Caffeinated Reviewer

Hardly a Gentleman by Eloisa James, delivered a swoon-worthy historical romance as the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland after a disastrous season.

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns to the Accidental Brides series with a romance about a forced marriage between a feisty heroine and a Scottish laird... neither of whom have plans to marry, let alone fall in love.

Desperate after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland.

The laird of Castle CaerLaven has no interest in a wife, especially a love match—but when Caelan sees his new housekeeper, he changes his mind. Marriage to a delectable bookworm strikes him as a perfect arrangement.

To his surprise, Clara refuses his proposal once…and again…yet again.

When her true identity is revealed, and they’re forced to marry, Caelan realizes he has a far more crucial challenge.

He finally has Clara’s hand—but how will he ever win her heart?

From the start I liked our Miss Clara Vetry as she finds herself in quite the social scandal. Her mother, desperate to see her wed, arranges for her to stay with an Aunt in Scotland. Clara wants to be in charge of her own destiny, and when an opportunity presents, she gets in a carriage hired to deliver a housekeeper for Castle CaerLaven.

The tale that unfolds was delightful from a handsome Laird to a library. I found myself caught up in Clara’s rouse. Of course, Caelan suspects she is not the housekeeper his sister hired, but a lady. I loved how things unfolded from Caelan, falling to Clara, charting her own destination.

The story was well paced, with back-and-forth banter, sweet moments, connections and a slow-burn romance with character growth. Secondary characters like the carriage driver added to the story. Both Clara and Caelan had depth, and a love of books which always makes me smile.

If you want an escape, I highly recommend a trip to Scotland from the comfort of your favorite chair with Hardly A Gentleman.

Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm

About Eloisa James

Eloisa James is a New York Times bestselling author and professor of English literature who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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