3.75/4 stars.
Things I liked:
-The main relationship in the book. I felt that the main couple had decent chemistry and I saw what they liked in each other.
-With the exception of the villain, the main and side characters were generally likeable people.
-While behavior could occasionally be exaggerated, most of the decisions the characters made didn't feel over the top. Their choices mostly felt understandable or relatable.
-The writing itself was very accessible.

Things I didn't like:
-The side relationship between the married couple. They didn't seem to have much chemistry and the conflict seemed very forced.
-The main female love interest was very cruel at certain points which made her hard to like at times.
-The main conflicts were resolved quite easily.
-Sexual assault as a plot point several times. Never graphic, but it was unanticipated.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes current historical romance. The writing was very modern in a positive way.

Infamous by Minerva Spencer

Celia was “The Mean Girl” who fell badly from grace of the ton 10 years ago. She now returns to a wedding as a mere companion of an elderly wealthy guest to the same society she once led - how the mighty fall! She is now nearly destitute and nothing is what it seems.

A well written book one of the main characters a former bad girl trying to redeem herself and get a second chance at romance but as ever there are secrets.

This book has a slightly darker side in parts but there is humour,quirky, and mean characters also many twists and of course secrets. Not your normal historical but good read none the less.

I finally realized the Rebels of the Ton series features the children, now adults, of the characters from the Outcasts series. I haven't read the first series so I was aware I was missing something. INFAMOUS is about two couples, Richard and Celia, and Lucien and Phyllida. Celia was an original mean girl a decade ago, causing a scandal that forced Lucien and Phyllida to marry. They've been living 10 years of anguish and unhappiness together and now Celia arrives as a paid companion to an elderly houseguest. Having spent the last 10 years shunned by society, the formerly cruel Celia has a lot to make up for. Her presence sets off all kinds of consequences. Lucien was ready to propose to Celia the night of her scandal but now his twin brother Richard is interested in her. Makes for an awkward house party

This is a very different type of historical romance. The heroine was not only strong, but resolute throughout the whole story. The hero had to learn to bend in order to further their relationship. It was a fun story and entertaining until the end.

I adored Celia and Richard's story!! I really enjoyed watching both of them deal with their past and move on from it to find their HEA!

A prank gone wrong results in a marriage of convenience, banishment, and hurt feelings; can the perpetrator be redeemed? Celia Trent, a nasty backstabbing debutante trying desperately win a rich husband to raise her station in life, meant to trap her intended’s annoying and odious twin Richard with the dull wallflower Phyllida Singleton as a joke at a ball, but instead it’s Lucien (Lord Davenport) who is comprised overnight in a locked room with Phyl. They make the best of it, marry, and even have two children, but something is off.

It takes sister Toni’s engagement to the unsavory bully Sebastian, Lord Dowden–the mastermind behind the mean behavior so many years ago–to uncover and set right the wrongs of ten years ago. Celia, now a widowed working girl playing maid to an ornery, elderly member of the ton, has been invited to the wedding festivities, to take place over the Christmas holiday. If she can just make it to the year’s end a bonus is hers. Once back in society’s orbit, Celia is shocked to feel a pull not towards Luce, but to Richard, now an naturalist whose risque paper on the breeding imperative makes him still weird, but not as odious as in his gawky young adulthood. She slowly realizations her fascination with him may have been chemistry, not aversion, all those years ago. One by one, Celia makes her apologies to each wronged party and is wonderfully accountable.She is reluctant to disclose the existence of her daughter (results of an unplanned pregnancy via Dowden), her history as a mistress, and her growing feelings for Richard, resulting in an air of mysteries unravelled throughout the novel. Will she–or someone else?–spill the beans about Dowden’s true nature, or will young, naive Toni marry in haste?

The story takes part in winter on an estate in regency England and captures the long weekend feeling with its’ food, fun and games; rivalries and romances. Period details feel authentic, as does the unsavory behavior. For the most part, the characters are quirky and interesting. I haven’t read the others in the series, but did not find it a hindrance to enjoying this novel.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #Infamous from #NetGalley.

I am always eager to see how an author will redeem a despised character, in this case, “mean girl” Celia Trent. Ten years ago, Celia thought she was about to be proposed to by the eldest twin and heir to a large estate, Lucian Redvers, but due to an evil prank perpetuated by her friend Sebastion, she was cast out of society. Lucian was forced to marry Phyllida, a young wallflower whom Celia constantly taunted and demeaned. Phyllida was a friend of Lucien’s twin Richard, whom Celia also ridiculed.

Now a decade later, Mrs. Celia Pelham is a companion to an older, wealthy woman. She is forced to tag along to attend Lucien and Richard’s sister Toni’s wedding to none other than her former friend Sebastian. Talk about a twisted plot!

This is a story about miscommunication, distrust, jealousy, greed, and just pure evil. There are several storylines happening with all the main characters, but the main story is about Celia and Richard’s attraction and whether two people with so much ugliness from the past can learn to trust and love again. In order to forgive herself, Celia must learn to trust Richard with her deepest secrets. Richard’s secret is that he once loved Celia and has never been able to love again.

I enjoyed this book, although it dragged a bit for me in some spots. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest opinion. I gave it three stars.

I enjoyed the first two books better. Or maybe I just got burned out reading this type pf book. This time around it is Celia and Richard with the angst and steam. I really must say that Minerva Spencer does not shy away from the darker themes. It was nice to see Celia redeem herself after falling from society for a terrible prank gone wrong and Richard was so good for her. In the end, I am glad I read this book, even if it wasn't my favorite.

Intriguing series with an author that I have not read before. I enjoyed this book and the characters of Celia and Richard. This is book three in the series and I feel should be read in order.

I forgot about review. I don't know why because that book was such fun! I love me some historical romance from time to time and Mrs. Spencer deliver every time something really special. I like her stories, sense of humour, smart heroines and not your average heroes.
Infamous was just like that - little bit of broken hearts, little bit of fun, I jumped into it like in clear, cool water in summer - with so much enjoyment🙂
Mrs. Spencer, I will be back for next one, soon!

The story started out slowly, then instead of being a force for good, an anti bullying stance would have been nice. However, what we got was despicable behavior, followed by graphic, gratuitous sexual content, that did not enhance the story or characters personalities in any positive way. I had to flip through many graphic pages, and lost any interest in the story. I hate writing poor reviews, but, I have promised to tell the truth.
I don't recommend. Thank you.
carolintallahassee

I love a good redemption story! Our heroine, a former mean girl, Celia, is now destitute and her reputation is barely hanging on. Our hero, Richard, used to be a favorite of Celia's to taunt and ridicule but he is now a gorgeous and wealthy man who is enthralled by Mina.

I will admit that I wanted to love this book but struggled. There is a secondary couple which pulls the focus from the main characters and the book is what I would call very low steam. By the end of the book I feel like I never really saw Celia's redemption and wasn't emotionally invested much in the story. This was also multiple POV, with four characters telling the story so things felt a little overwhelming switching back and forth between the different POVs.

Tropes: Class Difference, Ugly Duckling, Twins, Working Heroine

Infamous by Minerva Spencer
Book #3: Rebels of the Ton Series
Source: NetGalley and Kensington
Rating: 4/5 stars

The Bottom Line: This is a series I can’t quite understand the low overall ratings. I fell right into this story and enjoyed it from cover to cover. Celia isn’t a character you want to like, given her selfish and cruel past, but karma has lived with her for the past decade, and she has more than paid for her past behavior. In one final act of revenge, karma has placed Celia in a situation that is, at best, uncomfortable and, at worst, humiliating. As if to solidify her humiliation, also present to witness her discomfort is the now-stunningly gorgeous Richard, a man Celia once openly ignored.

Richard is blissfully ignorant of most social standards and prefers to live his life as he always has, studiously, abroad, and with any number of sexual partners who understand his aversion to commitment. The presence of Celia, a woman he still lusts after, is most disconcerting and Richard feels compelled to get the bottom of her current situation.

From start to finish, this book had me hooked. For me, this story was more about the alluring and nerdy Richard than the down-on-her-luck Celia. Though the two are certainly bound together, Richard is the far more interesting of the two and I reveled in his story. The plot is suitably interesting and quite appropriate to the time and place. The descriptions of the events, the people, the clothing, and the setting are just enough to set the scene and enhance the story. I quite like this series and wish it were getting more love in the ratings arena. But, as always, I refuse to be swayed by ratings and I am going to continue on with the series until such a time as it begins to suck or comes to an end.

Fun story!

Description
Bridgerton fans and readers of Scarlett Scott, Darcy Burke, and K.J. Jackson won’t want to miss this smart and stirring new holiday love story from the acclaimed author of Outrageous.

“Riveting, sensual, and intelligent . . . romance readers need this splendid book!” —USA Today bestselling author Vanessa Kelly

A mean girl reformed . . .
Once the reigning beauty of her social set, Celia—whom the newspapers dubbed Lady Infamous—has fallen on hard times and is practically destitute, her reputation in shreds. When Celia is forced to attend a society wedding as a companion to an elderly guest, she must confront the clique she once commanded; the gentleman she'd once hoped to marry—who is now wed to a girl Celia relentlessly taunted; and the powerful man who ruined her life a decade before—and is threatening to do so again. . . .

A hero transformed . . .
Then there is Richard, the studious boy Celia used to ridicule, who is now gorgeous, wealthy, and more-than-a-little famous. As a youth, Richard was infatuated with Celia. He still seems intrigued, but Celia has acquired a shocking secret along with her hard-won humility. Will it put an end to the love blossoming between them? Does she have the courage to find out?

As life plays out, things are not always as they seem. Feelings are hurt, crossed arrows of love hit the wrong target and those that are immature and not the nicest, grow up.

Ten years, two couples and a rejoining at a house party bring them all together for a journey that is simply delightful!!

As this author's imagination always totally enchants, Infamous is as the title says, Infamously fabulous!

Another delightful book from Minerva Spencer. Flawed but endearing characters, humorous banter, second chances, an engaging story and a villain who gets his just desserts make it an enjoyable read.

The story started out with Lucian, the Duke of Stanford planning to ask the woman he loved, Celia Trent, to marry him. However a nasty trick, played by a bully, instead forces him to marry wallflower Phyllida Singleton. The same bully is responsible for the fall from grace of Celia.

Ten years pass, before the main four characters, Lucian, his twin Richard, Celia and Phyllida, are thrown together at a Pre-wedding house party for the twins' little sister, Toni. Lucian and Phyllida have a loveless marriage, Celia has been forced to work as a servant and Richard has been traveling the world studying nature, mostly beetles. At the party, with the encouragement of his bachelor brother, Lucian and Phil repair their relationship and Celia and Richard, fall into their own relationship- but the bully is back to destroy everyone. While Richard was a geek and ridiculed in his youth, he has matured into a man who is more intuitive than the rest and is my favorite character.

I enjoyed the book, but was disappointed that the twins knowing what their sister's fiancee was really like, did not do more to convince her that he was not the the man for her. I read an ARC provided by NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I had a hard time with the start of this book, reading the previous books in this series and not being a fan of Celia. I am not a fan of stories with mean girls, bullying, abuse and the like, so this one was a slow burn for me. It was nice to see Celia having some consequences! I felt like it was a bit of cliche to pair her up with Richard but their chemistry was great and I loved the epilogue. If you've read the other books in this series, finish up this cute series with this book!

Yes -read it.

Interesting story with a bit of a mystery, good characters that you want to root for and a HEA. I honestly thought the love scenes just took away from the story or it would have gotten a 4th star.

I got an ARC from Netgalley to help me prepare my honest review.

Infamous is Minerva Spencer at her best; she takes an 'unlikeable heroine' and slowly chips away at her many layers as the lushly-written story progresses, until the reader can't help but cheer for her. Celia and Richard's journey to an HEA is immensely satisfying because it is so hard won.

This is the third book in this series and I have tried exceeding hard go love, but I can’t. They’re good enough, but as someone who has read so many historical romances, they just don’t do it for me, and it pains me so much to write that.