This was my second Sadie Bosque book, and I have really come to enjoy her writing style. This book was part of a series, however I read it as a standalone. My reading experience would probably have been better if I had read the series in order. Bosque writes a little darker and grittier than I’m used to, but I like it. Highly recommend this author.

Sadie is a fantastic romance writer. She makes you feel for the characters and their ups and downs.

This newest book i would recommend to anyone who loves to read historical romances. She is one of the better authors who writes historical romances.

This book premise was soooooo good that i read it as soon as i got approved to it, now the thing is because it was so shocking from the beginning the book plot and resolution have to be better and, in one moment the story fall short, and the resolution left me meh, considering how invested i was in it, the thing is that i was left with this cannot be solved in one book feeling and some thing felt rushed, specially the forgiveness part.

So, this book, huh? It took a bit to reel you in, but it kept your attention once it did. The "meh" factor is there, but not every book can be a showstopper, right?

Characters? They had their moments. The cast of characters in "The Glorious Bastards" seemed to have quirks, but it felt like something was missing regarding deeper connections. A bit more character development could have spiced things up.

Plot? The plot had potential, but it didn't fully capitalize on it. The pacing was wonky, and the story didn't hit the high notes you hoped for. A missed opportunity?

Writing style? Sade Bosque's writing style didn't blow you away, but it did the job. There were moments when you wished for more flair or uniqueness to elevate the narrative.

Ending? The ending left you feeling somewhat indifferent. It wrapped things up, sure, but it lacked that extra oomph that makes you sit back and go, "Wow, that was something!"

Overall vibes? "The Glorious Bastards" seems to fall into the book category that doesn't quite hit the mark. It's not bad, but it's not spectacular either. Sometimes, a "meh" book is just what you need to appreciate the stellar ones even more.

The ideas behind this book were good but I just couldn't love it. Too much strong content for me. Love the storyline, dislike the details.

The Glorious Bastard by Sadie Bosque
Reviewed by Rutendo Chitondwe

A treat for all romance enthusiasts indeed!!!The Glorious Bastard leaves readers at the edge of their seats anticipating what’s to happen next.Especially with William’s character that’s tainted with lies,deceit,manipulation,theft,blackmailing,murder, etc,the list is endless,I mean really.Yet the character is so…. strangely lovable!!!!

His character being in pursuit of Princess Victoria,whose the direct opposite of his black sheep persona is literally the icing on the cake for the readers.
The whole book is centered on the overarching theme of love just like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,however it doesn’t have a tragic ending,rather the conclusion leaves reader’s in suspense making it a worthwhile read as it gives the audience a chance to make up their own desired ending to the prose.

William,the bastard son of a deadbeat duke with plenty of illegitimate children struggles to fend for himself after his mother’s death and being completely cast out by his duke father.He had to fend for himself at an early age and was subjected to a lot of trauma from his childhood.As if being maternally orphaned and rejected by his father wasn’t enough
he was abducted and sodomized by a secret society of a few nobles for years.Every attempt of his to escape was always futile for he was always dragged back there,until he found Neville who was practically in the same boat as him,only a bit young and naive to the evils of the world did he manage to escape successfully one time.Little did any of them know that the orchestrates of that secret society would one day be at his mercy with the information he had on them and the impact it would have on their ‘respectable reputations’ had it leaked out.

Everything takes a wild turn as he falls deeply in love with Princess Victoria and conceals his truth,leading to their separation after he was exposed.Reconciliation seemed like a pipe dream at this point as ‘the glorious bastard’ was at the centre of everything.The blame was always on him,owing to his past,persona and the strained relations with people.This is where the author has readers right where she wants them.

This prose is a definite must read,although it does contain explicit sex,violence,sexual immorality,profanity.However in my opinion,for instance profanity is justified in the case of William’s character as it aptly highlights how passionate the character is,especially towards his love for the Princess.
Reader's will definitely find themselves engrossed in this 4 star

The have and the have nots....

And what you will do to have.
William is a have not. He is all kinds of shady, lying, stabbing. to have, things, a wife in Victoria. Victoria is a have, She is a princess and expects to have a wealthy union. Not be tricked into marrying William. Their divide is vast.
Can they meet in the middle and find a way to communicate?

This is a totally gripping story from beginning to end. I hadn't read the other books in the series but I will go back and read them now. From the beginning you realise William had a very tough childhood and he falls totally in love with Victoria. Victoria struggles because William is not honest about what he has been through. It is a great ending.

This is new author that I'm discovering. I wasn't Wowed by this story. For starters I didn't particularly like the dual timeline the back and forth to explain our MC backgrounds. It has plenty of steam but a tiny bit too long. I'll definitely read more of Sadie Bosque books.

BOOK: THE GLORIOUS BASTARD
AUTHOR: SADIE BOSQUE
PUB DATE: 31st OCTOBER 2023
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
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I read this book in one sitting, and it's over 400 pages! I loved the storyline and the characters, especially the MCs. I liked the dual timelines detailing the before and after of Victoria and William's relationship.
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I liked this book, but I wanted more of a vengeance ARC. Our MMC, William, had a very traumatic childhood, and I'd have wanted a due comeuppance to the perpetrators. Unfortunately, I only got a sketchy description.
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William was a premium morally Grey character, but I loved his love for Victoria, it was beautiful! I wished I had gotten the HEA I wanted, but I still had one, so I'm not too disappointed.
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This book was very good and easy to read, you should try it!

I am a huge fan of Sadie Bosque. I absolutely love her writing and the amazing storyteller she is. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and it was truly an unexpected surprise. In this adventure it is about William and Victoria and overcoming terrible pasts and fighting against all odds. William is doing all he can to win the love of his wife. Oh, and not face execution. Yes this story is that adventurous, I couldn’t get enough. This is really one of those stories that makes you fall, and fall hard, for the bad guy. With complex characters and a past you want to know all about, this story is one you won't be able to put down. You don’t want to miss a word of this one. Full of action, history, fun and passion and so many twists and turns. This is a book in a series and while you can read it as a standalone I definitely want to go back and read the ones before this. The stunning cover grabbed my attention and I was hooked from there. This adventure is a new read I truly needed.

William is a glorious bastard. This book was a page turner, long but interesting since to focuses mainly on the the 2 characters William and Victoria.

William has been through a lot in life and has done many things he had to do to survive. Unfortunately people dont see the reason for his past and present actions just that he did them, including his wife Victoria. He is lonely and finds that sense of peace and home only with Victoria, and this story is how he fights really hard for her love.

Victoria is a spoiled princess, and very angry that she was deceived into a marriage with William. Her 3 month sojourn with William helps her understand her husband bit by bit until her love is reignited for him and she fights to win him back.

There were plenty of loose end still on the while Fist /Shadow story line, maybe Pembroke will be next and bring some closure.

I also wish there had been some form of acceptance by Kensington but I guess helping break William out of jail may be considered as that acceptance.

This is my second book in this series cant wait to read the rest.

This book surprised me, it is different from what I expected.
William is a very troubled man. He has gone through a lot, and has shut everybody out, emotionally distancing himself from anyone. So at the beginning of the story I really had a hard time warming up to this character. I didn’t understand his appeal to Victoria.
William not only lived on the streets, he is also a thief, a swindler, a liar and even stabbed Victoria’s uncle and blackmailed another uncle, who committed suicide. He tricked her into believing he was a lord, so she actually married him under false pretenses. He has no morals, no friends, no proper house, not even a bed for her to sleep in; at first he lets her sleep on the floor while he takes the bed, before blackmailing her into sleeping in his bed. Not really good ways to win back your wife. So at this point you are wondering how Victoria can ever have her happily ever after with this guy. But I assure you, give it time, plough through the chapters and things will become clear in time - time that is counting back how many days until his execution! So the tension rises…
The book refers to several characters that you might know from previous books, so it might be helpful to read the other books in this series before you start reading this one.
You don’t get to know why William was arrested for murder, by whom and who turned out to be the perpetrator, unfortunately. I would have liked to know that, and personally I would have preferred a different ending. But many of the readers might find this the perfect ending… You will have to read the book to make up your mind!
Thank you Netgalley and Sadie Bosque for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Glorious Bastard is the book No. 7 in the Shadows series.
Differently from other series, this books is not recommended to read as a stand-alone. I found there was lots of missing information and even at the end after reading the epilogue there was something missing pieces.
If you are fan of the author or read the first books, you might enjoy this story more than I actually did.
The end of this story left me a sense of lack of justice for William that I couldn’t shake off because I liked this character best of all. Hopefully the next book will bring closure to his story.

In conclusion, the beginning felt like arriving late to a movie in a theater and the end felt like the last episode before the next season.

Sadie Bosque always amazes me with her books. She's not afraid to showcase the love between differences in all her characters. It is a delightful book and I am never disappointed with her books.
You'll laugh, cry, and yes (open that window during the below-zero temperature outside) steamy scenes.

10/10

A bit of a long read, but the story between William and Victoria made it all worthwhile. A great plot that was executed to perfection.

Loved reading the fabulous and fantastic story. Vivienne marries William and finds out he is a thief and a liar and wants nothing to do with him, William comes back, Vivienne wants a divorce, agrees to live with William for three months, and the attraction and chemistry between the two of them is getting more and more difficult to resist. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read love story.

You are hooked into your book from the very beginning, The author has given us a story where, drama, hidden desire, love, passion, cruelty. but also security and lots of steam and heat. Highly recommended to read.

Well William certainly lived up to his name among the nobility. The boo was reading as though no one had a care for the man and Victoria was hanging on by a thread of hope and forgiveness. The story brings a number of friends and family back to London to help the Princess survive what William has planned for Victoria. But as you read the story, it reads like a Romeo and Juliet. The scene of the first rescue attempt had me believing bandits are after Victoria. The story is entertaining for the readers. It’s a story about forgiveness and giving a marriage one more try. Its a good story. I loved all the characters. Some of the Nobility needs t be put into place. We will save that for Caroline. I like the book. Into next time my fellow readers. Read on!