I got an arc of this book on netgalley and I enjoyed it so much. I love the fact that Emily is so spirited and independent. After being jilted twice and gives up on love and the thought of a proper future so she becomes a rebel, doing whatever she pleases which catches they eye of Philip who was bored with his life until she captures his attention. It was fun and romantic and a great story.

Always the Rebel is the 10th book in the Never the Bride series. This can be read as a stand alone. I have enjoyed all of the books in the series so far and this was no exception.

The books of this series can be read alone but there are a lot of recurring characters who have an obviously interconnected backstory. The protagonists of one book meet minor characters and may think of them in less flattering terms, but those annoying or boring minor characters may become the heroes and heroines of other books in the series. For instance, the heroine from this book was jilted by the hero of Always a Widow, the hero from this book jilted a woman who stars in Always a Mistress, somebody who is a boring guest here has a secret life in yet another book. We see already happily married couples from previous books, but some of the romances in various books are going on simultaneously so you may read partial snippets of conversations that the current protagonist is rather inattentive to but which were important in one of the other books. I guess the moral of the story is, if you judge people by superficial appearances or short contacts you might not see to their heart and you will like them better if you understand their motives.

These interconnections might be charming if you're familiar with the rest of the series and a distraction if reading a random book from the middle of the series with no knowledge about the other books. I was reading Always the Rebel close to reading Always the Mistress and while you can read each book on their own there's definitely a lot of overlap that you might understand better if you read both.

Always the Rebel is quite pleasant and readable but it took me some time to connect with the characters. Sophia got jilted twice, and now she's decided doesn't want to get married and she doesn't care about the opinions of society any more so she wears breeches, visits gambling dens, goes out on her own unchaperoned. This feels like she wants to do improper things for the sake of breaking the rules and not because it's her dream and is going to make her life better. I was hoping for her to find some sort of satisfaction or a goal beyond not marrying but it was rather difficult for a woman in her position.


The hero Philip rescues her from a dangerous situation that could have turned into a sexual assault. He thinks Sophia is interesting because she is unconventional and brave and does what she wants but mostly I just think he lusts after seeing her curves in breeches. He is in his forties and his previous sexual history includes the aforementioned jilted mistress and several illegitimate children with several other women that he doesn't care about. They shrug this away saying these things happen and I'm sure they're right, it happened pretty regularly back before birth control. I just don't think deadbeat dads are romantic, and it was more of a struggle to see him as an ideal lover.

I feel like this was a three star book on its own but read as a part of the series I gave it four stars because all the different perspectives to the same events appeal to me a great deal.

I got a digital review copy from Netgalley and I'm leaving a voluntary, honest review.

Sophia Worsley is in a few books in this series, two of them she’s engaged to other men, in this one she finally finds her love. But will she make it to the alter? All books work great by on their own and don't need to be read in order. But this is just another great book in one of my favorite historical romance series. Pick it up today, you won't be able to put it down!

While I enjoyed the daring of Sophia, I had a difficult time liking Phillip. His ennui with life and women got tiresome. And I was not convinced his fascination with Sophia and her unconventionality could be viewed as love. After all, even he admitted to himself that his mistress, Emily, was exciting and vivacious at first, then she wasn’t hence breaking off their arrangement.

2.5 stars
I am going to be honest and say I did not enjoy this book. It did start off interesting. Maybe if I had read other books in the series...maybe. The heroine flipped flopped on rather or not she wanted to be rebellious ( wearing breeches, going to gaming halls, Going out unchaperoned) or protect her reputation by not dancing twice with Phillip. She wanted to be married, but didn't want to be married.
This is just my opinion and I'm sure others would disagree.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an honest review.

Philip was an Earl who hadn't had any mistress for nearly two years nor any wife. Sophia had two broken engagements. So she decided to act rebellious. Philip was attracted to her boldness and her rebel side. Then he offered her to be his wife but she told him she's never gonna marry. They were playing cat and mouse for a while and both fallen in love but didn't really admitted to one another. Philip did something which made her angry but they sorted out everything and eloped.

Where to start. Firstly, I enjoyed the lead in chapter and loved that the heroine showed up at her ex fiance's reception wearing breeches to shock his family and friends because she had been jilted. Then it went downhill, so let's talk about her precious reputation. She was worried about dancing twice with Philip mid book, yet went prancing about town in her servant's trousers, went to a gaming hell (several times), went to Almacks in breeches and was accepted back another night wearing a dress, (I don't think so, she would have been cut), went about with no chaperone with her parent's blessing and it goes on. I really want my historical books to reflect the times as accurately as possible, because that's the reason we read them. Maybe with variance for adventure and dramatic situations, but those events should come as realistically as possible.

The writing is okay within itself, easy to read and fairly simple in style. The romance is 'blink and you miss it'. I felt no love/lust connection when Philip and Sophia were together in scenes. Not sure when this book is set. If it's regency era (which I assume), then they shouldn't be playing poker in the UK and if it's late 19th century, then they might be. It's book 10 in this series and right throughout there are numerous characters and arduous gossip about other relationships, how they happened, why, etc. None of this has any relevance to this story and is merely chapter fill and was very tedious to read and I skimmed most of it. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, so it meant nothing to me. I prefer a romance to star the H/h, not their peers.

The story;- bored older Earl Philip (41, we know this because it was mentioned numerous times - eye roll), spots young, but on the shelf, Sophie (23 and rebellious), wearing breeches and he's immediately captivated - as she's a 'rebel', obviously. Just the person to take him out of his blue funk and he wants her immediately. So after that, there's push pull, yes/no. Scenes where she meets him down the street, at a hell, her house, or at a ball. It goes on and on. There are copious amounts of internal dialogue throughout which is skim territory for me. Some is okay, but not pages and pages. The H/h keep zoning out during conversations with other people as they are thinking of each other.

Summery:- The story began as entertaining but was filled with irrelevant side character information. There's flat H/h character development, so I'm thinking the author has been weaving this through other books. Sophia comes across as a previous 'mean girl'. I was left with no clear picture of what the H/h looked like. Philip lusts after Sophia and she wants him, but as she's independent so doesn't want to be married. In English Regency/Victorian times unmarried and married women had no rights, no access to money or bank accounts. There are modern ideas, conversation and morals. Hot and cold relationship. Romance scenes that were lifeless. The book didn't flow. NB - it would have taken at least a couple of days to get to Bath via horse and carriage. A trunk being popped on a chair then carried under Sophia's arm?

I give it 2.5 stars for being just okay and I'm not sure if I would read anything more by this author. My thanks go to NetGalley and Dragonblade publishing for the eARC in return for my opinion.

This is the 10th book in the Never The Bride series, but it stands pretty well alone - I haven’t read any of the others and didn’t have any trouble following along with the plot, even though apparently both principal characters have appeared in previous books and other characters are obviously recurring.

Jilted at the altar for the second time, Sophia Worsley is absolutely done with living up to Society’s expectations. Turning up at her erstwhile groom’s wedding in breeches, she knows she’s marking herself forever unmarriageable - and that suits her just fine. Her rebellion attracts the attention of the jaded Earl of Marnmouth, though, and suddenly she finds herself running into the dratted man everywhere.

Philip needs to marry, but has vowed to choose only a woman who is capable of surprising him. The beauty wearing breeches into Almack’s definitely fits the bill, but she’s sworn off marriage.

I really liked Sophia’s rebellious streak and the fact that she had just gone past caring what anyone else thought of her. I was not so keen on the fact that she didn’t seem to have any plan for her life. At all. Other than ‘don’t want to get married’ she didn’t seem to have any actual ideas about what she DID want to do. No goals, no passions, no ambitions. Not even any hobbies apart from playing cards. Sophia also did a couple of things which were just plain stupid - after going alone to a gambling den wearing breeches and getting into a difficult situation she had to be rescued from, she went back AGAIN without taking any backup! It’s the literal definition of asking for trouble and annoyed me intensely. I also found the age gap a bit troubling - Sophia is 23, Philip 41 - as well as Philip’s dismissive attitude towards his previous mistresses (many) and illegitimate children (three). Maybe it was realistic for an unmarried lord of his age in the time period, but it definitely made him hard to like as a romance hero.

Neither character seemed to have much of a growth arc. Philip found what he wanted - a woman who could challenge him - and Sophia changed her mind about marriage because… Philip said he loved her, I guess? I didn’t hate this, but it really wasn’t particularly my cup of tea. I’ll give it three stars.

Always the Rebel was a different kind of story. Our heroine Sophia, was tired of being engaged, and never married. She wanted to break out of her shell, and wanted to be different from what she had always been. So she begins doing very daring things for a young lady. While wearing breeches, instead of a gown, she meets Phillip, who is tired of the usual ladies there are to choose from. Only problem is, while he is smitten with her, she has sworn off marriage and men in general. He has a challenge ahead of him, for certain. An interesting book, but not my favorite. It has a bit more detail to the romantic love scenes, than what I prefer.

This was not my favorite book in the series. The heroine was too argumentative. She fought and argued just for the sake of arguing it seemed, even to her own detriment. It got to the point that she was annoying with it

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is about the twice jilted bride from the previous story; Sophia. In the last book, she came off as controlling and a little harsh. I think everything I thought about lady Romeril as a bit of elitist from the last book was corrected quickly in chapter 1- she has a soft spot for women in a hard spot, and truly means well. Sophia still comes off as a shrew after learning a little more about her, but now she has Reasons.

After finishing, this wasn’t what I expected, and that’s because it’s much better than the last. He was an idiot about some things, but not about what mattered. I really liked this one and kind of want to see the twins go through their stories but will it be one book or two?

Always the rebel is book 10 in the Never the Bride series. But please don't let that stop you from reading it if you haven't read the others. All books work great by on their own and don't need to be read in order. But this is just another great book in one of my favorite historical romance series. Pick it up today, you won't be able to put it down!

Miss Sophia Worsley has been jilted TWICE and at the ripe age of 23, has decided she is done trying to get married. She starts wearing breeches, and even attending Almack's. This catches the attention of our hero, Philip Egerton, Earl of Marnmouth, who at the age of 42, is finally ready to marry, if only to escape the boredom. But when he finds Sophie he is instantly intrigued but she wants nothing to do with him. It was fun to see their banter and cat/mouse type of game to be played.

I received an e-ARC copy from the publisher Net Galley for an honest review.

Miss Sophia Worsley is 23 and has been betrothed and jilted twice, most recently in the middle of the ceremony, her almost-husband walked away, grabbed the woman he loved and married her instead. Sophia is now sick and tired of living her life on the bon ton's terms and shows up at her ex-fiancé’s wedding reception in breeches. She then starts attended Almack’s in breeches and going to private gambling houses.

Philip Egerton, Earl of Marnmouth, is 41 and finding life to be increasingly dull. He’s still unmarried, so invitations are few and far between as Mama’s don’t want to waste their time, and his friends are all married or soon to be. He wants a woman in his life, but he wants someone interesting who will surprise him.

How fortunate he keeps running into Miss Sophia Worsley in her breeches, and she refuses to be his mistress or wife, yet keeps giving him kisses on the street in the middle of the night.
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I will admit that I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I’m a sucker for a Regency novel. I always feel like any historical romance series book should still stand on its own. Therefore, I felt the characters were not well drawn and could be somewhat two-dimensional, especially Philip.

Some plot points that aren’t fully fleshed out: we never got the full blackmail story re: her Sophia’s second engagement, and I didn’t understand why Philip dumped his mistress. He didn’t seem too keen to get married and have heirs; he just seemed bored. Miss Emma Tilbury was just a strange device to get the two protagonists to see sense. I think I’d rather if It had been one of Sophia’s friends, but she was always so isolated.

Overall, the book was full of sexy fun. I enjoyed the playfulness between the two and the infatuation, spontaneity and elopement to Gretna Green. I can’t blame the girl, after two failed engagements, she needed a wedding! 3.75⭐️

Miss Sophia Worsley has two broken engagement and ever since she was left standing at the wedding alter she’s sworn off men and marriage. She’ll live life her way and on her terms. Philip Egerton, Earl of Marnmouth has been bored with life that is until he sees Lady Sophie and she doesn’t fall at his feet like every other woman. I love their witty banter especially when she beats him are cards and then just walks away, never wanting anything to do with him. Philip won’t take no for an answer and she becomes quite the challenge as he pursues her. I have voluntarily read and reviewed these excellent story filled with romance.

Miss Sophia Worsley was left at the altar twice. She has had it with men and decides it's time for a change. So she wears breeches to her ex-fiance's wedding reception, and to Almack's of all places!
Philip Egerton, Earl of Marmouth, is bored with life. He has had several mistresses, but has not found a woman that truly interests him until he meets Sophia.
There is instant chemistry when Philip and Sophia meet, but Sophia wants nothing to do with Philip which is a totally new experience for Philip. This is a fun, entertaining read. I encourage you to read Philip and Sophia's story.

Sophia has been left at the alter twice. What is a girl to do? Wear breeches to her second betroth’s wedding reception!!! Living on the edge is now Sophia’s life on the edge of society. What more does she have to lose? Philip Egerton, Earl of Marnmouth has always lived life for his own pleasure. One mistress after the other and three illegitimate daughters could leave something to desire. Could he be exactly what Sophia is NOT looking for? Could she be exactly what has been missing in Philip’s life? “But Sophia was not any woman. She was a spark in the darkness of society.” I really enjoyed having an older H who is sure of what he wants in his life now. Though he hasn’t led the most tame life he appreciates Sophia for herself. Incredibly great read.

The Rebel and the Earl

Philip wanted a woman who could surprise him, and Sophia with her britches managed to do just that. Sophia decided to rebel against society after being jilted at the altar, twice. Could Sophia have done this in Regency England? It seems unlikely, but it is fun to read about a woman who defied convention and got away with it. I hope there was a Sophia in her time. Philip had no plans to fall in love, and Sophia had no plans to marry. Do they find a way? If you like steamy Regency romance with a woman who defies convention, you might like this story.

Twice jilted, Sophia Worsley is done with engagements, weddings, and men. She has decided to rebel, actually she’s having a very visible tantrum. She has decided to forego fashion and wear breeches, everywhere. This, of course, attracts attention. One of those who take notice of her is Philip Egerton, Earl of Marnmouth. Philip is an unrepentant rogue, and quite honest about it. At forty, he has become bored with just about everything, until he sees a woman in breeches win a card game in a rather disreputable gambling house. His interest is peaked, but hers is not. Is Philip up to the challenge? Can he win the lady’s heart?

This is a fun story with loveable characters. Philip and Sophia are great together and fun to watch. The banter is snarky and the chemistry between these two is strong. Braedon and Larnwick, and Sophia’s parents are beyond entertaining. I enjoyed and recommend this wonderful addition to the Never the Bride series.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Miss Sophia Worsley has been left at the alter twice. Tired of being told what to do by her family and society, she wants to be no man's wife or mistress. It's time to do what she wants to do. Wearing breeches and playing cards at the Queen of Hearts is just the start. Phillip, Earl of Marnmouth, is bored. Bored with society and women who are predictable, until he meets, Sophia. He would have her as his mistress or as his wife. Sophia will continue to deny him, until Phillip figures out the right words to say. Each book in this series has a very unique lady. More books in this series, please!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.