How to Tame a Wild Rogue
by Julie Anne Long

How to Tame a Wild Rogue is really sweet (with a little bit spicy) historical romance. While I usually like a little bit more action (not talking spicy action here), this one captured my attention with the male lead and the sweet interactions between him and the female lead. This book can be a standalone, but reading the first books in this series would probably have helped fill in some information on the other characters in the story (who are also very interesting).

I give it 4 stars!

Thank you #NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

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Sparkling 4 stars for the latest of Julie Anne Long's Palace of Rogues series: How To Tame A Wild Rogue.

Daphne (a Lady who's fallen on tough times and on the run) + St Leger (a Rogue with a Robin Hood streak) meet in the dead of night with a storm brewing, taking chances on each other to make it through the upcoming danger.
Sheltering in The Grant Palace On The Thames sees these strangers to each other pretend they're devoted husband and wife.

However, they're facing to be discovered, he's facing to land in prison while she might accept a marriage proposal from another, and both face their undeniable attraction to each other.

This is a quaint, sensual historical romance that's also dotted with POVs from various characters without turning this into a women's fiction novel an still staying to the main character driven plot of a romance. It is unusual though and I've had to point this out.

Tropes include:
strangers to lovers
opposites attract
forced proximity
gifts as love language

Even though this is part of a series, it can still be read as a standalone.

I wholeheartedly thank Julie Anne Long, her publisher, and NetGallley for an advanced reader copy,

Content guidance:
off-page attempted sexual assault, parental neglect, classism, poverty

I was underwhelmed by this new episode of The Palace of Rogues series (this is #6). I felt like it had too many holes in the various plotlines and therefore a lot of missed opportunities. There were several times when we got the beginning and end of a plotline but little substance in the middle. And the main characters were not fleshed out.
The premise is that a storm keeps everyone from venturing out. This provided several plot lines. You would expect that there would be a lot of interactions between characters. This was a good opportunity to have more action in the drawing room (this is an essential part we’ve seen throughout the series). But unfortunately, this was lacking. Also, there were a number of new guests, but they seemed to be handled as an afterthought.

Our main characters, Daphne and Lorcan, are masquerading a married couple. I think that this would lead to a number of situations where they are put on the spot about their fake relationship. There are a couple of instances in the early part of the story and then it disappeared. Wouldn’t it have been fun to see them in situations where they’re tripped up with the details of their marriage? But alas, we don’t get much of that.

I was left wondering a number of things. Is Lorcan currently a criminal? I understand why Captain Hardy is suspicious of Lorcan. But why is Bolt. I didn’t see a reason why he would have any cause to be. Why is Daphne crawling out the window? The reason for her to do this is covered vaguely.

One thing that I really liked was that there were conflicts between Delilah and Hardy and also Angelique and Bolt. I was happy to see that there were times that their relationships were on the rocks. I thought that this would be interesting to watch. There was virtually none of this after they were married. It showed that they weren’t living rosy lives. But this was not dealt with in depth. I was excited to see them fighting each other. But it happened and resolved very quickly. I was left wanting more.

The book was interesting, but not fulfilling. This is also not a standalone. There is too much information from the previous books that’s essential for understanding The Palace of Rogues and most of the characters living there. I believe that those of us that have been following the series will have interest. But I think that new readers should start with Lady Derring Takes a Lover.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute story that seemed to be part of a series. All the characters in the hotel were likable. The forced proximity theme is a favorite. It was a little puzzling why there were so many chapters dedicated to other players in the hotel instead of staying focused on the main couple. But I would be interested in reading more by this author.

Julie Anne Long’s brilliance continues to shine through with this delightful and sensual edition to the Grand Palace on the Thames series. This series honestly gets better and better and you can she the control and craftsmanship in Long’s writing continue to blossom and enrich her worlds. This novel is charming, sexy, deliciously executed with grace. The characters shine, they are beautiful developed and fully realized, they are interesting and ones you want to root for. How to Tame a Wild Rogue is the sixth installment in this series and can easily be read as a stand-alone but holds true weigh when read in series order. Long artfully weaves together beloved characters throughout and history of the past novels gives those characters a stronger weight.

This novel is a fake marriage, forced proximity, slow burn, banter filled romance that thrives is the longing and tension that Long steady builds throughout. The romance truly shines and Long shows the reader she knows how to take you on an emotional journey while beautifully illustrating the joys and frustrations around falling in love. This novel is perfectly sensual and sexy, chemistry and heat sizzles on the pages while still making this a slow burn but keeping you on your toes for the next touch or stolen kiss.

If you have not picked up a Julie Anne Long book you should definitely check her out. Each of her series is strong and you can see how her writing deeps and grows with each novel. How to Tame a Wild Rogue is definitely a must read for all and sure to charm any historical romance lover!

Thank you so much to Avon, NetGalley and Julie Anne Long for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Still chasing the high of the Pennyroyal Green series but for some reason, I don't connect with the Palace of Rogues series. If you love the Palace Rogues series though, you'll love this one. This had my favorite heroine so far!

Lorcan St. Claire's, mother died when he was 10, leaving him to fend for himself, is now ship owner. As he is leaving his ship during the storm of the century, he spies a lady climbing out of a window. She unwillingly allows him to help her down and is on her way. He follows her where he again rescues her from being robbed. They make their way to the Palace of Rogues. Daphne is running away from a job as a companion where the husband tried to take liberties with her. She is also the daughter of a Viscount who has squandered away all his money. She is contemplating marrying an Earl with 5 children to save her father.
At the Palace of Rogues there is only one suite available, so they pretend to be married.
The bond they form with each other is wonderful. Lorcan has a soft side that is swoon worthy.
Daphne knows one of the owners of the Palace and Lorcan knows one of the husbands of the owners so there are some interesting side stories. There were some really funny scenes in the book.
Ms. Long's stories are always entertaining and this one did not disappoint.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC. These are my opinions.

I'm so happy to return yet again to The Grand Palace on the Thames. The main couple in this book are Lorcan, a former smuggler/pirate, now gone legit as a privateer with a commission from the English Crown, and Daphne, the daughter of a Viscount who gambled away most of their money, forcing her to seek employment as a companion. Lorcan and Daphne meet when she gets into a spot of trouble while making an escape from a lecherous employer out a bedroom window. They quickly find themselves seeking refuge from a storm of historic proportions at the Grand Palace where their misleading impression of being a married couple ends up with them being forced to share a single suite.

From there, the story unfolds exactly the way you'd expect in a romance, but it's the quality of the writing that sets this story apart. Through private conversations and public interactions, Lorcan and Daphne reveal their private selves to each other and find a surprising compatibility and much to admire in each other. For me, the most endearing part of the story was how clearly Lorcan perceived Daphne and how willing he was to listen to what she was really saying. Along with the main story, due to all of the Grand Palace's inhabitants being forced to stay mainly indoors, we also get substantial glimpses of how our favorite characters are doing, from Delilah, Angelique, and their partners, Tristan and Lucien, right down to Dot, everyone's favorite, slightly off-center housemaid. I can't think of anything I would change in this story. I hope there are still more to come. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Julie Anne Long is one of my long-time autobuy authors, and I was so excited to return to the Grand Palace on the Thames.

Lorcan St. Leger is most definitely a rogue. A product of St. Giles, he clawed his way up from the gutter to become a successful privateer--although he wasn't always on the right side of the law. Lady Daphne Worth is facing the prospect of a loveless marriage in order to save her family's fortunes. A fortuitous meeting on a dark and stormy night leads them to the doors of the Grand Palace on the Thames, where they must pose as a married couple in order to secure the only available suite. However, both Daphne and Lorcan realize that anonymity will be impossible--people from both their pasts are owners and proprietors of the Grand Palace.

Stranded at the Grand Palace for a fortnight because of heavy rains and flooding, Lorcan and Daphne grow closer, and their attraction grows from a spark to an inferno, but both of them know this is only a temporary passion. Real life with real responsibilities awaits them once the waters recede.

Like the previous books in the Palace of Rogues series, this one immediately hooked me and had me reading through at a breakneck pace. It was a surprisingly slow burn, but when they started burning, it was worth the wait. Julie Anne Long never disappoints, and How to Tame a Wild Rogue is another wonderful addition to her prolific catalogue.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the advance review copy.

When Lorcan St. Leger spied Lady Daphne Worth climbing down a second-story window from a rope made of braided bedsheets on a dark and stormy night, he wasn’t certain what type of escape he was witnessing but he was rooting for her.
After assisting her building escape (trust fall!) and intervening on a subsequent robbery (no one messes with his Lordship), the pair team up to seek shelter.
To the Grand Palace on the Thames!
This wretched storm will make finding available shelter almost impossible. Fortunately there is ONE suite open for rent. And because, time period, they have to pretend they are married to get the room. Lucky for us they’ll be trapped there together for weeks. 😈

4.5⭐️/5
1.5🌶️/5
- pretend marriage
- forced proximity
- dual POV
- Historical Romance, Regency-ish England

First of all before I go any further eff Daphne’s ex, and eff her dad 😒 two entitled individuals who just know how to take advantage of the system that was made to literally benefit themselves. Thank you, rant over.

FMC: Lady Daphne Worth, taking on the financial responsibility of her family after her viscount father gambled all the family money away. She tried marrying once, but that guy called off their engagement for his little brother’s governess. She tried working as a lady’s companion but that was a flop since the woman’s husband decided her job duties included himself, which is the reason she was climbing out of a building. She has an offer of marriage from an earl who is older than her father, and this will pay off her fathers debt BUT (big but) she will have to “dutifully participate in the more intimate features of marriage that occur in private between a husband and wife as well as attend to… comfort in other wifely ways.” 🤢 too bad all she ever wanted in a man is Lorcan, but can’t be with him because, reasons! 😭

MMC: Lorcan St. Leger, from the streets of St. Giles, his mom died when he was a young child and his dad was awful. He’s a big muscular handsome man, whose heart is as hard as his thighs. 😅 He has a gold earring a a scar on his face… like a pirate. He’s worked his way up from a street kid to lordship of his own street smuggling empire turned crown-sanctioned privateer captain of his own ship. And no one like him could ever have someone as fine as Lady Daphne. 😭

I loved how this was a slower paced storyline, it takes place over a few weeks and there is a cozy vibe being as the primary location is the Grand Palace on the Thames. There is so much longing and pining and angst between Lorcan and Daphne. It might make you cry… I definitely cried the last 20% or so of the book. I love how Lorcan is so quick to judge all the trash men in Daphne’s life and open her eyes on what she should expect from those who she loves. I love the friendship that develops between the two, Lorcan actually listens to Daphne’s thoughts and feelings 😭😭 something her dumb ex Hank never did 👿

In addition to the longing, pining, angst, and love, we spend a lot of time with with the menagerie of characters that occupy The Grand Palace on the Thames. The owners Delilah and Angelique from the first book of Palace of Rogues series, and their respective husbands Tristan and Lucien occupy a huge chunk of this storyline. Turns out Delilah and Daphne know each other from their youth as do Lorcan and Tristan. The shared history of Tristan and Lorcan causes its own drama. We have inclusion of previous characters like Dot and Mr. Delacorte, as well as the latest guests at the Grand Palace which add to the cozy vibe.

Definitely recommend this if you want a romance with a class difference in regency England that is angsty and pretty rigid in its societal standards of the times. Don’t worry it is a romance so we get our kissy moments and spicy scenes, but it is a buildup to those moments for sure. And we get our HEA, because, romance. It’s a standalone novel but definitely interconnected to Palace of Rogues. You don’t have to read the previous novels to enjoy this one, but knowledge of the series helps make this more enjoyable. We even get a callback to the Pennyroyal Green series. Epilogue made me happy and made up for the last 20% of the story that made me cry (because, emotions and feelings!! 🥹😭).

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for advanced e-copy. Review is voluntary and are my own thoughts and opinions.

I am so happy to be back at the Grand Palace on the Thames reading the 6th book in the Palace of the Rogues Series! Julie Ann Long crafts a world in the Grand Palace with strong characters and situations so finely drawn that you can picture yourself in the midst of the scene.
I was pulled in immediately by the interaction between the two characters in the first pages. Finding shelter on a stormy night forces Daphne and Lorcan into a fake marriage and forced proximity tropes. It is always interesting to discover how the author develops and builds the relationship between the two main characters.

Lorcan, the big hairy pirate is a perfect foil to proper, constrained Daphne! His blunt questions concerning how she came to this point in her life brought her to the realization of how she has been choosing her actions based on a false picture in her mind... Lorcan's tenderness and concern as she worked through that realization made him a true hero in the story. I will never look at a orange without thinking of him!

The fellow inhabitants of the Grand Palace added layers of interest giving us a realistic looks at the marriages that have taken place in previous books. One of Julie Ann Long's strengths is the world she builds complete with believable men and women who continue to develop and reveal layers of their personalities. The reaction of Tristan Hardy to Lorcan St Ledger proves this very point! Oh how I want to know more!
This is a series that I fell in love with and will continue to read! Who will be the next to fall in love at the Grand Palace on the Thames?
I received an ARC from the author through Netgalley. My opinions are my own and are based on my reading experience.

I absolutely loved this book! The hero and heroine meet the night of a wild storm and are forced to shack up together at our favorite boarding house The Grand Palace on the Thames.

Take some forced proximity with some forbidden longing and you have the perfect story!

I highly recommend this series and this book was definitely one of my favorites. The romance was fabulous and I love seeing my favorite boarding house character cast once again!

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.5


First Impressions
How To Tame a Wild Rogue is the sixth installment in the "Palace of Rogues" series and I would say that the average rating on this one is completely justified. This is also my favorite of the series and I would even say that its my favorite of the author. Its definitely worthy of all the hype that is for sure. Now there are some slow moments at times, which is why its not a complete five star but it definitely came close to a five star despite some slower scenes at times. There is also so much deep emotion that is layered throughout the story that will really captivate the reader so dearly and oh my all the humor that is portrayed is *chefs kiss* perfection.

First Line
He'd been born on a night like this: the sky choked with black clouds, the wind banshee

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Lorcan St. Leger
Privateer, Grew up in the rookery, leader of the underground, Orphan and has a rogueish personality

The Heroine: Daphne Worth
Working Class heroine, Spinster, keeps her family afload financially

Summary
In this installment, we have a set up where our heroine, Daphne, is escaping a bad situation by climbing out of a window with tied bedsheets like a rope. And when her life is threatened by a thief, then comes in her dashing rescuer, who is full of mystery and power.....Lorcan St. Leger. Lorcan is regarded as the King of the Thames. He takes her to the Palace of Rogues which is her destination, but when she finds herself facing a woman she once knew her her childhood home, she and Lorcan are forced to pose as a married couple or her reputation could risk. As they forced to live in the same area of rooms, they also are forced to pose as a loving couple outside of their rooms and are complete strangers inside their rooms. But bit by bit, they slowly start to learn and understand each other. But soon as they fake relationship starts to become more and more real, will they find their place and in their love?

What I Loved
There were so many elements of this story that instantly draw the reader into the story. For me, it was most definitely how this story starts. The author pulls you in with their first meeting and its such a swoony moment and I guarantee that you will get just as hooked as I did. We see how they banter and get along together and for the most part the angst in their relationship is minimal. I really enjoyed seeing them learn each other. It has its stumbling blocks at times, but seeing them work through their misunderstandings and find common ground was so delightful. And we get a focus a bit of some love languages as well. I really enjoyed the way that this is implemented here.

The way that this couple works together and build their chemistry was so adorable. And I absolutely loved the "orange" scene. Seeing the way that Lorcan and Daphne connect over the small simple pleasure is endearing. And their sexual chemistry, is off the charts. There are some of the most delicious kissing scenes that I have ever read. Julie Anne Long really wrote some magic when she was portraying their chemistry and it just feels so real off of the pages here. And there is bantering not only between our main couple but also between the other supporting cast of characters that really adds such charm and humor in all the right moments.

What I Struggled With
The only aspect to the story that I struggled with was that some of the pacing was a bit off in some moments. It's not super obvious, but it felt a bit slow at times.

Overall View
How to Tame a Wild Rogue is a poignant, soft emotion filled, with strong smexy vibes to it that only builds on the intimacy and beautiful touches that only this author conveys in such a beautiful way!

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Historical Romance
Time Era and Setting: England, Victorian Era
Character Types: Rake/Rogue, Pirate, Workplace Heroine
Themes: Delicious Kisses, Laughs, London Underground, Love Language, Slow Burn
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Protector, Fake Relationship

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A bit of both

Song This Book Inspires
Rewrite the Stars by Zac Efron, Zendaya

Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as standalones

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

This book is funny with great banter between these two opposites. It has some very good tropes: forced proximity, fake marriage and opposites attract. I loved being back at the Grand Palace again. As always I adore Dot, we even got a scene from her perspective!

The last time I read a Palace of Rogues novel I thought the asides into other characters’ POVs was a distraction, and here I a, eating my words because I actually loved them this time around. Maybe they tied into the plot better. Maybe they were just more interesting scenes. I don’t know. But I really enjoyed that aspect of the series this time, and I need to know if Dot and Mr. Pike fall in love.

I loved Lorca and Daphne. They challenge each other as much as they bring out the best in each other and feel protective of each other. A fake marriage or relationship is always a favorite trope, and I thought it was well done here. And I found them both interesting independently of their romance, which is always a big plus.

I think Long relies a little too much on violence against or harassment of women as the inciting incident for her plots. I’d love to see one of her female characters not have their story start with a something that could cause trauma. Other than that, I enjoyed this book.

I loved this book. I don't know how I missed this series but I've found it now. At first I felt like I was missing some puzzle pieces when events from previous books were referenced, but then I didn't care. The characters were fun and the emotional connection between Lorcan and Daphne was intense and satisfying. Now I'm going to go back and read the rest of the series!

"She is a lady. And he is a pirate." So says our beloved Dot and her sixth sense and so it is in our latest submission to JAL's Palace of Rogues series. In the slowest of slow burns, we watch Daphne Worth and Lorcan St. Leger go from strangers to friends to lovers and it is a gorgeous progression full of the wit, banter, and sexual tension we expect from our Goddess Divine.

I absolutely love JAL's ability to write a single statement that encompasses a moment, a feeling, a character so clearly. Case in point: Early on Lorcan touches Daphne (innocently, mind you) and JAL writes: "The entirety of her being seemed to congregate to where their skin met." And we, the reader, understand completely how she feels, what is happening, the shock, the newness, the strangeness, the unexpected *like* of this touch--again, innocent as it is. BUT THEN, JAL, in the very next line will have us rolling with laughter as Daphne thinks, "Never mind that for the first time in her life, her hand was a mere shocking few inches away from the clothed penis of a man she'd met in an alley."

Daphne is a young thirty-something year old woman beyond the shelf. She is undeniably loyal to her family--who may or may not or NOT deserve it. While Lorcan, who may be a rogue and a pirate, has earned the loyalty of hundreds, if not thousands, because he knows how to treat people with respect and reward, when earned, and retaliation and revenge, when crossed. They might seem like two opposites but they really are more similar than they might believe. Both desire to be seen for more than what they presently are.

When faced with only one suite of rooms left at The Grand Palace on the Thames, they must pretend to be husband and wife and then endure being stuck near the docks for the next week to ten days while a massive storm hits England. While somewhat trapped, ah love a good forced proximity trope, they get to know each other better and Daphne feels listened to for the first time, possibly ever. And Lorcan finds that he cares for the thoughts, opinions, and feelings of another for the first time, possibly ever.

And while watching the two of them evolve into one was such a joy, watching the other characters we love grow feels like a special bonus gift. Lorcan and Daphne, as a couple and individually, force Delilah & Tristan and Angelique & Lucien out of their honeymoon period and into some harsh realities. We see the couples truly disagree and then fight for the first time since marrying (at least in the books). It felt so real when they argued, self-reflected, and eventually, made up. It made them stronger in the end. We continue to see Dot thrive in this environment as she pushes back against the new footman, Mr. Pike. I, for one, and hoping for a love match between the two and I think Mr. Pike might be ok with it as he concedes defeat to Dot upon hearing why she loves to answer the door.

There are still rooms available in this series and I look forward to my next stay.

FINAL DECISION: My favorite book of the series! This is an amazing book that leverages the relationships the series has already developed into a wonderful story of two people who meet by chance, pretend to be married, learn about one another, and fall in love.

THE STORY: On a dark and stormy night, Lorcan St. Leger walks through the London dock areas as a man who has accomplished so much. He managed to raise himself from the slums of St. Giles to become a privateer for the Crown (with some questionable choices along the way), and things seem to be going well. Until he spies a woman climbing out of a window and dangling in the air. That is how St. Leger meets Lady Daphne Worth. Daphne is as desperate as St. Leger is self-satisfied. Forced to take employment due to her family's reversal of fortune, Daphne had to save herself from assault. When a major storm forces Daphne and St. Leger to take refuge at Grand Palace on the Thames, the two masquerade as a married couple to get a room. It turns out the owners of the Grand Palace are not strangers to either Daphne or St. Leger, which makes their fake marriage even more complicated.

OPINION: I loved this book. It has some great tropes, including forced proximity. So much of the story takes place within the rooms that Daphne and Lorcan rent at the Grand Palace. I'm a sucker for two characters who can talk their way through the book. But don't be fooled, this book is hot. Nothing is better than sexy talk that just explodes on the page by the end of the slow burn.

I liked these characters. Both Daphne and Lorcan have depth and are just decent people. The story avoids all the cliches and easy answers that I expected in the story. Relationships are messy and complicated, and this book doesn't shy away from that messiness, whether it be romance, family, or friendships.

Daphne is a woman who has taken on so much burden of caring for her family. No one has taken care of her, and Lorcan, who could have been only concerned with himself, always has a community behind him, whether it be the slums of St. Giles or his crew, always looks out for others even while he tells himself another story of his life. Her strength allowed me to believe the circumstances that surround this book. Daphne is not sheltered even though she has pockets of innocence and naivety. Lorcan is a man who needs to care for others, and his encounter with Daphne gives him something to care about even while he fights those instincts. The decency of these characters and the avoidance of the obvious romantic situations kept me engaged in the book. I was rooting for these two on every page of the book.

While the story takes place primarily within the walls of the Grand Palace, the vibrant community that has been built throughout the series blossoms in this book. The arrival of Daphne and Lorcan causes (or exposes) problems in the household. This book felt so vibrant with all the relationships shifting and being renewed.

I think this is the best book in the series, but it relies upon all the previous books to have so much depth. There is one night in the book that might be the funniest sequence I've read in one of Long's books. It felt like an old sitcom or a 1940s movie comedy. I don't want to give anything away because it is structured so well, but I loved the entire evening, which was funny but also served as an important catalyst in the book.

We get to see a lot of the people in the Grand Palace, which I really enjoyed because I do love the characters, and I like to see how the Grand Palace is changing and how these people are growing together.

I can't say enough about this book, and it is definitely my favorite book of the year so far. My last note is that his book has a perfect epilogue that left me feeling so happy about the book.

WORTH MENTIONING: Who knew that spillikins could be so sexy?

CONNECTED BOOKS: HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE is the sixth book in the Palace of Rogues series. The romance here is self-contained and thus can be read as a standalone; however, the other characters matter in this book, and a richer experience awaits those who read the series in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 enthusiastic stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

4.5 stars

If I had to choose just one phrase to describe this book, it would be “comfort read.” After having read and enjoyed book two, Angel in a Devil’s Arms and book 4, After Dark With the Duke, this book felt a little like coming home. It was a light, easy, low-angst read, with lots of smiles and laughs and warm fuzzy feels.

I was intrigued by the opening paragraph and pulled right into the story in the very first chapter.

Who is this dark, mysterious, dangerous man, walking the streets of London late at night, looking for shelter from an impending banshee of a storm? Who is this young woman, escaping from a window using makeshift rope made out of braided bedsheets, and what is she running from?

“So even as she felt her every muscle contract against this man’s sheer sensory impact, she didn’t look away from him. And he was fearsome. His face had the stark drama of a landscape shaped by elemental forces, battering seas and brutal winds and the like. Shadows lurked in the little valleys beneath cheekbones hard and high as fortress walls. Black whiskers glinted on his box-cornered jaw. Thick, dark brows hung over deep-set eyes. A majestic nose presided over all of this. And a bright, white scar snaked like lightning from the corner of his eye to nearly his chin.”

At this point, not even knowing yet that he’s a (former) pirate/privateer, I’m already half in lust. And then I fell in madly love with his character.

What I Loved

Lorcan - The latest addition to my book boyfriends shelf (which is high praise indeed) and such an amazing man. God I just love a man who feels deeply, and doesn’t run from or deny what’s in his heart no matter how unsettled he is feeling. Falling in love was something he had never experienced before, and instead of putting up walls or running away, he reveled in it.

The pure joy he felt while getting to know Daphne, the beautifully tender, romantic things he did for her, the wonder he experienced, his fierce need to protect her from pain, all made my heart sing. The last 25% of the book really hit me hard in the feels and I didn’t see it coming. When Lorcan stood outside Daphne’s door, speaking to her from the heart, I just about dissolved into a puddle.

Ah, and the gift of an orange…

“He handed the curly peel to her, ceremoniously. She held it to her nose and inhaled with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes to find an interesting expression fleeing from his. “May I?” he asked. She handed the spirally peel over to him and he lifted it to his nose and breathed it in. She watched, riveted, and quite touched, as his eyes closed. This, too, felt like another gift. He placed the naked fruit on his handkerchief. “Would you like to . . .”

She separated it neatly into little segments, and he watched, silently. She handed one to him. “Cheers, Daphne. To your health.” He held out his segment so she could bump it with hers in a toast. She put it up to her lips. And oh, the heaven of it. The snap of the taut outer skin between her teeth. The squirt of the juice. The squish of the pulp.

She opened her eyes to find him watching her. He seemed absolutely riveted. Wordlessly, ceremoniously, they ate the whole thing. He honored her by going slowly, savoring it just the same way she’d savored it. As if he truly wanted to understand what she was experiencing. As if in so doing he’d accepted a gift from her, too.”

Forced proximity - This is my HR jam so I was very happy that they were together for literally 95% of the book.

The chemistry - The chemistry between Daphne and Lorcan was palpable and I was so there for it. They were true opposites, but he saw her, and she him. That’s a powerful harbinger of connection and deep feeling.

Found family - Returning to the Grand Palace on the Thames felt a little like coming home. Dot and Mrs Parsineau, a new (interesting) footman named Pike, and lots of wonderful male bonding between Lorcan, Delacorte, Tristan and Lucien.

Last, but most definitely not least… the game of spillikins Daphne and Lorcan played, with a wager. If he won, a kiss. If she won, his gold earring. All I can say is I’d be down for a game of spillikins with him aaaany time.

I found everything I expected in this story; smiles and laughter, the joy of found family, chemistry…
And something I didn’t expect - a lovely portrayal of a man falling in love for the first time.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Avon Books, for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book did not disappoint AT ALL. If you love forced proximity, fake dating (or marriage) and a bad boy hero then this is definitely the book for you.

Our hero and heroine have an atypical meet cute with him catching her as she tries to escape a second story window. They then just happen to be going to the same boarding house for lodging and with only one room left they pretend to be married for a night……. then a storm rolls in, and one night turns into faking a marriage for days on end. Too bad they start to develop real feelings

Now I won’t lie this was definitely a slow burn romance but they payoff was sooooo good and they got to know each other before building on that. They both came from different ends of society- her a lady and he a former smuggler and yet they both complimented each other beautifully. The suite of secondary characters were the perfect topping to this great book!