Just for the Season by Rachel Griffiths: My Honest Review
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⭐ Quick Verdict
⭐ My Rating: 4 ★
💭 Quick Take: A delightfully sharp historical rom-com with sizzling banter, a fiercely ambitious heroine, and a hero completely undone by the woman he absolutely should not want.
👉 Read If You Love:
- Historical romances with strong heroines,
- Enemies-to-lovers tension,
- Brother’s best friend dynamics,
- Great banter,
- Meddling family members
🚫 Skip if:
- You struggle with historical dialogue or don’t enjoy fashion and silk trade discussions woven into the story
Book Details
Release Date: July 2026
Genre: Historical Romance
Tropes: Second chance, Enemies to lovers, Brother’s best friend, Forced Proximity, Strong heroine
Steam Level: Medium
Part of a Series: Standalone
What This Book Is About
After finding herself at the center of a scandal that could completely ruin her future, Charlotte realizes there’s only one practical solution left – find a husband, and fast.
So naturally, she does it in the most Charlotte way possible by hosting an over-the-top summer gathering packed with eligible bachelors at a country estate while quietly trying to save her family from financial disaster at the same time.
The problem? None of the wealthy suitors vying for her attention can distract her from Wolfgang, the Duke of Warrick and her brother’s best friend—the one man who already knows exactly how stubborn, ambitious, and impossible she can be.
What starts as a summer full of matchmaking schemes, flirtation, and competitive suitors slowly becomes something much messier when old feelings and unresolved heartbreak get pulled back to the surface.
My Review of Just for the Season
I’ve just found a new favorite historical author. As soon as I read the blurb, I knew that I wanted to read this book. A heroine on the edge of ruin who orchestrates a matchmaking summer season to find a husband, who can resist this?
Rachel Griffiths totally delivered an extremely fun romcom with a strong heroine who was so ambitious, funny and SMART, and a dashing hero was beside himself for the heroine when he tried his best not to be.
Right from the start, Rachel established the amazing chemistry between Charlotte and Wolfgang and a hilarious confrontation where Charlotte is found out dressed as a man at a ball that displayed the tension that now rocked their relationship despite the chemistry that oozed from both of them so clearly.
I’m a complete sucker for historical romances with heroines who defy the restrictions of the times.
Charlotte is industrious, a business owner employing other women and trying to save her mother from debt at her own expense. The clothing talk went over my head but I loved her ingenuity and how she was also a wonderful friend.
Wolfgang is the historical hero that gets me every time. First off, how can you not fall for a war hero name Wolfgang who is tall and broad and cannot help himself with it comes to Charlotte.
Plus, he’s a man who completely sees the woman in front of him and doesn’t want to change one single thing about her feisty personality or ambitions.
The bickering between the two and the way he eventually pushed her buttons was catnip on the page and don’t even get me started on the speech he made about his ideal woman at the dining table.
The best part was learning about their history in exchanging letters and their growing affection to fully understand their present animosity and hurt feelings underneath the bravado.
I cannot wait to read more from Rachel. This is a must-read for any historical romance lover.
What I Loved
- Charlotte’s feistiness and ambition
- Wolfgang being completely tormented by Charlotte’s growing list of suitors
- The sharp banter and chemistry from the very first chapter
- The stolen steamy moments throughout the season
- A wonderfully meddlesome and supportive grandmother
- The emotional depth added through their shared history and letters
Things to Know Before You Read
- Regency historical romance with some period-specific dialogue
- Includes a large cast of side characters that can take a moment to keep straight
- Fashion, silk trade, and business discussions are woven throughout the story
- Medium steam with strong romantic tension throughout
- Reads lighter and more rom-com in tone despite the emotional backstory
Final Thoughts
This was such a fun and satisfying historical romance and exactly the kind of book that reminds me why I love this genre so much.
If you enjoy ambitious heroines, emotionally supportive heroes, and enemies-to-lovers tension filled with sharp banter and longing, this is absolutely one to add to your list.
I already cannot wait to read more from Rachel Griffiths.
And honestly? Can we also give a shoutout to the cover designer because this cover is stunning and perfectly captures the fun, summery energy of this book.
I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
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