I have absolutely no idea how to review this book without getting completely emotional and detailing the hundreds of reasons why I loved it, so here's the long and short of it: this is a fantastic story that made me feel so deeply. It is unquestionably one of the best books of the year and you will not regret it if you pick it up and read it immediately, which I highly suggest you do!

So now, if you want my incoherent thoughts and general gushing love for this story, read on!

Where to start? With Caleb, the (not so) American? Listen. I love this big, dumb, incredible man. I would give nearly anything to hear someone call me my lady like he does, because God, the pining and absolute adoration this man has for Sesily, swoon-worthy doesn't even begin to cover it. He's so dumb, and I mean that in the most loving way. And Sesily, who really does love with her whole heart; when they came together it was so fierce, I cried through pretty much the last 30% of the book.

"This is how we love. Out loud. With truth. This is how we fight. Together, or not at all."

I have so many highlights in this because their love, once they figure it out, is so raw and emotional and beautiful. If you're a sucker for mutual pining by two stubborn idiots in love, look no further! But honestly, there was such depth, I can even begin to parse it out in this review. Sarah MacLean is a genius storyteller. This is how you romance!

And the women. This book (and now here's where I'm going to get emotional) felt like such a love letter to women everywhere. It's like a literary anthem for all the girls and women who were told they were too anything. Too brazen. Too quiet. Too weak or too strong. Too smart. Too 'dumb'. Too much. It managed to show how far we've come in society, and how sadly, some things are still the same. And it showed what I think everyone has always known; if a group of women, whose fierce love and support for one another outweigh their fear of the patriarchy, get together, there is literally nothing they can't do. This story made me so grateful for my friends and all the women in my life.

This is such a modern historical romance. There are old characters and new, friendships and love, laughter and tears, and I cannot wait to see where this story goes!

Ok, so who's ready to go start a girl gang with me?

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed a couple of Sarah MacLean's novels in the past, so reading Bombshell seemed like a no-brainer to me. And for the most part, it was. However, while I definitely enjoyed the novel, I did struggle at times. Although Bombshell is a new series, these characters have been in other books by the author. Because I haven't read those books or don't remember the details, I think it hindered my enjoyment of this one. It does give me an excuse to really dive into MacLean's other books though, and I'm definitely interested in reading more in this series!

The problem with a Sarah MacLean novel is that I never have the right words to describe how wonderful they truly are. Bombshell is particularly difficult. For MacLean fans, we have waited for Sesily and Caleb's story for years. Talk about a slow burn. This book delivers in all the best ways.

Sesily is just as fantastic as always. She Is strong, witty, loyal, and independent. If you have read previous books in the MacLean universe, you knew this. What Bombshell gives you are the most vulnerable parts of Sesily. The secret deep feelings and longing she has for Caleb. The way she hides how he really does have the power to hurt her in ways that no one and nothing else can. Caleb himself is just as wonderful. He is a strong, independent man who supports Sesily, despite himself. He respects and values her no matter what it does to him inside. I enjoyed learning his backstory and the way they complement and support one another. The pair of them together is true fire.

I knew I would love Caleb and Sesily. We had seen them in previous books and already knew the very beginnings of their story. What I didn't truly appreciate is how much I would come to adore the other women in Sesily's group. All of them are interesting and witty and make you want to know so much more about them. I was instantly sucked in and became increasingly intrigued by their world and the ways in which MacLean loosely ties in what was going on with the monarchy in England at the time and society's response to it. The very hardest part about loving this book so much is knowing that we will have to wait so long for all of these women's stories. In the meantime, I will be sure to re-read this time and again, soaking up all the glory that is Sesily and Bombshell. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a great, well-written historical but also for those who love strong, independent women and a bit of adventure. My favorite book of the year thus far.

Sarah Maclean has done it again! Bombshell is the bomb!
*****
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 2 flames
Genre: Historical / Strong FMC
*****
Finally, we get Sesily’s story and oh what a story it is! Sesily the second oldest of five sisters born to a wealthy coal miner who won his title in a game of cards, has never truly been accepted by the ton, the Soiled S’s is what they are called behind their backs.

Sesily is the only unmarried of the five. She had feelings for a man once, and even expressed her feelings but he didn’t reciprocate. Caleb (the American), her sister Seraphina’s business partner, ran all the way to America after Sesily’s confession, but now he is back in England to help with the bar he and Seraphina own.

In the years since Caleb left, Sesily found her people “a spymaster, a con artist, and a woman who is extremely fond of explosives.” Sesily lives her life unapologetically, as a 30 year old wealthy unmarried woman, she makes her own way, sees who she wants, and has one mission in life...to help those women who are trapped in terrible situations find their freedom. These women are a force to be reckoned with.

“It was a crew if he’d ever seen one. A revolution, clad in rouge and silk.”

Caleb has secrets. Secrets, if discovered, could hurt those he cares about. It’s for this reason that Caleb keeps his distance from everyone, especially the very dangerous, very intelligent, and beautiful Sesily. But, I think Sesily will have something to say about that.

Bombshell was fantastic! This book is filled with favorite characters, new characters, suspense, strong intelligent females, and a storyline that kept me engaged and turning the pages as fast as I could. I simply adored this book. All of it! I can’t wait for the next in the series because it is going to take a special man to tame these belles!

A must read, definite recommendation from me!

Bombshell has a lot of what we like about Sarah MacLean: modern references in a historical setting, super fun female characters who define their own roles in society, and scorching hot sex scenes - all in a coherent world that began way back in 9 Rules to Break. We've been waiting for Caleb and Sesily's story since The Day of the Duchess, so we were stoked to finally be reading it.

Bombshell is also the start of a new series, Hell's Belles, which will revolve around a vigilante group of high society women. We are so ready to read about safecracking chemists, bluestockings with hidden depths, and the men who will come to love them. What we weren't sure about was combining the two things - a long-awaited romance between beloved secondary characters AND a brand new series concept. We wouldn't have minded a little more romance and lyricism between Caleb and Sesily!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I think this is my first historical romance book I have ever read, and boy was it a story to cut my teeth on. From my understanding this is the first in a series, but I believe that these characters also appear in previous books written by Sarah MacLean. While I didn't know the history of anyone in the books, this didn't distract from enjoying this story - which is not always the case, even with separate stories!

Pros: STRONG WOMEN CHARACTERS! I cannot praise the strength of the female characters enough in this book. Just the utter wealth of characters and the diversity of them is a huge plus in this book when many of the characters are only there for plot movement. Sesily and Caleb also have a fun relationship, and I enjoyed watching scenes change between their POVs.

Cons: This is probably something that you get the hang of from reading more historical books, but I had a hard time with some of the language. It also felt like it dragged at parts, and that it took a really long time for some of the main plot points to be revealed - one of which didn't seem to be revealed until about 65% of the way through the book. Many aspects of the books just felt like they weren't connecting with me but I am going to chalk it up to it being outside of my realm of literature competency.

Overall this was an enjoyable book, with a HEA/HFN ending, and will probably appeal to a wide swath of people. I would definitely be interested in reading the next book in this series. 3.5/5

Bombshell was a delight. It sucked me in and took me on such an epic ride. The heroine is part of a girl gang working to right wrongs. She’s not afraid to live out loud. I’m already dying for the other girls’ books. Love a hero that is obsessed with the heroine. The adventure, the banter, and the sexiness was exactly what I needed. Thank you Sarah for a wonderful book.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

This is Sesily’s story – she is a fierce and fearless female lead character and part of an engaging girl gang who are setting the lives of horrible aristocratic men on fire. She is independent, clever and unapologetically single. She knows what she wants and how to get it. When it comes to Caleb however, she has been unsuccessful in getting his attention.

Caleb has been an interest of Sesily’s for a couple of years but he avoids her to the point that he spends extended periods of time across the ocean in Boston. However, Caleb is actually very interested but his loyalty to her sister and his business partner as well as some past secrets lead him to avoid any involvement with her. Their passion and chemistry as well as their fun banter will have you hooked to find out how their story ends.

Clever, romantic and SIZZLING hot. Caleb and Sesily’s story is a slow burn but it is satisfying! I was so pleased to see that this main character was feminist but not man bashing. She valued Caleb for the qualities he had and called out those men that were terrible humans. Since this was the first book in the series, there was a lot of groundwork and character building for the future books. I highly recommend this book and absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series!!

Get ready to SWOON!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy.

Email: danireadstoomuch@comcast.net
https://www.instagram.com/dani.reads.too.much/
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Well, let me begin by saying that Sarah MacLean never disappoints. Her writing, plotting, and characters continue to get better with every book she writes and just when you think she can’t possibly top herself (seriously, her last book involved actual arson to burn down the patriarchy) she makes you eat your words.

I’ve been waiting on Sesily and Caleb ever since I encountered them all the way back in The Day of the Duchess and while it took an entire 3 book series before we got to them, it was well worth the wait.

Sesily is, in a word, a firecracker, chaos reincarnate, Athena, goddess of hunting, a warrior, a protector, and the most scandalous of the Soiled S’s. I adore MacLean’s FMCs without fail - they are forever subverting societal expectations and flouting the conventional limitations imposed on them due to the time period and their gender. It’s phenomenal and it has permanently spoiled me for most other histrom FMCs.

Usually, the MMC has some work to do, to earn my undying love and devotion and while Caleb does eventually rise to the task (uh, no pun intended), it did take a while for me to warm up to him. But once I learned of his backstory and the secret he was literally willing to die to protect, I was all in. And in the end, he too is a protector, and also a fighter, except, he’s willing to fight shoulder to shoulder WITH Sesily instead of standing in her way and doing it for her.

Since the series is titled what it is, I can assume there will be books about certain other very intriguing characters who appear in this book and I can’t wait to see how each of their stories unfold.

CW: murder, attempted murder, off page assault, spousal abuse, violence, fighting, property damage

3.5 stars
Sesily Talbot (one of the “Soiles S’s” from a previous series), had her heart broken two years prior by American Caleb Calhoun. Sesily responded by becoming part of the Duchess Trevescan’s Hell’s Belles, underestimated women who work to bring low bad men. Now Caleb is back in London, and the sparks fly. But Sesily isn’t the only one keeping secrets ...

This was an entertaining read. I really enjoyed MacLean’s eye for punchy dialogue and banter. I loved Sesily’s relationship with the other Hell’s Belles, to the extent that I found myself wanting even more from that storyline. A nice series starter.

Lady Sesily Talbot is well-known in the ton. She cut a swath with her four sisters as the daughters of a coal merchant. Now, her sisters are all married off while Sesily uses her time working with a group of women to take down unscrupulous men. Is it dangerous? Yes. But she feels strong that it is the right thing to do. Would she love to get married? Maybe. But there is only one man who holds her interest.
Caleb Calhoun is an American in business with Sesily's sister Sera. He has just returned to England after two years away. He was most definitely avoiding Sesily. But now he's back to help Sera and their business partner Fetu while she gives birth. He knows that his past will cause a problem but he just can't stay away from Sesily. And when his past crosses with her present, it may mean that he will never see her again.
MacLean has written another amazing novel. I thought that the wrap up was a little too swift but the book was otherwise enjoyable. Sesily was capable and Caleb recognized that. I am very hopeful that Lady Imogen, resident chemist, will get a story with Bow Street Runner Thomas Peck.

Four stars
This book comes out August 24th, 2021
ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

“Bombshell” by Sarah MacLean blew my mind into a bajillion bells, hearts, and kisses! We finally got Sesily Talbot and Caleb Calhoun’s love story. Two years ago, when Caleb went back to Boston, Sesily tried to fill her emptiness with merriment to numb her feelings. What Sesily did not expect was her path being diverted towards an invitation to use her wit and wiles for good. The man she wanted may not have visited London enough, but she had a purpose in life that brought her joy. But then her warrior world got tangled with a recently returned and curious Caleb who caught her in action, and it was even harder to both stay away and be with each other.

I loved what Sesily was involved in! The fairer gender she and her fellow warriors may be, however they can take care of themselves while helping others. The friendship between the four main girl gang members was lovely, hilarious, and fierce. There were other establishments in the Sarah MacLean world, but a specific tavern in this book was a place I wanted to frequent because of the amazing people present. This collaboration and network aspect of the book was so expected yet unexpected, making the book relatable to modern times, clever, and creative! MacLean created warriors, but as an ode to her Fated Mates Podcast, my initial thought was that she created a group of Valkyries!

I love that Caleb got to witness the awesomeness of women and Sesily being a goddess. I adored how they fought, protected, and loved for what they believed in with all their heart. They may have been at odds at times, however for altruistic actions and intentions. I felt it deep in my cells how they yearned for each other and the pain they felt while apart, it makes you press your hand against your own heart. Caleb’s secrets were unbelievably good. I cannot wait to listen to the audio version, especially when he reveals his secrets to Secily in words and action. Also, I just cannot get enough of their dialogues!

I am so excited that this book is out because it is a must-read, the entire series will be must-reads! I will be gushing even more on the @litwallflowerspodcast episode. For those who love MacLean and have waited patiently while twiddling their thumbs for this love match, you will not be disappointed. If you love revolutionary female characters and male characters believing women as priceless, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man, I should have read this sooner! I really enjoyed it as I love some good banter with the main couple Sesily and Caleb. It was just really fun to watch. I really love this cover and I look forward to this series!

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I loved this book and I love Sarah MacLean. Sarah has such a wit and charm about her novels and story telling that grows stronger with each new story. I found Sarah's writing for this novel to be quick paced, engaging, smart and an absolute delight. I love the way Sarah's novels are an ever expanding universe with people we know and people that we are bound to learn more from. You will definitely be swept away into the underbelly or ballrooms of Victorian London and meet strong and vibrant characters to carry you through out Sarah's stories.

This novel focuses on Sesily Talbot and Caleb Calhoun, who we have met in a previous novel and from that meeting we have know they are meant to be with each other. Sesily is a strong, independent woman who lives outside of societies expectations. She is smart, witty, clever and knows how to take charge of any situation. Sesily is surround by other women who are her equals who believe and fight for justice among the aristocracy. Their bond is wonderfully strong and such a delightful working unit (which makes me extremely excited for more books in the series). Sesily is forever loyal and will love and trust with her whole heart which makes her a wonderful advocate for her family, friends and herself. Caleb is surrounded by mystery and secrets which make him cautious and hesitant around Sesily, he knows deep down in himself if he opens up to her in the smallest way it will put him and her at risk for heartbreak. Caleb as a hero is fun to watch as he struggles inside himself to not give in to Sesily's charms, but it is a fight he is bound to lose.

I love watching these two circle each other, I love watching them fight their feelings for each other, and I love knowing that each of them is so taken with the other. Sarah is able to craft their relationship of respect for each other through moments of intrigue and risk. I love that in these moments both Sesily and Caleb can stand on their own two feet and no one is the weaker link, they fight side by side, and want to protect the other with all their being. Sesily and Caleb are definitely equals, they treat each other as equals, and in moments of uncertainty stand strong as equals. Their relationship is also sensual and steamy with a delightful tension that builds up throughout the novel. I love that they both love the other and that love does not scare them away from the other but gives them the strength to protect each other.

This is a definite recommended read in my opinion. It is a fantastic start to a new series, Sarah MacLean just gets better and better and I can not wait for our other Hell's Bells to get their happily ever afters!

This is the first book in the Hell's Belles series. Finally a woman in historical London that I can really relate to!
Lady Sesily Talbot has spent her life becoming a scandal. As the last of the notorious 5 S sisters, everyone believes the worst of her. As part of a public service she and her co-conspirators, are taking down the men who are abusing their wives, girlfriends, and other females, or who are being cruel. I can’t help but respect their methods and sense of justice!

There is intrigue, danger, explosions, and ultimately love. I loved this book & I can't wait for the rest!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great start to a new series by MacLean! Sesily is brazen, bold, and unapologetic, which is exactly how I like my heroines. MacLean brought the action and took the romance to the next level. A must-read!

This is about badass women who aren't afraid of their sexuality or to fight back against men to make the world a better place.

I devoured Bombshell in one day. It was my first Sarah MacLean book and I will never look back. Caleb and Sesily have such an intense slowburn romance that is laced with mutual pining and endless sexual tension.

We follow Sesily Talbot, who is one of seven sisters all with a name starting with the letter S. They are scrutinised by English society because they are not proper women and have always acted outside the rules ladies are supposed to follow. However, each of Sesily's sisters has gotten married, and only Sesily remains as a spinster. But Sesily has no qualms about this, she loves attending parties and being the scandalous woman that everyone both envies and fears. She embraces her nickname, Sexily, with bravdo.

I loved how confident Sesily was in herself and how she wasn't afraid to put Caleb in his place. She was such a phenomenal heroine to follow and I will remember her for years to come. It isn't every day that you find a heroine lugging a corpse across the riverbank or pulling a knife from a hidden fold in her dress - and that is what makes Sesily so special. (she also has a crass mouth and that always makes me smile.)

I love the Hell's Belles - Sesily, Imogen, Adelaide, and The Duchess. They were all such interesting women and I love how what society saw as their "faults," they were able to use as their strengths to take down awful men. This is set during 1838, the Queen is on the throne, and men are pissed. But men have always been awful creatures to women, so Sesily and her friends team together to help avenge women of these men and put them in their place. I adored their friendship and how candid they were with one another.

If you adore the Wallflower's series by Lisa Kleypas, you will not be disspointed with the Hell's Belles series by Sarah MacLean.

I haven't touched on the romance too much, but I really did love it. Caleb and Sesily have been pining after one another for years, but both believe the other is not interested. Caleb also has a secret past that prevents him from fully committing himself to Sesily, and you can see how that causes him immense anguish. I really adored the scene where Caleb looks after Sesily after she has gotten hurt-it is one of my favourites and you could just see how much he cared for her. He really viewed Sesily as a woman who could not only walk on water but could part it as well. I love that, while he did try and tame her in the beginning, he saw that she was extremely cappable of looking after herself and allowed her to do such. They were such a fun couple and I love how their banter never slowed down.

"You are not reckless, Sesily Talbot; you are regal. You're a damn queen."

I cannot believe that Sarah MacLean teased Imogen's romance SO MUCH only to reveal that the next book would be Adelaide's! Don't get me wrong, Adelaide is out wallflower theif, and I can't wait to see what sticky situations she finds herself in. But MacLean is teasing a romance between our beloved explosions expert, Imogen, and a detective inspector, Thomas! I cannot wait.

I also learned that two of Sesily's sister, Seraphine and Sophie, have their own books! We got to see some scenes with them in this novel and it makes me SO excited to back and read those.

Scandalous Sesily only has eyes for one man. But Caleb’s dark secret keeps him from pursuing her. When she tries to find out what he’s hiding, will she put them both in danger?

If you like over-the-top Regency romance with women who behave as badly as the men, you’ll enjoy this book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was such an amazingly fun, feminist historical romance! No writes historical heroines quite like Sarah MacLean and this gang of amazing women took it to a new level. I absolutely fell in love with these characters and can't wait for more from the Hell's Belles!

While this is definitely the start of a new series and stands totally on it's own, I do wish I had read the Scandal & Scoundrels and The Rules of Scoundrels series in full before this, only so that I could have fully appreciate the glimpses of those characters (I did love the mentions of the Bareknuckle Bastards though!!) I love the way Sarah MacLean's works are all interconnected while still standing wholly on there own - it makes for such a fun reading experience.

I LOVE a good worshipping hero and Caleb delivered in spades. He absolutely worships the ground Sesily walks on (even though he desperately tries to hide it). I loved their palpable chemistry and the way Sesily challenged him. Their dynamic and banter was fantastic and Caleb's determination to keep Sesily at arms length only added to the tension.

But the absolute shining star of this book to me was the Hell's Belles themselves. This group of women stole my heart (a tried to blow it up with gun powder I assume). They are fearless and determined and I desperately want to be apart of this crew!

Sarah MacLean opens a new series with a bang in Bombshell. Revisiting characters from previous books - most notably The Day of the Duchess - she finally delivers a love story for Sesily Talbot, the remaining 'Soiled S' Talbot sister left unmarried. However Sesily is no retiring spinster. Instead we discover she's leading a secret life as part of a network of free-thinking women with hopefully many more stories to come in the new Hell's Belles series.

While Bombshell clearly builds on events from prior books, it stands alone as the start to a new series and shouldn't pose a problem for any new readers. From the first page, it's obvious where things stand: Sesily Talbot and Caleb Calhoun pine for each other. Caleb is a friend of Sesily's sister Seraphina and quickly fell for Sesily upon meeting her, but holds himself back from acting on his feelings for a mysterious reason. Sesily likewise quickly fell for Caleb when they met in The Day of the Duchess, but was hurt when he fled home to America rather than spend more time with her and explore their mutual interest. As the book opens, Caleb is returning to England for a visit after two years away, hoping he can resist the temptation to pursue Sesily, while Sesily is busy working with the Hell's Belles and trying to forget Caleb exists.

Those resolutions don't last long, however. Caleb seeks Sesily out at a ball on his very first night back, and she manages to kiss him during the same encounter. Like the opening bell of a wrestling match, that kiss seems to signal the start of all the action. The two begin to circle each other, with each new confrontation bringing them ever closer despite their efforts to stay apart.

While Caleb's reasons for avoiding a relationship with Sesily remain obscure until almost the end of the book (so I will avoid ruining the surprise here), Sesily is clear about her reservations. Not only is she getting severly mixed messages from Caleb about his intentions - he almost flees back to America after a night with her - but she's also wary of what involvement with him would mean for her activities with the women's network. And rightly so.

After Caleb fled from her the first time, two years before this story begins, Sesily was recruited by the Duchess of Trevescan to become involved in a group pursuing, on a broad level, women's independence. After honing her skills for violence and mischief, Sesily is prepared to handle a variety of scenarios. She helps women escape or avoid abusive relationships, holds her own in a bar fight, and has been known to transport dead bodies when called for. All of this is kept secret from her family, although it is clearly an important part of her character. Knowing that Caleb understands this piece of her is an important step for Sesily in their relationship.

Unfortunately, while Caleb frequently says he understands and respects Sesily's capabilities, his actions frustratingly said the opposite to me. Specifically related to his mysterious reason for avoiding a relationship - after Sesily shared her dangerous secret and pastime with him - Caleb should have been able to open up to her. By not respecting and trusting her enough to share his secret, or include her in decisions about the fate of their relationship, Caleb made a lie out of all of his promises of understanding. Sesily is a kickass heroine and deserved someone who treated her like a partner instead of an object for protection.

While Caleb's behaviour definitely prevents Bombshell from being a DIK, my liking for Sesily, her girl group, and the genuine chemistry between her and Caleb kept this at a B. MacLean delivers on a lot here, not least the promise of more books for this interesting band of women!

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