This felt like reading two books that accidentally melted into one.

Lila is the daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. Stuck between high society and the lower classes, she has made a life for herself by becoming the hostess of a popular gambling house. Generally well-liked by most, she's surprised when she meets Ivor Tristram, who loathes her. Nevertheless, she has to team up with Ivor to help someone from her past, a journey that will bring to light both some uncomfortable truths and the potential for love.

This story made for a strange reading experience. On the one hand, it's written like a historical romcom and requires a certain willingness to accept implausible language and plot points for the sake of the happy ending. On the other hand, every storyline in this is about exploitation and racism and abuse of all kinds. The clash between that harsh reality and the fantastical romance just left me feeling like this story was pure chaos.

Oooh, I loved this! Having discovered the Regency period in my tweens with the romantic novels of Georgette Heyer, this is the perfect step on for adulthood. Murray encapsulates the age with finesse, and introduces a new aspect - British colonialism - I had not considered before. It's a clever, well woven storyline with more depth than the fluffy romances of old, and more bite, too.

This was a very fun read that was regency inspired. We are following Lila and her Salon The representation of several ethnicities pleased me. When we first meet her, Lila, she is highly autonomous and the mistress of her own salons, which is very current for the era. We learn that she is exotic because her mother is Indian and her father was English royalty. We also watch how she responds to the unwelcome advances from different guys.

Ivor Tristram shows up at her salon in the evenings because he believes she is his father's mistress, and Maisie, an old childhood friend, knocks on her door in search of assistance but flees when she sees Ivor. Sunil, who Maisie is living with and who has been charged with attacking Ivor's cousin, is significantly pregnant and living in a desperate situation. Maisie seeks assistance in trying to clear his name.

I really enjoyed this historical romance. It was a breath of fresh air, the main female character was absolutely brilliant and knew her one mind, and the main male character didn't try to make her life smaller or hold her back!

I can't wait for more books from Amita Murray!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book

I liked the main character Lila but at times struggled to keep reading the book. Overall, a satisfactory regency novel.
Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the e-arc.

I thought this book would be a bit of me as I love a regency romance. It's trying to be Bridgerton or at least get fans of bridgerton attention.

I think some people will really like this book so if you want a Kate Sharma (series 2 of bridgerton vibes) with horse racing and a mystery then this is for you.

I thought the beginning was too slow and the enemies to lovers vibe wasn't it because it was just miscommunication and not really knowing each other. So much happened towards the end of the book it was hard to follow what was going on. I'm not sure if it's a romance or trying to be a mystery/thrilling romance.

The way it brings the mystery of her other sisters at the end of the book will lead into the future books.

Thank you the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this✨

This was a little bit of a mixed bag for me, there were some jarring modern terms and phrases that pulled me out of the story on occasion. However the plot was solid and engaging for the most part and the romance believable, the setting was interesting and I liked the mix of minor characters. I had no issue with how intimacy was broached and it seemed in keeping with tone.

This is obviously partly a set up book for future stories in the series, but I found the epilogue a little contrived and suddenly introducing such a pivotal plot point in the closing pages in the midst of the romantic ending was just a little strained.

Shades of Georgette Heyer! I have always enjoyed these Georgian romances. Some really good characters and an exciting, absorbing storyline. I almost read it in one sitting, I was so wrapped up in the story!.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

While I mostly enjoyed reading this book, it didn't hold up to some of the other entries in the Regency Romance cannon such as Julia Quinn and Sophie Irwin. The writing was a little repetitive at times, and some of the phrasing in the spicy sections felt a little forced, but overall the narrative was engaging and I liked the representation for different groups (Asian, Black, LGBTQ+ etc.). The epilogue definitely set up a mystery though!

An enjoyable romp for fans of Bridgerton - there's nothing surprising in this book, but it's well written and enjoyable and fits the mold that fans of this kind of book have come to expect.

I feel like I should have liked this book more? It had a lot of things going for it but couldn't quite keep my attention at times. The prose was a bit heavy-going at times, it felt like I was wading through it a little.

The sub-plot I thought was great and Maisie was a fun and fiery character with Sunil her perfect balance. Ivor on the other hand directly caused the Third Act Tragedy for... no apparent reason? I like a well-built Tragic Misunderstanding if it makes sense but this just didn't?

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is right up my street. I adore books set in a different time period. This one is Regency London and has both mystery and romance. It's a really fun read, perfect for a summer's afternoon rest in the garden.

Super witty and just a joy to read! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this title.

Regency based historical fiction continues to be popular and as a Bridgerton fan I am always happy to dive in!

We meet Lila, who is very modern for the time period in that she is entirely independent and mistress of her own salons. We learn her father was English nobility and her mother was indian, so she is considered exotic and we see how she handles the unwanted attentions of various men.

Ivor Tristram appears at her salon evenings because he has been told she is his father's mistress, and her old childhood friend Maisie shows up at her door looking for help but runs away when she spots Ivor. Maisie is heavily pregnant and living precariously with her love Sunil, who has been accused of assaulting Ivor's cousin and she wants help with trying to clear his name.

There are a lot of different threads to follow and the main characters are well drawn - I did enjoy getting the different POVs as the story progressed. However, I did struggle a bit to keep track of what was going on and felt some parts were rushed through while others were drawn out. Lila's sisters and family history only really get the briefest of mentions so I assume the intention is for this to be developed into a series.

The book was ok, I did finish it and think a lot of people would enjoy this as a lighthearted summery read - great for on holiday or on the beach.

Really been enjoying Regency romances recently, but sadly I just couldn’t get into this one. Not sure if it was the protagonist or her interactions with the inevitable love interest.

A fun romp through regency London. I enjoyed this story and I'm a sucker for an enemies to lovers story.

In this new era of Bridgerton-style adaptations where we are seeing more of a recognition of minoritised communities' presence in Regency England, this was a great read. I found the story, the background of the main character Lila well-fleshed out and the romance was believable. There were also times where the story was quite gritty and didn't shy away from the darkness of those times and the vulnerability of being mixed race. The references to Queen Charlotte were also fun. At times, the book was formulaic but it was part of its charm.
The main draw for me of the book though was the identity struggle that Lila experiences throughout. Her relationship with her identity and heritage added a pathos to the character and it would have been nice to see and hear more which I expect I shall if I read the stories of her sisters which I think will also be published in the future!

As a major Bridgerton fan, I was super excited to receive this arc. I loved the different take of mixing up and having both elements of romance and mystery.

Although I wasn’t a major fan of the characters and their development, the regency backdrop was really enjoyable.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Set in Regency England, this book is another with a Bridgerton feel. A feisty heroine and a handsome, although grumpy aristocratic hero in a historical romp with a mystery to solve and an injustice to correct. Although I enjoyed the romance between the two main characters, it was the mystery that saved the story. I will be so interested to see how this series develops as the novel suggest we may see more of Lila’s sisters and their history. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.