A Gentleman’s Stipulation by Jean Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“…I refuse to be roped into a marriage of convenience. I want a passionate woman in my bed, not some cold fish who’ll only tolerate my presence out of a sense of duty and to beget me sons.”
She wondered if he was aware that he’d just described how most marriages of the ton worked. Love matches were a rare occurrence in high society, as was fidelity.
…Victoria, however, couldn’t imagine accepting such a fate.
For once, she and Mr. Hall were in agreement. As unfashionable and middle-class as it was, Victoria wanted a love match. And while beggars couldn’t be choosers, surely she could find a man who shared her views. Present company excluded, of course. Just because she wanted to kiss the man didn’t mean she wanted to be married to him. She didn’t relish the thought of trading barbs and arguing with him for longer than his planned visit.”

A Gentleman’s Stipulation is the fourth book in The Scarlet Salon series by Jean Wilde. This is my first read by Ms. Wilde, and as you have probably noticed, I have come into this series a little backwards, starting on book #4 first. When this book caught my eye, I immediately read the blurb and was quite intrigued by what the story could hold. It has been a while since I have read a regency romance, so I thought this would make a great change of pace from what I had been reading of late. I hadn’t noticed it was the fourth book in the series, but as I discovered, it can definitely be read as a standalone. Having said that though, I really enjoyed the story and will certainly be going back to read the other books in this series, too- as well as exploring Ms. Wilde’s other work/s.
This is a really great historical/regency romance- it’s an enemies to lovers tale, full of drama, banter, spice, intrigue, chemistry, tension, and romance. Ms. Wilde may be a new-to-me author, but I am more than happy to have just discovered her work- as she certainly knows how to tell a cleverly woven and captivating story.
Lady Victoria Gilbert is 24 and has gotten to the point where she will soon be considered as an ‘old maid’. She really needs a husband and dreams of having a home and family of her own. But she has a bit of a barbed tongue, a mind of her own, and a stubborn independent streak- which hasn’t stood in her favour. Her chances of finding a suitor are becoming slimmer by the day.
Blake Hall is the wealthy son of a Mill tycoon- he has material wealth, but no title- which has set him apart from London’s High Society. He can’t stand the simpering young debutantes, he would rather a woman who would challenge him. So, you would think that when he meets Lady Victoria, it would be love at first sight. But instead, they completely rub each other the wrong way. Although I think they secretly enjoyed the verbal sparring. But what happens when they are caught in a compromising situation? All the answers you need are waiting to be discovered between the covers of “A Gentleman’s Stipulation”.
Ms. Wilde has crafted her story really well- adding rich, vibrant, and authentic historical details. Her storytelling really draws you into her ‘world’ and she easily captures her readers attention. I was immersed in the story, staying engaged right through to the end.
The characters are really well developed with their own unique personalities. And even though they both annoyed/frustrated me at times throughout the story- I couldn’t help but like them and was rooting for them right from the beginning.
I am looking forward to exploring the rest of the series now!

Thank you, Jean Wilde!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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