Reviewer: Tracy
More or Less a Countess (The Somerset Sisters #2) by Anna Bradley
Series: The Somerset Sisters #2
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Format: eARC
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Historical Romance
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Series Rating:

Finding a worthy husband should be simple for three beautiful debutantes in Regency London. But the Somerset sisters have a way of making it delightfully complicated...

Violet Somerset has always preferred a library to a ballroom, but to please her grandmother she agreed to one London season. With nothing to show for it but heartbreak, she's reconciled to spinsterhood. Until a notorious rogue known as the Devil of Dare requests an introduction to her timid, gentle youngest sister, Hyacinth. Violet will do anything to stop the match—even if it means posing as Hyacinth herself.

Nicholas Balfour, the Earl of Dare, is enjoying the life of a rake far too much to take a wife. But he must keep his promise to his grandmother. He'll simply choose the meekest bride he can find, install her at his estate, then carry on as before. Hyacinth sounds perfect—until he discovers that her sweet demeanor hides the tongue of a viper and the mind of a bluestocking.

As Violet's ruse threatens to unravel, however, she may find the tables turned. Soon she may have no choice but to tolerate her handsome fiancée—or fall in love with him.

Nicholas Balfour, the Earl of Dare hates England. He’s been in Italy for years, since his brother died, and he never wanted to return.  Now his father is dead and he returns to England to assume the title.  Unfortunately his aunt holds all of the purse strings and she’s demanding he stay in England, find a bride, and get an heir.  Nicholas hates that he has to comply in order to live the life he wants but he agrees.  He decides he’ll find a woman, propose, get a baby in her and get back to Italy and his mistress within a few months.

Nick is at a dinner party with an old friend when he hears Hyacinth Somerset play the pianoforte.  He’s entranced and immediately thinks to court her.  He even thinks she’s pretty.  He approaches her, even though they’ve not been introduced and asks to call on her the following day. She refuses.  He’s shocked but not too put off and returns the next day.  When he finds that Hyacinth’s grandmother is gone he asks for Miss Somerset, not realizing that he’s asking for Hyacinth’s sister, Violet – the woman he was actually speaking with the night before.  He couldn’t tell Violet and Hyacinth apart (even though they’re not twins) and since Violet would do anything to protect her incredibly shy younger sister she went along with acting like Hyacinth.

Violet is a bluestocking.  She is writing a book and sketching pictures of the famous places in London. Her grandmother says that some of the places she wants to go to aren’t ladylike, so she won’t allow her to go.  Violet wants nothing to do with Nick.  He’s a rake and she wants him gone.  He keeps asking if he can call and she keeps refusing and he keeps showing up.  She finally realizes that she can use him to her advantage.  She agrees to go driving with him but directs him to the places that she wants to go.  Nick is horrified at first but then the longer he gets to know Hyacinth, the more he likes her.  In fact he starts to fall in love, which was never in his plans.  When he finds out that he’s been courting Violet, however, he’s not sure love will be enough.

This was a really cute story.  I really liked Nick even though he was a rake.  Yes, he wasn’t nice at first, only thinking of himself, but he was so kind to Violet.  I loved how he started to appreciate her quirks and even planned outings that he would never have taken another lady on.  Yes, he started out being an ass but then I started to feel bad for him because Violet wasn’t coming clean about her identity.

Violet was interesting. Like most bluestockings in romance novels she was single-minded in her endeavors. I really didn’t like her pulling the wool over Nick’s eyes and wanted her to come clean, but we don’t always get what we want. Lol.  Despite those issues I really liked her.  She had a great personality and I liked her a lot.

This was a good story and while I didn’t read book one in this series I’m positive I’ll be reading the next one when it comes out.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

The Somerset Sisters