Book Review: An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd

 


An Unconventional Lady 
Sarah E. Ladd 
3.5 - 4 Stars Rounded Up on Goodreads
Pub Day: February 10th, 2026


This was a clean, regency romance that combines historical romance, science and sweetness all into one.  I think if you like a good period drama or books by Julie Klassen, you will enjoy this one!

Ella is our main girl who immediately stands out. She is outspoken, independent and a very refreshing take on your typical regency lead. She was brought up in a home devoted to natural philosophy and with the truth behind the rumors about her late mother... she really wants to clear her mother's name. We see a world of something I had never heard of before "phrenology" and I think that adds a layer of a lesser-known aspect of regency-era science to the book. She meets Gabriel, her childhood friend, who is to find a runaway girl linked to the same phrenologist speaking at the symposium. They go back to Keatley Hall and things unfold as they join forces to expose the phrenologist's fraud. 

Phrenology is a now debunked pseudoscience that was popular in the 19th century. It was based on the idea that a person's character, personality traits and mental abilities were based on the shape of their head and bumps of their skull. I found the details around this science interesting, but some of the bits were a bit more on the dry side for me personally, so that's what dropped it down a smidge for me.

Either way, I did like the ending and where it went with the mystery aspect. I also enjoyed the romance.

I think if you want a unique spin on a regency romance, check this out.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Uplit Reads and Sarah E. Ladd for a complimentary copy of the book to honestly read and review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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