Unfortunately, this book didn't really work for me. I really like the premise and the set-up for this book, and the beginning was pretty funny and enjoyable. It wasn't anything super special or stand-out, but I was having a good time. The main character is bookish and is working on writing a dictionary and is perfectly content with her life as a wallflower in society, ready to take on spinsterhood after one more year in society. The hero is a carpenter and a Navy man that works for her family.

The two main characters were clearly very into each other from the first page and the whole "I hate him, but what is this stirring in my tummy?" and "I can't be with her because she's a duke's sister." shenanigans went on for way too long in my opinion. I completely skimmed the last two/three chapters of this book because I was just so tired of reading it, and I didn't want to DNF something so close to the end.

If the rest of this series following the friend group of the main character, there are a few that I would love to read from and I want to give Lenora Bell another shot because this is my first book from her.

This is my first Lenora Bell read but it will not be the last. The characters and the story plot were great.

This book is the kind of deep and involved story that sucks you in from the beginning. The hero and heroine met while the hero is doing renovations on her brother-the-Duke's property. They are at each other from the start because of the noise the renovations are causing while she went to the estate for peace and quiet to write a dictionary. She has to do much research and verify her sources so she can produce her dictionary of works, common and uncommon. She spies the hero stealing a kiss from a willing maid. Indeed, all the maids were atwitter about the virile and gorgeous carpenter. Her was on leave from his position as a ship's carpenter, when his father, the estate's carpenter needed help. So he jumps in, takes over the job so it can proceed at twice it's pace so he can back to his ship if he is called back early. He is attracted to the quite, not quite spinster from the start. He spent his younger years before the navy on the estate so he had seen her before. But she had always been in her room because she was born with a palsy that cause on eye to slightly droop and on side of her mouth to slightly turn up, so her face looked a little uneven. She had been to many doctors a child and because she over heard her parents talking, she felt like she was never good enough. One doctor suggested reading outloud to exercise her facial muscles, along with other exercises and that is where her love of words came from. The excercises helped somewhat, but she would never look perfect. And she was happy being a spinster so that she wouldn't have to be around people. She promised her mother one last season, so she is surprised when her unknown aunt (her aunt married beneath her and the heroine's father never forgave his sister) leaves her a little money and a book store. But the bookstore is shabby and she recalls the carpenter's quick work. She goes to the docks to look for him and offers him a salary that causes him to sell out and retire from the navy and work with her.
I like that they are of a similar age. I like that she had an aunt who showed that life can be happy if you marry out of your social class. You will have to work hard, but it is worth it. I like seeing books where the characters actually work and aren't party people. This book touched on so many family dysfunctions., but still the members loved and supported each other. I really felt that I was reading about real people and places in time. I appreciate that the characters were able to grow together as they realized their lives were more similar as they grew closer. Some characters never do that in books. There has to be more than lust. You have to appreciate your partner and their strengths, but more important, you have to find and acknowledge the strengths of your partner. I definitely recommend this book with 5 stars I enjoyed reading because of the good story, the way the author was able to place me in the story and the continuity. It made sense.

I really enjoyed this one! I've never read Lenora Bell before but I will be checking out more of her books. I loved Beatrice's nerdiness and how much Ford liked and supported that side of her. Also, it was so refreshing to read a book where the hero isn't a duke! Funny, sexy, and a charming escape.

At first I was worried this book was going to be too cutesy for me with its sesquipedalian ways, but it quickly won me over. I was really touched by the work that etymologist Beatrice was doing, the way she saw her work as a life's labor that would serve future language lovers. At first I didn't love Ford, the carpenter working on the Cornish Gothic mansion Beatrice is living in because he pushed her boundaries in a way I didn't love, but he won me over in the end.

There are so many fun details in this book--the London bookshop, the books within the book, the group of friends and their knitting league, it's all stuff that I find enormously charming.

I will eagerly be reading the others in this series!

A cute romance with a book smart wallflower and a carpenter. Was nice to read a historical where the hero wasn’t a part of the gentry.

Lady Beatrice, a wallflower, who with her other unconventional friends, is determined to avoid matrimony so she can retain autonomy and pursue intellectual endeavors. Stamford Wright is a roguish, stunningly handsome carpenter determined to make a name for himself and elevate himself in the Royal Navy. Clashing wills and dueling tongues turn into sensors kisses. But how can a working-class rogue fit into an aristocratic drawing-room? And can a bookish wallflower give up on her dreams for love?

Love is a Rogue is set in early Victorian England and is a fun historical romance complete with sexual tension. The enemies-to-lovers trope is used well. Bell’s writing style is airy, witty, and sexy. She creates delicate prose that culminates in provocatively steamy love scenes and perfectly captures the awkwardness of a bookish young woman experiencing sexual desire for the first time.

Beatrice is a bit socially inept, but lovable, as she interjects the origins of obscure words into her conversations. The reader will certainly learn some new vocabulary. Aside from being handsome, Stamford is also complex and has a devilish wit. The characters are wonderfully realized. From wallflowers to sailors to stuffy society matrons, each character has some depth and enhances the story.

The bickering between the characters is razor-sharp and fun. The passionate scenes are swoon-worthy. And the story is sweet and smart. A highly enjoyable historical romance that promises to turn into a wonderful series.

Eye Candy right outside your window and your human! Of course you are going to take peaks at someone who is bronze & a beefcake! Poor Beatrice who is a virgin all the way and has been a thorn in this mans side, but yet secretly has ogled him, but has convinced herself she is going to be a spinster.

However, Stamford has other ideas because he knows what is hidden underneath those spectacles! After one kiss, he definitely has decided that there is a volcano of pleasure waiting to erupt with his expert tutelage! He now has to get her to quit fighting him on it!

The author keeps the book lively and humorous and the characters are explosive!

I definitely would recommend this book!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Love Is a Rogue by Lenora Bell is not your typical historical romance. Loved the characters both the main characters that were very well developed through out the book and the secondary characters that added life and depth to the story. You'll be surprised by the twists and tuns and excited by wild attraction.

This was a lovely book. Light and funny and uplifting. Beatrice is a delightful wallflower learning to express her true self, and Ford is absolutely perfect: charming, sensible, and always admiring Beatrice exactly as she is. The perfect sort of book to make you smile when you most need it.

This was my first Lenora Bell and I adored everything about this story! It’s evident from page one that the characters are inspired by Gaston and The Beast from Beauty and The Beast, and I was all about a heroine inspired by The Beast!

Beatrice has palsy and can’t smile or look as perfect as society thinks the sister of a duke should. She’s bookish and a total wallflower when it comes to balls and society events (she quite literally hides behind plants to read instead). I loved her, she vowed never to marry and is a little skeptical/grumpy about love.

Ford is a delightfully swoony hero. He’s the carpenter working on her brothers mansion and he’s in the Royal Navy. The first scene with Ford and Beatrice together is EVERYTHING. Ford scales the wall of the mansion to crawl into her window, and the way Lenora Bell wrote the scene is delightful and funny. The chemistry between these two is perfection.

I loved that Beatrice was such an obvious feminist. She has a knitting group with her friends that they use as a cover to get together, and her friends are such joyful characters! I laughed so many times while reading this story, especially during scenes with the side characters. Lenora Bell has a real knack for writing detailed and engaging characters.

I loved this book so so much! I cannot wait for more from this series! 5 stars!

Love Is a Rogue ticked all the boxes for me. Smart? Tick. Witty? Tick. Sweet and lusty story? Tick.

Full of mental transformations from social expectations and perceptions during the course of the book and a happy ending :)

Lenora Bell writes superbly, dialog-driven stories that almost always feature a rather unconventional heroine and a swoon-worthy rogue, which is a combo that just happens to be one of my all-time faves!
After being introduced to Beatrice in the final installment of the “School for Dukes” series, I was thrilled to see her story as the launching pad for this new series. Pairing her off, with the most unlikely match possible, was a pure stroke of brilliance.
Stamford “Ford” Wright may be a simple carpenter for the Royal Navy, but he is 100% the perfect foil for Beatrice as they match wits, break down barriers and enjoy a heated flirtation that lights up every page.
Pair this spectacular match with a bevy of unforgettable characters from the previous series, an obnoxious villain or two and one seriously overbearing mother and you have a fabulous read that will grab hold of you and not let go until the final page is turned.

This was delightful! I had not read Lenora Bell before, but I will be seeking out her backlist after this. An excellently bookish and independent heroine struggles against her society-obsessed mother, all while trying to resist the hot, attentive carpenter that has appeared in her life. I loved Beatrice’s crew of bluestocking-wallflower friends, and I can’t wait to read what’s in store for them next. If you like witty, sexy, banter-y historical romance, definitely give Love Is a Rogue a read.

Beatrice Bentley wants to be left alone in Cornwall to work on her etymology dictionary. The renovations on the family home are loud and distracting, especially the head carpenter, Samford Wright. Ford is a carpenter for the navy filling in for his father until he leaves on his next ship. When back in London, the charming rogue with a twinkle in his eyes, volunteers his help on the renovations for the bookshop Beatrice inherited. These two are hot for each other, but the difference in class makes any hope of marriage hopeless. With a little help from family there might just be a solution to the problem. Several chuckles with big words and humorous situations. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was a heartwarming romance that addressed issues I don't always see mentioned in historical romance. Beatrice and Ford were a sweet couple to read and I enjoyed seeing their friendship and attraction turn into something deeper through the book. Although the plotline and characters of the story had a lot going on (I had trouble keeping track of the jobs of Beatrice's friends and the laws about the house she inherited), this was a sweet read. Will be recommending to anyone that loves a bookish heroine as well, because Beatrice fit that description perfectly!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this ebook. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own.

I'm being generous with the 3 star rating. I didn't love it, and almost didn't finish it. I'm not sure exactly what the issue was. I have read Lenora Bell's other works and enjoyed them, but found something missing here.

I really enjoyed this wrong side of the tracks historical romance. The author is obviously very talented and does her research. The heroine was just the right mix of quirky and confident, though it was clear the confidence/defiance was hard won. The hero was everything you want such a fella to be strong, sexy, protective and just a bit cocky.

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

“We women are so critical of ourselves. We’re too plump, or too thin. Too tall, or too short. Our hair is too curly, or too straight. We live in a society that rewards conformity to a strict set of physical standards and  an even more rigid set of rules for proper behaviour. We have these unpleasant thoughts running round and round in our minds. Wouldn’t it be revolutionary if we decided to love ourselves exactly the way we are?”

It is a truth universally known that, at some point in your childhood, you were in a supermarket and bored to death because your parents wouldn’t get their grocery list sorted out quicker. You then stumbled into the mass paperback section and found at least one, if not more, books with a half-naked man embracing a gorgeous woman in a flowy dress on the cover. What? That was just me? Oh. Okay, then.

Love is a Rogue was my first endeavour into historical romance, but it certainly won’t be my last. Lenora Bell takes us back to the 1830s in this one where a group of wallflowers have formed a secret society with goals that go against everything patriarchy expects of them. Lady Beatrice Bentley, called Beastly Beatrice by her foes, finds herself inheriting an old bookshop that would be perfect for the clandestine meetings for their society, if only her mother wasn’t so keen to sell the place. Enamoured with words and their origin, Beatrice is also working hard on creating an etymological dictionary that captures everything she loves about the written word.

The only thing standing in her way? A rogue named Stamford Wright who ticks her off like no other. When he’s not shamelessly flirting with every skirt he meets, he can be found nagging Beatrice and making her blush with all his sexual innuendos.

Thrown together by chance and circumstance, Beatrice and Wright soon find themselves entangled, not only in their business endeavours but also romantically. Too bad that giving in to temptation would go against every rule society has ever made about propriety. Which, of course, drives the two of them even closer together. Because what is sexier than a forbidden love affair?

This story swept me off my feet and transported me into a world of archaic rules that are impossible to adhere to, especially for women. I was in awe of how current most of these rules and codes of conduct seemed to be. Although this is set in the 1830s, the ideas that women are supposed to stay at home for the children, that women aren’t supposed to lead businesses or be able to own their own property still remain in some societies around the world. All the more praise thus goes to the women in this novel who find subversive ways to rebel against the patriarchy and reclaim their agency in their lives, whether that means forming a secret society that everyone thinks is a knitting circle, or falling for someone who is not of your station. This glimpse at how women reclaimed their power that was taken from them by marrying was fascinating. I also loved that there was no active rivalry between the ladies, but instead they encouraged each other’s ambitions. Beatrice’s friends support her in her effort to write her dictionary, and likewise Beatrice supports her friend who’s posing as a man to study law. Their friendships were effortlessly kind and heart-warming and it was such a reprieve from the usual cat fights.

Beatrice’s character will also appeal to all the bibliophiles in the world. You can often find her musing about the importance and sacredness of words, “Words are living things. They must be treated with respect. They’re born, they live and grow, and change, just as we do.” I loved how important books and words were to her and how she dedicated her whole life to making sure that the origins of them weren’t going to be lost over the years. Her mind was so fierce and stubborn and I adored her perspective.

Then we have Stamford Wright, the rogue and navy man that keeps on bugging her. With the steamy way Beatrice described him, I found myself in need of a fan because the chemistry between them just absolutely sizzled. This is for sure a hate-to-love romance because you simultaneously hate the toeing around each other while also wanting five hundred more scenes like that because it’s so entertaining watching them bicker and then unbiddenly thinking of the others’ lips. Beyond the chemistry, this book also had its humour going for it. There were multiple times where I couldn’t help but laugh out loud because Wright would fling a hideous hat into the street to Beatrice’s amusement and the scene where Wright is trying his hardest not to let Beatrice see how enamoured he is was making me tear up with laughter.

Basically, Love is a Rogue has it all with laughter, romance, and all the emotions. Whether this is your first venture into historical romance or you’re a long-time fan of Lenora Bell, this book will make your heart flutter!

I was really looking forward to this and wanted to love it but I just didn’t connect with the characters. For me, Beatrice came off as over the top and everything seems so drawn out and wordy. I know words were Beatrice’s thing, but sometimes it felt forced. I did like Ford and found him rather charming but I wasn’t feeling them together and I was missing that pull I wanted them to have. There was so much potential in their interactions but they fell flat and seemed drawn out at times. I am sorry to say this one was not for me.