I enjoyed this one! Isabel is a middle sister and she struggled with finding a place for herself. As a middle child myself, I get the pressure to prove yourself to your family.

Espionage stories are my jam and the fact that both MCs in this story were doing some reconnaissance and spying made the story intriguing. I was rooting for both of them to join forces and when they finally did, it was so sweet that Sirius pushed Isabel to the front to claim the victory. He knew she needed the confidence booster.

This was a very slow burn that led to a desk scene that was fun, different, and sexy!

The ended of this book was so sweet! Sirius sure did prove that he would do anything to be with Isabel.

Steam level: 🔥🔥¾

I haven't read the first book in this series and I honestly think that is what caused a lot of my issues (which were very personal and not focused on how well written the book was). While this is a romance novel, there is also a lot of historical background and context needed because these characters are dealing with a shit ton of political drama and bad things, which I didn't have a ton of information about since the book jumps right in. Which isn't a bad thing per se, it just left me a little confused. But other than that, I enjoyed the romance of the main characters. It was a medium-burn and both characters had to work through a lot. I didn't feel as if one character did all the development and growth for the both of them which happens way too often in romance novels. Overall, pretty good!!

This book has everything I have wanted from recent historical romances: The characters are diverse and the heroine is a woman of color from Mexico who has indigenous ancestry, the plot is centered around political intrigue complete with spy shenanigans, it brings an international perspective, and the romance is a perfect blend of sweet and sexy.

There is no space for ignorance in Isabel and the Rogue; where other historical romances gloss over British colonialism and the imperialism of the era, this one confronts them head-on. The prevailing attitudes of the British upper-classes that we tend to blindly accept as historical romance readers do not escape the scrutiny of the Luna sisters. It's 1865, Frances has invaded Mexico, and President Juárez's government is in exile, which is why the Luna sisters are sent to safety in England. They face a great deal of scrutiny within the ton, and there's a conversation early on about the perception of anything non-European being "backwards" and English superiority. I recall a similar conversation in Ana María and the Fox where an equally ignorant white woman espouses racist and imperialist sentiments, and our heroines quickly set them straight.

There is another discussion during an event at the British Museum about priceless cultural artifacts and Britain's willingness to take them from their homes in the name of "protection", but far less willing to aid the people of these lands. As someone who has seen countless Indian artifacts behind the glass walls of the British Museum and the V&A among others, I don't think any of this comes across as preachy, but rather, I applaud how Liana De la Rosa was extremely pointed while writing these dialogues.

If the strong anti-imperialist themes weren't reason enough to engage with this book, I would also recommend it because of the romance itself. I really enjoyed the build-up between Sirius and Isabel; both are initially weary of each other— Isabel because the first time they met, Sirius was seducing another women on the desk she was hiding under (lol), and while Sirius does find Isabel attractive, he does not know her very well and nor does he receive much encouragement from her. Isabel considers herself the "forgotten" Luna sister, both as a point of pride and chagrin, and she uses this to conduct her spying activities. Sirius on the other hand uses his social acumen to charm men and women (especially women; you get the sense he actually isn't much of a rake at all and seduces mostly for the sake of his job) into getting him information for the Home Office.

Things start to heat up as they Sirius and Isabel both set their eyes on the same possible French sympathizer, Lord Westhope. What's really funny to me is just how much of an abject failure both of them are at espionage initially, BUT because they keep meeting while spying, they get to know one another a lot better. And once Isabel accidentally snares the interest of Lord Westhope, all bets are off. Isabel realizes that while she feels nothing for Westhope, she does feel plenty for Sirius as she gets to know him better. Sirius on his part is inordinately jealous which leads to my favorite seduction scene in this book.

The sex:

SPEAKNING of seduction, I loved the build-up in attraction between Sirius and Isabel; for all that Isabel is the shy, quiet sister, she certainly has no qualms about expressing her desire, starting with a classic STOP SQUIRMING moment while they both hide under a desk of the person they're spying on and she's in his lap. Obviously she doesn't stop and Sirius gets her off while there are two other men in that room who have no idea what's going on. Kudos to them.

Sirius and Isabel have a thing for clandestine encounters because the next time they meet, he's dragging her into a back room in the British Museum and eating her out while demanding if she's actually into Westhope, or she's just encouraging him for the sake of motherland lolol. And look, Sirius might not be much of a rake, but he's a smooth smooth man who says things like "Do you need to be soothed? You know I can give you what you need" and I'm completely inclined to believe him, and so is Isabel based on how she reacts when he recites Spanish love poetry to her before he thrusts inside her.

Overall:

I adored the note this book ended on; it wasn't what I was expecting but I thought what Sirius eventually does to reunite with Isabel was so romantic and pretty unique as far as historical romances go, since they tend to be very Britain-centric and fairly patriarchal. I would strongly recommend this book to any historical romance reader, and I'm looking forward to bratty-younger-sister-who-knows-way-more-than-she-should Gabby's romance with the Duke of Whitfield!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4.25/5
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Publication Date: June 4th

🌺It’s Isabel’s turn to make her mark in the second installment of the Luna Sisters! Isabel guiles the ton with her wallflower persona as she secretly tracks down information on France’s occupation of Mexico. Can she save her family and avoid the prying eyes of devilish rogue Sirius Dawson? This book dazzles as it illuminates the glittering life of a Mexican heiress who subverts expectations to protect her family and country.

🌺Some of my favorite things:
✨hyper-competent wallflower is one of my favorite tropes and Isabel delivers!
✨the SISTERS (can’t wait for Gabby’s book)
✨spy vs. spy is done so well
✨the history in this book— the slice of history is incredible and we all should read this series!

💕Thanks to Berkley for sending me a copy to review

✨It’s out in June— Ana Maria & The Fox (book one in the Luna Sisters) is out now!

Loved!!! I was so interested in Isabel’s story after reading the first book, and she did not disappoint! And Captain Dawson had me blushing and giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. They just don’t make men like him anymore. I am completely obsessed with this series, and I can’t wait for what’s next!

Isabel and the Rouge by Liana De La Rosa
Publishing June 4, 2024

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange of an honest review!

💐 Victorian Era
💐 Secret Spy
💐 Mexican History

Isabel and the Rouge was such a fun read! It was fun and flirty, but also had a deeper plot underneath the romance. Isabel, who is originally from Mexico, had to flee her home due to France invading. Isabel is now living in England with her sisters. Her goal is to find information to send back to Mexico to help them in their fight against France.

I just loved the relationship between Isabel and Sirius! He was so protective of her. 🤗 I also enjoyed how bad ass Isabel was, and how she took initiative and did what she wanted to do.

I also just adore a historical romance set in England.

Would definitely recommend this to other romance readers!

I had a little trouble warming up to this one. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Sirius and Isabel until the story heated up about halfway through the book. I liked Sirius’ character but Isabel’s character, not as much. I think it is worth reading, though it wasn’t a page turner for me. 3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Shelf Awareness and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was so intrigued by Isabel from the first book in this series, so I was really excited when this title was announced. And it absolutely did not disappoint. Isabel is just a fantastic character—so brave, and so certain of exactly who she is. And Captain Dawson is the perfect romantic foil for her, outwardly a rake mostly to cover up the pain that lives in his heart. (Not to mention that he is one of the sweatiest male leads I’ve read in ages). I can’t wait for Gabby’s story next!!

I really liked the first book in this series, Ana Maria and the Fox, but I think I loved this one even more. It follows Ana’s younger sister, Isabel, who is quiet and studious and can sometimes be overlooked when compared to her charismatic sisters. She also has a secret assignment that she is pursuing for her home country of Mexico. Captain Sirius Dawson, is a war hero and spy who keep running across Isabel in places that she should not be. Both of these characters, but especially Sirius, are both well formed and interesting. This is just a very romantic story about a couple that you can’t help for root for. The background story about the French invasion of Mexico also serves as an interesting addition to the historical romance genre. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

✨Isabel and the Rogue Who just Wants to Talk about Books with Her✨

The romance felt like a cool 25% of the plot, but I enjoyed the rich history and the world De la Rosa created nonetheless. I would’ve loved an epilogue with more romance bits of them being happy because there wasn’t much of that in the book. It felt a bit like a spies and intrigue book, as most of it was filled with searching for French communications to aid Mexico, but it wasn’t action-packed if that makes sense.

Since Isabel and Sirius were at odds for a lot of the book, the ending was very sweet and rewarding. Again, I’d have liked more romance because the two were HOT. In terms of style, it’s definitely not a departure from Ana María and the Fox (also light on romance), but it was definitely a notch hotter on the spicy scale.

Once the story reached 50%, I’d say that’s when the heavy-lifting of the romance started. I was a bit surprised when they canoodled under that desk because it was suuuuper slow burn before that. I was like this is their first kiss??? It was hot and I wasn’t complaining, I was just like okay girl get it you had me in the first half but get it nonetheless.

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. Tension was a little lacking for me since the spy/intelligence plot was very slow and waiting on letters to be sent and received—i.e. weeks in between. Adding more romance moments would’ve rounded the story out nicely, upped the tension, and picked up the pace a little.

I wanted Isabel to gain maybe a bit more confidence by the end of the book? Lady Needham was a racist twat and she was never really told off (Sirius could’ve done more too). It was a bit exasperating when Isabel still didn’t believe Sirius was attracted to her, but boy did he rise to the challenge 🔥

I really loved Isabel’s ever growing relationship with her sisters and can’t wait for Gabby’s book. I’m excited for her confidence and personality to shine! I’m very interested in what her story is going to entail—definitely something with her work for women. I hope that man is just following her around like a little puppy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️/5


Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

I feel like I stopped and started this one several times and just couldn't get into it. I think it might have been because nothing happened right away or I haven't gotten to the first book yet so I may have been missing something? I may come back to this once I have finished the first book, but for now, it is a soft DNF.

Bridgerton with a twist.

I did not read the first book in this series before this one, but it did not effect my understanding of the story too much since it deals with its own couple.

Isabel is the wallflower of the English ton and is working behind the scenes to help subvert the French Occupation of Mexico in the 1860's. I enjoyed how real history was thrown into this tale.

I did giggle a little about a main character named Sirius, not going to lie. It is just an uncommon name to come across.

The slow build between Isabel and Sirius was fun and it caused me to spend a bit of time just screaming for them to start kissing each other.

Overall, a good story for fans of Bridgerton or Historical Romances in general.

In the author's notes for this book, Liana De la Rosa explains the journey of finding Isabel, first introduced as a "Jan Brady type" (a middle sibling who's the overlooked, slightly bitter, bookish stick-in-the-mud) and evolving into a heroine who finally finds her purpose - and people who won't underestimate her. She's the overachiever whose achievements are both expected and overlooked, and she gets to the point of projecting that same disappointment onto herself. For anyone who's ever felt even a shred of that, seeing Isabel come into her own AND get a HEA is a powerfully emotional experience.

Her chemistry with Sirius, a captain-turned-spy whose investigations overlap with hers, isn't just super-hot (although... that under-the-desk scene is going to stay with me for a LONG time). It's a romance that brings out the best in both of them; they both want to see the other shining and successful and happy. Sirius *sees* Isabel and, what's more, he nudges her to truly see herself for the glorious person she is. And that, my friends, is love.

I also would be remiss if I didn't mention how this book deftly layers mid-19th century politics onto its ballrooms-and-libraries romance setting. The backdrop of the whole series is the disastrous imperialist interventions of Europe in Mexico, and the story never fails to remind us of its fiercely anti-colonialist, anti-paternalist perspective. This is a book that is just as passionate about justice as it is about the love between its characters, and that makes it even better with each page I turn.

Just finished reading Isabel and the Rogue, such a beautiful story. When I met Isabel in Ana Maria and The Fox I knew she would be my favorite sister and I was right! We all know an Isabel, some of us are Isabel, it was so rewarding to see her not only find a happily ever after, but also find herself and her purpose.

The way that Liana De la Rosa writes historical fiction is really refreshing. In both of her books about the Luna sisters, I felt as if I was getting a completely different perspective on the time period, and that on its own is so exciting and lovely to read. I think that in terms of the relationship, I love the trope between the bookworm x rogue, and it was extra fun that this one was subverted (the good captain is a rogue for ESPIONAGE), but they burned a little too quick for me and there was less emotional resonance to their dynamic that Ana Maria and Gideon had. I still really enjoyed this one and absolutely cannot wait for Gabby's story. This series is bursting with color and full of heart!

Thank you to @lianainbloom for the ARC of Isabel and the Rogue! I absolutely adored Ana María and the Fox and was thrilled when this book hit my email! I ATE IT UP! The angst! The tension! The chemistry! That ✨UNDER THE TABLE SCENE✨ 🥵 Everything about this historical romance had me 😍😍😍😍 I highly recommend you all to meet the Luna sisters! I can’t wait for Book 3 because I just KNOW Gabby and the Duke are gonna bring it! 😅 Isabel and the Rogue is out June 4, 2024!

Sirius Dawson, what have you done?

OMG! I LOVE HIM!

A Latinx Victorian romance that defies the norms of society. What an ending! I cannot stop thinking about it. To me, Isabel and the Rogue set a new benchmark for romance. I need Isabel Luna and Sirius Dawson on screen!

Isabel Luna, the bookish, diffident, and uninteresting middle sister, longs to prove her worth. And what better way to demonstrate her usefulness than by assisting her beloved Mexico? With the help of Sirius Dawson, a war hero employed by the Home Office, Isabel is committed to supporting the resistance efforts. Of course, if working closely with the dashing captain leads to garnering knowledge of the deliciously wicked kind, neither Isabel nor I are complaining.

But Captain Sirius Dawson would rather be relaxing in his study with a good book. Leaving Isabel unprotected in her perilous quest, however, is simply unacceptable. Look, Sirius is a first-rate romance hero. He takes care of people. Behind his carefree exterior exists a wounded soul. Sirius not only loves Isabel, but he also encourages her to dream, boosts her confidence, allays her fears, and sets her free! He goes the distance, and then some more, to prove his love.

“You’re dazzling. Your sisters shine . . . but Isabel, you’re the entire night sky.”

Liana De la Rosa blends politics and espionage with tender moments of love and searing passion rendering Isabel and the Rogue an indelible read. The writing is enchanting and engrossing. One of my favorite parts is the anti-colonial theme that permeates the narrative. It is highly relevant to the present. In one scene, Isabel raises a compelling question: “Why is it that there is a responsibility to things and not to people?”

Moreover, Isabel and the Rogue is an ode to introverted book lovers (Hello! It’s ME!!). Books are an integral part of Isabel and Sirius’s romance. The vibrant cover captures the essence of their love story to perfection, considering most of their interactions take place in a library, study, or at a bookstore. I love the exhilarating yet tender balloon scene. With richly developed characters, delectable romance, and endearing sisterhood, historical romance lovers will devour this book. It deserves all the love and hype. A favorite of 2024! I am super excited for Gabby’s book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the e-ARC, and a huge thank you to Liana De la Rosa for writing this beautiful romance. I loved it!

As the middle sister of a prominent and wealthy family, quiet and bookish lsabel is used to being ignored and underestimated. Exiled with her sisters in London due to the French intervention in Mexico, she decides to use her low profile to her advantage- as a spy to assist the cause of the democratically elected president and Mexico’s first Indigenous head of state.

But she’s not as invisible as she thinks. At least not to Captain Sirius Dawson, who’s reputation of being a rake is known to all. As undeniably handsome and charming as he may be, Isabel rejects his attentions to focus on her mission to get the necessary political intelligence to save her family and her country.

When she finds that Sirius is also an undercover agent who’s cause intersects with hers, she reluctantly agrees to work with him. As their alliance deepens, she finds it harder to resist him, and has to figure out whether the love growing between them is real, or if it's merely another game for the roguish captain.

In this exquisitely written second installment of The Luna Sisters series, set two years after the first, De la Rosa again skillfully blends elements of Historical Fiction and Romance, transporting readers to Victorian England with a complex and compelling Latinx protagonist.

Such a great historical title. I’m not huge into these types of books but Bridgerton really changed my perspective. I loved seeing the Mexican nationality get recognized. I enjoyed the character and storyline. It kept me in suspense until the last page. Highly recommend and enjoy. Will be sharing more soon!

Thank you to netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for allowing me to read this book. I loved to see these type of characters in this time period.