Review - - A Wager at Midnight

A Wager at Midnight

by Vanessa Riley

Betting Against the Duke - Book 2

Publisher: Zebra

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

  

Scarlett Wilcox is willing to live out her life as a spinster if it means being able to continue her medical research to help a friend in need. After all, few husbands would tolerate her dressing as a man to attend lectures at the Royal Academy of Science. If the Duke of Torrance finds her such a specimen, she'll agree to a marriage in name only, much to the dismay of her elder sister, the Viscountess.

When she's unmasked at a lecture on ophthalmology, Scarlett prepares to be disgraced, but she's saved by Trinidadian-born physician Stephen Carew who claims her as a cousin. Dedicated to caring for his community, Stephen has no wish to marry a frivolous and privileged lady, no matter how many fall for his disarming accent and seductive charm. But Scarlett proves the opposite of any he’s ever met before. Yet the pressure to marry blinds them both to the chemistry growing between them, pitting their brilliant minds against their reluctant hearts—as the Duke and Viscountess await with bated breath to see who will win . . . A WAGER AT MIDNIGHT.

PJ's Thoughts:

I'm enjoying this new trilogy from Vanessa Riley that showcases diverse characters of color in Regency London. Riley's books are always rich in historical detail while also featuring well-developed characters who bring the time and place to life on the page. 

While the battle between the Duke and Katherine continues to play out in the background of this second book, it's time for third sister, Scarlett to take center stage. I'm always up for a woman of science in historical romance who has the courage to defy the norm in pursuit of education. Scarlett is one such character and I was with her every step of her journey. She has a true calling, as well as an honorable heart, and a willingness to do whatever it takes in her quest to help others.

It took me a while to settle into Stephen as the right man for Scarlett. There's plenty of simmering chemistry in their squabbles and banter but he's as reluctant to accept her non-traditional brilliance as he is the fact that the young girl he first met is now a grown woman. He's a planner, some might say a slow plodder, with a burning need for acceptance from his community. But he grows as the story unfolds and by the end, I was rooting him on in his quest for Scarlett's heart. 

Riley's books are not fast-paced. They evolve gradually, taking readers on a journey with occasional side trips, as one might experience in real life, with secondary characters - and storylines - only adding to the rich texture of the whole. While Scarlett and Stephen are the featured couple in A Wager at Midnight, I found myself drawn over and over to the Duke and the complications in his life that are at the core of this trilogy and his relationships with the Wilcox sisters. I am literally bouncing with eagerness to discover how his story will evolve when he and Katherine finally step into the romantic spotlight. A scene at the end of A Wager at Midnight leads me to believe it will not be an easy journey for either of them. 

While some books within a trilogy can be enjoyed as a standalone, I do not recommend that with this one. For maximum enjoyment and complete understanding of these characters and their relationships, I strongly encourage readers to begin with A Gamble at Sunset, followed by A Wager at Midnight. 

Review - - A Gamble at Sunset

A Gamble at Sunset

by Vanessa Riley

Betting Against the Duke - Book 1

Publisher: Zebra Books

Release Date: May 21, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

When a duke discovers the woman he loves was tricked into marrying another, the master chess player makes the now-widowed Viscountess the highest-stakes wager of his life in a last-ditch effort to win her affection: he will find husbands for her two sisters—or depart forever. Thus begins a sparkling new series from acclaimed author Vanessa Riley.

Georgina Wilcox, a wallflower with hidden musical talents, is furious when her reclusive older sister—the recently widowed Viscountess—refuses sorely needed help from the Duke of Torrance, the only gentleman who has shown kindness to the bereft Wilcox sisters. Georgina decides to get back at her sister and shock the Viscountess by kissing the first willing stranger she meets in the enchanting gardens of Anya House. Unfortunately, her sister is not the sole witness. A group of reporters and the ton’s leading gossips catch Georgina in a passionate embrace with a reticent composer, Lord Mark Sebastian.

The third son of an influential marquis, the tongue-tied Mark is determined to keep the scandal from ruining Georgina’s reputation and his own prospects of winning the celebrated Harlbert’s Prize for music. Under the guise of private voice lessons, the two embark on a daring gamble to fool the ton into believing that their feigned courtship is honorable while bolstering Georgina’s singing genius to captivate potential suitors. Sexist cartoons, family rivalries, and an upcoming ball test the fake couple’s resolve. Will their sudden fiery collaboration—and growing attraction—prove there’s nothing false about a first kiss and scandalously irresistible temptation?

PJ's Thoughts:

I love fake engagements. I love complex families. And I love well-researched historical romances with secrets, betrayals, and unexpected turns. Riley uses all of these in the first book of her new trilogy, laying the groundwork for what I expect will be a compelling and deeply emotional payoff at the end. 

Riley breathes life into these characters and into the fabric of the city and times in which they live. She takes her time with the Wilcox sisters, with Mark, and especially with the Duke of Torrance, unfolding their stories slowly, with dips and turns, as we begin to understand what drives each of them. And, as we eventually come to learn, there are unexpected layers that will make their journeys all the more complex. I was fascinated by the fear, hope, desperation, and determination all roiling beneath the surface of these enigmatic characters. 

There's a lot of set up in this first book with attention given to each of the sisters as well as Mark and the duke. I'm okay with that. While I enjoyed Georgina's and Mark's slowly progressing romance, the real meat of this story is in the dynamics among the sisters and, especially, each of their relationships with the duke. There are so many layers to be explored and I am here for all of them.

While the storyline for Mark and Georgina is brought full circle in this first book, there are many more threads to be explored further in the next two books. I am already looking forward to Scarlett's journey in book two. This brilliant young woman with a scientific mind has already shown a propensity for pushing boundaries, uncovering secrets, and challenging the patriarchy. I'm eager to discover what Riley has in store for her. 

Review / Special Sale / Giveaway - - Island Queen

If you missed my review of Island Queen by Vanessa Riley when it posted back in July, 2021, here's another opportunity to check out an incredible book that was one of my top reads of last year. If you're intrigued by the story, hop on over to your favorite online book-buying site and download Island Queen in e-book format for only $2.99 (limited time sale). I cannot recommend this book highly enough. 

Visit Vanessa Riley's website for direct buy links and more information about the accolades earned by Island Queen, including being optioned for TV/Film! 

If you're a print reader, be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of this post! 

A Tale That Had to Be Told

ISLAND QUEEN is a historical fiction novel based on the compelling life of Dorothy "Doll" Kirwan Thomas who rose from slavery to become the wealthiest woman landowner in the early 1800's Caribbean. A mistress to royalty, the future King William IV of England, Dorothy advocated for women's rights and successfully appealed the unfair taxation of free persons of color on the colony of Demerara.

Island Queen

by Vanessa Riley

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: July 6, 2021

Reviewed by PJ (originally posted July 13, 2021) 

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom—and that of her sister and her mother—from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Riley’s novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London’s elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

PJ's Thoughts:

Two years ago this month, I was at a romance conference enjoying a late-night slice of cheesecake with a group of authors. One of those authors, Vanessa Riley, began telling us about a woman she had discovered through research - a rich, powerful, strong, complex woman of color; a former slave who had endured the horrors of that life before buying her own freedom - and whose eventual influence stretched from the islands of the Caribbean to the royal halls of London. Riley wanted to tell the story of this woman none of us had ever heard of. Wanted readers of all colors to know who Dorothy (Doll) Kirwan Thomas was, what she endured, what she accomplished, why her life was meaningful, why this woman mattered. I could hear the passion in Riley's voice, her determination to tell this story the right way. I couldn't wait to read it.

I just turned the final page of Island Queen. I'm not sure I have words to do it justice. But Vanessa Riley did. What she has created is nothing short of a masterpiece. This impeccably-researched recreation of an extraordinary life immersed me into Dolly's world, from the terror and bloodshed of a young slave child's first rebellion, to the ninth decade of a life lived to the fullest. Riley held nothing back, giving readers a front-row seat to the uncensored lows and highs of this fascinating and complicated woman's life. By the end of the book, I didn't only know about Doll. I knew her. Riley brought her to life, with all her flaws, strengths, fears, fierceness, and vulnerability. She may not have secured page space in our history books but I would wager that no one who reads Island Queen will ever forget Dorothy Kirwan Thomas. I know I won't. 

This is a long book - almost 600 pages - but the narrative never lost me. I was fully engaged from beginning to end. Not a single sentence or character was extraneous. Each carefully considered word was necessary to do this story justice. 

Be sure to also read the Author's Notes at the end of the book as they are filled with fascinating facts about Riley's research as well as more information about Dolly's children, grandchildren, and other real-life characters in the book. 

Island Queen is one of the best books I've read in 2021. Vanessa Riley did not only fulfill the promise of that story idea she told our group about back in 2019. She far surpassed it. This book has my highest recommendation.

CW: Readers should be aware that some parts of the book involving rape, incest, death, and slavery may be difficult to read but, in my opinion, are necessary to understand the full scope of Dolly's life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you enjoy historical fiction?

Had you heard of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas prior to Island Queen being published?

What's the last book you read that blew your expectations out of the water?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 11, 2022 will receive a signed, hardback copy of Island Queen. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

Review - - Island Queen

Island Queen

by Vanessa Riley

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: July 6, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom—and that of her sister and her mother—from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Riley’s novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London’s elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

PJ's Thoughts:

Two years ago this month, I was at a romance conference enjoying a late-night slice of cheesecake with a group of authors. One of those authors, Vanessa Riley, began telling us about a woman she had discovered through research - a rich, powerful, strong, complex woman of color; a former slave who had endured the horrors of that life before buying her own freedom - and whose eventual influence stretched from the islands of the Caribbean to the royal halls of London. Riley wanted to tell the story of this woman none of us had ever heard of. Wanted readers of all colors to know who Dorothy (Doll) Kirwan Thomas was, what she endured, what she accomplished, why her life was meaningful, why this woman mattered. I could hear the passion in Riley's voice, her determination to tell this story the right way. I couldn't wait to read it.

I just turned the final page of Island Queen. I'm not sure I have words to do it justice. But Vanessa Riley did. What she has created is nothing short of a masterpiece. This impeccably-researched recreation of an extraordinary life immersed me into Dolly's world, from the terror and bloodshed of a young slave child's first rebellion, to the ninth decade of a life lived to the fullest. Riley held nothing back, giving readers a front-row seat to the uncensored lows and highs of this fascinating and complicated woman's life. By the end of the book, I didn't only know about Doll. I knew her. Riley brought her to life, with all her flaws, strengths, fears, fierceness, and vulnerability. She may not have secured page space in our history books but I would wager that no one who reads Island Queen will ever forget Dorothy Kirwan Thomas. I know I won't. 

This is a long book - almost 600 pages - but the narrative never lost me. I was fully engaged from beginning to end. Not a single sentence or character was extraneous. Each carefully considered word was necessary to do this story justice. 

Be sure to also read the Author's Notes at the end of the book as they are filled with fascinating facts about Riley's research as well as more information about Dolly's children, grandchildren, and other real-life characters in the book. 

Island Queen is one of the best books I've read in 2021. Vanessa Riley did not only fulfill the promise of that story idea she told our group about back in 2019. She far surpassed it. This book has my highest recommendation.

CW: Readers should be aware that some parts of the book involving rape, incest, death, and slavery may be difficult to read but, in my opinion, are necessary to understand the full scope of Dolly's life.