A riotous, sparkling comedy of manners with all the wit and fizz of a 2000s romcom dressed in a Regency gown. I’m assuming this is at least partially based off the film “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” and as I love that film and Irwin’s previous novels, I knew I had to read this one. How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days is less a traditional love story than a battlefield where Miss Lydia Hanworth and Lord Ashford go head-to-head in a delightfully absurd yet high-stakes war of wills.
Lydia, the wealthy granddaughter of a businessman, has no interest in marrying a titled aristocrat and surrendering her freedom. Unfortunately, Lord Ashford proposes anyway, and, forced to accept, Lydia begins a desperate ten-day campaign to make him call off the engagement. Although Lydia is a force of nature, Ashford is more than up for the challenge. When he starts retaliating with pranks of his own, the result is pure chaos, in the best way. The back-and-forth between them is hilarious, sharp, and often outrageous, and Irwin fills the novel with colourful side characters which ensures that there's never a dull moment. However, the story finds its heart in sometimes unexpected places.
That said, the novel occasionally felt a tad overlong, weighed down slightly by the various subplots that, while entertaining, sometimes pulled focus from the central dynamic. And though I absolutely loved the ending – which subverted my expectations somewhat - I was left wondering about one character in Paris whose thread never quite tied up, leaving mystery where I’d hoped for resolution.
Still, it’s a joy to read: frothy, clever, and wickedly entertaining. A regency romp with a thoroughly modern soul that Jane Austen would be proud of.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited when I was invited to read this book for an honest review and can't thank the publisher enough.

I loved this book! A historical fiction with enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers vibes in a regency setting - yes please! The setting was captivating (it's been a while since I've read a good regency that wasn't fantasy related) and the humour and banter between the two characters had me hooked. I honestly couldn't put it down and I was dying of laughter the whole time.

The main characters Lydia (great name) and Ashford were complex and engaging and there was also a whole host of secondary characters for you to become fond of, particularly Pip! There were so many moments within the ensemble of characters that had me swooning and then dying of second-hand embarrassment and laughter because of Lydia and Ashford's antics.

The dialogue is fast-paced and endearingly witty making it a very fun and enjoyable read. The story manages to remain light-hearted whilst covering some heavy and dark subject matter of an abusive relationship as well has lending to a mystery subplot.

If you love historical fiction romances with slow-burn romance, plenty of hilarious antics and banter, complex characters and a well written mystery, I highly recommend this! I can't wait to see what Sophie brings out next!

When the most eligible Lord in the ton wants to marry you, it’s a woman’s dream come true isn’t it? Sure, except of course, if you are Lydia Haworth. A spot of eavesdropping reveals he will only marry out of duty and she will only marry for love. When her hand is forced, there is only one silver lining - ten days where the engagement has to be kept secret….and Lydia has a few tricks up her sleeve to win back her freedom.

I really enjoyed this regency romance. It was interesting to see a format used in modern rom-com film, also applied in a historical romance novel. It worked brilliantly. The enemies to lovers vibe was written so fantastically and delivered exactly the vibe I was hoping for. There are a whole host of characters for you to meet and you’re bound to become fond of them, particularly Pip.
If all this wasn’t enough to convince you to read it, you should know this book is hilarious. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud whilst reading it.
Especially the pranks and bickering and banter. Please can we have a sequel and a Netflix adaptation? I need more of this book and its characters.

Definitely add this book to your TBR pile if you love historical fiction and romances, the enemies to lovers trope, and witty banter between characters.

Or as Pip would put it - “Fact is; excellent book”

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review an advanced book in exchange for an honest review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Irwin's regency romance books and, apart from a slight case of second-hand embarrassment, I loved this one just as much as the previous two.

In case you couldn't tell from the title, this is based loosely on How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, but the regency twist made this one all the more funny. Miss Lydia Hanworth is determined to marry only for love, she wants what her grandparents had, but fate intervenes when the most eligible bachelor of the ton proposes to her. Lydia knows she can't turn him down, not without dire circumstances, but she see's a chance when he states that their proposal will only be announced in 10 days at his cousins ball, 10 days in which Lydia aims to make him take back his proposal. Lydia was such a fun character. She's incredibly witty, confident and determined in equal measure, a force to be reckoned with, and more than willing to make a fool of herself if it means Ashford will take back his proposal.

When she first started 'acting' to make Ashford regret his proposal it did come off as a little cringe, the second-hand embarrassment was real, but when he caught onto her game the shenanigans became more and more hilarious and silly, from changing salt to sugar to altering clothing, and I found myself constantly smiling at their antics. Not only because of the hilarious nature, but because it was in these moments that Lydia and Ashford start seeing each other for who they truly are. Not the forms society forces them to become, but the fun, sometimes a little crazy people they are underneath all of societies expectations.

Irwin really brings regency England to life, but with a more modern twist. She shows us all different types of society, focusing not just on the Lord and Ladies, but the servants. Her side characters are always so well developed, and that was no different in this book. From the quirky older widow who flirts with the younger man, to the slightly ridiculous Captain who claims greatness falsely. But I think what I enjoyed was how Irwin wove them into the plot. They obviously have impacts on Lydia and Ashford, but they also become characters in their own right, and I found myself as invested in some of them as I was our two MC's.I think the biggest example of this was the side plot that was brilliantly woven into the story. Featuring Ashford's cousin, Sophie, her husband and Lydia's wannabe investigator brother, Pip. This plot added a little danger and darkness to a previously very lighthearted story, but at no point did it weigh the story down in anyway, if anything it added an extra depth, as well as giving our two characters the chance to learn more about one another in the process of investigating.

The romance itself gave off light enemies to lovers vibes, but where one person doesn't realise their enemies until later in the book, which added a humorous twist to the trope. It's slow burn thanks to Lydia's desire to end the proposal and Ashford's determination for a 'good' match, love not being mentioned. These are two opposites in so many ways. Lydia's determination to only marry for love, and Ashford's not wanting love in the mix at all, both with their own valid reasoning's: Lydia wanting what her grandparent's had, and Ashford not wanting to go through the heartbreak his father suffered. So it takes a moment for them to first even acknowledge their might be feelings, and then even longer for them to admit and act on it.

If you love regency romances where the tension lies in the touches and glances, with plenty of shenanigans, well developed characters and a mystery sub-plot to keep you intrigued, I would absolutely give this one a go. Irwin has become an insta-buy author for me, and I can't wait to see what she brings out next.

Please see link for review.

I have reviewed How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days for book recommendation and sales site LoveReading.co.uk. I’ve chosen this title as a Liz Pick of the Month.

I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the well-known romantic comedy movie which is not one of my favorites (but reading this book made me want to go back and give it a rewatch). I admire that the author was able to write something lighthearted but also go deeper into this era‘s issues with love and marriage. It shed light on so many topics as queerness, women losing all of their little independence when deciding to marry, marrying for love but then realizing your partner is not what you thought him/her to be etc. There were so many layers to this seemingly simple concept. In the beginning I had some difficulties getting into the story with longer chapters, getting to know so many characters when they got to the estate and keeping up with their age and who was interested in whom. As the story progressed I absolutely enjoyed the amount of different characters and the nuances they brought to the table. The second half of the book was so much fun with everything that was going on and the added mystery of the theft. It was funny, witty and much deeper than I had anticipated.

My review is now online on Goodreads, Fable and Waterstones. I will post about it on my instagram and add the review on Amazon on publication day.

I have very much enjoyed Sophie Irwin's other books so I was looking forward to this one, and it did not disappoint.

Sophie Irwin's characters are always such realistic people, with flaws as well as strengths. Lord Ashcroft is confused about why Lydia doesn't want to marry him, after all, he is so desirable! Lydia is brilliantly and flamboyantly furious and their ensuing battle to each make the other give way ramps up as the number of days they have left decreases, and of course they start to discover that perhaps they don't actually hate each other after all.

This book is so funny - I have giggled my way through it! The dialogue is witty and fast-paced making it a joy to read. It manages to remain light-hearted whilst covering some fairly bleak subject matter. There is an abusive relationship and coercive behaviour happening in a well-written little subplot which adds depth to the story, and a second diversion includes a mystery to be solved.

'How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days' is a historical romance by Sophie Irwin, and it's almost like the movie 'How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days' but with more banter and a bit of mystery thrown into the mix.

Probably my favourite by Sophie Irwin, the story is funny, as the characters are well written and interesting, and the double POV was a delight to read. Also, the side characters were entertaining as well, and they all added something to the story.

As for the romance, it was clever and kind of a slow burn, with a satisfying ending, though I would have needed a few more pages for a more wholesome conclusion.

Finally, the writing style was enjoyable and perfectly suited the story. The author actually, moreover, managed to keep things light while mixing the darkest elements of the story.

This review is also posted on Goodreads and Storygraph.

I thought this was a great book that I devoured in one sitting. Perfect for a day at the beach or in the afternoon by the pool.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely adored this book. After loving Sophie Irwin’s debut A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting (I literally bought a copy for a friend the minute I finished it), I was so excited to get my hands on How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days—and it completely lived up to the hype.

I flew through this in under 24 hours and yes, I stayed up until midnight to finish it. Totally worth the book hangover.

Lord Ashford has the title, the estate, and the social pressure to find a wife. Lydia? She’s smart, independent, and not about to give up her impressive dowry without falling in love first. So when Ashford proposes, Lydia can’t exactly say no without causing a scandal… but she can try to make him reject her instead. Cue the chaos.

Ashford and Lydia's back-and-forth is hilarious and full of chemistry. The pranks got a bit much near the end (especially when it starts to impact Lydia’s reputation), but honestly, I was too hooked to care.

There’s also a darker subplot involving an abusive relationship between side characters—handled with a lot of care and sensitivity but it may upset some. It really drives home the idea that not every “perfect” match is what it seems.

This book has all the charm, humour, and heart I’ve come to expect from Sophie Irwin. She’s officially on my must-read list.

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days comes out 31st July 2025—thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I’m a big fan of Sophie Irwin and her latest book didn’t disappoint.
Lydia Hanworth is looking for love, Lord Ashford is looking for a rich wife to save his family from ruin.
When he proposes to Lydia, she cannot refuse him, but has 10 days to make him change his mind.
Such a funny book, I really was laughing out loud!
With a wonderful array of characters and a satisfying ending, I absolutely loved this book.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

abandoning my other books just to read this on my phone at night!

This is the third Sophie Irwin historical romance I’ve read and she is just getting better and better. This one is her best yet. I likeable heroine, a hero who slowly grows on you and most importantly… it’s so funny.

The premise is exactly what you’d expect from the title. And this is a perfect homage to the trope. The way Lydia tortures Ashford is absolutely delightful and what I love is that the ways in which she tortures him are so cleverly pertinent to the time period. Only someone who truly understands the rules of Regency society could have a character break those rules so consistently. I would love to see a film of this story.

I love the way the author includes gay representation in her writing - I think it can be difficult to do this well within this time period but here it felt authentic and like it fitted the story.

There was also a scene which I loved where Lydia challenges Ashford by bringing up all the things a lady had to sacrifice to her husband when she married. It was incredibly poignant and also well thought out and again made me appreciate how well researched these stories are.

I love that Sophie Irwin is writing clean/closed door/ sweet regency romance that really keeps me entertained - I genuinely didn’t miss the smut at all!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this wonderful book on exchange for an honest review.

This was just lovely. Lydia and Ashford are horrendously badly matched and neither wish to marry and spend their lives together. Lydia has ten days to get out of the planned marriage and persuade Ashford she is not the one for him. Lydia is no shrinking violet and throws herself into the task making faux pas left right and centre many of which are very amusing. The many characters in the family circle are hoots and as the book tracks the ten days to the engagement announcement in detail, the day to day living is brought to life well. A fun read.

This isn't my usual genre, but I did enjoy Sophie Irwin's previous book, 'A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting', and thought I'd give it a go. I've also recently discovered 'Bridgerton' (I know - where have I been?! Late to the party as usual!) so was quite happy to immerse myself in Irwin's Regency world.

In this book, we meet the haughty Lord Ashford - a man with a title and some unfortunate business dealings to sort out which means he needs to marry money. The problem is, his idealistic father will only approve a love match - so Ashford needs to find a wealthy woman he can pretend to be in love with to get approval to marry. The perfect solution seems to be Miss Lydia Hanworth - she seems socially presentable, demure and compliant when Ashford has met her at parties, even if she comes from a family who own factories (absolutely not the done thing in high society!) Lydia's family are keen to marry her off and an announcement date for the engagement is set. What could possibly go wrong?!

Let's just say that Lydia isn't happy with the arrangement!

What follows is an often hilarious comedy of manners - or Lydia's total lack of them - at an extended house party graciously hosted by Ashford's sister, Phoebe. Lydia is determined to convince Ashford that he doesn't want to marry her and her tactics are very funny - hideous fashion choices, sabotage of Ashworth's own clothes, poor table manners, crass topics of conversation and testing the boundaries of Ashford's gentlemanly patience. She's strong, single-minded and an absolute force to be reckoned with and I loved her.

Until - of course - she starts to notice that Ashford isn't even remotely ugly, and can actually be quite nice... Yes, we can all see where it was going to head right from the start, but that doesn't matter a bit. Irwin is skilled at throwing obstacles in the path of true love, even as the protagonists are starting to realise their own true feelings. Add in sub-plots about Ashford's family and Lydia's eccentric brother and there's plenty of substance to get your teeth into here.

I'll admit I was surprised by just how funny this book was - I was prepared for gentle comedy, but Lydia is brutal and totally unrelenting in her mission to lose her lord in ten days, so there is some quite extreme behaviour. I laughed out loud quite a few times and would have been happy to stay in Lydia and Ashford's world a whole lot longer. By the time they were done antagonising each other, I was totally invested in the outcome of the story.

I'd recommend this if you like Regency romance with a bit of humour - there's much to love in the strong female lead too. I definitely want to read more from Sophie Irwin.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy of the book. This book is due for publication on 31st July, 2025.

📚 Book Review 📚

📖 How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days by Sophie Irwin (ARC)

Star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Out 31 July 2025

🪻💍🪻💍🪻💍🪻💍🪻

Rich, handsome, and titled Lord Ashford has every lady in England longing for his hand in marriage.

Everyone, that is, except Miss Lydia Hanworth – the only young woman Ashford wishes to marry.

Pressured into accepting Ashford’s proposal, the announcement must be kept secret for ten days. Can Lydia free herself from her obligations before the engagement is publicly announced, without ruining her reputation? You can achieve an awful lot in ten days, after all…

🪻💍🪻💍🪻💍🪻💍🪻

Firstly, big thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Sophie Irwin for inviting me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this. I read it so quickly, which is always a good sign. Lydia is a FMC you can really get behind and root for, and the situations she gets herself in to rid herself of Ashford are hilarious. Ashford, you also sympathise with and understand his motives. I don't want to give spoilers, but once cards are on the table for both of them, the hijinx increases, and I found myself laughing so much. The chemistry was electric, and I shouted KISS a few times.

There is also queer representation, which is great, especially for Pride Month. Queer people always have and always will exist, so I'm glad Sophie had subplots for that.

Only criticism? I wanted more at the end, but really, that's me just being greedy!

I've got this on preorder and am excited for my shelf trophy. I recommend, especially if you'd love a Bridgerton x How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days crossover with added tension and humour.

#bookreview #books #reading #book #bookpost #bookworm #bookish #love #Romance #netgalley #harpercollins #onemorechapter #humour #bridgertonvibes #howtolosealordin10days

I DEVOURED this in one sitting. By turns funny, romantic, sincere, and ridiculous, Irwin's writing never fails to refresh my love for the classic Regency romance.

What I loved:

• an unyielding heroine
• a notebook-wielding brother
• the "banana" dress
• a horrendous musical performance
• the stuck door
• "Cease."
• the hat in the tarn
• the glove in the fountain

What I didn't love:

• Ashford. 😬 He's a co-protagonist with Lydia and while I enjoyed their repartee, I felt that his character arc was incomplete. Odd, since he had some pretty significant personal things to face and overcome.

Thank you Harper Collins, Harper Fiction and Netgalley for sharing How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Having previously read and loved both A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting and A Lady’s Guide, who am I to turn down an invitation?

Our protagonist, Lydia Hanworth comes from a wealthy, social climbing family, determined to lift themselves from their humble roots of their grandfather being in trade, but, Lydia and her brother are outliers. They don’t care about social status or lack of breeding, Lydia is looking for love and is quite disheartened by the lack of opportunity the marriage-mart has brought her way, especially when she finds herself engaged to Lord Ashford, who himself is looking for a marriage of convenience and an injection of cash into the family estate.

And thus the games begin, Lydia finds herself ensconced at a house party alongside Lord Ashton, and amidst the higher echelons of society, determined to escape her engagement during this 10 day stay – from this point on, the story delivers truly comedic antics, wardrobe and devilishly funny tactics as Lydia tries ‘to lose a guy in 10 days’.

Alongside the comedy and hilarious core plot of this story is a more serious sub-plot that does call out the darker side of the marriage-mart and the regency era itself, an era steeped in inequality, classism, misogyny, which whilst a little distracting, also provided a dark/light comparative element to the whole story.

Sophie Irwin continues to deliver fun, comedy, and delightful historical rom-coms that enchant and delight and has delivers the most hilarious battles of Regency wills and determination that you will ever face.

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin's first novel, 'A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting', and so I was already looking forward to reading this, but a Regency version of 'How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days' was a particularly enticing concept.

Lydia Hanworth is single and wealthy, but with a grandfather in trade and a social-climbing family, she is looked down for her lack of breeding. But Lydia doesn't care about status, she only wants to marry for love. Lord Ashford is looking for a wealthy wife, but his romantic father will only approve a love-match. But perhaps his father will believe that he has fallen in love if he picks someone decidedly below his own social standing. But Lydia knows Ashford doesn't really care about her, so she will do anything to get him to call off their engagement, including completely embarrassing both of them at his cousin's house party. This book is a delightfully ridiculous series of pranks and mishaps as Lydia and Ashford face off in an epic battle of polite Regency wills, and then of course inevitably fall in love.

An absolutely charming read - perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer and Matthew McConaughey!

Thank you for my earc of this book. This is such a fun premise and the delivery didn’t disappoint. I loved the storyline and thought it was fun and engaging, and the secondary characters added so much to the story. I loved seeing how this ended too and would definitely read more books about other characters in this story!

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days book was an absolute delight! The moment I saw the title, I was hooked— I didn’t need to read the synopsis! It mixes laugh-out-loud comedy, witty banter, and tension, all wrapped up in a historical fiction setting.

I’m a huge fan of Sophie Irwin and this book has zoomed to the top of my favourites list. Lydia is such a breath of fresh air—not your typical regency heroine at all. She’s unapologetic, unafraid and challenges all the old-school traditions, despite her wealthy background. Ashford, arrogant and determined, thinks he’s landed a catch with Lydia for her hefty dowry, but how wrong he was. Their back-and-forth antics were absolutely hilarious.

What I love most is that there’s no instant love here, and it’s not your classic enemies to lovers story either. It adds a whole new level of excitement, even though we all know how “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” plays out. Both Lydia and Ashford have their own reasons for wanting to end the engagement, and neither is willing to back down.

The subplot that takes place takes a more serious turn, which I didn’t see coming. I’m still mulling over how it fits in but it didn’t distract from the main story at all.

Overall, this was a fun, charming and surprising and one that you should absolutely read. An easy five stars from me!