I really enjoyed this book! The characters were interesting and felt alive, and the plot kept me invested throughout. I’d love to read more as a series, seeing what crimes they solve next!

Simply fabulous. A real page turner with romance, intrigue and historical tit bits sprinkled liberally. We know about the role of women through time however this looks at the day to day endeavours and issues that women about town had to manage especially those linked to the theatre and not of noble birth. A really interesting romp through how a bruised couple from a different background come to overcome both their pride and their prejudice and give love a chance.

‘An Heiress Guide to Deception and Desire’ has been such a nice and quick read, perfect for this time of the year. I enjoyed the characters of Caro and Valentine in Manda Collins’ previous book in the series, so it’s been great to have a story solely focused on them (but with other characters from previous book making appearance of course!). It’s a really fun book to read with ‘An Heiress Guide to Deception and Desire’ being predominantly a historical rom-com, and yet having the elements of mystery, which is added bonus to the books by Manda Collins.

Definitely better than the first one, maybe because Cora and Valentin had more chemistry and above all a series of brilliant jokes. I'm also intrigued by the next one as well, we'll see.

Decisamente meglio del primo, forse perché Cora e Valentin avevano piú chimica e soprattutto una serie di battute brillanti. Mi incuriosisce comunque anche il prossimo, staremo a vedere.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Even though I haven't read the first book, I was able to follow the story without a problem.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was well written, quick, with nice characters and an interesting plot!

I will definitely read the first book of the series and the next too!

3.5 stars.

This was my second dip into historical romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The mystery aspect was interesting and I enjoyed following along the investigation.

The story follows the abduction of Effie Warrington, a popular actress and friend of Caroline. Effie is betrothed to Francis Thorn, the cousin of Caro’s former lover Valentine. Caro and Val unwittingly find themselves working together to uncover who is involved with Effie’s disappearance despite their tumultuous relationship and apparent dislike of each other. Val — who is now heir to the title of Viscount of Wrackham due to the tragic death of his brother — struggles with the expectations of the aristocracy placed upon him by his father which ultimately led to the demise of his relationship with Caro. Meanwhile, Caro has difficultly trusting Val after previous experiences with classism and snide comments about her family.

I thought that the commentary on class division was very interesting and I felt for Caro, whose family has suffered as a result of aristocratic elitism. Caro was a strong and independent heroine who also has her vulnerabilities and I really enjoyed her as a character. She is an advocate for women and also a very feminist take on a HR heroine. There are strong feminist undertones throughout the story and the depiction of struggles that women face was realistic and relevant even in today’s society, such as the dangers of rejecting the advances of a man and double standards of men and women regarding sexual promiscuity.

I have not read the first book in the series (A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem) so I did not have full context of Caro and Val’s relationship prior to Caro ending their betrothal. As a result, I felt like I did not have a great understanding of the chemistry between the two love interests and found their reconnection rather hasty. This is probably my fault for not reading the first book in the series and I cannot say that this will be the case for other readers if they’ve read the first book.

Although I did enjoy the plot of Effie’s abduction and discovering who was responsible and the reason behind doing so, I found that as a result the story did not centre around the romance between Caro and Val. It felt as if their romance was pushed to the side to further the main plot of finding Effie. I also would’ve liked to see more tension between Caro and Val before making up. It seemed that the conflict between the two was resolved rather easily and wrapped up quickly so as to focus on the disappearance.

Nonetheless, I’m definitely going to be reading the first book in the series and I’m looking forward to the next book! I’m really enjoying the HR genre and love the concept of mystery and crime mixed in. An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire was a great cozy mystery and I had a lot of fun with it.

After a brief “understanding” a few years ago Miss Caroline Hardcastle and Lord Valentine Thorn (or Caro and Val) and now not exactly friends. Thrown together to help find a kidnapped actress there is a rekindling of the spark.

A tale of lovers to enemies to sort of friends to maybe more. Caro is a likeable heroine and Val her sparring partner. The couples romance is rather brief, with the characters having already fallen in love before the novel is set, but sweet nonetheless.

As is typical of many American authors it contains many anachronisms. “Stow it” being one, I’ve no idea what this means, it’s not a British turn of phrase let alone one from the period. See also “I was only funning”. These phrases take me completely out of the story as they stand out as obviously not of the time and not even of the British vocabulary.

Overall an enjoyable Victorian romance.

Marvellously witty and undeniably addictive, the second instalment to the bestselling Historical Rom-Com A Lady’s Guide To Mischief and Mayhem didn’t disappoint, I loved every second of it!

It’s 1866 and Caroline Hardcastle has finally found purpose in her life, bringing attention to crimes against women. But her hard earned freedom is jeopardised when her parents offer her an ultimatum—marry into a title…or else.

Caro is sure no gentleman wants spinster journalist for a bride no matter how large her dowry. But when her friend goes missing,her best ally is the nobleman she’d once been betrothed to.

Since suffering devastating heartbreak, Lord Valentine Thorn has avoided marriage entirely. Only now, with his family’s future on the line does he agree to find a bride, with the condition is heart remains unattached. But when his cousin is entangled in the disappearance of an actress, he’s thrown back into contact with the only woman he’s ever wanted to marry.

Inspite of their complicated history, Val and Caro agree to an alliance (vowing to ignore the passion burning between them.) But with danger drawing near can they move on from the past before death does them part?

This was an absolutely addictive and entertaining read and I really enjoyed it. The characters were well written, the period details excellent and the romance phenomenal (Val and Caro were destined for one another) and their flirty banter was utterly entertaining.

I also enjoyed the mystery aspect which cleverly crafted gorgeously suspenseful.

Overall, this wickedly smart and hilariously flirty love child of Bridgerton and Enola Holmes is an absolute must read. I’d definitely recommend to romance and mystery lovers.

Also thanks to Little,Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the e-arc.

A really enjoyed this read; it’s a nice blend of romance and mystery which is quite hard to come across. The story is fast paced without feeling rushed, and leaves the reader wanting to read just one more chapter before they eventually succumb to fatigue. I loved this story, but the bags under my eyes are glad that I’ve finished it as I couldn’t put it down. I would heartedly recommend

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. This is my honest review.

I had not read the book that came before this one but that did not impact my enjoyment of this book. In fact I'm planning to search the first one out now, after reading this.

This story follows Valentine and Caroline, who were formerly engaged but Caroline ended it after some unfortunate conversations she overheard involving Valentine's family. This book takes place four years after their break up. They meet again as a result of the disappearance of one of Caro's friends, who happens to be engaged to Valentine's cousin.

The mystery is what forms the plot of the book but the romance follows Val and Caro.

I enjoyed this book. I liked both main characters, Caro is outspoken and intelligent, independent and inventive. Val is kind and supportive, a bit overwhelmed with his familial responsibilities. They join forces to solve the mysterious disappearance and find their interest rekindling.

The mystery was decent. It kept my interest. The romance between Val and Caro was fun to read, especially when they would banter back and forth. I would have liked even more of their relationship and interaction.

This is a clever story. The writing is sharp and the dialogue entertaining. A solidly engaging book.

I really enjoyed reading Manda Collins’s “An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire”. It’s the sequel to last year’s “A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem” and features the same characters. The earlier book developed the story around Lady Katherine Bascomb (now Lady Katherine Eversham) but the new book centres the story around her unmarried friend, Caroline Hardcastle. Caroline was briefly betrothed to Lord Valentine Thorn, the son of the Duke of Thornfield four years ago but broke it off when she heard Val’s brother snobbishly disparaging her family and Val didn’t defend her. As you might expect, Caro and Val have spent the intervening years both yearning for each other and detesting each other.

Effie Warrington, one of Caro’s and Katherine’s friends, has now gone missing and it appears that Val’s cousin, Frank, was involved with her. Is it his fault she’s disappeared? It looks like he wasn’t to blame but as Caro & Katherine (and, of course, Val) investigate, they uncover facts that Val hasn’t mentioned. As they piece together the full story, it looks as though other people may have not told the full story either. Who can they believe?

The story cracks along. It’s one of those books where I wanted to know what happened next but, simultaneously, didn’t want the book to end. Fortunately, the next sequel was signposted loudly and clearly when Katherine’s secretary, Flora, meets the Duke of Langham. He’s snobbish and misogynistic, so no doubt Flora will sort him out in the next novel. (Collins’s characters do follow predictable paths!)

#AnHeiresssGuidetoDeceptionandDesire #NetGalley

The follow up to the raucous romp, A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, Manda Collins is back with the series' second instalment - An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire. Billed as the perfect read for fans of Bridgerton and Enola Holmes, I was so excited to get my greedy little mitts on this one and I was absolutely not disappointed!

Charming from the first page, Manda Collins is back with her trademark regency wit and swoon-inducing romance. Caro was such a fantastic protagonist and I warmed to her instantly, and while Val had a lot of making up to do after a past transgression, it was impossible not to root for them as the story unfolded.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this witty historical romance - the perfect way to warm up these chilly evenings!

So four years ago Val and Caro had an Understanding but then Val’s shit of a big brother said a snobby mean thing about her family one time and Val didn’t stick up for her so Caro took the huff and broke it off. Now they are reunited because Val’s cousin Frank’s fancy actress fiancée has been abducted and she just so happens to be in Caro’s book group. They set out to find her.
I immediately remembered what annoyed me about the last book because it was mentioned in the first paragraph and then every other paragraph thereafter: the aristocracy. This author is fixated on it and yes it is hugely influential but her attitude towards it is off. The characters act like their position is thrust upon them, that is something happening to them when actually it’s inherent to everything. It’s not something they have to learn, they are literally born with it or without it. The society is built on it. Val is a potential Duke which is second only to an Earl which is just below royalty, Val is also rich. He can do whatever her wants, marry whoever he wants, he is society, he makes the laws. If he married a rich cit nobody would act towards him any differently they would just have to accept it. It’s so annoying because then she goes on about how the bad guys get off punishment because they are gentry! You can’t have it both ways! They can’t be both pinned by society and above it.
Anyway that’s that, but it’s CONSTANT.
I liked Val in the last book but he seemed to have lost all his spark here and I didn’t think there was much chemistry between him and Caro. Their problems seemed be built of nothing and easily overcome and the mystery wasn’t that interesting. It wasn’t particularly bad but just ok.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, so I grabbed An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire as soon as I could.

I was immediately swept up into the story - both the romance and the mystery. I loved the characters, and the plot was immensely satisfying on all counts. The story is also full of funny moments. Basically, it has every element I enjoy about reading.

Overall, this was a fun romp that seamlessly weaves two of my favourite genres into a coherent and entertaining story. It was a joy to read, from start to finish; I highly recommend it!

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own

Brilliant and heart warming historical rom com. I loved the romance, the humor and the whole cast of characters.

I haven’t read a historical romance in quite some time and this book come at the perfect moody moment.
And I loved it. I’m always looking for a “second chance romance “ type stories and this book ticked lots of boxes for me.
Interesting side characters, great dialogue and some very suspenseful moments, It all felt like a carriage ride just like the cover itself.
Loved it and will surely look forward for more books from the author.

In general, I had somewhat mixed feelings over An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire. I guess I thought similarly over the first book in the series, although there maybe it mattered less because I liked the romance more. So, while I did like this one, I never really loved it.

The Good

— The mystery was, as with the previous book, very compelling, and well-constructed. The mystery is really what kept me reading it, even as the pace of it slowed, I wanted to find out just what had happened to Effie and Frank.

— There was no third act break up! Which, for me, was great because there’s no way it might have believably worked here in my opinion. Okay, so maybe if I sat and thought about it, and restructured the entire plot… But with everything as it was, it was great that the MCs just… talked out any issues they had like adults.

The Less Good (I Hesitate To Say “Bad” Because I Didn’t Think They Were Bad, Just Less Good)

— I never felt like there was any reason to want Caro and Val together. In book 1, they’d seemed like they could have something good, with plenty of tension and past hurts. But—and I hate to say this immediately after saying it was good they communicated—that was dispensed with too early. In fact, it was dispensed with within a day, with respect to how the plot played out. There was never time to feel the tension between them because they’d already moved onto the next stage of their relationship. Much better would have been to have them working together for longer and then realising they’d slowly fallen back in love and forgiven one another.

— Actually that’s probably the biggest thing, but come on. It’s a romance novel. I have to want the romance. Instead, I just felt a little ...meh about it. They were alright together, it was readable. It wasn’t amazing, though.

— Wait, I remembered one more thing: please stop bashing me over the head with “these men are not misogynists. They believe women are oppressed!”, like I get it. These are the heroes and love interests. You want them to be sympathetic, aka not misogynistic. But I get it after the first mention, no need to flog a dead horse!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Miss Caroline Hardcastle may be one of the wealthiest heiresses in London, but she cares more about her infamous crime column - alongside best friend, Katherine - than being respectable for the ton. Her scandalous reputation and her father's background in trade may have cost her a fiancee, but she has no desire on ever becoming a lady, especially not after having her heart broken by a lord all those years ago. But when one of her friends goes missing, and she has to join forces with just the person who broke her heart, Val, the new Viscount Wrackham, Caro might have to keep all her wits about her to come out the other side safely. For Val, he's never loved anyone as much as he loved Caro, but when she overheard his brother make disparaging remarks about her family, she broke off their secret engagement, and he's never looked at marrying again. However, following his elder brother's death, he's the new heir and his father is on at him to marry for the succession. Hoping that the proximity to Caro will make her remember her past feelings, Val wants nothing more than to win her back.

After adoring A Lady's Guide, I have been impatiently waiting for Caro and Val's book. Their animosity and past which had been alluded to in book 1 was extremely enticing, and I needed to know more - and by god, was it worth the wait. Caro and Val are such well written characters, with a strong persona and facade they portray to the world, but alone, they are vulnerable, and wholly suited to each other. In the four years they've been separated, they've formed lives for themselves, and have tried to make it seem as if they weren't affected by their secret love, but they were irrevocably changed, and it was only with discussion and forgiveness could they start to get over it. The mystery wasn't as great as in the first book, but enjoyable nonetheless, and seeing Kate and Andrew again was wonderful, especially now happily married. I'm so pleased I was approved for this book (thanks again, Forever!), and will, once again, be impatiently waiting for Manda's next book.

What a delightful series. If you enjoyed "Enola Holmes" and "Bridgerton", you'll love Collins' latest book! It's cleverly written, humorous, and fun. I can't wait for more of this series. Thank you for the ARC!