A Deal with an Artistic Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Novel (Marriage Deals Book 2)

Customer Reviews

• M**V

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  An Arranged Marriage/An Artist
  
  Caleb marries Hannah as per both of their father’s wishes from years ago. But Caleb’s mother pushes him to marry another..and is never kind to either of them. As time goes on he finds his wife is a painter & an artist;but he thinks a hobby so never steps in to look. Only Hannah has a secret & only one or two know. But devious works are ahead & Caleb realizes his feelings for his wife; only she isn’t there!

  April 8, 2025

• e***5

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Wonderful Read!
  
  What a great Author. I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well developed. The H/h were loveable as well as their friends.

  April 7, 2025

• D*********n

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  An Enjoyable Read
  
  I enjoyed this well-written story. It explores the rights of a woman to showcase her artistic ability rather than only being valued for her musical ability or her embroidery. Lady Hannah was a very talented artist but her mother was terrified that she would be scorned if people realised that she painted. Duke Caleb has been instructed, by his dying father, to marry Hannah. His father had agreed this with Hannah’s father when Caleb and Hannah were young. After the marriage, Hannah went to live with Caleb but his mother was extremely rude to Hannah whenever she could be. She caused problems and scandal without realising how this affected the family’s reputation. She shamed Hannah at an art exhibition in front of other aristocrats. Will Caleb realise how talented Hannah is? Will he stand up for her against his mother? Will Hannah and Caleb finally be able to find a way forward together, with Caleb accepting Hannah’s talent?

  April 6, 2025

• K*************r

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Great story
  
  This is a story about the power of how a kind and loving heart can open up in pain and turmoil. S heartfelt story

  April 3, 2025

• J*********d

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Hannah and Caleb
  
  I enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters, both the likable characters and the not so likable ones. I liked reading as the characters grew and developed. I recommend reading it.

  April 1, 2025

• E******e

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Good read
  
  This is the love story of Hannah and Caleb. Their marriage is arranged by their Fathers. Hannah wants a love match and Caleb a marriage of convenience. This is a sweet story that slowly develops. I really enjoyed this book except for the toxic Mother in law that I felt needed to be delt with way earlier in the book. Even so I really enjoyed the book.

  March 30, 2025

• T***r

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  A heroin ahead of her time.
  
  I absolutely adore Thorne’s historical romance. As I read I felt compelled to empathize with Hannah the MFC. Thorne has a way of gathering all the details and lay them out simply so the reader doesn’t even realize how engaged they are until they are drawn to emotion. Such a wonderful story about a strong female protagonist that fights societal convention I received this ARC from the author. This is my honest review.

  March 28, 2025

• a********e

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Sweet story
  
  Hannah and Caleb serve as excellent MC’s with great character arc. A contract marriage that slowly evolves into something much deeper and much more. I appreciate the fact that this is not insta lust but a true story of developing a relationship. Sweet and enjoyable read.

  March 27, 2025

• W******2

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Sweet Clean love story
  
  I enjoyed Hannah and Caleb’s story, how their stories started and how we got to the end. Everyone has demons and pain in their past and sometimes we hurt others with our hurt.

  March 26, 2025

• B****W

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  The art of navigating mothers and mores
  
  Probably one of my top favorites from Ms Thorne! I thought each character was well rounded. She did a great job touching the sensitive subject of parental abuse and how that affects adult children. Caleb’s fears seemed well founded through his harpy of a mother and his stark memories of familial turmoil wrought by her. I loved the depiction of Hannah’s art—the imagery really had me envisioning the works she appreciated and her own creations (the “blue” without the use of any blues). I was a bit put off by HOW QUICKLY Caleb’s mother changed face at the end with only one catalyst, though causing a scandal sure was a decent driver…I expected a little more push from our main characters to help her do so. The side story of Sophia and Albert was a cute addition that I enjoyed as well. This was my ARC copy but I’ve read a lot of this author and I will say this is probably one of her strongest works!

  March 26, 2025

• B**********i

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

  Good
  
  Good story

  March 26, 2025

• G**********y

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Loved the storyline
  
  Absolutely loved this book. A great story and the characters are all interesting. Real struggles and problems that the main characters have to deal with and solve . I had a hard time putting the book down

  March 25, 2025

• C***********g

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  A Most Relatable Tale!
  
  My ABSOLUTE favorite story by this author to date! A wonderful tale set in Victorian times that could be just as relatable in modern times! The main male character is a little slow in realizing the overall scheme of things but redeems himself wonderfully in the end! The trials of the heroine are some that are present in modern times as well. A perfectly crafted story with a satisfying ending!

  March 23, 2025

• K***i

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Creative
  
  An excellent story. Loved everything about it. I couldn’t put it down.

  March 23, 2025

• S**************z

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  love for an artistic lady
  
  Hannah has her coming out and is interduced to who is to become her husband. Caleb has been told he is to Mary Hannah which was. Arranged before his father died. It is a rushed marriage and Hannah is not ready for. Caleb thinks this is only going to be one of arrangement. It ends up that he dos fall in love with Hannah there is a lot f us and downs but the do end up happy

  March 23, 2025

• J******r

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  So hard to put down!!
  
  WOW! I absolutely loved this book! Lady Hannah and Caleb (Duke of Montwood) are forced into an arranged marriage by their fathers and they couldn’t be more different. Caleb wants a marriage in name only, just to say he fulfilled his obligation, but Hannah hopes to have a relationship with her husband. The two slowly begin to form a relationship, but is it destined for failure? Also, as if they their relationship wasn’t hard enough, the Dukes mother in law hates that he married Hannah and will do everything in her power to show him (and the world) how inferior she is. Overall, I couldn’t put this book down and lost several hours of sleep for it – but it was worth it!! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it! I received this book to read and review – all opinions are my own.

  March 23, 2025

• M******e

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Very enjoyable read!
  
  I enjoyed how passionate the characters are. Hannah passionate about her art even though she little encouragement. The story line was very good.

  March 23, 2025

• Jo

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  beautiful
  
  A young girl is forced to marry a duke who has only a convenient marriage in mind. She on the other hand is both artistic and determined to have more. A sweet read, no major drama and easy to read in one sitting. Life in that time wasn’t easy for women. Beautifully written.

  March 23, 2025

• D******h

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Finding love
  
  “A Deal with an Artistic Lady” by Julia Thorne -A sweet and gentle romance about two very different people finding love. Caleb and Hannah’s journey is awkward but heartfelt. The side characters add charm, and there’s a nice second love story. Caleb’s mother is frustrating, but the romance is lovely.

  March 22, 2025

• D***.

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Wonderful story
  
  I really enjoyed this story. It is sweet and clean. Caleb & Hannah had to overcome a lot of obstacles to make their relationship work. This story is well written.

  March 21, 2025

• G****e

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Loved!!
  
  Such a beautiful story! I loved how the main characters of Hannah and Caleb evolved and ended up loving each other. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

  March 21, 2025

• S*H

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  A good, clean story with a happy ending
  
  There is much to like about this story. Caleb, raised in a household with an overbearing and toxic mother, now is fearful of marriage in general. He doesn’t want to have a similar experience in his own marriage, and concerned it may be the end result of all marriages, he chooses to marry for convenience so they may keep a respectable and cordial distance. Hannah, a gifted artist, has been forced to hide her talent in a home where it was seen as unbecoming a lady to dabble in such pursuits. Forced into an arranged marriage she now also has a toxic mother-in-law to contend with. This story shows the vulnerability in a relationship that is new and unsure. I like both of their personalities and the efforts they exert in overcoming the insecurities that would be prevalent in a situation like this. As they begin to fall in love it is sweetly awkward. There are several solid side characters who add a lot of depth to the overall story as well as an additional love story. It was a little frustrating and felt somewhat unrealistic, that a man who has the power and confidence of a duke, would for so long allow his mother to completely control his home in such a toxic manner. Would he realistically have allowed his mother to publicly humiliate his new wife in front of all the staff as she declared herself to still be the mistress of the house? As he is coming to have affection for his wife, would he really allow the insults and barbs to continue? I kept waiting for him to have a frank discussion with his mother that would have given her a choice to live in a dower house if she couldn’t respect his wife, the new mistress of the house. That discussion didn’t ever come. It wasn’t until the end that he finally confronted her in more than a lukewarm way, but by that point it seemed much less than what was warranted. Given her nature, her change of behavior at the end of the book seems somewhat unrealistic. Overall I liked this book despite my negative remarks on the dowager duchess. It’s a good, clean story with a happy ending.

  March 21, 2025

• J**********e

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Drawn together
  
  With such differing expectations, you would never think that the two talented and dedicated characters as Caleb and Hannah could never resolve their differences, yet Ms Thorne artistically draws them together despite the machinations of a determined mother-in-law. Good plot.

  March 19, 2025

• A*C

  Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  Worth reading.
  
  Good story. Author caught I think what it may have been like for a young girl facing an arranged marriage to a man she barely knows, and a man hurt enough to avoid love. No over the top drama, but enough to keep story interesting. I read in one sitting because i didn’t want to put it down. I also liked the message brought up that often, when we try to hurt someone else in our anger, we don’t realize the long-term consequences of our actions. Sometimes, they even hurt ourselves. Story made me reflect on my great grandmother, who was forced by an arranged marriage to marry a man she didn’t know. They met the day before the wedding, and my grandmother wasn’t impressed initially. Tried to get her parents to call it off. (They had a good marriage, but I know not all did) it must have been difficult in the beginning.

  March 18, 2025