Sarah Maclean is one of my auto-purchase authors, and while I enjoyed reading about Tommy and Imogen, I think I'm just a person who craves the drama of a will-they, won't-they couple. There are elements of that here, and the pining is very sweet. I also love that Imogen was unabashed in her obvious, unapologetic infatuation. I personally felt a little disconnected from the couple, but I still enjoyed the story and seeing another Hells Belle paired off.

But that cliffhanger...

I'm cackling just thinking about it.

<i>NetGalley gave me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review</i>.

I think this is my favorite Hell's Belles book yet. The tension...the pining...the explosions. It was all there.

With each installment of the Belles, MacLean gives us more and more to look forward to as these women make their name throughout London. And in the previous two installments we have gotten to meet both explosives expert Imogen and Scotland Yard detective Tommy as they both continuously get mixed up in the various schemes the Belles plan throughout London.

I've been looking forward to Imogen and Tommy's book, but nothing could have prepared me for the absolute EXPLOSION of the two of them together. This is maybe one of the hottest books Sarah has ever written and the two of them on the page together are magic. Tommy doesn't think he deserves Imogen and Imogen thinks that no one will ever love her because she is "too much" but as the book goes on the two of them get to discover, along with the reader, just how right for each other the two are.

I loved the glimpses we get at other beloved MacLean characters (hello Beast) and the lovely friendship the Belles have together - along with the men who love them beyond distraction.

MacLean deftly deals with so many things in this book, class issues, women vigilantes, and corrupt police and does it deftly while also putting a tender and HOT romance at the forefront. Do yourself a favor and pick this up.

Also Sarah...I saw what you did there at the end with Duchess and I am going to need her book IMMEDIATELY!

Thank you SO much to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This delivered on the #TommyGoesBoom energy, most of it in the latter half of the book. I will say the first half was a bit slow for me but the action really picked up steam in the second half and their love and Tommy’s desire to protect Imogen at all cost and Imogen coming to his rescue, was just beautifully executed. And that ending with the Duchess! Holy moly! Cannot wait for her story!

I have not read any of the other books in the Hell’s Belles series but it did not hamper my enjoyment of the chaotic match of detective Thomas Peck and Lady Imogen Loveless.

Tommy is acting as her bodyguard but it’s just so funny seeing him running around after Imogen while she explodes things. She was a badass…taunting criminals and defending herself in the coolest ways. Seeing Tommy be extra protective of her but also exasperated was sweet and amusing. A couple of times Tommy would get in the way of himself but in the end it wasn’t too much to handle. Imogen was a delight to read everytime she was on the page with her wide smile and playful sort of mischief. She was kind of a rogue and bonus for the curly hair!

I think if you did read the other books first the build up to this book would have been even better. I especially would have liked to see Tommy and Imogen’s first interactions. I will most likely go back to see that but also to meet the rest of the Hell’s Belles running around doing their vigilante activity and bringing corrupt jerks to justice.

…..and that ending line! I laughed so hard. Welp. I’m especially excited for the Duchess.

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

What can I say? This is pretty darn near perfect. I have been WAITING for Imogen's book and this did not disappoint!!

Thomas Peck is an upstanding detective who is bothered that Imogen keeps showing up in his life. He is working on a promotion and does not have time for a distracting lady such as her. But of course, they are investigating the same explosion crime scene. And of course he gets hired to be her guard.

Imogen loves explosives and isn't keen on the police who seem to keep backing the corrupt men in power that she and the other ladies of the Hell's Belles are working against, and yet she is drawn to Thomas Peck. Their romance is a whirlwind of action, disguise, and chaos with plenty of heartfelt and sometimes steamy moments. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series! Very intrigued after that epilogue!

From the moment Tommy Peck carries Imogen Loveless out of a collapsing building, I knew this would be my favorite of the series so far. I've been waiting oh-so-impatiently for Imogenʻs story and Sarah did not disappoint in any way. I've shared this series with so many friends who have gone on to be as obsessed as I am.

As Imogen and the Belles investigate a series of sabotage done to their network of businesses helping women in need, Tommy keeps finding her in his crime scenes, not to mention his place of work. From catching her sneaking samples of the Scotland Yard uniforms to almost getting run over outside The Place, he can't seem to stay away.

Sarah does an impeccable job balancing romance, mischief, political scheming, and the rights of the oppressed as plot points in her novels without being preachy and losing the plot. Tommy and Imogen are both soul characters for me after this novel and I predict I will continue to come back to this story over and over. Tommy went boom and it was incredible.

Goddamn it I love this wild pack of vigilantes with vaginas so friggen much. @sarahmaclean and The Hell’s Belles strike again. KAPOW!!
-Smuttybookreviews

I made that easy for the publisher to emboss right on the cover for this book’s next printing. You’re welcome. But let’s get real this book…no, this series is historical romance perfection. We have corsets, we have gun powder, we have women being taken for granted and largely ignored by society, we have virgins, we have virgins having orgasmic virginity losing sexay times, we have hot police officers from the wrong side of town, and of course we have almost dying in ways that can never happen in modern times.

Imogen is an earl’s sister who loves to explode shit. Thomas is a strapping police officer played by British actor Richard Madden who lives rent free in my loins. Google him. You’re welcome again. Thomas has been following Imogen and the Hells Belles as they all work to solve crimes against women in London. Sparks fly as they try to figure out who’s responsible for a string of explosions in London. Imogen’s and Thomas’s pants are on fire for each other and their chemistry burns them clear off- which is good for them and great for us- fireworks ensue as these two fiesty characters fall in love and catch the bad guys.

If you love an intelligently written romance with a little danger, humor, steam, and strong women f’ing shit up- look no further!! This book is pure pleasure…And let’s not even talk about how good book 4 is gonna be- like Veruca Salt, I want it NOW!! Also can this series be made into a Netflix series?! Somebody make that happen. Is Richard Madden free?

This drops TOMORROW! Thanks @harpercollins for the ARC.

Smut- 2.98 stars
Romance- 4.99 stars
Story- 4.98 stars
Vaginal Vigilantes- 13.87 stars

This was a rocky start for me but as the story went on, I TOTALLY fell in LOVE with Imogen and Tommy. The author has been building up and teasing us with their story since book one. To be honest, I was scared that it was going to measure up to my expectations. Let me tell you how wrong I was. IT WAS AMAZING.

Their chemistry is off the charts, the moment they are together - they are explosive and it doesn't have anything to do with Imogen explosives. The banter between them is so good that you can't wait to have them back together on the page to see how will she needle him and how we will reply. She did drive him crazy most of the time, and we have to say that he loved it! Of course, the rest of the characters bring funny and memorable moments, and it was lovely to see Beast, Hattie, and Weston.

Wow! This book, this series, I'm blown away (hehe, see what I did there?). This book gave me MAJOR Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes (if you haven't seen this show - remedy that asap).

Imogen loves explosions (of all kinds), and Tommy is a Scotland Yard inspector who has risen through the ranks. If you've read the other books in this series, you'll know that Imogen is a member of "Hell's Belles" a vigilante girl gang in London. Tommy is eventually tasked with guarding Imogen, and boy does he ever.

They were explosive together from the start. Sarah MacLean was right with the hashtag #thoughtsandprayersfortommypeck - he was a goner! Really, one of my favorite types of heroes.


Thank you to Avon Romance for the eARC and physical ARC of this book. I was so ecstatic to read this one, and it lived up to all the hype.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy!I loved this addition to Sarah MacLean’s Hell’s Belles series. Full disclosure, this was not my favorite of the series (Heartbreaker is my favorite so far), but I did love it and highly recommend it. Imogen is a society lady who has never quite fit in with her love of explosives and working with other women to fight against injustices throughout the city. Thomas is a police officer who always seems to get involved when Imogen is blowing things up and fighting the patriarchy. Overall I loved this book, I just thought it got a little slow at points and felt a little long. BUT still loved it, love this series, and love all these ladies finding love and fighting evil men in historical London. I thought especially the end had a great mix of adventure, chaos, and romance. MacLean is a master of historical romances, I have always loved her blend of stories of history that I have never heard of, mixed with high spice and high crime stories. This book has great steam and I loved their chemistry and the body representation. So overall, if you love MacLean and historical romances, bodice rippers, this book is a great read.

Fiercely feminist
So many explosions (both figuratively and literally lol)
Strong girl gang vibes
Insta love
"not good enough for you"
totally protective of her

Knockout is the next installment in MacLean's Hell's Belles series and while crime and mischief is high, the heat is high as well. This is the story of Lady Imogen, who never feels like she belongs and Tommy the police officer that consistently finds the ladies in their hijinks. He's watched her from afar for two books and now is their time to find love. It's filled with strong women and strong men and lots of steam and I am here for it.

💥“Lady Imogen Loveless enjoyed explosions.”💥

What a line to set off an absolute banger of a book!! And what a fabulous new addition to my MacLeaniverse collection 😍

Imogen and Tommy’s book is just as deliciously explosive as I’d hoped. Drama and chemistry are at an all time high, sparks are flying between these two the whole way through, and it is simply un-put-down-able.

I’m not the first to say it, but I must concur: if you enjoy the *exasperated and horny man who repeatedly has the wind knocked out of him by explosive chaos in woman form* dynamic of Miss Scarlet and the Duke…this is absolutely the book for you 😘

Please consider this my official apology to Detective Inspector Thomas Peck for having myself a little giggle every time he had a bad day. In my defense, he didn’t stand a chance when it came to Imogen and we all knew it 😌

Sarah MacLean has been a long time favorite of mine, and this book met expectations!! The plot was smart and snappy. I so enjoyed both Imogen and Tommy as individual characters, and their chemistry was great. I love to see a heroine who is capable and clever all on her own, and MacLean absolutely captured that with Imogen. She was an absolute delight. Tommy was perfectly gruff and stoic and incredibly loving/supportive. Overall a lovely, easy read!

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.

Sarah MacLean gave me what I wanted with Detective Inspector Tommy Peck: thick thighs, a nice beard, a strong sense of honor, & a stern & stoic way of presenting himself.

Then comes Lady Imogen Loveless like a wreckinggggg ball.

She leads him on a merry chase, all while she & the Belles are investigating the series of explosions that have been set at places of refuge / help in the East End. All the while she is captivating Tommy though he is very aware of the class difference between them.

The “cat & cat” dynamic between Imogen & Tommy is too good. He sees her as an equal & as someone who is endlessly resourceful & who can find answers. His confidence in her is hot.

As is his possessiveness about who can see Imogen in moments of dishevelment following smooching & more. “He doesn’t get to see this.” Freaking swoon.

Imogen—like the other Hell’s Belles we’ve met—is a total bada** & I wish I had her bag filled with tricks.

Their story has weight & twists & the Belles manipulating events in an attempt to help others.

But I think my expectations were a bit off the mark for this one. Based off of impressions from earlier books I thought this one might be more fun, more madcap, & while I enjoyed seeing what lies beneath Imogen’s chaos I also kinda wanted more chaos. More explosions set by Imogen. More like Bringing Up Baby but with explosives ;) .

Still, Knockout is hot & sensual & romantic & I really adore the gravity of SM’s writing. It’s provocative but there’s also a seriousness in tone & scope that compels. I don’t know if that makes sense?

Either way, this reviewer is looking forward to the next book because this one left off on a real moment.

4⭐️. Out 08/22.

CWs: Explosions targeting places of refuge; misogynist remarks; cruel remarks; attempted murder; references to murder; violence.

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds the book in front of a pink & purple butterfly mural on a slate blue wall.]

#TommyGoBoom💥 I loved Tommy and Imogen SO MUCH!

Lady Imogen Loveless is a unique woman. She's always been TOO MUCH for anyone in her life. Too loud, too big, too strange, too smart, just overall too much. She's decided that's not her problem, and she enjoys her friendships and missions as part of a group of amazing ladies, who are righting society's wrongs. They accept and love her as she is, and that's good enough for her. Until Tommy comes along.

Detective Inspector Thomas Peck works for Scotland Yard, and has a lot on his plate. He doesn't need Lady Imogen, and her chaos, infecting his life. Until he realizes that she's a lot more than meets the eye, and he can't get her out of his head. Then a situation pushes them into forced proximity, and it is ON. He's never met anyone like Imogen, and knows he never will again. But there's no way a boy from the wrong side of town, who managed to claw his way into his position, could ever be enough for a proper Lady.

Tommy and Imogen's chemistry has been incendiary from the start in book 1, and I could not wait to watch them EXPLODE. It was well worth the wait!! They were so clearly made for each other, and I adored watching them both figure that out, in their own time. I love that he really saw her for who she was, and she saw him the same way, and they found magic together. It was perfection.

The rest of the Belles were delightful to revisit, as always, along with their husbands. Also, the way the story ended, with a wild setup for Duchess' story?! It killed me!! I'll be dying for that book for the next year! I can't wait!!

I've loved MacLean's take on historical romance throughout this series and the previous one but Knockout is even better than I expected. Finally reading Imogen and Peck's story after it's been teased in the past two was a delight. And the epilogue cliff hanger for book four! Yesss, cannot wait for the Duchess's story next.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

CW: Sexism; classism; fire/explosions

After being a bit let down by Heartbreaker, I was worried that Knockout wouldn’t live up to the hype. But, oh my god, was this such a fun, exhilarating ride with an explosively sexy romance! I loved the vibes of Tommy and Imogen’s relationship – it feels like Sarah MacLean watched Miss Scarlet and the Duke and thought, “But what if they HAVE SEX?” and I was HERE FOR IT.

Believe the hype – the romance in this is 🔥🔥🔥. I absolutely could not get enough of Tommy and Imogen. They’re both so far gone for each other, and I LOVED how she could perfectly get under his skin and push his buttons. The chemistry and banter between them was electric, and I was living for the scenes with the two of them. Tommy has no idea what he’s in for with Imogen, as she’s constantly trying his patience, but we all know he secretly loves her. But once they kiss, there is no denying the explosion between them. This book is incredibly sexy, as Imogen and Tommy want each other so badly, but it’s also incredibly romantic. The emotions between them were so genuine, lush, and raw. The relationship developed perfectly, and seeing these two fall in love and find their perfect match felt exhilarating.

Tommy really does go BOOM 💥 in this book. Tommy has this perfectly ordered life and thrives on routine, yet Imogen tends to bring chaos, disorder, and the unexpected with her. He’s thoroughly exasperated by Imogen but in the best possible way. And Tommy cannot help but be intrigued by her as he knows she is brilliant and she’s helped him with a case more than once. He’s got a very strong moral compass and believes in justice, and wants to help those who need it. Growing up in the East End of London, he’s worked hard to get to where he is as one of the best Detective Inspectors in Scotland Yard. He’s got this hard and rigid exterior, but he so easily comes undone by Imogen. I also loved how protective and loyal he is to those he cares about, even if that does get tested. However, I also wanted to shake him at times as he gets it into his head that he is so inferior to Lady Imogen and she would never want a man like him. He’s so stubborn on this point, and I was just like, BOY, GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR BUTT because Imogen is the last person in the world who cares about class.

I was so excited to learn more about Imogen, as she always was a bit on the periphery in the other books in the series. We knew she had a knack for explosives and tended to show up in the most unlikely situations, but I couldn’t wait to dive into her backstory. I absolutely loved her once I got to know her. Imogen’s always been told she’s “too much” and odd. My heart ached for a bit as she was on her own after her father died, as her brother is 100% the opposite of her and seems to take no interest in her. It wasn’t until she found the Belles that she found her place. There is no denying that Imogen is brilliant, and if she was a man, she would have been celebrated instead of looked down upon for her scientific interests. I love how hard she is willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and how strongly she believes in the work she is doing with the Belles. And I am so glad she found Tommy, as he’s never seen her as “too much” and loves her for exactly who she is.

Outside our main couple, I loved all the scenes we got with the rest of the Belles. I felt Heartbreaker was missing some of that, and it was so good to see the friendship and camaraderie between these women. That friendship is really at the heart of the series, as all four of our gals are outsiders in their own way, but they’ve found their family together. I also adored seeing Caleb and Clayborn again and how seamlessly they fit into the group. Tommy’s about to be the perfect addition to the group.

Now outside the romance, I loved the plot of this! We get a bit of mystery as Tommy and the Belles are trying to figure out who is behind three explosions of businesses that were secretly helping women and others in need. I loved how seamlessly the mystery and romance were intertwined in this – neither seemed to overpower the other. The plot also helped reinforce the Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes for me (if you’ve seen season 1, the mystery will feel a bit familiar in the end). I also thought the story’s pacing was spot on in this book – the action heightened the tension at times, but the story also knew when to slow down and take a beat to let the emotional moments shine. And oh my gosh, that ending makes me so excited for the final book in the series, as I cannot wait to learn more about the Duchess.

Like most of MacLean’s recent books, this is a thoroughly feminist and empowering story. Her work definitely feels more modern than some other authors, but I don’t mind that. I love how she draws inspiration from real women in history who were fighting for equal rights and protections of marginalized communities – things we are, unfortunately, still fighting for today – as it helps to show that these are not modern ideals plopped in a historical setting.

Knockout was hot, it was emotional, it was action-packed, and it was everything I wanted from a Sarah MacLean novel. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this, and I could not wait to sit down and read each night. I had a massive grin on my face the whole time while reading it. Sarah MacLean delivered a worthy story for Tommy and Imogen – fans of the series who have been waiting for their book will NOT be disappointed.

Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve been waiting for Imogen and Tommy’s story since the first Hell’s Belles and this book DELIVERS!!
✅ Fun
✅🌶️
✅ crime fighting
✅ only 1 bed
✅ 💣 (so many 💥)
✅ all the characters you love from Hell’s Belles 1&2

10/10. No notes.

Hell’s Belles is such a fun series that I’ve come to love, and this third book is a wonderful addition to it.
Imogen Loveless, whose love of explosives and knack for showing up at the most inconvenient times, is endlessly frustrating for Thomas Peck, a detective. Thomas - who Imogen fondly calls Tommy - is investigating a series of explosions, despite his superiors insisting they’re of little importance. The problem for him is, of course, the very distracting Imogen, who knows a lot more than she’s saying. And the problem for her is that she finds Tommy absolutely irresistible.
Knockout is a fun, page-turning historical romance, featuring badass ladies fighting for justice and allowing the men who love them to help out when they’re needed. Imogen and Tommy have absolutely banging (pun intended) chemistry.
I can’t wait for the Duchess’ story in book four!

Holy moly, what a book. I've been a big fan of this series already, but I think Sarah MacLean really bested herself with <i>Knockout</i> in so many ways. Exquisite prose, an absolutely unputdownable story, an utterly captivating dynamic between Imogen and Tommy, and a really fascinating and refreshing interrogation of policing which feels even bolder for where and when the story is set. And that epilogue setup for the Duchess had me SCREAMING. We need to kiss for science + chaotic heroine/growly hero + verifiable girl gang + she rips his bodice + #TommyGoBoom = probably my favorite installment of the Hell's Belles yet.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.