Miss Eleanor “Ellie” Law is the daughter of the Lord Chief Justice. She is one of the three co-founders of a successful private investigation firm. Eleanor encounters a charming scoundrel who steals a kiss from her at a ball. Now the man is assuming the identity of her fictional boss, “Charles King”. Reluctantly, Ellie agrees to allow Harry to help on a case he secured for them. Can Eleanor trust Harry with more than just her heart?
Henri Bonheur – or Harry to some – is a charismatic con man who has gone straight. He needs the King & Company’s help in proving his true identity. Henri first pretends to be their imaginary boss and secures them a case to gauge their ability. He never expected to be fascinated by Eleanor Law or enjoy helping her on cases. Will Harry’s criminal expertise be useful for King & Company?
Eleanor is a woman who likes to prove that women can solve crimes just as well as men. I like how she utilizes the resources available. Ellie is not afraid to use her father’s name to get the information she needs. I love how Ellie is Harry’s complete opposite. He is spontaneous to her careful planning; he is not above bending the law to her being a stickler for the law. The two play off each other wonderfully. Plus, Harry helps Ellie to see another side of life that she misses.
I would like to state first that I am not a fan of the name “Harry”. It is one of those names that makes me shudder in distaste. However, I adore this Harry. He has this infectious air about him that makes him lovable. I wonder if the author modeled Harry after Pierce Bronsan’s character in Remington Steele? If so, she NAILED it! What I like the most about Harry is his continual attempts to corrupt Elle. He tries to help her see beyond black and white but to shades of gray.
HOW TO FALL FOR A SCOUNDREL reminds me of the 80’s television show, Remington Steele but with a regency twist. The premise is almost the same. I believe that is why I enjoyed this book so much. And yes, that TV series is a fond favorite.
HOW TO FALL FOR A SCOUNDREL is the second book in Kate Bateman’s historical romance series, HER MAJESTY’S REBELS. The story can stand alone. There is no on-going plot. However, the first book (SECOND DUKE’S THE CHARM) explains how and why the three friends created King & Company. I cannot wait for the next book! And see what is in store for Daisy.

Another great installment in this book series by the wonderful Kate Bateman.

Eleanor is usually a wallflower, when she’s not helping her other friends solve crimes, but when she is kissed suddenly by a charming rake everything changes. Soon she’s on a mission with this con man rake at her side. Are the feelings real if she doesn’t even know his name?

This book was charming. I like Eleanor and Harry and didn’t find the plot to be too convoluted.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Kate Bateman always manages to write engaging plots with swoon-worthy romances. This book is no exception. I can’t wait for the next installment of Her Majesty’s Rebels. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This is the second book in the series, and it’s amazing!! I loved the main characters Ellie and Harry. Ellie runs an investigation agency with her two friends Tess - her story is the first book, and Daisy- whose story better be the next book! Harry is a charming thief who helps them with a case and then they help him with his case. Love the dialogue and character interactions. Great romance! A must read!!

Kate Bateman did it again. The book was a fun and heated love story with a mystery to boot. The characters were witty and likable. The story had a mystery that brought Ellie and Harry together, which I thought they were perfect for each other. I enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.

I would not have picked this book up if Kate Bateman hadn't written it. I really don't like crime/mystery crossovers in my regency romance and weirdly, I'm not a fan of regency romance heroines having jobs. The leisure life is part of the escapism love about regency romance, after all! However...that being said....Kate Bateman can basically do no wrong, so of COURSE I loved this. I loved it so much that I think I want to go back and read more stories like this one, because she totally sold me on the premise and this genre.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel was another one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and I enjoyed the heck out of this book! Ellie and Harry were perfect together! This book was funny, sweet, intriguing, steamy af, and a lot of fun. I like the crime/mystery element of these books a lot more than I thought I would. The all female agency is just a blast to read about. Ellie and Harry had chemistry from the jump. I loved how Harry basically started calling Ellie "sweetheart" or "sweets" from the jump. He made his intentions very clear even though Ellie chose not to believe him. The twist was an actual twist that I did not see coming. I knew there was more to Harry but I didn't expect that to be his backstory. I enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for Daisy's book!

What a delightful story this is! It reminds me of a TV show with a similar situation, but , oh, how delicious this one is. Henry is a thief. Ellie is a stickler for the Law. When he approaches her at an event, nothing in either of their lives is ever the same. I loved the banter, the suspicion and Henry’s outlook on life to enjoy it to the fullest. The descriptions of the Tower of London were tremendous and I could envision what they were seeing. (Since I have never been to London, it was quite a delight to read ) Daisy and Tess are adorable, especially bloodthirsty Daisy and can’t wait for her story to be told. The chemistry between Ellie and Henry was so hot and swoon-worthy. The twist 2/3 through the book was not something I saw coming and it was so cool how all that was resolved. An adventure of a read and well worth the time!

I received this story for free and these are my own opinions.

This one was pretty fun. Ellie is at a ball when a mysterious man approaches her & steals a kiss! He gives her a false name and then precedes to call himself, Charles King. Who is this man that has infiltrated himself into their investigation business? As they begin an investigation, she learns that he’s a thief! As the weeks go by, Ellie can’t help to fall for the mystery man. Who is he really though? Ellie will soon find out, but will it affect their burgeoning relationship? I liked Harry and Ellie together. I wish the story had focused more on his mysterious past a little longer, but overall I really enjoyed this story.

A delightful addition to the series. Bateman’s writing sparkles with wit, and her characters are very well drawn.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.