I love a little Beauty and the Beast vibe in any novel, so this one is right up my alley. Add the friends-to-lovers and fake betrothal tropes.... I'm so there! Nicholas is on the revenge war path and needs Jenny to pretend to be his fiancée to complete his plans. What could go wrong? Poor guy. Love the love story here!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Monroe is back with her fourth installment in the Sisterhood of Secrets series. This novel follows Jenny, a naïve, but wising up, young woman who has decided to stop her silly ways. To make the point, she tosses her handkerchief over her shoulder to say "I am done with this silliness." However, unbeknownst to her, Lord Nicholas Dowding, is behind her. He has quite the reputation in town, known as the Earl of Deception, the rumors that swirl are not flattering. He hands the handkerchief back to Jenny and there is a spark.

As time passes and the two become friends, secrets and fears come out and can the two find their way to a happily ever after?

Earl of Deception by Jennifer Monroe is the fourth book of the Sisterhood of Secrets. Nicholas, Lord Dowding, has spent the last five years of his life bent on revenge. He seeks to financially ruin everyone who wronged his family. He has one target left, but to take him down he will need a fiancée. Miss Jenny Clifton had no idea the Earl of Deception would actually come calling in the favor she owed him. She quickly gets caught up in Nicholas’ scheme as his fake fiancée. Jenny is eager to prove to herself and others that she is no longer a naive schoolgirl. The pair form a powerful friendship that yearns to grow into something more. But Nicholas has been burned by love in the past, leaving him afraid to risk his heart. As they grow ever closer, Nicholas must overcome his past and accept true love with Jenny.

Jennifer Monroe has written another charming historical romance full of adventure and wit. I love the focus on friendship between the Sisters. I look forward to the next story!

I actually really enjoyed this book! I was a bit hesitant because the first chapter made me think it was a different story, but this coming of age, was really adorable. She stood her ground, and kept pushing through to make sure that she wasn't ignored by the man of her dreams.
I do wish the book had made it clear this was a book 2, but they feel sepetate enough that only tiny details made me think I wasn't reading the first one. Great job, and I'm excited to read more by this author!

Brave Jenny

On the mission he undertook five years ago, Nicholas, Lord Downding did not count on the possibility of finding Miss Jennifer Clifton.

Jenny is young and naive but at the same time she is decisive, determined and goes in search of what she wants. And what she wants is his heart.

He seeks to avenge his family and is at the last goal of his plan but he didn't expect to find someone she would show smart, creative, courageous and willing to make sacrifices to help those she loves.

Another student with unique characteristics inspired by the teachings of Mrs. Ruthley who again secretly contributes to the good of all.

Great series!

4.5 stars

Jennifer Monroe spins a tantalizing tale of two very unlikely lovers in this intriguing friends-to-lovers Regency romance between a young beauty and a scarred beast of an earl, who is dead-set on vengeance.

The best thing I can say about this book is that I finished it. This was my first book from this writer and I will not be seeking another. I found the writing mildly painful and the characters annoying. The FMC is a naive 18-year-old girl and the MMC is a 30-year-old man who rhapsodizes about the FMC's innocence and beauty. The continual focus on how attractive the MMC finds the FMC's youth and naivety was, in my opinion, borderline icky. The FMC came off as barely more than a child, something emphasized by the fact that she is literally still in the schoolroom. The MMC is mildly predatory as he seeks to use the FMC for his own personal gain, and the last 20% of the book is just....not plausible. This was sadly a one-star read for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions herein are entirely my own.

Jenny Clifton is at a finishing school called Mrs. Rutley’s School for Young Woman. At eighteen the world is open to her and her friends. All they want is to find a handsome gentle man, marry and have children and then live happy ever after. Nicholas, The Earl of Dowling is on a mission. He needs a fake fiancée to help with revenge against a group of men that had ruined a sister that he never knew existed. When Jenny agrees to pose as his fiancée, this starts an exciting time of thrills and daring with trying to help each other. A every exciting and well writing novel by a popular author.

First off do read in order, will make more sense since one story blends into the next. It is all centered around a girls finishing school, present and flashback to past. A Sisterhood of Secrets was formed by a select group of students and their Headmistress, with the promise of being there when one is needed. With the Headmistress gravely ill, one by one the girls return and tell their story per her request. This is Jenny story and how she fell in love with Nicholas. It’s a story of trust, revenge and righting a wrong. Jenny and Nicholas have developed a friendship, Jenny is patient but wants more. Nicholas is afraid, but also need’s Jenny help to honor his father dying wish. A slow building romance to get to their HEA.
I enjoyed reading this since now I have read the previous books in the series. As I stated before, a prologue of how the Sisterhood of Secrets was formed would be great. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #EarlofDeception #SisterhoodofSecrets

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the story of Jenny Clifton, a rather naive, romantic young woman who followed the ill-advice of her sister in how to attract men, namely by drawing their attention by tossing handkerchiefs at them. She vowed to leave such silly mechanisms behind her, and through one last act to show that was the case, she tossed her handkerchief over her shoulder... which ironically brought her the attention of Nicholas, Lord Dowding, who picked it up and gave it back to her.

There are a lot of rumours about why Nicholas is knows as the Earl of Deception, including how he murdered his father. The truth is that he is engaged in a long game of finding and bringing down people who were involved in the destruction of one of his family, in honour of one of his father's dying wishes. He is near the end of his road to revenge, needing to bring down one last person on his list, a Lord Tulk. However, to draw him out, Nicholas must find a woman to act as his faux fiancee, and thinks of the lovely Jenny. He is conflicted however, when Jenny seems to naive, and innocent for his plots. However he cannot help but be drawn in by her loveliness and innocence as well.

I did not love the story of Nicholas and Jenny's romance; namely as I found Jenny to be too girlish, naive, and innocent. However, I am still drawn by the overarching back story of Mrs Rutley... she is still a mystery and with each Sister's story, more of her story is drawn out, and that is the endgame for me - WHAT IS UP WITH MRS. RUTLEY!!!!!! I NEED TO KNOW HER DEAL!!!

3.25 stars out of 5.

The Review
I keep hoping that this series will get better because I will enjoy the connection and weaving together of the characters happy ever afters...but I just don't. Maybe it is that they are clean romances, but I also just don't feel the passion or love between Nicholas and Jenny. And some of the plot is just silly to me. Nicholas is avenging the death of his sister, a sister he didn't know and had never met. I can get behind a good revenge plot, but this felt flaky and then he wouldn't contemplate a relationship with Jenny due to said revenge. It may also be that they both just seemed so immature even though they were supposed to be portrayed as just having become a woman and graduating from the finishing school.

I did finish the book as I hate to DNF a book, let alone an ARC. But I just didn't enjoy it very much.

Tropes
Historical Romance, Georgian Romance, Country Life, Gamma Hero, Titled Hero, Dresses as Male, Virgin Heroine, Clean Romance, Fake Relationship, Revenge Trope

So I just started reading this genre and I absolutely love it so much it was such a fun super quick read I loved every second of it and would definitely recommend

Earl of Deception was a good book, I enjoyed reading this book, It can be read as a stand alone or part of it’s series, Sisterhood of Secrets. I love that it ties in with the other 3 books, especially since I had previously read 2 of them. While the story continues, it separates itself by allowing Jenny and Nicholas their own story.

Good HEA book. Love that it is part of a series. Excited for next books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Monroe, and WOLF Publishing for allowing me to read this book in advance.

This is such a well written story with wonderful characters that you will continually turn page after page to see what happens next. It is Book 4 in the Sisterhood of Secrets books. I think it could be read as a stand alone book, but I think you will enjoy it just a little more if you have read Books 1-3. This story has secrets, friendships, romance, a villain or two, more secrets and love. . . .

After twenty years, Jenny, Countess of Dowding, has returned to Mrs. Rutley's School for Young Women. Mrs. Rutley is very ill. She asks Jenny to tell her story of how a handkerchief helped in meeting Nicolas, Earl of Dowding. Nicolas is on a mission of revenge using deception. After five years of destroying four men, he has one more to go. Jenny dreams of marriage for love and children. Meeting Nicolas, Jenny knows he could be the one. Nicholas may be afraid of love, but he can't let her go. She is willing to help in anyway she can in bringing down his last victim, but a woman in his past tries to come between them. A very interesting approach to tell the stories of how each young lady in the group of "sisters" finds love. If it's anything I dislike is an empty-headed young lady. Not so with Jenny. She is very smart and wise beyond her eighteen years.
Kisses and embracing only.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was such a cute/wholesome novel about a mixture of love at first sight, softening your heart to those around you and also....revenge?!

Earl of Deception is book four in the Sisterhood of Secrets series. This book can be read as a standalone. But I would have preferred to start at the beginning of the series.

This story begins with the headmistress of a school for young ladies has fallen ill and Jenny is asked to tell her a love story. Jenny begins her tale with an Earl that is set on revenge, a father’s last dying wish.

This is a quick afternoon read. It was an entertaining story with a courtship and a twist that keeps you reading until the end.

This was a cute little romance but it was a bit slow for me at first. I find myself more enthralled by the bits and pieces of Ms. Rutley's story that comes together in each book. I liked the plot and appreciated the romance that was growing between the couple but I did hate the lack of communication that turned into problems. I felt as if the book could have been shorter if they had just communicated a bit more.


I received an ARC of The Earl of Deception by Jennifer Monroe from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was given an early copy in exchange for an honest review. I love love historical fiction and this one checked all the boxes for me. Attraction at first sight. Check! Jennifer is ready to graduate from a girls finishing school. Jenny throws her handkerchief behind her Nicholas, known as The Earl of Deception, picks it up and promptly returns it to Jennifer. It Is attraction at first sight. Check! This is the beginning of the suspenseful part. Nicholas is the subject of tall tales gossip which Jenny plans to peel the layers off one by one. First they decide to pretend to be engaged and attend a masquerade ball. Alas another deception,one completed together. Check! Then there is the proverbial misunderstandings. Check! Will they or won’t they be together in the end? You will just have to read for yourself. Great rainy weekend read. Yes,yes,yes! I would recommend to everyone who enjoys a fun romance. Thanks to #NetGalley,#WOLFPublishing, #JenniferMonroe, and #EarlOf Deception for the opportunity to review early.

A charming addition to this delightful series!

This is Jenny & Nicholas's story that Jenny tells at the bedside of her old headmistress who is ill.
Jenny is young and a dreamer and she has dreamed of Nicholas ever since they met by chance years
ago.

Nicholas has been on a quest to revenge the people who had wronged his family. He realizes he needs a "wife" to put in action his next plan. Jenny comes to mind and he request she pretend to be his wife.
As these two are around each other, it seems love just might grow and the pretense become real!

Sweet romance.