The Princess and the Rogue is the kind of story that reminds me why I don't read a lot of regency romance. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad story, but the suspension of disbelief is way over the top. I don't expect a story like this to be completely realistic, most times any historical fiction isn't going to be. But this one is just way out there. I could overlook a lot of that if I like the characters, but in this one I liked half of our romantic couple. And that half was not the princess. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like everything about this princess rubbed me the wrong way. She makes poor choices - like not giving a protector all the information he needs - her living arrangements are ridiculous, and no matter how I tried, I could not get behind this pair as a couple. I did like Sebastian, but only half a couple doesn't do much for a romance. Maybe I was just too cynical for this particular romance, or maybe this one just wasn't for me all the way around. Kate Bateman has written other stories that I've liked, so I'm just gonna chalk this one up to lockdown grouchies and move on.

Such a fun story! I'm a big fan of historical fiction, and Bateman always delivers for me. Anya is such a fantastic and strong woman. She has been through so much in her past as a Russian princess. Because the world has deemed her dead, she is now able to hide in plain sight and have an absolute dream of a life. Unfortunately when her past comes back to haunt her, she has some new choices to make which fortunately for us involve a roguish rake.

i really love Kate Bateman';s writing and she can do no wrong in my book. She writes interesting historical romance full of intrigue and action. This book was so good.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

THE PRINCESS AND THE ROGUE by Kate Bateman is the third book in the Bow Street Bachelors Series. This is the story of Princess Anastasia Denisova and Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray. Sebastien is a Bow Street Runner and he starts to suspect something going on with 'Anna', Anastasia growing feelings for Sebastien along with her helping him with his case is bring her closer to the danger that lurks around her. There's all sorts of deliciousness in this book which you'll love if you love a bit of steamy HR. I am a huge fan of this author's writing so I do recommend this book.

4/5 stars

POV: Anya and Seb
Pacing: average
Steam: Good chemistry, open door scenes
Tropes: Mistaken identity, princess in disguise, forced proximity

<u>Overall</u>
I really enjoyed Sebastien Wolff, the Earl of Mowbray and Princess Anastasia's romance. The chemistry was good from the start. I've always loved women in disguise stories and how they end up unfolding or being discovered. The romance was steamy and I enjoyed it so much. The bits of mystery and action within the story kept the story going!

*Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Princess and the Rogue
Bow Street Bachelors #3
Kate Bateman
St. Martin’s Press, Dec 2020, 334 pages
Historical Romance, Regency
Provided by Pub via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the third book in this series, and it looks to me as if the printer is running out of ink for the covers. The backgrounds are getting decidedly vague. It makes the cover look only half-done. And as much attention as was shown to how this man took such care in his wardrobe and what he provided for her to wear, I think this cover should have been much better. I’m disappointed.

The last of the Unholy Trinity finally get hitched! She’s the Russian Royal Princess Anastasia Denisova AKA Anna Brown hiding out in London’s Covent Gardens district and Mayfair as companion to a Duchess. He’s a war hero, part-owner of a gambling hell, the Tricorn, and Bow Street Runner, Sebastian Wolff, Earl of Mowbray. These two would never meet, right? That’s what I wrote in GoodReads before I did my full review and I promised to explain. Well, here it is…

…they meet at Charlotte’s place and he offers her 500 for the night! She says no, of course. She’s dressed as a lowly companion, not as a princess, and yet, he’s totally taken with her. She’s quite affected by him, as well, but she won’t give in. She’s a respectable companion to a Dowager Duchess and she’s in hiding. So how do these two get to their HEA? Well, it’s quite a journey. They need 1 attempted kidnapping, 1 successful kidnapping, several rescues, a man back from the dead, 1 confused priest, a possible priest, a few superstitions and traditions, 2 tiaras, more sapphires and diamonds, Mickey, Charlotte, Elizaveta & Oliver, Ben & Georgie, Alex & Emmy, Dorothea, and a map pin. Oh, they need the villain, too, but I can’t tell you who that is. That would be giving everything away! Recommended.

I have enjoyed all of these books but this one read a bit slow for me. It took me longer to get into than what. would have liked but I did enjoy the story.

Anastasia is a princess-in-hiding in London who finds herself in danger when her past catches up to her. Sebastian, an earl, works as a Bow Street runner who ends up helping her. The sparks fly as they spend time together and soon an undeniable passion builds but when she is finally safe, will Sebastian finally be ready for love? Loved the dialogue and the action in this sexy historical romance!

I just love Kate Bateman's Bow Street Series!

This is a great ending to this series! I was excited to find out what Sebastien Wolf's HEA would be!

Bravo!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy to provide my sassy thoughts!

This is a cute princess in disguise regency-era historical romance! The h (Princess Anastasia Denisova) is trying to escape a dangerous situation, so she takes refuge with Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, for protection. But there is an attraction between the two that neither can deny or avoid... What will happen if they give into those flames of desire? And can the "Big Bad Wolff" keep her safe from the danger that threatens to take her from him?

I would recommend this read - I flew through the pages and enjoyed their banter and steam!

The Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors #3). By Kate Bateman. 2020. St. Martin’s Paperbacks (ARC eBook).

After Waterloo and the death of her brother, Russian princess, Anastasia Denisova fakes her death and flees to London to start a new life. Months go by as Anastasia, as Anna Brown, works as a companion to a dowager duchess. But when a suspected traitor to Russia, Count Vasili Petrov, arrives in London looking for a missing Russian princess, Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, learns that his great-aunt’s companion is none other than the princess. As Sebastien takes Anastasia under his protection and he and his fellow Bow Street Runner friends investigate, he and Anastasia fight, submit to and fight again the attraction between them.

This was the first book in the series I have read and overall it was decent but it just wasn’t a very memorable read for me. Despite being a Bow Street agent and having the heroes from the previous books as friends, cranky bachelor Sebastian did not really hold my attention. And it took way to long into the story before we really start getting into the investigation, but there are enjoyable moments and is a recommended read for those who like the royalty-in-disguise, bodyguard, forced proximity troupes.

When Sebastien Wolff crosses paths with Anya he knows that there is more to her story. But Anya knows that needs to be careful as no one can find out the truth about her past as she will always be looking over her shoulder.
But will Sebastian be happy just to get her into bed will that satisfy his need for her? Anya knows that she had to be careful else she will lose her heart.
A good read in the series.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This is the final book in the Bow Street Bachelors series. The heroes of this book series are war veterans. I liked their loyalty and their sense of humor and how supportive they're to each other. An enjoyable read. I highly recommend this series if readers are looking for great historical romances!

For my physical books I like YA Fantasy but for my kindle reads give me all the romances. My favorite trope is the damsel in distress and The Princess and The Rogue hit that spot. I’m a sucker for a dark handsome bachelor who has sworn off marriage and a secret princess.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

I must confess the title for some reason turned me off. When I finally started to read this book, I realized the old saying "never judge a book by its cover" really applies here. This story is fantastic, mesmerizing, suspenseful, dangerous, steamy and romantic. It is refreshing to read a story that is not all fluff and blissful. I really had the wrong impression of this book. From the very beginning there is drama, tension, fear, threats and an abundance of determination by the heroine to overcome all obstacles. From Russian to Paris to London Princess Anastasia ran from a man who was a traitor and was going to force her to marry him so she could not testify against him. Count Petrov eventually found out she was in London and had come with the delegation to London. When he tried to have her kidnapped her employer's grandnephew came to her rescue. In a grand scheme of matchmaking the Dowager put her nephew as security for Anya. Sebastian is the proverbial bachelor decidedly against marriage. After spending time with Anya, she moved him intellectually, emotionally and physically. He did not realize he was falling in love until it seemed too late. Petrov successfully abducted Anya and Seb had to rescue her. This is a simplistic review but the book is so much more. It is realistic and it was easy to relate to the characters. The personalities of all the characters were as diverse as one can get. It made for excellent dialogue and reading. It is a must read and I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

Danger, desire and deception are exquisitely intertwined in Kate Bateman’s latest spellbinding historical romance, The Princess and the Rogue.

Love is not on the agenda for Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray. While his two best friends are settling down and starting families with the women who have transformed their lives, Seb is perfectly happy being footloose and fancy free – and he has absolutely no plans whatsoever to change his current circumstances. Being single suits Seb down to the ground – until one night when he finds himself kissing a beautiful stranger in a brothel! One kiss is nowhere near enough for Seb and he vows to get to know this beautiful innocent better. His curiosity is further aroused when he realizes that Anna Brown is linked to an intrigue involving a missing Russian princess. Just who is this woman he simply cannot stop himself from thinking about? What secrets is Anna Brown keeping from him? A determined Seb vows to uncover every single detail about her – and luckily for him, fate seems keen to thrust the two of them in very close proximity again and again…

With a dangerous traitor hot on her trail, Princess Anastasia Denisova had no other option but to go into hiding in London as plain Anna Brown. She thought that she was doing a pretty good job of keeping a low profile, but Anya quickly realized that her new name couldn’t protect her from her ruthless enemies. In desperate need of protection, she turns to the handsome Earl of Mowbray for help. Only, it soon becomes abundantly clear that it is her heart that is going to end up needing protecting. Hiding in his gambling hell, Anya quickly begins to grow closer to Sebastien and as their feelings for one another intensify, she soon realizes that she is falling head over heels in love with her protector. But with so much standing in their way, can a princess ever marry a rogue? Or is Anya and Sebastien’s romance simply not meant to be?

Kate Bateman brings her Bow Street Runners series to a wonderful conclusion with a superb historical romance that sparkles with humor, intrigue and sensuality. The Princess and the Rogue is an atmospheric, engaging and dramatic Regency tale with a resourceful, intelligent and courageous heroine and a charismatic, sexy and swoon-worthy hero readers are going to love.

A must-read for fans of historical romance, Kate Bateman knocks it out of the park yet again with her latest novel, The Princess and the Rogue.

Russian Princess Anastasia Denislova is forced to leave Paris and go into hiding after her brother was reported dead in battle and a treacherous enemy tries to force her hand in marriage. She lands in London with her best friend, using the name Anna Brown. She befriends a brothel owner and regularly visits to help her learn to read. On one occasion, Sebastian (Seb) Wolff, Earl of Mowbray comes for a visit and mistakenly thinks Anna is one of the ladies of the evening. He’s immediately captivated and after a stolen kiss, cannot get her out of his head.

Seb is also a Bow Street agent and the last of his circle of friends still holding on to his bachelorhood. It was amusing to see him chafe at their domestication and commitment to their intriguing wives and try to deny his growing feelings for Anastasia/Anna, obvious to everyone else but him. She shared his feelings but found it too dangerous to reveal her true identity, the secret a real barrier between any potential relationship. I loved her independence, resourcefulness and determination to make the best of her situation. Anastasia was formidable in her own right, the perfect match for the stoic Seb.

I opted for the audio version and it was a wise choice as the narrator managed a very credible Russian accent for those characters and easily transitioned to English for the others. She made it easy for me to imagine Anastasia and others in her Russian sphere. There was also a bit of danger and suspense that made this a more intriguing story and the romance was perfectly developed. It was a fitting end for the most stubborn of the Bow Street bachelors and the series. I enjoyed everything about this and am a bit sorry to see it all end.

Oh how I loved this one! I love historical romances. There is something about reading them that really capture my heart. Bateman’s third installment to the Bow Street Bachelors was one such heart capturing read for me.

Getting to know Anya and Sebastien was a wonderful ride! They were both intriguing and absolutely amazing together. Turning the pages of their story, walking along side of them, feeling their emotions, was a fabulous ride, for sure!

Added to the wonderful characters is a touch of suspense and lots of passionate sparks flying off the pages. That made for great reading! I loved the style of writing Bateman uses and can’t wait to go back and read the first two in this series!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*