You Were Made to Be Mine
The Palace of Rogues
by Julie Anne Long

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

This book is the 5th in the series so while not absolutely necessary - reading the previous books is recommended.

The writing is beautiful. The set up is fairly unique which can be hard to do in romance sometimes as we do love our tropes. Slow to build but once the story picks up just lovely. Plenty of wit, romance and inner turmoil. Excellent historical romance. 5/5

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was sexy, fun, sweet and fast-paced. It held my interest and I didn't want to put it down. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #5 in the Palace of Rogues series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

While this is a part of a series and some of the prior couples make multiple appearances, you don't have to read them to fully understand and enjoy this delightful tale.

I loved the dual POV format. Seeing into a character's thoughts and know what they are feeling and thinking, really help me to better connect and understand them.

Both main protagonists are ones that just perfect for each other. I felt a connection to them. I was cheering them on with each page that I turned. Reading how the author just threw the worst at them and how they rose above it all kept me glued to my e-reader long into the night.

There were some very funny scenes here as well as the tense, angsty ones. I especially loved the one with Lord Bolt and Captain Hardy come upon the scene when Hawke made his appearance at their wives' business. Swoon-worthy as well!!!!

This is a sexy read that was very well written. I definitely would recommend this to anyone over the age of 18.

Julie Anne Long is an excellent writer of historical romances, and I absolutely loved the wry, darkly humorous tone of the opening chapter of this book. I couldn't wait until the H and h's meeting. Except...they meet much later than expected. Many chapters later. And the focus remains more on the secondary characters and a rather convoluted plot even after they get together. The balance between the MC's "opposites attract" relationship and the in and outs of the storyline and various minor characters just don't quite mesh overall. The author's use of language is lovely (although I did spot a few editing errors here and there) but there's an occasional underlying grimness that dulled my enjoyment. Maybe it's me; I love spy romances but lately am gravitating toward lighter fare. The h has a trauma from her past that is pretty easy to guess, but it's still troubling when described and may trigger readers.

I think you might enjoy this book more if you like historical fiction than romantic fiction, as by the time I reached the HEA I was relieved it had finally occurred instead of feeling warm fuzzies about the outcome. I didn't read the previous couple entries in this series, so the fault is probably mine that I just didn't get into this book as much as I'd hoped.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own.

Reviews on Bookbub, Goodreads, and posted to Amazon on date of publication.

2.5 Stars

“She had never been so noticed. She had never been so wanted. She had never felt so womanly. She had never been an obsession. And this made her feel like a heroine in a story. And she’d thought: Surely such things added up to love? She’d once watched as a spider wrapped a fly round and round in a gossamer-sticky silk and wondered- at what point does the fly realize they can no longer move?”

Lady Aurelie Capet flees from her fiancé, the Earl of Brundage, after an altercation where she finds his true character lacking. Christian Hawkes has spent the last three years in prison after he was so close to discovering the Earl of Brundage’s top secret money smuggling scheme. He wants revenge on the man who ruined his life, and when Brundage hires Christian to find his fiancé and bring her home he finds the perfect way to enact his revenge.

Julie Anne Long was one of the very first historical romance writers that I read, and some of the characters from her Pennyroyal Green series hold a special place in my heart. I have been waiting and hoping that this new series would bring back the magic that I felt when I read It Happened One Midnight, but so far I have been disappointed. Are they badly written books? No. I wish I could tell you why I am not connecting to them. The characters are fine. The plot is fine. The writing is fine. I just want it to be something more than fine, and I know that Julie Anne Long is capable of being brilliant.

I want to feel all the romance and the heart. I want to see the characters’ undeniable chemistry explode on the page. I want the focus to be back on the main couple. None of that happened in this book, and it left me feeling a little sad. I hope that she can bring just a little bit of the magic she is capable of creating into the next story!

If you’re a fan of authors like Caroline Linden and Olivia Parker then maybe give this one a shot. It may work better for you than it did for me.

~ Michelle

This is my first book by this author although she’s been on my “want to read” list for a long time. Initially, I wasn’t sure if it was going to work for me as the hero and heroine do not meet until after the first third of the book. The start was a bit slow in the romance department due to that but I still enjoyed what was happening with each of these characters leading up to that moment.

I liked the bit of intrigue that surrounded Hawkes. It wasn’t as much a mystery as it was the method he was going about to even the score with his adversary. He was a strong hero that had an immediate reaction to Aurelie the moment he saw her. The steam wasn’t prevalent, but I could definitely feel the chemistry between this couple.

There isn’t a lot of time with them together from the moment they met until the end but it was layered with drama and uncertainty as well as a host of humor from the residents at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Oh my gosh, I loved everyone there! They were perfect in every way and made the best of friends to Aurelie who felt so alone.

Overall, I found this to be a great read and the writing to have that historical feel to it that is sometimes lacking these days.

I am a fan of Julie Anne Long! You Were Made to Be Mine is a steamy historical romance that kept me turning the pages. Her written style is amazing, and her stories are intriguing.

I really enjoyed reading this book by one of my favorite authors. Ms Long knows her craft while writing a totally fantastic historical romance. I like how her characters are involved with each other. This shows in the story line in which had me at first page. You feel for each person through their thoughts and feelings. It was an adventure to see how the changes showed in a person's character.
The Grand Palace on the Thames is a refuge for all types of people who just want to live their lives in safety and acceptance. You meet Lady Aurelie Capet who is living among the kindness of the ladies and gentlemen. She is sheltered there with the belief that one hateful man won't find her and hurt her again.
Christian Hawkes is a former British spy and he's supposedly a traitor but he can't prove his innocence. He has been hired by the Earl of Brundages to find his missing fiancee and be given a lot of money to bring her back to him. When a strange man is left on the door step of the Grand Palace on the Thames, Aurelie doesn't know what to make of the man. He's been beaten and finds himself on the mercy of people who don't trust him either.
Hawkes and Aurelie become friends and feel an attachment that is unexpected. It becomes a true test of their love that makes them want to tell secrets and over come their pasts.
I appreciate this ARC title in which I gave and honest review.

This is the 5th story in the Palace of Rogues series and every one of them has been a joy to read and highly entertaining and this one was no exception. Our hero Hawkes who has spent 3 years in a French prison since he was captured as a spy (somebody sold him out) is back in England once more and is being offered a "job" by Brundage the very person he thinks was responsible for his imprisonment. He is to find a runaway bride which is a overused troupe but done exceptionally well in this instance. Our heroine has led a very sheltered life but has had a serious introduction to reality in the form of her new fiancée who is a pretty horrible man it seems. The rest of the story revolves around his introduction into our familiar cast of characters in the Palace of Rogues who all add to make this a wonderful story and I could hardly put it down. It was close to 5 Stars but a few points I though it got bogged down and I scanned a few pages here and there so a solid 4 Stars and top flight entertainment.

Julie Anne Long continues to fill the guestbook of The Grand Palace on the Thames with this not-quite-secret identity historical romance.

Christian Hawkes has just survived three years’ imprisonment by the French for being Britain’s espionage emperor. Now he’s on the trail of Lady Aurelie Capet, the Earl of Brundage’s French fiancée, who’s recently fled. An added complication? Brundage may just be the man who betrayed the British to the French at a crucial (though not decisive, as this is not an alternate universe) battle - and turned in Hawkes, too. Lady Aurelie, meanwhile, is fleeing Brundage not for his political actions, but his personal ones. Will Hawkes and Aurelie find each other? Eventually, when all the storylines converge at The Grand Palace. But this is not an express coach.

The early chapters of You Were Made to Be Mine resemble an ensemble historical sitcom, with broad, slightly wearying comedy provided by The Grand Palace’s other residents and some light romantic elements provided by its owners, Delilah and Angelique, whose love stories with their husbands carry over from prior entries in the series. Hawkes and Aurelie don’t meet until a third of the way in - a meeting at which Hawkes is unconscious. Once he does manage to focus both eyes on her, however, they’re mutual goners. However, the fact that they are kept apart for so long makes the book feel - structurally at least - like it isn’t a romance.

The title tells you everything you need to know: You Were Made to Be Mine. This is a soulmates sort of book. To call it instalove or instalust would be unfairly belittling Aurelie and Hawkes’s feelings. They clearly care (quite literally) for each other, and that sincerity saves their love story from crossing over from mushy to outright silly. Much of their romance involves Hawkes rescuing Aurelie from bodily harm. He cannot, however, save her from the bodily harm she sustained prior to the start of the book, which, it becomes clear early on, was rape at the hands of Brundage. This trauma, however, does not appear to affect the relationship between Hawkes and Aurelie in any tangible way. Aurelie falls hard for Hawkes and embarks on a emotional and sexual relationship with him with gusto. There’s some suggestion that the equanimity with which she handles her traumatic experience is deep shock, and Hawkes says “I suspect that how you think and feel about it will change over time” so it’s left somewhat open-ended.

Aurelie is French in the way that she’s a brunette - she just is. There’s no real discussion about what it would mean for her to be a French woman in 1820 in England, a country that has just emerged from a pivotal war with France. She’s naïve and yet hyper observant, especially about Hawkes. It’s easy to imagine she’d be an excellent spy (though that is not a plot twist here) - perhaps even better than Hawkes, who doesn’t so much spy on as subtly pry into people. He’s a very high-yield spy though; he meets with success at almost every turn in his efforts.
The writing elevates the story and keeps it from falling off the B-grade ledge. Long never takes a breather between lines of (good) dialogue, and makes every word work hard to make the novel’s world vivid without over-describing.

In keeping with the story’s aversion to the HEA epilogue structure of many romances, You Were Made to Be Mine ends with a knock at the door. Happily, though this tale is imperfect, it’s good enough that unlocking it doesn’t seem like a terrible idea.

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I thought the fifth entry in the Palace of Rogues was a story that beautifully mixed in a wonderful romance, some heart wrenching events that happen to both lead characters and the fun the the characters of the Grand Palace of the Thames brought in. For my first Julie Anne Long book this one is getting 4.5 stars (rounded down on this scale to 4 stars). While this is the fifth book on the series it can be read a a standalone although I think I would of gotten more out of it reading the whole series, which I now plan to.

The story involves Christian Hawkes who was just release from a French prison after being falsely accused of espionage. He is determine to get revenge on those that put him there. In fact one of those he suspects needs his help finding his fiancée that has recently ran away. He agree to find her to help his bigger goal. All Lady Aurelie Capet wants is a family after her parents and one brother dies and the other brother and she is separated by an ocean. She thought she found that with her fiancée but one night he harms her in a away that was heart breaking for Aurelie. The earliest she could she ran away, she does. She finds herself at The Grand Palace of the Thames with intention to get to her brother in the Americans. When Hawkes literally himself at the same place after being stab, will the TGPOTT bring them together and help them find not only the answers they want but their heart desires?

Content warning for sexual assault/rape and death of love ones.

Loved this one and wishing I started reading this author sooner. Favorite thing of this was the community building in this. I loved all the Thames characters. Those parts where just so fun to read and had a smile on my face most of those scenes. I loved the romance between Hawkes and Aurelie as well. It’s definitely more slower developed but the way he would try lift her spirits and remind her of her strength and the way she took care of him when she was able made me love their romance. Loved both character individually but Aurelie now has a special place in my heart. The strength she shows and the way she tried never letting what happen define her where things I loved. The care she showed with people was something I also loved. The scenes describing the rape in this where heartbreakingly written. It was beautifully written story. That I am glad to give 4.5 stars to.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for this arc.

It read like the author struggled to keep the plot together. It didn't flow.
I've love all the other in the series.

I do not mind a slow romance, which I knew this was going to be after reading other reviews. Very quickly, it became an exercise in "learning what is getting published nowadays" since I mostly read romance novels from the mid 90s to around 2012.

A trend that I have noticed is relying heavily on perspectives outside the main characters--spending long passages or almost whole chapters from other people's POVs. I'm not opposed to this in theory--I'm sure it can be done well, though I can't think of an example. But it is jarring when you are reading from the POV of the hero and then all of the sudden some undefined narrative voice is extolling his charms to women.

This passage for example" "His charm was like contraband whiskey: potent, addictive, sometimes scathing, a subversive pleasure. When he laughed, his crystalline blue eyes lit like the sun breaking through clouds. When he was furious, he could freeze a man's gizzards with a single glance." This is from a chapter based around Hawkes' 3rd person POV, but the narrative perspective is distinctly NOT the MMC--those descriptions are from someone viewing him.

So while the prose is pretty and evocative, the structure doesn't make much sense. It isn't like we commit to a distant perspective either--the narrator also slips into Hawkes' view in within paragraphs.

Maybe this is an attempt at more of a free indirect discourse like Jane Austen? But the convention of dual POV (and sticking to that primary dual POV) exists and Long doesn't seem sure if she wants to commit to the free indirect discourse's narrative voice. Instead what happens, it comes across as lazy limited POV writing.

The other side of the POV issue is the number of passages that are given over to the POV of non-main characters--again this feels like it could be innovative structurally, but here feels like laziness and lack of interest in making the dual POV convention work for this story.

This is all to say--I got up to the point where the couple FINALLY meets and then I realize that Aurelie is wearing a mauve dress. This book is set in 1820. The color mauve was famously! not invented as a chemical dye in 1856. So I DNF"d it. I'm by no means a stickler for historical accuracy, especially when it comes to social conventions, but a mistake like that just reveals to me a lack of interest in the period you are setting the book in! It seems to be more about aesthetic trapping than using the setting or conventions of the genre to explore this couple's story.

The newest entry in the Palace of Rogues series is a poignant love story between two people coming to terms with the fact that the world is not the safe place it might seem to be. Of course, they are able to heal from their past trauma in part because they are staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames, the most comfortable, welcoming, tough love boarding house in London - aka TGPOTT as immortalized on some commemorative handkerchiefs.

As a romance, this is a slow (slooooow) burn of a relationship. Aurelie is escaping from her fiance (check CW on this one), while Hawkes was released from prison by said fiance with the express purpose of locating her. Hawkes is a former spymaster, so he's the perfect person to locate a missing woman... except that Brundage, her fiance, is likely the man who put Hawkes in prison, bankrupted him, and betrayed the Crown in the process. Hawkes's investigation leads him not just to Aurelie, but also uncovers the reason why she fled in the first place.

While their relationship is based on their shared understanding of pain (and thus full of external angst), the inhabitants of TGPOTT provide a soft landing place for them both. As a part of a series, this book shines, with plenty of fan service for longtime readers (we learn that Captain Hardy gets dressed trousers first, while Lord Bolt pulls on his shirt before anything else). Julie Anne Long's humor is also on display, which is a welcome counterpoint to the heart piercingly tender courtship between Aurelie and Hawkes. It's a book that both rips out your heart but also gently puts it back together for you.

CW: Rape (not between hero and heroine), violence.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I have loved each of the books in the Palace of Rogues series and You Were Made to be Mine was no different! The book checked off so many of my boxes and I think Aurelie and Christian’s story is my second favorite of the series. (I just love Tristan and Delilah’s story so much that Lady Derring Takes a Lover will forever be number one for me.) Please note: some aspects of the story might be triggering for readers, so please check the content warnings prior to starting.

Things to look forward to:
- Tropes like: age gap (MMC is 35 and FMC is 21), forced proximity, hidden identities, caretaker, only one bed
- I loved seeing Aurelie grow and become more confident as the book progressed. She has endured and risked so much for the chance at a better life and I really respected her grit and perseverance. Yes, she made some bad choices along the way, but given her history and level of desperation, it was understandable.
- Christian Hawkes. This starchy and clever spymaster was primed for quite the fall from the start and boy did Julie Anne Long deliver! I’m a sucker for the strong silent types, and though some of his tactics were questionable, his devotion and sense of honor were not. I did feel that his revenge/the mystery subplot overshadowed the romance a bit, but seeing Brundage get his comeuppance was very satisfying.
- Wonderful cameos from previous characters. I will always love Tristan and Delilah and there’s quite an emotional and tender scene between them in the book (as well as one featuring Lucien and Angelique). I think the author provided enough context and backstory that readers who haven’t read the previous books won’t be too lost, but I can understand the number of characters referenced and their substantial cameos might be a bit overwhelming.

I both listened to the audiobook and read the ebook of You Were Made to be Mine and Justine Eyre’s performance was wonderful. She truly elevates the story with her superb narration and I definitely recommend experiencing this series on audio! I’m still hoping that we’ll get a book for Dot before this series is over *fingers crossed*

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

CW: sexual assault and rape (past), death of family members (past), treason, money laundering, MMC was imprisoned for 3 years after being betrayed, attempted robbery, stabbing, PTSD

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was highly conflicted by this book. The first half of the book moved slowly, and so much was going on with so many characters that it got confusing at times. Christian and Aurelie do not meet until thirty percent into the book. There was too much setup in the first half. Also, there is a significant trigger warning with this book which I felt should have been disclosed in the blurb/synopsis.

That being said, here is why I gave the novel four stars. Once the couple meets, the story kicks into a new gear. Some of the scenes between Christian and Aurelie are exquisitely romantic. Christian is an older, experienced spymaster trying to get his life back together after a harrowing three years. Aurelie is young and disillusioned, running from an abomination done to her by her fiancé. Christian is paid to find Aurelie, but everything changes when the two meet.

There is a passage in the novel that says the couple felt as if they had always loved each other; the quality of the romantic dialogue and vivid description of the sweetly passionate love scenes convinced me of the truth of that statement. My heart broke and soared at the achingly sweet way Christian is with Aurelie. Aurelie’s trust in Christian is all-encompassing. These are two damaged people who have been through tremendous trauma and pain that find the cleansing and healing power of unconditional love. I fell head over heels in love with Christian and Aurelie’s journey to happiness.

You Were Made To Be Mine is the fifth book in The Palace Of Rogues series. This book started on the wrong foot; however, once Christian and Aurelie meet, we discover a sensual, pure love between two lost souls. The last thirty percent of the book is romantic writing at its best. Julie Anne Long has created hauntingly tragic characters who live and breathe and learn to trust and love. The romantic connection in this novel is phenomenal; that is why I gave it four stars. I understand it is a slow start going in, but I believe this is a romance well worth reading.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You Were Made to Be Mine is the 5th book in Julie Anne Long's glorious series The Palace of Rogues. I haven't read the first two books (I definitely need to amend that!), but the romance in each book stands alone. There are recurring characters you will definitely want to become acquainted with, but you won't be confused by jumping in at any time. I truly enjoyed books three and four, but this one by far was definitely my favorite. If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be EXQUISITE.

Christian Hawkes was a legendary British spymaster, until he was captured and sent to a brutal French prison for three years. Now a free man, he desperately needs to refill his coffers; that's why he's agreed to find the Earl of Brundage's runaway fiancee in exchange for a fortune. But Hawkes has an ulterior motive: He knows that Brundage is the English traitor who caused him to be imprisoned and lose his fortune. Lady Aurelie Capet escaped from the brutality her life had become, and she's heading to Boston to reunite with her brother. But first, Aurelie takes refuge at The Grand Palace on the Thames under the alias Mary Gallagher, a widow. She finds peace and kindness at The Grand Palace, until a handsome man literally falls into the Palace and interrupts her fragile contentment. Desire quickly blooms between the sheltered young woman and the jaded spy, and they begin to learn each other's secrets. They know, however, that in order to find happiness Hawkes must avenge Aurelie and seek vengeance against the traitorous Brundage.

This truly is now one of my favorite books ever, as well as one of my favorite couples ever to grace the pages of a historical romance novel. This book was truly unique in that both Hawkes and Aurelie have deep secrets, yet they both know and understand why the other is holding those secrets close. They don't become angry and have a love/hate relationship. It was refreshing they both readily admitted to their feelings, even though they might not use the exact word in expressing them. The romance was very sweet yet intense. I loved that Hawkes, though a tough and jaded spy, was so sensitive in thought and feelings. Aurelie was a lovely young woman who wouldn't let her past relationship ruin what she could have with Hawkes. The dialogue between the two was lyrical and beautiful, as were their inner musings. Intimate moments were steamy, but mainly focused on emotional connection. This was one of the most romantic books I've ever read. Of course, one of the best thing about this series is The Grand Palace on the Thames and its wonderful occupants. Dot the maid collects new words, is proud when she doesn't drop the tea tray, does what she can to help true love along and loves opening the front door to visitors more than anything. Permanent guest Mr. Delacorte, a seller of potions and medical remedies, fills up the epithet jar on a regular basis, loves donkey races and is a jolly friend to all. This series has the best supporting cast EVER. A visit to The Grand Palace is always a joy, and I hope I have the opportunity to visit many more times.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Ms. Long for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I have long been a fan of Ms. Long's historical romances. I find she has a gift for well-executed dialogue, substantial worldbuilding and characterization, a neat turn of phrase, and a clear, well-paced plot... not to mention some much needed humor. (YMMV on the humor, of course.) I'm also a big fan of historical romances that involve spies. Joanna Bourne, in particular, does these very well. There is never a lack of PLOT in her historical spy romance stories, which is frequently the case in other authors'. This is an extremely roundabout way to say that I think Ms. Long completely pulled it off. Many historical romances featuring spies feature inexplicable decisions and actions, such as the (usually male) spy spilling all to their love interest at inopportune times, questionable choices, and lack of focus. Not here. Mr. Christian Hawkes is a spy to take completely seriously.

Anyways. Christian Hawkes is released from French prison at the Earl of Brundage's behest, and hired to track down Brundage's runaway fiancee (incidentally, a scion of the French royal family). Hawkes is promised a fortune to find and return Lady Aurelie Capet, along with the emerald necklace gifted by her fiancee, to Brundage. There's obviously (much) more to the story. Hawkes is more than competent enough to find Aurelie despite a few setbacks and obstacles, but once he's found her, what will he do? Any romance reader has a feeling where I'm going with this.

This story features our good friends, the inhabitants of the Grand Palace on the Thames. We are reunited with all our favorite characters; Dot isn't as charming to me as she seems to be to everyone else, but Delacourte is an absolute TREASURE and caused me to laugh out loud in the gym as I was reading this on the stair mill. (Listen: the stair mill is torture and this book definitely helped motivate me through a tedious intervals workout; don't judge.) It was also nice to see Captain Hardy and Lord Bolt in action, as it were.

Don't get me wrong, though: Aurelie and Hawkes, and the secrets they're hiding and uncovering, are more than enough to carry the book. Aurelie is sweet and kind despite personal traumas, and Hawkes is charming to the max.

There is a scene relatively early on in the book in which Aurelie recounts a particular traumatic experience that, while pivotal to the events of the book, may be difficult for some readers, FYI.

All in all this was a terrific book and lives up to the standards I've come to expect from this author. Can't wait for the next one! (I'm guessing it's Aurelie's brother?)

Book #5 in The Palace of Rogues series.

Heroine Lady Aurelie Capet is fleeing from her fiancé in Paris. She arrives in London at the doorstep of The Grand Palace on the Thames for sanctuary until she secures passage to her brothers home in America. Our hero, the dashing Christian Hawkes, has been hired by her fiancé to find her. He arrives at the boarding house, wounded and unconscious, not knowing Lady Aurelie is also staying there. Coincidence?!? Surely not. Meant to be? Yes! These two were destined to be a couple ever since Aurelie spotted our hero at a dance years before. It was love at first sight for her, our hero feeling the same when laying eyes on her!! 💕 A fantastic mystery with spies, trauma and healing, ending with the sweetest HEA for my most favorite couple in this series!! 💥👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨💥

I love this series, anticipating each book as it’s released!! 😊

Read as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books. All opinions are my own.

This is the fifth book in Julie Anne Long’s “Palace of Rogues” series. The story involves Christian Hawkes, a former spy, who is working for the evil Earl who orchestrated his three-year imprisonment in a French prison. The Earl hires Christian to find Lady Aurelie Capet, his fiancée who fled following an argument. In this story, the plot develops slowly as the main characters do not meet until well into the story. Christian tracks Lady Aurelie to London and the Palace of Rogues. There, he immediately falls in love with her. The two have to face new challenges, deal with the traitorous and cruel Earl, as well understand each other's secrets. The couple finally get their HEA with an emotionally satisfying ending.

I really enjoyed this book! Julie Anne Long’s writing is beautifully detailed with wonderful dialogue and sensual love scenes. Her stories concern characters who grow as a result of meeting each other and because of it have discovered a second chance at love.

Although this book can be read as a standalone, there are recurring characters in the “Palace of Rogues” series and knowing more about these characters' own back stories enhances the plot. The humorous antics of supporting characters such as Dot the maid bring additional life to the story. One of the most enjoyable aspects about Long's “Palace of Rogues” series is how Long creates a strong sense of family at the Palace bringing together a disparate set of people who would never have met under other circumstances.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.