This novel was one of the most entertaining novels I have ever read. This may be a romance, and there may be a B plot about Caleb, but this is Sesily’s novel. She states in the beginning, ‘I am trouble’. She certainly is but not in the way that society thinks she is. She uses sex as a distraction from how dangerous she and her three friends are.

She and her three friends who seek to right wrongs against women are, ‘women who refused to be packed up and sent away’. They use their power, especially the power of the Duchess, their leader, to exert power and right wrongs. The earlier chapters in this book have a ‘Be gay. Do crimes.’ energy to them and I would love to see one of the three other women have a female love interest. There is a transgressive energy to this novel.

I thought the mystery of the book was very well done and I didn’t guess any of the twists or turns. Unfortunately, I did think, as interesting as the romance was, it was the weakest part of the of the novel. This could be because Sesily was a much more compelling character than Caleb. Caleb seemed to exist to further the plot and be in love with Sesily. I did not feel he really stood on his own as a character.

My other quibble, and I hope this is addressed in later books, is that while the books were populated with BIPOC characters none of them had any real character development. I hope to see more development of those characters, especially the Duchess’ man of all trades. He is quite interesting to me given his job.

I had some quibbles with this book but I truly adored every moment I spent reading it and will definitely reread it when it is published. I thought so many things were superbly done: the writing itself, Sesily’s character development, the group of four, the mystery, the feminist recast of English society, the pacing.

All in all, I would give this book 4.75 stars and a round of applause for the way it approached so many romance tropes and set them on their ear.

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

Okay...breathe!

Sesily "Sexily" Talbot is back and if possible, even a bigger bad ass than before. (If you haven't read Sarah's "Scandal & Scoundrel" series which introduced us all to the "Soiled S's" Talbot sisters, drop whatever you are doing and do that now. Do it! Do it!...I'll wait.)

Good, you're back!

So now that you are up to speed on the kick-ass Talbot sisters, you know that out of them all, Sesily is hands-down the most balls out, rake-ess of them all and having been privy to her unrepentant flirtation with a certain, hunky, American tavern owner, you now understand how excited I was to finally see them paired off in a story of their very own.

With her partner-in-crime sisters all blissfully married and the man she's in lust with an ocean away, Sesily's story begins with our heroine feeling a little at loose ends with her life, but not for long.

Joining a league of extraordinary women, Sesily has found her purpose and whilst in the middle of a mission (with a hilarious twist, btw), who should suddenly re-appear in her life but, the one man who rejected her affections, Caleb Calhoun.

Strap on your oven mitts, because from the moment these two re-connect, this story is on fire!

Despite repeatedly spurning Sesily's advances over the years, Caleb is a boiling cauldron of repressed desires beneath the surface and now that he has returned to England, his noble intentions for avoiding Miss Talbot are being tested at every turn. Especially when the adorable troublemaker keeps throwing herself into dangerous situations and (Gasp!) does one helluva job of holding her own when it comes to getting out of them.

When one of her missions and his past collide, trying to avoid each other becomes impossible and the sparks that have always flown between them, inevitably explodes into glorious flame.

Ms. MacLean is a virtuoso when it comes to creating no-hold's barred heroines and pairing them with the one man strong enough to love them exactly as they are. Sesily sums it up perfectly as she tells Caleb...

"This is how we love. Out loud. With truth. This is how we fight. Together, or not at all."

Bombshell, is just another glowing example of the genius of Sarah MacLean and a story that will linger in your heart and mind for days after and fill you with rabid anticipation for the next entry in the Hell's Belle's saga!

Fans of MacLean will likely recognize the name Talbot--some of our leading lady's sisters have appeared in previous series. Sesily "Sexily" Talbot is on of the scandalous "S" sisters (scandalous for not only their low birth and great wealth, but their life choices), and she has tangled herself up with an equally noteworthy duchess. Sesily, the duchess, and two other young ladies are out for revenge--against the men of London.

Caleb Calhoun, partner in business to Sesily's sister and the man with whom Sesily herself had once been in love, catching her in the act of just such a strike against the "rotters". Sesily quickly realizes that, though Caleb has murky secrets of his own, she must trust him with hers--but what else is she willing to trust him with?

Unfortunately, to be enjoyed, Bombshell requires suspending disbelief just a little too much. On the heels of several tie-in series about feisty, feminist, completely off-the-wall heroines, I couldn't stomach one more. Just as most romance writers now want one to belief that there's a duke inside of every carriage, I'm to believe that there are entire families of wallflowers-turned-warrior.

I am a HUGE fan of Sarah MacLean! So I was thrilled to see this new offering. No spoilers, , but we get a totally amazing fandom-will-love tie-in/cameos from other series in this one. I am too excited. This is the story of Sesily and Caleb. Their story connects with old favs and opens the door for a new series about strong heroines we already love by just being introduced to them here. She has a bad rep, while secretly only loving just him. He's run half-way across the world to show his disinterest, while only loving just her. There are so many twists, turns, and changes.... but, their struggle to connect in spite of all just is a miracle to read. I loved, loved, loved this story and recommend it to you. I can't wait for the 2nd one to drop. So, maybe I'll go back to the other series in the meantime. I suggest you do the same! Do Not Miss This Story.. do not miss this author!!!

Absolute winner for a start of new series from a previously introduced Heroine one of the remaining unmarried Talbot sister, Sesily, the most beautiful, intelligent and adventurous of the 5 sisters.

Sesily remains unmarried while her 4 sisters are all married to titled and formidable men and are now rule the ton. Sesily at 28 remains single and carefree with a trio of friends each of whom have considerable talents and have an agenda to set unjust activities of certain ton members to straights. Sesily is emitted by Caleb Calhoun the American business partner of her older sister the current duchess, but Caleb had rejected her overtures ans left back to the colonies.
Two years later, he is back and Sesily’s attraction to Caleb is as string as before, but Caleb has a huge baggage and mystery surrounds him and he has secrets which will not allow him to have a relationship.

The story is mix of adventure, mystery and romance and strong characters and witty and droll dialogues and is a sure page turner. Loved every chapter. Without giving out the mystery surround Caleb and the villainous Coleford, the book does not meander but keeps the reader engaged.

I hope there will be books for all of phenomenal 4 ladies introduced in this series.

Sarah Maclean at her best. A must read.

I’ve been waiting for Sesily’s book for what feels like forever and Bombshell did not disappoint! Sarah MacLean has an ability to right heroines that are both empowered and emotionally vulnerable in a way that is so refreshing. Can’t wait for the rest of Hell’s Belles!

What a great first book in a new series! Lady Sesily Talbot is a feisty unmarried English woman "of a certain age" and part of a secret feminist society, the Hell's Belles. Scandalous and seductive, Sesily is not bound by society's rules so she is able to enjoy the freedom to pursue whatever interests her. American Caleb Calhoun interested her two years ago but when he returned to America she was devastated, Now he's back and their connection is stronger than ever. It's going to take a strong man to keep up with Sesily but Caleb is trying hard. Recommended.

Oh yes. Oh yes yes yes yes yes. Now this is what I’ve been wanting. I have to be honest, I’ve been disappointed w the latest series by this author, I couldn’t even finish the Daring book. So I was cautious on this one but oh my goodness yes yes yes to it all. Sarah Maclean is back & better than ever. This book was great on its own but it was awesome as a series opener because holy moly it made me salivate for the rest of the Belle’s books. Great character intros! Sesily & Caleb were delicious and I’m so excited to see how the rest of the characters stories go. The best part is that this series seems to really be ready to take a stronger feminist perspective, which is something I increasingly need from my historical romances. SM books have often been a bit too much alpha male “you stay home, I’ll protect you, the girls are virgins or shamed of not, & the girls are desperate for marriage and babies” across the board to date but it seems finally finally that those molds are ready to be broken, anf sesily’s book was a great opening salvo in this new approach. I can’t wait fir the rest, my faith in this author is officially restored!

Full disclosure, I work for Sarah as her author assistant. But I have been a fan of her work for YEARS and I've been DYING for Sesily's book.

Boy howdy did she deliver. I simply ADORE Sesily and all the Hell's Belle's. This group of women joining forces to fight the patriarchy is just what I want in 2021 (and beyond). Caleb is the perfect hero too. He supports Sesily and all the Belle's in their endeavors.

Sexy. Smart. I inhaled this book in one sitting.

I adore Sarah and her books. I’ve reread all her books within the past year in preparation for Bombshell (and also because they’re my favorite). Bombshell takes place two years after Day of the Duchess where Sesily and Caleb first meet. This is the start of a new series so readers do not read to read any of Sarah’s other books to enjoy it, but those who have at least read the Sandal & Scoundrel series will appreciate it more. This one also takes place in Sarah’s universe so there are subtle references to locations and people from her other books.

I love both Sesily and Caleb. Sesily has always been my favorite Talbot sister so I was excited for her to finally have her own book. I always knew that there was going to more to Celeste than initially met the eye but I was not ready for the depth of her character found in this book. Caleb and his grumpy sweetness has also had such a wonderful presence since he was introduced in Sarah’s books. Since the pair met and instantly clashed, I have been waiting and wishing and hoping for them to finally get together and have their happily ever after.

I was not sure what to expect for the subplot of this book and the overarching theme of this new series and was absolutely delighted the the band of women misfits introduced. I am very excited for each of the Hell’s Belles to have their own book. Sarah always does such a wonderful job of balancing the subplot against the romance so one never takes from the other, and this one is no exception. At no point in the book does the Hell’s Belles’ plotting ever turn into “fossils.”

While I had an absolutely delightful time reading Bombshell and will probably reread it several times, it didn’t beat out Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover as my favorite MacLean novel. That being said, Sarah’s books are leaps and bounds better than most books I read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love love love!
Bombshell is awesome and lots of fun - I cannot wait to read the next books in the series! Caleb is so sexy and Sisley is wonderful. I love all the adventures they find themselves going into together and the enemy in this book is a real evil man which makes it sort of suspenseful. I do wish I could of read the stories of Sisleys four other sisters, all names starting with S! Sera and her husband sound very interesting. The heat between Caleb and Sisley is HOT and I love the trope of waiting to get your true love to notice you ( even when they do not know they are yet your true love lol ) .

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC to read and review.

I’m going to be in the minority here and just come out and say I didn’t enjoy this story. Sesily is the last Talbot girl to marry and she has decided to be independent and follow her own path, which leads her into danger for noble causes. Caleb Calhoun is the Aerican partner of her sister who she cannot forget.

When he returns, he finds her in the middle of a mission to right a society wrong and is made to understand that she needs no rescuing from a man. Her band of lady crusaders are working to bring down the dastardly men of society.

Discovering the members of the team of ladies was fun, and sets up the series for future stories and hints at the leading men for each.

The romance, while signature Maclean, with steamy love scenes, fell a bit flat for me. Their relationship seemed forced. It was all a bit overly melodramatic to me.

I do appreciate the strong heroines that MacLean is producing. It makes for a great twist on the historical era of Victorian London.

I look forward to the next in the series.

Five stars for this historical romance that had me vibrating with happiness, crying genuine tears and laughing out loud. I couldn't have loved Sesily and her Hell's Belles more! Impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!!

This. Book. Was. AMAZING. I loved every single second of it! It’s fun, it’s feminist, and it’s SO deliciously sexy. This may even be my favorite Sarah MacLean book ever!

Two years ago, Sesily’s heart was broken when Caleb returned to Boston, but after feeling alone and misunderstood by society and her own sisters, she’s found a new purpose with an incredible group of women led by the Duchess of Trevescan: holding society’s Missing Stairs accountable for their vile actions against women!

Sesily and her friends are at a ball, making their move against one of these awful men and escaping from the “scene of the crime” when she runs into Caleb, newly returned to England, and he helps provide cover for her in the most delicious way. And from that point, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other. Sesily’s next target is the Viscount of Coleford, whom Caleb has a vested interest in protecting her from, but Sesily can protect herself and never hesitates to tell him so!

This book is full of scene after scene of sizzling interactions between Sesily and Caleb. Seriously, every scene with the two of them is full of amazing tension and I could not put the book down! Their scenes were HOT! I loved the plot and what Sesily and her friends do to support other women, and I loved all of the women in that group. I can’t wait to read their books!

Aside from the absolutely perfect interactions between Sesily and Caleb, my favorite thing about this book is how things played out at the end. I did get frustrated with Caleb a time or two, but there’s a moment here at the end that shows he finally gets what Sesily has been telling him about her ability to take care of things. It’s such a small moment, but it really brought home the point that they work well together and I can’t stop thinking about how much I loved it! And I loved what Sesily’s friends do to help them out as well.

If any of the following statements are true, you should absolutely pick up this book:
- You love historical romances but wish the heroine was the one doing the saving
- You love badass women making vile men pay for their actions
- You love a strong, unapologetic heroine who makes her own way in the world
- You love topnotch chemistry with immensely satisfying payoff

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review!

I loved Bombshell. I’ve been waiting for Sesily’s story and was not disappointed. Sarah MacLean’s writing keeps getting better and better. With the fun, sexy, action-packed plot I don’t feel like I’m wrong to hope for an adaptation, the story and characters are fully formed and jump off the page. It’s a wonderful, romantic book and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Bombshell by Sarah MacLean
• historical romance

Rating: 5 stars

Lady Sesily Talbot is waging war with her secret society of feminists in this sizzling first book in the Hell’s Belles series.

Sesily is the unmarried, scandalous siren of her family and definitely keeps London society on their toes. She secretly pines for her sister’s friend and business partner, the elusive and dashing American- Caleb Calhoun. Caleb can’t seem to shake Sesily from his mind since they shared a kiss all those years ago. Now that he’s back on British soil, let the scintillating tug of war begin!


Thoughts:

Ummmm HOT. This was my first read of Sarah MacLean’s and she might be my new favorite author. The sexual tension and dirty talk were mind blowing and well placed. There was also an excellently spun story to really flip those pages.

(Note: I was a bit lost in the beginning, but I had a sneaky suspicion that was because I haven’t read any other Sarah’s other books. I felt like there were known characters and story lines that would’ve made more sense had I read other possibly connected series. Author did an excellent job of summarizing though)


Interest: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Happy Ending: Yes
Would I recommend: Yes


*** I was given an UNCORRECTED PROOF copy of this book for an honest review by the publisher through Net Galley ***

I am so intrigued by this book and am anxiously awaiting the rest of the series. It does take a little bit to warm up, which I think is the danger of being the first book of a new series as all the pieces get laid out, and I think the internal conflicts keeping the couple apart get a little convoluted, but once the book gets going, boy, does it get going. Sesily is such a strong, self-aware character, and Caleb is stubborn, stern, and gooey. The steamy parts had me missing certain exes so I give them thumbs-up for MacLean's attention to detail. All in all, a really good book and a great way to start a new series.

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This is a spoiler free review. So if you are looking for a recap or a play by play of what goes down, I am not the reviewer for you. So please enjoy my further ramblings and fan-girling as that is what this review is going to be ::shrugs::

You know a book is something special when you stop reading at 1 am just to wake up at 5 am and finish. I could not contain myself as this has got to be one of the funnest books I’ve ever read. I have been in this perpetual funk. Not a book funk, as the past few books I have read have been brilliant but I think just a general meh-ness which I am attributing to the pandemic, last 4 years, mercury in retrograde, etc. But Bombshell has me feeling like I am on cloud 9. I have a pep in my step today, Joan Jett “Do You Wanna Touch” is ringing in my ears and I have never wanted to gather all of my girlfriends together to start our very own lady gang out in the pursuit of justice and maybe catch a hot man’s gaze along the way.

It wasn’t just that what goes on was fun, but the journey of Sesily & Caleb, the almost-ness, and what could be we saw between them in The Day of the Duchess, is so utterly satisfying as a fan of SM’s books and of this couple. Their story has been years in the making, as I have spent years waiting, and it was so worth it!

I loved Sesily’s cheek and boldness and the vulnerability that she shows. And Caleb is a hot piece of swoon man candy. You have to have a strong man like him that can stand along a strong woman like Sesily and not be drowned out or forgotten. He is a protective hero but not one that forces reigns upon his lady, and for that I am thankful. Caleb is the type of hero that loves Sesily and does not take away or dampen her shine. And the two of these together are romantic, sensual, epic.

And if you tell me that in my lifetime I will not see Sesily and the girls on the screen (be it show or movie) I promise I will RIOT because this story and the promise of what remains going forward in this series has me absolutely giddy with delight. Between the prologue that had me intoxicated with what was to come, to the epilogue that had me smiling like a fool, Bombshell is one of my most anticipated books of the year that nailed it. It exceeded any of my expectations because while I was so excited for romance it was SO much more. This book had me feeling joy and it’s been a long time since I felt that.

*And while you could start this without having read anything of Sarah MacLean’s, you are doing yourself a great disservice if you don’t take the time before release and devour her entire catalogue. But I would say the bare minimum would be reading Books 1 & 3 (Scandal & Scoundrel series) to at least get aquatinted with Sesily’s family and to see where Sesily and Caleb first meet.

Full disclosure, I'm a fan of Sarah MacLean, and am thrilled to read her latest historical romance. Lady Sesily Talbot is a walking scandal. She is 30, with her own money, living with great freedom and independence. Her four sisters are married into wealth and aristocracy, starting families of their own. Sesily along with three friends come together to help women and servants who can't help themselves. Caleb Calhoun has been seeing to his clubs in America. He returns to London to check on his club there which he owns with Sesily's sister. Neither Caleb or Sesily have forgotten their attraction and shared kiss from two years ago.

Sesily is a modern day heroine and doesn't feel bound by societies rules. I love the idea of a gang of Victorian ladies fighting for women to have better situations. Especially when the laws of the day aren't in their favor. For me this is a transition book. It finishes the Talbot Sisters stories that are part of the Scandal & Scoundrel series and starts the new Hell's Belle's series. I love MacLean's London world where characters and places from other books frequently show up as easter egg treats for her reading fans. The book does stand alone but you must read The Day of the Duchess if you want to read where Sesily and Caleb first meet. (4.5 stars)

The cover is beautiful and eye catching. And the title fits both Sesily and the secrets uncovered in the story. This is a delightful, sexy, fun romp in Victorian England. I just barely finished and already am anticipating Adelaide's story. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I'm usually not a fan of historical romance, but I love when authors take liberties and make history a little... better. That's what happens in this novel. Sarah MacLean creates a secret society of scandalous women (they read! they think! they even go out to bars!) united in one common goal -- protecting other women.

Sesily is one of these women, perhaps the most scandalous of them, and she was a fun main character to follow. As much as I enjoyed her and Caleb's story, I really, really can't wait for the story of her friend Imogen. I haven't read the rest of the series related to the Soiled S's, but I might be interested in that after this fun adventure.