The Mismatch of the Season is a refreshingly spirited regency romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

Up front, I found the pacing of the story to be inconsistent, and quite slow at times, meaning it took longer to read than typical. However the author packed a lot of heart into this story and characters, making it a wholly enjoyable read.

Phoebe and the Viscount felt layered, constrained by societal expectations but yearning for true freedom. I really enjoyed the slow build of their chemistry. I loved Phoebe’s relationship with her sisters and the quirks of dreary Bath society. I was particularly interested in the asthma storyline and the plight of her youngest sister.

I hope the author considers sequels to this book. There’s a lot of potential in the storyline’s of the MC’s siblings, and I’d love to read more.

Thank you HarperCollins UK for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

3 stars
TW: toxic relationship between siblings, injury, manipulation and betrayal
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

This was just okay. Whilst it had a storyline of an eldest daughter fulfilling her duty to marry an extremely old man for the status it would give the family, and not wishing to give herself and her dreams up so freely, I wasn't all that captivated by the storytelling. This was down to four things: there were constant historical inaccuracies, the pacing was jarring from tediously slow to sudden bursts of speedy development, repeated infiltration of modern language and overzealous punctuation into a periodic piece, and there was zero chemistry between the protagonists.

I appreciated Phoebe's strong desire to not marry the "crusty" earl, and her relationship with her sisters was endearing. As an overall character, however, I found her to be a bit of a miss. Whilst mishaps continued to rain upon her every attempt for adventure before her impending nuptials, the same "oh no, this could be ruinous!" speech was given and Phoebe never had any character development that led to any satisfaction from her journey. Further, when the resolution arrived to her dilemma, it was so speedily delivered that there was no joy in her happy ending for me. I wanted it to develop more, to have some substance. Sadly, that time was wasted on earlier storytelling and constant interjection from the "mean girl" of the story.

This meant the romance had a shaky foundation at best. Alexander is constantly belittling her or appearing to rescue her, and yet says a couple of lines to Phoebe and she feels heat over him? There is no real physical interaction in this novel, and aside from two extremely mild scenes, it's him berating her for being a woman trying to outstep her boundaries and being moody when she mouths back at him. I was exasperated at best by this connection.

I feel if the author had addressed some of the pacing issues and worked further to be clearer in the historical elements of the storyline, this could have been a delightful, albeit predictable, period romance. It was marketed as being one for fans of Evie Dunmore, which is the reason I accepted the invite from the publisher to read, but aside from the loose concept of both authors setting their books in similar time periods, the content isn't comparable at all, sadly.

I was so excited to read this book but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.. the pace of it felt a little inconsistent and felt myself wandering off rather than being immersed. That being said if you’re looking for an easy going history romance this could definitely be for you! It’s refreshing to find a book with a steamy viscount that doesn’t have some form of sex every few pages. All in all this book was just okay to me but i honestly believe that it was a matter of personal preference as this book seemed to hit a lot of my check list for history romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Harpers Collins and one
More chapter for the arc!

I have been in the mood for historical romances recently. I just finished the Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas so when I saw this on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read another!

Phoebe has been promised to her father’s best friend as his dying wish. The Earl of Cumberland (the best friend) is old and round yet holds a powerful position in society. So what is an 18 year old girl to do? She attempts to have one last adventure before her life is settled. Running away to London doesn’t quite work out as she’d planned and she ends up in Bath with her sisters under the care of their aunt and uncle. Familiar faces also appear in Bath - as well as a villain to replace all villains.

I could not put this book down. There was such a complex story with a conflict I couldn’t predict the resolution too. The characters were so well developed with a throughly thought out plot.

I loved the overriding theme of women’s rights (and basic humanity). This coincided nicely with the theme of heroism.

The references to Austen were perfect and I felt not on the influence of her works but also the influence of Little Women and newer novels like Bridgerton.

My only struggle with this book was the language. There are quite a few common phrases of the time that are no longer used. I did not realize until I finished the book that it contained a glossary.

This was such a fun read - I hope to read more by Michelle Kenney!

This quick and cute regency romance will have you rooting for the fmc the entire time while reading! The plot was easy to follow along, had some good viewpoints on feminist ideas which I enjoyed, as well as a good enemies to lovers romance. Would definitely recommend to people who enjoy regency romances or are starting to get into the genre.

Historical enemies to lovers?! Sign me up! I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance, especially Phoebe. So much fun!

I thought Michelle Kenney's The Mismatch of the Season was a quick, enjoyable read that didn't take itself too seriously. The plot, for me, was quite fun. A lady who only wants adventure (however ridiculous and ill-conceived) was a nice twist on a classic theme. The threat of marriage to the earl actually bothered me and I honestly hated Phoebe's brother. That said, this book either wasn't terribly well-researched or the anachronism was meant to be funny. I'm thinking of particular of the weird handling of Miss Fairfax as a title--the eldest daughter is Miss Fairfax and the other daughters are Miss Josephine, Miss Sophie, etc. Yet, this was used a few times as a comic element with people struggling to refer to the daughters Fairfax. There were a bunch of little things like that and I guess I would have liked a bit more indication that the author was in on the joke, too. Overall, though, it probably fell at about 3-1/2 stars for me, so I rounded to 4.

Regency romances follow a predictable path since Bridgerton hit the TV screens, and this book is a brilliant example of this genre.
This has a determined female, who wants more out of life than a husband, children and reluctant domesticity. We have a dark, moody, sullen and apparently killjoy male, all these attributes make him so attractive to the unwed ladies of the ton. There are strong family loyalties, such knowing humour and wholly believable characters, this book is a delight to read, with genuine chuckles of amusement.
Phoebe is the tomboy, frequently found in scrapes, much to the frustration of her older brother Thomas. She has been promised in marriage to a man, several years her senior, this doesn’t fill her with joy, and she resolves to run away. She literally runs across Alex, Viscount Damerel, whilst she is engaged in swordplay with a highwayman, and every time thereafter, she is found in awkward situations that confound and confuses the Viscount.
The journey can be guessed, but this is a fabulous account of awkward love that takes both parties by surprise.
The ending is familiar, the perfect partner is hiding in plain sight.
There is male love and affection, that will cause public outcry if discovered, and misguided offers of a marriage of convenience that tries to throw a budding romance off course. Social gaffes and manners collide, there are wonderful words and expressions used, these are explained in the glossary, so hilarious in detail. What a film this would make! I have rated this as a five star read, for the sheer exuberant life force contained in these pages.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, HarperCollinsUK for my eARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and description and was hoping for one written in a similar way to Julia Quinn’s great Bridgerton series. However, I felt the constant references to equality between men and women was too focussed on and I didn’t really connect with either main characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

The Mismatch of the Season by Michelle Kenney is a masterpiece of a book! OMG!!! It was so overwhelmingly good that I couldn't put it down for a bit!

I’d like to say a massive thank you to Michelle Kennedy for letting me read this and to NetGally for providing the arc!❤️

This book is recommended for Bridgerton and Jane Austen fans and I am both so I thought I’d give it a try! The cover is what intrigued me and the title. This is an enjoyable and fairly easy read although I think the pacing was a little off, it still hooks you into the story.

Phoebe Fairfax is an eighteen year old girl who wants to live her own life and have freedom, like her brothers, but when she finds out she’s supposed to marry an older man who was a friend of her father’s, she runs away.

This leads to an adventure and tension, wondering if she’ll get to live her life and escape the man she is due to marry.

To escape this, she dresses as a man and her adventure begins. But when she gets injured on her way to London, she is saved by the painfully gorgeous Viscount Damerel.

They seem to have a connection and he is always there to save her. This was not what I was expecting for the book but I still happily read it!

A lovely plot but the only negative thing I have to say is the pace and how it didn’t really gel with me. But this is just my opinion and I hope everyone loves it❤️

In her father's will, it was stipulated that Phoebe was to marry a specific earl, one who is now old and not appealing in the least. If this must be the case, then Phoebe is out to have adventures before her life is taken from her. She dresses in her brother's clothes and set out on an adventure where she ends up fighting highwaymen and then is rescued by the Viscount Damerel after being injured. They don't get off on the right foot, especially once the Viscount realises she's not a floozy but the sister of one of his acquaintances and quite respectable. Damerel returns her to her brother and does so in a way to protect her reputation. Phoebe and sisters soon are off to Bath to help along her healing and also to help sister Josephine, who is of a sickly disposition. Somehow Phoebe regularly finds herself in the same place as Damerel and sparks fly at every turn while she finds herself in one situation after another.

It's a mostly amusing tale that one shouldn't take too seriously. It's a fast read and I enjoyed it for the most part. It is a bit heavy on the feminist issues at times, which isn't a problem, exactly, but some might find it pushed a bit too much to the detriment of the story. I personally had no issue, but some might. I would have liked us to know the Viscount a bit better. His character is only outlined at best, and we never get to understand much of his thinking.

Overall, a good read that I liked a lot. I would rate this 3.5 stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for giving me a free copy to read ahead of time. My feedback is completely voluntary.

I should have loved this. Regency romance and hi-jinx and an aloof, grumpy Viscount are like catnip for me. But something fell a little flat - tgmhe pacing felt off and Damarel was too one dimensional to swoon over.

The Mismatch of the Season by Michelle Kenney was one that caught my eye because of the cover.

Phoebe Fairfax is our fmc and she longs to be free to do whatever she would choose to do in life but she knows that as a woman, she will never have that right - like her brothers do. What she didn't count on however was that her eldest brother would force her to marry an Earl old enough to be her grandfather just because it was supposedly her father's last wish. She hasn't even had a season. Because of that, she takes things into her own hands and decides to escape their country estate dressed as her brother and head to London. Unfortunately for Phoebe, she doesn't get too far before things take a turn and she finds herself on the wrong end of a sword wound.

To say that Viscount Damerel (Alexander) and Phoebe didn't hit things off well is probably an understatement. Not truly knowing who she was and assuming she was a random woman traveling, he did proposition her when she was in his home. He immediately takes her back home as he finds out who she is and who her eldest brother is so that does not ingratiate him with her. Add to that how judgemental he is about her actions every time they meet, she can't help but be offended by him. What Phoebe doesn't recognize is that his reactions aren't really him being judgemental as much as they are fear for the danger she continues to put herself in based on the situations the Viscount finds her. When he does disclose his feelings for her, she essentially tells him off and walks away due to that misunderstanding.

There is a lot more at play in this story than just the relationship between these two characters. There is the relationship Phoebe has with her sisters (which I loved), the underlying secret as to why Phoebe is betrothed to the Earl (which we find out Thomas knew and I am angry with him about it...he should have stood up for her more), Alexander's brother and his love interest, and then of course the mean girl of the story - Aurelia. I also thought it was interesting how much of a role the health of Phoebe's sister Josephine played in the book.

Overall this was a solid read. It was quick and easy to get into, the characters were interesting and I couldn't help but feel something for Phoebe locked in the situation she was with no way out due to the lack of support from her brother. I will say, if you're looking for any sort of spice, you won't find here...I don't even recall there being a kiss in this one. That said, it was still an enjoyable story. Consider picking this one up if you're looking for a clean historical romance.

A funny and sweet Regency Romance . Phoebe is forced to marry an older man which was a friend of ther late father as it was his wish . She has 12 weeks before the wedding to really live and she run away from her home dressed as a man . On her way to London she gets injured and saved by Viscount Damerel . When he returns her back to her family she and her three younger sisters visit her aunt in Bath and even there he is there . When she is going to do something heroic he is there to save her .
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

I really wanted to like this one because the cover seemed so cute. But sadly this fell short on all ends for me. The book itself felt very repetitive. The same things are said every couple of pages just in a different way as if the writer was just trying to meet a word count. Also, the idea of men and women being unequal is said a few thousand times as well and I understand that that’s one of the major points but you don’t have to say it over and over again.

I also thought this was going to be a spicy book, but as soon as I read that, the main female character was 18 I knew this was not gonna be it, but I still kept reading and low and behold it is not spicy for anyone wondering.

Some might enjoy it, but it just was not for me.

**| received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher HarperCollins One More Chapter . All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**



This book was a fairly light and fast read. It is marketed towards historical romance lovers and Jane Austen. I can see where that might be the case however I found parts of the book not to necessarily hit the nail on the head.
The book really pushes the gender differences throughout the book and I felt like I didn’t need the constant reminder and it felt off putting.
The pacing was a little off for me.
All together this is a fast mostly enjoyable read.

This is a popcorn. read that will satisfy if you are looking for something light. Fans of Austen, however, might find themselves shaking their heads over similarities to the Pride and Prejudice movie but not the novel. That's not a bad thing, though if you don't care and if you're just out to relax. It's not heavy on the romance between Phoebe and Alex, which is strange. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

Instagram Caption:

📚 Mismatch of the Season by Michell Kenney — ⭐⭐⭐
I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. The pacing was uneven, and the character development seemed to focus mostly on complaints about gender roles, which felt repetitive. Some conversations dragged on, making me want to skip ahead. While it had its cute moments, the overall lack of forward momentum left me bored at times. Not one I’ll be recommending, but hey, not every book can be a favorite! Have you read this one? Let me know your thoughts below! 👇

Goodreads Review:

Mismatch of the Season by Michell Kenney — ⭐⭐⭐
The premise of this book sounded promising, but unfortunately, it wasn’t up my alley. The pacing felt inconsistent, and while there was some focus on character development, much of it revolved around lamenting gender roles. This theme, coupled with repetitive and drawn-out conversations, made the story feel stagnant. I found myself wanting to move on rather than immerse myself in the dialogue. That said, it wasn’t all bad—it had cute moments that some readers might enjoy. However, the overall lack of momentum made it hard for me to fully connect with the story.

I wish I could have liked The Mismatch of the Season more than I did. On the plus side, the story idea had promise, but unfortunately the delivery couldn't match that excellent premise. The historical accuracy I always want in these tales just wasn't there. There were even incorrect references to Jane Austen novels, where the author seemed to remember filmed versions of the stories better than the original texts. The pacing was all over the place and I got tired of the gender inequality message being pushed on nearly every page, as if it was something the reader needed to keep being reminded of. I also felt the romance lacked spark and appeared to play second fiddle to other elements within the story. If you are looking for an easygoing fluff-read to while away a few hours, perhaps you'll enjoy this book, but I wouldn't recommend it to readers looking for historically accurate tales with deep characters and relationships. I am giving it 2.5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.