Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl

4.5 stars rounded up.

Sidney Gordon Honeywell is the author of the wildly successful series “Tales of a Lady Adventurer in Egypt”, a fictional depiction of her grandmother’s adventures. Sidney never claimed the stories were true or that she was the heroine – but somehow that is what everyone believes and her publisher believed it was best to continue the ruse. But now the Earl of Brenton has been sending letters to the Times denouncing her as a fraud. More unfortunately, Effie, Poppy & Gwen have been replying to the letters – as Sidney. The Earl has issued a challenge, go with his nephew to Egypt and prove she is who she claims to be.

Harold “Harry” Armstrong is the new and unexpected Earl of Brenton, but before that, he was an avid adventurer in Egypt – He doesn’t like Sidney’s stories – they are not accurate and are too flowery – he might be a little miffed that he has written a book that has been repeatedly rejected, but mostly he feels guilty, when he was last in Egypt, his friend and cohort Walter died and he is angry that Sidney is getting undeserved attention and Walter was forgotten. He issued the challenge, if he wins, she will be exposed and ruined, if he wins Cadwallenders’ Daily Messenger (Sidney’s publisher) will publish his book.

Sidney is upset and the ladies try to calm her – they will go with her to Egypt, as chaperones and Mr. Cadwellender has agreed to finance the trip and send a reporter with them to document the journey- it is a dream come true for Sidney to go to Egypt, but how will she keep up the deception? The ladies promise to “help”.

Harry already regrets his challenge but it is too late to back out and save face. He poses as Harry Armstrong, the nephew of the Earl and awaits the arrive of “Mrs. Gordon” who he is sure is an older woman – the ladies are introduced along with Daniel Corbin, the reporter and Harry is drawn to Sidney. He is sure she is a fraud, but she is a lovely, intelligent fraud. He tries to get to know her better and has competition from Corbin and interference from the ladies. But finally he gets her alone, he likes her and thinks that she might be the “one”. But now he has to find a way out of the hole he dug without ruining her or humiliating himself.

Sidney likes Harry as well, but she has to be on her guard, he has the power to destroy her, so while she is attracted to him, she tries to keep him at arm’s length – how is she going to be able to keep this up?

They arrive in Cairo and Harry is certain that she is a fraud, but he no longer wants to expose her – well at least not to the public. He is not quite sure what he wants from her, until someone from his past askes for a favor and Sidney helps him – then he knows, she is the one and only woman for him. Before he can tell her, she is swept away by her own adventure. When she returns, she makes a discovery and needs Harry’s help, which is his not overly happy about, but agrees to.

Their adventure will bring them more than one shocking discovery, betrayal and startling revelations, but will it bring them together or push them apart? This was an absolutely delightful read, it is well written (I cannot even imagine the research that went into this book!), fast paced, amusing and light without being fluffy, Harry and Sidney are both likeable leads, Poppy, Gwen & Effie are fantastic secondary characters, the story has warm love scenes, a bit of intrigue, a bit of deception, lost treasure and finally a sweet and satisfying HEA ending. This is the third book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone title with no problem whatsoever!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

Another fun journey with the Lady Travelers Society, and like the previous book, our intrepid travelers are not quite what they seem. Sidney has been writing her adventure stories about Egypt for some time, using her grandmother’s journals for inspiration. They are wildly popular, and she discovered too late that people believe that they are her adventures. To confess the truth would destroy her reputation and her only source of income. When the Earl of Brenton accuses her of writing rubbish and maligns her knowledge, she accepts his challenge to prove it with a trip to Egypt, accompanied by his nephew.

Harry Armstrong, the “nephew” in question, is actually the earl himself. After twenty years in Egypt, making like Indiana Jones, he returned to take up his new responsibilities as earl. Part of his plan is to write about his time in Egypt, but no one is interested in his writing when they can read “Mrs. Gordon’s.” He’s confident he can gather enough evidence to prove her a fraud.

I felt a bit badly for Sidney at the beginning. Her deceptions were not her choice but forced on her by her publisher and the times. Also, the public war of words with the earl wasn’t hers, but the well-meaning interference of her Aunt Effie and her friends, Poppy and Gwen. Sidney was furious when she found out about it, but she also wasn’t about to roll over and play dead. Though it took a little prodding from the old ladies, she was determined to prove him wrong.

Harry did not make a good first impression. It was clear that his motivating factor was jealousy that Sidney’s writings were popular and his were rejected time and again for being dull and dry. He redeemed himself slightly with his worry that he was potentially ruining an old lady supplementing her pension, but his refusal to back down didn’t help his case.

The journey is sponsored by Sidney’s publisher, who has a lot riding on the outcome. If she is proved a fraud, it won’t look good for him. He will also be stuck publishing Harry’s book, which isn’t nearly as good as Sidney’s. There’s an amusing scene where Effie manages to get the publisher to include the three ladies in the trip as Sidney’s chaperones. Mr. Cadwallender also sends along a reporter as an impartial witness and to write about whatever the results are.

From the moment the journey began, the sparks flew between Harry and Sidney. He makes it clear that he doesn’t believe she has ever been to Egypt, based mainly on her “rosy” depiction of the places and events. For him, if you don’t include the bad, you don’t know what you’re talking about – which explains his dreadful writing. Of course, he’s right, she has never set foot in the country, but she has studied extensively and has her grandmother’s journals. And she never intended people to believe they were completely factual. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Sidney confound Harry with her knowledge and confuse him with her unbridled enthusiasm. It was fun to see him attempt to trip her up, and her stay just on the right side of giving herself away. In this she was helped along by the three ladies.

I liked the development of the relationship between Harry and Sidney. It didn’t take long for him to become thoroughly intrigued by her contradictions and drawn into her enthusiasm. It begins to bring back the memories of his early days when life was more adventurous and considerably more fun. One of my favorite things is that Harry and Sidney are equal in intelligence and quickly develop respect for each other’s abilities. Harry also becomes unexpectedly protective of Sidney, adding a bit of stress to his daily life. Sidney is wholly independent and tends to go off on her own, unconscious of the dangers. The harem scene was especially fun.

The feelings between Harry and Sidney have a better chance to grow when they put their animosity aside to investigate an intriguing antiquity. Harry’s somewhat disreputable past comes back to bite him when he is “encouraged” to retrieve an ancient medallion from an unscrupulous American. I laughed out loud at the way Sidney inserted herself in the process and then took it over. Their teamwork is impressive, with each bringing something vital to the table. The resolution of the mystery was exciting with a couple of unexpected twists. One added an extra layer of danger, and the other a solution to a mystery and a problem. There were a couple of minor obstacles to overcome before they could get their happy ending – not the least of which was finally admitting the truth to each other. There was a nice little O. Henry twist to that event. The epilogue was lovely.

Once again, Poppy, Effie, and Gwen are vital parts of the story. They frequently give the impression of being ditzy, but they are very cunning when they want to be. I loved seeing them try to show Sidney the importance of knowing the details of her fictional past, especially when those details can trip her up. There’s also a hilarious scene as they attempt sex education so that the “widow” won’t be taken unawares. Harry’s problems with “the old ladies” were myriad as they frequently got on his nerves, but also entertained him. The morning after scene in Sidney’s room was hysterical. One of the things I loved best was that the founders of the Lady Travelers Society finally got to do some traveling of their own and that they embraced it with such fervor.

I was not sure when I began to read this book if I would like it, at first, with the Lady Travelers group as chaperone to Miss Sidney Honeywell and all the secrets from both parties, I wondered if it would not be too much, too many mysteries and too many protagonists but I was very wrong.
Each one of the different characters surrounding the main couple added to the story, from the trio of ladies to the reporter and even the locals encountered.
I loved Sidney and Harry, they were both genuine in their actions, even if there were deceptions in it, it was not voluntary and cherry on top, they were not people in their twenties, but really over their thirties and closer to forty for Harry.
Sidney by trying to embellish daily life a bit, created a fictional character who at one time escaped from her hands and became all too real for her readers. Why she found herself in this situation, having to prove she is worth her writing.
Harry spent a great deal of his time in Egypt, why when his work is denied publishing because of a Mrs Gordon’s romantic adventures stories, he went in crazy mode, wanting to confront this Mrs Gordon as a fraud.
Then he meets finally Mrs Gordon, she is not what he expected, and the closer he gets to her, the more he falls for her.
I do loved their bickering and banters, they were fun characters, attracted to another but trying also to prove it wrong. It was so entertaining to see them dealing with their growing feelings and their wager, with also the three ladies interfering and meddling.
The ladies crash course lesson in sex was hilarious.

« “I love you, Sidney Honeywell. Do not leave me at the mercy of those old ladies. Do me the very great honor of spending the rest of your life driving me mad. Be my obligation and my wife.” “I love you too, Harry Armstrong. Aside from that—” she grinned “—I’d prefer not to be at the mercy of those old ladies either and I would be if I said no. They would say I was a fool and they’d be right. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do for the rest of my life than drive you mad.” »

So if you are looking for a crazy journey with annoying and matchmaking old ladies, a woman who is for the adventure of her life, the man who will see beyond the mask and accept her, this is your next stop.

This book is filled with lies, adventure, and lots of humor. Harry, the Earl of Brenton accuses Sydney,the author of Tales of a Lady Adventurer in Egypt that she has never been to Egypt. The solution found was that they would travel to Egypt together with a reporter to find out the truth. Sydney’s friends, the elderly lady traveler’s decided she needed chaperones and went, too. These ladies are intrepid and keep you in stitches with their antics. Victoria Alexander has outdone herself in weaving a beautiful story in the wilds of Egypt. You won’t want to put this book down til the end. I can’t wait for more adventures from the lady travelers.

Love Harry and Sidney adventure in Egypt.

Harry challenged Mrs Gordon aka Sidney to approve she really been to Egypt and her adventures were real.

Sidney used her Grandmother old journals of her time in Egypt years ago to write a weekly article in the newspaper. She never told anyone her stories were real she used the journals to help tell her stories.

When Harry challenged her to approve her knowledge. Sidney’s editor decided to send her and her three elderly friends to Egypt to approve to the public she was telling the truth.

Harry decided not to use his title in travelling to Egypt with Sidney and her companions to find out the truth.

Travelling to Egypt Harry and Sidney started on an adventure neither of them expected. Along the way they learned to trust each other and found love.

I received an ARC through Netgalley.
Miss Sidney Honeywell, aka Mrs. Gordon and Queen of the Desert, has gained quite a fan base with her tales of Egypt. Problem is, she’s never actually been there; her stories are based on the journals of her grandmother, Althea Gordon, and years of research.
One person who isn’t a fan of Sidney’s stories is Harry Armstrong, newly appointed Earl of Brenton and aspiring writer. He has spent many years in Egypt and believes that Sidney has never even set foot in the country. People need facts, not fanciful descriptions. Therefore, he challenges her to travel to Egypt to prove her expertise and in the process expose her for the fraud he knows her to be.
The newspaper that Sidney works for takes Harry up on his challenge by sending her and a news reporter to document the trip. The founding members of The Lady Traveler’s Society, Gwen, Effie, and Poppy, also manage to talk their way onto the journey. After all, Sidney is not the widow everyone assumes and she’ll need help with the ruse. Plus, they want to experience a grand adventure themselves.
Harry is in for the quite the surprise when he meets Sidney. He still thinks she’s a fraud, but the more he gets to know her and her elderly traveling companions, does he really want to expose her? If he’s right, which he knows he is, his book gets published and Sidney’s livelihood and reputation are destroyed. Then there’s the fact that he’s keeping secrets of his own. As the journey progresses so does the growing attraction between Harry and Sidney. Can they overcome their respective deception to make a relationship work?
This is a wonderful addition to the series and can be read as a standalone. I’m glad Gwen, Effie, and Poppy play a more prominent role in this book as they are quite entertaining. I enjoyed the verbal sparring between Harry and Sidney as well as seeing their relationship develop. Egypt is a refreshing setting for a historical romance novel and the descriptions of the sights make me wish to see the country for myself.

I have been reading and enjoying Victoria Alexander’s books for years. However, for some reason, I got way behind on her Lady Traveler’s Society books and only read the prequel novella for the series. When I read that this book was returning to Egypt (some of Alexander’s early books, including my personal favorite, The Perfect Wife, also take place there), I knew now was the time to dive in.

Alexander’s writing is smart. There is something about it that snaps and makes you smirk at her critique of the absurd. It’s a unique voice that I don’t want to read all the time, but when I’m in the mood for a subtle comedy with a well-rounded cast, she always delivers. While The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl is marketed as a romance, the steam and tension level here is almost non-existent (though there is a sex scene, it is mild). I’d be more inclined to classify this as a historical fiction comedy with a romance element.

As is typical of Alexander’s novels, the cast was pretty large. The heroine, Miss Sidney Honeywell is traveling to Egypt to prove her critic, Harry Armstrong (the secret Earl of Breton) that she has been there before (which she has not). Sidney is accompanied by three elderly women and another reporter. Additionally, throughout the story, the cast encounters new faces and faces from Harry’s past journeys to Egypt. While I always have trouble in the first chapter remembering all the names, after that, it becomes easy and despite the large cast, I had no trouble following scenes or the dialogue.

Both Harry and Sidney are lying to each other from the beginning. Harry doesn’t admit he is her true critic (or the true earl) and pretends he is the nephew. Sidney pretends she is a widow and someone who has been to Egypt before (she is an expert on Egyptian culture). While I’m not a fan of lying leads, Harry and Sidney are their true selves with each other from the get-go and the lies felt pretty trivial to me. The core conflict is more about defining what it means to live fully, write about what you love, and be true to yourself. Wrap those themes up in fun, windy dialogue, a few mishaps, and Harry’s humorous ability to often put his foot in his mouth and sound like a pompous idiot, and you have a good story.

The only true weak points of the story was a few middle chapters and the lack of romantic chemistry. I found the beginning of the story to be fun because of the bickering between the leads, Alexander’s beautifully written descriptions of what it means to be an author, and the upcoming sense of adventure as the large cast arrives in Egypt. However, in the middle as the bickering fades and Sidney “takes off on her own” for a few misadventures, I found myself skimming. I think the point of these chapters was to describe Egypt and Sidney finding herself, but instead, I thought the story was overly wordy, I didn’t understand how the bickering had evolved into love (you are told, not shown), and I thought Sidney was behaving rather stupidly in a foreign country.

Fortunately, once Sidney and Harry start working together to solve a mystery of a stolen relic and the location of a long-lost cache of goods, I was in. The spirit of the adventure, while there was no real tension or fear of danger, was fun and Harry and Sidney worked well together. I enjoyed seeing how the story came full circle.

In a nutshell, I give this story 4 stars. It is intelligently written and gets extra points for the fun change in location and well-rounded supporting cast. Just be warned that it drags a bit in the middle and I found the romance to be a bit under-developed, particularly because there is so much else going on. This didn’t really bother me because it is clear from the beginning it is going to be more of a quirky comedy rather than a high-emotion romance, but if you’re going into it for the central romance or the steam, know that this isn’t the story’s strong point. Still, I found this to be a fun read and one I’d recommend.

Thanks to the author for a chance to read and provide an honest review. All opinions are my own!

The “old ladies” of the Lady Travelers Society ride again! They have plotted and schemed their way onto a paid trip to Egypt, courtesy of their current project’s publisher. The project is Miss Sidney Honeywell aka Mrs Gordon, The Queen of the Desert. Sidney’s reputation is at stake when the credulity of her novels is disputed by Harry Armstrong, Egyptologist. The challenge is to lead a tour to Egypt, act knowledgeable, and convince Harry she knows what’s what. Very reasonable except she’s never been to Egypt. The book starts out a bit slow, but once the story gets into gear it is very enjoyable.

Another lovely installment in the Lady Travelers series. I liked the characters and the humor, which had me laughing out loud. The story takes us to Egypt and I could imagine the maze of the souk. There are no boring too detailed descriptions of the traveling and the ending is very satisfying.
I read an advance copy and voluntarily post this review.