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The League of Rogues #1
Wicked Designs
Fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series and Johanna Lindsey’s Malory Series will love the passionate romances and gripping adventures of the League of Rogues.
The League of Rogues takes what they want—but have they taken on too much?
For too long Miss Emily Parr has been subject to the whims of her indebted uncle and the lecherous advances of his repulsive business partner. Her plan to be done with dominating men forever is simple—find herself a kind husband who will leave her to her books.
It seems an easy enough plan, until she is unexpectedly abducted by an incorrigible duke who hides a wounded spirit behind flashing green eyes.
Godric St. Laurent, Duke of Essex, spends countless nights at the club with his four best friends, and relishes the rakish reputation society has branded him with. He has no plans to marry anytime soon—if ever. But when he kidnaps an embezzler’s niece, the difficult debutante’s blend of sweetness and sharp tongue make him desperate for the one thing he swears he never wanted: love.
Yet as they surrender to passion, danger lurks in Godric’s shadowed past, waiting for him to drop his guard—and rob him of the woman he can’t live without.
Warning: This novel includes a lady who refuses to stay kidnapped, a devilish duke with a dark past, and an assortment of charming rogues who have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into.
*Includes Exclusive Illustrated Scenes throughout the book!
This book was previously published by Samhain Publishing and is now re-released.
The League of Rogues takes what they want—but have they taken on too much?
For too long Miss Emily Parr has been subject to the whims of her indebted uncle and the lecherous advances of his repulsive business partner. Her plan to be done with dominating men forever is simple—find herself a kind husband who will leave her to her books.
It seems an easy enough plan, until she is unexpectedly abducted by an incorrigible duke who hides a wounded spirit behind flashing green eyes.
Godric St. Laurent, Duke of Essex, spends countless nights at the club with his four best friends, and relishes the rakish reputation society has branded him with. He has no plans to marry anytime soon—if ever. But when he kidnaps an embezzler’s niece, the difficult debutante’s blend of sweetness and sharp tongue make him desperate for the one thing he swears he never wanted: love.
Yet as they surrender to passion, danger lurks in Godric’s shadowed past, waiting for him to drop his guard—and rob him of the woman he can’t live without.
Warning: This novel includes a lady who refuses to stay kidnapped, a devilish duke with a dark past, and an assortment of charming rogues who have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into.
*Includes Exclusive Illustrated Scenes throughout the book!
This book was previously published by Samhain Publishing and is now re-released.
362 pages, ebook
First published May 16, 2013
2091 people are currently reading
2813 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Smith
142 books2,201 followersLauren Smith is a USA Today Best-Selling author and an Oklahoma attorney. She knew she was destined to be a romance writer when she attempted to re-write the entire Titanic movie just to save Jack from drowning. Connecting with readers by writing emotionally moving, realistic and sexy romances no matter what time period is her passion. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including: New England Reader’s Choice Awards, Greater Detroit BookSeller’s Best Awards, Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. To connect with Lauren, visit her at www.laurensmithbooks.com or twitter at @LSmithAuthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
December 16, 2017
Ughhhhh! Ok I can't keep silent about this. So our hero and I am using the term pretty loosely here, decides to get back at a man who has basically cheated him. How he gets back at him, is he kidnaps the guys innocent 18 year old niece. Emily has been trying desperately to find someone to marry because her horrible uncle owes another nasty letch money and of course he has promised his niece in advance. She has been kidnapped by our hero and guess what? He is only doing this to ruin Emily and her prospects. Not sure how this hurts the uncle in the least, other than he doesn't get the money. Emily won't be able to make a match nor get her inheritance, so the trope here doesn't work for me. Although our hero is willing to make Emily his mistress, now isn't he all that is beneficent? He also got help from all his rowdy friends for the series set up. I can take a lot of bending and twisting to get to a plot point, but this, nope not for me. I can only take this from Lisa Kleypas, it worked in Devil In Winter...man I loved that book, but not here.
December 24, 2023
How do I rate this book? It is like a Disney movie of Snow White and the 5 Rogues. I don't like the trope of kidnapping a young woman for revenge. I thought this part of the plot very weak. But Emily enchanted each of the rogues immediately with her sweetness ect...ect...ect. Since the Duke was kidnapping her for revenge...Emily falls in love with him in a few days and they are have having great sex (isn't that what we all would do). There are some really fun and funny parts to the book but I never could overcome the kidnapping. Plus, there are plot twists that seem to come out of nowhere (the valet). I found the bad guy rather inept and very secondary. Rate it 3.5*
September 7, 2022
Re-read July 2022. I still adore it!
4.5 Stars
Okay so this is like the 15th RTC on account of me not having my laptop and the new one not getting delivered till 9th April. I don’t know why it’s significant to state this in a review but I like to cover my bases for grammatical errors and hastily cobbled together points.
- Right, this book, I loved it, it was hilarious 😂
- One of the best and the most ridiculous kidnapping plots ever
- The bromance was adorable 🥰
- Supremely steamy
- Excellent romance and chemistry
- Strong heroine and a hero that is not afraid to be vulnerable
- An intriguing underlying mystery plot that might span over the sequels
Absolutely looking forward to reading the next one in the series!
4.5 Stars
Okay so this is like the 15th RTC on account of me not having my laptop and the new one not getting delivered till 9th April. I don’t know why it’s significant to state this in a review but I like to cover my bases for grammatical errors and hastily cobbled together points.
- Right, this book, I loved it, it was hilarious 😂
- One of the best and the most ridiculous kidnapping plots ever
- The bromance was adorable 🥰
- Supremely steamy
- Excellent romance and chemistry
- Strong heroine and a hero that is not afraid to be vulnerable
- An intriguing underlying mystery plot that might span over the sequels
Absolutely looking forward to reading the next one in the series!
November 3, 2015
A rollicking good tale, if you can suspend your disbelief enough to accept that:
a) A duke needs to resort to kidnapping a girl to get her to marry him. In Regency/Georgian England, where dukes are basically gods.
b) "These men were peers of the realm and would not murder her or otherwise harm her". Newsflash: nobility can be murderers and rapists too.
c) Feeling someone up while they are unconscious is an okay thing to do. Edward called; he wants his creepy 'watching girls while they sleep' mojo back.
And that was just the first half of Chapter 1.
As for the rest of the book, I really can't stress enough that:
1) Drugging women (anyone, really) is... absolutely and utterly disgusting. Enough with the 'I love her = I must keep her = I must drug her' litany. Wanting to control a woman's autonomy is not sexy. It's domestic abuse.
2) Stockholm Syndrome is a real and damaging thing. Please stop romanticising it.
3) Attempting to rape someone, then stopping only once you realise your victim's tears and response aren't faked... should not be so easily shaken off. It was an innocent-misunderstanding-oops-I-thought-we-were-just-roleplaying doesn't cut it for me. Consent? Apparently never heard of it.
a) A duke needs to resort to kidnapping a girl to get her to marry him. In Regency/Georgian England, where dukes are basically gods.
b) "These men were peers of the realm and would not murder her or otherwise harm her". Newsflash: nobility can be murderers and rapists too.
c) Feeling someone up while they are unconscious is an okay thing to do. Edward called; he wants his creepy 'watching girls while they sleep' mojo back.
And that was just the first half of Chapter 1.
As for the rest of the book, I really can't stress enough that:
1) Drugging women (anyone, really) is... absolutely and utterly disgusting. Enough with the 'I love her = I must keep her = I must drug her' litany. Wanting to control a woman's autonomy is not sexy. It's domestic abuse.
2) Stockholm Syndrome is a real and damaging thing. Please stop romanticising it.
3) Attempting to rape someone, then stopping only once you realise your victim's tears and response aren't faked... should not be so easily shaken off. It was an innocent-misunderstanding-oops-I-thought-we-were-just-roleplaying doesn't cut it for me. Consent? Apparently never heard of it.
October 11, 2022
Read: 8/23/2013
Reread: atleast 10 xs over the years.
This one is funny and probably the best one I'm the series. One of my favorites and I highly recommend!
Reread: atleast 10 xs over the years.
This one is funny and probably the best one I'm the series. One of my favorites and I highly recommend!
dnf
November 22, 2017Incredibly stupid (and insulting to the reader) premise, TSTL heroine and biggest douchebag hero with douchebag mates.
Fraternity House hijinks in Regency England? No thanks.
Stockholm Syndrome? No thanks.
Repeatedly drugging the kidnapped heroine? NO THANKS!
Fraternity House hijinks in Regency England? No thanks.
Stockholm Syndrome? No thanks.
Repeatedly drugging the kidnapped heroine? NO THANKS!
December 5, 2014
My mother always said, "If you can't say something positive, then say nothing at all." I liked the dog.
November 7, 2014
5 - "Lucky for you, I seem to have developed a taste for rogues." Stars!
Lauren Smith in the space of two books has gone from an unknown, to an unforgettable author to me.
"Give me time and you'll never want to leave."
It is hard to fully put into words my reasoning for this, but on occasion a reader will connect with a writer, whether it be due to the subject matter they cover, the style of their writing, the characteristics of the individuals they bring to life, or just their vivid imaginations and the stories that they give you, but it all just clicks into place, and you know that you will forever now be desperately waiting for them to finish writing their next book so that you can eagerly devour it.
"Care for a noonday tumble?"
If there was ever a genre of romantic writing that I would laugh at you and say 'not likely' too, it would be Historical. I as I am sure a lot of my fellow readers read a fair few under the covers with a torch in my teens, and believe me the Mills & Boon/Harlequin type fiction I read in those times, formed the base of my voracious appetite for books now. But its notsomuch a genre I would want to willingly go back to now.
That is until I started the first book in Lauren's League of Rogues series, Wicked Designs is quite simply an absolute masterpiece of storytelling. I got lost in this book, I didn't care that I had been transported back to the Summer of 1820. All I cared about was the Characters (of which there are many and they are varied), the thrilling and fully engrossing story line, and the fact that I had been proved totally and utterly wrong with my assumptions.
"It wouldn't be so horrible to be the lover of a Duke."
Emily and Godric together were great, Godric and the rest of the League together were fantastic, the League in general, be still my fluttering heart . I cannot wait for more of the lives and loves of each of the rogues to be developed and expanded upon as further books are released in the future.
I never thought I would ever be giving a book of this genre 5 stars, in truth I would give it 6 if I could. I LOVED it that much.
ARC provided by the author, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Lauren Smith in the space of two books has gone from an unknown, to an unforgettable author to me.
"Give me time and you'll never want to leave."
It is hard to fully put into words my reasoning for this, but on occasion a reader will connect with a writer, whether it be due to the subject matter they cover, the style of their writing, the characteristics of the individuals they bring to life, or just their vivid imaginations and the stories that they give you, but it all just clicks into place, and you know that you will forever now be desperately waiting for them to finish writing their next book so that you can eagerly devour it.
"Care for a noonday tumble?"
If there was ever a genre of romantic writing that I would laugh at you and say 'not likely' too, it would be Historical. I as I am sure a lot of my fellow readers read a fair few under the covers with a torch in my teens, and believe me the Mills & Boon/Harlequin type fiction I read in those times, formed the base of my voracious appetite for books now. But its notsomuch a genre I would want to willingly go back to now.
That is until I started the first book in Lauren's League of Rogues series, Wicked Designs is quite simply an absolute masterpiece of storytelling. I got lost in this book, I didn't care that I had been transported back to the Summer of 1820. All I cared about was the Characters (of which there are many and they are varied), the thrilling and fully engrossing story line, and the fact that I had been proved totally and utterly wrong with my assumptions.
"It wouldn't be so horrible to be the lover of a Duke."
Emily and Godric together were great, Godric and the rest of the League together were fantastic, the League in general, be still my fluttering heart . I cannot wait for more of the lives and loves of each of the rogues to be developed and expanded upon as further books are released in the future.
I never thought I would ever be giving a book of this genre 5 stars, in truth I would give it 6 if I could. I LOVED it that much.
ARC provided by the author, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
April 15, 2022
What a messy book in a good way. Or lawless way we might say. I mean, the heroine was kidnapped and she was rather happier with being with her captives than with her uncle. It was a choice between bad or worse. Poor girl.
This book was complicated for me because I like rules, but it was an entertaining book nonetheless. It was super nice how all the friends are extremely connected and I hope that is true for all the following books that I am already starting.
If you like a lot of banter, friends protecting each other, non stop happenings, this book is definitely for you. There was not a boring moment. And now there's an enemy after the league. Ooooo, exciting.
4.5 stars.
This book was complicated for me because I like rules, but it was an entertaining book nonetheless. It was super nice how all the friends are extremely connected and I hope that is true for all the following books that I am already starting.
If you like a lot of banter, friends protecting each other, non stop happenings, this book is definitely for you. There was not a boring moment. And now there's an enemy after the league. Ooooo, exciting.
4.5 stars.
March 11, 2018
3.5 stars.
In this novel, the H and his 4 best friends kidnap the heroine in one of the most silly, bumbling, funny and politically incorrect story lines that is a bit reminiscent of the vintage bodice ripper historicals. The H is Godric, the scrumptious Duke of Essex and the heroine is Emily Parr. Godric is angry because Emily's guardian/uncle defrauded him of 20 000 pounds, so he decides to kidnap and ruin the heroine's reputation. It's a dumbass revenge plan that's executed in an even more stupid manner. Godric and his 4 pals are like 5 stooges because Emily ends up running rings all around them. That part was humorous. Godric is a lecherous rake and he can't stop himself from trying to sample Emily's innocent charms. All the other 4 guys soon grow to admire Emily and she has them wrapped around her little finger. The heroine is very intelligent and strong willed, too, because she keeps devising a lot of escape plans and almost succeeds a couple of times.
All 5 guys are charmed by Emily and even though she's their prisoner, they treat her kindly and soon make her a part of their little group. Cedric, Viscount Sheridan, even buys an English foxhound puppy for Emily in order to cheer her up. The antics of these guys sometimes tend towards slapstick comedy because they're so clueless about what women need. They're rakes but they know nothing about how to deal with ladies, even though some of them have sisters who are Emily's age. Emily is drawn to Godric as much as he is to her, but she is smart enough to realize that he's not the type who will propose marriage. Emily also has an evil suitor called Thomas Blankenship. This villainous cur is about 60 years old and is obsessed with the heroine, because she's a doppelganger for her beautiful late mother Clara. Blankenship had been in love in Clara but that lady had chosen to marry a poor young man called Robert Parr ( Emily's dad ). At the present point in the story line, Emily's thieving uncle Albert owes Blankenship a lot of money and the latter says that he will forgive the debt if the former lets him marry the heroine.
Emily hates Blankenship because he's ugly, gross and likes to touch her a lot when he thinks no one is looking. Poor Emily is just a pawn in these men's revenge plans. When Blankenship discovers that the duke has kidnapped Emily, he brings a magistrate to the hero's country estate and demands her return. Godric is able to foil the villain's plans temporarily but the angry old man devises another scheme that's even more dastardly. Blankenship goes to visit Godric's estranged penis polisher ( mistress ) Evangeline Mirabeau and bribes her into assisting him with his plan. The French whore is angry because she doesn't want to lose her job security, especially when her current employer is a hot sexy duke who is richer than Croesus. Evangeline is, however, dumber than a dead donkey because she doesn't consider that the job specifications in her line of work do not include long term tenure. She's such a vain penis polisher that she actually thinks Godric will be happy if she turns up uninvited at his country estate. Godric hasn't even visited her in the recent months before he kidnapped Emily, so if she had been a smart whore she would have started some networking in order to look for her next employer.
By the time Evangeline turns up at Godric's estate, the H is already besotted with Emily and the MC's have already consummated their relationship. When Evangeline sees that she won't be able to manipulate Godric, she turns her focus on Emily. The wily bitch lies to the heroine by coming up with some stupid story about Thomas Blankenship's plans to murder all 5 guys unless Emily's finds some way to escape from the H's mansion. Emily has grown to love Godric and she also admires the other 4 assholes so she doesn't want them to be killed. The rest of the novel is a bit rushed and the suspense factor is heightened quite a lot because there's another villain called Hugo Waverly who wants to kill all 5 of the guys. Waverly is working with Blankenship. Godric has also fallen in love with Emily and decides to propose to her, when she escapes. He finds her and is angry but then she gets kidnapped by Blankenship and he has to go and rescue her again. Godric arrives just in time to see Blankenship stab the heroine:
"Godric found the ability to move and knelt down beside Emily, his own body trembling so violently he could no longer stand. He collapsed next to her before he gathered the strength to turn her onto her back. His shaking fingers brushed over her cheeks. “Emily, sweetheart, please open your eyes.” He pled with her like a dying man. “My last words to you were cruel and cold. I wish to God I could take them back.” His insides churned, roiled, threatened to explode. Godric had to keep talking or he’d go mad with grief. “Why didn’t you believe I loved you? You changed me, Emily. When I was with you, I didn’t just want to be a better man. I was a better man because you were in my life. How will I endure without you?” When his perished love did not answer, he buried his face in the soft groove of her neck, inhaling the flowery scent of her gleaming hair, and Godric, the Duke of Essex, wept. He wept for Emily, for the children they would never have, for the places he would never take her, and he wept for the pain of his own breaking heart. “No! Dammit, no!” A cry disturbed his mourning, the sound a terrible keening that grated on his ears. It rose, fast and high from his throat, then faded, replaced by ragged breaths. He kissed her lips, expecting the coppery taste of blood, but she was unbearably sweet, as though merely sleeping. “Is she dead?” Blankenship’s reedy voice echoed eerily down the stairs. Godric’s eyes flamed with tears; they spilled down his face as he brushed Emily’s hair back from her face with shaky hands. When he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. “You’ve taken from me the one thing in this world I truly loved.” The void in him grew to a dull blackening roar. Flashes of memories, glittering shards of momentary joy, pierced the swelling darkness. Emily’s laugh, her shining eyes, exploring hands, whispers of her dreams and breathless words of love. Never again. Flames consumed him, enveloped him."
Of course Emily doesn't die since this is a romance novel that needs to have a HEA. Godric ends up killing Blankenship and proposing to Emily. The other 4 rogues help the MC's to organize a fancy quickie wedding and there's a hint of romance between Lucien ( The Marquess of Rochester ) and Cedric's sister Horatia. That couple's romance will be dealt with in His Wicked Seduction. Godric also discovers that his valet Jonathan is also his illegitimate half brother.
In this novel, the H and his 4 best friends kidnap the heroine in one of the most silly, bumbling, funny and politically incorrect story lines that is a bit reminiscent of the vintage bodice ripper historicals. The H is Godric, the scrumptious Duke of Essex and the heroine is Emily Parr. Godric is angry because Emily's guardian/uncle defrauded him of 20 000 pounds, so he decides to kidnap and ruin the heroine's reputation. It's a dumbass revenge plan that's executed in an even more stupid manner. Godric and his 4 pals are like 5 stooges because Emily ends up running rings all around them. That part was humorous. Godric is a lecherous rake and he can't stop himself from trying to sample Emily's innocent charms. All the other 4 guys soon grow to admire Emily and she has them wrapped around her little finger. The heroine is very intelligent and strong willed, too, because she keeps devising a lot of escape plans and almost succeeds a couple of times.
All 5 guys are charmed by Emily and even though she's their prisoner, they treat her kindly and soon make her a part of their little group. Cedric, Viscount Sheridan, even buys an English foxhound puppy for Emily in order to cheer her up. The antics of these guys sometimes tend towards slapstick comedy because they're so clueless about what women need. They're rakes but they know nothing about how to deal with ladies, even though some of them have sisters who are Emily's age. Emily is drawn to Godric as much as he is to her, but she is smart enough to realize that he's not the type who will propose marriage. Emily also has an evil suitor called Thomas Blankenship. This villainous cur is about 60 years old and is obsessed with the heroine, because she's a doppelganger for her beautiful late mother Clara. Blankenship had been in love in Clara but that lady had chosen to marry a poor young man called Robert Parr ( Emily's dad ). At the present point in the story line, Emily's thieving uncle Albert owes Blankenship a lot of money and the latter says that he will forgive the debt if the former lets him marry the heroine.
Emily hates Blankenship because he's ugly, gross and likes to touch her a lot when he thinks no one is looking. Poor Emily is just a pawn in these men's revenge plans. When Blankenship discovers that the duke has kidnapped Emily, he brings a magistrate to the hero's country estate and demands her return. Godric is able to foil the villain's plans temporarily but the angry old man devises another scheme that's even more dastardly. Blankenship goes to visit Godric's estranged penis polisher ( mistress ) Evangeline Mirabeau and bribes her into assisting him with his plan. The French whore is angry because she doesn't want to lose her job security, especially when her current employer is a hot sexy duke who is richer than Croesus. Evangeline is, however, dumber than a dead donkey because she doesn't consider that the job specifications in her line of work do not include long term tenure. She's such a vain penis polisher that she actually thinks Godric will be happy if she turns up uninvited at his country estate. Godric hasn't even visited her in the recent months before he kidnapped Emily, so if she had been a smart whore she would have started some networking in order to look for her next employer.
By the time Evangeline turns up at Godric's estate, the H is already besotted with Emily and the MC's have already consummated their relationship. When Evangeline sees that she won't be able to manipulate Godric, she turns her focus on Emily. The wily bitch lies to the heroine by coming up with some stupid story about Thomas Blankenship's plans to murder all 5 guys unless Emily's finds some way to escape from the H's mansion. Emily has grown to love Godric and she also admires the other 4 assholes so she doesn't want them to be killed. The rest of the novel is a bit rushed and the suspense factor is heightened quite a lot because there's another villain called Hugo Waverly who wants to kill all 5 of the guys. Waverly is working with Blankenship. Godric has also fallen in love with Emily and decides to propose to her, when she escapes. He finds her and is angry but then she gets kidnapped by Blankenship and he has to go and rescue her again. Godric arrives just in time to see Blankenship stab the heroine:
"Godric found the ability to move and knelt down beside Emily, his own body trembling so violently he could no longer stand. He collapsed next to her before he gathered the strength to turn her onto her back. His shaking fingers brushed over her cheeks. “Emily, sweetheart, please open your eyes.” He pled with her like a dying man. “My last words to you were cruel and cold. I wish to God I could take them back.” His insides churned, roiled, threatened to explode. Godric had to keep talking or he’d go mad with grief. “Why didn’t you believe I loved you? You changed me, Emily. When I was with you, I didn’t just want to be a better man. I was a better man because you were in my life. How will I endure without you?” When his perished love did not answer, he buried his face in the soft groove of her neck, inhaling the flowery scent of her gleaming hair, and Godric, the Duke of Essex, wept. He wept for Emily, for the children they would never have, for the places he would never take her, and he wept for the pain of his own breaking heart. “No! Dammit, no!” A cry disturbed his mourning, the sound a terrible keening that grated on his ears. It rose, fast and high from his throat, then faded, replaced by ragged breaths. He kissed her lips, expecting the coppery taste of blood, but she was unbearably sweet, as though merely sleeping. “Is she dead?” Blankenship’s reedy voice echoed eerily down the stairs. Godric’s eyes flamed with tears; they spilled down his face as he brushed Emily’s hair back from her face with shaky hands. When he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. “You’ve taken from me the one thing in this world I truly loved.” The void in him grew to a dull blackening roar. Flashes of memories, glittering shards of momentary joy, pierced the swelling darkness. Emily’s laugh, her shining eyes, exploring hands, whispers of her dreams and breathless words of love. Never again. Flames consumed him, enveloped him."
Of course Emily doesn't die since this is a romance novel that needs to have a HEA. Godric ends up killing Blankenship and proposing to Emily. The other 4 rogues help the MC's to organize a fancy quickie wedding and there's a hint of romance between Lucien ( The Marquess of Rochester ) and Cedric's sister Horatia. That couple's romance will be dealt with in His Wicked Seduction. Godric also discovers that his valet Jonathan is also his illegitimate half brother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 2, 2023DNF at 22%
I wanted something simple and I didn’t even mind the Stockholm Syndrome premise. The writing was good, unfortunately red flags and pet peeves were piling up.
The hero abducted the heroine, drugged her, and is keeping her in his estate against her will. Obviously, despite all that there’s chemistry between them. Okay, we knew that going in.
However he did not have to pretend to be drowning to have her jump into a lake to ‘rescue’ him. He did not have to drug her later (again!) and undress her. He did it to change her into dry clothes, but it’s a lame excuse. And he should really shut up about his mistress.
Another thing, all his friends are staying at his estate too for some reason and this is turning into some weird RH situation which is not exactly my thing.
But my cue to leave was when she yelled “As I keep trying to tell all of you blasted men, I’m not like other women!”
Nope!
I wanted something simple and I didn’t even mind the Stockholm Syndrome premise. The writing was good, unfortunately red flags and pet peeves were piling up.
The hero abducted the heroine, drugged her, and is keeping her in his estate against her will. Obviously, despite all that there’s chemistry between them. Okay, we knew that going in.
However he did not have to pretend to be drowning to have her jump into a lake to ‘rescue’ him. He did not have to drug her later (again!) and undress her. He did it to change her into dry clothes, but it’s a lame excuse. And he should really shut up about his mistress.
Another thing, all his friends are staying at his estate too for some reason and this is turning into some weird RH situation which is not exactly my thing.
But my cue to leave was when she yelled “As I keep trying to tell all of you blasted men, I’m not like other women!”
Nope!
October 2, 2025
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I felt like there was a lot of focus on the tension in this one and the build up)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (So the build up and foreplay was all pretty detailed and long but I did feel like the actual penetration was kind of short? The scenes were overall a bit lighter and shorter than I was expecting after such good build up.)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 (I think, I might be off with audio)
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine and a bit from the villain
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: quite soon in, chapter 1 (3%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I have been curious about this series forever!
Mains: Godric St. Laurent (Duke of Essex) and Miss Emily Parr – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Smith’s League of Rogues series.
Basic plot:
Godric St. Laurent wants revenge – and kidnapping and ruining his target’s niece seems the best way.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1820
- kidnapped heroine – the hero kidnaps her to ruin her for revenge against her uncle
- hero wants revenge on the heroine’s family
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- Duke hero
- close proximity – the hero kidnaps her and keeps her at his house
- mid to higher steam – there are a number of scenes but they are a touch short (great build up and foreplay though!)
Ages:
- didn’t catch either
First line:
Something wasn’t right.
My thoughts:
I have been wanting to try this series forever!
And...well I did a quick skim through of this book awhile ago when someone was curious about the steam level of the book. So I skimmed and was searching for the actual sex in the book and honestly thought it was pretty short and it….deterred me from fully reading this book a bit longer. And shame on me, because this book was so much better than what I was expecting!
This whole book had such good tension building to me. There were so many little nuances and long scene build ups that I missed by just skimming through and looking for code words. This book was so much more than what I thought it would be.
It had so many elements of things I really, really love – kidnapping, and obsessed hero, some dubious elements...I was pretty smitten!
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I felt like there was a lot of focus on the tension in this one and the build up)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (So the build up and foreplay was all pretty detailed and long but I did feel like the actual penetration was kind of short? The scenes were overall a bit lighter and shorter than I was expecting after such good build up.)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 (I think, I might be off with audio)
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine and a bit from the villain
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: quite soon in, chapter 1 (3%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I have been curious about this series forever!
Mains: Godric St. Laurent (Duke of Essex) and Miss Emily Parr – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Smith’s League of Rogues series.
Basic plot:
Godric St. Laurent wants revenge – and kidnapping and ruining his target’s niece seems the best way.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1820
- kidnapped heroine – the hero kidnaps her to ruin her for revenge against her uncle
- hero wants revenge on the heroine’s family
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- Duke hero
- close proximity – the hero kidnaps her and keeps her at his house
- mid to higher steam – there are a number of scenes but they are a touch short (great build up and foreplay though!)
Ages:
- didn’t catch either
First line:
Something wasn’t right.
My thoughts:
I have been wanting to try this series forever!
And...well I did a quick skim through of this book awhile ago when someone was curious about the steam level of the book. So I skimmed and was searching for the actual sex in the book and honestly thought it was pretty short and it….deterred me from fully reading this book a bit longer. And shame on me, because this book was so much better than what I was expecting!
This whole book had such good tension building to me. There were so many little nuances and long scene build ups that I missed by just skimming through and looking for code words. This book was so much more than what I thought it would be.
It had so many elements of things I really, really love – kidnapping, and obsessed hero, some dubious elements...I was pretty smitten!
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
September 20, 2018
Contrary to some of the reviews for this novel, I chose this as one of my TDD Bookclub Challenge read on Revenge. This is a first time read for me by this author and I did enjoy it although it did not bowl me over.
"Wicked Designs" is the first book in the League of Rogues series where the league is made up of five lords, the hero being Godric St. Laurent, Duke of Essex and the heroine, Emily Parr. The plot starts out with the rogues abducting Emily who puts up a fight but eventually succumbs. She is kidnapped and the Duke is determined to exact revenge on her uncle who has stolen from him. Godric has had his guard up over his heart and tries to suppress a demon that has haunted him from his past. Emily pretty much is on the run from her uncle's scrupulous partner who wants to have her at all costs, including her inheritance.
Although the Duke and his friends seem a bit immature, I commend them for their friendship towards one another. The witty banter from each of these men had me smiling to myself because I found it delightful. Then again, for the heroine, Emily, I would love to be in her place, having 5 handsome men protecting her even though their initial motives were all screwed up.
This was a nice read with romance, friendship, suspense and plenty of whit. I plan on continuing the series to see what's next for the other rogues.
3-Stars
"Wicked Designs" is the first book in the League of Rogues series where the league is made up of five lords, the hero being Godric St. Laurent, Duke of Essex and the heroine, Emily Parr. The plot starts out with the rogues abducting Emily who puts up a fight but eventually succumbs. She is kidnapped and the Duke is determined to exact revenge on her uncle who has stolen from him. Godric has had his guard up over his heart and tries to suppress a demon that has haunted him from his past. Emily pretty much is on the run from her uncle's scrupulous partner who wants to have her at all costs, including her inheritance.
Although the Duke and his friends seem a bit immature, I commend them for their friendship towards one another. The witty banter from each of these men had me smiling to myself because I found it delightful. Then again, for the heroine, Emily, I would love to be in her place, having 5 handsome men protecting her even though their initial motives were all screwed up.
This was a nice read with romance, friendship, suspense and plenty of whit. I plan on continuing the series to see what's next for the other rogues.
3-Stars
May 31, 2023
1st read back Dec 9, 2016 - 1 star
Reread: May 31, 2023 - 2.5 stars
The H and his friends abducted the h and after a few days (by chapter 6), she’s already falling for him, which is waaay too soon. This is one of the issues I had with the book.
Second issue: The kidnapping plot. Why would a Duke have to resort to kidnapping? He’s a fricking Duke!
Third issue: The H’s friend and their willingness to help him. Is there not one rational friend amongst the League of Rogues who could’ve talked the group out of this ridiculous plan to kidnap an innocent teenager girl? 🤦🏻♀️
Other notes for me:
- The story dragged a few times.
- The h rescues the H from drowning in her riding habit (which should be impossible), performs CPR, and gets her first kiss.
- There were plenty of kisses and 3-4 love scenes. (One from behind, another up against a wall) 😏😏😏
- Near-death experience for the h.
Reread: May 31, 2023 - 2.5 stars
The H and his friends abducted the h and after a few days (by chapter 6), she’s already falling for him, which is waaay too soon. This is one of the issues I had with the book.
Second issue: The kidnapping plot. Why would a Duke have to resort to kidnapping? He’s a fricking Duke!
Third issue: The H’s friend and their willingness to help him. Is there not one rational friend amongst the League of Rogues who could’ve talked the group out of this ridiculous plan to kidnap an innocent teenager girl? 🤦🏻♀️
Other notes for me:
- The story dragged a few times.
- The h rescues the H from drowning in her riding habit (which should be impossible), performs CPR, and gets her first kiss.
- There were plenty of kisses and 3-4 love scenes. (One from behind, another up against a wall) 😏😏😏
- Near-death experience for the h.
September 7, 2020
*** 3.75 stars ****
This was actually a REREAD!!
I read this book years ago but still had it with me. So I unknowingly gave it another go.
I really really really love the friendship/brotherhood of all the rogues❤️ The way they stand up for each other, their banters, their readily available help, sacrifice all the things worth reading in the book.
I like both the characters. Godric is the arrogant Duke who for fun/adventure and to teach a lesson kidnapped the niece of his debtor. Little did he know he was going to fall for the little hellion he has captured.
Emily has craved love and affection which she received alot from Godric and his gang. Her innocent nature stole everyone's affection for her. They all started to look after her. Considered her one of them.
I like the plotting.
Story telling of the author was also good.
This was actually a REREAD!!
I read this book years ago but still had it with me. So I unknowingly gave it another go.
I really really really love the friendship/brotherhood of all the rogues❤️ The way they stand up for each other, their banters, their readily available help, sacrifice all the things worth reading in the book.
I like both the characters. Godric is the arrogant Duke who for fun/adventure and to teach a lesson kidnapped the niece of his debtor. Little did he know he was going to fall for the little hellion he has captured.
Emily has craved love and affection which she received alot from Godric and his gang. Her innocent nature stole everyone's affection for her. They all started to look after her. Considered her one of them.
I like the plotting.
Story telling of the author was also good.
October 11, 2022
Read: 8/23/13
Reread: at least 10xs over the years
I highly recommend this fun buddy adventure!
Reread: at least 10xs over the years
I highly recommend this fun buddy adventure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2019
3 Hilariously-Enjoyable Stars
I’ve never been much of a Historical Romance reader before. I’ve slipped my toes into the stream a couple times, a Tessa Dare novella here and an intriguing historical menage there with a smattering of Scottish highland stories for spice and colour. Largely this is because I have a very challenging time divorcing myself from my feminist stance and accepting that a woman’s place in much of our history seems to land somewhere between livestock and gold pieces. Currency. It’s not that I don’t accept that this is part of our history, it’s that it pisses me off so much that I want to flail and scream and beat things like a frustrated toddler. And those listed feelings generally don’t coincide well with romance.
So when my fellow Chaos Bella, Abby, suggested buddy-reading the LEAGUE OF ROGUES series naturally I did what any sane woman would do, I ignored my apprehension and jumped in feet first. And I’m really glad I did!
WICKED DESIGNS isn’t perfect by any means but it is smart, sexy and fun.
After the tragic death of her parents, Emily Parr was shuffled off to live with her uncle, a right git of a man who I want to punch repeatedly in the face. It’s an unfortunate situation as her unmarried status means that her uncle holds all her inheritance, so she finds herself on the lookout for an agreeable man to marry and allow her freedom to same (in a manner of speaking). Made more unfortunate by her uncle’s debts to the repugnant Lord Blackenship whom I deeply desire to castrate as well as punch in the face repeatedly.
To make a shitty situation shittier, Emily ends up being kid-knapped by a boisterous band of rakehells lead by the frustrating Duke of Essex, Godric St. Laurent. As the case would have it her uncle also owes a great sum of money to the Duke… and Godric has decided that Emily’s ruin is to be the price for her uncle’s misdeeds. *grinds vampiric teeth*
It was about this point that I wondered to myself if I had made a tragic mistake. See, I loathe this kind of plot line in romances, largely because it’s quite common and partially because it makes me want to sob in despair for all the women in our history (and continuing right up to this day) who have been treated like a man’s possession. A possession of no more consequence than any other object within his home.
However, Emily Parr, is no shrinking violet! Oh hell no she isn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed her as a character. She is no polite little wallflower, oh hell to the no, from the very beginning she shows herself to be every bit as smart and savvy as her captors. Within the first day she tries no less than four times to escape them, using her cunning and skill. Unfortunately for her at the time, but fortunately for the love story, she also has a heart which leads her to stay and save Godric’s life rather than actualize her escape.
The antics of these two, as they crash together and recoil from their attraction to each other, is both frustrating and hilarious to read. And I thoroughly enjoyed all the other miscreants running around causing havoc and breaking poor hearts all over England.
I’m looking forward to continuing this series with my other Chaos Bellas, Jenn and Casey, joining in as we traverse the perils I can only expect to crop up as Lucien attempts to navigate his attraction to Cedric’s sister….. I anticipate fisticuffs between the rogues in our future. *muahahaha*
I’ve never been much of a Historical Romance reader before. I’ve slipped my toes into the stream a couple times, a Tessa Dare novella here and an intriguing historical menage there with a smattering of Scottish highland stories for spice and colour. Largely this is because I have a very challenging time divorcing myself from my feminist stance and accepting that a woman’s place in much of our history seems to land somewhere between livestock and gold pieces. Currency. It’s not that I don’t accept that this is part of our history, it’s that it pisses me off so much that I want to flail and scream and beat things like a frustrated toddler. And those listed feelings generally don’t coincide well with romance.
So when my fellow Chaos Bella, Abby, suggested buddy-reading the LEAGUE OF ROGUES series naturally I did what any sane woman would do, I ignored my apprehension and jumped in feet first. And I’m really glad I did!
WICKED DESIGNS isn’t perfect by any means but it is smart, sexy and fun.
After the tragic death of her parents, Emily Parr was shuffled off to live with her uncle, a right git of a man who I want to punch repeatedly in the face. It’s an unfortunate situation as her unmarried status means that her uncle holds all her inheritance, so she finds herself on the lookout for an agreeable man to marry and allow her freedom to same (in a manner of speaking). Made more unfortunate by her uncle’s debts to the repugnant Lord Blackenship whom I deeply desire to castrate as well as punch in the face repeatedly.
To make a shitty situation shittier, Emily ends up being kid-knapped by a boisterous band of rakehells lead by the frustrating Duke of Essex, Godric St. Laurent. As the case would have it her uncle also owes a great sum of money to the Duke… and Godric has decided that Emily’s ruin is to be the price for her uncle’s misdeeds. *grinds vampiric teeth*
It was about this point that I wondered to myself if I had made a tragic mistake. See, I loathe this kind of plot line in romances, largely because it’s quite common and partially because it makes me want to sob in despair for all the women in our history (and continuing right up to this day) who have been treated like a man’s possession. A possession of no more consequence than any other object within his home.
However, Emily Parr, is no shrinking violet! Oh hell no she isn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed her as a character. She is no polite little wallflower, oh hell to the no, from the very beginning she shows herself to be every bit as smart and savvy as her captors. Within the first day she tries no less than four times to escape them, using her cunning and skill. Unfortunately for her at the time, but fortunately for the love story, she also has a heart which leads her to stay and save Godric’s life rather than actualize her escape.
The antics of these two, as they crash together and recoil from their attraction to each other, is both frustrating and hilarious to read. And I thoroughly enjoyed all the other miscreants running around causing havoc and breaking poor hearts all over England.
I’m looking forward to continuing this series with my other Chaos Bellas, Jenn and Casey, joining in as we traverse the perils I can only expect to crop up as Lucien attempts to navigate his attraction to Cedric’s sister….. I anticipate fisticuffs between the rogues in our future. *muahahaha*
March 7, 2024
As I started to read this book, I suddenly realized that this was not the first time I had read it. I pushed myself to read a little bit father than I had done the first time, and it was still horrible.
For me, the idea of the storyline would have been fun. I really don't care that in reality a duke would never have needed to resort to kidnapping tactics in order to get revenge on someone lower than him. That is the fun of HR for me, the romance portion should over ride historical facts for the most part.
But... this author seems to be a devout insta-love believer. Her heroes all seem to fall into insta-love in the first couple chapters with their heroines, and then spend a great deal of time rehashing their inner lustful thoughts. It gets really old. And the lustful thoughts came across to me as if they were done for shock value only, not necessarily adding or describing some inner romantic turmoil to the reader.
My first give me a break alert? After the gang of 5-6 dukes and lords kidnap this heroine, and repeatedly drugged her with laudanum to keep her quiet while kidnapping her, they race on horseback to the manor of the hero. While approaching the manor, the hero takes a moment to really look at the architecture of his home and stops to wonder if the heroine will like his house as well. His inner thoughts were going on about how he would really like for her to also like his home and be comfortable in his home, etc lovey dovey stuff. It was just so odd. They were STRANGERS having only known each other for 1 hour or less....
For me, the idea of the storyline would have been fun. I really don't care that in reality a duke would never have needed to resort to kidnapping tactics in order to get revenge on someone lower than him. That is the fun of HR for me, the romance portion should over ride historical facts for the most part.
But... this author seems to be a devout insta-love believer. Her heroes all seem to fall into insta-love in the first couple chapters with their heroines, and then spend a great deal of time rehashing their inner lustful thoughts. It gets really old. And the lustful thoughts came across to me as if they were done for shock value only, not necessarily adding or describing some inner romantic turmoil to the reader.
My first give me a break alert? After the gang of 5-6 dukes and lords kidnap this heroine, and repeatedly drugged her with laudanum to keep her quiet while kidnapping her, they race on horseback to the manor of the hero. While approaching the manor, the hero takes a moment to really look at the architecture of his home and stops to wonder if the heroine will like his house as well. His inner thoughts were going on about how he would really like for her to also like his home and be comfortable in his home, etc lovey dovey stuff. It was just so odd. They were STRANGERS having only known each other for 1 hour or less....
September 12, 2016
This book. So much ugh. I've quit and come back to it like 4 times but it's going on the permanent DNF pile (at 16%). So this guy kidnaps a teenage girl as revenge on her bad uncle--stupid already. And every time I try to read the book there is a whiny, perverted line like this from the "hero's" thoughts: "Perhaps if she were happy, she’d come to him, let him introduce her to the passion she buried deep inside herself. He wanted to know her, possess her. All that fire flashing in her eyes when she thought he didn’t see, needed to be unleashed." Keep in mind that at this point in the book they have had probably 30 minutes worth of interactions or less. And already he has identified the passion buried deep inside her? That's called delusions, people. It's creepy and not at all romantic.
No. Just 1000 times no.
No. Just 1000 times no.
September 28, 2015
This book is just flat out offensive. I'm a third of the way in and the "hero" has drugged the heroine with Laudnam more than once. He and his four friends are kidnapping her and holding her hostage for the express purpose of ruining her to make her uncle's life hard. All the men have taken liberties with her. At some point the hero thinks he needs to reassign his valet because he just can't help himself with women. All the men assume women are flighty and stupid and who the hell can blame them because the heroine is! Oh he is so terrifying and he has kidnapped me but I cannot help making out with him despite the fact that he has callously ruined my life for his own petty revenge. And I'm sorry when the hero and the villain have two almost identical lines about the heroine there is a problem.
This book is shallowly written, weakly plotted, with insulting characters. I am mad I spent even the dollar I spent on this.
This book is shallowly written, weakly plotted, with insulting characters. I am mad I spent even the dollar I spent on this.
November 16, 2014
**4.5 Roguish Stars**
I really enjoyed WICKED DESIGNS, Lauren Smith’s debut Regency Historical novel. This witty and entertaining romance features an emotionally scarred hero, a smart heroine and a loveable group of rogues.
Emily is a delightful heroine. She is smart, courageous and spirited enough to stand up for herself. I love her determination to outwit her captors and escape. She certainly keeps those five rogues on their toes!
Emily rammed an elbow backwards into her attacker’s stomach and began to wrestle free until he grabbed her arm. She swung about, striking him across the face with a balled fist. The man staggered back, leaving her free to dive inside the coach.
I enjoyed seeing her not only capture Godric’s heart but also the affection of the other members of the League of Rogues as well.
Godric is my favourite type of hero…arrogant and self-assured on the outside but hiding a wounded heart. His childhood experiences have made him avoid becoming emotionally involved and so he is unprepared for the feelings that Emily arouses in him. I enjoyed watching him gradually open up to the belief that love was possible.
He could never regret each kiss, each second that Emily’s touch reawakened the ghost of the man he used to be.
I LOVED the other four rogues Ashton, Cedric, Charles and Lucien. They didn’t seem like secondary characters because each one has his own distinct personality. I enjoyed the camaraderie between them and the sparkling dialogue. It’s apparent that Lucien and Horatia, Cedric’s sister, have a history and I’ll be intrigued to read their story.
Blankenship is creepy and menacing as the lecherous villain and I am not quite certain what to make of Miss Evangeline Mirabeau, Godric’s former mistress. Friend or foe? I’m not quite sure.
Favourite Romantic Quote
“Emily, I know you won’t marry me. I know that. But I can’t live one more day without you. All I ask is that wherever you go, whatever you do, let me come with you. We can travel the world. Whatever you want, it will be yours. I just wish to be with you.”
WICKED DESIGNS is a delightful romance and a great introduction to what promises to be an excellent series.
REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS
My sincere thanks to Lauren Smith for providing me with a copy of her book in return for an honest review.
This review is also posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed WICKED DESIGNS, Lauren Smith’s debut Regency Historical novel. This witty and entertaining romance features an emotionally scarred hero, a smart heroine and a loveable group of rogues.
Emily is a delightful heroine. She is smart, courageous and spirited enough to stand up for herself. I love her determination to outwit her captors and escape. She certainly keeps those five rogues on their toes!
Emily rammed an elbow backwards into her attacker’s stomach and began to wrestle free until he grabbed her arm. She swung about, striking him across the face with a balled fist. The man staggered back, leaving her free to dive inside the coach.
I enjoyed seeing her not only capture Godric’s heart but also the affection of the other members of the League of Rogues as well.
Godric is my favourite type of hero…arrogant and self-assured on the outside but hiding a wounded heart. His childhood experiences have made him avoid becoming emotionally involved and so he is unprepared for the feelings that Emily arouses in him. I enjoyed watching him gradually open up to the belief that love was possible.
He could never regret each kiss, each second that Emily’s touch reawakened the ghost of the man he used to be.
I LOVED the other four rogues Ashton, Cedric, Charles and Lucien. They didn’t seem like secondary characters because each one has his own distinct personality. I enjoyed the camaraderie between them and the sparkling dialogue. It’s apparent that Lucien and Horatia, Cedric’s sister, have a history and I’ll be intrigued to read their story.
Blankenship is creepy and menacing as the lecherous villain and I am not quite certain what to make of Miss Evangeline Mirabeau, Godric’s former mistress. Friend or foe? I’m not quite sure.
Favourite Romantic Quote
“Emily, I know you won’t marry me. I know that. But I can’t live one more day without you. All I ask is that wherever you go, whatever you do, let me come with you. We can travel the world. Whatever you want, it will be yours. I just wish to be with you.”
WICKED DESIGNS is a delightful romance and a great introduction to what promises to be an excellent series.
REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS
My sincere thanks to Lauren Smith for providing me with a copy of her book in return for an honest review.
This review is also posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
April 27, 2019
3.0 stars
I loved the start of this book and thought it was gonna be a 5 star read. Emily finds herself abducted by five men known as The League. And I thoroughly enjoyed her escape attempts.
Miss Emily Parr
The League includes a Duke, a Marques, and other titled peers. The problem with this book is the plot. I had to completely suspend all rational thought in order to enjoy it. The League behave more like a group of high school bullies/buddies up to no good, than members of the ton. So a Marques, Baron, Earl, etc have nothing to do but babysit and manhandle a kidnapped lady.
Emily, who started out savvy and intelligent, makes idiotic choices and gives her virginity to her captor who has openly said he has no intention to marry her.
The Duke has never known love but he is totally obsessed with Emily. He has no idea that he is falling hard. He just sees Emily as his possession. I thoroughly enjoyed his seduction of Emily and their passionate romance but It didn't make a damn bit of sense.
I somehow managed to fall for the members of the League and am curious enough to read more of this series.
I loved the start of this book and thought it was gonna be a 5 star read. Emily finds herself abducted by five men known as The League. And I thoroughly enjoyed her escape attempts.
Miss Emily Parr
The League includes a Duke, a Marques, and other titled peers. The problem with this book is the plot. I had to completely suspend all rational thought in order to enjoy it. The League behave more like a group of high school bullies/buddies up to no good, than members of the ton. So a Marques, Baron, Earl, etc have nothing to do but babysit and manhandle a kidnapped lady.
Emily, who started out savvy and intelligent, makes idiotic choices and gives her virginity to her captor who has openly said he has no intention to marry her.
The Duke has never known love but he is totally obsessed with Emily. He has no idea that he is falling hard. He just sees Emily as his possession. I thoroughly enjoyed his seduction of Emily and their passionate romance but It didn't make a damn bit of sense.
I somehow managed to fall for the members of the League and am curious enough to read more of this series.
October 31, 2015
DNF @ 37 percent
I am so disappointed in this book. I have read 2 of Lauren Smith other books and loved them to pieces. One of them was book 2 in this series. The characters I loved in book 2 are in this book as well and they are not the same characters I loved in book 2. It is like they had a personality change before book 2 into great amazing heroes. First there is the kidnapping and drugging of the innocent heroine Emily, then the almost rape by the hero Godric, then the hero's friend Ashton who comes to help after Emily cries for help but doesn't help and leaves Emily with the Godric so he can do whatever he wants with her, then Godric tells the servants to not come if Emily cries because she is his problem and whatever cries she makes good or bad is because she deserves them. How is this man the hero of the story? He fits more into the category of villain. Godric is a sick SoB for doing all these things to Emily. I lost all respect I had for Emily and her great escape attempts when she started falling for Godric. I just want to forget this book ever was written and that's what I plan to do. Biggest let down of the year.
I am so disappointed in this book. I have read 2 of Lauren Smith other books and loved them to pieces. One of them was book 2 in this series. The characters I loved in book 2 are in this book as well and they are not the same characters I loved in book 2. It is like they had a personality change before book 2 into great amazing heroes. First there is the kidnapping and drugging of the innocent heroine Emily, then the almost rape by the hero Godric, then the hero's friend Ashton who comes to help after Emily cries for help but doesn't help and leaves Emily with the Godric so he can do whatever he wants with her, then Godric tells the servants to not come if Emily cries because she is his problem and whatever cries she makes good or bad is because she deserves them. How is this man the hero of the story? He fits more into the category of villain. Godric is a sick SoB for doing all these things to Emily. I lost all respect I had for Emily and her great escape attempts when she started falling for Godric. I just want to forget this book ever was written and that's what I plan to do. Biggest let down of the year.
December 1, 2021
This book has so much going on! In wonderful ways and chaotic ways.
I feel like it is a great start to this series. I love how sexy and fun it was. And I look forward to reading more in this series very soon.
The hero is a bit demanding and kind of cruel in how he works with her. But he is all tangled up over her and I love that too.
4/5 stars
I feel like it is a great start to this series. I love how sexy and fun it was. And I look forward to reading more in this series very soon.
The hero is a bit demanding and kind of cruel in how he works with her. But he is all tangled up over her and I love that too.
4/5 stars
Want to read
September 26, 2022Does anyone else see Henry Cavill and Tom Hiddleston in the cover or am I tripping??
August 19, 2017
I actually really love historical romance. They’re a great palate cleanser for me – often after reading something quite harrowing or depressing, I’ll read a couple just to refresh myself. They tend to follow a formula but it can really work with the right balance. This book didn’t even come close to having anything remotely resembling a balance.
Rakes often do rakish things, it’s why they’re called rakes. However I think Godric and his little band of followers definitely overstepped the mark from ‘rakes’ and well into ‘assholes’. He constructs an elaborate plan to kidnap and ruin Emily because her uncle owes him money. Let’s examine that for a moment….
He decides to kidnap and ruin a woman he doesn’t know and doesn’t have anything to do with and hasn’t ever had anything to do with, who has done him no ill, because her uncle, owes him money. In an age where chastity can be all a woman has in order to further herself, to escape a miserable existence (as is Emily’s), making a good marriage can be the difference between happiness and cruelty. Godric plans to take the one thing that might actually benefit Emily in a petty act of revenge. In an added twist, Emily’s uncle doesn’t actually care a single bit for her and is using her only as a bargaining chip to pay off another creditor so technically Godric’s plan isn’t even going to have its intended effect. Emily’s uncle isn’t going to be devastated, cowed and shamed by his niece’s ruin. At best he’s going to be somewhat irritated that he couldn’t pass her off to be married to his odious business partner. In fact the only person who loses is Emily. Big time.
But it’s okay because Godric and his friends are handsome and charming and rich. It doesn’t matter that they manhandled her, drugged her, kidnapped her and plan to ruin her, either by just the aforementioned acts or the actual physical act. Godric finds himself not averse to offering Emily an esteemed position as his mistress and seems quite baffled when she won’t accept. Because he is handsome and charming and rich any girl should be thrilled to be his mistress. Never mind that Emily is sheltered, inexperienced and hoping to use the one thing she had (her virginity) to marry a kind man who would hopefully not squander the inheritance she receives upon marrying. Basically Godric ruins her chances of that ever happening and Emily should be furious. And in the beginning she kind of is and she fights, including punching one of them in the face, trying to escape. But she seems to accept her fate annoyingly easily, somehow finding the whole bunch of them amusing (they aren’t) as well as you know, handsome and charming and rich. Rich they probably all are, they’re all Dukes and Marquesses and Earls and what have you. Handsome they may be too. But honestly? I didn’t find any of them at all charming. Kidnapping a woman and keeping her against her will is heinous. Godric’s reasoning was pathetic and so were his lame attempts at seduction. Emily soon lost all her spark and turned into an annoying boring wet blanket with some simpering version of Stockholm Syndrome.
I think we are supposed to find Godric some sort of saviour because Emily’s uncle has a far worse fate for her in mind and it’s no doubt that the man he wishes to basically sell her to, is the worst but he is the worst in a way where it’s like the author has deliberately thought of the most hideous person she can insert into the narrative in order to distract from the fact that her ‘hero’ is basically no better underneath. In fact the two of them have similar actions and thoughts, it’s just one involves doing it for the enjoyment of violence and the other is doing it to punish someone else and satisfy his curious desire. Neither of them respect Emily as a person and think of only what they themselves can get out of using her. The only thing I can say about Godric is well, at least he didn’t actually physically hurt her? Even though there’s one scene where he nearly rapes her because he doesn’t believe that she’s actually saying no until she starts to cry. And one of his friends intervenes but because Emily lied to him earlier about speaking a foreign language he leaves them to it because he can’t trust she isn’t lying now.
Oh hi, lying about whether or not you can understand men trying to talk about you in a different language in front of you isn’t the same as claiming you are being forced into a situation you are not comfortable with. She’s an 18 year old virgin. Several of the men have younger sisters. I’d like to know what they’d think about someone treating those sisters the appalling way they all treated Emily. Those little band of followers all get their own book and their own chances to be incredibly douchey to women they supposedly have feelings for, I’m sure. And despite the fact that one of the books sounds really good, I’m not going to read it. Because this one is awful. Downright horribly awful in a way that if it was the first historical romance I’d ever read, I might never have picked up another one.
Rakes often do rakish things, it’s why they’re called rakes. However I think Godric and his little band of followers definitely overstepped the mark from ‘rakes’ and well into ‘assholes’. He constructs an elaborate plan to kidnap and ruin Emily because her uncle owes him money. Let’s examine that for a moment….
He decides to kidnap and ruin a woman he doesn’t know and doesn’t have anything to do with and hasn’t ever had anything to do with, who has done him no ill, because her uncle, owes him money. In an age where chastity can be all a woman has in order to further herself, to escape a miserable existence (as is Emily’s), making a good marriage can be the difference between happiness and cruelty. Godric plans to take the one thing that might actually benefit Emily in a petty act of revenge. In an added twist, Emily’s uncle doesn’t actually care a single bit for her and is using her only as a bargaining chip to pay off another creditor so technically Godric’s plan isn’t even going to have its intended effect. Emily’s uncle isn’t going to be devastated, cowed and shamed by his niece’s ruin. At best he’s going to be somewhat irritated that he couldn’t pass her off to be married to his odious business partner. In fact the only person who loses is Emily. Big time.
But it’s okay because Godric and his friends are handsome and charming and rich. It doesn’t matter that they manhandled her, drugged her, kidnapped her and plan to ruin her, either by just the aforementioned acts or the actual physical act. Godric finds himself not averse to offering Emily an esteemed position as his mistress and seems quite baffled when she won’t accept. Because he is handsome and charming and rich any girl should be thrilled to be his mistress. Never mind that Emily is sheltered, inexperienced and hoping to use the one thing she had (her virginity) to marry a kind man who would hopefully not squander the inheritance she receives upon marrying. Basically Godric ruins her chances of that ever happening and Emily should be furious. And in the beginning she kind of is and she fights, including punching one of them in the face, trying to escape. But she seems to accept her fate annoyingly easily, somehow finding the whole bunch of them amusing (they aren’t) as well as you know, handsome and charming and rich. Rich they probably all are, they’re all Dukes and Marquesses and Earls and what have you. Handsome they may be too. But honestly? I didn’t find any of them at all charming. Kidnapping a woman and keeping her against her will is heinous. Godric’s reasoning was pathetic and so were his lame attempts at seduction. Emily soon lost all her spark and turned into an annoying boring wet blanket with some simpering version of Stockholm Syndrome.
I think we are supposed to find Godric some sort of saviour because Emily’s uncle has a far worse fate for her in mind and it’s no doubt that the man he wishes to basically sell her to, is the worst but he is the worst in a way where it’s like the author has deliberately thought of the most hideous person she can insert into the narrative in order to distract from the fact that her ‘hero’ is basically no better underneath. In fact the two of them have similar actions and thoughts, it’s just one involves doing it for the enjoyment of violence and the other is doing it to punish someone else and satisfy his curious desire. Neither of them respect Emily as a person and think of only what they themselves can get out of using her. The only thing I can say about Godric is well, at least he didn’t actually physically hurt her? Even though there’s one scene where he nearly rapes her because he doesn’t believe that she’s actually saying no until she starts to cry. And one of his friends intervenes but because Emily lied to him earlier about speaking a foreign language he leaves them to it because he can’t trust she isn’t lying now.
Oh hi, lying about whether or not you can understand men trying to talk about you in a different language in front of you isn’t the same as claiming you are being forced into a situation you are not comfortable with. She’s an 18 year old virgin. Several of the men have younger sisters. I’d like to know what they’d think about someone treating those sisters the appalling way they all treated Emily. Those little band of followers all get their own book and their own chances to be incredibly douchey to women they supposedly have feelings for, I’m sure. And despite the fact that one of the books sounds really good, I’m not going to read it. Because this one is awful. Downright horribly awful in a way that if it was the first historical romance I’d ever read, I might never have picked up another one.
December 29, 2013
I'm not usually one to pick up historical romances but if all of them are as enjoyable as Smith's upcoming Wicked Designs -- I think I've found a new genre to explore.
I'll admit... I was a little wary of the "kidnapping plot." Lord (and notorious playboy) Godric with the help of the League of Rogues kidnap Emily Parr. Not because of anything SHE did but because of her unreliable uncle who took investment money from Godric and never used it for what he said he would.
Emily is totally innocent in all of this, and is only looking for a suitor so she can finally gain the inheritance that her father left her. When she is kidnapped by Godric and her crew, she is sure her reputation is ruined forever and she will never do all the things she dreamed of.
I really enjoyed Emily. She was certainly no damsel in distress and gave Godric (and all the League of Rogues) a run for their money. She often tries to escape, and is constantly clever and wildly independent. Even though she is kidnapped by Godric, she can't help but feel attracted to him and as she learns more about him, wonders if they could actually fall in love and get married.
Smith has created such multi-dimensional characters because Godric, while strapping and uber-confident, is hot and cold throughout the book. As he gets to know Emily some of his vulnerability peels away and it's interesting to watch him squirm and bottle everything up again. Emily gets confused and self-conscious, and you wonder when and if they can get it together.
These two have a TON TON TON of chemistry.
Best of all, the supporting cast of League of Rogues have such distinct personalities and I love how they are all so taken with Emily. They are so used to pursuing women for a night or a few and she really starts to open their eyes. They all get a bit protective of her, and it was really nice to see.
WICKED DESIGNS is super sexy, funny, suspenseful and the perfect book to read in one sitting. (This is what I did.) I truly loved the characters and the setting was so well done, I felt like I was right there riding horses and fishing alongside the characters.
Definitely looking forward to getting to know the other League of Rogues in depth as the series continues!
I'll admit... I was a little wary of the "kidnapping plot." Lord (and notorious playboy) Godric with the help of the League of Rogues kidnap Emily Parr. Not because of anything SHE did but because of her unreliable uncle who took investment money from Godric and never used it for what he said he would.
Emily is totally innocent in all of this, and is only looking for a suitor so she can finally gain the inheritance that her father left her. When she is kidnapped by Godric and her crew, she is sure her reputation is ruined forever and she will never do all the things she dreamed of.
I really enjoyed Emily. She was certainly no damsel in distress and gave Godric (and all the League of Rogues) a run for their money. She often tries to escape, and is constantly clever and wildly independent. Even though she is kidnapped by Godric, she can't help but feel attracted to him and as she learns more about him, wonders if they could actually fall in love and get married.
Smith has created such multi-dimensional characters because Godric, while strapping and uber-confident, is hot and cold throughout the book. As he gets to know Emily some of his vulnerability peels away and it's interesting to watch him squirm and bottle everything up again. Emily gets confused and self-conscious, and you wonder when and if they can get it together.
These two have a TON TON TON of chemistry.
Best of all, the supporting cast of League of Rogues have such distinct personalities and I love how they are all so taken with Emily. They are so used to pursuing women for a night or a few and she really starts to open their eyes. They all get a bit protective of her, and it was really nice to see.
WICKED DESIGNS is super sexy, funny, suspenseful and the perfect book to read in one sitting. (This is what I did.) I truly loved the characters and the setting was so well done, I felt like I was right there riding horses and fishing alongside the characters.
Definitely looking forward to getting to know the other League of Rogues in depth as the series continues!
May 14, 2025
No recollection of this book whatsoever bc the Libby book was returned with 11% left half a month ago 🤡 but I was ~enjoying it for the most part but I do think I was exasperated enough at the ending drama that I was like eh and didn’t feel pressed to pick it back up.
dnf-too-early-to-mark-it-read
December 17, 2025I made it to chapter 4. The narration is great, but the story...
This goes beyond insta-lust/love, this is insta-know your soul/married ten years.
They've known each other what... three hours? And he's thinking how he wants to care for her and make her breakfast just right and feeling protective. She's thinking that behind those roguish eyes, a deep pain is hidden from others and how he might actually be a kind man.
I'm out...
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
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This goes beyond insta-lust/love, this is insta-know your soul/married ten years.
They've known each other what... three hours? And he's thinking how he wants to care for her and make her breakfast just right and feeling protective. She's thinking that behind those roguish eyes, a deep pain is hidden from others and how he might actually be a kind man.
I'm out...
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
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December 5, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up
Since the tragic deaths of her parents, Emily Parr has been relegated to living with her uncle and subjected to the unsavory attentions of his business partner. An heiress in her own right, Emily's plan is to find a husband quickly and one who will overlook her lack of connections in favor of her fortune and leave her be, but those plans are derailed when Emily is kidnapped by a duke with a terrible reputation.
Godric St. Laurent, the Duke of Essex, enjoys his carefree lifestyle with his friends and doesn't mind the rakish reputation he's developed. He uses that bad reputation to kidnap the niece of a man who cheated him on an investment, ruining the girl in retaliation for the theft of his money. He's not prepared for his reaction to the sweet-natured but willful Emily and is shocked to find himself entertaining thoughts of love and marriage, something he swore he'd never do. But as he succeeds in charming her, dangerous enemies loom to force them apart.
I have some mixed feelings here. The whole kidnapping, held by force, five men all trying to seduce the heroine premise was a lot. The fact that every single male in the story was so instantaneously enamored of Emily for not much apparent reason got a bit irritating. Emily's constant escape attempts were understandable and I admired her pluck, but her thought process also showed a great amount of naivete and an inability to think ahead on her part. Godric, for all his infuriating ways and high-handedness actually had an intriguing storyline and Emily brought out the best in him. I didn't really understand how she was a great heiress when her parents' shipping company was stated to be failing but oh well. Despite their foibles being somewhat bothersome, I must say I enjoyed these two as a couple and the steam here was excellent. Emily helped Godric overcome the abuse and pain of his past and he finally opened himself up to her while she learned to be honest and trust him. I liked these two as a couple and I especially enjoyed the relationship between Johnathan and Godric, as well as the rest of the League, and I look forward to seeing that dynamic continue to development throughout the rest of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Since the tragic deaths of her parents, Emily Parr has been relegated to living with her uncle and subjected to the unsavory attentions of his business partner. An heiress in her own right, Emily's plan is to find a husband quickly and one who will overlook her lack of connections in favor of her fortune and leave her be, but those plans are derailed when Emily is kidnapped by a duke with a terrible reputation.
Godric St. Laurent, the Duke of Essex, enjoys his carefree lifestyle with his friends and doesn't mind the rakish reputation he's developed. He uses that bad reputation to kidnap the niece of a man who cheated him on an investment, ruining the girl in retaliation for the theft of his money. He's not prepared for his reaction to the sweet-natured but willful Emily and is shocked to find himself entertaining thoughts of love and marriage, something he swore he'd never do. But as he succeeds in charming her, dangerous enemies loom to force them apart.
I have some mixed feelings here. The whole kidnapping, held by force, five men all trying to seduce the heroine premise was a lot. The fact that every single male in the story was so instantaneously enamored of Emily for not much apparent reason got a bit irritating. Emily's constant escape attempts were understandable and I admired her pluck, but her thought process also showed a great amount of naivete and an inability to think ahead on her part. Godric, for all his infuriating ways and high-handedness actually had an intriguing storyline and Emily brought out the best in him. I didn't really understand how she was a great heiress when her parents' shipping company was stated to be failing but oh well. Despite their foibles being somewhat bothersome, I must say I enjoyed these two as a couple and the steam here was excellent. Emily helped Godric overcome the abuse and pain of his past and he finally opened himself up to her while she learned to be honest and trust him. I liked these two as a couple and I especially enjoyed the relationship between Johnathan and Godric, as well as the rest of the League, and I look forward to seeing that dynamic continue to development throughout the rest of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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