readingwithhippos's review against another edition
2.0
Structurally this just didn't work for me--it read oddly like a series of vignettes, like one scene somewhat randomly following another with little connection or throughline. I never felt like I got to know the characters beyond the surface. I wish I could better articulate my issues because I expected to love this, a lady scientist and a stern bodyguard! But the execution didn't live up to the premise for me.
achaperonwrites's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: ❄️❄️❄️❄️/5
“How terrifying when dreams walk the earth. Perfect in their imperfections: messy and flawed and more beautiful for it. When you let a person in, they mattered, and when you lost them, worlds ended.”
— A Lady’s Formula for Love, Elizabeth Everett
Violet Hughes is a widowed scientist who spends her time presiding over a household and a secret club surrounded by other likeminded women. She is a shell of a woman.
Arthur Kneland is a government agent hired by Violet’s stepson to protect her from an anarchist society in exchange for enough money to buy a farm back home in Scotland and retire away from the rest of the world. He is a shell of a man.
When these two literally crash into each other, sparks fly. But their relationship isn’t easy, with one of them fighting their feelings and the other not confident enough to express their deepest desires. Will they find a way to make it work, or will their chemistry blow up in their faces?
The only thing that made this fall short of a five star read for me was the fact that the plot felt choppy and underdeveloped at times. While I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold, I also thought that the romance between Violet and Arthur felt rushed. Hopefully these issues will be addressed before its release!
Thanks to Evie Dunmore, I have become such a huge fan of historical romance, and when this comes out on February 9th, it will be welcomed into the fold with open arms. I am sure everyone will thoroughly enjoy it.
“How terrifying when dreams walk the earth. Perfect in their imperfections: messy and flawed and more beautiful for it. When you let a person in, they mattered, and when you lost them, worlds ended.”
— A Lady’s Formula for Love, Elizabeth Everett
Violet Hughes is a widowed scientist who spends her time presiding over a household and a secret club surrounded by other likeminded women. She is a shell of a woman.
Arthur Kneland is a government agent hired by Violet’s stepson to protect her from an anarchist society in exchange for enough money to buy a farm back home in Scotland and retire away from the rest of the world. He is a shell of a man.
When these two literally crash into each other, sparks fly. But their relationship isn’t easy, with one of them fighting their feelings and the other not confident enough to express their deepest desires. Will they find a way to make it work, or will their chemistry blow up in their faces?
The only thing that made this fall short of a five star read for me was the fact that the plot felt choppy and underdeveloped at times. While I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold, I also thought that the romance between Violet and Arthur felt rushed. Hopefully these issues will be addressed before its release!
Thanks to Evie Dunmore, I have become such a huge fan of historical romance, and when this comes out on February 9th, it will be welcomed into the fold with open arms. I am sure everyone will thoroughly enjoy it.
tine29's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rrickman33's review against another edition
4.0
Lady Violet Hughes is a secret female genius in a time when women were not allowed to be smart. After the death of her nobleman husband, Daniel, Violet creates a secret women’s scientist club in her own home called, Athena’s Retreat, and puts on the front that it is just a woman’s social club. But someone knows her secret, and that she is working on a top secret project and is trying to stop her at all costs.
Enter her bodyguard, Arthur Kneland, who she can’t help but be attracted to the instant she sees him and he her. The chemistry between them is insane and electric and this book got STEAMY. I loved reading as they pretended to not care for each other and eventually give in but all as a back drop to a more interesting plot. Women, some common some noblewomen, wanting to do more with their life than be a housewife during Victorian England.
I loved the feminist themes in this book, the female friendships were so wonderful to showcase. Women wanting to study medicine, chemistry, physics all while wearing a corset and full dress? I mean they are heroes in my eyes. I highly recommend this lovely book to those that are wanting to discover not only what life was like in Victorian England for a strong intelligent woman, but also those wanting a steamy romance. Be prepared for a chapter to knock your socks off and then the next chapter discuss scholars and chemical theories. Classism was also at the heart of this book as Violet was a noble and Arthur is a commoner and their relationship is basically not allowed in society.
Elizabeth Everett’s writing is so enjoyable to read and there was never really a dull moment. I only wish there was more mystery and science and a little less drama and romance but it is a historical romance novel so that’s on me. I hope Violet’s friends may end up with their own books soon, I will definitely be waiting to read more about the Secret Scientists of London.
Recommend for: Historical Romance readers, those who love Evie Dunmore’s books, and those who enjoyed A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.
Enter her bodyguard, Arthur Kneland, who she can’t help but be attracted to the instant she sees him and he her. The chemistry between them is insane and electric and this book got STEAMY. I loved reading as they pretended to not care for each other and eventually give in but all as a back drop to a more interesting plot. Women, some common some noblewomen, wanting to do more with their life than be a housewife during Victorian England.
I loved the feminist themes in this book, the female friendships were so wonderful to showcase. Women wanting to study medicine, chemistry, physics all while wearing a corset and full dress? I mean they are heroes in my eyes. I highly recommend this lovely book to those that are wanting to discover not only what life was like in Victorian England for a strong intelligent woman, but also those wanting a steamy romance. Be prepared for a chapter to knock your socks off and then the next chapter discuss scholars and chemical theories. Classism was also at the heart of this book as Violet was a noble and Arthur is a commoner and their relationship is basically not allowed in society.
Elizabeth Everett’s writing is so enjoyable to read and there was never really a dull moment. I only wish there was more mystery and science and a little less drama and romance but it is a historical romance novel so that’s on me. I hope Violet’s friends may end up with their own books soon, I will definitely be waiting to read more about the Secret Scientists of London.
Recommend for: Historical Romance readers, those who love Evie Dunmore’s books, and those who enjoyed A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.
hantheam's review against another edition
2.0
The book has some charm, but it's sprinkled over an appalling lack of craft. (I'm really --I promise you-- not a stickler for rules. I think romance especially gets to play fast and loose with narrative convention since it is a character driven craft.) However poor characterization and a total lack of cohesion is what really fumbled the bag here. What we ended up with was ill-defined stakes, impotently quashed conflicts, tell-don't-show style writing, and a politically confused message.
The book opens with the promise of danger and intrigue. This is advertised as a bodyguard romance after all, and we have a mystery at the heart of it! Expect, our hero is actually more the head of a security detail and the imminent danger can be easily dismissed and placed on a shelf. Our heroine is the de-facto leader of a women's retreat which she runs on her property. Unfortunately being surrounded by a sisterhood of independent women working toward progressive goals only leaves her feeling lonely and incomplete. (And why yes this aspect is portrayed carelessly.)
Oddly enough, the narrative unfolds through unhurried, loosely related vignettes, despite having a dependable through line at its disposal. While not entirely out of place for a romance it throws off the already tenuous pacing.
The book opens with the promise of danger and intrigue. This is advertised as a bodyguard romance after all, and we have a mystery at the heart of it! Expect, our hero is actually more the head of a security detail and the imminent danger can be easily dismissed and placed on a shelf. Our heroine is the de-facto leader of a women's retreat which she runs on her property. Unfortunately being surrounded by a sisterhood of independent women working toward progressive goals only leaves her feeling lonely and incomplete. (And why yes this aspect is portrayed carelessly.)
Oddly enough, the narrative unfolds through unhurried, loosely related vignettes, despite having a dependable through line at its disposal. While not entirely out of place for a romance it throws off the already tenuous pacing.
aranais's review against another edition
2.0
DNF, didn’t keep my attention. got 18% through and realized I just wasn’t really wanting to continue it. and for being 1/5 through the book, it felt like nothing had happened yet
stuff4bd's review against another edition
3.0
Reminded me of the Beronica Speedwell series by Danna Raybourne which I much prefer
ibeforem's review against another edition
4.0
This book surprised me, it was spicier than I expected! I enjoyed the story and the varied cast of characters. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, I didn't find it very satisfactory as far as the mystery was concerned.
shannon_magee's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Transphobia, and Blood