Caffeinated Reviewer

I love slipping into one of Sarah MacLean’s historical romances. Her characters quickly pull me in. Bombshell is the first novel in the Hell’s Belles series and this story belongs to Lady Sesily Talbot and her sister’s business partner American, Caleb Calhoun. Swoons, suspense, heat and kickassery await you....

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with a blazingly sexy, unapologetically feminist new series, Hell’s Belles, beginning with a bold, bombshell of a heroine, able to dispose of a scoundrel—or seduce one—in a single night.

After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss.

Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.

This is a brand new series, but for fans of MacLean, you will be treated to plenty of Easter Eggs and beloved characters.

American Caleb Calhoun is half partner in the Silver Swan with the now Duchess of Haven. He has a thing for her sister, Lady Sesily Talbot. So much so that he left London two years ago. He is back to help the Duchess as she prepares to give birth. He fully intends to avoid Sesily, but when he spies her enter the gardens with another man, he cannot help but follow… all of which leads to a kiss…one kiss.

Sesily Talbot along with a group of ladies who call themselves the Hell’s Belles are up to something. Encouraged by the Duchess Calhoun keeps tabs on Sesily, who is keeping secrets, but she isn’t the only one.

I loved Sesily and the rest of the women who make up the Hell’s Belles. These ladies are secretly making waves and affecting the lives of other women. Knives, breaking and entering, whatever it takes to right the wrongs within their society. The group is made of women from all social ranks and I loved what they are doing. A few standout characters have me eager for their stories. I chuckled at some punishments they doled out and how they aided Caleb and Sesily.

Caleb’s secret and his desire to do what was right to protect those he cares for made him swoon-worthy. He needed to learn to trust Sesily and her friends. Their chemistry was off the charts and we were treated to some rather steamy scenes. Sesily knows her own mind, and I loved that about her.

Whether you are a newcomer to this author or a diehard fan like myself, Bombshell delivered from the storyline to the romance and I cannot wait for the next novel in the Hell’s Belles series.

Thank you, Ms. MacLean for finally giving us their story. It was worth the wait. The author once again reminds me why I enjoy historical romance.

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About Sarah MacLean

MacLean burst onto the romance scene with Nine Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake, the first in her best-selling and critically acclaimed three-book Love By Numbers series. In early 2012, she began her new, pre-Victorian Rules of Scoundrels series with A Rogue by Any Other Name, which received the 2013 RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America. The third book in the series, No Good Duke Goes Unpunished, won the 2014 RITA Award. When she is not writing romance, Sarah travels the country to discuss the romance genre and its place in both gender and cultural studies. She writes a monthly column celebrating the best in romance for the Washington Post, and her columns have appeared in the New York Times Book Review and Parents Magazine. She is also a vocal advocate for issues relating to education and literacy. She lives in New York City with her husband, her daughter and their dog.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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