When her tailor goes missing under questionable circumstances Scarlett is ready to jump on the case. What she isn’t ready for is dealing with the Duke of Aylesford, but fate has other plans. They start to unravel this mystery together, putting themselves in bodily danger, and risking their hearts as well.


I loved Scarlett’s character, though I did not think she was as young as she was when it was later revealed, and I don’t think we are ever told how old Ambrose was. Also, I didn’t really like how in the resolution of the mystery they seemed to gloss over a relatively important part of what they revealed, regarding what started it all in the first place. I also really enjoyed Ambrose’s character and what made him tick.


Overall, this was a quick read and I am excited to see what the rest of the series has in store for us!

Thank you for the opportunity to review!

This book was a nice, fun, light read. I enjoyed the relationship between the main characters and the give-and-take in their coming to terms with each other.

The premise of the book is an interesting one, that could have been taken care way better than they did...
Is a love story that could have been way better if they author take the route of explore them more.

The author had two possible good stories and somehow it lost and I didn't know how the story would result out of it.

We have this feminist side of the story when she is the heroine + how her story tangles with the lead man and the story that leads to them meeting which is kind of a mystery and I feel that neither of them was properly written which is not a totally bad thing but ofc it could been worked on.


I recommend the story for those who are into historical romance, because the issues I had with the book are things that are very historical, so if you don't have any problem separating from our period of time and the period it supposed it takes place you should give it a chance

While Anabelle Bryant’s new series, the Maidens of Mayhem, starts off a bit short of mayhem, it still has likable characters involved in a sweet romance. Scarlett is a alley rat turned defender of women. Ambrose is a stiff-rumped duke whose biggest problems seem to be how to keep his younger brother in line. They both become involved in a hunt for a young prostitute who has disappeared from both her night job and her day job as a seamstress.

It won’t come as a surprise that Scarlett and Ambrose fall in love, and manage to overcome their differences to win their happily ever after.

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

Scarlett Wynn and Ambrose Cross operate in two very different spheres of life. Scarlett, the illegitimate daughter of a prostitute, roams the streets at night having vowed to protect low-born women like herself from succumbing to early, violent deaths as her mother had. Ambrose is a duke, and struggling to reign in his younger brother and uphold the honor and legacy of his father and all those who came before him.

What brings them together in a dark brothel is a missing girl.

When Scarlett's seamstress and friend disappears, she learns of the girl's other job at a brothel--the one Ambrose's brother happens to frequent. Ambrose's brother swears he heard something he shouldn't have, of something violent happening to cause a girl to suddenly disappear. Ambrose reluctantly agrees to look into the matter, crossing paths with Scarlett, learning she is looking for the same girl and an explanation as to why she and other girls have been disappearing. Teaming up to navigate both high society and the gutters of London, Scarlett and Ambrose search for answers, risking their lives, reputations, and their hearts.

The mystery is intriguing and the romance between the two leads has you rooting for them (though wanting to soundly smack both protagonists for various missteps at certain times), but I found it a little lackluster in places. Namely, the vagueness of Scarlett's backstory; it gets alluded to a lot, and clearly has impacted her in many ways, but it never felt the story was completely there--which is important because it ends up playing a role in how Scarlett interacts with Ambrose.

Sadly I had to DNF this book after about 35%. The storyline seemed stilted, forced and predictable while the romance was just completely boring. I didn't like either main character enough to engage. I wish I could have enjoyed it, I tried. But I just couldn't. #netgalley #duchessifyoudare

Oh boy, where do I start. The cover and blurb grabbed my attention right away! Beautiful and engaging cover art and the blurb definitely grabbed my interest. Then I started the book and I just couldn’t engage with the characters or the story. I need a lot more depth and actual feminism from a story like this then this one provided. If you’re going to have a gang of girls fighting crime and injustice then you have to do it right. If you’re going to tackle sexual slavery & trafficking and sex work during the 1800s then I need it to be handed tactfully and sensitively. And I can’t stand Insta-love. I do t want to be told that they fell in love, I want to FEEL them fall in love. This one wasn’t for me.

Historical romance with a mystery in between. We have a strong heroine and a reluctant duke work together to solve a mystery of missing women, with some romance in between. This started out really strong. I wanted to know more about the mystery and see how these opposites worked together to solve the mystery. Suddenly the story started to move a little too fast. The hero and heroine had a few scenes together and were deciding they were in love. I think there needed to be more time together to build up some tension. I would have liked to know more about the group Maidens of Mayhem that Scarlett is apart of. it felt like a back burner topic. The mystery was interesting but the ending to for it felt rushed and wrapped up a little too nicely. The original missing girl gets one sentence explanation that Scarlett is not even apart of.. There is a little tension that enjoyed in the beginning and it does have a decent sex scene that is not too graphic. Great kissing scenes. One thing that bothered me was I do not think Scarlett ever actually told the Duke about her past unless it was glossed over. Overall it is okay but I think it needed more.

I loved this book. It was a really good surprise.
Scarlett is a smart woman who knows the unsavory parts of London, lurking in the night protecting innocents. Ambrose, the Duke of Aylesford, lived his entire life according to society rules. But now, in order to help his brother, finds himself involve in a mystery surrounding a brothel. As they join forces to rescue some missing girls, passion and love is going to find a way to their hearts.
What I like most about this book is that the main characters are strong and compelling, the history is well developed and engaging and the sexy times are really good!!
I haven't read anything from this author before, but I will definitely be looking for some of her books now!
I received an ARC of this book and all the options are my own

I found this story to be interesting in that this couple definitely came from different backgrounds, yet had the same kind, protective heart. Scarlett was straightforward and honest, though she did keep her secrets. Ambrose had been so wrapped up in his ducal duties that he did not realize how things were in the world around him. With danger dogging their feet, neither Scarlett nor Ambrose backed down from finding out the truth. I loved the heat between them as well as the intelligent and revealing conversations between them. A bit of a slow start, but once it got going, I really enjoyed this ride into the world of the Maidens of Mayhem and look forward to the next one.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

A steamy regency romance with a kick of female badassery, Duchess If You Dare by Annabelle Bryant brings two of my favorite genres together. 

I really like the premise of this story - a secret female society, The Maidens of Mayhem, seek to bring justice to wrongly treated women. In her search for a missing woman, Scarlett crosses paths with the Duke of Aylesford, trying to solve a related mystery. As the two dig deeper into London's dark secrets, they unexpectedly find solace in each other. Buy society dictates a duke and a commoner can't wed... or can they? 

This was a fast and fun read. It's fun to indulge in the forbidden love trope between a duty-bound duke and a headstrong commoner. There was just enough thrills and romance to keep the reader flipping pages. I can't wait to read the next book in The Maidens of Mayhem series!

Scarlett Wynn is part of a group of 4 women who call themselves the Maidens of Mayhem. Scarlett goes out at night dressed in men’s clothing and a black cape. These young women are fighting to right the wrongs of London and to fight for women’s rights.

A young woman named Linie makes the special garments for Scarlett. When she goes to pickup some from her, she is not home as she should be. A neighbor says she also works at The Scarlett Rose, a brothel, to make enough money to live. Concerned, Scarlett heads out to the brothel to see if she can rescue her friend.

Ambrose Cross, fourth Duke of Aylesford, works hard to keep his family holdings going. He has become fed up with his younger brother, Martin, who spends his time and enormous amounts of money on gambling, women and drinking. When Martin approaches Ambrose for yet another large amount of money, Ambrose refuses and tells him that he will now have to work overseeing some of the family land and must live on a budget equal to a third of what he has previously been given. Later, Amrose goes to find Martin and learns that he is at The Scarlett Rose so he heads there looking for him.

It is inevitable that Ambrose and Scarlett will meet up. Scarlett is intent on roaming the streets at night in search of women in peril to rescue. Ambrose is taken with Scarlett and the bravery that she shows.

I did not care for this book. Way too much of this trope being written of women who want to take on a masculine role. I prefer historical romance novels that display true events and manners of the time period. Women did not do this sort of thing and it has become quite boring. I want to read a “real” historical romance. Sorry, this was not my cup of tea.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This historical romance had all the ingredients I needed and then some. A feisty, independent, altruistic woman and a handsome grumpish Duke. A slow burn and steamy conclusion. A very worrisome plot by a number of men with the bawdy house women who have gone missing, ugh some men are the worst. 

I read this one very fast and I definitely recommend, I couldn't put it down. I just loved the attraction and magnetism these two had towards eachother. I also loved that she was the bad ass fighter in this pair. 

Scarlett is part of The Maidens of Mayhem with a interesting collection of women across the spectrum of society. I can't wait to read the next in this series! 

Thank you Net Galley and Kensington Books for my e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I love a girl-gang fighting for justice historical romance, and on first glance, Duchess if You Dare was that. But the first book in the Maidens of Mayhem series fell a little flat for me on this front.

Scarlett Wynn, is searching London for a disappeared seamstress, when she crosses the path of Ambrose Cross, the Duke of Aylesford, in a brothel. The Duke is also trying to solve a mystery, and they join together, both by convenience and instant attraction. Of course, the mysteries turn out to be tangled together,...as do Scarlett and Ambrose, since obviously, they are unable to resist each other.

I had a hard time getting into this story. Their chemistry felt a little forced at times, the writing was fairly repetitive, and therefore the characters not very developed. I would've also appreciated more insight into the premise of the series - there's not much time spent with the Maidens of Mayhem at all, and I think it would've been fun to develop that side of the story more.

Thank you for Netgalley for supplying me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review

What a wonderful example of a historical romance that shows two characters who persevere and make it through adversity! The heroine was such a strong-willed woman, and the hero has such a soft spot for the heroine. I love romances that deal with tough subject matters, and Bryant doesn't disappoint in this novel. Good job, Ms. Bryant!

I found this book to be well-written; the author is very good at setting the scene and describing enough of the environment that the reader can visualize what is going on within the story. I did also, for the most part, like the main characters.

However, this was not my favorite book of the year. The description of the book, in my opinion, does not accurately reflect what happens within. I was intrigued by the idea of a vigilante group of regency London women who work together to protect the weak and desperate. However, we don't ever really see the women act as a team. The main lead, Scarlett, is the only one we ever really see do anything. I was expecting more teamwork, less rogue investigator.

Scarlett also comes off as rather judgmental of the women who get caught up in the sex-trafficking ring, which was just off-putting. There were moments that, to me, approached victim blaming. And, in the end, the mystery aspect just fades away, and the story just ends. And while, as I said above, I liked the main characters individually, their chemistry didn't really exist with each other, beyond possibly a one night stand.

Anabelle Bryant is a new to me author, I was attracted to the book when I saw the beautiful cover and read the synopsis. I love a new historical romance series, and being called the 'The Maidens of Mayhem' I think I was expecting an exciting fun filled romance but this didn't really hit the spot for me.

Being from the UK, I love stories set in London, the dangerous streets come to live after dark in regency London, so I had high expectations for this female version of what reminded me of Robin Hood. Scarlett born on the tough London streets grew up with nothing and spends her life trying to save other women from a fate sometimes worse than death. Unfortunately, I found her MC to be quite boring and bland, I don't feel I actually got to know her throughout the book so couldn't form a connection with her at all. Having said this I thought maybe a forbidden romance with a Duke might help the story along but no, the romance didn't work either for me.
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I won't be rushing to read the next door in the series, however beautiful the cover.

Thank you to Netgalley and Zebra publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating scale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Absolutely loved it! Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling or made me cry. And took me on an emotional rollercoaster.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Really liked it. Will read more by the author and other books in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - It was just okay, didn’t move me, but don’t feel like I wasted me time reading it either.
⭐️⭐️ - Didn’t like this book and probably won’t read other in the series.
⭐️ - I did not care for this book at all and feel like I wasted my time reading it

I really like the premise of this series about the Maidens of Mayhem, four Regency-era women doing their best to right wrongs in London. In this first book, Scarlett Wynn is looking for a missing friend when she runs into the Duke of Aylesford… in a brothel, searching for the same woman on behalf of his brother, whose mistress the missing woman was. Soon the pair of them are running all over London together, from society balls to the dangerous streets of Seven Dials, falling in love along the way.

Human trafficking is a pretty tough subplot to build a romance around, to be honest, but Bryant does a fair job of it here and things hold together reasonably logically. The plot hole for me is exactly what Scarlett was doing before she got involved in the trafficking mystery, as we never really did get an answer as to exactly why she was running around the streets in trousers and with knives up her sleeve. Was she doing something in particular? We were never told, so it looked like she was basically out there looking for trouble to get into… which seemed reckless, and Scarlett wasn’t reckless. She stumbled into the trafficking case, and it seemed pointless; for me I’d have had a friend or relative of the missing woman approach the Maidens to ask for help, and for Scarlett to take the case. It sets up the rest entirely naturally without leaving the gaping plot hole of what was she doing in the first place.

There’s some intriguing social commentary here as the Duke realises his privileged position and eventually decides he has to take steps and use his influence to make a difference. I’d have liked to see his brother Martin get more involved, as Martin did seem to have a conscience, just needed a purpose. Ambrose didn’t seem to have any awareness that he had created the problem of Martin’s wasteful lifestyle by not giving his brother any meaningful role to play, and I’d have liked to see that resolved, but possibly Martin will get a role to play in a future book in the series.

The enormous social gulf between Scarlett and Ambrose was never really addressed - yes, there was a small amount of angst, but eventually they both decided that love conquers all and handwaved away the problem. Honestly, there were things that would have been obvious that weren’t mentioned - Scarlett’s speech would have marked her as someone who grew up in a Southwark tenement (has the author never seen My Fair Lady?) but it’s never mentioned, either that she doesn’t speak like one of the ton, or acknowledged by Scarlett herself that she has learned to mimic their speech in order to fit in.

I’m being a bit nit-picky here, because overall this is a really solid story and I liked the romance part of it, but there were several areas where it juuuuust missed the mark and which I found a bit disappointing. I will definitely be looking for more books in the series though because I very much like the premise. I’ll give this four stars.

I LOVED Duchess if you Dare by Anabelle Bryant. A first in a new series called Maidens of Mayhem. This was my first read of Bryant's work. I loved how the mystery and romance slowly build to a fast paced ending.
This book gave me all the feels of Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series and Sarah Maclean's Bare Knuckle Bastards. I love any historical that mixes up class like this one! Commoner and a Duke!

Scarlett is the best part of this book for me. A child from the streets who is now akin to a vigilante of the London streets. Searching for a missing friend has her crossing paths with a Duke. Scarlett is strong willed and reliant. Scarlett saves the Duke from being killed by thugs. She has been befriended by a group of woman who have named themselves The Maidens of Mayhem. Though she is a part of this group, the group is held back a bit in this book. It works for Scarlett's character and the choices she makes throughout the story. I'm also hoping the Duke's brother, Martin, pops up in some of the next books! He was a humorous character and offset his brother Ambrose beautifully. I'm looking forward to reading more about the group and the other women in the next books!

#AnabelleBryant #DuchessIfYouDare #NetGalley

This was a well-written, entertaining book. Scarlett discovers a seamstress she has been working with has disappeared and, concerned, searches for her. She encounters Ambrose, who is working on solving a mystery too. They join forces to search for clues, while they explore their mutual attraction, and each learn a different point of view from the other. The book was fast-paced and held my interest. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.