Last year I read the first book in the Her Majesty's Rebels series and ended up really enjoying it. Three intelligent women helping solve crime under a mysterious alias and look good while doing it. What's not to like? It's just like Totally Spies!, but in the 19th century. How to Fall for a Scoundrel featured my favorite member, the bookish Eleanor. Look, I love a bespectacled heroine. I only wear mine for driving, plays, and the cinema. It brings me great joy to see other fictional characters despise their glasses as much as I do. In comes a dashing con man named Henri who claims to be the fake Charles King, which is the secret codename of their business. He was incredibly charming and I couldn't get enough of his dimples. I read this book around the same time I saw Twisters and all I could think about was the film's equally dimpled villain. I knew he was a baddie, but I didn't care because ooh those cheeks!

I'm curious to see the conclusion of Her Majesty's Rebels. The final book features my least favorite character in the trio, but I know she's got plenty of pluck. She's the least like my own personality, yet I'm still determined to finish this series. I only discovered Kate Bateman last year, but she sure has packed a punch with her books. I may not have fallen for this particular scoundrel, but I was certainly teetering.

Ellie is the wallflower in her trio of friends, so she’s surprised when at a ball a handsome man comes over to give her a kiss under the mistletoe. Unfortunately for Ellie, the handsome and debonair Harry is more interested in her fictitious boss, Mr Charles King, at least at first. This was a quick, sweet yet sassy historical romance with a definite “Charlie’s Angels” vibe, especially with the costumes and intrigue. I loved that scoundrel Harry has a strong code of honor, while still able to have a good time and Ellie is strong and intelligent yet still flexible enough to adjust to Harry’s schemes. There is also quite a bit of steam and heat between the two. This is the second in the series and not having read the first book in the series did not hold me up in any way, although the characters are so likable I may have to go back to find out more about them. This author has a wonderful way of making her historical characters seem almost contemporary in their thinking ( no simpering fools which is so refreshing). 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Bateman, and St. Martin's Paperbacks for this advance reader copy of the book. Below is my honest review.

Publication date: ‎ August 20, 2024
Print length: ‎ 296 pages
Her Majesty’s Rebels Book 2

What fun. An enjoyable romp from the first page till the HEA. Part Charlies Angels and part Remington Steele, 1970's and 1980's terrific TV shows. Three ladies of the ton work as administrators (really investigators) with a fictious male, Charles King, as the investigation company owner. I imagine Harry looking like Pierce Brosnan, he was Remington Steele, he wound up playing James Bond.

Ellie Law is the daughter of a Chief Justice, her name fits, and knows a lot about law from a lifetime in the house of a judge. The other ladies have their special skills too, don't turn your back on Daisy. While at a Christmas-time ball she enjoys a mistletoe kiss with a handsome stranger. Turns out to be Harry, no idea who he really is but he's a good kisser. Long story short he needs the ladies help and they get a physical Charles King that clients can see, hear, and talk to. Ellie is smart and good at her job, she can trade quips and jabs with Harry leaving him impressed, intrigued and a bit lustful. A totally likeable lady that had me invested in her story from the beginning.

Harry is a hoot. He's a con man for sure. He has a regular past and then a grifter past and the grifter has to help Harry become a regular member of society again. Sounds complicated and it is. Following him, his strange life, and his train of thought is a pleasure, he keeps things lively. What can you say...handsome, interesting, intriguing, and rich, he's the perfect anti-hero/hero. He comes with an Uncle Hugo that you'll love. The 8 Rules of a Gentleman Scoundrel are actually good for anyone to know and follow.

I can't wait for the next story, Daisy. A hermit told her fortune and she'll meet her match on a dark highway. Sounds delicious.


#HowtoFallforaScoundrel #Her Majesty’s Rebels #KateBateman #St.Martin'sPaperbacks #NetGalley #historicalromance #romance

Ms. Bateman composes beautiful symphonies with her words!

I journeyed with Ellie and Harry through balls, soirees, righting wrongs!

It seems Harry, Henri, The Compte is a chameleon! It was exciting to discover his real identity!

I definitely loved how it seemed Harry was enamored with every facet that was Miss Law, Eleanor and Ellie!

And historical romance lovers, this one has some very delicious steam!

I loved "How to Fall for a Scoundrel!"

You know how you read a book where the author promises you a “scoundrel,” and the character ends up having done one or two relatively innocuous things and is otherwise upstanding and noble? Kate Bateman nicely avoids that trap in How to Fall for a Scoundrel. Harry is a true rapscallion—and he’s as irresistible to the reader as he is to his heroine, Ellie.

Ellie is one of three women working at an investigative firm owned by Charles King. But there is no Mr. King—Ellie and her friends are the company, full stop. And when she meets a man who calls himself the Comte de Carabas, she knows he’s up to no good, as that’s the moniker for Puss in Boots! So when Henri Bonheur (really? Good time?) suddenly introduces himself as Charles King not only to a potential client but also to Ellie, she knows she has to be wary of this—OK, I’ll say it—scoundrel.

Ellie and Harry are both utter delights and utterly delightful together. Ellie is serious, the daughter of a judge, trying to make her way in a man’s world however she can. And Harry is a wonder. He’s both caring and superficial all at once, someone who’s incredibly smart and thoughtful and yet also living for the moment. He shakes up Ellie’s life in more ways than one, and his unpredictability also means that readers have to expect the unexpected.

The other great thing Bateman does in How to Fall for a Scoundrel is have Ellie and company deal with multiple mysteries over the course of the book. There isn’t just one problem to solve, but many. And by the end, those mysteries get closer to Ellie, Harry, and their burgeoning relationship.

This story is charming, funny, and fiery as all get out all at once. I adored it, so take a risk just like Ellie does with Harry, and give How to Fall for a Scoundrel a chance!

Kate Bateman continues to delight with the second book in Her Majesty’s Rebels series. Eleanor Law is one of three women that run London’s most successful private investigation firms. Their firm is run by a fictional boss Charles King. Their positions in the ton allow them entrance to homes and balls. Elenor meets Harry when she steps under a mistletoe branch sparking a kiss. He claims to be a con man and thief and now is claiming to be Charles King himself. She likes him even though she isn’t sure of him. But he does prove useful in landing and solving the firm's next case. Meanwhile her partners are delighted that someone is catching her attention as she has his.

I don’t want to give away more of the plot. But this was fun, entertaining and I flew through the pages. Ellie is a confident woman at the ripe age of 22. Her friends, one now a Duchess, give the right amount of teasing and push. And Harry as her partner in solving the case and potential partner in love has the right amount of swagger without being too confident. I liked his rules for thieving and appreciated the amount of spice in the story. I liked Second Duke’s the Charm (Dec 2023) and enjoyed this story even more. I am looking forward to Daisy’s story next.

This was an exciting and very cute story written by one of my favorite authors. Ms Bateman gives the readers an exceptional book with lots of steamy romance. I like that the characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. Even though this is a continuation of Her Majesty's Rebels, it can be read as a stand alone.
I really likes Ellie Law who is in business of King & Company private investigation. It's women who have talents (other than being a socialite etc) that help in solving crimes and do better than men.
It's so fun to read a book that I was wondering what Ellie was going to do when a man claims he's Mr King of said business. But Ellie knows different because the man is fictional.
Henri Bonheur”or “Harry” as he asks to be called is really a thief trying to put his past behind him.
When Harry and Ellie get mixed up in danger, she knows that to trust him is out of the question. But when she begins to see a side of Harry and her heart starts to fall for the scoundrel. Love and desire are about to get them a love that will last forever.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

Three ladies open a detective agency to prove that they can solve crimes as well as any man but have to invent a fictional man to head the agency a la Remington Steele. Eleanor is approached by a man who claims to be “Charles King”, her fictional boss. She knows he’s not but decides to use him to solve her new case.
Harry, a charming con man, claims his past is just that, the past. He needs the ladies to help him find out who he really is. They agree in exchange for his role playing “Charles King”. Ellie finds herself spending a lot of time with Harry and sparks fly.
A charming and funny story along the lines of Remington Steele and Charlies Angels.

“The stormy, wilder attractiveness of Dorothea Hamilton hinted at a restless spirit a little too similar to his own, but the instant attraction he’s felt on seeing Eleanor Law had been an unexpected shock. At first glance she appeared almost plain. Her physical beauty was subtle, as if she was deliberately hiding the full strength of it for fear of drawing unwanted attention, but he was man accustomed to spotting a single diamond amount a mountain of paste. Ellie reminded him of a Roman coin he’d once found in a field in Tuscany. It appeared dull, almost uninspiring, but a quick rub on his shirt had revealed its true nature; glistening, breathtaking gold.”

Eleanor Law is one-third of the successful private investigation firm, King & Co, where she teams up with her best friends, Tess and Daisy, to help solve London’s petty crimes. When a fictional and charming con man corners her and convinces her she needs his help, Ellie realizes he may be the key to solving her newest mystery. “Henri Bonheur,” or Harry as he is called for most of the book, is a reformed thief looking for a new way to make a living. These two unlikely partners team up to solve King & Co.’s latest mystery, but figuring out the riddle of Harry isn’t as easy.

Oh, this was so much fun! The writing was fun and engaging. Harry is a charming and debonair thief, but he truly has a heart of gold. He just charmed every single person in this book, even Ellie, who was leery about him at first. Her walls were no defense against his cheeky comments and flirtations. He always made her feel beautiful, desirable, and special. He builds up her confidence so much that she transforms throughout this story. The mystery was easy to follow, and even though it was easily wrapped up, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. Kate Bateman created a historical Charlie’s Angels and put out something full of humor and jolly good fun! I can’t wait for the next one.

If you’re a fan of historical romance, which is full of intrigue and romance, like those of Maddison Michaels or Anna Bradley, then definitely give this one a try. I promise you will eat this up.

~ Michelle

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is the second book in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series by Kate Bateman. It was an excellent continuation of the series, and I look forward to reading Daisy’s book, the last of the three friends needing her story to be told.

The Rules of a Gentleman’s Scoundrel set forth at the beginning of the book is woven throughout. They are a listing of eight rules that a scoundrel must live by. Harry and his uncle Hugo take the list to heart, as does Ellie and her friends, Tess and Daisy, whom she works with. The items are referred to often and sometimes in jest.

This book puts Ellie and Harry in the spotlight, who have incredible chemistry and great respect for each other. They communicate well, and there are some laugh-out-loud moments and some steamy ones. Harry helps Ellie to come out of her shell and not be a wallflower, and she lends him credibility within society, or does she?

The characters and the storyline have a depth to them, and we get to know them as their layers are pulled back. The story has a good flow, and it’s told at a nice pace with a lot of intrigue and cases to be solved. Several stories are conveyed with many twists and turns and woven together nicely. There is a lovely closure with the epilogue as loose ends are tied together and a surprisingly presented happily ever after.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is a historical romance set in Regency England in the early 1800s. There are social events and crimes to solve as we’re immersed in London society.

I gave the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 here and on other sites.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

Another excellent read from Kate Bateman - I’ve become such a huge fan of her books in the last couple of years, and I’m always anxiously awaiting all of her new releases.

This latest, second in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series, is another exciting tale of bravery, deception and female empowerment in the regency era. Ellie and her two best girlfriends run King and Co., an investigation firm to rival the Bow Street Runners - they take on cases to help when others can’t, especially if it’s to help women. They have a gentleman supposedly running the company (Charles King), but he’s only an imaginary figurehead… when a client insists on meeting the man, a newcomer to town figures out the secret and steps in for the prize of the money from the job.

The new gentleman seems to be a con artist with a very fake name and great sleight of hand, but Ellie figures out how they can use his tricks to their advantage in the latest task and mystery - while also trying to unmask his identity.

I enjoyed the extra air of mystery to this story - a really great read! I think this could be my very favourite of Bateman’s, and I’ve loved them all so much, so that’s truly saying a lot. A huge recommendation from me!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and this is my honest feedback.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel (Her Majesty’s Rebels #2) by Kate Bateman is a phenomenal addition to this series and my new favorite of the series! I story I didn’t want to end.

This is a unique, entertaining, historical romance that is full of intrigue, mystery, adventures, engaging banter, humor, steam, wit, electric chemistry and a heartwarming romance that made my heart and soul sing with happiness as I swooned hard for these two fabulous characters as they come together. 

This is “Ellie” Miss Eleanor Jane Law and “Harry” “Henri Bonheur, Comte de Carabas or (Henry James Charles Brooke, the twelfth Earl of Cobham’s) journey and what a journey it is!!

I fell in love with this charming, adorable couple and their playfulness, flirtations, engaging banter as well as their instantaneous electric chemistry from the moment they meet! I swooned hard for Harry, the dashing rogue and scoundrel. I was in awe of Ellie with her brains, cleverness and tenacity as well as her sharp wit and even sharper tongue.

But it was the moments when these two were together solving cases for the King & Company and falling for each other that I will remember. I fell in love with this couple. I was giddy! I laughed! I swooned! I wanted this story to never end! This can be read as a standalone but I urge you to read this series. You will be so glad you did.

“After all, there’s no telling when you might fall for a scoundrel of your own.”

I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is book two in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series by Kate Bateman.
I loved book one Second Duke's the Charm and the second title in this charming series did not disappoint either.
This book was so incredibly lovely!!! I adored every second of it, and finished it in almost one day with a huge, happy grin on my face all the way through.
The characters are fun. The mystery was engaging. And the storytelling was entertaining.
I had the best time reading it.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Wallflower and secret investigator Eleanor Law meets her match in the mysterious Henry/Harry and they form a working partnership that snowballs fast into a spicy romance-adventure. This was a one day read for me! That's how much I was into these characters and the plot lines (though at times they were a little too over-the-top and made no sense (i.e. hiding 20-year-old medical records in a chimney in the Tower of London - what?).

Bateman is a master of the flirty banter and sexual tension. She skips right to the good parts and doesn't waste time on secondary characters, boring side plots or making her characters whine about/rehash the past ad nauseum. I wish we would've gotten some more chapters from Harry's point of view. I loved his overall vibe and found him to be not so scoundrelly, more of a con-artist/spy. Eleanor is a bluestocking trying to compete in a man's line of work. I feel you sister, right on.

Another solid spicy read from Bateman who doesn't disappoint. Curl up with this book on a rainy day and you won't need a blanket to be warm all over!

Goodness I loved how Kate Bateman started this novel off with their meet cute involving a clandestine kiss under the mistletoe! (Insert swoony romance sigh here!) From the moment we meet Harry (No-Name/Henri/Enrico) his confidence and ease drew me in. There was just something about his and Ellie's banter and their instant chemistry which had me completely enraptured with the story.

I really loved seeing Tess and Daisy again, especially with how well they work as supporting characters within Ellie's story. How they managed to make sure to keep Harry and Ellie together nearly every step of their (multiple) investigations. I especially loved seeing the fortune teller's fortunes coming true for Tess and now Ellie. I am so looking forward to Daisy's meeting a highwayman! (Please make him Scottish!) Seeing Ellie assert herself and discover joy/pleasure skirting the lines of propriety (not overtly breaking them mind you) made me love her character even more.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I am a very hero-centric reader. And I LOVED Harry No-Name very much. And the only downside (a teeny tiny one) is that the majority of the novel is told from Ellie's POV. I understand for the sake of his identity that we only got glimpses of his POV. But I would have loved so much about him and I wanted his perspective so much more than what we got. It was the only tiny issue I had with this novel.

Brilliant detective Eleanor becomes entangled with charming con man Harry, who’s impersonating her fictional boss. Forced to work together, they navigate a dangerous investigation and an undeniable attraction, all while confronting the secrets and lies that bind them.

Funny and irresistible, this book includes a twisty mystery along with a heartwarming romance. Eleanor and Harry are strong and fascinating characters on their own, but together, they’re combustible. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is a fun book. Ellie and Harry are quite the pair who balance each other out. This is a quick humorous read that I recommend.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

New to me author though I've seen her work through the years. Overall enjoyed the book, though a few scenes seemed a bit trite and could see the ending coming. Will definitely look for more by this author.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman is a delightful historical romance that combines mystery, wit, and sizzling chemistry. The story follows Eleanor Law, a sharp-witted investigator for the fictional Charles King, who finds herself reluctantly teaming up with the charming and mysterious “Henri Bonheur” (or Harry) to solve a case involving a stolen Napoleonic artifact. The banter between Harry and Ellie is fantastic, and their romance is full of tension and fun twists. I loved how Ellie, though a wallflower, is fiercely intelligent and unapologetically herself, which makes her a perfect match for the confident and enigmatic Harry. The mystery element adds depth to the plot, and the subplots keep the story engaging. Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read that fans of secret identities, strong female leads, and well-crafted love stories will appreciate. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!

HOW TO FALL FOR A SCOUNDREL is a delightful blend of romance, detective work, and falling for the wrong guy. Or maybe it's the right one? Eleanor Law, a beautiful, smart, sexy woman, solves cases secretly with her agency, King & Co. Ellie meets a persuasive, dishonorable, dangerously handsome man at a ball room soiree. Harry smoothly lies that he's the head of her agency in order to accept an offer from a man to find a valuable artifact. Harry offers to aid her in her quest to find it. Ellie scoffs at his audacity, but it might just turn the tables in her favor.

Harry is a thief who has a big heart. Ellie is right to be wary of him, but her heart tells her he is desirable under all that brashness and arrogance. Harry walks on the wild side, skirting the law. However, while working closely on cases, they flirt, bicker and sparks of desire rage between them. Ellie's developed feelings for the devilish rogue, to her dismay. Will they acknowledge their love for one another or won't they?

You will fall in love with Ms. Bateman's new novel, HOW TO FALL FOR A SCOUNDREL. It's got a ravishing romance, a plethora of prickly cases to puzzle out, a cache of charismatic characters, and much more! Ellie is so practical and Harry is a free spirit with hidden facets. As the old saying goes, opposites attract. Elllie and Harry fit together just like a glove. With a perfect plot and an incredible cast of characters, you won't be able to put this book down. Speed walk your way to this fun, fast-paced, flirty story!