This regency romance has a wonderful cover and premise, but fell a bit flat for me. I would have loved a dual point of view. I didn't love any of the characters and I really hated the antagonists so I didn't enjoy this read as much as I was hoping. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

This had its moments while historically set, didn't feel quite historically authentic. But no matter, this was still a fun read, the characters were interesting and didn't contain some of the anachronisms that others do, it just felt more modern than regency in its style and pacing.

Phoebe Fairfax is desperate to have one adventure as the heroine before her brother’s Monstrous Marriage Master Plan is completed and she’s forced to marry ‘Earl Crusty-Roll on Onion Manor’. But with each attempt at adventure the situation seems to spiral out of her control aided by the deceitful motivations of another debutant, and even more frustrating, the pragmatic and serious Viscount Damerel seems to just around every corner waiting to vex her.

This YA Regency Romance book has adventure and hilarious mishaps abound. It takes clear inspiration from the sibling dynamics of Little Women and from the romance dynamics of Pride and Prejudice. While for the most part I enjoyed the experience of reading, it felt a little too unoriginal for me. In addition, I wasn’t super satisfied by Phoebe’s arc I feel like she deserved more and far better behavior or more sincere apologies from those around her.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC.

One last adventure before her marriage to an odious old Earl lands Phoebe in the hands of a viscount. A typical regency romp, this book was entertaining with its dose of shenanigans, and slow burn romance. It was okay just not good or great.

#netgalley #TheMismatchoftheSeason

This is a very cute Regency romance! It leans rather more YA than adult, not because of the lack of spice but because Phoebe felt very very young in her narration. It's also single POV, which pulls it more towards a teen feeling, and I would have liked the MMC to have more page space for his emotions to create a little more chemistry, as the book feels like it's largely about Phoebe and not the two of them together. That being said, I did enjoy the way that everything unfolded, and I would recommend this to those looking for a light, gentle Regency read.

Ok I loved this story!
Very good and witty! Loved it! Highly recommend! I loved the characters and storyline!

• A Mans World •

| time piece | regency romance | rake | bodice ripper | arranged marriage | strong willed FMC | dreamer | tension | angst | unique voice | man obsessed | third person | high society | steamy | slow burn | HEA |

Would I recommend it? YES.
Was there spice? No, but there was so much tension and a story worthy of your time.

This was my first Regency romance. I have always wanted to give this sub-genre a try and I am so glad that I did because I loved every moment of this story. It kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat the entire time. I truly had so much fun reading this, even if, at times I didn’t fully understand the terms or references.

This story was a wild ride, with twists and turns. I was completely immersed from start to finish. A story full of tension, longing, and the endless dreams of a woman who just wants to be a heroine on a grand adventure. I love a strong-minded FMC, and Phoebe delivered. There were so many things to love about this story. The slow-burn romance was so worth the wait. Although we don’t get spice in this book, what we did get was so delicious to witness.

Happy Reading, Friends xx

I rarely read regency romance books but this one sounded so adventurous and I was interested to see what happens in Phoebe's life. But the pacing was so bad and the characters felt so boring. The author was also new to me, so it took me quite a while to adjust with the writing style. And some instances and words were really repetitive. And Phoebe made quite some stupid choices and I felt second hand embarassment for her. I was initially interested in the story but the execution really fell flat and I was left feeling disappointed, ngl.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

Miss Phoebe is supposed to marry an old Early according to her dead father’s wishes and all she wants is to have an adventurous life. She decided to run away but her escape is shortened when her first adventure ends with a wounded arm and a Viscount who is insufferable. When she is back home, her brother generously allows her and her sister to visit Bath and have last bits of freedom there.

It is not a bad story. If you enjoyed Pride and Prejudice you will love it, no question. I loved Phoebe and what she stands for, she is definitely a handful and trouble seems to find her anywhere, she is a very vivid and likeable character.

For me unfortunately there wasn’t enough tension and interaction between her and viscount who is supposed to be a love interest. This story definitely falls into a slow burn category.

This was a fun little regency romp with all the expected moments — headstrong girl puts on breeches to run away, headstrong girl speaks her mind, headstrong girl makes a scene … — and, best of all, consequences! Phoebe may have good intentions, but she’s coming from a place of ignorance. She’s not accustomed to society, its pitfalls and its poisons, and when she steps in blindly, with no preparation or forethought, she gets … well, she gets caught. And caught up.

More action oriented than introspective, Phoebe doesn’t really go through any great and sudden growth. It’s small, instead, and the big message here is one of honesty. When Phoebe stops lying, boasting, and ignoring her problems, when she actually uses her words, things happen, usually for the better.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Overall I felt as though this one was a bit repetitive. I really wanted to like it given then small humerus jokes and cute romance but the pacing just wasn’t for me. I felt as though some things just didn’t line up and confused me. I did find the main character to be funny and humorous but she was also kind of the standard. I was waiting for something but it felt like I had read the story before in another form. Overall I felt it was cute but could be repetitive for those who read romance a lot.

Devon - 1820

Miss Phoebe Fairfax finds herself betrothed to the Earl of Cumberland. The man is nearly 60 and smells of onions. Phoebe’s parents have passed on and her oldest brother, Lord Thomas Fairfax, 30, is her legal guardian. (Phoebe has 3 sisters and 4 brothers.) Thomas has decided that since her father had wanted her to marry this odious man, he doesn’t have to give her a season. So, he plans to simply marry her off. Oh, but Phoebe is not having this. So, her plan is to dress as her brother, Fred, take the bit of money she has saved, and escape to London.

Phoebe boards a coach with numerous other people who think she is a young man. When an attempted robbery of the coach results in her getting a sword and fighting the robber, she ends up getting injured in the shoulder. A wealthy man, Viscount Alex Dameral that had been at the rest stop recognizes that she is indeed a young woman so he takes her to his home to see that she gets treatment. When he sees she gets home safely, Phoebe’s brother, Thomas, is furious with her and sends her and her sisters to stay with an aunt and uncle in Bath. There, they meet a young woman, Aurelia who claims to be engaged to Thomas. She is a nasty young woman looking to put other women down while getting into much mischief herself.

As Phoebe counts down the days until her dreaded wedding to the Earl, she is contending with the bronchial problems of her younger sister, Josephine. She has had many scares over the years. That, and a secret she is keeping for another young man puts a lot of worry on her young shoulders. She finds herself attracted to the Viscount but feels as if he is disdainful of her. What will the future bring for her?

One has to feel so bad for many young women of this time period who had no say so over whom they married. Some ended up living a miserable life and others just made do with their fate. However, in this book there is certainly a lot of action and some humor as well. Aurelia is the kind of person who seeks to make people miserable and one can only say to her: Boo-Hiss! Come enjoy this story and put yourself in the shoes of how young ladies lived during this time period.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A welcome addition to my regency library, this book follows a well trodden storyline but that does not reduce the enjoyment of reading it. potential forced marriage, confusion, a feisty heroine and a brooding male, this not quite enemies to lovers storyline makes for a light and quick read. I look forward to the next book from this author and will look to find any previous ones.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Michelle Kenney for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Mismatch of the Season coming out January 10, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I have definitely read a lot of Regency romance so I have seen a lot of the same ideas used. I thought this book was good. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. It wasn’t super different from other regency books I’ve read, but it did feel really cozy. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. It was on the shorter side, so there could’ve been a little more depth into the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed it though. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet romance novels!

Whilst not immediately engaging, this story is a slow-burn Regency romance that gradually draws you into the flawed but glamorous Regency society and invests you in Phoebe and her sisters, who are vibrant characters determined to defy society's conventions. Phoebe faces a terrible marriage and wants to have some adventures before her life becomes a mere existence. The duplicity and misogyny of Regency society are explored through this story's characters, and the passionate, if unfulfilled, connection between Phoebe and the Viscount simmers throughout. I enjoyed Phoebe's exploits and connection with the Viscount, the forbidden attraction they experience and the twists that make this an entertaining novel.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This was a delightful Regency adventure following Phoebe Fairfax as she employed every weapon to escape marriage to an odious and aged Earl.

Plagued by interference from an antagonistic but oddly appealing Viscount and the schemes of his supposed betrothed, Phoebe does everything she can to thwart her brother's plans. Will she succeed, or will she become a miserable and reluctant Countess?

Highly enjoyable, this book had hijinks, disguises, surprising encounters and twists, and strong Pride & Prejudice vibes. My only wishes would be for the steam to be higher, and for the final chapters to be longer.

The Mismatch of the Season was a lovely read. I enjoyed all the rather insane adventures Phoebe got herself into. I really enjoyed the relationship and friendship between the 4 sisters. This definitely had Pride and Prejudice vibes and also Little Women a little bit with the sister relationships.

Overall this book was a fun read but there are some parts I wish were a tad different. I do wish this was dual POV so we can see more why the MMC falls for the FMC. It seemed rather sudden when he was proclaiming his love for her all of a sudden. I mean I saw it coming since it’s a regency romance but still. Also I wish we had saw the repair of Phoebe and Sophie’s relationship. I’m rating it 3.5 starts, it would have been four but the ending was a little rushed.

Thank you Netgalley and One More Chapter and HarperCollins for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is a mismatch....

Phoebe was written as very immature and young. She does not want to marry an elderly earl.
She and Damerel (not the elderly earl, but a young viscount) start off as enemies, well, more bickering, than enemies.

2 stars

It’s readable.

This is a story that gets better several chapters in, but it never gets exactly ‘good.’ If you adore fanfiction tropes, this may be a worthwhile title for you, but it was a too contrived and twee for me.

Phoebe, our main character, is super skinny and petite despite eating a ton. She dreams of a future where women have equality of dress and employment, is not like other girls, and wants to be like a heroine in a novel. Therefore, the first four chapters of this story read like a parody of historical romance, especially as it accumulates several historical inaccuracies. Much later on, the narrative does (thankfully) acknowledge the utter absurdity of Phoebe’s ill-thought-out adventures, but not in a way that makes it seem like an intentional satire (like Northanger Abbey). Don’t come to this book for a tongue-in-cheek tone or lovingly pointing fun at historical romance tropes, come to this book for indulgent plot contrivances, overt sexual tension, and heavy rom-com vibes.

For me, the story just wasn’t fun enough to warrant the level of self-indulgence. Perhaps if it took itself less seriously, I’d have an easier time letting go of my critical thinking and just enjoy the ride.

What’s a girl to do 🤷‍♀️

What a whirlwind ride! Following the escapades of a young woman who wants to have freedom and not have to marry the purple onion Duke is anything but calm.
Her first attempt at freedom has Phoebe Fairfax fleeing her home dressed as a youth on the mail coach. At a dinner stop she unwittingly imbibes in the landlords “devils brew”, challenges a highway man to a duel and is injured and rescued by the noted Corinthian Viscount Damerel who mistakes her for a ‘bit of muslin’ as Phoebe so succinctly terms it.
Realising his mistake Damerel takes her back to her home and her dreadful older brother Thomas who is insisting she accept the betrothal pledge her father had made with the Earl of Cumberland just after she was born. It’s a matter of honor!
However their Aunt Harriet persuades Thomas to allow his sisters to go to Bath for the waters for Phoebe’s younger invalided sister, Josephine.
The visit doesn’t start well with Phoebe’s generous nature being maligned by a vicious young society thing who has an understanding taken at birth with the Viscount.
There’s drama, drugs, horses getting away, falling into rivers and a host of other mishaps that Phoebe gets blamed for. What a train wreck!
I absolutely loved this!

A One More Chapter invitation read via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)