I Kissed a Rogue

Covent Garden Cubs #3

by Shana Galen

Once she spurned the man…
When the Duke of Lennox hires Sir Brook Derring, England’s best investigator, to find his daughter, Brook intends only to rescue the lady and return to his solitary life. He deals with London’s roughest criminals every day of the week; surely he should be able to endure seeing his first love again—the perfect girl who broke his heart...

Now her life depends on him
Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox has always done her best to live up to her father’s standards of perfection—at the cost of following her heart. When she’s kidnapped and her perfect life is shattered, Lila has another chance. Together, Lila and Brook navigate not only the dark and deadly side of London, but the chasm of pride and prejudice that divides them.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Regency, Marriage Of Convenience

343 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Shana Galen is three-time Rita award nominee and the bestselling author of fast-paced, witty, and adventurous Regency romances. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books “lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.

Want to know more? Visit Shana's website at http://www.shanagalen.com and sign up to be notified when Shana has a new release http://bit.ly/ShanaGalenNews

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

She closed her eyes against the sting of tears. She'd been a fool to fall in love with him. She'd been a fool not to fall in love with him, but she couldn't go back. She could only go forward. Alone.

5++ stars!!

I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I have to admit that one of the main reasons I picked it up was because the blurb says something about "overcoming the pride and prejudice between them", and my Darcy and Elizabeth senses perked with interest. And while there was years of pride and prejudice dividing them, it wasn't a knock-off of P&P. It was lovely, dangerous, sweet, angsty, heart-breaking, cute, hilarious (in a good way), and so SO amazing.

What really sold this novel though was the dynamic (and individual personalities) of the two MCs, Lila and Brook Derring. Once upon a time, Lila was one of those ladies of the ton--you know, the gorgeous and effervescent daughter of a duke who liked to have as many admirers around her as possible so more people can witness how perfect she is. Brook was charmed by her beauty, as were countless other gentlemen, but she was merely in it for the chase and (along with her father, the Duke) threw his proposal back at his face when he finally mustered up the gall to propose.

Fast forward 7 years. Lila has been kidnapped, and Sir Brook Derring is the only investigator who is capable of finding her. The Duke swallows his pride (momentarily) and asks Brook for help, and he accepts against his better judgement. He still hates her for rejecting him so callously, while she has hardly spared him a thought at all. They are bound together in order to ensure her protection and safety and are ultimately forced to see each other as they currently are and decide if they are willing to let go of past mistakes, hurt, and misconceptions in order to move toward a future together.

Brook was such an asshole to Lila at first, and with good reason. She was a typical debutante and treated him horridly while he gave her his heart and aspirations of a future together. He doesn't coddle her or treat her like the princess he once did--although some part of him still cares for her--and I found it refreshing and f*cking hilarious. Lila was forced to see how caring and honorable he is and how foolish she was for blindly refusing him all those years ago. I absolutely loved them together and couldn't read fast enough. Overall, this is now one of my favorite historicals ever, and I have zero complaints! I absolutely recommend reading this amazing, wonderful novel!!

Tropes: second chance romance, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, unrequited love, bodyguard hero, virgin heroine, scorned hero, heroine-in-danger

My Sir Brook Derring, kitten rescuer, finder of the lost, and savior of the damned...

[Melanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS!

What were title and prestige compared to finding the one person who loved you and whom you could love in return?

Give me an anti-heroine any day of the week! They're so rare . . . especially in historicals.

She wasn't well liked among the ton.

Plot: As a duke's daughter, Lila grew up with no lack of self-esteem or sense of entitlement, while Brook is the lowly second son of an earl and has made his own way in life as an investigator who works alongside Bow Street.

These two have a history together . . . and it's nothing good.

Brook knew what really lay beneath her lovely exterior and he wanted nothing to do with it.

When Lila is taken, the Duke must turn to Brook to get his daughter back . . . and so begin the adventures of Lila and Brook. 😊

I really liked the premise for I Kissed a Rogue; the plot and the characters had some great edges to them. I thought the author did a good job of balancing Lila's past and present . . .

"Where's that silver tongue, Lady Lila?"

In the grave with my mother, she thought.

. . . without sacrificing the essence of her personality.

She, who had never valued kindness, could not seem to have enough of it this day.

And I loved how Brook, who's been hardened by his life's trajectory, struggled to make sense of his attraction to her . . .

Brook was surprised by how much he liked her primness. It made him want to strip it away, layer by layer.

. . . while maintaining a hold on his dignity where she's concerned, not to mention his sense of propriety.

"I'm not a rake. I didn't say I was a saint."

And as a bonus, the banter between Brook and Lila had some stellar moments.

"I kissed you and you bloody well liked it."

"No, I didn't."

"I beg your pardon, but your moans and the way your hands clung to my person confused me momentarily."

Where the author lost me a bit was in her failure to exploit my feelings - yes, you read that right, lol. I thought the author kept things a bit superficial and missed a bunch of opportunities to deepen my love for these characters. (This isn't a problem for most IE: Marrying Winterborne, where I felt the same way, but nobody agreed with me, lol.)

Also, I thought the 'conflict' between Lila and Brook went on too long and should have been resolved prior to the events near the end of the story. But again, that's just me. Overall, I had fun with this one! Thanks, Angie. 🥰

[Daniella · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF@10%.

Okay, here's the thing. I know there's something really wrong when I'm already bored out of my mind at just 10% in. The writing is superfluous, the pacing draggy, the characters annoying.

In short, there's no incentive for me to go on.

I'm not going force myself to continue this. There are far better books out there to invest my time in.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

This was a rather nice historical romance. This is the third book in the Covent Garden Cubs series and I have read them all but each one of the books can easily be read as a stand alone novel. I would have to say that this book was my least favorite in the series but only by a slight margin. I thought the story was a bit silly at times but I was kind of in the mood for silly so it worked out for me.

Lady Lila has been kidnapped. Her father, a Duke, goes to Brook for help in finding Lila before it is too late. Brook is successful in finding Lila quickly but soon realizes that she may still be in danger since she was targeted for the kidnapping and witnessed another crime while she was being held captive. As a way to keep her safe, Brook agrees to marry Lila but plans an annulment as soon as her captors are found.

Lila seems rather spoiled at the start of the story. As the daughter of a Duke, she has led a privileged life with servants to do things for her. When she was younger and first encountered Brook, she wasn't very nice and liked to play with other people's emotions. Brook has not forgiven Lila for crushing him when he proposed to her years ago but Lila has changed. Some of her spoiled behavior really seems to come from the fact that this is how her life has always been. She doesn't know how to do some tasks simply because someone else has always been there to do them for her so she hasn't had the chance to learn.

Brook had a hard time letting go of his anger towards Lila. Even though he has changed in the years since he proposed, he doesn't seem to believe that Lila could have changed just as much even though it seems to be obvious. When they flee to the country in order to hide from Lila's kidnapper, they have the chance to get to know the people that they have become since their initial meeting.

I liked Brook and Lila as a couple. Brook is a genuinely nice man who wants to make sure that Lila is kept safe. Lila is ready for a bit of independence from her father and has learned a bit of compassion from caring for her mother prior to her death. They do have some great chemistry and there are more than a few sexy times in the story to keep the heat up.

The overall plot may have been a bit far fetched but it was still a lot of fun. I did find myself thinking that certain parts of the story were rather silly and overdone but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. The suspenseful part of the story is really pretty minor and rather easily resolved. This story is really about Brook and Lila falling for each other.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. I have read several books by Shana Galen and have enjoyed all of them so far. I can't wait to read more of her work.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

Initial Thoughts
I was in the mood for a light Historical Romance so I decided to read this one. I enjoyed this one quite a bit and really ended up liking the characters.

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally..Sir Brook's love story!!



Unfortunately he was paired with a spoiled anti-heroine. She was the mean girl that all the other young ladies of the ton feared. That was an unexpected twist.

I've been waiting patiently to get the final Covent Garden book...Brook's book. I'm not sure why I like him so much but I love his distant, aloof personality. He's the best inspector of the Bow Street Runners. Observant, stealthy and nothing gets by him. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a hero.

The ending was lackluster and so anticlimactic that I fell asleep a few times trying to finish it.

The villain was an interesting creative touch, but their motive seamed far fetched. Overall, this was a solid 3 star read.

[Sonya Heaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also posted HERE .

I like Shana Galen’s writing, and enjoy her more original stories, even when they stretch the boundaries of believability. She has that writing style that means her books are really easy and enjoyable to read. I Kissed a Rogue had its issues, which is why the rating is so low. The language is the one that almost made me see red (more of that at the end of the review), but overall, I’m glad I chose this one.

DESPITE the trashy pop culture titles. It dumbs the genre down when publishers go for silly titles like these.

I don’t know what it is about some authors, how they have a talent for writing highly readable books, while other authors can write virtually the same thing and it’s a chore to get through. Whatever it is, Galen has it.

I like that this book attempts to redeem a woman who would have been a villainess in any other situation. Too many Regency(ish) era books paint female characters as either saints or monsters, and here we have the princess of the ballroom, the nineteenth century popular girl who was selfish and unkind in the past (however, there is still one supremely evil female character).

Lila has grown up and changed, and while she is still imperfect (and historically accurately incapable of functioning without servants) she is trying, and trying.

It’s so nice to see an author recognise women can change in the years from their teens to their twenties. And bonus points for writing a heroine who truly enjoys embroidery. I’m sick of those faux historical romance heroines who hate anything traditionally feminine!

And yay for a fairer-haired hero!

The story does get a little stuck towards the end. There’s a great deal of sex for a great number of pages, all of it very much focused on the heroine’s pleasure, which was difficult for me to believe, especially considering that our hero doesn’t like her all that much at that point. I guess I prefer a fantasy that hovers around believability, not all-out fantasy! I skimmed those pages after a bit.

While I applaud the author for using arse, and for now using garbage where she used to use the Americanism trash, the language and editing in this one are often atrocious. Where an author errs, I’d expect an editor to fix. Some of the language used in the book is not just incorrect for England (though there are Americanisms aplenty); it’s incorrect in every country.

Multiple times throughout the book characters use variations of the incorrect expression ‘could care less’. I know in some places this mistake is commonly used, but it is as wrong in the author’s 21st century Texas as it is in 19th century England. The correct expression is COULDN’T care less .

Other expressions were so modern-day Texas I was pulled out of the story. Do it, already , for example. And story of my life .

And then we have the common crime of changing the spelling of place names. Covent Garden Theatre and the King’s Theatre are real places, and no author or editor can turn a Theatre into a Theater just because the spelling is more familiar to them! It’s a name!

There were lots of other mix-ups, such as the inability to distinguish between everyday and every day.

Shana Galen needs a better editor!

It’s a pity this aspect was so irritating, because it pulled me out of what was otherwise a really entertaining and engaging book.

On an unimportant note, ginger cats are rarely female (due to genetic things that are too boring to explain), so I was quite surprised when the one in this book produced a litter of kittens!

What I have read in this series, I have enjoyed. I like that the author takes us beyond ballrooms and into the “real” world of the era. If there was more care with the language, I’d say I love these books.


Review copy provided by NetGalley.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Kissed a Rogue by Shana Galen is a 2016 Sourcebooks Casablanca publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So far, I have been enjoying the Covent Garden Cubs series immensely. However, this third installment fell a little flat.

Lila, the daughter of a Duke, enjoyed playing games with men’s hearts, flirting and manipulating them, with no care in the world about the consequences of her actions.

But, after her mother’s illness and tragic death, Lila changed. But, as far as Sir Brook Derring knows, Lila is the same spoiled, entitled girl that broke his heart. So, when Lila is kidnapped and he is called into service to find her, he is willing to do his job, but no more.

But, while Lila is being held captive, she witnesses a murder, and Brook is pressed into marrying her, by the king, no less, in order to keep her safe. It goes without saying that the marriage will be annulled once Lila is safe.

Once the couple is living together under the same roof, Brook finds himself sorely tempted to exercise his husbandly rights, and he thinks Lila could be easily convinced to comply. While no love or emotion is involved, they are married after all, so why not give in to their desires?

Once Brook begins to pay close attention to Lila, he realizes she is not the haughty, selfish girl he remembers. But, while the couple is busy enjoying the benefits of marriage, a criminal is out there gunning for Lila and it’s only a matter of time before he finds her.

This story was entertaining as far as it goes, but lacked the substance of the first two installments. The suspense elements were pushed very far into the background and were pretty cut and dried. Brook’s holding such a huge grudge after all these years was perhaps a bit much, after all, most of us grow up at some point and Lila has obviously paid a high price for her actions. While the first cut is the deepest, and all that, I wondered how much of his ire was wounded pride instead of a broken heart, and felt he was the only one still behaving childishly.

Lila, it would seem, will get her comeuppance when Brook woos her, gets her fall in love with him and then unceremoniously dumps her. But, will his plan backfire? Will he be able to follow through with his plan of revenge?

For me, there was too much time spent playing sexual games, and not enough time spent on character development or the suspense element of the story, which was sort of rushed through at the very end.

Still, a happy ever after is something I always love, and this one is pretty sweet.

Overall, this is the weakest installment in the series, so far, a bit of a disappointment, but was enjoyable enough and worth the time spent reading it.



3 stars

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I’ve enjoyed the previous entries in Shana Galen’s Covent Garden Cubs series (Earls Just Want to Have Fun and The Rogue You Know), and have been looking forward to this, in which the hero is Sir Brook Derring, an important secondary character in the earlier books. Brook is a detective – a most unsuitable profession for the brother of an earl – but even so, he has acquired a fearsome reputation and is widely known – by both the criminal and upper classes - to be the best of the best at what he does.

I Kissed a Rogue opens in media res, with our heroine, Lady Lila, having been kidnapped on her way home from a society event and desperately seeking a way to escape. Unfortunately, however, her evening is about to get even worse when she witnesses the murder of a man she later learns is a prominent MP; the murderer isn’t about to leave alive someone who could identify him.

Upon learning of her abduction, Lila’s father, the Duke of Lennox, immediately sends for Brook and charges him with finding his daughter. Brook is simultaneously worried for Lila and annoyed with the duke who, seven years ago, had refused his offer for Lila’s hand and had him more or less thrown out of the house. But Brook is a professional and isn’t about to allow any personal feelings to get in the way of his doing his job. Lila is found, rescued and returned home, but that is not the end of the matter. Brook tells the duke that Lila’s life is in danger because of what she’s seen, that he needs to arrange extra protection for her and, ideally, the whole family needs to leave London.

The duke, however is not convinced the danger is that great, and besides, this Season is Lila’s last chance to find a husband. His young wife – Lila’s stepmother – will certainly not countenance the idea of leaving London at this time, especially not considering her determination to get Lila married off and out of the house for good.

Lennox demands that Brook be the one to guard Lila, but he declines, saying that isn’t what he does, and in any case, his being seen everywhere with an unmarried lady will lead to gossip and damage her reputation. But the duke is a wily old fox; he inveigles Brook into marrying Lila so that he can stay with her without compromising her and promises an easy annulment once the murderer is found and dealt with. For the first few days of his marriage, Brook manages to convince himself it hasn’t happened, staying away from his flat and working hard to discover the identity of the killer. But when Lila’s location is discovered and she is attacked, it’s clear that she can’t remain in London and Brook whisks her away to a tumbledown cottage on one of his family’s country estates.

It’s here that the couple finally has some breathing space in which to address the acrimony that lies between them. Seven years ago when she was in her first season, Lila was the feted beauty of the day, dazzling the men, stealing other débutantes’ suitors, starting and feeding gossip about the girls she didn’t like: she was a prototype Mean Girl. Then in his early twenties, Brook was just one of the many young men who were captivated by her, but even though she flirted with him, she didn’t really think of him as a person, just as one of the long line of young man ready to lay themselves at her feet. When he proposed marriage, she didn’t believe him to be serious and laughed it off, wounding him deeply and then forgetting him almost entirely.

The premise is a mix up of several tropes I generally like; forced/arranged marriage, second-chance romance, and friends-to-lovers – but while those elements work well together, I didn’t enjoy the book quite as much as I’d hoped to. The pacing around the middle slows considerably and that section is little more than a succession of sex scenes which, while undoubtedly well-written, don’t add much to the development of the characters or the story. Lila and Brook are attractive individuals, but the way Brook insists on holding on to his resentment for so long didn’t sit quite right with me. He’s dashing, handsome and terribly competent, and no matter his insistence that he doesn’t care about Lila, it’s clear through his actions that he does still care, very much. He is understandably bitter over her past treatment of him and treats her badly as a result, which made it difficult for me to completely believe that he was in love with her by the end of the book.

On the other hand, Ms Galen does a terrific job with Lila’s character, especially when it comes to showing how she has matured into a thoughtful, self-aware woman who knows that she is now reaping the seeds sown by her younger, thoughtless self. I really felt for her in the early stages of the book when it was revealed that she was more or less unwelcome in her own home and when she realises how badly she had treated Brook all those years ago.

I enjoyed the book in spite of those reservations and the large numbers of Americanisms that kept popping up (someone in 19th century England would never say “do it, already”, for example, and it’s not “I could care less”, but “I COULDN’T care less”), but I can’t deny that I was a little disappointed overall. However, there’s no question that I Kissed a Rogue is a well-written and very readable story, and I’m sure that fans of this author will enjoy it.

[Somia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Lillian-Anne (Lila) Lennox before her mother's death was a spoilt debutante that spent her time playing with hearts and ensuring she was queen bee, one heart she broke without batting an eyelid, was that of Brook Derring - whom her father deemed beneath them. Today, she is no longer the callous young woman she was, something Sir Brook Derring is shocked to see, he doesn't know what to do with the woman she now appears to be. With her life now in danger, Brook is the only one who can ensure she is kept safe, but there messy history means that there interactions are anything but smooth sailing, and when her father uses his influence to ensure Brook will stay with Lila, Brook is more than a little furious.

I wanted to love this but alas whilst it made for a nice read, it didn't ensnare my attention, it did take me a while to get into it. There was a level of intimacy I wanted between the main characters that didn't manifest, and despite all the angst, for me at least, tension did not sizzle off the page.

This book has me curious to try another book by the author - just need to decide which one.

49p on amazon, 21st January 2020

[Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is one reason I hate this book: Brook. I really liked him before and was looking forward to this. Normally, I would have stopped when the MC drives me bonkers. But I wanted to read every single word of this just so I would know how much I hated it. I don't read every word of any book. I am a skimmer. But I hate him. Let's make a list about it.

Reasons Brook is The Worst and I judge you if you like him:

He is an incel, who got knighted, had sex but still hated women. He says they are vapid. At 24 (this is where is an incel in name as well as attitude) he was a super creep to 18 year old Lila. She said something like "I'm bored, take me away from these parties" and his creepy ass thought it meant she loved him and wanted to elope. Huh? Where did that come from? When he asks to marry her she said to ask her dad, which was what was appropriate! Oh but Center-of-the-Fucking-Universe gets pissed for SEVEN years about it! WTF?! It is not her fault she was 18 and you are a second son who was mega creepy.

He says that he can be forgiven for being young and foolish but doesn't extend her the same courtesy when she was 18 and he was a grown ass man!

He likes seeing her humiliated and embarrassed. He gets pleasure from it, you know like a creep.

He sexually assaults her. After her first ever orgasm, he pets her and she says "No. No more." But then he keeps going because "He knows what desire looks like." Desire is not consent you mega creep. Oh and he has NEVER sexually assaulted a woman. He goes on and on about it. And says he'll stop if she tells him to. She does. TWICE! And he doesn't stop. The first time they have penetrative sex she says it hurt and she wants to stop but Mr. Rapist just keeps on going, you know like a rapist. The more a man says in a book he isn't a rapist, the more likely he is. Because actual non-rapists don't have to say it. They just don't rape people. (If the author had written in consent, the sex would have been great. It was sensual, slow and romantic, until you know it was destroyed with rape and assault.)

He comes inside her, knowing that no matter what, he would annul their marriage. Asshole.

He shakes her very hard when they fight. Someone kill this motherfucker.

He gets mad that she doesn't cook and clean. She has never done that. She has no idea how. Her wrist is fractured. She is trying to be helpful. Jerk!

She is kidnapped, AGAIN and suddenly he loves her again and is sorry. Well sorry doesn't butter my biscuit you dick weed. God I wish Beezle had killed him.

Also he a terrible fucking investigator. He is easily found when in hiding because he doesn't go far and goes to his dad's hunting property. Like dude that's the first place anyone would look. You're dumb, you're really dumb.


Lila is fine. I loved her from the time she didn't wait around for anyone to save her and escaped Beezle. She was a spoiled kid but after a life changing event she saw she was wrong and changed. More than I can see for Mr. I-Hate-Women. She did nothing wrong! Leave Lila alone! And she was right when she was 18, she does deserve better than Brook.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come...

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 StarsVikki’s Musings

I found Ms. Galen’s books years ago, and I have been a fan ever since. I can always count on her to give me a story with plenty of adventure and intrigue. When I received a request from the publisher to read I Kissed a Rogue in exchange for an honest review, I immediately accepted. This is a lovely Regency romp.

When the Duke of Lennox hires Sir Brook Derring to find his kidnapped daughter, he is not enthused. After all, she is the very woman who broke his heart seven years ago. Can he rescue Lady Lillian-Anne without losing his heart all over again when he finds the attraction is as intense if not stronger than it was years before?

Lady Lillian-Anne knows she treated Brook badly when he courted her as a young debutante right out of the school. She let her status and the admiration gentlemen showered on her to go to her head. Now, she has to depend on the man she hurt. Will she accept her punishment from Brook and turn what was antagonism into a lasting love?

I enjoyed the story a great deal, and the pacing is fast, making this a quick read. Ms. Galen starts this one with an exciting action scene. I always enjoy a book where I am dropped into a high suspense scene. It certainly sets the tone of the novel. I Kissed a Rogue is very well-written, something I can count on with one of Shana Galen’s books.

Lila is a complex character with quite a bit of depth and flaws. So many times, Regency heroines are perfect, but Lila is not. Granted most of her flaws are in her past, so she needs to redeem herself to Brook. Ms. Galen takes her from a spoiled debutante, careless and thoughtless, to a mature woman ready to be a caring and compassionate individual.

I was not sure I was going to like Sir Brook Derring’ character in the beginning of the story, and he does set out determined to teach Lila a lesson in unrequited love. His form of revenge is not honorable, but again, Ms. Galen turns it around when Brook becomes so protective of her, even when he is still determined to have his revenge. By the end of the tale, I was really rooting for him the win the girl!

One thing I particularly enjoy about Shan Galen’s books is her ability to write action-packed scenes and make them believable. That is a skill that I admire a great deal. She is also able to give the hero and heroine great sexual tension, keeping to romance in the forefront of the story.

This is a wonderful book for all Regency addicts. I Kissed a Rogue has intrigue, suspense and a great love story with plenty of tender moments along the way. This is the 4th book in this unique Covent Garden Cubs series and is easily a stand alone. It is not necessary to read these books in order. Happy reading!

[Cristina]

DNF.
God the h was so annoying. Yes, this is a rant. By Chapter 4, I was ready to strangle her.
Not going back to this.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Robin
Book provided by NetGalley for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

Seven years ago Brook declared or thought he was in love with Lila but, she at the time had not grown into who she was going to become and acted the part of a spoiled or self-centered little rich girl. But things changed over the years. Lila grew up and lost someone that meant the world to her. Because of the loss of her mother she grew into herself and became a gentler and more caring person. Brooke on the other hand became bitter and angry.

Until one day fate brings these two together again. The Duke of Lennox, Lila’s father needs Brook’s help. He has no one else to turn to. Lila has been kidnapped. The Duke wants the best person available to find his daughter whatever it takes.

I liked that Lila was written a strong person she wasn’t going to just sit there and wait to be rescued. She does end up getting rescued by Brook and his friend but there were just too many loose ends that didn’t add up. Ms. Galen gave us a lot of unexpected twists in this adventure. Just when you think that you have things figured out she added a surprise which kept me on my toes.

Ms. Galen shows a very soft slow getting to know each other along with a very sweet, sexy and hot finding and making love. Ms. Galen gave us characters that made us feel along with them. I liked Brook’s soft side, it worked with his surly attitude. Lila gave us that softer more compassionate person but also showed a strength that helped her to survive. We can be women but yet we can also be strong. I could felt the icy cold bucket of water as it was dumped, the acid smell of the smoke, feel the fear, the warmth of making love.

I enjoyed the adventure that Ms. Galen gives us with her books along with the twists that add to the entertainment. Sheer Magic… Settle in for a story that will leave you guessing to the end.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basics. I started the book in February, read about 60% through, then put it down until November ... so I think that says a lot. I'll tell you what the issue was: the main characters annoyed me a bit, but mostly what really turned me off was that I found the love story hard to believe.

"Lila's head spun. If she tried to count all of her enemies, it would take hours."

Summary. Lila is the daughter of a duke, used to be belle of the ball, but due to various things is now numerous seasons in and still unmarried. She used to be a society darling and your typical rich b*tch, basically; knew she was beautiful, knew guys fell all over themselves for her, and liked to play with them, without really thinking of their feelings or anyone else's. Brook is the second son of Earl, i.e. no one of consideration for the daughter of a duke. He sees her though, falls in love, she strings him along, he thinks she wants to run away with him, turns out not, his heart gets broken.

The book starts 7 years later, after the above has already happened. Lila is coming back from a ball, gets kidnapped, and her father is so desperate that he turns to Brook for help (who is now a private detective). Brook has worked to forget his humiliation and young love, but he's a good guy and when the Duke of Lennox comes to him for help, he of course can't say no. Lila gets rescued, but turns out she saw a murder while she was kidnapped, so now she's in even MORE danger.

What follows is him trying to protect her, first in London and then they travel to the countryside and are alone in a little hut, where we all know what happens. Surprise! They fall in love.

"He wouldn't allow himself to think of her. He wouldn't allow himself to acknowledge the clench of his belly when the image of Lady Lila arose in his mind. He hadn't thought of her for years, and that was not by accident."

Reaction. The last part above is not really accurate, because Brook maintains that he is still not in love with her, though he does come to forgive her. I found all the love parts in this book really ridiculous frankly. Brook was not in love with Lila seven years ago, he barely knew her! As was evident by their exchanges and the fact that he didn't even realize what kind of a person she was; he wanted to sleep with her, great, maybe there was some infatuation, but that's way different than love.

Then, over the course of only a few days (or maybe a couple weeks, honestly don't remember), Lila falls in love with Brook, because she realizes he's so handsome and such a good guy? Uh-huh, okay. I'm sorry, I'm a hard one on the love factor, and I never buy the love-at-first-sight stories, or the love-after-a-few-days-together ones either. Yes, they had known each other previously, but that was seven years ago and not really, which is kind of the whole point—why her reaction to his proposal takes him aback and there's the fallout that comes after. Brook is a good guy and he's sweet and funny, don't get me wrong, but that's a reason to like him, not to all of a sudden decide he's The One.

Similarly, just as Brook was NOT in love with Lila seven years ago, how is it that he falls in love with her in such a short period? Especially annoying was his constantly emphasizing to the reader that he was not in love with her, could not be in love with her, wouldn't let himself love her, etc. etc. etc. We get it, dude.

Okay, so after all that, why the 3 stars? Honestly, I really struggled with this, because I did not want to finish the book and only really did so because I felt an obligation to, since I got this as an ARC. The thing is though, I did read the first 60% straight through and was kind of getting into the story, and when I finally decided to go back to it, I read it through to the end. There were a lot of promising aspects, which in some ways probably made me that much harsher in my criticism, because there were components that could have made this great.

First, I did like the interactions between them in the beginning, her refurbishing his household, etc. I also thought that Lila had the possibility of being a super interesting heroine and a really unusual one for the genre. She has basically no friends and is super isolated; now, unlike with most heroines whom we read about in this situation, a lot of this is her fault, because she's often been a not-very-nice person (she was definitely horrible to Brook 7 years ago). I normally really dislike the society darling, belle of the ball heroines, whether they're nice or not, but in some ways I think that I could actually more easily get into a not-nice one, because the possibility for transformation is that much more intriguing. So many times we have these gruff, sometimes even mean and horrible, heroes, who are transformed by the deep love they develop for the heroine—well, why not have the heroines cast in this role?? Rarely happens, and I would definitely like to see that more.

"She hadn't deserved friends before. She hadn't deserved Brook Derring. she probably didn't deserve him now, but, oh, how she wanted him."

*This review is of an ARC provided by Net Galley and the publisher

(Written November 20, 2016)

[Susan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the relationship between Brook and Lila. Brook Derring is a hero. He’s been knighted by the King and is sought after by all of the hostesses in London. Brook is not just the second son Lila heartlessly flirted with seven years ago, he’s a well-respected member of Society. In contrast, Lady Lillian-Anne Lenox has been away from society for several years visiting one relative and then other. Lila was not kind to her suitors when she made her debut. She collected men and made enemies with her peers. Lila has grown up as she spent several years nursing her mother who died. Lila is back in London to make a match.
I liked that the author presented an extremely agreeable hero and presented a heroine that was unlikeable at first glance. Shana Galen is known for her fabulous dialogue and the conversations between Brook and Lila showcase her ability to engage the reader in the story by having the characters banter back and forth. Brook doesn’t like Lila and wants nothing to do with her and it shows from the get go!
Another hallmark of the author’s writing style is adventure and romance between the main characters. This novel begins with a kidnapping, several people are murdered and the sinister Beezle has vowed to recapture Lila. Even if he is not a part of the scenes, Beezle’s sinister presence is felt during the novel. The romance between the two main characters sizzles. I believe it’s the most sensuous novel that the author has written…and it works for these two characters who argue like cats and dogs but are very attracted to each other. The ending of the book was extremely suspenseful and had several unexpected surprises.
I enjoyed each one of Shana Galen’s Covent Garden Cubs books. In each book, the author’s writing style keeps getting better. Ms. Galen has created memorable characters and effortlessly mixes romance, suspense and snappy dialogue in each book. Lila and Brook’s story was my favorite. I feel that the author took some chances with a story with an unlikeable heroine and I loved how she depicted how Brook cared for Lila. I am glad that this couple got their second chance at romance!

[Shauni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy


I like Shana Galen. She's one of those authors that can tell a simple story and make it grand! It's a talent, a gift and a treat for all of us.

I Kissed a Rogue (I'm sorry I just love the title and can't help singing it why I read it..) is book 4 in Ms. Galen's Covenant Garden Series and it's another of those series that addresses that all was not perfect in Regency England. Even for those who lived the lives of the beautiful people.

Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox is not a likable woman. She's snobby, snotty and altogether catty, she's a Duke's daughter and knows her due. So unlikable or not the world is at her feet, until she is kidnapped and forced to face reality. And her reality involves being rescued by a former beau. One she rejected, in her own special not so nice way. Now she needs to learn that it's the man and not the title that makes the difference.

Sir Brook Derring is the consummate good guy. The man full of Derring do (Couldn't help myself, sorry). He deals with the scum of the earth and the underbelly of London on a regular basis. So when he's called upon to rescue the lovely Lillian, Brook knows he's the man for the job. Even if he isn't really looking forward to seeing the woman who broke his heart.

What made this book so excellent was Ms. Galen's twist on taming the shrew.. Her characters are fascinating, well developed and manage to pull the emotion right from your heart. Seeing them twist and turn as they learn to look beneath the surface is a joy.

A story as old as time yet fresh and new in the hands of Ms. Galen.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of I Kissed a Rogue, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on March 1, 2016

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Book three of Shana Galen's Covent Garden Cubs and I'm sad to say that I really didn't care for this one. I liked Brook and that's about it. The plot seemed a little contrived and I just could not get emotionally invested in the story and the characters and their plight. I found myself getting very easily distracted and had to push myself to finish.

Lady Lillian-Anne was a spoiled girl when Brook Derring first meet her, he fell in love with her and she broke his heart. Seven years later Lila has changed, the death of her mother gave her new perspective. Lila's life changes further when she was kidnapped and rescued by Brook and then forced to marry him to save her life. So Brook has to keep her safe and find Beezle, the kidnapper and murder who is after Lila, and stop Beezle before he can get to Lila. This was very slow and I wish there was more to this story line then Lila and Brook bickering back and forth.

There is a fine line between love and hate and this is a prime example of it. They don't want to love each other so they act like they hate each other, and it really gets old. Brook is trying to save Lila's life and she just keeps acting like a spoiled brat. After being forced to spend time with each other Lila realizes how good of a man Brook is and Brook realizes how much Lila has changed.

Overall, this was lack luster. I liked Brook I wish he had a better story.

[Fae · Rating 2 out of 5]

2019 rating: 5 stars
2022 rating: 2 stars

Out of the 3 books in this series, this book featuring Brook and Lila was the most disappointing.

I disliked Lila. I get that the author was trying to show that she has changed from before but I still get the feeling that she was still very spoiled & kinda mean.

Brook was meh, I didn’t particularly like him.

I just felt that their ‘hate’ relationship never did feel like it was truly fixed. They also kept on having sex which was too much for me as it neglected the bonding / relationship building.

The plot with Lila’s stepmother felt out of place. Also, it was rushed.

Halfway through the book, I seriously considered not continuing to read because of the non existent chemistry between brook and Lila & how painful it was for me to read about the two of them not getting along. Part of me was also dying to stop the book due to it being so boring.

But I decided to stick it out, hoping it would become better, which it did not. Hence, the disappointing 2 stars rating.

[Mary - Buried Under Romance]

...Not to be confused with Katherine Ashe's I Kissed a Rogue.
*facepalm*

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

When hired by the Duke of Lennox to find his missing daughter, investigator Sir Brook Derring has no intention of becoming bogged down with the lady again. He’ll find her, return her to her family, and have nothing further to do with any of them. He’s used to dealing with hardened criminals so he should be able to handle seeing his first love again, despite how wholly she broke his heart.

Lady Lillian-Anne has always tried to be the epitome of a society lady, striving to meet her father’s exacting standards of what a duke’s daughter should be. This means she has grown up sheltered and spoiled, more interested in attaining popularity and a cadre of suitors than in considering the feelings of others. Her pampered world is thrown into chaos when she is kidnapped, but it turns out to be a potential fresh start for her. Thrown back into Brook’s world, she must work with him to keep herself safe, which means finding a way to work past the old hurts the have festered between them.

I have so many mixed feelings on this one. This is one of my absolute favorite authors and I was really intrigued by this premise and expecting to love it, but I just didn’t. Most of my frustration stemmed from our heroine, Lila. As promised, she was very spoiled and self-centered, though no longer the malicious mean girl she’d been in her younger days. Still, the fact that she so utterly shattered Brook and changed so much about him with her rejection, a rejection she didn’t even have a recollection of, made it difficult to like her, despite how much she’d changed. She was very clueless, and it took a while for her to care how she was hurting Brook. It was clear that she had done some growing up, but not enough and she was still quite out of touch with reality. I’d have liked to see her display her growing maturity a bit more, but it took her rather a long time to make much of a change despite being aware of how poorly she treated Brook. It was nice to see the shoe on the other foot, so to speak, with her falling for a mostly indifferent (or trying to be indifferent) Brook. He certainly deserved that sort of devotion and she needed to see the consequences of her previous bad behavior. Sure, she already knew how it had affected her, leaving her lonely and friendless, but I think it was also good for her to see how she had hurt others as well, so that aspect of character development I did enjoy. I only wished she’d been a bit more consistent in her changes instead of wavering back and forth so much between immature and snobbish and reasonable and nursing unrequited love for Brook, though I chalked this malleability up to her frustration at Brook’s inability to return her feelings and it rather seemed fitting that she should have to suffer that for a while, as he had.

These two had plenty of banter as they tried to work through their new reality of being forced to be a couple. I enjoyed their antics and found them humorous, though they didn’t exactly reflect Lila in the best light either. I also never really felt much of the chemistry or tension I expected for these scenes to produce, so their intimacy sometimes seemed out of place (not that I ever mind a good steamy scene.) For his part, Brook wasn’t exactly the nicest hero but given Lila’s previous treatment of him, his resentment of her did make a lot of sense, and it made for a second chance, hate to love, enemies to lovers sort of twist that I don’t think I’ve read before, so I’m glad I tried it out.

The pace picked up towards the end and I was really starting to enjoy the plotting by then, but after that the ending felt a bit rushed and I didn’t see as much contrition from Lila nor as much romance between Lila and Brook as I wanted. The ending was still satisfying overall, but that third act glitch undermined a lot of Lila’s character development for me, and I don’t think it was meant to. Overall, I really liked this setup and premise, but I was not a fan of the heroine and the hero wasn't compelling enough to me to make up for her.

Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a spoiled daughter of a Duke, Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox, who has insulted and humiliated other debutantes, basked in the admiration of every man and used them for her own enjoyment and then dumped them when they were no longer amusing. Usually a character like her would be used in a story as the Nemesis of the heroine but in this story she is the heroine.

She is kidnapped and the man her father sends to find her and save her is Sir Brook Derring, a private investigator and the man who fell in love with her years ago, whom she had rejected. Now she is in big trouble and the only one who can help her is Brook, but can he put aside his feelings of dislike and disdain and rescue Lila. Of course he does and in the process of trying to protect her he comes to know a different Lila, and she is not anything like the unfeeling, cruel young lady who had laughed in his face and broke his heart. Can he protect her without falling for her again, the first time it had taken years to forget her, but now she is a different woman and he is beginning to fall for her again.

This is a wonderful story of how the events in a person's life can change them and that there is always that second chance to find love and happiness.

Shana is a gifted writer who knows how capture your attention from the first word to the last. Her love scenes are sensual and beautiful, the action exciting and her characters are wonderfully complex, inviting and smart.
Now I have to go back and read the other three books in this series

I loved every word!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher for an honest review.

[Jennifer Fner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book hot on the heels of the previous two in the series; it wasn't even a week, which tells you how much I enjoyed them. I was really looking forward to the book about the cold, ruthless, intelligent hero-detective Sir Brook (even though he has the least mellifluous name ever); how would love capture him?

Well:

I loved the previous books for being evocatively set in London's underbelly, but this one is not set there for long. And Brook, who was knighted for his detective skills, in this book does barely any detecting. Then Brook's clever, self-possessed valet/detective partner (who should have a book of his own, hint hint) disappears after intermission and never comes back; in fact, everyone disappears after intermission in a too-convenient plot twist that leaves Brook and his woman alone for a week in a hut in the countryside.

My real problem, though, is that two of my favorite romance novels tell the same story this does, and they do it better.

The main character was a cruel, beautiful witch who wielded her social power like a weapon -- but she's been humbled, and the story is about her confrontation with the person she hurt the most, our boy Brook. This story is set up as a mean girl takedown, but it's not satisfying. They spend their honeymoon having wild sex in a cabin in the woods. So she has to start her own fire and haul her own water, big deal -- that's not satisfying revenge!

Part of the difficulty, I think, is in seeing Brook as a victim. He's a bit of an ass in the previous books, smart and capable as hell. He's got too much personal power to take real revenge; it would turn *him* into the mean girl.

A confusing book, in the end.

[Jacknsusan knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last book of Shana Galen's Covent Garden Cubs series we have Sir Brook Derring and Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox. When Brook, a second son of an Earl, was twenty-four he fell in love and proposed to Lady Lillian-Anne, the daughter of a Duke. That didn't go well. "Brook was a casualty of her vanity." Several years later Brook has become a Sir and an Inspector who finds missing people. Guess who has been kidnapped? Her friends call her Lady Lila. Wait, she doesn't have any friends. Brook is hired by her father to save her. (He still HATES her!) While in hiding they play a very seductive game in which the stakes are their hearts. These two remind me of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man". They fight like cats and dogs, but their kisses are heaven. My favorite quote: "He did enjoy the way she looked at him-as though there was one sugared plum left and he was it." This book has lots of action and is VERY steamy! I highly recommend it!

[Seanna Yeager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the Covent Garden Cubs series by Galen. Sir Brook Derring is a character that definitely deserved his happily ever after, with all the good things he has done. Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox was not at all the woman I pictured him with, at first she is prickly and unlikable as a character, but as the story unfolds you find her hidden depths. At first I did not like her, then I was her biggest champion, wanting Lila to have the love and comfort she deserves.

I love when an author gives characters depths that you could never dream up. This one is a treat from Galen. I am really hoping this series continues. Plenty of action, intrigue and passion in this romance.

Thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the free copy, in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't quite the angst fest I was hoping for after reading the first few chapters, but I still enjoyed it pretty well. Better than the second book in the series, but not as good as the first.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Fos · Rating 2 out of 5]

OkHiAudiobook

Lady Lillian (Lila) and Sir Brook Derring - Bow Street Runner Investigator

It is unusual for a hero to propose to a heroine and be spurned and hurt. That was a nice twist.

But neither were very likable people. At least Lila was a child of 18 when she at her worst behavior. Lila is the very definitive of the word Dependent. Catastrophe.
If you threw one of her fancy dresses over her head, it's unlikely she could get out from under it. Dumb af.

Brook: He's very manipulative and sneaky. Honestly, a bit of a creeper. Predatory. This is the second book in a row in this series with unlikable leads. People who can hold a grudge for years and seek retribution are especially icky. I really disliked him. He gets off on being mean to her. At least she grew up a bit from when she was a child. Brook seemed to de-evolve. Truly awful. And not very bright either.

Hero is a Zero.

At least as long as they are with each other, the rest of the world is safe from their stabby ways.

I honestly didn't care what happened to either of the. I just wish it happened way sooner. Good grief- I can't imagine those two reproducing themselves. They are like 2 cement blocks.

The series started out strong, very strong. Then tanked.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was the gem of this little trilogy for me. The hero had some build up as a secondary character in the first two books so needed a fitting HEA. In this story, he is forced to protect the lady who spurned him as a debutante, and while I shy away from second chance romances this is the third one from Shana Galen that I’ve adored, so she might be changing my opinions. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book from Shana Galen, and though this is the third installment in her Convent Gardens series, the story holds up just fine as a standalone. It’s an enemies to lovers romance, and the hero has every reason to hate the heroine. After all, Lady Lila broke Brook Derring’s heart, and she knows it. But now she needs his help and it’s a matter of life and death. Lucky for her, though he never plans to forgive her, Brook won’t let past hurts stop him from keeping her alive.

The story begins with Lila being kidnapped. Despite their history, Brook is the first person her father turns to for help. He has an impeccable reputation as an investigator and –sure enough—he is able to find Lila and rescue her. Unfortunately, during her captivity, Lila witnessed a murder, and Brook knows that the kidnappers will stop at nothing to ensure her silence. So he ends up her protector while her life remains in danger.

Apparently, Lila was not a good person before her mother died. She manipulated people and cared nothing for their feelings. She earned Brook’s dislike and then some. But I had to keep reminding myself of that, because the Lila of this book wasn’t that way at all. It’s true she was sheltered by her upbringing and unable to perform basic tasks, but she did her best. She sees the kind of person she was and wants to be different. She regrets how she treated Brook and wants to do right by him. So it was hard to look at her and see what Brook saw. It was only through their memories that I could appreciate how far she has come.

The author did a good job pulling me into the story right away. I believed in the emotions of both characters and there was good pacing, moving the story along. It’s hard to wrap my brain around the complete 180 Lila’s personality underwent, but that is just something you have to accept in the basic premise. The circumstances devised to keep them together while Brook protected Lila were a little over the top, too. But those small complaints aside, I enjoyed the book. It was engaging and I am excited to say I never predicted the identity of the kidnapping mastermind, which was cool too. The romance satisfied and the ending did too. I would read from this author again.

Rating: B

*ARC provided by publisher