Diving into the pages of this tale is like stepping into a time-honored ballroom where historical romance intertwines gracefully with the supernatural. The enchanting fusion of eras and elements spins a web that's hard to resist. With deft strokes of her narrative brush, the author conjures a tapestry of emotions that forms the heart and soul of this book.

Our protagonist, Julian, steps into the shoes of a viscount, wielding power and affluence like a shield against the world's adversities. A twist of magic flows through his veins, linking him to others who possess extraordinary gifts. This connection leads him to a pivotal encounter with Piper, a healer who wields a gift of her own. Love simmers beneath the surface, wrapped in layers of protection, as Julian's heart resonates with a tangible longing.

Tracy Sumner paints an intricate backdrop of 17th-century London, where cobbled streets and whispered secrets form the stage. The meticulous attention to detail immerses readers in a world that's both familiar and fantastical. Amidst the historical tapestry, mystical beings emerge from all walks of life, sprinkling a touch of magic into the narrative's very fabric.

In her exploration of characters and locales, Sumner's prowess shines. Vivid descriptions breathe life into every scene, and the absence of grammatical hiccups is a testament to her craftsmanship. The book paves the way as a series opener, a key that unlocks a realm filled with potential and intrigue.

While the harmony of the story's notes resonates deeply, a minor discordance surfaces in the interactions between Piper and Julian. Their dialogues occasionally mirror the cadence of the 20th century rather than the 17th, a quirk that might raise an eyebrow for some readers. Yet, these fleeting moments of modernity hardly overshadow the book's captivating charm.

As the final page turns, one cannot help but be lured forward, eager to witness the continuation of this enchanting journey. For in the end, it's the essence of entertainment that prevails, carrying readers seamlessly into the sequel's awaiting embrace.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Historical romance with a magical/paranormal element?! Yes, please. Sign me up! 

This is the first book in Tracy Sumner's League of Lords series and it is doing a lot of work as first books usually do. Sumner is trying to set the tone of the series, build the world within our world filled with people with special skills like mindreading, mind-bending, visions of the future, fire-starting, seeing spirits, etc, as well as giving us the romance that we want. 

Julian and Piper have known each other for years, and loving each other from the first moment they saw one another. However, upon the death of Piper's grandfather, Julian promised him that he would not pursue Piper because the two of them together could destroy one another. So Julian does all he can to avoid Piper, including sending her off to the countryside to live out her days in boredom, never using her power as she is meant to.

Piper is a tenacious, outgoing woman who refuses to languish about the country and after three years hightails it back to London to let Julian find her. And when he does, hell breaks lose. Julian concedes that he must let Piper into the fold and finally utilize her healing powers, as well as join the union of others who are putting together the "chronology" and assembling others like them to a safe country estate. 

We meet others with powers, usually they are of a lower class, and eventually discover who the firestarter is. (He is in a future book and I'm very much looking forward to that.) There is a "big bad" who is after Piper because she thinks Piper can heal her. Julian is determined to protect Piper, not giving her credit that she can defend herself a bit. 

Most of the book is Julian denying his feelings for Piper and why he cannot be with her. At times, it gets very repetitive and you want to yell at Julian. He often leaves Piper out of important discussions and decisions even though he's promised her that he will include her in this aspect of his life since he won't give her what she really wants--him. Piper often circumvents Julian though because she refuses to be kept in the dark when it comes to her research and the chronology. 

Because there is so much going on in this book, I'm not sure I fully understand the chronology, what it is, what it is supposed to do, etc. I trust that Sumner will flesh this out as the series progresses. The "big bad" in the book is bad but I never quite figured out what went wrong with her or if she was always bad. Again, I feel like we will learn more about people whose gifts are tainted or abused as the series grows. Just as in reality, not everyone is good or uses their skills for the good of others, so I expect not everyone gifted with a power uses it for good either. 

Julian and Piper are explosive together and I enjoyed them together on the page. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't keeping up with their banter and motives but I just kept on reading, waiting for the end game. The love between the two is so obvious that one cannot help but root for the two of them. The yearning, the longing, the chemistry between them is wonderfully written. 

I'm so glad that I had the forethought to buy this series and cannot wait to read about the others in the series who also captured my heart.

The story got me hooked up really fast with special gift characters.
We got a healer and a... I don't know how to describe Julian. Well, he's able to have a vision by touching things.
I love the sexual tension between Julian and Piper.

Angst✅
Suspense ✅
Heart breaking scenes ✅
A little bit of tear✅
Happy ending ✅
Beautiful epilogue ✅
Strong female character ✅
Steamy scenes 5 ⭐

I absolutely loved this premise! I wasn't sure how someone could transplant the X-Men school to Victorian England, but Tracy Sumner does it brilliantly. The longing and tension between Piper and Julian is wonderfully crafting. This is my first Tracy Sumner book and I'm not sure her writing style clicks in my brain, but that's very much a personal preference.

I generally enjoy Tracy Sumner books and this one was no exception. I tend to enjoy when there is a touch of paranormal in a romance, and here there is much more than a touch. The misfits gathered together by Julian truly do seem like a regency-era group of X-Men, being trained to reach their full potential.

FMC Piper has been in love with MMC Julian for years but he was warned off of her by her grandfather, his mentor, on the grandfather's deathbed. Julian does not tell Piper this, of course. He simply sends her away. Piper eventually makes her way back to London alone, and that is where the story truly starts. Julian is forced to acknowledge and deal with his longstanding feelings for Piper while also facing what seems to be an ever-nearing deadly threat.

The desire and longing between Piper and Julian is intense and leaps off the page when they are together. Piper refuses to remain a pushover and Julian slowly realizes she is capable of more than he thought. The steam was good, the paranormal elements interesting. I recommend giving this one a read.

A solid 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy for review.

This book has the tagline Xmen meets Bridgerton, which is quite apt and accurate for this particular historical paranormal romance. I enjoyed the characters, particularly Humphrey and Finn, who both interjected some amusingly wry comments as Piper and Julian tried to sort themselves out.

The book begins very much in the midst of the action and maintains the pace throughout. I thought the world-building was done well in the broad strokes, although some of the details were less clear, so I would have appreciated some greater explication of the lore and context earlier on.
There is a wide ranging cast of characters who are likeable and clearly defined, and do develop over the course of the book, setting up for their own stories in subsequent books in the series. There is a villain, but they remain more or less in the background, although I will say that the chapters from their point of view conveyed their menace admirably. Despite the build up and their menacing depiction, I did feel somewhat unsatisfied by the anticlimactic resolution to the great danger that they were said to present to our heroes throughout which culminated and then was dealt with in a few pages, which also happened to some other subplots. This meant that the paranormal aspect of the plot did feel somewhat pushed behind the romantic.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to Finn's story next.

The Lady Is Trouble by Tracy Sumner is a paranormal romance with a hero and heroine who are at odds with one another. Piper loves Julian, but he is determined to resist a relationship with her. Her grandfather warned Julian with his last breath not to pursue her. Julian takes the warning quite seriously. Piper is rebellious and frustrated by Julian's repeated rejection of her. She deliberately puts herself in danger to get his attention.

Julian collects others with paranormal talent in order to protect them, and help them learn how to use it safely. Piper's talent is healing, and she wants to help the others, including Julian.

There is a large cast of characters, including a mad villianess to defeat. Finn is interesting and Humphrey is the kind of friend you'd want to have to keep you safe.

Although the concept is interesting, the execution is lacking. The arguments between Julian and Piper seem forced and unrealistic. I wanted to like this novel, but unfortunately I don't. I gave it 2 stars.

The stunning cover art made me feel like a moth to a flame. The classic historical romance cover may not pair well for everyone expecting a straight up classical historical fiction when this alternative has magic. Personally, I think adding a little magic or a hint of an ability would add to the power of the imagery.

At any rate, instantly intrigued, I heartily dove in to stop short. Disconnect, that is what I felt. I tried, again and again, to sympathize with and like the MFC, but she seemed to be selfish and unlikable. The MMC was what held the book together and sometimes he too was moody making poor choices.

Tracy Sumner has solid writing skills with plot pacing, character progression, and imagery. The premise of the story is set in an alternative England with abilities manifesting amongst its citizens. It has potential and is a strong idea, the abilities are singular, and I liked that.

The novel has some violence and a lot of detailed, intimate scenes, so if you are not into that- you may need to gloss over them or skip this one.

I received this ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Set in a vaguely Regency period, Viscount Julian Alexander survived abuse from his father who punished him for his visions and caused him to runaway to survive as best he could. Rescued by a lord interested in the paranormal, now Julian rescues psychics destined for madhouses from slums throughout England. Lady Piper Scott has loved Julian since childhood. To fulfill the dying wish of his benefactor, Julian has hidden Piper away in the country to protect her from her reckless way and to hide her gifts of healing and reading auras. For most of the book Julian fights his desperate passion for Piper. A mad Frenchwoman seeking Piper to cure her madness brought on by her psychic gifts provides danger and conflict throughout the book.

Quite a bit of spice and some interesting secondary characters nicely round out this first book in a triology.

Regency-era age-gap romance with a little side of paranormal fun! I've never read anything quite like this one, and loved it!!

If you ever watched the HBO Victorian era drama 'The Nevers' - The Lady is Trouble very much reminded me of that vibe. A fun read with enough depth to keep you entertained.

The Lady Is Trouble by Tracy Sumner is a fun romp. There is a bit of danger to spice up all the romancing. And there are more unmarried, dashing gentlemen to promise future adventures. This is not a must read, but it is pleasant.

I’m a fan of Tracy Sumner and her historical romances. They are smart with good characters and the right amount of passion. But I wasn’t expecting a paranormal romance which is a genre I don’t typical read. Julian has powers he is learning to control. Piper has her own abilities. She knows they are meant to be together but he is always more concerned about protecting her. Of course she is going to get time with him so their attraction can grow. I really liked Piper but broody Julian took some warming up for me. I enjoyed the auras readings which gave glimpses to inner feelings. But the build up to the big battle feels anti climatic when all was over. This book has been available since 2020 so I’m not sure if there are any changes or if this is a new push for the League of Lords series. I recommend this if you enjoy paranormal historical romances. Thank you to NetGalley, Tracy Sumner and Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)

This is the first in a series of books which are about people who have various psychic powers. In order to protect them from people who want to use them for their own gain, Julian sets up a haven for them to live in. Piper, a healer, has always loved Julian and she wants to help him deal with his dangerous dreams. Living in such close proximity makes denying their mutual attraction very difficult. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.

This is such a great book. As far as I know, this is the perfect blend of X-men and historical romance. This would be an ideal book for those seeking a paranormal novel with a touch of regency romance. In a historical romance book, you'll always find a bit of adult romance, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

I believe this may be the first book by this author I have read although I understand she is prolific. As I hadn't properly read the synopsis, I did not realise that this is a paranormal historical romance. It therefore took me a little while to understand what was going on as the novel starts with a presumption that magical powers are a 'thing'.

Julian and Piper have quite a bit of chemistry, and while the writing didn't really flow the way I expected it to, there were moments when the characters jumped off the page. All in all, though, there wasn't enough character development or world-building for me to really get into the book.

The reader is suddenly thrown into a Victorian England world, mixed with a bit of magic, and given no clues as to what else is found within this world. It felt like being put into the third book in a series, where the reader is already expected to know everything. Perhaps, people who are strong fans of Victorian era romance would enjoy this novel, but I personally felt that the tag 'young-adult' overstepped itself. The inuendo in this novel should have made this book 'new-adult'

I accidentally downloaded this and reread it - I had read this ages ago and loved it! Still loved it! Can't wait for more from Tracy!

Loved reading the tantalizing and engrossing story. When Piper sends clues to Julian's mistress, Julian finds her and has to make sure Piper and her powers are safe, but fighting Julian's attraction for Piper is getting harder and harder to resist. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a riveting must read love story full of mystery and romance.

Paranormal meets historical romance in this story of seduction, intrigue, and desire.

I had some mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I really liked the paranormal aspect and Julian’s efforts to create a safe space for the people with special abilities, just like the X-Men, I guess. On the other hand, I found the writing to be too ornate at times, making it less smooth to read and follow. The style worked well to present the view of the villain. It fit her distressed and sometimes disjointed state of mind. In the end, the confrontation between Piper and Sidonie was disappointing. After all the build-up, I had expected much more drama.

The intense desire between Julian and Piper was ever-present and it was the main focus whenever they were together, no matter what else was happening at the same time. It was a truly epic love story.

This might be the book for you if you like historical romance paired with paranormal elements. I am tempted to read the next book, as I really liked the secondary cast of characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lady is Trouble is the first book in the League of Lords series. I found this and mistakenly requested this not realizing I had already read and reviewed this one.

Julian belongs to the League of Lords which happen to be a small group with special mystic gifts. It is important that they keep these gifts quiet in order to not incur any danger to themselves.

Piper’s grandfather had started the society years ago. Piper, is Julian true love and also his mentor's granddaughter. He promised to protect her.

Piper has loved Julian when she first saw him as a young girl. A dark force has focused on Piper and now she is in danger. Julian will have to face his fears in order to be able to save her and love her for all time.

This was more enjoyable the second time around. The characters are so strong and entertaining. It certainly sets the stage for the rest of the series.