This was a great follow up to Proper Scoundrels, and I love Sebastian and Wesley even more. The banter between them was great, and I'm so excited to read the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Once a Rogue is the second book in a spinoff mystery/paranormal romance series by Allie Therin. Released 22nd Aug 2023 by Harlequin on their Carina Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a very well written, spicy, M/M historical paranormal romance set in the 1920s. The setup is admittedly a trifle trope-y: curmudgeonly (but secretly passionate and soft on the inside) "perpetual bachelor" aristocrat meets/pines for handsome dangerous, sad, and complex magic user. Add some really nasty villains and stir well.

This is a spinoff series, and there are loads of world building and background to be read through before the action really gets going. For that reason, a short binge of the original series (Magic in Manhattan) might make this series more enjoyable and accessible. It's not absolutely necessary, but it will be a better fit for current fans of her other work.

It's a romance, and readers should be aware that there are some explicit scenes in the book. They're well written, but probably NSFW. Readers who enjoy historical romance with M/M characters will find a lot to like here.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This book was such a warm hug of loveliness! Lord Fine and Sebastian are an absolute delight together and I love spending time with them!

I already loved Wesley and Sebastian and didn’t think they needed to grow as a couple. I was so wrong. Wesley is sure that Sebastian will find him too cold to stay with. Sebastian still carries the pain of being someone’s dirty little secret. However, Wesley is great with refusing to beat around bushes. He demanded to hear and talk it out if there was a problem. Sebastian loves praising Wesley until Wesley accepts the praise. Watching their relationship grow is one of the highlights of the book.

There is also the intriguing mystery. Wesley and Sebastian journey to New York City because Wesley gets a cryptic telegraph for Jade. However, when they arrive in the city, Jade and their other magical friends are missing. The romance and the mystery are perfectly blended in this book.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was absolutely incredible. I am often unsure going into the second book of a trilogy, but Allie Therin has not once suffered from second book syndrome in anything I've read by her. In fact, the second book of her last trilogy was my favorite of all three. The writing is stunning, and I will never get tired of period magical books with such well thought out diversity, especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ characters. There is nothing Allie Therin could write that I wouldn't read.

Looks like I am getting an early start on my resolution to DNF more in 2024. I have confirmed that these two related series are not for me. When I strip the story down to the primary relationship, it has a lot of the things I like in quiet novels, with almost ordinary and mundane interactions that happen in a developing relationship. The thing is, the book is supposed to be exciting and suspenseful and that part doesn't always quite work for me in these two series.

Ultimately I recommend this book if you are already into the author's style and world building - because she offers that pretty consistently. I DNFed at 13% but I could see this heading to a similar 3ish stars as book one.

Had a chance to read the book after publication, and I'm super bummed I didn't get to it before. Love this setting and time. Really love the magical elements. Highly recommend to readers of romance, magic, and the magical elements of love.

I can't get enough of Wesley and Sebastian! (and the magical paranormal world the author has created). In this sequel to Proper Scoundrels, Wesley and Sebastian are headed to New York, looking for their friends who are not where they should be (and who seem to be one step ahead of them). A chase of sorts ensues to try to catch up to them, entangling the duo into further problems while they are also taking stock of their relationship and its possible future. Lots of twists and turns again, some interesting bad guy characters and a wholly satisfying ending. Can't wait to read more!

This book was a treat. A magic romp set in New York City in the roaring 20s, Once a Rogue is filled with a refreshing magic system, heart warming characters, a scintillating mystery and two protagonists you cannot help but fall in love with.

Wesley is new to the paranormal world, but finds himself traveling to New York City along his new partner Sebastian to help rid Sebastian of the relic that is draining him. He has no doubt Sebastian will leave him once he sees Wesley cannot express feeling and makes a terrible partner. Sebastian knows clearly how he feels about Wesley, but is convinced Wesley will leave him when he finds someone better.

Upon their arrival, the paranormals of New York are surprisingly quiet, and the city seems to have nothing but traps in store for the pair. Sebastian is faced with the ghosts of his last visit to the city and a fear of being a burden on Wesley.

While the magic system of the world is not fully explained in this book (my presumption is that it gets a more thorough treatment in book one which I have not had the pleasure of reading yet) it presents a creative and unique magic system and structure that is really interesting and dynamic. I really want to dive in further and see both more of this world and of Wesley and Sebastian. Who are so utterly charming as to be completely irresistible.

Can't wait for the next one!

3.5 stars rounded up

This series is what I consider a popcorn read where you consume it without thinking too hard about it and everything works out and you remember almost nothing once you're finished. This book is no exception. I like Sebastian but Wesley can be kind of grating with his "im the worst man on the entire earth how can you POSSIBLY like me" stuff it, man, you are not the worst AT ALL. The magic is also rather convenient especially in this book (which it was very convenient in the whole series) but you know what? sometimes it's nice to know everything will be fine. I am looking forward to their next book and hopefully Wesley stops with the thinking he's some unloveable monster crap and lives his truth of being a cat dad and doting boyfriend to Sebastian.

I love the world of the Roaring Twenties Magic and love these characters. This novels are always compelling, well plotted and highly entertaining.
I love the complexity of the world building and the flawed characters, their back stories and their emotions.
Can't wait to read the next one
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Once A Rogue by Allie Therin
Roaring Twenties Magic #2

Another wonderful historical romance that drew me in, made me smile, and made me care.

What I liked:
* Sebastian: paranormal, magic user, in a relationship with Wesley-Lord Fine, talkative, kind, takes in and feeds stray cats in more than one country, medic in WWI, calmer with Wesley than alone, from a loving family, Puerto Rican, good friend, like him with and for Wesley
* Wesley: has no magic, strong, intelligent, was a Captain in the British Army during WWI, a bit gruff and grumpy, doesn’t see the good in him but it is seen by Sebastian, claims not to have emotions but definitely has the feels for Sebastian
* The close relationship that is developing between Sebastian and Wesley – can see them together for the long haul
* The plot, pacing, setting, and character development
* The mystery of where Jade, Zhang, Arthure, and Rory are and the way the main characters sleuth to find them
* The mystery of who the bad guys are and what they are up to
* That friendship developing between Arthur & Roray and Wesley & Sebastian
* The conclusion and wondering what will come next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how twisted some people can become…and boy was Langford easy to hate!

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

So happy to come back to the world Allie Therin has created in this series. These are not "romances", these are well crafted magical fantasy novels with romance and mystery in them. I love that about Therin's writing! This books brings back characters from previous novels... and while that's wonderful and engaging if you've read the other books, I don't doubt you will still enjoy this story!

As always, Allie Therin's characters are well-rounded, well-written and entertaining. I love that they're always unique. One of my favourite parts of the series is the world-building around the magic and use of it. Remarkable! Great read. Highly recommend.

This was a good second book in the series. We get to see Wesley and Sebastian's romance develop while they take on new challenges in America. We get cameos from the main characters in the Magic in Manhattan series too.

I really liked how Wesley and Sebastian grew as a couple in this book. We see Wesley showing more affection too, which was great. The book includes interesting settings, though I felt the magic wasn't as exciting in this book as it has been in others Therin has written.

I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Once a Rogue is book two in Allie Therin’s Roaring Twenties Magic series, which is itself an offshoot of her Magic In Manhattan series. Book one of the Roaring Twenties Magic series, Proper Scoundrels, should be read before this one. There will be spoilers for previous books in this review.

Once a Rogue, like its predecessor Proper Scoundrels, is an exciting story with magic, mystery, adventure, humor and romance, not necessarily in that order. At the end of Proper Scoundrels, Sebastian DeLeon acquired a relic (a powerful magical object that enhances a person’s magic) while helping to save the world from the magical equivalent of a vampire, but although it enhances Sebastian’s power, the relic also seems to be physically draining him. He’s not sleeping well, he’s sluggish all the time, and his ability to control his magic is weakening. Unfortunately, getting rid of the relic isn’t easy, since it has to be stolen while a murder is being committed.

The story opens with Sebastian and his non-magical lover, Lord Fine (Wesley), arriving in New York City to escort Sebastian’s brother back to university. They are also there in response to a cryptic message from Jade and Zhang about a powerful relic in their possession that they have been trying to destroy, and in turn, to ask them for help with the relic that is draining Sebastian. The problem is that Jade and Zhang, along with friends Arthur and Rory, have disappeared with no further messages. Wesley is approached unexpectedly by two former acquaintances who introduce him to a rather odd man who seems very focused on Sebastian, so when Wesley receives a note saying “Beware the company you keep,” he’s even more confused and uneasy.

Sebastian is struggling with his magic, but still feels the need to protect Wesley, while Wesley is worried about what the relic is doing to Sebastian, and is determined to protect him even against magic users. They both want to unravel the mystery of their four missing friends. The mystery is clever and twisty, leading our heroes into both real and metaphorical blind alleys. But even with the high stakes adventure the heart of this story is the relationship between uptight, cynical Wesley and his “dangerous marshmallow,” Sebastian. They are the oddest of odd couples, each with scars both visible and invisible that make it difficult to believe that they deserve anything more than a temporary happiness. Wesley, especially, feels he has no right to hope Sebastian is his to keep.

“His ice-cold heart didn’t know what to do with this damned tropical sunbeam, this kind-hearted darling who saw the world through the figurative rose-colored glasses, ignoring the ugliness of reality and choosing instead to see only beauty in mangy strays and beastly viscounts.”

Sebastian is still recovering from three years under a blood curse that compelled him to obey the commands of an evil man. This is especially difficult for Sebastian, who by nature is a caretaker, and even knowing he’d been compelled, Sebastian is having difficulty forgiving himself for the things he’s done. At the same time, his attachment to Wesley is increasing, especially since Sebastian’s magic seems to accept Wesley as it has no one else, and being with him has stopped Sebastian’s recurrent night terrors. Each man wants to be the protector and neither is seeing their relationship clearly, either as lovers or as two people working together to solve a mystery. So as Wesley and Sebastian follow the clues to their missing companions, they also have a few frank discussions that challenge their views about themselves and each other. The author does a marvelous job developing these characters and their relationship and these conversations are some of my favorite passages in the book.

Joel (Leslie) Froomkin returns to narrate Once a Rogue, and does his usual marvelous job with the large cast of characters and accents. Here he’s voicing Wesley’s upper class English accent, Sebastian’s Spanish accent and characters with both upper class and working class American accents. His character voices are spot-on and consistent throughout both books. My favorite thing about Joel’s narrations, however, is his ability to convey a wide range of appropriate and believable emotions both in the narrative passages and dialogs.

The exciting ending of the story wraps up the immediate threat for our couple, and leaves me hoping for more stories about them and the exciting magical world they live in. With the excellent narration, I’m happy to recommend this clever fantasy romance to any listener who enjoys a well-balanced tale of magic, adventure and romance.

Review appears at: https://smexybooks.com/2023/08/review-once-a-rogue-by-allie-therin.html

I really resist romance books which are series that center on the same relationship. And when it’s been over a year since I read the previous books, I am always dubious that I will stitch myself back into the feelings, and the narrative. But without a doubt, I was sucked back within a minute of starting Allie Therin’s Once a Rogue, the sequel to Proper Scoundrels.

The book finds the two main characters, Sebastian de Leon (magical) and Lord Wesley Fine (not magical), arriving in America. They are dropping Sebastian’s younger brother (magical) off at Oberlin, but they start to get strange telegrams and messages from their (magical) friends, and it is clear that something seems quite off.

Given everything that happened in book one, Wesley is very keen not to be seen by Sebastian as being ineffective or powerless just because he has no magic. Sebastian, tethered with carrying a relic that intensifies his magic, but also seems to drain him, is not entirely clear on how much Wesley cares for him. What is absolutely magical about this book is the dialogue and interactions of the two men. Wesley is incorrigible – putting on his airs as the prickly, unlikeable noble. But he also knows just how to check and distract Sebastian with a few dirty words and a suggestion of what he will do to him later.

If I have a complaint about this book, it would be that the plotting seemed a little labored. Sebastian and Wesley went here and there, pursuing the mystery of where their friends were. It felt like a lot of “and then, and then,” going from place to place, until the conspiracy of the villains started to become clearer. By that point, it was a little hard to even care, other than whether Wesley and Sebastian made it out alive.

The ending certainly leaves open the possibility of a sequel, and I will welcome it, sequels be damned! As long as Allie Therin can keep up the dynamic between these two men, I will keep reading!

Grade: A-

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I really enjoyed book 1 in this series and was excited to see there was a sequel and hit request as soon as I spotted it on Netgalley. This sequel is just as good as the first book. The plot continues after book 1 and now Wesley and Sebastian are in New York. They're planning to meet up with Arthur, Rory, Jade and Zhang about a relic. And they get involved in another mystery with someone planning big things and them caught in the middle of it.

I though the plot was a bit slow to get going, but I didn't mind that as the romance and the characters were plenty to keep me interested. As well as the hints of what was going on plot wise that are there from the start. The plot gets more intense further into the book and ends with quite the showdown toward the end where everything comes together and they face the bad guy of this book. It was an exciting wrap up and I liked seeing what happened and how everything played out.

I really like reading about Wesley and Sebastian, they make for such a great couple. And this series has one of my favorite grumpy/ sunshine romances. Wesley is the grumpy one, but in a way that feel so well done and fits his character instead of being annoying. His grumpy comments could be quite funny too and it's obvious he really cares beneath his scruff exterior. He might not always believe the best of himself, but Sebastian sure does. Sebastian has been through so much and is still dealing with nightmares and having to face what he did while under blood magic, but he's this ray of sunshine seeing the best in people. And these two together are just so awesome. I really liked reading about them and seeing their romance deepen even more.

Another thing I really liked about this book is seeing Wesley and Sebastian meet up with the whole cast from the first series, Arthur, Rory, jade and Zhang. It was so fun to see them all interact together. I wasn't quite sure how it would work with the history between some of them, but I actually was really happy with how it all played out. I hope there will be more books in this series as I would happily read more about these characters.

To summarize: This is a great sequel. Wesley and Sebastian arrive in New York and are planning to meet up with Arthur, Rory, Jade and Zhang. Instead they get involved in a bit of a mystery. The plot starts a bit slowly, but builds surely and steadily to an exciting showdown toward the end. The highlight for me was Wesley and Sebastian's romance, these two are just so great together. This is one of my favorite grumpy/ sunshine books, the differences in their personalities works so well and together they are just so fun to read about. I really liked seeing them grow closer and their romance deepen more. It was also really fun to see them meet up with Arthur and the rest and seeing how they all interact together. I hope there will be more books in this series ans I would happily spend more time reading about these characters.

Wesley still can’t figure out what he did to deserve the attentions of the sweet and loving Sebastian de Leon. Wesley knows he is grumpy, unfriendly, and can’t be bothered with social niceties. Yet, somehow, Sebastian seems to still want him around. And as long as Sebastian will keep him, Wesley is not letting the man out of his sight.

Sebastian and Wesley are headed to New York to find a way for Sebastian to rid himself of a dangerous magical relic. The brooch seems to be draining Sebastian, but given its power to affect magical users, and that the only way for someone else to take it is through a combination of theft and murder, disposing of it is not simple. They hope that their friends in New York, Jade and Zhang, might have some ideas of how to get rid of the brooch. When Jade reaches out asking them to meet, Wesley and Sebastian hope the situation can be easily resolved, but she never shows. The men attempt to track her, as well as Zhang, and even Wesley’s ex-lover, Arthur, and Arthur’s boyfriend, Rory, yet all four seem to have disappeared.

Sebastian and Wesley get increasingly worried the longer their friends are missing and continue to dig into where they might have gone. They follow the trail from some bootleggers in the city to a party in Tarrytown, where they finally begin to get some answers. But when they learn not only what happened to their friends, but also what evil scheme is being planned, they realize the true danger of the situation. Now, Sebastian and Wesley, with some help from their friends, must risk their lives to prevent an unimaginable devastation.

Once a Rogue is the second book in Allie Therin’s Roaring Twenties Magic series, following Proper Scoundrels. The books follow on the heels of one another and should definitely be read in order. The story also connects closely with Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series with crossover of storylines, characters, and world building, so this one is best for readers familiar with that series as well. When Proper Scoundrels released, I assumed it was going to be a standalone spin-off, so I was thrilled to see Therin was turning it into the start of a second series.

I loved Sebastian and Wesley so much together in the first book and that dynamic just continues here. I just adore a good “grumpy one is soft for the sunshiney one” pairing and this series is basically that trope on steroids. Wesley views himself as anti-social, grouchy, and cold. At the start of the last book, we get a sense that he almost revels in this reputation, in part because it keeps others at a distance and doesn’t open him up to hurt and loss. Over the two books, Wesley is definitely softening overall, but he still doesn’t care all that much about what anyone thinks of him and he is happy to pull out his imperious “Lord Fine” demeanor to get what he wants.

Most people are terrified by Wesley, but not Sebastian. Sebastian sees only the good in Wesley — the man who protects others, the person who has been put in multiple near impossible situations and forced to do horrible things, but still retains his humanity. Sebastian reminds Wesley that he is not the terrible person he thinks he is. And Sebastian is what Wesley calls a “dangerous marshmallow.” He is soft and gooey for just about everyone, feeding stray cats and always seeing the bright side. But don’t cross him — and definitely don’t threaten Wesley — or Sebastian has no qualms about unleashing his power.

I seriously love the dynamic between these two and part of what I adored about this book is that we get so much time seeing them interact. The first portion of the story is mostly just following the men around the city as they try to find their friends, which gives us plenty of time with just the two of them. So not much happens here plot-wise in the early part of the book, but let me tell you, I’m not at all mad about it. I basically spent the whole time giggling and swooning and highlighting passages as Sebastian bats his eyes at Wesley, and Wesley gives in to whatever it is Sebastian wants. The reason this dynamic works, I think, is because Sebastian brings so much joy to Wesley’s life. He is not manipulating him for his own gain; he is getting Wesley to open himself up to happiness, and Sebastian truly believes with all his heart that Wesley is wonderful. Here is just one of about a million passages I highlighted because it delighted me. This is post-sex after Sebastian used some of his magic to immobilize Wesley in all the best ways…

Sebastian rested his head against Wesley’s shoulder with a happy sigh.

“Sebastian.” Wesley forced his mouth to move. “Have you forgotten something?

Sebastian hid his face against Wesley’s back. “Um–”

“I can’t move my bloody limbs! Your magic is still on strong enough the people in the next room might be on the floor.”

“I know,” Sebastian said, into his back. “But I need a minute.”

Wesley barked out a laugh, a real one, with almost a rusty edge. “I fucked you to the point you can’t rein your magic in?”

Sebastian groaned. “It’s the brooch’s fault. Don’t be smug.”

“I’m going to be smug forever.” Wesley still couldn’t move, but it was fucking worth it. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Well, what I’d really like for you to do with me is cuddle. Er, when you can move again.”

“Sebastian.”

“It’s okay, I know you don’t cuddle.” The blankets were being pulled up over them. “But since you can’t move, you can just lie there and let me hug you.”

“You–”

“Shhh. My magic will ease fastest if I go to sleep.”

“Oh it will, will it?” Wesley said. “How dashed convenient. And how do I know if you’re serious or if you’re just fucking with me for vengeance?”

“I like to keep a little mystery alive between us,” Sebastian murmured, which made Wesley laugh again.

We see some nice growth between the men in their relationship over the course of the book, as both Wesley and Sebastian admit to their insecurities about the other’s feelings, and open up about how much they care about each other. So we leave things in a really nice place for the pair and I just adore them.

The other focus of the story, of course, is on how they will dispose of the brooch, where their friends have gone, and what nefarious plan is being cooked up by the bad guys. Things take some nice twists and, while I saw some aspects coming, others I did not. The climax is particularly exciting and really brings everyone together in a great way. Therin does a nice job here with balance in keeping Arthur, Rory, Jade, and Zhang off to the side for much of the book so that Sebastian and Wesley can shine, but also incorporating them into the larger storyline and its resolution. This is helpful because Rory is so insanely powerful, he would pretty much take over the magical part of the conflict otherwise. As always, Therin also takes nice advantage of the time period and the setting, and the story has a really get sense of time and place.

I absolutely love this world that Therin has created and am so happy to see her extending things with this second series. I seriously couldn’t adore Sebastian and Wesley together more and am looking forward to their next adventure.

Allie Therin never fails to write superbly entertaining books. Period. Full Stop.

I am so happy to be back in the Roaring Twenties / Magic in Manhattan world. Wesley and Sebastian start their newest tale just a few weeks following their inaugural journey. They are still navigating Wesley's foray into learning that magic and supes exist as well as both of them learning what and how to be in a relationship. So exciting.

Sebastian has possession of a relic and well, it's different. He is also still suffering from the traumas of his past and... he's having a hard time navigating both. Wesley suspects his new beau is having trouble but is always there to remind him that he's no longer alone. Which, you know, is funny because Wesley is having the same trouble navigating these icky "feelings" that keep creeping up with respect to Sebastian. And Sebastian is always there reminding him that feelings are ok. Over all that, they are both trying to convince the other that they are not the worst person to ever person and that they are, in fact, a good person and deserve good things. It's just a feeling-filled mutual admiration club that I could spend all day visiting!

On top of all those wonderful things, we have our suspicious mystery of trying to meet back up with the Magic in Manhattan crew in Manhattan regarding a series of cryptic messages. It's a cat-and-mouse chase with old war buddies of Wesley's showing up and a not-so-wonderful trip out to the Catskills.

All in all, I had a cracking good time. (I honestly have no clue if that phrase is appropriate to the timeframe, it just felt right.) I continue to laud the author for adding in some on-page spice, which I felt was sorely missing from the previous series. Ms. Therin writes the spice very well and I loved all the words provided. The love and budding relationship between Wesley and Sebastian is just magic in and of itself. I seriously wish for more in this series as I am loving all of it. Also, Joel Leslie Froomkin is narrating this series and I just love all his work.

*I had the absolute privilege of getting an ARC from the publisher, Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin), and Netgalley and I could not be more grateful. All thoughts and comments are my own.*