I had been looking forward to this book, but it was, while readable and enjoyable in parts, unfortunately not a very good match for me.

In part this was a personal taste thing, and I'm sure others will appreciate it.

However another large part of my feeling came from a general disconnect from the characters, their relationship and the plot development in general. I would struggle to give many details about either of the main characters, and the things I did recall about them, were character
issues which were largely underdeveloped. For example when David argued with another character, it highlighted some interesting points about the negative aspects of his unwanted paternalism and his often blinkered attitude. However the possibility of this leading to some interesting character development was never realised. The plot was uneven, and the ending a bit bland with its deus ex machina.

In addition, I also got rather distracted by the often anachronistic language and expressions, especially at the start of the book. There were a few specific words which completely dragged me out of the book, sending me to research their etymology and history in case I was mistaken, but at least one was about 60 years earlier than the first recorded use, and a few others about 20-30 years early. Unlike the recent books by Alexis Hall though, whose books relish in their deliberate anachronisms, here the book felt like it was supposed to be in a period appropriate style and so the word choices were particularly incongruous.

Overall it was just a bit bland going for me, but nothing too seriously wrong, and hopefully the author will make some improvements in character development and research on the language used in the future.


*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC*

This is my first book from this author and although it is part of the Lucky Lovers of London series, i was able to devour this sweet best friends to lovers story without any issue. I adored the chapters about their past and David's protectiveness throughout the years.
It was a fun story and i will definitely continue with the rest of the series.


**Thanks to Netgalley and the published for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!**

3.5 stars. A really lovely friends to lovers story, with plenty of requisite pining. David and Noah met in boarding school and have been close ever since, but a misunderstanding ended any possibility of romance between them years ago. Now a threat to David’s livelihood and the club they all call home will force them to confront some long-hidden truths.

This book had a lot of fits and starts. Interesting plots were repeatedly set up and abandoned with no payoff, which made it kind of frustrating to read. I liked both the main characters, plus their cast of friends and family, but it wasn’t as satisfying an ending as it could’ve been as a result of the half-finished plot threads.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to read. All opinions are my own.

This is the sequel to The Gentlemen’s Book of Vices (Fear not those with commitment anxiety, they are both totally readable as stand-alone novels!) and honestly, I preferred this one over the first (the first was fantastic as well, but something about these two oblivious dorks is *chef’s kiss*)

The dynamic of our two love interests, Noah (Who is sometimes Miss Penelope) and David is electric and also wonderfully tender. I adore friends to lovers and even more so when there is angst and pining and let me tell you, this book served me the perfect amount of both. I was so overwhelmed with the chemistry and cuteness of these two that I couldn't physically sit still. Beyond them as a couple, each character had their own journey to go on that helped them both feel multidimensional and real as individuals - this may sound like a basic thing to note, but their struggles were just so well conceptualized for each of them that it played an integral role in endearing me to these two and maximizing how much I enjoyed watching them come together.

Everlee’s writing improved greatly with this sophomore novel and that shined for me the most in the individuality of these characters. I really could hear the voice of each distinctly through the writing style and had no need for chapter headers saying who’s POV I was in - they both were so unique I never struggled with who was on the stage.

Honestly I could go on for longer (I really REALLY enjoyed these characters) but to sum it up, if you like friends to lovers that almost were but tragically were not followed by pining and a whole lot of SOFT - then I recommend giving this a read.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"A Rulebook for Restless Rogues" by Jess Everlee is a historical romance set in London during the late 19th century. The story revolves around two best friends, David Forester and Noah Clarke, who are both involved in London's queer scene. David runs an underground club, The Curious Fox, which is threatened with closure by a corrupt baron. Meanwhile, Noah, who is a talented tailor, risks his own career to help David keep the club open.

The novel's strongest point is its depiction of the romance between David and Noah. The chemistry between the two is palpable from the very beginning, and their slow burn romance is sweet and satisfying. Everlee does an excellent job of conveying the intensity of their feelings for each other, and the tension between them is skillfully built up.

However, one issue I had with the book was that some of the characters felt too similar to those in other gay romances I have read in the past. While David and Noah's relationship is unique, some of the supporting characters, such as the flamboyant best friend and the villainous baron, felt like they had been lifted straight out of other books in the genre. While this is not necessarily a problem, it did make the story feel less original and engaging at times.

Additionally, while the novel has an engaging plot, it also has some pacing issues. The first half of the book moves quite slowly, with much of the focus on setting up the world and the characters. This can make it difficult to get invested in the story, especially since the stakes don't feel particularly high. However, the second half of the book is much more exciting and fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.

Overall, "A Rulebook for Restless Rogues" is a solid historical romance with a captivating central relationship. While the book does have some issues with pacing and originality, it is still an enjoyable read for fans of the genre. I would give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues was a pleasing follow-up work to The Gentleman's Book of Vices. I didn't connect with the characters this time quite as much as I did in the first work, but it was still an enjoyable story that held my attention throughout. The only real issue I had was with the pacing, because after a long build-up the ending felt a little rushed and all worries were solved by the appearance of a deus ex machina (that shall remain nameless to avoid spoilers) that solved everything within a few paragraphs. That was a little anti-climatic for me. But the romance side of things had a believable and interesting progression and it was fun to see favourite characters from the first book make brief appearances in this one too. I would read on in the series if the author pens more works set in this world. This book gets 3.5 stars from me, which I will round up to four.

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues is a heart-warming sequel in the Lucky Londoners series by Jess Everlee. This book follows Noah and David, introduced in the first book of the series, but also features cameos and interactions with many of the characters that we got to know and love in that book. Noah and David have known each other since childhood, and in this book we get to see flashbacks to their years in school together compared to their present-day relationship as it grows and develops.

I adored David and Noah's dynamic, especially as we saw more of Noah's drag character, Penelope. However, in the first half of this book their relationship annoyed me a bit. They were clearly into each other and wanted to be together, but avoided doing so for plot reasons. I loved their relationship when they did finally get together though.

This book ended with a strong sense of community that did make me tear up a bit in joy and warmth. I simply adore the way that Everlee writes about queer community and the way that we care for and protect one another. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

This was a perfectly adequate historical romance, it just wasn't for me. I truly did not understand why they weren't together from the start since they were hooking up and both wanted to be together, and I just felt all the plotlines in general were underdeveloped. I think lots of people will love it though!

4.75 ⭐️ Excuse me while I wipe away my tears and pick my heart up from the floor.

This book was an absolute delight to read, but also the most tension and angst my heart could possibly be able to take in one day. I couldn’t put the book down, but I also couldn’t keep on reading during some parts, because I was getting so incredibly frustrated at the state of these two!

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues explores the history and connection between David Forester -the proprietor of The Curious Fox, our most beloved club from The Gentleman’s Book of Vices- and Noah Clarke, a well sought out tailor by day, who we’ve come to know as the Queen of Cards herself, Miss Penelope Primrose, at night.

To say I was excited to finally read this book, where we get these two together with their very own best-friends-to-lovers story, would be an understatement. I just knew I wouldn’t been able to focus on anything until I read the entirety of the book, so I basically read the whole thing in one sitting… And it was so worth it! I’m so in love with the world and characters Jess Everlee creates in these books. This second instalment was everything I had hoped for and more. I’m personally not the biggest fan of the “friends-to-lovers” trope, but here it just made perfect sense. It kept every bit of angsty touch feeling like a ticking time-bomb of emotion. I’ve teared up throughout every revelation in this book, fearing for the lives and wellbeing of the characters that have come to mean so much; I’ve tried to hold back weepy smiles at every sappy, emotionally charged moment where jokes gave way to feelings. So yes… I really wasn’t lying when I said I was wiping away tears here.

The exploration of gender, love, relationships, and sexuality in this book has me in such a chokehold. I would love to know how Noah would identify himself if were able to have the options we have today -the vernacular we have nowadays- when it comes to his exploration of drag and femininity. The obviousness of how David owns his bisexuality was a breath of fresh air whilst also bringing forth such a comforting sense of fluidity that, realistically, I doubt would’ve been able to exist in the 1880s -as much as I truly wish to be wrong in that regard. Reading queer stories set in a time where imprisonment and death would’ve been likely outcomes for these main characters always makes me incredibly heartbroken, as I think of how many people were robbed of the chance of a full life just because they didn’t hide their true selves well enough. Which is exactly why I believe books like this to be so necessary. Even if this is ultimately a fictional story, the pain, fear, and sentiment behind it is very real to this day. It is truly surprising just how much homophobia and transphobia continues to run rampant in our society, almost a quarter into the 21st century. Change is slow coming and built on hundreds of years and lives lost. It’s a fight we continue to fight and one we endeavour to win, especially when we get books like this. Hopeful books that paint queer love stories in the most beautiful light.

If you haven’t picked up this series yet, I’d recommend you do so immediately. And although this book can be read as a stand-alone, I’d suggest for them to be read in order, as there are several scenes where we meet and interact with the protagonists from book #1 - Miles and Charlie! Those two stole my heart in The Gentleman’s Book of Vices and I’ve been trying to get it back since.

Overall, this was one my most anticipated reads for 2023 and I can 100% say that it did not disappoint! I’m so in love with this series, I can’t wait to see where it goes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 / 5
🌶️🌶️ / 5

*Thank you so, so much Net Galley and Carina Press for the wonderful eARC!*

I will be uploading this review on Goodreads, and I'll check in again closer to the publishing date!

4.5/5 stars! This is the second book by author Jess Everlee and I am here for this queer romance. This story was sweet and read like a perfect regency romance tale. I found myself a little more drawn to Noah than David, but that was just because Noah was a total cinnamon roll character, and those are my favorite since I'm an old grump. This is such a fun read. Will definitely be going back to read the first book in this series.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily