Thank you to Kensington for providing me with this ARC for review via NetGalley. 

I have loved the trend of curious, independent and strong women in historical romances, and Scarlett is a prime example. When Scarlet’s friend goes missing she goes and tried to find her herself which leads to the chance encounter with the Ambrose Cross. They butt heads trying to solve the mystery of the missing friend and the banter is really cute.

I did not like it.

The sad thing is, I don't even know whether I didn't like it because it was worse than Outrageous, or because it was actually that bad.

So, where to start. the biggest problem I had was the insta-love. Why, just why. And even worse, self-aware insta-love. It's one thing if you incorporate insta-love and then write it into the story as if it was drawn out, at least having the grace to give the reader the impression that they actually know and get each other.

It's a completely different thing if they fall in love and then proceed to wonder about how they fell in love so fast, and surely this was too fast, and this was probably not the correct thing to be doing with your life; regaling with all the reasons as to why they shouldn't be together, and you're nodding along to it all saying EXACTLY you shouldn't be together. And then putting your head in your hands because now you can't even pretend to yourself that this was slowburn and some pages went missing.

The next biggest problem I had with this was that even though the name of the series is Maidens of Mayhem, we got like three scenes of the Maidens total. I get that this is a romance, but if you're going to write it in a way that shows you'll be focusing on plot, and then give the series the name of these supposed badass feminists, at least tell me more about these feminists!??!

The fact is, I wanted to know more about the Maidens, how they operate, who keeps funding them, what all they do, who tells them to do this, what their relationship is with each other, how they hide from the general public, do they hide from the general public (because this was pretty vague), what skills they have, how did they come about these skills, some insight into how they teach each other these skills; anything about their modus operandi really, but instead I was regaled with their undying love for each other, traumatic pasts, and repetitive thoughts about why they won't work.

The saving grace this had was that I was not regaled with too many sex thoughts, and it wasn't as explicit as Outrageous, and that there was only like one scene. And a half maybe.

On the whole, not a good experience. I would recommend it to people who can handle insta-love, and who went into the book expecting it to focus on romance.

Love this regency romance, it has substance, grit and heartfelt love. This "duty-bound" Duke has certainly met his match. I was intrigued based on the blurb but this ended up being way more than I had imagined. Scarlett is a gem, bold, resilient and smart with a selfless compassionate nature. She shakes up the Duke's privileged world and touches his heart in a way he never imagined. It's risqué business, their attraction but their combined expertise make them a great team for the intricacies of the mystery of the unprivileged. I think the maiden and mayhem concept was achieved, anymore mayhem would have been excess. First time reading a book by this author, definitely won't be the last.  I am hooked, this was so good I read it twice.

This book was an enjoyable historical romance. Scarlett, one of the Maidens of Mayhem, finds herself a complicated case concerning some disappearing prostitutes. When a duke stumbles across her path in the process, she never dreams that he will be of help to her or that she will fall in love with him. As the two try to decipher who is responsible for these missing girls, they need to be careful with who they trust. I loved the characters, although each character could have used a little bit more development.

Duchess If You Dare is the first adult historical romance book I’ve ever read and... let’s just say it made me not want to read this genre ever again. My main problem with this book was the main character. She was so unnecessarily annoying and so “I’m not like other girls... I solved a mystery!” The other characters were bland and boring. The writing style was also throwing me off. Would likely not read from this author again.

Duchess If You Dare begins with a heavy dose of I'm-not-like-other-girls that signals the discontent readers will feel as they continue on. 

Like many authors, Bryant attempts to catch the reader's interest by pushing unanswered questions. However, instead of creating an excited curiosity, I felt almost annoyed—the author was trying to pull me in by doing all the pushing and telling, and failed to engage me. I felt detached from rather than drawn into Scarlett and Ambrose's adventure. 

This was further emphasized by the over-theatrics of Scarlett's "undercover" (for a girl trying not to catch attention, she sure isn't concerned about anonymity) life. The story begins with a physical attack which seems to lead nowhere and serves no purpose except to tell the reader, "I can fight!" Bryant will throw in dramatic choreography (sliding down the roof tiles and shimmying to the ground) that feels unnecessary. 

Furthermore,  reading about Scarlett's investigations felt like watching a B-grade crime show, where all the witnesses are all too willing to share one very specific and relevant clue they happen to know with a complete stranger. The very particular and situationally unnecessary description Scarlett and Ambrose overhear about a ruby ring is one of the first disappointing, over-orchestrated moments. 

While I am meant to trust Scarlett as some sort of crime-stopping expert, her investigation methods seem immature and unlikely.

Additionally, the author's attempts at witty wordplay fall flat, the style is tell-don't show, and for the life of me I cannot understand why a girl who talks about how handsomely she pays for her clothes would toss away her cloak and skirt to outrace a non-existent pursuer.

Ambrose, the Duke of Aylesford, takes his duties very seriously and has never had a scandal attached to his name, but when his brother Martin becomes involved in a potential scandal at a brothel, Ambrose feels he has no choice in fixing the problem. He throws money at it although this time money doesn't solve it. While investigating the madam of the brothel, he runs into Scarlett Wynn, an intriguing young woman who ends up saving his life from thugs who were bent on killing him. It was a fleeting encounter, but when they cross paths again, Ambrose cannot keep thoughts of her out of his mind. Scarlett is running her own investigation trying to find her seamstress friend who moonlights at the brothel. Can these two meet halfway to solve the mystery?

I wanted to like this book and though the beginning was a little slow, it was necessary to set up the mystery of why the brothel girls were disappearing. Scarlett belongs to a small group of women, the Maidens of Mayhem, who are trying to right wrongs against women one case at a time. I was looking forward to seeing them in action, but aside from a few meetings, the Maidens have no active role in the book. Scarlett is determined to find her friend Linie and the conclusion of this arc was most unsatisfying. There was one sentence about her and that's it. Without any spoilers I was most disappointed that the main villain's conclusion had no effect rippling effect on anything else. After most of the book kept mentioning these two characters throughout, the ending hardly mentions them at all.

I don't enjoy giving bad reviews, but this storyline could have been so much better with a little more fleshing out of the different character arcs. Where is the justice?

I have come to the conclusion that Regency novels are not for me, since this is my third one and I didn't really enjoy any of them, so keep in mind that this is only my personal opinion if you want to give this one a try, probably, if you're into this genre, you'll like it perfectly well. 
To me the story was a bit far fatched, the characters felt flat and the investigation part seemed to be almost too coincidental. 
I think the romance part was better developed and less disappointing. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm disappointed because the premise of this book is so interesting and made me feel excited reading, however, the execution is so bland and mediocre for my taste. There's no chemistry between the main characters and I can't see the connection between the two for me to root for them. The resolution is not that all satisfying and made me want for more. This book just didn't deliver what I expected and wanted from it.

This should be my catnip: feisty single lady bands together with her friends to make the world a better place for all the other single ladies; starchy upright duke falls for her and makes her fight his own. But I didn't buy it, could not lose myself in the story. 

Scarlett is too invincible to be believed, yet also too slow to figure out what's going on. The Duke spends one night wandering the slums, is set upon by brigands, and decides to devote his social capital to improving the lives of England's poor...? 

And. so. many. words. It reads as though the author doesn't trust the reader. We are constantly reminded of the traumatic events of her heroine's young life, her "rosemary and mint" scent (at least it wasn't vanilla!), etc. Dialogue between the characters is always followed by an explanation of what the dialogue means, what experiences from the past prompted the character to say the thing they did, ad nauseum.

Also (spoiler-ish), apparently one side character is aiding and abetting the dastardly goings-on, but there are no repercussions for her, and, in fact  the book ends with her family member striking it rich. Why? It would've been easy to write her as an innocent victim, and then the particular method of striking it rich would've felt very karmic.

Historical romances always seem like an insightful journey to befall upon us all and seem as though you’re time travelling. 

This book however, failed to feel like that.

Though the MC was quite a strong and uplifted character I merely failed to connect with her and felt so distanced from her. The plot seemed like a wonderful plan yet held a very mediocre execution. 

Alas, there are many little things which if fixed together would provide a brilliant and wondrous escapade.

Scarlett and Ambrose's journey is packed with all the fire and excitement you could want! We have two stubborn people who come from different worlds and chemistry off the charts. I love a strong woman who will kick some ass to save their man. This book was packed with action, so when the last few chapters came along I was looking for blood (and justice, but mostly blood) but it was a bit soft for me. (I could.be just blood thirsty though)

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read Duchess If You Dare early in exchange for an honest review! 
Honestly, I did not enjoy this book. As always, this is my opinion and others may like the book far more than I did, so please give it a chance if the synopsis appeals to you! I found the premise and the characters to be more unrealistic than is usual of romance novels. The resolution was not satisfying and loose ends weren’t really tied up in a way that made sense. I wanted to like it... but it just didn’t deliver for me.

Scarlett Wynn has lived a difficult life. On her own from a young age since her mother's tragic death, Scarlett has embraced a life of fighting for the marginalized and abused. When her seamstress goes missing, it leads Scarlett into the underbelly of prostitution. Ambrose, Duke of Aylesford is unwittingly brought into the same investigation when his brother Martin tells him women at house he frequents are being mistreated and disappearing. Scarlett and Ambrose find themselves as unlikely allies and partners, but it's their intense attraction that may be Scarlett's biggest undoing. 

This is the first book in Annabelle Bryant's new series, Maidens of Mayhem. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I thought Scarlett and Ambrose had a great chemistry. I'm looking forward to learning more about the three other Maidens of Mayhem we met in this book: Julia, Diana, and Phoebe. 

*I was provided with a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington, for my honest review.

A man whose life is ruled by duty.  A woman who is a Maiden of Mayhem, fighting to right women’s wrongs in Regency London.  A bumpy road indeed.

Scarlett and Ambrose make a great couple.  She knocks him off his high horse and loosens him up a bit.  He opens her up to love.  They create sparks but there are obstacles in the way, and some of that is in the plot and characterization.

Scarlett is someone that the modern reader can identify with.  She saves the duke when he enters into the bad parts of London where he is sure he can take care of himself (I love that).  She proves over and over again that she can do things he thinks she can’t.  The only problem is it just isn’t realistic that she could get away with it as often as she does.  I don’t buy that she would be able to be so easily accepted into a ton event when people were so conscious of the background of everyone even with a friend who has a title.

That leads to the group the Maidens of Mayhem.  The group needs to be better developed to be a carryover throughout the series.  Bryant doesn’t really explain how they help each other.  It needs more substance.  

The ending is a bit flat.  The big scene is only described later as to how it comes about. People escape justice.  

I enjoyed the book and it had a happy ending.  It just didn’t quite live up to the promise.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Duchess If You Dare has a strong female protagonist, which is not normally associated with the time period. The characterization of the major players in the story was well done. The role of a Duke was described and most readers probably have a scant background in that regard. The plot itself keeps readers guessing, especially with the four Maidens of Mayhem behind the scenes.

I wanted to like this. I really did. But it just fell flat for me. While I think the story is interesting and had potential, I found that the characters fell a bit flat, and the story felt a bit jagged. I had hoped for there to be more dimension and discussion about Linie, since she plays such a big role yet it seems to be in name only. Additionally, some of the plot points involving the investigation seemed to be very coincidental and too-perfect, almost as if they were miraculously handed to the characters rather than built up for suspense. Additionally, the main problem of the novel, and the reason why Scarlett began the investigation was not probed on a deeper level. The problem was bad, and dastardly, and evil, yet it was just brushed aside as another plot point, when I think it should have been given more attention. The villains in the story could have also used some more development and integration. 

On to the romantic parts, I do think those were written well. The story is a duke/commoner trope, one of the first I've read with that trope. However, I think some of the dialogue between the characters could have been a bit more polished and deep, since it seemed like one character would say something deep while the other would take it at surface level or change the topic. I want to make it clear that I do enjoy romance novels. I actively seek them out, and find great joy in reading them. This one just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Duchess If You Dare by Anabelle Bryant is the first in the Maidens of Mayhem series. To be released next month, it is a new addition to the genre of Regency Romance adventure. It involves a sex-drenched plot in a nominally Regency setting. The setting permits the novel to have a duke (Aylesford) for a male protagonist which in turn creates the main obstacle to the relationship: dukes can’t marry commoners. (Although as the duke himself points out often, “I am Aylesford. I do what I want.”)

The female protagonist is no ordinary commoner. Scarlet Wynn is the illegitimate daughter of a prostitute who died a violent death at the hands of her client. Scarlet is also a superhero crime fighter, a member of the Maidens of Mayhem, a group of four women dedicated to protecting the downtrodden women of London’s stews. 

The plot hinges on the disappearance of a young seamstress/part-time brothel worker, Linie. Linie designed and sewed Scarlet’s unusual outfits: trousers, split skirts, disposable cloaks, and lots of pockets for hiding knives. Scarlet is determined to find her. Linie was also the special favorite of Aylesford’s good-for-nothing younger brother. The brother is concerned by her disappearance. So Aylesford takes on the challenge of trying to determine what happened to the girl.

Aylesford is largely ineffectual. He believes he can solve the problem by throwing his ducal weight around, but that gets him nowhere. Meanwhile, Scarlet haunts the seamy underbelly of London looking for clues. Their paths keep crossing. Realizing they can help one another, but mostly drawn to each other by uncontrollable desire, they join forces. However, they make little progress, partly because every time they get together to discuss the case, they end up making out. The sex scenes become lengthier and more intense and the plot takes a back seat until the mystery is largely solved by someone else.

The novel does give a nod to the inequities of the political/economic system and plight of women in Regency England. And it does have a super-strong female lead who has no need of a man to fight her very literal battles, but only needs a man to love. Unfortunately, for me, the relationship between the two was unconvincing and focused so much on sex that I couldn’t have finished the book without skimming.

Scarlett is an independent and strong pants wearing woman who is trying to help the women of her time. She gets caught up in a mystery of a missing girl and ends up repeatedly running into Ambrose during her investigation. Little does Scarlett know is that Ambrose is in the midst of his own mystery. The chemistry between the two is fantastic and the banter in the beginning was fun but the book went off the rails for me a bit along the way. I feel like we didn’t get any real information on the Madiens of Mayhem- was hoping for some wonderful girl friends out fighting against society but we got nothing but find love and move on. Plus Ambrose kept telling Scarlett what she can/can’t do and she was ok with that! Expected more independent thinking and of course more with the madiens.  Lastly the mystery with daisy....Scarlett never talks about how the entire book she’s searching for her and there’s no confrontation or resolution. Just a mention like it wasn’t the entire reason Scarlett met Ambrose! So I loved the ideas behind this book but ultimately it fell flat for me.

I loved the premise of this but somehow the execution just didn't work for me as much as I would have liked. I thought the entire plot of "where is my missing friend" was a real downer. It just seemed like a pretext for the author to get them together bc once they are together, she completely drops the whole thing and then at the end, it was like "whoops here's what happened." Not a successful marriage of romance and mystery.