Review: A Lady’s Formula for Love (The Secret Scientists of London #1)

A Lady’s Formula for Love (The Secret Societies of London #1) by Elizabeth Everett

Published By: Berkley Publishing
Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Date Read: August 8, 2024
Genre: Adult – Historical Romance
Source: Spotify Audiobooks
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 322

From Goodreads:
What is a Victorian lady’s formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humor and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry—it’s elemental.

Lady Violet Hughes is keeping secrets. First, she founded a clandestine sanctuary for England’s most brilliant female scientists. Second, she is using her genius on a confidential mission for the Crown. But the biggest secret of all? Her feelings for protection officer Arthur Kneland.

Solitary and reserved, Arthur learned the hard way to put duty first. But the more time he spends in the company of Violet and the eccentric club members, the more his best intentions go up in flames. Literally.

When a shadowy threat infiltrates Violet’s laboratories, endangering her life and her work, scientist and bodyguard will find all their theories put to the test—and learn that the most important discoveries are those of the heart.

A Lady’s Formula for Love has been on my radar for a while. While I am not a big reader of historical romances, I do read a few and those that I do I quite enjoy. When I first came across this book, I really liked the idea of all of the women being scientists. I feel like this is such a unique take in the Victorian England. I wasn’t wrong, this was such a fun book.

A Lady’s Formula for Love follows Lady Violet. Violet is a widow who since the death of her husband can finally focus on her true passion… science. But what she, and her other ladies is studying, could prove dangerous so she is given a bodyguard in the form of Arthur. As tensions grow higher, Arthur grows closer and needs to decide whether he is willing to give in to his heart.

I really liked the mix of science and romance in this book. I love books with a scientific storyline so naturally I was excited to read this book. It was very different to what I was expecting, but not in a bad way. I flew through this book, and if you’re a fan of audiobooks, the narrator of this one was fantastic. I just couldn’t stop listening. It was a little bit more spicy that I was expecting. I don’t know why but I find spice that bit more shocking when it’s in a historical novel. I’m not sure why, but I just do. But any spice lovers out there… you will be satisfied with this one.

While this book isn’t the best historical novel I’ve ever read, I did enjoy it and I will be continuing the series at some point. I will be more likely to read the others physically as I don’t particularly like books with spicy scenes on audio. It just makes me cringe hearing it out loud, but I will read the others and I’m excited to read more from this author.