Absolutely loved this book. The characters grabbed me right away, the story dragged me along, and the scenery put me in each scene. A perfect book to take a break from life with.

I really liked the first half and the writing can be good. 

I think it felt like a lot of early interactions between the hero and heroine were cut, but simultaneously lots of repeated internal monologues about how they couldn't ever be together weren't cut.

If you are interested in a badass heroine that you truly don't want to marry the duke because she should be using her knife skills to keep the streets safe, this is the book for you.

I also struggled with the depictions of sex work in the book. Obviously many historical romances romanticize sex work, but this one really leaned in to the belief that women were forced into it, completely victimized and impoverished, and needing to be saved by benevolent law makers like the duke (whose saviour complex involved both Scarlett and the hapless sex workers). 

At the end, the duke refers to sex workers as "women of easy virtue." And I think that's the problem - that in the text they're seen as both having no choice, but, really having *some* choice and that choice to enter sex work does in fact render them morally suspect. There are no complex or nuanced sex workers, and the two we know best are heinously evil; and the heroine's mom is murdered... And even then, the vibe is that she put herself in that position. 

Equating being a mistress to sex work added to this effect, as does the emphasis on Scarlett's innocence and choice to leave her vigilante group in favour of marriage to "lead by example" and influence her husband's politicking. 

I'm sure someone will be able to articulate this better than I can, but trying to center a book around sex work today really requires a light touch when it comes to moralizing about it. Sex work is work, and unlike the main character says, the basis of those relationships isn't sex, it its economic.

I received the epub ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 | 🌶🌶🌶/5

Thank you so much to Kensington for sending me this DRC via NetGalley! My review below is honest as always.

This book was a solid mystery with a compelling romance. Both plots seemed pretty reasonable and I had a solid grasp of each. Scarlett is a vigilante sort, working as part of the Maiden’s of Mayhem. Ambrose is a Duke and suffers from major first-born-son syndrome—aka a very heightened sense of responsibility, propriety, and dedication to his duchy. The two are initially at odds, but when both realize they’re intent on solving the same mystery, they’re forced into close proximity. ~wink wink~

I enjoyed Scarlett and Ambrose’s relationship and liked how it was coupled with the mystery. I’d have liked at least one more spicy scene, because I was invested in their chemistry and wanted more. That being said, I got tired of the relentless need for the two to be constantly at odds about their feelings. I think the denial happened one too many times for me to buy the sudden shift at the end. I just got annoyed at the tenth mention of it “only being one night” or “it will hurt to say goodbye but I must.”

I would also like to learn more about the Maiden’s of Mayhem and the individual characters. I think the story would have been enhanced by a deeper dive into their personalities so the reader could feel more connected to the world as a whole.

I did hope the sequel would have a character from this first book, but from the teaser chapter it doesn’t seem like either MC was in book one. There was a friend (Townshend) with a broken engagement who was intriguing and I’d totally sign up for a Martin book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and read it in a few sittings! I liked Ambrose and Martin’s relationship growth, and I appreciated Scarlett’s bold character. I will hopefully be approved again for book two when it hits NetGalley! I look forward to hearing more about this series and reading more from this author.

**spoilers below please take caution**

Linie’s ending was so vague. Should’ve she be held accountable? Was she the woman that Welle’s was with at the end scene or was that another woman? I would say maybe she comes back in book two but after reading the teaser chapter, I doubt it.

I also don’t quite know why it faded to black when Scarlett clobbered Howell with the lantern. The abrupt stop just severed the tension and confused me. I wanted to see her be badass! I was happy she saved herself, rather than have Ambrose do it.

I would also have liked for the series to take a different turn and have Ambrose and Scarlett turn into a crime fighting duo and track down the women sold through the trafficking ring. I dunno it just made me sad to think that none of them were saved.

I wanted the last few paragraphs to be from Scarlett’s point of view. We got Ambrose’s but I’m more invested in how Scarlett is faring! Hopefully she makes a cameo in book two. Willie was good, but still, more Scarlett!

**TW: Sex Trafficking**

Fun but predictable, characters felt two dimensional, but the story was decent if you ignored the characters.  Might have been my mood or the weather, but this was a middle of the road historical romance.

I’m hooked on books that regency theme. My new obsession to read these kinds of books. I was very entranced by this book. Liked it very much

This is unfortunately a book where the cover and book blurb over promised on a story that under delivered. That being said I did finish the book and I even enjoyed parts of it.  
Scarlett is a fabulous character. She is a strong woman who fights for justice and rises above her own difficult history to fight for the poor and under trodden people of London. She has banded together with fellow like minded women to form the maidens of mayhem. What a glorious role model she is for modern feminism. 
The Duke however is another story. He's toplofty and arrogant and while I suppose readers will say that he finally learned from his arrogance in reality he is so full of being the top peer in the land that he does imagine that unscrupulous people could actually do away with him because he's in their way.  For a sophisticated man about town that seems to be a bit of a naïve attitude and does not really ring true. 
Clearly Scarlett and her duke cross paths on a similar errand and a story develops of disappearing prostitutes but other than a lot of threats, some fights and some cloak and dagger stuff and a lot of angst from the duke about falling in love with a woman who can't be his duchess the story did not sweep me in and keep me hooked.

DNF at 30%. This book had a great premise, with the blurb promising excitement and danger with a love story mixed in. The main characters have only had two interactions so far and I felt like there wasn’t much character development to make up for it. I tried skimming forward to see if I would be drawn in when the plot heated up but it fell flat for me.

I do like strong heroines, women who can look after themselves, you can think for themselves, who are not dependent to someone else to take care of them or to provide for them. Therefore when I read the description of Anabelle Bryant new book on NetGalley I knew this would be a book I would enjoy. And it didn’t disappoint.

Scarlett Wynn is a woman that had a really tough childhood. She was not the daughter of a nobleman, not even the daughter of a merchant, or a daughter of a wealthy man. She only knew her mother, who has fought to her last breath for their survival. So she knows that life can be really cruel to women that are born poor and with little or no power. So when her seamstress suddenly disappears she is determined to find out why. Thanks to her training she is not afraid to venture in the night with the company of her knives, following the few clues she can find to an upscale brothel. There she meets Ambrose Cross, the Duke of Aylesford, who is trying to solve a mystery as well.

Ambrose has his own place in society. He is one of the Prince’s advisors, someone to be respected and with power in the House of Lords. He has his and his family’s name and reputation to protect. No scandals should break out at no cost. But when he finds himself in a wild goose chase he comes to understand that there is a whole different world apart from his own. One that real people with families live in, people with no privilege. And that these people deserve as much as he does when it comes to safety and freedom. This new knowledge has come from the woman he cooperates in order to do a noble act and solve a mystery that was revealed to him. As their cooperation and investigation proceeds, the two of them realize that their interests are connected rather tightly to a string of missing women, which they are both very much determined to uncover. But the waters they are sailing are rather deep and they may find themselves in danger.

One of the tropes that are found in historical romances is the noble commoner trope and this is what we have here as well. They come from different worlds and from different pasts. Ambrose has only lived the life of a Duke, or the life of someone destined to become a Duke, so he only knows that life. He is not taught about the poor neighborhoods of London and the people that try to survive in those muddy streets. He may hold a position in the House of Lords, but he barely knows the people he speaks for or the ones his decisions affect. On the other hand Scarlett grew up in those muddy streets but she found a way to come out as clean as possible. She knows how to defend herself because that was the only way she could stay alive without anyone looking after her. She has seen too many women being treated worse than animals and she has vowed to defend them. She knows how different her world is from the ton and she knows those people don’t see life clearly. They see it through the prism of their own life.

The mystery was there from the beginning. There were fighting scenes that one would not expect from a woman of Scarlett’s era, but they were a refreshing touch, if I may say. Parts of the mystery were pretty obvious very early, but it didn’t bother me as I was not reading this book for the mystery plot. I knew it was a historical romance, and this is were the plot was going to focus. Which was a good thing though as the romance part was really good. We had the different worlds, the different pasts and the second thoughts they both had.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable story to read. This is the first book in The Maidens of Mayhem series and I can’t wait for the next!

Thank you to NetGalley & Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

I received an #ARC of #duchessifyoudare from #netgalley for an honest review.  

This is the first in a new series called Maidens of Mayhem that follows a group of crime fighting women in London.  I like the premise of the book, although it is dark, and not really believable. Our heroine fights men twice her size with just a knife and somehow comes out unscathed?  It is also unclear what the exact purpose of the group is - whether they are hired as investigators or  simply act the superhero part by hiding in the shadows of London’s seedy neighborhoods waiting to save someone. 

Girls are missing from a popular brothel and our heroine Scarlett takes it upon herself to find out why. In her search, she consistently runs into Ambrose, a Duke, who is also investigating on his own . 

I’m not a big fan of romantic suspense unless it is done really well or the suspense is secondary to the love story. Unfortunately this book misses the mark in both accounts. 

The story  starts off slow and there isn’t a clear hook - it took nearly halfway for me to get to a place where I was interested and invested enough to continue. The character study is very superficial -I would have loved to learn more about their histories and what made them who they are. We are often told Ambrose wants to do better - repeatedly- as a Duke - but never learn why. Also, these two fall in love quite quickly and out of the blue without adequate buildup to get us there.  

What I did like - the author writes intimacy very well and that scene was probably the strongest in the book. However, I didn’t understand why Ambrose thought Scarlett an inexperienced woman and that wasn’t explained. She is no lady, she’s independent, and a crime fighter at that- and suddenly the author makes her into a virgin? 

I was definitely interested in the characters, just wished there was more substance to them. The second half of the book did go much more quickly and I enjoyed it much more. But all in all there is enough lacking here that I only hope the series improves with each installment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this e-arc. All opinions are my own. 

Adventure! Having a name like Maidens of Mayhem promises a lot and delivers most.
In this book, we follow Scarlet as she tries to uncover the mystery of her missing seamstress. Her search takes her to brothels and shady corners of London where she stumbles upon Ambrose, Duke of Aylesford! They don't realise they are following the same mystery, but what connects them, might also kill them!

I mean, I enjoyed it! It is refreshing to read a historical romance and not get the stereotypical man of the time, or also the woman in this case... So, yes to more respectable and supportive men in literature, I'm here for it!

The only reason my rating doesn't show a 5 star there is the fact I feel left out from the whole Maidens of Mayhem thread. I wanted more out of it, needed more. not just for the future books, but also Scarlet who would be even more of a compelling character than she already is by adding more of Maidens into her story. 

Just to sum up: Adventure - check, Kick-ass heroine - check, Dashing Duke - Check, mystery - check, steamy romance - check! I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of those elements, you will not regret picking it up! For myself personally, where do I sign up for the rest of this series?!

I thought it was going to be something else. The romance aspect was very slow and unbelievable. I thought we were going to see more of the maidens of mayhem, but no. I don't know. It was slow and kind of boring for me.

I received a copy of this as an ARC from NetGalley.  This fun and adventurous historical romance is the first in a new series.  There is love, lust and intrigue and the main characters have an abundance of chemistry.  Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

DNF at 25%

The premise of this sounded great but unfortunately it's not really working for me. Duchess If You Dare is supposed to be a fun historical romance about dangerous ladies fighting for social justice. But so far a lot of it is just the main characters moralizing about the supposed horrors of prostitution in a pretty condescending way that lacks nuance.

There's talk of "it's not their fault that they have to do this to survive" which might seem fine at first glance, but there is no distinction between women who are forced into it by necessity and women who might choose this profession for other reasons. And there's the main character who "would NEVER!" *gasp* sell her body, and the hero who wonders why she's in this brothel because she has modest clothes with nice fabric. I just found it all immensely irritating. If you're going to lead into a plot about sex trafficking (which is absolutely horrific) and the potential dangers to women engaged in sex work, then approach it in a way that offers nuance. Don't make all the women involved either victims or villains. Some might be victims, some might be villains, but making it so black and white for every character is disempowering and promotes a problematic savior complex. I find this kind of plot really frustrating because it CAN be done well, and I've seen romance authors tackle this difficult subject with grace and respect. This just isn't it.

Additionally, the hero and heroine so far are a bit bland and lack chemistry. So yeah. Not the book for me. We need to do better in how we portray sex workers. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A good read with adventure, mystery, thrill and heat Regency style. 

Scarlett is very willful and brave. No gentleman can stop her from her task. Ambrose is a man that goes by the rules - until Scarlett gets in his way and now he needs to fix things and protect her...

This book was pretty mediocre. I honestly don't have much to say about it. I started it interested, and got just enough into the plot before realizing I was bored. I skim read the second half of the book. I think the resolution of the book was satisfying enough, but I was not particularly drawn to the characters.

SERIES: The Maidens of Mayhem #1 
GENRE: historical romance
TROPES: duke/commoner, mystery-solving 
CLIFFHANGER: no
RATING: 4⭐

There is something to be said and loved about a woman who makes the best out of the hand she is dealt with. She is also fierce, loyal, and realistic. Scarlett is a heroine I adore to read about. Her impact is even higher as she is a heroine of a historical fiction novel. 

The storyline revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Scarlett's acquaintance. She is trying to look for clues that will help her to find her. And all clues lead to a brothel. There is meets duke of Aylesford, who is once again cleaning his brother's mess. It turns out they are looking for the same person. So they join forces. The new partnership leads to new enemies but also to a romance. 
There are a couple of twists and turns, heartfelt conversations, and some steamy moments. 

I'm interested in reading more books in this series!

If you enjoy the real-life issues addressed, mystery plotline, strong heroine in your historical novel then this is a book for you.

Duchess if you dare was an enjoyable read, some moments made me laugh out loud. The writing was pretty good too. Love the cover as well

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of Duchess if you Dare by Anabelle Bryant. I have mixed feelings about this book as it was a good premise, but overall it didn’t really engage me. I found most of the plot predictable, but not in an enjoyable forgiving way - the plot fell flat for me and didn’t match what the story was sold as. I thought it would be a female Robin Hood type of story but I couldn’t really find any connections. I think that more romance, character development, chaos, mayhem and conflict could have made a world of a difference to the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the e-arc of Duchess If You Dare by Anabelle Bryant. 
All opinions are my own. 
This book was everything I anticipated and more. 
What do a Duke and a Maiden of Mayhem have in common? Absolutely nothing, so when Ambrose, the Duke of Aylesford, composed, always in control and reputed runs into Scarlett, the fearless, independent maiden. a rebel against society, Ambrose gets a taste of freedom and Scarlett gets a sense of security. Both the characters are so likeable! Our badass heroine prefers pants over layers of skirts, can throw knives like ninjas and is not afraid of anything. 
The first half of the book was quite slow, but the second was as tempting and delectable as Scarlett was to Ambrose. 
I love how this book tackled real issues like living conditions of the poor, women’s rights, and the socio-economic class divide were all explored thoroughly in an interesting and informative way that still felt real for the time and context of this story. The second half of the book and the resolving of the mystery is fast paced, unexpected and everything you'd want in a climax. 
I absolutely love their romance and their character development through out the book. The only complain I have is with the ending, it just went with a rush.
This book is the first part in "The Maidens of Mayhem" series and I believe each part would be revolved around one members of their club. I would be looking forward to the sequels!

I have a lot to say about this book and it’s late so my thoughts might be everywhere. First, everyone likes different books- I did not love it. 
First positive- I loved has strong Scarlett is. I love that she is protective and won’t accept her fate. She fights for what is right no matter the cost.
Negative- Ambrose (love the name) is so wishy-washy! Sometimes he is willing to fight for her and sometimes not. I could not fall in love with him and he just felt bland to me. It was at the very end when I felt like he went into good protective mode. Sometimes he says he will let Scarlett have free will and other times he tells her what she can and can’t do. 
Another thing is that the climax never really rose. There was no dramatic scene- did Scarlett even find out Linie helped kidnap the girls? 
I do love the historical fiction.