Only The Valet Will Do by Sophie Barnes

Magic necklace that provides true love passed down through the years – does it work or does it not – that is the question.

What I liked:
* Lilli: outgoing, boisterous, outspoken, active, knows what she wants, believes in magic, drawn to Tristan
* Tristan: intelligent, responsible, hard worker, loves his mother and sisters, attracted to Lilli, more than he appears to be
* The meet cute with the ‘trap’
* That magic was the culprit that allowed the instant attraction – otherwise it might not be quite so plausible
* Lillie’s family that was so close and warm and for the most part…accepting, well, eventually
* The wisdom of Lillie’s mother and grandmother in handling Lilli’s father and brother
* The way Tristan outmaneuvers his father
* The way it all works so that a valet and a lady get their happy ending
* Wondering who will have the magic necklace next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like – especially Tristan’s father
* The idea that class created such a divide and the fact that crossing the divide wouldn’t be easy

Did I enjoy this book – yes
Would I read more by this author – yes

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – this is my honest review.

4 Stars

A very sweet, very uncomplicated, and very short novella that is a pleasant if not exciting read. It's part of a series, I think, but my first, with the common thread being a magical rose quartz pendant that guides the wearer towards true love. The rose quartz's magic allows for instalove, which is convenient but not my favorite type of plot.

So Lilliana falls for her brother's new valet, Tristan, immediately upon him lifting her out of a hole she'd stumbled into. He returns her affections, but as a servant, he cannot court her. But magic, right? Of course, the magical stone isn't enough to cross class lines, so it's fortunate that Tristan has a secret to reveal.

Lilliana and Tristan are both really good, likeable people, so it's easy to root for them. And the author does a good job in a limited number of pages to show that they have other things in common besides attraction. I just found that the story was a bit boring. The stone's past successes and Lillie's grandmother's support along with the knowledge that class isn't really an issue make it clear from page one that there's not much standing in their way. I guess, in short, it's just too easy.

But it's a sweet story that is 99 percent devoid of anxiety, and sometimes that's just what you want to read.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

Sophie Barnes delivers another wonderful romance. The length of this novella is perfect - there is enough meaningful interactions between Lilli and Tristan to make their romance believable without dragging out the events more than necessary. I loved that Lilli was willing to fight for Tristan when she thought he was just a valet because it showed that she was in love with him and willing to face the scandal of marrying a servant. It also showed how practical she was in realizing that they would need a plan on how to live on his wages. And how could you not like Tristan who was willing to put himself to work in order to support his family. It's a bit of a shame that his father came out doing well in the end because he certainly did nothing to deserve such good fortune. One of my favorite things about this book was also that there was no "you lied to me" blowup like in many romance novels with similar circumstances in them. Lilli immediately understood why Tristan kept his background a secret - it was quite a refreshing moment. Hopefully the magic of the rose quartz works for Iris too!

Cute quick story. Very clean short story about the daughter of an Earl who feels something for her brother’s valet. And you know that’s a no-no. Not a lot of character development is possible with short stories but I felt like I learned a lot about Tristan and ended up loving his character. Not steamy, so don’t be disappointed. Light read that was enjoyable.

This is an adorable story of magic, misunderstandings and management I loved how our heroine is such a feisty gal, willing to look past society norms to love the man she wants. She waited so long for her turn with the magic necklace, it still surprises her that it worked so fast, but not with someone she thought it would be. I love how Grandmama worked her ‘magic’ to see her granddaughter happy. Patience was the key! Our hero is caught in such a mess and is diligent to help his family gets out of it through hard work, but when he hears what his father has done, he takes the reins in his own hands and brings about the change needed for all to be happy. This is a delicious story and you will be highly entertained!

What a thoroughly enjoyable, read in one sitting romance, 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢! Tristan and Lilliana lit up the page of this delightful regency novella. Tristan seeks honest employment and hides his identity to do so. While working as a valet he falls for his employer’s sister. For her part, Lilli is completely smitten with him. I enjoyed watching them fall in love and overcome all the obstacles keeping them apart. I’m giving 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢 the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

Quick novella love story of class differences holding two people in lust apart from each other.

Set in the Regency era, Lady Lilliana wants to marry for love, and is given a magic amulet that will help her find her true love.

Who turns out to be the valet of her brother, which will not do.

But we know from the start that he is no ordinary valet, as he is well read, and well spoken, and reads Shakespeare.

Cute, but very formula, as you don't have time for much more in a novel. No hot sex. Just a little heavy petting, and lusting after each other.

If you are looking for a quick dip into romance, this is a pleasant enough distraction.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was disappointed in this novella.
It is Lillian's turn to wear the gem that will lead her to the man fated to be her husband. Only it leads her to her brother's valet.
Tristan had no choice but to seek work with his father gambling about everything and incurring debts. He lies about his past knowing nobody would hire gentry as a valet.
There was insta lust and nothing after. There was no connection even if the gem was convinces otherwise, I wasn't.
2 stars.

3.5 stars!
Lilli and Tristan fall in lust at first sight due to the effects of a magic crystal - unfortunately, the magic crystal does not tell them how to overcome their class differences - however, it does manage to maim all her other suitors!
Confused? Intrigued? On the verge of re-thinking your entire life? Go read this novella - a nice, quick read with hot kisses. A cute story with a crush-worthy hero !
My thanks to NetGalley, the producers, and the author for the ARC!