I really loved this one! The premise is fresh and engaging (which, in a historical romance, can be hard to come by!) and the characters were well-written and thoughtfully handled. 4.5 stars!

I've never read anything by Sian Ann Bessey, but I've long wanted to. I don't often buy books by authors I haven't read (I prefer to use the library to try out new authors), so when the opportunity came for me to read "An Alleged Rogue," I jumped at the chance. It is the third in a series, and I will be racing to buy the first two books right after I submit this review. I loved "An Alleged Rogue" and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean romances.

Adam's father was duped into making an unwise investment and was swindled out of most of the family's money. Adam is working hard to make his apple orchard prosperous so that he can provide for himself and his sister. Phoebe is a neighbor new to the area. She heard unkind rumors about Adam's character, but quickly befriends his younger sister Emily. Through her interactions at their home, Phoebe soon realizes that Adam is not who the neighborhood makes him out to be.

A few times throughout the book, the perspective shifts to that of the villian. These scenes were necessary to the story, and it was a clever way to drive the plot. However, although there are a few tense moments, the story is really about Adam remaking his life, Phoebe coming into her own, and the two falling in love. Both characters are extremely likeable and I cheered for them from the beginning.

This is the best clean romance story I've read in awhile, and I can't wait to read more from Sian Ann Bessey!

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

A bad reputation, a noble heart.

An Alleged Rogue by Sian Ann Bessey is a lovely sweet Regency romance with captivating characters and an immersive plot.

Adam Norton, Lord Dunsbourne, was coming back into society after five years of absence, and with him, his lovely sister, Emily.

According to the gossip, Lourd Dunsbourne had gambled away his family fortune and kept his sister locked at home in less than desirable conditions.

Phoebe Hadford, Adam's new neighbor, was appalled by Emily's situation and decided to befriend her and help as much as possible.

Slowly, Adam and Phoebe discover that appearances can be deceiving, and they learn to put aside their prejudices and trust their instincts.

The story is beautifully written, heartwarming, and the scenery very charming. I enjoyed it immensely!

I am intent on reading all the previous books in the series. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 11/08/2021*

An interesting story set in eighteenth century England. Phoebe Hadford is at a dinner party and sees Adam and his sister, and the tongues start to wag over past scandals. When she meets the sister by chance she is invited and asked to help her with fashion tips. A good story, and one that kept my interest throughout. Must admit I usually prefer modern stories, but this one did a good job of interesting characters and keeping mindsets of how people might have thought of things back then. Would highly recommend this one. I see in reviews this is the 3rd in a series by this author, but the first one I've read. Was not lost at all. A good read.

4 stars
The story: Adam is a baron who is trying to regain his inheritance (and a chance at a bright future for his sister) after a criminal tricked his father into investing the family's fortune in a deal that cost him everything. The scheme led to his father's death and Adam has spent five years trying to catch the man who cost them so much. Phoebe is a fashionable young woman who's family has recently moved to the area and she has heard rumors about the baron next door that gambled away his family fortune, brought his father to death and now keeps his sister locked away from the world.

Adam and Phoebe are both intelligent and capable people who rely on their instincts and choose to judge people on their merit rather than the rumors that surround them. While initially they hear the worst of each other (she hears that he is a rogue and a tyrant, he sees a woman who cares more for appearances than substance) they very quickly realize there is much more to discover about each other. Adam's sister Emily and Phoebe's father help along the way by both being open to the trust that seems to be developing between Adam and Phoebe.

The villain has a bit too much of the book dedicated to his plans and schemes. While it was interesting, it often took me out of the story.

An Alleged Rogue is a winning addition to the Georgian Gentleman series! The intriguing plot moves quickly and unfolds in a satisfying manner. The story kept me engaged from beginning to end. The characters are endearing. Adam and Phoebe are a delightful couple, and I love sweet Emily. The romance is tender and lovely taking a back seat to the action. The eighteenth century historical setting is beautifully painted. There is a lesson to be learned concerning the powerful, negative effects of gossip.

Although it is part of a series, this book works well as a stand-alone. Reading the first two books in the series is not a necessity for the enjoyment of this book, but I suggest reading them just because they are so good! I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating book, and highly recommend it and the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The third installment of Sian Ann Bessey's Georgian Gentlemen series, "An Alleged Rogue" chronicles heroine Phoebe Hadford and Adam, Lord Dunsbourne's delightful journey from neighbors to much more. Phoebe is the charming sister of Jane, the female protagonist from "An Uncommon Earl".

This engaging novel is replete with fascinating characters. Forger extraordinaire and master of disguise Freddie Payne is a true criminal mastermind, clever and cunning. While he is without question a highly unethical human being, Payne's intelligence is remarkable. Phoebe is unaffected and sweet, and her relationship with Adam evolves naturally. Secondary characters are also well-developed; Emily is especially endearing. Bessey's attention to detail encompasses the cider-making process, even including the apple varieties used at the time.

The author's prose is lovely and evocative. This book is clean. While " An Alleged Rogue" stands alone, the previous two novels are excellent as well. Although I don't know if this a trilogy or if more installments are forthcoming, Emily deserves her own tale, even though she's only sixteen when events unfold here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this entertaining novel.

"An Alleged Rogue" is a romance set in 1788 in England. It's not highly historical or realistic, though the author did some research about fashion and making cider at that time. The villain was able to easily create new personas that were accepted immediately into exclusive clubs or was able to forge anything without apparent effort or special equipment. He's incredibly slick and smart yet somehow made some very stupid mistakes (which allowed us to have a happy ending). Basically, this was more fairytale than realistic, but it's enjoyable.

Phoebe enjoyed things like fashion and society, but she didn't join in gossip. She saw that Emily needed help and gave her useful advice and built up her confidence even though Emily's older brother was intimidating. As she got to know the family, she was willing to learn the reasons behind their actions rather than just assume the worst. She admired Adam's hard work and integrity and supported his efforts as she could. Adam appreciated her beauty, kindness, and trustworthiness. I cared about what happened to these families, which created suspense since the villain had scammed Adam's father and intended to scam her family. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.

An Alleged Rogue by Sian Ann Bessey is an excellent historical romance novel that is the third in the wonderful Georgian Gentleman series. I really enjoyed this.

This novel has it all: history, romance, mystery, suspense, and an excellent cast of characters that kept me engaged throughout.

I really liked Adam and Phoebe together. I enjoyed the progression of their mutual relationship and how it developed as the novel went onwards.

I also enjoyed the family and relationship between siblings Adam and Emily. Adam may be imperfect and make mistakes, but the passion, emotion, and care that shows through is endearing.

I enjoyed the twists, turns, and of course, the ending.

What a great series, with excellent character development and attention to historical detail.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Covenant Communications for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

This story would make a sweet and fun miniseries, split up over multiple episodes. The characters were enjoyable enough and the writing seemed well-researched. But it was a bit too long and drawn-out. It felt like some judicious condensing would have made it more compelling.

I was constantly thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it, and absolutely hooked when I was. You do not want to miss this one.

I loved the main characters. They were both so relatable and also admirable. I love stories where characters must overcome the perception others have of them. Both Adam and Phoebe pushed against the norms and I loved how their goodness and personal growth drew them together.

The added mystery made this more than a romance. The intrigue was weaved well into the story and was a nice addition. I highly recommend this book! I immediately wanted to go back and read my favorite parts when I was done, just to enjoy it a little longer.



I received an ARC for my review, but the opinions are my own.

A great story by Sian Bessey
What happens when you mix a con-man/forger, a baron determined to save his estate and stop the person who ruined his father, a town full of rumors and gossip that was started to hide another’s bad deeds and a young woman willing to look beyond the rumors and gossip? A great read full of engaging characters, interesting plot twists, and unexpected action. What fun! Adam, Lord Dunsbourne, is searching for the criminal who conned his father leading to almost the ruin of the family estate. He is consumed with repairing the damage and seeing justice served and neither he nor his sister, Emily, have been seen in public since the death of his father. When they venture out to a dinner party at the neighbors, they become aware that something doesn’t feel right. The only person who seems somewhat unaffected is Phoebe and she seems to only be interested in Emily. As Phoebe spends more time with Emily she begins to see that the rumors and gossip do not reflect the reality of the Dunbourne estate. When problems arise and danger threatens can they band together to pull each other through? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

Couldn't put it down! Sian Bessey always has very engaging characters and storylines that teach about relevant history. I felt like I was right there in the story, feeling all of the emotions. Adam and Phoebe are characters I would love to see again in the future. This series is in my top favorites!

Another author that I found this year and ended up loving! An Alleged Rogue is the third book in Sian Ann Bessey’s Georgian Gentlemen series. And it was amazing! I read it in one day, I could not put it down! I am loving the whole series and this was just a sweet addition to a great series.
Lord Dunsbourne was a tyrant or at least that is what everyone believed. He gambled away the family fortune, and he keeps his younger sister, Emily, captive in their own home at Donsbourne Manor. However, when Adam and his sister make an appearance at a dinner party, people begin to talk. New to town, Phoebe Hadford hears of the rumors surrounding the Lord Dunsbourne and determines to help the baron’s sister. But as she spends time at Dunsbourne Manor, she finds all is not as the rumors said. Adam and Phoebe find themselves drawn to each other. When a dangerous enemy from Adam’s past reemerges, Adam finds everything he cherishes threatened including this new woman who changed his life.
Phoebe was a lot of fun. I liked how kind she was to those around her. She did not allow rumors or appearances to stop her from reaching out to others. Although others warned against it, Phoebe wanted to get to know Adam’s sister, Emily. I love how Phoebe worked hard. She saw past the outer appearances and tried to make her own decisions about people rather than listening to rumors.
Adam was a sweetheart! I could tell that he loved his sister, and he wanted to make his parents proud. He was working so hard to give his sister a better life and catch the man who ruined his family. I adored Adam, and I loved getting to know him. He worked hard, and he was willing to do hard work to help his family. However, he was also struggling. He wanted to provide for his sister, but times were tight. He also wanted to avenge his father, but his thirst for revenge may make life difficult for him
It was just so fun to read about Adam and Phoebe working together. They were simply the perfect match. They understood each other. But they had to learn to work through their trust issues and what it meant to fall in love. Adam was not the trusting type, but Phoebe helped him see the good in the world again. Adam helped Phoebe look beyond herself and see the value of people again.
Adam’s sister, Emily was also sweet and I adored reading about her. She was a lot of fun and she brought life into Adam’s life. She was also a great friend to Phoebe. I hope she gets her own book. Adam’s servants were also sweet and so was Phoebe's maid. The side characters were lovely.
I just really loved An Alleged Rogue! I would totally recommend it! It is part of a series but it can be read standalone. An Alleged Rogue is a clean historical romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I posted my review on Goodreads and Barnes and Nobles. I could not find it on Bookbub. I will post to my blog and Amazon closer to release date

This book was an excellent surprise!

Phoebe Hadford is a beautiful, young woman who just moved into a new town. Soon after, during a dinner party, she meets 16-year-old Emily, who is rumoured to have been kept captive in her house until now, by her brother, Lord Dunsbourne. Intrigued, Phoebe decides to learn more about her new neighbours, but end up quickly becoming close friends with both of them, helping them in their endeavour to produce cider on their estate to earn a little income. However, an enemy of Lord Dunsbourne is seeking revenge, and he will stop at nothing to destroy those in his path...

I loved this book. It is extremely well written and make us travel back in time to the Georgian era, in the lives of Phoebe, Lord Dunsbourne and Emily. I loved the setting and all the background of the story - it is not solely about the romance (which is still very well developed and believable), but also about adapting into society as a young women, earning an income by cultivating the land as a gentleman, and navigating gentlemen's circles to steal from them as a counterfeiter. A fascinating story and romance that I would highly recommend!

* I received an eARC and this is my honest opinion*