I think this book demonstrates clearly that any good writer can produce a romantic fiction novel. The genre has many easily reproducible factors including of course the seemingly arrogant (but secretly charming) alpha male and the stunningly beautiful (yet amazingly short of admirers) female. However it takes more than being a good writer to make the novel shine.
This one does not shine. Nevertheless it is an entertaining book with a reasonable story, a mystery and of course a convoluted love affair. There is probably a tad more sex than is usual but that is a good or bad thing depending on the tastes of the reader.
Sadly I never 'felt' the romance. I did not develop an attachment to any of the characters and was not at any time worried for them. Characters also appeared to change at random none more markedly than the murderer. I realise that it was fun for the totally unexpected to occur but really?
Anyway if you like your Historical Romance with sex scenes you will probably like this. It is a very readable book but to me just lacking a certain something. I did not reach for the tissues once.

I received this book for an honest review.

Oh my, oh my, oh my! Have I said I don't read historical romance? Oh and I don't read adult, did you know that? Not really, anyway. BUT I know both these authors and had to give this one a shot. Not only that but the premise and the blurb just sounded great. So I really wanted to give it a try. And I was not in the least unhappy with doing so!

Lady Briannon is, well, fabulous. I love that she's got huge amounts of spunk, she's feisty and fiercely independent. And she's super intelligent. So much more so than her parents or the society surrounding her gives her credit for! Always the lady in public but with an underneath she keeps well hidden. She likes to ride horses and sword fight, so unladylike. But I love that she has those qualities because it makes her so much more than the society lady everyone makes her out to be!

Archer is a study in opposites. What he wants versus what he thinks he wants. He is aloof and distant to most. But he has this soft underside that he keeps well hidden. He's passionate about one thing and that's making sure those in need get just what they need. And he goes above and beyond to make sure that happens. He doesn't allow anyone in. Well, anyone except Brynn, who somehow breaks down all the walls he's managed to put up!

I love the banter and passion between the two main characters in this book. Their exchanges were truly humorous as well and sexually charged. It made for a perfect match. Their slow burn was definitely something I looked forward to watching throughout the book. And I will say I loved the level of sexy the authors brought to the relationship.

The underlying plot was certainly a favorite, as well. I am a true Robin Hood fan, so watching this unfold in the story was great. This part of the plot made it fun and suspenseful! Plus finding out who the villain was was a great surprise to me. I loved how the authors were able to keep it hidden! The mystery aspect was truly wonderful.

I really enjoyed this read. I look forward to more from these two authors who seamlessly created a story where I could not tell there were two authors writing!

My Rogue, My Ruin was an absolutely delightful romance with a charming Robin Hood-esque twist.

The Marquess of Hawksfield, Archer Croft, despises the over-indulgence of his peers in the ton. Due to his hatred, he has become the Masked Marauder, who waylays unsuspecting carriages to relieve the passengers of their riches in order to give back to the less fortunate. On one such occasion, Lady Briannon Findlay and her family are stopped by the Marauder and forced to give up their possessions. Brynn is reluctant to give up a necklace gifted to her by her grandmother and engages in a battle of wills with the thief. Despite knowing better, Brynn feels an attraction to this thief and so begins the adventure Brynn has longed for all her life.

Brynn is by far my favorite character in this book. She's strong-willed, intelligent and fights for what she wants in life. Despite an illness that has plagued her for her entire life, Brynn doesn't let anything stop her from living life to the fullest. She excels at activities traditionally reserved for men, such as fencing and shooting, and has a wonderful outlook on life. She also has the a great sense of humor. Archer is a much more reserved and serious individual than Brynn. After losing his mother in a tragic accident, he's set himself on a path to give back to those less fortunate as that was one of his mother's passions. Archer does not believe in love and happily ever after due to the way his father leads his life.

I enjoyed the relationship between Archer and Brynn immensely. Their first meeting, with Archer as himself, went horribly and I wondered at how the authors would turn things around. I enjoyed the banter that developed between these two and I loved when they got to be alone and let their true selves come out. Also, the physical attraction between these two was off the charts and I very much enjoyed watching them act on that attraction. It was also so much fun seeing them deal with Archer's secret identity and how much Brynn did or didn't know.

The mystery of who knew Archer’s secret and who was impersonating him and committing violent crimes kept me guessing throughout the book. I suspected a number of the characters at one point or another, but never actually the one who ended up being the culprit. The authors did a wonderful job at concealing who the impostor was and I enjoyed how they wrapped up that storyline. I will say this book went longer than I expected it to after the impostor was unmasked and I kept expecting the story to end much sooner than it actually did.

Overall, My Rogue, My Ruin was a very enjoyable read and I absolutely loved these characters. I’m excited to get to the sequel, My Darling, My Disaster, soon as I was quite intrigued by Lana’s character and am eager to find out more about her.

I loved this story. I've read several stories where someone from the aristocracy decides they are going to be a masked marauder so I was worried that this story would feel like the same ol' story that I had already read. Much to my surprise, it was not. Even though the story was not new, Howard and Morgan had a way of storytelling that made made it new and exciting to me.This is my first book by them and it definitely won't be the last!

I loved all the twists and turns as well as the surprise villain (I never saw that one coming!). I'm so excited for the next book in the series!!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So we have a marquess that loathes the peerage and decides to become a Robin hood to steal from the rich and give to the needy. My problem with that his when he steal a precious pearl necklace that was an heirloom. That is when I began to not enjoy him. I did enjoy the romance and suspense in the story but He just annoyed me at times.

Shadow's review:

This was a rousing romp of an adventure story, with a bad boy hero, a strong heroine and a atruegemawardcaptivating story line.
Although the setting is Regency England, bring it forward a dozen decades and the hero, Archer Croft, The Marquess of Hawksfield , would be a rebel on a motorcycle. Set it back a few decades and he would be Robin Hood. As it is, in protest of his father’s ways and treatment of his mother, Archer turns himself into a highwayman, with all the proceeds from his activities donated to the poor. Unfortunately for him, one of his first robberies turns out to be the neighbors, including their lovely daughter, Lady Briannon Findlay. Unlike most of the simpering misses of the ton, Lady Briannon is miffed that she doesn’t have her pistol with her to stop the robbery. Unconventional in every sense, Briannon rides astride and bareback, calmly takes on a wild boar, shoots a highwayman, and yet can dance and converse in the loftiest society circles.
As the two are thrown together, both in social circles and as neighbors, Briannon begins to realize who the highwayman really is-but when an imposter begins robbing people-and hurting them-she is prepared to turn him into the authorities. Can Archer find a way to stop the imposter, clear his name, and keep Briannon safe?
Both main characters were easy to like, and the story line kept the reader’s interest. There were no obvious anachronisms, although a lady wearing pants and riding astride would have been unheard of in Regency England.
A very pleasant read with charming characters, a strong story, and a glimpse at a far different age, this one rates 4 stars.

First Thought After Finishing: I wish I could have been courted by royalty in Victorian England!

I used to read a fair amount of historical romances as a teenager, but many of the characters seemed far removed from my teen self. This romance, however, has the benefit of young adult authors trying a new genre, with characters who are relatable for their ages. Even though this is a historical romance book, it definitely has crossover appeal for new adult readers who enjoy a little extra steaminess in their books.

Lady Briannon Findlay is soon to be introduced as eligible for marriage in Essex’s aristocracy. However, she would much prefer horseback riding and fencing to more ladylike pursuits such as needlepoint. Although she knows she must marry eventually, she is in no hurry to relinquish her freedom. Archer Croft is a marquess, one who would be an eligible match for Brynn, if only he were interested in finding a wife. Instead, he has family matters to contend with first and his own legacy to establish. However, when the childhood friends are thrown together again, they find that stray thoughts—and hearts—are not so easy to control.

In many ways, this book has it all—romance, history, and mystery. There are layers to the story, just as there are layers to the characters. Archer is the classic “rogue” that you want to hate, but then you get to know him and he becomes irresistible. He has that smoldering, aloof quality that inspires fantasies while also having a hidden good heart that makes you want to melt. Brynn is just the right amount of feisty to be a good match for Archer, and their chemistry is undeniable. Even though it is a romance, they had good reason to go back and forth with “will they or won’t they,” which made for an engrossing read.

On top of the romance, there is mystery. Archer’s secret identity is in danger of being revealed from the beginning, and while the mystery is put on hold for a while as romance begins, it does come back as the book goes on. It gave the story more interest and allowed the slow pace of the novel to work rather than becoming stagnant. Overall, I enjoyed my time spent in this world, and if there are sequels to this book, I would definitely be interested in reading them as well.

Most Memorable Aspect: I loved the moments of witty, wry dialogue between Brynn and Archer. As passionate as some scenes were, the early banter in their relationship jumped off the page.

Robin Hood meets Brave meets Pride & Prejudice in this new historical romance from Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan. Travel back in time and get swept off your feet by a masked rogue. If you're looking for a good book to read while curled up by the fire, look no further!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I haven't read many books that began with the hero robbing the heroine or vise versa. It was a good cause and I'll give him that though. You see Archer, our story's hero, is another Robin Hood. He steals from rich people to give it to those who are in need like his half sister once was. The connection between him and Brynn is instant, but their way towards their happily ever after has a lot of obstacles. Brynn is not the kind of tame woman you will find in England at the time. She is fencing with her brother, wears breeches and knows how to aim and pull the trigger. Both of them were very like-able and a perfect match for the other. The biggest threat in their relationship isn't Archer's secret identity, but an enemy who wants to see Archer destroyed and does horrible things.

I must admit I was surprised by the identity of the villain and I was hoping to see the big villain getting some kind of redemption. That ending made me sad to be honest. The book was good and the story flew easily. I was happy because the author choose not to create some over the top drama when Brynn found out the truth about him. The book doesn't exactly remind me of something I would see in a historical novel. I am getting disappointed and I find myself thinking that the good HR romance authors are an endangered species. I want to get the sense of forbidden for once this year. I want a wallflower. I will read the second book if I get a chance and I hope I will like it more. I would recommend the book, but with a little caution.