I had enjoyed Spencer's Outcasts series, which is kinda the previous generation to these characters, an above average amount, so I was happy to get an advance copy of this to review. I nearly always read series in order, so I acquired books 1 and 2, and started at the beginning. I read Notorious, and didn't really care for it. And then I read Outrageous, and actually liked it even less. So by the time I was caught up to read this book, I was really dragging my feet. Finally I made myself start it, thinking I would just chip away at it a few chapters at a time... and I honestly didn't want to put it down. I read the whole thing in pretty much one sitting. Even when I had to get up to do something I carried my phone with the book open around as I did it, just glancing away when absolutely necessary. lol. I can't even explain why the first two were a drudge for me to get through, and this one reeled me in from the start. Something just made me invest in these characters so I was interested in how things would play out for them. I wasn't quite as taken with the secondary couple, mostly because that heroine frustrated me, but I didn't resent their presence in the book. The main couple though I found unique and engaging. This has restored my faith in this author. =)

I've read other books in this series and I suggest reading them in order as there is significant overlap.

While I was heartbroken for how Celia suffered and I was delighted she got to redeem herself I simply didn't connect with story like I did with the previous book.

This is still a good read just not one of my favorites.
I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I honestly had a hard time trying to enjoy the romance when I was trying to remember all the side characters and their own side stories. This would've read better I think, had I read the previous books in the series. But I did like the whole secret concept and the second-chance romance aspect to this.

Unexpected steamy historical romance. Celia is a young mean girl with a desperate secret. She targets Richard, but ends up pranking his twin. 10 years later, she and Richard meet again at a wedding. Celia has been ruined in the eyes of society, while Richard escaped unscathed and has traveled the world as a naturalist/entomologist. His brother Lucien is in an estranged marriage built on non-communication. The villain has returned to marry Richard’s sister and past wounds are reopened.

Richard and Celia love story was unconventional. They had previously been acquaintances.
Celia needed to get married due to her financial strain. She was mean girl that bullied many other debutantes. Richard was the brother of the man that Celia had "set her eyes on". As life would have it, Celia got caught in the web that she weaved and fell out of graces with the ton. When Celia comes back into Richards life years have passed and life has changed.
I would give this book a 4. I thought it was 2 stories intertwined in this book. I did enjoy the way that Celia and Richard fought for their HEA.

A mean girl gets her comeuppance and a gawky geek is forced to re-think his theory on love when they reunite at a Christmas Wedding house party. First a gorgeous cover, a curious title, and finally that blurb. It was well-nigh time for me to give Minerva Spencer's books a go and, I can only say, "Yet another author I shouldn't have waited so long to try!"

Infamous is the third of the Rebels of the Ton series which is the second generation stories of her The Outcasts series. I had no trouble reading this out of order, but for those who are sticklers, yes, there are scenes with and mentions of the previous couples in both series.

Infamous opens in the past when the key players were experiencing the London season and matrimony was a possibility for two until spite and malice destroyed that chance. There were a pair of identical twin young men who are opposites- suave Earl and dashing to the ladies was Lucien and awkward, scholarly and a joke among the ladies and gents, Richard. Lucien plans to propose to the prettiest woman of the Ton and Rich is well aware that Celia is only after Lucien's title and wealth even while she and her golden set, including the Duke of Bowden, are the cruel people who make fun of him and others like Phillida.

Years later, Celia is a dreary hired companion to a crotchety old woman, Luce and Phil were a forced marriage because of the scandal Celia helped cause, and Rich is a renowned naturalist on the verge of a knighthood. Along with the other players in the past, they all converge on Luce and Rich's home estate for the marriage celebration of their younger sister to Bowden. Celia would rather be anywhere else, Luce and Phil appear cold and distant, and Toni refuses to see Bowden for what he is. Rich, the awkward one sees them all clearly and goes against his isolationist nature to do what he can. This time, though, he will make the gorgeous Celia see him rather than his twin. And, Celia, has many regrets, but realizing her mistake about overlooking Richard Redvers for his twin is foremost on her mind. If she can only keep Bowden and his dangerous threats from finishing the ruin of Lady Infamous, Celia's mean girl title.

It's a tricky thing to reform a mean girl who was the real deal and make readers want to cheer her on to happy, but the author did a grand job and not far into the story at that. Celia might have been mean, but some others were evil and cruel making Celia's malice seem tame. In fact, my fickle self started to feel sorry for her after seeing that she properly served her time and was truly penitent. Then I was cheering her on as she let Richard lead her into a more colorful, lively world of seduction and play.

Richard was a fabulous awkward, complex hero with his scholarly fixation on beetles and the breeding habits of the animal kingdom, his direct and sometimes salacious statements, and his security in his own skin so the cruelty of others slid right off him. He wasn't ignorant of other people or their motives and, in fact, was the only one to see through the charm of some hideous people when others who saw him as an oddity and lacking in people skills couldn't see the truth. He's one of the few to truly see Celia and I enjoyed how he didn't blow off the bad stuff she did, but he was deft at letting the past go for what he wanted in the present. And, oh did this lusty man want and show a woman some ecstasy.

I dearly love to loathe on a villain and the author gave me one or two to really hate on. Oh, the hurtful and conniving plotting this one did and all the while people were twisted to his control and lives were devastated. Where was a convenient carriage to plow him over when needed? But, never fear, he gets his and it was sensational. I wish a few of his cohorts had a comeuppance, too, but I suppose having to live out their lives as the empty wasters they were is a punishment of sorts.

Fun that this was set during the Christmas season and all the goings on happened with this and the dreaded wedding looming in the background.

It was also fun to have the bonus of a secondary romance going on in the background for a pair my heart went out to from the beginning. It blended well into the main threads of the story as did the time of Rich within his family circle and the glimpses of that crazy-wonderful Redvers family.

I could gush on and on, but in the end, this was a marvelous intro to a new to me author and you bet your breeches I'll be tackling her backlist plus, I will be pressing ahead with any new releases in this series especially if a certain gal with a stunning right hook gets her romance. Historical Romance lovers who want sexy, flirty, and a plot that can dig a little deeper into the dark at times, should definitely give this book/series a go.

I rec'd an eARC from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a buddy read with Melissa for COYER Community.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kinsington Books for an e-galley of Infamous.

I have read the first two books in this series and was so excited to pick up the third! (Disclaimer: you do not have to read books one and two to enjoy this book.) Minerva did not disappoint. I was once again taken on a whimsical journey complete with a stubborn, independent female lead and of course...a regency era setting. If you are looking for a great historical romance series - perfect for Bridgerton fans - look no further!

Wenn ich Regency – Romane lesen möchte, greife ich bevorzugt zu Minerva Spencers Büchern. „Melodie zweier Herzen“ gefiel mir besonders gut, interessante Figuren agierten vor traumhafter Kulisse, es gab unvorhergesehene Wendungen in der Handlung, und natürlich eine große Portion Romantik (nebst Erotik).
Auch „Outrageous“ und „Notorious“ habe ich gerne gelesen. Daher war klar, dass ich den dritten Teil der „Rebels of the ton“- Reihe unbedingt lesen muss!
Obwohl „Infamous“ durchaus charmante Momente hat, ist es doch der schwächste Teil der Reihe. Minerva Spencers große Stärke ist eigentlich die Figurenzeichnung – doch in „Infamous“ sind die Figuren leider unglaubwürdig und nicht „rund“. Es geht um die Zwillinge Lucien& Richard Redvers und es geht um Celia Trent und um die Läuterung dieser Figur. Einst war Celia jemand, der andere Leute triezte, insbesondere den Nerd Richard und das Mauerblümchen Phyllida hatte sie auf dem Kieker. Mit ihrem Freund Sebastian dachte sie sich als junges Mädchen (aufgrund ihrer Schönheit war sie heißbegehrt) allerlei Gemeinheiten aus.
Jahre später ist diese Celia Trent/Pelham ein Dienstmädchen, das ihre Taten bereut. Sie verliebt sich in Richard, da Lucien aufgrund ihrer Intrigen mit Phyllida verheiratet wurde. Richard ist zwar immer noch ein nerdige Wissenschaftler, aber mittlerweile auch optisch zum Alphamännchen mutiert, sodass Celia ihn äußerst attraktiv findet, doch es droht wieder Gefahr – Sebastian soll Richards Schwester Toni heiraten. Was hat er gegen Celia in der Hand? Spencer eröffnet zwei große romantische Handlungsstränge – zum Einen den um Lucien & „Phil“, zum Anderen den um „Rich“ & Celia; dies wirkt unausgeglichen (wenn man vom statischen Hauptstrang rund um Toni& Sebastian einmal absieht, er bildet das Grundgerüst der Geschichte). Die Autorin wiederholt auch bereits bekannte Motive (eine forcierte Ehe, ein verstecktes Kind) aus vorherigen Geschichten, dies wirkt uninspiriert, und leider gibt es in „Infamous“ sehr kitschige Szenen & Dialoge, obwohl Spencer in allen anderen Romanen alle Klischeeklippen umschiffte und mit augenzwinkerndem Humor begeistern konnte.
Zum Glück gab es in diesem Roman ein Wiedersehen mit meinen Lieblingsfiguren aus vorherigen Geschichten, sonst wäre die story für mich ein totaler Flop gewesen, da auch das pacing der Geschichte zu wünschen lässt. Die Handlung kommt nur langsam in Fahrt, die Geschichte ist schwerfällig, und das Ganze wirkt doch arg konstruiert. Irgendwie habe ich das Gefühl, dass der Autorin die Leichtigkeit abhandengekommen ist, das kenne ich aus ihren anderen Büchern gar nicht. Da die Protagonisten nicht glaubwürdig sind (Richard ist einerseits ein Nerd, dem soziale Konventionen scheinbar unwichtig sind, andererseits ein einfühlsamer Beau, dem auch kleinste Nuancen auffallen), ist es auch nicht einfach, Sympathien zu hegen. Celia mochte ich einfach nicht. Am Ende tauchen die Helden aus vorherigen Romanen auf, etwa Martin Bouchard. Baron Hugh Redvers und seine Frau Daphne haben den Roman „gerettet“, denn es fehlen auch die witzigen Wortgefechte, die ich aus Spencers Romanen kenne.
Fazit:
Ich liebe die „Rebels of the ton“ – Reihe! „Notorious“ und „Outrageous“ fand ich klasse, „Infamous“ konnte mich trotz des winterlichen settings nicht überzeugen.

A book that I found difficult to put down, right from the first chapter. It is at once intriguing and heart wrenching. I didn’t like Celia’s character in the beginning of the book but I could feel Celia’s remorse as she matures about the horrible person she was years ago. I loved Richard’s character and thought he was so sexy even though he found social situations and emotions difficult to read. I also adored the second romance storyline of Lucien and Phil. I would highly recommend this book. It has all the feels and you won’t want to put it down.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

This is a fast paced book that is never dull. There is always something going on and the more you look the more little details you will notice. This is the story of an almost bully (she did some really bad things to people but I don't know that I would say she was really a bully) but when she hits rock bottom, and truly learns her lesson. This is the story of the aftermath. There is a small love triangle but gets worked out. this was a great story that could be read with the others in the series for better understanding but reads beautifully on its own.

I have loved Minerva Spencer’s Rebels of the To. Series since the first books cover caught my eye! And I gotta say that I think the books have only gotten better and better as the series has continued!

INFAMOUS, the latest in the series was tells amazingly well the story of the series bully who has tormented the heroines from the other 2 books. Usually a villain redemption arc is saved for a man, but this is a female bully telling her side of the story 10 years later and she totally got me on board once her current regret and past circumstances come to light. It truly shows how behind every bully there is more going on…

This book brought this series full circle and I couldn’t put it down. From Celia’s fight for redemption to Richard’s sweet and persistent attentions to all the fun and high jinx of a holiday party/ wedding- this book was perfection!

Overall, this was an historical romance with great characters, action and witty banter to keep you reading!

Infamous by Minerva Spencer was released September 28th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#Infamous #MinervaSpencer #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

I enjoyed this romance but it has too many triggers for me to be able to recommend it to patrons. The grooming and rape is horrible. He is horrible.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that, while I have enjoyed this author's work in the past, I did not expect to enjoy this particular story. After reading the synopsis I realised that I have a dislike of reformed mean girls and an aversion to seeing them redeem themselves. Probably it stems from being bullied in childhood.

So I did not want to like Celia, but I ended up tolerating her in the end. I thought the hero was beautifully drawn though, so full marks to the author for writing such a complex and intriguing character.

The first half of the book dragged a little for me, but picked up in the end. While I will seek out this author's work in the future, as I really enjoy the emotion in these stories, this one wasn't my favourite. I would have liked to have been able to sympathise more with the heroine.

Thank you so much to kensingtonbooks + Netgalley for my copy!

This smart + steamy Regency era holiday romance is sure to captivate you. Set over the course of a house party/wedding celebration during Christmas, this love story focuses on Celia, a former belle of the Ton whom hard times have fallen on, and Richard, a studious scientist whom Celia used to tease during their youth. The two share immediate chemistry despite their past tensions and current difference in societal stations. Told from their perspectives and others, this witty story will charm you and have you cheering on their love story.

CW: issues of sexual consent (off-screen, as it were)

Ten years ago, Celia was instrumental in causing a scandal that forced the marriage of Lucien, the man she hoped to marry, to unpopular girl Phyllida. Celia’s reputation was ruined as a result, and she now works as a companion to an elderly lady. When her employer is invited to a wedding involving her former set, Celia is confronted with her former victims, and Richard, Lucien’s unusual (and fascinating) twin brother.

▪ Dual narrators. Times two. Depending on my mood, I either love when both characters of the romance get a voice, because it allows me as a reader to get to know them, and sometimes I hate it because it can bring down the tension because it is obvious both care for the other. This is one of the cases in which it works. Richard is very unusual, so having his point of view is necessary to root for him as a romantic lead, even though his early chapters make it difficult to like him initially. Celia’s point of view is necessary because she is used to restraining her reactions, which makes her hard to read from the outside. The points of view of the secondary couple, Lucien and Phyllida, are perfect in that they make you want to shake them and shout at them to just talk to each other.

▪ The secondary romance is often more interesting than the main one. I admit I was more interested in the romance between Phyllida and Lucien than in the one between Richard and Celia. This is odd, because I am not usually interested in married people romance, but there it is. Their romance, after ten years of marriage, was moving and fragile, and I absolutely loved it.

▪ Not as bonkers as Outrageous, the previous book in the series. I read Outrageous a few months ago and was delighted by the completely improbable series of events that conspired to throw the characters together. This book was not as entertaining in its outrageousness, which disappointed me a bit.

▪ Fairly spicy sex scenes. Outrageous had lots of explicit sex, this one a little bit less. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it entirely depends on how much sex you like in your romance. This is still pretty explicit.

▪ Regency house party. If you love any kind of historical novels set in England, you must love the house parties. Lots of people stuck in a large house together, with all their history of conflict, it is the perfect setting for tension and explosions. And bed-hopping. It’s great fun.

This is an entertaining Regency romance with unusual characters. The character of Celia was complex, resilient, and entirely lovable. But it’s Phyllida (Phil) who is the most interesting character in the novel, in my opinion.

Celia was once the most popular debutante of the Ton, until an incident resulted in the unfortunate nickname, Lady Infamous, and ruined her reputation. Abandoned by her father and in need of funds, Celia was forced into service. Now, in her role as companion to an elderly lady, Celia must attend a society wedding and face the group she used to lead, as well as the earl she once hoped to marry and his wife, the girl Celia made the brunt of her most vicious teasing. She also has to deal with the powerful and exceptionally charming man who ruined her life ten years ago and is threatening to ruin her all over again.

Richard Redvers is taking a brief break from his travels as a naturalist to attend his younger sister’s wedding. The studious boy Celia taunted has become wealthy, successful and renowned for his work. His youthful infatuation with Celia is still intact in some respects, as he’s still intrigued by her. But along with her newfound kindness, Celia is also hiding a secret that could easily end any hope they may have of starting fresh if she can’t find the courage to make things right.

I was nervous about this book before I started it and I do still have some mixed feelings about it, but I must say it exceeded my expectations. I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything quite like this with a redemption arc for a reformed mean-girl heroine or with the two couples both sharing page-time either. At first, I was definitely more interested in Lucian and Phyllida, the secondary couple, but Richard and Celia definitely grew on me the more I read, which I think was also concurrent with their growth and development individually. Lucian was utterly charming in his slightly clumsy attempts to woo his wife and though she was harder to like given how very slow she was to release her preconceived notions about him, I liked them together and her behavior enabled me to forgive him for a transgression early on in their marriage which I normally would never tolerate. I still don’t like it, mind you, but I can ignore it for the most part. Richard was likeable in a unique way given his obliviousness and total lack of concern about the opinions of others and I liked that he was such a steadying presence on Celia, which finally made her feel safe enough to be honest for perhaps the first time in her life. I was glad to see some development in the character of the twins’ sister, Antonia, as well and I think a book for her could be interesting. I also greatly enjoyed seeing Hugh on the page again as he is one of my favorite heroes. Overall, this was a rather engrossing read; I enjoyed the holiday house party setting, the multiple couples, the steam, the convincing villain, and the growth demonstrated by all the main characters.

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

I am coming late to this series - Rebel of the Ton however I will be seeking out the other books because I am curious as to how their stories played out. The characters were engaging and this was a fun romance read. I love book covers for this entire series.

My favorite read of the Rebels of the Ton series so far!

Celia is was one of the most popular girls of her year and about to become engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors. However, the choices she makes changes the trajectory of not only her life but the lives of the man she planned to marry and the girl she used to taunt. Ten years later she is nearly destitute and being forced to attend a house party filled with the people she hurt so long ago. Celia understands why she’s unwelcome by most but is baffled by her interactions with Richard, the brother of the man she had nearly married.

There were so many horribly awkward moments for Celia as she faces her past mistakes at this house party. Some are hilarious and others are a bit cringeworthy but I loved Celia’s character growth and understanding of the impact of her actions and her attempts to make amends. I also loved the interactions between Celia and Richard. They seemed such opposites with his overly analytical mind and her ability to read people’s emotions but they worked so well together. I enjoyed the relationship that unfolded between them and I love forward to more books from this author in the future.

The book was good but felt a little disjointed. There’s a lot going on in the story and I felt a little confused and would have to go back and look into a previous book to figure out the character connections. Definitely shouldn’t go into this one blind.

The blurb about the book doesn’t do the story justice. While it is a romance story about two couples, it is much more complex than that. It discusses classism, women’s role in society and marriage, and how work and jobs were perceived. Infamous is the story of twin brothers Lucien and Richard Redver and their love interests. The first chapter starts at a party during the season in Regency London. Celia, the heartthrob of the season, plays a trick that backfires and causes her to fall from society. The story jumps to 10 years after Celia’s prank and follows those harmed by her mischief, including Celia herself.

The setting is the wedding of Lucien and Richard’s sister, Antonia. The cast includes Lucien and Richard’s eccentric family, their houseguests, and the servants. Intrigue, love, and scandal brew under the Redver’s roof. Richard is an entomologist and does not conform to society’s norms. He might be on the spectrum, which I thought was awesome. Not everyone falls into Austen’s clichéd character categories!

Richard is attracted to Celia and begins to pursue her. However, Celia is threatened by an old friend (or nemesis) and told to stay away from Richard. Lucien also tells Rich to stay away, but love (or lust) cannot keep the two apart! There were a few tawdry scenes. They were well done—not over the top or embarrassing. The story flips between many different points of views; however, it is easy to follow whose eye’s we are seeing the story from. The reader also slowly sees the layers of each character and what drives them. I appreciated that we got to know the characters slowly and that there wasn’t a dump of information about each person right at the beginning. I thought the issues that were discussed in this novel were excellent and are still current today. This book demonstrates a rougher, and thus more realistic, view of the Regency Era.

Spencer’s writing is lovely. I couldn’t put this book down. I loved how the reader got a glimpse into the different characters’ minds and thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s inner dialog! Yes! We all do that!

My only complaint with the book was that while Antonia isn’t a main character, we never learn why she was going to marry Dowden. She clearly was charmed by his good looks and attention, but was there more to it? That was the only gap in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Trigger warnings: abuse, rape*, neglect
*As far as I recall, the rape was off-scene and implied.