A throughly enjoyable read. I really connected with the characters and felt joy and heartbreak with them, it made me laugh too. I think Margaret was absolutely my favourite and the growth in Eliza towards the end where she just demanded what she wanted was great. A fab regency romance!

A wonderful story of love, betrayal and self discovery. Set in the tenancy era this book is a must read for fans of Julia Quinn.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

Brilliantly funny and such a good book! I have to say I’m a sucker for a period backdrop and it did not disappoint at all! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. It was just, ok.

I love bridgerton and anything Jane Austen so I was excited to read this but it fell flat in my opinion!

Our heroine Eliza is somewhat likeable, although I did find her to be dull at times. She becomes enthralled in a love triangle, with two again likeable characters. It becomes a battle of ‘who shall I choose’ ‘which is the right choice’ etc.
Overall, it was terrible and I was mildly satisfied at the ending, I just wish it had more.

I really like Sophie Irwin’s style of writing though so I absolutely will pick up more of her books!

Eliza, Lady Somerset, is in official mourning after the death of her much older husband. It was an arranged marriage and prevented her from marrying the man she truly loved, who has now returned to inherit his late uncle's title and estate.

The late Earl's will bequeaths property and wealth to Eliza; however, there is a morality clause that means she must avoid scandal or risk losing her inheritance.

Having lacked confidence until now, Eliza travels to Bath with her spirited cousin, Margaret Balfour. On the way there, she encounters the dashing Lord Melville, who soon takes up residence in the city with his sister, Caroline.

A number of rumours surround the Melvilles, whilst Eliza tries to make sense of her feelings for Somerset, who has also arrived in Bath. It seems that the former romance may be rekindled.

Eventually, Eliza realises where her affections truly lie, but can she avoid scandal and find the happiness she deserves?

This book was the sequel to 'A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting' and is every bit as good. I particularly enjoyed reading how Eliza became more confident over the course of the story.

People in this story are not always as they seem. There are some unsavoury characters and some surprising ones, but Eliza is delightful throughout and her romantic dilemma is well portrayed.

This novel shows how the manners and morals of Regency England so often prevent women from finding true happiness. Eliza behaved as her family demanded and now realises she needs to follow her feelings and not allow others to dictate the terms on which she is to live.

I received a free digital ARC of this book via HarperCollins UK, and am leaving my honest appraisal voluntarily.

One of my favourite surprise reads of last summer was The Ladies Guide to Fortune Hunting. I found it entertaining and refreshing. When I saw that Irwin had written another book (Note - it is not a series) I was in.
The Ladies Guide to Scandal was not a disappointment. I actually think I enjoyed it more. You know when you are reading a book and can’t wait to get back to it? That is how I felt: I finished it In two days.
The main character is Eliza, a newly widowed 27 year old who is liberated after the death of her much older and controlling husband. She is determined to avoid going back to live with her bossy mother, so goes it alone with her delightful cousin Margaret, a really likeable and entertaining character:
I absolutely recommend this charming read and I may just have to read it again. I think it is going to become a go-to favourite.

Inhaled it. Loved it.
Irwin's first book was great and I enjoyed this even more. A young widow, two suitors- one a lost love, the other a charming but scandalous rake- and a morality clause… What’s not to love? And the triangle keeps you guessing. Brilliant.

A refreshing historical novel based on a young widows experience. How to be a modern woman while still tied up in all those society chains. This is a delightful read, plenty of romance and struggle against a male dominated society.

I was really excited to receive this book from NetGalley, having immensely enjoyed A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting. This book did not disappoint. I worried that no other heroine would match the formidable Kitty Talbot, But Eliza Lady Somerset, is a very modern woman, chafing against the restrictions placed upon her by a morality clause in her late husband’s will.
This book appears to follow the premise of Persuasion to some extent, but forges a new direction for Eliza, who, when her former lover returns from abroad, starts to question if their love can be revived, or whether there is more for her to explore in the wider world. The subplot which involves her cousin Margaret, is rather touching and the two dashing heroes are marvellous, making the reader consider whether Eliza will rely on comfort and familiarity or excitement and scandal.
Sophie Irwin has cemented her position as a writer who is bringing the historical romance novel into the 21st century. I’ll certainly be looking out for her future work.

The story was fun, light and romantic. Precisely what I was looking for was to relax and let myself be seduced by the characters. I liked Eliza's story, her dilemmas, her decisions, and the way she matures and grows up to her female power. I loved her constant companion Margaret for her sharp tongue, freedom and courage to follow her heart. I was utterly touched by the Melville siblings' positive approach to life, humour and courage... Oh, I could go on and on, but the truth is that this is a great story where you love the excellent characters, hate the bad ones and read with waiting with bated breath for a happy ending. A relaxing and positive story. Very good for summer evenings.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal was an enjoyable read. The characters had a satisfying development throughout and while I despise love triangles I do believe this one was one of the better written ones I've experienced. That being said this book wasn't quite a hit with me, I had high hopes after loving A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't love it, but I did enjoy it. I would recommend reading it, and I'll probably try reading it again later in life.

There's so much I want to say about this book, but everything I want to gush about is very spoilery, and I really don't want to spoil anything about this brilliant novel. All I feel like I can safely say is that I LOVED it (possibly even more than Irwin's first book - which is a huge achievement) and I didn't want it to end. An absolute must read for fans of Regency romance. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal is more of a guide on how <i>not</> to deal with scandal, Eliza dives into scandal head-on and handles it terribly, but it's good fun!

It was really nice to have a widow be the focus of a regency story rather than a young girl coming out into society. I liked seeing Eliza and Margaret explore Bath and learn how to live a life they wanted, rather than a life that was dictated for them. I do wish Eliza had learned to stand on her own two feet a bit quicker and was generally stronger, she fell apart after the third act 'breakup' and stayed in bed for days - it felt like all the progress she had made was undone just because of men being idiots.

I don't mind love triangles that much but this one veered into a cheating storyline which I really don't like. I think the characters were generally less likable in this book anyway so I found it hard to connect with either of the love interests.

I did like the twists and turns that the story took, I wasn't expecting one of the twists and was quite surprised which is always fun! Overall I think this is a good read but the best bit is definitely the feminist approach to regency life.

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did but Sophie Irwin has outdone herself!
I adored everything about this, I can't remember the last time I felt this way about a book
The characters and plot line was written beautifully and felt really organic
Thankyou for the ARC

I was not expecting to love this so much! I’d previously read A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting and enjoyed it fine but I feel like this is a huge step up for Sophie Irwin.

Her writing seems much more assured and I got much more of a sense of time and place than I did from her first novel.

I loved the setting of Regency Bath. It’s a city which has always intrigued me and it was great to see it rather than London taking centre stage.

Although this was a romance novel it wasn’t the romance elements that really got to me. I loved that the primary relationship in the story was between the heroine, Eliza and her cousin, Margaret. The way they both quietly prioritised each other was understated but beautiful.

I also thought the portrayal of a gay relationship was accurate for the time and it was done in such a way as to feel organic rather than forced.

Eliza’s character development was brilliantly portrayed and well placed throughout the story. I was hardly aware of her changing but when you look back you can see how much she has evolved and it made me happy to see her growing in confidence and learning to stand up for herself.

The romantic story was clever too - I was actually uncertain who Eliza would end up with for a while but I was definitely drawn toward the hero and I was delighted when she picked the right guy. The whole book was just a delightful package which I enjoyed as much for the period setting and portrayal of female friendship as I did the romance.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this and I will certainly be looking out for the next book in the series.

4.5 stars

Sophie Irwin had added another sparkling addition to her extremely likeable series of Regency romances. In this outing we meet Eliza, Countess of Somerset whose far older husband has died, unexpectedly leaving her a large fortune. But they're is a catch, a morality clause that means any hint of impropriety could see her wealth snatched away. But after a decade of loveless, unhappy marriage and a life stifled by duty Eliza finally wants to live, to attend gatherings, to paint, to decide for herself. And one of those decisions will be between a long-lost love and a rakish poet with little respect for the ton's strict codes...

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and witty sequel. Eliza is an excellent heroine, paying clear and fond homage to Persuasion's Anne Elliot. Her arc into courage and independence against the constraints of her family and society adds a modern edge without flouting too much historical accuracy. It was marvelous to see more representation with the Indian heritage of the Melvilles. A sapphic substory was a lovely touch but I would have loved to see more, perhaps the two ladies could have a spin-off novel of their own? I'd be first in line.

A widowed woman in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a man in her life telling her how to live it...

With the death of the Earl of Somerset, Eliza finds herself widowed at 27, unexpectedly a woman of independent means - just as long as she toes the line and lives a small, quiet life without a hint of scandal. But Eliza has spent the past 27 years doing just that and now she wants to push her boundaries a little bit... and a little bit more...how far can she go before she crosses the line and loses her freedom? And the man who decides if she crosses that line? The new Earl, the same person she rejected 10 years previously - how objective can he really be?

Although the book started slowly, it really rounded out all the characters and I could easily visualise the events unfolding. I found myself genuinely fearing for Eliza's fortune as her life unravels around her, with a twist that was totally unexpected and has far reaching repercussions. The book got better as it progressed and much harder to put down! While the story centres around Eliza, the secondary characters are very story worthy and have some very unexpected developments of their own.

This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. Sophie Irwin is neither Jane Austen or Julia Quinn but weaves an enjoyable story of a young woman finally finding her feet and stretching her wings. I think fans of either author should enjoy this light but very engaging novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Lucy Irwin is both a fun, romantic novel and a comedy of manners

The recently widowed Eliza, inherits a significant fortune from her husband, who gave her a title but denied her love.
She decides to see out the rest of her widowhood in Bath taking her best friend and cousin Margaret with her.
Along the way they meet Lord Melville and his sister Caroline, her former beau, Lord Somerset and an offshoot of London society or ‘the ton’.

Eliza struggles to adhere to the constraints of mourning and through her new friendships, starts to cause a scandal which has consequences for her and those around her.

Freedom & independence end up winning the day, but not before she almost loses her fortune. The book ends with three new romantic relationships forming between the most unlikely of characters.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is an easy going book. After a slightly slow start, the pace picks up and the story dances along nicely. It is definitely a page turner!
The characters are well-written and credible. After a few chapters the reader can’t help but root for the heroine Eliza and her ever present companion Margaret.

I would highly recommend A Lady’s Guide to Scandal if you are looking for a charming romantic page-turner .

Thank you to Harper Collins for my advance review copy.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal tells the story of Eliza, recently widowed by a husband she didn't really care for, and suddenly in possession of an unexpected fortune. However, it comes with strings attached: a morality clause. Thrown into that mix is the first love she jilted, and the rakish poet who can't stop flirting with her - and it is a recipe for fun and drama.

Although it's suggested that this is part of a Lady's Guide "series", this novel is a standalone, albeit in a very similar style to Sophie Irwin's previous novel, A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting. I think it's probably safe to say that if you enjoyed her first novel, you'll enjoy this one for similar reasons. It's full to the brim with all the Regency tropes, while being unique enough to not be totally predictable (although yes, it is still a bit predictable). It's not quite so much a 'romp' as her first novel, but actually I quite liked that. Here, there are quite a lot of interesting subplots working alongside the main plot, and Eliza has a myriad of motivators and facets to her which made her point of view interesting.

The pacing is a little slow to start off with, however I enjoyed very much how it all came together and raced through the second half.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed last year's A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin. The story turned out just expected with no jeopardy or twists but had a light spirit and joie de vivre that made it a zippy, frothy, enjoyable read. This book is fine but it fell flat for me. The heroine isn't that engaging and the pacing was slow and the storylines and characters a bit dull. It didnt come "alive" for me.