Pause for Tales: My Thoughts and More on Sense and Sustainability by Pepper Basham

Thursday, October 16, 2025

My Thoughts and More on Sense and Sustainability by Pepper Basham

Sense and Suitability Takeover + Review Blitz

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?

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About the Author

Pepper Basham

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is the wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting www.pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

My Thoughts:

What a fun step back into time this Regency was. Emmeline Lockhart and Simon Reeves are in love with one another. In the eyes of society, they are a mismatched pair. However, true love has other plans for these two.

Emme has resigned herself to singleness. She is not like other young ladies, as she has a lucrative career. She is in fact an author, under a pseudonym of course, for who would read a novel written by a lady? Her writing has kept her occupied and mostly has kept her mind off of her one and only love match, with Simon. The man who broke her heart and left without a backward glance.

Unfortunately, for Simon, Emme does not know all the circumstances that has befallen him. The rumors, and there are plenty abound about him. He needs a wealthy wife quickly to not only help with the estate repairs but help raising his younger siblings. Another brother has joined the military, and his other sister has run off and no clue where she is. The estate itself is in shambles and there is no money.

Simon cannot forget about Emme. When he returns, they cannot help the sparks that rekindle between them, nor the swoony moments, or breathtaking kisses. For two people who are working so hard to keep apart, their actions say otherwise. Then Emme gets the great idea of trying to help Simon find a wealthy wife. Oh boy, author Basham takes us on quite the romantic rollercoaster, its ups and downs and rolls and twists that can leave a person quite dizzy.

There is so much to this delightful story. So much happening, and I just kept riding on this rollercoaster with them. These two were so in love, it was sometimes pathetic to watch them try to run away from that very real fact. And throw in their secondary relatives, chaos will ensue.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!