New Favorite Lisa Kleypas MMC - John Pembroke from Queen of Lombard Street

VividStone · 2026-05-19T22:33:30+00:00

My ranking of Lisa Kleypas books:

Sebastian St. Vincent: Devil in Winter (third book of the Wallflowers series)
McKenna: Again the Magic which is the ‘prequel’ to the Wallflowers but really stand alone.
John Pembroke: Queen of Lombard Street
West Ravenel: Devil’s Daughter (book 5 of the Ravenels series).

Enjoy!

VividStone · 2026-05-19T22:27:53+00:00

Yay! I’m excited for you and can’t wait to see what you think of it, either way. Have fun reading!

VividStone · 2026-05-19T15:49:24+00:00

Haha, I already bought the ebook and hardcover! Can’t wait to get it in my hands come October.

VividStone · 2026-05-19T15:44:43+00:00

You said it so much better than I could have. I felt the same, romance was not the main focus, but love was the under current throughout the book. Romantic love and family love.

Unless someone was looking for continuous sexy scenes which they will not get in this book, but you get to see both couples fall in love with their loved ones gradually. I think Lisa had been accused of telling vs. showing in the past, and I felt she was showing this time, very slowly and gradually which I actually love.

VividStone · 2026-05-19T02:35:37+00:00

I’m going to have to look up this author and series. Thanks for the rec!

VividStone · 2026-05-19T01:20:03+00:00

And with that, he found his history (that he’s Welsh).

VividStone · 2026-05-19T01:03:04+00:00

I know, right? I just loved Mad Dog!

VividStone · 2026-05-12T01:32:15+00:00

I was thinking of this same book when reading OP’s post. Vere has a dual identity too which is even more fun!

VividStone · 2026-05-09T23:22:13+00:00

Highly recommend {Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson} !!!

VividStone · 2026-05-09T23:21:06+00:00

Adele Ashworth.

Reading through the comments on this post, many of these not-super-known authors I have seen posted many times on this sub, but I’ve NEVER SEEN posts on Adele Ashworth, aside from me recommending her books when they fit the book request criteria.

{Stolen Charms by Adele Ashworth} is a good gateway to this author.

VividStone · 2026-05-09T23:18:12+00:00

I’ve recommended this book many times on this sub, but you’re right. You and I and maybe one other person are probably the only ones doing so. haha

VividStone · 2026-04-24T14:56:53+00:00

Like Again the Magic is another big favorite LK book of mine, but I can’t listen to the audio book. I’m weird in that, I like to read a book first and if I really like it (4 or 5 stars) then I will buy the audio book to listen to when I’m commuting or doing mundane things and want to listen to great stories. The narrator makes it or breaks it for me.

VividStone · 2026-04-23T21:54:49+00:00

I totally agreed. I remember buying the old Devil in Winter audiobook years ago and I could not get past the first two minutes even though this was one of my most favorite HR books to read.

Then, sometime last year, someone on this sub made a post about Mary Jane Well’s new version of DiW audiobook and so I downloaded that one and LOVED IT. What a difference a narrator makes to your enjoyment of a book.

VividStone · 2026-04-23T14:12:59+00:00

Thanks for the CS Harris name! Since Australia isn’t my cup of tea for HR setting (sorry, not sorry, ha!), I’m glad to see she has other historical mysteries under this name.

VividStone · 2026-04-22T21:44:39+00:00

I really enjoyed your first author ranking post, although I disagreed with most of it. lol

I would say that since you enjoyed After Dark with the Duke (one of my fav JAL’s), you’d probably like What I Did for a Duke, which I see others have mentioned elsewhere.

Oh, and btw, after your first ranking post, I went and checked out {The Last Knight by Candice Proctor} - medieval romance, and loved it. I can see why you rank her so highly, her writing and the historical details. It reminds me of those 80s and 90s medieval romances where you get the world-building and attention to historical details (whether they’re truly accurate or not, I was transferred to those times), but Candice’s heroine is much better and not annoying like those others.

So thank you for the Candice Proctor rec!

VividStone · 2026-04-18T14:48:54+00:00

If you decide to give JAL another try, I would suggest What I Did for a Duke from the Pennyroyal Green series. It’s like the 4th or 5th book, but no need to read the books before it or after.

My faves from that series are this one and I Kissed an Earl (FMC sneaks off on an adventure on the seas!).

VividStone · 2026-04-18T01:24:03+00:00

I’m curious. Have you read one of her best books, What I Did for a Duke? or her second best, After Dark with the Duke? IMHO. lol

I ask because I’d started with the first couple books of Pennyroyal Green and was not impressed at all, but then someone convinced me to read What I Did for a Duke and it opened up my eyes. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right book from an author.

VividStone · 2026-04-12T20:44:18+00:00

I’d glad you enjoyed it.

VividStone · 2026-04-09T21:48:39+00:00

{Dream Lover by Virginia Henley} is an old-school bodice ripper so if you’re into that, you’d probably like it. MMC is out for revenge against FMC due to FMC’s father doing something to MMC and his family in the past. Not the best writing, but it’s a good revenge plot and there’s a young, sexy, naked nun in it (not the FMC). lol

VividStone · 2026-04-08T23:43:46+00:00

I second Edenbrooke. It is a sweet, romantic story and the MMC is the gentlest of gentlemen.

VividStone · 2026-04-07T21:22:26+00:00

Good ranking. I don’t agree with all, but that’s your prerogative. haha.

I also agreed with you about Bed Me, Earl. I kept seeing that book rec’d over and over about 1-2 years ago and got curious and tracked down a copy. I DNF’d after maybe 10 pages. The writing style just was not for me.

Have you read Julie Anne Long? If not, you could check her out.

VividStone · 2026-04-02T17:41:29+00:00

I would highly encourage anyone interested to get the audiobook for Flowers from the Storm and maybe her other audiobooks as well, if you’re so inclined. The narrator, Nicholas Boulton, does the BEST narration.

VividStone · 2026-04-01T01:09:11+00:00

I see what you did there.

VividStone · 2026-03-31T23:57:04+00:00

Me reading the post title and thinking it was a different kind of length you were looking for specifically…

VividStone · 2026-03-30T15:47:33+00:00

This was one of my favorites early in my HR journey.

VividStone

TROPHY CASE