Emma Orchard has done it again. "To Catch a Lord" follows Lady Amelia as she tries to cast off her father's scandalous reputation. She enlists the help of Lord Thornfalcon, a man seen as so virtuous in society that it is to his detriment. This operates nicely as a standalone regency tale, but if you've read the author's other work, you will be rewarded with Rafe and particularly, Sophie from the previous story. The story passes with expected beats, but ultimately oozes an assured conciseness. These sorts of books are often bogged down with frustrating miscommunication, but Emma Orchard manages to racket up the tension without relying too heavily on such a device for too long.

3* A 19th century fake engagement set in Regency London

Lady Amelia Wyverne and Lord Thornfalcon decide that the pretence of becoming engaged will be a benefit for them both.

Amelia has gained the attention of undesirable fortune hunters, a fiancé will keep them away. Thorn is being pursued by his amorous sister-in-law who refuses to take no for an answer, being engaged he'll be off the marriage market. Except SIL decides, with the help of her friends, to permanently remove Amelia and win Thorn.

The plot has it all, a couple who are trying not to be attracted to each other, an amoral stepmother, slander, blackmail, attempted murder and with both wanted and unwanted seduction. It's entertaining, in a lighthearted way.

With thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed this book! I’ve read all of the others in Emma Orchard’s series, although this could definitely be read as a stand-alone book (the FMC is the sister of the MMC from 2 books ago, although a couple of years have passed).

I liked the practicality of Amelia’s personality and her plan, and it was so nice to see supportive family members with both Amelia and Marcus. There were some funny moments, and some romantic moments, although it would have been nice to have more romantic moments in the lead up to each of their revelations of love for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy, this is my honest and voluntary review. Overall, I would recommend this book and any others that the author writes!

Amelia, an heiress, is sick of the fortune hunters. Thorn, a returned war hero, is sick of woman throwing themselves at him. Amelia proposes a fake engagement to keep the hoards away. When Thorn's old flame starts making trouble for them, they must decide if they should make this betrothal real. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my honest review.

"London, 1813

As a daughter of the notorious Wyverne family, Lady Amelia is used to being the subject of gossip. But while she has accepted her marred reputation - however unfair it is - she hates the horrible men it attracts.

Amelia decides she needs a suitor of impeccable repute to save her from the attentions of ungentlemanly gentlemen, and who better than the handsome and famously moral Lord Thornfalcon? Since coming into his title, 'Thorn' has been besieged by women who want to marry him, or have an affair with him, or both - so perhaps a pretend relationship might suit him too?

There's just one small catch. Thorn's childhood sweetheart Lavinia has also set her sights on him again, and rallied half the ton behind her. But what does that matter to Amelia - it's only a fake engagement, isn't it? Except, as Lavinia and her friends try to tear Amelia and Thorn apart, she starts to realise that her feelings may not be quite so fake after all.

Because the trouble with brave and handsome Lords is...they might just steal your heart."

Yes yes, beware brave and handsome Lords and faux relationships of convenience, love might be right behind.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book. It's a quick, engaging read that never drags, and one of its biggest strengths is the well-crafted characters. I really liked Marcus and Amelia—their dynamic and banter are genuinely enjoyable, and once again, Emma Orchard proves she has a real talent for writing chemistry between a hero and heroine.
As in the Author's previous novels, the world-building is a major plus. The attention to historical detail and the faithful recreation of the Regency era add depth and authenticity to the story.
That said, the plot was where the book lost me a bit. I understand that historical romances aren’t meant to be entirely realistic, but the setup for the fake engagement felt far too contrived—even by genre standards. The circumstances were so implausible that it was hard to believe either character would go along with it. Once they were pretending to be engaged (which, of course, turned into real feelings), the story picked up, and the banter carried it well. But ultimately, the foundation of the entire charade just felt too far-fetched to ignore.
One intriguing element was the character of Lavinia—Marcus's former love and the widow of his late brother—who is determined to win him back at any cost. At first, I thought her subplot might become one of the book’s highlights, but unfortunately, the final twist involving her felt overly convenient and not fully resolved.
In summary, the plot isn’t the book’s strongest point, but it’s still an enjoyable read thanks to the fast pace and the charm of the main characters. Fans of historical romance will likely have a good time with it. As for me, I’m definitely not giving up on Emma Orchard—on the contrary, I’m already looking forward to her next release.

I am giving it two stars because I DNF.I just was not drawn in to the characters. The MMC is still getting weird with his dead brother’s widow and the FMC was just kind of blah. Maybe it gets better, but I won’t be finding out about it. Sorry to this book.