This is the second book in the The Marleigh Sisters series, but it is a standalone.

Anya is a singer and sitar player in the Queen's court in early 19th century England. Her father was an English Earl while her mother was from India, Anya and her sisters were born in India but when her parents were killed, they were taken in by their father's wife in England. From there the sisters were sent to different seminaries until they were old enough to make their own way in the world.

Being employed by Queen Charlotte, Anya was known to many of the English nobility and became particularly close to a dowager who left her half her fortune upon her death. The other half was left to her grandchildren but no money was left to her own children, the Budleigh's - who she apparently didn't like very much.

Lord Damian Ashton was born in and raised in Jamaica but was a distant relative of the dowager and her family and inherited the Ashton estate that bordered the Budleigh estate. He had also become close to the dowager who was his great-aunt.

Of course there are stipulations to the inheritance, Anya must marry before her 25th birthday in four months before she can inherit the money and Lord Ashton would be her trustee. He would have to approve anyone she chose to marry.

This book was not what I thought it was going to be! I expected a fairly tame Regency England romance between a lowly court singer and someone from the elite - which it was, but it was so much more. There was murder, mystery, drama and action as well as romance. Lord Ashton is being framed for a murder he did not commit and they must work to find out who the murderer was before the Runners find any way to pin it on him and have him hanged. Then there is Anya's plight to find a husband in time as well as trying to reconnect with one of her sister's at the same time she is trying to save Lord Ashton.

I didn't find that the characters were completely developed though. We learn a little about Damian and Anya's past but not a huge amount to really explain, particularly Damian's actions. There might be more information about Anya's background in the first book and the next book but at this stage we still don't know a huge amount. I would like to know what happened to her mother, why she disappeared for a year before coming back pregnant with triplets, and what happened to the triplets? Where are they now? Maybe this will be explained in another book later in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I loved the first book in this series and was excited to read the second, as I wanted to know what happened to the other sisters from book 1.
This book centres around the middle sister, Anya. She is a sitar player in Queen Anne's court and finds herself inheriting a large sum of money, with conditions attached, such as marriage, and a rather prickly executor, Damien.
What follows is some amateur sleuthing, as the family she inherits from tries to discredit both her and her executor, and Anya and Damien find themselves in increasingly hot water.
There is mild spice, and though I knew, romance-wise, exactly where it would go, it was fun reading the lead-ups to it and the little mysteries to solve!
I enjoyed reading Anya's story and can't wait for Maya's!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

UNLADYLIKE RULES OF ATTRACTION is an enemies to lovers regency romance where anya marleigh, a singer and sitar player in the queen's court, is unexpectedly left an inheritance—with the condition that she must marry before her 25th birthday, and that her trustee, lord damian ashton, approve of her suitor. the problem? she hates him. this was such a fun and intriguing historical romance and i had the best time while reading it. it took me a bit to get into it, but once i did, i really couldn't stop reading until i found out what happened. anya was such a wonderful, complex and fleshed out character, as was damian, and the side characters in the story really added to it.

i don't want to spoil too much, but read if you like:
- lots of banter and sexual tension
- proposals of convenience (or are they??)
- diverse historical romances
- a little crime solving as a treat

thanks to netgalley and harper collins uk for the advanced copy. UNLADYLIKE RULES OF ATTRACTION comes out may 23rd!

|| : She had been worried sick. ‘I have no idea why he has given me his address. It's not as though he's inviting me to go there to speak to him. And he hasn't bothered to come here to speak to me.” She read the note again. Did the man care at all about the agonising minutes they shared. When they were binding Jeremy’s shoulder? And what of the rose garden? She flushed, avoiding Trixie's eyes. Of course, he didn't care about that. Well, that was just wonderful. She was a woman of the world. A court singer. She wouldn't care either. It was clear it was nothing to me. It didn't need to be anything to her either. She was pacing her room again. : ||

Anya has always had to fend for herself especially after that woman and her son had split up her and her sisters and.. the others. It was her father's fault really but since, she has found it hard to trust, keeping her circle small, allowing them in only enough to reamil cordial. Except Trixie of course, her ward, or as good as. She had made a promise to herself to look after the girl but how could she do that when she had been thrown into the messy business that the Budleigh's always seem to be in.

Preston and Cara especially despised her, Anya preferred their kids who were ever so sweet and thoughtful. So unlike their parents. Even Dowager Budleigh agreed but now she was gone there was no one to protect her from the direct sneers and taunts of the Budleigh children and their partners.
And if that wasn't enough. She had to deal with Ashton aswel. She liked Dowager Budleigh.. she was kind to her but had left her in an awful predicament.. and a very dangerous one.

A wonderful enlightening tale from beginning to end. It reminded me of old romance stories with a twist of sauciness. Loved this so much. I was in love with the heartache and beautiful heritage that came with each character. It made a change from traditional English. Like a breath of fresh air honestly! Cannot wait to read more of Amita Murray’s work

Thank you so much to Amita Murray, Harper Collins publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this for honest voluntary feedback x

For me there’s not much to say but if you love Bridgerton and are up for some spice this book will be a hit for you! Great banter, lovely characters and a cute plot.

This was a quick read, it made me smile and I liked the main female character. The historical side of it was good and the bit of mystery kept you invested.

Gives off Bridgerton vibes. A nice easy read and I enjoyed the fact POC were MCs in this and different elements of history were exploited, even though this has a modern flair. I think the romantic relationship between the MCs could have been allowed to develop a little more but overall I’d recommend giving it a go.

A romp of a good read! Such a joyous book. Anya is fabulous. She is on the edges of society, bullied and hated by the family and yet somehow manages to hold all the cards. The nastiness of society and especially those she is close to, contrasts with her close friend and eventually her sister. This isn’t a book about tenderness but about grit and toughness in the face of a hard society and a harder family. Damian manages to make so many mistakes whilst trying so hard not to care, is great. The couple deserve each other, and only the goats can help them work it all out.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was super excited to read this book because it was similar to Bridgerton. I love the show so much, especially in season 2 with Anthony and Kate.

The book, however, was kind of disappointing. I was frustrated reading it and I honestly think the relationship between Lord Ashton and Anya was that romantic. Like their feelings didn't develop between them. The characters didn't seem like they wanted to explore their romantic relationship and feelings with each other.

The ending was disappointing. It felt flat after all that build-up.

Title: Unladylike Rules of Attraction by Amita Murray

Release Date: May, 23rd, 2024

3.5 Stars

Anya Marleigh finds herself facing a challenging predicament. As a singer and sitar player in Queen Charlotte’s court, Anya unexpectedly inherits a fortune from Dowager Countess Budleigh, with the condition that she must marry before her next birthday to claim it. Complicating matters, the executor of the will, Damian Ashton, holds the power to consent to her marriage, and the Budleigh family is determined to thwart her inheritance. Accusations of murder and criminal dealings further complicate Anya's situation as she strives to protect her fortune and resist her growing attraction to Damian. Caught in a web of deceit and intrigue, Anya must navigate treacherous waters to secure her future and unravel the truth about her inheritance.

The romantic development between Anya and Lord Ashton feels lacking, hindering the emotional depth of the story. Some parts of the plot seem rushed, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the book. I was also not a big fan of the ending.

However this was a cute story, and if you are into historical/regency romances, this is a good read.

Tropes:

Regency
Dual POV
Enemies to Lovers
Marriage of Convenience
Mystery and Suspense



Thank you to The Publisher HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins, The Author Amita Murray & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Uk for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review

I enjoyed this one. Although I haven't read the first one I found myself really liking this one. I felt like while the chemistry between Anya and Damian is refreshing and fun, the story falters with it's pacing.

For me there wasn't enough build up in the relationship. But I enjoyed their banter and back and forth.

2.5 ⭐️ Rounded up because both MCs are POC and because of the anti-colonizer / anti-slavery narrative.

It's no secret that I loved the first book in this series. It was incredibly well-paced, and the chemistry between the MCs was electric. This book, however...

This story follows Anya, Lila's sister and court musician, and the complicated circumstances she finds herself in as she surprisingly inherits a small fortune from someone she considered an acquaintance. Murder, romance, and music make for a great combination that should have worked more than it did.

There was no real development of feelings between Anya and Lord Ashton. The book is Dual POV, which brings nothing into the narrative other than confusion, since neither character seems adept nor willing to explore their own feelings towards one another, even as their barely non-existent relationship turns to sex. The mystery plot was alright, but it was mostly slow-moving and the resolution fell flat to me.

Overall, I can't say I would pick this book up, especially if given the option to choose between 'Unladylike Lessons in Love' and this one.

This review has already been posted on Goodreads!

A Regency romance spiced up with a modern flair.. Anya Marleigh's journey as the daughter of an English Earl and Indian mistress brings a fresh perspective to historical romance. While the dynamic between Anya and Lord Damian Ashton crackles with chemistry, the story's pacing occasionally falters, and some plot twists may feel predictable. Nonetheless, the witty banter and steamy romance keep the pages turning, offering an enjoyable escape into Regency society. Although it may not break new ground in the genre, readers looking for a light-hearted romance with a hint of intrigue will find satisfaction in this tale.

As an author/publication, if you're going to advertise this as for fans of Bridgerton, a well-written, enticing, fun, VERY popular series of books and show then I really expect it to match the vibes and the thrill. This book unfortunately fell flat.

Although the story began well it fell quiet early, the romance didn't feel natural and there wasn't enough time for building their relationship before they were suddenly sleeping together? It felt like it came out of absolutely nowhere. I think this book could've been a lot better if there had been more process in planning the overall plot and relationship.

Although I never read the first book I still had such an enjoyable time reading this book. I loved every second of it from start to finish. I didn't feel like I missed much from starting this book first.

I loved Anya right from the start of the book, and when we are introduced to Damian I knew they would fit really well. I enjoyed that we got both of their perspective about situations that were going on. I prefer books that have different perspectives because then you get to see how the other character is thinking about certain things.

In this book there is some sort of miscommunication with the character facing challenges but the characters are very likable witch made me like the book more

This is the first regency book I have read and I honestly think its going to be one of my new favourite genres, I will be looking out for more types of regency books and I will be looking out for more books from Amita !

*Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Uk for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

I absolutely love a fresh take on regency novels. I am beyond excited to read, acquire, and share this novel. I apologize I had a family emergency this week which has prevented me from being able to access information and post reviews. I should be back up and running very soon and look forward to share my full thoughts and review. Please watch this space. Thank you again.