Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Sense and Suitability
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: October 14,, 2025
Genre: Clean Regency Romance (Rom-Com)
In this clean Regency romance, a woman with a scandalous past (and an even more scandalous secret) swears off love–until the man who broke her heart needs her help. What could possibly go wrong?
After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she’d found her perfect match in Simon Reeves–charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel–until he vanished from her life without so much as a “farewell” or “my deepest regrets” (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson learned: never fall for a man known for his charm.
Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband–because she’s already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?
But fate–or the misfortune of Simon’s reckless patriarchs–has other plans. Simon’s once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.
Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She’ll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic–no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.
There’s just one small problem: the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she’s still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories–especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones–are worthy of a rewrite?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub | Bookshop
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About the Author
I’ve never read any of Jane Austen’s works, but if Pepper Basham’s story here is anything like Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, I clearly have been missing out.
Oh, Emme! Oh, Simon! They are so wonderfully frustrating and stubborn and adorable. Emme is not what society expects. She has a hidden career as an author in a time when independence in women was not encouraged. Simon, too, is not what is expected. He was a younger son, and now he’s suddenly thrust into the public eye as a viscount, head of his family. They both determine to avoid each other, but life keeps throwing them together in unexpected ways, and it is adorable.
None of the characters are afterthoughts here. Selena Hemston is just nasty as the predatory woman looking to take over Simon’s heart and real estate. Emme’s sister Aster is her own kind of unconventional, and I love the bond between the sisters. Their Aunt Bean is a riot, blowing into town determined to save her nieces’ marriage prospects (and the showdown between Bean and Simon’s Aunt Agatha is an absolute treat). Simon’s younger siblings are all wonderfully written, and headstrong Charlotte is my favorite!
And this may be a clean romance that goes no further than kissing, but Pepper Basham writes those kisses in such a way that you can feel them down to your toes. The chemistry between Emme and Simon is clear, and it’s no wonder the ton wants to keep gossiping about them.
The biblical faith woven gently into the story is a delight. It isn’t going to thump you over the head with a King James Bible, but it is clear that our hero and heroine trust in God for guidance in times of need. The wit and humor and romance and despair (momentary, I assure you!) had me alternately laughing, gasping, and reaching for a tissue. It’s the first of Pepper Basham’s works I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. And it might even inspire me to go read some Jane Austen.
Five stars for an engaging, heartwarming, clean romance that will have you feeling like you’re saying goodbye to friends at the end of the story!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
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Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will receive a signed copy of Sense and Suitability (or winner’s choice of Pepper Basham’s books) and a $25 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 9, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 16, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Great review, Lisa!! I loved this one as well. I listened to it on Audio, and it was fabulous 🙂
so glad you loved it! And WELCOME to Pepper’s books! You’re in for a real treat as you go through her backlist 🙂
Carrie, I just need more hours in the day to read!
It looks so cute!!
Sounds amazing.
Sounds like a good, clean read.
Lovely review, Lisa! Pepper is one of my MUST read authors.
Can’t wait to read it on Libby.
Im looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for sharing.