The Queen's Deadly Damsels are back, and they mean business!

Ivy Cavendale is the headmistress of All Souls Orphanage. She needs this job because it provides her with room, board, and small income.
Lady Olivia Smithwick has placed Ivy at the orphanage against Lady Philippa Winterbourne's wishes. Philippa hates Oliva, and rightfully so.

One day, a man breaks into the orphanage, and Ivy shoots him, only wounding him. Commissioner Edward Worthington , Duke of Landbourne, will take over this case and make sure that Ivy is not harmed. Edward is also invested in finding the Devil's Sons, a brotherhood of lords that is in the sex trafficking business. Ivy and Edward will bring one of the main bad guys to justice while also falling in love.

I really enjoyed Ivy, Edward, and Reading's character. The bickering between Edward and Reading was delightful.

Thank you, Netgalley and Boldwood Books, for this cozy ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Rating 5/5

This book is the fourth book in The Queen’s Deadly Damsels -series. The book follows Lady Ivy Cavendale and Commissioner Edward Worthington. We have met Ivy in the previous books of the series, and she has always seemed like an interesting character.

In this book, Ivy has started to work as a headmistress in an orphanage. During the first night, there is an incident with an intruder. From there, the book takes off. Police are called; they don’t believe Ivy about the intruder until Commissioner comes over. After that, Ivy and the Commissioner work closely together to catch the intruder and find out his motives. During the investigation, we learn more about Ivy and see how the relationship between the two develops.

This book was by far my favorite out of the four we have. However, the story with the devil’s sons still seems to be far from over. I have enjoyed the series immensely, so if there is to be another book in the series, I will be reading it! I would very much recommend this book to anyone who likes Bridgeton-esque romance with a hint of Nancy Drew.

This was an entertaining regency romance and thriller. It has a first time romance, with lots of exploration, some surprise spice, and healing after trauma. The MMC is very patient and encouraging, and let's Ivy move at her own pace, after suffering mental abuse from her family.
The crime mystery plotline was intriguing and added tension and drama, as it explores some dark layers and villainous characters in society. I liked the support from Ivy's friends, the comedy aspects when they are talking about scandalous events, and the bond Ivy has with the children.

I have read two previous books from this author; however, this can be read as a standalone. Here, we meet Ivy Cavendale, the new head mistress at the All-Soul’s Orphanage. One night, she encounters an intruder at the orphanage, which thrusts her into a much bigger mystery. She gets involved assisting Edward Worthington, a duke and Commissioner working as a spy for Queen Victoria.

They each have their own emotional baggage they need to address; Ivy has been emotionally and physically scarred by trauma and abuse from her family, whereas Edward never recovered from his guilt over his sister’s death twenty years ago. The two are still attracted to each other and with the other’s help, can deal with their issues in a constructive manner.

Lots of intrigue, mystery, danger, romance that keeps you interested. I enjoyed this and thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I submit my honest review voluntarily.

A Most Unlikely Lady is book #4 in Darcy McGuire's Deadly Damsels series, which focuses on a group of wallflowers who are much more than what they seem. This is Ivy Cavendale's story, who's had more than her share of trauma in the first 3 books and definitely deserves a happily ever after. Lady Ivy finds a new purpose in life when she teams up with another aristocrat to run a Victorian orphanage. She immediately finds that the children are at risk from the Devil's Sons, a dangerous group she is deeply familiar with. Commissioner Edward Worthington is fascinated by Ivy, and vows to keep her and the children safe. I really enjoyed the appearances from previous characters in this book, and how we also get more backstory about one very important character. Ivy and Edward's story is sweet, and I thought this was an excellent installment in the series.

Read this if you like found family, close proximity, witty banter, mutual respect, and when a character finds their voice AND their happily ever after. Sensitive readers should check trigger warnings if you haven't read the first three books, as the mystery in this series deals with dark subject matter.

This is book 4 in 'The Queens Deadly Damsels' series. They appear to be a series of interconnected standalone stories, and having not read books 1-3 did not impact my understanding or enjoyment of this book, however, having read it, I definitely wish I had read the prior 3 as I reckon they will be great stories judging by the snippets of the other ladies we meet in this book.
I was totally engrossed in this story, finishing it in 2 sittings over the course of 9 hours, I just didn't want to put it down but alas real life interrupted me!
Set under the reign of Queen Victoria, the women are understandably constrained by societies standards of the time, however they show strength and confidence at times that gives them some modern day grit!
There's some really tough topics addressed, such as abuse, orphanage, illegal homosexuality, grief and violence. The topics are inkeeping with the setting and handled appropriately. To counterbalance the harsh realities of many of the characters, we also see humour, warmth friendships, trust, and love.
There are some fairly explicit discussions and scenes, the language all being time-setting appropriate.
Fans of period romances with a bit of mystery and thrill to them will absolutely love this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story follows Miss Ivy Cavendale, a headmistress of a London orphanage, who joins forces with the commissioner of the Scotland Yard to find and catch an intruder who broke into the orphanage. On the way, they encounter all sorts of danger, and sparks fly.

I loved it. The story gripped me from the very start and I was hooked. I enjoyed the new characters, and I loved catching up with the ‘old’ ones. Philipa is just the best, so badass.

The twist at the end I could see coming, but I felt it worked well, and didn‘t take away from the enjoyment. I highly recommend this book and the whole series as well.

I do love a good regency romance. This was good. I enjoyed this very much! There was a great plot, romance, mystery, spies... What a fun ride and emotional one this took me on.

~~ arc review✨
a most unlikely lady is the fourth installment of the queen's damsels series, but as you can read it as a standalone as well. this book focuses on miss ivy cavendale who, after her fathers and brothers scandals, is left with a tarnished name and almost no financial security vows to never trust a man and is now the headmistress of all souls orphanage. That is, until she finds an intruder at the orphanage and is thrust into the middle of a much bigger mystery alongside duke and commissioner edward worthington. while both characters carry their own heavy emotional baggage, it is soon obvious that they can't seem to stay away from each other.
°°°
let me start by saying that this is not your average duke-meets-lady regency romcom. this book focuses on trauma, grief, post trauma healing, justice, and much more!!! while i was very emotional reading these themes, i know they can be triggering for some so please check the warnings before starting.
i loved how this story didn't have a slow start, how it stepped right into the action and kept that pace with its storyline. as with all regency inspired books, i really loved the overall vibes and especially the concept of the queen having a group of women called the deadly damsels.
the plot focusing on so many important themes like injustice towards women, verbal abuse and harassment, and trauma recovery were balanced amazingly with the romantic aspect and the ongoing mystery. although the mystery wasn't that much of a mystery, i think it added enough tension without dragging anything down. if only the emotional resolution had a bit more space because i felt like after everything the ending came a little bit rushed.
the characters tho... i loved (almost) everyone and i'd love to talk about them one by one but the main characters need their own moment because both were imperfectly perfect. ivy made me cry and my heart ache more than i could count with everything she had to endure and went through. but she also made me smile, be proud of the woman she became, and cheer on for her. the character development she, herself, went through is just amazing and so empowering. her strength, her composure, her bravery when it comes to those she loves, and her fierceness... she might be one of my favorite female characters. but let's also take a moment for edward, who might be the most caring and delicate man ever written. the tenderness he treated ivy with, understanding the trauma, respecting her and her ideas, and him being in awe by ivy's fierceness and bravery made everything so much better. he's also not the duke you'd expect, his quiet vulnerability and hauntedness added much more depth to his character. while both of their backstories made me cry a lot, i loved the way they healed each other.
overall, a most unlikely lady is a steamy (A LOT so definitely beware) but emotional historical romance with sharp but vulnerable heroes and lots of mysteries among the noble. i'll probably be picking up the former books but this one comes out june, 6th!!!
thank you so much to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the digital copy of "a most unlikely lady" in exchange for an honest review.

Queen Victoria's Deadly Damsels are the best! I love watching Ivy discover her strength as she becomes headmistress of an orphanage and has to deal with an intruder and the threat of more. Edward is an upstanding man who's also totally swoonworthy. Love this series and I can't wait for the next book!

A Most Unlikely Lady by Darcy McGuire is the fourth book in the series called The Queen’s Deadly Damsels. In each of the prior novels the damsels were able to solve and help the Queen. This novel focuses on Miss Ivy Cavendale, a wall flower and a woman who had been beset by troubles with her father and brother leaving her with next to nothing.

Ivy decides that she needs an occupation and becomes the headmistress of All Souls Orphanage. Ivy describes herself (as do many others as shy and retiring.) however when someone breaks into the orphanage intent on harm, Ivy rises to the occasion and is able to stop the assault. Later , she realizes that the group The Devil’s Sons were responsible. The Devil’s Sons are a ring of aristocrats and others who kidnap/steal young girls and sell them into slavery. The trafficking of young girls is something that Commissioner Edward Worthington, a dashing Duke and Scotland Yard Commissioner is focused on and he is hoping that Ivy can help him track down the person she saw.

Duchess of Dorsett, Lady Philippa Winterbourne who runs the Queen’s Deadly Damsels is not sure that this is something Ivy should do. However, she does see how Ivy and Edward can connect…

I enjoyed the novel. It started off with a bang and allowed the reader to become pulled into the mystery. I enjoyed Ivy coming into her own and liked Edward for her. A Most Unlikely Lady by Darcy McGuire is a good read.

A Most Unlikely Lady by Darcy McGuire comes out this week (June 6).

Ivy Cavendale is a friend of the Queen's Deadly Damsels and the current (and newest) headmistress at an orphanage. After a harrowing incident she encounters Commissioner Edward Worthington, spy for Queen Victoria. They grow closer as the danger surrounding them increases, but can they both overcome their past and find their way to happiness together? I liked it! I have read the previous books in this series and have enjoyed them all. This one was a little slow to start for me but the pacing picks up as you go along. Both Ivy and Edward are haunted by their past and closed off for their own reasons. Ivy has been emotionally scarred by family trauma and abuse. Edward is wracked by guilt over his sister's death 20 years ago. It was satisfying to watch Edward help Ivy draw on her inner strength to overcome some of the horrific events of her past, as Ivy did the same for Edward. (Pay attention to content warnings, there's always delicate content since the series deals with human trafficking, but this one has some especially troubling content.) This is not a standalone and as with the other books in this series, there's a nice mix of intrigue, danger, and romance. Throughout there are touches of dry wit, which I always enjoy. Great choice if you're looking for an open-door historical romance with intrigue and suspense and a mystery to (continue to try to) solve. Definitely read the other books in the series for peak enjoyment! Publishes June 6, 2025. This review was based on a complimentary eARC of the book and all opinions are my own.

With every book in this series I enjoy it more. Lady Ivy is a heroine much to my tastes. Almost 30 and a wallflower capable of cowing even the Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Lessons in intimacy on top of this make for a great dynamic between them. This series is about ladies absolutely capable of defending themselves, but who find their ideal partners and protectors along the way. They work together and are equally in charge. I honestly thought this would be the last book, but the overarching plot isn’t fully resolved. Some things that I think are or have been red herrings, but I think I was able to guess at least part of the direction this will continue to take. A fun, sexy, historical romance, and absolutely a fun series. Just considering how industry never feels like it’s really part of these books, aside from the fact that Queen Victoria is ultimately in charge these do feel like they might have been Regency era, and the covers don’t do much to dispel that. Nonetheless, looking forward to the continuation and absolutely recommend.

Give it a try if any of this makes interests you:

- Victorian setting
- evil secret society
- kick ass women
- A+ tension and yearning
- comedy
-🌶️🌶️🌶️

- This follow a cute romance between Ivy and Edward who are trying to keep watch over an orphanage and try to catch a criminal organization involved in the kidnappings of young children in a human trafficking ring. Ivy has had a lot of hardships from her family's fall of grace from the aristocracy and the emotional and verbal abuse she received from her father prior to his death (Note: abuse was sexual, not physical but verbally). She may be shy and fragile but she has a quiet resilience and strength about her that Edward can't help take note of fall head over heels for her. Did I also mention that Ivy is able to hold her own in a fight (She's part of a group of ladies who've been trained in weaponry and self-defense to protect those most vulnerable). Edward could be a bit of an idiot at times (constantly thinking he's not good enough for a long term relationship) while also dealing with his own trauma. Their relationship started off exploratory and then sweet/emotional as they slowly start to fall for one another. Overall, this was a sweet, swash-buckling romance with some dark elements as they both try to help support each other and heal from past wounds.

ARC received with thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

A Most Unlikely Lady is the fourth installment in Darcy McGuire’s series, but it works perfectly as a standalone, as each book focuses on different characters.

This historical romance was a refreshing and thoroughly entertaining read. The witty banter and the characters’ inner monologues had me laughing out loud more than once. The story centers on Ivy, who has recently accepted a position as headmistress at an orphanage. When an intruder breaks in, Ivy—trained by the Queen’s Deadly Damsels—doesn’t hesitate to defend herself and shoots him.

Edward, a lord and the commissioner of Scotland Yard, already has his eye on Ivy. When he hears of the incident, his protective instincts kick in, and he moves into the orphanage to ensure her safety. Together, they work to uncover who is behind the break-in and the mysterious group known as the Devil’s Sons.

Amid the intrigue and danger, Ivy and Edward must also confront past traumas before they can acknowledge their growing feelings for one another. Their emotional journey adds depth to the fast-paced plot and charming romance.

A delightful mix of mystery, action, and romance with strong, likable characters—this book is a standout in the genre and a joy to read.

📖 Title: A Most Unlikely Lady-The Queen's Deadly Damsels #4

✍🏾 Author: Darcy McGuire-I've read books#2 & 3 both 4*

📅Publication date: 6/6/25 | Read 5/29/25

📃 Format: e-Book 333 pgs.


Genre:
*Historical Romance
*Adult Fic
*Mystery/Crime Thriller

Tropes:
*damsel in distress
*friends to lovers
*opposites attract
*forced proximity
*secret identity
*slow burn

👆🏾POV: 3rd person

⚠️TW: orphanage, h attacked, death of family members, sex trafficking ring, virgin h

🌎 Setting: Islington, England

Summary: When headmistress Lady Ivy shoots an intruder at the orphanage, Commissioner Edward comes to investigate even though he's already spying for Lady Philippa. Ivy doesn't know Edward has been tasked with keeping her safe while searching for the leaders of The Devil's Sons (TDS), a "flesh" ring that prays on young women who come to London looking for work as housemaids. They are trafficked and forced into prostitution with no recourse. Ivy and Edward join forces to bring all the rogues to justice.


👩🏾 Heroine: Lady Ivy Cavendale- 29, headmistress of All Souls Orphanage. Her father Lord Cavendale was a mad duke who died after murdering her brother Alfred. Her father taught her to fear/be repulsed by men and sex.

👨🏾 Hero: Commissioner Edward Worthington/Duke of Landbourne- 39, a spy for Queen Victoria tasked w/ finding TDS

🎭 Other Characters:

* Lady Olivia Smithwick/Marchioness of Brightmore-offered Ivy the headmistress job as Committee of Concerned Ladies for Community Betterment-ladies of the beau monde who organize and fund the orphanage.
*Lady Philippa Winterbourne/Duchess of Dorsett-distrusts Olivia, trains Ivy to protect herself
*Liza-Edward's deceased sister
*Lady Millicent Drake, Lady Hannah Killian, and Lady Penny Renquist-Ivy's BFFs
*Mr. Reading- Edward's secretary
*The Wolf and The Crow-leaders of the Devil's Sons still at large

🤔 My Thoughts: Ivy was a shy wallflower who wanted to fade in the background, but Edward saw more in her. He knew she was independent, brave, and an amateur sleuth. Ivy had her sexual awakening with Edward, and she accepted him the more time they spent together. Edward's flirty banter and humor made him a swoon-worthy hero.


Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5 🌶️

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Darcy McGuire for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The commissioner for the met and a disgraced wallflower hunt down the next member of the brotherhood. I loved the relationship between the heroine and the hero, and how her sexual trauma was dealt with.

I really hope the next romance in the series is queer.

I’ve read the previous books in this series and have to say I prefer these last 2 to the earlier ones. Ivy is a lovely character, meek and innocent, ruined by her father and brother’s legacies. She’s just started a new job as headmistress of an orphanage but disaster strikes on the first night!

They soon find out that The Devil’s Sons are behind the intruder and along with The Queen’s Deadly Damsels, plans are put in place to flush them out. But as we know from the previous books in the series, there’s also a man involved and love starts to bloom.

I really enjoy these, the characters are likeable (well, most!) and well written, each bringing their own story to the novel. Love the dynamic between Stokes and Philippa, makes me chuckle every time! I’m hoping there will be another one, but there doesn’t seem to be any single characters left!

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book.

I knew this was a part of a series going into it, however I was able to completely read it as if it was a standalone. This did deal with some very serious situations, however it was still a very fun read. It really drew me in, and it's made me very curious to read the other books, and see where the full story goes. Apart from a few loose ends that I know would be mentioned in future books, I really enjoyed the ending, it was perfect! I also really adored the growth of the main characters and Philippa. I'd love a story for her as well! Reading (the character) is everything though and he really stole the show. I think it's that related concept that gave me the most issues with this book. I think I just really wanted more actual action/mystery solving, and it wasn't really there. But other than that this was a good book.

Thank you so very much again for allowing me the privilege of reading this book I really appreciate it!

This was really hard for me because I have loved the other books in this series, and especially loved The Confessions of a Lady. However, I found it almost impossible to click with this story. Unlike the previous books in the series, the love in this one lacked depth and longing. It was very insta-love/insta-lust, and while it could've worked, it just didn't for me because of Ivy's trauma and past. I understand their relationship was something to help Ivy overcome her fears, but it came off like they both ignored her own boundaries where she was comfortable and moved too quickly.

I also didn't love Edward and Philippa's relationship, past or present. I thought the "oh what happened" was drawn out too long, and when we did find out what happened, I thought both of their takes on the situation felt unrealistic considering how long it had been. It also, for the first time, made me dislike Philippa to a degree.

I did enjoy the mystery portion of this, and thought it had a complex nature to it for the rest of the series, but I do wish there had been more mystery in this one; it could've been interesting.