Book Review | The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

Title: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
Author: Alison Goodman
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction / Romance / Mystery
Publication Date: May 30th, 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: ⭐⭐

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary earc to review! All opinions are my own.

“Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents itself: to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.

The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.

Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.” (Goodreads)

I thought this one looked really fun from the cover to the blurb. I have been getting into historical fiction lately and I figured this would be good to start. Although this didn’t work for me, I do think that it will work for the right reader!

Lady Augusta aka Gus is not like other women of the time period. She is older and unmarried which means that no one takes her seriously. I liked that she was different and her sister was always along for the ride. I like seeing sisters together because it reminds me of my own bonds with mine. The way the sisters acted didn’t feel like it fit their age and they seemed much younger than they were.

The romance that Gus finds herself after was okay but I think that it lacked the most when it came to being a plotline. I did like their first encounter with one another which was quite wild, but it could have been developed better as it went.

There were some great events that were full of action but it took me forever to want to actually pick it up after I set it down. I just couldn’t fully get into it and maybe it is just my mood at the moment.

Overall, this was okay but definitely a case of “it’s me, not you”. It is well written and has some good points. I think it will do well in the hands of the right reader!