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Rebels of the Ton #2
Outrageous
Bridgerton fans and readers of Grace Burrowes, Sophie Jordan, and Alexa Aston won’t want to miss this clever and exciting new love story from the acclaimed author of
Notorious.
When Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming, her only plan is to stop the irritating earl from persecuting her beloved brother. But once she has the intriguing rogue in the confines of her carriage, she longs to taste the passion she senses simmering beneath his rugged exterior. Her forbidden plan is foiled, however, when Godric turns the tables, taking her hostage instead—and demanding they marry at once…
The last thing Godric wants to do is make the fiery, impulsive Eva his wife, despite her delectable mouth and alluring innocence. He knows from experience that nothing is forever, not even love. But honor demands he do right by the lady, no matter how stubbornly Eva tries to hold on to her independence. And while the road to the Scottish border is beset with danger, Godric’s greatest challenge is to keep his hands—and his heart—from his captivating bride-to-be…
When Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming, her only plan is to stop the irritating earl from persecuting her beloved brother. But once she has the intriguing rogue in the confines of her carriage, she longs to taste the passion she senses simmering beneath his rugged exterior. Her forbidden plan is foiled, however, when Godric turns the tables, taking her hostage instead—and demanding they marry at once…
The last thing Godric wants to do is make the fiery, impulsive Eva his wife, despite her delectable mouth and alluring innocence. He knows from experience that nothing is forever, not even love. But honor demands he do right by the lady, no matter how stubbornly Eva tries to hold on to her independence. And while the road to the Scottish border is beset with danger, Godric’s greatest challenge is to keep his hands—and his heart—from his captivating bride-to-be…
374 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2021
About the author
Minerva Spencer
49 books1,635 followers**I ONLY RATE BOOKS I REALLY ENJOYED**.
Before I began writing I spent time as a dock worker, a reader for the blind, a criminal prosecutor, and I taught American History on the college level for five years. My last job was running an 8-bedroom bed and breakfast, a subject I will never write about...
I like historical fiction because I enjoy escaping into the past when I relax. And I write romance because I love a happy ending and everything that happens along the way.
I came to writing late in life and I feel like I have to write fast to catch up! I work every day at a desk looking out over the Sangre de Cristo mountains, my free range birds, and my three flock protecting hounds Earl, Spot, and Rover.
When I'm not writing I'm playing with my animals, knitting, DIYing, crocheting, sewing, or watching old movies.
I also write historical romance and erotic romance under the name S.M. LaViolette and historical mystery under the name S.M. Goodwin.
Before I began writing I spent time as a dock worker, a reader for the blind, a criminal prosecutor, and I taught American History on the college level for five years. My last job was running an 8-bedroom bed and breakfast, a subject I will never write about...
I like historical fiction because I enjoy escaping into the past when I relax. And I write romance because I love a happy ending and everything that happens along the way.
I came to writing late in life and I feel like I have to write fast to catch up! I work every day at a desk looking out over the Sangre de Cristo mountains, my free range birds, and my three flock protecting hounds Earl, Spot, and Rover.
When I'm not writing I'm playing with my animals, knitting, DIYing, crocheting, sewing, or watching old movies.
I also write historical romance and erotic romance under the name S.M. LaViolette and historical mystery under the name S.M. Goodwin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 512 reviews
July 3, 2021
Outrageous by Minerva Spencer
Rebels of the Ton book 2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better if you’ve read the first.
She kidnapped him! What was she thinking? Ok, she has a reason she thinks is legit. But then everything gets complicated and suddenly they are on the way to get married. And the two of them in close confines, well, it’s natural to be attracted and have urges. She learned from her step mother how important it is to both give and receive pleasure. As long as in the long game she can raise horses in the country, it will all turn out just fine. Just a hiccup or two along the way.
Amusing and smart. I spent a lot of dictionary time with this one.
“Shoot the pips out of a card”
She spent a little too much arguing when she felt uncertain. Their attraction and sexual antics went a long way towards resolving issues.
Bumpy but eventually hea.
Thanks to #Kensington and #BetweenTheChapters for the paperback ARC.
Rebels of the Ton book 2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better if you’ve read the first.
She kidnapped him! What was she thinking? Ok, she has a reason she thinks is legit. But then everything gets complicated and suddenly they are on the way to get married. And the two of them in close confines, well, it’s natural to be attracted and have urges. She learned from her step mother how important it is to both give and receive pleasure. As long as in the long game she can raise horses in the country, it will all turn out just fine. Just a hiccup or two along the way.
Amusing and smart. I spent a lot of dictionary time with this one.
“Shoot the pips out of a card”
She spent a little too much arguing when she felt uncertain. Their attraction and sexual antics went a long way towards resolving issues.
Bumpy but eventually hea.
Thanks to #Kensington and #BetweenTheChapters for the paperback ARC.
May 19, 2021
Even if I was not enjoying this series I think I might acquire the books just because of their pretty covers!
Outrageous is the second in the series and, just like the first, I enjoyed the story and the characters. There were a few slow moments along the way but there was a lot of excitement as well and the ending was delightful. Surprisingly you can learn an awful lot about breeding race horses as well. That is if you ever wanted to!
The epilogue sets the scene for the next book which I am looking forward to reading,
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Outrageous is the second in the series and, just like the first, I enjoyed the story and the characters. There were a few slow moments along the way but there was a lot of excitement as well and the ending was delightful. Surprisingly you can learn an awful lot about breeding race horses as well. That is if you ever wanted to!
The epilogue sets the scene for the next book which I am looking forward to reading,
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 28, 2022
✨A simple what-would-I-do-if-Chris-Hemsworth-put-me-in-this-scenario situation✨
And reader? I’d risk it all. This book surprised me. We all know I’m a very bothered person. So when I like a book that could have TOTALLY bothered me but it didn’t, I have to wonder why. Why was THIS the book that spoke to my soul? Especially when I can see valid critiques in negative reviews and understand exactly where those reviewers are coming from. I really don’t have an answer, but I’m going to try to describe exactly why I liked this book and why it worked for me.
The writing style really felt like a slightly moodier, darker version of Tessa Dare or Eloisa James. There was wit and dry humor and I laughed and swooned many times. I think I would have believed you if you told me that either of those authors wrote it. My attention was ALWAYS on this book. It’s a thick beast but I read it super quickly in two sittings. I always wanted to be reading this book. It was a very emotional ride and by the end I was ready to fight for these two. I liked that they were rarely apart and how the road trip romance set up some crazy scenarios.
The only time it slightly lost me was the third act breakup, but even then, I found it worked for me. It was dramatic and angsty and made me angry, but it also made the characters reckon with their actions and desires and made them even better as a couple. I loved there reconnection. On that note, I loved the side characters, especially James and Andrew (forever shipping them, I hope they get their own book), Richard can fuck me up. And her father? Wow okay slay my vagina.
Now talking about slaying my vagina, the sex!!! Ugh I love Minerva’s dirty dancing. The voyeurism of Eva watching Godric get off was just about the hottest thing I’ve read in a while. It was such a long scene and we were given so much. I do wish he would’ve brought it back up in a sex scene or she would have touched him like he touched himself (he was feeling himself up above the waist and it was really hot). These two were very sexually compatible but it was never just sex (despite what they believed). There was true emotion, passion, and connection influencing every scene. I loved how he got off on her touching herself and that she knew what she wanted. The man was down real bad at the end and that is Very Hot to me.
The kidnapping didn’t bother me because I didn’t feel like it forced these two to get together. I think her reason for kidnapping him made sense (maybe I’m unhinged too idk), and I think his treatment of her when the roles were reversed wasn’t coercive. There were actually a lot less one bed situations than there could’ve been, and they really tried to deny their attraction. The kidnapping was never done for ransome or anything. I understand it pretty much meant they’d have to marry and that’s taking consent away. Buuuut there were many avenues that they could’ve taken after the initial kidnapping to prevent marriage, but they said screw it. So I too say screw it!
The heart wants what it wants and my heart wants to kidnap and/or be reverse kidnapped by a large, sexy, Adonis who I’m choosing to believe looks like Chris Hemsworth. I think the enemies to lovers REALLY worked here and I loved the character arcs of our main characters. They were flawed and he was literally a VILLAIN, but I fell for them anyways.
And yes, I understand he was going to kidnap Drusilla at the beginning, but I just don’t believe he was ever going to hurt her. Yes, he was a rat bastard in book one and horrible to these people. No, I do not care about that anymore because getting to know him really melted my heart. He was such a softie and this book was also very funny and witty and that helped me a lot. Am I a hypocrite for probably hating this exact plot or these exact characters in other books? Sure. I don’t deny that this book just hit different. And selfishly, I’m really fucking tickled that I loved it.
Was the age gap completely necessary? No. I think she could’ve been 25 instead of 19 and the book would’ve been the same. But ultimately this is the book the author wanted to write and I can’t fault her for that. Age gaps aren’t normally my thing, but again, WWIDICHPMITS? If Chris “Adonis” Hemsworth wanted to do dirty things to me at age 19, I would have canceled all my plans.
I also never felt like he was fetishizing her age. He actually disliked he was so much older than her. I understand people being skeeved by him calling her “little girl,” “child,” and “young” but to me it was always in reference to her actions, not her sexual appeal. He was never like wow you look like a child and that gets me hot. She was clearly of age and had desires and I can’t fault him nor her. But I also don’t discredit other contrary opinions and don’t think you should either. Again, it’s about what you’re comfortable with!
Overall, if you’re like hmmm this book COULD be for me, I’d say give it a try. There aren’t a lot of reformed villains out there and I loved Godric and Eva. It may take you out of your comfort zone, but all I can say is this book created a new zone in which I’d like to live in. And that is the Emotionally Slaying My Vagina Zone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
P.S. I think it’s just riskier for a traditionally published book to take these risks with characters and plot because a lot of eyes will be on this book. Perhaps a lot of eyes not familiar with riskier plots. For example, Duke I’d Like to F… plays up taboo topics because readers pretty much know what they want and want to get with that book. In the end, this is the book the author wanted to write so I can’t fault her. But I also absolutely don’t fault people who disliked this book.
I can see people being bamboozled here! But I still love that it took those risks and worked for me. The cover also wouldn’t make me think 17yr age gap so I understand people being confused and skeeved out. I also read a lot of darker romance for work and will say I’m not the same reader I was at the start of my bookstagram account. Soooo I do think the negative reviews make sense when the marketing of this book just seems a little off.
Trigger Warnings: death of loved ones, ptsd, mental health talked about it negative ways (the heroine was called “mad” in very negative ways, etc)
And reader? I’d risk it all. This book surprised me. We all know I’m a very bothered person. So when I like a book that could have TOTALLY bothered me but it didn’t, I have to wonder why. Why was THIS the book that spoke to my soul? Especially when I can see valid critiques in negative reviews and understand exactly where those reviewers are coming from. I really don’t have an answer, but I’m going to try to describe exactly why I liked this book and why it worked for me.
The writing style really felt like a slightly moodier, darker version of Tessa Dare or Eloisa James. There was wit and dry humor and I laughed and swooned many times. I think I would have believed you if you told me that either of those authors wrote it. My attention was ALWAYS on this book. It’s a thick beast but I read it super quickly in two sittings. I always wanted to be reading this book. It was a very emotional ride and by the end I was ready to fight for these two. I liked that they were rarely apart and how the road trip romance set up some crazy scenarios.
The only time it slightly lost me was the third act breakup, but even then, I found it worked for me. It was dramatic and angsty and made me angry, but it also made the characters reckon with their actions and desires and made them even better as a couple. I loved there reconnection. On that note, I loved the side characters, especially James and Andrew (forever shipping them, I hope they get their own book), Richard can fuck me up. And her father? Wow okay slay my vagina.
Now talking about slaying my vagina, the sex!!! Ugh I love Minerva’s dirty dancing. The voyeurism of Eva watching Godric get off was just about the hottest thing I’ve read in a while. It was such a long scene and we were given so much. I do wish he would’ve brought it back up in a sex scene or she would have touched him like he touched himself (he was feeling himself up above the waist and it was really hot). These two were very sexually compatible but it was never just sex (despite what they believed). There was true emotion, passion, and connection influencing every scene. I loved how he got off on her touching herself and that she knew what she wanted. The man was down real bad at the end and that is Very Hot to me.
The kidnapping didn’t bother me because I didn’t feel like it forced these two to get together. I think her reason for kidnapping him made sense (maybe I’m unhinged too idk), and I think his treatment of her when the roles were reversed wasn’t coercive. There were actually a lot less one bed situations than there could’ve been, and they really tried to deny their attraction. The kidnapping was never done for ransome or anything. I understand it pretty much meant they’d have to marry and that’s taking consent away. Buuuut there were many avenues that they could’ve taken after the initial kidnapping to prevent marriage, but they said screw it. So I too say screw it!
The heart wants what it wants and my heart wants to kidnap and/or be reverse kidnapped by a large, sexy, Adonis who I’m choosing to believe looks like Chris Hemsworth. I think the enemies to lovers REALLY worked here and I loved the character arcs of our main characters. They were flawed and he was literally a VILLAIN, but I fell for them anyways.
And yes, I understand he was going to kidnap Drusilla at the beginning, but I just don’t believe he was ever going to hurt her. Yes, he was a rat bastard in book one and horrible to these people. No, I do not care about that anymore because getting to know him really melted my heart. He was such a softie and this book was also very funny and witty and that helped me a lot. Am I a hypocrite for probably hating this exact plot or these exact characters in other books? Sure. I don’t deny that this book just hit different. And selfishly, I’m really fucking tickled that I loved it.
Was the age gap completely necessary? No. I think she could’ve been 25 instead of 19 and the book would’ve been the same. But ultimately this is the book the author wanted to write and I can’t fault her for that. Age gaps aren’t normally my thing, but again, WWIDICHPMITS? If Chris “Adonis” Hemsworth wanted to do dirty things to me at age 19, I would have canceled all my plans.
I also never felt like he was fetishizing her age. He actually disliked he was so much older than her. I understand people being skeeved by him calling her “little girl,” “child,” and “young” but to me it was always in reference to her actions, not her sexual appeal. He was never like wow you look like a child and that gets me hot. She was clearly of age and had desires and I can’t fault him nor her. But I also don’t discredit other contrary opinions and don’t think you should either. Again, it’s about what you’re comfortable with!
Overall, if you’re like hmmm this book COULD be for me, I’d say give it a try. There aren’t a lot of reformed villains out there and I loved Godric and Eva. It may take you out of your comfort zone, but all I can say is this book created a new zone in which I’d like to live in. And that is the Emotionally Slaying My Vagina Zone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
P.S. I think it’s just riskier for a traditionally published book to take these risks with characters and plot because a lot of eyes will be on this book. Perhaps a lot of eyes not familiar with riskier plots. For example, Duke I’d Like to F… plays up taboo topics because readers pretty much know what they want and want to get with that book. In the end, this is the book the author wanted to write so I can’t fault her. But I also absolutely don’t fault people who disliked this book.
I can see people being bamboozled here! But I still love that it took those risks and worked for me. The cover also wouldn’t make me think 17yr age gap so I understand people being confused and skeeved out. I also read a lot of darker romance for work and will say I’m not the same reader I was at the start of my bookstagram account. Soooo I do think the negative reviews make sense when the marketing of this book just seems a little off.
Trigger Warnings: death of loved ones, ptsd, mental health talked about it negative ways (the heroine was called “mad” in very negative ways, etc)
June 5, 2022
What an entertaining book! I'm glad this was chosen from my BOTM group. I might not have picked this book otherwise.
It was fast-paced and well written. I loved the MC. You knew this couple belonged together. It was hilarious everytime they argued. I also loved how it wasn't instant love.
The secondary characters were entertaining as well.
So 4 stars to a fun enemies to lovers adventure.
It was fast-paced and well written. I loved the MC. You knew this couple belonged together. It was hilarious everytime they argued. I also loved how it wasn't instant love.
The secondary characters were entertaining as well.
So 4 stars to a fun enemies to lovers adventure.
February 20, 2021
*3.5 stars*
I adore Minerva Spencer, and I usually rate her books extremely highly, but her Rebels of the Ton offshoot series hasn't exactly been my jam. However, though it took me some time to get into Outrageous, I will say that it grew on me over time.
Where this book falters is the set up and in a few key aspects. First of all, Visel had a total personality change in the beginning of the book, which I found to be completely unbelievable. It helps if you've read Notorious first, but it isn't totally necessary. Nevertheless, you'll get the gist about how the book begins, which makes it just incredible that the author had Visel have some self-awareness all of the sudden. I didn't buy it. Also, the way he treats Eva is nothing short of... creepy. The age gap is very vast, and it skeeved me out how Visel viewed her as a child most of the time. Just, no. It got better as the book went on, but I almost DNFed in the first half.
Honestly, for Minerva Spencer this book wasn't as angsty as it could have been. Usually, this author puts her characters through the ringer, but we get a spitfire of a female MC with a relatively happy upbringing (despite her mother's death and family history of madness), and a male MC with a pretty tragic backstory but it isn't dwelled upon as much as it could have been. I think the angst level was just right for my tastes.
I think I enjoyed the side characters almost as much as the main characters. I'm smelling an M/M romance here, Minerva!!!! There were a lot of complex and interesting personalities to enjoy, and I think it made the second half of the story feel more fleshed out. I was frustrated near the end by a ridiculous self-sacrificing act by one of the MCs, but by that time I was hooked in the story and could barely put it down.
A little inconsistent for Minerva Spencer, but very much worth it in the end. I'm very excited to see where this series goes next.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I adore Minerva Spencer, and I usually rate her books extremely highly, but her Rebels of the Ton offshoot series hasn't exactly been my jam. However, though it took me some time to get into Outrageous, I will say that it grew on me over time.
Where this book falters is the set up and in a few key aspects. First of all, Visel had a total personality change in the beginning of the book, which I found to be completely unbelievable. It helps if you've read Notorious first, but it isn't totally necessary. Nevertheless, you'll get the gist about how the book begins, which makes it just incredible that the author had Visel have some self-awareness all of the sudden. I didn't buy it. Also, the way he treats Eva is nothing short of... creepy. The age gap is very vast, and it skeeved me out how Visel viewed her as a child most of the time. Just, no. It got better as the book went on, but I almost DNFed in the first half.
Honestly, for Minerva Spencer this book wasn't as angsty as it could have been. Usually, this author puts her characters through the ringer, but we get a spitfire of a female MC with a relatively happy upbringing (despite her mother's death and family history of madness), and a male MC with a pretty tragic backstory but it isn't dwelled upon as much as it could have been. I think the angst level was just right for my tastes.
I think I enjoyed the side characters almost as much as the main characters. I'm smelling an M/M romance here, Minerva!!!! There were a lot of complex and interesting personalities to enjoy, and I think it made the second half of the story feel more fleshed out. I was frustrated near the end by a ridiculous self-sacrificing act by one of the MCs, but by that time I was hooked in the story and could barely put it down.
A little inconsistent for Minerva Spencer, but very much worth it in the end. I'm very excited to see where this series goes next.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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June 10, 2022
4.5 Stars on a re-read for the BOTM challenge for HRBC
- I very much enjoyed this story the second time around.
- The review below, still stands.
- I just felt for Godric & Eva, every step of the way.
- Deletion of some random characters and fleshing out Godric's coming to senses would have helped!
- I think I need to read Dangerous. Mia & Adam seem very interesting.
4.5 Stars
Well, what do you know! I ended up enjoying this book after all.
My Thoughts
- What a fun, fantastic read this story was. The title of the book is so apt, Outrageous indeed. It was so very different and had everything its predecessor lacked.
- The writing was intelligent, paced well, was full of dry wit, and hilariously amusing. I was chuckling, laughing, chortling, and shaking my head throughout.
- The plot is what drew me to this book. It was so ostentatious, the heroine kidnapping the hero? Love that. Which gave way to one of my favourite tropes - a Road trip! In this case, a road trip from hell.
- The subtlety of the romance was one of the best aspects of this book. Here are two people who hate the very idea of one another, and are at each other's throats, figuratively and then literally. Oh, but wait, hate is a very passionate emotion, and hence it is said, very wisely I might add, that there is a very fine line between love and hate. This is precisely what this romance was all about, and it sang beautifully.
- There is an abundance of believability in a close-quarter romance. It is especially true in the enemies-to-lovers trope, as no one pulls their punches. The rawness and the flaws are out there from the outset for each other to see.
- Another brilliant aspect was the characters. Godric and Eva were damaged and broken, and were victims of circumstances in their own right. Both of them were wonderfully penned and managed to exact a multitude of emotions from me as a reader. I was with them, every step of the way, taking sides in the arguments, rooting for one or the other, and then changing sides, and feeling for them. This is what I call skilful writing.
- Before I started reading this book, I read some of the reviews, and a lot of readers had an issue with the 17 years of an age gap. I had no such qualms because, one, it was quite common at that time, and two, Connection is not defined by age, but by the choices and actions of the individual, age and maturity, notwithstanding. I felt that the author has done justice to the age gap.
- I loved Godric despite his quite a few moronic actions in Notorious. In light of his tragedy and ensuing grief, I was willing to forgive him anything short of murder or abuse. His circumstances were very uncommon. That is why I could not bring myself to despise his reprehensible actions or judge him on a normal HR hero scale. He was protective, solicitous, kind, patient, and tried to do right by Eva (in his own idiotic way), which why I liked him.
- Eva was a 19-year-old brat, and to be honest, quite dizzying, but it worked in her favour. She acted entitled but was insecure, and brash but also equally strong, naive but unphased in dangerous situations. She was an excellent blend of teenage immaturity that meets experiential & circumstantial maturity. Gotta love a paradox like her.
- As a couple, Godric and Eva were amazing together. Their banter was off the charts. They complemented each other well. One of them stepped up when the other was being an idiot. They were both very strong-willed characters, afraid and yet unafraid. And the steam, aye carambaa! It was a little dirty and a whole lot of delicious.
Grumbles
- The "big misunderstanding" was understandable, under the circumstances. But Godric's development was completely glossed over. I would have loved to read how he finally came to terms with his feelings. And due to this, the final few chapters felt rushed and a little lacklustre.
- Random side characters were thrown at you without context, connection, rhyme or reason. We get no background, no idea if they will get their own stories or not. There is an utter lack of clarity. You think this character will get a story, but you read the blurb of the next book and realise you are wrong. Annoying, that. But as a marketing ploy to get you to read all Spencer books, it is bloody brilliant.
Also, would it kill this author to give just a smidge more details about the main characters? I know she keeps it current, but a few lines here and there would add more depth to her characters & their development. Just saying!
My Recommendation
I know it's a long review, but I only have a lot to say when I have either loved or hated a book. This one I most definitely loved. It's #2 but works as a standalone. Actually, I recommend reading only this one, as the previous one might annoy you.
- I very much enjoyed this story the second time around.
- The review below, still stands.
- I just felt for Godric & Eva, every step of the way.
- Deletion of some random characters and fleshing out Godric's coming to senses would have helped!
- I think I need to read Dangerous. Mia & Adam seem very interesting.
4.5 Stars
Well, what do you know! I ended up enjoying this book after all.
My Thoughts
- What a fun, fantastic read this story was. The title of the book is so apt, Outrageous indeed. It was so very different and had everything its predecessor lacked.
- The writing was intelligent, paced well, was full of dry wit, and hilariously amusing. I was chuckling, laughing, chortling, and shaking my head throughout.
- The plot is what drew me to this book. It was so ostentatious, the heroine kidnapping the hero? Love that. Which gave way to one of my favourite tropes - a Road trip! In this case, a road trip from hell.
- The subtlety of the romance was one of the best aspects of this book. Here are two people who hate the very idea of one another, and are at each other's throats, figuratively and then literally. Oh, but wait, hate is a very passionate emotion, and hence it is said, very wisely I might add, that there is a very fine line between love and hate. This is precisely what this romance was all about, and it sang beautifully.
- There is an abundance of believability in a close-quarter romance. It is especially true in the enemies-to-lovers trope, as no one pulls their punches. The rawness and the flaws are out there from the outset for each other to see.
- Another brilliant aspect was the characters. Godric and Eva were damaged and broken, and were victims of circumstances in their own right. Both of them were wonderfully penned and managed to exact a multitude of emotions from me as a reader. I was with them, every step of the way, taking sides in the arguments, rooting for one or the other, and then changing sides, and feeling for them. This is what I call skilful writing.
- Before I started reading this book, I read some of the reviews, and a lot of readers had an issue with the 17 years of an age gap. I had no such qualms because, one, it was quite common at that time, and two, Connection is not defined by age, but by the choices and actions of the individual, age and maturity, notwithstanding. I felt that the author has done justice to the age gap.
- I loved Godric despite his quite a few moronic actions in Notorious. In light of his tragedy and ensuing grief, I was willing to forgive him anything short of murder or abuse. His circumstances were very uncommon. That is why I could not bring myself to despise his reprehensible actions or judge him on a normal HR hero scale. He was protective, solicitous, kind, patient, and tried to do right by Eva (in his own idiotic way), which why I liked him.
- Eva was a 19-year-old brat, and to be honest, quite dizzying, but it worked in her favour. She acted entitled but was insecure, and brash but also equally strong, naive but unphased in dangerous situations. She was an excellent blend of teenage immaturity that meets experiential & circumstantial maturity. Gotta love a paradox like her.
- As a couple, Godric and Eva were amazing together. Their banter was off the charts. They complemented each other well. One of them stepped up when the other was being an idiot. They were both very strong-willed characters, afraid and yet unafraid. And the steam, aye carambaa! It was a little dirty and a whole lot of delicious.
Grumbles
- The "big misunderstanding" was understandable, under the circumstances. But Godric's development was completely glossed over. I would have loved to read how he finally came to terms with his feelings. And due to this, the final few chapters felt rushed and a little lacklustre.
- Random side characters were thrown at you without context, connection, rhyme or reason. We get no background, no idea if they will get their own stories or not. There is an utter lack of clarity. You think this character will get a story, but you read the blurb of the next book and realise you are wrong. Annoying, that. But as a marketing ploy to get you to read all Spencer books, it is bloody brilliant.
Also, would it kill this author to give just a smidge more details about the main characters? I know she keeps it current, but a few lines here and there would add more depth to her characters & their development. Just saying!
My Recommendation
I know it's a long review, but I only have a lot to say when I have either loved or hated a book. This one I most definitely loved. It's #2 but works as a standalone. Actually, I recommend reading only this one, as the previous one might annoy you.
June 4, 2022
I have read this series backwards and was able to enjoy it without reading book 1. A lot of witty banter and a reverse kidnapping (the girl kidnaps the guy). I normally do not enjoy a road trip but was fun. The age difference didn't matter to me, and I found each character had strengths and weaknesses. As both realize they will need to marry as Eva has been compromised the reader finds out what has caused Godric to attempt revenge on Eva's family. There are some hot and sexy parts with a hea after a few bumps in the road.
Read
December 5, 2021DNF 20%
As much as I loved the first book, this one wasn't it for me. 17 years difference between the H and h rubs me the wrong way. She's 19, for Goodness sake... he's almost a pe*o... INMO, don't come for me.
The writing style is good, that's why I'm not rating this based on something that's a turn off for me personally.
As much as I loved the first book, this one wasn't it for me. 17 years difference between the H and h rubs me the wrong way. She's 19, for Goodness sake... he's almost a pe*o... INMO, don't come for me.
The writing style is good, that's why I'm not rating this based on something that's a turn off for me personally.
June 29, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a disappointment. *sighs*
Where do I even start.
The absolute first problem I had with this was that while reading Notorious, I'd made this image of Visel in my head, and it was not nice. I seemed to have missed some descriptions in the previous book of Visel, and my image was stout, slimy, and ugly, with warts and whatnot.
But 3% into this book, and I realised something was wrong. How was this guy described as the most handsome guy in the whole ton?? How was Eva crushing after this guy after he literally made their lives hell in the last book!??!
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided to treat this book as a standalone, ignore all the past history, and read this as if it started with her kidnapping him for some unknown reason, and just enjoy the romance, the writing I loved in Notorious.
Sadly, this had none of the goodness of the previous book. *sighs*
To start off, I can't handle large age differences between the two people who are supposed to end up together. It does not vibe with me, and frankly, I find it creepy and paedophilic in nature. Usually, especially in Historical Romances of the variety I read, there is some age difference to be expected, some 5-7 years, and I can deal with that because it is the way it is. But when your love interests are some 20 (actually 17, just checked) years apart, and they regularly think of each other as much older/much younger/ father-like/old-enough-to-be-his-daughter, I draw the line.
Think all you want about the age difference, but if you're going to subject me to thoughts about how the guy thinks he should spank her like a child because she was behaving like one (to be fair, she was behaving like one, but really? thinking of her as a child?) and then thinking about 'taking' her in all the thousand ways you can think of in the same paragraph!?!? That is where I'm out.
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided to ignore this as well, because surely the amazing writer of Notorious would win me over by writing a fantastic romance?
The answer is no, because this was more smut and sex thoughts than this was romance.
*sighs* *deep breath* IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION THESE DAYS!??!?!
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided that enough was enough, this was too much, and this book was going to pay in the review.
There was so much smut. So, so much smut. Oh God, and they would keep thinking of the age difference while having sex, and can I just ...NO. Just NO. This was exactly the problem I had with Fix Her Up, where the love interest would keep calling her baby girl, and then they would have sex, and more sex, and (this is not the review for that book so I'm going to shut up now).
I will admit, I did like some portions of this book. A lot, in fact, most of which were when Visel had his mouth shut, and we were in Eva's POV (who was the better POV only because she wasn't thinking as much of sex as he was.) Nearly all of the emotional scenes were done really well, with me rooting for the romance (being the forgiving person I am, I'd forgive the book and forget about all the stuff I hated in those regions) and then Visel would open his mouth, or one of them would see the other and it would all go to hell.
On the whole, perhaps just not for me. I will admit, I had some really high hopes, and they might have played a very big role in me not liking this, but this was still not very good had I been reading this as an independent book. I would recommend it to people looking for sex heavy books, and who don't mind the age difference. I would not recommend it to people who loved Notorious and who're looking for more of the same, keep in mind that this is heavier on the sex, and has a big age difference.
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a disappointment. *sighs*
Where do I even start.
The absolute first problem I had with this was that while reading Notorious, I'd made this image of Visel in my head, and it was not nice. I seemed to have missed some descriptions in the previous book of Visel, and my image was stout, slimy, and ugly, with warts and whatnot.
But 3% into this book, and I realised something was wrong. How was this guy described as the most handsome guy in the whole ton?? How was Eva crushing after this guy after he literally made their lives hell in the last book!??!
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided to treat this book as a standalone, ignore all the past history, and read this as if it started with her kidnapping him for some unknown reason, and just enjoy the romance, the writing I loved in Notorious.
Sadly, this had none of the goodness of the previous book. *sighs*
To start off, I can't handle large age differences between the two people who are supposed to end up together. It does not vibe with me, and frankly, I find it creepy and paedophilic in nature. Usually, especially in Historical Romances of the variety I read, there is some age difference to be expected, some 5-7 years, and I can deal with that because it is the way it is. But when your love interests are some 20 (actually 17, just checked) years apart, and they regularly think of each other as much older/much younger/ father-like/old-enough-to-be-his-daughter, I draw the line.
Think all you want about the age difference, but if you're going to subject me to thoughts about how the guy thinks he should spank her like a child because she was behaving like one (to be fair, she was behaving like one, but really? thinking of her as a child?) and then thinking about 'taking' her in all the thousand ways you can think of in the same paragraph!?!? That is where I'm out.
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided to ignore this as well, because surely the amazing writer of Notorious would win me over by writing a fantastic romance?
The answer is no, because this was more smut and sex thoughts than this was romance.
*sighs* *deep breath* IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION THESE DAYS!??!?!
And me, being the forgiving person I am, decided that enough was enough, this was too much, and this book was going to pay in the review.
There was so much smut. So, so much smut. Oh God, and they would keep thinking of the age difference while having sex, and can I just ...NO. Just NO. This was exactly the problem I had with Fix Her Up, where the love interest would keep calling her baby girl, and then they would have sex, and more sex, and (this is not the review for that book so I'm going to shut up now).
I will admit, I did like some portions of this book. A lot, in fact, most of which were when Visel had his mouth shut, and we were in Eva's POV (who was the better POV only because she wasn't thinking as much of sex as he was.) Nearly all of the emotional scenes were done really well, with me rooting for the romance (being the forgiving person I am, I'd forgive the book and forget about all the stuff I hated in those regions) and then Visel would open his mouth, or one of them would see the other and it would all go to hell.
On the whole, perhaps just not for me. I will admit, I had some really high hopes, and they might have played a very big role in me not liking this, but this was still not very good had I been reading this as an independent book. I would recommend it to people looking for sex heavy books, and who don't mind the age difference. I would not recommend it to people who loved Notorious and who're looking for more of the same, keep in mind that this is heavier on the sex, and has a big age difference.
November 14, 2021
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖 (3)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋(3)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (3)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (4)
Romance: 💞💞💞 (3)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (4)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑-🍑🍑🍑🍑 (3-4)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes. If you’re really motivated, you’ll read Eva’s father’s story in Dangerous (book 1 of the Outcasts series) and then read Notorious to get Godric’s background and the set up for the beginning of this story.
Basic plot
Eva kidnaps Godric to protect her brother and his marriage. The tables are quickly turned when Godric takes her hostage instead and starts calling the shots.
Give this a try if you want:
- Higher steam – there’s 5 scenes here
- Age gap – hero is 36 and heroine is 19
- Antihero – he was quite a villain in the previous book
- Captive/kidnapped hero/heroine trope
- A bit of enemies to lovers
- Regency time period (though much of this takes place on the road)
- Soldier hero dealing with various PTSD issues and loss
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story! It had a number of my personal romance catnip desires featured. I love a captive/kidnapped theme. I adore road trip romance. Surprise virgins are another favorite. The hero knows what he wants and doesn’t have a problem with taking charge. He has no issues capturing the heroine around the waist with his thighs during their first meeting. He’s not above a little looming and pushing her against an inn wall to try to get her to obey.
Now, you’ll have to get over his behavior from the previous book. Which was, well, it was a lot. I was actually surprised when I found out he was going to have his own story, after everything that happened. And then I did get rather excited, if skeptical, because I love an antihero, I adore a villain turned hero (or almost anyway :P ) But, this was one of my biggest issues with this story, his turn around for me just didn’t make sense. We come into the story with him basically deciding he wasn’t going to ‘be bad’ anymore without it truly delving deeply into what was happening here. And then when we find out what his pain was triggered by, I felt that again it just skimmed the surface of it. It should have been absolutely gutting, what happened to him and I should have understood more of what drove his behavior in the prior story. But I didn’t really feel like that and it was a disservice to Godric’s character and mental health in general.
So, I found myself really enjoying Godric’s character but I can’t say I really forgave him for his prior behavior? It was kind of like reading a different person here in this story. But it’s been a bit since I read Notorious, anyway, so it’s not a huge complaint for me. I would have loved just a bit more depth.
Eva also deals with judgments about her temper and personality, and people calling her mad. She doesn’t really care what society thinks and does what she wants. Like starting off the book dressed in men’s clothing and kidnapping a man. She’s 17 years younger than the hero, but that aspect didn’t bother me. I felt their relationship would work.
I friggen adored the sex in this book. I’ve been struggling with sex being too flowery on one end and too mechanical on the other and I quite loved these scenes. I felt an emotional connection there as well as the passion and that’s my romance jam!
So, I did have a few issues (I also wasn’t a huge fan of the whole crazy middle of the story psychotic innkeepers??? That time would have better been spent on character depth or building emotional reasoning behind the hero’s actions) but I still really, really enjoyed this novel.
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖 (3)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋(3)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (3)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (4)
Romance: 💞💞💞 (3)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (4)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑-🍑🍑🍑🍑 (3-4)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes. If you’re really motivated, you’ll read Eva’s father’s story in Dangerous (book 1 of the Outcasts series) and then read Notorious to get Godric’s background and the set up for the beginning of this story.
Basic plot
Eva kidnaps Godric to protect her brother and his marriage. The tables are quickly turned when Godric takes her hostage instead and starts calling the shots.
Give this a try if you want:
- Higher steam – there’s 5 scenes here
- Age gap – hero is 36 and heroine is 19
- Antihero – he was quite a villain in the previous book
- Captive/kidnapped hero/heroine trope
- A bit of enemies to lovers
- Regency time period (though much of this takes place on the road)
- Soldier hero dealing with various PTSD issues and loss
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story! It had a number of my personal romance catnip desires featured. I love a captive/kidnapped theme. I adore road trip romance. Surprise virgins are another favorite. The hero knows what he wants and doesn’t have a problem with taking charge. He has no issues capturing the heroine around the waist with his thighs during their first meeting. He’s not above a little looming and pushing her against an inn wall to try to get her to obey.
Now, you’ll have to get over his behavior from the previous book. Which was, well, it was a lot. I was actually surprised when I found out he was going to have his own story, after everything that happened. And then I did get rather excited, if skeptical, because I love an antihero, I adore a villain turned hero (or almost anyway :P ) But, this was one of my biggest issues with this story, his turn around for me just didn’t make sense. We come into the story with him basically deciding he wasn’t going to ‘be bad’ anymore without it truly delving deeply into what was happening here. And then when we find out what his pain was triggered by, I felt that again it just skimmed the surface of it. It should have been absolutely gutting, what happened to him and I should have understood more of what drove his behavior in the prior story. But I didn’t really feel like that and it was a disservice to Godric’s character and mental health in general.
So, I found myself really enjoying Godric’s character but I can’t say I really forgave him for his prior behavior? It was kind of like reading a different person here in this story. But it’s been a bit since I read Notorious, anyway, so it’s not a huge complaint for me. I would have loved just a bit more depth.
Eva also deals with judgments about her temper and personality, and people calling her mad. She doesn’t really care what society thinks and does what she wants. Like starting off the book dressed in men’s clothing and kidnapping a man. She’s 17 years younger than the hero, but that aspect didn’t bother me. I felt their relationship would work.
I friggen adored the sex in this book. I’ve been struggling with sex being too flowery on one end and too mechanical on the other and I quite loved these scenes. I felt an emotional connection there as well as the passion and that’s my romance jam!
So, I did have a few issues (I also wasn’t a huge fan of the whole crazy middle of the story psychotic innkeepers??? That time would have better been spent on character depth or building emotional reasoning behind the hero’s actions) but I still really, really enjoyed this novel.
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
June 30, 2022
2.25, mostly because I don’t enjoy road trip romances in the Regency era but I can tolerate them to a certain point (I lasted till the 70% mark, I believe 😅) and I didn’t like the heroine that much. I don’t mind age gaps but I do prefer the heroines to be mature or at least somewhat proper. Oftentimes, Eva’s behavior reminded me of a modern teenager (granted she is 19; it’s her argumentative nature that I had a problem with). I didn’t like the internal monologues either.
I thought the last 20% dragged. It reminded me of episode 6 of season 2 of Bridgerton. FYI I’m probably going to mention Bridgerton in some of the reviews I write this year. 😂
We are introduced to the twins whose romances will be in the next book for a brief time in this part of the book. I have not read Dangerous by Minerva Spencer but after reading what kind of woman Mia (the heroine’s stepmother) is in this book, I’m intrigued now.
There were three male characters with names that began with A: Andrew (side character 1), Anthony (minor side character 2), and Adam (heroine’s father). Sometimes I got confused and I had to quiz myself who was whom.
Overall, it was an entertaining read but probably not one I'll reread (because of the road trip).
I thought the last 20% dragged. It reminded me of episode 6 of season 2 of Bridgerton. FYI I’m probably going to mention Bridgerton in some of the reviews I write this year. 😂
We are introduced to the twins whose romances will be in the next book for a brief time in this part of the book. I have not read Dangerous by Minerva Spencer but after reading what kind of woman Mia (the heroine’s stepmother) is in this book, I’m intrigued now.
There were three male characters with names that began with A: Andrew (side character 1), Anthony (minor side character 2), and Adam (heroine’s father). Sometimes I got confused and I had to quiz myself who was whom.
Overall, it was an entertaining read but probably not one I'll reread (because of the road trip).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for a arc copy for a honest review.
I did not want to DNF it Outrageous I wanted to give it a chance. I was getting into the story but when it mentioned sex trafficking, I don’t understand how I got through read the book. 2 star for me ⭐️⭐️
I did not want to DNF it Outrageous I wanted to give it a chance. I was getting into the story but when it mentioned sex trafficking, I don’t understand how I got through read the book. 2 star for me ⭐️⭐️
November 1, 2021
This book focuses completely on Eva & Godric...the two characters I liked THE LEAST in the first book.
This did not help their case at all.
I reaaaaaally hope book three has more time with Dru since she is my fav.
This did not help their case at all.
I reaaaaaally hope book three has more time with Dru since she is my fav.
February 5, 2021
I hate that I didn't love this one. It was one of my most anticipated reads, and I've never requested an ARC faster. Notorious was one of my favorite reads of 2020, so I had high expectations for this one. Sadly, it didn't deliver...
For one, I just didn't buy Visel's personality change. In the first book, he developed an entire kidnap plan as a way to get revenge against a man who did nothing to him. To me, he changed his mind and became a "good guy" way too fast. This bothered me so much, especially because it didn't seem to bother Eva at all.
I also found myself irritated by Eva in this one. Part of it was her horrendous planning. I'm sorry, but I can't accept a character who kidnaps someone, and then doesn't tie them up! What was her plan?? Did she just expect him to go along quietly?? I know that her failure was necessary to the plot, but it just irritated me.
And, quite frankly, I found the age gap creepy. Visel was almost double Eva's age, and I really struggled with this. Especially when he made several comments regarding her age, one time even stating that he was old enough to be her father. In that same statement, he confessed his sexual attraction towards her. Did that creep anyone else out?
I feel bad for saying this, but I felt like the quality of writing went down a bit from Notorious. Notorious had me hooked, and I read it in a single sitting. This one on the other hand, I had to take multiple breaks from. The sex scenes were cringy, and left me wanting to bleach my eyes. There were also a few adjective choices that were questionable to say the least...
Although I really didn't enjoy this one, I know I'll be picking up the next book in the series! Based off the excerpt provided at the end of this one, it looks like I'll like the characters and plot a lot more!
Thanks to Netgalley and Minerva Spencer for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
For one, I just didn't buy Visel's personality change. In the first book, he developed an entire kidnap plan as a way to get revenge against a man who did nothing to him. To me, he changed his mind and became a "good guy" way too fast. This bothered me so much, especially because it didn't seem to bother Eva at all.
I also found myself irritated by Eva in this one. Part of it was her horrendous planning. I'm sorry, but I can't accept a character who kidnaps someone, and then doesn't tie them up! What was her plan?? Did she just expect him to go along quietly?? I know that her failure was necessary to the plot, but it just irritated me.
And, quite frankly, I found the age gap creepy. Visel was almost double Eva's age, and I really struggled with this. Especially when he made several comments regarding her age, one time even stating that he was old enough to be her father. In that same statement, he confessed his sexual attraction towards her. Did that creep anyone else out?
I feel bad for saying this, but I felt like the quality of writing went down a bit from Notorious. Notorious had me hooked, and I read it in a single sitting. This one on the other hand, I had to take multiple breaks from. The sex scenes were cringy, and left me wanting to bleach my eyes. There were also a few adjective choices that were questionable to say the least...
Although I really didn't enjoy this one, I know I'll be picking up the next book in the series! Based off the excerpt provided at the end of this one, it looks like I'll like the characters and plot a lot more!
Thanks to Netgalley and Minerva Spencer for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
November 13, 2021
I am mad because now I want a whole ass book about Andrew and James 😑
First of all you have to read Notorious before reading this because although everything is kinda explained here, you won't get Eva's desperation and how she has no choice but to get rid of Godric in order to save her brother.
This book started off 5 stars. I was cackling and making weird excited sounds because Eva kidnaps Godric right under Ton's nose! A man who is 17 years older than her! Not to mention a war hero!
Both are vengeful.
Godric has a pile of dead body to revenge and Eva is done with his nefarious plans.
So we have :
���Abduction trope
✅Age gap
✅Wounded Hero
✅Wilful Heroine
✅Intense sexual chemistry
But after the 50% it tanked and towards the end I was skimming just to finish it.
It's so odd, for a crazy start like this the book really didn't have a plot!
Spoilers for both Notorious and Outrageous :
I was so confused how Godric barely mentioned his slaughtered family by Corsairs and he was just talking about his dead wife and son. The man literally tried his best to kill Jibril in the previous book or hurt him somehow.
I'm not saying he had the right to kill but I understood his unbridled anger and grief. Plus he is suffering from intense aftermath or the war after 15 years of service.
Eva quickly turned into a spoiled brat that snapped at everyone and everything because sHe'S nOt lIkE oThEr gIrLs.
The conflict was just so cliche and I hated how Byer kinda turned into a semi bad guy.
I still believe there is much more to this man AND I NEED HIS BOOK ASAP!
But not gonna lie, I loved Godric as a hero. He was so gentle and kind despite himself and I loved how he managed the situation and interacted with people.
AND OH MY GOD, James and Anderew definitely stole the show!
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!
Obviously this is Minerva Spencer's book so the writing was amazing as always and I'm happy that I've read it.
To be honest I can't get enough of her characters!
First of all you have to read Notorious before reading this because although everything is kinda explained here, you won't get Eva's desperation and how she has no choice but to get rid of Godric in order to save her brother.
This book started off 5 stars. I was cackling and making weird excited sounds because Eva kidnaps Godric right under Ton's nose! A man who is 17 years older than her! Not to mention a war hero!
Both are vengeful.
Godric has a pile of dead body to revenge and Eva is done with his nefarious plans.
So we have :
���Abduction trope
✅Age gap
✅Wounded Hero
✅Wilful Heroine
✅Intense sexual chemistry
But after the 50% it tanked and towards the end I was skimming just to finish it.
It's so odd, for a crazy start like this the book really didn't have a plot!
Spoilers for both Notorious and Outrageous :
I was so confused how Godric barely mentioned his slaughtered family by Corsairs and he was just talking about his dead wife and son. The man literally tried his best to kill Jibril in the previous book or hurt him somehow.
I'm not saying he had the right to kill but I understood his unbridled anger and grief. Plus he is suffering from intense aftermath or the war after 15 years of service.
Eva quickly turned into a spoiled brat that snapped at everyone and everything because sHe'S nOt lIkE oThEr gIrLs.
The conflict was just so cliche and I hated how Byer kinda turned into a semi bad guy.
I still believe there is much more to this man AND I NEED HIS BOOK ASAP!
But not gonna lie, I loved Godric as a hero. He was so gentle and kind despite himself and I loved how he managed the situation and interacted with people.
AND OH MY GOD, James and Anderew definitely stole the show!
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!
Obviously this is Minerva Spencer's book so the writing was amazing as always and I'm happy that I've read it.
To be honest I can't get enough of her characters!
March 7, 2024
⭐
1 star.
➕ What I liked :
Nothing really.
➖ What I disliked:
The big age difference.
(The hero is 36 years old and the heroine is only 19 years old but acts much younger than that.)
How often the hero kept thinking of the heroine as a child and that she acts like a child…looks and seems much younger than she is…. But he was still attracted to her.
Annoying/unlikable heroine.
(Very juvenile/petulant and imbecilic behavior)
Annoying/unlikable hero.
(Rude/supercilious and manipulating/controlling)
The romantic build up/romance was very unconvincing and very lacking.
There was lots of lust but not any love or real connection.
Toxic relationship.
Boring.
Repetitive.
Formulaic.
Thin plot.
July 3, 2021
Fun Regency Romance with its fair share of misadventure!
What a delightful termagant Eva de Courtneyis! Well meaning, courageous and most often misguided.
But if you’re known as the disastrous daughter of the de Courtney’s then you surely live up to that reputation!
When Eva decides to kidnap Goodrich Fleming, Earl of Visel to prevent him from harming her sister-in-law Drusilla, well it made perfect sense in Eva’s (aka Evil to her siblings) way of thinking. 🤷♀️
So talking her long suffering friend and stable hand James into helping her was just the beginning.
Kidnapping the dreaded Lord Visel was next. What was not so simple were the storms, the out of the way inns, the highwaymen, and Eva’s father—the Marquess of Exley.
A rollicking tale with adventure, romance (well a bit more than that, given the inns and Eva’s inclination to experimentation, and Godric’s inclination to ruthlessly ignore any better judgement that might have lurked in his damaged psyche.)
Another brilliant addition to the Rebels series—witty and engaging. This one had me feeling a series reread coming on, including The Outcasts.
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
What a delightful termagant Eva de Courtneyis! Well meaning, courageous and most often misguided.
But if you’re known as the disastrous daughter of the de Courtney’s then you surely live up to that reputation!
When Eva decides to kidnap Goodrich Fleming, Earl of Visel to prevent him from harming her sister-in-law Drusilla, well it made perfect sense in Eva’s (aka Evil to her siblings) way of thinking. 🤷♀️
So talking her long suffering friend and stable hand James into helping her was just the beginning.
Kidnapping the dreaded Lord Visel was next. What was not so simple were the storms, the out of the way inns, the highwaymen, and Eva’s father—the Marquess of Exley.
A rollicking tale with adventure, romance (well a bit more than that, given the inns and Eva’s inclination to experimentation, and Godric’s inclination to ruthlessly ignore any better judgement that might have lurked in his damaged psyche.)
Another brilliant addition to the Rebels series—witty and engaging. This one had me feeling a series reread coming on, including The Outcasts.
A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
June 27, 2021
The second in the Rebels of the Ton series, this book picks up directly after the close of Notorious. Lady Eva - 19 and she acts like it - has kidnapped her brother's nemesis, Lord Visel - a 36-year-old war veteran with major trauma in his past. Although the abduction was clearly premeditated, she apparently only realizes the consequences to both of their reputations (and her faithful servant's) about a day into the trip. What follows is a comedy of errors, mostly involving bad weather, unsavory inns, and the oil-and-water temperaments of our two leads.
We had some trouble rating this book and landed on a 3.5 rounded to 4. There are definitely good aspects - the writing is not bad at all, the road trip romance is fun, and the sex scenes are steamy enough to keep us up late. That said we struggled with the age gap, the abduction schemes (before being abducted, Visel himself had planned on kidnapping Eva's sister-in-law), and the refusal of both parties to communicate with each other. We also had issues with the portrayal of the Barbary pirates/sultanate, which is a thread that runs through both books of the series.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
We had some trouble rating this book and landed on a 3.5 rounded to 4. There are definitely good aspects - the writing is not bad at all, the road trip romance is fun, and the sex scenes are steamy enough to keep us up late. That said we struggled with the age gap, the abduction schemes (before being abducted, Visel himself had planned on kidnapping Eva's sister-in-law), and the refusal of both parties to communicate with each other. We also had issues with the portrayal of the Barbary pirates/sultanate, which is a thread that runs through both books of the series.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
May 14, 2022
This book was written quite differently from the usual historical romances. The author’s style took a little getting used to. This book was voted as one in 4 for BOTM trope Enemies to Lovers for the month of June for Goodreads HRBC. The h is 19 year old Eva de Courtney daughter of Adam de Courtney a Marquess. The H is Godric Fleming Earl of Vissil and one day a Duke after his Grandfather passes. Eva kidnapped Lord Vissil to protect her best friend Dru from being kidnapped by Godric and his cousin. Once she captured him along with her best friend James her father’s groom they were going to take him to her father’s country estate however he got the upper hand and got away. Some young men stopped to assist them as Eva and James were being held at gun point by Godric. Eva also pretended to be the victim of a Highwayman attack. The two young men said they would let the magistrate solve the issue. Eva knew she would end up in dire straits if she didn't escape. Godric was tied up in the carriage but James Eva's groom silently and sneakily untied Godric. James jumped out of the moving carriage and Eva was about to follow but Godric caught her around her waist and stopped her from jumping and possibly injuring herself in the fall. He took her to the closest Inn and had some lads keep an eye on the window of her room and all the outside exits as she was likely to escape. They traveled North to the Scottish border to get married since she was now compromised. Bad weather and roads got in the way of their progress slowing them down. During this time Eva and Godric had some lively arguments and got to appreciate each other a little more. She watched him masterbating one night and was very turned on. He dreamt of sleeping with her. The carriage broke down on a muddy road during a rainstorm and they were held up by a young man wearing a dress, Andrew which became Godrics secretary. Afterwards a famous group of men Flynn and his followers Highwaymen held them up. They challenged Godric to a fist fight in exchange for not taking Eva or Godric for ransom. Godric won the fight. They went to the closest Inn and obtained rooms. Here Godric and Eva consummated their union. It was divine. The next day Eva planned to go with the cook Mrs. Norton who was a beauty and had been flirting with Godric. Eva didn't trust her and Godric thought there was something strange going on at the Inn too. Mrs. Norton took her to a cabin where her brother Paul was (he is the one who Godric beat up). He was in rough shape. Eva was tied up . After Mrs. NORTON left the cabin, Paul untied Eva. She was just getting away when Mrs. NORTON came back with Flynn and the other gang members. Mrs. NORTON was going to shoot Eva as she wanted revenge on Godric Fleming as she held him responsible for the death of her husband during the war. She wanted him to suffer taking something he loved away from him. That being Eva his wife(not really married). Flynn saved Eva and let her go. They took Mrs. NORTON away. Godric was on his way to save Eva but they met on the road along with her Father and her brothers Best friend. Her father had a talk with her of them. He let Eva decide if she wanted to marry the Earl or not. Her father said he didn't want her to be unhappy and promised she could start a racehorse business. She was in love with Godric but he didn't think he could ever love again after losing his wife and child and all of his family. He said some things so she wouldn't want to marry him. She went home and decided to marry her brothers best friend. He knew she was pregnant with Godrics child. On the day before the wedding Eva broke it off and her groom James, Andrew Godrics secretary and her step mama arranged for Eva to be ubducted in a carriage with a tied up Godric. The two men drove them in the carriage listening to make sure she didn't harm Godric. They confessed their love and made out. They were married with her family as witnesses.
June 15, 2021
Series: Rebels of the Ton #2
Publication Date: 6/29/21
Period: Regency -1816 London and points north
Number of Pages:374
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I learned that the villain from the previous book, Notorious, is the hero in this book. Sometimes authors manage to redeem a character spectacularly – and sometimes they don’t, so I was anxious to see how this redemption would go. In the first one percent of the book, it seems our hero had a complete personality transplant and became filled with remorse over what he’d previously done. Actually, I like the way the author handled the redemption – he sort of ‘awoke’ and realized what he’d done and even what he was still planning to do. He definitely wasn’t redeemed at that point, but it was a great beginning and as we slowly learn the reasons for his actions, we also come to understand the pain that caused him to go off the deep end. I know page time is limited in a book, but I would have loved to see a short scene, maybe in the epilogue or perhaps the last chapter, where he approaches Dru and Gabriel to apologize and ask for their forgiveness.
Eva de Courtenay is one of those bright, energetic, fun-loving, dedicated people who just make you tired by being around her (think of the Energizer bunny). She’s drop-dead gorgeous – and would argue with a fence post. Headstrong, heedless, and reckless don’t even begin to describe her, but she is also strong, resilient, resourceful, brave, and totally loyal to those she loves. You are going to absolutely love her!
When Eva learns the villain is still after her step-brother and his new wife, she makes a plan to thwart him. She’ll just kidnap him and take him north somewhere and strand him so that her step-brother and his family will already be out of London by the time he makes it back to London. She seems to have forgotten that the man was a soldier for over a dozen years and is pretty resourceful himself. Of course, nothing in any of that scenario could go wrong – right?
Godrick Fleming, Earl of Visel, heir to the Duke of Tyndale, has had a horrendous time of it over the last few years. I won’t tell you all of it because that would spoil the book’s revelations for you. Just suffice it to say, if any of us had been through what he has, we’d probably go off the deep end as well. With good reason, he never plans to marry or have children, and yet, he’s been knocked out, kidnapped, and now he is on the Great North Road with a beautiful young woman who has him tied up and at her mercy. The young woman is totally oblivious to the fact that they must now marry or she will be totally ruined. Uh Oh.
This was a fun read – after I got past all of the age references. Those references were throughout the book and it often made me want to throw the book against the wall. Godrick is 17 years older than Eva and today we’d think of him as a cradle robber, but in that period, it wasn’t particularly uncommon. Also, it wasn’t like he had any real choice in the matter and since they needed to marry, was it supposed to be a chaste marriage? So – mention the age difference, deal with it, and then get on with the story.
I loved all of the wit and humor both of the main characters displayed. Their banter and ‘arguments’ were often priceless. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, well-written story filled with many, many mishaps along their trek toward Scotland. It seems as if anything that could happen, did happen. I also loved the supporting characters – especially Andrew and James who were both loyal employees and friends who enabled the adventures and helped resolve the issues.
The only reason I rated this book lower is because of the constant references to age. I got very tired of it because I often felt as if it were mentioned several times on each page. It definitely wasn’t that often, but it was so often that I started to groan each time it came up. It added nothing to the romance and didn’t move the story along, so there was no reason for the author to have fixated on it quite so much.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 6/29/21
Period: Regency -1816 London and points north
Number of Pages:374
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I learned that the villain from the previous book, Notorious, is the hero in this book. Sometimes authors manage to redeem a character spectacularly – and sometimes they don’t, so I was anxious to see how this redemption would go. In the first one percent of the book, it seems our hero had a complete personality transplant and became filled with remorse over what he’d previously done. Actually, I like the way the author handled the redemption – he sort of ‘awoke’ and realized what he’d done and even what he was still planning to do. He definitely wasn’t redeemed at that point, but it was a great beginning and as we slowly learn the reasons for his actions, we also come to understand the pain that caused him to go off the deep end. I know page time is limited in a book, but I would have loved to see a short scene, maybe in the epilogue or perhaps the last chapter, where he approaches Dru and Gabriel to apologize and ask for their forgiveness.
Eva de Courtenay is one of those bright, energetic, fun-loving, dedicated people who just make you tired by being around her (think of the Energizer bunny). She’s drop-dead gorgeous – and would argue with a fence post. Headstrong, heedless, and reckless don’t even begin to describe her, but she is also strong, resilient, resourceful, brave, and totally loyal to those she loves. You are going to absolutely love her!
When Eva learns the villain is still after her step-brother and his new wife, she makes a plan to thwart him. She’ll just kidnap him and take him north somewhere and strand him so that her step-brother and his family will already be out of London by the time he makes it back to London. She seems to have forgotten that the man was a soldier for over a dozen years and is pretty resourceful himself. Of course, nothing in any of that scenario could go wrong – right?
Godrick Fleming, Earl of Visel, heir to the Duke of Tyndale, has had a horrendous time of it over the last few years. I won’t tell you all of it because that would spoil the book’s revelations for you. Just suffice it to say, if any of us had been through what he has, we’d probably go off the deep end as well. With good reason, he never plans to marry or have children, and yet, he’s been knocked out, kidnapped, and now he is on the Great North Road with a beautiful young woman who has him tied up and at her mercy. The young woman is totally oblivious to the fact that they must now marry or she will be totally ruined. Uh Oh.
This was a fun read – after I got past all of the age references. Those references were throughout the book and it often made me want to throw the book against the wall. Godrick is 17 years older than Eva and today we’d think of him as a cradle robber, but in that period, it wasn’t particularly uncommon. Also, it wasn’t like he had any real choice in the matter and since they needed to marry, was it supposed to be a chaste marriage? So – mention the age difference, deal with it, and then get on with the story.
I loved all of the wit and humor both of the main characters displayed. Their banter and ‘arguments’ were often priceless. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, well-written story filled with many, many mishaps along their trek toward Scotland. It seems as if anything that could happen, did happen. I also loved the supporting characters – especially Andrew and James who were both loyal employees and friends who enabled the adventures and helped resolve the issues.
The only reason I rated this book lower is because of the constant references to age. I got very tired of it because I often felt as if it were mentioned several times on each page. It definitely wasn’t that often, but it was so often that I started to groan each time it came up. It added nothing to the romance and didn’t move the story along, so there was no reason for the author to have fixated on it quite so much.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 8, 2022
I adored this enemies to lovers story that flipped so many tropes upside down!
It was hilarious and heated and the pacing was perfect.
It was hilarious and heated and the pacing was perfect.
June 27, 2022
Two things about this book stand out the most to me:
1) some very, very sexy scenes *fans self*
2) Adam and Mia (heroine's parents and MC's of Dangerous) being an absolute Power Couple
As to the plot? The main characters outside of their bedroom shenanigans? Mehhh.
1) some very, very sexy scenes *fans self*
2) Adam and Mia (heroine's parents and MC's of Dangerous) being an absolute Power Couple
As to the plot? The main characters outside of their bedroom shenanigans? Mehhh.
March 11, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.*
We could have had it alllllllllllll.....
Man, I was so excited for this book. After the cliffhanger in Notorious, I was sure that Eva and Godric were going to take me for a ride, and they did. And it was outrageous, as the title suggests. Godric had caused us quite a few issues in the last novel and Eva decided to step in to help her best friend and her step-brother to avoid trouble. Which lands Godric Fleming in her carriage being whisked away for London.
The thing that Eva didn't think through is that kidnapping a man to save her family from harm may be bold and daring, but there are still going to be consequences. NO One is going to believe that she did the kidnaping and to save both of their reputations, Godric and Eva will need to turn this carriage towards Scotland and Gretna Green. What starts as a kidnapping will need to end in nuptials. Even if that both hate each other so much.
But the more time they spend together, the deeper they grudgingly fall. Even though Eva doesn't want to be married. Even if Godric has sworn to never love again. Yup, we have a tragic, burdened war hero with baggage a mile wide.
So, what went right and what went wrong for me.
What went right:
This was a great Hate to Love. With reasoning on both sides for the dislike. I loved that motivations were clear and it didn't feel made up.
I liked that Eva knew a bit about her sexuality while still being a virgin. That is the BEST when it is in a Historical Romance. There were some dynamite sex scenes, as I have come to love of this author.
There was a ton of high jinx and adventure going on. You could not guess what was going to happen next.
I liked the look at family madness in this time period and the worry Eva honestly had about her hair-brained tendencies might means he was actually mentally ill at times. That was a fair concern for the practices of the day.
What went wrong:
Eva was just SO bull headed, like she was giving me whiplash with it sometimes.
There was too much kidnapping and being help at gun point. No spoilers but I counted this happening about 5 times. It was so excessive. I was rolling my eyes by the end.
And finally.... the last 20% of conflict was painfully predictable... Like, WHAT HAPPENED? This book had me on my toes and I was here for all of it... Then it got predictable to a painful degree. Its like the voices in Godric and Eva's heads (yes they have voices in their heads), decided to follow the most cliché way to end this story. Its where it all fell apart for me. I went from enjoying the heck out of this story to cringing and hate-reading the last bit.
I will still be around for book 3, cause the next characters have me interested, but... this one wasn't my favorite by any means. Which just made me sad.
3/5 stars.
We could have had it alllllllllllll.....
Man, I was so excited for this book. After the cliffhanger in Notorious, I was sure that Eva and Godric were going to take me for a ride, and they did. And it was outrageous, as the title suggests. Godric had caused us quite a few issues in the last novel and Eva decided to step in to help her best friend and her step-brother to avoid trouble. Which lands Godric Fleming in her carriage being whisked away for London.
The thing that Eva didn't think through is that kidnapping a man to save her family from harm may be bold and daring, but there are still going to be consequences. NO One is going to believe that she did the kidnaping and to save both of their reputations, Godric and Eva will need to turn this carriage towards Scotland and Gretna Green. What starts as a kidnapping will need to end in nuptials. Even if that both hate each other so much.
But the more time they spend together, the deeper they grudgingly fall. Even though Eva doesn't want to be married. Even if Godric has sworn to never love again. Yup, we have a tragic, burdened war hero with baggage a mile wide.
So, what went right and what went wrong for me.
What went right:
This was a great Hate to Love. With reasoning on both sides for the dislike. I loved that motivations were clear and it didn't feel made up.
I liked that Eva knew a bit about her sexuality while still being a virgin. That is the BEST when it is in a Historical Romance. There were some dynamite sex scenes, as I have come to love of this author.
There was a ton of high jinx and adventure going on. You could not guess what was going to happen next.
I liked the look at family madness in this time period and the worry Eva honestly had about her hair-brained tendencies might means he was actually mentally ill at times. That was a fair concern for the practices of the day.
What went wrong:
Eva was just SO bull headed, like she was giving me whiplash with it sometimes.
There was too much kidnapping and being help at gun point. No spoilers but I counted this happening about 5 times. It was so excessive. I was rolling my eyes by the end.
And finally.... the last 20% of conflict was painfully predictable... Like, WHAT HAPPENED? This book had me on my toes and I was here for all of it... Then it got predictable to a painful degree. Its like the voices in Godric and Eva's heads (yes they have voices in their heads), decided to follow the most cliché way to end this story. Its where it all fell apart for me. I went from enjoying the heck out of this story to cringing and hate-reading the last bit.
I will still be around for book 3, cause the next characters have me interested, but... this one wasn't my favorite by any means. Which just made me sad.
3/5 stars.
July 4, 2021
Outrageous is a fun and adventurous enemies-to-lovers romance that is appropriately named. The story begins as Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming. She believes that, by kidnapping Godric, he will be unable to kidnap her sister-in-law. However, by spending time alone with him, Eva compromises her reputation, as well as her family’s. As their journey ensues and they learn more about each other, their feelings for each other change and grow.
I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance and the witty banter between Eva and Godric. It’s interesting to see this impulsive and naïve young woman go head-to-head with an older, war-hardened man. Godric definitely redeemed himself from the first book and became more of a misunderstood man rather than the nefarious character I expected. I appreciate how dynamically developed both Godric and Eva were, even though I didn’t always like their characters. Both are very stubborn and don’t always think things through, and some of their ways of speaking to each other rubbed me the wrong way. Because Eva is 19 and Godric is 36, he sometimes speaks to her in a condescending way. He even calls her a “child.” I didn’t love this aspect of their story. However, their romance is really steamy, and it is clear their feelings for each other are strong.
The story includes a lot of misadventures and funny moments while Eva and Godric are on their journey, and many incidents border on outlandish. Danger and adventure await at every turn, and it makes for some exciting scenes. I also really liked the secondary characters and thought Andrew, James, Eva’s step-mother, and others were all quirky, unique, and dynamically developed. Some of my favorite scenes included funny antics and conversations with these characters.
Outrageous is the second book in the Rebels of the Ton series, and though it could be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading Notorious, the first book in the series, in order to fully understand the characters and context. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Minerva Spencer for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance and the witty banter between Eva and Godric. It’s interesting to see this impulsive and naïve young woman go head-to-head with an older, war-hardened man. Godric definitely redeemed himself from the first book and became more of a misunderstood man rather than the nefarious character I expected. I appreciate how dynamically developed both Godric and Eva were, even though I didn’t always like their characters. Both are very stubborn and don’t always think things through, and some of their ways of speaking to each other rubbed me the wrong way. Because Eva is 19 and Godric is 36, he sometimes speaks to her in a condescending way. He even calls her a “child.” I didn’t love this aspect of their story. However, their romance is really steamy, and it is clear their feelings for each other are strong.
The story includes a lot of misadventures and funny moments while Eva and Godric are on their journey, and many incidents border on outlandish. Danger and adventure await at every turn, and it makes for some exciting scenes. I also really liked the secondary characters and thought Andrew, James, Eva’s step-mother, and others were all quirky, unique, and dynamically developed. Some of my favorite scenes included funny antics and conversations with these characters.
Outrageous is the second book in the Rebels of the Ton series, and though it could be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading Notorious, the first book in the series, in order to fully understand the characters and context. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Minerva Spencer for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
January 22, 2021
I did not finish this book. I really liked the storyline, but I couldn't get past how the hero kept referring to the heroine as a child, infant, etc... There is a seventeen year age difference. I wasn't turned off so much by the age difference but the fact that he kept thinking of her as a child and was still attracted to her. Yuck.
January 21, 2021
Beautifully written, the pace of the book just flew. I couldn't believe 5 hours had passed and I had finished it. This was my first Minerva Spencer, but it won't be my last.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2024
2.5⭐️ This book was a quick read. I’ve read several historical romances and this one was okay but not a stand out. I was not a fan of either the MMC or the FMC. The FMC, Eva felt more of an impulsive petulant child than heroine of a story. The MMC, Godric went from planning to kidnap someone to being in love? I didn’t buy it. The creepiest thing for me was the age gap 36 and 19. In fact the MMC mentions he could be Eva’s father. 🤢. Additionally there were several other details and plot points were introduced that are pet peeves of mine (without going into spoilers). All together the tropes, details, characters, and far fetched plot points of this story were too much and added up to a book that wasn’t for me. This book might be just the thing for someone else, but I won’t ever be re-reading or attempting more books from this series.
January 26, 2022
I rate this as a 2.5 and I'm rounding up to 3 because the writing is good.
This 19 year old woman acts like she is a year old girl. She is labeled "high-spirited" and stubborn, but she is just plain immature. I can't believe a 37 year old man would put up with her long term, regardless of her stunning beauty and their physical compatibility.
Also, the dude was a villain in the previous book but all the sudden he realized the error of his ways, just like that?
This 19 year old woman acts like she is a year old girl. She is labeled "high-spirited" and stubborn, but she is just plain immature. I can't believe a 37 year old man would put up with her long term, regardless of her stunning beauty and their physical compatibility.
Also, the dude was a villain in the previous book but all the sudden he realized the error of his ways, just like that?
May 20, 2021
Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming, Lord Visel, vowing to keep the scoundrel away from her brother and sister in law. When Eva's madcap plans are foiled, Godric insists on marrying her to preserve her reputation. Their journey is plagued with delays and troubles, and the two struggle to keep their frustrations and attraction at bay.
This is the second book in the Rebels of the Ton series. I recommend reading the books in order, as Godric was a villain in the previous story. Although I had read the first one, there were many details that I had forgotten.
I struggle with rating this story because there were things I really liked, and things that frustrated me. Eva is 19 and Godric is 37 or 38. The age gap is very much a part of the plot and Eva behaves in a childish manner through a good portion of the book. I love road trip hijinks, but the pacing felt a bit off...for me, some parts dragged while others wrapped up too quickly. There were great love scenes, but I wanted more falling in love not only into bed. I did enjoy the twists in the last portion of the book. (3.5 stars)
Tropes: Kidnapped, Road Trip, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, Villain to Hero
Steam Rating: 5
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #Outrageous #NetGalley
This is the second book in the Rebels of the Ton series. I recommend reading the books in order, as Godric was a villain in the previous story. Although I had read the first one, there were many details that I had forgotten.
I struggle with rating this story because there were things I really liked, and things that frustrated me. Eva is 19 and Godric is 37 or 38. The age gap is very much a part of the plot and Eva behaves in a childish manner through a good portion of the book. I love road trip hijinks, but the pacing felt a bit off...for me, some parts dragged while others wrapped up too quickly. There were great love scenes, but I wanted more falling in love not only into bed. I did enjoy the twists in the last portion of the book. (3.5 stars)
Tropes: Kidnapped, Road Trip, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, Villain to Hero
Steam Rating: 5
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #Outrageous #NetGalley
January 10, 2024
actually humiliating that this was my first book of the year i’m sorry to everyone involved. any enjoyment i got out of reading this book was TOXIC and PROBLEMATIC and EMBARRASSING. 1.5 stars.
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