Rating: 🤩

Quick legal heads up: I read an advanced reader copy of How to Fall for a Scoundrel. I’m voluntary writing a review for it, which you’ll just have to trust is honest. ✌🏻

A reformed rake may make the best husband, but a scoundrel certainly makes the best regency hero.

Here’s a quick tl;dr of How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman for you so we’re all on the same page: It’s 1816. Our sweet wallflower Eleanor Law is working with her friends at King & Co, London’s most successful private investigation firm when a handsome rogue introduces himself as the one and only Charles King—even though no such man exists. From then on, it’s a fun romp with undercover investigation shenanigans, a wallflower coming out of her comfort zone, and reformed con man, Harry, making himself worthy of Ellie’s affections.

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Show me a charming con man who keeps his proverbial cards close to his chest, lies and steals his way along but with his own code of ethics, who sees what others don’t and gives his heart freely to a bright, studious, and thoughtful heroine—and he’ll quickly become my favorite regency hero.

Which is to say: Harry did. But that’s not say that Ellie didn’t also steal my heart, because she did! Clever as she was shy in the beginning, watching her come out of her shell was a delight.

While I will admit the mysteries so far in the the Her Majesty’s Rebels series have been a bit simple, I also must remind myself that without internet and modern technology, they still have to be solvable. Besides, the story revolves less around the two core investigative cases of the novel, and more around the sizzling chemistry between Ellie and Harry when they’re paired up to solve them.

Between their flirtatious banter and matching intellect, I found myself rooting for Harry to break one of his rules—rule 4: never mix theft with seduction—very early on. (Which technically he does, since he’s introduced by way of a stolen mistletoe kiss.)

While I would have liked more of Harry’s POV in this one, I recognize why that wouldn’t have worked, since one of the mysteries is about his identity. I just feel like Ellie might have come alive more as a character through his perspective, as opposed to her own, biased one.

That said, this was a fun, low-angst adventure, and served as a great palate cleanser for me between heavier stories. I also think it has great re-readability potential—if only to relive the top-tier banter.