Book Review: A Properly Conducted Sham by Ally Hudson

Title: A Properly Conducted Sham
Series: Most Imprudent Matches #5
Author: Ally Hudson
Genre: Historical; Retelling; Romance
Publication Date: February 4th, 2025
Trigger Warning: PTSD, Marital Rape (not described but implied)

A ruined reputation, a monstrous secret, and a love story as old as time…

Gossip is one of Charlotte’s favorite pastimes—until she finds herself its target. Nearly a year into widowhood and newly with child, Lady Charlotte James finds herself rejected by her lover. She must find a new husband or face ruin.

Leopold Bennet, Earl of Champaign, shuns society and his own reflection. Hidden away in the country, he is free to spend countless hours in his observatory with the stars. They don’t judge him for the occasional, all-consuming attacks, nor do they stare in horror at his scarred face.

But, the anonymity of a masquerade proves too tempting, and Lee braves the crush. With golden curls and a quick wit, Charlotte instantly captivates him. But the midnight unmasking sends him fleeing back to the shadows.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Charlotte presents Lee with a scandalous proposition. To her astonishment, he agrees with a caveat of his own—one year in the country in exchange for the protection of his name.

Rating

 * I received this book digitally for free and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review*

Hello Fellow Readers,

While A Properly Conducted Sham is book five in the 'Most Imprudent Matches' series you can read this as a standalone which is exactly what I did. However, I may have to go read the other books in this series because I enjoyed this book. A retelling of sorts of 'Beauty and the Beast' Lee 'the Beast' a disfigured man who lost his wife in a terrible accident, is such a sweet and precious cinnamon roll and I am so glad Charlotte, the Beauty, realized this. A widow who needs to get married, Charlotte started a little uptight, but I love how she was with Lee, She didn't care about his disfigurement, instead opening her heart and allowing this both to heal from past atrocities and grow into their marriage. Marriage of convenience isn't a trope I read often but I may need to pick up a couple of books because I always enjoy them.

While Lee and Charlotte's chemistry was more restrained than in most books, it was undeniable, and their love felt realistic. I was a little hesitant about the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, but Hudson handled the sensitive topics well. 

Overall, I enjoyed this romance, and I will be looking for more of Hudson's Books.