Brazen and the Beast - Sarah MacLean (Avon - Aug 2019)

Series: Bareknuckle Bastards (Book 2)

The Lady's Plan

When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father's business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she'll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly…until she discovers the most beautiful man she's ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it's even begun.

The Bastard's Proposal

When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie's feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can't help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him -- especially when he discovers she's headed for a night of pleasure . . . on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires…for a price.

An Unexpected Passion

Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won't give up her plans; he won't give up his power . . . and neither of them sees that if they're not careful, they'll have no choice but to give up everything . . . including their hearts.

This was a terrific addition to the series. I love the fact that, like the first book, this takes place mainly outside the usual setting of ballrooms and house parties. Instead, we see the world of the London docks and the poor of Covent Garden.

Hattie is the daughter of a man who, through his successful shipping business, earned the title of Earl. Intelligent and feisty, Hattie has turned her back on society and wants to run her father's shipping business. Unfortunately for her, her father doesn't agree and wants her married. She plans to take control of her life by first making herself unmarriageable, then actively pursuing her dreams. Her plans hit a snag when she finds a breathtaking man unconscious and tied up in her carriage.

Whit, also known as Beast, is one of the Bareknuckle Bastards who run the underworld of Covent Garden. He's convinced that Hattie knows something about how he came to be in her carriage and is determined to discover what it is. He is also intrigued by Hattie herself, especially when he discovers her plans for the night.

The first encounter between Whit and Hattie sucked me right into the book. Whit is not accustomed to being at a disadvantage, and he does not take it well. Hattie, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoys having the upper hand. The back and forth between these two was awesome, right up to when he kisses her - right before she shoves him out of the moving carriage. Undeterred, Whit manages to escape his bonds and follow Hattie to her destination. He intrudes on her plans, determined to get the answers he seeks, and ends up striking a bargain with the unintimidated Hattie.

I loved both Hattie and Whit. Hattie is bold and determined, brazen in her actions, though her outward confidence covers up some deep-seated insecurities. She has reached the ripe age of twenty-nine with no suitors because she does not match up with Society's requirements. She is tall, outspoken, and a bit on the plump side, and is completely convinced that no man will find her attractive. Whit is gorgeous to the extreme, powerful and intimidating. He is also protective of those he cares for, and that includes the denizens of Covent Garden. Some sweet scenes show just how much he cares. I especially loved the ones with the children. He also has some baggage of his own, thanks to the events of the past, baggage that makes him believe that he isn't good enough for her.

The development of the relationship between Hattie and Whit was great. They are well-matched from the beginning, and the sparks between them are intense. It was fun to watch Hattie stand up to Whit and blow all of his expectations out of the water. There's nothing like rushing to the defense of a woman only to discover that she has her attacker well in hand. Their "business" arrangement of him helping her with her plans while she arranges for the return of what was stolen quickly falls by the wayside as the attraction between them burns hotter. I enjoyed seeing Whit's growing respect for Hattie and her abilities and how his attitude helps her overcome her doubts about herself. There are some obstacles, not the least of which are threats against Hattie from a ducal nemesis of the Bastards, which leads Whit into actions that he thinks will protect Hattie. I laughed out loud at her reaction to this, as she shows herself to be Whit's equal in deviousness. There's an emotional and heart-wrenching scene as Hattie makes it clear that she will accept nothing less than what she deserves from Whit. It takes a near tragedy for Whit to realize the truth about his feelings for her, and I ached for him as he feared for her life. His big moment at the end was awesome, and the epilogue was a perfect ending.

The continuing storyline of the feud with brother Ewan provided some interesting moments. His encounter with Whit was intense and showed a man who was on the edge of desperation. But his scene with Hattie had a twist I didn't expect. I can't wait for the next book to see how the author redeems him.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Devil and Felicity make several appearances. I especially enjoyed Devil's advice to Whit regarding his revenge plans. Hattie's friend Nora was terrific. I loved her "take no prisoners" support of Hattie. It was also interesting to see her attitude toward Society. There's a story there, and I'd like to see more of it. Once again, the brothers' coworker, Nik, has some interesting input into events.

 

Wicked and the Wallflower - Sarah MacLean (Avon - June 2018)

Series: Bareknuckle Bastards (Book 1)

When Wicked Comes Calling . . .

When a mysterious stranger finds his way into her bedchamber and offers his help in landing a husband, Lady Felicity Faircloth agrees to his suspicious terms--on one condition. She's seen enough of the world to believe in passion, and won't accept a marriage without it.

The Wallflower Makes a Dangerous Bargain . . .

Bastard son of a duke and king of London's dark streets, Devil has spent a lifetime wielding power and seizing opportunity, and the spinster wallflower is everything he needs to exact a revenge years in the making. All he must do is turn the plain little mouse into an irresistible temptress, set his trap, and destroy his enemy.

For the Promise of Passion . . .

But there's nothing plain about Felicity Faircloth, who quickly decides she'd rather have Devil than another. Soon, Devil's carefully laid plans are in chaos, and he must choose between everything he's ever wanted . . . and the only thing he's ever desired.

Very good book with fascinating characters that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Felicity is a twenty-seven-year-old woman who appears to be firmly on the shelf. She went from having glittering possibilities to being stuck on the fringes of society thanks to a couple of poor decisions that nobody will let her forget. As the story opens, Felicity is verbally attacked by those who used to be her friends. Felicity wants nothing more than to get back to being part of the in-crowd once again and show up those who have treated her so badly. Her mouth gets the better of her, and she claims to be engaged to the Duke of Marwick, even though she has never met him, and knows that when the truth comes out, she'll be Finished Felicity for sure. What she doesn't expect is a late-night offer of help from a mysterious stranger.

Devil is the bastard son of a brutal and manipulative duke, one of three brothers and a sister. In a childhood pact, the brothers swore that they would ensure that there would be no heirs to their father's line. Now one brother, Ewan, who brutally acquired their father's title, has broken that pact and is looking for a wife. Devil is determined to thwart Ewan's plans, and Felicity is the perfect tool for him to use. He promises her that he will help her land the duke, while at the same time intending to sabotage the engagement to prove to Ewan that he won't get his way. Devil has no thought for what his plans would do to the girl in question.

I loved both Felicity and Devil. Though Felicity seemed to be a typical empty-headed society miss at first, it doesn't take long to see that there is more to her. I liked seeing her lay down her own conditions with Devil.  She also isn't content to sit back and wait for him to take action. She has a very unique talent that she regularly uses to invade his space. She has a sharp mind and isn't afraid to use it, which sometimes gets her into trouble. Devil is a man who made my heart ache. He had a terrible childhood but has made a place for himself, with his brother and sister, as the king of Covent Garden and head of the local crime ring. Though Devil is a hard man who rules his kingdom with an iron fist, there is also another side of him that, though not precisely soft, shows a depth of caring for the people around him. It is especially evident in the treatment of his "employees."

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Felicity and Devil. The connection is there from the moment they met, though both try to ignore it. Felicity is intrigued by Devil and takes every opportunity to spend time with him. I loved her first appearance in his world, his shock at how she got there, and her refusal to back down. Devil's reaction is priceless, as is his trouble in figuring out how to deal with her. As Felicity found herself drawn deeper into Devil's world, her outlook underwent some significant changes. I loved seeing her take a good look at the life she was trying to get back to and realize that it was no longer what she wanted. I loved seeing her confidence in herself grow the more time she spent with Devil, and discover that he and the Covent Garden life was what she wanted. All she had to do was break down his walls and get him to let her in. Devil was in trouble from the minute he met Felicity. He was fascinated by her and increasingly reluctant to inflict the inevitable hurt that his plans would cause. He was dismayed by the protectiveness he felt for her, suspecting that it will cause him greater problems with his intentions for the duke. He fought hard against his feelings for her, convinced that he is unworthy of her because of who and what he is. The dialogue between Felicity and Devil spotlights their connection and their growing feelings and emphasizes the attraction that continues to simmer and bubble between them. I ached for them both when the truth came out and was glued to the pages to see how they would find their way back to each other. Their big moment together was fantastic and perfect for the two of them.

The revenge portion of the story was well done. There is enough of the backstory to show why Devil goes after Ewan, with details revealed piecemeal through the book. The parts involving Ewan and Grace are particularly intriguing and leave me with many questions about what is between them. The tension built slowly as Devil helped Felicity in her desire to captivate the duke, while at the same time planning his part. There were also some questions as to whether Ewan is somehow involved in the trouble that Devil and Whit are having with their business. The confrontation between Devil and Ewan at the end was intense and did not go the way I thought it would. I loved Felicity's part in it. There are still unanswered questions, and I can't wait to see what is in the next book.

The secondary characters in the book were vital to the story, too. There are Devil's siblings, Whit and Grace/Dahlia. Whit is quiet but intense. His relationship with Devil is close, and their business is successful because of it. I enjoyed seeing him try to keep Devil focused on the plan, yet also support him in his love for Felicity. There were some funny moments between them because of it. I loved their sister, Grace. She is a strong woman who has made an interesting life for herself. I look forward to her story because of it. Nik was another strong and independent woman. I especially enjoyed seeing how the men respected her. My least favorite characters were Felicity's family. They were incredibly selfish, looking to Felicity to sacrifice herself so that they can maintain their position in society. Her brother was perhaps a shade better because he at least felt guilty about what they were doing. He redeemed himself a little bit at the end.