This is such a meaty novella! I loved that it also has an element of surprise. I was not expecting such a great love story, with a character I have been longing to learn more about. I cannot say enough good things about this one. It is unquestionably a must read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

While it was great to finally get King’s story, and to watch him fall in love with the powerful Adeline Archambault, I wish we had just a few more pages to enjoy their story! Night of the Scoundrel is a novella with more story to be told.

The enigmatic King takes the stage in this new addition to the Devils of Dover series. As you may have read from many of the reviews, his story was long in coming, but well worth the wait.
One of my favorite hero's... dark, mysterious, ruthless, but with a past that breaks your heart because you know this is a soul that needs to find love and acceptance or as near to that as possible.
He finds it in his female counterpart, Adeline Archambault. Deadly, take no prisoners and with that outer layer of armour just as King.
As these two come together, a combustable spark ignites and it may be like has found like and there may be a chance at a road to happiness if that is possible.
Amazing, intriguing, dark and romantic while keeping me riveted to the pages. What more can you ask for? Perect.

Honestly? I had no idea who the two main characters were in this novella when I requested this book for review. I only knew that this series was part of the Devil of Dover series and it was by Kelly Bowen.

Turns out King, the hero of Night of the Scoundrel, was the mysterious bad guy smuggler from the third book in the series, A Rogue by Night. And he is exactly the kind of sexy, dangerous, competent anti-hero I live for in romance. But then again, the heroine is also sexy, dangerous, and competent as hell. I adored her. The page count is small, but his author does a fantastic job of fleshing out these characters enough so that readers can get to know them, their backstories, and their current motivations. Together they are dangerously sexy.

When I tell you I was captivated almost from the first word I’m not kidding. This book is a fast-paced, emotional read, probably the best novella I’ve read this year. Really well done.

Well, Kelly Bowen did it again and delivered a fantastic novel ! If you have been waiting for King's story for a long time, fear not, his story is finally out ! And Kelly Bowen made the book worth the wait.

This story revolves around King, the dangerous, mysterious, alluring man, the "Lord of London's underworld", who solves problems when others can't has finally met his match. It's a woman at that,- Adeline Archambault - Adrestia - the "goddess of retribution". Adeline is equally as mysterious as King. She also has some enormous fighting skills, so it's no wonder that King is intrigued by her.
Exiled after the French Revolution, she's determined to reclaim her birthright and deliver the justice that is owed her. King offers her a once in a lifetime bargain, helping her in exchange for her assistance. But can she keep up with the man behind the mask ?

I really enjoyed this story. Especially since I've wanted to read about King for such a long time. His character is perfectly created. He is so multi-layered, I did not know who I faced, a gentleman or a criminal. He is a chameleon, with many purposes and many wicked ways to reach his goal. There is a reason why he is closed off, why he turned to the 'dark' side and became a criminal. I got invested in his character development and his story and that is a sign of a great book.

Our heroine, Adeline Archlambault, was how shall I put it ? A badass woman !
She's confident and very good at what she does. The only thing I didn't like was that she went from cold to hot a little too quickly for me.S he's complicated too, and I'm left with the feeling that she needs her own novella.

The chemistry between these two was off the charts, the passion literally crackled from the first scene where they were introduced to each other to the very last page. The adorable moments squeeze your heart and give you this warm, fuzzy feeling.

The story was a little too short for my liking, which is sad because I wanted to read more of King and Adeline. However the length didn't have an impact on the romance story. it was perfect. There weren't too many sex scenes (which I always appreciate) and the whole story had this perfect mix of strength and sweetness.

This novella packs so much punch that the length is irrelevant. A must read in this genre !

Volatile! Riveting!

King, "Lord of London's underworld," always enigmatic and aloof. Dangerous!
I felt King's story was going to be something special, I knew this was going to be a five star read before I'd reached the end of the first page.
King witnesses a fight in a darkened alleyway between three ruffians and a mysterious angel with a rapier and a knife. He is both disturbed and intrigued, "He might not know who this woman was, but he knew what she was—one who understood what lurked in the dark corners of the soul. Like recognized like, after all."
What follows is a story that reaches into the depth of King's dark corners, exposing who he is and matches him with a stunning partner grown from similar hidden places.
Adeline Archambault sees in King something that causes her to stumble, to be wary. He is "predatory and remote. Piercing and impenetrable."
In her line of work Adeline uses the nom de plume "Adrestia ... ‘the inescapable.’ Goddess of retribution and vengeance.” Adeline prefers the notion of "justice."
She infiltrates King's annual art and valuables auction at his home Helmsdale House, breaking into his study in search for a specific jewel. All to do with justice! Of course King is present, standing silently in the shadows in his omnipotent manner.
A standout vignette is King and Adeline's discussion of Caravaggio's Judith. In fact the more I think about that discussion, the ramifications, the understandings drawn from the painting, the more I am awed by the way Bowen uses that work to give leverage to the tensions and understandings between King and Adeline. A discussion that heightens the aloneness that is part of both these coldly capable people whose surface personas cover volcanic depths. This is a fulcrum moment in this fabulously well written taut novella. Everything pivots. The earth moves.
It follows that the initial sexual congress between King and Adeline would be supercharged with promise and longing. After all, "like recognizes like."
When these two join forces the result is explosive. Secrets are revealed, yet the sky doesn't fall Chicken Little.
What can I say, only that the story of these two Marvel type anti heroes, dangerous and decisive, honorable and astute, combining smoking hot sexuality with tenderness and loss is absolutely captivating.
This novella packs so much punch that the length is irrelevant. The story reigns supreme.

A Forever Grand Central ARC via NetGalley

It’s no secret that I am a major fan of Kelly’s Devils of Dover series. It was a no-brainer that I’d jump at a novella! Especially one that’s a crossover featuring characters from her Season for Scandal novels.

This wintery read provides backstory for the mysterious King – no one knows his true name or where he came from, but they all can agree on one thing: you do not want to get on his bad side. Adeline wields a knife with the grace of someone who had the finest of instructors, yet she follows men into dark alleys and rents rooms in the seediest of areas. King and Adeline both have an end game in their sights: he’s out for revenge, she wants to reclaim her birthright, and in order for them both to get what they want, they must work together.

I’m not sure what happened here, but Night of the Scoundrel didn’t work for me. I found my attention waning far too often, to the point where it took an entire day to read a slim 100-page novella. Though there were moments I enjoyed (the art auction, for example), there were more moments that seemed to drag.

I’ve never been so disappointed in a book by Kelly Bowen.

A novella is tricky to pull off and not only did King deserve a full novel, there’s a child sexual abuse plot that isn’t handled with care. I am beyond tired of pedophilia being the “big shocking reveal” at 80%.

Not only is there a scene in which a boy is chained to a wall and attacked by the villain, then stabbed (he bleeds out), but we go right from that scene into the only sex scene in the book. Everyone deals with trauma differently, so I’m not going to say that it’s impossible for them to have wanted to have sex, but it IS impossible for me to want to read sex after reading about child sexual abuse. Again, the length of a novella does not provide adequate space for handling this kind of content.

Oh, and of course King is actually supposed to be a Baron but his parents faked his death for “lying” about the uncle abusing King’s brother for years. So then the uncle inherits. Sigh.

I did appreciate that King says “I believe you” over and over to the boy, because no one ever believed him and he knows that’s important. But otherwise, Bowen could have generated King’s backstory without the sexual abuse. It was 100% unnecessary.

I liked the heroine.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

This was a really surprising lovely read, I really enjoyed the story of King and Adeline. I thought the underlying story had quite an emotional impact, particularly with how the details of it came to light. I found it particularly satisfying to see justice served.
The banter between Kind and Adeline was something I love reading in a book, and in an historical romance I always seem to enjoy it that bit more. I loved the strength of Adeline's character, and how King was able to put his pride behind him in the end.
A really quick read, but the story lacked for nothing in that, You won't be sorry to have picked this one up.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Romance, action, and intrigue all in one novella-sized package - I loved it!

Night of the Scoundrel was my first Kelly Bowen book, but it won't be my last. It's a great entry point into her storytelling and the Devils of Dover series. I loved that King and Adeline were an evenly matched pair in wit, skill and power dynamics. I hope that'll be the case with the rest of the series - I'm looking forward to picking it up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Night Of The Scoundrel, by Kelly Bowen, is available at booksellers on 11-26-19, just in time for the holiday weekend. Scoundrel is a novella, 3.5, in The Devils Of Dover series, but works well as a stand alone. It's always helpful to have the full background of characters in a series but not necessary. I've given Scoundrel a, rare for me, 5 stars. Ms Bowen gave me an adventure, mystery story with romance as a side story. I love it. Not too much sex, and what there is happens between two consenting of age adults with experience. No virgins here.

I'm drawn to anti-hero male characters. Their redemption is always a blast to read. They get their comeuppance, delivered by a loving female. King is just such a man. He's called the king of the underworld and it fits. Smuggler is only one of his job titles. He's got plenty of reason to be a closed off, unemotional person. I won't tell you why, you have to read the story. He's complicated and yet when you peel back the layers he's a mess like everyone else. I became invested in his journey and that's the sign of a good book.

Our heroine, Adeline Archlambault, was more difficult to like. I did like that she works to right wrongs. She's a pistol and very good at what she does. She went from cold to hot a little quick for me. She's complicated too, and I'm left with the feeling that she needs her own novella. What we're told of her life is interesting and would make a good tale. Adeline and King remind me of an old joke. How do two porcupines make love? Carefully. These two are porcupines.

#Netgalley #KellyBowen #NightOfTheScoundrel #TheDevilsOfDover #HachetteBookGroup #HistoricalRomance

As the undisputed ruler of the London underworld, the man known simply as King is shrouded in danger and mystery. No one knows his true name or origins, not even the one man he calls friend. When the man who betrayed him years ago, a man he believed dead, returns to London, King is determined to have his revenge. But King can't trust himself not to simply kill the man, so in order to make sure his enemy truly suffers, he'll need an unlikely helper.

Adeline Archambault is also surrounded by mystery. Since her family was destroyed by the French Revolution she has lived a life in exile, working to bring peace and justice to those her hire her to seek retribution from their enemies. Now she's determined to reclaim her family's vineyard in France and try to find some measure of peace for herself. When King offers to help her achieve her goal in exchange for her assistance, she cannot refuse, but the unseemly deal rapidly leads her to hope for things she never dared dream of.

This book was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. I loved finally learning King's story and my goodness was it heart wrenching. Even though this was only novella length, I found it to be very emotional. Adeline was the perfect foil for King and his learning how to trust and open up to another person again was as lovely as it was gut-wrenching. He had so many layers and it great to see them peeled back. With the nearly instant attraction these two had and their deeper connection beyond the physical, the pacing of their story felt perfect. This was a fantastic story with an absolutely fabulous, rather tragic anti-hero turned hero in truth.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is just enormous fun, with a deliciously fierce, competent and compassionate heroine, and an equally competent and ruthless hero with a well-hidden protective streak. If you like a heroine who is good with swords, knives and retribution, and a plot that includes jewel theft, disguised, grave robbers, humour, sweetness, and terrible people getting what they deserve, then you will enjoy this. I haven’t read any of Bowen’s other books, but I’ll certainly be looking for them now.

Content warning: both the hero and heroine have experienced and witnessed some terrible things. While nothing dreadful happens to them in the course of the book, there are references to child abuse (including sexual abuse and rape), as well as the murder of family members. These are not described in detail but they are integral to the plot.

* * * * ARC Received from NetGalley/Publisher * * * *

I loved this novella! I’ve been looking forward to King’s story ever since he was first introduced as a character. This author writes great strong heroines and King has met his match in Adeline. Even though this is just a novella, I think the author did a great job of developing both characters and establishing the romance. We get to see more of King as a person and I especially loved the scenes between King and Ashland.

If you have not read this author before, I would start with Duke of My Heart, the first book in the Season for Scandal series. While I don’t think you need to have read the previous books in the series, the novella includes characters from and makes reference to the previous books. I may have to go back and re-read the series now that we have King’s story!

My goodness, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It is a novella, but the story was beautifully told. Two damaged souls who find revenge and even better, love. The book goes into the history of King, a dangerous and powerful man who hired a woman to ruin the man who killed his brother and changed his life for the worst. 5 stars.

Can he trust her with his darkest secret?

Ruthless. Dangerous. Known simply as King. No one knows his true name or where he came from. And when he learns that the man who betrayed him has returned to London, King has only one goal:.

Adeline Archambault is as mysterious as she is beautiful. Exiled after the French Revolution, she's determined to reclaim her birthright and deliver the justice that is owed her. King's offer to help her, in exchange for her assistance, is a bargain she can't refuse.

Will this deal with a devil lead to a future she never dared hope for?
Kelly Bowen never fails to entertain her readers. This latest book in the Devils of Dover series not withstanding. This one is considered a novella but it is longer than most but shorter than this author's full length novels.
The characters have appeared in previous books in this series but now get their own story.
Ms Bowen doesn't fail to weave a wonderful story for these two.
I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for story line and the continuation of characterization of this duo.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Kelly Bowen is a must buy author for me! I highly recommend all her books and this novella doesn't disappoint!

King is a powerful boss in England's 19th century underworld. His origins are mysterious and he is feared by people high and low, Many in the aristocracy owe him favors, which makes him powerful even in the upper echelons of siciety. One day, he comes across a lady in the stews, who ably defends herself from several attackers. She says her name is Adrestia and it seems her origins are as mysterious as his. She makes her living getting justice for clients and is currently in search of an item King is in possession of. As it happens, she may be able to do a favor for King in exchange. The two of them have a great deal in common, as well as a mutual attraction. In the process of their helping each other get what they want, they begin to get to know each other's secrets. Both characters and the development of their relationship are fascinating, as well as the intrigue and adventures they go through in the process. I had a hard time putting the book down.

Full disclosure, this is my first experience with Kelly Bowen. I haven't read any of her books, including the three books in The Devils of Dover series prior to this novella.

I admit that I feel a little lost in the beginning -- because I wasn't familiar with King and other characters that seemed to be very close to the man. However, I was immersed to the story soon enough. I was swept away with the emotion, when King saw the man he thought was dead. The man from his past. And how King asked for Adeline to help him.

I loved Adeline immediately. She was able to stand head-to-toe against King -- outsmarted him, even. But she also able to give King what he needed the most, to deal with needs and wants, to let someone in, to share the truth about his past. I got teary eyed a little bit near the end. I thought King and Adeline were good for each other, and even if this is only a novella length, I feel satisfied.

Based on several reviews I read about the other books, I think King is quite a character, that readers are looking forward to read his stories soon. I'm not sure if they will be as satisfied as I am because his story is only a novella. But I hope they do...



The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

Night of the Scoundrel by Kelly Bowen is officially listed as being a Devils of Dover novella, which makes zero sense to me. I have no clue why the publisher decided to do that. This novella belongs to the Season for Scandal series and readers who read this series would agree with me on that assessment. I don’t care if the hero, King, appeared in A Rogue by Night. King was introduced in the Season for Scandal series and his arc began there and now ends in Night of the Scoundrel. The supporting characters from the Season for Scandal series also appeared in this novella. Furthermore, many important events from that series are briefly mentioned here. So if you haven’t read the Season for Scandal series, you will have no idea what the characters are referring to and you will be missing important pieces of information that are essential to King’s character growth. So…in my personal opinion, this novella does not stand alone. I would recommend that you read the Season for Scandal series first.

When I first found out that King’s story was only going to be a novella, I was disappointed. He is an antihero who had a strong presence in the Season for Scandal series and the buildup for his character arc was exceedingly well-done. So I was worried that he would not get kind of fully-fleshed out story that he deserves. Do I still think that King deserved a full-length novel? Hell yes. You can’t build a character like that and just give him a short novella. That’s equivalent to Lisa Kleypas giving Sebastian a novella or Elizabeth Hoyt giving Val a novella. It boggles the mind! That being said, I think Kelly Bowen manages to do justice to his character as best as she could. Despite being a novella, Night of the Scoundrel has a meaty storyline and King is paired up with the kind of heroine who is his perfect counterpart in every way. Night of the Scoundrel answers the questions I had about King, especially about his motivations for doing certain things in the Season for Scandal series. Ultimately, I enjoyed his character arc. Do I wish it was longer? Of course. If King was given a full-length story, he could have given other popular antiheroes a run for their money. But I’m satisfied with the novella that Kelly Bowen gave us.