Sense and Suitability + Giveaway

In this clean Regency rom-com, a woman with a scandalous past (and an even more scandalous secret) swears off love—until the man who broke her heart needs her help. What could possibly go wrong? Perfect for fans of Tessa Dare and Eloisa James looking for a low-spice, witty Regency romance.

After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she’d found her perfect match in Simon Reeves–charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel—until he vanished from her life without so much as a “farewell” or “my deepest regrets” (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson never fall for a man known for his charm.

Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband–because she’s already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?

But fate—or the misfortune of Simon’s reckless patriarchs—has other plans. Simon’s once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.

Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She’ll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic—no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.

There’s just one small the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she’s still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories–especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones–are worthy of a rewrite?

Filled with lively banter, adorable children, a frog named Blast, and swoony kisses, Sense and Suitability is the clean Regency romance you’ve been looking for. Basham brings her signature humor to the Regency era where social strictures keep the tension tight but the stakes low in this second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance.

My Review:

Swoonaliciously delightful!!!! Pepper Basham’s versatility as an author astounds me. She does justice to her first foray into the Regency Romance genre and, while I’m not surprised, (she is a fave author for a reason, after all) I am sooooooo impressed! And, mercy, but let Pepper’s bantering talent loose in a Regency drawing room and….blissfully bookish swoons abound. Fainting couches are a must to get through this book unscathed!

The author’s signature humour shines throughout this story. So many laugh out loud moments! Often courtesy of a trio of unruly children, especially the youngest imp and her special frog friend. H-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s.

And the second chance, enemies to more romantic tropes are played out to perfection. Lots of lovely tension and emotional layers. Along with the agonies of societal expectations of the day thankfully punctuated by some truly memorable toe curling scenes! Thud! I do so enjoy an impossible love story that triumphs in the end.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘Sense and Suitability’ (love that pun-y title!) and thoroughly enjoyed the dual narration performed by Fiona Hardingham and Christopher Ashman. The way they delivered all the emotion and humour made for an absolutely brilliant listening experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK DOESN’T RELEASE UNTIL OCTOBER 14 SO THERE WILL BE A BIT OF A WAIT TO CLAIM YOUR WIN!

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sense and Suitability,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 3 2025

44 thoughts on “Sense and Suitability + Giveaway”

  1. I have an ARC of Pepper’s book and just haven’t gotten to it yet, yikes! Must get on that right away after reading your great review!

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  2. SENSE AND SUITABILITY is already on my TBR list. Pepper Basham’s books are always highly anticipated. This one especially sounds amazing. As I’m sure you know, I love second chance stories to start with. Add in Regency Romance and humor and it’s a must read for me.

    Thank you so much for the chance to win a copy!

    We actually got significant amount of rain this morning. Less dragging of the hose today!

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. Argh, we don’t have rain in sight for over two weeks! I’ll be going out to water my garden soon. 🙂 You will love this story, Kay. The children’s antics are so much fun! And the hero is swoonworthy! Good luck!

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  7. This sounds like such a fun read, a bit of escape from reality! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    Jolene – iwant2save34 at gmail dot com

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  9. Pepper Basham, yes please! First discovered this on our last Reader’s Choice week and automatically wanted to read it. Recency & Rom-Com sounds like a winning combination! 😊

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  13. Pepper Basham! Nothing else needs to be said BUT your great review affirms that I need this book😍 Thanks for the chance!

    Connie

    cps1950@ATgmailDOTcom

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  15. Oooh I’ve heard good things about Pepper Basham, but haven’t gotten around to reading one of her books yet. I’m happy to see that this one is a regency! Such an enjoyable time period to read!

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  19. I almost wish Pepper Basham would take a break for a bit. I can’t keep up with all her books! I always find them delightful to read, no matter what genre they are. Sense and Suitability looks especially fun.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  20. Thanks for the review and chance to win, Kav! Pepper is one of my favorite authors, and I’m getting behind on her books! This one sounds like a lot of fun!

    whthomas13 at yahoo dot com

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  21. I love Pepper Basham, too and I definitely agree that she is an incredibly versatile author.  And Regency…..oh yes! Just please don’t ask me to pick a favorite Pepper Basham  book!  

    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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