Member Reviews
5 A Royal Love Of Equals Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Kate Bateman has convinced me to read whatever she writes. I found her through the Bow Street Bachelors and am thrilled I did. It was during a time when I was looking to switch up what I was reading and turned to some past favorites, Lisa Kleypas, Tessa Dare, and Sarah MacLean. I stumbled on Ms. Bateman's first entry and gobbled it up.
A new favorite was born. Her writing had everything I needed. It had humor, sass, concern for the betterment of others, and heart. She created three-dimensional characters. They had personalities that jumped off the pages and this was true to both main characters. The woman was equal to the man making it a delight to read.
The Princess and Rogue continue in this vein. We have Russian Princess Anastasia Denisova who is hiding in London as a commoner. It is the only way she is able to not be married off to a corrupt man after her riches and knowledge of him being a traitor to Russia. She escaped and is all alone in the world short of a dear friend who ran with her.
She has secured a position of assistant to a dowager duchess and has been living a quiet life. She made friends with her neighbor, a woman who ran the best upscale "house". Anya started to teach the ladies how to read and write when she wasn't at work.
It was during one of her lessons with the woman when Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, comes to the house. He is restless and looking to ease his needs. He heard of the level of ladies offered here and finally decided to try it out.
Seb was the last of the Bow Street men who were single. His dear friends and men he fought with each found their woman. They were happy and teased him about when he would find his. He laughed saying he had no interest to be tied to one woman. His friends knew better...
Seb sees Anya and immediately wants her. He walks right up to Anya and starts to say how he is ready to take her for the night. Anya is a bit shocked but also finds it ridiculous. Seb asks how much and Anya quotes an obscene amount. Seb says done and looks to take her hand. Seb moves close, Anya is charmed, knows she will never have a chance to experience much so allows a kiss.
This is not just a light kiss...it is a swooning, overtaking a body and mind kiss, something capturing both, Seb and Anya.
Lucky for Anya, the owner of the house comes in and sees what is happening. She intercedes and explains Anya is not for him. Seb is not understanding but politely allows Anya to leave. For Seb, though, the dye is cast.
When Seb discovers Anya is tied to his dowager duchess, all bets are off. He is put in charge of protecting her while he is skeptical of what her position was with his aunt. These two bicker, tease, and learn to trust. Watching them fall for each other is a wonder. Anya gives as good as she gets from Seb.
This story had intrigue, mystery, devotion, and passion. Anya was an extremely strong woman and Seb saw that from the beginning. He didn't talk down to her and respected her requests. His love sneaks up on him and confuses him. When secrets are revealed, it throws him for a loop.
I thoroughly enjoyed this entry and series. Although all of the men have found their loves, Ms. Bateman did leave a nugget of possibilities with the character Charlotte and her Hayes House. I think there could be much to discover if she is interested...Just a suggestion, hmmmm
Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Princess and the Rogue is the 3rd book in the Bow Street Bachelors Series and definitely my favorite! The book begins with Bow Street Agent, Sébastien Wolf (a jaded and confirmed bachelor) who doesn’t believe in love until a runaway Princess enters his life (in a brothel no less).
Anastasia Denisova, a Russian princess on the run. Hiding from an evil man, who is determined to marry her against her will to prevent her from testifying against him. She hides in London, changes her name to Anna Brown and becomes a companion to a Dowager Duchess (Sébastien's great aunt). A near attempt on her life forces Sebastien to be her protector as Anya’s past begins to catch up to her in London.
Overall, loved this book! I could not put it down! Perfect for any fan of intrigue, mystery, sexy banter, passion and of course a HEA.
The Princess and the Rogue caught and held my attention from the very beginning. I loved both Seb and Anya, and felt their very strong connection. The book was well written with mystery, intrigue, and steam, with little surprises scattered throughout! I highly suggest reading this royal romance!
Princess Anastasia Denisova Fled Russia with her best friend after news he brother died. Count Petrov is demanding they marry and she wants no part of him. They flee to London where she meets Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray and they strike sparks off each other immediately.
He has no idea who she is...and she plans to keep it that way. Danger has followed her to London and he ends up as her protection......and her love.
Ms. Bateman spices this historical with intrigue, humor, romance and HEAT between the pair. Both fiercely independent and intelligent and scarred in their pasts.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC and highly recommend this tale of lovers connecting for the intrigue as well as the steamy romance.
A princess in hiding and a dashing gaming hall owner are the focus of The Princess and the Rogue, the third book in The Bow Street Bachelors series. Sebastien, a consummate bachelor, has sworn he’ll never fall in love and tie himself to one woman. Between owning a popular gaming hall and investigating a murder with Russian connections, he doesn’t have time for love. However, when he heads to the local brothel, he is quickly enchanted with Anya, the mysterious and beguiling woman he meets there.
Anya is actually Anastasia Denisova, a princess in hiding. After the death of her brother at the Battle of Waterloo, Anya is pursued by the dastardly Vasili, whose violent and evil intentions force her to fake her own death and flee. Anya suspects Vasili is a traitor to Russia, and Vasili knows if he marries her, she can’t speak out against him. After a year of evading Vasili, it seems as if Anya’s past has finally come back to haunt her.
After Sebastien rescues her from a potential kidnapping, he determines to keep her safe. Can the princess trust Sebastien to protect her from her past? And how will Sebastien react when he knows the truth of her identity?
Anya is a strong, resilient, and resourceful woman who evades the evil clutches of Vasili by selling her diamonds and gaining employment under a pseudonym. She works hard and lives frugally, a sharp contrast from her life as a princess, and no one suspects her true identity. I love Anya! She is clever, brave, and selfless, even when faced with frightening and dangerous situations. I like her gumption and her survival instinct. In this way, she and Sebastien are very much alike.
The romance between Anya and Sebastien is lovely. It is clear from the start that this couple is drawn to each other, and their chemistry is palpable. I love their passionate and humorous banter, as well as their determination to resist falling for each other. This makes for an interesting romance and plot and two dynamically developed characters that compliment each other well. It also leads to some sizzling, romantic scenes!
Sebastien, a war veteran, is not quick to trust, and he knows that Anya is hiding her identity, among other things. Anya, trying to avoid any connection to her past, is reluctant to divulge her secrets. However, Anya and Sebastien, both accustomed to being independent, eventually show their vulnerable sides when together. This is particularly difficult for them as they both hide behind the walls they’ve built. Anya fears an abusive and violent marriage to Vasili, and Sebastien fears falling in love and losing his independence. I love how they slowly let their guard down, ignore social expectations and demands, and follow their hearts.
I also enjoyed the integration of popular Russian fairy tales, superstitions, and sayings, as well as the references to Shakespeare, other popular poets, and historical events that influenced the people in the story. These allusions add depth to the characters, setting, and plot and immerse the reader into the culture of that time period.
A wonderful addition to the Bow Street Bachelors series, The Princess and the Rogue is a well-paced and well-developed historical romance. Though it can be read as a standalone, I am definitely going back to read the first two in the series. The character development and interesting plot, as well as the epic romance, make this a memorable read! Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Seb we meet in books 1 and 2 - I couldn't wait for him to get his story! See meets Anna Brown in a brothel but she will not go with him as she is there to help the ladies learn to read and write. Anna goes to the country side to try to get away from an evil Russian trying to force her into marriage since she is a Princess. The chemistry is flying off the page with this one! The witty banter is amazing and love all the old and new side characters as well! Wonderful slow burn with some nice steamy bits!
I think this might be my favorite of the series. Enjoyed all the Russian fairy tale parts and the added drama of it all. Loved all the ladies in this series as they are strong and get the choice of who to pick aka they don't need to be saved.
Overall, 4.5 stars and 3 steam
Thanks to Netgally, St. Martin's Press, the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was my second book in the Bow Street Runners Series, and I found it to be an enjoyable tale. Princess Anastasia was a very strong, determined woman who was resourceful enough to take care of herself, in most situations. Sebastian Wolffe, Earl of Mowbray is a damaged war veteran who meets his match in Anya and finds what he needs for his HEA.. I ended the book smiling, just what I love. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
Princess Anastasia is in disguise as plain Anna Brown. She is in fear for her life.
It is a funny meeting between hero and heroine, at a brothel, which is confusing to Sebastian.
Enjoyable read, liked watching them fall in love.
The dower duchess was good too.
Great surprise at end.
A beautiful Russian princess. An evil traitor. A dashing rogue. All elements of a sizzling adventure. Princess Anastasia must go into hiding from the man determined to marry her so that she will be unable to testify against her husband that he is a traitor. She changes her name, travels to London, and becomes a companion to the Dowager Duchess. Sebastian rescues her from a kidnapping attempt and returns with her to his gambling club to keep her safe. He is also a Bow Street Runner investigating this war crime. Love ensues in this entertaining 3rd book of the series.
I received an arc of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kate Bateman is a new author for me but I will surely read some more of her books now. It was an awesomely nice surprise. The characters are incredibly well built and easy to connect to, the plot is flawless and the romance is spot on. As it often happens in historical romance, the 'rogue' is actually a very good guy who has a strong set of morals and a big heart. The Russian princess is surprisingly adaptable and does not have any airs. The other characters in the book are fun and intriguing and I want to know their stories so I guess I'll read this series backwards now. A really nice historical romance.
The Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors, #3) by Kate Bateman This is the 3rd and final book in the series. I love them all ... but I think this is my favorite...We have family(blood and others just as close.) There is danger, suspense, intrigue, laughs and tears, and lots of steam all getting us to a very HEA.
The third book in the series, this book focuses on the third hero in the series - Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray. The heroine, Princess Anastasia Denisova, is in hiding in London, far away from her native St. Petersberg to avoid an ex-suitor-turned-traitor-to-Russia who is intent on finding her. What follows is a fun romp through brothels, countryside, and gambling clubs, Sebastien is forced to act as bodyguard and protecter, although Anya is more than capable of taking care of herself.
I thought it was a wonderful addition to the series. I like how forward-thinking Anya was, although it did seem a little out place for the era this book was set in. She was stubborn, headstrong, and made the first moves - which I admired and loved in a heroine. No damsel in distress here! However, as a fun and quirky romance, it was a quick read with lots of witty banter, and a love-at-first-sight story to immerse yourself in. There is a twist near the end of the book that I didn't see coming!
*ARC provided by the publisher for review through Netgalley*.
A quick little period romance that continues the series of The Bow Street Bachelors series. I did not read the first two that came before this book., but I had no issues finishing this story. The story was slow to begin, and a strong finish!
As with many period romances, there were dry bits of history retelling/“current” event information. The story flowed well, and the characters were well written. A fun & quick read.
While this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Princess Anastasia is in Paris waiting for her brother only to learn he died at Waterloo. Realizing there is no family left in Russia, she and her maid escape to England and assume aliases and employment. It is there she meets the Earl of Mowbray, Sebastian Wolff. He is the most cynical of theBow Street fellows. Th e romance, the intrigue, and the surprises make this an enjoyable read!
4.5-5 Stars!!! This is book number 3 in the ‘Bow Street Bachelors’ series and can be read as a standalone. This book, NO, this series, is awesome! This author is really talented. I’d say this book is a bit of a love/lust-hate/annoy along with being a historical romance with a bit of a mystery!
I loved the main characters, Sebastian/Seb and Anastasia/Anya. He’s the perfect bad boy, good guy, hero. She’s the perfect stubborn, good girl in trouble, can save herself, heroine. There’s a perfect bad guy, mustache and all!
The story was interesting.
The characters were well written.
The banter between Seb and Anya was on point.
And there was a big, shocking surprise that I did NOT see coming! I Highly recommend! I read this book in 1 day, I couldn’t put it down!!! Also- I hope Charlotte gets a novella/short story! I love her!
*I received this book at no charge from the publisher and I voluntarily left a review.*
This story was worth the time it took to read it. I normally bypass stories about princesses and princes, but I read 2 good ones recently and this was one of them. The story starts out in Russia with the princess having to run away from a traitor, Vasili. Her maid had knocked him out with a vase when he tried to have his way with the princess. So they are destroying the crown jewels, eating them wrapped in bread to be obtained later, with some sewn into their hems. Smart women. The hero is a spymaster whose grandmama hires the princess who is trying to pass herself off as a normal person. This spymaster is oblivious to the fact that she eats, walks, talks, and has had the education of a princess. The hero is an arrogant man who tries to buy her for sex. He really thinks he is the best lover and it made me sick to read. What a jerk! This hero went overboard with how special he was in bed, but when they had sex, which I was very upset with, he didn't seem anymore special than any other man. Really. And of course she was going to think him the best, she never had sex before. The rest of the story was filled with more intrigue and action and danger. I think that I liked everything but the hero's attitude towards sex. So, I would give it 4.5 stars. I recommend reading it because it was a surprise as to how much I liked it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It started a right in with the action, which at first felt a little bit clunky to me, but I was quickly taken in by this story and could not put it down. Although this is the third book in the bow street series, you do not have to have read the previous two, and I am now looking forward to going back and reading them. I will definitely look for more books by Kate Bateman in the future!
The Princess and the Rogue was a romance novel that I throughly enjoyed. I loved the relationship development between our two main characters and how Anya was strong enough to make choices for herself that others would have said not to due to her societal status. I would definitely recommend this book to any that like romances with that historical element for sure.
Kate Bateman has released yet ANOTHER breathtaking story in her bow street bachelor's series.
I could not put this book down as there was intrigue, passion, and of course a HEA.
The banter between the two characters is so witty and charming, you can definitely tell where Kate is leading up to with the story from the beginning of their interactions but to see the story play out was so beautiful.
I can't wait for another book in this series to come out! It's like I'm hanging on by a thread until another one will be announced!
I loved this Bow Street series so much! When the chance to read and review Sebastien's story came available, I jumped on it! Thank you, St Martins, for letting me have the chance!
Sebastien and Anya's story was exactly what we needed to tie this series together. I am a historical fiction and fairy tale fan anyway, so a story with a princess in hiding and a gaming hell owner who helps protect her is nearly perfection. But one of my favorite things about Bateman's books is that the heroines don't NEED a savior. They are strong enough and determined enough to rescue them selves, but having help is always appreciated. You don't need to read these in order to enjoy them, but the three stories are just layered and fun enough that you should anyway.