Review - - How to Best a Marquess

How to Best a Marquess

by Janna MacGregor

The Widow Rules - Book 3

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Release Date: April 25, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Beth Howell needs to find her dowry, post haste. After her good-for-nothing first husband married her—and two other women, unbeknownst to them all—she’s left financially ruined and relegated to living with her brother, who cares more for his horses than he does his blood relatives. If Beth fails to acquire her funds, her brother will force her to marry someone fifty years her senior and missing half his teeth. She’d prefer to avoid that dreadful fate. But her now-deceased husband, Meri, absconded with her money mere days after their illegitimate marriage. To find it, Beth will have to leave town and retrace Meri’s steps if she’s to take her future into her own hands.

Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, cares not a whit for social norms and generally growls at anyone in his path. Grayson has had a heart of stone ever since his engagement to Beth Howell went down in flames—long before she married that cad, Meri, and sealed her own fate for good. But now she’s on his doorstep, asking for use of his carriage and accompaniment on the hunt to find her lost dowry. Surely Grayson cannot go on the road with the woman who has occupied his thoughts for the past decade. Yet, knowing she needs him, how can he resist helping her this one last time? And maybe that’s just enough time to change the ending to their over-too-soon love story.

PJ's Thoughts:

How to Best a Marquess brings to a conclusion MacGregor's trilogy about three women who, following his death, discover they were all married to the same man. Of course, only one of those marriages was legal. I've enjoyed getting to know these women and following each of their journeys to love. 

This final book is a second-chance, road romance between third wife, Beth and the man who captured, then broke, her young heart years earlier, before her disastrous non-marriage to Meri. I love a second-chance romance trope, especially in a case like Beth and Julian where the earlier breakup was engineered by a third party and both Julian and Beth were left heartbroken. I was looking forward to these two finding their way back to one another as they traipsed across the countryside retracing the steps of Beth's late "husband" in an attempt to discover what happened to her dowry. Some of their experiences were humorous, and some poignant, while others presented complications and a bit of danger. All of them kept me curious as to what would happen next. 

The evolution of the romantic relationship between Beth and Julian was a slow, steamy burn that took a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. My heart ached for the sheer yearning Julian felt for his Beth, a woman who had held his heart for so long. I was cheering him on from the start. Beth is a complicated swirl of hot and cold, acting much like a cornered porcupine - and many would say with good reason. She's blunt, opinionated, and has a boatload of built-up anger and bitterness to process before she reaches a point where she's able to accept that she deserves the love she craves. She definitely has the more complex growth arc. 

Two secondary characters were a highlight for me, threatening to steal every scene they were in: Cillian, Julian's less-than-proper Irish butler and the outrageous Duke of Pelham, who I was delighted to read will be featured in MacGregor's next series. I'm looking forward to it. 

Review - - Rules for Engaging the Earl

Rules for Engaging the Earl

by Janna MacGregor

The Widow Rules - Book 2

Publisher: St. Martin's

Release Date: April 26, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

Constance Lysander needs a husband. Or, so society says. She’s about to give birth to her late husband’s child—a man who left her with zero money, and two other wives she didn’t know about. Thankfully, she has her Aunt by her side, and the two other wives have become close friends. But still—with a baby on the way, her shipping business to run, and an enemy skulking about, she has no time to find the perfect match.

Enter Jonathan, Earl of Sykeston. Returned war hero and Constance’s childhood best friend, his reentry into society has been harsh. Maligned for an injury he received in the line of duty, Jonathan prefers to stay out of sight. It’s the only way to keep his heart from completely crumbling. But when a missive from Constance requests his presence—to their marriage ceremony—Jonathan is on board. His feelings for Constance run deep, and he’ll do anything to make her happy, though it means risking his already bruised heart.

With Constance, Jonathan, and the new baby all together, it’s clear the wounds—both on the surface and in their relationship—run deep. But when the nights come, their wounds begin to heal, and both come to realize that their marriage of convenience is so much more than just a bargain.

PJ's Thoughts:

I adored Constance and Jonathan. I would even go so far as to say they are my favorite MacGregor couple. They, and their journey to love, captured my imagination, held my attention, and touched my heart. This one is going to my keeper shelf where I have no doubt I'll be revisiting them more than once.

MacGregor's depiction of Jonathan made my heart ache. Here was a man who desperately needed the love and support Constance was offering yet couldn't bring himself to accept it...or believe that he was worthy of it. Yet there were glimpses of the man he had once been and ached to be again, even if he wasn't yet ready to admit it. I enjoyed how MacGregor used not only his evolving relationship with Constance but his relationships with his dog, the new baby, and his matchmaking butler to underscore the gradual opening of his heart. 

There was so much to admire about Constance. I loved her strength, her determination, and her huge heart. I appreciated her independence and business savvy, the respect she commanded among her workers. I loved that she held Jonathan to account for his actions, not settling for less than she deserved, less than they both deserved. 

The chemistry between this couple sizzled but there was also plenty of tenderness well, with lively banter and more than a few humorous moments to light the way. And MacGregor tempered those lighter moments with an emotional depth that infused their relationship with layers, complexity, and the hard-won happy ending that convinced me these two would endure any obstacles life threw their way. 

This is book two in MacGregor's The Widow Rules trilogy. While it could be enjoyed on its own, I think readers will enjoy it much more if they begin with book one, A Duke in Time. 

Review - - A Duke in Time

A Duke in Time

by Janna MacGregor

The Widow Rules - Book 1

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

 

Katherine Vareck is in for the shock of her life when she learns upon her husband Meri's accidental death that he had married two other women. Her entire business, along with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a royal supplier, is everything she's been working for and now could be destroyed if word leaks about the three wives.

Meri's far more upstanding brother, Christian, Duke of Randford has no earthly clue how to be of assistance. He spent the better part of his adult years avoiding Meri and the rest of his good-for-nothing family, so to be dragged back into the fold is…problematic. Even more so is the intrepid and beautiful Katherine, whom he cannot be falling for because she's Meri's widow. Or can he?

With a textile business to run and a strong friendship forming with Meri's two other wives, Katherine doesn't have time for much else. But there's something about the warm, but compellingly taciturn Christian that draws her to him. When an opportunity to partner in a business venture brings them even closer, they'll have to face their pasts if they want to share each other's hearts and futures.

PJ's Thoughts:

A Duke in Time launches Janna MacGregor's new series and sets the stage for what looks to be a very entertaining group of books. The premise is intriguing, with a group of main characters I'm looking forward to learning more about, and a bit of a mystery that looks to play out over the course of the series. I'm eager to discover what out-of-left-field bequests from the deceased "trigamist" show up next!

What drives this story are the characters and, I have to say, they're some of the most likeable I've met in some time. Christian and Kat are good, honorable, caring people who I was pulling for from start to finish. I enjoyed Kat's determination to earn her own keep, her clever innovations, and her willingness to help those in need. In light of that innate goodness, it wasn't a stretch to believe she would step forward to help Constance and Beth but what I really enjoyed was the sisterhood ultimately formed by this trio of women who were all betrayed by the same man.  

I appreciated Christian's support of Kat, how they worked together, how he listened to her ideas, and his determination to help those less fortunate, especially the soldiers who came home to nothing. I enjoyed their flirtations, their chemistry, and their foundation of friendship that deepened into love. 

The supporting cast of characters were all vividly depicted, bringing additional depth, humor, and conflict to the story. I'm already looking forward to seeing more of some of them in the next book.

There were a few issues that kept this from being a 5-star read for me but, overall, it was a well-crafted, heart-tugging story that kept me turning pages, cheering for the (good) characters, taking satisfaction in the consequences suffered by villain, happy with the culmination of Kat and Christian's journey, and eager for the next two books. If you enjoy historical romance, give this one a try. 

Cover Reveal - - Where There's A Will

Where There's A Will

by Janna MacGregor

Prequel to A Duke in Time

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Release Date: June 1, 2021

Katherine, Lady Meriwether Vareck, dreads attending the reading of her husband’s will, but she’s hoping she’ll at least have her dowry returned. And meet her departed husband’s half brother, the popular war hero duke, who seems to be everywhere, including her daydreams. Though the errant duke has never bothered to write or see her, Katherine decides to go to his house and introduce herself. Their first meeting shouldn’t be at a solicitor’s office, after all.

Even though he’s just returned home from the war, Christian Vareck, the Duke of Randford, is quite tired of all the ladies vying for his attention by throwing handkerchiefs his way. That is...until he catches a glimpse of her, the woman with a handkerchief in hand, walking to his front door. When she suddenly turns and leaves without introducing herself, Christian is surprisingly devastated. Determined to discover her identity, he plans to scour the streets of London until he finds her. But first, he must locate his late half brother’s missing will, then meet his late brother’s widow, too…

PJ says:

If I didn't already have Janna MacGregor's next full-length novel on pre-order this prequel would have sealed the deal. A quick (50-page) read, Where There's A Will introduces the main characters of A Duke in Time and sets the stage for their journey with witty dialogue, an intriguing mystery, a peek into events that will help readers understand what motivates Katherine and Christian, and the stirrings of a mutual attraction that could complicate everything...or open the door to a love they could not have imagined. 

Where There's A Will will be released June 1 but is available for pre-order now. Best of all? It's FREE! 

Where There’s a Will

Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3dK9Dip

Barnes and Noble:  https://bit.ly/31TF6cq

Google play:  https://bit.ly/3dED4SS

ebooks.com: https://bit.ly/324YH9p

A Duke in Time, the first full-length book in MacGregor's The Widow Rules series, will be released June 29. It also is available for pre-order. 

A Duke in Time

by Janna MacGregor

The Widow Rules - Book 1

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Katherine Vareck is in for the shock of her life when she learns upon her husband Meri's accidental death that he had married two other women. Her entire business, along with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a royal supplier, is everything she's been working for and now could be destroyed if word leaks about the three wives.

Meri's far more upstanding brother, Christian, Duke of Randford has no earthly clue how to be of assistance. He spent the better part of his adult years avoiding Meri and the rest of his good-for-nothing family, so to be dragged back into the fold is…problematic. Even more so is the intrepid and beautiful Katherine, whom he cannot be falling for because she's Meri's widow. Or can he?

With a textile business to run and a strong friendship forming with Meri's two other wives, Katherine doesn't have time for much else. But there's something about the warm, but compellingly taciturn Christian that draws her to him. When an opportunity to partner in a business venture brings them even closer, they'll have to face their pasts if they want to share each other's hearts and futures.

A Duke in Time

Amazon https://amzn.to/3pi83Jc

Barnes and Noble https://bit.ly/2JUhXRj

iBooks  https://apple.co/36lxQb0

Google Books https://bit.ly/3kdhWEB

Kobo https://bit.ly/3wSY552

Have you read any Janna MacGregor books? Do you have a favorite?

Do you enjoy prequels? What about epilogues? 

One person who comments on this post before 11:00 PM, April 16 will receive their choice of one book from Janna MacGregor's back list (books already published). 

*Must be 18

*Open internationally - if winner does not live in the U.S., their book will be shipped from Book Depository.