Regret. Sorrow. loneliness. From the book description, I thought this would be much more lighthearted. It’s not. As a child, Lottie is taken in by her Uncle Alfred when her parents die. She is treated well but is incredibly lonely. Her uncle takes in another orphan, Alec, the supposed son of a past school friend. As they grow up, Alec is caned for their friendship and sent to school. Told in flashback memories, Alfred uses, shame, blackmail, and emotional abuse to get Alec to leave and become a spy for the crown. After a five-year absence, Alec is sent to find Lottie after she ran from forced marriage. Truth comes to light when Alfred falls ill. If you’re in the mood for Gothic overtones and overwhelming sadness you might enjoy it.

The strongest aspect of this book was the childhood friends to lovers vibes, as well as the misunderstandings and pining that go along with that. That said, I could have used more of one of these two things: either more flashbacks to scenes from their past to build up their inevitable romance more thoroughly, or more development of their adult romance in the present. A romance reader cannot live on misunderstandings and pining alone.

I felt that Alec's ongoing mission should have played either more or less of a part in the plot—as it stood, it reached this weird middle ground that threw everything else a bit off-kilter. Speaking of spying, the villain of the piece fell quite flat for me, as did the all-too-quick resolution.

Still, an enjoyable read!

I received a digital advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely remarkable read with wit, intrigue, heartache, and breathtaking tenderness. I couldn't put this book down. From page one the chemistry sizzles and your heart breaks for Lottie and Alec as they work there way through a second chance romance. I really can't stress enough how gorgeously atmospheric and tender this book was and I can't wait to see what Sullivan writes next

OH MY GAWD I AM NOT OKAY THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. Have you ever wanted the intrigue and espionage of Hello Stranger to have a love child with unapologetic feminism of Loretta Chase mixed with the cleverness of Sarah MacLean? This is that story. I can’t stress enough how much I loved this story. It’s set in 1897 Italy, which automatically gives it an atmospheric uniqueness but it also throws in a road-trip, childhood friends, second chance, hella 🌲pining 🌲hero and nearly melted my brain out of my ears. My girl Lottie, witty, brilliant, stubborn bad bitch she is, staged her own ruination to runaway from the life that was slowly choking her. Enter Alec, hot af spy who left childhood BFF Lottie without a damn WORD five years prior, and he’s now tasked with getting her home to England. Y’all, the chemistry. I absolutely could not handle it. From the first moment these two reunite, it absolutely sizzles and pines and aches and there were times I sat there dumbly with my kindle on my lap in awe of Sullivan's talent.
This is a remarkable read with wit, intrigue, heartache, and breathtaking tenderness.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a decent historical romance with an independent heroine determined to take control of her life by not marrying the man her uncle has chosen. She runs off and is found by her childhood friend Alec whom she's loved ever since her coming out ball. Alec's secret service responsibilities have kept him from claiming Lottie as his love. The two embark on a journey to return to her uncle and neither can extinguish the fire they still feel for each other.
Not an incredibly moving novel but entertaining nonetheless.

A Rogue to Remember was a surprising and delightful historical romance debut from Emily Sullivan. Lottie Carlisle runs away from her chaperone to a small town in Italy, determined to ruin her reputation in order to avoid a marriage arranged by her uncle. She didn't expect to be discovered so quickly, by her childhood best friend, the only man she has ever loved, and the man she hasn't heard a word from in five years.

Alec grew up as the ward of Lottie's uncle, who groomed Alec for a career in espionage. Despite his love for Lottie, he was convinced that he could never give her the life she deserved, so he leaves. Now he's come to rescue her from ruin, but things get complicated and past hurts can't be ignored. Nor can their burning attraction for each other.

I enjoyed this story for its intrigue and adventure. Most of the story takes place in Italy, and there's a good mix of road trip tropes - only one bed, of course! - and action and adventure. At it's heart, it's a second chance romance with complicated family dynamics. I liked that there wasn't a two-dimensional villian here, but people who made difficult choices with unintended consequences. I will be looking forward to the next book in this series!

This sweeping historical romance set primarily in Italy had me glued to my chair! I finished in one day, could not put it down.

The authors bright and lovely descriptions of Italy gave me extreme wanderlust, and I was easily able to imagine it in my mind.

This is my first book by this author and it did not disappoint. The Heroine and Hero’s story felt true and heartfelt. Strong smart heroines are my absolute favorite. This book has a dash of danger and suspense, which will keep you in the edge of your seat!

This book was lovely, and I found it impossible to put down. The synopsis lured me in, it sounded really fun. Even so, I was surprised by how quickly Lottie and Alec engaged my heart. I genuinely liked them. The flashbacks to their childhood were endearing, the chemistry between them sizzled, and I sincerely hoped they would reconcile.

I loved that the story takes place mostly in Italy. It was an enchanting change from the usual English setting. The secondary characters were well-portrayed and the plot a good scaffold for the relationship arc. I could mention so many scenes that made me chuckle or sigh dreamily, but will refrain for fear of spoilers. Suffice it to say, I was left most definitely wanting more from this author.