Duchess If You Dare is the first adult historical romance book I’ve ever read and... let’s just say it made me not want to read this genre ever again. My main problem with this book was the main character. She was so unnecessarily annoying and so “I’m not like other girls... I solved a mystery!” The other characters were bland and boring. The writing style was also throwing me off. Would likely not read from this author again.

Duchess If You Dare begins with a heavy dose of I'm-not-like-other-girls that signals the discontent readers will feel as they continue on.

Like many authors, Bryant attempts to catch the reader's interest by pushing unanswered questions. However, instead of creating an excited curiosity, I felt almost annoyed—the author was trying to pull me in by doing all the pushing and telling, and failed to engage me. I felt detached from rather than drawn into Scarlett and Ambrose's adventure.

This was further emphasized by the over-theatrics of Scarlett's "undercover" (for a girl trying not to catch attention, she sure isn't concerned about anonymity) life. The story begins with a physical attack which seems to lead nowhere and serves no purpose except to tell the reader, "I can fight!" Bryant will throw in dramatic choreography (sliding down the roof tiles and shimmying to the ground) that feels unnecessary.

Furthermore, reading about Scarlett's investigations felt like watching a B-grade crime show, where all the witnesses are all too willing to share one very specific and relevant clue they happen to know with a complete stranger. The very particular and situationally unnecessary description Scarlett and Ambrose overhear about a ruby ring is one of the first disappointing, over-orchestrated moments.

While I am meant to trust Scarlett as some sort of crime-stopping expert, her investigation methods seem immature and unlikely.

Additionally, the author's attempts at witty wordplay fall flat, the style is tell-don't show, and for the life of me I cannot understand why a girl who talks about how handsomely she pays for her clothes would toss away her cloak and skirt to outrace a non-existent pursuer.

Ambrose, the Duke of Aylesford, takes his duties very seriously and has never had a scandal attached to his name, but when his brother Martin becomes involved in a potential scandal at a brothel, Ambrose feels he has no choice in fixing the problem. He throws money at it although this time money doesn't solve it. While investigating the madam of the brothel, he runs into Scarlett Wynn, an intriguing young woman who ends up saving his life from thugs who were bent on killing him. It was a fleeting encounter, but when they cross paths again, Ambrose cannot keep thoughts of her out of his mind. Scarlett is running her own investigation trying to find her seamstress friend who moonlights at the brothel. Can these two meet halfway to solve the mystery?

I wanted to like this book and though the beginning was a little slow, it was necessary to set up the mystery of why the brothel girls were disappearing. Scarlett belongs to a small group of women, the Maidens of Mayhem, who are trying to right wrongs against women one case at a time. I was looking forward to seeing them in action, but aside from a few meetings, the Maidens have no active role in the book. Scarlett is determined to find her friend Linie and the conclusion of this arc was most unsatisfying. There was one sentence about her and that's it. Without any spoilers I was most disappointed that the main villain's conclusion had no effect rippling effect on anything else. After most of the book kept mentioning these two characters throughout, the ending hardly mentions them at all.

I don't enjoy giving bad reviews, but this storyline could have been so much better with a little more fleshing out of the different character arcs. Where is the justice?

I have come to the conclusion that Regency novels are not for me, since this is my third one and I didn't really enjoy any of them, so keep in mind that this is only my personal opinion if you want to give this one a try, probably, if you're into this genre, you'll like it perfectly well.
To me the story was a bit far fatched, the characters felt flat and the investigation part seemed to be almost too coincidental.
I think the romance part was better developed and less disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm disappointed because the premise of this book is so interesting and made me feel excited reading, however, the execution is so bland and mediocre for my taste. There's no chemistry between the main characters and I can't see the connection between the two for me to root for them. The resolution is not that all satisfying and made me want for more. This book just didn't deliver what I expected and wanted from it.

This should be my catnip: feisty single lady bands together with her friends to make the world a better place for all the other single ladies; starchy upright duke falls for her and makes her fight his own. But I didn't buy it, could not lose myself in the story.

Scarlett is too invincible to be believed, yet also too slow to figure out what's going on. The Duke spends one night wandering the slums, is set upon by brigands, and decides to devote his social capital to improving the lives of England's poor...?

And. so. many. words. It reads as though the author doesn't trust the reader. We are constantly reminded of the traumatic events of her heroine's young life, her "rosemary and mint" scent (at least it wasn't vanilla!), etc. Dialogue between the characters is always followed by an explanation of what the dialogue means, what experiences from the past prompted the character to say the thing they did, ad nauseum.

Also (spoiler-ish), apparently one side character is aiding and abetting the dastardly goings-on, but there are no repercussions for her, and, in fact the book ends with her family member striking it rich. Why? It would've been easy to write her as an innocent victim, and then the particular method of striking it rich would've felt very karmic.

Scarlett and Ambrose's journey is packed with all the fire and excitement you could want! We have two stubborn people who come from different worlds and chemistry off the charts. I love a strong woman who will kick some ass to save their man. This book was packed with action, so when the last few chapters came along I was looking for blood (and justice, but mostly blood) but it was a bit soft for me. (I could.be just blood thirsty though)

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read Duchess If You Dare early in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, I did not enjoy this book. As always, this is my opinion and others may like the book far more than I did, so please give it a chance if the synopsis appeals to you! I found the premise and the characters to be more unrealistic than is usual of romance novels. The resolution was not satisfying and loose ends weren’t really tied up in a way that made sense. I wanted to like it... but it just didn’t deliver for me.

Scarlett Wynn has lived a difficult life. On her own from a young age since her mother's tragic death, Scarlett has embraced a life of fighting for the marginalized and abused. When her seamstress goes missing, it leads Scarlett into the underbelly of prostitution. Ambrose, Duke of Aylesford is unwittingly brought into the same investigation when his brother Martin tells him women at house he frequents are being mistreated and disappearing. Scarlett and Ambrose find themselves as unlikely allies and partners, but it's their intense attraction that may be Scarlett's biggest undoing.

This is the first book in Annabelle Bryant's new series, Maidens of Mayhem. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I thought Scarlett and Ambrose had a great chemistry. I'm looking forward to learning more about the three other Maidens of Mayhem we met in this book: Julia, Diana, and Phoebe.

*I was provided with a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington, for my honest review.

A man whose life is ruled by duty. A woman who is a Maiden of Mayhem, fighting to right women’s wrongs in Regency London. A bumpy road indeed.

Scarlett and Ambrose make a great couple. She knocks him off his high horse and loosens him up a bit. He opens her up to love. They create sparks but there are obstacles in the way, and some of that is in the plot and characterization.

Scarlett is someone that the modern reader can identify with. She saves the duke when he enters into the bad parts of London where he is sure he can take care of himself (I love that). She proves over and over again that she can do things he thinks she can’t. The only problem is it just isn’t realistic that she could get away with it as often as she does. I don’t buy that she would be able to be so easily accepted into a ton event when people were so conscious of the background of everyone even with a friend who has a title.

That leads to the group the Maidens of Mayhem. The group needs to be better developed to be a carryover throughout the series. Bryant doesn’t really explain how they help each other. It needs more substance.

The ending is a bit flat. The big scene is only described later as to how it comes about. People escape justice.

I enjoyed the book and it had a happy ending. It just didn’t quite live up to the promise.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Duchess If You Dare has a strong female protagonist, which is not normally associated with the time period. The characterization of the major players in the story was well done. The role of a Duke was described and most readers probably have a scant background in that regard. The plot itself keeps readers guessing, especially with the four Maidens of Mayhem behind the scenes.

I wanted to like this. I really did. But it just fell flat for me. While I think the story is interesting and had potential, I found that the characters fell a bit flat, and the story felt a bit jagged. I had hoped for there to be more dimension and discussion about Linie, since she plays such a big role yet it seems to be in name only. Additionally, some of the plot points involving the investigation seemed to be very coincidental and too-perfect, almost as if they were miraculously handed to the characters rather than built up for suspense. Additionally, the main problem of the novel, and the reason why Scarlett began the investigation was not probed on a deeper level. The problem was bad, and dastardly, and evil, yet it was just brushed aside as another plot point, when I think it should have been given more attention. The villains in the story could have also used some more development and integration.

On to the romantic parts, I do think those were written well. The story is a duke/commoner trope, one of the first I've read with that trope. However, I think some of the dialogue between the characters could have been a bit more polished and deep, since it seemed like one character would say something deep while the other would take it at surface level or change the topic. I want to make it clear that I do enjoy romance novels. I actively seek them out, and find great joy in reading them. This one just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Duchess If You Dare by Anabelle Bryant is the first in the Maidens of Mayhem series. To be released next month, it is a new addition to the genre of Regency Romance adventure. It involves a sex-drenched plot in a nominally Regency setting. The setting permits the novel to have a duke (Aylesford) for a male protagonist which in turn creates the main obstacle to the relationship: dukes can’t marry commoners. (Although as the duke himself points out often, “I am Aylesford. I do what I want.”)

The female protagonist is no ordinary commoner. Scarlet Wynn is the illegitimate daughter of a prostitute who died a violent death at the hands of her client. Scarlet is also a superhero crime fighter, a member of the Maidens of Mayhem, a group of four women dedicated to protecting the downtrodden women of London’s stews.

The plot hinges on the disappearance of a young seamstress/part-time brothel worker, Linie. Linie designed and sewed Scarlet’s unusual outfits: trousers, split skirts, disposable cloaks, and lots of pockets for hiding knives. Scarlet is determined to find her. Linie was also the special favorite of Aylesford’s good-for-nothing younger brother. The brother is concerned by her disappearance. So Aylesford takes on the challenge of trying to determine what happened to the girl.

Aylesford is largely ineffectual. He believes he can solve the problem by throwing his ducal weight around, but that gets him nowhere. Meanwhile, Scarlet haunts the seamy underbelly of London looking for clues. Their paths keep crossing. Realizing they can help one another, but mostly drawn to each other by uncontrollable desire, they join forces. However, they make little progress, partly because every time they get together to discuss the case, they end up making out. The sex scenes become lengthier and more intense and the plot takes a back seat until the mystery is largely solved by someone else.

The novel does give a nod to the inequities of the political/economic system and plight of women in Regency England. And it does have a super-strong female lead who has no need of a man to fight her very literal battles, but only needs a man to love. Unfortunately, for me, the relationship between the two was unconvincing and focused so much on sex that I couldn’t have finished the book without skimming.

Scarlett is an independent and strong pants wearing woman who is trying to help the women of her time. She gets caught up in a mystery of a missing girl and ends up repeatedly running into Ambrose during her investigation. Little does Scarlett know is that Ambrose is in the midst of his own mystery. The chemistry between the two is fantastic and the banter in the beginning was fun but the book went off the rails for me a bit along the way. I feel like we didn’t get any real information on the Madiens of Mayhem- was hoping for some wonderful girl friends out fighting against society but we got nothing but find love and move on. Plus Ambrose kept telling Scarlett what she can/can’t do and she was ok with that! Expected more independent thinking and of course more with the madiens. Lastly the mystery with daisy....Scarlett never talks about how the entire book she’s searching for her and there’s no confrontation or resolution. Just a mention like it wasn’t the entire reason Scarlett met Ambrose! So I loved the ideas behind this book but ultimately it fell flat for me.

I loved the premise of this but somehow the execution just didn't work for me as much as I would have liked. I thought the entire plot of "where is my missing friend" was a real downer. It just seemed like a pretext for the author to get them together bc once they are together, she completely drops the whole thing and then at the end, it was like "whoops here's what happened." Not a successful marriage of romance and mystery.

Absolutely loved this book. The characters grabbed me right away, the story dragged me along, and the scenery put me in each scene. A perfect book to take a break from life with.

I really liked the first half and the writing can be good.

I think it felt like a lot of early interactions between the hero and heroine were cut, but simultaneously lots of repeated internal monologues about how they couldn't ever be together weren't cut.

If you are interested in a badass heroine that you truly don't want to marry the duke because she should be using her knife skills to keep the streets safe, this is the book for you.

I also struggled with the depictions of sex work in the book. Obviously many historical romances romanticize sex work, but this one really leaned in to the belief that women were forced into it, completely victimized and impoverished, and needing to be saved by benevolent law makers like the duke (whose saviour complex involved both Scarlett and the hapless sex workers).

At the end, the duke refers to sex workers as "women of easy virtue." And I think that's the problem - that in the text they're seen as both having no choice, but, really having *some* choice and that choice to enter sex work does in fact render them morally suspect. There are no complex or nuanced sex workers, and the two we know best are heinously evil; and the heroine's mom is murdered... And even then, the vibe is that she put herself in that position.

Equating being a mistress to sex work added to this effect, as does the emphasis on Scarlett's innocence and choice to leave her vigilante group in favour of marriage to "lead by example" and influence her husband's politicking.

I'm sure someone will be able to articulate this better than I can, but trying to center a book around sex work today really requires a light touch when it comes to moralizing about it. Sex work is work, and unlike the main character says, the basis of those relationships isn't sex, it its economic.

I received the epub ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 | 🌶🌶🌶/5

Thank you so much to Kensington for sending me this DRC via NetGalley! My review below is honest as always.

This book was a solid mystery with a compelling romance. Both plots seemed pretty reasonable and I had a solid grasp of each. Scarlett is a vigilante sort, working as part of the Maiden’s of Mayhem. Ambrose is a Duke and suffers from major first-born-son syndrome—aka a very heightened sense of responsibility, propriety, and dedication to his duchy. The two are initially at odds, but when both realize they’re intent on solving the same mystery, they’re forced into close proximity. ~wink wink~

I enjoyed Scarlett and Ambrose’s relationship and liked how it was coupled with the mystery. I’d have liked at least one more spicy scene, because I was invested in their chemistry and wanted more. That being said, I got tired of the relentless need for the two to be constantly at odds about their feelings. I think the denial happened one too many times for me to buy the sudden shift at the end. I just got annoyed at the tenth mention of it “only being one night” or “it will hurt to say goodbye but I must.”

I would also like to learn more about the Maiden’s of Mayhem and the individual characters. I think the story would have been enhanced by a deeper dive into their personalities so the reader could feel more connected to the world as a whole.

I did hope the sequel would have a character from this first book, but from the teaser chapter it doesn’t seem like either MC was in book one. There was a friend (Townshend) with a broken engagement who was intriguing and I’d totally sign up for a Martin book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and read it in a few sittings! I liked Ambrose and Martin’s relationship growth, and I appreciated Scarlett’s bold character. I will hopefully be approved again for book two when it hits NetGalley! I look forward to hearing more about this series and reading more from this author.

**spoilers below please take caution**

Linie’s ending was so vague. Should’ve she be held accountable? Was she the woman that Welle’s was with at the end scene or was that another woman? I would say maybe she comes back in book two but after reading the teaser chapter, I doubt it.

I also don’t quite know why it faded to black when Scarlett clobbered Howell with the lantern. The abrupt stop just severed the tension and confused me. I wanted to see her be badass! I was happy she saved herself, rather than have Ambrose do it.

I would also have liked for the series to take a different turn and have Ambrose and Scarlett turn into a crime fighting duo and track down the women sold through the trafficking ring. I dunno it just made me sad to think that none of them were saved.

I wanted the last few paragraphs to be from Scarlett’s point of view. We got Ambrose’s but I’m more invested in how Scarlett is faring! Hopefully she makes a cameo in book two. Willie was good, but still, more Scarlett!

**TW: Sex Trafficking**

I’m hooked on books that regency theme. My new obsession to read these kinds of books. I was very entranced by this book. Liked it very much

This is unfortunately a book where the cover and book blurb over promised on a story that under delivered. That being said I did finish the book and I even enjoyed parts of it.
Scarlett is a fabulous character. She is a strong woman who fights for justice and rises above her own difficult history to fight for the poor and under trodden people of London. She has banded together with fellow like minded women to form the maidens of mayhem. What a glorious role model she is for modern feminism.
The Duke however is another story. He's toplofty and arrogant and while I suppose readers will say that he finally learned from his arrogance in reality he is so full of being the top peer in the land that he does imagine that unscrupulous people could actually do away with him because he's in their way. For a sophisticated man about town that seems to be a bit of a naïve attitude and does not really ring true.
Clearly Scarlett and her duke cross paths on a similar errand and a story develops of disappearing prostitutes but other than a lot of threats, some fights and some cloak and dagger stuff and a lot of angst from the duke about falling in love with a woman who can't be his duchess the story did not sweep me in and keep me hooked.