Christian Chance may run a gaming hell with his brothers, but his true passion lies in scholastic endeavors. He’s a mass of contradictions, with angelChristian Chance may run a gaming hell with his brothers, but his true passion lies in scholastic endeavors. He’s a mass of contradictions, with angelic features that mask a keen edge of danger and honed muscles that disguise a keen intelligence. Having begun a privileged life as an earl’s grandson, only to be disowned and find himself living on the streets of the rookery. When he’s offered an opportunity to put his scholarly side to use investigating potential fraud at a museum, he agrees. Unfortunately, he’s met with an unexpected partner, the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy, who is tempting enough to incite both disdain and passion in equal measure.
Isabella Lawton has been running her entire life, but since her mother’s death she’s been left with no choice but to return to London and hope her father isn’t as evil as she remembers. But she returns to an empty house without a trace of the man who loathed her. When she happens to secure a position employing her knowledge of Egyptian artifacts, it seems the perfect solution, even if it means working with a man who can scarcely tolerate her presence and is doing everything in his power to keep her at arm’s length.
At this point I’m really not sure Adele can write anything I don’t at least like, but I truly loved this one. Isabella and Christian were perfect together and I loved the fact that their initial distrust was so quick to fade, and this story soon became a matter of them working together against an outside antagonist. I adore it when this happens in romance, though it seems to be rare. There was much more to Christian than met the eye, and I loved how he was so willing to open himself up to Isabella and show her those facets of himself. Dark, broody heroes are like catnip to me, and Christian was the perfect blend of tortured, protective hero, yet a cinnamon roll with Isabella. These two truly saw each other in ways no one else had and I loved the way that discovery played out on the page. Their chemistry fairly leapt off the page right from the beginning, and Adele remains the queen of carriage steam. The mystery here was also solid and multifaceted enough to keep me invested. I’m loving this spinoff with the Chance brothers and excited that we still see Lucius Daventry and his agents. I can't wait for the next story already, and to learn more about their backgrounds, which is really saying something as I’ve been struggling to really get excited about books lately.
Lady Imogen Loveless doesn’t exactly fit in with London high society. She has a passion for chemistry and a talent for explosions4.5 stars rounded up.
Lady Imogen Loveless doesn’t exactly fit in with London high society. She has a passion for chemistry and a talent for explosions which has seen her labeled as odd. But that doesn’t matter to Imogen as long as her chaos is accepted by her friends, the Hell’s Belles, a group of vigilantes working right under the nose of most of London.
Detective Inspector Thomas Peck is excellent at his job, however, and he knows immediately that Imogen is pure chaos, not an oddity. He thinks she needs someone to keep her safe, and when her brother discovers more about what she’s been up to, he wholeheartedly agrees.
Thomas is determined to keep Imogen safe, all the while struggling to contain his attraction to the woman he sees as miles above him. Imogen has no such qualms, however, and soon the connection between them threatens them both just as much as their enemies.
This book may just be my favorite ever from this author. She has been very hit or miss for me and this series in particular has been a bit disappointing for me, but this book has changed that for the better. For a while there, I feared we were about to go right down the same old road full of misandry, but thankfully that thread changed direction quickly. Tommy was noble even to a fault and I loved that Imogen appreciated this about him yet also saw how it could make him vulnerable. They each protected the other and I loved that, especially when she finally confided in him, and they began to work together as a team. I just wish that had come sooner in the book, rather than them only getting things together nearer the end. I did really appreciate that they had quite a few conversations that were deep and serious, sometimes uncomfortable, but they never resorted to sniping at one another like petulant children. This often seems to be the modus operandi for the currently fashionable ‘strong heroine’ and I am thoroughly sick of reading it. Anyway, Tommy definitely had moments where he needed to take a second and listen, setting aside his strict adhesion to nobility, but it didn’t take him long to realize when he’d gone too far with it and Imogen wasn’t afraid to point it out either. I did want maybe one more chapter after everything was worked out, or perhaps a scene with Imogen and Tommy and her brother just to make everything feel more complete, but overall, I was surprised by how much I really liked these two together and now I have some hope for Duchess’ story.
Lord Philippe Lavay has used his charm and skill with a sword in his work as a privateer, attempting to restore his family’s honor and wealth. He was Lord Philippe Lavay has used his charm and skill with a sword in his work as a privateer, attempting to restore his family’s honor and wealth. He was nearly successful until a vicious attack nearly ended his life and sent him to Pennyroyal Green to recuperate.
Elise Fountain enjoyed an illicit tryst six years ago, but the consequences still follow her. She loves her son and doesn’t regret her actions, but they have seen her cut off from her family and most recently let go from her work as a teacher. This means she has no choice but to accept the social fall of working as a housekeeper, in a position no other has been able to keep for long, working for a temperamental French prince.
Elise sees through Philippe’s surly exterior and recognizes the pain and injuries he’s struggling with, and he can’t help but notice her as a woman. He thought himself incapable of love and she believed her trust to be irreparably broken, but they are both left battling a tempestuous passion that threatens to rise between them and could ruin both of their plans for the future.
This is the slowest burn I’ve read in some time, but it was the sort that you savor. Elise and Phillippe had a pretty immediate connection, even as they both tried to fight it. Elise is leery of being hurt again and Philippe is struggling to find his place in the aftermath of his family’s displacement by the French Revolution. The interactions between these two built into a delightful sensuality and I really enjoyed seeing their rapport develop. They both fought their connection, but it still felt inevitable, and I loved that it was Elise who pointed out what their feelings towards each other truly meant when Philippe was still a little clueless. My favorite aspect here was that Philippe got his priorities straight after he realized what he felt, and he didn’t hesitate or shy away from those feelings. He knew what truly mattered and that was exceptionally romantic to me. The admission of feelings scene between these two was utterly adorable and served as a good reminder of why I enjoy romance books in the first place. This was an excellent addition to the series, and I loved seeing a supporting character get his HEA, though now I’m dying for Seamus Duggan to find someone.
Since his father, the Duke of Wolfford, was hanged as a traitor after an attempt on the life of Queen Victoria, Marcus Stanwick and his two younger siSince his father, the Duke of Wolfford, was hanged as a traitor after an attempt on the life of Queen Victoria, Marcus Stanwick and his two younger siblings were stripped of their titles, wealth and way of life. Raised to be the heir and later a duke himself, Marcus has struggled to find his footing for the past year, delving into London’s seedy underbelly in search of the others involved in the treasonous plot, determined to bring them to justice and restore at least a scrap of his family’s honor. After a year of searching has yielded mostly dead ends, he’s forced to turn to the woman who disgusts him most, a lady known as the heartless harlot.
Esme Lancaster is a woman full of secrets, but she also wants to discover the truth about the plot against the queen for her own reasons. She doesn’t trust Marcus, but she can’t help her attraction to him, and he does begin to make her wonder if her heart isn’t as frozen as she thought.
As Marcus and Esme team up to learn the truth, their search leads them into dangerous situations and Marcus realizes Esme is far from the cold and conniving woman he thought her to be. She’s just as determined and courageous as he is, a perfect match for him, and soon neither can deny their mutual desire. But even as they give in to that draw, they both know their relationship can only be temporary and they must decide if the potential for heartbreak is worth the risk to explore a connection like neither has ever known.
This book made my heart happy. My family is going through a particularly difficult time at the moment and this book has provided me with a happy escape just when I needed it, and I savored the reading of it. The suspense here kept my attention, and the romance was on point. Shockingly, I even loved the initial coolness Marcus understandably had towards Esme. I think this aspect gave their relationship extra depth and really made the development of trust and love between them something special. This was also bolstered by Esme’s isolation and the wall she’d kept around herself for so long, hesitant to trust anyone, until Marcus came in and chipped away at it. Marcus’ diligent pursuit of answers and some sort of restoration of his family name made it impossible not to root for him. Similarly, Esme’s unconventionality as a heroine made it impossible not to want her to have her HEA, especially after all the struggles she had to face. I didn’t even mind having a slight separation between these two at the end because Esme’s insecurities were well-founded, it actually was a show of just how much she loved him, and it didn’t last long on the page. There was a wealth of growth and development demonstrated by two MCs who had never experienced love and never thought they’d have a chance to. This book was probably the highlight of the series for me, and I loved seeing Marcus and his family get their happy endings and be restored to a place of stability. This book left me with a happy little sense of hope that I really needed right now, and I’ll be hunting for a physical copy now to put on my comfort reads shelf.
After running away from her controlling father, Miss Honora Wild is skeptical of her new client. He’s suspected of murder and his scarred countenance After running away from her controlling father, Miss Honora Wild is skeptical of her new client. He’s suspected of murder and his scarred countenance is disconcerting enough before one even gets to experience his equally black moods. But her employer believes in the man’s innocence, and she owes him everything, which means Honora must accept the appointment and venture to the lord’s clifftop estate to investigate.
Lord Sylvester Deville would’ve been justified if he did push his ingrate, spendthrift brother off the cliff, and he almost wishes he had since he is being castigated anyway. All of society view his facial scar as proof of his guilt and Sylvester just wants to clear his name and live in peace. He’s not comfortable with a female agent since none of the women in his life have been trustworthy up to this point and he suspects Miss Wild has secrets of her own. Both must learn to see beyond the other’s exterior and put their trust in one another if they hope to survive.
For me, Adele Clee is the undisputed master of metaphor, especially when it comes to setting a gothic scene. I savored this book, specifically watching Sylvester’s heart thaw and come back to life the more time he spent with Honora. I loved that these two were open and honest with one another about their feelings from the start so we as readers get basically a play by play of the growth of those feelings and the development of their relationship beyond that of agent and client. The mystery and suspense aspect here is strong but in balance and I never felt like it overshadowed the romance. If anything, the danger encouraged even more honesty and trust between Sylvester and Honora as they worked to figure out just what was going on at his estate and realized they could rely on only each other. Sylvester and Honora came to one another’s defense in different ways, and I loved that they were truly a team in that respect. Both had been let down by the people in their lives that they should have been able to trust and love so I think that made it even more fulfilling to see their relationship grow as they found unconditional acceptance and trust with each other. Additionally, it was great that Sylvester immediately cleared up any doubts Honora tried to develop about their future together before she could really even have them so we never had to deal with any of the ‘will he, won’t he’ angst that I’ve come to dislike so much. I also thought it was cute that Lucius Daventry finally owned up to his inability to resist matchmaking. This is definitely one of my favorite series and another favorite book for me. I’m excited for Miss Trimble’s story and very glad the series isn’t ending yet.
Since her betrothed was killed when they were both children, Lady Claray MacFarlane assumed she’d never marry, and she certainly didn’t imagine her grSince her betrothed was killed when they were both children, Lady Claray MacFarlane assumed she’d never marry, and she certainly didn’t imagine her grasping uncle forcing her to marry a stranger. That’s exactly what would’ve happened if not for the mysterious warrior who rescued her just before the ceremony.
Known as the Wolf, a skilled and sought-after mercenary, Claray is unsure what to make of her rescuer, but she can’t help but appreciate his attractiveness and obvious intelligence. Little does she know, he is also her betrothed, having been living in hiding all this time and not dead at all. He’s spent the last twelve years earning enough money to rebuild his home and take his place as laird, fulfilling his marriage contract with Claray in the process. But all too quickly, he finds himself losing his heart to his lovely new bride and he’ll do anything to keep her safe and guard the future they’re building together.
This was a madcap Highland romp, with an old school highlander romance feel and I adored that. This one has a sweet, but at times silly heroine, a grumpy alpha hero, and plenty of the road trip shenanigans Sands is known for. The grumpy sunshine aspect is strong here and was very charming for me. I was happy to see that things started moving right along almost immediately at the start of this book. Sands has outdone herself with the craziness of this villain and the motive, but in a good way. I absolutely adore these more classic style highlander romances and this one hit the spot for me, holding my attention as nothing has in some time. Conall was just the right amount of gruff, yet sweetly protective and Claray had enough smarts and know-how to not be over the top in her sweetness and naivete. Claray’s care for animals was hilarious in the frequency with which she encountered injured creatures and in their abject devotion to her, but I loved that these animals also became characters in their own rights and had roles in the story. It was also lovely to spend some time with Ross and Anabel from the first book in the series as well. As is typical of highlander romances, the family ties were strong here and I really loved that we got that too. I found this, despite touching on some darker themes, to be a light, riotously entertaining story, and it’s a new, low angst comfort read for me. The ending was perhaps a little abrupt, but that still did not detract from my liking for the story.
Bow Street Runner Nick Gentry is well known for his skills as a thief-taker so when he’s hired to find Miss Charlotte Howard, he thinks this assignmenBow Street Runner Nick Gentry is well known for his skills as a thief-taker so when he’s hired to find Miss Charlotte Howard, he thinks this assignment will be a piece of cake. But when he meets the runaway bride, his perception changes as he realizes she’s hiding for good reason and there’s no way he can give her over to his client. Surprising even himself, Nick decides to offer her the best protection he can, marrying him instead.
Nick is very upfront from the first that their marriage will not merely be a convenient union in name only and Lottie agrees, despite her nervousness. Nick senses that she’ll be able to match him in every way and he’s surprised by just how true that is, and equally surprised by how much he wants more than just passion from her.
If you follow my reviews at all then you’ll know I’m a complete sucker for a tortured hero, especially if he’s protective of his heroine. Bonus points if she introduces him to love. This book ticked all those boxes for me, and I loved it. Nick is supposed to be collecting Lottie and returning her to the intended fiance she’s been running from for two years, but when Nick sees her, he has to have her for himself. Swoon. Especially when he explains his actions to her later on in the book. Nick had a very tough life and expected the absolute worst from everyone. I loved Lottie’s patience with him while also pushing him out of his comfort zone little by little. We also see Sophia and Ross from the previous book doing the same and I loved them becoming a real family. Nick’s transformation was enormous, but also gradual enough to be believable and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him realign his priorities as he grew to realize just what Lottie really meant to him. I loved that he wanted more from Lottie and wasn’t quite sure how to go about getting it or making his wishes known and she perceived that and was able to help guide him along. She didn’t cow to him or back down and I loved that. He had his entire world turned upside down and she was there for him every step of the way, showing him a love he never expected to find and giving him a safe space to be vulnerable, just as he did for her. This book was a winner for me, it’s going on the keeper shelf, and I’m super glad I grabbed it as the next up in my physical TBR reading.
Niki (mustreadalltheromance)
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