Fun quick read, and enjoyable second book in this series!

This book could be read as a standalone, but would be better enjoyed read in order. I definitely also enjoy when FMC in historical romance step out of their gender norms. This makes this series especially delightful.

Ellie and Harry have great chemistry, and really great banter. I love how gone Harry is for Ellie, he sees her more than she even sees herself.

I adore the friendship between Tess, Daisy and Ellie, and I cannot wait for Daisy’s book. I feel her backstory, may come into play for her HEA.

Eleanor Law is one of the ladies who run King & Co. private investigations. As we learned in the first book in the series, there is no Mr. King. Eleanor meets “Harry”, a reformed charmer and thief who steps in as “Mr. King” when she needs help to find a missing manuscript. Harry. Eleanor soon finds out that Harry has numerous identities, and she finds herself being taken in by his charms. I really enjoyed Eleanor and Harry as a couple and seeing them both happy at the end.

This is the second book in the series Her Majesty's Rebels. It can be read as a standalone.
This is a wonderfully written, entertaining read. It is lighthearted and has such wonderful characters and a great storyline.
There is great chemistry, steam and witty banter between Ellie and Henry as they work their way to proving his identity.
I love the friendship between Ellie, Tess and Daisy as they work together at their detective agency.
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

This is an outrageous fun, sexy light read with wonderful characters. I was hooked by end of page one and couldn't put it down. Eille along with her two best friend run a detective service with a fake "owner" by the name of Charles King. Ellie,Daisy and Tess handle cases have built a good reputation for solving their cases. While at a Christmas ball Ellie who is great at down playing how pretty she is and staying on the sidelines is asked by a stranger if she is waiting for a Kiss! The stranger turns out to be just about the most handsome man she has every seen. Henri Bonheur or Harry as he likes to be called is a man of many talents. Ellie can't believe that the stranger knows not only her name but who her father is too. With is easy smile and fun smile she finds herself being kissed by him. He gives her a made up name the Tess figures out and then leaves. When he shows up again he is pretending to be non other then their boss, Charles King! Oh, my let the games begin. With him helping them out with a case, a mystery to solve and both having many thoughts about the other that have nothing to do with the case its wonderful. So much flirtation, playful banter, a handsome devil that is also a con artist, thief and liar what is a Ellie who has always thought life was just right and wrong, black and white. Harry brings out all her hidden desires and wanton thoughts. This is a fast paced story with many twist and turns and so much just plain fun you don't want to miss it. I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it. Be sure and grab a copy and get started to see how it all comes out in the end.

I love this series so much. These three women, determined to follow their interests, even when men won’t allow them.
I love a charming scoundrel. Especially one with a dubious history and a complicated future.
This book was the perfect amount of fun and heist and sexiness.

Harry and Ellie have a special connection that develops as she doesn’t even know his name. Yet, she knows him; her heart knows him. Kate Bateman does a fabulous job of keeping Ellie wondering who and what Harry is as he gives her glimpses of his talents. Her mind keeps telling her there is more to him than he is telling her. And, Ellie never lets up on questioning or watching him to make sure he does not embarrass King and Company.

Bateman throws in a bonus to their romance as they work to prove Harry is ‘who he says he is.’ All in all you will find this to be a beautiful romance with a bit of investigation and lots of love.

This is the second book in the Her Majesty's Rebels series, and it's just as fun as the first one! The story follows Ellie who owns and runs King & Co., a highly successful investigative firm with two of her friends. After an unexpected encounter at a ball, Harry claims to be the infamous King, and though it's a total lie, Ellie goes along with it to help him solve a mystery and to gain a client who will only hire men.

Harry's a self-proclaimed thief, and Ellie knows she shouldn't trust him. But the more they work together, the harder she falls for the enigmatic man. There's definitely more to Harry than he's saying, and the unraveling of secrets is fantastic. I also love the strong friendship between Tess, Ellie, and Daisy. They are all strong intelligent women who defy societal stereotypes, and the way they support and respect each other is friendship goals.

Harry and Ellie are total opposites in so many ways, yet they fit so perfectly together. Harry is a shameless flirt who exudes charisma and charm, and Ellie is a self-conscious bluestocking who prefers to blend into the background. Ellie is a rule follower and the daughter of a barrister, and Harry is a thief with a murky past. It seems like they would have nothing in common, but they actually complement each other well. I love how Harry gets Ellie to let loose a bit as they start investigating together. Sneaking into the Tower of London, pretending to be lovers, the pair go on an exciting adventure, and Ellie changes so much because of it. She becomes much more confident and sure of herself, and it's so good to see her gain a sense of worth.

Some of the tension in Ellie and Harry's relationship stems from Harry's mysterious past. He goes by many names, and Ellie struggles with the fact that she's falling for a man she really doesn't know. He is so gone for her. My word it's wonderful! There are some scenes that had me melting because they were so romantic, and others made me melt because they were pretty steamy! lol Theirs is definitely a swoon-worthy love story!! And the banter? Perfection! You can feel the sparks between them from their very first meeting and in every conversation they have. Bateman always has the best dialogue and banter in her stories.

I always enjoy Kate Bateman's historical romances, and this is no exception. It's such a fun and sexy story, and the banter, wit, and suspense are fantastic! Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

The first half of this book was so flipping good. I was chuckling and smiling at all of the quips from Harry and the interaction with Ellie. Then it kind of slowed down for me and I wanted more of the intrigue that at the beginning of the story. Still, Kate always writes amazing stories. I read this one right through. Her characters are always interesting and the stories are always top notch. Won’t tell you the big secret but it is too cute and a game changer.

Eleanor Jane Law is the daughter of Sir Edward Law, the Lord Chief Justice. Together with her friends Daisy and Tess they own and run King & Company, London’s most successful private investigation firm. Since they are women, they must keep their identities hidden so they use the name Charles King as the "man" in charge.

While at a stakeout, Ellie is approached by a man who claims to be Charles King. Since Ellie knows it's a made up name, she knows this man is trying to con her....what a scoundrel! He ends up telling her his name is Henri Bonheur, the Comte de Carabas. It seems Henry would like the services of King & Company but on the down low to prove who he really is. Ellie, Daisy and Tess agree to help Henry if he would help them with another case. William Bullock, the owner of Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly would like to hire King & Company regarding a theft case, but he wants to speak directly to Charles King. Overhearing this conversation, Henry joins in and introduces himself as Charles and thus begins the job of finding the missing artifact.

All the time Ellie and Henry spend together, feelings start to become involved. Ellie knows Henry is hiding something from her but she just can't help herself....she wants Henry to bed her. She knows she is going to end up a spinster and she may as well have some fun. What Ellie doesn't realize is that Henry is falling for her, but he cannot do anything about it until his past is figured out once and for all. Just when it looks like Ellie and Henry are going to get their happy ending, the past comes crashing in. Ellie figures her time with Henry is over, but suddenly realizes that it isn't....that it always has been her!

I just adored this historical romance with a fun adventure thrown in. Ellie was such a perfect heroine. She was strong, smart and didn't realize her true worth. Henry was the best scoundrel. He may have led a life of crime, but that is all in his past. Together they complimented each other well during their story. Now I can't wait for Daisy's turn!

The series continues to charm, Kate Bateman always hits the spot when I'm in need for a lighthearted historical romance (with a plot), and How to Fall for a Scoundrel is no difference. Centering around a detective agency set up by the series heroine trio, I'm glad to report there's indeed a lot of sleuthing incorporated within its narrative—and the case is a densely layered one, cascading like Dominoes with 1 case leading smoothly into the next (I do have to overlook a few logic gaps, but they don't hinder the overall experience). The romance is cute (if not overly dramatic/emotional), primarily due to the snappy banters, but it does lose a bit of momentum in its last stretch—the third act conflict feels muted and halfhearted, more like a prerequisite to get to a novel-length page count rather than a necessity for its romance arc. Still, How to Fall for a Scoundrel is a solid entry to the series, and I can't wait for the third book!

As most of you know, Regency-era romances are one of my favorite genres to read. And, if you have been following me for a long enough time, you know that I love Kate Bateman’s books. So, when How to Fall for a Scoundrel came across my email, it wasn’t even a question of me reading the book. It was an automatic acceptance on my end.

How to Fall for a Scoundrel is the second book in the Her Majesty’s Rebels series. You can read it as a standalone, but I highly suggest reading book one first. It provides a more in-depth background of the main characters and how their detective agency started.

The main storyline of How to Fall for a Scoundrel is centered around Ellie and Harry. Ellie is 1/3 of the owner of King & Co., a detective agency that the Queen uses. Harry is an ex-con who wiggled his way into her life by claiming to be her fictional boss, Charles King. Ellie and Harry are forced together when King & Co. is approached and asked to find a stolen priceless manuscript. But Ellie isn’t aware that Harry has secrets that revolve around his past. What happens when Harry’s secrets come to light? Will their fledgling relationship be able to withstand them?

I loved the chemistry between Ellie and Harry. I wasn’t expecting that because it was an Instalove-type deal, and usually (in my experience), Instalove doesn’t have the chemistry that these two did.

I liked Ellie. She certainly didn’t take any shit from Harry, that’s for sure. I loved watching her interact with him. It was a healthy blend of skepticism, lust (later love), and amusement.

Harry was an enigma. When he introduced himself as Henri, my attention was caught from the beginning. The author did an excellent job of keeping his identity a secret, but I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed. I also liked that Harry was very much in tune with his feelings. He acknowledged what he felt for Ellie before she even began to admit it to herself. And for a Regency-era man, I thought that it was refreshing.

The storyline with the manuscript was exciting, but it was more of a backdrop for Ellie and Harry’s romance. I liked the shenanigans that they got into, and I loved watching them fall for each other.

Toward the end of the book, a secondary storyline revolves around Harry. This interesting storyline involved Harry’s eyes (he had heterochromia). Other than that, I can’t get into the storyline because there are some major spoilers, and I don’t want to give anything away.

The end of How to Fall for a Scoundrel was a HEA. I liked how the author wrapped up Ellie and Harry’s love story, solved the manuscript mystery, and solved the secondary storyline with Harry. I cannot wait for the third book in this series to come out!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Kate Bateman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of How to Fall for a Scoundrel. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I enjoyed this book even though I found the premise a bit too ahistorical and the heroine rather blah. Supposedly Ellie and her two good friends have founded a private investigation firm headed up by a fictional man, Charles King. Think of Charlie’s Angels except that Charlie doesn’t exist. What I don’t buy is that these young ladies can still be respected members of the highest society while everyone knows about their detective business. One of the other ladies is a duchess and the other is the daughter of a duke. Ellie is the daughter of a respected lawyer in London although we never meet him or her mother.

They meet the mysterious Henri Bonheur who is the real reason to read this novel. He freely admits to Ellie that he is a retired thief and that this isn’t his real name. He’s charming, witty, and intelligent while also possessing super skills as a pickpocket and card cheat. He worms his way into their business by pretending to be Charles King and starts helping Ellie solve several mysteries. These mysteries seem to be solved way too easily and with too much serendipity.

Ellie is very suspicious, but she’s won over by his charm and good looks. He keeps telling her how smart she is, but I don’t see much evidence of that. He provides the brains in solving most of the mysteries in the first half to two-thirds of the novel.

I found that the other single lady in their business seemed much more interesting, but maybe she’ll have her own romance in the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

When bluestocking Ellie meets Henry she knows he is a scoundrel. When they team up to solve some cases together the attraction is undeniable. Can a daughter of a chief justice trust a liar and a thief with her heart? Can Henry reform his wicked ways? I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my honest review.

Mystery, Mayhem and Romance
An intriguing romance adventure story with charming characters.
We visit the three ladies from the King and Company detective agency which is really a false front.
Another case appears of the rise, but it looks like a shady new partner will be joining the ladies.
This turn out to be a fun story with many twists that kept me on my toes along with some blooming attraction between
Ellie and Harry that has the pages smoldering at times.
A fun and sexy escapade that is quite entertaining.

Another cute and fun historical read in Kate Bateman's line up. I love everything she publishes and this one is no exception. I can't wait for the others in the series!

I guess he didn't feel like much of a scoundrel.
The romance felt really forced, which is funny to say when the first book started with them kissing as "strangers" and then being in love immediately. A little too insta-lovey for me, and I think that I understand the characters even less now.

Another romp from Kate Bateman. The King & Company detective firm, secretly run entirely by three brilliant women, has another case to crack, and this time, they have to decide whether to partner with a known scoundrel.

I’ve really enjoyed Kate Bateman novels in the past, so I was excited to read this newest one!

How to Fall for a Scoundrel was so much fun! I enjoyed the banter between the hero and heroine that starts in the first chapter. I liked the mystery component surrounding who the hero was in the first half, and then the added adventure of them finding a way to prove it.

I also really enjoy that this series is surrounding a group of female detectives! It’s a unique spin on your typical histories romantic suspense plot, where it’s typically the hero who’s working for Bow Street (or something similar). It reminds me a bit of Miss Scarlet and the Duke, which I also enjoy a great deal!

The romance was cute, if a little fast developing. I enjoyed seeing them fall for each other while running around trying to solve mysteries and be sneaky with their undercover work.

I wouldn’t say this book is a sweepingly romantic historical, but it was a fast-paced, entertaining, fun time and I’d definitely recommend it!

Though I had already preordered a copy of this, I do want to give a thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Although this is book number two in the series, I don't think anyone would have an issue picking it up and reading it as a stand alone. It is easy to see that the three women behind King & Co are not only highly intelligent, but also very close friends and I was pleasantly surprised to see how easily "Harry" fit in with the group. I also liked the way he kept Ellie on her toes, although sometimes it felt as if their banter bogged things down more than moved them along.

As for the mystery portion of this novel, I will admit I struggled a bit as for the most part? It just seemed to easy. A book is stolen from the museum, and the first clue arrives almost immediately after (although I can see how that was done to show off how useful "Harry" can be to the company). And then a visit to an all-too-happy-to-help tailor later, and they have their man. No muss, no fuss. From there, it was too too easy for them to gain access to the man's house and find the stolen property.

From there, we focus for a bit on the romance between "Harry" and Ellie. Now, I will admit they did have an undeniable chemistry together, and while I did see a bit of my least favorite trope (instalove) rear its ugly head, I also enjoyed the little moments between them while they were investigating the different cases that I wish would have been used instead.

Of course, what is a romance novel without a little drama, and this one comes in the form of Hugo (first introduced as "Harry's" mentor) accidentally lets it slip that "Harry" is actually Henry. An Early that has been "missing" for years. And he needs help proving he is in fact, who he says he is.

As the rest of the novel unfolds, King & Co finds a way to not only help Henry in his quest, but also recover a stolen gem as well. All while Ellie tries to resist her attraction to the man because she "knows" it won't end well. And honestly, that was another thing that annoyed me, but it's more a pet peeve of my own than a fault by the author. Why can't heroines ever believe that a man wants them? In this case it was because she had no connections, and no dowry, etc etc, but hadn't he already proven to her that he appreciated her mind above all else?

All things considered, I hope I get a chance to read the third novel in this series just to see if Daisy meets the highwayman I think she will in her story. And even if she doesn't? The fortune teller from the first book hasn't been wrong thus far so her story will still, no doubt, be interesting.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I just loved getting to enter this world. I just loved getting to meet these characters and see what they are currently getting themselves into. This book was just a really fun read. I just lost myself in this great story and I didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens next.