I'm a quarter of the way into this book and unsure whether I'm going to continue. The book has no sense of direction because it's unclear what the story problem is. Emily Sullivan is a talented debut author who deserved better editorial direction than this from a Big 5 publisher. I hope the problems have been fixed in the published version.

A Rogue to Remember is the first book in the League of Scoundrels series by Emily Sullivan. A captivating and delightful historical romance. A story full of intrigue and adventure. I will be looking forward to the next book in this series!

This historical romance début from Emily Sullivan shows promise, but despite its good points (likeable characters with great chemistry and well-written love scenes) the book is ultimately derailed by a lack of focus and clear direction, uneven pacing, nonsensical plot points and some poor editing.  That the author’s ability to actually write shines through is what earns A Rogue to Remember book a (very) cautious recommendation – she’s worth checking out, because if those problems can be eliminated, then she could very well become an author to watch.

At twenty-four, Lottie Carlisle has had enough of London Seasons and the marriage mart.  After causing a scandal when she publicly rejected the suitor her uncle favoured (the heir to an almost bankrupt earldom who wanted her fortune), she decided enough was enough and set out to ruin her reputation so as to put herself beyond the pale.  Sent out of the country on a trip to Italy with a battleaxe of a chaperone – and also with a warning from her uncle that she’ll be married to a man of his choosing before the year is out - she gives the chaperone the slip and leaves behind a note saying (or strongly implying) that she’s run off with her Italian lover.  She hasn’t, of course; instead, she poses as a widow and heads for the cottage in the small Tuscan village where her late parents had spent their honeymoon.  She’s leased it for a year and intends to live a quiet but independent life there. (The fact she’s planned to live in Italy without being able to speak more than a few words of Italian bugged me right off the bat.)

Lottie has managed this quiet independent existence for a few months when, out of the blue, she receives a visit from someone she hasn’t seen in years – Alec Gresham, the boy she’d grown up with, and the young man who’d broken her heart when he left England without a word five years earlier.  Alec was her uncle’s ward, and was groomed by him for a career as a spy (Lottie’s uncle Sir Alfred appears to be a mild-mannered eccentric, but is actually a ruthless government spymaster) – even though Alec’s real interest was ancient history and he wanted to pursue an academic life.  Alec and Lottie were both orphans and they had something of an idyllic childhood, growing together as they grew up, and slowly falling in love.  But when Alec asked for permission to marry Lottie, Sir Alfred refused, telling Alec he’d ruin his life if he didn’t leave the country immediately and start working as one of his agents. Between the scandal of his birth and his complete lack of funds, Alec was convinced he could never give Lottie the life she deserved and scurried off with his tail between his legs.

Now, five years later, Alec has been sent to bring Lottie back to England because her uncle is seriously ill and probably dying.  Lottie isn’t happy to see him (even as she can’t deny that even after five years and serious heartbreak she’s still attracted to him) and is even less so to hear that the news of her flight with her imaginary lover has been hushed up and her reputation is still more or less intact. After many argumentative exchanges (all dripping with lust and longing), Lottie agrees to return on condition they stop off in Venice.

The next part of the story is the road-trip (and yes, there’s Only One Bed, accidental (post-bathing) ogling and lots of lusty imaginings – oh, and that one time Lottie can see “the sizeable bulge at the front of his trousers” even though Alec has his back to her. #editingfail.)  But in general, it’s nicely done with some good descriptive prose, and I appreciated the non-English setting.  When Lottie and Alec get to Venice, the author introduces one of Alec’s colleagues for no good reason (other than to signal ‘next hero’, I presume) together with a spy-plot in which Alec is ordered to cozy up to a French widow with connections to a German arms dealer.  There’s a fight to the death (well, almost) and a daring escape, but this subplot doesn’t really go anywhere, and while I suppose it’s intended to show us exactly why Alec is The Best Spy Evah (according to Sir Alfred, he has “the best instincts I’ve ever seen”) – it actually makes him seem rather inept.  And the final chapters, after Lottie returns to England, veer off into melodrama territory, with a dastardly plot to force Lottie into marriage and the introduction of a traitor who has been selling information to the enemy, a last-minute plotline that comes and goes so quickly it might as well have not been there at all.

Lottie and Alec are likeable individually and make a good couple, and the author writes their yearning for each other extremely well. The sexual tension between them is palpable, and the childhood friendship, while only glimpsed a handful of times comes across strongly.  I liked Lottie’s spirit and the way she challenges Alec without being one of those ‘look at how unconventional I am!’ heroines, and while Alec frustrated me at times, he’s a sexy, brooding hero (hello, hot history professor!), a decent man trying to do the right thing by the woman he loves.

I realise I’ve said quite a few negative things here, so you’re probably wondering why I’m giving this book a low-level recommendation.  Well… if you strip away the extraneous spy plot, there’s a decent romance here.  The pacing is uneven – the first half of the book is set-up and there’s too much introspection and not enough interaction – and the aforementioned nonsensical plot points and inconsistencies were annoying.  But it’s clear that Emily Sullivan can write and knows how to tell a story; what she needs to do now is work on honing that skill to sharpen her focus on the romance, incorporate fewer plotlines and weed out those inconsistencies I’ve mentioned.  A Rogue to Remember is a promising début despite its flaws, and I hope Ms. Sullivan is given the time and space to further develop her talent as a writer.

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This read like a classic historical romance, and I mean that in the best way. It felt almost a little gothic (just a little, in a fun way). Lottie has been raised by her over-protective uncle Alfred ever since her parents died. He has decided she must marry within the year, and she doesn't want to. While on a trip to Europe, she eludes her elderly companion and escapes to a lovely village in Italy. Where she is promptly found by Alec. She and Alec spent much of their childhood together, and, at one point, Lottie had hoped for more. She hasn't seen Alec in years and is not thrilled to realize she still has feelings for him. As he escorts her back to England, she talks him into taking her to Venice. Alec lives there and it's a city Lottie has always wanted to see. I won't explain more, as I don't want to spoil the story.

This book has a lot going for it, including intrigue, betrayal, a night with a single bed, long and short-term misunderstandings, and a second chance romance. We also meet Rafe, who will be the hero in the next book in this series. I'm looking forward to his story and hopefully seeing Lottie and Alec again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one heck of a debut!

While touring Italy, Lottie Carisle has escaped her travel companion and done everything she can to make herself ruined in the eyes of her British peers… all she wants is to be given the freedom of choice and her choice has always been love!

So when blast from her past Alec Gresham, her Uncle’s ward and her childhood love shows up out of the blue to take her back to her Uncle, she relents on one condition. He shows her his hometown of Venice before they leave Italy.

The extra travel times Strats to bring back feelings for them both, even as Alec tries to keep her at arms length and away from his current life of espionage.

Oooh! These former co-wards, turned friends who fall in love and are torn apart and brought back as enemies are one spicy duo!!! The chemistry and sparks fly with these two, whether its the heated conversations to their heated sheets! I was on board for this fun road trip romance adventure as Alec takes Lottie home to her destiny.

I could not out this book down, the espionage really added to the excitement of the story and the twist at the end had me on the edge of my seat! I can’t wait for the next instalment in the League of Scoundrels with Rafe’s story!

A Rogue to Remember by Emily Sullivan is scheduled to release March 9th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever Grand Central Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#ARoguetoRemember #EmilySullivan #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

This is a sweet childhood friends to lovers romance with some spies and suspense thrown in as well. I loved that this took place in Italy, as that isn’t something I see often in a historical romance.

Alec is Alfred’s ward and grew up with Alfred’s niece, Lottie. He has been in love with her for years. He came back to London the night of her debutante ball to court her, but they were ripped apart. Five years have gone by with no communication, and Lottie has run off to Italy to be with her (imaginary) Italian lover. She is hoping to ruin herself so that she will be free to live here as she wants without having to marry. Alfred is worried and reaches out to Alec to help since he is already in Venice. Alec finds her and pretends to be her husband to be allowed into the house.

Lottie agrees to let him take her back to London as long as he will show her Venice on the way. There is lots of fake dating/marriage as they travel together, which I loved. Alec is a spy working for the crown, and quickly gets pulled back into work when he and Lottie arrive in Venice. This results in lots of intrigue and mystery, all while they continue to fall in love with each other.

This was such good romance, a great debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what is next from Emily Sullivan.

4 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

A favorite trope of mine – second chance. I see that is the debut book for Emily and the premise was so intriguing that I knew I wanted to read it. While a lot of romances focus on the same types of things, which is not bad because yes I read them all, this story focuses on the setting. Emily does a great job in showing us the land of Italy and the romance of Italy. Of course, another draw for me was the spy angle. Oh yes, that will draw me almost immediately to a story. Alec and Lottie are well defined characters and the journey is pretty much non-stop mayhem. The one drawback for me was the beginning of the story – the quasi-flashbacks and the lack of dialog. I always want more dialog. Otherwise, this was a great debut novel. Looking forward to Rafe’s story.

Childhood friends to lovers driven apart and given a second chance because our heroine Lottie decided to ruin her reputation.
She is slowly suffocating and stagnating in her life so she decides to fake running away with an Italian man she "met" in Florence to escape her uncle's plan to have her married by the end of the year. Enter Lottie's childhood BFF Alec, her uncle's favorite spy who left Lottie without a word five years prior, after asking her the night before if she would let him court her, he’s tasked now with getting her home safe to England.
Alec and Lottie have enough pining going on to grow a forest, they go on a road trip to Venice, we have only 1 bed, she hit so many tropes in this one and didn't linger on any of them, yet it didn't feel rushed or scattered which was kind of refreshing. The fact that it takes place mostly in Italy added to the atmosphere of the story as well.
This was a slow build with low to moderate steam.

I was expecting something more lighthearted. I was still onboard until the “what ifs” began. I will probably give this author another shot, though.

An enchanting second chance romance - I loved their chemistry, there was so much tension. Though the spy subplot was a little out of my regular romance picks, it was still a fun read. I definitely want to read more of this series.

This is the new historical romance I have been waiting for, and I am so impressed that it's from a debut author. I am also so pleased that it's the beginning of a new series, A League of Scoundrels.

Lottie is uninterested in the life of a debutante. When her uncle and guardian stops her efforts to advocate for women's suffrage and participate in intellectual pursuits, she arranges to ruin her reputation and remain unmarried. Alec is another of her uncle's wards. Though they grew up together, they haven't seen each other in five years, as he serves as an agent to the Crown. Her uncle sends him to fetch her home.

I always love books where the two characters have a shared history. It makes the romance and feelings all the more believable. That's certainly the case here. Seeing them determine the truth under layers of intrigue is fun.

And the book sets up a series of spy novels well. I can't wait for Rafe's book. I'll be reading this entire series, as each new book comes out. A Rogue to Remember is out today.

Thank you to Forever for this book.

I was swept away by this second-chance romance!

This charming romance starts in Tuscany, as Alec finds Lottie in the one place only he could know she'd be. Assigned to bring her home to England, she agrees only if they can visit Venice first. Their time in Venice was revelatory on so many levels, breaking down barriers and cracking open decades-long secrets. Then we're off to England for the conclusion, which was absolutely breathtaking.

Lottie and Alec are each individually and both together victims of deceptions and manipulations designed to keep them apart. After five years, they don't know who to trust or what to believe about each other. The careful guarding of their hearts only perpetuates the misunderstandings, giving us an exquisitely heartbreaking story filled with tension, suspense, and oh-so-much passion!

I loved the HEA, how they both got everything they wanted (and the villains got what they deserved). This was a non-stop read for me and I highly recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this debut historical romance! I love that most of it was in Italy, I’ve never read a HR that takes place there, even though the characters are from England (or are half English)

I loved that Lottie was an independent woman who wasn’t looking for a man to save her. She could stand on her own two feet and knew what she wanted from life. She doesn’t need a fancy member of the ton to marry, she just wants to feel the same connection as she did to her old friend.

Alec is so swoony, his longing for Lottie is just so sweet. He’s a deeply conflicted character due to his family situation and the influence of Lottie’s uncle, he just doesn’t think he’s good enough for her so he tries to stay away. He’s made a comfortable life for himself but he knows Lottie deserves more.

Aside from the great characters, there’s intrigue, action, and a bit of steam. I really enjoyed it and look forward to Rafe’s story!

I wish I could tell you I loved this one; I can't. I was intrigued by the premise, but unfortunately the story runs into problems almost from the get-go. Improbable (implausible?) situations, loose editing, random espionage plots that go absolutely nowhere, henchmen who are suckers for “true love,” and yearning - SO MUCH OF THE YEARNING - sabotage what could have been an enjoyable debut. I think this one would be better in a shorter format, minus the spies. They don’t add anything to this romance, and detract from the yearning - which also could have used a good, ruthless trimming. Highlights? The romantic tension between our principal characters, and some nicely steamy love scenes. Our heroine is a bit braver in bed than most fictional Regency virgins...but I’m here for it. Get it girl.

Raised by her mostly indulgent uncle after the sudden death of her parents in a carriage accident, Lottie Carlisle had a happy childhood. But these days she’s miserable. After five seasons spent rejecting suitor after suitor, longing for love from her childhood friend and companion Alec (a ward of her uncle), Uncle Alfred has demanded she marry before the end of the following season. While Lottie knows her love for Alec is futile - he clearly isn't interested in love or friendship with her - vanishing the morning after her debut, she won't settle for a loveless marriage either. Tired of London, its shallow society, and her uninspiring life (good ‘ole Uncle Alfred put a quick end to her meetings with suffragettes the moment he learned of her interest), Lottie decides to take matters into her own hands.

After spurring yet another suitor (he was super pissed), she’s sent to Italy with a repressive chaperone. Knowing her uncle intends to marry her off during the next season and unwilling to live her tedious life any longer, Lottie escapes the chaperone and travels to Tuscany. Once there she leases a cottage for a year, pretends to be a widow, and hopes her scandalous behavior will ruin her for good. She leaves behind clues that suggest she's headed to Rome with a lover! (gasp), and hopes she can live in peace in Tuscany - painting and living the good life. Unfortunately for Lottie, her uncle is a super fancy spymaster for the Crown and he has any number of agents at his disposal to track her down. Oops. That pesky detail!

MS. SULLIVAN! HE'S A SPY. SHE'S A YOUNG, WHITE WOMAN TRAVELING ON HER OWN.

Spy or not, tracking her down isn't difficult. She has beautiful, distinctive red hair (of course!), her skin is pale white and freckled, she doesn't speak the language, and she's settled in the place her parents once honeymooned. Ooh, good one Lottie! So tricky. FFS.

Well, guess which spy takes the case? Yep! Alec! Now, poor lust filled Alec has spent the past five years keeping tabs on the LOVE OF HIS LIFE after sweet Uncle Alfred told him he’d ruin his life if he put the moves on Lottie. He rejected Alec’s offer to marry her and instead told him a career as a spy was his future - not Lottie. And if he decided to pursue her anyway, he’d reveal the true story behind Alec’s parentage. Oh no! MON - FREAKING - DIEU!!!

Alec loves Lottie TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH to soil her with the truth of his origins so he becomes a spy. Look, if this sounds super lameville as a reason for avoiding the love of your life for five years, spoiler alert, it is! Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do? Because she’s actually kind of a decent person. Anywho. Alec turns out to be VERY GOOD AT HIS SPY JOB. Murder! Mayhem! Knives! Also, charitable works in Venice. For reals. Alec maintains a cover as The Professor (he teaches Etruscan history at the local university), dabbles in helping the odd widow and orphan out, and keeps his spying on the downlow. He’s all that and a bag of chips folks.

Well, he follows the trail of TOTALLY OBVIOUS clues/breadcrumbs and shows up at Lottie’s door. Once there he pretends he’s her husband to the super stoked servant Maria. She’s all “OH, THAT SILLY, LYING LOTTIE! SHE ACTUALLY HAS A MAN!! WE KNEW IT! HE’S HOT! ALL WILL BE WELL! LET’S MAKE LOTS OF FOOD SO THEY CAN GIVE EACH OTHER LINGERING LOOKS WHILE THEY STUFF THEIR FACES! MANGIAMO AMICI.” Lottie isn’t nearly as thrilled. Psych! She totally is. But pretends she isn’t. They argue - PASSIONATELY (duh) - and then Alec tells her Uncle Alfred is dying and she has to come back. With him. That’s crazy. Right?

Alrighty then. So, not-so-spoilery alert, she goes. And the journey is bonkers. Lots of eye fucking. Inadvertent peep shows. There was even that one time Lottie spotted his bulge even though his back was to her. Uh?! Moving on. Lust. One bed. Spycraft. Danger. Intrigue. Random other spies who make no sense in the story and practically scream I’m the hero in the next book. Nice to meet you Rafe. But beat it. You make zero sense in this story.

Okay. So, this review has gone off the rails….just like this story does once these two wind up in Venice for a pitstop at Alec’s secret lair. FRIENDS. Alec lives in the home he grew up in before his parents...well, before. But apparently it's so ultra secret that none of the dastardly villains in this story bothered to check if maybe that’s where he hides out. Moving on.

I liked these two as a couple. Their chemistry is excellent, and they are deeply in lust with each other for a tad too long. But once they give in and get it on, we veer heavily into purple prose-ville. Also, Lottie turns out to be a minx when her clothes come off. She’s curious and eager and these two have a nice couple of interludes before Alec reminds himself “he’s not good enough.” For The Love, Alec! For the love. Then there’s that secret intrigue we all TOTALLY COULD SEE FROM A MILE AWAY that the author is determined to shoehorn into the story.

Look, I wanted to like this. But I’m sorry to say it’s too long, and the intrigue makes no sense except to introduce our buddy Rafe. Promising start, not so great finish. I can't recommend it.

Lottie Carlisle has endured her uncle Alfred’s scheming for five London seasons and is sick of superficial high society. But when she rejects yet another suitor Sir Alfred gives her an ultimatum: finally accept a proposal by the end of the coming season or he’ll choose a groom for her. So, Lottie decides to take matters into her own hands by creating a scandal large enough to ensure her reputation winds up in tatters so she can keep her own fortune and spend a quiet, spinsterish existence in the country.

Alec Gresham has stayed away from Lottie since he left five years ago without a goodbye. He’s never forgotten his childhood friend though and must go after her when he learns she may have put herself in danger. Lottie is furious when Alec shows up at her tiny, rented cottage in the Italian countryside, and his news is even more disagreeable. Not only is her reputation still mostly whole, but her uncle’s health is rapidly failing, and she must return to England if she hopes to see him. On the trip back it is apparent that the connection and chemistry between Lottie and Alec was undamaged by their separation. But there’s a sharp distrust between them, not to mention deceptions and secrets that may once again curtail any further relationship.

This is the first book I can really say I’ve loved in quite a while! Lottie was characterized just right to be an independent, feminist heroine, but without ever coming off as shrewish, rude, or unlikable. She simply fought to live her life on her own terms and make her own decisions rather than going along with whatever the men in her life tried to force on her or thought best for her. She was more than capable of thinking for herself and being simultaneously smart and sweet. Alec was blissfully clueless and really couldn’t fathom that Lottie might not want to be “safely married” to a titled society gentleman. He had issues of his own to deal with regarding his belief in his own lack of self-worth and that was pitiful, but it was nice to see him grow so much, both on his own and because of Lottie’s belief in him. Alec had been through a lot and I think he came through it well. I loved that he was still changing and developing at the end and so was Lottie. These two established a true partnership and had a truly lovely connection. Plus, Alec had one of the best groveling scenes I’ve read. I loved this couple and this writing style. Also, bonus points awarded for being set mostly in Italy. How refreshing! This was an impressive debut and I’m excited to see what’s next from this promising new author.

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

A Rogue to Remember is Emily Sullivan's debut novel. As far as first books go, this is a pretty decent effort. She's a very effective storyteller if just a little rough around the edges. I love finding authors who are new and then watching their evolution through their various books as they hone their craft. I have no doubt Sullivan will not disappoint us.

This book starts off with a second chance love story between childhood friends and wards of a spymaster for the Crown, Lottie's Uncle Alfred, also Alec's guardian. Alec and Lottie's history is told through each of their internal monologues roughly over the course of the first 30% of the book. Lottie has run away from Sir Alfred because he is trying to force her into marriage. Though she hasn't seen Alec for 5 years, they are both in love with each other and have been individually thwarted by Sir Alfred. This is their reunion and trip through Italy to return to London.

The good: both characters are really well-drawn. From their musings, you get a clear picture of their relationship and subsequent falling out. There are some pretty decent love scenes - 2 and a lot of unrequited steam.

The bad: their whole backstory takes up the first 30% of the book and is told through their internal musings. It was too much internal dialogue. There was more telling than showing. By the time you got to their relationship in the present, it was at 50% of the book. The narrative was pretty heavy, there were times where I felt like the obstacles to their relationship really drug out and became repetitive. This book is supposed to take place roughly over the course of a couple of days and there wasn't a lot of interaction for that amount of time. They would talk and then each goes into their head and dissect their relationship. I would have to see it take place in real-time.

By the time we get to the central plot of Sir Alec and a possible traitor, it's a bit of an afterthought and a lot happens in a really short amount of time. So you have the first 50% internal monologue and the back half becomes a spy novel. I really liked the back half and wanted to see more of that narrative. You also see Alec and Lottie's relationship out in the present instead of being told through their individual flashbacks.

I really liked Alec and Lottie, by the end of the book you are rooting for them to find their way back to each other.

Overall, 3.75 out of 5.

That being said, it was still enjoyable to read. I am sure her next book will be even better and I definitely look forward to Rafe's book.

The setting in A Rogue to Remember is everything I didn't know I wanted. I am deeply invested in historical romance right now and had no idea that shifting the location to Italy would do so much for me. The sense of place felt so strong and it helped to invest me in the story and the espionage. While I felt like the tension between Alec and Lottie was a little uneven at times (it kind of ebbed and flowed instead of building for me), I wanted to know where the story went and needed to see what happened. It was fast paced, a little suspenseful and had a great sense of place. I got just enough of Rafe to be deeply excited for his book soon!

2.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Despite my typical aversion to trying new Regency/Victorian authors due to burnout with the genre, I was cautiously optimistic about A Rogue to Remember, due to the friends-to-lovers plot and the promise of unconventional characters. However, while there are some positives, I largely found this book rather unmemorable.

Emily Sullivan has a way with words, managing to write fairly engaging prose that kept me interested enough in spite of all my other issues. And while I didn’t care a ton for Alec as a whole, he had some secrets that made his arc the more interesting of the two by a slight margin.

Unfortunately, Lottie just wasn’t what I expected. I wanted her to have more of a spine, especially given how she was built up, especially given that Alec could be kind of cruel to her at times. That really put a damper on my belief in their relationship.

And the “spy” element wasn’t included enough to feel relevant, but it also felt like it was included too much simultaneously, if that makes sense?

I’m not opposed to trying another book from Emily Sullivan in the future, as she does have potential, but I feel this was a massive disappointment. I do think that some historical romance fans will still like it, and would encourage you to try it if it piques your interest.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was seeing reviews comparing this to books written by some big names in historical romance, and I went into it with super high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't get to that level for me. I expected so much from both characters, but I felt like we never got there. I hoped Lottie to be more sharp-tongued and witty, and wanted to see her give it to Alec, especially when he says cruel things, instead she just says "I see". I felt a little let down by that. I didn't see Alec as a believable agent or how his issue with that Italian arms dealer just disappeared. No one seemed to go after him, and in the end everything was just fine and dandy? It made zero sense to me. He just seemed like someone playing an agent compared to other stories I've read.

There were some things I enjoyed about this book. I really did like Uncle Albert even if he is a little dense sometimes. I felt like he thought he was doing right by Lottie even though he was wrong. I liked Lottie and Alec's interactions, and thought some were sweet. I just wish they had more substance.

If I hadn't expected so much out of this book from other reviews, then I would have enjoyed it more. It had a strong premise, but the characters felt a little weak and not fully fleshed out.

I have never been more thankful to have watched a conversation between authors than I have in this moment. Harper St. George and Elizabeth Everette (both excellent author’s who’s books I have attached at the bottom of this post) were having an IG live event and they brought up that this was a book they were both excited to see launched. So naturally I remembered that I had seen it on NetGalley earlier. It doesn’t have the cover I normally lean towards, but the premise was promising and with both of these excellent authors recommending it I requested it.

Let me say, I LOVED A Rogue to Remember by Emily Sullivan! I devoured it. I sat down after dinner and before I knew it I was flipping (okay, sliding the kindle screen) to the last page and it was late at night. It was enthralling! Please, for the love of everything good in the world: PICK THIS BOOK UP!

I’ve read a decent amount of historical fiction, but this one takes place on a journey through Italy in 1897, which being stuck for so long due to the pandemic was wonderful. The plot, the characters, the writing, the scenery: all phenomenal. I got so caught up in the growing tension and chemistry between Alec and Lottie and wanting to know more of their back stories that I finished it in one sitting. It is so, so good. Plus the chemistry between the characters was off the charts! Like everyone else said, the mirror scene is wow.

Loves:
Lottie: She wants more than to be settled down with a high society man. She has a brain, ambition, and adventure in her and settling down would be stifling. Plus, she gave her heart away a long time ago. Her story was utterly compelling and watching her fight for what she wanted was beautiful. I found some of her actions to be rather stupid, but that’s what we want in a book, right? No one to be perfect, but just wanting to be better and to love those around them. Lottie is those things.

Alec: Can I keep him? His sense of duty and honor were the backbone of his character and watching him try to keep those but also listen to his heart was superb. I did want to hear more about both of his professions. But he was a great opposite to Lottie in every way and even when he did mess up he acknowledged it and addressed it. Plus his jobs are the coolest things and I want to be both of them too;).

Plot: It was so much fun! The setting constantly was changing and the characters had to adapt. There were several ‘one bed only’ scenes, which are great. Sullivan brought in enough subplots to keep everything moving and kept feeding us small hints towards the major plots. The flashbacks added to the overall story and I wanted to know everything. There were some moments in the book that lagged behind and made things a little slower. Plus the ending was a full ending! There were consequences to actions! The plots were settled. It was amazing.

Dislikes:

Uncle Alfred: Okay, this isn’t like a full issue with the character rather more of an issue with the plot involving Uncle Alfred at the end of the book was a little loose. Everything else in the novel was tight and moving, where this issue was strange and was resolved strangely. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was the only minor issue I had with it!

Long Story Short:

Run, don’t walk to get this book. Read it! I fell in love with the writing and characters during the 300+ pages I read and I want this for everyone else too. My heart was crushed a little when I realized I reached the end. I wanted more. So please, please, please buy this book. Show off the cover with pride. Enjoy the deep character arcs and thrilling plot. I loved it and I hope that you all will too. And thank you, Emily Sullivan for writing such a spectacular novel, it was a thrill reading it!