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A review by rjordan19
When a Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (Something broke the tension for me in this one! But initially the build up was really good)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Not much
Perspective: third person from mostly the hero and heroine (but also from some side characters like the heroine’s brother Julian)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, one month later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley that I am incredibly late on
Why I chose this book: I made it a goal this month to read through some of my old NetGalley reads I’m behind on – I liked book 1 of the series and was happy to read more in the series.
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
Probably best in order?? Though I do think you can read alone for the romance. There are some overarching themes from book 1 to this book. (but it’s not as overlapping as Maiden Lane!)
Basic plot:
Gideon is getting everything he wants with a forced marriage to Messalina – but what he promises in exchange will jeopardize it all.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian romance – 1760
- mostly London setting
- unrequited love from the hero
- forced marriage
- enemies to lovers (on heroine’s side – she hates him)
- antihero
- protective hero
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- pets – heroine gets a puppy from the hero
- medium steam – 3 full scenes
Ages:
- hero is around 30 (mention of an event that happened ten years ago where the hero couldn’t have been over 20), didn’t catch heroine but would guess 20-something...
First line:
There is never a good time to be accosted by highwayman.
My thoughts:
Ugh I was ALL IN with this story in the first third or so. Like I adored everything about it. I was swooning over lines left and right (I have some in my quotes below) and just loved this story.
But...something happened to me with the intimacy in the novel. When it finally came, I was so disappointed in it and it really broke the tension and build up for me. I don’t know what exactly it was – he just wanted her so, so badly. And then when he had her, I think I just lost some kind of emotional piece that I needed during those scenes….and I have read some of her Maiden Lane series so I know she can write those gutting emotional aspects in the bedroom….But the middle really fizzled for me because of this.
I did like the ending though and the all is lost moment really tore me up. So, a lot I really adored about this novel but something prevented it from being perfection to me.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 7
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: Scandalous Desires
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
But Gideon had spent years watching Messalina’s face. He knew he had to prepare both his offense and his defense.
His grip tightened around her upper arm. It was unlikely that she’d run off into the dark streets of London – Messalina was no fool – but the old man was doing his best to provoke her. And Gideon would be damned before he lost her now.
---
“Because, Messalina, I want you, I want your wealth. I want your rank. I want the power and influence your family name will bring me. But most of all?” – He cocked his head, bringing his hand up to glide along her cheek, not touching but so close she felt the heat of his fingertips like the ghost of a threat- “I want you.”
---
“I don’t wish to couple with you.”
“You hurt me.” He placed his hand on his chest as if in jest, but his smile was hard. “I’m afraid you cannot remain untouched. I’ll have no reason for you or any of your family to try for an annulment. And besides” – he tilted his head mockingly – “I do want to fuck you.”
---
His eyebrows winged up as if he were surprised she’d agreed. His black eyes were suddenly intent as he watched her.
“Never forget,” he said softly. “No matter the duke’s power, I will keep you safe. You are...important to me.”
---
He laughed.
She stared, for she couldn’t remember seeing him laugh before. Hawthorne grinned slyly, smiled cynically, smirked and sneered. He did not laugh.
His obsidian eyes crinkled, his white teeth flashed, and a dimple appeared on his cheek. He was gorgeous. She cuaght her breath, a frisson of desire rippling down her center.
“Would you…” Messalina had to stop and clear her throat. “Would you like me to...to help you with your hair?”
He cocked his head, a smile still hovering around his sensuous lips. “You wish to act my valet?”
Was he mocking her? She raised her chin. “Yes, if you want.”
“Oh, I want,” he said softly.
---
Messalina bit her lip, quelling the smile that threatened to take over her face, and opened the letter.
I AM BATHING.
That was the entire note, but Messalina knew an invitation when she received one.
---
“Join me,” he whispered.
She looked doubtfully at the bathrub. “It’s too full. The water will spill out if I get in.”
He pulled her closer. “I don’t care.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- toxic and abusive uncle is a side character and manipulates the family members including pushing murder
- some scenes of violence, gunshots, etc
- death of family/friends remembered
- death of a child/hanging remember on page
- hero has some PTSD from his past
- remembrance of neglect and abuse as a child, including starving
- hero is attacked and scenes of recovering
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story: These percentages will be off because I have a preview of another author’s story at the end of the book so the story ended at about 60 some percent.
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? Overall, it’s okay but there is a forced marriage to the hero and some dark and dubious elements at play
Pregnancy/children in story? There are some child side characters in the story with some decent page time – I don’t recall pregnancy but there may be mention of starting a future family as a possibility and they kind of unofficially adopt children into the home that need a home
26% - kiss in the carriage
30% - kiss while he is in the bath and then implied hero self pleasure
38% - 🔥 missionary followed by a shorter morning after scene
She ached.
He sat up, taking all that sensation with him, and she couldn’t help but grasp for him.
He growled, pulling her chemise over her head.
47% - 🔥 fingering for her and her on top in the bath
He turned his head to kiss her jaw. “Come for me, darling.”
64% - 🔥 kisses, sex on the settee
”Touch yourself for me,” he gritted out, sounding as if he tore the words from his lungs. “Please, darling.”
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (Something broke the tension for me in this one! But initially the build up was really good)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Not much
Perspective: third person from mostly the hero and heroine (but also from some side characters like the heroine’s brother Julian)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, one month later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley that I am incredibly late on
Why I chose this book: I made it a goal this month to read through some of my old NetGalley reads I’m behind on – I liked book 1 of the series and was happy to read more in the series.
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
Probably best in order?? Though I do think you can read alone for the romance. There are some overarching themes from book 1 to this book. (but it’s not as overlapping as Maiden Lane!)
Basic plot:
Gideon is getting everything he wants with a forced marriage to Messalina – but what he promises in exchange will jeopardize it all.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian romance – 1760
- mostly London setting
- unrequited love from the hero
- forced marriage
- enemies to lovers (on heroine’s side – she hates him)
- antihero
- protective hero
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- pets – heroine gets a puppy from the hero
- medium steam – 3 full scenes
Ages:
- hero is around 30 (mention of an event that happened ten years ago where the hero couldn’t have been over 20), didn’t catch heroine but would guess 20-something...
First line:
There is never a good time to be accosted by highwayman.
My thoughts:
Ugh I was ALL IN with this story in the first third or so. Like I adored everything about it. I was swooning over lines left and right (I have some in my quotes below) and just loved this story.
But...something happened to me with the intimacy in the novel. When it finally came, I was so disappointed in it and it really broke the tension and build up for me. I don’t know what exactly it was – he just wanted her so, so badly. And then when he had her, I think I just lost some kind of emotional piece that I needed during those scenes….and I have read some of her Maiden Lane series so I know she can write those gutting emotional aspects in the bedroom….But the middle really fizzled for me because of this.
I did like the ending though and the all is lost moment really tore me up. So, a lot I really adored about this novel but something prevented it from being perfection to me.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 7
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: Scandalous Desires
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
But Gideon had spent years watching Messalina’s face. He knew he had to prepare both his offense and his defense.
His grip tightened around her upper arm. It was unlikely that she’d run off into the dark streets of London – Messalina was no fool – but the old man was doing his best to provoke her. And Gideon would be damned before he lost her now.
---
“Because, Messalina, I want you, I want your wealth. I want your rank. I want the power and influence your family name will bring me. But most of all?” – He cocked his head, bringing his hand up to glide along her cheek, not touching but so close she felt the heat of his fingertips like the ghost of a threat- “I want you.”
---
“I don’t wish to couple with you.”
“You hurt me.” He placed his hand on his chest as if in jest, but his smile was hard. “I’m afraid you cannot remain untouched. I’ll have no reason for you or any of your family to try for an annulment. And besides” – he tilted his head mockingly – “I do want to fuck you.”
---
His eyebrows winged up as if he were surprised she’d agreed. His black eyes were suddenly intent as he watched her.
“Never forget,” he said softly. “No matter the duke’s power, I will keep you safe. You are...important to me.”
---
He laughed.
She stared, for she couldn’t remember seeing him laugh before. Hawthorne grinned slyly, smiled cynically, smirked and sneered. He did not laugh.
His obsidian eyes crinkled, his white teeth flashed, and a dimple appeared on his cheek. He was gorgeous. She cuaght her breath, a frisson of desire rippling down her center.
“Would you…” Messalina had to stop and clear her throat. “Would you like me to...to help you with your hair?”
He cocked his head, a smile still hovering around his sensuous lips. “You wish to act my valet?”
Was he mocking her? She raised her chin. “Yes, if you want.”
“Oh, I want,” he said softly.
---
Messalina bit her lip, quelling the smile that threatened to take over her face, and opened the letter.
I AM BATHING.
That was the entire note, but Messalina knew an invitation when she received one.
---
“Join me,” he whispered.
She looked doubtfully at the bathrub. “It’s too full. The water will spill out if I get in.”
He pulled her closer. “I don’t care.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- toxic and abusive uncle is a side character and manipulates the family members including pushing murder
- some scenes of violence, gunshots, etc
- death of family/friends remembered
- death of a child/hanging remember on page
- hero has some PTSD from his past
- remembrance of neglect and abuse as a child, including starving
- hero is attacked and scenes of recovering
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story: These percentages will be off because I have a preview of another author’s story at the end of the book so the story ended at about 60 some percent.
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
26% - kiss in the carriage
30% - kiss while he is in the bath and then implied hero self pleasure
38% - 🔥 missionary followed by a shorter morning after scene
She ached.
He sat up, taking all that sensation with him, and she couldn’t help but grasp for him.
He growled, pulling her chemise over her head.
47% - 🔥 fingering for her and her on top in the bath
He turned his head to kiss her jaw. “Come for me, darling.”
64% - 🔥 kisses, sex on the settee
”Touch yourself for me,” he gritted out, sounding as if he tore the words from his lungs. “Please, darling.”