ARC: Pride Comes Before the Fall by Virginia Heath

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

This one has such a fun Regency romance setup. It took me a little while to get into it—the first chapter felt a bit awkward, especially the dialogue—but I’m glad I stuck with it. Once I got past the beginning, the story really started to flow and became much more enjoyable.

The premise is really solid, and I think anyone who loves historical romance will find a lot to enjoy here. I liked the setup a lot, even if I never felt totally swept away by the story. Some of the conflicts—especially the class difference—felt a bit undercooked to me. The duke proposing to someone who works for him could have had more of an impact, especially since social rules are such a big deal in this world.

I also had mixed feelings about the heroine’s repeated refusals. She’s certainly stubborn, but at times I wished her motivations were a bit clearer, which would have made the romance more satisfying for me. I found myself wanting deeper character development and stronger emotional arcs for both leads.

Overall, this is an enjoyable historical romance with a charming premise and some genuinely nice moments. While it didn’t fully win me over, I appreciated what the story was aiming for, and with a bit more depth, it could really shine.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for sharing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.