4.5 stars = I loved it! Would read again.

This was quirky and funny and clever. I wasn't expecting the fantasy elements to this, but they really made the story extra fun. The writing is so sharp it's almost distracting from the story, and I loved it. Will definitely be keeping an eye on this author in the future. (Language, sex)

This book was EVERYTHING I needed! It’s a lovely historical romance disguised as a whimsical fantasy adventure à la The Princess Bride with a good amount of puns. The main character, Cecilia, is a pirate and first-rate scoundrel. Cecilia comes from a long line of cunning lady pirates. She hopes to build a reputation as a swashbuckling pirate and ultimately earn membership into the Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. After interning under another pirate, Cecilia has not made much progress towards her goal. While Cecilia aspires to carry on her family’s legacy, she is also the epitome of a proper Victorian lady with a moral code. This duality of Cecilia’s character serves as a plot device that confounds Ned Lightbourne, a Victorian-era James Bond, who falls in love with Cecilia. Ned is an interesting character. He’s a jack of all trades. He’s a pirate, sometimes assassin, and courier to the Queen. Ned is under orders to kill Cecilia, but ends up falling in love with her. This certainly puts a damper on their budding romance. For me, romances with “instant love” plotlines have lost their appeal, but for this book, I stuck it out and was glad I did. Captain Morvath, one of Ned's employers, has a vendetta to settle with the ladies of the Wisteria Society. After members of the Wisteria Society are kidnapped, Cecilia teams up with Ned to rescue them. Overall, the writing flows well, the characters are interesting, and the pace was perfect for this madcap romp.

Cecelia Bassingwaite lives a comfortable life with her aunt. Sure her aunt is part of a secret society of ladies who are also pirates (and sometimes thieves), but they still watch out for one another. When Cecelia's life is threatened by a dazzling pirate named Ned - she's not quite what to make of it. Ned is under strict orders to bring Cecelia back to his employer. But not everything is what it seems on the surface of this fantastical historical romance! Will the pirate/assassin who starts to fall for witty Cecelia end up killing her or falling for her?

When I started The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. But soon enough I caught on with the storyline and truly enjoyed this wonderful story! Flying houses, spells, pirates and would be assassins are all bits and pieces that make up this hilariously and often sweet book.

Not only did I enjoy the hilarious humor between the lady scoundrels, but Ned and Cecelia were so perfect together. From the very first time these two shared a page together their banter and chemistry kept me coming back for more of them! The slow burn, sweet and funny romance was so perfect amongst the suspense and drama that was unfolding!

Although on the surface The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels may come across as playful or funny, I truly did enjoy the backstory of Cecelia and Ned. Both of them had such raw vulnerabilities that they were able to share with one another. I loved watching them peel back their layers with one another.

I can't wait for the next book in the series!!

So I was not expected this book at all as how it turned out to be.
Historical romance AND fantasy?!
We are taking pirates - pirates everywhere and nope, they do not sail ships but houses instead! Both ladies and gentlemen are kick butt pirates slash spies, and while there was humor, I felt it was a bit too much ??? I did want a more serious love story instead of an adventure.
I have to say it's a very unique book and it will sure to grow on me.

From the publisher: A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

This book is bonkers. It contains every crazy thing you can imagine in an adventure story – pirates, flying houses, assassination attempts, gothic abbeys, kidnappings, tea parties. Somewhat like The Princess Bride on steroids.

As such, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels will not be to everyone’s taste. It is full of nonstop nonsense. The author is in love with her own cleverness, which doesn’t necessarily aid the story. People used to listen breathlessly while the latest installment of a new tale was read to them; I think this book would have worked well in that setting. All at once, the craziness is overwhelming.

There is a cute romance buried under the silliness, and one wants to root for the strong heroine and her worthy suitor. The idea of pirates flying their manor houses instead of sailing ships is amusing.

There are some nice turns of phrase, like these passages:
“He said nothing in quite the most disturbing manner” (p. 26)
“Cecilia had seen the houses rising like hot-air balloons over the trees – albeit rectangular, rigid, and less colorful, without flames underneath, so in fact nothing like hot-air balloons, but a failure of simile was the least of her problems at this moment.” (p. 85)

Grown-up fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events and Catherynne M. Valente’s Girl Who books may thoroughly enjoy The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. For me, I’m glad I read book one but won’t be eagerly anticipating book two.

I read an advance reader copy of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels from Netgalley. It was published on June 15 and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library.

This is one of the most unique romances I’ve ever read in the best way! Holton was able to mix the classic historical romance vibes of a Sarah MacLean or Tessa Dare novel with the fun and whimsy of The Princess Bride. Holton’s writing is so artful and clever, I kept going back to reread jokes and dialogue. I loved Cecilia and Ned and how she was just as involved in the saving of the society ladies as he was, and of course their hilarious romance. I truly can’t wait for the next installment in this series and to follow more adventures of the lady scoundrels!

I was looking for something a bit lighter than my usual fare, and The Wisteria Society was EXACTLY what I needed right now! This is such a fun little novel, I couldn't put it down and I found myself laughing out loud at least every chapter or two. I loved the whimsy and magic of this alternative version of Victorian England, and Cecilia is a delightful character to follow. The romance is sweet, the magic is original, and did I mention yet just how FUN this book is?!

Definitely a perfect summer read if you're looking for something a bit different from your typical romance.

I really really adored this book! Every other page had me laughing so much. I appreciated the fact that this book had a bit of a fantastical element (I really want a flying house right now). I adored all of the characters, they each brought so much extra to the story. I will highly recommend this book to anyone who is a romance reader, or even someone who wants to try out the romance genre. There is something in this book for everyone, and I think a wide variety of readers can enjoy this story.

Was this the smartest, most clever, sweetly romantic, but fiercely independent book, I've read in a long time? Yes. A resounding yes. A little bit magic, a lot of history, some romance thrown in and India Holton created the most interesting and creative backdrop for a 'romance' that I've ever encountered. I can't recommend The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels enough and I honestly cannot wait for whatever else she has up her sleeve. It's not often I find myself laughing out loud while reading, or marveling at an author's witticisms but this brought me both on nearly every page. I think the New York Times described it as 'rollicking' and I can't think of a better description than that!

A rollicking, whimsical, riotously funny historical/fantasy romance, in which lady pirates belong to a secret society and frequently try to off each other for silly slights but also all have the ability to fly their houses like ships (with cannons in the windows and all!). I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting the fantasy element when I cracked into it (maybe I missed it in the blurb), but this book was phenomenally entertaining and full of so many things I love: sparkling dialogue, witty repartee between the two leads, fighting/sparring WHILE bantering, only one bed, enemies to lovers, and the list goes on. It’s genuinely one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I can’t say enough good things about it. I wanted to live in Holton’s incredible magical world forever and was genuinely sad to leave it by the end.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A historical romance with pirates, sassy ladies, dashing heroes, assassins, and all the tea? Ummm yes yes yes please! I needed little persuading when it came to reviewing this one. I was so excited for this hot new historical romance and I cracked my ARC open instantly! This one has been on so many top anticipated lists this summer and clearly it was also on mine!

I am always looking for historical romances that have funny plots and snappy dialogues, not to mention charming heroes so this one sounded like a great place to start. But truth be told, I have been in a reading funk lately and I was hoping this would be the book that would pull me out of the funk. But as with many big hype books, there is always that fear that the book won’t live up to the hype. So I went into this one hoping it would live up to the hype, but also aware that it might not.

When I started this one, I was drawn in but also admittedly—–lost. Ok you ask—-lost in a good way or in a bad way? Well friends, that’s a complicated question.

Summary
A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She’s also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it’s a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he’s under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her–hopefully proving, once and for all, that she’s as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
This book was billed as a historical romance with pirates and assassins. Well it did have all those things so how in the world was I lost in this one? Well, what wasn’t mentioned was that they were pirates of flying houses. I had no idea I had signed on the read a fantasy historical fiction pirate romance mashup. But my response—-F*^%k YES! This was the mashup I didn’t know I needed until I had it in my hands. I was admittedly a little confused at the beginning and trying to navigate the world, but once it was clear that there was a fantasy element to the story, I felt like I finally had my bearings.

I think it’s important for readers to be aware that this book isn’t a conventional historical romance, would I still have read this book had I known it was this unique fantasy historical romance mash up—-yes. In fact I wish I had known that before hand because I spent the first 15% of the book wondering what in the world I was reading. That’s not to say that it wasn’t entertaining—because it was! The characters distinguished themselves right away and I found myself laughing multiple times with the charming dialogue between Cecilia and Ned. It was a great meet cute and I adored their chemistry. I just couldn’t understand why houses were flying. Eventually I just has to go with it and keep reading.

The story was a little odd-bally and weird but I did find it unique and entertaining and that’s what made this one standout—-it’s weirdness. I thought Cecilia as a main character was exciting and she brought a lot of strength and wit to the story. Then having Ned as the hero was sweet and comical. I loved his character the most I think. His charm won me over and I really enjoyed how he stole the show in just about every scene. If you love rom-coms and the enemies to lovers troupe but want something different than your standard historical romance, then you need this book. Its quirky and weird and everything you never knew you needed in a story.

But that said, I think it needs to be marketed a little differently. It is put out as more historical romance than what it really is and while it is that, it’s more like Princess Bride than standard Victorian romance.

Book Info and Rating
Format 336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 15, 2021 by Berkley Books

ISBN9780593200162 (ISBN10: 0593200160)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: historical romance, fantasy

Historical romance? Really?!! ______2.5

So I’m ok with Steampunk Victorian novels but I realize I’m not fully relating to this quasi-quirky Pirate Victorian romance more in the mode of a Lemony Snicket title, or maybe of Road Dahl gone rogue and let loose in Victorian England, with Quentin Blake illustrations naturally.
Is this a Victorian fantasy or something else? We have lady pirates trying to kill each other off, a would be assassin who’d rather write poetry, and escapades involving flying houses.
Have I strayed into a Baba Yaga alternate world, or is this simply a humorous alternative Victorian fantasy romance?
Celia Bassingwaite belongs to the Wisteria Society crime sorority. A thief who takes delight in seeking out treasures and obtaining them in less than approved ways.
Ned Lightbourne is an assassin working for the deranged Captain Morvath who’s decided to rid the land of forward thinking women, starting with the Wisteria ladies.
Not what I’d envisaged when I settled down to read a historical romance. No, this is somewhat more of a satirical /paradoxical romp—maybe!
I’m just going to have to do a re-read of this to really come to grips with it’s unorthodox departure from my expectations. At the moment I’m sitting just below the fence.

A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley

2.5 Not a good match stars

I decided to give this new series a try. Love, love the whimsical cover.

It appealed to me because of the added whimsy and humor, but it really wasn't a good match. I appreciate the "outside the box" approach of creative fantasy. It is chock full of things such as flying houses, pirates and other elements of magic and fantasy.

I'm still asking myself, "What did I just read?" It was certainly a trip, but not one I would venture on in the future.

Read all the reviews raving about it if fantastical adventures are your thing! Wrong reader here.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is an alternate reality of England during the reign of Queen Victoria. There are lady pirates that don't sail the high seas, but fly around in some rather grand homes robbing and plundering. They are all in the same society, but often try to kill one another for various reasons. Cecelia is the ward of Jemima Darlington, a well respected pirate. This is the first time that an assassin has been hired to kill her. Thus starts this story of adventure, piracy, secrets, flying houses, battles, kidnapping, traitors and romance.

I didn't know what to expect from this book and it is hard to review. I enjoyed a lot about this story, especially the romance between Ned and Cecelia. I also enjoy a good farce and this one surely was that, but there were times that is was quite ridiculous. The dialogue is wonderful, full of literary references, puns, and witty banter. If you enjoyed The Princess Bride, you will love this story. Cecilia, our heroine, is a first-rate scoundrel and pirate who wants more than anything to take her place alongside the great scoundrel pirate ladies who have a seat at the table of the Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. She is also an upright, Victorian Lady who follows all the rules that have been taught to her. Ned Lightbourne (one of his many aliases) is a skilled pirate as well, in addition to being a courtier under Queen Victoria, a member of the secret service, an orphan, an Italian assassin, and a swoon worthy hero. They meet when he come to her home to let her know he has been hired to kill her. After this introduction, he constantly shows up and their relationship is a true enemies to lovers trope. I don't want to say much more about this story because if this is your cup of tea you just need to read and enjoy it. You might not want to read it in public though, because people will wonder what you are laughing and snickering about.

Hands down one of the most unique historical romances I've ever read! This book is quirky, strange, and laugh out loud funny. I honestly loved every moment reading this.

I love romance and all of it's sub-generes. But I've read a lot of it, so it is hard to surprise me. But boy did this book surprise me! This mixes low fantasy elements - magic and pirates - with Victorian London and a sassy, slow-burn romance. [Just a side-note for you high fantasy fans, this is loose magic. So there is little to no explanation on what it is or how it works.]

I was pretty skeptical after chapter 1, I thought there was just no way I could get on board with flying houses. But India Holton proved me SO wrong. It was the perfect level of obscure to make it feel unique yet familiar. The characters read like the pirates we all know and love, just with a twist. And adding in the matriarchal element to the pirates, gave the characters a freedom otherwise unachievable for this time period. And it was brilliant.

The juxtaposition of the polite Victorian ladies and pirate culture added an easy humor to the entire book. You can't help but smile picturing a matron in a Victorian gown drinking tea while discussing assassination by canon ball.

And on top of all that, the romance elements were wonderful. The characters had loads of chemistry and witty banter. And the slow burn of their romance added a layer of tension to all of their interactions. There's forced proximity, captor/(willing) captive, rivals to lovers, and I'm sure couple of other top-tier tropes I'm currently forgetting.

Overall this book just did it all. It's a witty and fresh addition to the genre, all romance readers should have on their radar! I can't wait to read more in this series (I need a book about Alex!!) and more from India Holton in the future!

This review is live on Goodreads and will be posted to my blog on 6/19 @ 9am

I enjoyed this book immensely and will recommend it to everyone I meet. It was so entertaining to read and the characters all had superbly written personalities. I laughed a ton while reading this book because the banter and the characters were just so great. I love how the ladies are so cavalier about discussing violence, murder, and assassinations. The old ladies in this book are the best and are a whole other level of sassy. The romance was so steamy and it takes a while for the love interests to get together, but even their flirtatious banter was just. so. sexy. Enemies to lovers written in the best way possible. The worldbuilding in this book was also so fascinating with how pirate society operates and how instead of ships, they have flying houses. It's not very logical, but it's a highly entertaining concept. Overall I loved this book so much and need to add it to my library.
6/5 Stars

This outlandishly fun + ridiculously clever historical romance is as charming as they get. India Holton creates a whimsical world of simultaneously dashing + prim and proper lady pirates, a secret society, magical flying houses, dastardly villains, swoonworthy romance and adventure at every turn. This book was a PURE delight and I quickly lost myself in the creative story telling, quirky + brilliant writing, and the endearing characters. Fans of Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series + Martha Waters’ The Regency Vows series + The Princess Bride movie will be utterly charmed.

Thank you so much to berkleyromance + netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. Can’t wait for the next book in this series already!

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a fantastical romp through Victorian England. Pirates, flying houses, a villain with delusions of grandeur…there’s a lot of quirky goodness to be found in India Holton’s debut. Holton’s style and irreverent humor will appeal to fans of Gail Carriger.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is a pirate whose wings are slightly clipped by her overprotective aunt and the pirate society she belongs to. But when assassin Ned Lightbourne appears on her doorstep, Cecilia thinks she finally has her chance to join the Wisteria Society. She just has to foil the pesky assassination attempt first. Except Ned is more than what he seems and his mission isn’t quite clear and oh dear, he is a rather tempting man. Cecilia can’t seem to keep the delicious rogue out of her mind and the land-bound pirate does seem to be equally attracted to her. Together they have to unravel several plots, the most pressing being the threat of Captain Morvath who is determined to rid England of strong women.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is quirky and fun. It has a lot going on – kidnappings, assassination attempts, multiple pirate plots, a romance, the politics of family and the Society – and I won’t go into it because this is a story that benefits from the plot being unfolded. The book does take a while to gain steam, but overall it’s a charming romp. Cecilia and Ned have an easy banter though the romance did leave me wanting just a bit more. The various characters were all unique and the world Holton has built is an interesting one (the flying pirate houses made me grin) and I hope to learn more about it in future Dangerous Damsels books. As I mentioned before, there is a lot going on in this story but the one downside is you don’t seem to go too deep into a lot of it. There’s a lot of style over substance in this story but oh, does Holton have style.

I don’t know if going into this book blind was a bad idea or actually very smart. Let’s just say when I see “Berkley Romance” this is not the plot I would have pictured.

As a fantasy reader I caught on to the fantasy side of this book quickly, I can get behind things that aren’t logical. But this book is just so much. I think the term genre bending is most appropriate to describe this book. I saw historical fiction, fantasy, and romance all tied in to one with this book.

Cecilia and Ned have the best enemies to lover banter, and gosh all the characters truly made me laugh. This book is so quirky and fun! While it comes off a little confusing at first by chapter 6 I was really able to roll with it and it just kept getting better. Then throw a little twist in there at the end for a audible gasp moment for me.

If you like pirates, regency era themes, fun banter, a little steam, and a cast of quirky funny characters then this is the book for you! I hate to say more because you really should go in blind and enjoy the ride!

This is a fast paced hilarious ride and I LOVE IT. Lady pirates who steal, trick, and avenge their way to the top. From laugh out loud lines to swooning prose, I loved it! (And REALLY want this to be a movie some day. Directed by Wes Anderson please) I never knew how Cecilia would get from point A to B but she’s creative witty and can also use a hairpin in the most creative ways. When Captain Morvath orders Ned to deliver Cecilia to him, Ned has to decide if he really wants to follow through. But they’ll learn no man should ever underestimate a Lady.

Pick this up today if you want a fast paced comedy with little care for society rules. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!