Book #2 in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series gives Ellie a chance to meet her match, thief and scoundrel Harry. Harry is a man of many names, and he has traveled all over stealing and cheating at cards, but he wants to turn over a new leaf. Harry offered to help Ellie and King & Co. Find a valuable book. But the two of them find is love.

I thought this book seemed a little bit rushed. I would have liked a little more conflict between Ellie and Harry. They were some fun scenes, including One in the Tower of London. I just didn’t feel the spark as much in this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Publishing Group/Macmillan Publisher, the author, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The more Kate Bateman I read, the more I fall in love with her stories. Let me tell you, she KNOWS how to begin a book; our hero and heroine meet unexpectedly underneath a sprig of mistletoe and by page three, they have already locked lips. If you enjoy your books with a bit of mystery, a secret identity, thieving, sexual tension to the max, and a hero and heroine that are equally matched, may I offer up this little book to you?

The second book in Her Majesty’s Rebels series, HTFFAS can be read as a standalone, although characters do overlap. I fell hard for Henri aka Harry aka…? the moment he was written into the page. He’s confident, mysterious, and so sure of what he wants which is 100% attractive in a hero. And of course, he only has eyes for wallflower Ellie who is a bad ass “investigator” for fictional employer Charles King (Charlie’s Angels anyone?), who until now has done her best work blending in. Now Harry and Ellie team up to locate a stolen artifact of Napoleon’s, using disguises, wit, and Harry’s con artist tricks which brings them closer together than perhaps they were expecting.

The chemistry between Harry and Ellie was page-turning and I absolutely loved the mystery aspect. Not knowing Harry’s true identity until close to fifty percent of the novel kept me flipping pages just waiting to discover his reasons for wanting to meet Eleanor. I also loved that there were multiple subplots—the initial mystery leads to even more work for His Majesty’s Rebels and more identity uncovering. I always feel like I learn something when reading Bateman and I learned about treasure binding, card tricks, heterochromia, and more, giving the book such a fresh and fun outlook. And oh the spice is so good. If a writer can couple fun, mystery, and sexual tension that builds to the best steamy scenes, then they’ll have me coming back for more again and again. I can’t wait for the next book in this series, and know Daisy will be a romp for sure. I received an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭🪭
Number of times Charles King is mentioned: 2️⃣2️⃣

I really wanted to love this because Bateman is a favorite author of mine for fun, romp-ey historical romance. And for the most part, I had fun with it. But I’ve read Charlie’s Angels inspired historical romance before and it REALLY leaned into the bonkers aspects to make it fun and ridiculous in the best way. And this didn’t quite hit that mark for me. Everything was very surface level and it *felt* very surface level. And not in the fun way.

Still love Bateman, but this one was a miss for me!

4.5/5 stars
2/5 spice

Loved this one! It was such a fun read with great characters and a little bit of intrigue. The chemistry between Harry and Ellie was amazing. Although Ellie was the typical wallflower, down playing her beauty for her work, she didn't shy away but wore her intelligence as a badge of honor. I loved that she wasn't a blushing innocent and actually enjoyed exploring her sexuality.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I highly recommend this book for fans of secret identity, intelligent women, and a bit of mystery solving.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

A thief and a private investigator team up to solve a theft, and the vibes are basically a case-of-the-week tv episode (think Charlie’s Angels, Remington Steele, White Collar, etc) playing historical dress-up. The plot is as straightforward as it gets—they search for a macguffin, they get a clue, they get another clue, they solve the case. No twisty characters or KJ Charles-level plotting here. I was all set to breeze through it and enjoy myself regardless, and then a bad case of instalove reared its head, along with ye olde hardcore gender essentialism, the kind that bums me out and turns me off.

(For example, a memorable scene where Harry has to dress like a dandy for an undercover recon, and the author takes great pains to assure us that, “On any other man, the ensemble would have looked ridiculous, almost feminine, but on him the flamboyant clothes only served to accentuate his intense masculinity.”)

Sigh. That’s on me for reading outside my lane, but my hope for a quick, fun read with heists and spies didn’t pan out.

Delightful. I absolutely loved this book and its characters. Harry keeps Eleanor on her toes and is so charming that the reader has to fall in love with him. His way of sneaking into her life and that of the other members of King & Co. makes me laugh. Throughout the book I wondered what his end game was though I was pretty sure I had it figured out. I didn't. That's what I loved about this book.

This book shows Ellie (Eleanor), Tess, and Daisy solving private investigations in a fun and intelligent way. When in slides a mystery man who drives Ellie crazy as he waggles his way into their private investigation company as the mysterious King.

Daisy and Tess see the benefit of his pretending and also the heat between Harry and Ellie so they do a little matchmaking of their own but throwing them together at various times on various cases.

This book was a humorous love story about two unlikely people who have more in common then they will admit. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the third book of the series.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Eleanor “Ellie” Law and her group of close friends have been solving crimes under the name Charles King for years, so when the mysterious Harry identifies himself as King to a potential client, they must find a way to work with him. Together Ellie and Harry begin solving crimes throughout the city relying heavily on Harry’s knowledge as proclaimed thief and con artist. As they spend time together the attraction grows and turns to love, though Harry’s past makes things complicated and become a task they too must solve together.

This book was like a breath of fresh air for me. The book is relatively short and so easy to read so it felt like I was flying through the story. I loved both Ellie and Harry from the start. I greatly appreciated that the book let the book let the reader in on Harry secret rather than dance around it until Ellie figures things out. The steamy scenes were wonderfully steamy and I really felt the connection between the two. As always Kate’s stories, the book was just so well thought out and didn’t feel like it was bogged down with random side plots or anything that didn’t move the main story forward. I really enjoyed the previous book in the series and am looking forward to seeing where the series goes with Daisy’s story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. This is a fun, sexy, quick romance that's mostly surface (no need to look for deep meanings here!). Ellie is one of three young women who make up a private investigation firm. (They pretend to be working for a man, Charles King. [Yes, it's a Charlie's Angels riff, which, okay?].) One night at a ball, Ellie is approached by the handsomest man she's ever met, who announces that he's a reformed thief who's now going to work for her (and her firm). But he has his own motives for working closely with the three: he wants to see just how good they are at their jobs... for ~reasons~.

There are several cons, heists, thefts, and other investigatory hijinks, meaning that the book is a rollicking read. Ellie and Harry are hot for each other from the jump. As long as you're not looking for anything (literally ANYTHING) very deep, you'll have a ton of fun.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Here we are back in the good old Regency Era, suffering once again from the hypocrisy, stifling morality, crippling rules, conventions and constraints of it and the Victorian age. The good news is that this is another Kate Bateman special so you know we’ll be in for a good time.

We learned in Second Duke’s the Charm, Book 1 in Bateman’s fantastic Her Majesty’s Rebels series, that Ellie, Daisy and Tess are perfectly capable of successfully running their London private investigation firm King & Co. without the help of a man. Unfortunately, however, not all potential clients (men!) think a “little woman” can be a businessperson. They often ask to meet with the “real boss” before they hire the firm. So there is certainly more business to be had – if Ellie, Daisy and Tess want to give up some control. Which they don’t.

Things get a little complicated, though when a stranger (side note: dimples . . . why do the best ones always have dimples?) catches Ellie under the mistletoe at a Christmas ball and kisses her. Whoa, did not expect the jolt of something like faint lightning that crackled through her. Handsome, clever, self-assured, a little rogue-ish and a lot irritating. Playfully refusing to identify himself except finally as Henri Bonheur, Comte de Carabas. Okay, then. Enough. This kiss was pretty wow but Ellie doesn’t expect or intend to see him again. So moving on . . . .

Except . . . a potential client approaches Ellie at the ball and insists he needs to meet with “Mr. King” and who conveniently pops up except Dimpled Henri, who says why yes, he is the mysterious Mr. King and promptly accepts the case.

That should be enough to have you hooked already. It was for me. If you’ve ever read anything by Kate Bateman before you know how much fun the rest of this book is going to be. Serious, studious Eleanor Law facing off against “Harry.” They do want the business and Harry is talented and clever. But who is this guy really? What does he want? What is he after? Well, after that kiss someone he is after is Ellie. And after that kiss – and being constantly exposed to those dimples – Ellie has a few wants of her own.

Sinfully silly, sexy, steamy, swoony. Ellie and Harry work well together, and also kind of “fit” together, but there’s a lot of head-butting going on, as well as some real danger and uncertainty about who is causing all this trouble. Truly delightful.

Thanks to St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of How to Fall for a Scoundrel via NetGalley, and for introducing me to the 8 Rules of a Gentleman Scoundrel. If Kate Bateman writes it I will read it, and I can’t wait for book three in this wonderful and wonderfully satisfying series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is an easy and entertaining Regency read and a second fabulous installment in Her Majesty’s Rebels series.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was pumped to see the second installment on NetGalley. For those new to the series, you can read each book as a stand-alone, but if you are like me and are always on the lookout for a new Regency series, I recommend diving into this one. Here is a very quick introduction to the overarching plotline in this series. Three smart and feisty friends have formed King & Co. a private investigation firm in London. Ellie, Daisy, and Tess are believed to be employed by Charles King, who is a mystery figure to everyone and is believed to be one to solve any case brought to King & Co. However, what the public doesn't know is that Charles King doesn't exist; Ellie, Daisy, and Tess own the business and solve the cases.

As in the previous book, a mystery element is woven throughout the romance story. In this case, we get two great mysteries; the first mystery is King & Co., who are tasked with trying to find Napoleon Bonaparte's bejewelled prayer dairy that has been stolen. The second mystery is centred around Harry; who is this man, and what are his intentions? I liked both mysteries. They were entertaining and interesting. I was surprised that the Napoleon's diary case was solved so quickly. They found the diary and the culprit about halfway through the book. This had me wondering what direction Kate would take for the rest of the book. The book's second half focuses on Harry, his past, and the growing attraction between Ellie and Harry, which takes center stage.

The overall book is well-written. Kate really is a master at creating a story that will engage her readers and have them wanting to turn the page because they need to know what will happen next. All the characters, both main and secondary, are fun, witty, dynamic, and have a surprising amount of depth. Ellie is the bookworm of the group. She is the most guarded and refined in her group of friends. She is always the wallflower, the one to blend into the background. I liked Ellie, and it was great watching her break out from that wallflower mould and live on the wild side with Harry. Her character growth is around learning to live outside of books and take those daring chances.

Harry, Harry, Harry… what a man. I LOVED his character. He is very different from that typical Regency hero, who tends to be broody, gruff, and standoff-ish. Harry is the complete opposite. He is a big flirt, fun, loud, unpredictable, and a showman. He was such a breath of fresh air, and I loved everything about his character. His unpredictability made his character addictive. You never knew what he was going to say or do. He always seems to have this hidden plan, and you aren't too sure what his true motivations are. His past was also this big mystery; he alludes to being a thief, but you know that there is more to his story. Even though we get to see inside his head, we still don't get to fully see the true man until the last bit of the book. He was just such a great character, and I loved that Kate took a chance and broke away from that typical male hero.

Oh the romance in this book was delicious. I knew I was in for a wild and fabulous ride the moment I met Harry. Ellie and Harry have this great opposites attracts tropey feel to their relationship. They are just so different in nature that you just know they are going to be clashing in the most swoonastic way. The banter was on point. These two keep each other on their toes, and I just loved how they challenged each other. Harry instantly knows that there is something different about Ellie. He knows that under that wallflower exterior is a woman who is meant to shine and live. And Ellie knows that she is beginning to feel those big feelings for Harry, but how could she ever fall for a theft and a man who refuses to give her a straight answer about his past. It was such a fun journey watching these two come closer together. Their chemistry was sizzling, and the spice is bound to get your heart racing.

I love the books that Kate Bateman is writing in the Her Majesty's Rebel Series and How to Fall for a Scoundrel was no exception! When I read about Ellie and Harry's backgrounds, I thought there is no way that these two are going to be able to overcome their differences and even become friends. Their personalities were too different and Harry was too mysterious to inspire Ellie's trust! However, I was so wrong and as the story pulled me in I, like Ellie, fell into Harry's sphere of easy going charm and devastating good looks! Oh course Ellie is quite a strong, intelligent woman covertly working in a time when women were restricted by traditional expectations! Ellie is one of the three women who founded a successful private investigation company. Unfortunately, through no fault of their own, they find that the next case necessitates that Ellie specifically partner with Harry, As they work together, the physical attraction grows as well as respect for each other's abilities and quick thinking!
Kate Bateman is one of my favorite writers because I love a Historical Romance that has a mystery that drives the storyline! Harry and Ellie's story was fun and steamy and filled with clever barbs and witty banter! Both characters have depth and the friendship between Ellie, Daisy and Tess are authentic and touching and one of the reasons I will read any and all of Kate's books. I am patiently waiting for her next one that will focus on Daisy!
I received an Advanced readers copy and am leaving a voluntary review based solely on my personal reading experience!

Another cute fast paced romance from Kate Bateman!

This book was just so freaking fun and I am so happy that I got an early copy. This book is probably more of a 4.5 but I love KB so much and my complaints are so small that its rounded up.

So, I read this book within a day because the pacing was amazing. It was fast paced, kept my attention, and there was no uneven pacing towards the end (unlike the first book in the series). I also appreciated the instant chemistry that the hero and heroine had and I loved how they gave me Sebastian and Evie vibes from Devil in Winter by LK. Harry has this easy laid back charm and he is enamored with Ellie. Ellie is a little more reserved but once she gets out of her shell she is a force to be reckon with! I think these two were just so great together and had amazing banter and chemistry. I also truly appreciated how their romance was evenly paced throughout the whole novel. My biggest gripe with book 1 was the pacing of the romance so I appreciated how we were back to KB's amazing pacing and plot skills. This book is also spicy (spicy in the HR world) and their scenes together were just so <i>hot</i>. I also think they were just perfect together and could see them living a long life of laughs and mischief.

The other thing I really liked was the beginning mystery. I found it really fun and loved when Ellie had to pretend to be his mistress so they could get intel lololol. KB does an amazing job as using the plot to bond the characters together and help them learn more about each other as well. I wish the mystery had been the only mystery because the solved it around the 60% mark and then there was a smaller one. The smaller one did contribute to the story but I think I either wanted the mysteries to happen at the same time or blend it more into the original so it flowed smoother if that makes sense?

I also loved seeing our girls and Ellie's friendship with Tess and Daisy! I am so excited for Daisy's book and so curious who her hero will be.

Now my biggest gripe but something I am not holding the book against is the absolutely <b>lack</b> of Harry's POV. We get like 3 super small chapters and I just wanted more!! KB typically always has an equal pov between the hero and heroine but in this series its mainly just the heroine. The chapters we did get were so great and I loved them but I need more of his POV to see what he was thinking and feeling and know how obsessed he was with her. I'm not sure why KB is making the decision to leave out the heroes pov but like....we need to see the heroes inner dialogue of how in love he is with her!!

Overall, I really loved this book and found it so much! I appreciate how with this series Kate is making it stand out with the extra spice and the focus of strong female friendships. I really love all of her books and can't wait for the next one.

Can you say sexy? This is book two of the series Her Majesty’s Rebels, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. Of course reading the first book will give you a better insight of the characters. Ellie Law is part of Charles King Investigators and has meet her match with a mysterious, delightful, sexy Harry Bonheur. Who isn’t who he seems to be, but who is the real Harry?
Love the twists and turns in the life of Harry. Who doesn’t fall for a devastating handsome rake? Well Ellie tried and failed. Great storyline, yes it’s steamy and the banter between the characters is great. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #HowtoFallforaScoundrel #HerMajestysRebels

Book #2 Her Majesty’s Rebels series. Ellie, Daisy and Tess are the founders of London’s most discreet private investigation agency, King & Company.

Ellie + Harry.. I ADORED this CHARMING COUPLE with their electrified chemistry at the get-go, Harry’s seductive charms, Ellie’s smarts, their playful banter, mutual admiration, temptation struggles.. plus the mystery within. ALL SO ENTERTAINING + FUN.

Harry and Ellie first meet under the mistletoe with a stolen kiss. He teases introducing himself with a fictional name, leaving Ellie and Daisy to only guess at what he’s up to. One thing is certain, both do agree he’s a handsome rogue, but also a highly skilled con man with a sketchy past. Harry claims he’s now a reformed thief, charming his way into King & Company to help with several cases.

One involves Napoleon’s good luck charm, another a stolen gem.

In return for his help in solving these cases, the agency agrees to provide their services to Henry; -to find proof he is the real Henry James Charles Brooke, the Earl of Cobham missing for ten years. Ellie is surprised to find herself falling for the mysterious bad boy. Harry knows he fell during their first kiss. I had so much fun reading it! This can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend this entire series. ❥ 4.5 stars — Pub. 8/20/24

I received a complimentary arc copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This story is absolutely delightful. Shades of Remington Steele! Ellie is quite taken with but not totally convinced by Henri/Harry/Charles or whoever he is when he pops up claiming to be her boss, Charles King. That's only to convince a man to give his business to her detective agency. He has an ulterior motive in mind, of course. Loved this story and could certainly read more of Ellie and whoever!

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is the second book in Her Majesty’s Rebels series about three ladies in Regency London who has formed a discreet private investigative company, King’s Company.

I enjoyed this lighthearted mysterious and adventurous story. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me intrigued through out. I like it when the author can weave little bits of history into the story and I thought it was done well and found them interesting.

Ellie and Harry are instantly attracted to one another and while they explore it somewhat early on, their working together helps build that bond and see how compatible they are outside the bedroom too. The romance part is put on the side burner for a while as the main plot is explored but had me liking the heroine more for it.

Overall, it’s a fun read with daring and passion mixed in.

There’s four encounters that were steamy and the ending holds up to a promise made early on.

I received an advance ebook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a great installment in the series and I enjoyed it. I really liked both characters. At times I felt some story points wrapped up too quickly and easily but this was a lighthearted read with the right balance of intrigue and steam. I would have liked more from the MMC's POV. I will definitely seek out the end to the series as these ladies are a delight.

Well, this is my new favorite from Kate.

I love love loved Ellie and Harry. They're both smart and good people. I loved their instant chemistry, the flirting disguised at button pushing, and I couldn't get enough of their openness with each other. Of course, seeing Daisy and Tess again is great and the scenes with all three ladies are always fun.

Plot wise, it's quick moving, filled with banter, and I loved every page of it. This story was fun, with absolutely no angst and the lowest of low stakes. I could have easily read 100 more pages, especially after wanting more from the epilogue. For now, I'll just have to hope for a cameo in book 3.

Overall, this will definitely be one that I come back to when I need a pick me up.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

This is the 2nd book in the series Her Majesty's Rebels, and does a fantastic job living up to the standards of its predecessor! This is the story of Eleanor - Ellie to her friends - as she meets Harry, suave conman and rake, who shows off his abilities to King and Co. before requesting their assistance with a personal case. But Harry is not quite what he seems...

I loved the immediate chemistry between Ellie and Harry, and how thoroughly enamored he was with her right from the start! The banter was witty, the way he encouraged her to step outside her wallflower comfort zone was wonderful, and the spice was nice and steamy! The story was well-paced, and I really enjoyed the character growth we got to see for both Ellie and Harry as they navigated their growing relationship.

I am definitely looking forward to seeing future books in this series!

Happy sigh. This is another excellent entry in the series. If you like witty banter, smart heroines, heists, funny best friends - this is the book for you. The story was a great ride, and very funny. Ellie is a lawman's daughter, enjoying independence and running her detective agency with her friends. Harry (or is it?) is a charming rogue who sweeps into her life to apply for a job at the agency. She is delightfully annoyed with his flippant ways, and we never know how far she can trust him. This book was such a quick read, so funny and engaging. I can't wait to read the next in the series.