Bridgerton fans are sure to swoon over Katy Moran’s sumptuous, spellbinding and seductive romantic adventure, Scandalous Alchemy!

Being appointed lady-in-waiting to the Princess Royal might be a position other girls of her age would have given their right arm for, but Clemency Arwenack is not like most girls. Forced to accept the position by her very ambitious godmother, Clemency is not exactly looking forward to her new post. Catering to the princess’ incessant and ever-changing demands is the last thing she wants to do, however, little does Clemency realise that her new position in the royal household is going to force her into very close proximity to the dashing Lieutenant Colonel Kit Helford.

As captain of the royal guard, Clemency simply cannot avoid him. Worse, she has known Kit since childhood and he can see right through her. As Clemency is in possession of a very scandalous secret that could jeopardise everything, she is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her cards very close to her chest. Clemency might be able to pull the wool over everyone else’s eyes, but Kit is an entirely different kettle of fish. Wild, irrepressible and as handsome as sin, Kit begins to find himself drawn by his old friend and he is willing to do whatever it takes to uncover all of her secrets.

In a high stakes world where there is danger lurking round every corner, Clemency and Kit need to watch their step and trust nobody because one false move is all it takes for them to lose everything they hold dear to their hearts.

Rip-roaring romantic escapism does not get any better than Scandalous Alchemy. Katy Moran writes with plenty of verve, brio and style and has written an immensely enjoyable tale that sparkles with plenty of wit, pathos and heart. Scandalous Alchemy is a lush, thrilling and wonderfully told love story where every page is a delight.

Full of delightful characters that leap off the pages, delicious repartee, intense drama and searing emotions, Katy Moran’s Scandalous Alchemy is an enthralling, intelligent and engaging novel I couldn’t read fast enough.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I've been reading this series from back when the first book was called False Lights and honestly, I think this one might be the best one (Kit >>, but at the same time Hester>>>) & that the revamped clinch covers & comparison to Bridgerton does the series a disservice! These aren't swoony romance books. They have romance in them and technically HEAs, but they really aren't Proper Romance Novels! It's alternative history action adventure stories!
The series is a little clunky sometimes and occasionally I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I'll happy read anything else the author puts out.

Oh my goodness, I’ve just finished reading the third book in this series by Katy Moran, and I have to say I’m desperately hoping this is not the last we hear of the Lamorna family! It was a wild ride, in the same way the two previous books, Game of Hearts and Wicked by Design were, and I became so invested in the story that I could not put it down, but at the same time did not want it to finish! If you read these books I highly recommend that you read them in order.

There are very few appearances of either Hester or Crow in this book, but in this book the main focus is Kit, who is reunited with Nadezhda, as the captain of her royal guard. He needs to escort her from Calais to Fontainebleau for the meeting of a number of countries to seek a formal peace treaty in the alternate history that Katy Moran has so cleverly created following the Battle of Waterloo. At Fontainebleau Nadezhda is to meet her future husband, a Habsburg Prince who will give her greater legitimacy to take the throne of England.

I loved the dynamic of what could be considered to be almost a love triangle, with Kit and Nadezhda being reunited, but also with the introduction of Clemency. I love the way Katy Moran has created such beautifully strong, determined and intelligent female characters, and it was very easy to like Clemency, who was a spy, and well-versed in the manipulation of situations for the benefit of people who had scandalous information that was constantly held against her.

I loved the location, with much of the action taking place in France, and as with the two previous books there was a heavy dose of political intrigue, interwoven with high tension moments, as well as the cutest romance.

I know that comparisons with other Regency romances are likely to be made, but I’ve found the alternative history element to these books has been both really exciting and completely unique. I’ve also appreciated the diversity within the characters, and the sensitive way that discrimination for the diverse characters has been handled within this series.

This series of books has really stolen my heart and I am really hoping that Katy Moran continues developing this wonderful series further because this is one ride I’m not ready to stop!

This clever alternate history is one part intrigue, one part romance, one part family drama, and many parts compelling story!

Content warnings: violence, injury and death; death of children; abandonment/removal of children; rape and sexual assault mentioned.

Scandalous Alchemy is the third book set in this world, but while it draws on some of the same characters of the first two books, I think you could start here if you wanted to without too much confusion, as there’s a break of some years between the end of the second book and the start of this one, and the previous main characters are very much only in the background. It is interesting to have Kit’s backstory, so I do think I had a deeper understanding of him from having read Hester and Crow and Wicked by Design, but his story here is distinct from previous events.

The marketing for this one is, I think, pretty wildly misleading. While I love the hardback cover and think it suits the story perfectly, the paperback’s been given a cover reminiscent of the recent Bridgerton redesign, and Bridgerton is mentioned in the full blurb, with pull quotes that focus on how sexy and romantic the love story is. I’m here to tell you that if you’re going into this expecting a regular Regency romance, you’re wildly mistaken. About the only thing this books shares with Bridgerton is a time period (and even then, not really, since this is an 1825 world where Napoleon won and much has occurred since). This isn’t a criticism of the book at all, which is an excellent alt-historical drama, but you won’t find the kind of two-hander, romance-focused story you’d expect from the way it’s being marketed; it’s much larger and broader in scale. Comparisons to the Poldark series or Outlander feel more apt to me, particularly with the dark subject matter (which I’ll talk about in a bit), but really, this is pretty unique!

Moran’s prose is lovely, with a historically-appropriate feel but enough pace to be extremely readable. The chapters are very short, and the perspective switches often, not just between the leads, Clemency and Kit, but between most of the characters of a fairly large cast, which means you get a really vivid, all-around picture of what’s going on, and nothing is black and white. Get ready for some complex emotions when you get into the betrayals and backstabbing! Reading this felt like watching a really beautifully filmed period drama – and now that I think about it, an adaptation would be gorgeous, and would really make the most of the vivid descriptions. It’s so easy to get swept away in the drama of it all.

I think Scandalous Alchemy is somewhat lighter in content than the previous two books, which were extremely bloody and dark, but it’s still fairly intense. Hester and Crow’s plots often felt like they were being beset by tragedy from all sides, but Kit’s story is a bit more swashbuckling and a little less traumatic! That being said, the book never lets you forget the realities of historical life – whether it’s in little details, like people being sweaty in their beautiful gowns, or large, like the stigma faced by unwed mothers, there’s no attempt to gloss over the grimness. I was really impressed at how evocative it was, and how it highlighted the cleverness of the world-building: even with the huge political changes from our world, it was still totally plausible in a way that seemed effortless, but I’m sure took a lot of work on the details.

If you’re in the mood for a sweeping, dramatic tale of political and personal machinations in a fascinatingly vivid historical setting, I definitely recommend this series. Five out of five cats!

The third book in this series, and I really loved it. It's an alternate history/historical fiction setting a la Bridgerton. If you enjoy those, you'll enjoy these books. Moran's writing is enjoyable and gripping. Recommended.

Thanks to Head of Zeus publishing, Netgalley and the author for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this book. Set in an alternate history where England lost the Battle of Waterloo and the monarchy is completely different, Clemency and Kit are forced to betray their old friendship. However they can’t help falling in love and saving each other.

It would certainly have helped if I had read the previous books in this series - this is the third one. But the dialogue was so good and the world building so interesting that I had to persevere. I’m so glad I did.

Another entertaining and engrossing story in this series, a mix of alternate history and historical romance.
I think it's the perfect read if you are a fan of Regency romance and want to read something different.
Great characters and plot, excellent world building
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The third book in the Hester and Crow series set in an alternative Regency world. Written with vivid imagery, astute political insight, and scandalous romance, this book is an addictive delight for historical romance fans.

The characters are pure, romantic Regency, the female protagonist, is independent, intelligent and intriguing. Kit, the male protagonist, is scandalous, sexy and searching, for his happiness in a climate of betrayal and political intrigue.

There's engaging romance, fascinating political manoeuvring and vibrant characters that befit the glamour of the Regency period.

I received a copy of this book from 'Head of Zeus' in return for an honest review

This book is the perfect Stella Rimington/Georgette Heyer crossover that I did not know I needed, and am now obsessed by. It's set in an alternate historical timeline, one where Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo, and the heiress to the British throne is a Romanov princess, Nadezhda. A peace conference is to be held at Fontainebleau ( the actual historical site of Napoleon's abdication as Emperor. I absolutely love the historical attention to detail, even when it's being subverted), with Napoleon agreeing to put an end to military expansion, and through a lot of political manoeuvring by all parties, Princess Nadezhda's coronation, and engagement to a Habsburg prince, from the Hungarian branch of the family, are going to be announced . Politically, this is a fraught situation, with an increase in power through a British/Russian/Habsburg alliance, with easier trade routes through India, not blocked by the French, which would also threaten Ottoman ambitions in the region. There's a lot at stake, and Nadezhda knows it, and doesn't want to be a mere pawn at the mercy of realpolitik. She insists on her escort including a former flame, the impetuous male protagonist of this book, Kit Helford. Also a part of Nadezhda's entourage is the absolutely fascinating, conflicted heroine Clemency Arwenack, childhood playmate of Christopher Helford, former spy, and present-day unwilling extortionist/hitwoman of a sort, set to work by the villainous Boscobels, her manipulative guardians. They have to get Nadezhda from London to Fontainebleau safely, alive, in the first place, and avert any possible scandals in the making that would thwart the coronation and/or the marital alliance.
I love Georgette Heyer's books, and read a lot of Regency romances, but the more I read about the actual history of the period , the more annoyed I usually get that Heyer and a lot of other authors never bothered to engage with the actual fascinating changes in the world-increased colonial expansion and contact with people from other countries, increasing political awareness and engagement in policy decisions among non-aristocrats, women's rights-with both the BLuestockings and Mary Wollstonecraft's influences being felt, advances in science, and most importantly, a lot more diversity. And I don't mean diversity that exists in a fantasyland like Bridgerton, where the conversations about race are ignored ( I was fine with that, it worked for Bridgerton.). Katy Moran's diversity stems from the fact that society was a lot more diverse than most depictions, there were inter-racial marriages and it was difficult for people who weren't Caucasian-but they existed and led full lives. I love that this book fully explores the fraught geo-political situation of the time, and how that affected everyone-not just the aristocrats. Unlike most Regency romances , all the characters in this have a lot more to do, including the maids and the valets, than merely worry about their employers' clothes and running baths for them, and are fully rounded characters in their own right and are important to the plot, as they should be. The inclusion of historical characters is very well-done, and they behave in historically accurate ways, with all their political shenanigans. I found the role she's given to the real-life ill-fated Princess Charlotte particularly interesting.
The author's website mentions her love for Georgette Heyer, and her interest in more fully engaging with the history of the period as the catalyst for this book. The book has it all-edge of the seat tradecraft ( all done by a woman, that makes it even more unique), enthralling geo-politics, memorable characters, including a character who would in the hands of a lesser author have been a vamp, but who's entirely sympathetic here, heartbreak and loss, and a wonderful swoony romance. I read the book twice immediately after finishing it, and I'm absolutely thrilled that this is third in the series. I've bought the other two and have raced through them, and now I spend my time worrying that Katy Moran won't write more in this series!! I really want to see how events play out in this alternate timeline. I can't recommend this book enough, it's an absolutely perfect summer read. I'm very grateful to Head of Zeus for publishing this book, and to Netgalley for the ARC!

Sequel to False Lights (now republished as Hester and Crow, by Katy Moran) and Wicked by Design, both of which I enjoyed a great deal. (I'm not super-keen on the rebranding, as it makes these seem far lewder, and less alt-historical, than they are.) The premise is that the French won at Trafalgar: False Lights / Hester and Crow began in occupied England, with 'Crow' Crowlas, Earl of Lamorna, and his young brother Kitto surreptitiously aiding and abetting two distinct rebellions, and Hester Harewood, whose father was Black, becoming embroiled in their schemes. Wicked by Design turned its focus on Russia, where Kitto encountered the bastard daughter of the Tsar: less Hester here, as for much of the novel she is presumed dead. Now Scandalous Alchemy gives Hester and Crow some peace, and makes Kitto -- Lieutenant Colonel the Honourable Kit Helford -- the protagonist.

Kit has had a good war, which Hester glosses as his skill and enjoyment at killing people, and is now at somewhat of a loose end. After a scandal, he's despatched to France as the bodyguard of Princess Sophia, formerly known as Nadezdha -- the girl with whom Kit fell in love on the wide Russian steppes seven years before, now off to meet her fiance, Louis Charles Habsburg-Lorraine, before her ascension to the throne as Queen of England.

There is, as usual, plenty of swashbuckling here: there is also another redoubtable female protagonist, Clemency Arwenack, Kit's childhood friend ('accomplice', says Crow) who has become 'a blackmail artist and extortionist par excellence, like all the most fashionable women' [loc 853]. Clemency used to do intelligence work for Crow, but now she's under the thumbs of the bourgeois Boscobels, who clearly have some power over her. When she's employed as Mistress of the Robes to Princess Sophia's entourage, it's the perfect opportunity for the ruin of several reputations.

Kit Helford is a very Heyeresque hero (I was reminded of Vidal in Devil's Cub), and Clemency also brings to mind some of Heyer's heroines, though she's nowhere near as pure-minded as any of them. There are other influences here: for instance, I was reminded of Dorothy Dunnett (though that may just be the French palace and the royal hunt). Excellent characters, too: vile Valentine Boscobel, the Frenchman D'Harcourt with his African blood, the woodsman who would rather prepare for his marriage than pander to the aristocracy ...Hester, sadly, stays in the background, though Crow gets to sweep in and, as usual, rearrange everything to his liking.

There were some athletic leaps of logic (to be fair, Kit has always been ruled by his heart rather than his head) and a couple of dangling threads: but there is also a surprisingly happy ending, and a great deal of excitement, amusement and drama throughout. A cracking read, thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an Advance Review Copy in exchange for this honest review. UK Publication due on 10th June 2021.

If you like your alternative history/Regency romances dark, thrilling and sexy, Katy Moran is absolutely your woman. ‘Scandalous Alchemy’ is the third book in her Hester and Crow series and they are, consistently, a whole heap of fun.

I enjoyed this alternate historical romance, set in a Europe where Napoleon prevailed over Wellington; it's interesting to consider how the balance of power would have shifted, and gives a welcome twist on Regency tropes. The political intrigue took second place to the characters, who were not terribly complex yet I grew fond of them anyway. I raced through the last 100 pages to find out what happened to them, even though I was sure the right ones would end up together and the bad ones would be punished, given the genre. I had not realized that this is a follow-up to two earlier novels, which give some important background. (There's no indication that I noticed that one character is Black, for instance.) A series that will give a lot of pleasure to Regency fans, in a much darker and grittier strain than Georgette Heyer but still with relatively happy endings.