A Wager at Midnight

This was a good read and a good contribution to the series. I would recommend to anyone who likes strong- willed fmcs and men who can't help but follow them.

Wow, i really enjoyed this book. It was even better than the first one in the series. I have not read any Vanessa Riley books prior to this series, but I had heard of her Regency novels, and I wanted to jump in and start reading, so I selected this recent series. Now I am wondering if I should have selected other books, as I will have to wait until next year for book 3! I read the teaser at the end of this book, and I want it to come out sooner. I am not very patient on these matters when I like a series.The book itself was very engaging. I found it took a while to follow the format, similar to book one, with alternating chapters for the 2 POV, heroine and hero. I love that the heroines in both books, the Wilcox sisters, are strong, smart, articulate, and honest. There are many layers to the book, which really interested me, including the characters' different cultures from the West Indies. This is a friends to lovers story, with the heroine a decade younger that her beloved Stephen Carew, physician, who has a disarming accent and seductive charm. Scarlett is smart, motivated to help others, a loyal sister and friend, and beautiful! I really enjoyed how they compromised along the way to acknowledge that what they both wanted were attributes the other person had.The medical advances and challenges of the day were also very interesting and educational to read about, such as cataract treatments, C-sections, and sick cell anemia.

I found the book and character arcs to be quite interesting. I love how Vanessa blends historical fiction and romance to keep us engaged in the storyline. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

If you want a great historical fiction romance that mixes the historical climate of the time and the way a woman can navigate circumstances and still be strong and fierce, this book is for you.This is book 2 in the Betting Against the Duke Series but can be read as a stand alone with no issues. This book finds Scarlett, one of the younger Wilcox sisters and her journey to pursue her dreams of medicine while the Duke is looking for a suitable marriage for her.Enter the Physician, Stephen Carew. He has had an adversarial relationship with Scarlett since she was a child. He also sees her as still a child even though she is now in her twenties. What he doesn’t anticipate is that Scarlett is probably his perfect match.I loved so much about this book. I love a good historical romance. Scarlett is just the type of heroine you want. She is resilient, smarts, resourceful, and strong. She also carries a lot of guilt from the death of her twin. That has motivated her to learn everything she can about medicine despite the odds. If you can’t tell I love me some Scarlett. Stephen Carew doesn’t start out the book as someone who deserves someone as amazing as Scarlett. During the course of the book he finally falls for Scarlett then the Duke makes it clear he needs to step up to actually deserve her. I can’t say enough good things about this book. Worth the read!!

It took me a chapter or two to get into the rhythm of the book. Once I reach the rhythm, it's easy to follow the story with it's moments of humor and pain. Steven Carew is a physician. He's known Scarlett Wilcox for seven years, but he doesn't understand her passion for medicine. He thinks she should stay home and do what society expects from a lady. Scarlett sees her only option is to prove to Steven she's a lot more than he really understands.Kisses only.I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.