This book was super far from what I was expecting, but I loved it all the same! As soon as I saw the cover on Netgalley, I was intrigued. I immediately requested it, and was ecstatic when I got the "request approved" email. I read it in a day, it kept me captivated!

The Innkeeper's Daughter follows Eliza, a young woman in Regency London. After her father attempts to sell her, and she refuses, he beats her. Barely escaping with her life, Sir Henry saves her, and takes her into his home. As a connection blooms between them, they begin investigating a sex trafficking ring that threatens all of the nearby women.

I feel like I need to mention this before I dive into my actual feelings regarding the book. There are tons of potential triggers in this book. Sex trafficking, abuse, rape, and sexual abuse all play large parts in this. They're important topics that need to be discussed, but this book is not for anyone sensitive towards these issues. They play a very large part in the plot, they're not just glancing references.

Those exact triggers are why I enjoyed this so much. Not because I enjoy reading about abuse, but because it was completely different from what I normally read. The villains were super easy to determine, and I really grew to hate them. I was rooting for our characters to expose them the entire time, and I loved the way it was dealt with!

Although this wasn't necessarily a romance, the romance was one of the strongest parts of it. Henry and ELiza compliment each other so well, and I love how they weren't instantly determined to marry each other. Things are moving at a logical pace, which I really enjoyed. It did feel a bit insta-lovey, but it wasn't over the top, and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

If you're a fan of romance, historical, or thriller books, this is right down your alley! It caters to almost every genre, with an absolutely magical setting. I really enjoyed this!

Thanks to Bianca M. Schwarz and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is a wonderful historical romance with the added twist of some espionage. The romance was steamy, the characters were well developed, and the plot kept my interested throughout. The only that slightly bothered me was I hate it when authors write in the accents because it gives me a headache!
Overall, a vey good read and I recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for allowing me to read this arc in exchange of an honest review.

When Eliza manages to escape her brutal stepfather right before he’s about to sell her to a vicious husband, luck would have it that Sir Henry would be traveling the street where she surfaces. Whisking her away to his kind and cozy home in the heart of London, Eliza is nursed back to health by Henry and his household, her meager background no matter in a new world full of money and means. When the two grow closer, as well as being thrown into the world of love and seduction, Eliza becomes privy to the reason Henry is a Sir -- he’s a spy for the Crown. She joins her new lover in attempting to thwart a sex trafficking project whose dark deeds have targeted innocent young girls with no way to protect themselves.

First off, this book has so much potential. It kills me to see it fail at reaching it so spectacularly. Marketed as a “Gentlemen Spy Mystery”, it reads more as erotica masquerading as historical romance. Considering the ways in which Henry rescues Eliza from a harsh life and teaches her how to masquerade as a lady, this novel could very well be considered My Fair Lady fanfiction -- something I’d be wholly interested in if tackled well.

There is no slow burn to this romance. It’s immediate attraction, insta-love at its best, impeding any true bond from becoming evident between the two because they’re too busy enjoying the pleasures of each other’s body. The sex scenes are explicit and constant, definitely not a story I’d recommend for younger readers. There are a multitude of blurred lines: Eliza believes Henry saving her from destitution is a way of him purchasing her body for his own use; when he refutes this, she instead GIFTS him her body as a thank you the very next time she’s able. In another moment, Henry states that the only reason he can’t take Eliza into his arms that very moment is because she was just -- as in minutes ago -- abused by another. In 2020, even in historical fiction, this sentiment in a romance novel is wholly out of place.

A plethora of similar questionable moments give the impression that Eliza has no say in the matter while her narrative is attempting to convince us otherwise. It raises all feminist hairs on my neck and makes me question what was the female author’s intended message.

The spy aspect of the novel involves male predators and sex trafficking, the consequences of which directly affect a member of Henry’s household. This maid confesses, in extremely unnecessary detail, the experiences she underwent at her abuser’s hand. The lines between employee and employer are entirely blurred, and though we’re told Henry is a good man, he comes off as inappropriate in asking her to confide in him in such a way. This, combined with the 13 year age difference between him and Eliza, make the male romantic lead come off as a predator, despite us being told he is a good man.

Despite being the object of the novel’s title, this is more Henry’s story than Eliza’s. She has no explicit purpose despite being his plaything, yet is included in top secret meetings. We are told she’s smart despite much proof. And according to the preview included of book #2, Eliza will not be back for the sequel, despite the true love supposedly present between her and Henry. Instead, she’s paired up with a friend of his, their be-all, end-all romance of this story apparently no more after the book's end.

I would have loved more depth in her story -- it could be a very feminist take, about CHOOSING to become a mistress and owning the position with confidence, rather than falling into it by chance and accepting whatever results come. Eliza has no concern for giving up her reputation in exchange for romance; it’s a powerful choice for a woman to make in the 19th century. But her independence ends there.

Trigger warning: physical abuse, sex trafficking, attempted sexual assault, implied sexual assault, attempted rape, explicit description of sexual violence.

A well written historical fiction that contains some “adult” content and potentially triggering dialogue.  A young woman is sold into a marriage by her step-father; a budding romance develops between her and her rescuer.  The story contains crude language, descriptions of sadism, mystery, and espionage. It is a page turner but can be difficult to get through in some parts and the ending concludes rather abruptly compared with the pacing of the rest of the story. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book to be a well-written and engaging read. That being said, it does contain descriptive adult content as well as trigger inducing subject matters, most especially in chapter 14. The storyline is filled with interesting character descriptions and dynamics, which lead up to a satisfying conclusion. A little more romance than historical fiction.

I’m not sure exactly what this book is supposed to be and even by the end I hadn’t figured it out. I think it wanted to be a romance but it’s not. The writing is awkward and choppy which makes it hard to follow. I ended up skimming most of it and sadly cannot recommend it.

One November evening Sir Henry Broad discovers a beaten Elizabeth Broad, and takes her to his home. But eventually her past catches up with her. Working as a spy for the Crown can Henry find the evidence to prove who is the enemy agent.
Too much mature content and not enough mystery for me, which took too long to get into, and the use of bad language lets the story down.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sir Henry March had just finished a tour of his four properties and a little side work for the crown. He had been knighted, a classical scholar, libertine, owned four estates and was a spy. He was tall and handsome. On his way back to London he saw a shadowy figure dash across the road. But I am not sure dashing is the right word. She fell and he stopped his carriage and went to see how he could help her. He had to pick her up and put her into his carriage. He could tell she was in pain. An hour later they were in London and at his townhouse. He took her up to a guest room and the housekeeper did the best she could but sent for the Doctor. The Doctor had to put in Seven stitches at the nape of her neck, she had a broken arm, two broken ribs, a concussion, and bruises everywhere. She was lucky to be alive.
This was a very engaging story of a spy and the girl who worked in the pub. Actually, she owned it.
This an engaging story but also at times brutal, Cruel and the bad guys had a sex ring but they did way more than that. You really need to read this. It is so hard for me to do this tale justice. The plot was mesmerizing, action-packed, and so much was going on, The characters were amazing. The way after a while, they looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking. She is a new author to me and I am so glad I found her.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily read this wonderful novel.

I read this book in 2 days, so I think it's fairly safe to say it's a quick and consumable read that I enjoyed. I would characterize it as a historical romance and suspense novel; it really is both. It follows the story of Eliza, a young girl beaten by her stepfather who escapes his captivity in order to avoid marriage to the wife beater he had sold her to. She is rescued by Henry, a rich man of respectable birth who takes her back to his home to recoup. The cheesy romance begins here. The author does make you wait a bit before it's official. This isn't just a 'cute' romance though, cue steam. Amid all this, is a story of stopping the sex trade the characters have stumbled upon (aka saved Eliza from). Figuring out how deep this scandal runs proves to involve a few twists and, cue the second book.
Again, I did enjoy this book. I think that true mystery/thriller fans might find this aspect of the plot to be a little lacking--but those who appreciate a steamy romance rolled into some suspense will enjoy this combo.
Thanks to NetGallery for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read much historical fiction which makes diving into this story feel like going in blindfolded. There were a lot of heavy topics mentioned in this book; abuse, and sex trafficking. The description of these were gruesome that I found myself putting down the book for a bit in order to process them. I liked how unflinchingly true Schwarz was with writing all these.

Enter our main protagonists; Eliza Broad is beaten down, traumatized, and has no place to return to. Then we have the rich, enigmatic, and sophisticated Sir Henry March who took her in. Their dynamic from being friends to lovers and allies as they become espionage of the crown was fun to read. The way they work together in solving mysteries and diving into the dark sadistic world of 19th London was heart-pounding and kept me on edge. They had their ups and downs but they always come back to each other. Also, I should probably mention the amount of smut in this book because there's a lot.

The pacing was good for my liking, so is the character growth of Eliza, but I think I had a problem with some scenes that felt too dragged out. Overall, it was a rollercoaster ride and I'm looking forward to what's in store for the next book.

Well-written, engaging read. Contains descriptive adult content as well as content that some readers may find triggering. Many interesting character dynamics leaving this reader hoping for more books, yet satisfied with the conclusion.

<b>Trigger/Content Warnings:</b> Physical abuse, sex trafficking, attempted sexual assault, implied sexual assault, attempted rape
<b>Chapter 14 has a graphic depiction of rape and sadism</b>

Yes, sex trafficking is in the summary, but I wasn't expecting it to be <i>this</i> dark. It almost verges on gratuitous.

Here be spoilers from here on out.

The POV jumps from one character to another, but only for a few sentences before it goes back to the original character. I think it was supposed to be an omniscient POV but it didn't work as well as the author intended. There were moments where I was confused as to who's thought belong to whom. Just too many jumps into other people's heads.

Trying to figure out if this was wanting to be a mystery/suspense novel with romantic notes or a romantic novel with mystery/suspense notes. About halfway through, the tone of the book shifts, hence my confusion. This ends up really confusing once you get halfway through the novel.

The first half is the introduction to Henry and Eliza as a couple. A lot of focus is placed on the relationship and have it develop over any sort of plot points. Actually, the plot points are minimal and just connect the sex scenes together. In the narrative, it isn't insta love but page wise, it feels like it. The age difference between Henry and Eliza makes me side eye, especially since his daughter is only about six years younger than his lover. Throw in the sex trafficking and the non-consensual sadism and how they relate to Eliza and it's just... yeah, an odd choice. Throw in another dash of Eliza keeps looking at Henry like he hung the moon and is her Savior and yeah, a <i>really</i> odd choice.

The second half involves the mystery element of Sade and abductions. There are mentions throughout this part of Henry working with the Crown in the first half, but it's not mentioned developed more into the second half. It doesn't help that the last half was slow even if it felt like it was supposed to be faster.

And then it ends. Abruptly. A major plot point happens and BAM it's done. It could have come in a little smoother or given some indication of what's going to happen next besides the sneak peek that accompanied the ARC.

So so good! Very remarkable and gorgeous and to the point prose because I was never confused or bored but I also always on the edge of my seat and also did I mention the prose?

What a magnificent book. Rich in romance and characterization as well as historical detail, it featured a lot of my favourite reading catnip tropes. I look forward to reading more by this new-to-me author


featured on instagram.

This book was advertised as a Romance Novel. What it really is is a mystery/suspense novel with a sprinkle of romance. While it’s a good story there is not enough focus on the relationship between Eliza and Henry for it to be a romance novel.

As a frequent reader of romance novels I was also really off put by the Publisher’s comments at the beginning of the story. “After all, isn’t romance only about men saving women while the author uses as many synonyms for various body parts as possible?”

Romance novels have always been so much more than this to so many people. It just further perpetuates stereotypes about the genre and in a novel that is marketed towards romance readers it’s incredibly misguided to have this in the introduction.

Good individual character development, good story development, good suspense. Awkwardly written love scenes, not enough focus on the relationship of the protagonists. There is violence, descriptions of rape and abuse which I also am not a big fan of, especially when it’s such a large part of the storyline. I would read it again if I wanted a good suspense novel. Not when I’m in the mood for swoon worthy romance.

This was an unexpected surprise. First, the cover is magnificent!!

But, I really enjoyed the story! I couldn't put it down. It was intriguing and kept me wanting more. I think I read it in a day.

I will definitely be looking for more by this author.

I, Jen, the girl who sniggers at anything remotely sexual has never read a book with sex scenes. I know, I know – I haven’t lived (clearly) but holy shit, I need an adult.

Scene setting time:
✨ 19th century London and make it extra sweary
✨ Think spies but none of this James Bond shit
✨ He was a rich boy. She inherited an inn. Can I make it any more obvious? 🎶

Friends. I went into this with high expectations. As someone who chose to review Christopher Brookmyre’s Quite Ugly One Morning in high school because its opening word was ‘fuck’, I was DELIGHTED with how everything kicked off.


I was hooked, so let me introduce the two main characters.
Eliza. An innocent teenager with a heartbreaking story. She’d endured an insane amount of trauma at the hands of her stepfather and was eventually sold to some asshole so he could get his hands on the inn. Yet luck was clearly on her side as she stumbled into the path of Sir Henry March.
Hazza swoops up Eliza’s broken body, takes her to his mansion and treats her with basic human rights.

Yet our pal Henry ain’t all he seems. This lad has been on the hunt for an illusive shitlord of a human being who preys on women for the business of sex trafficking. And would you look at that? They’re all linked, aren’t they!

On top of all that, Henry has a wee twinkle in his eye for Eliza and oh boy do you get to know the ins and out of both their bodies.
They. Just. Couldn’t. Stop. Fucking.

So yes this all sounds wonderful. I was 100% on board and sped through the first 20% in one sitting. Context – I’m a slow reader and that’s usually a very good sign.

But then something happened and I genuinely can’t put my finger on it. This, technically, should have been right up my street but I found myself losing interest just as it was starting to ramp up. Perhaps there were too many bits which just felt unbelievable – I highly doubt someone who works in an inn where people pay for things in sex would be able to keep her innocence so intact that she wouldn’t know what oral sex was 🤷.
Or maybe it’s that there was just too much sex? Is that a thing? Some scenes felt longer than anything else and, to be honest, I was way more interested in the espionage going on in the background.
But it might have also been the ending. The last chapter held all of the plot and was over by the time I got sucked back in.

Perhaps I’m just not cut out for romance books.

Would I read the next one? Probably. My attention was drawn back in and there are a good few chunks of unfinished business which I could do with wrapping up.

When her stepfather tries to sell her virginity to one of his pals, Eliza Broad refuses. She's badly beaten and locked in a coal cellar but makes her escape and is found on the road by Sir Henry March, charmer and gentleman spy, and subsequently delivered into the hands of his housekeeper. During her long convalescence, Henry takes a fancy to her and introduces her to his world of culture. But Eliza's stepfather and his criminal connections are not far away and soon Henry and Eliza are searching for a traitor to the crown whose hobby is maiming and killing virgins.

Eliza’s parent have died, and she’s left in their inn with a step-dad who is determined to see that she is out fo the way. Selling her to a horrible man is the perfect plan. But Eliza is strong and escapes only to be rescued by Sir Henry March. What follows is a journey to find love, and friendship, and even solving a mystery. I really enjoyed this book. It’s plot was quick, the characters likable, and I look forward to reading the next one - what more can the author ask for?

Thank you to Bianca M Shwarz, Central Avenue Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of THE INNKEEPER'S DAUGHTER. There were many anachronisms in this novel, not least the way the characters spoke. There was mix of modern phraseology and awful Cockney-type words that took me out of the novel and spoilt the flow which was a real shame. I enjoyed the first half of the novel, even though it was a bit cliched with the lovely Sir Henry rescuing the waif and stray and then falling in love with her because she was so beautiful. It was all a bit shallow I'm afraid. The second half I couldn't read because my interest waned. I don't like leaving poor reviews because I know how hard it is to write a full length novel. I think with some paring down and some research into the speech that was genuinely used this could have been much better.