This book was absolutely WONDERFUL. A brilliant follow up to Ana Maria. I adored sweet, gentle Isabel and charming but wounded Sirius. This book has a compelling amount of intrigue at its center, as well as a delicious and spicy romance. Liana de la Rosa continues to excel at articulating the effects of imperialism in the British Empire (I was *cheering* at the museum section!!) within her wonderful novels. Absolutely cannot wait for my girl Gabby!!!

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

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

-m/f historical romance
-friends to lovers
-rake to simp
-middle sister
-he falls first and hard
-this is just a hookup

I don't think I could have loved this book more. How two people let the public's perception of them guide themselves. Isabel is the middle wallflower sister, leaning into how invisible she was, to help her country. Sirius, war hero and all about rake, is just as adept as using his public perception. But life keeps bumping these two into each other, until Siruis swoops in to save Isabel and starts to see how the world, and her family, has beaten up Isabel and he refuses to allow it.

Isabel just spoke to me so much as a fellow middle sister. Her self-sacrificing ways, how she'd rather hid ein a lirbary then be out at a party, but also how she let how invisible she was to everyone else seep into her own belief about herself. Her character development was so well done, how ambitious she was, how much she loved and cared about Mexico, nad how much she wanted to prove herself.

And Sirius. He was just sawooon. This was a man obsessed and he didn't even realize how every little action jsut spoke about how much he cared/loved Isabel and just saw her. Just at a craft level, the line level writing in this book was esquisite and sucked me right in, I was highlighting so many lines. This was romance perfect, sweeping, tumbling story that just had you rooting for Siruis and Isabel to get their act together and let love win out over everything else.

I loved this book! Isabel is my favorite sister and I think her story was well developed and written. The ending was very heartwarming as well!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Oh. My. Gods. THIS BOOK.
Picking up shortly after Ana Maria and the Fox, Isabel and the Rogue follows the middle Luna sister as she continues her quest to aid Mexico in their war efforts through her ability to sneak and hunt for any information that could help her country. However, when she begins to bite off more than she can chew, she realizes that her biggest help may come from the one person she had been trying her hardest to avoid- Sirius Dawson. With his quick wit and deep blue eyes, she finds that her heart wants more than she had ever bargained for.

I truly adored the first book in this series, but even then, I had an eye for Isabel. There was something so relatable about her character- someone who finds solace in the shadows, with her books and her silence, who longs to make her own place in the world. And my gods does she shine in this book. I loved getting the chance to get to know her character so deeply, and I think that the author did an incredible job portraying the tumult of emotions that Isabel experienced. From fear to lust to anger to longing... every emotion felt palpable, and I think that truly speaks to how gifted Liana is in her storytelling. She speaks to the hearts of her readers, making you feel like the characters you love are friends you could call after you turned the last page.

Because of this, I feel like the emotional impact of the political turmoil of the time hits that much deeper. I was so invested in these characters that there were times when I forgot that this was an actual war that happened, and stories like these could have very well existed. I couldn't help but picture a real-life Isabel, offering quips on the injustices of colonialism while at the ball or sleuthing through an unsuspecting gentleman's desk. I was rooting for her and the success of her mission so much I felt like her bestie on the sidelines shouting 'YESSSSSSS GIRL'.

Okay, but back to the desk thing.... OH WOW. I was pleasantly surprised with the spice in the first book, but Liana really took it up a notch this time. The chemistry between Isabel and Sirius was unreal and there were so many times that I had to pause and compose myself before continuing because THAT. MAN. He was so eager to please Isabel, the sunshine of his life, the only thing to crack his mask, and I loved to see it. I truly can't remember the last time spicy scenes have gotten me to blush so intensely, but Liana is a queen (and knows how to write men who make their women feel like such).

This book also did a really great job setting up Gabby's book, and I really appreciated the moments between her and Isabel. They were equal parts tender and hilarious, and I absolutely adore Gabby's snark and bluntness. She is such a fun character and I just know that her story is going to be just as good as her sister's.

Overall, I loved this book. The character development, the relationships, the spice, the social commentary... It was such an incredible mix of so many amazing ideas and feelings and I feel lucky to have gotten to experience it early! Definitely pick up this series if you are looking for a swoony, historical romance with MMCs to make you blush and FMCs to inspire you to be your bravest self. This will be a favorite series of mine for sure!

"I fear I'm not particularly friendly. Haven't you noticed?"
Sirius snorted. "You? Unfriendly? Surely you jest."

Thank you Berkley for the arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Sorry to say but after reading 20% of this novel I had to put it down. I found it boring and I just could not even try to finish it.

If you are looking for reasons to dive right into this book I have included a few of my favorite (made up) themes:

🌙 Bookworm turned spy
🇬🇧 British MMC (the accent, obvi)
📖 Booklovers
🇲🇽 Sassy sisters

Isabel Luna is, in her own and seemingly everyone else in her life, forgettable. She would rather be tucked away somewhere escaping reality between the pages of a good book than exhibiting social graces. So when her and her sisters are forced to flee Mexico to escape the French army, a family friend sees her unremarkableness as an opportunity to spy.

Tasked with infiltrating the ton and gathering information that may be useful to her family in Mexico, Isabel does her best to blend in to the walls.

That is of course until the handsome rogue, Captain Sirius Dawson catches her snooping in dark places she shouldn’t be in.

After their confrontation Sirius keeps a closer eye on Isabel, for safety of course. Definitely not because he’s attracted her.

This pov period romance has it all; intrigue, banter, spice and strong female characters. What’s not to love!

Spice 🌶️🌶️
Humor 🤣🤣🤣

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for this eArc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was cute and had such good representation, I now need to read the first book in this series. It follows the fmc Isabel who thinks of herself as a wallflower who no one sees. She uses that to her advantage to get information from people in the ton about the occupation in Mexico. She befriends the mmc Sirius who is not only a rouge but a covert agent, he sees what she doing and kind of helps her with the spy stuff. I loved all the historical stuff about Mexic, France, and British intelligence. I also really liked the romance, it was cute and spicy and the dynamics between Isabel and Sirius were so good. Isabel's coming to believe and love herself was a good theme that developed throughout the book and complimented the book. If you're looking for a diverse historical romance with a bit of steam and lots of historical facts then you should read this.

Tropes/themes:
- Mexican heiress
- Historical romance
- Spy mission
- Wallflower trope

As the middle sister of three sisters, the Luna Sisters series speaks to me and I was very excited for Isabel's book specifically as a fellow overlooked middle sister. Now, I'm not what anyone would call shy, but I am always down for a wallflower and rogue book. Here the rogue is actually only a rogue for appearances and is haunted by war. Which is also very much my jam. Yes, all of this, I am eating it up with a spoon.

Two things that didn't work for me 1) there was a lot a lot of searching for things to help Mexico, that didn't result in much of anything, so just lots of page time to fruitless searching and frustration, 2) I always feel terribly when there is a VERY NICE GUY who has done nothing wrong and loves the FMC and is sort of dragged along while she figures things out with the MMC and he just feels like an innocent bystander caught up in this. There is one here and I want him to find a wonderful romance.

What I loved - Isabel is smart and finds her own voice after being the overlooked middle sister, Captain Dawson is hot and they talk about books together, and, my favorite part, I learned so much history. I had no idea about the French occupation of Mexico and the historical bits where France being busy trying to colonize Mexico kept them from backing up the Confederacy helped the Union win blew my mind. Thank you, Mexico.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Isabel and the Rogue comes out June 4, 2024.

Instagram.Com/encyclopedia_britanika

Isabel and the Rogue is a great middle sister book. Isabel is the wallflower among the group, overlooked and underappreciated by perhaps everyone but her sisters. She's neither as dynamic or politically savvy as her older sister, nor as beautiful with a cutting wit as her baby sister. And yet, Capitan Sirius Dawson, a former soldier now working for the Home Office SEES HER.

For me this one is much more a character journey for Isabel. And the sister dynamics/interactions are among the best parts of the book. Plot-wise, she's on a mission to uncover information to help Presidente Juarez in fending off the French in Mexico. But the what she needs to uncover is a little open-ended. It's kind of "I'll know it when I see it." So while it sets Dawson on a path to helping her, using his contacts in the Home Office, that part was a little too vague for me.

The romance is steamy. All this stealthing around in offices and libraries puts Isabel and Sirius in some tight corners, under desks, etc.

Overall, an enjoyable read. But I hate to say, I'm really looking forward to Gabby's book the most! (Sorry, Isabel!)

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this one.
Maybe not as much as the first book but still enjoyed.
I think it could've used a bit more chemistry-heavy moments in the first half to really make the romance burn for me all the way through. Adding more romance moments would've rounded the story out nicely, upped the tension, and picked up the pace a little.
I really loved Isabel's growing relationship with her sisters and hope gabby has a book!
Overall i thought it was pretty good!

Loved!! This was wonderful and I’m excited for the next in the series. The characters are well developed and their relationship unfolds gently and slowly, which I liked. Both characters have motivations & drives other than romance, which I loved, they felt like real people who are falling in love while also dealing with other aspects of life. I enjoyed the feminist lens & the opportunity to learn more about an aspect of history im less familiar with. I’d have liked for the leads to have spent just a bit more time in each others company early in the novel, but other than that minor complaint it was great. Fans of Courtney Milan & evie dunmore will enjoy this. The spicy scarves are pretty spicy and great as well!

Two bookworms fall in love and do spy shit together ✨

Listen, if there’s one thing Liana does REALLY well, is incorporating vital discussions about the evils of colonialism and the stealing of artifacts one minute, and then the next he is obsessing over how her laugh sounds and what he can do to make her laugh again. The balance is just SO good. Similar to the first book, this one is more of a slow burn, and I adored how Sirius was pining after her. I am also a proud hater of the nickname “sunshine” but Liana made me like it?? Wtf??

If you’re a historical romance girly and haven’t read this series yet you are MISSING OUT. Truly. It’s so good.

*arc courtesy of NetGalley and Berkeley in exchange for my honest review*

This was an enchanting dual POV historical-fiction read filled with political intrigue, a spicy romance, espionage adventures, and a lovely setting.

Our FMC Isabel is a Mexican spy staying in England with her sisters to secretly help her home country gain any advantage against their war with France. Sirius, an English war hero and well-known rogue, is a man who ruffles her feathers every chance he gets and is her opposite in so many ways. When the two spies pair up together to help aid their countries, an unexpected, tender romance unfolds.

Isabel is a wallflower that I easily related to as I also prefer the company of books to people and have sisters that I compare myself to. I think her and Sirius were perfectly matched to challenge one another and bring out the best in their partner.

I especially appreciated De la Rosa's social commentary and the light she shed on colonialism. I love that she so brilliantly pieced together a sweet romance while sharing such important messages.

The book did have quite a slow pace and it took the romance a while to unfurl. But still a very enjoyable historical-fiction romance!

Isabel and the Rogue was OK, but just OK. I was previously ignorant regarding the French invasion of Mexico, so I did appreciate a small window into that piece of history and the geopolitical considerations that went with it. And the plot was decent. Sadly, though, the main characters weren’t strong enough to carry the story. They both wallowed in their own perceived weaknesses and guilt to the point that I just kept thinking, “Move on already!” I much prefer that characterization come out in a way that I feel like I’m seeing it, not just being told about it. Lots of the wallowing was being told, not shown. Anyhow, the lackluster characters with little depth spoiled things for me.

A fantastic follow up to ANA MARÍA AND THE FOX. Readers who loved ANA MARÍA will be right at home with familiar characters and dynamics. The romance is both sweet and spicy; the ending both unexpected and wholly satisfying.

This is the second in the series about the Luna sisters, following Ana Maria and the Fox. Isabel is the middle Luna sister, the quiet, bookish one who feels very much in the shadow of her two more outgoing, more beautiful (at least in her eyes) sisters. The women were forced to flee their home in Mexico during the French occupation during the 1860s, when their family supported the Juarez rebels. They fled to England, where their uncle was Mexican ambassador, and that's when Isabel meets Captain Sirius Dawson, a seeming rogue, with PTSD and who is much more than he appears to be. As is Isabel. How the two of them slowly discover the depths and scars that each one carries, and how they change their initial viewpoint of the other to one of respect, admiration, and love--along with some intense chemistry--makes for a very satisfying read in a setting with out-of-the ordinary characters and background. In addition, the interplay among the three sisters rings very true to life and those relationships are also a very important part of the story. This is a strong addition to the series.

This book fell into the trap that so many second novels do - it just couldn't live up to the expansive reputation of the first book!

Isabel felt much younger than her sisters, despite being the middle sister. Her independent streak and secrecy seemed petulant, not strong, and the manufactured danger she put herself in did require interference. Captain Dawson was capable, if lackluster, and hardly roguish.

A typical middle child syndrome.

Can we have 200 more books exactly like this one? This book had the same slow-burn romance as a Julia Quinn with the rich history and setting as a Kristin Hannah. The spy intrigue and chemistry between characters had me hooked and consuming this book with every free moment. Highly recommend!

First of all, I am SO happy that I got a chance to read this book! As a Latina, I love seeing myself represented in stories by an intelligent and passionate FMC who has found her HEA. I thought I loved the first book, but Isabel and Sirius have my heart. Sirius protects, loves, and SEES Isabel and supports her on her journey to find her voice. The plot seemed out of character for someone as quiet and shy as Isabel, but it completely made sense after reading it. It also reminded me never to make an assumption- people always say to watch out for the quiet ones! I love the dynamic of the sisters and how our favorite characters from the first book make an appearance in the second one, but what I loved the most was that Isabel was the star of her book. The cameos were short and sweet, but this book was all about Isabel (and Sirius), and it was perfect. I love the important reminders of how, no matter where we currently live, we are surrounded by the beauty of the world and our daily lives are made up of pieces of the world. I could go on and on! I have to add that I loved the ending and the fact that it reminds readers that it isn't always the woman who has to give up something to get her HEA (IYKYK). Definitely a 5 star for me :) Thank you, #netgalley, #Berkley, and Ms. De la Rosa, for my ARC. I cannot wait for everyone to read it this summer!

Steamy and funny; I also learned something about world history and there was a dog :) I have to go back and read the first one in the series so it might be worthwhile to tackle them in order. The sisters were great- fierce and sweet and protective of each other