More Than a Rogue

The Crawfords #2

by Sophie Barnes

All she wanted was a kiss…

What she got, was fiery passion…

Emily Howard knows she is destined to be a spinster. She has accepted this fate, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to experience kissing. What she doesn't expect, is for Griffin Crawford, the handsomest man in the world, to do the honors. Or for all her female relations to discover her in his embrace. Naturally, marriage is instantly mentioned, but since Emily knows this is not what Griffin wants, she tries to escape him, her family and the ensuing scandal.

When Emily flees the Camberly ball in the wake of their kiss, Griffin goes in pursuit. He will not allow his sister-in-law's determined friend to risk her safety for any reason. And risk it she will if she means to return to her countryside home by herself. But the longer he remains in her company, the more he is tempted to kiss her again. If only he could risk falling in love and remain in England forever.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Fiction, Historical Fiction

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2019

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

For all the latest releases, promotions, and exclusive story updates, subscribe to Sophie Barnes’ newsletter today: www.sophiebarnes.com
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Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Emily Howard might be considered a spinster but she even though she's never been kissed, it doesn't mean she doesn't want to be.
Griffin Crawford has never been one to think about marriage but when he gets caught kissing Emily by the women of her family, he's prepared to do the right thing.
Except Emily wants nothing to do with a forced marriage and runs to try and escape back to her cottage out of London.
Griffin gives chase fearing for her safety and circumstances have them spending more time together, making it hard to keep certain feelings hidden.

As if reading her mind, he raised his chin a notch. “We’re not so dissimilar, are we? Both running from the mold our parents meant for us to fit into.”

More Than a Rogue is book two in the Crawford's series, the first had Griffin's Duke older brother falling in love with one of Emily's friends. I didn't read the first in the series and while I missed some prior background friendship information between Emily and her two friends and their Clearview home for children, I would still say you could start here. We're thrown right away into the story with Emily discussing with her friends how she wants to be kissed, a little hint that she's liked Griffin from afar, and then they get caught kissing. There's a tiny bit of road romance and then the majority is Emily and Griffin at a cottage liking one another and thinking the other one doesn't like them enough to do anything about it.

His eyes darkened as he took a step forward. The water slid away from the lower part of his chest, revealing his navel. Emily stared even as she took a step back. “I wonder,” Lord Griffin said as another stride offered a view of his hip, “how far this curiosity of yours,” his other hip appeared along with a narrow dart of black hair leading down over his pelvis, “will take you.”

Emily and Griffin do have their cute and steamy moments together but they got buried at times for me with the relentless “doesn't like me enough” angst that could have all been solved with a simple conversation. There was also a lot with the story plot that you'll just have to go along with, how Griffin is the only one to chase after Emily and why, Griffin deciding to pretend to be his brother so he can stay at the cottage with Emily, and all of Emily deciding Griffin doesn't love her enough when he shows and tells her in every possible way but saying the word “love”. The middle dragged out some with how Emily and Griffin went back and forth with their insecurities.

Reaching out, he steadied himself against a bookcase while trying to catch his breath. What the devil had Emily Howard done to him?

Not having read the first in the series, I don't know if the background on these characters was given more there but I would have liked to hear about Griffin's business in Vienna and how he fixes clocks and mechanical things, and definitely more information was needed on Emily's involvement with the home for children called Clearview. I never felt like I really knew these two characters, they and the story came off mostly mundane with little sparks of chemistry a handful of times.

“This is…” her words turned into a sigh when he pulled her to him for added contact “… not very proper.”
He gave a low chuckle and let his hands slide up her arms, over her shoulders, along her neck, and into her hair. “It’s nothing compared with what I am thinking.”

If not completely memorable, this was a standard Regency feeling romance but what had me rounding down instead of up was the last twenty percent. The story at first feels ended and then there was an instance that felt messily tagged on and a completely unnecessary angst moment thrown in that gave the ending a very clunky feel; I wish this last percent had simply been edited out and instead went straight to the epilogue.

The separation between Emily and Griffin hinged on them just not talking to one another and that made a lot of the story frustrating. They had some good moments together but this was more average than memorable. If you read the first in the series, you'll probably enjoy more and want to see Emily and Griffin get their happily ever after and see what is teased ahead for their other friend Cassandra.

Because if there was one truth that rang loud and clear above everything else, it was that he wanted her for himself. Forever.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Howard is a spinster and she is rather happy in life. She lives with her friend Cassandra and they care for orphaned children. Their friend Mary lived with them until she married a duke named Caleb. Emily does want one thing, however. While in London at a party Mary and Caleb are hosting, Emily wishes could experience a kiss, even if it should never happen again. The only man she can imagine kissing her is Griffin Crawford, Caleb's brother.

Eleven years previously, Griffin, along with brothers Caleb and Devlin, fled their father as he set paths for their lives none of them wanted. They all went their separate ways and have only gotten back together a year ago.

Griffin met Emily when he was looking for his brother Caleb. While drawn to her, marriage is the furthest thing from his mind so he never pursued her. Catching her alone one evening affords Griffin a unique opportunity. However, there were caught during their very brief kiss, but it was enough that Emily's mother demanded betrothal, as Emily has been compromised.

The last thing Emily wants is to be married to a man due to force, not love, so she flees back to the country. Quite worried, Griffin goes after her. She is distraught and alone, and Griffin fears for her safety. The two spend time together and it is apparent that they have a powerful connection. However, there is a problem they are both more than aware of. Griffin is only in England temporarily. He has a successful business in another country and longs to return to that life.

Their road to love is very bumpy indeed. Respect and honor are quite evident, but their future certainly isn't promised. It was a pleasure to read this story while watching the conflict evolve. This sweet story led to a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to the third book in this series, which will no doubt have Cassandra's and Devlin's stories.

Many thanks to Sophie Barnes and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Tanya Sridhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars.

Overall a wonderful, sweet romance between a scarred charmer and a former wallflower determined to never fall in love. A quick read, and without any heartbreaking angst - perfect for a rainy day with a cup of tea!

I received this book from Netgalley and the author in exchange for a review. This does not impact my opinions of the story or the characters in any way.

Years ago Emily Howard was abandoned by the man she was supposed to marry, and her un-acctravtiveness was to be blamed. She took her bruised heart and put it to good use, in setting up a home for abandoned and orphaned children with her friends - and closed the door on love and marraige forever. Determined that she was not destined for the grand romance her friend had just experienced, Emily decides she just wants to experience a soul-thrilling kiss.

She get's more than expected than a mind-blowing kiss from Griffin Crawford, the brother of a duke. Due to unseen circumstances, Emily and Griffin are stuck in a small little cabin and are forced to confront their growing feelings and attraction towards each other.

Can Griffin get over his insecurity caused by his scar, and will Emily believe his love? That's the story these characters explore, and mostly I found it enjoyable. Griffin to a certain extent is a beta hero, and I do love those. Emily is absolutely adorable - and upfront of her feelings and what she wants, and I do love that in a heroine.

My only complaints would be the pacing - at some points it's just too slow. And another would be that now suddenly Emily had lost some weight and every third man was interested in her. Not quite sure if I appreciate making a heroine thinner to explain a handsome brother of a duke wanting her.

Sweet, fluffy and quick read!

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: The Crawfords #2
Publication Date: 6/25/19
Number of Pages: 280
** 4.5 stars rounded up **

We met Emily Howard and Griffin Crawford in the first book of the series, No Ordinary Duke. They were attracted to each other from their first meeting, but each knew nothing could ever come of it. Griffin would soon be leaving England to return to Austria and his clockmaking business while Emily knew she’d never marry because – well – who would want her. This is book two of the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. However, I would recommend reading the first book of the series first simply because it is a marvelous book and the author does a wonderful job of setting up the series and introducing the characters.

In the first book, we learned that there was a total of four sons in the Crawford family along with a cruel, hateful, spiteful father and an ineffectual mother. There was George, the heir and then the triplets Caleb, Griffin, and Devlin. George was always treated well, spent time with their father, etc., but the other three were expected to do their father’s bidding – no matter what. When Caleb rebelled and ran away rather than bend to his father’s will, Griffin and Devlin soon did the same. That was ten years ago and now they have all returned to England because both George and their father died and Caleb is now the Duke of Camberly. The once close brothers have grown apart and both Griffin and Devlin will leave England again – well – actually – Devlin has already left and Griffin will be on his way in a few days. That is – he was – until the ball at Camberly House.

In the six years she’d spent living in the country with her friends Lady Cassandra and Mary, Emily hadn’t ever believed she’d return to society – and had no desire to do so. However, since Mary had married Caleb Crawford, Emily had to be supportive and that meant being in London to attend Mary’s first ball at Camberly House. Emily knew she’d never marry, but, just once, she’d like to experience a kiss – nothing more – just one kiss. She had decided that Mr. Bale would do nicely for that kiss – so she agreed to a refreshing walk outdoors with him.

Griffin saw Emily step out of the ballroom with Mr. Bale and hurried after them. When he found them and it appeared that Mr. Bale was preparing to kiss Emily, he stepped forward and summarily sent Mr. Bale back inside. Griffin hadn’t expected to have to face Emily’s wrath, but that is what he got. As they talked on the way back in, Griffin couldn’t help but give in and give Emily that first kiss she wanted so badly. It was a chaste kiss, not the kind he wanted to give her, but it was a kiss nonetheless. Only, it was interrupted by her mother, her sister, and her aunt – all of whom insisted that they must now marry.

While Griffin was willing to acquiesce to their demand, Emily was not. She told them that there was no way she’d ruin Griffin’s life by tying him to a bride he didn’t want and she promptly headed out of the ball. When Griffin determined that she was headed back to Clearview, the home she’d shared with the other women for the last six years, he headed out after her.

What a wonderfully seductive dance they did around each other. Neither wanting to be attracted to the other, but powerless to fight it. Throw in a total lack of communication on the important issues, a meddling mother, additional suitors, and past secrets and you have a volatile mix. Their path to their HEA is definitely not smooth nor easy but well won.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but it did seem to be a bit unevenly paced in places. I was also not nearly as invested in Emily and Griffin as I had been in Mary and Caleb – but I still loved them.

The epilogue in this book is absolutely to die for. It will absolutely make your heart soar. The epilogue takes place forty-five years in the future and shows Emily and Griffin getting ready to go to Austria for the birth of a grandchild. What a lovely, lovely scene and it shows how their love has grown and endured.

I definitely recommend this lovely read and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

My bad, I had the previous book lined on my kindle shelves as I preordered it because of the blurb but then it was forgotten, probably due to a big release day for many publishers but a bad one for readers as they have to deal with too many new books with which to choose to read first.
And I preordered this one too but luckily I was graced an advance copy by Netgalley and the publisher BookBuz.net why this time I didn’t passed up reading this new release.
My conclusion is it was worth the read.
This was a witty and sweet read, full of quips and funny banters until it took a more thoughtful turn. At first, it was more a battle of wills and who will have the upper hand than a real courting, then they reached a truce to be straight forward when together. So in close contact, they came to see the other from a different view. At time I was upset by Emily’s stubbornness but when I look back, even if they have an instant chemistry, it is no excuse to jump to conclusion they can get more. Never Griffin disclaimed he won’t go back to Vienna nor he expressed his feelings as himself came to realize them only later.
Both make assumptions for the other because despite being honest, they can’t openly express what they feel or expect.
It was their biggest challenge, having faith and trust another. Their past shaped their present behavior, why they appeared at first to be so reluctant to let their initial preconceptions go. Then when faced with their past crushing their burgeoning romance, they must straighten their emotions and take action.
Emily is a great character, she is no badass heroine, she learned to be independent and each step was a small victory, why I do understood her steel decision to never give up her hard won freedom for nothing less than love.

« He’d offered to marry her for heaven’s sake, and she, fool that she was, had demanded more. Because loving him when he did not love her in return would be devastating. It would wear on her heart and destroy her soul. »

Griffin is very much a gentleman, he sure caused Emily pains but he was never voluntarily, more a miscommunication problem. And he always respected who she was and whom she has become.

« Whatever happened would be up to Miss Howard. All her life she’d been steered in one direction and told what to do. If there was one thing he could give her that he believed would mean more to her than anything else, it was being given the chance to choose. »

The ending was just perfect, a leap forward in the future with a glimpse of how they faired over time.

[Dee Deacon Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can a simple kiss spark an inferno of passion? Sophie Barnes will tell you in this charming tale of a determined spinster wanting to experience her one and only kiss and the one man she never dreamed would be the one to do so. Sophie Barnes does an amazing job in portraying the angst the heroine feels and her determination to do what is right by the hero, no matter the cost to her and the hero’s conflict between doing the right thing and what he really wants.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved This book. Loved the way the characters Were developed. It was unique. The author did not rush developing a story. In fact I wanted them to “get it on“Sooner. The dialogue was excellent. The story was excellent. Of course the ending was excellent as every romance story is. However, which differentiate s The ending this is how the author tells the story. This author knows how to tell a good story

[Lori D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appearing in society again after six years being in the country with her friends, Emily never thought to return. But here she was now that one of those friends, Mary, was now the Duchess of Camberly at a ball.
What did she have to offer? No dowry, but her changed appearance from a podgy girl her mother dressed in terrible dresses, to a spinster with curves seemed to hold the interest of some gentlemen who seemed eager to dance with her. But she had never even been kissed!
Griffin, one of three triplets, with the oldest having inherited the Dukedom of Camerly, was there at the ball with his brothers but anxious to return to Vienna. But when he caught a glimpse of Emily going outside, on the arm of Mr. Bale, he had to follow. He had thought Emily was the most beautiful woman in the world when he had met her and Mr Bale had a gleam in his eye. Well after Mr Bale was quickly dealt with, one thing led to another and Emily found herself being kissed by Griffin. Wait, how did that happen? The man she thought was the handsomest man in the world? Unfortunately, or maybe just fortunately, they were observed by none other than Emily's mother, aunt and sister. Her mother was estatic and announced now Emily she was estatic because "You are finally to be married!" Of course Emily did the only thing she could and ran because she knew he would not really want to be forced to marry her!
The adventue begins and I have to say this was a delightful story and I truly loved Emily and Grant! Their banter and attraction that each tries to deny is priceless. She fains the kiss did nothing for her while he had felt a definite sizzle! Well, you will just have to see how this dance turns out in their journey to love with a lot of interference and past secrets coming to light. You do not want to miss this one or the first in this wonderful series!

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

ADULT Regency Romance 💕 and Adventure
Griffin and Emily's Story

Lord Griffin🐺🍆⛲💪, is the second born of triplets. His brother Caleb🐺🍆⛲💪 is somewhat of a reluctant Duke, but with Mary's help, from "No Ordinary Duke" he is to be happily married now.

Griffin🐺🍆⛲💪 comes to the country cottage of the three young outcast women of the ton and their orphan children, to find Caleb and bring him home. There, Griffin🐺🍆⛲💪 meets Emily💃💋, and is immediately smitten.

Griffin🐺🍆⛲💪 doesn't see Emily💃💋 again until Caleb and Mary's wedding👰ball. Saving her from the perceived clutches of a rogue in the garden, Griffin🐺🍆⛲💪 is then seen kissing Emily💃💋 by his mother! Now he must reluctantly offer👰 for Emily💃💋, a woman he really doesn't know!

ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
Opinions Expressed here are entirely my own.

I believe this is 2nd book is a standalone novel, but would be better read in order.

[biblio-sj · Rating 3 out of 5]

** 3.5 STARS **

ARC provided by LibraryThing Member's Giveaway for an honest review.

“When we allow ourselves to abandon the rules we’ve been taught to adhere to…we open ourselves to new experiences and a freedom that cannot exist as long as we let ourselves be restricted.” - Emily

This book has been a hard one to review. I found myself alternately captivated and frustrated throughout the majority of the story. The inconsistency between a forward thinking Emily, who was revolutionary for her time, and a deeply insecure Emily who continuously made incorrect assumptions about others made this book hard to rate. For this reason, I have decided to rate it 3.5 stars as despite my frustrations I still found myself looking forward to a HEA for Emily and Griffin.

More than a Rogue is about a spinster named Emily; an independent, opinionated and compassionate woman who is not in the business of finding a husband. Stubborn about her ability to take care of herself, after having been involved in a scandal six years’ prior with Lord Langdon, Emily is a very competent woman for her time and position in society. Her spinster lifestyle was caught up in chaos however, when she was caught kissing Lord Crawford at the first ball of the season. In an attempt to escape a forced marriage at the hands of her mother and Aunt, Emily flees to the country Clearview house. Emily’s efforts are in vain however, as Lord Griffin Crawford follows her to provide protection on their journey to Clearview. As an unlikely pair, Emily and Griffin partake in a slow-burn romance over the ensuing weeks.

“God, he wanted to kiss her right now. He wanted to taste the raindrops on her face and feel the drenched fabric of her gown bunched in his hands as he pulled her against him.” - Griffin

While I found Emily to be a surprising character, she was my least favourite in the book and that made it somewhat a tough read. Throughout the story we experience the struggle Emily has with following the rules that propriety dictates of her while suppressing her inner curiosity and desires. Barnes raises awareness of the inequalities between men’s and women’s knowledge of carnality during the time, as well as their societal acceptance to partake in it. Emily conveys her displeasure of this in the book:

“Are you really able to imagine what it is like to be six and twenty years old and not have experienced kissing? …Men are able to learn about these aspects of life without anyone caring one way or the other. Indeed, they are expected to do so and more.” - Emily

Despite my love of Emily’s independence, the issue I had with her was that at times she was hypocritical in her judgement of others despite her hearty disapproved of others forming incorrect opinions on her status as a ruined woman and spinster. This was consistently apparent in her dismissive opinions regarding Griffin’s feelings and motivations toward her throughout the story.

Griffin was my favourite character in the book as he displayed an honourable, thoughtful nature that eventually sought to gain Emily’s attentions and acceptance of his hand in marriage. While averse to the thought of marriage at the beginning of the novel, his attraction to Emily’s independence, strength and beauty was enough to change his mind on the matter. What I loved about Griffin was that he accepted and encouraged Emily to be herself and voice an opinion. This earned my respect as a reader and I found myself cheering for his success in winning her over.

A contention I have with the book, purely because of its title, is the notion of Griffin Crawford being a rogue. I just couldn’t see it. Despite what the title suggests, Griffin comes across as nothing less than an upstanding gentleman who seeks to win the hand of Emily. His admiration and respect for her independence was endearingly charming. Who could resist a man that wants a strong woman? What I could not picture however, was Griffin as a ravishing rogue. Throughout the book he firmly held the line of propriety for Emily’s sake, despite her objections at times, and for this I see him as more of a white knight seeking to save her tainted reputation. In all honesty, this was refreshing to read as too many historical romances favour portraying wicked male characters who become repetitive to read over time. I just wish that the title had been more in line with the real Griffin.

The similarities between Emily and Griffin’s circumstances (their independence and seeking to escape the confines of their families’ expectations of them) made for a believable connection between them from which love would slowly grow. The over-abundance of obstacles between these two points however, got a bit tiresome toward the end.

In spite of all this, I still found More than a Rogue to be an enjoyable read - if only occasionally frustrating.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is romantic, unpredictable and very entertaining. Lord Griffin is chivalrous, honorable and stubborn. Emily is feisty, honest and vulnerable. When Emily and Griffin first laid eyes on each other they were both left stunned and breathless, and ever since that day they have been sneaking looks at the other. But that's as far as it was going to go, because he lived in Vienna, and she was on the shelf. While visiting in London after being gone for 6 years, Emily decided that she wanted to experience a kiss. At the next ball she went out to the garden with a man, intending to get one kiss, then go back inside. Griffin watched the two go outside, and it became imperative that he follow them, even though he didn't know why. When he saw that Emily was about to be kissed, he got angry and ran the man off. Then he kissed Emily. When the kiss was over they found that they had an audience, her mother, sister and aunt. The aunt immediately says that they need to get married, so Griffin said that he would, but Emily refused, then ran off, headed back to the town she lived in. Shocked, Griffin took off after her, and when he caught up with her he accompanied her all the way to her home, and decided that he couldn't possibly leave her there alone. They end up flirting with each other, but whenever they got too close Emily hid away, she was in love with him and wouldn't marry a man who didn't love her as she did him. It's amusing to see them dance around each other, and more so watching Griffin fumble over his feelings denying that he's in love. And the more she resists, the harder he tries to get her to marry him. So funny to watch.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

All she wanted was a kiss…
Emily Howard knows she is destined to be a spinster. She has accepted this fate, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to experience kissing. So at a ball she heads out to the terrace with Mr Bale hoping for a kiss, what she doesn't expect, is for Griffin Crawford, the handsomest man in the world, to rush out to rescue her & then to do the honours. It’s just her luck for all her female relations to discover her in his embrace. Emily flees the Camberly ball & Griffin goes in pursuit. He will not allow his sister-in-law's determined friend to risk her safety for any reason.
A well written book with well portrayed characters. I did find the pace of the book stalled at times so I felt it didn’t flow smoothly. Whilst I liked both Griffin & Emily I didn’t love them & I wasn’t totally convinced by their love until the epilogue, which I thought was truly lovely. The path to their HEA isn’t smooth with lack of communication, secrets, other suitors & a meddling mother but it does make for an interesting read. This is the second book in the series & it could easily be read on its own, however I have to read a series in order & from the beginning so as ever I’d recommend reading the first book to enrich the enjoyment of this book
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Joana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Romancing Romances.

2.25*

I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.


This is the second book I’ve read written by Sophie Barnes and… I think her books just aren’t for me.

It took me forever to read the book and, honestly, having finished it yesterday, I barely remember anything from it.

I didn’t connect with the characters, I wasn’t a fan of either Emily or Griffin. The book just didn’t do it for me. It was all about miscommunication, and jealousy, and insecurities.

Instead of being invested in the characters, I found myself wanting to slap them.

The writing was good, the problem for me was the plot and characters.

Sadly, it didn’t do it for me.

[Carole Burant · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's a girl to do when she's 26 years old and has never been kissed? Why, have the very handsome Griffin Crawford do the honors, of course! I found this to be a very sweet story and although I do think it could have been much shorter due to the fact that the story just keeps going around in circles with Emily and Griffin not being totally honest with each other, it's still a very good book! Once they tell each other their true feelings, you can really feel the love between them and although both had been hurt in the past, they are able to overcome it.

I loved the epilogue, not often you find out what they're up to 45 years later!

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. more than a rogue was a quick romance that was sweet. there was no real lasting conflict but sometimes a pure developing relationship is all that is need. Emily has been working at an orphanage but is back in London to support her sister. she has not been back to London since she fled after the man she believed would marry her proposed to another woman instead. now back in London she flees rather than force Griffin to marry her after being caught in a compromising situation. Griffin however quickly goes from escorting Emily back home to not wanting to leave her.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less than perfect becomes a love of a lifetime. More than a Rogue steals it's way into your heart with a swoonworthy hero, a tempestuous romance and an enchanting heroine. Emily loses her heart, just as she finds her voice. One reckless act has her emotions all over the place and her body determined to fight her heart every step of the way. Barnes continues to mesmerize with wonderful characters and heartstopping romance.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to send my thanks to both Sophie Barnes, author and Goodread First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of More than a Rogue that I won in the Giveaway.

Lord Griffin Crawford first meets Emily Howard when he comes to find his brother Caleb, the Duke at the orphanage where he is fixing the roof. The attraction to Emily is instant and mutual from the moment she opened the front door.

The problem is that both claim to not want marriage, so the romance is full of starts and stops and lots of laughs too. Lord Griffin is caught kissing her, she flees, he follows to protect her and the attraction grows with experimental kisses, the unexpected arrival of Emily's overbearing mother, another suitor and lots more making More than a Rogue fun with a happy ending that is so important to Emily.

[Lenna Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, clean, but this didn’t bring me into the story and the connection between Griffin and Emily I felt was lacking, they come across more as friends then they do as being in love until the very last chapter where they have had the HEA and they are elderly and with grandchildren but then I felt their love for one another but not before that. Still a good story.

[Rose Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, as originally reviewed at The Romance Reviews: http://bit.ly/2xNeCKk

Six years ago, Emily Howard was being courted by Lord Langdon, and was expecting a marriage proposal. When Emily’s overbearing mother became impatient, and confronted Langdon about his intentions, she only succeeded in scaring him off. He soon became engaged to another, and Emily’s shame caused her to flee to the country, where she became involved in the running of an orphanage. Now, she has finally come back to town – thinner, dressed better, and with no expectations, especially since her younger sister, Laura, now has Emily’s dowry as well as her own.

Lord Griffin Crawford is one of a set of triplets, the younger brothers of a ducal heir. When their father tried to micromanage their lives a decade ago, the brothers scattered, each following their own path. Griffin’s love of clocks and mechanical toys led him to Vienna, where he owns a successful shop. He’s now back in town for a brief visit with his family. The oldest triplet, Caleb, is married to Mary, a friend of Emily’s who is also involved in the orphanage.

Upon meeting, Griffin and Emily were immediately attracted to each other, but neither acted on it, as there was no possible future for them. Still, Griffin can’t help but follow Emily when she leaves the ballroom with a gentleman for a walk in the garden. Griffin chases the man away, only to find that Emily is annoyed, rather than grateful, as she was hoping to finally experience her first kiss. Ironically, Emily and Griffin are found in the compromising situation by her relatives who begin to make matrimonial suggestions. Griffin is about to do the honorable thing, when Emily flees, stating that she’s returning to the country. Griffin takes off in pursuit, unwilling to allow a single woman to travel unprotected.

Emily and Griffin arrive at the now deserted school, and Griffin insists that he will stay until the children return from their holiday. Although he does the gentlemanly thing and resides in the small cottage, he and Emily still spend almost all their time together. Though marriage isn’t in his plans, Griffin is willing to save Emily’s reputation, while she doesn’t feel the need, and is determined that if she ever does marry, it will only be for love.

Emily and Griffin are slowly falling in love, though they are each too blind to see it in themselves, and in the other. Griffin is still leery after an experience he had with a deceitful woman named Clara, while Emily feels she is unworthy. They do a lot of dancing around their emotions, and have some misunderstandings as they go through some hoops before they finally realize their true feelings.

Griffin is definitely MORE THAN A ROGUE – in truth, he’s not a rogue at all, but a caring and loving gentleman who still carries some scars from a bad love affair. Poor Emily’s debut was ruined by her obnoxious mother, who stuffed her full of sweets, picked out all the wrong clothes for her, and then rode roughshod over her. The years away from her home and society have helped Emily to mature, but she still has issues with her self worth. Together, Griffin and Emily find love, self confidence, healing, and a beautiful physical chemistry. MORE THAN A ROGUE is a lovely, well written romance that was a genuine pleasure to read. I do love epilogues, and this one was especially poignant, as it traveled far into the future to give us a glimpse of decades’ worth of happiness. Recommended for readers who love a slow building romance with characters to love and cheer on to their well deserved happy ever after.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2019...)


My Rating: 3.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library historical romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Medium-ish burn

Relationship dynamics: The Independent Spinster (h) / The High-born Rogue Horologist (H)

Sexual content: A smidge; romantic, onscreen, not explicit

Triggers: None.

Grammar/Editing: This ARC had some typos, which will hopefully be cleaned up in the published version.

Review: The pacing of this novel is a bit uneven – somewhat stop and start, with some segments of time glossed over or skipped entirely. The historical setting is vaguely Regency, but may be more generally Georgian. The description of the setting seems fairly well-done, if somewhat unclear.

Emily is a fiercely independent woman who has embraced a life of singlehood, but who also wishes to experience some small form of romance. Griffin is a confirmed bachelor with a strong sense of honour, but with very little appearance of it in society. The relationship between Emily and Griffin seems to have begun, if only in a minor way, in the first book in this series. In this installment, the relationship develops quickly, and in a quirky, unorthodox manner, but is often overwhelmed by the insecurities of, and miscommunications between, the main characters. Much of the action and tension is based in these, which detracted from what could have otherwise been a lovely romance. The supporting characters are fairly well-developed and the majority of them seem to feature in the first book of the series. Indeed, this novel makes frequent mention of characters and events from the previous book, which seems to imply that the reading of this book would have been enriched by having read the series in order.

Clock version: Tick tock, tick tock, tick…tick…tick ………. *shake*, …………..*wind up*, ……………*shake* ………….. tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[MrsMascara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Emily has just come back into society, after her long absence in the country running an orphanage. Forced to flee society when she had been thrown over by her previous betrothed, Emily is older, wiser, and considerably better dressed. Partly estranged from her family, with a fraught relationship between her and her mother, Emily is resigned to a future as a spinster and focusing on the orphanage.

She decides she wants to experience at least a kiss, since she won’t ever have a man or a family, and ends up kissing Griffin, who she is secretly attracted to. Griffin Crawford is visiting his family in England, from Vienna. Third son of a Duke, he left England years ago after quarrelling with his father. He has learnt to be a watchmaker and runs a successful business selling his work.

He has come to England to see his brother Caleb who has inherited the Dukedom after their father and eldest brother died. When he arrived he met Emily, who he think is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, This pull of attraction makes him follow her when she slips out to the garden with another man, and they end up kissing. Unfortunately they are discovered by Emily’s aunt, mother and sister Laura. Who all insist that Griffin and Emily need to marry to protect themselves and Laura’s prospects. Emily refuses, as she does not want to trap Griffin in an unwanted marriage, and she says she will return to Clearview and the orphanage and live out her days there.

She is insistent on setting off to Clearview immediately, and Griffin is irresistibly drawn to accompany her, ostensibly to ensure her safety. What he cNt admit to himself just then is that he is irresistibly attracted to Emily.

How long will it take Griffin to realise that he wants to marry Emily, because he is in love with her, and when will Emily learn to value herself and take a chance on love again.

I really liked the way Sophie Barnes developed Emily’s character. She was incredibly honourable and prepared to sacrifice her own reputation in order to do what she saw as the right thing. She also was prepared to work hard and help others, despite her exile and ruined reputation.

The romance between them was sweetly done too. I enjoyed this.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Camberly House, home of Caleb Crawford, the Duke of Camberly and his wife Mary, the Duchess. It is the site for the first ball of the season.

Miss Emily Howard, age 26, has spent the last 6 years in the countryside with her friend, Lady Cassandra Moore and Mary Clemens, now the Duchess of Camberly. During her absence from town, Emily has developed into a lovely woman and gentlemen are eager to dance with her. Emily has no plans to find a husband. Six years ago, she had been courted by Lord Langton who then called it off and became engaged to Lady Victoria Hewitt. Emily suspects that his action was a result of something her mother said to him.

Griffin Crawford is brother to Caleb, the Duke of Camberly. Griffin also has a twin named Devlin. Griffin is a talented clockmaker who trained in Vienna and now owns a shop there. He is visiting for a short time but knows he needs to return to Vienna soon. When he sees Emily, he is quite taken with the beautiful woman she has become. When a short conversation results in him kissing Emily, her mother sees them and and assumes they are engaged, as he has compromised her. But Emily does not want to marry because she wishes to return to her country home, Clearview. There, she, Cassandra, and Mary run an orphanage. Oh, but Griffin plans to pursue her and ends up escorting her to Clearview, after which, he plans to return to Vienna. However, he ends up staying for awhile to help with some maintenance on the home. Naturally, their togetherness results in an attraction that they cannot deny.

This is a nice little romance, but not a favorite of mine from this author. Perhaps, if I had read the first book in the series, I would feel I “know” the characters a bit better. In my opinion, Griffin is a total gentleman but Emily isn’t as likable. It’s as if she just will not allow herself to entertain the thought of falling in love after having been rejected by Lord Langton years ago. A bit of that is understandable, but Emily wears her rejection like a hair shirt. However, I do love the books written by Sophie Barnes and know her future books will be quite good.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Howard already resigned herself to being a spinster, having no expectations of marriage. Griffin Crawford did not want to marry because would soon be leaving England for his business pursuits. He had come back because his father died and his brother Caleb became the Duke of Camberly. But the sons were not all that close after their 10-year absence from each other when they had left to get away from their father, so Griffin was preparing to leave again.

Griffin remained long enough to attend a ball at his brother’s estate first, and there he met up with Emily who had come to honor her friend, Mary, who had married Caleb. The one thing Emily really would have liked to experience was a kiss, so she and Mary had conspired to make that happen and satisfy her curiosity. Griffin saw her go outside with a man and hurried after to stop what looked like a kiss about to happen, which would not have been proper.

Instead of being grateful for Griffin’s timely interruption, Emily was upset at his interference! Knowing she had never been kissed, he told her kisses were overrated – but she wanted her first kiss to matter, and he had wanted to kiss her for some time, so he did! Unfortunately for both of them, her family caught them in the act. Even though the kiss had been chaste, they demanded he marry her, as would be proper. But she couldn’t do that to him, knowing he had made other plans for his future. How can she fix this problem? Would she agree to the marriage? Or would she run away and take the decision away from the honorable gentleman?

I loved this book! It has so much more excitement to come, so be sure to grab your copy and see how this sticky situation resolves! You’ll love the characters, and the story line is absolutely charming! You truly will not want to miss this one!

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily believes herself to be firmly on the shelf at the age of six-and-twenty, and she laments to her friends that she has never even kissed a man. She has no desire for a husband; she is quite content running a small orphanage with her friends. She has considered asking a man to kiss her, but she would not be interested in a man who would want to pursue more than that. She does find herself in a compromising position (caused by the gentleman) with her best friend’s husband's triplet brother. Griffin offers the honorable way out when they are discovered by her mother, aunt, and sister, but Emily asked him to not even make a formal proposal as she would not consider it. She truly is content with her life and does not wish to marry; she would only consider it if true love were on the table for both parties.

The first part of this Regency has a fun lightness to it because of the delicious banter and thoughts of the hero and heroine that show both of their incorrect reads of the situation as well as the circumstances that they continually find themselves in. The book turns a little more serious when Emily's mother shows up in the country, but the twists and turns in Griffin and Emily's relationship continue to be engaging. Griffin is a slightly confused and befuddled hero, but his confusion has a sweetness and kindness to it; he is a good man who wants to do right, especially by Emily. Emily has a delightful independence and a strong sense of self that is lovely to see in a Regency. It doesn’t feel forced as it sometimes does in these types of novels. I found this to be an excellent read.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Mary L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Than A Rogue by Sophie Barnes is a lovely romance that brings together two people who must get past previous heartache and trust issues to reach their HEA.

Lord Griffin Crawford had been fooled by love when a woman who told him she was a widow was actually married. When she accused Griffin of seduction, a duel was fought that resulted in a scar on Griffin's cheek that was a constant reminder. He left London for Vienna where he is a well-known watchmaker.

Emily Howard, the 26-year-old daughter of a tradesman with a large dowry, had also been fooled by love. She was expecting a proposal after being courted by Lord Langdon, but he got engaged to someone else. Emily is now "on the shelf" after the scandal made her leave London. She lives in the country and assists her friends running an orphanage.

Emily may be a spinster, but that doesn't preclude her from wanting to experience passion. Griffin obliges but doesn't expect the intensity of the attraction or that they would be discovered in a compromising position. Not wanting to be forced into marriage, Emily runs back to the country with Griffin determined to provide safe escort.

During their time alone at Clearview, Griffin comes to find Emily is "unpretentious, bold, courageously honest, principled and ...wonderfully different." He encourages her to be herself and makes her feel "beautiful and wanted," but she is afraid to trust in his deep regard for her as his life is in Vienna.

Barnes puts Griffin and Emily through twists and turns but they finally open their hearts, take the risk, and become fools for love.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Howard knows she is destined to be a spinster. She has accepted this fate, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to experience kissing. What she doesn't expect, is for Griffin Crawford, the handsomest man in the world, to do the honors. Or for all her female relations to discover her in his embrace. Naturally, marriage is instantly mentioned, but since Emily knows this is not what Griffin wants, she tries to escape him, her family and the ensuing scandal. When Emily flees the Camberly ball in the wake of their kiss, Griffin goes in pursuit. He will not allow his sister-in-law's determined friend to risk her safety for any reason. And risk it she will if she means to return to her countryside home by herself. But the longer he remains in her company, the more he is tempted to kiss her again. If only he could risk falling in love and remain in England forever.
This was a pretty good book. I really liked both Emly and Griffin. I did have a few small issues, but nothing really big. I did like that there was only a slight inference that Griffin might be a rogue but no emphasis or pointing out whether he is or isn’t. It irritates me when authors do this so I was happy that it wasn’t used here as a tool. One small issue was that, for a book that is based on the heroine wanting to feel passion (nicely framed as kissing), it is a really clean cut book. I’m not one that needs smut on what I read, but I found it kind of odd that there’s nothing really in there beyond kissing. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exhange for my honest review**

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end! There is nothing overly dramatic, just real emotions and obstacles. I appreciated the simple storyline because it allowed for more examination and development of the characters. Afterall, I don't read historical romance for the twists and turns, I read it for the characters and watching their relationship unfold. This book delivers on both of those fronts.

Emily and Griffin are well written characters. You understand why they make many of the decisions they do and why they would be hesitant in their personal lives. I think the author does a good job of balancing the constraints of the time period and more contemporary characteristics readers want in their female protagonist. It is easy to see why Emily would fall for Griffin (and vice versa). I also always enjoy a story where it is the guy who has to work to get the girl.

My only complaint is that there were two scenes I wished we had gotten to see rather than just heard about. 1) when Langdon sees Emily again for the first time and the conversation involving his wife that followed 2) how Laura's engagement came to be.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily Howard is content being a spinster, sort of. She knows no one could possibly want to marry her. Still, it does not stop her from wanting to experience a little passion. When Emily sets out to kiss someone at a ball, she had no idea it would be Griffin Crawford. And to make matters worse, they were seen. To avoid a forced marriage, Emily runs off to the country.

Griffin cannot let Emily go off alone. He is partially responsible for the mess they found themselves in. Staying in the country together only strengthens their attraction. Suddenly, Griffin is finding that he isn't so opposed to marriage, as long as it's to Emily.

Author Sophie Barnes's second addition to THE CRAWFORDS series, MORE THAN A ROGUE, is a page turner. I felt for Emily and her past. Griffin also has obstacles to overcome. It takes them a while to realize how right for each other they are, and that taking a chance on one another could be the best thing they've ever done. The epilogue is so touching. So glad to see things worked out so wonderfully for these Griffin and Emily. I give MORE THAN A ROGUE a 3.5 star rating.

[Rhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than a Rogue is the second book in Sophie Barnes’ The Crawfords series. While technically a stand alone, it does benefit from having read the previous one, as many of the same characters are in both.

Emily Howard knows she will remain a spinster and while she is fine with not marrying, she wants to experience kissing. When Griffin Crawford gets caught kissing her, she is determined to not ruin his life by forcing marriage on him. After she embarks on a journey back to her country home by herself, Griffin follows her to keep her safe. As he gets to know Emily, the risk of falling for her rises, but can he convince her that he wants to marry her for love?

While I enjoyed this book, it was frustrating at times, as it seemed as if Emily and Griffin went round and round because they relied on the assumptions they had on each other, rather than talking to one another. Barnes excels in writing characters and creating a complete world in which they live and this book was no different. The epilogue was sweet and demonstrated the HEA that rang true. Overall, this was a good read, perfect for the summer.

[SH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily Howard would like to experience kissing but there is no one other than Griffin Crawford, who she would like to be the one! However, Emily realises that Griffin whilst in England visiting his brother, will soon return to Austria and his clockmaking business. So, Emily decides to choose another man, yet is interrupted by Griffin and soon, he is the one to share a kiss. Yet they are caught and rather than marry Griffin, who she believes will only do so out of honour, decides to flee and return to her family home. Griffin follows Emily and soon they find themselves, fighting their attraction whilst living in close proximity to each other.
This was a clean romance, but one filled with uncertainty, past secrets and miscommunication. I must admit that at times, I wished that they would sort out their feelings for each other (especially Emily), but it was an easy read. Whilst this is the second book in the series, it is a standalone story, but it is well worth reading about Mary and Caleb, which is my favourite so far! A clever take on the epilogue, without revealing anything more in this series.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.