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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This was my first Kate Bateman book but it certainly won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this fun Regency romance. This felt like a tight, concise and quick read and I mean that in the best way possible. Some historical romances tend to meander or get lost in unimportant details. This one jumped right into the action with fun and engaging characters and kept pace all the way through. Tess and Justin’s chemistry was perfection. I generally don’t enjoy a miscommunication trope but this worked.
I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the ladies of King & Co.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the ladies of King & Co.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
3.25/5⭐️
First in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series centering around 3 best girlfriends who form an elite and discreet detective agency called King & Co.
This one revolves around Tess Townsend, a young dowager duchess whose much older husband dies on their wedding night. Obviously, she’d like to know what she’s missed out on.
First in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series centering around 3 best girlfriends who form an elite and discreet detective agency called King & Co.
This one revolves around Tess Townsend, a young dowager duchess whose much older husband dies on their wedding night. Obviously, she’d like to know what she’s missed out on.
Despite being right up my alley this didn’t work for me - no star rating bc this is from the bad publisher and to be clear I did not buy it
fast-paced
Kate Bateman continues to deliver some of the best historical romances with the first volume in a new series that pits the smart ladies of the ton against the roles society sets for them.
We meet Tess Townsend, the new Dutchess of Wansford, on her wedding night after she was basically sold off to the ancient Duke by her dissolute father in order to get money. But luck is on her side and the Duke dies of a heart attack as soon as he sees her in her nightclothes, and Tess is free to continue unmolested and living as the Dowager Duchess. The freedom of her new situation lets her create a PI company with her closest friends that lets them help those with cases that the police don't.
Justin Thornton has spent his life working hard to get where he is in life and isn't too happy to be burdened with the responsibility of a title. His plans to set things in order and leave London as soon as possible quickly change when he discovers that the Dowager Dutchess isn't the old woman he expected but the gorgeous Ms. Townsend he remembers seeing years ago and knowing that he could never even approach her.
They quickly get pulled together but Tess has her virginity and profession to keep secret and Thornton has sworn off love as nothing but pain. And it's a pleasure to read about them opening up and discovering sides to each other they didn't suspect. Even when Thornton has his bullheaded moments, it's a pleasure to read about them becoming a real couple.
The characters are fun and breathe life into the story in a way that kept me turning pages and looking forward to spending more time with them. I'm really excited to see what Bateman does with Tess' friends.
My one gripe is that the case and another mystery get resolved bit too easily and neatly for my tastes. I get keeping the page count low and the plot moving, but I would have enjoyed reading more about that.
Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the wonderful read!
We meet Tess Townsend, the new Dutchess of Wansford, on her wedding night after she was basically sold off to the ancient Duke by her dissolute father in order to get money. But luck is on her side and the Duke dies of a heart attack as soon as he sees her in her nightclothes, and Tess is free to continue unmolested and living as the Dowager Duchess. The freedom of her new situation lets her create a PI company with her closest friends that lets them help those with cases that the police don't.
Justin Thornton has spent his life working hard to get where he is in life and isn't too happy to be burdened with the responsibility of a title. His plans to set things in order and leave London as soon as possible quickly change when he discovers that the Dowager Dutchess isn't the old woman he expected but the gorgeous Ms. Townsend he remembers seeing years ago and knowing that he could never even approach her.
They quickly get pulled together but Tess has her virginity and profession to keep secret and Thornton has sworn off love as nothing but pain. And it's a pleasure to read about them opening up and discovering sides to each other they didn't suspect. Even when Thornton has his bullheaded moments, it's a pleasure to read about them becoming a real couple.
The characters are fun and breathe life into the story in a way that kept me turning pages and looking forward to spending more time with them. I'm really excited to see what Bateman does with Tess' friends.
My one gripe is that the case and another mystery get resolved bit too easily and neatly for my tastes. I get keeping the page count low and the plot moving, but I would have enjoyed reading more about that.
Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the wonderful read!
Kate Bateman is back with a new historical romance series set in a lush English atmosphere following lovable characters as they live their lives among the Ton. The story opens as Tess, our heroine, is forced to marry a Duke much older than her by her father’s hand. Tess experiences a very wild wedding night, but not for good reasons. Her new Duke falls over dead as the wedding night begins and Tess finds herself as a wife and now a widow in charge of a brand new Dukedom.
The story follows Tess navigating her newfound position as Lady of the House and her adventurous job as a private investigator of sorts. Tess decides she wants to experience new things in life and does just that with her best friends and coworkers in tow.
Two years after the Duke’s passing, Justin is discovered to be the long-lost heir to the Dukedom that is now under Tess’s care. This story has many fun tropes including but not limited to marriage of convenience, virgin heroine, masked ball, widow, working heroine, and pining.
I really loved the beginning of the novel. Kate Bateman’s classic witty banter and fun plots were ever present in this book just like her others. The tension between Justin and Tess was palpable on the page during the first half, but I felt that tension begin to dwindle toward the middle. I felt like Tess and Justin were so preoccupied with having sex and the plot wasn’t moving forward at all. I also didn’t like that Tess was so secretive throughout the whole thing. I guess I understand why she made her decisions, but I couldn’t get on board with them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and it was a promising start to a series I’m very excited to continue!
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
The story follows Tess navigating her newfound position as Lady of the House and her adventurous job as a private investigator of sorts. Tess decides she wants to experience new things in life and does just that with her best friends and coworkers in tow.
Two years after the Duke’s passing, Justin is discovered to be the long-lost heir to the Dukedom that is now under Tess’s care. This story has many fun tropes including but not limited to marriage of convenience, virgin heroine, masked ball, widow, working heroine, and pining.
I really loved the beginning of the novel. Kate Bateman’s classic witty banter and fun plots were ever present in this book just like her others. The tension between Justin and Tess was palpable on the page during the first half, but I felt that tension begin to dwindle toward the middle. I felt like Tess and Justin were so preoccupied with having sex and the plot wasn’t moving forward at all. I also didn’t like that Tess was so secretive throughout the whole thing. I guess I understand why she made her decisions, but I couldn’t get on board with them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and it was a promising start to a series I’m very excited to continue!
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
This was an energetic and mad dash to love. A marriage of convenience that blossoms into immediate passion followed closely by love. Tess and Justin are the perfect compliment to each other, both are driven to better the lives of others and filled with passion and commitment. Their meeting and subsequent courtship was full of teasing, laughter and light, even transferring to the bedroom. Passion tempered with humour is the very best kind. Bateman’s writing always grabs me right from the start, kicks up my blood and fills my heart.
This was a lot of setup with very little payoff. The mysteries aren't very interesting and neither is the romance. It has a few charming moments, but overall I can't say I truly enjoyed it. Also, these ladies speak in a very modern way- saying the word whore, talking about sex, and cursing. If it was a contemporary novel, or if these women weren't members of the ton that would be fine, but it was very jarring here.
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kate Bateman always finds a way to make her historical romances seem very fresh and different. You never know where they mystery is going to go and that's what makes her books such fun to read. I can't wait to read more from this series.