Allie Therin returns to New York City in the 1920s with Once a Rogue, the follow up to Proper Scoundrels, a spin-off from her Magic in Manhattan series. In that book, centre stage belonged to Wesley Collins, Lord Fine, a cantankerous aristocrat and cynical, self-confessed arsehole, and powerful magic-user and dangerous marshmallow Sebastian de Leon, who team up to discover who is behind a series of thefts of powerful magical artifacts which has led to murder. They’re an odd couple if ever there was one, Wesley’s prickly, stiff-upper-lipped arrogance and rudeness a complete contrast to Sebastian’s quiet sweetness and consideration, but somehow they just fit, both of them damaged and believing themselves unworthy of love or affection; and watching them slowly growing closer and allowing themselves to be vulnerable with one another made for a very charming and poignant romance.

Note: Once a Rogue does not stand alone as it shares characters and situations with the previous book and with the Magic in Manhattan series. There may be spoilers for those titles in this review.

Once a Rogue opens around a week after the climactic events in Paris at the end of Proper Scoundrels, and we catch up with Wesley and Sebastian just after their ship has docked in New York, where they’ve travelled in response to cryptic message from Jade Robbins:

MAY WE SEE YOU IN NEW YORK STOP CLOCK NEEDS CURSE TO TICK CAN’T SAY MORE HERE STOP

While Sebastian immediately heads off to call Jade to find out what’s going on, Wesley waits not too patiently on the pier with Mateo, Sebastian’s younger brother, who accompanied them across the Atlantic and is due to return to college in Ohio the following day. Like Sebastian, Mateo is a magic-user – his magic so powerful that it had almost killed him until Sebastian was able to channel his own enervation magic through a relic – a fifteenth-century Spanish brooch – to bind Mateo’s powers and keep him safe. But Wesley is concerned - he’s noticed the dark circles under Sebastian’s eyes, how, no matter how much sleep he gets, he always seems fatiguted – and how the brooch is interfering with Sebastian’s magic and destabilising it.

When Sebastian returns, it’s to inform them that he wasn’t able to get in touch with Jade or with Zhang – and that one of the staff at the Dragon House restaurant said he hasn’t seen Zhang for several days. It’s a little odd that Jade would ask them to come to New York and then not be there to greet them, but maybe she’s just out for a while and will be back later. After arriving at their hotel, Wesley suggests they should go to see Arthur Kenzie and “his surly little antiquarian” – then round up Jade and Zhang and all go out for dinner. But more disappointment awaits when he and Sebastian arrive at Arthur’s apartment building to find out that Arthur left town over a week earlier – and that his nephew hasn’t been around for a while either. (Sebastian’s cluelessness about the true nature of Arthur and Rory’s relationship is quite sweet, really!)

Before they have much time to dwell on the fact that their friends seem to have disappeared, Wesley receives another terse message, this one from his former commanding officer, who basically demands a meeting, and the next morning, he receives an anonymous letter telling him he’s not safe in New York and to “Beware the company you keep.” None of it makes sense, and Wesley’s hope that their paranormal friends will be able to help ease Sebastian’s burden is superseeded by concern for their safety. A handful of cryptic messages doesn’t give them much to go on, but someone is most definitely up to no good, and as the story barrels towards an exciting and nail-biting climax, our heroes find themselves enmeshed in a deadly plot involving magic, murder, and madness.

Once a Rogue is another terrific read with a clever, high-stakes plot and a romance that continues to be both delightful and heartfelt as Wesley and Sebastian fall deeper and harder for each other – despite their hang-ups about not being good enough or deserving of love. Wesley is as wonderfully curmudgeonly and sarcastic as ever, and I simply loved watching him stubbornly trying to insist that feelings are things that happen to other people even as he’s so obviously toast when it comes to Sebastian. He’s spent so long keeping people at arms’ length and believing he’s the cold-hearted, remorseless bastard he’s reputed to be that he struggles to believe there’s any good in him; he insists Sebastian is just seeing him through rose-tinted glasses and is waiting for the day when Sebastian realises it, too, and decides a disagreeable, caustic English aristocrat is not the man for him.

Sebastian’s blood terrors have eased thanks to Wesley’s nightly presence in his bed, but he is still haunted by his past trauma and burdened by guilt over the things he was forced to do while under the blood magic. He’s also worried that Wesley will soon become tired of him – of (what he sees as) his clinginess and the upheaval his life has undergone since becoming associated with the paranormal world. But while there’s an element of ‘he can’t love me because I’m a bad person’ going on on both sides, there are no silly misunderstandings or miscommunication; much as Wesley hates the idea that he actually has feelings, he and Sebastian actually do talk about them and about their expectations of each other and their… whatever is going on between them. I love the way they truly see each other – even if they don’t quite see themselves through such a favourable lens, and that they’re learning to be vulnerable and open with one another; and just as I enjoyed watching Wesley coming to terms with having all those pesky feelings, so I enjoyed Sebastian finally lettimg himself admit that he’s allowed to have good things in his life.

I have a few very tiny niggles, mostly to do with the plot – namely that it takes Wesley and Sebastian so long to clue into the fact that something is really wrong. Some of the Americanisms that creep in are jarring (no English person in the 1920s would use ‘already’ as in ‘come on already’ – we don’t even use it that way today) and Sebastian’s obliviousness about the nature of Wesley’s former relationship with Arthur and Arthur’s current one with Rory is a bit of a stretch – although it’s just about believable (if you squint) given that Sebastian was magically enslaved for three years.

But none of those things impacted my overall enjoyment of Once a Rogue, which is magical, sweet, funny, gripping – and highly recommended. Wesley and Sebastian are compelling, well-drawn characters; their chemistry crackles, their banter amuses and their growing love for and steadfast support of one another is totally swoonworthy and wonderful to read. I love the magical 1920s world Ms. Therin has created and although, at time of writing (in June), nothing has been announced, there are enough questions left unanswered here for me to be hopeful there’s a third book in the works.  Fingers crossed!

ETA:  A few weeks after I wrote this review, the author confirmed that there will indeed be a third book featuring Wesley and Sebastian - although we're going to have to wait until 2025!

“Of course I’m not making it easy. You have met me, haven’t you?”

If there is any one line in the entirety of Allie Therin’s outstanding Once a Rogue that typifies who Wesley Collins (aka Lord Fine) is at heart, it’s this. Wesley is a rogue. Until he isn’t. He’s the hard man who has quite unexpectedly gone soft for Sebastian de Leon. Cuddle? Wesley scoffs at the mere idea. Feel an emotion? Never. But then, he’s never met anyone like Sebastian before, either, and watching Wesley cope with, then accept it all as his destiny is a thing of beauty.

This world is rife with dangers around every corner. Its magic is both a wonder and a peril. Its characters both valiant and dangerous, and some in particular, downright dastardly. Sebastian is in possession of an artifact that taxes him physically, and somebody wants it for his own nefarious purposes. This story is a race against the clock to locate old friends and new acquaintances, and Therin transports readers through time and trouble with an endearingly cheeky flair.

Ardent fans will welcome old friends from the Magic in Manhattan series. Arthur, Brody, Jade, and Zhang take their hard-earned and rightful place amongst the mayhem. The best part is that this book is nowhere close to the end. There’s more to come, and that’s excellent news for readers.

Once a Rogue is another amazing romantic paranormal mystery from Allie Therin. If you are a fan of dashing 1920s gentlemen who are the definition of grumpy and sunshine, look no further than this magical queer story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wesley aka Lord Fine is accompanying Sebastian de Leon and his brother Matteo to New York. They are hoping get some help from their paranormal friends with the relic that’s making Sebastian’s magic tough to handle. But when they arrive, Jade and Zhang are nowhere to be found. Add in the mysterious appearance of Wesley’s former commanding officer and an odd bootlegger, and the pair are on a quest to figure out what’s really going on and find their friends.

Once again, romance and paranormal mystery combine in the most delightful way. It is always fun to spend more time with Wesley, the grumpiest grump, and Sebastian, the sweetest marshmallow around. I love seeing how their relationship grows stronger the more time they spend together, and how quick they are to defend and protect the other. Sure, Wesley keeps denying that feelings actually exist, but his protests grow weaker and weaker.

This book is a steamy one, and it’s easy to see the chemistry and love between Wesley and Sebastian. I recommend reading Proper Scoundrels, the first book in this series before diving into this one to see how their relationship begins. Both books immediately pulled me in, and I stayed up way past my bedtime to keep reading.

Once a Rogue is the perfect balance of romance and paranormal mystery. And, it is a wonderful continuation of Wesley and Sebastian’s story. I love the way they protect and stand up for each other, no matter what circumstances arise. And, if Sebastian happens to feed some stray cats along the way, who could blame him?

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

I would read so many more books about Lord Fine and Sebastian de Leon! Therin combines an intriguing magic system, a snarky but soft (for Sebastian) member of the aristocracy, a wildly powerful paranormal, and an adventure to learn more about a relic wreaking havoc into a wonderful adventure in Once a Rogue. I am not sure that this story would be classified as a cozy mystery, but those connotations are what I felt while reading. I loved getting to see an established couple in a new book and their relationship only gets better! It was refreshing to read. The seemingly endless wild goose chase Wes and Sebastian endure is clever, fun, and ends with an appropriately flashy ending. Can’t wait for more!

Fans of this pairing (Wesley and Sebastian) will enjoy this installment. I'm a fan of the author and I liked it overall, but I also didn't feel like it was a page-turner. The overall tension/suspense in both the romance and in the larger plot felt more diffuse than in the previous book, Proper Scoundrels.

I think I wanted to enjoy this one a lot more than I did.
I need to start off with the fact that Sebastian and Wesley literally have my heart and I love them so much. I could read endless stories about their lives and interactions. I just want to see them live and be happy together forever.
That being said, the plot line for this one was really not it for me. I didn’t really care about our “missing” characters, and the entirety of the first 60-70% is spent aimlessly wandering around without any direction at all. We meet characters that don’t really matter, and the characters that do matter don’t develop enough to make much of an impact.
The spice in this book was much better than the first and really deepened Wesley and Sebastian’s relationship. I truly do love these characters. I recommend this for anyone looking for a more character driven story.

This might be my favorite one yet, Wesley and Sebastian fit so perfectly together, I could read a thousand books about them 🤍

The story starts with them going to New York to meet with Jade and the rest of the group, but when they arrive no one seems to even be in the city, so they start exploring to try to figure out what happened and in the meantime meet with some strange people, from Wesley’s past and some new.

Once the story started I couldn’t put it down, i read it in one sitting, every chapter left me wanting more, I loved to see their relationship evolve and how they moved past the “villain” label, from the other books and within themselves.

Seeing all the characters together (Arthur, Rory, Jade, Zhang, Wes and Seb) was definitely a plus, I wouldn’t mind more of them in the future.

I really hope there are more books in the series.

PS. Can’t wait for the Magic in Manhattan trilogy to be printed.
Thank you NetGalley and Carina Press for the arc.

I don't know how many books are planned in this Roaring Twenties Magic series (a spin-off of Therin's Magic in Manhattan) ... I assume it will be another trilogy. So by that assumption, this book's focus is to cement Wesley and Sebastian's relationship. As they chased trail of their friends in America, from New York to Tarrytown, both learned further about the other.

I think the core of the story is to make Sebastian realized that his Wesley would not go anywhere. Yes, Wesley might not be a paranormal. Yes, Wesley was thrust into this dangerous world without any magic of his own. Yes, he was a Lord compared to Sebastian who not at all near the definition of aristocracy. But all those worries Sebastian had about bringing problems into Wesley's life, were never be Wesley's concerns. Sebastian was it for Lord Fine, and Wesley was sticking with his marshmallow til the end.

I should've been a bit annoyed with Sebastian's constant questions about Wesley's wanting to be with him... but at the same time, Sebastian was SUCH A MARSHMALLOW, I COULDN'T FEEL AT ALL ANNOYED!! He was sooo adorable. Like when he was trying to guess Wesley's age (that brought laughter in me). No wonder cantankerous Wesley was smitten.

The book offered some exciting fights with the bad guys too... and again, I wonder if there's another book waiting in the horizon. I guess I just have to wait for news.

This was a sweet follow up to Proper Scoundrels. I don’t know if there will be more with these characters, but I enjoyed the touch of ambiguity at the end. This was a fun read.

I'm not sure I've ever adored a historical romance couple more than I adored Wesley and Sebastian. You've got pretty much everything rolled into one with this couple. Grumpy and sunshine, adorable and funny banter, traumatic pasts that make their feeling the feelings even sweeter, and lots of wonderfully sweet moments. Then you add in the magic, mystery, and delightful side characters and the story turns from great to amazing!

Plus, the author is a skilled writer and really makes putting this book down. I devour-read this book in one day.

The only thing is, you can't read this book without reading book one. I mean, you technically can...the plot is its own and the author does a good job of catching you up with what happened before...but I don't recommend it. I read 2-3 pages and immediately went and bought the first book. It's obvious the characters have history and that it's important to know what happened before.

One criticism is that there are 3 books in a different series that follow a different couple and a lot of what happens in that series is referenced in this book too. I haven't read those 3 books, so I lacked context. That said, it didn't detract from Once a Rouge at all. Now I just want to read that series as well.

If you like romance, mm romance, grumpy/sunshine, historical fantasy, magic, and funny banter, you'll love this book.

Thank you Netgalley! This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a hero that does not have feelings. The fact that Wes constantly battles feelings and his desire to not have them is spectacular. I really adored all the discussion that Sebastian and Wesley have about what is going on between them. I also loved all the ways that power exchanges are highlighted.
It's sexy and fun and dangerous. I enjoyed the entire story and can't wait to see what happens next.

For once in my life, I actually finished an ARC before the release of the book because I blew through the first one and just had to have more. This book did not disappoint. This leg of Sebastian and Wesley's tale deepened the strength of their bond and brought to light so much more in their relationship. They are so soft for each other and I so dearly love them. I found myself smiling like an idiot more than once. But aside from the sweetness, this had just the right amount of angst and suspense. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!

"Once a Rogue" was freaking marvellous.
I enjoyed the hell out of every single second I got to spend with Sebastian and Wesley on their second, even more epic and magical, adventure together.

"Proper Scondrels" was one of my favourite reads when it came out, quite possibly one of my favourite Allie Therin books at the time, but I think this second book takes that top position: Wesley and Sebastian managed to absolutely steal my heart and obliterate my soul for a second, glorious time, and I seriously cannot explain how much they meant to me.

Misunderstood ex-villains finding love was already one of my reading catnips, and two ex-villains finding love and understanding with one another, despite each of them being convinced that they're undeserving of any sort of affection whatsoever? Now, brand that on my soul please.


< Wesley so rarely found himself at a loss for words. But for all he claimed to think with cold rationality, he’d forgotten that kind didn’t mean gullible, that soft wasn’t sheltered and sweet wasn’t naïve. >

I LOVE Sebastian and Wesley so damn much.
Wesley has been my absolute favourite since the very first time he appeared: he's cranky and standoffish and commanding, darkly funny and deliciously competent, but he can also be unbelievably, delightfully understanding, vulnerable and open-minded and so damn ready to move the world for Sebastian, come hell and high water.
And Sebastian? Gah, he's the sweetest. The most precious marshmallow to ever exist, and he deserves every single good thing in the world.

And together, oh god. They're so perfect for one another: both of them are incapable of asking for help, but either one of them would sacrifice themselves for the other, no questions asked. They show up for each other, they care for each other, and they listen and fight and joke around with one another; they won't accept any sort of self-loathing nonsense from the other, and they even talk about consent and boundaries; and I'm freaking obsessed with them.
Their dynamic gave me life and it was so damn perfect, fueled by love and respect and chemistry. I'd seriously read a dozen novels about them, and I know I would never get tired.

< “I mean, really,” Wesley said, picking up his empty glass. “A man could almost get the impression you only want him for his lectures.”
“They’re such good lectures,” Sebastian mumbled, which put a bigger smile on Wesley’s face. >

And the plot? Absolutely epic. It's fun and mysterious and clever, filled with twists, discoveries and magical curses and relics, and I couldn't keep away.
And it also features some very welcome faces from Allie Therin's previous trilogy: Jade and Zhang, of course, and even our favourite sourly brat Rory and his overprotective, mother hen lover. I ADORED seeing them all again, and I loved their group interactions even more: I desperately need book three so I can see more of Rory and Wes bonding over their respective crankiness and their big softy boyfriends.
The found family vibes were impeccable, and Wes and Sebastian DESERVE to have lots of overprotective friends fussing over their well-being and happiness.
The only thing better than scondrels finding love with each other, is them finding a big family of friends who fuss over them as well: I don't make the rules, but found family is THE superior trope.

Allie Therin has gifted us with another gem of a book, and I seriously cannot wait to read book three. I feel like I'll spend the next few months in an enormous book hangover because of "Once a Rogue" and the only way to get over it will be re-reading it, and all of Allie's entire backlist as well.

Please, do yourself a favour and read this series! It's magical, pun intended.

It was such a joy to spend time with Wesley and Sebastian again! I can never get enough of them. The main plot point for a large portion of this book, was basically just the two of them trying to find the New York paranormal crew (Rory, Jade, Zhang, and Arthur of the Magic in Manhattan series). While there were a few moments where I started to get antsy for the plot to move along and for something more to happen, we would then get an adorable scene with Wesley and Sebastian bonding and deepening their relationship to tide us over. Then we get to see Arthur/Rory and Wesley/Sebastian all together and the dynamics of all of them interacting along with Jade/Zhang just watching in amusement, were so fantastic. Absolutely cannot wait for book 3 and to get to spend more time with all of these characters that I adore!

Couldn't put it down. Once again, Allie Therin has spun a page-turning, action-packed, romantic, and captivating tale. Wes and Sebastian are as wonderful as they were in book one, and I loved them both. Wesley is a perfect curmudgeon, determined to be a grump about everything, even (maybe especially) when he's having feelings. (Ugh! Feelings!) Sebastian, meanwhile, is the sweetest of sweethearts, making the reader want to cuddle and protect him. The villians were pretty clear from the start, but it was watching the heroes unravel the clues while wrestling with their own traumas and fears that made the story hum. Seeing a bit of Arthur and Rory from the previous series was a fun addition. Looking forward to rereading in audio and eagerly awaiting more from this great universe.

I enjoyed this one and sped through it pretty quickly. It's a good pick for when you want something low angst and sweet. I actually didn't remember much of anything from the first book in the series and still didn't have trouble following what was happening in this book. I'm a sucker for love interest in peril and protective types, and both characters definitely satisfied on those counts. I do wish the characters had a bit more depth, and the plot was not my favorite, it just felt a bit silly at times and some things seemed so obvious. I wish the rules of magic were a little better defined and that the plot was more finely tuned. But I did have a good time reading it and definitely think you'll enjoy it if you've enjoyed other books by this author. It hooked me and kept me interested, gave me some feels, and was a low stress read.

To be completely honest, Allie Therin is one of my favorite authors and I'd probably love anything she writes. Once a Rogue is not an exception.

I love following Sebastian and Wesley through their relationship, along with the mystery of the missing friends we got to know in the Magic in Manhattan-series. Some things feel far fetched, but I'm so invested in the relationships and the magic and the world building, I'm not very picky about it.

Without saying too much I can say I'm not disappointed with this sequel and I can't wait for the third book, what with that ending. Therin has such an ability to make an ending satisfying while still making me want the next book asap.

/ Denise

When I started reading Allie Therin a few years ago, I didn’t expect that she would become one of my go to authors for banter. She has though. Wesley, Lord Fine, and Sebastian de Leon give good banter as they try to find out what’s happening in the paranormal world. I enjoyed this so much and there’s so much I can’t talk about because it’s spoilery.

Once a Rogue, is the second book in the Roaring Twenties Magic series, which is itself a spinoff of the Magic in Manhatten series, and you should really read that first. So no, this isn’t a good place to start. However, this is good incentive to start. I highly recommend Allie Therin of you enjoy m/m romance, especially of the paranormal variety. If you like Cat Sebastian and KJ Charles, Therin’s sensibilities will fit right in.

While we got to spend a lot of time with the extended crew in Proper Scoundrels, they are missing for a good chunk of this book. Instead, Wesley and Sebastian must navigate finding their friends while hiding both the paranormal world and their relationship from people from Wesley’s past. The antagonists aren’t hard to figure out, and while this book has a satisfactory ending, it’s also clearly a middle book. A lot is left unfinished, and my appetite is whetted for book 3.

Wesley and Sebastian are still feeling their way with each other. They are lovers, but neither thinks they have a long term future with the other. Sebastian is still the most dangerous marshmallow you will meet. He loves animals and will gladly manipulate Wesley for the benefit of animals in a way he will not for his own benefit.

CW: poisoning, night terrors, homophobia, kidnapping, discussion of torture in past, threat of murder, murder, gun violence.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Carina Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

Thanks to the author, publisher, & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

If you say Prohibition-era romance I’m there, not to mention when a book balances steam & sweetness & care like Allie Therin’s Once a Rogue.

OAR is book 2 in the Roaring Twenties Magic series, which is a spin-off of the Magic in Manhattan series. You absolutely have to read book 1, Proper Scoundrels, which focuses on the same couple as OAR, but I don’t think you have to start at the beginning of the Magic in Manhattan series if you don’t want to! (check out my Stories & I’ll try to explain this better!)

With all of that being said, OAR & the first book Proper Scoundrels focus on grumpy/rude Lord Wesley Fine (no magical abilities) & the “dangerous marshmallow” Sebastian (magical abilities).

This book builds so beautifully on their relationship! The sweetness of grumpy/rude Wesley slowly & so deliberately trying to be sweet & caring with Sebastian. Allowing himself to be soft!

There are several moments in here that had me all up in my feels & the steam! Yummmmmmmm on all levels.

Highly recommend both series but this one in particular is a fave!

5⭐️. Out 08/22.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a white floral shirt, holds the ebook while standing in a yard. Trees are in the background.]

Allie Therin writes magic; the world she has created is so magical and full of brilliant characters. The adventures just grap a reader and will not let go. Therin's books always leave me yearning for more. Once A Rogue continues wonderfully the tale of Wesley and Sebastian and their next adventure, which takes them to New York to meet Arthur, Rory, Jade and Zhang. Except the four of them are nowhere to be found.

What an adventure follows. Wesley and Sebastian's relationship deepens when both of them go through growth and it is a beautiful thing to follow. Both of them have tragic things in their past that they have to learn to accept and let go - and they help each other with that. It is a beautiful and delightful thing to read about, particularly since they are so sweet together. Wesley can protest as much as he wants, but he will find a home for every stray animal that Sebastian comes across. I love them. I'm already eagerly waiting for the third book in the series.

I recommend all Therin's books wholeheartedly. I love them all so much that I cannot name a favourite. So the best thing is to begin with Spellbound and go from there.