Series Name: The Secret Scientists of London, #1
In all those lonely nights, Violet had never conjured a pair of arms that surrounded her like this man’s holding her now. The sensation of a warm, solid body against her stunned her more than the chaos and the scattered shards of glass and wood. The soles of shoes whipped past; all around, voices were raised in angry, frightened cries.
None of this touched her.
She was safe.
If you are looking for a fun, smart, historical romance then you need to read A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett.
Lady Violet Hughes is keeping secrets. First, she founded a clandestine sanctuary for England’s most brilliant female scientists. Second, she is using her genius on a confidential mission for the Crown. But the biggest secret of all? Her feelings for protection officer Arthur Kneland.
Solitary and reserved, Arthur learned the hard way to put duty first. But the more time he spends in the company of Violet and the eccentric club members, the more his best intentions go up in flames. Literally.
When a shadowy threat infiltrates Violet’s laboratories, endangering her life and her work, scientist and bodyguard will find all their theories put to the test—and learn that the most important discoveries are those of the heart.
A Lady’s Formula for Love has been on my TBR list for a while now, and all I have to say is that I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner because it is FABULOUS! This was my first STEM-focused romance book, and I just loved that it was chock-full of smart, passionate women who excelled in STEM-focused fields of study.
Let’s start with the story. Elizabeth did a great job creating a historical mystery romance that is both interesting and fun. Lady Violet’s life is being threatened, and it is the job of her newly appointed bodyguard Arthur to keep her safe and figure out who wants her dead. This book started with a bang, or should I say explosion or two, and had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. I found myself unable to put this book down because I just wanted to know what would happen next. I loved the mystery in this book. I am usually pretty good at guessing “who done it,” but in this case, I guessed wrong and loved the unexpected twist at the end.
I wasn’t expecting how much I would be laughing while reading A Lady’s Formula to Love. Life at Athena’s Retreat and Beacon House is chaotic and oh so entertaining. Athena’s Retreat is the sanctuary for female scientists to explore and test their theories, and Beacon House is Violet’s house; both of these buildings are connected so people can move freely between them. Let’s just say that the chaos of Athena’s Retreat often spills into Beacon House, much to the despair of Violet’s housekeeper. You never knew what was going to happen; things would explode, creatures (yucky spiders) would get out of their cages, or messy mishaps would occur. I loved every moment I spent in those buildings. Now, I did feel sorry for poor Arthur because he thought he would have one last quiet assignment before he retires, and the way Arthur reacts to all the crazy activities going on in Athena’s Retreat and Beacon House was priceless.
The female characters in this book are what really stood out for me. These women are SMART, and it was wonderful and exciting watching them explore the world of science and math at Athena’s Retreat. Their passion just leaped from the pages every time they talked about a formula or an experiment they were working on. I admit I often had no idea what they were talking about, but my lack of understanding didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book. There is just something so magical watching someone talking about what they love. I know I probably sound like this when I talk about books.
Fans of bodyguard/forced proximity/insta love romances will love watching the relationship between Violet and Arthur unfold. These two had the “zing” moment right when they locked eyes with each other at the beginning of the book. Violet is kind and intelligent, and Arthur is this broody Scottish bodyguard that wants to keep his distance from her. I loved the chemistry between these two and couldn’t get enough of their interactions with each other. There was something so charming about the way Arthur interacted with Violet; he treated her with respect and loved watching her as she talked about her formulas. Elizabeth did a fabulous job at building up the sexual tension between Violet and Arthur. When these two finally gave in to their feelings, boy, things got spicey. Very, very spicey.
A Lady’s Formula for Love is a brilliant STEM historical romance with plenty of spice, heart, and fun.
