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laurensmagicbookshelf 's review for:
Isabel and the Rogue
by Liana De la Rosa
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A bookish wallflower turned spy seeks out intelligence for her home country, Mexico, while living in exile in England. Her status as an heiress grants her access to the ton’s balls and parties- which also means access to the many studies and libraries of the lords of the realm. Unfortunately, whenever Isabel goes looking for information, she also seems to run into the notorious rake Caption Sirius Dawson. He works in intelligence, too, through the Home Office, and cultivates his notoriety almost like a sport.
Isabel’s quiet strength and passion make her one of my favorite wallflowers to date. She isn’t afraid to take chances and won’t back down from the challenges ahead of her. Even when news arrives that it may be too late, she doesn’t give up. And when Sirius warns her off of her mission, she just scoffs and keeps going. Love that for her! She’s incredibly close with her sisters, and I loved that they were such a prominent part of her story!
Sirius himself is a complex individual with a complicated family life as well as history as a soldier in a previous war - his past weighs him down. He’s distrusting of Isabel’s motives until he decides to give her lessons in espionage to help keep her close. I won’t tell you who falls first! Their chemistry from the beginning is simply excellent, and I was always craving more of them when they were apart.
While I would have loved a bit more action with two spies as main characters, this story is strong in how it handles different topics - from colorism to colonialism to the trauma of war. Definitely recommend if you like a romance with extra doses of history!
⭐️: Really enjoyed it!
🌶: A few explicit scenes
Thanks, Berkley Romance, for the complimentary eARC!
Isabel’s quiet strength and passion make her one of my favorite wallflowers to date. She isn’t afraid to take chances and won’t back down from the challenges ahead of her. Even when news arrives that it may be too late, she doesn’t give up. And when Sirius warns her off of her mission, she just scoffs and keeps going. Love that for her! She’s incredibly close with her sisters, and I loved that they were such a prominent part of her story!
Sirius himself is a complex individual with a complicated family life as well as history as a soldier in a previous war - his past weighs him down. He’s distrusting of Isabel’s motives until he decides to give her lessons in espionage to help keep her close. I won’t tell you who falls first! Their chemistry from the beginning is simply excellent, and I was always craving more of them when they were apart.
While I would have loved a bit more action with two spies as main characters, this story is strong in how it handles different topics - from colorism to colonialism to the trauma of war. Definitely recommend if you like a romance with extra doses of history!
⭐️: Really enjoyed it!
🌶: A few explicit scenes
Thanks, Berkley Romance, for the complimentary eARC!