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The Disreputable Debutantes #1
How to Catch a Wicked Viscount
A young lady's tarnished reputation might cost her everything in this first book in the Disreputable Debutantes series.
Shy, bookish Sophie Brightwell is expected to make an advantageous match to improve her family's fortunes. However, Sophie's plans to make a spectacular debut go horribly awry when she and her three closest friends are expelled from a young ladies' academy for unbecoming conduct. Since the ton will be sure to close their doors on these disgraced debutantes, they determine that unconventional means need to be employed in the husband-hunting market. Rakehells—the beau monde's wickedest members—might be the only men willing to overlook a young lady's besmirched reputation.
But how does one catch a rake?
Nate Hastings, the devil-may-care Viscount Malverne, is the older brother of Sophie’s best friend, fellow disgraced debutante Lady Charlotte. When a terribly foxed Nate accidentally compromises Sophie, Charlotte strikes a wicked bargain: in order to avoid a scandal and the parson's mousetrap, Nate must help Sophie snare a husband. But as Nate fulfills his obligation and begins to instruct the lovely Sophie in the art of luring rakes, he soon finds himself battling his own fierce attraction to her.
Shy, bookish Sophie Brightwell is expected to make an advantageous match to improve her family's fortunes. However, Sophie's plans to make a spectacular debut go horribly awry when she and her three closest friends are expelled from a young ladies' academy for unbecoming conduct. Since the ton will be sure to close their doors on these disgraced debutantes, they determine that unconventional means need to be employed in the husband-hunting market. Rakehells—the beau monde's wickedest members—might be the only men willing to overlook a young lady's besmirched reputation.
But how does one catch a rake?
Nate Hastings, the devil-may-care Viscount Malverne, is the older brother of Sophie’s best friend, fellow disgraced debutante Lady Charlotte. When a terribly foxed Nate accidentally compromises Sophie, Charlotte strikes a wicked bargain: in order to avoid a scandal and the parson's mousetrap, Nate must help Sophie snare a husband. But as Nate fulfills his obligation and begins to instruct the lovely Sophie in the art of luring rakes, he soon finds himself battling his own fierce attraction to her.
292 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 3, 2019
113 people are currently reading
1057 people want to read
About the author
Amy Rose Bennett
33 books580 followersAmy Rose Bennett is an award-winning Australian author who has a passion for penning emotion-packed historical romances and more recently, historical rom-coms with a dash of fantasy. A former speech pathologist, Amy is happily married to her very own romantic hero and has two lovely, exceedingly accomplished adult daughters. When she’s not creating stories, Amy loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen, lose herself in a good book, and when she can afford it, travel to all the places she writes about.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
July 16, 2019
2.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sophie was sent to a young ladies' academy to hopefully make connections so that she can marry well and save her family from impoverishment. While she makes three great friends and they form the Society for Enlightened Young Women, they end up getting expelled for breaking some rules. Now three years later, she may be forced to marry a man she despises to save her family. When one of her friend's invites her to London to spend the season with her, Sophie jumps at the chance.
Nathaniel is a man of his day, he is a viscount, an heir, fought in Waterloo, and lives a life of gentlemanly leisure. However, when some of his antics catch his father's attention, he is given the ultimatum to grow up or be cut off. He doesn't want to marry quite yet but his younger sister's friend is having him thinking thoughts he never has before.
The first in the Disreputable Debutantes series, I enjoyed the friendship between our heroine Sophie and her three friends. We are introduced to them at the ladies' academy and how their curiosity and wanting the same knowledge as their male counterparts gets them thrown out and causes severe consequences for them. I liked how the author aligned the juxtaposition of the rather mild actions of Sophie and her friends with the debauched antics of Nate and his friends and the severe consequences the women faced and the almost complete lack of any for the men. This had me feeling for Sophie but even though Nate was a man of his time, I struggled with how immature him and friends came off and how childish their bets and pranks were.
She bit her lip to suppress a small smile. It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps the viscount might be a little bit infatuated with her too.
The friends decide to hone their flirting skills on rakes, the excuse of already having a scandalous reputation for being thrown out of the academy as their reason, and Sophie's friend caught Nate in Sophie's room due to a drunken mix-up and decides to blackmail him to help them in their quest. This was all a bit shaky to go along with and neither really pans out as the story goes along. I had the same issue with Sophie writing a child's novel and Nate's pain from Waterloo. Both were introduced and occasionally revisited but felt more like afterthoughts in the story, they ended up feeling like “what was the point?” because they didn't add any emotion to the story.
Well, she wouldn’t beg. And if Nathaniel Hastings had a change of heart, he knew where to find her.
With the consequences of Sophie and her friends' actions, along with the lifestyle of Nate, this did have more of a Regency time period feel to it. There also felt like a hint of naughtiness just around the corner. In the beginning with Nate and his friends, there was some threesome talk and just an overall vibe of sexuality. However, I didn't think it completely compromised the historical mood and I actually thought it gave this a bit of a fresh feel because of, for the most part, keeping it to more of teasing the idea. I did struggle with the ending; throughout, Sophie and Nate acknowledge the danger of acting on their feelings only to, what felt like to me, act in a way that wildly went against what felt true to their previously written characters. This not fitting into the fabric of the story or characters ruined any romance I was supposed to get out of it.
Overall, I believed in the lust attraction between the two but not sure I felt the depth of emotion, Sophie and Nate never spent enough quality time together to build this up for me. Sophie's novel writing to try and save her family and Nate's Waterloo pain felt more like footnotes than incorporated into the story enough to provide emotion but the covertly contrasting of consequences for men and women of the time was nicely done. The author lined up enough secondary character series baiting teasers that I will find myself picking up the next Disreputable Debutante's story. There was some emotional depth missing for this but Nate does read Pride and Prejudice, Sophie mentions it is her favorite book, because he is missing Sophie and I can always get enjoyment out of a reading hero.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sophie was sent to a young ladies' academy to hopefully make connections so that she can marry well and save her family from impoverishment. While she makes three great friends and they form the Society for Enlightened Young Women, they end up getting expelled for breaking some rules. Now three years later, she may be forced to marry a man she despises to save her family. When one of her friend's invites her to London to spend the season with her, Sophie jumps at the chance.
Nathaniel is a man of his day, he is a viscount, an heir, fought in Waterloo, and lives a life of gentlemanly leisure. However, when some of his antics catch his father's attention, he is given the ultimatum to grow up or be cut off. He doesn't want to marry quite yet but his younger sister's friend is having him thinking thoughts he never has before.
The first in the Disreputable Debutantes series, I enjoyed the friendship between our heroine Sophie and her three friends. We are introduced to them at the ladies' academy and how their curiosity and wanting the same knowledge as their male counterparts gets them thrown out and causes severe consequences for them. I liked how the author aligned the juxtaposition of the rather mild actions of Sophie and her friends with the debauched antics of Nate and his friends and the severe consequences the women faced and the almost complete lack of any for the men. This had me feeling for Sophie but even though Nate was a man of his time, I struggled with how immature him and friends came off and how childish their bets and pranks were.
She bit her lip to suppress a small smile. It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps the viscount might be a little bit infatuated with her too.
The friends decide to hone their flirting skills on rakes, the excuse of already having a scandalous reputation for being thrown out of the academy as their reason, and Sophie's friend caught Nate in Sophie's room due to a drunken mix-up and decides to blackmail him to help them in their quest. This was all a bit shaky to go along with and neither really pans out as the story goes along. I had the same issue with Sophie writing a child's novel and Nate's pain from Waterloo. Both were introduced and occasionally revisited but felt more like afterthoughts in the story, they ended up feeling like “what was the point?” because they didn't add any emotion to the story.
Well, she wouldn’t beg. And if Nathaniel Hastings had a change of heart, he knew where to find her.
With the consequences of Sophie and her friends' actions, along with the lifestyle of Nate, this did have more of a Regency time period feel to it. There also felt like a hint of naughtiness just around the corner. In the beginning with Nate and his friends, there was some threesome talk and just an overall vibe of sexuality. However, I didn't think it completely compromised the historical mood and I actually thought it gave this a bit of a fresh feel because of, for the most part, keeping it to more of teasing the idea. I did struggle with the ending; throughout, Sophie and Nate acknowledge the danger of acting on their feelings only to, what felt like to me, act in a way that wildly went against what felt true to their previously written characters. This not fitting into the fabric of the story or characters ruined any romance I was supposed to get out of it.
Overall, I believed in the lust attraction between the two but not sure I felt the depth of emotion, Sophie and Nate never spent enough quality time together to build this up for me. Sophie's novel writing to try and save her family and Nate's Waterloo pain felt more like footnotes than incorporated into the story enough to provide emotion but the covertly contrasting of consequences for men and women of the time was nicely done. The author lined up enough secondary character series baiting teasers that I will find myself picking up the next Disreputable Debutante's story. There was some emotional depth missing for this but Nate does read Pride and Prejudice, Sophie mentions it is her favorite book, because he is missing Sophie and I can always get enjoyment out of a reading hero.
October 1, 2019
A scandalous incident that got Sophie Brightwell and her three closest friends expelled from finishing school has led the otherwise shy Sophie to become infamous amongst the ton. That just means that her and her friends need to employ more…unconventional methods to find themselves a husband. And their targets? Rakes.
Does anyone else find that with certain genres they are less likely to explore and find new authors? This is definitely the case for me, and historical romance is one of the genres where I rarely read outside the authors I know and love. Which is why I found myself picking up How to Catch a Wicked Viscount. I had never read Amy Rose Bennett and I liked the sound of the blurb – adore wallflower and rake pairings! – so I picked it up. Sadly, on this occasion it didn’t work for me.
I am very much a character driven reader. I will continue to read, and enjoy, a book if I love the characters even if the story line isn’t great. However, if I dislike or I am disinterested in the characters I find a book very hard to read, even if the plot is fantastic. The latter is what I found with this book. The plot was okay but I found I was completely disinterested in either the hero or heroine. I found them both a little insipid and immature.
It feels like a harsh judgement, but I found the heroes behaviour to be akin to a randy teenager throughout most the book and the heroine was just very…young. I also didn’t really feel the romance between them. It felt more like a case of lust; they wanted to bang each other’s brains out as they were both physically attracted to one another. Where was the actual romance? The deeper more emotional connection, as much as I tried to, I just couldn’t see it.
I probably won’t read on in this series. I didn’t enjoy the writing style and none of the characters that were introduced intrigued me enough that I would continue reading on to see their story. If I want to read a story about a quartet of wallflower friends helping one another find a husband…I’m just going to reread the masterpiece that is the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas.
Does anyone else find that with certain genres they are less likely to explore and find new authors? This is definitely the case for me, and historical romance is one of the genres where I rarely read outside the authors I know and love. Which is why I found myself picking up How to Catch a Wicked Viscount. I had never read Amy Rose Bennett and I liked the sound of the blurb – adore wallflower and rake pairings! – so I picked it up. Sadly, on this occasion it didn’t work for me.
I am very much a character driven reader. I will continue to read, and enjoy, a book if I love the characters even if the story line isn’t great. However, if I dislike or I am disinterested in the characters I find a book very hard to read, even if the plot is fantastic. The latter is what I found with this book. The plot was okay but I found I was completely disinterested in either the hero or heroine. I found them both a little insipid and immature.
It feels like a harsh judgement, but I found the heroes behaviour to be akin to a randy teenager throughout most the book and the heroine was just very…young. I also didn’t really feel the romance between them. It felt more like a case of lust; they wanted to bang each other’s brains out as they were both physically attracted to one another. Where was the actual romance? The deeper more emotional connection, as much as I tried to, I just couldn’t see it.
I probably won’t read on in this series. I didn’t enjoy the writing style and none of the characters that were introduced intrigued me enough that I would continue reading on to see their story. If I want to read a story about a quartet of wallflower friends helping one another find a husband…I’m just going to reread the masterpiece that is the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas.
March 27, 2020
Amy Rose Bennett’s How to Catch a Wicked Viscount reminds me of just how much fun Regency romance can be at its best. The story is expertly crafted, with lots of heat and humor. I especially liked the strong female friendships in this one, and the way the members of the Society for Enlightened Young Women supported each other. The male friendships were pretty great, too--and often hilarious. Some scenes had me laughing out loud. A great start to a new series!
August 14, 2019
Series: The Disreputable Debutantes #1
Publication Date: 8/27/19
Number of Pages: 352
I loved this book for what it didn’t have as much as for what it did have! I didn’t have to suffer through page after page of angst and internal navel-gazing to get to the romance. I did get a lovely romance with wonderful fully-developed characters that I came to really like. The writing is excellent, the pacing is just right and the epilogue is lovely. The introduction of characters who will be gracing the pages of future books in the series wasn’t overpowering to the story as is sometimes the case in first books of a series. These future characters were introduced naturally and we learned as much about them as we needed to know for this book.
Sophie Brightwell and three friends – Lady Charlotte (Charlie) Hastings, Arabella Jardine, and Olivia de Vere – were expelled from Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character and caused a scandal they still hadn’t lived down three years later. What was their transgression? They were caught sampling liquor, cigars, and perusing risqué prints – simply because they wanted the knowledge. No decent hostess will invite them to any ton events and they are now pariah’s to society.
For Sophie, it might have been her family’s last chance at salvation. They were deeply in debt to Baron Buxton who lived next door and he was pressuring them for payment. If they cannot pay, they may have to forfeit their home and land. It would also mean that there would be no future at all for Sophie or her step-sisters. They have hung on in the three years since the scandal, but just barely and Sophie’s mother is afraid that the odious baron is pressuring Sophie’s step-father for her hand in marriage. When Sophie receives an invitation from her friend Charlie to spend the season in London, they leap at the chance.
Finally, after three years, the three friends are reunited in London and they all know that finding a husband won’t be easy. So, they decide that maybe the men they seek out should be men who are also on the fringes of good society. Good men, but rakes. The ladies meet and make a list of the men who meet their criteria – good men, caring men, not men who are truly debauched. Charlie adds most of the names to the list because she knows of them because of her brother who would head the list, but isn’t interested in a bride.
Nate Hastings, Viscount Malverne, heir to the Earl of Westhampton, and his three friends – Gabriel Holmes-Fitzgerald, Earl of Langdale, Hamish MacQueen, Marquess of Sleat, and Maximilian Devereaux, Duke of Exmoor – all served together under Wellington and fought in the battle at Waterloo. All have lived the life of an unrepentant rake since they returned from the wars and none of them have any desire to marry. Their exploits are constantly in the scandal sheets.
I loved Nate and he and Sophie were perfect together – he just had a really, really hard time seeing that. He was in constant denial and it ate at him. Sophie was a realist. She accepted that she loved Nate, but when he just wasn’t interested in marriage and wouldn’t admit to loving her, she did her best to move on and find someone new. When she did, it made Nate really jealous, but he still wouldn’t admit his feelings. So, a woman does what a woman has to do.
It is a lovely read with fun characters and does a great job of setting up the characters for future books – there’s also a nice excerpt from the next book included.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 8/27/19
Number of Pages: 352
I loved this book for what it didn’t have as much as for what it did have! I didn’t have to suffer through page after page of angst and internal navel-gazing to get to the romance. I did get a lovely romance with wonderful fully-developed characters that I came to really like. The writing is excellent, the pacing is just right and the epilogue is lovely. The introduction of characters who will be gracing the pages of future books in the series wasn’t overpowering to the story as is sometimes the case in first books of a series. These future characters were introduced naturally and we learned as much about them as we needed to know for this book.
Sophie Brightwell and three friends – Lady Charlotte (Charlie) Hastings, Arabella Jardine, and Olivia de Vere – were expelled from Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character and caused a scandal they still hadn’t lived down three years later. What was their transgression? They were caught sampling liquor, cigars, and perusing risqué prints – simply because they wanted the knowledge. No decent hostess will invite them to any ton events and they are now pariah’s to society.
For Sophie, it might have been her family’s last chance at salvation. They were deeply in debt to Baron Buxton who lived next door and he was pressuring them for payment. If they cannot pay, they may have to forfeit their home and land. It would also mean that there would be no future at all for Sophie or her step-sisters. They have hung on in the three years since the scandal, but just barely and Sophie’s mother is afraid that the odious baron is pressuring Sophie’s step-father for her hand in marriage. When Sophie receives an invitation from her friend Charlie to spend the season in London, they leap at the chance.
Finally, after three years, the three friends are reunited in London and they all know that finding a husband won’t be easy. So, they decide that maybe the men they seek out should be men who are also on the fringes of good society. Good men, but rakes. The ladies meet and make a list of the men who meet their criteria – good men, caring men, not men who are truly debauched. Charlie adds most of the names to the list because she knows of them because of her brother who would head the list, but isn’t interested in a bride.
Nate Hastings, Viscount Malverne, heir to the Earl of Westhampton, and his three friends – Gabriel Holmes-Fitzgerald, Earl of Langdale, Hamish MacQueen, Marquess of Sleat, and Maximilian Devereaux, Duke of Exmoor – all served together under Wellington and fought in the battle at Waterloo. All have lived the life of an unrepentant rake since they returned from the wars and none of them have any desire to marry. Their exploits are constantly in the scandal sheets.
I loved Nate and he and Sophie were perfect together – he just had a really, really hard time seeing that. He was in constant denial and it ate at him. Sophie was a realist. She accepted that she loved Nate, but when he just wasn’t interested in marriage and wouldn’t admit to loving her, she did her best to move on and find someone new. When she did, it made Nate really jealous, but he still wouldn’t admit his feelings. So, a woman does what a woman has to do.
It is a lovely read with fun characters and does a great job of setting up the characters for future books – there’s also a nice excerpt from the next book included.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 12, 2019
July was a romance month for me. I read more romance books last month then I have in years. It was worth it though and has moved me to start reading the genre a little more often. This was a fun book! It's about time somebody wrote a story about 'disreputable debutantes' usually in Regency and Victorian era stories, the girls are all prim and proper and only the guys are allowed to be rakes. It made for a nice change! And you know behind drawing room and boarding school doors, I bet at least 80% of the other girls were thinking, if not doing, the same exact things. Anyways, I will definitely be continuing this series. I can't wait to see what the disreputable debutantes get up to next.
*I received this ARC from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
*I received this ARC from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 14, 2022
It was slower than a snail running a marathon 🙄 this could easily be a 80 pg novela. So much inconsequential filling...
August 17, 2021
I enjoyed it but the writing could be better.
August 7, 2019
Woohoo what an awesome start to a series, I am sure any historical romance reader will not want to miss this one, there were smiles and sighs aplenty in this sensual and fabulous story of how a debutante with a damaged reputation goes about catching a rakehell, make yourself comfy while you get to know Sophie and Nate.
Miss Sophie Brightwell is a bookish quiet country girl studying at a ladies academy, when she and three of her friends are expelled for unbecoming conduct, shunned by the ton Sophie is given the opportunity to spend the season in London with her best friend Charlotte Hastings, the four girls meet up and come up with a plan to catch a husband and not just any husband they want a wicked rakehell. And Sophie has her sights set on Charlie’s brother Lord Malverne.
Nate Hastings, Viscount Malverne is forever in trouble with his conduct and is forced home for the season by his father, Nate is not interested in marrying and he has his reasons for that and for his behavior with his three best friends they are forever setting the tongues of the ton wagging. But when he gets into a spot of bother in his own home with his sister’s friend Sophie, Nate’s life as he knows it is going to change as he becomes chaperone to Sophie and must help her find a husband, but helping her is setting is heart alight.
This is a fabulously written book, that is sure to have any reader turning the pages, MS Bennett has taken me back to the regency era with balls and ladies who are learning about the real life and seducing rakes, and Nate and Sophie have a journey to a HEA that is steamy and moving and touching, I loved this one and do highly recommend it, and I am very much looking forward to more in this series.
Miss Sophie Brightwell is a bookish quiet country girl studying at a ladies academy, when she and three of her friends are expelled for unbecoming conduct, shunned by the ton Sophie is given the opportunity to spend the season in London with her best friend Charlotte Hastings, the four girls meet up and come up with a plan to catch a husband and not just any husband they want a wicked rakehell. And Sophie has her sights set on Charlie’s brother Lord Malverne.
Nate Hastings, Viscount Malverne is forever in trouble with his conduct and is forced home for the season by his father, Nate is not interested in marrying and he has his reasons for that and for his behavior with his three best friends they are forever setting the tongues of the ton wagging. But when he gets into a spot of bother in his own home with his sister’s friend Sophie, Nate’s life as he knows it is going to change as he becomes chaperone to Sophie and must help her find a husband, but helping her is setting is heart alight.
This is a fabulously written book, that is sure to have any reader turning the pages, MS Bennett has taken me back to the regency era with balls and ladies who are learning about the real life and seducing rakes, and Nate and Sophie have a journey to a HEA that is steamy and moving and touching, I loved this one and do highly recommend it, and I am very much looking forward to more in this series.
September 6, 2019
Reformed rakes make better husbands! Myth or fact?
So we have a plethora of interesting characters and situations in this first of the series "The Disreputable Debutantes".
Four young women who'd been sent down from an exclusive ladies school for behaviour that did not fit with the school's ethos.
Of course Society gossiped about it and they did have to rusticate as it were for three years.
Now these disgraced debutantes are determined to take matters into their own hands as they work their way back into the social arena. Not for them the pale aspects of Almanacks. They are making a list of Rakes and are determining to to find a husband in hitherto unlooked for areas.
It helps that one of their number Lady Charlotte Hastings, has a brother, Nate Hastings, the Viscount Malverne, who's a throrough rake. His friends appear to be handily listed as well. Well they did all fight in Waterloo and they seem to share an inability to put those times behind them. What better way to conquer the ghosts that to be confirmed Rakehells!
Deceptively shy Sophie Brightwell has come to have a season with Charlie, under the auspices of Charlie's aunt. And Sophies heart seems to have settled on Charlie's brother. The getting there is laced with some racy moments with Nate being disturbed by his attraction for Sophie and his dissatisfaction when others seem attracted to her.
For all this, the story didn't quite meet its promise. A quick read. It's memory doesn't linger.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
So we have a plethora of interesting characters and situations in this first of the series "The Disreputable Debutantes".
Four young women who'd been sent down from an exclusive ladies school for behaviour that did not fit with the school's ethos.
Of course Society gossiped about it and they did have to rusticate as it were for three years.
Now these disgraced debutantes are determined to take matters into their own hands as they work their way back into the social arena. Not for them the pale aspects of Almanacks. They are making a list of Rakes and are determining to to find a husband in hitherto unlooked for areas.
It helps that one of their number Lady Charlotte Hastings, has a brother, Nate Hastings, the Viscount Malverne, who's a throrough rake. His friends appear to be handily listed as well. Well they did all fight in Waterloo and they seem to share an inability to put those times behind them. What better way to conquer the ghosts that to be confirmed Rakehells!
Deceptively shy Sophie Brightwell has come to have a season with Charlie, under the auspices of Charlie's aunt. And Sophies heart seems to have settled on Charlie's brother. The getting there is laced with some racy moments with Nate being disturbed by his attraction for Sophie and his dissatisfaction when others seem attracted to her.
For all this, the story didn't quite meet its promise. A quick read. It's memory doesn't linger.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
July 6, 2019
This is another wonderful read from Amy Rose Bennett.
When clever Sophie Brightwell is expelled from school, her reputation is ruined and she knows society will close its doors, until Sophie and her friends come up with a plan on how to catch a husband.
This is such a fun read. I loved it like I love all of Bennett's books. She is going to be a huge bestseller.
When clever Sophie Brightwell is expelled from school, her reputation is ruined and she knows society will close its doors, until Sophie and her friends come up with a plan on how to catch a husband.
This is such a fun read. I loved it like I love all of Bennett's books. She is going to be a huge bestseller.
August 28, 2019
What a ruined miss to do when attracted to a determined-to-never-marry-rake, who spreads ruin in his wake.
This is my first read by Mrs Amy Rose Bennett and it was an enchanting one. She has crafted a bright and spirited tale of taking its life in hand and accepting the wounds left by past battle for a better future.
Sophie was ruined long before her coming out when she was caught with her friends indulging in drink, salacious reads and smoking cheroots at her school. Which of course put her marital prospects close to zero when her family would have needed very much some help as they are close to destitute.
So when she receives a missive to go back to London to be her friend new companion. She thinks she might have found the answer to her prayer and the opportunity to maybe find a groom-to-be.
Nate for Nathaniel Hastings is a man full of contrasts, he hides his troubled self behind a mask of a profligate. he indulges in drinking, carousing, whoring, gambling to forgot the horrors of war and the scars it left inside him, feeling hollow. But it is not his only struggle, he has his past guilt and shortcomings making him felt a failure when he is only victim of the ignorance of others about dyslexia and sad circumstances.
In spite of her shyness, Sophie is no simpering miss, she can be quite blunt and when she thinks her feelings can be returned, she does not let her timidity deter herself from going after what she wants. But she knows also when recognize she is defeated. She is much more stronger than she appears to be and won’t settle herself only because it might uplift her status.
Nate is so afraid to be hurt by another loss that he refuses to feel again but nobody orders one’s heart. Whatever he tells himself, he is inexorably drawn to Sophie. For most of the story he preferred label it lust but lust is not possessive and can be easily sated, when he longs for her, can look at an other woman without being reminded of her. She is in his every breath.
Sophie is the courageous one as she tried to show him love is not always about pain, when at every turn he rejects her.
What will be needed to make Nate understand she is the one for him, that he can, if he desires it really, attain bliss by accepting to open his heart and being vulnerable to pain and heartache but also joy and happiness.
Mrs Bennett with this first in a series has opened the doors of a really entertaining and intriguing world. Each friend of Sophie will have her story which will turn around one of Nate’s friend.
Those side characters were nicely introduced as they came as part of the plot surrounding the romance of Nate and Sophie.
A fat five stars for a delightful tale of acceptance.
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This is my first read by Mrs Amy Rose Bennett and it was an enchanting one. She has crafted a bright and spirited tale of taking its life in hand and accepting the wounds left by past battle for a better future.
Sophie was ruined long before her coming out when she was caught with her friends indulging in drink, salacious reads and smoking cheroots at her school. Which of course put her marital prospects close to zero when her family would have needed very much some help as they are close to destitute.
So when she receives a missive to go back to London to be her friend new companion. She thinks she might have found the answer to her prayer and the opportunity to maybe find a groom-to-be.
Nate for Nathaniel Hastings is a man full of contrasts, he hides his troubled self behind a mask of a profligate. he indulges in drinking, carousing, whoring, gambling to forgot the horrors of war and the scars it left inside him, feeling hollow. But it is not his only struggle, he has his past guilt and shortcomings making him felt a failure when he is only victim of the ignorance of others about dyslexia and sad circumstances.
In spite of her shyness, Sophie is no simpering miss, she can be quite blunt and when she thinks her feelings can be returned, she does not let her timidity deter herself from going after what she wants. But she knows also when recognize she is defeated. She is much more stronger than she appears to be and won’t settle herself only because it might uplift her status.
Nate is so afraid to be hurt by another loss that he refuses to feel again but nobody orders one’s heart. Whatever he tells himself, he is inexorably drawn to Sophie. For most of the story he preferred label it lust but lust is not possessive and can be easily sated, when he longs for her, can look at an other woman without being reminded of her. She is in his every breath.
Sophie is the courageous one as she tried to show him love is not always about pain, when at every turn he rejects her.
What will be needed to make Nate understand she is the one for him, that he can, if he desires it really, attain bliss by accepting to open his heart and being vulnerable to pain and heartache but also joy and happiness.
Mrs Bennett with this first in a series has opened the doors of a really entertaining and intriguing world. Each friend of Sophie will have her story which will turn around one of Nate’s friend.
Those side characters were nicely introduced as they came as part of the plot surrounding the romance of Nate and Sophie.
A fat five stars for a delightful tale of acceptance.
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August 27, 2019
Sophie Brightwell believes she is doomed to spinsterhood when she and her three friends, Lady Charlotte “Charlie” Hastings, Olivia de Vere & Arabella Jardine are expelled from Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character and are dubbed the Disreputable Debutantes.
But three years later, things begin to look up when Charlie invites Sophie to join her in London as her companion and Charlie’s Aunt Tabitha, Lady Chelmsford decides to sponsor both girls for the season, she has also offered to help Sophie get the children’s book she has written published. And if all that was not enough, it also enables her to see Charlie’s older brother Nathaniel “Nate” Hastings, Viscount Malverne again – she met him three years ago and has harbored a tendre for him ever since.
Nate is restless and his escapades have become increasingly scandalous, to the point where his father, the Earl of Westhampton has put his foot down and demanded that Nate make some serious changes in his life, he also closes Malverne House and forces Nate to move back home. His first night home, he runs into Sophie in the library, he is enchanted by her and but deems her off-limits. But it doesn’t stop him from flirting with her the next day at Gunter’s.
Later that night, a very drunk Nate returns to his father’s house and mistakenly enters Sophie’s room and climbs into bed with her. They are discovered by Charlie, who blackmails him into helping Sophie find a match or she will inform their father of the incident and he will be forced to marry Sophie himself.
As far as debut novels go, this was better than most and the author clearly has taken the time to learn the genre and has done her research. The book is well written, but a bit predictable and slow in the middle, there are also quite a few storylines going that either lead nowhere or just didn’t seem relevant to the story. The characters were likeable, the “idea” of the story was fun, the love scenes were steamy and I was elated that the author included an epilogue. I think this author has a lot of promise and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an e-ARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher.*
But three years later, things begin to look up when Charlie invites Sophie to join her in London as her companion and Charlie’s Aunt Tabitha, Lady Chelmsford decides to sponsor both girls for the season, she has also offered to help Sophie get the children’s book she has written published. And if all that was not enough, it also enables her to see Charlie’s older brother Nathaniel “Nate” Hastings, Viscount Malverne again – she met him three years ago and has harbored a tendre for him ever since.
Nate is restless and his escapades have become increasingly scandalous, to the point where his father, the Earl of Westhampton has put his foot down and demanded that Nate make some serious changes in his life, he also closes Malverne House and forces Nate to move back home. His first night home, he runs into Sophie in the library, he is enchanted by her and but deems her off-limits. But it doesn’t stop him from flirting with her the next day at Gunter’s.
Later that night, a very drunk Nate returns to his father’s house and mistakenly enters Sophie’s room and climbs into bed with her. They are discovered by Charlie, who blackmails him into helping Sophie find a match or she will inform their father of the incident and he will be forced to marry Sophie himself.
As far as debut novels go, this was better than most and the author clearly has taken the time to learn the genre and has done her research. The book is well written, but a bit predictable and slow in the middle, there are also quite a few storylines going that either lead nowhere or just didn’t seem relevant to the story. The characters were likeable, the “idea” of the story was fun, the love scenes were steamy and I was elated that the author included an epilogue. I think this author has a lot of promise and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an e-ARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher.*
June 3, 2019
I accepted to read How to Catch a Wicked Viscount in exchange for an honest review from the author. It does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton's series will enjoy this series! I kept getting the same feels while reading this book! I immensely enjoyed it! It definitely has more steam compared to Bridgerton and I'm excited to see where this series goes.
Our heroine, Sophie Brightwell has to figure out a way to pay for her family's debts. She catches the eye of Nate Hastings who is her friend's older brother (Lady Charlotte). Sophie needs to find a husband and quick and Nate agrees to help her out. But that isn't until he starts to have feelings for her that he fights.
I couldn't put this book down! Like I mentioned, I really enjoyed this book and I really look forward to the next book(s) in this series! Sophie was such an amazing character; I love that she was a writer and something that wasn't really accepted at that time. Nate is a very interesting character with very intriguing past.
Fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton's series will enjoy this series! I kept getting the same feels while reading this book! I immensely enjoyed it! It definitely has more steam compared to Bridgerton and I'm excited to see where this series goes.
Our heroine, Sophie Brightwell has to figure out a way to pay for her family's debts. She catches the eye of Nate Hastings who is her friend's older brother (Lady Charlotte). Sophie needs to find a husband and quick and Nate agrees to help her out. But that isn't until he starts to have feelings for her that he fights.
“She wasn't a princess and her life wasn't going to be a fairy tale. And the sooner she embraced that harsh reality, the better.”
I couldn't put this book down! Like I mentioned, I really enjoyed this book and I really look forward to the next book(s) in this series! Sophie was such an amazing character; I love that she was a writer and something that wasn't really accepted at that time. Nate is a very interesting character with very intriguing past.
“"Now come here, my love. Let's do something that's really scandalous."”
August 24, 2019
I couldn't stop reading this, it was utterly delightful. It was captivating and funny and sweet and some oh so swoony moments! (spoiler alert: the declaration scene, oh my word, my heart, my swoony little heart). It was so well written with lots of beautiful, complicated characters and lovely, naughty heroes, I can't wait for the next installment.
If you need some happiness and cheer then you must order this now so you too can feel the joy.
If you need some happiness and cheer then you must order this now so you too can feel the joy.
September 11, 2019
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A scandalous incident that got Sophie Brightwell and her three closest friends expelled from finishing school has led the otherwise shy Sophie to become infamous amongst the ton. That just means that her and her friends need to employ more…unconventional methods to find themselves a husband. And their targets? Rakes.
Does anyone else find that with certain genres they are less likely to explore and find new authors? This is definitely the case for me, and historical romance is one of the genres where I rarely read outside the authors I know and love. Which is why I found myself picking up How to Catch a Wicked Viscount. I had never read Amy Rose Bennett and I liked the sound of the blurb – adore wallflower and rake pairings! – so I picked it up. Sadly, on this occasion it didn’t work for me.
I am very much a character driven reader. I will continue to read, and enjoy, a book if I love the characters even if the story line isn’t great. However, if I dislike or I am disinterested in the characters I find a book very hard to read, even if the plot is fantastic. The latter is what I found with this book. The plot was okay but I found I was completely disinterested in either the hero or heroine. I found them both a little insipid and immature.
It feels like a harsh judgement, but I found the heroes behaviour to be akin to a randy teenager throughout most the book and the heroine was just very…young. I also didn’t really feel the romance between them. It felt more like a case of lust; they wanted to bang each other’s brains out as they were both physically attracted to one another. Where was the actual romance? The deeper more emotional connection, as much as I tried to, I just couldn’t see it.
I probably won’t read on in this series. I didn’t enjoy the writing style and none of the characters that were introduced intrigued me enough that I would continue reading on to see their story. If I want to read a story about a quartet of wallflower friends helping one another find a husband…I’m just going to reread the masterpiece that is the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Suzanne❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
August 12, 2019
Amy Rose Bennett is a new-to-me author and after reading How to Catch a Wicked Viscount, I am definitely a fan. This is a fun, steamy read about four friends who were expelled from school and now trying to re-enter society to find true love, marry, and secure their futures. The series begins with Sophie's story, a shy, bookish young lady who has a secret crush on her best friend's brother. She is invited to spend the season and attend events with her friend, Lady Charlotte. Nate, Viscount Malverne, is a rake and rogue who refuses to give his heart and marry. After Nate and Sophie are caught in a somewhat compromising encounter, Nate is blackmailed by his sister to be their chaperone and help find Sophie a husband. As their adventures begin, feelings grow and Nate's resistance is tested. This is a wonderfully written story that is engaging and entertaining.
I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy from the publisher, but all thoughts and feelings are my own.
I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy from the publisher, but all thoughts and feelings are my own.
October 8, 2020
New to me author glad I found her. They story was good. I like the hot scenes and all the sweet parts
April 14, 2021
Tags: friend’s older brother, rake
I think I am too tired today to sympathize with poor little rich boy rakish antics. The hero’s ennui was unbelievable considering his happy family, fortune, and loyal friends — even considering Waterloo, personally there was too much boyish immaturity for me to consider him eligible enough for our shy heroine.
The book does a good job of setting the in-universe culture of the haute société so while the hero��s behavior and the heroine’s innocence seem like caricatures to me, in the setting of the novel they’re pretty normal 😂
Still, the events are like a historical romance for middle school students. The hero is a Cool Bad Boy with a heart of gold, the heroine is poor and shy and bookish, the competing male is fat and ugly, the bullies are popular and rich. You get the picture.
I think I am too tired today to sympathize with poor little rich boy rakish antics. The hero’s ennui was unbelievable considering his happy family, fortune, and loyal friends — even considering Waterloo, personally there was too much boyish immaturity for me to consider him eligible enough for our shy heroine.
The book does a good job of setting the in-universe culture of the haute société so while the hero��s behavior and the heroine’s innocence seem like caricatures to me, in the setting of the novel they’re pretty normal 😂
Still, the events are like a historical romance for middle school students. The hero is a Cool Bad Boy with a heart of gold, the heroine is poor and shy and bookish, the competing male is fat and ugly, the bullies are popular and rich. You get the picture.
June 10, 2019
Loved it! Didn't put it down.
July 8, 2019
4.5 stars. This was so good! It felt like a Georgette Heyer novel but with incredibly hot foreplay and love scenes. Sophie’s relative innocence was played just right here — she’s young but not immature, and the progression of her crush on Nate (her best friend’s older brother) from school girl infatuation to something more was well developed. Her chemistry with Nate is off the charts, and their sexual tension is amazing. The Disreputable Debutantes framing device stays on the back burner for the most part (aside from the ramifications on Sophie’s life), but it does tee up the future pairings nicely.
The only thing knocking it down half a star was Nate’s prolonged insistence that he’s not capable of love. I feel like I’ve read several books recently like that and it gets frustrating after a while, though it added well to the tension and dramatic ending here.
Thank you to Berkley and Penguin Random House First Reads program for providing an ARC for review!
The only thing knocking it down half a star was Nate’s prolonged insistence that he’s not capable of love. I feel like I’ve read several books recently like that and it gets frustrating after a while, though it added well to the tension and dramatic ending here.
Thank you to Berkley and Penguin Random House First Reads program for providing an ARC for review!
December 31, 2022
3 Stars
I am writing this after reading the whole series. Essentially, the same review will work for all four books in the series. Hence DO NOT read them one after the other, so please space them out.
Quick Thoughts
- Great writing. I've always admired Ms Bennet's work.
- The "will he-won't he" got boring after a while. The emotional holdout until the end felt exceedingly cyclical; thus, the story felt long, and I skimmed it for the most part.
- Some steamy moments.
After reading six hundred-odd books in this genre, there was nothing new here.
I am writing this after reading the whole series. Essentially, the same review will work for all four books in the series. Hence DO NOT read them one after the other, so please space them out.
Quick Thoughts
- Great writing. I've always admired Ms Bennet's work.
- The "will he-won't he" got boring after a while. The emotional holdout until the end felt exceedingly cyclical; thus, the story felt long, and I skimmed it for the most part.
- Some steamy moments.
After reading six hundred-odd books in this genre, there was nothing new here.
January 1, 2021
Sophie Brightwell's reputation is muddied when she and her three best friends are expelled from academy for scandalous conduct. Invited to stay with the family of her friend Lady Charlotte, Sophie hopes to make a match with a reformable rake who would be willing to overlook her past. However, she can't seem to stop the attraction to her friend's brother, Nathaniel Hastings, Viscount Malverne, and he is struggling with a similar infatuation, too. When Nate drunkenly stumbles into Sophie's bed (which is in his old room), Charlotte blackmails Nate into helping Sophie find a husband.
This is the first book in The Disreputable Debutantes series. There are introductions to the three future heroines in the series, as well as Nate's friends who are the likely heroes. All except the last book have been released at the time of this review, so it's a good idea to start from the beginning if you plan to read the others.
I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the other couples. I like seeing the friendships in books as well the romance. There is a bit of lead up before Sophie and Nate become the central focus, but I like this trope and this couple. I thought the story was well written. I liked that Sophie wasn't out to trap Nate but he couldn't help but be jealous and possessive.
Tropes: Best Friend's Sibling, Secret Crush, Compromised
This is the first book in The Disreputable Debutantes series. There are introductions to the three future heroines in the series, as well as Nate's friends who are the likely heroes. All except the last book have been released at the time of this review, so it's a good idea to start from the beginning if you plan to read the others.
I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the other couples. I like seeing the friendships in books as well the romance. There is a bit of lead up before Sophie and Nate become the central focus, but I like this trope and this couple. I thought the story was well written. I liked that Sophie wasn't out to trap Nate but he couldn't help but be jealous and possessive.
Tropes: Best Friend's Sibling, Secret Crush, Compromised
December 21, 2022
This was an enjoyable book. The h is Sophie Brightwell 21, and best friend to Charlie (Lady Charlotte) Hastings daughter of the Earl of Westhaven. The H is Viscount Malvern son of the Earl of Westhaven and big brother to Charlotte.
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 29, 2019
I opened my package with the ARC, read the blurb and immediately started reading...for the rest of the evening. Four young ladies are dismissed from school for their unbecoming behavior. Three years later they decide the only eligible prospects are rakes. Once they make their list, it's look out rakes. Full of humor, sexual encounters, love and heartache, I highly recommend this charming book.
A free copy from the author for an honest review.
A free copy from the author for an honest review.
February 24, 2020
I haven’t been this surprised and delighted by a historical romance in a long time. HOW TO CATCH A WICKED VISCOUNT was fun, sexy, and thoroughly engaging. This is the first book in a series following four young debutantes in the aftermath of getting kicked out of their finishing school. Sophie, our heroine, is from a relatively poor family and getting kicked out of the school was devastating. Three years later, she is still dealing with the aftermath when Charlie, her friend who basically got her kicked out, asked her to come to London. While there, she is reintroduced to Charlie’s brother, Nate, Viscount Malverne, a devil-may-care rake.
It’s hard to put my finger on what made me enjoy this book so much. There was a different and sexy tone that kept me engaged throughout the whole story. Ms. Bennett did a great job investing me in both Nate and Sophie as individuals. Nate was fun, a little wicked with an edge, and Sophie was quiet and innocent while still being adventurous and likable. Together, Nate and Sophie had lots of fun sexual chemistry. Their forced proximity moments (they had to live in the same house) had me grinning with glee, and I was so emotionally invested by the end of the book I actually cheered at the HEA.
I think my favorite parts of this story, besides the delicious best friend’s brother romance, was that I can tell this is going to be a great series. I loved learning about which of Nate’s friends will end up with each disgraced debutante. I also appreciated that the trouble the girls got into seemed realistic for the time period. The fact that their scandal had long and lasting consequences was a fantastic plot point.
What made me take off one star was the, frankly, clunky beginning. It’s challenging to introduce a series, so I understand. But it took a few chapters for me to really get all the characters and the plot straight. Also, Nate’s personal conflict was resolved WAY too quickly. I wanted more fireworks (or something) when he finally realized he could be with the heroine. Especially because he made Sophie (AND ME) suffer for so long.
Overall, this was a fantastic start to a new series. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an interesting take on a classic trope.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
It’s hard to put my finger on what made me enjoy this book so much. There was a different and sexy tone that kept me engaged throughout the whole story. Ms. Bennett did a great job investing me in both Nate and Sophie as individuals. Nate was fun, a little wicked with an edge, and Sophie was quiet and innocent while still being adventurous and likable. Together, Nate and Sophie had lots of fun sexual chemistry. Their forced proximity moments (they had to live in the same house) had me grinning with glee, and I was so emotionally invested by the end of the book I actually cheered at the HEA.
I think my favorite parts of this story, besides the delicious best friend’s brother romance, was that I can tell this is going to be a great series. I loved learning about which of Nate’s friends will end up with each disgraced debutante. I also appreciated that the trouble the girls got into seemed realistic for the time period. The fact that their scandal had long and lasting consequences was a fantastic plot point.
What made me take off one star was the, frankly, clunky beginning. It’s challenging to introduce a series, so I understand. But it took a few chapters for me to really get all the characters and the plot straight. Also, Nate’s personal conflict was resolved WAY too quickly. I wanted more fireworks (or something) when he finally realized he could be with the heroine. Especially because he made Sophie (AND ME) suffer for so long.
Overall, this was a fantastic start to a new series. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an interesting take on a classic trope.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
August 30, 2019
I loved the premise for How to Catch a Wicked Viscount. A group of friends get kicked out of a ladies academy for drinking and reading disreputable material. Sophie and her friends are all banished completely from society, which is kind of a problem since they are all expected to make their debut and find a husband (as one does in historical England). The situation is more dire for Sophie Brightwell because her family's financial circumstances aren't all that great and one of her stepfather's acquaintances is making his interest know. Sophie is not impressed and instead dreams of publishing her children's novel and saving her family that way. Since publishing a novel will be tricky from the country, its a lucky thing that Sophie's friend, Lady Charlotte, invites her to town. Even better since Charlotte just so happens to have an attractive, rakish brother. Chances are that Sophie might just get to publish her novel and find a husband.
While the whole setup for How to Catch a Wicked Viscount was great, I personally felt that the story was lacking something. Sophie and Nate (the rakish brother of the friend) had a kind of tepid romance considering that they were "in love" by the end. Nate's this rake figure and suddenly Sophie makes him change his ways, and I gotta admit, I didn't really buy it. What was so special about Sophie? Not to mention, I'm rather tired of romances that market the ladies that came before the heroine as somehow not good enough. This doesn't exactly put the hero in the best of lights. I know that many romances have this same setup where the heroine is "special", I just feel that many others do this better, especially in painting a stronger picture of the hero and heroine's growing relationship.
Considering that I prefer my historical romances with much stronger character development, its clear that How to Catch a Wicked Viscount was just not for me. I read a lot of historical romance and this one struck me as a bit dated and simplistic.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
While the whole setup for How to Catch a Wicked Viscount was great, I personally felt that the story was lacking something. Sophie and Nate (the rakish brother of the friend) had a kind of tepid romance considering that they were "in love" by the end. Nate's this rake figure and suddenly Sophie makes him change his ways, and I gotta admit, I didn't really buy it. What was so special about Sophie? Not to mention, I'm rather tired of romances that market the ladies that came before the heroine as somehow not good enough. This doesn't exactly put the hero in the best of lights. I know that many romances have this same setup where the heroine is "special", I just feel that many others do this better, especially in painting a stronger picture of the hero and heroine's growing relationship.
Considering that I prefer my historical romances with much stronger character development, its clear that How to Catch a Wicked Viscount was just not for me. I read a lot of historical romance and this one struck me as a bit dated and simplistic.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 27, 2020
DNF at 43%. The trope is one I should have loved... girl with best friend's older brother. But as I am a very character driven reader, if I can not connect with the characters, then I soon fall out of interest in the otherwise good storyline.
The hero struck me as a randy teenager and immature right from the start. He and his buddies reminded me a lot of teenagers nowadays, turning any comment or phrase into a sexual innuendo. I remember the first strike of disappointment... he and his friends were acting on a dare (to steal panties from a promiscuous married lady). As the guys were standing outside her Mayfair mansion, trying to determine how best to get inside the house and figure out which room was the Lady's, one fellow asked the group, "Have you ever been inside?" Of course he meant had anyone been inside the house to know the layout/floorplan. But one of the guys replied to the question in regards to having been inside the lady sexually. (insert eyeroll). Corny jokes like that continued and it reminded of little boys laughing about fart jokes or something. Not how I like my hero to be.
As for the interaction between the hero and heroine, it came off as insta-attraction/lust, lots of flirting, trying really hard to be a naughty book, but.... I just couldn't connect.
The hero struck me as a randy teenager and immature right from the start. He and his buddies reminded me a lot of teenagers nowadays, turning any comment or phrase into a sexual innuendo. I remember the first strike of disappointment... he and his friends were acting on a dare (to steal panties from a promiscuous married lady). As the guys were standing outside her Mayfair mansion, trying to determine how best to get inside the house and figure out which room was the Lady's, one fellow asked the group, "Have you ever been inside?" Of course he meant had anyone been inside the house to know the layout/floorplan. But one of the guys replied to the question in regards to having been inside the lady sexually. (insert eyeroll). Corny jokes like that continued and it reminded of little boys laughing about fart jokes or something. Not how I like my hero to be.
As for the interaction between the hero and heroine, it came off as insta-attraction/lust, lots of flirting, trying really hard to be a naughty book, but.... I just couldn't connect.
July 15, 2020
How to Catch a Wicked Viscount very much fell into the "it was ok" category for me.
What makes romance such a tricky genre is that if the central romance doesn't work for the reader, generally the book as a whole doesn't really work. While I did like the concept for the series (four scandalous friends who get together to learn about things women aren't supposed to know) and the scenes between the friends, the romance between Sophie and Nate was entirely unconvincing. They instalust on one another and ultimately think that's love. I really don't get a sense of a true kinship between them.
On the whole, I liked the writing and the fluffiness of this romance, but the sex scenes were painful ("quim" and "cunny" are not words that make for a sexy atmosphere imo) and many lines came off as super cheesy, though maybe those would have worked if I'd believed in the romance. Aside from that, the villain of sorts in Buxton felt very flat and convenient (as in he shows up to menace and be creepy and then Nate always immediately appears to rescue Sophie).
Since I felt meh about the ship, I was largely bored by this. However, I will be trying the second book in the series, and I hope I like it more.
What makes romance such a tricky genre is that if the central romance doesn't work for the reader, generally the book as a whole doesn't really work. While I did like the concept for the series (four scandalous friends who get together to learn about things women aren't supposed to know) and the scenes between the friends, the romance between Sophie and Nate was entirely unconvincing. They instalust on one another and ultimately think that's love. I really don't get a sense of a true kinship between them.
On the whole, I liked the writing and the fluffiness of this romance, but the sex scenes were painful ("quim" and "cunny" are not words that make for a sexy atmosphere imo) and many lines came off as super cheesy, though maybe those would have worked if I'd believed in the romance. Aside from that, the villain of sorts in Buxton felt very flat and convenient (as in he shows up to menace and be creepy and then Nate always immediately appears to rescue Sophie).
Since I felt meh about the ship, I was largely bored by this. However, I will be trying the second book in the series, and I hope I like it more.
July 1, 2019
Fun, sweet, and sexy. What more could one ask of a good historical romance?
September 13, 2019
This was my very first book by Amy Rose Bennett and I would imagine that the fact I am already looking forward to the upcoming books in this series says it all!
It wasn't perfect, but I did love it!
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It wasn't perfect, but I did love it!
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