Book Review: A Lady’s Risk by Felicity George

About the Book:

Title: A Lady’s Risk

Author: Felicity George

Series: Gentlemen of London #1

Page Length: 400

Publication Date: Sept. 29, 2022

Publisher: Orion Dash

Synopsis: Lady Margaret has devoted herself to taking care of her young siblings and the estate while her half-brother fritters away the family fortune. Upon Edwin’s death, she learns he has left them destitute and, worst of all, at the mercy of a notorious and cruel rake.

Lord Nicholas would much rather be pursing women for quick sport rather than taking care of a headstrong debutante without any prospects, as well as her siblings. But Edwin saved his life once, and now he owes him a debt. Fortunately, all he has to do is find Meggy a husband, and his debt will be paid.

There’s just one issue: Meggy is nothing like what he’d imagined. And the more time he spends in her company, the more he begins to wonder whether he’s met his match…

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

A story of family, friendship, healing, and taking a chance on love, A Lady’s Risk follows Margaret and Nicholas, joint guardians of Margaret’s younger siblings. I loved Margaret and Nicholas, as well as the secondary characters in the story and the swoon-worthy romance!

Meggy and Nicholas are layered and interesting characters with trauma in their past that defines their present. Meggy has devoted much of her life to caring for her younger siblings. All but abandoned by her older brother, Meggy is on the brink of destitution and knows she must marry to protect herself and her siblings. She loves her family more than anything, and she’s so selfless when it comes to them. She’s also strong, feisty, and fun with a strong sense of who she is and what she believes in.

Initially, Nicholas wants nothing to do with Meggy and her younger siblings, but he made a deathbed promise to her older brother to care for them and help Meggy find a husband. Happy with his rakish lifestyle, Nicholas never expects to be so profoundly affected by Meggy, but he is drawn to her from the start. I really enjoyed his character arc, and the more I learned about him and his troubled past, the more sympathy I had for him. He is so earnest, and he grows a lot over the course of the story. I like that he begins to realize his worth and learns to forgive himself and others. His is a story of love and healing, and it intrigued me from the start.

Oh my gosh, the love story between Meggy and Nicholas is wonderful! Meggy knows of Nicolas’s rakish ways, and she doesn’t trust that he’ll change. Though she is attracted to him, she doesn’t want to risk her heart. Like Nicholas, Meggy is very affected by her past, and she has every reason to doubt him. I do wish they communicated a bit more and that they were more patient with each other, but I think they both had to come to terms with their feelings and their pasts before they could be completely open and vulnerable with each other. The way he reacts when Meggy gets courted by several men made me melt, and the sweet and tender moments they have are lovely. Even when they are at odds, they have amazing chemistry, and the angst and pining are off the charts! Several romantic scenes had me positively swooning!

I also really enjoyed the other relationships and secondary characters in the story. The children are all so fun and inquisitive and sweet, and there are some great scenes with them. Meggy and Nicholas’s sister have a lovely friendship, and Nicholas and Meggy’s younger brother form a special bond. He doesn’t even realize it, but Nicholas is a wonderful role model for the kids, and the letter he writes to Meggy’s little brother is beautiful. He puts in words many things I think he struggles to say out loud. Nicholas also has a great relationship with his sister, and I’m eager to learn more about her and her husband as well as some of the other secondary characters in the story.

This is a wonderful start to Felicity George’s Gentlemen of London series! It’s a heartwarming, sexy, and moving story with layered and unique characters and an epic love story. I would definitely recommend the book to historical romance readers and readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance. Special thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.