Despite the slower, quieter pace of this love story - it was a very deeply emotional read. (Especially after Sylvia and Rafe’s flashiness!) Eight years ago - Georgiana and Henry were falling in love… and now Georgiana is recovering from a horrible marriage, Henry is recovering… from horrible things. When hired to protect her - Henry is both horrified and can’t stop himself from agreeing. Georgiana is working… all the time and is terrified that she doesn’t actually know what she wants out of her life…

I deeply loved these two. I honestly savored every line of this story and thought it was deeply beautiful. I totally get that people want a higher speed read - so this might not be for you! But this one is so lyrical and deeply heart wrenching when they are together against the world but not quite together yet.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Henry is feted in public as the returning hero. Retired from Naval Intelligence, he has established his own private investigation agency. And he is quite surprised when Georgiana's brother comes to hire him to protect her. Georgiana was the one who got away nine years ago, and she is now a widow in half mourning. I love a good second chance romance and was keen to read this story, especially after both characters were introduced in the previous book.

In this book, Henry is the bodyguard, the hero hired to protect Georgiana. But she is at least equally the hero. Her work in updating her factories and paying a living wage, her responsibility in caring for her younger siblings, and even her awareness in protecting herself are as worthy of the title. I loved seeing such a strong female in a historical romance.

This is such a fun series, regularly surprising me. This book stands alone, but I recommend reading in order, especially as we get to revisit Rafe and Sylvie in this book.

Captain Henry Harris met Lady Georgianna 8 years ago and fell hard for the independent beauty, and he thought she felt the same. How wrong he was especially when he up and married a viscount. Guess a lowly Naval officer couldn't compete with the aristocracy, but he never got over his feelings. Fast forward to the present, and Lady Georgianna's brother is worried about her safety and hires Captain Harris to investigate the threats against her. When Georgianna finds out what her brother has done, she's furious, mostly because Captain Harris broke her heart all those years ago. Now she'll have to endure his presence during his investigation, but can she keep her fragile heart under wraps or will she lose her heart to the stoic hero once again?

This was a very enjoyable second-chance romance. The author does a good job teasing out the details of what happened all those years ago and all the misunderstandings between Henry and Georgianna. There was a good mystery running through the story although it wasn't too hard to figure out who the villain was in the book. There were a few surprises along the way, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Second chance romance between a widow and a supposed war hero. Georgiana has been running her business after her husband's death and providing factory reform for the workers, but she's suddenly being threatened by a competitor. Her brother has hired a retired Navy Captain to help protect her, but that captain was a former suitor who she passed over to marry her late husband. These two are stuck together despite being resentful of their history with each other and somehow find their way to common ground.

I really enjoyed this book! I love a historical romance and this second chance romance was a pleasure to read. Georgiana was so headstrong and independent and Henry was cool and collected which made for a really entertaining contrast. The tension between them was sexy and fun 🤩 and all of the side characters were enjoyable. Would definitely recommend!

This second chance romance definitely starts with animosity between the two main characters, and really hooks the reader into needing to find out what had occurred between these two in the past!

If you’re a fan of a wounded hero, definitely grab this book. Henry is also gruff and grumpy, so when Georgiana finally makes him smile, it totally made me giddy.

There’s also a story line (much like the previous books in this series) about something nefarious, with a who’s behind this mystery that will keep you flipping the pages!

The latest in the League of Scoundrels series, The Hellion and the Hero is a sweet second chance romance that takes us from the factories of London to the shores of Monte Carlo. If you like protective heroes and badass heroines, this story is for you.

Lady Georgiana Arlington married for money to save her family from ruin and now that her husband has died, she has decided to remain unmarried and forges a career as a business owner, a factory owner to be precise. When she refuses to pay her workers sweatshop wages and tries to buy out her competitors, she begins receiving threats to her life. Who better to hire as a bodyguard than her ex-beau and war hero, Captain Henry Harris.

There is a lot of miscommunication between the two leads and normally that can get a bit annoying but I think here both of their stories are so complex, it never grows annoying as a trope. I loved Georgiana's fiery nature and the love story between her & Henry was sweet and charming. A nice bonus is the cameos of Rafe & Sylvia from the last book in the series--I always love seeing what past characters are up to!

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is an awesome book full of misunderstandings and espionage. It is a second chance romance.
Lady Georgiana Arlington has always done what’s best for her family—even when it meant marrying a man she didn't love to save her father. Her husband’s death has left her stronger and bolder—a hellion, some would even say. When a mysterious enemy jeopardizes her livelihood and reputation, there’s only one person she can trust to help her uncover the threat: the same man she left heartbroken years ago.
Captain Henry Harris is no longer the penniless fortune hunter he was when they first met. Now a decorated naval hero, he could have his choice of women, but no other woman has Georgie’s allure, nor the tenacity he can’t help but admire. Assisting Lady Arlington will put both his body and his heart in danger—and yet, he can’t resist a second chance with the one woman he’s never been able to forget.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Lady Georgiana Arlington has always put others first, even when that meant trapping herself in a loveless marriage with an increasingly abusive husband to save her family’s finances. Now widowed, Georgie has turned her attention to changing the labor practices at the factories she inherited. Now mysterious threats are threatening that work and the only person who can assist her is returned naval-hero-turned-private-detective Captain Henry Harris. The problem? He is also the same man who broke her heart before her marriage. For Henry’s part, he’s determined to remain professional with Georgie–even if that means attempting to forget their stolen passionate moment eight years earlier and ignoring the still potent tension between them. However he’s not sure how much longer he can hold out–with every glance, inadvertent brush of fingers, and deepening conversation, he’s falling deeper and deeper back in love.

This series gets better and better! Georgie and Henry have spectacular chemistry with each other and their second chance love story is made all the more powerful because we know what they’ve been through in their time apart and how those experiences contribute to their ongoing misunderstandings of each other. You cannot help but root for them! And when they finally do get together, their tension and chemistry explodes off the page. Absolutely excellent. Emily Sullivan is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me. She writes such wonderfully complex characters and interesting scenarios. If you are a fan of historical romances, do not miss Georgie and Henry’s story!

The Hellion and the Hero reads a bit like someone took the general bones of Jane Austen's Persuasion and then built a story of intrigue and badass businesswomen on top of them. There's a lovely second-chance romance at the heart of the book with just enough more to make it stand out from the crowd.

Georgiana and Henry were very close to falling in love during her first season, until circumstances - and some family meddling - pulled them apart. And now, they're both a bit older and more battered, but Henry has been hired to investigate threats against Georgiana's life as she seeks to expand her business interests and provide better wages for millworkers across London. They clash at first, but sparks fly quickly, and soon it becomes a question of whether or not they will be able to recapture the magic they found so long ago, despite the hurt that stands between them.

I was emotionally invested in both of these characters from the first. Georgiana is just relearning how to be her strong and brash self after years in an abusive marriage, and Henry is trying to find his footing after becoming a war hero after one of the worst experiences of his life. They stand strong on their own, which made the scenes between them even better. Their reasons for holding back made perfect sense, meaning the ultimate reconciliation was all the more satisfying.

The subplot of corporate intrigue was equally engrossing. It's not often you get a historical romance with a woman at the head of a massively successful business, and it was a joy to see Georgiana standing tall and ranting about rights for millworkers. I'm also always a sucker for romances where one party is playing bodyguard, and this fit that to a T.

I don't have many complaints in regards to this book. The big reveal of who was behind the threats felt a little predictable to me, and the jaunt to Monte Carlo didn't do much for me, plot-wise, but all in all, I greatly enjoyed this book, just as I have the previous installments in the series!

4.25/5

I think the more interesting thing for me about this book is that it is set in 1899 Victorian England. Even though carriages are being used, a car is mentioned and the easier ability to travel. This is a second chance romance. Eight years ago both lady Georgiana Arlington and Henry Harris were on the marriage both hoping to land wealthy spouses. They found each other and there was some courting. Georgiana went on to marry a Viscount and save her family home from her fathers debts. Henry is now Captain Harris and is a decorated Navy hero and has done work for the home office. Now he uses his talents as an investigator.

Georgiana’s marriage was miserable but he died after only a few years and she has been running her family mills that were her dowry. After threatening messages are received her brother hires Henry to investigate and protect her. I thought the story was slow to take off and didn’t really become interesting until almost half way through. At that point they take a trip to Monte Carlo to get away from the threats. It becomes a close proximity romance as the two pushed together even more. It also is when the heat kicks in increasing my enjoyment. Both characters are good, well developed, speak their minds. But it does take a long time to resolve a misunderstanding from years ago.

I read this as a stand alone and I did feel I was missing on some previous relationships that weren’t recapped. It is the third in the League of Scoundrels series. I am new to the author and enjoyed this enough I would look for future books or others in the series. I didn’t love the writing enough to make the author a must read everything she has written. I’m a little on the fence. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

Okay, I read this third book in Sullivan's "League of Scoundrels" series without having read the other two (aka any of Sullivan's others books) so it can be done quite easily without taking away from the enjoyment of the book.

There are no scoundrels here - only a second-chance romance between a lovely, lonely former naval officer (Henry) and an progressive widowed businesswoman (Georgiana). Was it epic? No. Was it sweet and a little slow moving? Yes. But what would you expect from two main characters with a lot of emotional insecurity to work through? Henry is everything I LOVE and root for in a hero and I may have been a little jealous of and hard on Georgiana because of it. No one could deserve him. Sigh.

There is a decent plot - Georgiana's life has been threatened and Henry is hired to protect her and find the villain. They travel to Monte Carlo to escape the threats and reheat their old romance. Rafe & Sylvia from "Rebel & the Rake" meet up with them so you get an extra epilogue for their story as well.

There are a few steamy open door bedroom scenes, the first couple of which felt a bit awkward because they hadn't really had any meaningful conversations and didn't feel connected as a couple. I wanted more cuddling and honest bedroom talk and less worrying about appearances. She's a widow. Who cares who she's sleeping with anymore?!

I am so sick of every historical novel being compared to "Bridgerton" to entice readers. Every historical romance is not like "Bridgerton." This doesn't have the humor, the massive family dynamic, big characters or the build the anticipation like Quinn's books do, but it's still lovely in its own right.

Thank you to @ReadForeverPub for the advanced copy. It was a light; quick read and I have already purchased the other two in the series!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the third book in the series but can be read entirely as a standalone

CW: PTSD (from war), death threats, kidnapping, discussions of fertility

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-bodyguard
-forced proximity
-yearning
-second chance elements
-don't come a knocking when the carriage is a rockin
-slow burn
-just a hookup

I love this series. It's so much fun, great sexual chemistry's and a sense of adventure. I also just adore a good bodyguard romance and this was a wonderful play on the trope with the added second chance elements to add to the yearning of the almost, the one that got away.

Georgie and Henry butted heads in the best way that two people who are fighting their attraction and are equally head strong can. The build up between them as they tried to fight their attraction until they finally couldn't It was just lovely to see two people who were kept apart for so long get their HEA.

Steam: 3.5

Emily Sullivan does it again by creating a swoonworthy historical romance with exquisite tension, smart plot and off the chart steam. The chemistry between her character sizzles off the page and the banter is so fresh and fun. You can't help but be drawn into the intrigue and romance of her stories. I especially enjoyed the dual POV from both main characters, the cameo from characters in previous books and the incredibly spicy romance scenes (who needs a bed am i right?!). Thank you so much to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed this Victorian retelling of Persuasion, which is my favorite of Jane Austen's novels. It follows Georgiana and Henry as they are reunited after years apart. Henry is now a renown captain running his own private investigation agency who has been hired to learn who has been threatening Lady Arlington (Georgiana). As they are thrust together again and again, old feelings resurface, but so do old hurts and misunderstandings.

Ah, the pining is strong in this story and I loved it. Henry is noble and Georgiana is fierce, and they make a wonderful couple. Sullivan's writing is strong. I loved her previous books and this one was equally delightful! Looking forward to more from Emily Sullivan!

I really enjoyed The Hellion and the Hero by Emily Sullivan. The story had just enough Persuasion vibes to keep me hooked and I loved the mutual pining until they could pine no more and finally gave into their feelings. And there were some lovely steamy scenes that included a carriage ride and a bathtub! I can never have too many carriage and bathtub steam!

The only issue I had with the novel was that I felt like there was a bit of the backstory between the characters which made me wish I had read the second book in the series, The Rebel and the Rake. Which I will definitely rectify as I really enjoyed Emily Sullivan's writing style and I have a copy of the novel! The Hellion and the Hero could definitely be a standalone novel but I believe it would have benefited me as the reader to have read the second book in the series as I would have liked to know more about the first time Georgiana and Henry had seen each other after such a length of time. Since it is their mutual friends who are the leads in The Rebel and the Rake and it sounds like Georgiana and Henry participate and seem to have been important to the plot of the previous novel.

All in all, I loved Emily Sullivan and am looking forward to reading more of her novels starting with The Rebel and the Rake.

There was nothing wrong with this book. I liked the characters, the settings, and I found the plot mostly interesting. I just felt like I'd read this book before. There was nothing that made me surprised or taken aback. That all being said it was a lovely book with heart and adorable characters who you just want to get over themselves and kiss already.

All that being said, the part of the synopsis that said, "Fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton series will love this captivating second chance story," was right. If you love historical romance or want to give one a try this is the perfect place to start!

Yet another sweet slow burn by the author. Georgiana and Henry make a great couple full of mistakes of their pasts and dogged pursuit of their happiness once fates give them a second chance romance.

TW - none that I can think of. Some references to post war PTSD

I loved how Georgiana was portrayed as a strong businesswoman who is silently doing her part in refirming for the masses she has the power to connect to. Away from politics. Though that's how she gain many enemies, scoundrel men opposed to the very idea of others getting a decent living wage.

Enter Captain Henry Harris who gets hired by her brother to investigate the threats and protect her. While his head tells him to stay away he ends up taking the assignment. And thus ensues their journey of falling in love all over again despite their better judgements.

You see, once the spice starts popping in you have it all. I love the carriage scene the most :-D

I also loooooved Reggie and Loisa the siblings (meddling loving caring as they should be lol)

Thank you Netgalley and forever pub for the ARC !

This was a sweet second chance romance!

It started off a bit slow for me but I enjoyed it as it progressed. There’s lots of chemistry between the characters and I liked watching their secrets unfold. They had a lot of history and misunderstandings to work through, but they got there in the end. There’s some steam, some sweet moments, and overall I enjoyed it.

Lady Georgiana Arlington has always followed orders even when her heart has different desires. After her horrible husband dies, she decides to live for herself and make no apologies. With the factories she inherits, she chooses to make changes that helps her employees live better lives but makes her enemies within the business scene. After receiving threats on her life, her brother hires Captain Henry Harris to investigate and protect Georgianna. Little do most people know, Georgiana and Henry courted during her first season. Though their paths diverged (primarily due to miscommunication and duty), they find themselves drawn to each other just as they were years ago.

Emily Sullivan continues to just absolutely knock these books out of the park! I think I will read literally anything she writes. Her heroines are always complex and strong and the men are softer than they initially appear. I loved Georgiana and her conviction and that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

Miscommunication tropes are not my favorite so this probably wasn't my favorite of the series and it was a bit more of a slow-burn than I was expecting but I still totally recommend this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review.