First Impressions: A Lady Would Know Better

I first heard about Emma Theriault‘s A Lady Would Know Better when an author I love, Evie Dunmore, shared it on her Instagram. I trust her judgment and was interested in reading it. After getting this five-chapter preview of it, I’m even more excited to get the whole book!

Jasper Maycott is now the Earl of Belhaven after losing his parents and older brother. He and his remaining siblings have been in mourning, but now they have something new to keep them occupied: A woman was found unconscious on their property, and upon waking, she has no recollection of who she is. In 1877, this is a dangerous position for her to be in. Adopting the temporary name Jane (perfect for a Jane Doe like herself!), she tries to recall anything about her life and identity. All she can tell so far is that she’s probably from a lower class than the Maycotts. Amnesia and social class differences notwithstanding, Jasper and Jane have a small spark between them… but could love work on such uneven footing?

This preview absolutely has me hooked. It follows both Jasper and Jane’s perspectives, and I enjoy all of the supporting characters. I’m intrigued to see where this goes, both with the mystery surrounding Jane and the romance that is sure to unfold.

Official Summary

Get ready to swoon for this dreamy, forget-me-not romance that’s filled with the delightful tartness of Jane Austen and the sweeping, unputdownable drama of Bridgerton.

There are many things an English lord might encounter on the grounds of his wintry estate. Trees. Birds. Perhaps a wandering gamekeeper. Instead, the Earl of Belhaven finds a woman in the snow, unconscious and nearly frozen to death. Then her luminous gray eyes open just long enough for her to plead, “Don’t let them get me.”

Now Jasper Maycott has his hands full with a woman who has absolutely no memory of who she is or where she came from—to say nothing of her name! Just a gold ring, some fine clothes, and a penchant for pert conversation. But while “Jane” dresses and speaks quite like a lady, Jasper can’t make any assumptions. After all, she could be a crafty fortune hunter…albeit a charming and unutterably beautiful one.

Only there’s no room for romantic love in the Earl of Belhaven’s world. There is just grim duty, a lingering sense of loss, and the knowledge that love—in any form—can only bring heartbreak in its wake.

But while a lady should know better, the heart heeds no rules…even if its every beat portends the danger she was running from.

Get the Book

You can buy A Lady Would Know Better here – it’s available as paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	England
Original Publication Date	January 28, 2025

About the Author

Credit- Agatha Rowland

Emma Theriault was born and raised in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, and thus has a penchant for Gothic Revival architecture and a constant craving for Beavertails. She has been everything from an enthusiastic bookseller (who once sold a book to Prime Minister Trudeau) to a purveyor of whitewater rafting adventures in the Interior of British Columbia. She uses both her incomplete history degree and insatiable sense of curiosity to help her write stories for readers of all ages, including her debut novel, Rebel Rose, which was a Canadian Children’s Book Centre starred selection for Best Books for Kids and Teens. When not writing about curses, true love, or the curse of true love, she can be found on adventures big and small with her partner, or cuddling with her cats, Gatsby and Harriet.

She is represented by Katie Gisondi at LDLA.