To Charm a Lady

The Cartwells, Book 2

By: Joanna Barker

Narrated by: Janna Fox

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Cora Atherton wants nothing more than to finally fall in love—real love, not the unrequited sort. When she is invited to attend a house party without her disapproving, overbearing mother, Cora leaps at the chance, desperate to make a match of her own. That is, until she finds that Oliver Cartwell is also attending the party. Oliver, the boy she has loved since she was a girl and the man she is determined to forget.

A house party in the country is just what Oliver needs to distract himself from the shadows of his past. When he discovers that Cora, his sister's best friend, is in need of a little matchmaking, he resolves to help her in her search for a husband. He quickly learns that no man is good enough for her, least of all himself. Why, then, does he find himself fighting his attraction to gentle, beautiful Cora at every step?

As the two draw closer together, Cora is forced to confront the feelings that have tortured her for years. With her future on the line and a deadline fast approaching, can she trust that flirtatious Oliver has changed for the betteror will he leave her heart in pieces once again?

©2024 Joanna Barker (P)2024 Joanna Barker

Great sequel!!

To Charm a Lady is a great follow up to A Game of Hearts. One of the things I appreciate about this book is that you could read this without reading the first book. The author made sure there was an enough info to explain the important stuff from the first, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything.
I love Cora and Oliver! They were such a cute couple. Cora has been in love with Oliver for years. But he is her best friend’s brother and he doesn’t notice her. With a house party and some scheming between the two of them, things are bound to change between them.
Joana does such a great job at writing witty banter, swoony characters and happily ever after. If you love friends to lovers then you’re gonna love this book!

These thoughts and opinions are mine own.

A new standout and favorite Regency romance.

Joanna Barker is a must when it comes to writing the best Regency romances and To Charm a Lady hit all the high notes for me. I loved Cora and Oliver so much. They were such a perfect pairing. With the secret pining, best friend’s brother, house party, and swoony kisses (not to forget Rufus), this book is 100% one I am going to read over and over again.
The audiobook version was a delight to listen to. I enjoyed the English vibes of the narrator and how she captured the feel of the characters and time period along with the time period. I highly recommend this book. This is a clean Regency romance with some toe curling kisses and a sweet happily ever after.

Amazing!!

This book was perfect! The writing, the story, the chemistry, the banter, the narration…it all came together to make the perfect book. I will read anything Joanna Barker writes!

Absolutely charming! 😉

A Game of Hearts was one of my favorite books last year, so I was super excited to find out we were going to get Oliver and Cora’s story.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Oliver and Cora had great chemistry and I loved the slow progression of their relationship. It was so natural with no unnecessary drama. This story had some laugh out loud moments and really great side characters. Plus, there were some swoony kissing scenes. 🫠

I also loved seeing a bit of Marigold and Tristan!

The audio narration is fantastic. Janna Fox does a great job with both POVs!

Oliver + Cora = a Perfect Charming Story

Regency Romance

How Much I Loved it: A million stars and hearts

Dear Joanna,

Words are not adequate for how I feel upon finishing this gem. I really do not know if I can convey the jumbled thoughts and feelings into this review, but I shall try. Because To Charm a Lady has truly charmed my heart!

Immediately upon finishing “A Game of Hearts” in February of this year, I knew I needed this one, as “A Game of Hearts” is one of my all-time favorite books. Fortunately, I did not have to wait long.

Cora. Beautiful, innocent, tender-hearted Cora has longed so desperately for Oliver’s love for so long. Her pining and unrequited love for him is so beautifully conveyed in this story. I felt her longing at one time in my life when I too had unrequited feelings for someone at a young age. Sweet Cora is elegant, she has a good heart, and only sees the best in people. I aim to be more like her in every best way possible. I also liked that she has her weaknesses. A bit clumsy (that’s me at times). Her sass! Loved her sassy moments. Her character felt so real. I loved that she helped Oliver become the man he is supposed to become. If I could step into a fictional world and be friends with anyone, it would be her!

Oliver. Oh man! What a man! When he decided it would be best to keep Cora away from Stanton by pairing her with the other men at the house party, little did I realize how much that would result in hilarity and so much diverting throughout. Also, don’t ever come between him and Cora. You will definitely regret it! He falls so HARD! I thought he would have a figurative concussion for how hard he fell for Cora. His redemption...I can't even express the right words for that, it was just that poignant.

I usually for the most part enjoy the male main character's POV, but this book was so well-written and Cora's POV was so perfect, I loved both POV. It flowed so exquisitely. And this is the ultimate friends-to-lovers because it is not your typical friends-to-lovers.

Marigold and Tristan's cameo was so eloquently done. She was her same old feisty, go-get-her self. And their conversational reference to a scene in A Game of Hearts had me snorting out loud.

From the beach scene in the beginning (think wet shirt, but only maybe better😉) , to the encounter on the seaside cliff, and the whole ordeal with the lemonade, to library interactions and their shared dance, To Charm a Lady had me swooning, laughing, gasping, and sobbing tears of happiness throughout. That whole ending had me in joyful tears. I can't pick just one favorite scene.

My kindle notebook is full of quotes and favorite parts highlighted and I look forward to sitting down and rereading them all as I tab my paperback copy (which arrives today! 2 days sooner than expected).

This is a book I will be rereading over and over and live rent-free in my mind and heart and soul forever. I honestly didn't want it to end; I couldn't get enough of Oliver and Cora. They are a new favorite fictional couple for sure.

Thank you, Joanna, for allowing me to help you with the launch of Oliver and Cora’s story.

Your Devoted Reader,
Holly

PS. The Audiobook was just as good if not better than the ebook. I once again was swept into the Cartwells' lives through Jana Fox's words. She did such a fantastic job!

Content Warning: blood, mild violence, accidental drunk behavior, deep kisses, no swearing, no explicit scenes
Trigger Warning: Disapproving parents

A beautiful story!

A Game of Hearts was one of my favorite Historical Romances last year, so I was thrilled to hear we were getting more stories from the Cartwell Family.

Cora gets a rare opportunity to attend a house party at Highstead Castle without the eye of her meddling mother. What Cora doesn’t realize is that her childhood crush Oliver Cartwell will be attending as well!

Cora sees this as a chance to meet her future husband and plan a life beyond the reach of her mother. Oliver decides to be Cora’s matchmaker to help guide her to the right gentlemen for a perfect match. What he doesn’t realize is that as he gets to know Cora better, there isn’t anyone he views worthy of her affections.

“He does not gaze at you like someone he is trying to help,” she said. “He gazes at you as if there is nothing else in the world worth looking at.”

What you’ll find:
Plotting for romance
Unrequited love
A House party in a castle
Archery competition
Bad prank
The lemonade - that loosened her tongue
He defends her honor
He reads her favorite book
A meddling Mother

I love stories of redemption and change and watching Oliver discover who he was and what he wanted was one of my favorite moments.

“What an awful world that would be, if no one could change and we were all forced to be who we were at fifteen.”

If you’re a fan of Historical Romance, house parties, and stories of growth and change… you’ll LOVE To Charm A Lady!!

“If there is anything worth waiting for… it is love!”

Sooo happy to have this beautiful story on audio now!

A Charming Historical Romance… perfection!

I absolutely adored this charming historical romance. This story has all the feels… it’s sweet & swoony… seriously that first kiss had me melting 🫠. I adored Cora! She is sweet, kind & doesn’t really like to be the center of attention. She is desperately trying to avoid her overbearing mother’s marriage schemes. Cora has been in love with her best friend’s brother for the past ten years…Unfortunately Oliver has never noticed Cora in that way so she is determined to forget him & find a mutual love. When she is invited to attend a house party without her mother… Cora leaps at the chance to make a match but when Oliver shows up things get messy. I loved flirtatious Oliver who is a bit lost but trying to become a better man. I love the thought that we can always change & become better but we need to do it for ourselves. The audio was beautiful done… I enjoyed every minute of it!

Charming Regency Romance

To Charm a Lady is simply charming! Cora has had a crush on her best friend's brother but now is determined to forget about him and make a match until he shows up at the same house party. Oliver is a flirt who decides to help Cora find a worthy man but soon becomes protective and wants to change for her. I loved the banter, the seaside setting and their first kiss! 🔥
CW: kisses only
This can be read as a stand alone but I recommend also reading A Game of Hearts.
I fully enjoyed the audio. Male and female points of views and the single narrator did a great job.

SLOW TO START...

...but stay with it. It gets better. I would have preferred the story be shorter; however, doing so would have taken away from the carefully calculated interactions and antics by Cora's would-be suitors. The ending was refreshing.

Perfect voice for the character

I’ve had the narration of a book turn me away from a book, so sometimes I’m a little nervous to listen to a book I know I love. I was not disappointed with the narration of this audiobook. The narrators voice fit so well with the main character reflecting her as a person the way I pictured her.

Cora wants true love, but it has been impossible to find with her very demanding mother always watching and guiding her. Finally given the chance to attend a house party, without her mother, Cora is presented with an opportunity to be herself and hopefully find true love. The problem? Her unrequited love shows up at the party, distracting her heart from forming new attachments. Why can’t she fully give up on loving Oliver.

Oliver is surprised to find his sister’s best friend at a house party. Even more surprised when he starts to notice her as more than an acquaintance. When other men of his acquaintance also notice her, he’s forced to face these feelings.

This book was filled with the sweetest romance. So many scenes that made me want to go back and reread this book right away. The banter and chemistry between Cora and Oliver was perfect. The complexities of accepting someone can changed, balanced with lots of character growth made for a beautiful love story. This is a book that makes you smile again and again. I couldn’t put it down and read through it pretty quickly, because I couldn’t get enough of these two! I’ve now read it twice and listened to it once. A testament of how much I enjoyed this story!