How to Tame a Wild Rogue is a captivating and witty regency romance brimming with passion and emotional intensity. This enthralling tale took me on a journey through a world of love, drama, and intrigue. Long weaves a story that follows the tumultuous relationship between a wild rogue and his spirited counterpart. The pages come alive with the electric chemistry between the characters as they navigate the treacherous waters of society's expectations and their own desires. With her keen attention to detail, she paints a vivid picture of the era, immersing readers in its opulence and societal intricacies. Prepare to be swept away by this enchanting tale of love, passion, and the power of redemption.

If you read only one historical romance this summer, make it How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long. That's it. That's the review. Okay, that's not the whole review but it could be. Because, this book? It's just that good.

I've said this before but it bears repeating. Julie Anne Long paints pictures with words like no other author I have ever read. Composers create stunning, immersive, soul-stirring masterpieces that send our souls into flight. Long does it with words. They challenge, entice, anger, seduce, empower, excite. They swirl her characters - they swirl me - into an emotional maelstrom then deposit all of us, still, spent, changed, in the gentle swirl of waves lapping the shore in sunset's lambent light. That is the power - and the beauty - of this book.

With her vivid descriptions and well-developed characters, Long immerses readers into the daily life at the Grand Palace on the Thames, a most unique boarding house. While Lorcan and Daphne are indisputably the most important characters of this story, they are surrounded by a richly-depicted and entertaining supporting cast. Forced into close proximity by torrential rains, secondary characters unerringly stir conflict, generate humor, and provoke thought, all helping to move the story forward. Some are recurring characters who readers slowly come to know over the course of the series while others are newly introduced. It's fun to discover new layers to those characters familiar to fans of the series but readers new to this world should have no issues jumping in at any point.

While secondary characters provide richness and texture to this tale, it's Daphne and Lorcan who are at the helm of the story. Oh, how I loved these two. A privateer and a lady. A chance meeting, a fake marriage. A sensual, self-made man used to taking what he wants. A prim and proper lady who puts everyone's needs before her own. A fiery, tender, sensual, unexpected, empowering, all-consuming, cross-class love for the ages. Is it any wonder I couldn't put it down?

Long never makes a misstep in this book. It is beautifully balanced, nuanced, and simply perfection from beginning to end. Lorcan and Daphne have become one of my favorite romance couples, not only from Long but from any author. Reading their story, for me, was an all-encompassing, visceral experience, one I would happily repeat time and time again.

*ARC received. Fair and unbiased review.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was charming, fun, sweet, clever and held my interest. I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #6 in the Palace of Rogues series. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books in this series as well as other books by this author.

I absolutely adore this authors books. She knows how to write an exciting, fun and titillating romance with lots of quirky people. Ms Long has been a long time read for me. I have enjoyed reading this series and love the cover too! The Grand Palace on the Thames is a true and beautiful romance at its best. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own.
Daphne is a true woman who knows what she needs to do to survive. She's hightailing out a window one night when a stranger offers to catch her. She's not about to turn down help. Since a storm is coming towards their area, they seek a place and find it at the Grand Palace on the Thames.
His name is Lorcan and he's a former pirate now a Privateer. She is the daughter of a Viscount and they pretend to be married, so says the pirate.
Lots of charming housekeepers and their husbands who help the latest couple to find love and acceptance at the Grand Palace on the Thames.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

I continue to be a huge fan of the Grand Palace on the Thames! I loved that this one is so clearly the pandemic book, by which I mean the "what happens after the HEA when you're in lockdown with your partner?" book, and how we got to see the recurring characters and relationships continue to evolve and new ones develop (Dot and the hot footman, anyone?). The A plot romance was actually my least favorite of the series to date, but that still puts it far ahead of most other historical romances out there given how good overall this series is.

Enjoyable fake relationship, slow burn historical romance. "How to Tame a Wild Rogue" is the 6th installment in JAL's Palace of Rogues series. While it arguably works as a standalone, I did feel like there were elements I was missing by not having read the previous entries. I am also not a fan of including a ton of POV outside those of the main couple at issue, and this book had various other POV scattered throughout.

Overall though, I did like Daphne and Lorcan together. As I said above, they are a slow burn, but there is chemistry and tension for days. I enjoyed how they developed alone and together. I am not driven to read the other entries in this series but I would certainly read more JAL.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Now this is a story I completely enjoyed! From the first page it drew me in and didn’t stop! Great romance and good story!

I think this is another good example of great romance. This was exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. It was something I could turn my brain off and just enjoy the story. The writing is great quality and the story keeps you interested the whole time.

I had forgotten I had requested How to Tame a Wild Rogue and only remembered when it popped up in my inbox. I had seen it recommended from another reviewer I trust and took the plunge. I had never read Julie Anne Long before despite seeing her name numerous times at various book sales. After reading this book, I definitely plan on exploring more of her catalog. I hadn't realized this was the sixth book in the series, but I'm willing to take the blame for that mistake. I was fully invested in the main romance, but didn't care for the other couples who must have been introduced earlier in the franchise. It was odd to see the perspectives shift so frequently to different characters, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I were familiar with them. I was so intrigued by the lady and the pirate that I hated to see the attention transition to someone else.

In How to Tame a Wild Rogue, Lorcan and Daphne had such a compelling dynamic that I was immediately hooked. Fake Relationship is one of my favorite tropes and I loved how readily Lorcan pretended to be Daphne's husband to save her embarrassment. It didn't hurt one iota that he was a smoldering hairy pirate with an earring either. Their relationship was a flickering slow burn that I loved watching develop despite the constant narrative shifts. Lorcan was so tender and kind towards her, highlighting what a gentleman he was even with his swashbuckling lifestyle. I haven't read any pirate romances in a while and it was lovely to see one so well executed. It really brought me back to when I was swooning over Captain Hook in Once Upon A Time during my high school days. Nothing like some hairy chests, leather pants, and masculine jewelry to drive a girl wild.

I'm so happy to have finally given Julie Anne Long a chance and see what all the deserved fuss was about. I wish I had more context in the series, but it was enough to show me that she's a talented writer. The crescendo of angst, artful tenderness, and pleasant sensuality all combined into a fantastic romance novel. I hope to read more from this author because she has successfully given me all the proper instructions How to Tame a Wild Rogue.

Daphne and Lorcan first met in a dark alley when he literally caught her jumping from a window. Although of aristocratic birth, family circumstances had forced Daphne to work. When Lorcan spotted her, she had been escaping the home of an unpleasant employer. The brutal weather then forced them to seek shelter at the only accommodation available. Adding insult to injury, the boardinghouse only had 1 unoccupied room. Luckily, it was a suite. Proprietary demanded that they pose as husband and wife. Making the situation even more uncomfortable was the fact that Daphne knew one of the owners and Lorcan knew the husband of an owner. Rounding out the fun were the other guests. My favorite was the trio of German brothers which provided hilarious comic relief.
The marriage pretense caused Lorcan and Daphne to share lots of private information with one another. Lorcan was a terrible flirt and he teased Daphne relentlessly. Daphne loved every minute of it. On a more serious note, Daphne told Lorcan that she would soon need to accept an offer of marriage from an old and wealthy earl. Lorcan, having grown up as an orphan in St. Giles, knew that he couldn't compete. The wealth that he had amassed as a privateer, just wasn't the same thing.
The outlook for this couple did appear to be as bleak as the weather outside. Fortunately, as in all novels of this type, the dark cloud overhead did have a silver lining and the book came to a very happy conclusion. The epilogue was especially satisfying.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Ahhh, another installment in the Palace of Rogues series is like slipping into a hot bath with a lovely glass of wine and your favorite music playing. Julie Anne Long is one of the queens of long-running series and this is shaping up to be no exception. The Grand Palace on the Thames, with its team of hostesses and endlessly cycling friend-family of permanent and not-so-permanent guests is a place that is a delight to visit every time.

This story, with its self-sacrificing heroine and the rogue who hates to see her throw herself away is a perfect opposites attract/fake marriage plot. I love a seemingly hard man who is more vulnerable than anyone expects (him least of all) and when paired with a heroine who seems soft but is in fact steely herself? Chef’s kiss.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been waiting for a return visit to Long’s Grand Palace on the Thames and am overjoyed that moment has arrived. This is, in my opinion, a perfectly written romance novel such that readers will forget how to read, and should be emulated by proponents seeking to find that perfect story to emulate. Filled with brilliant conversations and steamy attraction, buffeted by bad weather and circumstances, this novel sings. Now if only the perfection of this novel can be studied by other authors. Readers will have thumping hearts and high expectations after settling down with this book. Highly recommend. The pacing and character interplay is delightful.

I gobbled this one up in a day, which means it was good. It has everything this author has long delivered and why she remains one of my favorite HR authors: subtle, intelligent humor, lovely use of words or turns of phrase, passion and emotion, tugging on heartstrings.

So why isn't it 5 stars?

Vs. my fave works of hers and of other HR favorite authors, her recent series, The Palace of Rogues, has a lot less plot and movement and more character study. I do enjoy the character studies, but not to this extent necessarily. I also enjoy following the characters previously introduced, peeling their layers back as well, but at the same time, I'm happy to skip those sections.

I know this is advanced manuscript, unedited, so I'm not taking points off - but DO take a fine comb with the editing! There are sections that are repetitive, overuse of certain words, etc. And of course misspelling and typos.

Also, the author has a tendency to congratulate herself on her own writing. She's been doing this through the characters across these recent works, which I find... annoying. Wit is best appreciated when it's subtle and savored, not when you hit us over the head with how witty you just were!

And finally, I'm not a fan of the cover.

But my faith in this author is more or less restored after the last DNF I had. I might even go back to read it all the way through this time.

Unusual circumstances indeed!

Lady Daphne Worth is a destitute woman on the run determined to do whatever it takes to save her family. Lorcan St. Leger is a notorious pirate from the gutters of St. Giles on his way to respectability.

This whole series is a true delight. Every main character and every secondary character adds so much to this universe. This latest installment, our July 25th, How the Rogue was Won, is no exception.

They meet as she’s escaping (out a window) a lecherous employer. He helps. They end up at the Palace and when one of their hosts recognizes her, our pirate, realizing the implications for her reputation, decides to fake a marriage.

Adding to the tension, Captain Hardy knows Lorcan! And is not his biggest fan, to put it mildly.

Lorcan and Daphne soon realize they may not exactly be faking their feelings for each other. He’s very overprotective of his fake wife! And they both love ✨✨✨✨ gazing which always makes this romance fan a bit swoony, frankly. Daphne’s wit and determination (despite the decidedly shitty circumstances her father has put her in) are inspiring, especially to Lorcan. 😍

When another option is presented to Daphne our MCs have a decision to make. The tension LEAPS off the page. Soooo good!!

This whole series focuses on found family but I found this installment by far the most moving on that theme.

The way Lorcan and Daphne come together, and show up for each other, with the help of the rest of the Palace, is sweet, sexy, and romantic.

As with all the other books in this series, the icing on the cake is Long’s delightful smart humor.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautifully written and enrapturing historical romance that takes place at the lovely Grand Palace on the Thames. I absolutely adored this book so much😍❤️!! How to Tame a Wild Rogue is a slow burn romance with a fake marriage, forced proximity and opposites attract tropes that were handled splendidly. It is filled with witty banter, tension/longing, sizzling chemistry and a swoon-worthy love story. The couple will leave you grinning and rooting for them to the very end. I completely devoured this book and my heart is so full of happiness!

Although this is the sixth book in "The Palace of Rogues" series it can easily be read as a stand alone. This is my first read by Julie Anne Long and now I want to read her other books. Overall, it was a delightful and well written story that I highly recommend. ALL the stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5 Stars! Such an awesome book! This is the 6th book in ‘The Palace of Rogues’ series & can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book & would highly recommend it. The main characters, Daphne and Lorcan, were so lovable & easy to root for. This book not only has wonderful main characters but excellent secondary characters, most of which are in the previous books in this series. Lorcan was such a sweet, thoughtful, strong privateer and has me wanting a real life Lorcan for myself. Daphne was a super sweet & overly helpful to unworthy men. I loved seeing the changes in her throughout this book. The ending of this was so heartwarming & it made me so happy they got their HEA ending, it was very much deserved. Absolutely worth reading. Can’t wait to read more from this series!
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

This is book 6 in the Palace of Rogues series, and we have to say: we absolutely loved it. It has a pretty basic plot - almost novella-trope-level basic: Lorcan and Daphne encounter each other on the eve of one of the worst storms of the decade. They both try to take shelter in the Grand Palace on the Thames (Daphne saw The Rules and thought they were great; Lorcan thinks the place is still a brothel). When they arrive, there's Only One Room left - and they can't share it unless they're married. So, they pretend to be married. And then, over the next week or so, they realize that maybe they'd like to ACTUALLY be married.⁠
⁠
We said this is a basic plot, and it is. That said, Julie Anne Long knows exactly how much emotion you can get from the basics. In addition to the simple, strong love story between Daphne and Lorcan, we revisit ⁠some of our favorite characters. Long allows them to evolve beyond their HEA - when Delilah/Tristan and Angelique/Lucien appear, it's not just for a "happy couples weekend" cameo. Instead, their relationships with each other are shown under the stress of daily life. They are still very much in love, but they are also no longer in the honeymoon phase of their marriages.

But - back to Lorcan and Daphne. Their love story is so emotional that it feels like a slow burn, despite the fact that they only spend about a week in each other's company. They really see each other, and through their interactions we understand that they are truly well-suited. And Lorcan's final declaration of love!!! We swooned.

We could go on longer about the characters - how Tristan and Lorcan are perfect foils for each other (is Lorcan Tristan's evil twin?)... how Delilah and Angelique are two different archetypes that illuminate Daphne's fraught past... But really? We're just in love with this book.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧, 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙡, 𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮, 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.

This must have been a book I requested long ago from NetGalley, and subsequently forgot all about, until I was surprised last week to find I had been approved for an eARC. I can honestly say I am so happy to have been approved. I absolutely loved how angsty and swoony this one was.

Lorcan has just come ashore from his privateer gig, and is minding his own business, when he comes across a woman crawling out of a window on a bedsheet, in need of a set of arms to catch her.

Lorcan ends up escorting said lady, Daphne, to The Grand Palace on the Thames for shelter, and well, they end up needing to share accommodations (alas, not quite “one bed”, but rather “one suite”).

This was such a tantalizingly slow burn, with two people who could “never” be together as they were from such different worlds. But the more time they spent together, and truly got to know one another, they couldn’t fight the pining any more. 🥰

𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝘼𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.

Having not read any of the previous books in this series, I am so looking forward to going back and starting them all from the beginning, and getting a background on all these “side” characters that I’m sure have terrific stories to tell!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and @netgalley for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What this book is giving:
✅ Historical Romance
✅ Slow Burn
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ Touch her and die
✅ Fake Marriage
✅ Tension

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️ / 5

This is the 6th book in the Palace of Rogues series and admittedly I've only read a few (not all) so it could be that I've missed something that I don't know but ultimately I enjoyed this book and thought Long did a great job of setting the stage with these characters specifically while still integrating them into the day to day world at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

I loved both Daphne and Lorcan. They have their own backstories but when they inadvertently cross paths one evening and find themselves sheltering together at the Grand Palace, despite their different backgrounds, they find some common ground to establish a bit of a friendship and then ultimately something more.

As a Lady, Daphne grew up taking care of her family's household when her mother passed away and she has always done everything for everyone else. When she finds herself in London trying to earn money to pay off her father's gambling debts, she crosses Lorcan's path and this is the catalyst to truly seeing how her father has been taking advantage of her. She comes off as a bit of a pushover too but I think it's more so the fact that she just wants to give those around her what they need to be happy (as evidenced by her breakup with Henry).

Lorcan grew up on the streets of St. Giles and he's been a smuggler and a privateer so he hasn't necessarily led a life that many men would support. When he finds himself staying in a suite with a Lady, his true colors come out and he is able to show Daphne how she matters. I loved the coffee and scones ritual and the fact that he got her a birthday present...and what he got her...it was perfect. I appreciated how Lorcan challenged Daphne's perceptions too and helped her to recognize who she wanted to be.

There were some chapters from the other character's points of view and it added to the story but I think had I read more books in this series, I might have gotten more out of them. If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider this one but definitely determine if you want to jump into the late stages of a series if you haven't read the others yet. I have heard great things about the others so based on that, I would recommend picking this up.

ARC copy kindly provided through NetGalley but all my thoughts are my own.

I have to say I almost gave up on this book. I have not read any previous Amalie Anne Long book so this being book 6 I was worried. And the first 60 percent was mostly a character study with the majority of all the characters at the inn when all I wanted was more time with Daphne and Lorcan. BUT MAN THAT LAST 30%. Lorcan is one hell of a man and he knows how to take care of his people. the way they tried desperately to stay away from each other but were both burning for one another. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

the with and the banter was grade A. The only thing was I wish we got less head jumping through all the other characters and more focus on our main couple.