Top reviews from the United States

• 

  Kindle Customer

  5 out of 5 stars

  A Must Read - Wallflower x Rake Story

  Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2026

  Format: Paperback

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  Give me a Wallflower who scandalizes a rake any day!

  Ms. Sophia Benoit, I loved this story. It was funny, clever, and a unique twist on the marriage of convenience trope.

  This story follows two unlikely individuals, the invisible Bancroft sister Harriet and the irresistible rake Lord Alexander. After being caught in a comprising situation, Harriet takes matters into her own hands.

  Harriet may be a Wallflower but in no way is that who she is. She is a bold and deeply curious woman who gets excited to learn new words, the more scandalous word the better. In her pursuit to recall words she overhead, she is confronted with Lord Alexander.

  Lord Alexander is a rake, a man who will not be tied down by the mamas of the ton and stays clear of innocent single women. That is until he meets Harriet and he gets to know her. Something about Harriet and her joy for vulgar words and her seemingly disinterest in him, entices Lord Alexander.

  I wholeheartedly would recommend this story to others. This is a wonderful debut book into this genre.

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• 

  Kristin Minson

  4 out of 5 stars

  Whitty historical romance

  Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2026

  Format: Paperback

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  The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit completely won me over. This book has everything I love in a historical romance—witty banter, memorable characters, sizzling chemistry, and so much heart.

  Harriet is a wonderfully intelligent and refreshing heroine, and watching her relationship with Alexander develop was equal parts hilarious, tender, and swoon-worthy. Their chemistry felt natural, and the romance unfolded at just the right pace. I found myself smiling, laughing, and eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next.

  The unique premise and clever humor made this story stand out from other Regency romances, while the emotional moments gave the romance real depth. It was the perfect blend of funny, romantic, and heartfelt.

  If you’re a fan of historical romance with sharp dialogue, lovable characters, and plenty of charm, The Very Definition of Love is an absolute must-read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and can’t wait to read more from Sophia Benoit!

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• 

  REBECCA.CONNER

  5 out of 5 stars

  Just read this already

  Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2026

  Format: Kindle

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  I read a lot of historical romance. Lisa Kleypas is my queen, but I’ve read her entire back catalogue and I’ve been searching for someone new. And I’ve been dabbling in all these cute cartoon covers, and most have left me flat. Not this author! This is absolutely adorable. Harriet and Alexander are perfect and instantly he’s down BAD for her. Loved it!

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  2 people found this helpful

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• 

  Cassie AReaderofRuin

  4 out of 5 stars

  If you’re a fan of Bridgerton and the creative use of words? Look no further!

  Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2026

  Format: Paperback

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  “I never take a man’s side if I can help it.”

  As a huge fan of the Bridgerton series, I was drawn to the blurb for The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit almost immediately.

  What to expect:

  Sharp and witty wallflower FMC

  A sinfully charming rake

  Marriage of convenience

  Delectable banter

  Slow burn

  Kick your feet swooning

  Only one bed

  Right from the start, I was intrigued by the FMC, Harriet Bancroft. A book loving wallflower with an endless thirst for taboo knowledge? A woman after my own heart! In contrast, Lord Alexander Stirling is a man whose entire life is based in the taboo, and his rakish ways and charming personality set the tone for a very entertaining “reluctant allies” situation.

  One of my favorite things about this read was the banter between Harriet and Lord Alexander Stirling. Each interaction left me craving more. They have a very believable chemistry that flows naturally on paper. While they are incredibly different characters, they complimented each other brilliantly and I was fully invested in their growth as the story progressed.

  A major plot of the book is Harriet’s obsession with discovering the meaning of lewd and taboo words for a dictionary that she is helping someone compose under the pretense that she will be receiving a portion of the proceeds. I have never been so entertained in my life! Harriet’s thirst for knowledge, and Lord Stirling’s moral struggle to contribute to her well of knowledge made me giggle and kick my feet on several occasions. I have learned so many new words that I plan to incorporate into my daily vernacular! Honestly, I do not know why we stopped using half of them.

  This is a medium-paced read that could easily be read in a 48 hour period. It’s easy to follow, the plot is well planned and executed, and I found myself extremely invested in the remaining Bancroft sisters.

  If you are a fan of Regency romance and the Bridgerton series, I think this would be a fantastic book to add to your TBR pile

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  Cassie AReaderofRuin

  4 out of 5 stars

  If you’re a fan of Bridgerton and the creative use of words? Look no further!

  Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2026

  Format: Paperback

  “I never take a man’s side if I can help it.”

  As a huge fan of the Bridgerton series, I was drawn to the blurb for The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit almost immediately.

  What to expect:

  Sharp and witty wallflower FMC

  A sinfully charming rake

  Marriage of convenience

  Delectable banter

  Slow burn

  Kick your feet swooning

  Only one bed

  Right from the start, I was intrigued by the FMC, Harriet Bancroft. A book loving wallflower with an endless thirst for taboo knowledge? A woman after my own heart! In contrast, Lord Alexander Stirling is a man whose entire life is based in the taboo, and his rakish ways and charming personality set the tone for a very entertaining “reluctant allies” situation.

  One of my favorite things about this read was the banter between Harriet and Lord Alexander Stirling. Each interaction left me craving more. They have a very believable chemistry that flows naturally on paper. While they are incredibly different characters, they complimented each other brilliantly and I was fully invested in their growth as the story progressed.

  A major plot of the book is Harriet’s obsession with discovering the meaning of lewd and taboo words for a dictionary that she is helping someone compose under the pretense that she will be receiving a portion of the proceeds. I have never been so entertained in my life! Harriet’s thirst for knowledge, and Lord Stirling’s moral struggle to contribute to her well of knowledge made me giggle and kick my feet on several occasions. I have learned so many new words that I plan to incorporate into my daily vernacular! Honestly, I do not know why we stopped using half of them.

  This is a medium-paced read that could easily be read in a 48 hour period. It’s easy to follow, the plot is well planned and executed, and I found myself extremely invested in the remaining Bancroft sisters.

  If you are a fan of Regency romance and the Bridgerton series, I think this would be a fantastic book to add to your TBR pile

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• 

  Lena Quill

  5 out of 5 stars

  Delicious

  Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2026

  Format: Paperback

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  Witty, with great dialog and delicious yearning! Couldn’t put it down!

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• 

  Jody Lee

  5 out of 5 stars

  Rake v Wallflower with a little light kidnapping

  Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2026

  Format: Kindle

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  We love a rake/wallflower where he claims no interest and yet his world is rocked when he offers his attentions and she's all, "No thank you." Harriet is discovered alone with a rake at a ball, and instead of offering for her to save her from social ruin he just...doesn't. So she does the only reasonable thing, and kidnaps him and takes him to Gretna Green for an elopement. He tries some flirting and light seduction, she sees right through him and labels his attempts as such.

  Meanwhile, he sure is sending some mixed messages! He takes pains to tell her that he'll continue to rake it up (and in fact she kidnaps him from his mistress's house). But also after their wedding "Some tiny, jealous part of him liked her having it on. A ring that signified that she was his." Benoit does some great stuff here with Harriet acknowledging that he's such a practiced flirt that any specialness she's feeling must be an illusion, and any moment she savors (a kiss, intimacy) is such a habit with him that it must mean nothing. Meanwhile he's out here all thinking of her and wondering why his chest hurts.

  Benoit writes delicious light and breezy banter along the lines of a Tessa Dare or Alexandra Vasti. Some of her emotional beats hit perfectly, especially around Alexander offering protection and aid to another character he never offered Harriet. Benoit has a lot of great ideas and themes and scenes to explore with this book, and gives herself a lot of runway to carry them off. For someone who is so experienced with the ladies, he seems very clueless about how his actions might be perceived. And for someone who is repeatedly described in the book as a master communicator and persuader, Harriet leaves a lot of vital information unsaid. Their misperceptions and miscommunications test a reader's patience.

  I felt there were a few dropped threads and and shifts in the in-book canon, like a character asserts one thing and then acts the opposite (Alexander is clear he wants a marriage in name only, later "Don't be absurd! Of course I intend to bed my wife.") Some things just didn't make sense, Alexander says he's getting respectability out of this marriage for Romance Business Reasons, but then at the first ball they attend together he's dancing and flirting with other women. This is highlighted so much as it happens, and referred to by Harriet so much as painful I thought it would come up between them, but it's never mentioned. I kept waiting for it to come up as part of the Low Moment or whatever. I found some of the tonal shifts took me out of the mood of the book. Alexander and Harriet go from yearning and despair to joking, from swearing off contact and closeness to flirting and intimacy. At one point my kindle note is "This whole thing is illogical" and I just had to roll with it.

  I had fun reading this, and I would love to see what Benoit comes up with next (after all there are still two sisters left)!

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• 

  Samantha (rain.books.and.tea)

  4 out of 5 stars

  Delightful!

  Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2026

  Format: Kindle

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  The Very Definition of Love

  4⭐️ 2.5🌶️

  Regency romance was my first love of romance and this book had so many of my favorite Regency romance staples. Like elopement after being compromised in the library and the rake who falls head over heels in love with the wallflower.

  I loved that Harriet was a lexicographer who had a passion for vulgar words. Her earnest and innocent curiosity about these words made for some hilarious moments that made poor Alexander blush.

  I despise OW drama and I found it very refreshing if not completely unbelievable that Guiliana was clearly playing matchmaker.

  I can appreciate the grovelling and Alexander’s grand gesture at the end of the book but I still wish there had been one or two more realisations made.

  While this book definitely ends in an HEA, with the MCs happily in love and together I can’t help but wish there had been a bit more. I wanted an epilogue for them and I also wanted a little more set up guiding us towards what I hope will be a second book in this series. I’d love to see the sisters get their HEAs. As it stands the sisters, John, and the whole land situation were just left hanging and I want more!

  Thank you so much to Sophie and Slowburn for this ARC.

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• 

  P Hensley

  2 out of 5 stars

  All sex, no plot

  Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2026

  Format: Kindle

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  Hardly any plot, and no character development, but if you want all sex then this is the book for you.

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