Lord Tresham's Tempting Rival

The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall #1

by Bronwyn Scott

Nothing in common

Except an intoxicating attraction!

Sharing a steamy kiss with Anne Peverett at a Christmas ball is utterly out of character for Dr. Lord Ferris Tresham. He’s far too busy treating London’s poor to court anyone. Until Anne is revealed as the herbalist who’s been treating his patients with her homemade remedies! If they unite forces, will Anne be a bigger threat to his practice…or his closed-off heart?

From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.

The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall Meet the philanthropic Peverett unconventional, resourceful and determined to make a difference in the world.

Book 1: Lord Tresham's Tempting Rival
Book 2: Saving Her Mysterious Soldier

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Christmas, Victorian, Category Romance, Harlequin Historical

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published October 26, 2021

About the author

Bronwyn Scott writes historical romances for Harlequin, Mills and Boon. She has 50 titles currently in print with them.

Bronwyn's 2018 release, Dancing with the Duke's Heir was RITA finalist.
Bronwyn's 2009 novel, The Viscount Claims His Bride was a RomCon finalist for best short historical, as was her 2011 release, A Thoroughly Compromised Lady.

Reviews

[Aisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the historical romance books that I have had the privilege of reading —the historical genre isn’t my forte, I have to admit it— this book is the one I have most enjoyed. And the main characters are the most I loved. Their depth and how much they have in common make this couple memorable.

When it comes to technical elements, the author has used everything she has in her arsenal to bring us a fantastic story. From compelling lead characters, to unforgettable supporting ones without demanding excessive prominence, brilliant writing, and impeccable setting, Ms. Scott knows how to create an exciting and believable plot.

Developed in the fall of 1853, it shows the challenges of the time effectively, carrying an unforced message of empowerment and fighting for our goals (great move, Ms. Scott!). I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, as this has been the perfect start to know about the Peverett siblings.

FULL REVIEW IN HARLEQUIN JUNKIE:
https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-lo...

♦️Big thanks to Bronwyn Scott, Netgalley and Harlequin Books for giving me an ARC copy of this book. Also thank you Harlequin Junkie for the opportunity of writing this review for your blog.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with an excellent romance that takes place with a background of several social issues. Along with the romance between two people driven to help others, we also see the effects of disease and poverty in Victorian London, women's fight to have a say in their own healthcare, and society's limits on those same women.

Ferris, an Edinburgh-trained doctor, devotes all of his time to the care of London's poorest residents. After losing his fiancée to a fever, he put aside any dreams of a family of his own. As the story opens, he's returned home from a confrontation with the local hospital's board to find his older brother waiting. As usual, Ferris forgot that he promised to attend the family's charity ball that night, and Frederick is there to make sure he shows up.

One of four daughters of a country doctor, Anne came to London to help people with her herbal remedies. By involving women, she empowered them to keep their families healthy without the expense of London's doctors and medicines. After making arrangements to meet with some local women, she hurries home to join her sister; both committed to attending the hospital's charity ball.

When Ferris's mother sets him dancing with Anne, he expects the usual vapid chit-chat. Instead, Anne shows interest in his work. I loved seeing them connect over medicine and their feelings about the disparity between society and the poor. Ferris also found himself strongly attracted to Anne, both her beauty and understanding, going so far as to resurrect his dream of home and family. Anne, equally drawn to him, resists the attraction. Burned by her ex-fiancé, who pretended to support her dreams, she no longer trusts men's honesty. An unexpected and passionate kiss sent Anne running from the feelings he aroused.

Ferris and Anne meet again under more difficult circumstances. While trying out his new mobile treatment wagon, he discovers that his expected patients have deserted him for a healer woman and her herbs. Filled with righteous fury, Ferris hurries to confront what he's sure is a charlatan of the worst kind, only to find it is Anne. Feeling betrayed, he lashes out, saying terrible things to and about her. I loved that Anne stood up to him. I especially enjoyed her rebuttal to his statement that there were reasons not everyone can be a doctor. They did not part on good terms.

When Ferris comes up with the idea of asking Anne to join him for the sole reason of keeping an eye on her, he doesn't realize what it means. An emergency allowed them to work together, and each saw a different side to the other. Within a couple of weeks, Ferris realized that far from resenting her presence in his clinic, he liked having her there. Plus, having her along on his wagon trips increased the number of patients he/they helped. He feels guilty about using her to pad the numbers for his wagon but reassures himself that it's justified if he gets the funding he needs.

I liked watching the relationship between Ferris and Anne develop. They bond over caring for their patients, each coming to understand more about what makes the other tick. The sparks between them continue to grow, as do their feelings for each other. But both have been hurt in the past, and trusting their feelings doesn't come easy. Just when it looks like a future between them is possible, Anne finds out the truth about her presence by Ferris's side. I ached for her feelings of hurt and betrayal and understood her fury at his deception. Ferris kicked himself quite thoroughly for his idiocy upon discovering her departure. I loved his big moment as he confessed all but was interrupted by another emergency. I loved how this one went, as Ferris took the opportunity to show her his support for her work in a most effective way.

I loved the attention to detail in the descriptions of the various medical issues. I especially enjoyed Anne's explanations of her herbal remedies and their uses. I also felt for Ferris and his frustration at the lack of interest and care exhibited by the hospital board members - until something affected them personally. The whooping cough scenes were heartrending and made me happy that we have protections against it in modern times.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

#netgalley

[Malin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anne Peverett använder örter i salvor, teer och tinkturer för att bota och hjälpa människor, precis som hennes mamma. Nu är hon i London, tillsammans med sin syster som är sjuksköterska, och delar med sig av sina kunskaper och produkter i stadens fattiga kvarter.
Lord Ferris Tresham är utbildad läkare och brinner för att även de fattiga människorna ska få möjlighet till vård - vilket sjukhusledningen inte är lika engagerad i - och har på prov börjat med en mobil läkarmottagning, så att han kan nå de personer som inte har möjlighet att ta sig till hans vanliga mottagning. men det kommer färre personer än han räknat md. Inte ens hans vanliga patienter dyker upp för kontroll eller påfyllning av medicin.
När han träffar en av sina patienter och hon berättar om örtläkaren som gör det så mycket bättre blir han mycket upprörd: en kvacksalvare som inte bara tar hans patienter, utan också ger farliga råd i form av uppmuntran till egendiagnos!
Att det sedan visar sig att kvacksalvaren ifråga är en kvinna han mött på sin mors välgörenhetsbal och som är den första att få honom intresserad sedan han fästmö dog gör inte saken bättre.
***
En trevlig romance med en manlig huvudkaraktär med samvete och ett hjärta som blöder för de som har det sämre än honom. Det var lite triggervarning över hanteringen av de moderlösa syskonen, men det löste sig senare.
Ett helt okej tidsfördriv och om man vill så finns det böcker om Annes systrar att följa upp med.

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Tresham's Tempting Rival is the first book in The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall series by Bronwyn Scott.

Lord Ferris Tresham is a doctor who firmly believes that medical treatment shouldn't only be available for the rich. Anne Peverett is a woman who believes in herbal medicine. Believes in it and wants to share her knowledge with the poor people of London that can't afford normal medical help. The former wants to set up a travelling service taking medical treatment to the poor areas of London and is looking for funding from the medical board. The latter is happy to supply her herbal concoctions for free if necessary. That and her expertise. Ferris thinks that herbalists are dangerous charlatans and he comes up with a way to keep an eye on Anne and to get proof that the poor of London definitely need a medical service. Proof that the medical board are demanding before they will even think about giving him the funding that he needs.

What follows is a captivating story that deals with the social issues of the time and the differing views of the two classes. It, of course, also sees Ferris and Anne's relationship develop despite all the reasons it shouldn't. Is there any way that Ferris can see the value in Anne's work? If he can't then there is no way that they can even think of a future together despite the very real attraction they feel for each other.

I really enjoyed this book and am very much looking forward to the next in the series.

[Stacey Ireson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Tresham's Tempting Rival is a though-provoking and clever Historical Medical romance. It features Lord Ferris Tresham, a doctor who helps look after London's poorest people in need. He meets Anne Peverett at a ball and they are instantly drawn to each other, sharing a kiss.

Ferris is shocked to discover that Anne is a local healer who has been helping his patients with her holistic, herbal remedies. Initially he's not impressed and assumes she is a charlatan, however they eventually start working together and he gains more and more respect for her knowledge and medical skill.

I don't usually like medical romance, especially not medical historical romance, but this book definitely won me over. There were some interesting examinations of how the healthcare system worked in Victorian times, and the different types of medicine that you could find as well as women's roles within that. Anne becomes something of a forerunner of her time and I enjoyed watching Ferris being forced to confront his own prejudices.

The romance was very sweet, not particularly steamy, and also packed an emotional punch in places.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars:

Anne Peverett is an herbalist trying to make a name for herself in London amongst the poorer class to ensure that they have access to beneficial medicines. Dr. Ferris Tresham is equally determined to provide healthcare to the poor of London. The two meet at a charity event and are instantly attracted to each other. However, a short time later when Ferris finds out that Anne Peverett is the herbalist who is trying to push her medicines on some of his patients, he is not happy about it. To keep her under surveillance, he offers her a chance to mix her herbals in his doctor's practice. Anne accepts reluctantly, as Ferris has called her a charlatan. Will this be a chance to prove him wrong?

After nursing a young girl with whooping cough together, and sheltering the girl's brother from their abusive father, Anne and Ferris grow closer. Ferris has come to see how effective an herbalist Anne is. Anne is reluctant to act on her growing feelings for Ferris, as her last romantic entanglement left her in no doubt that men often didn't take her profession seriously, and it is her life.

Through much involvement with each other through his physician's practice, Ferris falls more in love with Anne. He admires her work as well. However, there is one thing he hasn't told her yet and he needs to. Will he tell her before she finds out herself?

This was a very engaging read.

[Cyndi L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hot and spicy historical romance set in England but with a refreshing take on the main characters. In the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t normally read romances unless a dead body falls out of a closet and a detective or nosy sleuth appears on the scene but this novel, by Bronwyn Scott, caught my attention. It looked to be something different, and I was not disappointed. The dashing duke, Ferris Tresham, is a doctor who actually cares about his patients more than his title and the fiery red-head, Anne Peverett, is focused on a career as a herbalist (at a time when professional women were looked at with disdain) and not on a husband. Scott, of course, gives you all those romantic moments of smoldering passions and misunderstandings, but she has also written a social commentary on poverty and living conditions in London in the 1850s. In this context, she shows us a quietly powerful woman and a titled man with depth. Anne doesn’t back down or give in and she doesn’t have to shout it to the rafters. She embraces her own sexuality and their mutual attraction without letting it sway her away from her ultimate goal and if Dr. Lord Tresham can’t handle that, then that’s just too bad. The question is, will he accept this thoroughly modern woman as his equal, or default to the status quo? A big thank you to Bronwyn Scott for giving me a reason to read romances once again.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ferris is a physician and duke's son who's dedicated his life to treating London's poorest citizens. When he first meets herbalist Anne, he's smitten. But he worries that this unlicensed practitioner might harm his patients. Can these two rivals join forces—personally and professionally?

This book doesn't shy away from the disease and poverty that plagued London slums in the nineteenth century. Anne and Ferris are a natural fit, and they bond while caring for their patients. But they also have wounds from the past that they have to overcome before they can learn to trust and properly care for one another.

CW: child death; use of a term for the Romani people that's commonly considered a slur.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharing a steamy kiss with Anne Peverett at a Christmas ball is utterly out of character for Dr Lord Ferris Tresham. He’s far too busy treating London’s poor to court anyone. Until Anne is revealed as the herbalist who’s been treating his patients with her homemade remedies!
Another well written book by the author, I loved both Ferris & Anne. He's the duke's son who'd far rather be treating the poorest in London & she's a country doctor's daughter & one of four siblings. I loved their witty banter, which was the highlight of the book for me. I also loved how they went from a passionate kiss to Ferris being truly horrible to Anne to finally finding love. A delightful read & I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against a background of Victorian London, this historical romance is notable for its witty dialogue, the chemistry between Anne and Ferris and its focus on poverty and the role of women. Ferris is a dedicated physician, and Anne is a herbalist both want to make a difference in the health of the poor. Yet both are constrained, by the strictures, of Victorian society.

The historical details add to the story's authenticity as they bring to life Victorian London and the world of herbalists. The romance is full of internal and external barriers, but proximity and a mutual understanding draw the couple together.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Libbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bronwyn Scott hits it out of the park with this book and one of my favorite topics which is Women in Society. Although taking place in 1853 the topic of societal limits on women was part of her theme in this book and one women are still encountering. Along with a tantalizing love story Scott weaves in men versus women and why should men be the gatekeepers to wisdom and decisions when it comes to women's healthcare or women in healthcare. Much like today there is no rationale for this idea. The couple in this story learned that working together they accomplished so much more than if they disagreed and worked separately.

[Louise Broadfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really really enjoyed this book. the hero and heroine spend alot of time together and the hero understands the heroine alot better then her last fiancee. yes they have a few ups and downs. along with being hunted by the past but they come though in the end. i also love the time period. too many books are set in 1814 or there abouts this book is set in 1850's very well done

[DD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical story with a difference. I liked that wasn't all about ton parties. It made me cry, and smile. I liked how passionate they both were about their skills, and how matched they were. I still use remedies based on some in the book

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Holiday Romance, Historical Fiction, Sagas, Victorian Historical Fiction
Miniseries
The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall (Book #1)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book enjoyable. I wish it had been a bit steamier, but overall it was a decent read with good characters and an intriguing plotline.