I'm a recently convert to regency romance, head turned by a book to TV show series that launched me into this frippery filled world. And a Lady's guide to scandal only lured me further in.

Eliza is fantastic as she re-emerges into the world and navigates the mourning rituals and rules. A strong female character tied by strings of others making and it is a fun frolic to watch her break free. And she isn't the only strong female Margaret is the best friend we all need and Caro is the new friend we should all hope to lead us astray.
As for the men. Well yellow breeches on one and broad shoulders on the other serve us up some handsome love interests.

And Bath. Now I want to run off to Bath in a new gown and dance the night away. Or perhaps visit a London pleasure garden. The locations in this book are as interesting as the characters and painted in the brightest lights.

Grab this book for a spot of weekend time travel and ditch all your other responsibilities. Scandalous!

I love these books so much. The characters are just so sassy and real. Margaret was a treasure and I loved Melville's wit so much. Also this book stands alone from A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting and while I was sad none of the characters in that book appeared, it does mean that readers can pick up Scandal without having read Fortune Hunting!

There was something so refreshing about seeing a widow as a character in this book. While I don't read much Regency so I don't know what's the norm, most of the regency books I've read are young girls looking for a husband, so it was refreshing to see a widow with her own money and no need to rely on a man looking her way to save her family. Though of course we knew that romance was coming, it was nice to see someone living in this time who didn't necessarily need it.

I also really felt for Eliza. This was her second chance at love after having married for her family. It was her chance to actually have a love match and be with someone who didn't disparage her all the time. I was really invested in her journey.

If you haven't picked up one of these books yet, you definitely should. Even if you don't read regency or romance, these are just so refreshing to read!

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin's debut novel A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting which I read last year. So I was excited to see she had penned a second novel and thrilled when Netgalley and HarperCollins UK provided me with an ARC to read and review.

Eliza has always been dutiful and obedient, to the point of forsaking the love of her life for a match with an Earl made for her by her family. Now she finds herself a wealthy widow with a large estate and generous income. However her fortune comes with the strings of a morality clause attached. So faking fatigue, Eliza decides to take a stay in Bath to take the waters with her cousin, Margaret. There she intends to live the life she desires while still following the rules appropriate to a respectful lady in mourning.

I found Irwin's writing style so easy to read. I was quickly immersed in the Regency period with it's beautiful gowns and extravagant balls. The characters are fun and witty and the plot glides along at a good pace. There is romance and a few surprises peppered throughout the story. The aspect I enjoyed most was Eliza's character growth from obedient daughter and wife to finding herself and doing what she finds pleasure in.

This is a delightful book which I would recommend to fans of Historical Fiction.

Harefield Hall in the year of 1819, sees Lady Eliza Somerset living through society’s mourning period stages. Now a young widow, of the late Earl of Somerset.
Eliza had some history with Oliver Somerset, the late Earls nephew, she is to be acquainted with him again, as the new Earl of Somerset. Eliza has mixed feelings about this reunion.
Shy, timid Eliza is not sure where she stands in life these days, under a new set of circumstances.


I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters coming alive, and wondering what would happen of Eliza.
Shy timid Eliza, and her feisty cousin Margaret Balfour. The Somersets, Melvilles and the Selwyns, plus the other characters thrown into the mix.
I really wanted the shy kitten like Eliza to turn into a Lion and roar!
Does she?
Well I guess you’ll have to read the book to see?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

I so adored the debut novel, and this second one, in the same vein, doesn’t disappoint. It is an hilarious read, in the style of Bridgerton. but more sarcastic, bitchy, and the snide remarks ensure that the drinks will flow and the gossip will be sheer entertainment, quite brilliantly written!.
Elizabeth, Countess of Somerset, has been widowed at the tender age of 27. It wasn’t a marriage for love and children, it paid the bills for her impoverished family, who all seem to have benefited from her sacrifice rather better than Eliza had. At the reading of the will, she discovers she will be a very wealthy widow, with £10,000 yearly, as long as she brings no dishonour to the family name.
Eliza’s father believes he is best suited to manage the estate and money on his daughter’s behalf, but Eliza has other, somewhat radical ideas.
She, and her cousin Margaret move to Bath, and while societal norms means Eliza must wear mourning , and be in seclusion for a set amount of time, she and Margaret manage to have a great time, whilst maintaining a sense of decorum that will keep her reputation spotless.
Well, that was the plan! But, when two gentlemen callers both have hopes of marriage, and the social scene becomes more tempting, what is a girl to do?!!
I loved the joy and sheer exuberance of this novel, the restrictive nature of social norms and widowhood were well explained and I loved the way that Eliza manages to avoid complications and be her own person. It was a giddy whirlwind of laughter and friendship that made such an impression on me. Sophie Irwin has made this genre of Regency romance her very own!!
My thanks to Netgalley, and the publishers HarperCollinsUK, for my advance digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. A five star rating. I have already pre ordered copies for friends birthdays later on this year.
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin's first novel, so I was looking forwards to reading this one and I wasn't disappointed. The characters are all depicted so well and I particularly love the faux polite, snarky banter between characters which for me really characterises a good Regency romance. There were several moments throughout the book which genuinely took me by surprise and had me gasping in as much surprise as if I was reading of some scandal in the gossip pages myself.

I prefer traditional Regency romances with no smut, so this book is perfect for me, lots of lingering looks and hand brushing in the traditional style, a hero I absolutely adored, a heroine who deserves her chance of happiness, and side characters with their own romance that I shipped just as hard as for the mains. It was a little bit slow to start but I'm glad I stuck with it because once it got going, I absolutely loved it. Most importantly, it's not just a romance set in a vague period of history where people wore pretty dresses and tried to marry Earls, but a book that has clearly been well researched and really felt like it was set in the time and places that it claimed to be. Really can't recommend this book highly enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is the first book of Sophie Irwin's that I have read. I had a somewhat jaded view of historical romance novels. Perhaps I read far too many of Barbara Cartland books as a teenager. It was a lovely portrait of the constraints women faced during this time. Having little choice of husbands, merely married of to further the family interests. Eliza, Countess of Somerset is widowed at the tender age of 27. Married off at 17 to a much older man when she was in love with his nephew. She endured a marriage of little / no affection and caused much disappointment in the failure to produce an heir. Following the death of her husband, the nephew inherits the title. At the reading of the will, Eliza comes face to face with the man that she has loved for 10 years. The will causes quite a stir in the family. Eliza is left with lands and £10,000 a year on the proviso that she causes no scandal. If that is the case, she will loose the land and all but £500 a year. This made her a wealthy woman in her own right. She takes up residence in Bath with her cousin Margaret. She is still in the full mourning period as dictated by societal norms which means that for a full one year and one day she must dress in black and is severely restricted in what is deemed "appropriate" behaviour and social events. We follow Eliza's progress from a very shy and retiring and afraid of expressing her self, to a confident woman who knows what she wants. It is an enjoyable romp through Regency Bath. Find out who wishes to embroil her in a scandal ensuring she looses both her fortune and lands. A few twists and turns that keeps the novel moving along and you guessing what will happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and will look out for further novels by the author. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A lovely Regency story with great characters. It was well researched and had a great balance of drama, comedy and romance.

It was very easy to read, flowed well and is the perfect holiday read!

I enjoyed this book. It had great characters especially Melville who made me laugh with his witty comments and flirty character!! I felt sorry for poor Eliza whose cold hearted husband had passed away. When listening to the will being read, she discovered that she had been left some land on the understanding that she stayed a sensible and respectful lady. If for any reason her behaviour was bad, the land would then revert back to the family again. The family were not impressed at all. Her cousin Margaret was her companion for a few months and then she would go back to her sister who was having a baby.
Eliza and Margaret met Melville and his sister Caroline who were like a breath of fresh air. They had a great time together but not before Eliza was held back and careful as Melville was such a big flirt!!!
The story flowed beautifully .there was a lot of content, with lots of funny moments to laugh at!.
A great read!.
I received this free arc book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #HarperCollins, #sophieirwin.

Eliza has become a widow in her late twenties. Her marriage was not very happy for her as it was a match set up by her parents to a much older gentleman. She endured the ten year marriage unhappy that she had had to give up love for the union. She is coming to the end of her year in mourning and the will is read and she is surprised to learn that she will be quite rich, but there is a propriety codicil. If the new Lord Somerset feels that she is behaving badly he can withdraw the inheritance leaving her only a small living. It is complicated that the New Lord Somerset is her lost love. He doesn't appear to be interested in her anymore, but his family are fuming that the inheritance they thought was coming to them is going to her.
Eliza retires to Bath rather than go back to her parents as she knows they will take control and her life will become unbearable once more. She starts to enjoy life and makes friends with several people. She encounters Lord Somerset on several occasions and his snotty family. The big question to everybody is will she disgrace the family or enhance it?

The story starts with meeting Eliza, widowed at 28, ready to hear her late husbands will reading.

Not expecting much to be left, Eliza is surprised to realise she is now a wealthy lady. Much to her late husbands disapproval.

After being told all her life what to do Eliza set off to Bath to finally begin a life she wants to live.

As you can guess though this doesn’t come with out scandal. Will Eliza manage to keep her clause or will it get broken?

Eliza is a great character and I loved reading this book. I really enjoy ready books set in this period.

Eliza has always been a dutiful daughter to the extent of giving up the man she loved and marrying to suit her family. Now a widow, she is unexpectedly a recipient of a fortune, though it does come with a morality clause. As the new Earl is the man she once loved, she knows that living at Harefield, even in the dower house, would be unbearable. Her family expect her to return home to them and for her father to look after her fortune but her cousin Margaret persuades her to live her life on her own terms and the two of them set off for Bath. Will a finally shackle-free Eliza be able to indulge her love of painting? Will she be tempted to scandalise Society? Will she find love, or lose a fortune.
I really enjoyed the Bath setting, the scandalous Anglo-Indian Melvilles, the characters and Eliza’s dilemma between two opposing men.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a big Bridgerton fan so was drawn to this one and I wasn't disappointed! I loved this book -
the characters were just brilliant and I really felt for poor Eliza trying to keep everyone happy! It's fascinating to understand society at that time and how the ton functioned. Eliza had an unhappy marriage and even now he's dead, cannot reclaim her life due to society’s expectations............until Eliza decides she is taking control!
A great read which kept me guessing till the end!

Set n Regency England, a young girl has to reject her lover for the honour of her family by marrying an elderly Lord. Ten years later, childless she becomes a rich widow in mourning, when after the conventual one year has passed enters into half mourning ready to be free to test the boundaries of what is acceptable. In doing so at the risk of scandalous behaviour easily transgressed, especially with two lovers contending for her hand. A delightful tale with a few laughs to enjoy.

I just loved this book.
The characters were brilliant and poor Eliza trying to keep everyone happy but herself.
Governed by the protocol of the ton she had experienced ten years of a horrendous marriage and now as a widow appears she is still not free due to society’s expectations of her that is until she takes hold of her life.
Great story which keeps you guessing about the path Eliza will take and be assured it is not what you expect.

A wonderfully fun read, a delightful Second novel , perfect for anyone who enjoyed A lady’s guide to Fortune Hunting, this time set mainly in Bath, a long list of what is acceptable and what is not suitable makes for fun and games.
Highly recommended
Thank you

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin is a romantic delight that had me smiling from beginning to end and would be the perfect pick me up read.
When Eliza, the Countess of Somerset is widowed at the age of 27 the last thing she expects is that her spiteful husband will bequeath her a veritable fortune as a means of punishing a grasping family member. The inheritance is not without its strings however, as it comes with a morality clause that threatens to disinherit her if there is even a whiff of scandal. It seems simple, but the fact that the new Count of Somerset is a man that she fell in love with at the tender age of seventeen, before they were torn apart when her parents arranged her marriage to his Uncle could complicate matters. Despite the passage of time, the two are still drawn together so when Eliza finds herself also drawn to the roguish and unconventional poet Melville she is very conflicted about her choices and what each would mean for her future.
This was such a fun read, filled with charming characters , most notably Eliza and Melville but also Melville's sister Caroline and Eliza's cousin and companion Margaret. I loved seeing Eliza grow in confidence once she had the freedom and money to do what she actually wanted instead of subjugating herself to her family's demands as well as those of "society", and I thought this storyline really portrayed how little freedom or independence women had at that time. While I am not always a fan of a love triangle in a romance, this trope worked well here , as one suitor represented the past and the innocence of first love, while the other wanted her to be free and to follow her passion , but both had positive and negative points and Eliza took agency over her choice.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I ADORED this glorious regency romp! I love all things regency romance/historical fiction - and this novel was no exception. I literally breezed through it in a couple of hours and stayed awake until 1am. I loved the way it was written, it was witty and charming and I had a smile on my face basically the whole way through! I really liked the way it highlighted the disparity between men and women’s social standing/financial position being dependent on their partners and conforming to societal expectations. The line that stuck out to me was “could a lady not have one moment of precariousness without being deemed incapable?” I feel you Eliza, I’m one of the clumsiest people I know, who regularly trips over nothing - but contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t actually render me completely useless. It just means you shouldn’t let me carry anything you deem super important down a flight of stairs.

Melville was basically immediately my favourite (I’ve always been a complete sucker for a rake!), and I loved the way he encouraged Eliza’s pursuits and desires. Margaret is tied with him for my favourite character; I loved her sass! I don’t want to give away any spoilers as it’s not published until the 31st of August, but if you enjoy historical fiction/romance, and a splash of wit and comedy - do yourself a favour and pick up this book the minute it hits the shelves!

All her life Eliza has done exactly what was expected of her but after the death of her husband she decides to shake herself up a little... I loved this book. I loved it so much I finished it in a day and ignored everyone around me. A Lady's Guide to Scandal is a love letter to Persuasion with a gorgeous modern twist; Eliza and Margaret are fun heroines with tons of wit and heart, you just them to succeed.

Beautiful Bath, gorgeous dresses, witty poets and an occasional jazzy phaeton make this a must read for Austen romantics.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. These views are entirely my own

Omg I loved this so much!!!! I loved the first book, the language, the pacing, the plot, the characters, everything was perfect. But this one was something else!!! I loved both Eliza and Margaret from the beginning - also you are kept guessing, you don't know which way the storyline will go, I love that!!

I'm actually quite happy with how it ended.