A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Lucy Irwin is both a fun, romantic novel and a comedy of manners

The recently widowed Eliza, inherits a significant fortune from her husband, who gave her a title but denied her love.
She decides to see out the rest of her widowhood in Bath taking her best friend and cousin Margaret with her.
Along the way they meet Lord Melville and his sister Caroline, her former beau, Lord Somerset and an offshoot of London society or ‘the ton’.

Eliza struggles to adhere to the constraints of mourning and through her new friendships, starts to cause a scandal which has consequences for her and those around her.

Freedom & independence end up winning the day, but not before she almost loses her fortune. The book ends with three new romantic relationships forming between the most unlikely of characters.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is an easy going book. After a slightly slow start, the pace picks up and the story dances along nicely. It is definitely a page turner!
The characters are well-written and credible. After a few chapters the reader can’t help but root for the heroine Eliza and her ever present companion Margaret.

I would highly recommend A Lady’s Guide to Scandal if you are looking for a charming romantic page-turner .

Thank you to Harper Collins for my advance review copy.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal tells the story of Eliza, recently widowed by a husband she didn't really care for, and suddenly in possession of an unexpected fortune. However, it comes with strings attached: a morality clause. Thrown into that mix is the first love she jilted, and the rakish poet who can't stop flirting with her - and it is a recipe for fun and drama.

Although it's suggested that this is part of a Lady's Guide "series", this novel is a standalone, albeit in a very similar style to Sophie Irwin's previous novel, A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting. I think it's probably safe to say that if you enjoyed her first novel, you'll enjoy this one for similar reasons. It's full to the brim with all the Regency tropes, while being unique enough to not be totally predictable (although yes, it is still a bit predictable). It's not quite so much a 'romp' as her first novel, but actually I quite liked that. Here, there are quite a lot of interesting subplots working alongside the main plot, and Eliza has a myriad of motivators and facets to her which made her point of view interesting.

The pacing is a little slow to start off with, however I enjoyed very much how it all came together and raced through the second half.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed last year's A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin. The story turned out just expected with no jeopardy or twists but had a light spirit and joie de vivre that made it a zippy, frothy, enjoyable read. This book is fine but it fell flat for me. The heroine isn't that engaging and the pacing was slow and the storylines and characters a bit dull. It didnt come "alive" for me.

Unfortunately I think I liked the idea of the book rather than the book itself. The story was far too slow for me and the characters slightly irritating. I can, however, see the appeal for fans of Bridgerton and similar.

I have been looking forward to reading Sophie Irwin’s second novel for so long' and it did not disappoint! So enjoyable, unpredictable, wonderful characters, just SO GOOD. Loved it!

I genuinely enjoyed this book more than the first. It definitely has undertones of Jane Austen's Persuasion, but felt slightly more original than the first book in the series.

In fact, what I enjoyed the most about it was that it was dealing with the post-'happily ever after' - just like Shakespeare, a lot of what we expect from Regency-style novels ends with the marriage. Well here the marriage has already happened, and it wasn't necessarily happy. Although, as a widow, Eliza is technically available again, it's quite different exploring a whole new set of restrictions and liberties that this status allows.

I wouldn't say I felt strongly about Eliza's relationship with either of her potential suitors, and it didn't feel like a love triangle that really added to much respect for her own decision-making, but I did enjoy seeing the relationships she began to form across wider society as she began to explore her options and freedoms again.

The relationship between Eliza and her cousin Margaret was really lovely, particularly as Margaret was given her own opportunities to explore her options, rather than just being the protagonist's best friend and potentially getting married off at the end if she was lucky. I could have gladly read a whole book focused on Margaret and Caroline's growing relatiosnhip.

The relationship between Eliza and her cousin Margaret was really lovely, particularly as Margaret was given her own opportunities to explore her options, rather than just being the protagonist's best friend and potentially getting married off at the end if she was lucky. I could have gladly read a whole book focused on Margaret and Caroline's growing relatiosnhip.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Eliza, the Countess of Somerset has recently lost her husband. Now a widow and childless she embarks on a life of widowhood. Her husband left her a wealthy lady in his will on the condition she lives the perfect life and does not bring scandal upon herself. Relatives, hover on the periphery waiting for her to fail so they can claim her money.
She escapes to Bath to start her new life with her female companion. Here she meets a charismatic author. She also has the attention of her husbands nephew who has just inherited the title and estate.
It was here my attention waned. The book just felt like it was plodding along. There was nothing to get my teeth into. Yes a pleasant read but that's about all. Half way through i put the book down. Unfortunately I never had the inclination to pick it back up and finish.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

After I devoured 'A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting' this time last year Sophie Irwin became a "must-read" author for this regency romance loving fool. Therefore, it was not a surprise to anyone when I finished the second Lady's Guide novel in just 2 days.

Advance warning: haters of love triangles need not apply!

Ten years ago, Eliza gave up her first love in order to be a good little daughter and marry as her family wished. Now she is 27, widowed, wealthy and her first love has just strode dreamily into the room; the world should be hers for the taking right? Wrong! Regency England and a sneaky little morality clause are here to ruin Eliza's day!


As you may have gathered from the synopsis, this novel has the bare bones of 'Persuasion' about it. However, I would not say it is a Persuasion retelling (mainly because this would make a lot of people very angry with me!). I adore Persuasion and the premise between the two novels is similar but , in my opinion, Irwin almost modernises Eliza as a protagonist.
Eliza starts off as a very malleable, agreeable young woman: she dances, talks of the weather and falls in love with men who will rescue her. But what I really, genuinely loved about A Lady's Guide to Scandal is how Eliza grew into her own main character. Yes, that means she makes mistakes and causes a scandal but that also means that she is able to recognise that, although two people may love each other, that does not always mean they are compatible. Eliza is a woman now, she is different and requires something different from her partner. And that is what makes this regency novel stand out from the rest.

I must admit I didn't connect with the characters as much as I did with A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, Somerset blew hot and cold way too much and Melville never seemed sincere. Eliza also did her fair share of annoying me when she was constantly tearing up. Margaret however, was my spirit animal. I'm going to need a Margaret novel next please! Her HEA was signposted clearly but was nevertheless amazing when it arrived!

For me, the ending of the novel felt a little rushed and I would have liked a little more of a glimpse into the future of the characters but perhaps that's just me being greedy?

Can you tell I loved this book?

Binged Queen Charlotte?
Desperate for the new season of Bridgerton?
This is the answer my friends.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal is released on 31st August 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book so that I can provide an honest review.

Loved this! It's light and fun and easy to read, perfect for chilling out with. It's occasionally a little twee and predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable for that. The characters are fun and funny, the storyline clever and the plot twists sufficiently twisty. You won't work it out yourself until the author wishes you to, which is exactly what is required from any decent murder mystery. I am most certainly going to track back to earlier novels in the series!

I adored this book and stayed up late to finish it. Sparkling wit and wonderful characters with a particularly satisfying character arc for Eliza meant I just couldn’t bear to put it down. I had to see how the love triangle would play out, whether Eliza would find the courage to be true to herself. and whether the delightful Margaret would get her chance of love.
Just to make it even better, I didn’t see the twist coming.
The ending was exactly the one Eliza needed, in spite of the jeopardy on the way. I loved how her character grew up through the story and found a love that worked for her as a more mature and self-aware woman. I honestly could not have enjoyed this book more and will now have to head off to read the author’s other work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved A Lady's Guide to Scandal!
It was such a fun and entertaining read and it was actually the first book that I've read by Sophie Irwin!
I really need to pick up A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting now as I definitely want to read more by the author.

I really loved the main character Eliza and her character growth was amazing!
This book had also made me realise that I'm starting to become a big fan of regency romance books!
I definitely highly recommend this book as it was amazing!

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this to bits - here's why...

Eliza is a woman coming out of her shell. After ten years of being married to the man her parents chose for her, she has freedom and choice in her life, albeit somewhat constrained by the morality clause placed on her by her late husband's will and the continued interference of her mother. She leaves her past behind her, gathers up her cousin, companion and friend Margaret, and heads for Bath.

I have a particular fondness for books set in Bath, and I'm not ashamed to say that it's because of Georgette Heyer rather than Jane Austen. I demolished Georgette Heyer books when I was younger, and I can still reread them at the drop of a hat. A Lady's Guide to Scandal felt a bit Heyeresque in the best ways - the humour and wit, the gossip and, yes, scandal. It's a lovely comedy of manners in a proper traditional Regency Romance way, but with some very modern twists and turns.

Eliza has to make some difficult choices (I'm treading carefully to avoid spoilers) because there are two love interests in this book, Somerset and Melville, and it's a complicated web with some really intense feelings on all sides. Of course Melville (a beautifully Byron-alike character) is dreadfully scandalous!

Above all, just as I loved the female relationships in Sophie Irwin's last book, I thought the almost sisterly affection between Margaret and Eliza and the way they supported each other emotionally throughout was such a joy to read.

I loved the first book by this author “A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting” so I was really looking forward to reading “A Lady’s Guide to Scandal”.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the the author’s first book. I found the pace really slow for the first half of the book. Whilst I loved the fiesty femininist heroine of the first book, Eliza is much less likeable. She is a bit dull and uninspiring and ALWAYS CRYING. All the personality seems to belong to the other characters in the book. When I reached the ending of the book I understood why, for Eliza’s character arc, but it meant I didn’t root for her or her romance.

I really liked the witty conversation that Melville and Margaret provide and I loved the LGBTQIA relationship and the resolution it had. I also thought the writing did a great job of turning a spot light of the misogyny of the time. Sure you can inherit your husband’s wealth but only if he changes his will last minute out of spite, and only if you behave in a way he deems acceptable.

Would I recommend it? Reluctantly, no for this specific book… But I would love to read the next book (maybe about Margaret? She needs her own book) and will certainly keep recommending the author’s first book.

Thank you to the author, her publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars. 10 stars. 20 stars out of 5!! This book was a balm to my soul.

I lost myself within the pages and was transported back to regency Britain so easily and effortlessly, I barely even felt the change from the 21st century to adventures in Bath to take the waters with Eliza and Margaret. I loved the girls and following in their stories was a delight from start to finish.

Melville and Somerset were both greatly crafted too and wove enough uncertainty and excitement into the mix to truly keep you on your toes. If you don’t like love triangles, maybe look away. Everything about this book was just to perfection to me and not exaggerating when I say I want to go back and read it again.

Everything I’ve read by Sophie Irwin so far has given me nothing but happiness and this one was a truly fab addition to her repertoire. I’m so excited to see what else she comes out with because she’s reached the coveted spot of ‘Auto-buy’ and ‘Auto-read’ author for me as I just love all of her work and writings.

I just loved this book. Real characters that hurt and bruise and cry and also who fight for what they want and deserve. Eliza is a timid mouse and grows to be someone doing amazing things. The romance is complicated and surprising and all the better for it. Ten stars ⭐️.

Pressured by her parents into a loveless marriage, Eliza finds herself widowed at 29. Her inheritance is unexpectedly large, but with a catch - she must not bring the family name into disrepute.

Multiple people in her life are telling her what to do, but - for the first time - her fortune allows her the opportunity to begin making decisions for herself. Beginning with a stay in Bath with her cousin, Eliza is able to ask herself what she actually wants from life. A growing friendship with a Byronic poet, and the rekindling of warmth with a former suitor, also prompt her to think about what she wants from love. All the while she must be careful that her exploration of her new self does not draw so much gossip that she loses her inheritance.

I enjoyed reading this book. A combination of 'Persuasion' and 'Bridgerton', it has a charming sense of place and society. The cast is a manageable size, with some sparkling female characters. While principally a romance, at the heart of the book is Eliza's personal growth as she shakes off the various people who want to tell her how to live her life. It is a pleasure to see her begin to make decisions independantly, even when they don't seem entirely sensible. Irwin's style is extremely readable and I stayed up much too late to finish this book without regret.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the characters were great but the plot didn't really keep me hooked, it was an enjoyable read and I thought the writing was great, this one just wasn't for me!

I was absolutely DESPERATE to receive an advanced copy of this book after ‘A Lady’s guide to Fortune Hunting’ was one of my surprise favourites of last year. Irwin brings a fresh and modernised take to the genre of regency romance and I could not wait to see if she could replicate the formula with her second novel in the series.

Eliza Balfour was married at 17 in an arranged marriage to a man she didn’t love and who had no care for her, who dies 10 years later. She is mild, meek and still mourning the loss of her first love, her dead husbands nephew. She ends up wealthy indeed but wait…there’s a morality clause that she forfeits her fortune if she brings shame to her dead husbands family. Used to be controlled by her parents and then her husband, her spinster cousin convinces her to up sticks to Bath for the remainder of her mourning period and live life on her own terms for the first time…and soon she finds it’s harder to live by polite society’s rules than ever before…

I absolutely devoured this and sat up late one evening to finish it in one sitting. The beginning starts slower than its predecessor but I found Eliza a very realistic and likeable character and the pace was in keeping with the genre. I loved the inclusion of tropes such as second chance romance, love triangles and friends to lovers. The romance was obviously at the forefront but it was also a story of what happens post loveless marriage and how it feels to come into your own and start making decisions for yourself, which I related to. It strayed into infidelity territory, which I know some readers will not like but it made sense in context of the story. The dialogue was sharp and witty and I found myself smiling throughout and even laughed at one part.

The only criticism I would levy is the brevity of the endgame romance compared to the rest of the book, but this is down to personal taste. None of the scenes were steamy so is safe for YA up to read, though I feel this is more of an adult read because the protagonist is in her late twenties (which is the Regency equivalent to mid-thirties) so will resonate more with a more mature reader.

4/5

An immersive historical romance, with incredibly fun characters who are really diverse and interesting to see in this setting. This is my first book by Sophie Irwin and I love her writing style, I felt like this was honestly something I haven't read before in historical fiction and I loved entering this new world of interesting characters. I highly recommend this and I will definitely be checking out more by this author.

Like many many others I adored Sophie Irwin's sparkling debut so was eagerly anticipating her second regency romp. A Lady's Guide to Scandal is no sequel, it's very much its own book with a very different heroine and conflict but told with the same assured style and well plotted sureness.

Eliza is recenty widowed after a ten year affection and child free marriage. Her future looks as dull as her past, a return to her childhood home and her overbearing parents, until an unexpected legacy from her late husband opens up some possibilities. Instead of the £500 pa she was expecting she has been left a fortune, as long as she brings no scandal on the family name. The bequest should be safe, mousy obedient Eliza has never done a single even slghtly scandalous thing in her life, filling her niece in law's family with rage as the land in question had been promised to them, and parents with triumph - and her parents are keen to guide her handling of her fortune, down to which brother she should make her heir. To make matters even worse for Eliza the new Earl is the man she wanted to marry but turned down out of a sense of family duty and he treats her with chilly civility at best.

Watching Eliza finds her voice, her independence and her freedom in this thoughtful yet fun book is a delight. A Lady's Guide to Scandal touches on racism, sexuality and the patriarchy with a deft empthy and a central romance for a flawed but real hero and heroine that is satisfying and touching. Highly highly recommended.