A Love Most Daring: A Proper Romance By Joanna Barker-Regency Romance Review

 

Book Synopsis

From best-selling author Joanna Barker: Proper romance meets page-turning mystery in this captivating tale of danger, redemption, and love worth fighting for.

After years of whispered gossip and quiet exile in the countryside, Beatrice Lacey arrives in London determined to reclaim her life. But her resolve is shaken when she witnesses a horrific attack tied to a chilling high-profile murder case gripping the city.

Thrust into sudden danger, Beatrice finds herself under the reluctant protection of Alexander Rawlings—a brooding Bow Street officer with a guarded heart and a fierce sense of duty. Though it's clear he’d rather be chasing the killer than shielding a scandal-stained Society miss, their forced closeness begins to unravel his defenses. In the unnerving moments between danger and discovery, every sharp exchange and lingering glance fans a slow-burning connection—one neither of them expected and neither can resist.

With danger closing in and old wounds resurfacing, trust may be their only refuge—and love their most daring risk of all.

Book Details

• Publisher: Shadow Mountain
• Publication date: March 3, 2026
• Language: English
• Print length: 320 pages
• ISBN-10: 1639934715

• ****I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, NetGalley, book tours, and/or authors. A review was not required, and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own. ****

My Review

I started A Love Most Daring with high expectations, but I wasn’t prepared for how much I’d actually fall for these characters. It was everything I wanted and so much more. The story follows Beatrice Lacey, who is finally back in London after two years of "exile" thanks to some nasty rumors. She’s trying to rebuild her life, but everything goes sideways when she witnesses a brutal knife attack at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.

Beatrice is such a great character, and she’s famous for her sharp wit and sarcasm, but underneath that feisty exterior, she’s actually quite lonely. Then there’s Alexander Rawlings: a brooding, stoic detective who is 100% dedicated to his job. He starts off viewing Beatrice with the same skepticism as the rest of society, but that changes the moment she saves his life.

What really stood out to me:

The Chemistry: I loved the way Beatrice and Alexander played off each other. Her sarcasm is such a great shield for her, and watching Alexander, who is so guarded and serious, slowly start to appreciate her wit was really satisfying. Their banter felt genuine, not forced.

The Tension: Because Beatrice is the only one who can identify the killer, she ends up tucked away at his family’s country estate for her safety. I’m a fan of stories where characters are forced to really get to know each other under pressure, and seeing them both slowly lower their emotional guards while in hiding was my favorite part of the book. Seeing Alexander’s "hidden self" come out made me like him even more and it’s no wonder Beatrice fell for him. Even the tense moments with Alexander’s mother showed off Beatrice’s incredible inner strength and fortitude.

The Mystery: Joanna Barker has a beautiful way with words, but she also knows how to pace a mystery. I usually pride myself on figuring out the "whodunnit" early on, but this one actually caught me off guard. When everything finally came together at the end, the reveal was shocking but made perfect sense.

If you’ve followed the Bow Street series, you’ll be happy to see Jack, Ginny, Nathaniel, and Verity again. They stepped in to help with the investigation, and it really felt like catching up with old friends. While this is the third book in the series, you can definitely read it as a standalone. 

If you love a grumpy-meets-sunshine dynamic with a side of high-stakes danger, this is a must-read. Joanna Barker has officially cemented herself as a queen of the Regency mystery!

Rating: 5 stars and a permanent spot on my favorites shelf!

****Meet Author Joanna Barker****

Joanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. She thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-lovable kids.

~*~*~*~*Purchase A Love Most Daring ~*~*~*~*

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