I thoroughly enjoy Bianca Blythe’s books. Although somewhat short, she keeps you guessing about what will come next! In How to Train a Viscount, we quickly see Adam is a good hearted and kind man who works for a not so nice man. Adam delivers the letter to his employer, Randall, informing him he has recently become a Viscount due to the death of his elder brother. While Adam is out securing passage for Randall to return home, Randall is murdered with Adam then finding the body and seeing the murderer. Adam has to disappear, but only has on him the papers and ticket for Randall to return to England. Off he goes on the next ship.

Then, we get to re-meet adorable Lady Isla. Yes, she has been unkind of a previous book. Who would not be upset when your betrothed breaks a long standing engagement. But, let’s not dwell on that. Suffice it to say, she is a bit disappointed with her life and has decided never to marry. Her former friends and acquaintances seem to have turned their back on her. Even her brother seems to have left her behind.

Thank goodness, Adam comes into her life needing help. Eventually, she decides to take him up on teaching him how to be a viscount. This is the part that is so unbelievable it becomes believable. I love the connection and trust that develops between these two. Interestingly, it did not seem to enter Adam’s mind that the Viscounts of Tremont seem to be dropping like flies! He is just going to become the Viscount since no one seems to know the previous one, with Isla’s help. Odd that it does not seem to bother her at all. This kind of turns into a conspiracy of sorts.

The secondary characters in the form of a monkey, a dog and a really bad chaperon keep you just as entertained. Additionally, Ms. Blythe brings back love matches from previous books to help this couple along the way to their HEA.

I follow this series since its first release, I do love the witty banters and humour Mrs Bianca Blythe adds to her stories.
The premises were intriguing and I do loved the hero, Adam is a kind man, he is no peer and worked all his life doing what he has to survive like being the employee of a very despicable man, man who is murdered and forces him to flee the culprit impersonating his new titled late employer.
But to appear as a Viscount he must learn how to be a Viscount, why he requires Isla’s services.
Even a wealthy man, he stayed true to himself and tried to improve the life of those under his care, a hero from my heart.
No alpha rogue but a kind man full of empathy.
I confess I disliked her in the previous books, she was rather cold, haughty and arrogant.
Here she appears as a changed woman, aware of her faults and flaws.

Warning, spoiler ahead:

Then it is funny how a tiny detail can kill the mood.
I have no problem with my heroines not being virgin, if was required by men laws during these times, but here, having a young lady becoming a Mata Hari or a kind of demirep to spy on her country behalf, it was quite disturbing for me, as if it was added to the storyline just like that. Plus during her period of service she was betrothed, not a love match but he was her childhood friend, so it was like cheating for me.
Rather inconceivable how a earl’s daughter and sister could have acted this way while her friend, brother and fiancé were fighting the French army. Spying in some way, it is already difficult to comprehend as she was a debutante but playing a courtesan in full, it is hard to digest.
Plus it added nothing to the story, just a kind of explanation about why she felt free to seduce Adam. She has decided to remain unwed, a spinster, so she had no need to justify why she wanted him.

End of spoiler

The story was still very entertaining and enjoyable, but the shift in character of Isla was a bit abrupt, and rather odd for the cold and calculating lady she was previously. She redeemed herself but she is still far from my favorite character in this series.
Hopefully the quips and repartee helped smooth the storyline.

My copy was provided by Netgalley and its publisher Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op.