All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue

The Debutante Files #2

by Sophie Jordan

Lady Aurelia hasn't always hated Max, Viscount Camden, her brother's best friend. In fact, as a besotted girl, she thrived under his kind attention—sure that he was the most noble and handsome man in the land. Until her young heart discovered what manner of rogue he really was.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook, Regency

374 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 28, 2015

About the author

Pseudonym:
Sharie Kohler

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I sooooooooo get what you all were saying! This wasn't banter, teasing, or sniping, it was meanness. I was hanging in there until around the 40% mark when the hero is incredibly cruel to the heroine not in just an one on one situation but in front and with a mean girl from her past and present. My heroes always come through for the heroines in those situations.

I didn't feel the romance here, especially since they didn't really come together until the last 10% of the story, yes really, the VERY end.

This could all be my personal preference but you're honestly going to have like meanness between your leads to like this.

*I still like Jordan's overall writing, she is great at sexy sex scenes (hellooooo desk scene!) and will be giving her next book a try, which I hope will feature Struan the seemingly cold-hearted Scot.

[Arshia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Edelweiss and Avon.

Sophie Jordan is very prolific writer and her story telling will always bring you pleasure. Unfortunately, this was not the case with this title. I hated Max from the beginning and while I understood the attraction between him and Aurelia it wasn't something that made me happy. Their bantering and snipping was ok until he burned her sketch and never apologized, then he insulted her in front of someone who was already being bitchy to her and never apologized, then he kissed her and ran away like a little bitch, do you see where I am going with this?! Like this little MOFO had NOTHING that I could like in a hero. Broad shoulders and brooding stare don't make me love a hero. He never told her why he didn't want to get married. All he did was hurt her over and over again. So that really made me wonder what the hell was so wrong with Aurelia that she still loved him. I mean this was an abusive relationship. Saying "I love you" doesn't make the rest of the abuse ok. All it made him is a fucking coward!

[Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was absolutely fantastic! Out of all the couples in this series Aurelia and Max probably had the most intense relationship. If they weren't lusting for one another then they were at each others throats! Which is just the way I like it! Max and Aurelia's hate for one another went way back and when these two got ugly, they got down and dirty and downright cruel. It all started when Aurelia decided to sketch Max in all his naked glory. Unfortuanately she drew him with a small member/cock, and when that sketch was found, he earned the name of Cockless Camden. Names like that stick, and for many years Max had to bear it.

"I've a tough hide," he agreed tightly, shoving aside the memory of her when she had eviscerated him with a simple drawing. He avoided her gaze and scanned the romm, tension tightening his jaw. What was it about her that made him feel as though he were about to come out of his skin?



Unlike the couples in the previous 2 books Aurelia and Max have known each other since they were very young. Max is Will's best friend, Will is Aurelia's brother. Did you catch the forbidden love??? Aurelia had always held a torch for Max until one day when she was just 15 years old she caught him with frollicking with a maid in the greenhouse. Yes I just used the word frollicking. You'll find Max's name next to the definition of man whore in the dictionary, Max is the prototype for the Man whore, the real MVP as they say, and like in the first book in this series I wasn't quite sure if I liked him. Sophie Jordan can write the heck out of a mean asshole hero. Some of the stuff that Max did was downright cruel. And the stuff that Aurelia did in retaliation was hilarious.

"Aurelia," he gasped into her mouth. "I can't stop this anymore. I can't not want you." He sound aggrieved about it, pained and frustrated.
"The don't, she heard herself utter back into his mouth.

I'm really not joking when I say these 2 were constantly at each others throats. They would flit from wanting to strangle the other to wanting to find they nearest hard surface and go at it all night. Aurelia had always thought that who and when she would marry would be something that happened when she wanted it to and with a groom she had chosen. She wasn't even sure she wanted to marry. But when her situation changes and she realises how little control over her own life she has. Marrying becomes her greatest goal, too bad Max is prepared tho thwart her plans at every turn.



His kiss was hot and aggressive, punishing on her tingling lips. She felt him everywhere and this was only a kiss. Good heavens. What would it be like to have him? Fully? To come together as a man and a woman?

These two were possessive of one another, and would never admit it to themselves or to each other. If you're looking for some light reading this book is definitely a no, there was way to much angst and frustration, if you want to read an entertaining frenemies romance then I would tell you to give this one a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Nadia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sooo... it turns out I've read this book, especially the second part. Except the first time I read it, it was called The Viscount Who Loved Me and it was written by Julie Quinn. Weird, right?

It's there, everything:
• the animosity between the main characters, ✅
• the hero being a viscount and a jerk of monumental proportions, ✅✅
• the hero proclaiming he can never fall in love because reasons, ✅
• them being caught in a compromising position, ✅
• the heroine being poor and in need of a husband, ✅
• the not reallyforced marriage, ✅
• the hero avoiding the heroine because she's too tempting, ✅

I mean literally everything, right up until
• the carriage accident in the end where the hero proclaims his undying love for the heroine. ✅✅

I'm not even mad, it was really neatly packed and masked, I was almost done with the book by the time I noticed it was familiar.

I adore enemies-to-lovers novels, as long as the bickering and banter are lighthearted, nobody is being hurt. This was not that kind of romance. Max was intentionally cruel towards Aurelia, time and time again. He never apologized, never explained himself, never redeemed himself for his actions, in general he was pretty disgusting. Why she seemed to love him is beyond me.

The sole thing this book got going for it is the writing. It sucks you in and you just can't leave it. I read it one sitting, which leads me to believe that Sophie Jordan's other books might be worth looking up. I just really hope they all aren't the exact copies of other novels I've read before.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an epic disappointment. These characters were so, so mean to each other. They never talked about ANYTHING of import and they never thought about anything except banging. And, of course, nothing about this happens naturally. They're forced into marriage, and then Aurelia is suddenly pregnant and, five pages before the epilogue, they admit they might love each other. This would have worked better if they'd ever had a single real conversation that didn't involve shouting or flat out cruelty. (The scene by the pond? Are you fucking kidding me?!)

This was all made so much worse by the fact that neither of them ever apologize. I'm never eve sure they're actually sorry about the things they do to each other. Aurelia and Max were petty and childish and awful. And, you know what, I liked this book in spite of myself until we got the the 50% mark and the viciousness just kept relentlessly on. I can't believe I even finished, but I kept telling myself it could be saved.

But no. No it could not. When you take terrible, horrible characters, lust instead of love, and stilted, wooden, repetitive writing (The number of times "Indeed not" is used is insane)? This failed on just every level to me. It felt sloppy and thrown together and unedited. I mean, characters make a declarative statement, they have four lines of dialogue, and then another character asks a question as though that statement hadn't been made - as though the author had forgotten what the other character had JUST SAID.

I am so, so angry at this book. It took one of my favorite tropes and trashed it for me. Aurelia and Max are terrible people who are terrible to each other. I didn't feel an ounce of feeling between the two of them other than petty animosity. This book would have been so much more interesting if Mackenzie had in fact been her love interest.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★ ish

i would've liked this more if it didn't have an eleventh hour wrap up, it was very rushed for the overall story. this is a generally enjoyable hisrom read when you want a love story with a lot of conflict and angst, lots of spitfire between the two mc's. will it be for everyone? prob not. but i had a fun time for the mood.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

I quite enjoyed Sophie Jordan's debut book in this series, A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruins, and I especially had some fondness for Aurelia, the heroine in All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue. Together with the fact that this had a hate to love romance, I was over the moon to dive into the book. However, I was left disappointed with the way the story was executed.

I don't know what happened between the first book and this one, but Aurelia grew to be a very unlikeable character. After finding her childhood crush, Max, frolicking around with a maid, Aurelia is heartbroken and after drawing a humiliating caricature of him, which earns him the name of "Cockless Camden" from his peers, she enters this hate relationship with Max. Aurelia's reasons for despising Max in the first place were rather ridiculous. Firstly, she had no hold whatsoever on him and who he did it with and Max never knew how she felt about his, so punishing him for his flirtatious ways was over the line, in my opinion. There were moments where I sympathized with Aurelia because she was constantly reminded of the fact that she had no husband or prospect for that matter. Despite that though, the girl had so much pent up anger in her, it was just really hard for me to connect with her in any way. I can't say I felt any differently about Max either. I may have liked him a little bit at first for not tolerating Aurelia's tantrums, but by the end of the book, I wasn't fond of him either. I didn't like how he constantly insulted Aurelia or just stood by while other people insulted her. Oh and the worse part? He never apologizes to her despite feeling regret.

It was really hard to get behind their relationship because they were at each others' throats for 98% of the book. All they did was fight, fight, and make out. There was never a genuine emotional connection and while I knew they would probably make up by the end, I was surprised by the "I-love-yous" because they came out of nowhere and I wasn't convinced at all. They had great chemistry together and I wish it had been explored more. I love a good hate-to-love romance, but the love part of the romance has to outweigh the hate part, which wasn't the case in All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue. Ultimately, my main issue in this book stems from the fact that we don't get to see Max and Aurelia working together as a couple very much. That being said, Sophie Jordan has a very lovely writing style and her love scenes especially are gorgeously written, but I reckon this won't be a book for everyone.

If you think you can enjoy All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue despite the points I mentioned in my review, please give the book a shot, because I have no doubt that this is a book that will work for other readers. Otherwise, if you like historical romance, I still recommend the first book whole-heartedly.

[Chloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had so much promise. I love stories where they turned friends to enemies and then to lovers. I thought this was going to be fun where they go back and forth with mean quips to each other and are enemies that secretly love each other. Yeah, this was not that. This actually made me annoyed and uncomfortable and it was clear that this was an abusive relationship.

Max, the main character was completely unlikeable. He was mean and controlling. To me he had no redeemable qualities. He seemed so likable in the way beginning of the book (the first couple of pages) but then he just became this angry person whose backstory was really weak. He was also really mean to Aurelia and every time she'd try to talk to him he'd just be thinking of sex--jeez thanks for listening to her frustrations.

His need to control her was really too much. Even when they had nothing between them except hate, he would control what guys she talked to, where she went. Ugh. And the scene that was supposed to show his kindness was really out of place and there was no explanation for it other than for the characters to talk about how kind he was. He danced with a wallflower and he's so kind because he never dances. I have to agree because that was literally the only time where he was nice.

Aurelia, the main character, was such a disappointment to me. She kept demanding to be treated equally to a man and have a voice but any time Max would refuse, she'd get angry and then everything would be okay again because of sex. How the hell does sex solve anything other than lust? That scene where he punched someone and dragged her out of the dinner party just made me angry. It was so controlling and abusive of him to just do that. I felt nothing but disgust from this scene.

Can you imagine going to a dinner party that your significant other demanded you not go to because they were jealous and you go anyways because you're mad at them so they burst into the party and punch the guy you're talking with while dragging you out? Yeah.

The ending was incredibly rushed. They hated each other and then BAM, they loved each other and he was over his huge issue of refusing to love anyone. Jeez, the points of the story I pointed out here is just tip of the iceberg of how many issues there was with this book. I normally like Sophie Jordan's books but this was a miss for me.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars.

This is one of those books I almost hesitate to confess I enjoyed! The storyline is unoriginal, and the hero, while as manly and gorgeous as any other to be found in the genre, acts like such a prick at times that I wanted to smack his manly, gorgeous face! But what saved All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue from being consigned to the realms of the unreadable is the fact that the chemistry between the two protagonists is so strong and vividly evoked that I couldn’t stop reading in spite of those criticisms.

Max, Viscount Camden, and his best friend’s sister Aurelia, appeared in the previous book (A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin) and whenever they were together, the sparks didn’t just fly, they hurled themselves into the inky abyss from a great height! As a result, I’ve been eagerly awaiting their book, as I was looking forward to more of the same; these two made no bones about their mutual dislike, even as the heat between them threatened to melt my Kindle.

Max is your typical “I’m never going to fall in love because love hurts” type of hero, who shags his way around the ladies of the ton, never spending more than a night or two with any of them and certainly not letting any woman get emotionally close. The loss of his family in tragic circumstances at an early age is what set him on that particular path – and was also the reason for his being practically brought up in the household of the Earl of Moreton, becoming as much of a son to the earl and countess as their own son, Will.

Will’s sister Aurelia is, at twenty-three, dangerously close to being on the shelf. As a child, she’d tagged along with her brother and his friends, and Max had always been kind to her. She’s loved him since she was nine years-old, and has been eagerly anticipating the time when he would look upon her as something more than his friend’s rag-taggle sister. That time comes when she is fifteen – but her hopes are cruelly dashed when she inadvertently stumbles across the eighteen-year-old Max “trysting” with a housemaid. She pours her adolescent hurt and rage into a cruel caricature which depicts Max as a horned satyr with miniscule endowments – and while she hadn’t intended it, it is seen by some of his cronies, who instantly nickname him “Cockless Camden”.

Max promptly responds by shagging everything in a skirt that crosses his path, and ever since then, it’s been a not-so “merry war” between him and Aurelia, their childhood friendship replaced by an implacable enmity.

When Will – now the Earl of Moreton – announces that he and his wife are expecting their first child, Aurelia’s life is turned upside down. Since their father’s death, she and her mother have resided with Will and Violet, largely because, due to the late earl’s profligacy, there is nowhere else for them to go. But both Aurelia and her mother know that it would be unfair of them to continue to live there as the young couple starts their own family, and soon, Aurelia has a stark choice to make. Her mother decides to go to live with her sister in Scotland –and Aurelia can either go with her at the end of the season, or find herself a husband. She has not been all that interested in matrimony before, and given that she has no dowry, it’s not as though she has a queue of suitors. She is determined, however, and starts her campaign to find a spouse in earnest – much to Max’s irritation.

The reasons behind Max’s annoyance are obvious to everyone except him and Aurelia, and naturally, as far as he’s concerned, nobody is good enough for her. When, after another flaming row, Max kisses the hell out of her, Aurelia has to admit to herself that nothing has really changed for her since she was nine, and that whoever she chooses, if she can’t have Max, she’ll be settling for second best. But Max still stubbornly refuses to acknowledge why the thought of Aurelia with another man so enrages him even as his desire for her is becoming more and more difficult to control.

One of the things Sophie Jordan does incredibly well is to create absolutely scorching sexual tension between her protagonists, and there’s no doubt that Max and Aurelia are dynamite together. But Max is a problematic hero, because he really does say some horrible things to Aurelia at times and doesn’t seem to have much of an understanding of her situation or be all that interested in making amends. He does show himself to have a more sensitive side on occasion, but then he reverts to form and does something horrible again. Of course, he does eventually redeem himself and own up to being an idiot, but it happens at the eleventh hour and his turnabout is so fast that it’s of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it variety. The ending, too, is somewhat contrived, and also feels rushed.

So, yes, I enjoyed All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue in spite of its flaws, none of which were sufficiently terrible as to force me to stop reading. If you’re looking for a responsible, sensitive hero who proves himself worthy of the love of the heroine over the course of a deep and meaningful story, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you don’t mind the well-used enemies-to-lovers plot and the similarly overly-used neuroses of the hero, and enjoy a hero and heroine who can rip each other to shreds and then rip each other’s clothes off with hot, steamy abandon, this might be worth a few hours of your time.

[♡Julalicious Book Paradise♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review on Julalicious Book Paradise

I had trouble reading since the beginning of the year. I only read one other book and still working on that review, but still, I was getting desperate and I finally picked up a book I wanted to read before Apollycon and to my surprise, I got so addicted to it, that I had trouble working; all I wanted to do is read.

You need to know that historical romance books are not usually the kind of books I'll go towards, but because I love Sophie Jordan, I picked up last year the first book of this series and actually liked it more than I believed that I would.

But this second book was my favourite of the series so far and it's probably due to the characters. Aurelia and Max are both independent people who show a lot of animosity towards one another and yet, they are always thrown back together. They bicker every time they are in the presence of one another and even if it starts polite, it always ends with them at each other’s throats.

The reason behind Aurelia's hatred towards Max comes from her heart being shattered when she was just a teenager and yes, it's childish, but she was a damn teenager so I forgive her for that. Max's hatred comes from the aftermath of this betrayal she felt.

Aurelia is the kind of girl I wish I was. She has wicked comebacks and she isn’t afraid to speak her mind which could be quite hard to handle for the men of that time, but still, I liked how she decided to take control of her life. Whether she made the right decisions or not, she still decided to do what she had to do to make sure she didn’t end up somewhere she didn’t want to be.

And Max… Oh what to say about Max? I seriously wanted to hit him a few times, but only for his own good. He made me laugh and he made me angry and I even felt for him from time to time. He had his moments of pure chivalry and that’s the only way I believed there could be some hope for him, but even when he was what I call a douche, you couldn’t help, but like him because he made it look so good. He had such confusing thoughts and feelings about Aurelia that it was obvious from the beginning of the series that something was going to happen, we just didn’t know what or when.

In this book, both characters are so entertaining and it’s probably why this book was so addictive from page one. I can’t wait to read the next book. I’m really hoping it’s going to be about Mackenzie. I feel like this could be a very intriguing book if it was. Who’s Mackenzie? Well, you need to read this book.

So just pick up the book and see for yourself. I’m sure if you like the genre, you’ll love Sophie’s books.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue
3 Stars

For some truly incomprehensible reason and despite a simply obnoxious heroine and a complete a-hole hero, I somehow managed to enjoy this book, SMH!

Love/hate relationships with witty and snarky banter are a favorite trope of mine and it is always clear in these stories that the hero and heroine's sniping conceals true affection and respect. This is not the case for Aurelia and Max, who actually despise one another. Their banter is neither clever nor charming, but bitingly cold, cruel, and vicious.

Nevertheless, there is something about Aurelia and Max's romance that does appeal. Perhaps it is the fact that they are both equally insufferable and deserve one another. Another possibility is that Sophie Jordan has a way with words and certainly knows how to ratchet up the sexual tension. Aurelia and Max's obvious antagonism cannot conceal their intense attraction and sizzling chemistry.

Whatever the reason, I found myself rooting for their HEA despite the hero and heroine's actions. Go figure!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted on Got Fiction?

This was fast on its way to being a 5 star read, but sadly I had to dock it a couple stars. This book is lucky I didn't give it a 2.

I love LOVE a good enemies to lovers story, but this one borderline missed the mark. Max and Aurelia practically grew up together. Aurelia loved him from the first, and one day, when she was old enough to go to a garden party, she accidentally walked in on something awful-Max with one of the maids. She was so angry she took to her sketchpad and drew an unflattering caricature of Max and drew his manhood with a lot to be desired. And accidentally left her sketchbook by a tree where Max's peers found it. She had no clue, but he saw it, recognized her sketchbook, and doesn't know what would cause her to do this, but to him it's the ultimate betrayal. He's now nicknamed "Cockless Camden" and spends the next few years proving everyone how wrong they are.

Aurelia tried once to explain to him, but he didn't give her the chance. So several years later, the two of them can barely be in the same room together. Being that he's her brother's best friend, and her mother adores him like a son, they're together a lot.

I was riveted for the first half. But by the 60% point all the bickering was wearing on me. That's what I meant initially by saying this book started out as a 5 star book. I mean I couldn't put it down. But then I kept waiting for them to start to like each other. They don't for a long time. It's still good, I'd recommend it, but it's really hard to like a book when the hero and heroine spend so much time being so awful to each other.

As compelling as Sophie Jordan's writing is, I feel that the majority of this book was the hero and heroine sniping at each other. This author is very talented, I love this world she's created, and I liked the characters, or at least I liked them in the previous books, but for such a talented author, I'm shocked how little page time was devoted to the two of them falling in love.

There's banter, and there's these two being mean to each other at every opportunity. It wasn't fun banter with a seductive undercurrent. It was just plain mean. It's really hard to enjoy a book when at the 80% mark, they're still taking shots at each other!

It's like the author spent so much time having the H/h at each others' throats, that the ending wasn't enough.

Max was horrible at the end. I expected more from him. I wanted so much more from him.

So, I give this a 3, although I really wish I could have given it a 5.

***ARC courtesy of Avon Books
Highland Hussy

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and very good pacing. Had good dialogue, chemistry and sexual tension.

But at times I did not like how these two treated each other and they seemed to lack character depth. They needed more redeeming qualities, tenderness and love. I got that it was a love/hate relationship. And the ending was kind of rushed with the "I love you". This would have been a five star if not for these little irritating issues I had.

The synopsis above pretty much gives you a general overview of the story.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan
Book Two of The Debutante Files
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July 28, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

There was once a lady who loathed a lord...

Lady Aurelia hasn't always hated Max, Viscount Camden, her brother's best friend. In fact, as a besotted girl, she thrived under his kind attention – sure that he was the most noble and handsome man in the land. Until her young heart discovered what manner of rogue he really was. Now, though she enjoys nothing more than getting on his last nerve, she can’t deny Max drives her to distraction—even if she tries to pretend otherwise.

...and a lord who was confounded by a lady.

Max cannot recall a time when Aurelia did not vex him. If she was not his friend’s sister, he would stay far away from the infuriating vixen. Unfortunately, they are always thrown together. At parties and family gatherings…she is always there. Infuriating him, tossing punch in his face, driving him mad...until one night, she goes too far and he retaliates in the only way he can: with a kiss that changes everything.

What I Liked:

I wanted to like this one more! Two stars isn't the worst rating, but I finished this book with a feeling of disappointment and discontent. My problems with solely with Aurelia - I seriously do not like that girl and she pretty much ruined the book for me. Nevertheless, I thought the story was okay, and I LOVED Max.

Aurelia has two options: get married in the next few months, or move to Scotland with her mother at the end of the season. Her older brother and his wife are having a baby, and Aurelia will be a burden and a spinster old maid if she stays. So she sets out to get married. Max needs to clean up his act too - he's been caught yet again with someone's wife. Max and Aurelia have a bad relationship, ever since they were little. Aurelia antagonizes Max at every turn, the boy who she used to love, but never saw her as more than a friend, and then enemy. But there is a fine line between hate and love, and there is much more between Max and Aurelia than they think.

I didn't like Aurelia, and I will list all the reasons in the next section. I LOVED Max though. I think his character was a bit rough and could have been seen as cliche, but I liked the tortured hero thing going on. Max had a terrible childhood, and it shows in his present personal life. He doesn't want to love anyone, he doesn't want children, he doesn't want to fall in the trap of feeling anything for anyone. Which is why he goes from woman to woman, and doesn't want to marry.

I felt bad for Max, throughout the entire book. Aurelia is a witch and drew a caricature of him when they were in their teens, with him having a small, um, package. She was angry because she saw him getting impersonally intimate with a maid. She was sixteen, in love with him, and got angry at him. At this time in history, he saw her as a friend, nothing more. So she threw a tantrum, drew a picture of him with a small you-know-what, and ruined his reputation. Again, witch.

The romance isn't as steamy as one would expect for a historical romance novel, or for Jordan. Probably because most of the book is spent with Aurelia and Max hating each other - it takes quite a long time for Max to feel something other than annoyance towards her. Aurelia always liked him, but held a grudge (for no reason, mind you - it's not like they were engaged or he owed her). So the romance wasn't steamy. The chemistry was took a while to boil, but ended up being pretty hot.

So the romance was blah, the female protagonist was blah, the story was okay but not amazing. I did like some of the plot arcs in this book - but I can't say anything specific about them because that would be spoiler-y! But I like what Jordan did towards the end. Anyway. On to the dislikes.

What I Did Not Like:

I did. Not. Like. Aurelia. Borderline HATED her, really. From the start, I wanted to choke her. How dare she ruin Max's life like that, just because he was having sex with a maid/someone that wasn't her?! Max and Aurelia were NOT engaged, or promised, or anything at this point! Max and Aurelia's brother were friends, so Max saw Aurelia as Will's little sister. Aurelia was stupid in love with Max, and I suppose she expected him to be in love with her too. UGH. And then she goes and does that stupid thing with the caricature, ruining his reputation for years.

Aurelia is quite possibly the dumbest historical romance heroine I've read about. I think I liked her in A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin, because she seemed intelligent and clever. In this book, she seems dumb and senseless. She continues to create the caricatures, or misbehaving ladies, cheating lords, etc. Dumb dumb dumb. Aurelia claims it's her hobby, the only thing keeping her occupied. But then her brother and sister-in-law announces their pregnancy, and she realizes that she needs to catch a man.

Problem? Yes, because Aurelia is as prickly as a porcupine and no one wants her for more than her breasts and behind (apparently she's not pretty, but she is curvy). Throw in her awful, high and mighty attitude, and no man (especially given this time period) would want her. UGH! She is a terrible person! I wouldn't want her either, if I were a gentleman looking for a wife!

And she goes and hurts Max over and over again - the scene at the lake was mortifying and enraging. The author tries to paint the lady that Max was with as a cruel woman, which is supposed to make Aurelia's actions excusable. NO. Aurelia is a b****. And a dumb one. She doesn't even realize how stupid and cruel she is. UGH.

I have a lot of frustration with Aurelia. Mostly, I can't believe Max would want her (or want to be with her), because he pretty much hates her the whole time. Jordan definitely forced this story in this direction, so it seemed choppy and fake.

I could go on, but I won't. One last thing - what is up with these titles? They make no sense! A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin was not at all in any way a good debutante's guide to ruin. This book in no way enumerated all the ways to ruin a rogue. This is a small thing but ugh!

Would I Recommend It:

Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this book. I like Jordan's books (I've read some of her YA, NA, and adult), but this one was a hot (and awful) mess. The female protagonist really deserves to be a spinster. I know fans of Jordan are going to want to read this one, but if you're not really familiar with Jordan's historical romance novels, don't bother with this one.

Rating:

2 stars. I wanted to like the story! But Aurelia and her terrible personality ruined it for me. Still, I suppose I could have given this book one star. Oh well. I'll probably read the next book in the series (if there are more?), because I liked the first one (A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin), but this one was no good.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

The multi-talented Sophie Jordan is in spectacular form for Book Two of The Debutante Files: ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE.

Lady Aurelia fell in love with Max, Viscount Camden, when she was 9. The spring she turned 15, she hoped Max would notice the woman she had now become, but when inadvertently she sees him having sex with a house maid, her heart breaks. Unfortunately for Max, Aurelia is also a very talented artist and her retribution for Max ignoring her is drawing a nasty caricature of Max, which is seen all around London and plagues him for years. Max knows who the culprit is but never utters a word because Aurelia is his best friend Will’s sister, and he wants to protect their family. Throughout the years, Aurelia continues to humiliate Max, who is as dissolute as ever, and their tiff nearly reaches the proportions of an all-out war. Aurelia, approaching spinsterhood, still shuns suitors until she must pick someone. Max and Aurelia see each other too much for their own taste, were it not for Aurelia’s behaviour they could have remained civil to each other, as Max never knew what irked Aurelia.

ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE is the extremely complex relationship between the reckless, almost ruthless Aurelia, and the unrepentant rogue that is Max. Ms. Jordan goes far beyond the gloss of the ton, and pens an outstanding character study. Character development is exceptional as we follow Max and Aurelia’s growth, trying to fill the void in their lives. Neither Max nor Aurelia are always pleasant; both are headstrong and independent, Max doesn’t care much whom he hurts while having his fun and Aurelia is bent on revenge, but when two unrelated events force them to take a good look at themselves, and how damaging their behaviour is, the story becomes positively riveting. ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE is a tremendously captivating journey; I was completely involved in the story, which is intense, dramatic, and richly detailed. Ms. Jordan’s prose is more sumptuous than ever, and I believe Sophie Jordan has written her best historical novel yet. ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE is an extraordinary book and should not be missed!


I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Cee (The Mistress Case) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been far too long, Historical Romance. Far too long. I finished All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue in several hours.

I could not put this book down . . . at first. Then I wanted to tear it apart, page for page. That’s the effect historical romance books have on me.

Even though I was totally engrossed in the beginning of All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue, the main characters started to take a toll on my nerves and they took all the fun out of a promising friends-to-enemies-to-lovers storyline. Their typecast personalities were already something I encountered countless times in previous reads and they didn’t possess any qualities to make them different on stand out as individuals. In my opinion, they were only shadows of awesome heroines and heroes from other books. Never mind, I take it back. They weren’t even shadows. They were counterfeits.

In view of Auriela’s satirical caricatures— which I wish there was more focus on but instead this wonderful idea was merely glossed over— and not taking into account her never-ending tantrums, Aureila will never measure up to tough heroines, such as Penelope from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and Maggie from The Harlot Countess.

As for Max, he never once tried to redeem himself in this book and he is as shitty as Simon from The Harlot Countess and Nick from The Courtesan Duchess. On the bright side (if there is one), Max isn’t the worst hero I ever read about.

Onto the chemistry between Max and Auriela! I was so hoping their hostility would build up to something beautifully romantic— or at least entertaining— but that never happened. It was too lusty. Good smut, but too lusty for me.

The “wit” and “bantering” got repetitive, old, tired, and was just plain distasteful. Their treatment of each other throughout the entire book wasn’t something I overlooked and I didn’t and couldn’t root for the couple.

If my rating was based on my enjoyment, All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue would be 3 stars at the most. However, only 2 stars is capable of sedating my disappointment.

[Leandra Azer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh I'm sorry are those distracting? Well get used to it if you want to read this book. They are mentioned non-stop. Either men are staring at them, the hero is fantasizing about them, they're heaving/flushing/bursting or being pressed up against his chest. There's not a single scene or POV in which they are not mentioned-repeatedly.

Truly a bodice ripping romance 🙄. Ironically, if you take away all the lust and sex, you're left with a young adult novel. (Read if you're looking for steam). 2nd star for writing only.

Hate to love? Absolutely not. This was childish squabbles and pranks that evolved into adult squabbles and pranks. There's no real vitriol in their fights, no passion and no point. [The one time it felt like a real fight and it wasn't even him on the other side]

There's no clever banter, every argument goes:

Her- you sleep around and have no life
Him- you're a brat and nobody wants you

Heroine is supposed to be a mature 'spinster' at the ripe age of 23, but her personality seems stuck at 15. She's selfish (broke family? Not my problem new gowns! Hobby that can ruin family? Who cares!), clueless, is so so very CHILDISH and worst of all - has no personality.

Look up the sexy lamp test. I think she would qualify 😁

Hero had a personality (mostly of a manho) but a lack of details in his back story took away from his 'why I won't get married' code. He was also the meaner of the two, is controlling, possessive and short sighted. He was transparent in his want for her, but frustrating when he kept sabotaging her future with no plans to step in (nobody can marry her but I certainly won't!).

I'm trying to remember if he's ever said a kind word to her 🤔. He did cruelly mock the h with his mistress 🤷🏾‍♀️

Let's not forget that he 'tried' to get over his fixation on her with other women, how did you TRY SIR? 🧐

I stuck with it thinking when their 'overwhelming passion' is played out there might be a love story in there somewhere.

Nope.

That's the most disappointing thing. Aside from petty pointless arguments - truly about nothing- and sex, there's nothing else here.

They didn't have one conversation about themselves, not one truly genuine moment or even normal conversation?? There's nothing else between the main couple. They don't even like each other.

When the dopamine runs out I can see this hero looking elsewhere.

Other pet peeves:

- Heroines 'friends': I dislike when there's no strong female friendships. Every conversation with her supposed friends were - what's the complete Opposite of the Bechdal test? All convo's were completely about the hero.

And her maid Cecily was a real friend but we know nothing about her, not even how she looks! She exists to prop up the h and shoe how she can be friends with the help 😬

-her hobby went nowhere?? For being so desperate to stay in London to further your career she stopped drawing completely.

- brother walks in on sister being compromised pretty thoroughly and... Does nothing? How anti climatic. He doesn't even step in later or check in on how his sisters rushed marriage is going.
..

[Kamala · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book although started off great, I was totally put off by the time i reached half way through. I found the hero to be a jerk. He is cruel and does not even have an idea that he is hurting the heroine. I could not get a clear picture of the hero in my head. I felt that the author had just added snippets here and there of him being "good" and "noble". Otherwise he would have ended up being actually a very good villain.
There was no romance between the protogonists, just physical attraction.
On the whole, I did not enjoy this book. I somehow managed to finish it with my annoyance mounting.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from 2015

C for narration / B- for content.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue is the follow-up to Sophie Jordan’s A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin: The Debutante Files, and having really enjoyed the sexually-charged interactions between two of the secondary characters (one, the heroine’s friend, and the other a childhood friend of the hero), I was looking forward to their story with great anticipation. I rather like the enemies-to-lovers trope, and while I do have some quibbles with this particular book, if you’re looking for a story about a couple whose pointed and sometimes cruel barbs barely conceal the fact that they’re dying to rip each other’s clothes off, then it’s definitely worth looking at in print. In audio, however, I confess to being very disappointed.

Max, Viscount Camden, lost his family in tragic circumstances when he was very young, and practically grew up with Will, the Earl of Merlton, his younger sister, Aurelia and their cousin Declan. Max was always kind to Aurelia, letting her tag along with him and his friends, and, as she grew older, encouraging her to develop her talent for drawing. By the age of nine, Aurelia was head-over-heels in love, and just waiting for the day when Max would see her as a woman rather than his best friend’s little sister. She’s fifteen when her illusions are shattered; inadvertently intruding upon Max tumbling a housemaid, Aurelia is devastated, and vents her frustration in her artwork, producing a cruel caricature of Max which is found accidentally by his friends and for which he is mocked mercilessly.

The animosity between the two only grows over the years, so that it is impossible for them to be in each other’s company without throwing insults that aren’t even thinly veiled – yet Max hasn’t been able to help noticing that Aurelia has turned into a rather voluptuous armful, even if the clothes her mother makes her wear do nothing for her. When Will announces that he and his wife are expecting, Aurelia is brought to face the reality of her situation. Unmarried at twenty-three she is dangerously close to being on the shelf, and hasn’t long if she is to find herself a husband to avoid becoming a burden on her brother and his young family. And without a substantial dowry, she can’t afford to be too choosy.

Of course, Max is appalled and thinks that neither of her potential suitors is good enough for her, continuing to needle Aurelia until their acid tongues are suddenly put to much better use in an explosive kiss. The story proceeds as one would expect, with Max trying desperately to deny the intense attraction he feels towards his childhood friend, and Aurelia trying to tell herself that she’s not nine any more, and that she will have to settle for what she can get.

I read the book a few months ago, and enjoyed the story in spite of a number of reservations. Max is your stereotypical “I’m never going to get married because love hurts” rakish hero, and actually says some rather nasty things to Aurelia on several occasions. He does have his better moments, of course, but then he goes and says or does something that turns him right back into a prize arse.
Then there’s the sub-plot concerning Aurelia’s clever caricatures that goes nowhere. But what rescues the book is Sophie Jordan’s ability to create the most incredible, scorching sexual tension between her protagonists, and that aspect of the central relationship is hot enough to blister paint.
The problem with the audiobook, however, is that that element – which is a huge part of the story – is largely noticeable by its absence. I’ve listened to Carmen Rose (aka Heather Wilds) quite a lot, and while I, like some of my fellow AudioGals, have noticed her tendency to snatch breaths in odd places and give phrases and sentences strange inflections, I have enjoyed her performances for the most part. She has a lovely speaking voice in the contralto range, and doesn’t need to strain to portray the male characters convincingly. She manages several decent regional accents (although her Scottish one is still a little dodgy) and the technical aspects of her performance are good. One of the things she does well is to perform love scenes in a way which stops short of the full-on Meg Ryan, but which nonetheless conveys a good degree of heat between the hero and heroine. But that isn’t the case here. In the first big love scene late in the book, when Max and Aurelia are about to get it on on top of a desk, there is no sense of urgency to the characters’ voices. For two people who have professed to despise each other for years, there has to be something overwhelming happening between them for them to even be contemplating such a thing – and yet when Aurelia tells Max that she wants “what you give every other women”, she says it like she doesn’t care whether she gets it or not!

There’s an emotional detachment in the love scenes and throughout the whole audiobook that saddened me, because in spite of my reservations about the storyline, I’d been looking forward to re-visiting the searing chemistry between Max and Aurelia that leapt off the page when I read the book. But the expected fireworks between this adversarial couple amounted to no more than a couple of damp squibs.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

 
Summary
Aurelia once loved Max, and admired him but when she caught him in a certain act, her love turned slowly into anger, and that anger has fueled a conflict between them for years. Aurelia is very talented at drawing, but Max takes acception to it, since out of her anger she drew one of him that mocked him and still is whispered about. Max and Aurelia run in the same circles, since Max is best friends with Aurelia's brother. Max has never known why Aurelia began hating him or when their conflict became so severe, but when Aurelia crosses a line, battle lines are drawn and soon Max and Aurelia will be tested in the worst ways. What comes to a surprise to both Max and Aurelia is the way that desire sparks between them despite how much they despite one another. But both soon learn that the line between love and hate is very thin at times, and that love can heal old wounds and form a closeness and intimacy they couldn't ever imagine with each other.

 
Plot and Story Line
I quite enjoyed this story for the most part, very entertaining, and the writing as always was very engaging and Sophie Jordan can always draw me in like a moth to a flame into her stories. The reason my rating is a bit lower, is because I had issues with both of the main characters. Quite frankly both of them were quite perfect for each other, and both of them tended to get on my nerves quite a bit. I just couldn't quite like them as much as I wanted to, or maybe I was trying too hard, but honestly these two would try the patience of a saint if need be. What we have over years of fighting, is a misunderstanding, and if Aurelia had just confronted Max about what she had seen the circumstances would be far different from what we see here. Max and Aurelia are both selfish quite a bit in this story, especially in the beginning, and it seems that they are so focused on hating each other they don't see the big picture, just their inner world and don't seem to care how much they are hurting each other. This was more than a simple angsty romance, but having said all this...I did like it quite a bit. And I just couldn't put it down, despite my issues with the characters, but no worries eventually they come to terms and once they are fully honest with each other I began to soften towards them. I honestly never blamed Max in most of the interactions even if he could be pig headed, because Aurelia started it all and it all comes down to pride (greatest human downfall right folks?) but we also see the human mistakes and how despite how much they despise each other, this tension builds into something more that neither expects to find. That is the moment that the story really gets interesting. I really liked seeing the bantering and boy could they both go at it, they were just meant to be together just for their fighting alone. There was quite a great cast of supporting characters...and a sexy scot...I am curious if he will get a story because I liked him, really liked him.
The Cover
I love the dress, I just love pink and always have adored this color, and I love the pose, and what lovely wallpaper in the background.
Overall View
All The Ways To Ruin A Rogue is a tension filled romance, with sparky character, engaging writing talent, and a love story that blossoms beneath a bond of hatred....a bond that forms into a tender love. STIMULATING TILL THE END!!



 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books

ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE was a book that really tested my ability to forgive the hero. From the prologue, it was very, very hard to like Max. But as the story unfolded, Sophie Jordan tested my resolve and ultimately made me hope that Max and Auriela could somehow have a HEA.

Auriela had been in love with her brother's best friend, Max, since practically the day she met him. She loved how he always included her and was nice to her when he could have very easily been a teenage jerk like her brother. But all of that changed for her when she was fifteen and she witnessed Max in flagrante delicto with one of the chambermaids. From that point forward, the easy going relationship between Auriela and Max changed into one that was combative and often times caustic.

Auriela was a character I really, really liked. Probably because of the often sharp, always sarcastic tongue the woman had. Of course, that sharpness and her sarcasm were often defense mechanisms to protect herself, especially when it came to Max. But we could see how Max's horrible words and dismissive behavior wore on her. She was a strong woman though and I knew that regardless of what happened with Max, she was going to be ok.

Max often times came across as the biggest ass to walk the face of the earth, but we discover his actions and his attitude were a screen that he hide behind. He was scared of losing those that he loved, like he had his parents and sister, and he was unwilling to open himself up to that kind of pain again. When he realizes that despite fighting it, he had let Auriela behind his walls, he finally stopped being an ass and welcomed the woman who truly completed him.

Even though this book tried my patience at times, I really enjoyed Max and Auriela's story. These two stubborn characters had their work cut out for them when it came to their HEA, but they eventually figured it out and made for a great ending.

Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

yeah I have to say, Max and Aurelia are quite mean to each other. But somehow it did not bother me.

Max was one of Aurelia's brother's best friends, so they grew up together. As a young girl she loved Max, until one day she saw him having sex with a maid. Yeah I imagine that would discourage a 15-year-old girl. A talented artist herself, she drew a caricature of Max with a small penis. The paining was left by accident in the open and was discovered by a group of boys, who then went on to make fun of Max. Max and Aurelia, who were friendly with each other until that day, became each other's archenemy.

Max and Aurelia really were fighting all the time. And they were both kind of mean. However Sophie Jordan managed to create 2 people with a strong pull between them. I have said this before: Sophie Jordan is good at that. Lots of sexual tension which would have worked really really well if there was a little more warm feelings and love. There was, but with all the fighting and resistance between Max and Aurelia, I thought some tenderness would really make the story more believable.

The ending was a bit abrupt too. I mean for a character like Max, he needed more "coming to terms" with himself and his feelings before I could be convinced of his change of heart. I felt the book could have used at least another 20 pages of "how Max finally realized he loved Aurelia". He could have suffered just a little more before the happy ending, I think. :D

Despite their constant bickering, which I usually hate, I like Max and Aurelia as individuals and together. It is not a historically accurate book, unoriginal characterization (take hero who wouldn't love because his father became weak when he lost his wife? Come on!), but is entertaining enough as a romance story.

[(Nat) Reading Romances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Reading Romances
Mild Spoilers Ahead!

Aurelia is a bold, strong and wild heroine who does't miss a chance to tease ou hero, Max, whenever they see each other. Max runs away from all that is proper: love, marriage and children, leading a scandalous life as the most famous rake between the women.


They basically have been raised together, which was when Aurelia developed a crush on him - until an accident happens that changes their relationship from friends to enemies. Now they're constantly seen arguing and teasing one another. As one of the characters mentions: there's a fine line between love and hate. Lady Aurelia, however, has a secret she love to draw caricatures and "let" them be found all around town.


I very much enjoyed this enemy to lovers story. The heroine captivated me and was able to deeply connect with her. Max, on the other hand, had some actions towards Aurelia that I wouldn't forgive as easily as she did. I missed some more actual romance, since it was rushed in the end and I wanted to savor it more. Too much fighting and not enough time to develop how they worked together actually loving one another.



I didn't read the first book in the series but that didn't disturb my reading, I consider you can read All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue as a stand alone. It left me curious to read the previous novel and other books by Sophie Jordan!

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know that couple you invite to your dinner parties who are constantly snipping at each other and making the rest of your guests uncomfortable, to the point where everyone is rooting for either them to get a divorce or you to stop inviting them? That's Max and Aurelia, the leads of this book.

This book was incredibly disappointing. Aurelia was my favorite character from the first installment in this series, and her actions in this book don't make any sense based off of her character in the first book. Some serious character assassination happened and it was a darn shame.

I'm a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this was too much. It wasn't friendly banter; it was vicious, mean-hearted, and completely unhealthy. The leads never really apologized to each other; the change in Max's viewpoint happened far too suddenly; there's no groundwork for a healthy and lasting relationship in this work.

It's a BAD SIGN when you hope that the heroine dies in the carriage accident at the climax of the book because then at least she wouldn't have to deal with the hero's bullshit any longer . If they weren't divorced, living apart, or dead after 10 years, I'd be astonished. Pass on this one.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last few pages did not make me change my mind about Max! Throughout this entire book he was mean and heartless. I was sickened and saddened by how he treated her after they married. His fear of love did not excuse his treatment of Aurelia. And how I felt the author used this to help us empathize with him disgusted me. I think she would have been better off marrying the Scottsman! Seriously! He has sex with her and then doesn't talk to her and avoids her until he is ready for more! I think shitty of a man who does this outside of a relationship BUT when he is married to her?! W. T. F.?! Like I Already stated just because in the last few pages he was sad that she left and happy about he baby it doesn't change my opinion of him. I cannot believe in a happily ever after for her. If there was a sequel to their story I know it would end up with her being Ina loveless marriage sitting at home raising baby while he is out womanizing.

[Nuki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read up until 50 min into the end of the book where the hero started to act like an idiot. Hence the 3 stars.

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

I was incredibly excited to read All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue, since I was intrigued by Aurelia and Max in A Good Debutante’s Guide to Ruin. I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance, and they seemed like they would make a great couple. There’s a well-crafted love-hate relationship between Aurelia and Max, although there was too much hate for my taste. While I did have some problems with this book, it was still an overall enjoyable read. I wouldn’t say All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue is for everyone, but fans of the series should definitely give this a try.

Aurelia and Max used to be close friends, and Aurelia used to have the biggest crush on him, her brother’s best friend. But when she catches him with a maid in a scandalous position, her heart breaks and she ends up drawing an awful caricature of him that accidentally goes public and completely humiliates Max. So ensues their hate-filled relationship. Sophie Jordan did really well with the banter and insults between them. I could just feel that thin line between love and hate, and the chemistry between them was on fire. They do many, many things to get back at one another for the hurts they’ve caused, all the while lusting for each other. I felt like the hate overpowered the love sometimes, but it was still fun to read the back and forth between them.

I actually liked Aurelia – I felt sorry for her mostly, but I still really liked her character. She’s an unwed twenty-three year old bordering on a spinster. To make matters even worse, her brother and his wife are expecting a baby, leaving Aurelia a burden on his finances. So Aurelia decides to finally find a man to marry, though she doesn’t have very many options. When she doesn’t expect is for Max to be there every step of the way, annoying her and deterring her suitors.

Max, unfortunately, was a disappointing hero. I really wanted to love him – he had great potential, but I just couldn’t forgive some of the cruel things he does to Aurelia. There definitely should’ve been a LOT of groveling coming from him, but I sadly, there wasn’t very much of it. Because of his tragic past, he doesn’t believe in love, but I felt like his past doesn’t justify all the hurt he causes Aurelia. I was shocked sometimes at how cruel he was – he’s still holding a grudge against her after all these years for the caricature. I didn’t really understand why – she was fifteen when she humiliated him, and he was a grown man. He shouldn’t have let the drawing affect him at all. Aurelia was definitely in the wrong for the creating the drawing – she had no claims to him… but she was a GIRL. A girl completely undeserving of Max’s rage and hate. But Aurelia is tough and hates him right back – which leads to fight after fight over many years, with undercurrents of lust mixed in.

I also wanted more of Max actually IN LOVE with Aurelia, but that was only apparent at the very end of the book. I enjoyed this book for the most part – it’s an easy, fast-paced novel, but there were some things that I just couldn’t get over. While I loved the love-hate relationship, I was disappointed in the development of the romance. There’s just so much fighting that there wasn’t enough tender moments to make me invested enough in their romance. I really wish I could love this book more, but I only ended up liking it. If you’re a fan of the series, you might end up loving it more than I did.

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1Ln457K
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1PxKIil

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[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

One cannot help loving the sparks that fly between these fated lovers from the opening volley of their first youthful feud.
Though the length and breath of said feud lasts an interminable length of time. (Well into adulthood. )  The more that one comes to know about the fiery and passionate temperaments of both Max, and his fistey leading lady, the more one comes to not only expect, but to anticipate their next battle.

This is the couple that fights just to get to the amazing make-up sex that they will have afterward.
The intensity of their battles, coupled with the call to passion that remains so long denied, is in fact a major plot driver.
You just have to know who is going to do that one thing that will push the other to his or her breaking point.

Lady Aurelia, much to the joy of readers and the chagrin of poor Max, seems to best  him at every turn.  Whether she is leaving her scandalous satiric cartoons where they might delight and confound the gentry, or besting the beasts at cards in infamous gaming hells; Max knows that in this lady he has in deed met his match.

Adversely, the fact that these two waste so much of the story fighting, seems quite the stupid.  Even after they fiiiiiiinaly come to terms with the fact that they must have each other, not only do they still fight, but we also have to sit through pages of Max's 'I want her but I can't need her' complex.  (Insert eye roll here.)

Not to worry though...
After much more after marriage drama, Max does redeem himself;  to become the wonderful loving man that our brilliant lady  more than deserves.

This is a very fast and light read.  The pacing is fast in terms of plot,  but there is little physicality between Max and Aurelia until well past the story's midpoint.

This is a wonderful look at what happens when there are no losers in the battle for love.

This book is the second in a series. It may however, enjoyed as a stand alone.

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely book by Sophie Jordan. Book Two in The Debutante Files is a a story about Max and Aurelia. Aurelia is the younger sister of Will who is the hero in the novella An Heiress for All Seasons and Max is Will's best friend. Max and Aurelia have known each other forever and they do not seem to like each other or is all their sniping and insulting each other something else entirely. Max has lived his life with the mantra never to love or get married. He lost his family in a carriage accident and will not let himself get close to any woman because of his fear of losing her. Aurelia has not found anyone that she wants to marry even though she has been out for awhile. She and her mother live with her brother Will who is trying to recover from his father's disastrous financial legacy. Her mother decides to move to Scotland to live with a relative and Aurelia either has to go with her or find someone she wants to marry. I don't do spoilers in my reviews so you will have to read this book to find out what happens next.

I love Sophie Jordan's writing. The back and forth between Max and Aurelia is amusing, witty and smart. The love scenes are sensual and captivating with lots of heat!!! Her love stories are beautiful and I await every one of her books with anticipation. Her plots move at a great pace, her characters are amazing, complex and easy to love. Do not miss this book.

Received ARC for honest Review.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one is hard to rate ... the plot was not very unique (although I love the enemies to lover plot) and there was not nearly enough time for them as a couple, I quite liked it
the ending was really well done and I would have loved to see more of them together

in fact, I think the pacing of the story and were the emphasis lies, is my biggest complain: we so much of them fending with each other and the dialogues are quite good but this goes on for too long. the last third is very hurried and we do not see any of these qualities.
I would have loved to see how Aurelias feelings develop and how Max fights with himself. the ending showed that Mrs. Jordan can do it
it feels a bit like she lost herself in the first half and then ran out of page time ... but please, next time revisit the book and give us more of what we readers long to read - the development of an romance

nevertheless, I liked the book and I think I will give Sophie Jordan another try