Fast paced, romantic and good fun, this is a modern take on a classic period, with delightful characters to boot.’ Candis Magazine My only issue (and it is pretty slight) was the occasional switch of POV to Mary's mother. The chapters varying between Mary and Tre made sense, of course, but Charlotte's POV (while interesting) served only a sort of stage-setting purpose. It was interesting to see how someone else viewed Mary but it did distract some. It also shifted too much sympathy from Mary to Charlotte at times. Not this. Not us. Only in theory. She was very helpful! She says that a great many men and women would be much happier in matters of the bedroom if they had been well briefed before they entered it!” That is what is known as serendipity,” Mary said, lifting her face to his. “Because I want to kiss you, too.”

A fantastic historical mystery with plenty of passion as you would expect from the Duchess of York. A triumph’ Sono rimasta veramente colpita da questo romance vittoriano che porta la firma di Fergie, l’ex moglie del principe Andrea d’Inghilterra. Here our heroine is Lady Margaret’s overlooked younger sister, the straight-from-central-casting spirited Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott, underestimated yet determined to fulfil her own unique destiny – which has become such a persistent 21st-century trope that future generations won’t believe for a moment that women were ever oppressed. ARC provided by GoodReads in a give-away - A lot of the romance novels I read are either very modern or very Regency so imagine my delight to have this Victorian romance/mystery fall into my lap for a change. Then imagine my delight when it turned out to be really quite good! The characters, by and large, are likeable and interesting with the bulk of the focus rightfully on Mary and Tre. Even the side characters were fun - especially Lady Rolle. A tale of daring and determination, set against the glamorous heights, and the harsh restrictions of aristocratic society in the middle years of the British nineteenth century." Sir Julian Fellowes

Customer reviews

Its attention to historical detail is admirable, however, and I can quite visualise Lady Mary: Society Sleuth being a global hit on Netflix. But in print, it’s a doorstop that does rather go on a bit. The plot, which is as fun as it is full of rich historical detail, follows Lady Mary as she dares to go against the grain, choosing not to settle for becoming just a wife, but seeks to find her equal. Enter Trefusis, who falls for Lady Mary almost immediately after meeting her - with a penchant for solving crimes and acting on a whim, Mary is a most intriguing lady, indeed! Although the plot was not riveting I do get the vibe of authenticity as the Duchess of York has lived this life and it is captured in the setting’s beautifully. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has looked deep into her own generous impulsive heart to write a compelling story of a young woman who rebels against the restrictive Victorian conventions of her time to find self-fulfillment and love. #1 New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Archer on Her Heart for a Compass Proprio durante questo evento conosce il colonnello Trefusis, un uomo singolare che nasconde molti segreti e ha uno spirito indomito, lo stesso che anima Mary cacciandola spesso nei guai.

An] intriguing coming-of-age story fans of historical drama are sure to enjoy…the novel…[paints] a rich, believable picture of 19 th-century life. USA Today on Her Heart for a Compass Mary was not cut from the same mould as her peers in the aristocratic Victorian era. Carving a life with purpose and love even if meant defying her father. This is the second book in the series, by Sarah Ferguson and Marguerite Kaye, but is a standalone story the first being about Mary’s older sister Margaret. I’d now be interested to look out the rest of the series.Written with an incredible eye for detail of the historical setting, this wonderful romantic tale will earn your respect and keep you entertained’ Adele Parks If you loved Her Heart for a Compass, you will love A Most Intriguing Lady’ Sunday Times bestselling author Fern Britton

Tre swore, dragging his mouth away. “That,” he said raggedly, “is why we should not be here. I will not risk losing control and foisting a child on you when you haven’t even decided whether you want to be a wife, let alone a mother.”

A fantastic historical mystery with plenty of passion as you would expect from the Duchess of York. A triumph!" — Roma Downey OBE, actress, producer and New York Times bestselling author Colonel Trefusis is a guest of the Duke and Duchess, but when one of the other guests loses a valuable brooch he offers to help Mary solve the crime. They form a friendship, but Trefusis pushes Mary away when he suffers one of his debilitating headaches. Colonel Walter Trefusis, known to Mary as Tre, is 13 years her senior and fought in Crimea. He talks about his ‘curse’ or ‘condition’ which we would now refer to as PTSD from the war.

I think you need to set your expectations correctly to enjoy this book - this isn't a true Mills & Boon, and it isn't really a romance. There is a lot of focus on the plot surrounding the hero and heroine, rather than their relationship with each other. However, I still had a really good time reading this! The crime solving was interesting, as was the plot line surrounding Mary's mother. While it’s certainly a big relief to have that cleared up, I can prevaricate no longer; time to assess the merits of A Most Intriguing Lady. The leaded windows were covered in fine white dust from the newly plastered walls. There was a faint smell of whitewash and timber shavings.

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We have gone to a great deal of trouble to engineer our presence here together. What I want to do is kiss you.”