022 by Kensington

Goodreads Synopsis
Inspired by true history and perfect for fans of Bridgerton, the acclaimed author sparkles with this brilliantly imagined story of romance between an undercover spy and an educated and strong woman in the first of a witty, Regency-set, feminist series exploring the role of women in a rigidly patriarchal society. Readers will delight in the rapier sharp wit, sexual fireworks, and thought-provoking entertainment of The Boxing Baroness.

Of questionable birth, but made for greatness, the Regency-era heroines in Minerva Spencer’s thrilling new historical romance series possess both clever minds and unusual skills that enable them to go head-to-head—and heart to heart—with the best of men, including those of the ton . . .

Magnetic and educated, Marianne Simpson has the manner of a lady and the looks of a lover, not a fighter. Neither of which explains her occupation as a boxer in her uncle’s circus, Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre. Nonetheless, when St. John Powell, the exquisitely handsome Duke of Staunton, begins turning up at her shows, she finds herself dangerously distracted by the powerful peer’s mysterious presence. With her safety at stake, Marianne’s days in the ring are numbered. But how long can she fight her attraction to the man the ton calls Lord Flawless?

St. John Powell doesn’t just want Marianne Simpson, he needs her … to rescue his brother, who is being held for ransom by a treasonous English baron—the man all of Britain knows as the Rake of Rakes. No matter how little Marianne wants to see her duplicitous ex-lover, the man responsible for the humiliating nickname the Boxing Baroness, St. John must convince her. Even if it means climbing into the ring with the beautiful boxer and taking everything she’s got . . .
Goodreads

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

Marianne Simpson has a racking right hook, but her reputation is through the floor. Known as the "Boxing Baroness" following her publicised affair with a disreputable baron. However, she uses her notoriety for her own gain, so when the handsome St. John Powell, Duke of Staunton, arrives at her uncle's circus, demanding to see her. Marianne is not about to let herself be drawn into another aristocrat, but when Sin reveals her former lover, Strickland, is still alive, and claims to know where Sin's missing brother is, but only if Marianne helps, she struggles to say no. Their journey isn't easy however, as war re-erupts in France, and Marianne and Sin grow closer against all the odds. Will they find the truth, before it's too late?

I've been putting off this book for so long. I read another of this author's books, Notorious, during the Covid lockdown, and had to DNF it as I hated the writing and characters. Even so, I decided to give the author another try, and am glad I did. Marianne was a wonderful main character, who was raised by her uncle following her mother's death. All she knew about her birth was that she had been born in France, and brought to England as a baby. As a spectacle in her uncle's circus, she was one of the first most female pugilists in the country, and her reputation as the Boxing Baroness helped to bring Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre into the public sphere. She had been hurt by Strickland, who convinced her to marry him, but it was all a lie, and he abandoned her to her notoriety. Because of this, she wanted to push away the saintly Lord Flawless, but being around him on a daily basis, she learnt just why his nickname was Sin. I felt like they weren't the perfect couple on paper, but they worked with each other so well, and it didn't matter their history or backgrounds. They supported each other, and were more than willing to tell the other when they were wrong. I'll definitely be continuing the series, as the other couples all had starring roles in this book, and I just know they have cracking stories to tell.

Dates Read:
February 15-16, 2024

Rating
3 Stars