The Wrong Marquess audiobook

*3.5 stars*The Wrong Marquess is a fun enemies-to-lovers historical romance from the talented Vivienne Lorret. I read a lot of historical romance, and it can be hard to keep my attention, but I'm a total sucker for the whole enemies-to-lovers trope. I mean, give me a icy, apprehensive male MC who has been burned in the past and I'm putty. I really enjoyed how the opening of the book set us up with the female MC falling for the wrong male MC in a childhood flashback. It set the stage for why Elodie ever cared for George, her neighbor, and made her situation more understandable. I wouldn't have liked it if the story was a love-triangle, but it was more just a very slow realization that George was never going to be the man she wanted him to be. I really liked the gradual build-up between Elodie and Brandon, and how Brandon only had eyes for her, once he realized her true character. I also really liked the whole cast of secondary players in this story. Elodie's aunts were fun, recipe-hungry support systems with Elodie's best interests in mind, and Brandon's sister seemed like she could have her own off-shoot story next. Just a really pleasant reading experience, all around. My only real complaint is that Elodie made some incredibly stupid choices near the end of the story, and it took her far too long to realize that George is an idiot and scoundrel (love using that word) of the highest order. Take note that this book can completely be read as a stand-alone, which is great for those wanting to jump right in. I'm excited to add the previous books to my TBR list, and I'm already ready for the next in the series. *Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog

This one was so cute and fun!! I loved the hero who was so vulnerable and worried that she wouldn't love him back. And our heroine coming to her senses that the boy she was in love with all her life is wrong for her and she should be with our hero.

So, I feel at a loss that I haven’t read not one of Vivienne Lorret’s novels and quite at a loss that I’ve missed the first two in this series of The Mating Habits of Scoundrels. With that being said, I finished “The Wrong Marquess” in one sitting (i.e., had to finish before bed).Since childhood, Miss Elodie “Ellie” Parrish has “in her mind” had an understanding that she would marry George, Marquess of Nethersole. Unfortunately, she has wasted her entire seasons being strung along by George who has no plans to marry and who still sees Ellie as his life preserver. While attending a tea, she literally runs head on into Brandon Stredwick, the Marquess of Hullworth. Known as “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor” by all the debutantes and their mommas, he mistakenly believes Ellie is one of the scheming party when he sees that she has dropped her handkerchief at his feet. Oh, but it doesn’t stop there. Later, he uncovers that his sister Meg is not friends with said schemer and enters the dislike for one another.This was by far a loveable, funny and enjoyable read for me. I loved Ellie and Brandon as well as her two delightful aunts who brought plenty of whit with their fascination for stealing food and recipes. This was a well-written story where in picked up quite few tropes that consisted of best friend love, love with boy next door, enemies to lovers, best friend brother and having to stay way too close in proximity to a handsome Marquess. Was totally not disappointed with all three. The transition of the story and development of their romance was very good. Both characters have their reasons for why they are…Ellie, fears of her past that have carried over into her prospects for a good future and for Brandon, having his heart broken and believing he will be unable to find that same kind of love. I liked how there was a gradual building of their relationship that led to their “steamy” intimate moments. It didn’t’ feel rushed and I liked that Brandon was patience with Ellie despite her shortcomings with George.I became bored a bit with the circumstances surrounding George that dragged on a bit. I would have liked it to have been uncovered a lot sooner. George was a bit of a nuisance and I got tired of him about midway through the story which his antics and Ellie’s continuous notions and talks of marrying him. Again, this was my first book that I’ve read by Vivienne Lorret and most definitely put her in my list of fanfav authors. My plan is to read the first two in this series to catch up. Looking forward to Pru’s story with Lord Savage. Recommend the read.Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes you just want a low-angst love story between two people who get the wrong idea about each other at their first meeting. Ellie - the most innocent and unaffected young woman in London - literally runs into Brandon - the most sought-after bachelor in town. He believes that she has manipulated her way into his path, while his reaction convinces her that he is "odious and overbearing." But of course, these two are meant for each other, despite the fact that Ellie is all-but-betrothed to her childhood friend, George.We really liked that Brandon was persistent without verging into badgering territory; when Ellie tells him to back off, he does. We also appreciated that while George ended up not being a nice guy, his misbehavior was not the deciding factor for Ellie to reconsider their attachment. This is a great choice for a slower-paced historical romance that still brings the steam.23-Word Summaries:Laine: Brandon thinks Ellie is just another debutant, but she's promised to another. They both hate being turned on all the time when together.Meg: Ellie is the only girl who’s not after Brandon, so of course she’s the one he’s determined to have (after a false start).This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Since childhood, Ellie Parrish knew she would marry George, her next-door neighbor and Marquess of Nethersole. Now nearing twenty-five, George’s proposal is nowhere in sight. When she bumps into Brandon, the Marquess of Hullworth, Ellie is unimpressed with “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor.” However, the more Ellie gets to know Brandon, the harder it is to deny her growing feelings. Can Ellie forget her hopes of marrying George and embrace a new potential future with Brandon? Can Brandon convince her that his love is true?This is a fabulous and swoon-worthy romance with great characters and a wonderful love story. I love Ellie and Brandon and enjoy how Ellie slowly gets to know Brandon, who is very different from what she expected. Not the arrogant and Brandon is strong, caring, and protective, and he cares deeply for others. He is not a man to be trifled with, and he is loving, trustworthy, and loyal. In short, he is a perfect match for the endearing, intelligent, and caring Ellie.Brandon likes that Ellie isn’t a simpering female trying to get his attention by any means possible, like the other women of the ton. He finds her refreshing and unique, and he loves bantering with her. He also likes to throw her off balance and challenge her. He loves to see her blush, as that proves her feelings are as strong as his. Ellie is one of the few people that Brandon is himself around.One of the most swoon-worthy parts of the story occurs when Brandon tries to help Ellie with her anxiety and fears. He doesn’t taunt or tease her and instead tries to help her conquer them. He is such a contrast to George, who always seems to put Ellie down especially in regard to her fears. He ignores her worries, which exacerbates her anxiety. Brandon shows much more understanding of Ellie’s needs, and his support of her is wonderful.I found some of Ellie’s responses to Brandon comical. She has such strong physical reactions to him that she often thinks she is dying. She suffers from a racing heart, stomach flutters, and a variety of other strong and new feelings, and she doesn’t know how to process them. Brandon is so gentle and understanding with her while still showing her the wonder of love, and I adored every-single-second of it! Their romance is filled with swoon-worthy (and sometimes steamy) moments that are fantastic! However, Ellie still holds on to the understanding she has with George that they will eventually marry.Ellie’s friendship with Brandon’s lovely sister, Meg her fears, his cynicism toward eligible women of the ton, and her definitiveness about waiting for George all prove worthy obstacles for this couple, and they both have to decide if their feelings are worth fighting for. Ellie doesn’t want Meg or Brandon to think she used Meg to get closer to her brother, much like other women in their social circle. At first, that is exactly what Brandon thinks. His jaded nature in regard to women makes him suspicious, but once they all get to know each other better, Brandon and Ellie’s worries dissipate. Brandon just has to convince Ellie that he is the man for her, not George.George, though charming to some, is immature and insensitive, and he is not a good match for Ellie. He is, however, a great foil to Brandon, and his bad qualities definitely highlight Brandon’s good ones. Other characters, like Ellie’s aunts, Brandon’s sister, and some of Ellie’s friends are endearing and fun characters and add so much to the story. I love Ellie’s quirky aunts, as they add a bit of levity to the story while always showing their unconditional love and support. Brandon’s sister Meg is fun and lively, and she is a great friend to Ellie.Overall, I thought this was a wonderful read, and I loved the characters and the romance!! Though it is the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. Of course, I enjoyed this one so much that I have to go back and read the first two books! The romances are referenced in this story, and they sound positively swoon-tastic! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Avon Books, Harper Voyager, and Vivienne Lorret for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Awwww, what a fun read! I absolutely loved it. The book was written really well with a lot of humour. The MC had a great chemistry, loads of interactions and amazing tension. Also, the H was absolutely swoon-worthy! ❤️

I really liked this! Ellie was quirky and had me smiling at all her ailments and her certainty that everything was a calamity in the making. Her fear came from a real place though. And watching Brandon get her over those fears was soooo sweet. This was a really good book.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Ellie Parrish has spent her life believing that she is going to marry George, but he has spent years delaying their marriage to sow his wild oats. Brandon, Marquess of Hullworth, believes every woman he meets is scheming to marry him and he believes Ellie is no different. Time changes everything, and Brandon shows Ellie how to be strong and brave in love and in life. This book was so adorable. I loved it. Ellie has a huge growth ARC in this story, and a lot of her growth comes from Brandon's understanding and patience. I really love a hero who knows what he wants, and fights to get it. He does that most of the book once he realizes he is the man for her instead of George. They had great banter and great chemistry. I think this series just gets better and better with every book. The ending set up the next one perfectly, and can't wait to read it!

RTC!!

I will start by saying that this is one of the times I love the hero far more than the heroine. Brandon had his moments but he was sure, solid, protective and kind. He made Ellie feel so safe all the time. Ellie started off wonderful. She had amazing moments of wit, humour, and vulnerability. After a while though, her refusal to see George for what he was - or what he was not -started to get really annoying. I suppose she can’t be faulted for her loyalty, but the girl has to be significantly impaired with her vision not to see the red flags that George was courting around. The situation around Lord F and Prue left me feeling icky because this was, again, a major red flag moment. He’s like waving them around - how can you miss them?!? Brandon greatly contributed to how much I enjoyed this - man had me squealing like a fool. I also have to say that I appreciated that the resolution wasn’t on Brandon’s shoulders. Sometimes in romance novels the hero will be grovelling and I’ll be so confused as to what he even did wrong, so I’m glad that Ellie was ready to take some accountability here.