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A review by onebookmore
The Marquess Next Door by Virginia Heath
5.0
I’m thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for The Marquess Next Door, a delightful historical romance by Virginia Heath! The story follows Lucius (Luke) Duff, the Marquess of Thundersley, and Hope Brookes, next-door neighbors who unexpectedly find love. When avoiding unbearable Lords at a ball, a helpful but drunk an comes to Hope’s aid.
Luke Duff has recently become a Marquess and is just learning all of the responsibilities that come with it. He is completely out of his element and wants nothing more than to return to his old home and life. However, after he meets the beautiful and intelligent Hope, he can’t stop thinking about her. Hope, too, can’t stop thinking about Luke, and as their paths continue to cross and their relationship grows, they both must decide if their friendship can lead to something more.
Hope and Luke are well-developed and interesting protagonists. Hope wants nothing to do with men, who have generally only been interested in her beauty and voluptuousness. An aspiring Gothic novelist and woman ahead of her time, Hope refuses to be treated as an object to be won. Luke, a good, honorable, and responsible man, is the first to treat Hope differently.
I like that Hope and Luke develop a strong friendship first. While living next door to each other, they begin chatting on their respective balconies. These private and secret conversations become a special part of their days. Hope and Luke become so close, and they share things that they don’t share with anyone else. They have such a deep and strong connection, and the fact that they become best friends first is lovely. Of course, their attraction to each other is plain to see. They are completely drawn to each other, and their chemistry is fantastic. When they are around others, they struggle to hide their growing affection for each other, which makes for some interesting gatherings.
The couple also has a shared love of literature that further connects them, and I adored their discussions about favorite books and genres. Since no one in her family has an affinity toward books and reading, Hope is happy to find someone who understands her feelings about literature. I love books with characters who have a passion for reading!
Hope and Luke have so many unique and wonderful people in their families. Hope’s parents and sisters are strong, assertive, and dynamic, each talented and well-known for their gifts. Hope’s mother and sister are hysterical, and Luke’s mother is charming. I love that Hope’s family is so honest and open. They know who they are, and they own it. There is such vibrancy and passion in Hope’s family, and they’re are all so charming and welcoming. I love that they embrace Luke and his mother so easily into their fold, and the messages about family, understanding, and acceptance are wonderful.
I also like that the story includes topics like mental health, postpartum depression, and gender inequalities. I don’t often read about mental health issues in historical romances, and the treatments used were truly horrific. It’s clear that society didn’t know much about postpartum depression and many other mental health struggles, and the practices were often more detrimental to a patient’s health. The book handles these topics honestly and with care while also exploring the often detrimental effects of being treated for depression at this time.
This is a heart-warming and engrossing historical romance that I really enjoyed reading. Hope and Luke have a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance, and I loved the characters and messages. Though this is the second book in The Talk of the Beau Monde series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I think readers who enjoy regency romances will love this story as much as I did, and I’m so thankful to Virginia Heath, Harlequin, and Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Luke Duff has recently become a Marquess and is just learning all of the responsibilities that come with it. He is completely out of his element and wants nothing more than to return to his old home and life. However, after he meets the beautiful and intelligent Hope, he can’t stop thinking about her. Hope, too, can’t stop thinking about Luke, and as their paths continue to cross and their relationship grows, they both must decide if their friendship can lead to something more.
Hope and Luke are well-developed and interesting protagonists. Hope wants nothing to do with men, who have generally only been interested in her beauty and voluptuousness. An aspiring Gothic novelist and woman ahead of her time, Hope refuses to be treated as an object to be won. Luke, a good, honorable, and responsible man, is the first to treat Hope differently.
I like that Hope and Luke develop a strong friendship first. While living next door to each other, they begin chatting on their respective balconies. These private and secret conversations become a special part of their days. Hope and Luke become so close, and they share things that they don’t share with anyone else. They have such a deep and strong connection, and the fact that they become best friends first is lovely. Of course, their attraction to each other is plain to see. They are completely drawn to each other, and their chemistry is fantastic. When they are around others, they struggle to hide their growing affection for each other, which makes for some interesting gatherings.
The couple also has a shared love of literature that further connects them, and I adored their discussions about favorite books and genres. Since no one in her family has an affinity toward books and reading, Hope is happy to find someone who understands her feelings about literature. I love books with characters who have a passion for reading!
Hope and Luke have so many unique and wonderful people in their families. Hope’s parents and sisters are strong, assertive, and dynamic, each talented and well-known for their gifts. Hope’s mother and sister are hysterical, and Luke’s mother is charming. I love that Hope’s family is so honest and open. They know who they are, and they own it. There is such vibrancy and passion in Hope’s family, and they’re are all so charming and welcoming. I love that they embrace Luke and his mother so easily into their fold, and the messages about family, understanding, and acceptance are wonderful.
I also like that the story includes topics like mental health, postpartum depression, and gender inequalities. I don’t often read about mental health issues in historical romances, and the treatments used were truly horrific. It’s clear that society didn’t know much about postpartum depression and many other mental health struggles, and the practices were often more detrimental to a patient’s health. The book handles these topics honestly and with care while also exploring the often detrimental effects of being treated for depression at this time.
This is a heart-warming and engrossing historical romance that I really enjoyed reading. Hope and Luke have a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance, and I loved the characters and messages. Though this is the second book in The Talk of the Beau Monde series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I think readers who enjoy regency romances will love this story as much as I did, and I’m so thankful to Virginia Heath, Harlequin, and Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.