Notorious rogue, Lawrence Russell has no desire to marry—or heaven forbid, fall in love. Although he enjoys his fair share of pleasure, Lawrence prefers to protect his heart. Yet, when he comes to the rescue of a brave and passionate Persian princess, he discovers his heart may be at risk from the very thing he’s always feared…
SHE’S A PRINCESS WITH A DANGEROUS SECRET.
Zehra Darzi’s life has been turned on its head. When she flees her home after her parents’ brutal murder, she is kidnapped and transported to England. There, she awaits her doom—being auctioned off for a brothel. But fate intervenes in the form of a heroic man, who purchases her freedom. As Zehra adjusts to life in England, she can’t help but fall for her rescuer, Lawrence. But when an enemy from her past resurfaces in London, she knows it’s only a matter of time before her darkest secret is brought to light.
And this secret just might cost Lawrence his life…
Lauren 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.
Great addition to the series. This novella covers Lawrence Russell, younger brother to Lucien, Marquess of Rochester.
Lawrence is at a brothel to interrupt the sale of slaves. Agents of the crown are late to the auction, so Lawrence bids on the first slave in order to protect her.
Zehra Darzi is a Persian Princess that has been abducted. She finds herself in a brothel about to be auctioned to the highest bider.
I'm glad this was a novella and not a full novel. It was also nice to get a break from the same villain that has been in all the previous books. I needed a break from Sir Hugo.
Series: The League of Rogues #6 Publication Date: 3/5/18
Wowzers! What a wickedly delightful novella with betrayal, slavery, romance, love and a wonderfully sweet HEA – as well as a bit of brother-against-brother. Lauren Smith’s writing is, as always wonderful, the story is well plotted, well delivered and filled with memorable characters. I have loved the League of Rogues since the very first book in the series and I think you will as well. Since this is a novella rather than a full-length novel, it isn’t as filled with action and shenanigans as the other novels are, but it is still a wonderful story for Lawrence and Zehra. Don’t you just love that name – Zehra – so exotic and romantic.
Zahra Darzi is the daughter of a Persian Shah and an English noblewoman. Her home was filled with laughter and love. Her parents doted on her and she loved her Persian homeland. Then, her parents were betrayed by someone they considered a friend. Al Zahrani had betrayed her parents to another Shah who wanted to take over her father’s lands and riches and he would get Zehra as his concubine as a reward. While her parents perished, she managed to escape from Al Zahrani only to be captured by slavers and shipped thousands of miles away from her homeland – to England.
Lawrence Russell is the brother of Lucien Russell, Marquess of Rochester who is the hero of HIS WICKED SEDUCTION (Book 2). Lawrence is helping his younger brother Avery on the night they are to have a slave auction at the White House brothel in Soho. It is his job to enter the establishment and take note of everyone who is participating in the auction while waiting for Avery and his men to enter before the auction starts. The auction starts and Avery and his men aren’t there – what is Russell supposed to do. The most beautiful and exotic creature he has ever seen is up on the auction block and some of the vilest creatures in London are bidding on her and promising her all of the things they plan to do to her.
Will Russell manage to save her before she is auctioned off? Will Avery finally show up? If they rescue her, what will they do with her? Will they send her back to Persia? Oh, my – so many things going on. Will Russell defy the Crown in order to have Zehra? Don’t forget Al Zahrani – remember, he is a bad guy and wants Zehra. You are just going to have to read this wonderful novella to find out all that happens.
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
I have loved every book in this series. They have been a marvelous mix of adventures with handsome rogues, heart wrenching romance and a goodly amount of delicious angst.
"His Wicked Embrace" lacked so many of the elements that has made The League of Rogues such a great series.
This is a novella but I've read novellas with so much more guts, fire and feelings than this!
I was really looking forward to a great adventure for Lucien's brother, Lawrence Russell, one of the younger members of the League. Add a Persian princess who is on the block to be sold as a slave and a villain out to claim her... how can you possibly go wrong?
Well... apparently, very wrong!
This book had such great story telling potential that it saddens me that it wasn't explored in depth to make it a full length novel like the others.
I wanted Lawrence to have a real adventure but instead we get an insta-love story that just wasn't built up to move this reader to drink the lemonade. Sorry.
What happened, Lauren Smith???!!! Where was the creativity? The push and pull? Where was the stuff you've written in the past that's had my heart tied in knots and my fists too?
I hope the magic returns in the next book because this one was not magic at all.
Notorious rogue, Lawrence Russell has no desire to marry—or heaven forbid, fall in love. Although he enjoys his fair share of pleasure, Lawrence prefers to protect his heart. Yet, when he comes to the rescue of a brave and passionate Persian princess, he discovers his heart may be at risk from the very thing he’s always feared…
SHE’S A PRINCESS WITH A DANGEROUS SECRET.
Zehra Darzi’s life has been turned on its head. When she flees her home after her parents’ brutal murder, she is kidnapped and transported to England. There, she awaits her doom—being auctioned off for a brothel. But fate intervenes in the form of a heroic man, who purchases her freedom. As Zehra adjusts to life in England, she can’t help but fall for her rescuer, Lawrence. But when an enemy from her past resurfaces in London, she knows it’s only a matter of time before her darkest secret is brought to light.
And this secret just might cost Lawrence his life…
Heroine: Zehra Darzi, 20. Half-English, half Persian. The granddaughter of the Earl of Denbruck.
Hero: Lawrence Russell, 29. Brother of the Marquess of Rochester.
Date: 1821
How they meet: Lawrence’s brother (who works for the government) sends him to be an observer at an illegal slave sale at an English brothel. Zehra, who was twice abducted, is up for sale. Lawrence is repulsed by how the women are being treated and when the government raid is slow to commence, he finds himself drawn to Zehra and bids on her for her safety.
What happens: Lawrence and Zehra haven’t yet left when the raid begins, but they manage to escape. Lawrence offers to take her anywhere she wants to go, but she feels safe with him and wants to go home with him. She knows that the man who originally abducted her--her parents' killer--was at the auction trying to get her back for himself to have as a concubine. Even though Lawrence is a rake, he is very respectful of her and is willing to give her a place to stay.
Verdict: This series has had its ups and downs for me, and after a break I decided to try another book from it. The story is relatively low angst given a rather vile man is hunting down the heroine. The plot is fairly straight-forward, with most of the time focused on the hero and heroine getting to know each other. There is a bit of a twist at the end. This is one of those stories where the hero and heroine just sensed they were supposed to be together and even though they are intimate a short while after meeting, it didn’t feel like it was just lust driving things. I wish the story had continued on a bit further rather than ending at the point it did. There is an epilogue, but it wasn’t as satisfying of a follow-up as I would have liked. There were two pretty obvious ways to protect the heroine that the hero never seemed to consider and it seems like those should have been addressed somehow. I think this reads fine as a standalone. Characters from earlier books do make appearances, but those stories weren’t fresh in my mind when I read this and I wasn’t at all confused.
Another wonderful addition to The League of Rogues Series. The story of a young lady from a faraway land and rogue gentleman who should never have met in the normal course of their lives.
Lawrence Russell is a man who adores women and they adore him. He has never been in danger of losing his heart to a woman, it's not that he doesn't want to fall in love, he just hasn't met the right woman yet. When his brother asks him to go to a disreputable brothel to observe an illegal auction and note who bought the women so they could be arrested and the woman returned to their families. Only his brother was late and to stop a degenerate from buying one of the women, he bids on her and wins. Now, what is he supposed to do with her? He is awed at her courage in the face of what she has been through. Abducted from her and shipped thousands of miles away from her home. Taking her to his home he plans on helping her with whatever she needs. Her beauty, resilience, and courage awaken feelings that he has never experienced before.
Zehra Darzi is in a nightmare that she cannot awake from. Her parents are dead, betrayed by a man they trusted and she is taken prisoner to become a member of the man's harem. Protected and loved by her parents, her father a Persian Prince and her mother the daughter of an English Lord. She has always lived in Persia, her mother wanted her to see England one day, but not like this. She escaped the harem and was captured by slavers and wound up in a brothel being auctioned off as a slave, but the villain has followed her to England and is determined to recapture her.
The man who buys her is so unexpected. He is a beautiful gentleman who promises not to hurt her and help her get home. But she can't go home and decides she wants to stay with him where she finally feels safe again.
But staying together forever might not be easy, the English Government is determined to return her to Persia to save diplomatic relations even if she has no desire to return. Can Lawrence save her again?
A beautifully crafted love story filled with adventure, danger, courage, and honor. Lawrence is a wonderful hero, a truly good man who will protect his love at all costs. You also get to visit with the Rogues from the previous books in this story. This is a lovely sensual love story that will leave you gasping for breath and sighing over their happily ever after. Lauren has been a favorite of mine for years and a go-to author for me.
In what I can only assume is a captive heroine's dramatic intro meat to capture my attention, turned me off completely. I plowed through it and by the time I reached the end, it went from a -5 star rating to a 4 star rating. The romance is spot-on, just like I expect from Lauren Smith. It just had a wretched beginning.
An English gentleman and a Persian princess who’s been sold into slavery. How much more exciting can a story get? Lawrence was the perfect hero. Honorable, sweet but strong, and oh so sexy. Zehra was a beautiful princess who had lost everything until she found shelter in Lawrence’s arms. Lauren Smith is brilliant at creating sensual, spicy, tension filled romances, and she’s at the top of her game with this one. Characters with strength and integrity, a dark and dangerous plot, intrigue, and passion that’s to die for. An excellent addition to a fabulous series.
Lawrence rescues a Persian princess from being sold as a slave by buying her and promising to keep her safe.
Zehra Darzi has been through hell after parents were betrayed and murdered. She was going to be forced into an evil man's harem, but when she escapes she gets kidnapped by slaver who take her to England.
They immediately fall for each other, so this is very instalove.
What a heartwarming story. What can a gentleman do when he sees a damsel in distress but save her? Lawrence Russell was helping his brother by watching an auction take place at a brothel It was a run by a ring that the crown was trying to take down who kidnapped and sold women for money. Taking one look at Zehra and Lawrence knew he had to save her from being taken by someone else so he placed the highest bid for her.. Zehra had been living in a nightmare, taken from her home in Persia and held as a slave until she reached London. In the end, some meetings are fated but danger lurks in a man who is looking to take Zehra as his property. Lawrence, always carefree and known to some as a Rouge feels protective of Zehra and she trusts him from the beginning. I loved both of these characters and so enjoyed their story. There are some surprises and intrigue and a wonderful journey!
His Wicked Embrace is a fabulous historical romance by Lauren Smith. Ms. Smith has provided readers with a well-written book and populated it with a stellar cast of characters. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited time for reading. Zehra escaped from the man that murdered her family and set fire to her home, only to end up being captured by slavers and taken to England to be sold at auction. Lawrence went to the auction as a favor for his brother, who was supposed to arrive with Bow Street Runners, but the auction had started. Zehra and Lawrence's story is packed with drama, humor, sizzle, action and suspense. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to reading more from Lauren Smith in the future. His Wicked Embrace is book 6 of The League of Rogues but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I read (and thoroughly enjoyed) a contemporary romance by Lauren Smith a while back, so I shouldn't be surprised that I enjoyed this as well! It might be #6 in the series, but it read fine without having read the previous five first - but I liked it so much that I definitely will go back and read the rest of the series! Not gonna lie, I'm still salty at Scribd (unlimited my @$$) but I'm sorta happy they "forced" to try His Wicked Embrace!
A thoroughly enjoyable novella from Lauren Smith! I am not a big novella fan because I want a well developed romance, but this one was excellent. It was a believable relationship and I loved both the hero and the heroine. I love that he was a ginger! (The cover picture is awesome!) Very nicely written story.
She’s seen her family murdered , she’s been betrayed, placed in a harem , tortured, kidnapped, sent to an English Brothel and finally sold as a slave , but when she thought all was lost and she would be spending her life filling a man bed as his whore , her knight in shinning armour arrives to save her buying her at auction. That knight is Lawrence Russell , he was only meant to be watching , checking out the other bidders and committing to memory the people who attended such deprived and disgusting places. One he saw the Persian beauty , he couldn’t let her go to any of the degenerate ‘s there. So against orders he buys her and takes her home , and over the next few days they realise Fate always meant them to be together . But love doesn’t always run smooth , with annoying brothers and Persian slave traders on there tails ,will they ever get a HEA? Always love Lauren’s books , she never disappoints, and this is another I read an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review
A SHORT LENGTH NOVEL. IT WAS SHORT AND SWEET, AND THE CHEMISTRY AND ATTRACTION WAS INSTANT, THOUGH NOT EXACTLY INSTA LOVE BUT CLOSE.
OUR HERO is Lucien's brother Lawrence and due to his younger brother's bidding Avery to help with unearthing an underground slave auction, he attends the event only to end up buying a woman for 7000 pounds. Of course he only did it to save her. This arresting Persian princess was fire in his veins and I loved the way he was so gentlemanly sweet on her and it was obvious he was smitten immediately, it was only a matter of time before they fell into bed and then marry.
OUR HEROINE is an exotic half Persian Princess whose parents have been betrayed and killed by a friend, and said friend wants her in his harem. Somehow she flees his captivity, ends up in England and sold for slavery. Luck is on her side when Lawrence saves her and she doesn't want to leave his protection, ending up falling for the man himself.
OVERALL this was all rainbows and happy endings. Definitely sweet and cute.
His Wicked Embrace is the story of how Lawrence Russell, Lucien’s younger brother, rescues Persian princess Zehra from a slave auction and the clutches of Samir Al-Zirani. I really liked this instalment of the League of Rogues, with its action and the miscommunication and found family tropes.
Sorry that I did not waste my time with rewriting my reviews for each book. The summation for When a Rogue Falls applies to all the books. Just dig through for this book’s review. When a Rogue Falls - This collection consists of the previously published stories from nine authors. All are new to me, except for Aubrey Wynne; her book is the reason why I chose this collection. Although I have a couple of collections with these authors’ books, I never was interested in reading their books. The review conditions required that I read all the books. I received an Epub file, which made my reading experience a nightmare, until I found Calibre. Some of these books came with an overview, which I appreciate knowing what the story is about before I read it.
This will be the last collection of these authors that I will review/read. The dialog is too modern for the times, which spoils the reading for me, along with the amateur ways used to show the woman in question is independent. A bit simplistic and Hollywood in the styles, too. I will stick with Ms. Wynne, except for her Legacy Series since books two and three were unsatisfactory.
Every one of these books needs editing. What is the deal with using lowercase for titles and names (so common nowadays) – disrespect and intolerance? Doesn’t anyone know the difference between woman and women (or man vs. men), singular vs. plural, or possessive vs. plural? Authors, may I recommend Dame Barbara Cartland for reference material; not an author I cared to read even in childhood, but she knew her stuff. In case this matters to some, she’s the step-grandmother to Princess Di. 3*
Caroline Linden, The Secret of My Seduction – I was unable to finish this story. It had a good beginning and the characters were interesting, but once the sex started I became bored and quit reading. 3*
Erica Monroe, Stealing the Rogue's Heart – There is a glossary of older terms that are not all commonly used today. I liked the storylines, the characters and dialog. Although there was a little bit of today’s theme of men not telling her what to do, the story is actually realistic. There is some vulgar language and I skipped the sex scenes. 4*
Katherine Bone, The Pirate's Debt – I could not get into this story. I felt like I missed a previous book and what I was reading confused me. 3*
Aileen Fish, That Miscreant Marquess – This is a nice, clean, simplistic story with good characters. The storylines were OK, but the romance bit from his end happened on the next page after he said he wasn’t interested in her. That didn’t flow smoothly with all the denials and wham love, and her acting like he belonged to her at a certain point. 3*
Christina McKnight, Adeline – I found this to be an interesting and intriguing version of Beauty and the Beast, and enjoyable reading. The storylines are interesting and the support characters are my type of conspirators and caring people. The two main characters, both damaged in their own way, kept me immersed in the pages, even though there were some silly thoughts. Good descriptions. Good dialog, considering, but still too modern as with the servants’ behaviors. 4*
Dawn Brower, A Lady Hoyden's Secret – I was interesting in where the story was going but with chapter two when the switch flipped I started getting bored with the same old formula. Then a bit later, same chapter, the vulgar language began with the fantasies. There was not enough story to get me interested in these characters, nor did I feel any sexual tension between them; just sneakiness. He ignores her for decades and now he’s hot for her; yeah, right; maybe further into the story. 2*
Aubrey Wynne, Rhapsody and Rebellion #3 - I enjoy the stories by Ms. Wynne, but this one is just OK. Good storylines well told but the dialog is not authentic. This is a quickly read romance set in England during the early 1800s. The characters are good and likeable, well almost all of them, and there's plenty of love and caring mixed with a touch of suspense. This story is not on the same level as some of her previous books. Some research would have helped this story immensely, and the author would have learned that God and the Bible were important to these characters and would not have used lowercase as is so popular nowadays with the “modern” folk. I contacted the author to review her books and received this copy through Booksprout. Needs minor editing. 3*
Amanda Mariel, Love Only Me – There seems to be lots of confusion for this author concerning possessive vs. plural, to the point of annoyance for the reader. BUT … this is an interesting story with good characters and good dialog, better than the rest. Although I skimmed, I did finish this one. 4*
Lauren Smith, His Wicked Embrace – Did not make it far into the story before boredom set in. There was nothing that interested me about the characters or the storylines. 3*
Notorious rogue, Lawrence Russell has no desire to marry—or heaven forbid, fall in love. Although he enjoys his fair share of pleasure, Lawrence prefers to protect his heart. Yet, when he comes to the rescue of a brave and passionate Persian princess, he discovers his heart may be at risk from the very thing he’s always feared…
SHE’S A PRINCESS WITH A DANGEROUS SECRET.
Zehra Darzi’s life has been turned on its head. When she flees her home after her parents’ brutal murder, she is kidnapped and transported to England. There, she awaits her doom—being auctioned off for a brothel. But fate intervenes in the form of a heroic man, who purchases her freedom. As Zehra adjusts to life in England, she can’t help but fall for her rescuer, Lawrence. But when an enemy from her past resurfaces in London, she knows it’s only a matter of time before her darkest secret is brought to light. And this secret just might cost Lawrence his life…
MY THOUGHTS: I originally read this book as part of "The Scoundrel Who Loved Me" anthology which I borrowed through KindleUnlimited. This book is now being released as a single title.
Zehra Darzi's life will never be the same. She witnessed the murder of her parents and then was kidnapped eventually landing on the auction block at a London Brothel.
Lawrence Russell has been sent on an undercover mission by his brother. He never wants to marry but when he spots the exotic beauty with the frightened look in her eyes on the auction block, he will do anything he must to save her.
What dark secret does Zehra hold and will it lead to the death of her savior?
I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 4 of 5 flames.
This historical romance has a fairy tale quality to it with just enough intimacy to titillate the senses of the reader.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book as a standalone title after having read it as part of the Anthology it was previously released in.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Although this is part of the League of Rogues world, this story is about Lawrence, Lucien’s younger brother and Zehra, a Persian princess kidnapped and sold into slavery. Although nothing terrible happened to Zehra (aside from her parents being murdered and being treated like a slave), the mere thought of what could have happened was chilling. In fact, I found it hard to believe that nothing did happen. In the weeks it took to transport the slaves from Persia to England, it’s hard to believe that she was somehow separated from the rest of the slaves as having more value. There was no reason for anyone to believe she was a princess or a virgin, for that matter. To save her to ensure a higher price seems unlikely. Still, there was such high importance placed on virginity at that time, I understand why the author had to make it clear she was one.
I don’t recall Lawrence from the other League books, but he was a fun character. The spitting image of Lucien, he seemed to share many of the same personality traits. Not surprisingly, he shared the same values as the other men from the League so there was never any question about whether he would take advantage of Zehra. That meant that she had to be the aggressor, to a certain extent, and that seemed a bit out of character for what she was—a sheltered princess, who had just been kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. The explanation was that she had read many books and understood what happened between men and women. Still, it was a stretch to think that a woman kidnapped and threatened with rape would, within less than a week, recover sufficiently to want to seduce her rescuer.
I’m sure I could pick apart more of the plot and find reasons why it was unlikely, but none of that matters. This is primarily a story about a relationship between Lawrence and Zehra and I think that was represented well. The connection between them was believable, and although I thought her unwillingness to share secrets with him because she wanted to protect him was poorly thought out, it was clear there was a certain intimacy between them that neither had experienced with anyone else. It’s a solid story and I enjoyed it.
Zehra Darzi’s parents were murdered in Persia, where she was kidnapped and brought to a brothel in England to be sold to the highest bidder, which Samir Al-Zahrani intends to be. Lawrence Russell was on the premises because his younger brother Avery asked him to note of the men present at the auction, and who “bought” women; Avery is with the authorities. The whole situation reminds of a mistake Lawrence had made in the past, and so he bids for Zehra, and wins. Zehra is relieved that Al-Zahrani lost to the handsome man with the red hair. Lawrence might be a rogue, but he is a gentleman, and he is furious at what could have been Zehra’s fate had he not intervened, although he knows Avery will be furious. Lawrence takes Zehra home with him until things can be sorted out; she will be under his protection in the meantime.
HIS WICKED EMBRACE is such a lovely romance! Lawrence is a lusty hero but ever so sweet and compassionate. I loved that there were no miscommunication or misunderstandings, and things proceeded at a swift pace. The addition of the political context was a clever idea by Ms. Smith as it adds another dimension to the story, along with wonderful descriptions of Persia and its traditions. The relationship between Lawrence and Avery is fascinating, as they butt heads while trying to rectify Zehra’s situation without causing a political incident. The gentlemen of the League of Rogues make appearances, and readers unfamiliar with the series can become acquainted with those randy gentlemen while not being lost. I very much appreciated as well that the Rogues’ wives, the Society of Rebellious Ladies, take part in keeping Zehra safe. And Zehra and Lawrence are both so charming and engaging; what an appealing couple they make!
I loved the addition of the few gorgeous pictures which augment the text. HIS WICKED EMBRACE, a sweet and sensual romance with a dash of mystery, has a lovely fairytale quality about it that I enjoyed very much.
I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
His roguish ways are sacrificed for his Persian princess.
Mr. Lawrence Russell, younger brother of the Marquess Rochester and a member of the League of Rogues, is more than the rakish facade he presents to London society. The depth of his honorable character and tender heart is proven true when he spends a small fortune to save kidnapped Persian princess, Zehra Darzi, from a sex slave auction.
His Wicked Embrace by Lauren Smith has an original stand-alone plot that is written in a descriptive style with historical highlights. In addition to main characters who are well developed and likable, there are also cameo appearances of characters from previous books. The story is mostly a sweet smile-worthy romance, but sadly the author chose not to develop the element of danger, which would have made for a much more interesting read. Thankfully the ending was happy, and the epilogue was appreciated.
Content alert: Moderate amount of swearing (d*nm 28 times, h*ll 14 times, g*d 19 times) and descriptive (but not vulgar) sexual intimacy.
FYI: I also posted my review on Amazon and on BookBub.
Very interesting story in the series. Zehra was kidnapped in her home in Persia. She sneaks out of her kidnapper's home, only to be kidnapped again by slavers who ship her across to England.
In England, Avery and Lawrence are working with the Bow Street Runners to find missing women from Persia and while waiting for the Runners, Lawrence sees Zehra, and pays for her to save her from being sold.
Lawrence takes her to his home and tries to keep her safe, while her original kidnapper has followed her to England. Meanwhile he's gotten the League of Rogues and their wives to help Zehra feel more comfortable and reunite her with her English family. This book is a bit short (which usually I prefer) so they have to rush the ending and the kidnapper is theoretically a huge risk to Zehra but he isn't really involved in a lot of the book.
Overall, though, this is one of the better books in the series. When I read the first book I didn't like the idea of the League and their ideas of being okay with being villains or evil, but the later books don't involve the League as much so I like them better.
I couldn't put it down! From the moment they met you know they were supposed to be together. This is a fast-paced romance, but it works perfectly for this story. I loved that they brought out each others true selves and that they wanted to protect each other. As with anything involving the Russell family and the league you will be laughing at times. I was holding my breath a couple of times near the end, but it was perfect with how everything played out.
Zehra will never let someone break her or go down without a fight. I loved her because she was a refreshing change from the typical heroines. She was raised with stricter rules than London but also has had a very different education in things. When she decided to enjoy herself and be free it was perfect.
Lawrence has a huge heart that he tries to protect and hide. I loved how he would fight anyone to protect her. He knew she was special and so did he was around. His staff truly cared about him and his friends would stand by him no matter what.
This book had potential but lacked much depth. It could have been more adventurous for sure. The characters, Lawrence and Zehra fall for each other very fast, like within a week. Zehra has this constant fear of being found by the man who murdered her family (here it felt like the typical Arab vs Iranian, the Arab being the bad guy). Anyways, he is in London but there was absolutely nothing to that storyline, everything just went extremely smoothly, no interactions with him. Her maternal grandfather accepted her immediately, but it would have been nice to see them form a bond first before the very quick lovey-dovey family relationship, I mean the grandfather was too proud to talk to his daughter (even though yes, he hired someone to look after her) it still was fast in my opinion. This book could have been longer with more adventure and gradually building relations then it would have been a very good book.
His Wicked Embrace by Lauren Smith, book six of The League of Rogues series . Cover: 4/5 Story: 4/5 Steam: 🔥 🔥 Ending: HEA . Stand Alone or Series: Read in series order. . London, 1821 Strong Persian Princess Insta-Love English/Persia Only One Room Brothel Auction Found Family Danger & Peril He Falls First He Falls Hard . The League of Rogues series deep dives into some very dark themes that some readers may find disturbing pe difficult. Please see CW for this title. If you are looking for or are a fan of light-hearted, magic-feeling historical romances, this is, most likely, not the series for you. However, if you enjoy complex plotlines, danger, and darker themes along with steamy romance, read on. . Read as an ebook and physical copy. Honest review left voluntarily. . Content Warning (may contain spoilers): . . . . . Ab*uction Pr*stitution Human Tr*fficking Sl*very S*xual Sl*very Mu*der of parents