Oh how I love this series! Such twists and turns the story takes that leaves you guessing who's going to turn up next. Quick read, as they always are when it's an enjoyable story, perfect for a beach read. Can't wait for the next story in the series, Sebastien needs his turn. :)

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Emmaline Danvers never wanted to be a thief but to protector her family - she will do what is necessary. Even if it puts her at direct odds with the only man who has ever interested her - Alex Harland. After surviving a war, starting a gambling den and becoming an Earl - there is little that Alexander Harland actually hasn't done. But catching the notorious burglar - the Nightjar might be the most exciting yet.

Sexy banter, intelligent characters, cat and mouse - all of it is fabulous. Emmy is a reluctant but able thief. She has a huge heart and is wonderfully noble. Alex is stiff and intense - and really doesn't love that he catches feelings. Searily hot in the bedroom but not overly graphic - I cannot wait for the next in the series!

As a second son and soldier, Alexander Harland has spent his life proving his mettle after a fairly wild youth. Now made Earl of Melton in recognition of his bravery, Alex also uses his skills in investigations for Bow Street. His one source of distraction is the woman who’s never far from his thoughts, despite the fact that he only shared one kiss with her before he left for war four years ago and never even learned her name. Now he’s investigating a peculiar jewel thief known as the Nightjar and his inquiries have him repeatedly encountering the beautiful Emmy Danvers. Alex is certain she’s his mystery woman from years ago, but unfortunately, he’s equally certain she’s the thief he’s set to bring to justice.

Emmy has held a tendre for Alex for years but knows nothing can ever come of it since they are now enemies. She knows her game is nearly up, but a blackmailer has left her with no option but to steal, no matter how reluctant she is. When her elaborate game of chase with Alex ultimately puts her life at risk from the impatient blackmailer, Alex is left scrambling for a way to protect the troublesome woman he’s come to love and make her his.

I’m not sure if it’s really the book’s fault given the difficulty I’ve had focusing on reading lately, but I had such very high hopes for this book and it just didn’t meet them for me after how much I loved the first book. Emmy, the heroine, was my main problem. She was constantly sniping at Alex and complaining about his arrogance and lack of trust when really she was the one who was exceedingly arrogant and mistrustful. The banter between Alex and Emmy was clever and entertaining, though at times it was a bit much and the need for Emmy to constantly best him got a bit old and it didn’t make Emmy charming for me, though I’m sure it was meant to. These two definitely had chemistry between them, but fairly little in the way of actual romance, though there was plenty of steam and tension. I found Emmy to be rather a conundrum as she is presented as being highly intelligent and yet she continued to make ridiculously stupid decisions with regard to her thievery even after she knew Alex had figured out her identity. I enjoyed this much more once the two started working together, but even then I felt Alex was the one doing the giving in the relationship and Emmy never put any trust in him, not even at the end, which made their relationship a bit of a letdown because it seemed she never had any faith in him to protect her. I think part of the problem here was a need for more fleshing out of the blackmailer’s character to make him a true villain and make his motivations believable. This was still a good read, it just wasn’t what I expected and fell a bit short of what I wanted from it, which is probably unfair of me. Regardless, this still wasn’t a bad book and I’m looking forward to Sebastian’s story.

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

I liked that Emmy knew what she wanted and went after it. She was forced to be a thief when all she wanted was to find a man to love her and have a family. She had hoped that would be with Alex, but she knows he won't want to be with her when he finds that she is the Nightjar. Alex has been hunting the Nightjar for a long time and now he has the culprit in his sights. The problem is that it is Emmy and he really doesn't want to turn her in. Can he help her? Can they find love?

The good storyline and interesting characters made this book a very enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more from this author!

Emmy Danvers wasn't supposed to touch anything unless she was going to steal it. But she broke that rule when she touched Alex Harland. She was happy to watch him from afar and daydream. But she had to take a chance before he left.

Now four years later he's an agent working with Bow Street trying to solve the one case that's haunted him. Who was the mysterious woman who stole a kiss from him before he left for war? When the infamous Nightjar resurfaces, Alex finds himself constantly running into the tempting Miss Danvers.

Do you love grumpy hero's? Cause Alex Harland is it. The more he falls for Emmy the grumpier he gets.
And even as they grow closer, having to lean on one another, Alex has a hard time trusting Emmy. Even knowing that we would get HEA and that they had great chemistry, I worried these two wouldn't make it.

ARC was provided by St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley

I was unfortunately not able to finish reading this book. It did not appeal to me and so it wouldn't be fair to review it.

Let me just start by saying that after having read hundreds and hundreds of romance novels, that it is very rare that I find myself getting this giddy and excited over one. Or for it to leave me breathless and get my heartbeat up. And yet, “To Catch an Earl” has done just that. The chemistry between Emmy and Alex was off the charts and to have them be on opposite sides of the law and in quite literally a cat and mouse chase made the whole affair even more delicious.

The only thing that left a question in my mind was how Emmy had met Alex for the first time. She was already in love with him when they met in the beginning of the story. I would have liked to find out when she had first seen him and how that infatuation was born.

I loved the secondary characters just as much as the hero and heroine and the excitement and intensity of the story never ebbed from start to finished. It was intense and scorching. The story, the dialogues, I honestly can’t find a single fault and want to congratulate Kate Bateman on another remarkably well written book. I just can’t wait to see who will snag Seb’s heart as he seems more than determined never to fall in love and marry. This is a jem of a series and is a treasure for all fans of romance!!!

I requested an ARC of this book, and these opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, and while I did enjoy this one I felt like I had read it before. Not the exact plot, but something similar. The characters just didn't blow me away, or frankly make me care about them that much.

That being said, there were definitely elements that I enjoyed enough to keep reading. The heroine's family, for one, were delightful, and I would have liked more of them. The history of the various jewels stolen by the Nightjar was fascinating - real or not. I also enjoyed the word game played by the hero & heroine. That was fun, and educational.

Overall, it's not a book I'd read again but I'd recommend if you're into reading entire series.

This is the second book in the Bow Street Bachelors series but can be read as a stand alone book. This is the story of Alex Harland, Earl of Melton and Bow Street agent, and Emmy Danvers, a thief named Nightjar. They shared a stolen kiss long ago that Alex has never forgotten. Emmy has loved Alex for years but can’t risk being caught as Nightjar. Their story takes them through many interactions as Alex gets closer to identifying the thief. In the end Alex must decide between love and the rule of law.
This book was enjoyable but not one of my top ten interesting books. It was a struggle to get through it. Fans of historical romance should enjoy it.

Emmy Danvers fell in love with Alex Harland, several years ago, and stole a kiss at a masked ball, before Alex went off to war. Since the night of the ball, Alex has fantasised about the woman he kissed, but whose name he never discovered. Returning from the Napoleonic Wars, partly blinded, he has made a living as a Bow Street Agent, and been awarded an earldom, yet he still cannot forget the scent nor memory of the mysterious woman. Whilst investigating the Nightjar, a jewel thief, he comes across Emmy, and believes her to be the woman that has kept him spellbound for years. Yet Emmy realises that as the Nightjar, the feelings that she has for Alex will never be reciprocated.
I loved Emmy’s tenacity and determination to protect her family, yet it was Alex’s ability to let his heart overrule his head, that had me smiling throughout. His determination to do the right thing, is upended by Emmy’s cunning nature. In many ways, Emmy reminded me of Audrey Hepburn, in ‘How to steal a Million’. The chemistry between the couple is palpable and had me turning the pages ever so quickly. Yet when this book came to its end, I was lamenting this couple’s story had to end. I so look forward to reading more from this talented author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a light and suspenseful regency. Alex is on the hunt for the jewel thief stealing from seemingly secure locations. What Alex doesn't realize is that the thief is the mysterious woman Emmy that he kissed at a ball four years ago. I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publisher through Netgallery. I liked that Alex captured Emmy's scent at the ball and was always searching for it. I also liked how Alex and Emmy struggled with what was the right thing to do. The strong attraction that they had for each other definitely led to some steamy scenes. I also like how Emmy kept Alex on his toes and vice versa. I enjoyed this book very much.

When I got this book as an ARC, I actually thought of reading the first book just to see if I would like this series. Luckily, the first book was on sale so I brought it and fell in the love with the characters in that book. So when I started To Catch an Earl, I could not wait to dive back into this world of the Bow Street agents. I loved how the main characters met in the past before and both left an impression on each other. Then, they both crossed each other paths in the present and couldn’t stay away from each other. I loved how Emmy and Alex would taunt each other even when he didn’t know she was the thief. Their chemistry was through the roof and made all their interactions so good! Read this when it comes out June 30th!
*Thank you @netgalley for my advanced copy*

This one is definitely a case of “it’s not the book it’s me.” Despite really liking the premise of the book I had a hard time connecting with the story and the characters. It moved rather slow for me and just never really grabbed me.

The second of the Bow Street Bachelors was not as strong of a connection between the main characters as I felt there was with the first. Emmy, for a jewel thief, wears a personalized signature scent even when she's thieving, and it seems a little obvious that if, narratively speaking, she excels at this work she wouldn't wear such an obvious tell? Alex, having inhaled that scent four years previously, is driven to distraction by that scent in his memories until he meets Emmy again.

The tension and connection didn't seem as polished or as well developed as I felt it was in the first in the series, but the twists and the plot otherwise kept me engaged! The enemies to lovers trope didn't play out as promised on the cover copy, and I felt Alex had it figured out too soon (with little reaction between both of them about it until much later), so I felt like it dragged in some places as well because of that. It's an enjoyable read nonetheless and sets up for the third in the series.

Book 2 in the Bow Street Bachelors, this book can easily be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone. And I enjoyed it much more than book one. I enjoyed the cat and mouse between the leads, and how they both struggled with their feelings for the other. However, this book and these characters don’t stand out to me in any meaningful or lasting way. I had to review book one before reading book 2, and I have no doubt I’ll have to review this story before reading book 3. But oh well, it was fluffy and cute.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

He's a Runner, she's a thief.

Well, its a bit more than that, Alex is an Earl, who works as a Bow Street Runner and is working on tracking down the Nightjar, a jewel thief. In addition to being an earl, he co-owns a gaming den, is a rake, he by no means has been celibate and was in the army.

Emmy, is a thief with a purpose, she's part of a family of thieves and has had a crush on Alex for years.
They shared a kiss four years ago and while she's still crushing on him, Alex has had many mistresses and certainly hasn't been celibate, but he remembers her scent.

So, Alex is the law and Emmy is the thief (with a specific purpose and who's also being blackmailed).
At times, the book is too clever, for the times, their access to information and knowledge is perhaps not accurate.
The dialogue is witty and the secondary pairing of her brother Luc and Sally is very enjoyable.
Overall, a solid Sunday afternoon read.

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. Kate Bateman does such enjoyable tales! This is a very good sized book that keeps you in reading. The characters have such deep personalities and the spark between them lites a fire in the entire story. So well done.

I liked this story more so than the first book in this series and that one was good. I’m enjoying the strong and unconventional characters that Bateman Has created.

Emmy is not your average member of the ton. She’s actually the Nightjar and is finishing up what her father started by stealing the Crown Jewels of France from where the reside on English soil. She’s at war with herself. Living two different lives is beginning to take its toll.

Alex met Emmy at a ball 4 years prior. Not knowing her identity, all he has to remember her is her scent. One he recognizes when he comes into contact with Emmy on his search to bring the Nightjar to justice.

I loved the internal war both characters were waging. The character and relationship development made this book.

Can’t wait to see who Seb falls for!

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Series: Bow Street Bachelors #2
Publication Date: 6/30/20
Number of Pages: 336

Welcome to the second exciting and steamy installment of the Bow Street Bachelors. You are going to love this excellently-written, well-plotted, and well-delivered story which takes place just two months after the first book, This Earl of Mine. I will admit, I had a love-hate relationship with Alex – quite often I didn’t care for how he treated Emmy, even though I could understand his turmoil. As for Emmy, well, I just loved her and her family and was happy to see her find her HEA.

Emmy Danvers (Emmeline Louise d’Anvers), the daughter of Europe’s most elusive jewel thief, has only broken one of her father’s rules – and it will bring her great pleasure and great pain. That rule? Only touch what you’re going to steal. She broke it four years ago when she kissed Alexander Harland at a masked ball. He had no idea who she was, but she knew exactly who he was because she’d admired him from afar for a very long time. She has never forgotten that kiss nor the man who bestowed it – no other man has ever felt ‘right’. She knows he’ll never notice her among the crowds – and she’s grateful for that – because they are on very different sides of the law. After her father’s death, Emmy has assumed his role as the Nightjar and is now being sought by Bow Street after stealing a gem owned by the Prince Regent.

Two months ago, after he and his two best friends, Seb and Benedict, had foiled an attempt to rescue Bonaparte from exile on St. Helena, they were all granted titles. He is now Alexander Harland, Earl of Melton. But, more importantly to him, he is a partner in the Tricorn Club and he aids Bow Street with sensitive cases. He’s just been handed one such sensitive case – a thief known as the Nightjar has stolen a diamond from Rundell Bridge and Rundell. The owner of that diamond is none other than the Prince Regent and he is demanding they find his diamond and prosecute the scurrilous thief. Alex likes nothing better than a good challenge and the Nightjar will be a challenge.

Alex doesn’t ever see himself marrying, but he can’t forget that kiss four years ago. A woman kissed him at a masquerade ball and he never learned her name – but he’s never forgotten her. He remembers every detail -he can picture it in his mind – and her scent – OH! He remembers that as well. When he visits the scene of the crime at Rundell Bridge and Rundell, he catches a whiff of that scent. He hasn’t smelled exactly that scent in four years, but he is positive it is the same. Yet, there are so many people on the street he can’t find the source ** He should be prepared, that scent is going to drive him insane for the next few weeks. **

I loved the mystery and the chase. Emmy and Alex are both very smart strategic thinkers and each takes delight in outwitting the other. Will she finish her father’s task and escape being arrested? Will he catch her and send her to the gallows? It seems it must be one way or the other with no in-between. You’ll just have to read the story to find out all of the wonderful details. Be prepared – there isn’t a dull minute in there anywhere.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.