Peregrine Hind, known to all as the bloodiest highwayman ever to bedevil the road, seeks only one thing—revenge against the Dartham family.
And so when a robbery sends the second Dartham son and notorious rakehell Alexander Dartham tumbling to Peregrine’s feet, it seems like fate has given Peregrine his vengeance at last.
Except then Alexander offers him a desperate bargain: to kidnap him instead, so Peregrine can harvest a generous ransom from Alexander’s family first. Peregrine agrees, but he’s in no way prepared for a captive like Alexander, who insists only on the softest beds and the finest wines … and who enjoys being tied up a little too much…
This is my second historical by Simone and again, I didn’t really like Priest but there is just something so…crisp about how she writes her historicals, I’m obsessed!
Again I think these are the perfect books to read on a dark and stormy night in front of a fire (or a YouTube ambience video of fire crackling), candles, wine and blankets. That’s the feeling these books evoke in me, cozy, crisp and dark. If I had to pick a color for these books it would be a dark burgundy/Cabernet color.
Set like 90ish years before the chasing of Eleanor Vane, Peregrine is a sadboi highwayman who is plotting revenge on a duke (a previous Duke of Jarelle, I’m assuming a great great something to Ajax in ‘Eleanor Vane’) for wrongs committed against his family. However plans go awry and he ends up with the Duke’s hot younger brother, Alexander ‘Sandy’, heir to the dukedom and Fair Hope. Alexander is a rake who likes anyone with a pulse and likes being tied up, and they hit it off, despite Alexander being held captive as a means to an end.
This was surprisingly funny but not obnoxiously so, and very sweet. These two do fall very fast for each other, but it’s a novella so what can you do. Simone does a good job of pacing these books despite the length. I enjoy her historical references that are relevant to her story.
Spoilers!
Some small things - sometimes the banter felt just slightly too modern pour moi, and I do find it very convenient that the duke and duchess die of some sickness without ever being a real conflict for Sandy and Peregrine. I also felt like Peregrine gave up on revenge upon meeting Sandy pretty fast? Like I thought the conflict would be Peregrine having to dramatically choose Sandy over killing the Duke, but that wasn’t the climax.
my first historical romance by sierra simone and you guessed it, it will not be my last! this was too fucking good. A MM romance between an heir do a duke and a highwayman set on revenge. captor/captive/kidnapping. Alexander our heir loves to be tied up by his captor a little too much.
this was super short and just incredibly written that we got a full story arc, amazingggg spice, and with a little bit of heartbreak in it as well. such a fun and fast read!
It's Sierra Simone, so of course it's filthy. But it is also a sweet, dare I say wholesome, grumpy meets sunshine take on Stockholm Syndrome. There's a highwayman and his captive, revenge and an evil duke, and bonkers take on The Ransom of Red Chief that has our sunshiney hostage crushing on his surly, sad Highwayman. It was adorable.
I liked the first book in this series, but I loved the second one. A morally good highwayman kidnapping a bratty second-in-line royal? This had me absolutely feral — yes to all of this! It’s short, it’s spicy, it’s wildly entertaining. Highly recommend!
I need to change my Christmas list. I know I said I wanted diamonds, chocolate and some new pyjamas but I need to make an addition.
I want a rake too please. I promise I will be a really, really good girl and I will look after my rake very well. If I might be so bold and you have any spares, I would be able to accommodate two, because two rakes are better than one.
Love Karen
PS. Sierra Simone’s The Last Crimes of Peregrine Hind was a bona fide 5 star read. For a novella, it packs in so much content. Highway men have become my new obsession especially those who are grumpy and sad and need the sport of chasing escaped rakes.
Oh Lordy, Lord! Alexander Dartham was a cad and a bounder. He had me giggling at his exploits. Promising not to run away and then legging it - only to be caught again because Peregrine wasn’t about to let him slip through his fingers. I lost a whole afternoon on Pinterest looking for images of highway men and breeches.
4,25⭐ Honestly loved the characters and their dynamic was so amazing and also Sandy being this willing captive and everything was so silly in the best way, also love how Sierra always manages to weave in the angst into the characters regardless how short the story. The whole atmosphere and vibe was so good, love historical criminals and the spice and everything honestly, this just had potential to be full length novel.
The Far Hope series from Sierra Simone has been a lovely, sexy, and haunting little tale. I loved seeing Far Hope pop up in her other series like “Saint.” It’s a nice little M/M novella for that fun in-between-longer-books space.
This was such a vibes book, I loved it 😆 I listened to this in audio and yet again incredibly done, Shane captures the gruff of the highwayman and James does a prissy spoiled royal so well! Another great palate cleanser novella in the Far Hope Stories! This one was definitely a bit less plot driven in the beginning and more character driven and smutty, but nonetheless very enjoyable! I was not expecting the descriptiveness in this the spicy scenes, but my oh my MM romance, very smutty, yet somehow so sweet! Peregrine realizes his feelings, his heart softens, and he tells his story, it just melts your heart! Alexander is so witty and prissy and I loved him testing Peregrine, it cracked me up! Definitely a great quick palette cleanser when you're in the mood for some spicy romance!
Read if you like: *MM Romance/smut *Historical romance *Grumpy/Sunshine *Kidnapping *Revenge to lovers
Yay, an MM with no @ss munching scenes. Top went off to be a soldier. While he was away, the Duke took over his village, including his family's farm. The only way his sister could get the Duke to let her family keep some of the money, was to sleep with him. She ended up pregnant with the Duke's baby. She and her mom were sick and dying. The Duke refused to see her and she and her mom died. When Peregrine came home and saw what happened, he went all Robin Hood. He robbed the Duke and his friends and gave it back to the families that they'd screwed over. He kidnapped the Dukes brother, Alexander. Peregrine didn't want him to be too uncomfortable so he used silk to tie his hands. Alex got hard when this was done. Alex decided to go with it and see if he could seduce his way into getting P to drop his guard enough so he could escape. Of course they fell in love. The Duke got sick and died. Alex became the Duke. He pardoned P and HEA. Novella with hot smexy times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
For Sierra I would read any genre, coupling and era and still be completely enamored. ❤️
Originally a part of Rake I'd like to F... anthology.
Peregrine Hind is our resident villain with only revenge on his mind. He meets Sandy our resident heir and rich boy, who he kindaps for ransom. Sandy likes to rile up Peregrine, very much so. They go on a fun journey together and I didn't expect some sadness sprinkled out in this novella.
Honestly, Sierra just writes in gold font or something. Her stories are just so good. Silent Peregriene and perky Sandy are an unexpected combination yet they work well. And you have spice in her books, good spice. Though, maybe I expected more wickedness from our villain?
Honestly Sierra is completely eating with this historical series. And don’t even get me started on how well Shane East narrated the audiobooks cause if this man throws another extra growly “fuuuuuck” my way I’m gonna be passing away.
This one was so fun but then again I’m the biggest MM fan to ever walk this earth. I have such a soft spot in my heart for these two 🥹 Alexander is so damn huggable and I just want to never let him go. The ending was so sweet 😩
“The Last Crimes of Peregrine Hind”, Far Hope Stories, Book 2 was my introduction to author Sierra Simone. What an enjoyable introduction it was about a hardened ex-soldier, highwayman bent on revenge against the Darthams of Far Hope and in particular the head of the family, Reginald, the Duke of Jarrell, who decimated Peregrine’s family and so many others eking out a living in their corner of England. Thinking he has captured his prey, Peregrine is shocked to find Reginald’s younger brother, Alexander (known as Sandy) alone in the held up carriage. Alexander bargained for his life in the form of ransom paid by his brother. Thus, Alexander became a captive. The story veered from there as Alexander used his charm on Peregrine, wearing the highwayman down. Their physical relationship began slowly but as their connection deepened the physical turned hot, steamy, and sweaty. What a great pair of characters! Peregrine was the hardened, no smiling, no joy highwayman who lost what he cared for most and was bent on revenge. Alexander was his opposite, a lighthearted randy rake full of smiles and overflowing with charm. It was no wonder when they came together they exploded off the pages. Very fast paced novella, an easy afternoon read. Wonderful characters. It did end too soon. I wanted more of this m/m couple and their unusual romance/love affair. Definitely recommended for lovers of historical m/m romance. You’ll be glad you spent a couple of hours in Peregrine and Alexander’s world.
I put this one off for a hot little minute because I either live or hate Simone’s books. But as soon as I saw Shane East as one of the narrators, I was all in. You could get me to join a cult if Shane East like…read cult sermons to us, probably. Anyway.
Sierra Simone’s historical romances always toe the border between reality and some hint of magical realism/Arthurian vibe that either does or doesn’t work for me. But it really worked here! Not enough highwaymen MMC’s. Not enough highwaymen MMC’s kidnapping the other MC for revenge. And not enough historical queer dum dums lining for each other. This (I think) was marketed more as an erotica because it came in an anthology originally, but I didn’t even care about the sex. I just wanted Sandy and Peregrine to get their happy ending. And they did! And revenge was had in a roundabout way. But who needs revenge when you get to have your beloved with you forever. Not these two, that’s for sure. 😌
This story originally appeared in “Rake I’d Like to F…”
Sierra Simone is an auto read for me so here I am supporting one of my favorite romance authors. As usual there’s an element of BDSM (one of our heroes loves being tied up… delight). This is a medium burn (which is really a fast burn because of the length, but you know) short. Alexander, aka Sandy, is the sweetest little sunshine while Peregrine is the stoic man who gets blinded by him. Sandy is DARLING. I could have used a longer story just to enjoy him.
And if you think Sierra couldn’t pack some angst into 130 pages you are WRONG. I felt all the feels and was distraught about them not being together. So. Stressful. A Duke’s heir and a highway bandit? So unlikely.
“What I feel for you is stronger than any hatred. It’s fiercer than any revenge.”
England year 1710. This was the story that, as a part of Rake I'd Like to F..., converted me to M/M romance. The story about the fearsome highwayman Peregrine and his victim, the pampered and carnal Lord Alexander, is that good.
As I found out yesterday after finishing The Chasing of Eleanor Vane, Peregrine's story has since been released as this standalone novella - book #2 after Eleanor's story.
The timeline in this trilogy is pretty weird (1754 to 1710 to 1068,) but gets easier to understand at the end of the third and final book.
I generally find myself hating books by Sierra Simone. But this one? Not so bad...
Of course, this is a novella. So it was short and sweet. It's hard to impart a lot of character debt or story in a book this short, so I tried not to be too harsh here.
Peregrine is an immediately likable character. And for me, he really kept this book afloat. His relationship with Sandy is pretty insta love, but cute and believable nonetheless. And although the story wasn't terribly gripping, it kept me mostly entertained and satisfied. Sooo, 3 stars for something short, simple, and sweet.
This one really worked for me! A m/m historical romance, that is quite short but good nonetheless.
I immediately liked our two love interests. A highway man bent on revenge who is loyal to his men and a very good listener. And then a rake of a duke who is overly charming and tries to avoid taking anything too seriously. They were well paired and I'd happily read endless pages about them 🥺
Having read the first in this series I was so confused about how it connected to the previous book, until I understood it only does so through setting, and that the timeline is entirely different!
Very good steamy scenes. Like, very good 😏 Sierra Simone knows how to write them.
I didn't think it would be possible for me to DNF an audiobook narrated by Shane East and James Jospeh, but here we are 🫠
Maybe it was me, maybe it was my mood, but I increasingly don't have time to waste on things that aren't keeping my attention, and this certainly fell into that category. Nothing about this captured me. I was bored from the beginning, but I kept listening because I wanted it to work and it didn't. No one was more heartbroken than me DNFing this because, again, Shane East and James Joseph!!! Uggghhhh. What an absolute waste of two fabulous narrators this was 😭
I loved this novella! Alexander aka “Sandy” and Peregrine are a wonderful pair! They give all the grumpy/sunshine vibes. Alexander is a delight…funny, charming…a rake with seemingly no cares…but with a kind heart. Peregrine is stern, controlled and bent on revenge. Together, they make a delightfully sexy, sweet couple. The side characters are great. The story is engaging. I wish it was longer! I’m hoping for more stories about the Second Kingdom!!!
The audio of this is DIVINE. Shane East and James Joseph are two of my favorite narrators and their performances did not disappoint in this story! Sierra Simone is hit or miss for me, but this was one that I loved. It was a sweet MM story with the right amount of spice. I love a good sassy, cocky character and you find that in Sandy. He's not afraid to get what he wants and will do pretty much whatever to get it. The writing was good and I liked the way that both characters discovered how they felt for each other and their realizations that this wasn't just some fling, a little fun during.
I enjoyed this novella much more than the first in the series! For a very short story (and audiobook), I felt like the characters and their relationship to one another had more depth to it. And I enjoyed the amount of pining Peregrine brought to the table.
POV: dual third person
You can expect: highwayman MMC, rake MMC, enemy’s brother/brother’s enemy, revenge, opposites attract, captive/captor, fuck the rich, insta lust, pining.
Its been a long time since I've read a highwayman tale, I used to hunt them out years ago when I read historically set mm stories exclusively, this one stood the test well, I absolutely loved it. Peregrine wants revenge, revenge on the Duke responsible for many deaths including his family. He has a plan, a good plan, so he thought, but he wasn't counting on Alexander, the Duke's younger brother. And so the fun and games begin, it's intense, funny, sexy and wonderful.
5⭐️ I really love the way Sierra Simone writes. Both of these MCs were unique. Sandy had me smiling at his antics. Peregrine was so reluctant to do anything despite wanting to. The sexy scenes were great as expected from this author. I listened to the audiobook, god damn the way Shane East reads sex is 🔥🫠 the growls, whimpers… 😮💨. It was a quick listen at only 4 hours. I’ll pickup her other historical novellas for sure, the TBR gets longer and longer.
2nd Book in the Far Hope Series by Sierra Simone, and this one is an MM story between a Duke and a Highwayman. These historical stories are Novellas, so we don't get perhaps the same indepth descriptions of a full novel, but nevertheless, this was another beautifully written story, albeit a bit short. Excellent as always 👍
Ahhh I loved this story. Sandy is such a lovable and charming rake. Peregrine is wonderful and gruff thief. Together they are absolutely beautiful and silly and hot!
I have yet to read anything by Sierra Simone that wasn’t wonderful. This little MM novella doesn’t disappoint. I just want to give Peregrine and Alexander both a hug and trundle them off to my guest room for them to love each other under my roof.
Ms Simone gives us a joyful romp of a romance. The writing is clever and witty. The characters are charming and inviting. The book is filled with English historical atmosphere. I highly recommend this book.