Proper Scoundrels

Allie Therin delivers another smash hit with Proper Scoundrels. Soft, sad boy, and self-proclaimed dangerous paranormal, Sebastian volunteers to protect cantankerous, secretly sweet, Wesley whose own past has left scars. A thrilling mystery and a beautiful love story are woven into a wonderful, magical world in this world-class spinoff.

A spin-off from the Magic in Manhatten trilogy, Proper Scoundrels is as delightful as the original works. Readers who enjoy Arthur and Rory's story will enjoy Sebastian and Wesley's happily ever after. This standalone could also be read and enjoyedc by those new to this 1920s paranormal universe. Both protagonists struggle to feel worthy of a happily ever after and their discovery of one another as intimate partners is full of gentle warmth even in the midst of paranormal threat. Highly recommended. Content note: trauma/PTSD related to bothWWI military service and magical kidnapping/torture.

I have 100% fallen in love with Allie Therin's books! This book exists in the same universe as the Spellbound books - and focuses on Wesley, Lord Fine and Sebastian de Leon. Both have complicated histories - both within the previous books and within their own lives.

Sebastian de Leon was under the control of blood magic and forced to do things his very kind soul would have never considered. He is still dealing with the trauma of that experience and doesn't feel safe anywhere. He has been looking out for Lord Fine ever since the end of the last book - even though Lord Fine has no idea about it or about the supernatural world. Sebastian really is a very dangerous marshmallow.

Wesley is also a very complicated man. He is basically - an asshole - but a very likeable one. He has absolutely no filter and keeps everyone around him at arms length. He is also almost completely alone in life. I adored every bit of him. He is one of those characters who is so unique and utterly delightfully, unrepentantly himself that you can't help but love him.

The book is set in 1925ish and I adored being immersed in that period. I also adore the diversity shown in this book (and all the others). And if Allie Therin doesn't write more books in this universe I will be utterly devastated.

This book does stand alone - and you could 100% read it without reading the other books in the same universe - but I really can't recommend the other books highly enough, so you're missing out if you don't read those too!

I was so lucky to receive and ARC of this book from Netgalley, but these opinions are all my own.

oh. Oh this was one of the best things I’ve read in a pile of amazing things I’ve read lately.

The grumpiest grump in Wesley, who I adored the second he told Arthur: “I want one” about Rory (yes you absolutely must go read their series first why wouldn’t you) who thinks the most wonderful things about Sebastian
The purest danger marshmallow fluff sunshine in Sebastian who has to be the most intriguing redeemed (is it redeemed tho? Was he ever bad? No.) who just wants to be good

Visits from Jade and Zhang and Isabel and add in Molly and Mateo, making this even more special
Scary villains

This was unbelievably good and Sebastian and Wesley are at least tied with Rory and Arthur as favorites….probably are favorites tbh but don’t tell Rory

I’d love to see Wesley and Sebastian in Puerto Rico. Can we have that? Please? Please show Wesley that the waters are actually that blue and show Sebastian his home again.

Take every recommendation I’ve ever given and more. This book is magic.

This is a lovely LGBTQ+ historical urban fantasy. It's pleasure to read; the characters are delightful, the sex scenes are smoking (whooo-hooo!!) and I really loved how the romance came together naturally of two people getting to know one another. The world is well developed and, although I was a little lost because I hadn't read the previous trilogy, Therin gives enough backstory for the reader to get along. In this case, I'm going for the highest compliment I can give an author. I'm going back to read the first trilogy because now I want more! I hope Therin continues to write in this world.

I absolutely adored this book! As a big fan of the Magic in Manhattan series I was really excited for a new story set in this world and it did not disappoint, in fact I think I love it even more than the original trilogy! The characters pulled me in from the start and I enjoyed every single page. Sebastian is as described, a "dangerous marshmallow" -- a genuinely good and softhearted person plagued by a traumatic past. Wesley, aka Lord Fine, Is his complete opposite, a grouchy misanthrope who doesn't care for the feelings of others, at least not until his life gets tangled up with Sebastian's. As with all great couples, the two complement each other and find ways to bring out the best in one another while also working to provide each other much needed comfort and healing. There were so many moments between them that had me melting from the all the tenderness and sweetness.

Honestly this books delivered so many of my favorite tropes that I was grinning almost constantly while reading!
I also really enjoyed getting to see more of Jade and Zhang, as well as Sebastian's sister, Isabel. The historical setting and the different locations were vibrantly described and I especially liked the visit to York, England. The overall plot was riveting and filled with romance, action, and magic. Highly recommend!

Allie Therin crafts a magical world where normal and paranormal meet in post WWI England. Proper Scoundrels follows Sebastian de Leon, a Puerto Rican-American former army medic whose paranormal ability had him trapped under blood magic for the last three years. While struggling with past guilt, Sebastian becomes entangled with some friends unraveling the mystery of a paranormal murderer who is systematically killing off humans with ties to the paranormal world. When it's discovered that one of the murderer's targets is Wesley Fine, Sebastian makes it his mission to protect Lord Fine while also uncovering the mystery of the murderer, a murderer who bears striking correlation to a vampire that the de Leon family had previously encountered. Although I hadn't formerly had the experience of reading Therin's previous series Magic in Manhattan, Proper Scoundrels is a novel that left me wishing I had, and will defiantly leave a reader like myself reaching for the start of her series, Spellbound. Proper Scoundrels is the sexy and hilarious follow up to her previous series in which Sebastian is not a villain, but a man struggling through trauma that his abilities have caused. The mystery is engaging, the dialogue is witty, and the characters are powerful. If you've ever thought, "Wow, I'd really like a book in which a character is handcuffed to a bed with a gun shoved in his face, but feels obligated to argue about the morals of foxhunting," then this is the book for you. It's a piece that will for sure keep you flipping pages.

Proper Scoundrels was such a fantastic. heartwarming ride! As a huge fan of the Magic in Manhattan series, I was really looking forward to a new story set in this world, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the original trilogy! It began with a hook and I enjoyed every page. Sebastian is described as a "dangerous marshmallow" -- a kindhearted individual who has been through a lot. Wesley, aka Lord Fine, doesn't care for anyone's feelings, that is until Sebastian. I couldn't help but smile almost constantly while reading this book because of the tender moments between them. I enjoyed the overall plot, which combined action, magic, and romance. I highly recommend reading this book!