First Impressions: Dagger Under Your Petticoats
What’s Your Type? Rakish pirates, pirates with a heart of gold, tragic backstories, sticky fingers, morally gray characters, whimsy, alternate history, a dash of unexplained magic, women who kick butt and have a healthy fear of the sun
The Lean: Instalove
We Need to Talk: I Do Love A Good Intrigue
Was It Good For You? Humor Is Sexy

First Impressions: Dagger Under Your Petticoats

I’m digging the small details and the eye-pleasing color scheme. It’s bright and fun and a little tricksy (you will probably assume it is a normal historical romance, but you’d be very wrong).

What’s Your Type?

Women who kick butt and have a healthy fear of the sun
Rakish pirates
Pirates with a heart of gold
Tragic backstories
Sticky fingers
Morally gray characters
Whimsy
Alternate history
A dash of unexplained magic
Dating Profile

While she’s the supposed heir to Bronte melodrama, Cecilia Bassingwaite would much prefer a quiet cup of tea and a good book to wandering the moors a-wailing. She’s also jonesing for a spot at the big table with all the other lady pirates of the Wisteria Society, but it’s going to take a good assassination or a really big take to prove her mettle.

Ned is a man of many names and faces, though he’s currently wearing the guise of an assassin hired to kill Cecilia.

Meet Cute

When Cecilia lays eyes on Ned as he knocks on her front door, she immediately makes him as a rogue pirate turned assassin, and it tickles her pink to realize she’s finally important enough to be targeted for murder. Except the way Ned stares at her, and the comments he makes, well, they tickle her in…other places, too, and that is the kind of thing that she does not have time for, especially not with Captain Morvath running around trying to kidnap her friends and their houses and declaring he will overthrow Queen Victoria so he can subjugate all women.

The Lean: Instalove

From While You Were Sleeping, Bill Pullman explains attraction to Sandra Bullock
Cecilia and Ned suffer from some instalove—partly because Ned has some history with Cecilia’s family and partly because Ned is basically the first man Cecilia has really interacted with—but I ended up liking their interactions more in the second half of the book than the first half. Honestly, I just kind of shut my brain off and went with it. This is billed as a romance novel, yes, but, really, the best parts are everything else surrounding the romance.

That said, I did enjoy their back-and-forth bickering, as this book is basically 80% banter:

“But I am concerned for your health, Miss Bassingthwaite . You have come outside without coat or shawl. You might catch a chill. I consider it my duty to warm you with a frisson of fear.”

Dirty Talk

The sex talk is fairly chaste compared to some modern historical romance novels, but what it lacked in spice it made up in amusement (at least, for me. I’m sure some of you would prefer the dirty bits!):

“It went quicker than I supposed; we should not be missed at all.”

Ned lifted his head, blinking at her through the fall of his hair; he frowned in bemusement. “Er, sweetheart, you do realize we haven’t finished yet?”

“We haven’t?” Her eyes widened.

Ned’s grin returned, even more wicked than before. “We’re not even halfway through.” Taking her hand, he held it against the hard swelling in his trousers. “Do you see?”

Cecilia blushed. His fingers were damp against hers; his eyes were growing dark in the most heart-stirring way. “I did wonder—that is, I wondered if—er, the gentleman’s accoutrement was involved in proceedings—”

Ms. Perky’s Prize for Purplest Prose

Teacher types on laptop while talking to student
Typing a romance novel on a computer screen
Holton’s writing style is unique for sure (more about that below), but I found myself marking up so many pages that made me smile. Her situational humor really worked for me; that juxtaposition of the typical Victorian lady mundanities combined with an unexpected or off-the-wall viewpoint. Some of it is very scene-centric, so I don’t know if these quotes will get you as much as they got me—but I have to share:

Someone else was creeping through the woods with a hesitancy that suggested stealth, although they were trampling fallen branches and leaves with a clumsiness that suggested a desire to be murdered by pirates.

Cecilia is a woman after our own hearts:

“Fair enough.” He sipped tea, trying to regain some equilibrium. “Where did you go? I was a little disconcerted.”

“I needed a book in case of emergencies.”

“You mean like being attacked by foul-mouthed highwaymen?”

“No, I mean those moments when nothing important is happening, such as during travel. After supper. Before sleeping. Or whilst one’s opponent reloads their gun.”

“Ah. So you were in the hotel library?”

“Can you believe they don’t have one?”

The Great Peril (as a very pasty person who turns red and never tans, I stand with Miss Darlington on this one):

Tom stumbled back as his sword was jolted from his grip. It landed on Cecilia’s hat, which exploded in a puff of smoke and feathers. Everyone stared at it. “Oh dear,” Constantinopla said after a shocked moment. “What will you do, Cecilia? You’re now exposed to the Great Peril.”

“I’ll protect her from it,” Ned said promptly.

Constantinopla gave him a bewildered look. “From the sun?”

“I— er— Listen, no peril is greater now than Captain Morvath, who will destroy the very foundation of our peaceful civilization if we don’t take quick action!”

“Maybe,” Constantinopla said, “but have you ever tried to get rid of freckles? Not all the lemon juice and bicarbonate in the world is effective.”

We Need To Talk: I Do Love A Good Intrigue

So I was one of those people the cover fooled; I started chapter one assuming this was a more straightforward historical story about women indulging in some light robbery and I quickly got very confused. Why is Miss Darlington so flippant about Ned trying to climb in their window to kill her niece? Their house has a ship’s wheel?! Then I reread the synopsis and a review or two, and realized we were diving headfirst into an alternate, slightly magical history. So, expectations adjusted, I reread the first chapter and found things made a lot more sense.

I mean, as much sense as a group of women who applaud backstabbing and murder attempts while pilfering items, big and small, from their society peers and feel free to land their townhouse or tea cottage on top of another house or the middle of a busy street. Everyone is crafty and sly and secrets abound.

Real talk: this book will not be for everyone. Some people will hate the alternate history/magic aspect. Some are going to really hate the writing style, because it is a very stylized personal preference. Holton’s voice is deeply sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek, and every sentence, every observational moment of humor, is framed in this bemused, drily omniscient slant. Consider all the quotes I’ve included so far and the one below, and if you didn’t feel a frisson of amusement at any of them, then you should probably pass on this book:

“It could be anyone,” Ned added reasonably.

“But it’s him,” Cecilia countered. “I can feel it.”

“That’s a very Brontë thing to say.”

Cecilia arched an eyebrow. “Well then, allow me to consult my possible Darwin heritage instead.” She took the spyglass from a nearby shelf and held it to her eye. The world was a vast black emptiness, echoing like the mordant spaces between soul-wrought words . . .

Ned leaned across and removed the lens cap, and poetry became science again.

I mean… *snort*

Was It Good For You? Humor Is Sexy

Dwight from The Office saying "we make love all night"
Thankfully I was in the exact right mood when I got to this book and I giggled and happily highlighted my way through to the last page. Would I have changed some small things? Sure. I definitely hope the next one is a little less instalove-y, for one. But overall it was a delightful, low-stakes read that I needed during a stressful time.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Berkley Books. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is available now.

This book was not what I expected. It will take you on such a wild ride. This book is great for an escape with a little bit of steam. This book will have you giggling out loud while reading it. If you’re looking for a book to read this summer, I recommend checking this out!

I just started getting into historical romance and this one was a thrill to read. Love the flow of the story and the characters were very entertaing. I hope there will be more books by this author.

I know this book divided a few of my friends. Some really enjoyed it, some didn't get it and thought it was too bizarre. I fell into this world and, personally, have been laughing since page one.

It's zany, wacky, and tosses you heels over head into a world of lady pirates, flying houses, assassination attempts, Victorian salons, a society of BAMF ladies, desolate moors, and some really fabulous tongue in cheek humor. There is not one part of this that is believable, and maybe that's why I was able to go along for the ride so easily. The MCs were fierce, funny, and their banter and snark made them one of my favorite couples. And the jokes (especially all the shade directed at the Brontes) were honestly some of the funniest I have read in a book this year. It was such an joy to read and made me laugh so much that I'm happily giving it a full five star rating, and will probably keep this on my re-read shelf.

I would add that I probably would have lost a lot of the subtle (and not so subtle) humor if I had listened to this. I would recommend purchasing, borrowing, or stealing (it is a book about piracy after all) a copy for yourself. I thought this was a gem of a book and I demand to know why social media is pushing me to read Morning Glory Milking Farm and not this. But for now, I am still happily ensconced in this world, and am on the waiting list for book #2.

I had so much hope for this book, especially since the synopsis sounded so good, but in the end the book was just a tad bit too confusing for me and the storyline was all over the place. Sometimes the synopsis promises one thing, but the book fails to deliver, and that's how I feel about this book. I was hoping it would even out eventually but that wasn't the case. In the end the book lost my interest and I skimmed and skipped my way through to the end.

I really enjoyed the concept and the idea of it, but the execution wasn't working for me.

This was super fun! I did find the beginning to be a bit slow, but once I got about 100 pages into the novel it really took off. I loved how bizarre it was and how it was all accepted as "yes, pirates are real, and so are flying houses, and so are assassination attempts as a form of pride!"

I honestly started this book about 5 times and I just couldn't get into it for months. I am glad I finally came back to it. It was fun and creative, full of antics and empowerment. As other reviewers have stated, there is A LOT going on and I had to flip back and re-read some sections just to make sure I understood what was happening. It is a really fun read, but a little long, and chock full of craziness.
Great for those that enjoy historical women breaking out their molds with humor- Veronica Speedwell series (Deanna Raybourn), Pink Carnation (Lauren WIllig), but even more outlandish. Patron has to be willing to put in a little work on the front end, but the pay off is pretty good.
Thanks for the ARC!

This novel is definitely one of the most whimsy and weird and quite random that I’ve ever read. We’ve got high society lady Pirates whose ships are their houses that fly around in the air. So much of this book was quite fun, but other parts were a little bit difficult to follow just because they are so outlandish. Definitely check it out if you want a funky and fresh read.

This book was so whimsical and a wild ride! I enjoyed every minute of the magic and aeronautical swashbuckling. The nods to Victorian literature, the Brontës, and all things feminist were so fun! I cannot wait to see where this series takes us next!

Adorable! Thoroughly enjoyed this female swashbuckling pirate tale!
Looking forward to the next adventure!

Lady pirates and flying houses and Brontes, oh my! The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels was such a wonderfully weird book. It wasn’t at all what I expected, but it charmed me with its whimsy, magic, humour, and romance.

I do have to admit there was a point at about 30-40% in where I thought ‘this has gone from wonderfully weird to just plain weird’ and I set the book aside, thinking I’d DNF it. It had veered into ridiculous, and I wasn’t really feeling it or caring about what was happening. I gave it a few days and decided to try it again, and I’m so glad I did. I feel like you either have to have a specific sense of humour or be in the right mood - or both - for a book like this because it’s so quirky and strange. I’m sure some people will find it hilarious while others will feel it’s too silly and fantastical. If you're a YA reader and you enjoyed My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, I think you'll enjoy this one.

With all the action, intrigue, humour, and romance, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels would make a really fun movie or mini-series. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read, and I’ll definitely look forward to reading more from India Holton.

I think this book just didn't work for me — there was too much going on. I was not able to finish this book.

I tried several times to read this one, but I just could not make myself finish it. I am not sure if it was the writing style or the story.

I would likely recommend this to readers who enjoy the genre, but this one was not for me. That is not to say it was a bad book, I just did not enjoy it. However, I am sure there are many readers out there who will like this one (hence why I have given it two stars, which I really hate doing.

Sadly, this just did not work for me and I had such high hopes! I read several chapters but I found it mostly just confusing and I wasn't really sure of the plot or what was happening. I know I'm in the minority as many readers I trust have really enjoyed this one. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review.

Take an alternate Victorian era in all of its propriety and toss it in with a flying incantation capable of lifting houses, a society of piratical women with penchant for relieving people of their valuables, and a pirate with numerous aliases charged assassinating a young member of the society, and you get what might be the cheekiest book I have ever read.

THE WISTERIA SOCIETY OF LADY SCOUNDRELS follows Cecilia Bassingwaite, a proper pirate who lives with her protective and elderly aunt as they fly their house from place to place committing acts of piracy. She desperately wants a seat at the Wisteria Society table and is eager to spend her days proving her competency and reading her *borrowed* copy of Wuthering Heights. And then her would-be assassin shows up and politely lets Cecilia know that he is contracted to kill her. Ned Lightbourne is a man of many names and shifting allegiances, and Cecilia finds herself in his company more often than not until they eventually team up to save the Wisteria Society and take down the villainous Captain Morvath.

There is so much going on in this book that I almost set it aside indefinitely. The story starts with a bang and bombardment of information. Add a huge cast of characters into the mix along with chapter names consisting of an ambiguous outline of everything to come within its pages, and I was a bit overwhelmed. But the tone and playful dichotomy between its historical setting and the swashbuckling absurdity of the world felt promising (and quite reminiscent of Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate Series) so I kept reading and was hooked halfway.

At its heart, this book is a romance, and while certain plot points were inevitable, so much of it was delightfully unexpected. It sprinkles in social commentary and literary allusions between its swoons and droll banter. Every moment is deliciously full of action, witticism, paradox, and self-awareness with just the right amount of descriptive prose to help me envision exactly what was happening at any given point. I could read about the gossip and drama of the Wisteria Society for days and loved nearly every moment of Cecilia and Ned’s enemies-to-lovers plotline.

If you’re looking for a playful read with a hint of magic, a touch of romance, and an alternate version of Victorian England, this one’s for you!

I’m the black sheep for this. The beginning was confusing and the worldbuilding wasn’t intuitive. Improved slightly but never engages me or convinced me to care about any of the characters. Not to my taste but not necessarily a bad book for a different audience. . ★★

This was such a fun story. I definitely plan to read more from India Holton. I recommend this to anyone who likes historical romance or is looking to try it!

If you’re a fan of My Lady Jane and have been searching for an adult historical romance with the same quirky and zany sort of feel, look no further.

This book is more fun than a book has any right to be. It’s wild and weirdly wonderful. There’s magic and pirates and flying houses and badass ladies. What more could you ever want?! It’s perfect.

What a whimsical and fun historical romance! I've never read anything quite like it. I can't wait to see what India Holton writes next!

The cover, the title and the concept drew me in. I will recommend this book to my patrons looking for a new romance author!