A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett: Book Review

A Lady’s Formula for Love

By Elizabeth Everett

Rating: 4/5 
Genre: Historical Romance
Steam: Explicit!
Pub Date: February 9, 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop

A Lady’s Formula for Love Synopsis (from GoodReads):

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 Mini Review:

Any way you look at it, this book is good. I mean there is a secret society for women to engage in the sciences and learning called Athena’s Retreat, which I am 100% here for! Plus who doesn’t enjoy a bodyguard romance when he is particularly broody and she’s a genius widow?

First, let me say that Violet is great. She’s a little dingy and she’s still trying to find herself after her husband’s death, but she is so darn cute. I love how lost she is in her research. Forgetting to eat and ignoring various societal requirements. Like, I feel you. I really do. The amount of love she has for the retreat she has built and the women that go there is so sweet. All around phenomenal character.

Arthur fits the bill of a brooding bodyguard. I did enjoy watching him open up and become more willing to be involved with people. He was so closed off and peeling back those layers was great. The way he helped build Violet up was one of the best aspects of the novel.

I really enjoyed the added element of mystery to the book! It kept my interest and helped move the story along when the romance and other elements were not. It was a pretty balanced book in that sense.

The main issue that I had with the book was that it felt like things weren’t moving at times. The book and characters stalled, which was annoying. But it was easy enough to push through to get to the interesting stuff, but it was an issue I had with it.

Long Story Short

Do I recommend this book? Yes! I’m so ridiculously happy that there is a Victorian era STEM lady romance novel and published by a big 5 publisher! Violet’s love for her work and the members of her club are precious. Arthur’s soft change was perfect. I cannot wait to read the rest of Everett’s future work because these types of stories are like catnip for me. And it was a bodyguard romance~swoon.

If You Liked This One.

If you liked this book I would highly recommend checking out Manda Collin’s novels A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem  or A Lady’s Guide to Deception and Desire. Seriously though, if feminist historical romances are your thing then these are a must (plus more mystery). Another great option would be Emily Sullivan’s novel, The Rebel and The Rake as it tackles similar political topics and also features a mystery. Cannot recommend these three novels enough.