✨Im Literary Anxious✨

𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲🕒: 2 minutes

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Emily Rath✍🏻 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 📖

THE QUICK AND DIRTY

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲:🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀: Is gasping a mood?
𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁: Duet 
𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲: TBC 
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲: Multi-POV

TROPES

💛 Why Choose, but Make It Bridgerton
💜 Regency Romance
💛 House Party
💜 Hot Oil Massages
💛 One Horse
💜 Kisses in the Rain
💛 She Finds Them Skinny Dipping
💜 Second Son with First Daughter Syndrome

“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙣. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.”

Emily, I have a question: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

What was that ending?!

Yes, technically this is partly my fault for completely missing the very obvious “Second Sons #1” next to the title on Kindle… BUT STILL.

Why-choose Regency romance is apparently the niche subgenre I didn’t know I desperately needed. Which means, Mrs. Rath, I’ll require you to continue feeding this addiction indefinitely. Thank you.

This was BEYOND good. How has this existed since 2022 and I’m only just discovering it? If this was her first indie release, what a way to arrive on the scene like a wrecking ball.

Rosalie is the MFC we all deserve. She’s witty, sharp-tongued, and unapologetically honest, yet still deeply kind. Within the first two chapters she breaks a drunk’s nose behind a pub and I was immediately sold. She holds her own at the house party, navigates the duchess with grace, and still wrestles with real self-doubt. Watching her grow was so satisfying.

And then… her men.

HER. MEN.

Have there ever been three more perfectly balanced MMCs? Burke brings the passion and fire. Tom brings the caretaking warmth. James brings the quiet steadiness that anchors everything. Together? Absolute perfection.

Renley gives big sad-eyed energy (tell me you don’t picture a dramatic little Puss in Boots face and I won’t believe you). Meanwhile:

Burke = Flynn Rider energy
James = Mr. Darcy vibes
Tom = soft golden retriever in Regency tailoring

George (the duke) is an overgrown man-child, and I’m still deciding whether I merely dislike him or actively resent him after that stunt at the end. WHY, George. Why.

The dowager duchess? Controlling, manipulative, and frankly unkind to both of her sons. I pictured Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton the entire time — and not in a flattering way.

This is a slow burn that simmers beautifully before turning up the heat in the final quarter. The payoff is absolutely worth the wait.

𝗠𝗖𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻:

Burke → Benedict
Tom → Colin
James → Anthony
Rosalie → A Kat/Francesca hybrid
Madeline → Penelope
Prudence & Piety → The Featherington sisters

If you’ve ever thought, “I love Regency romance, but what if we added chaos and multiple suitors?” — congratulations. This is your book.