Rogue to the Rescue by Jane Charles

Rogue to the RescueRogue to the Rescue by Jane Charles

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone with ties to Westbrook & Valentine series

Release Date: April 21, 2021 (previous published in It’s Raining Rogues anthology 5/2025)

When Lady Victoria Westbrook is accosted by an angry man while leaving the Westbrook House for Women and Children, her brother-in-law Sebastian Valentine insists that she have a personal guard stay with her until the man is captured. Unfortunately, the man he has chosen is his brother Benedick Valentine, a Thames River Police Officer and a man Victoria once believed herself in love with. She adamantly refuses to let him stay but is overruled by both men. Victoria resigns herself to an uncomfortable night with the man who stole her heart and then broke it when he learned who she was.

Benedick Valentine has done his best to avoid Lady Victoria since the anonymous house party they both attended months ago, where he fell head over heels for her and she rejected him as soon as she learned who he was. He knows it is for the best, because she is too far above his reach and he has nothing to offer a woman like her, but despite that, he still loves her. When they finally confront each other about their last night together, they realize that they both misunderstood the other, but for Benedick that revelation doesn’t change the fact that he is not good enough for her. But is Victoria willing to accept that decision or is she going to fight for their love?

I originally read this novella in the “It’s Raining Rogues” anthology and loved the story, so if you missed that book, you have gotten a second chance to enjoy this book! This story is a series crossover with both the Westbrook and Valentine families and Victoria and Benedick are amazing together! The book has a misunderstanding trope, class difference, second-chances,a bit of danger, a bit of heat, and finally a well-deserved HEA complete with an adorable epilogue. I loved this book and I am happy to recommend this title – especially to readers who love Ms. Charles’ Valentine and Westbrook series, but trust me, you don’t have to have read those books to enjoy this novella!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

 

When the Wolves Are Silent by C.S. Harris

When the Wolves Are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr, #21)

Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Sebastian St Cyr #21
Publication Date:4/14/26
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 400

WOW!! This book is packed with excitement, suspense, heartbreak, dark motives, cruelty, political turmoil, and startling family revelations. Some of the surrounding political tensions feel eerily reminiscent of the unrest we see in today’s world.

When Bayard Wilcox awakens from a drunken stupor to find his friend, Marcus Toole, sprawled in the smoldering remains of a bonfire they had carelessly built the night before, he is terrified—and utterly alone. The hilltop where he stands is rumored to have been used for ancient Druidic rituals, making the scene even more unsettling. With no one else to turn to, Bayard seeks out his uncle, Sebastian St. Cyr.

Sebastian’s investigation quickly branches into multiple directions. The victim—and his circle of friends—are widely disliked, leaving no shortage of potential suspects. Matters grow even more troubling when Sebastian discovers that another of Bayard’s companions has recently been murdered under similarly disturbing, possibly ritualistic circumstances. Is someone targeting the entire group? As Sebastian uncovers instances of cruelty in their past, he is left wondering what deeper secrets remain hidden—because nothing he finds seems to fully justify such calculated violence.

Time is not on his side. The Home Office and the Chief Magistrate are determined to see the murders of aristocrats solved swiftly—and conveniently. They intend to place blame on the Spencians, who are planning a major protest against the government. One of those at risk of being falsely accused is a close friend of Sebastian’s.

Can Sebastian uncover the truth in time? Can he protect his nephew—and does he even want to? Can he save his friend from becoming a political scapegoat? And if he does solve the case, will the truth even matter, or will the government bury it to serve its own ends?

I have read this series from the beginning, and each book has been exceptional. This one, however, stands out as one of the best. I highly recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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