I reviewed this title for Fresh Fiction. To see my full review please visit: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=83174

If you are looking for a fun adventure and a bit of fun this story is perfect for you. It is the next story in The Palace of Rogues series and it doesn't disappoint. You are going to love it. I love discovering a talented author that I didn’t know about yet. Now I MUST have all of her books. Lady Daphne Worth must save herself and her family through marriage. Lorcan St. Leger has lived a bit of a wildlife and now on a chance encounter he finds himself in a bit of a situation with Lady Daphne. Let the fun begin. I love how Julie Anne Long writes with intention. There is passion in her characters that holds onto you and won't let go. Along with some humor and a whole opposites attract feeling you will love this book. I can’t wait to read the rest too.

One of the best HR. I love Julie Anne Long writing so freaking much. She’s a genius. LOVED this. Truly one of the best recent historical romance releases. The tension and longing?! Unbelievably mind blowing.
And perfect microtrope of “my wife”. I’m trash for that.
I received an ARC for review.

It’s been raining for 4651 days straight here this summer so I was inspired to read a historical romance that takes place during a torrential rain storm in olden times London- where men look like pirates and women are jumping out of windows to escape sexual assault.

Lorcan is a sexy, roguish privateer (profesh pirate hunter) who finds Daphne hanging from a windowsill. He catches her and then saves her from armed robbery. Since a big storm is coming they seek shelter together at a fancy boardinghouse where Lorcan lies and says they are married.

The rest of the book is them at the boardinghouse in the rain. Sounds awfully boring right? WRONG! There is a motley crew of characters at said boardinghouse- some of whom both Daphne and Lorcan know from their pasts. Their stories woven together make this a charming, entertaining, and sexy little romp. Daphne and Lorcan have a funny and smart banter plus a ton of chemistry. Lorcan is romance hero perfection- rough exterior, emotionally and sexually intelligent interior. Where can I buy my own Orphan Pirate Sexy Plaything™️? Human size, comes with real gold jewelry and evolved human emotions.

I loved this one- the story is a fresh take on a historical romance trope that I love- fake marriage. This is book 6 in a series and is definitely a standalone bc I’ve never read another from this series, but now I want to.

Smut- 2.67 stars
Romance- 5.00 stars
Story- 4.93 stars
A piratey boyfriend, but he’s not Johnny Depp- 17.81 stars

HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE – Julie Anne Long
The Palace of Rogues, Book 6
A Perfect 10
Avon
ISBN: 0063280914
July 25, 2023
Historical Romance

London, England – Regency Era

HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE by Julie Ann Long is one of the best forced into close proximately romances I have ever read. The relationship that develops between Lorcan and Daphne is tender, gentle, and beautiful. Lorcan sees the real Daphne. Not the Daphne the world sees, which is a spinster who was jilted, and now stays home and cares for her father. Lorcan sees her intelligence, her curiosity, her humor, and spirit. Daphne sees more than the pirate outer shell; she sees a man of honor and kindness. It’s not long before their hearts nearly beat as one, though neither believes in happy – ever – after.

HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE combines witty banter, a delightful cast of characters and a love story that will melt your heart. This is the sixth book in the Palace of Rogues series. I highly recommend HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE and enjoyed the secondary characters so much I’ve bought the five previous novels to learn more about them. I highly recommend HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE and give it the RRT Perfect 10. Don’t miss this most entertaining, humorous, and romantic story.


Terrie Figueroa
for the full review visit www.romrevtoday.com

Oh Lady Daphne and Lorcan St Leger *swoon*

Lorcan grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, made his way through thievery, favors, and eventually helping the crown. Large, intimidating and unforgettable, he was admired or feared.

Lady Daphne is a gentlewoman of good breeding, working too hard at keeping her family’s name untarnished. She ran away from a frisky employer, having to work and earn money so she could pay off her father’s debt.

Luck brings them together and they end up at the famous Grand Palace of the Thames. They fake a marriage for propriety’s sake and we all know how that works in historical romance. 🔥

A lovely birthday filled with oranges and stars, and let’s not forget a fun game (or two) of Spillikins (IYKYK 🥵), lead these two to rethink what really matters in their lives.

JAL is a genius, but you know that don’t you? She brings us a mean ole pirate of a man and a sweet, jaded lady and makes them work. Oh and this slow burn is worth it because when that fire is stoked, it’s a-blazing! 👏 I found myself wanting to bet my husband a few things with a game, as well. 😉

Anyways, I enjoyed this book and had a wonderful time being introduced to the Palace of Rogues series. I know, I’ll definitely go back to read the others!!

Thank you to @julie and @netgalley for the arc!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

I loved this book so much and this whole series has become so special to me that I almost don’t know where to begin! I will try to summarize my thoughts, but to get to the meat of it, YOU NEED TO READ NOT JUST THIS BOOK BUT START AT THE BEGINNING! 😁

In this installment at The Grand Palace on the Thames, we meet Lorcan St Leger and Lady Daphne Worth. Lorcan is a privateer (which is basically a pirate, but mostly legal) and Daphne is escaping from a home she is serving as a companion in after being accosted by her companion’s husband.

Lorcan and Daphne’s meet cute was witty and inventive and had me laughing. He finds her as she is trying to escape by climbing down from a window and she has to literally jump into his arms! 😍

After this, they realize they are both on their way to the same place, though Lorcan still thinks that The Grand Palace on the Thames is a brothel. When they make their way there, they meet the proprietresses, Angelique and Delilah, whom Daphne knows from her time before her father gambled away their family’s money.

Lorcan and Daphne pretend to be married in order to secure the only room left. They are all trapped at the Grand Palace on the Thames because of a storm making the London roads impassable. The hours spent in their suite lead to an attraction that cannot be denied growing between them.

There are also some truly beautifully written scenes with previous couples from the series. I thought Julie Anne Long wrote such a beautiful and evocative picture of marriage in these scenes. It was wonderful getting these glimpses into the trials of these beloved characters, and it didn’t detract at all from Lorcan and Daphne’s story. It only added to it. 🥰

There were also some truly touching moments between Lorcan and Daphne. After an argument that leads to Daphne’s favorite stockings getting destroyed, Lorcan braves the storm and brings her back an orange (something very precious at this time) because he knows how much she loves them. It was sweet and touching and was just one of several moments of *knowing* the other person between them.

The ending to Lorcan and Daphne’s story was perfection. It could not have ended better, in my opinion.

I don’t think I have adequately explained just how perfect and lovely and touching and witty and WELL WRITTEN this story is. Julie Anne Long is a historical romance powerhouse that everyone should be talking about. I know I will be. Just try to get me to shut up about how much I love this series and wish The Grand Palace on the Thames was a real place I could go and visit. 🥰

Oh this was so much fun and I’m upset I’ve been sleeping on this series, despite loving Julie Anne Long! I absolutely loved the love story and the concept of the boarding house which is central to the series. Cannot wait to read the rest of them.

Another couple arrives at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Lorcan just met Daphne as she was escaping out the window nearby by climbing down a knotted sheet. Now, in the dark of night and torrential rain they need shelter. There is only a two-bedroom suite available....so pretend marriage! Lorcan, with a scar and a gold hoop earring, a former excellent smuggler and now a privateer, and Daphne, a Lady of the aristocracy have to think fast when they are recognized by the proprietors, Delilah and Captain Hardy. Delilah's father has gambled away their fortune and she has two weeks to decide whether to accept a business like marriage from a twice-widowed Earl to save her family from financial and social ruin. I especially enjoyed the peek into each couple's marriage as they all had an argument on the same night. We get to see the delightful Dot and Mr. Delacorte, along with some quirky new guests. It's funny, poignant, and heart-wrenchingly romantic.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue continues historical romance author Julie Anne Long's series featuring the proprietresses, husbands, and employees, and denizens at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Honestly at this stage for me, the couple is less and less the point, and that's not necessarily a negative. Reading Long's writing is always a delight as she is so careful is how she crafts a scene, so specific in her turns of phrase, I do that very rare thing of not skimming. But if you must know, this particular installment is about a young woman who has spent her life taking care of the messes the men in her family have left her, and how much she cares for them, even at her own expense, and the self-made man who crosses her path and eventually sees how much she is worth. They meet cute as she escapes a less than desirable situation in the middle of the night, and they find themselves masquerading as a married couple in order to secure a suite at the Grand Palace on the Thames. This is a slow burn romance, and I mostly enjoyed catching up with everyone I've read of before. If you're a fan, you will continue to be so! If you're new, you will also likely enjoy this installment. As noted, for me, I've found the romances less engaging as the series has progresses, but still very much reading and catching up with the series, and have no intention not to continue.

An ARC was generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

This story caused some mix feelings for me. It had an interesting start. Then, for me it dragged down a bit with the prolonged scenes of Daphne and Lorcan just trying to get a room out of the storm. The Grand Palace on The Thames turned out to be quite the surprise. The people that also sheltered from the storm with Daphne and Lorcan were a really odd bunch of people. From the two women who owned and ran the place to their unusual guests. To be honest at first I really wasn't into that part much. But after awhile it began to slowly grow on me to MY surprise. I didn't have that same problem with Daphne and Lorcan though. Their interactions held mysteries,humor and some clever, funny "battle" like conversations. They come from such different worlds but they have each survived them and in some ways Lorcan has thrived. Daphne has had such heavy weights of responsibility since her mother died when she was eleven. A little girl having to solve adult problems while being so under valued. That has continued through her life until now she was faced with even more unpleasantness. Lorca, was nine when he was basically cast to the streets trying to survive. I liked both of them so much and that increased with time. They both deserved so much more when it comes to happiness.
Something that I could have done with a bit less was how it got kind of wordy at times. Especially with big words like expostulating, approbation and mordantly, to name a few. I'm pretty well read but still had to look up a few of the words to get their true meaning. I found that interrupted the flow of the story and that was irritating to me. I was happier when that started to level off. Having said all of that I do have to give the author points for really good world-building. As the story went on I began to like it more and more.
I wondered how on earth any romance between Lorcan and Daphne could work out. I enjoyed how love finally won but also some justice was handed out. And that followed into the good Epilogue with another surprise stroke of justice. That one made me smile.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

After pulling himself out of the slums of St. Giles, Lorcan St. Leger has amassed a rather mysterious empire. He has used his brilliant mind to stay one step ahead of potential enemies and believes he’s seen enough now to not be shocked by anything. He’s not even fazed by the sight of an aristocratic lady escaping from a window near the London docks in the middle of one of the biggest storms to hit the city in years. They both seek shelter at the Grand Palace on the Thames, only to find that neither was prepared for what was inside.

Daphne Worth is desperate and running out of options. Her last chance to save herself and her family from her father’s gambling debts is the offer of a loveless marriage. The raging storm gives her time to contemplate her choices and get to know the roguish man who rescued her and is now posing as her fake husband during their stay at the Grand Palace, thereby enabling them to acquire the only available suite.

The tension between Lorcan and Daphne soon becomes something more than the initial enmity. Daphne soon realizes Lorcan is everything she wants in a man. He knows he can’t be what she needs, but he’s not afraid of taking risks, especially if the reward is a chance to love and be loved by Daphne forever.

I adored this book. It is an incredibly slow burn, but absolutely delicious for it. Long’s writing just drew me right into the story from the beginning and left me engrossed in a way I haven’t been for some time. She made it easy to visualize the scene as if I were a part of it. I loved how rough Lorcan was on the outside, yet soft and eager for love on the inside. Once he realized his feelings, he faced them bravely and made bold moves to seek his happily ever after with Daphne and his take charge attitude was just perfect here. These two were opposites in many ways, but fundamentally the same in that they each had doubts about their own worth and how deserving they were of their own happiness. They each helped the other see their own intrinsic value and I found that to be beautiful. I also adored the epilogue, as well as the snippets we got with other characters from the Grand Palace on the Thames. I adore this setting and hope the series continues on for some time yet.

This was a new favorite story for me and definitely one worth savoring. I can’t wait for the next Palace of Rogues story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Like all of the books in this series, this is a lovely story. Two unlikely people are forced together by circumstance and the outcome will make your heart sing. Beautiful story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and both the characters. I thought it was well-written and well-thought out, and I especially loved the way we got to really see Lorcan and Daphne fall in love. The writing and the characterization really helped build this feeling up and the slow burn was magnificent. The usual kind of heroines I enjoy reading about are those who are ambitious and intelligent and determined, and while Daphne wasn't the businesswoman or doctor or scholar, she was intelligent and determined and clear in what she wanted out of life. She knew the options she had and what she valued, and that was also refreshing. And Lorcan was a little bit mysterious and a little bit bruised by life, but he knew how to cherish Daphne from the beginning, and that was beautiful to read. I will say I wished that we had a little more clarity on his life before the book, it was a little hard to believe that he had so many truly loyal friends and not meet a single one of them. It gave the sense that he was alone, and while that was true in a sense, it seemed to contradict the description of him as a great leader who sparked loyalty in everyone who worked with him. Despite this, I did feel as if I understood Lorcan so the loss was pretty small in this missed opportunity.
I think the one thing that did strike me while reading is that the book made me feel like I was trapped in the middle of a raging storm in the sense that I wanted things to move and change, but everything was contained and unbearably slow sometimes. The poet in me appreciates the parallel experience, but it may not be for everyone. There was precious little true plot to the book except that everyone was stuck in an inn due to a storm - it was the regency equivalent of being snowed in at a cabin in contemporary romance. The other thing I felt ambivalent about was the return to previous characters from the series. This was my first book in the series so I was not particularly invested in Delilah and Angelique and the minor details of their life. In all honesty, I would have much preferred that those words and time and pages have been dedicated to a better epilogue for Lorcan and Daphne. <spoiler> This was the one thing in the book I actively disliked - the epilogue. For someone who lives for the epilogue, this one took the spotlight off of Daphne and Lorcan and instead made it about Havelstock, which was so unnecessary and disappointing. I would muhc rather have seen and experienced the happiness both Daphne and Lorcan experienced from their own perspective rather than that of Henry. The whole epilogue almost subverted the point of that meeting - showing how little Henry impacted Daphne and her happiness while his perspective is what the epilogue centers on.
</spoiler>
Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend it to those who appreciate character-driven stories with slow burn romance.

P.S. I didn't talk about editing errors because I read an ARC, but hopefully, the published version will be error free. I also thought some parts were too verbose and some editing may be helpful in that regard as well.

<i>I received and eARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.</i>

Another solid installment in this series, but I didn’t connect with the romance as much as I wanted to and I’m not sure why. Maybe Daphne and Lorcan fell for each other too quickly or with not enough development? 🤷🏻‍♀️

My absolute favorite parts were the scenes where we got to see Delilah & Tristan and Angelique & Lucien work through issues in their marriages. It’s so nice to see these moments after their HEAs.

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Oooooh I just love Lorcan and Daphne! The chemistry between these two is something else, and the close proximity trope is fun. Its a sexy and fun ride, and I enjoyed this book a lot. The romance flowed nicely, with the right amount of heat and humor.
Thank you to the author for this arc.

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue is Long's 6th book in her The Palace of Rogues series. I hadn't read any of the previous books so I came into How to Tame a Wild Rogue with no prior knowledge. A lot of times in romance series like this one you can pop in and out of books in the series out of order without it being a problem. However, in this case I would recommend reading the previous novels (at least #1 and #2). This novel features one-on-one conversations between the couples that starred in those novels (especially early on in the novel) and I felt like I was missing context. All the other characters from the previous novels are mentioned, some more briefly than others. It appears that Long has put a lot of work into creating a singular setting throughout this entire series.

Besides that How to Tame a Wild Rogue was a fun novel. The spice level is medium and it's a slow burn. It falls under the fake relationship trope, which I think I need a break from because it seems like every romance novel I've received an ARC of in 2023 is a fake dating story. Overall I'd give this novel 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

LOVED this BOOK!

From the minute Lorcan St. Ledger saves Lady Daphne Worth during a thunderous rainstorm (as she escapes an unsavory situation with a man) …I was hooked. These latest guests of The Grand Palace on the Thames – are just so wonderful! Thank you again Julie Anne Long for this breathtaking, exciting and emotional addition to your amazing Palace of Rogues series.

He's a rough pirate-like guy and she is a Lady - but somehow his humanity and her openness and Cinderella-like life up until then (and their wit and attraction) makes this a book you just can't put down.

I loved their arcs, how they find love – the epilogue is spectacular. I keep reading it over and over again - so perfect!

If you love a HEA, a strong male and female lead, an ensemble of characters that make you laugh and an ending that is just perfect – well you need to read this.

I can’t wait until Book Seven – it can’t come soon enough.

This book was fun, light, and easy going. Lady Daphne will do anything for her family even brave flooding weather with the help of Lorcan – man of the streets. Lorcan St Ledger is a privateer. They pretend to be married to stay suite of room during a major storm. This book was sweet and heartwarming. No spoilers. This book can be read as a stand-alone or part of the series “The Palace of Rogues.” Book is enjoyable and fun. I will recommend this author and look forward to see other books written by her.

**I received this book from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue is the 6th book in Julie Anne Long's The Palace of Rogues series. This has turned into one of my favorite series EVER. I've loved all the books that I've read (I started with the 3rd one), but this one takes the cake! Now it's one of my favorite books, with a new book boyfriend who's very near the top of my list. This book had me through an emotional wringer - I went from laughing on one page to my heart hurting on the next. The romance in each book stands alone, but you'll want to get to know all the regular denizens of the Grand Palace on the Thames.

Lorcan St. Leger grew up on the streets of St. Giles and worked his way out of the gutter. He has a very shady past, but now is a chartered privateer. He's both feared and admired, and pretty brilliant, though he doesn't have much formal book learning. He's a big, battered, scarred man with a gold earring, but quite handsome to boot with lots of charm. Not a lot shocks him...that is, until during a horrific storm, when he sees an aristocratic woman climbing out of a window near the London docks, using a bedsheet! She needs a bit of help, so Lorcan steps in. They find refuge in the boarding house known as the Grand Palace on the Thames. Only problem? There's only one suite, so they must pose as man and wife! Lady Daphne Worth is desperate for funds, and she's running out of time on making a decision for a loveless marriage in order to save her family. There's definitely some tension between them, but as the storms keep coming and the longer they must stay together, the tension changes into something a whole lot hotter and brighter. Daphne knows it can never be with Lorcan...can he get her to risk her future on him?

Love love LOVED this book! Yes, I am gushing; I cannot help it. The premise of the story was a fun one, and there was much humor and lightheartedness throughout the entire book. But as our beautiful heroine and former pirate drew closer together, there was also heartbreaking yearning and love that couldn't possible work for these two. Ah, but our dear author knows how to weave magic between disparate men and women, doesn't she?! I loved both of these characters, though it's obvious that Lorcan holds my heart. Daphne was engaged to be married to a man she loved, but she was jilted for a governess. Her father had depended on that marriage to get him out of debt, and now Daphne has to decide if she can enter a loveless marriage to dig dear papa out of a hole. Since her mother died while she was very young, Daphne was expected to run the entire household basically by herself; everyone depended on her, but she had no one she could depend on. When she first met Lorcan, he was amused by her, but she wasn't really thrilled having to be with this man. Lorcan...oh, my. A big handsome man with a sense of humor, a scar and a shady past; I don't know how she was able to resist him for so long! He pulled himself out of the gutter and turned into a successful businessman with his privateering business. He had a tough life, but turned it all around with no help. I loved watching Lorcan and Daphne's relationship develop into love that seemed destined to fail. I just adored the interaction between the two of them, pretending that they were married. Their spillikins (jackstraws) battles were hysterical. There were tender moments, too; see if you can read about Lorcan's gift of an orange to Daphne without tearing up. There was much humor and wit throughout the entire story. It was the yearning, though, that ripped my heart apart. I KNEW there had to be a happy ending, but had no idea how they would end up reaching it! The usual occupants of the Grand Palace on the Thames were there, such as the two proprietresses and their husbands, one of whom had a prior relationship with Lorcan. Those couples' relationships were explored a bit more. My favorite supporting characters, however, remain Dot the servant and Mr. Delacorte, who sells potions and sorta medicines. Dot loves ghost stories but they terrify her; she lays poor Mr. Pike the footman out when she thinks there's a ghost behind her. She attempts embroidery, but sews her work onto her sleeve. She can appear ditzy but is funny and sweet, and some of her insights are quite lovely. Mr. Delacorte is a hoot! He'll say just about anything, but you can't be offended because he's just so lovable. When Lorcan is forced to spend the night in bed with Delacorte...well, see if you can keep a straight face. Though this is the 6th book in the series, it's still fresh, fun and exciting. I can't wait to see who comes to stay at the Grand Palace on the Thames, the Love Boat of boarding houses, next!

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.