The first of a new series, this book is off to a promising start. Strong women, intriguing situations, and a good mystery all come together in this great story.

4.5 stars rounded up.

One of the, if not the, best sex scenes I’ve ever read. It has a tropey “shelter from the rain” beginning, it’s chock full of playfulness and yearning. It was about so much more than their physical actions. It was about the emotional journey these characters were taking together right in front of us. And it was just incredibly well done.

What a fantastic depiction of strong women and their friendships, inspired by a real life women’s gang! Loved the critique of whisper networks — how they are needed, but how direct action is needed even more.

The end was just a bit messy for me. There were a lot of threads tangled together at the climax, and I couldn’t see where quite all of them were coming from.

This book is also tied in quite closely with some of MacLean’s other books — it definitely felt like some (or all) of Sesily’s sisters had their own books, none of which I have read. It wasn’t confusing or anything, and this works as a standalone, but I definitely felt like I was missing out.

Steam: 3.5/5🔥

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book; this honest review was left voluntarily.

I have been waiting for this book since the 1st time sesily was introduced in sarah mac'lean's novel and this book did not dissapoint.Caleb and sesily are now my favorite sarah mac'lean's couple.These both are everything.They have angst,steam,feels,everything.I actyally didnt expect sesily to be the way she was in this book, she had a depth to her character, she was a ball of sunshine and caleb was so grumpy lmao.

The pining these both did..i kid you not there were times when caleb was so frustating but i can see where he was coming from and sesily did not give up.and she is a badass ..I really liked the concept of the girl's gang and really looking forward to the future books.

I have been waiting for this book for so long, and I haven't even waited as long as a lot of Sarah MacLean's readers--that's how hyped I was for FINALLY getting to read Sesily and Caleb's romance. There was just enough slow burn at the beginning to tease new and old readers, and when all of the tension hits the breaking point...*chef's kiss* MacLean took the story in a direction I was completely unexpected by, and I really loved the adventure of it all and the depth that MacLean was able to add to side characters that already seemed fully formed (to me, at least). The Talbots remain my favorite MacLean heroines/family and getting to see them again was a special treat. I was also delighted by the new characters that we'll get to see hopefully in the Hell's Belles adventure. The girl gang aspect fell a bit flat in some places in my opinion, but was also hyper-focused on Sesily and Caleb's every interaction. I look forward to reading it again when my copy arrives in August!

Sarah MacLean always does an amazing job writing strong, capable heroines but Sesily was a step above the rest. I love the idea of this historical gang of women who are set on taking down wrong doing men. I also loved how Sesily was a bisexual woman, with sexual experience, a bit older, who knew she didn't want children. She saved the hero countless time and I think that was wonderful. Another GREAT historical romance by Sarah MacLean, that flips the script!

I hate historical romance, and I try to go out of my genre comfort zone sometimes. Just to see if my tastes changed: Apparently not, as I hated every moment of reading this. This just wasn’t for me.

I hate to admit it, but I had to slog my way through the beginning of the book. MacLean has to do a lot of heavy lifting in the opening chapters, reintroducing her MC, which is a beloved character for a series from many years ago, plus introduce new characters for the future novels in this series, and it is A LOT. So it was an unexpectedly slow start coming off her fast and furious last series.
But it was great to get a happy ending for the aforementioned MC and MacLean creates a nice posse of girlfriends for this series that will keep people reading until the end.

This strong addition to MacLean's body of work introduces a new series as well as telling the story of Sesily Talbot and Caleb Calhoun, Bold, brash Sesily is one of the five Talbot sisters also known as the Soiled Doves. Caleb is her sister Sera's business partner and Secily has been intrigued by him--and vice versa--ever since they met two years ago. However, both are hiding dangerous secrets that complicates their relationship and creates problems with everyone they hold dear. And both are extremely loyal, caring people who are very well matched despite everything. This book is the first in the series of Hell's Belles and also introduces some intriguing new characters as well as bringing in cameo appearances of well-loved characters from previous books. It is one of the best books I've read this year and I highly recommend it.

Bombshell was a wonderful read.The prologue had me engaged me immediately.
I adored Sesily and Caleb. In particular, Sesily was the star of the show for me. The dynamic between her and Caleb was also alternatively steamy and sweet with so many layers to unearth along the way. I was so invested in every step of their relationship.
There was never a dull moment throughout this story with witty dialogue, an interesting plot - what more could a reader want in an historical romance. I so want to read the next book in the saga of the Hell's Belles Series.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

There are no words to describe how much I love Sarah MacLean or how much I love this book for that matter. I was pretty geeked when I was approved for a copy to review.

Bombshell is book 1 in a new series by Sarah called Hell's Belles.

Synopsis:

After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss.

Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.

This is everything you've come to expect from a SM novel. Strong heroines. Sexy leading men. Lots of steam sex and angst and romance and Caleb and Sesily do not disappoint as a couple and on delivering on all the things we love in an HR novel. I can't wait for book 2 of this series.

So when I grabbed it I was excited by the blurb, I mean anytime we have badass women brining bad men down I am going to be gun-ho about it. However, when I started to read it I was iffy, I was wondering why Sesily would let people think such horrible things about her (true some were earned) but not all, especially since she had this crush on Caleb and he was the one she wanted. Now I get that she wanted to help this cause, I got that but I think that there is a limit, now luckily I kept on reading and was glad that I did. Both Caleb and Sesily had secrets and these two had chemistry that they could not deny and were there for each other as needed..grab it and Enjoy!

Bombshell is part of the continued saga of the Sister’s S. (A family of many sister’s with their first names beginning with the letter ’s’.) I did not know that going into this story, and I definitely would have liked to know that as a lot of the romance and meeting between the two main characters, Sesily and Caleb, took place two years prior in Sesily’s sister’s book Day of the Duchess. A lot of the book was Caleb denying Sesily (and his own) feelings and it got very monotonous and annoying very early on. The added aspect of Sesily and her girl friends wreaking havoc on the abusive and evil members of their society was meant to give the reader a zeal of adventure and feel exited by females protecting their own, but it felt a little weird, random and impractical. There needed to be more romance between Caleb and Sesily and less time brooding and whimpering as to why it cannot be.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. There were parts of Bombshell that I loved -- especially the scenes where Sesily and her friends are carrying out their plots against evil and corrupt members of the aristocracy (more on that below) -- but unfortunately the main romance between Sesily and Caleb fell a little flat for me. I get the sense that a lot of their story was set up in Day of the Duchess, which I've started and DNFed a few times (I've heard there's epic groveling eventually there, but Haven's past conduct and the opening chapters of the book were too dark and angsty even for me). For readers who have the benefit of the full backstory, most of my issues likely are irrelevant. Bombshell jumps into their romance with their mutual feelings already established, but due to Caleb's misguided sense of honor and desire to protect Sesily (and others) from someone from his past, he has tried to stay away from her for most of the two years they have known each other. As a result, the romance feels like it's treading water for 75% of the story with Caleb's internal tug of war over whether he is willing to expose Sesily to the risks and dangers that follow him. This is particularly frustrating given that Sesily reminds him (through words and actions) many times over that's she's more than capable of taking care of herself and that she's willing to accept those risks to be with him. In the end, I felt like Caleb was dragging her down a bit instead of being the badass partner-in-crime that she deserves.

As noted, though, Bombshell has many excellent aspects that make it a promising start to the new series. The secondary characters, and future romantic pairings that were hinted at, were all so much fun to read. Imogen and her potential love interest have some strong Miss Scarlet & the Duke vibes going on, and their banter was great. Adelaide and her likely love interest have some sparks here, as well -- seeing them clash in future books will be entertaining. The Duchess's backstory will be particularly interesting, and I hope we get to read a lot more about how she founded the girl-gang at the center of the story. I would have loved some scenes showing Sesily's training and more about the group itself, which hopefully we'll get to see in the next books.

Another strong point of the book (like all of MacLean's romances) is the scorchingly hot love scenes. MacLean always does a great job building up the anticipation and then delivering on it (over many pages), and this is no exception.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

Sarah MacLean can write rings around most HR authors and this start to a new series has plenty of good writing. In this first book we are introduced to the gang of four Hell's Belles; the Duchess, Adelaide, Imogen and Sesily. The Duchess has the money to fund this vigilante group, Sesily and Adelaide are the “muscle” and brains, Imogen is a scientific genius who can concoct all kinds of bombs and lethal mixes. Their mission is to rid the Ton of the evil abusers. The romance of Sesily and Caleb is fraught with dangerous secrets Some of the danger could have been mitigated by some honest conversation but then we wouldn't have all that suspense and action. Sesily is 30 years old and does not profess to be a virgin, she is really on a mission to seduce Caleb who she has loved for two years. Caleb appears to be attracted to Sesily but has his reasons for holding her at arms length. This is a very sexy romance with lots of violence and also lots of characters justifying lawless activity in the name of the greater good. This is an interesting story with terrific character development. I do look forward to future books featuring Adelaide and Imogen and the Duchess. I also find their moral ambiguity slightly disturbing. You be the judge.

(PUB 8.24)  Thank you to @netgalley and Avon for the early copy of BOMBSHELL. Safe to say it blew my mind (see what I did there?) 

Sesily is scandalous and strong.
Caleb is unabashedly smitten and is hiding a secret. 
Together they are explosive. Seriously- the steam was sizzling off the page. 
The banter, the tension, the story and their romance had me unable to put it down.

My favorite component was how Caleb not only saw, but celebrated the true nature of Sesily.  He sees her in a way that no one else does. Let me tell ya- all the feels.

What an explosive (you see what I did there?) start to Sarah MacLean's newest series, Hell's Belles! People have been waiting for Sesily's happily-ever-after for years, and I gotta say--the author doesn't disappoint.

This new novel has all the ingredients for a good historical romance--a fiery heroine, an angsty hero, and a passionate love story. MacLean has a way of using humor and snark in her novels in just the right amount. This is one of those novels that will make you laugh out loud, even when you're falling for the couple in the story. Sesily is an unmarried 30-year-old woman; one sister out of a group of five who are constantly scandalizing society in one form or another. Caleb Calhoun is a wealthy American who jointly owns a tavern in London with Sesily's sister, Seraphina. In previous books, we see the chemistry between these two, but they are just now getting their own novel. Without going into too much detail (no spoilers, I promise!), Sesily is one of four women who fight crime and bring justice to the wronged people of London. This is that origin story for her. Caleb, who is back in England after a year in America, is tasked by Seraphina to watch over Sesily (who Sera thinks is in trouble). Caleb is hesitant because, of course, he's head over heels in love with her. Which is convenient because she is head over heels in love with him. The majority of the book centers around Sesily's secret job and bringing our couple together despite many obstacles.

I adored Sesily and Caleb. Passionately in love from the very beginning of the story, the book mainly explores how they get to their HEA. And it is a FUN ride. Action, adventure, passion, love, humor--all of this can be found in this book. Sarah MacLean's writing is amazing. She understands the feminism that lies in stories like this, and she's really good at bringing it to the page.

There are only one real issue that I have with the book: I thought a lot of the main love story was very generic. Don't get me wrong--MacLean's writing is great. However, I thought the story lacked some originality. The major twist in the story was well done, but I felt like the majority of the book could be boiled down to this: "I love you so much and I must have you" coupled with "No, I can't be with you. You're in danger with me." This is a common romance trope, to be sure, but I sort of feel like I've read a number of the author's books with the same plot. Essentially, "You good. Me bad." To me, a lot of her heroines and heroes are so similar. Feisty woman, emotionally-constipated male. MacLean is such a wonderful writer, that it bums me a little when it feels like I'm reading the same couples again. Don't get me wrong--she does write some amazing original characters, but I feel like this book is sort of like her last few works: feisty female, emotionally withdrawn man. This is a good trope, to be sure. I just love her writing and would love to see some variety.

Overall, I adored this book and will be recommending it to my friends and social media followers, as well as Goodreads. MacLean is such a fun writer, and I look forward to the next novel in the series!

I struggled a little at the beginning trying to figure out the relationships of the many characters but once I got that I loved the rest. I have read about a half dozen historical romances by Sarah MacLean and she never disappoints. I particularly enjoyed the history of this book..based on a real life group of women in Victorian England who worked to help other women in bad situations. And the romance was really well written. This book is the first in a new series and I look forward to the stories of the other three principal characters.

Long story short: if you like historical romances, kick-ass women taking names and getting into trouble, and/or the Sarah MacLean universe, read this book.

About 2/3 of the way through Bombshell, all the pieces that MacLean has been working to set in motion start to come together. This includes:
- Introducing the Hell's Belles, a group of highborn women who bring special talents to problems affecting other women. Maybe the man you are being forced to marry is a rotter. Maybe your husband is abusive and likely killed his first two wives. Maybe you work for a shady aristocrat and you are looking for a way out. The Hell's Belles and their network of skilled women around London can help you. There is an early scene with them in action that is just so much fun.

- Reintroducing Sesily and Caleb. If you've read The Rogue Not Taken or The Day of the Duchess from a previous MacLean series, you have probably been waiting for them to finally get together. For readers, it's never been a matter of if but how. As characters, they have both been such charismatic scene-stealers in past books, and they remain so here. You'll want them to get together, but there are shortcuts taken and assumptions made about how informed readers are when they meet these two.

- Setting up the mystery of Caleb's past and the specific dilemma that this group collectively needs to address.

It's a lot, and given the payoff from all the threads coming together near the end, MacLean mostly pulls it off. This is an exciting romance, and the last 1/3 of the novel is truly a romp.

I almost want to stop there, but there may be readers like me who will wonder, at around the halfway mark, whether this is turning into the Bareknuckle Bastards series. That series--particularly, the Daring and the Duke--suffered in a few ways: the romances sometimes came second to the universe-building, and the final romance between Grace and Ewan was so predestined that it started at overwrought and got more intense from there. The good news is that readers of Bombshell who hang in will be rewarded by the end.

Once Sesily and Caleb were given something to do, they managed to redirect some of the melodramatic romantic energy that was building towards working together. This, really, is where the romance seems truest and earned within the pages of this book (versus a given that's set up in previous books). In some ways, it was a bit like the scene from Shakespeare in Love where Shakespeare has to tell his Romeo to tone down the emotion around Rosalind; if he's at a 10 when talking about his crush, then where can he go with his performance when he finally meets his true love, Juliet? Sesily and Caleb were starting perilously close to a 10, so as their relationship progresses over the course of the novel and they face new obstacles, there's not a lot of room for increased intensity for their emotions. Thankfully, this resolves itself by the end in a satisfying way.

Even though this is a new series, I'd recommend that new readers go back and pick up The Rogue Not Taken first, then The Day of the Duchess. Not only does this provide important backstory for Sesily, Caleb, and the Talbot sisters, but they are some of MacLean's best novels. In fact, The Day of the Duchess is one of the best historical romances in recent years, and really shows how yearning and intense, consuming love can play out well on the page.

I have high hopes for the rest of the series. MacLean has introduced two likely romantic pairings already, and future installments in the series will probably not wrestle with the weight of expectations and a long-running history the way that Sesily and Caleb's romance did.

The Hell's Belles are delightful, and the concept of this series is exciting. MacLean is phenomenal at world-building, perhaps better than any other historical/Victorian romance writer now. There's a moment in the book where faithful readers will delight at how she incorporates past characters, but truly, she weaves them all through this novel in such a seamless way.

Sesily is just such an outstanding character, and Caleb proves to be a capable, loving, supportive partner. What more could you want from a romance?

Gotta love a series about a group of women doing what they can to protect people no one else would listen to from those who would do them harm, cruel suitors, opportunistic bosses, or whatever brand of no-good villain that is need of a comeuppance. The fact it is by Sarah MacLean makes it all the sweeter because you can trust that she will do that storyline justice and then some.

Sesily is largely considered a lady in title only. She embraces her scandalous reputation and the freedom it gives her to carry out the work that makes her happy in secret. When her sister's friend and business partner, Caleb, returns to England and notices things he shouldn't about her movements it causes complications. Her friends need for her to make sure he trustworthy but that mean endangering her heart. Sesily is strong, smart, and more than capable of fighting her own battles. She does need any man to save but that does keep Caleb from really wanting to try. Sesily is a far more vibrant character but I really liked them together and the push and pull of their attraction as it conflicts with their secrets. I loved the Hell's Belles and could have read much more about their machinations which I hope I get the chance to in the future books.

This was an excellent start to a series and I am so looking forward to reading more about the Belles.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved returning to the Talbot sisters and all their scandals in this book! MacLean has crafted a beautiful love story with just the right amount of humor, angst, and romance, just like always!