Opposites save the first waltz for each other in “The Reluctant Countess” by Eloisa James!! Lady Yasmin Regnier smiles to show she is unaffected by the gossips regarding her past and why she moved in with her grandfather. Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, does not smile and tries hard to keep tabs on his marriageable sister. I love the contrast between a sneaky snake sister and a G.O.A.T. grandfather! The book is epistolary-ish however Lydia got in the way and she constantly angers us. Yasmin’s duke grandfather is supportive and makes us laugh, as well as her friends. We feel anger and support, and everything in between from this book! I could not stop smiling whenever the wallflower dress is described or mentioned. I had no clue why Yasmin would want to be a wallflower and the reason is infuriating, I could not read fast enough for the resolution. We see strength from a woman who has been wronged before and I love how Yasmin keeps her head held high. Giles is proper however I especially love his improper yet proper reaction to seeing her past!! This book is heart-warming and well-paced with a good-for-you-girl vibe!! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is an opposites-attract story with equal amounts of angst and wit. Giles and Yasmin are very different on the surface. He is a stuffy grump and she is a cheerful flirty ray of sunshine. They in fact have much in common. Both are dealing with family scandals, but in different ways. The secondary characters have a lot of influence on Giles and Yasmin and the way they behave toward each other. Giles’s sister is a horror and does her best to keep them apart. Jake and Cleo, and Yasmin’s grandfather are wonderful characters. They are supportive of Yasmin and encourage her romance with Giles. I enjoyed this well-written, somewhat unusual romance. An interesting story with great characters and a good ending. Good read! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

ARC provided Edelweiss and Avon in exchange for a honest review. This was a disappointment and characters I could not connect with or liked. And found it very hard to believe all that took place and happened (drama, like soap opera drama) for the time period and era. Okay pretty simple and to the point here. I did not like the heroine. She has a scandalous past, because of her mother, her actions and her dress. But she also doesn't help her cause in my humble opinion with what she does either. I found her over the top and to be honest a little full of herself. The hero, oh do not get me started on this jerk. What a total hypocrite. I mean nothing likable about him at all. Not attractive in any way, shape or form. He looks down at her and her "reputation" but is in constant lust for her.🙄 And lets talk about his sister, the villain of this story, she was unbelievable. What an absolute spoiled, rotten and unkind brat, these might be too nice to describe her actually. And the story line was just not believable for the time period. And someone made a comment saying that a reader who reads this genre and expects historical romances to have any kind of authenticity about how things would have actually happened in these time periods is foolish. Question, why do I pick up a historical romance, for the time period and it's authenticity. And for it to be as close or as believable for the time period/era. Why would I pick up historical really expecting anything else, really. Some scenes and what took place just didn't jive or work for a historical romance. And I am aware that there seems to be a trend with some authors in the historical genre to reallllly stretchhhh the truth for the time period, but let me call it as I see it, a Contemporary Historical. I think that there needs to be a new label created just for those books. That way we all know what we are getting and are happy. Do not recommend this book, big disappointment.