Member Reviews

There are few stories more satisfying than a redemption arc, especially if it involves an enticing love story. Sam is both frustrating and adorable in the worst way, but watching the self-indulgent man-child become just a man was as rewarding as it was vexing. Julie, or Juliette, is far from what I expected of the once proclaimed wallflower. The passionate little fireball takes no prisoners, or any of Sam’s nonsense, from the very beginning. She is witty, and her interactions with Sam were a delight to read from the first meeting.

Bennett is a delightful storyteller who with humorous dialogue and characters you can become invested in. I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but I am onboard to read the rest. If I loved Julie and Sam’s story this much, no doubt I love her sisters. However, I am highly invested in Sam’s brother...

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I really enjoyed this story, as I found the plot to be somewhat unusual. The story starts with Lord Samuel Travis being kicked out of the family home by his brother after an unfortunate evening of bad behavior. His brother gives him the task of evicting the tenants of a house, in exchange for repayment of his debts. When he arrives, he finds Miss Juliette Lacey and her eccentric uncle in residence. He and Juliette verbally spar, as she doesn't believe they should have to leave, and as they look to solve this conflict, they develop feelings for one another. I really enjoyed the uncle character, as he provided additional depth to the story. I also liked the way the author tries to play with the concept of what it means to be a rogue. What I didn't like about the book was the Juliette character, who at times went from being very naive (about the situation with Nigel) to mature and back and for very complex reasons doesn't seek the help of her powerful family even as the situation got more dire.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Although the characters in 'The Rogue is Back in Town' were likeable I had serious issues with the author's constant switching from Juliette to Julie throughout the whole book. The sex truly detracted from the story and was just so unnecessary. Even with the teaser about Nigel perhaps being redeemable, I found him a perfect villain, although I would have liked to see more of his comeuppance. All in all, I felt like this was lacking and can't give it more than 3 stars.

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The Rogue Is Back in Town by Anna Bennett is book Three in "The Wayward Wallflowers" series. This is the story of Juliette Lacey and Samuel Travis. I have read the previous books in this series but I thought this is easily a standalone book.
Sam has returned home after a banishment that he is now trying to put behind him. But he has fallen into his old ways which has left him in trouble with his older brother Nigel. When asked by Nigel to kick some people out of his property to get back into his good standing, Sam thinks he will have a easy time of it. But when he shows up to do what has been requested he faces Juliette who is not having any of it. Juliette stands her ground and asked for proof that this is his property....which puts them at a standoff.
There was some questionable parts in this book that did have me pulling back from my 5 star rating but overall I enjoyed this book. I will be looking for my books by Ms. Bennett and can't wait for the next installment into this series.

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A fast paced romance that will make every page a joy to read!

Lord Samuel Travis is somewhat of a Rogue his brother Nigel is fed up of his libertine ways and has given him a task of removing a far removed relation from one of his properties or be cutoff from his brother. What’s a Rogue to do but succomb to his brothers edict, things get a little complicated when the family he needs to evict has a beautiful young woman living there. What’s a Rogue to do but move in with the lady.
The last of the Lacey sisters Julie finds herself in a bind, she has no idea how to get the handsome Sam from taking up residence in her home or the way he makes her feel all tied up in knots. And the fact that his brother is the very same man she shared a very passionate kiss with! Torn between two brothers one is a rogue but with a gentleman’s honour -which he hides behide his rogues facade- and she’s falling helplessly for, the other is ruthlessly persueing her to become his mistress!

Loved the whole story, the characters are well written and likeable Sam and Julie have chemistry she’s the reason he tries to be an honourable man. Enjoyed their scrapes and their banter was entertaining. Lots of twists bring them to the HEA thé so deserve. I highly recommend Anna Bennett’s stories they never disappoint.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest unbiased opinion.

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Great read. Fast paced. Well written. Strong characters.

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I voluntarily read a copy thru Netgalley. Sam, a second son, comes to see how ruthless his older brother, Nigel is even though he has presented himself as the pillar of society he is far from it. Nigel is trying to blackmail Julie into becoming his mistress to safe her uncle. Sam meets and quickly falls in love with her. The story is well written and interesting. I would recommend this book for a quick read.

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This was a surprisingly entertaining-- not just the story and seeing how it turns out, but also the incorporated humor. There was more than one time I let out a loud laugh. Thank goodness I was home while reading this.

I don't read enough historical fiction to tell if it is historically accurate, but there are some interesting dilemmas and also times where liberties were most likely taken. I feel like Julie should/would have a chaperone besides her old uncle and her maid.

I wasn't truly taken with the characters or their romance. While I enjoyed Julie's stronger and smarter moments, they did seem far and in between, while Sam... is definitely a rogue. This being said, I was more convinced of the lust between the characters than their love. There were times the romance spark was definitely there though, I can't deny that. So, at least it was something.
Unfortunately, Julie doesn't seem to have any friends? I found this to be so bizarre that it wasn't even brought up. Like, her sister's friend visits her, but no one else. She has no one else to talk about her problems with...

For such a "close" family, these sisters keep a lot of secrets between them. It just created all the drama in the book, but I don't feel it needed to happen at all.

Obviously, while writing this review my feelings on the book seem to be wavering, but please don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed reading the entire book. I enjoyed the beginning more and the ending much less because of how things went down and how Sam did things, but I still enjoyed it enough that I want to read the first book in the series at least. --Yes, I haven't read #1 or #2 yet, but Will made an appearance in this book and just his little part had me wanting to learn more about him :)

I would totally recommend this to people who like reading romances in historical settings!

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3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I have read and enjoyed the other books in this series and was really looking forward to this one. While I enjoyed the basic story, I didn’t think it was nearly as good as the first two books nor did I really like it as the end for the series. There is a nice last chapter that brings them all together for a nice Christmas. There were just so very many improbable things in the book that I had a really hard time ‘believing’. I do have to say though – I think that if the author had included a scene with a horrifically tragic carriage (or horse) accident with a lone victim (Nigel) who was gruesomely injured and suffered horribly before finally succumbing to his injuries – I would have given it a 5-star rating. Sorry – can you tell I didn’t like Nigel?

People are not always who you think they are, and that is the case of the two brothers in this book. Nigel Travis, Marquess of Currington, is the epitome of propriety, honor and good character – at least that is what everybody, including his brother, believes. You’ll discover that he is a scoundrel of the worst sort. Samuel Travis (constantly incorrectly referred to as Lord Travis) is a real scoundrel and rake – always drunk and debauched. That is true – but the REAL Sam is kind, loving and considerate. He just doesn’t have anything to give him a direction in life and since he has been labeled as a ‘bad’ boy most of his life, he figures he might as well live up (or down) to it. He got that ‘bad’ label because he often took the blame for things Nigel did. We hear about another person that we don’t actually meet, who cannot be who we think he is. That person is the father of Nigel and Sam. He knew Nigel was the heir and there is no way that he didn’t know the kind of person Nigel was, yet he didn’t leave Sam anything other than a watch. I know he died unexpectedly, but those people made wills at the drop of a hat and there is no way a loving, caring father would have already made a provision for his younger son. The father has only been dead for a year when this story takes place, so I’m sure he would have provided – just sayin’.

The first two books in the series saw Miss Juliette Lacey’s older sisters find love and happiness. Julie is happy for them and wants the same for herself, but has almost given up. She did share a kiss with a man on a balcony and thought herself ‘in love’ and thought he returned her affection. However, he never called or even sent a note afterward. Obviously, much to her embarrassment, she was incorrect in thinking he cared. Now, her full focus is on caring for her elderly, eccentric uncle who took her and her sisters in when their parents died. She is very self-confident, stubborn and totally accustomed to getting her own way, so when trouble comes her way, she is absolutely certain she can handle it all by herself. A number of reviewers have referred to her as TSTL, but I think it is more naiveté that stupidity.

The story opens with Sam’s valet rousing him from a drunken stupor because Nigel had demanded to see him immediately. Nigel is very, very displeased with Sam – to say the least. Sam has only just returned from banishment to the continent and has already returned to his drunken and debauched ways. Last night was enough – he’d entered the wrong house and crawled into what he thought was his bed, but was really the bed of a septuagenarian neighbor. Nigel demands that Sam leave the house immediately – no bathing, no breakfast, no packing – nothing. In order to get back into Nigel’s good graces, Sam is required to evict the people living at one of his London properties. Simple enough task – right? Not so. Circumstances are not what they seem.

The occupants of that property are Julie and her uncle and they have lived there for decades. Julie is sure the property belongs to her uncle and is not kind to the man who is at her door demanding that they vacate the property. She wants to see proof that Nigel owns the property – and Sam refuses to leave until they vacate. So they are at a standstill and the story develops from there. I won’t go over it because that would spoil the read for you.

There are a number of things I found totally improbable in this book – I mentioned a couple above, but I’ll list some here:
• Sam’s father would not have left him totally at the mercy of Nigel. He would have had some provision in the will – even if it was an old will.
• Why would a peer of the realm hire dock workers to manhandle his own brother when it wasn’t necessary – I mean – what Sam did certainly didn’t warrant that.
• Why in the world would Nigel insist that Julie wasn’t ‘worthy’ for him to marry – one sister married a duke and the other an earl and she is the daughter of an earl.
• Why would he instantly offer marriage when she refused his request to be his mistress?
• Any rational person, who was threatened with losing their life-long home, would immediately seek help from any high-powered, influential, rich relatives they had. Why wouldn’t Julie? She was a whole lot more cooperative than I would have been to some stranger who showed up at my door trying to evict me from my home.

Through all of the books, Uncle Alistair has been my favorite character. I picture him looking like Albert Einstein with the white puffy, messy hair. He’s the quintessential absent-minded professor and he is always using incorrect words in sentences. You’ll just love him. One of the things he says in this book is “Young people often fail to inebriate what a precious commodity time is.” I often found myself re-reading his sections – just in case I missed one of his misuses.

Please see my reviews of the first two books at:
My Brown-Eyed Earl
I Dared The Duke

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

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Juliette Lacey lives with her eccentric, elderly Uncle Alistair who has taken care of her and her 2 older, now married, sisters since their parents died. They live in a small house that she believes Alistair owns.

Juliette has a crush on Nigel, the Marquess of Currington. Unbeknownst to her, Nigel wants them out of the house he believes is his and sends his younger brother, Lord Samuel Travis, to kick them out. Juliette is not moving! She wants to see the deed, but is willing to let Samuel stay with them since his brother kicked him out. Her crush on Nigel does not last when she realizes he is not interested in marrying her.

While waiting for Nigel to prove his ownership, Sam becomes a part of the household. Juliette begins to rely on him and likes his being there. You'll need to read this cute story to see how they get to their HEA.

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me an ARC. No one has influenced my review. I enjoyed this story.

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I really, really wanted to love this book, but I just didn't - I liked it, but it was just not as good as the previous books and felt a bit contrived.

Juliette Lacey aka Julie is the last of the "Wilting Wallflowers" still living with her uncle. Her sisters have made spectacular matches and gone to live with their husbands. Julie is happy for her sisters but she is also a little jealous, she wants to find the love of her life like they did and thought that maybe she had, but apparently it was not meant to be. So for now she is happy caring for her uncle Alistair. She is a little worried that he has become more confused lately and has started having conversations with his late wife. But, she is sure it is just because of all the changes going on lately and doesn't want to bother her sisters about it.

Lord Samuel Travis aka Sam (and <b>erroneously</b> addressed as Lord Travis) has finally pushed his brother Nigel, the Marquess of Currington too far. His brother summons him and tells him that he is finished with him, but he will give him one final chance to redeem himself. Nigel has learned that he inherited a house and wants the occupants kicked out immediately. Sam will see to this task and will not be welcomed home until it is done. His brother has hired "help" to see that Sam leaves immediately.

Sam wants to mend the rift with his brother so he agrees to evict the occupants and figures he will be home in time for luncheon. But Sam is not prepared for Julie....

Julie refuses to leave and wants proof that the house belongs to Nigel. Sam has nowhere to live until he gets Julie and her uncle out of the house, so he refuses to leave. Julie agrees to let Sam stay - but she has conditions, like her uncle cannot know why he is there and if he leaves the house, he can't come back. Sam agrees. He writes to Nigel and tells him Julie wants to see the deed. What Sam doesn't know is that Nigel is the man that Julie had thought might be "the one".

Neither of them seem to realize that they are being played by a master manipulator. Nigel is a total jerk and tries to make Julie his mistress, first by pretending that he didn't know she lived in the house and then later by blackmail - threatening to ruin her by revealing that Sam was staying with her.

Sam is a really good guy who lives for pleasure, basically because he has nothing else to do - but after spending time with Julie and Alistair, he decides it is time for him to find his calling. He wants Julie, but he has nothing to offer her and he truly wants to be worthy of her. I liked Sam, he is not perfect, but he is loyal and kind. How he and Nigel came from the same gene pool is a mystery.

Julie was just TSTL, seriously, I wanted her to marry Sam, but I am not sure it would be a good idea for someone that stupid to procreate. She is threatened with ruin and eviction, but she doesn't contact either of her very rich, very powerful brother in laws - because she doesn't want to "bother" them? Are you effing kidding me? The entire plot just seemed implausible and contrived.

I didn't hate the book, but after reading the first two, I expected a strong finish to the series and was sorely disappointed. The writing is ok, the love scenes steamy, the pace was good and Sam is to die for, but the story is weak and certainly not on par with the previous books. If you have read the first two books, then by all means, read this story. But if you are just starting with this author, do yourself a favor and read My Brown-Eyed Earl or I Dared the Duke instead of this book.

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Lord Samuel Travis is out to do his brothers bidding and evict a family from their home to get back into his brothers good graces. Miss Juliette Lacey has plans for her family and being evicted is not one of them. Sam thought this would be an easy task until he meet the beautiful and smart Juliette who refuses to be evicted by Lord Samuel Travis, a devilishly handsome rake. Sam moves in with Juliette and her crazy eccentric uncle thinking to force her move out of her home, but he finds himself more intrigued and looking for ways to save her and her family. I loved this book with its witty banter and a woman caught between two brothers.
This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

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4.25 stars
Lord Samuel Travis is always in the gossip columns as equal parts scoundrel and seducer, he’s returned to London determined to mend the rift with his older brother Nigel, The Marquis of Currington . All Sam must do is take possession of a tumbledown town house. A seemingly simple task, except the house is occupied. Miss Juliette Lacey’s wallflower days are over then the devilishly handsome rake trying to oust them from their home thwarts her at every turn.
As her attraction to Sam deepens, Julie’s problems grow—she may have, once upon a time, secretly shared a kiss with his honourable older brother. Suddenly, Julie’s caught between a rogue and a marquis, between passion and respectability. Torn between two brothers but which one is honourable & which one is the scoundrel.
This is the third in the series but stands on it’s own, there are a few references to the other two Lacey sisters. I’ve enjoyed the whole series & had eagerly awaited this book to see Julie have her HEA. Sam is lovely, gorgeous, of course but more than that he was so kind & caring. Julie annoyed me at times but she is a strong character. The chemistry between the pair sizzles & the temperature rises whenever they are together. A well written page turning novel that I thoroughly enjoyed & I look forward to more books from the author

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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The Rogue is Back in Town by Anna Bennett
Wayward Wallflowers Series #3

Love it or hate it – that is what readers will probably decide once they finish this book. As I read I had the feeling I was reading what could have been seen in a silent movie or the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons with the evil Snidely Whiplash, Dudley Do-Right and Nell Fenwick. I had trouble with the believability of this story even though I really did try.

Samuel Travis was the rogue sent out by his marquis brother to evict poor Juliette and her uncle from their home. Samuel is trying to redeem his name and improve the way his brother and society see him. Juliette’s sisters are busy with other things and married to men with rank in society while she stays home to tend her eccentric uncle. Nell has kissed Sam’s brother Nigel and thought he would ask to court her…he has other plans for her entirely. Sam and Nigel find Juliette a tasty morsel but only one will end up with her by his side in the end.

I am conflicted on this one…I wish it had been better…and again…if it could be made into a cartoon or silent movie it might do well…

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

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Lord Samuel Travis is a rogue and a wastrel. He has been drinking and womanizing even more since the death of his father. His older brother has had enough, and gives him a task to prove he is good for something. What starts as an unpleasant task will soon make an honourable man of him.
Miss Juliette Lacey is the last of the "Wilting Wallflowers " unmarried. Her sisters have happily found wonderful husbands. Juliette is left to look after her adored Uncle Alistair. He is a rather unusual man. Unfortunately someone is about to turn her life upside down with some terrible news. She wants to try and solve this problem without disturbing her sisters and their husbands.
A fun, historical romance with wonderful characters and a captivating story line. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, you find you don't.
This is part of a series but each book can be read alone. They are all great fun. I have loved all of them.

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This is a fun read but you do have to be gracious about the actions of this heroine. She often does things that will have you saying ”huh?” If her uncle is so brilliant why doesn’t anyone consult with him about the problem? Who is the bad guy? It isn’t hard to figure out. It does seem a bit too pat that Sam gets everything he wants. Why couldn’t he figure that out earlier? Now I’m being too picky about a book that I did enjoy reading. Perhaps not my favorite but certainly entertaining.

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Mischievous meets scandalous and breeds marvelous. The Rogue is Back in Town is meant to be lighthearted fanfare, but every once in a while there are moments that hit you in the heart and are reluctant to let go. For the love of her family Julie will risk it all, heart, pride and freedom. For the respect of his family Sam will try his hand at responsibility. Neither plan works in their favor, but each learns something along the way. How to fall in love. Anna Bennett wrapped me in knots with her frustrating, clueless, heartwarmingly irresistible couple.

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I am a fan of Ms. Bennett's writing and "The Rogue is Back in Town" does not disappoint. Lord Samuel Travis has been a disappointment to his honorable and respectable brother, Nigel, for as long as he can remember. When Nigel tasks him with ousting Miss Juliette Lacey and her eccentric uncle from one of his properties, Sam believes that he can complete this simple task and win his brother's support once again. That is, until he comes face-to-face with the fiery Juliette. The more time he spends with Juliette and her eccentric uncle, the more he comes to realize that he has great respect for her uncle's mind and that he's falling for Juliette. He finds that he cannot oust them and must disappoint Nigel once again. Juliette fancied herself in love with Nigel until he reveals his true character and especially since she has come to know Sam. How could two brothers be so different?

This book kept my interest to the end. Sam and Juliette were adorable and I was glad to see them develop feelings over time and not the insta-love some romances have. Ms. Bennett has written another delightful romance and this book if my favorite of the series. Fans of Regency romances will definitely enjoy this one.

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I received ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

The Rogue is Back in Town is the last book in the Wayward Wallflowers series and even though it is not my favorite, I still enjoyed the book. I typically try to stay away from romance stories where there is a love triangle, but I still enjoyed Juliette and Sam's story despite that particular trope.

The chemistry between Sam and Juliette is immediate and their scenes together are entertaining and leave you wanting to read more and more about them. I loved Sam's character and how he is not the typical black sheep of the family. The bond that he formed with Juliette's uncle was one of the things that I liked most about his character development.

While I understood Juliette's character and her motivations, I found it hard for me like her because of all the bad decisions she made throughout the book <spoiler>refusing to contact her sisters because she 'did not want to interrupt their lives', constantly finding herself alone with Sam's brother, 'forgetting' to take off the earrings that were gifted to her by Sam's brother, etc.</spoiler>.

The only complaints I have about this book is how fast paced the story was. Sam and Juliette met and fell in love in roughly 1-2 weeks which is pretty fast, even for romance novels. The other is <spoiler> Sam's brother is a complete and utter bastard and I hate that he truly did not get what he deserved for all of the things that he did to them.</spoiler>

Overall I enjoyed the book and give it 4 stars!

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Rated 3.5!

Lord Samuel Travis has been forcibly removed from his brother's home. It seems he has worn out his welcome with all the scandal he has brought on their family name lately. The only way to get back in Sam's brother's good graces is to accomplish one little task... clear out a rented property. A simple enough thing, right?

Miss Juliette "Julie" Lacey is not about to allow some arrogant rogue evict her and her uncle from their home. Especially not now, when she has finally come up with an idea of how to carve a place in society for them both. With Sam constantly around, Julie finds herself questioning her feelings. What will Sam do when he learns of her connection to his brother? Or better yet, what will Julie do?

This was kind of a frustrating read for me. No offense to author, Anna Bennett, by the way. It had more to do with Julie's and Sam's indecisiveness than anything. There was certainly no denying the chemistry between them. That is one of my favorite things about THE ROGUE IS BACK IN TOWN. They fight their feelings at every turn and I was actually unsure how it would end for these Sam and Julie. Regardless, the ending makes up for the beginning. Historical fans are sure to enjoy Ms. Bennett's third addition to her WAYWARD WALLFLOWERS series.

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