This is the second book in a series, and maybe the best one! The element of mystery was very strong, and I liked the duplicitous nature of Henri. The strong female friendship is very present in this book.

Another great read from Kate Bateman. Harry and Ellie bring out the best of each other and work as a team in this romantic mystery. Their story built on the first boom and flushed everything out more fully.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (one scene had a morning after that was pretty close to the initial scene so I combined flames – might feel a bit hotter than listed)
Humor: Yes, especially some delightful banter
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, not too far in the future

Should I read in order?
You can grab this out of order – it’s book 2 of Bateman’s Her Majesty’s Rebels and has some minor character crossover but I found it fine alone! (Three friends run a private investigation business and each has a story)

Basic plot:
Ellie meets the infuriating Harry when he pretends to be his fictional boss and they begin working on a case together.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1816
- light elements of holiday time romance with mistletoe kiss
- working women – heroine owns a private investigator business with 2 friends
- hero with dimples
- thief / pickpocket hero
- hero falls first
- bespectacled heroine
- secret identity
- hero speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian and a bit of Russian and Portuguese
- hero has heterochromia
- he calls her his ‘brilliant girl’
- he trusts her to protect him in dangerous situations
- working together on a mystery
- medium steam – 3ish full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 22, hero is 26

My thoughts:
This book was just literal perfection to me!!! I am so in love with how Bateman just keeps delivering me these books that are pure romance catnip to me. I’m grinning like a fool, kicking my feet in happiness, little hearts bursting above my head.

I found this whole book so delightful. I love both mains so much. Ellie is just so sweet and funny and kind and smart and Harry was really her perfect match. The way he falls for her, the way he trusts her, the way he calls her brilliant and uplifts her, while also taking small breaks to whisper naughty things in her ear….

I loved every moment of this story. It was funny and swoony, and such good tension and I am so in love. Love, love, love

Loved the case-solving aspect of this - Kate Bateman is a great author and this was a really fun read. Give me more detective agencies in historical romance!

This tale is an irresistible blend of mystery, romance, and wit that will kept me captivated from start to finish. The story introduces us to Eleanor Law, a brilliant and determined investigator at King & Co., London’s premiere private detective agency, who is ready to prove that women can crack cases just as well as men. Enter Henri Bonheur, or "Harry," a charming, mischievous con man whose criminal past is as dubious as his intentions. When the two are forced to team up on a case involving a stolen manuscript, sparks fly—both professionally and personally.

The exchanges between Harry and Ellie deliver the perfect balance of tension, humor, and fiery chemistry. Ellie, with her sharp mind and unyielding conviction, is a refreshing heroine, while Harry—devilishly charming and oh-so-flawed—proves to be the perfect foil to her serious demeanor. Their banter is delightful, the mystery they unravel is gripping, and the growing attraction between them adds a layer of depth and intrigue to the story.

The danger in the plot also provides a sense of adventure and intrigue that drives the story. As Ellie and Harry dig deeper into the case, they must confront their own pasts and the choices that brought them together—making for an emotionally satisfying and thrilling read. With a sharp, clever narrative and characters you can’t help but root for, this is surely a romance you won’t want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and am voluntarily leaving my review.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is the second book in Her Majesty's Rebel series. This is a stand-alone read.

A missing Earl and a scoundrel all rolled up in one story will keep the reader turning the pages as he inserts himself into a investigative company run by three women Ellie, Daisy, and Tess. The romance between Ellie and Harry is the primary focus.

It is an easy to read as well as entertaining story. Looking forward to the next in the series.

A delightfully witty historical romance that pairs a sharp-tongued heroine with a charming rogue. The chemistry between the main characters sparkles from their first encounter, and their verbal sparring matches are pure entertainment. While the plot follows familiar tropes, Bateman's skilled writing and character development elevate this above standard fare.

The historical setting feels authentic without being heavy-handed, and the supporting cast adds depth to the story. Some plot points felt a bit rushed toward the end, but the emotional payoff still satisfies. A perfect pick for readers who enjoy their historical romance with a healthy dose of humor and heart.

While I didn’t like this as much as the first book in the series, I did still enjoy the romance between Eleanor and Henri. As well as the mystery thread through the book. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series.

Absolutely delightful read, with charming characters and repartee. I did not read the first book in the series, but that did not affect my following this book. Eleanor Law is the daughter of Sir Edward Law, the Lord Chief Justice. If she had been born a male, she would have become a lawyer, but as that is not permitted in her time period, she became an investigator, opening a business, King & Company, with her two best friends, Lady Dorothea Hamilton and Tess, the Duchess of Wansford. Like Charlie's Angels, the three do the investigating, but unlike Charlie's Angles, there is no Charlie. However, in order to get clients, they must pretend that they assists, Charles King. Eleanor is neither titled or wealthy and acts as a wallflower, but she is approached by the handsome and charming Henry at a Christmas ball when she is unaware that she is standing under mistletoe. After a kiss, Henry introduces himself as a reformed wealthy thief who out of boredom is looking for something to do and offers his services to pretend to be Charles King to help them procure a client. Eleanor doesn't quite trust him, is he bored or up to something? But after working together in several cases she succumbs to his charms, as he does to her, and eventually does find out what he is really up to. One strange thing though- Henry gifts her with a basil plant. I grow basil and it is nothing like described in the story.

I was lucky to have been gifted by the publisher to an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.com. This is my honest, unbiased and voluntary review. I look forward to reading Daisy's story.

This book is everything I love about Kate Bateman—fun, flirty, and impossible to put down! Ellie Law is sharp, independent, and unafraid to go toe-to-toe with Harry, the titular scoundrel whose charm and secrets keep her on edge (and readers hooked). Their banter is electric, the chemistry sizzles, and the twists, while not shocking, are deeply satisfying.

Bateman nails the balance of wit, intrigue, and romance, with Ellie and her private investigation firm adding a fresh twist to the historical romance genre. If you’re into clever heroines and spicy, swoon-worthy heroes, this one’s a must-read!

Ellie works for a man who doesn't exist--until one night a handsome stranger kisses her under the mistletoe then inserts himself into her conversation, claiming to be the elusive Charles King. He convinced Ellie to let him pose as her employer to secure a job, and even though she doesn't know who this many really is, she can't seem to stop the feelings that come up whenever he's around.

I absolutely adored this book, just like I did the first in the series. I loved both the main characters, and the rest of the cast was also delightful. I'm excited to read the final installment!

"How to Fall for a Scoundrel" is an excellent second installment in Kate Bateman's "Her Majesty's Rebels" series. Bateman is an incredibly solid historical romance writer and her talents are on display here. Ellie and Harry have excellent chemistry and entertaining banter, and their romance flows well. This is not a book where the MMC lies till the end, which I appreciated. There was a bit of a third-act separation, but it was not really due to miscommunication, so it didn't bother me as much as it otherwise would have.

I adore Harry's faith in the abilities of Ellie and her friends/co-owners in King & Co. He is not bothered by her wit or her intellect, and in fact finds those to be qualities which make him esteem her even more. As in the previous book in this series, the interactions between Ellie, Daisy, and Tess are funny and sweet, and demonstrate just how much these women care for each other. Their conversations run the gamut from bawdy to poignant and I am so looking forward to reading Daisy's story and seeing how the fortune teller's prediction plays out for her.

There were some things that took me a bit out of the story - we hear about Ellie's father a lot but never actually meet the man. And it is rather unbelievable that a young, unmarried woman of the ton would have the level of freedom and unencumbered movement enjoyed by Ellie (and Daisy, for that matter). But Ellie and Harry's story is lovely enough to mostly overcome the book's minor issues.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.

This was an excellent book!! I enjoyed the character development as well as how the plot was developed throughout the story. The author was able to to do a good job with all aspects of the story. I would recommend to others.

A cute follow-up to the first book in this trilogy about 3 unconventional Regency era friends, though I didn't quite like it overall as much as the first. Ellie is a likeable enough heroine, but except for Harry's shady past and his admiration for Ellie's intellect, he felt kind of flat to me. It also had about 3 different plots that seemed to flow into each other. They weren't hard to keep track of, but I did wonder where it all was going for awhile.

Daisy is the most daring of the trio, so I'm looking forward to her story (which I'm guessing will be one of the Italian thieves from this book).

This was a great read! Loved the plot of this book and the characters! The romance between the characters was fun and their characters were easy to love! I loved getting to see the characters from the previous books as well!Definitely recommend reading this book!

Received for free through netgalley for an honest review. I honestly loved this continuation of the ladies from King and Co. The fun that was had with the ex -criminal and also solving the crimes was fun. Super intrigued by the final book, can’t wait to read!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this new series from Kate Bateman, so was excited to jump into this, the second in the series. I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint. I enjoy the main characters in this series, a group of young ladies who have started a private investigation firm who are forced by societal rules of the time to come up with an imaginary male "leader" who always happens to be away on important business when his presence is requested. These are bright, witty women whose intellect and backgrounds make them good at what they do. The titular scoundrel in this installment is just the kind of man to test the limits of Ellie Law's wits - and patience. She knows he isn't who he pretends to be, but who is he really? And why is she so attracted to him? And can she trust "Harry", knowing that he hasn't been truthful about his identity? It's another fun, spicy, and engaging story - just what I've come to expect from Kate Bateman.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing copies for an unbiased review.

"How to Fall for a Scoundrel" by Kate Bateman is a cute, steamy historical romance with some solid banter, but it’s pretty predictable. The enemies-to-lovers trope is fun, but honestly, some of the plot feels a bit too familiar. While I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads, the whole “bad boy” thing felt a little overdone, and the pacing could’ve been quicker. Overall, it’s a fun, light read that hits the romance sweet spot, but it didn’t blow me away.

Kate Bateman is one of my favorite historical romance authors! I highly recommend her books.

This was well written and steamy full of mystery and intrigue. It was fast paced and fun to listen to. It gave me Remington Steele vibes which was a TV show I loved when I was young! I both read and listened to the audiobook. I really liked the narrator.

Love love love this!! Ellie is a great female lead and the banter between the 3 friends is so fun to read. I love Kate Bateman and the stories she creates with mischievous, smart and talented women. Another 5star read for sure!!