{Bow Street Beau’s Review} Everything a Lady is Not by Sawyer North

Everything a Lady is Not by Sawyer North
Published by Entangled Publishing on August 17, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 150
Source: Netgalley
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Lucy Locket, the long lost granddaughter of a duchess, has never been a part of Society. One day, she was living a secluded life as the prisoner of a criminal, and the next day she was an heiress in a world she did not even remotely understand. She does not embody the typical qualities of a well-born lady...at all. She can't curtsy, she doesn’t hide her emotions, she’s too clever by far. But in three months, she must marry a suitor with a royally-bestowed title, or she forfeits a fortune—leaving her and the duchess in dire straits.
All Henry Beaumont wants is to prove himself to Society and step outside of his half-brother’s shadow. So when the duchess asks him for a personal favor involving her newly found granddaughter—with a hefty thank you reward at the end—he leaps at the opportunity.
It seems as if Lucy is trading one prison for another. Henry has now become a permanent fixture as her charming yet iron-fisted taskmaster and tutor in the ways of High Society. Like oil and water, Lucy and Henry spar in an epic battle of wills—and even rapiers. But Lucy’s past and her surprising, undeniable feelings for Henry may doom their undertaking if he declares his love for her...because without a title, he can never be hers.

I received Everything a Lady is Not for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Born the second son from a second wife, Henry Beaumont is cast out from his home as soon as his older brother takes on the family title. Thankfully, his older sister is more than happy to raise Henry alongside her own children. On one occasion, a girl comes to visit his sister’s home with her father. The brief connection over Robinson Crusoe left a lasting impression. Over a decade later, Henry meets the girl again, except this time everything has changed.

Mr. North brings forth a brilliant plot in the first book in his new Bow Street Beau’s series. He gives us a Pygmalion-type story wherein the lost granddaughter of a duchess needs his expert help to become a lady. Lucy is a fantastically refreshing character in that she sees how hypocritical the rules of the upper ten thousand are. There is a whole conversation where she points all of this out. I was actually cheering her on aloud as I read. I love it when I can get that involved in a story!

While the love story of Henry and Lucy is a slow burn, there is more than enough intrigue to keep you flipping the pages. Plus, since this is the first in the series, we are introduced to a host of secondary characters. While there are two other Bow Street Beaus, there is also The Dowager Duchess of Ramsbury. She is an absolute firecracker as Lucy’s grandmother. While she is only related to Lucy, I hope Mr. North will include her in upcoming stories.

I highly recommend Everything a Lady is Not and can’t wait for more of this series. If you want to check out more of Mr. North’s historical romance, give Fair Weather Enemies a read.