The only thing darker than his reputation is his desire for her…
From homeless street thief to business owner, Charlotte Bailey has come a long way. Which makes it all the more distressing when an old friend arrives, asking her for the impossible. She never thought refusing him would put her life in danger. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for a sinfully attractive rake with a past darker than her own to step into the role of her protector. But, here she is…
Peregrine Morgan can’t abide a mystery—and the lovely Charlotte is indeed a mystery. Initially, he thought she was involved with the dangerous criminal he’d been hunting. But now, he’s not sure of anything. He has no idea why he feels so compelled to rescue her. Even more perplexing is his desire to keep her by his side (and in his bed) even after the threat has passed…
With danger lurking around every corner, will Charlotte be able to put her faith in Peregrine—and in love—when it matters the most? Or will happily ever after remain elusive for this reluctant heroine and her unlikely hero?
Samantha Holt resides in Warwickshire, England, with her twin girls, having followed her soldier husband around the UK for nearly 10 years. Growing up in Hampshire, she was inspired by the authors Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, both of whom lived and wrote only miles from her home town.
Samantha loves the romance genre and has been devouring romantic literature for as long as she can remember. History is another passion of hers and she loves to combine her love for history and romance into exciting and passionate tales.
From homeless street thief to bakery owner, Charlotte Bailey has come a long way. Which makes it all the more distressing when her old friend John arrives, asking her for the impossible. She never thought refusing him would put her life in danger. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for a sinfully attractive rake to step into the role of her protector. Peregrine Morgan can’t abide a mystery—and the lovely Charlotte is indeed a mystery. Initially, he thought she was involved with the dangerous criminal he’d been hunting. But now, he’s not sure of anything. He has no idea why he feels so compelled to rescue her. With danger lurking around every corner, will Charlotte be able to put her faith in Peregrine This is the fifth book in the series & is very easily read as a stand alone. I loved this book & read it in a sitting, a delicious mix of mystery & romance. I loved both Peregrine & Charlotte both has suffered in their childhoods & both had made something of their lives. I loved the chemistry between them & how their relationship changed & grew. Accidents start to happen in & around the bakery but who is the target? The culprit is no mystery but the whys & wherefores aren’t straight forward. A very well written engrossing read, which ticked all the boxes for me My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The bitesize really doesn't matter when it delivers a super punch of entertainment, intrigue and romance. This one has it all.
Kisses of a Rebel Rouge is about Charlotte a baker whose clientele includes the lofty Duke of Daventry's daughters and Peregrine Morgan, a self made shipping magnate. Both have risen up in the world by sheer gratitude and hard work. It's when Charlotte 's past catches up with her that sparks fly and we have a sweet romance.
I liked Charlotte. She's a strong entrepreneur and refuses to cower down to threats and to our hero. This one is truly for her. Peregrine complements her well,accepts her hard work and enterprising nature - it's nice to see a good balance between the two. Finally, a historical romance with regular hard working people of London. Thank you Ms.Holt for this.
Overall, a quick, entertining read.
Recommended 👍 . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I haven't read a book by Samantha Holt for a while but I realized that I have been missing something. Her storytelling makes you feel like you are there. Charlotte has her bakery and seems to be doing quite well with her new business.
When John Fisher from her past comes back into her life. He knew her when they were younger and were thieves on the street.
Really enjoyed this ARC and can't wait for more books by her.
Charlotte has always been independent. On her own since she was 14, she fought hard to create the life she wanted. She now has her successful bakery and her friendship with the Daventry daughters. But when danger shows up in the form of an old friend, it brings with it a fierce protector who she is drawn too. As Peregrine Morgan refuses to leave her alone, she accepts his protection and they cannot help but grow closer. Can he keep her safe, and do they have a chance for a future together? I love the bit of fire between Peregrine & Lottie. She is not a docile miss, and she gives as well as she takes. The banter between the two is almost as hot as the fire that burns within. The tension of the story’s mystery kept you on your toes. But their passion made it impossible to put the book down. I adored watching how quickly she domesticated the rogue without any effort at all. When he complained about having to raise Cat alone, you knew he was a goner. Charlotte deserves every bit of the happiness Peregrine can give her and is the perfect woman to tame the rogue.
Charlotte has successfully changed her life from thieving on the streets of London to owning a bakery and having very good friends in the Ton. So when an old friend she’s indebted to comes back in her life, she would like to help him, but can’t risk her new life for him. Pity he’s not taking it well at all… And why a handsome rake is suddenly bent on helping her and at the same time on disrupting her equilibrium and her heart? Peregrine wants justice and he will stop to nothing to get it. Even if an enticing and beautiful little baker stands on his way… Another gorgeous book of this series, which features a perfect mix of mystery and romance, as always. I love Samantha Holt’s writing: she’s a master at character building and she can write some very good and emotional hot scenes. And it was so good to see Charlotte, who we met in a previous book, have her HEA! I really love seeing secondary characters take the scene! Looking forward to another wonderful book of Samantha! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
An engaging story filled with suspense, danger and a journey to finding love that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.
She had come a long way from the streets to opening her own bakery and being independent. He was trying to find a murderer and saw her talking to the man he was looking for..
As always, Samantha Holt is one of my favorite authors and I adore her stories!
It was a little slow in the beginning for me but really picked up 1/2 way through. Cute, quick read. This is my 36th book by Samantha Holt and I've been reading her since 2016 so I obviously enjoy her books.
Another enjoyable instalment in this series. Charlotte has been in the background of other books but is now centre stage. Her past comes back to haunt her in this story. Peregrine is a dishy hero out to save Charlotte from a man that thinks she owes him.
It took me a time to get into this story. I have read other Samantha Holt books and was blown away, but this didn't do much for me. It was o.k. (I will try again with this series) 3☆
Charlotte Bailey is a definite survivor. But now she and Peregrine Morgan have a mystery to solve when someone tries to kill her. He has surprisingly become her protector, and neither of them know how to feel about that situation. He originally thought she was connected with a criminal he had been tracking, John Fisher, but then he became adamant about not only saving her but continuing to keep her by his side. As they fall in love (kicking and screaming all the way), is there a future ahead for the two of them?
The reader will enjoy the characters in this story. Charlotte is not a “shrinking violet” type person. She is strong and capable. Peregrine is a business owner, a Member of Parliament, and quite capable as well. Together, they form an awesome team! Grab your copy and see if they can locate the suspected murderer.
This is another story from the duchess investigative society series. Charlotte is not one of the sisters, but a friend who had joined them on their missions. She is a baker and very hardworking. Peregrine is a self-made man and a rake. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. The story is witty and follows the travails of the two major characters as they deal with the ills befalling Charlotte. Peregrine becomes her knight and protector which sees them falling in love.
This is a great read; it has everything all wrapped up with a mystery, a sociopath, a member of the ton and Parliament and a thief turned business owner ! If that line is not enough to spark your interest, I don't know what will. Charlotte Baily was forced to run away from her brutal father when very young before he killed her. She thought she could get a job as a maid in London but found work hard to fine and ended up on the streets. She learned to steal and do anything to stay alive. With hard work she now owns a bakery and is in a good place. She is friends with the Daventry sisters (from past books) and makes a small but good living. When a person from her past shows up everything in her life is turned upside down. Peregrime Morgan is a self-made businessman and a member of Parliament. He is known in the scandal sheets as something of a rogue too. He is on a mission to find and punish the man responsible for the death of one of his sailors. When he sees him enter the bakery of Charlotte's who he has already had a confrontation with he wonders if she could be part of the smuggles ring ? As he waits and watches strange things start to happen to both the Bakery and her. Neither Peregrime or Charlotte wants anything to do with the other to start. He needs to find a killer and she doesn't trust anyone in the ton. As fear, and danger brings them together they find they have a strong attraction to the other. Fighting and screaming against it neither is able to denied it. With feeling growing stronger and the danger getting worst, will they be able to work together before it is too late ? There are a lot of twist and turns, funny moments, lots of bricking back and forth which is great. All with underlining romance, and love. I hope you get a copy and find out all they have to go thru, what happens to the evil person and if they get a happy ever after. This is maybe a four or five on the steamy side for those who like to know. I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it. I have read all the books in this series and each can be read as stand alone, but to get the most out of the stories I would recommend reading them in order. When I have time, I plan on doing just that.
This was my first time reading a book from this author and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Although Kisses of a Rebel Rogue is book 5 in ‘The Duchess’s Investigative Society’, I found I could read it as a stand-alone without having read the previous 4 books – although I’m now intrigued to go back and read the other stories.
Having read a lot of historical romances it was nice to read one that felt a bit different, there are no balls to be had in this book! Charlotte grew up on the streets and was definitely no society miss, she was a woman who knew what she wanted and was determined to get it and that included owning her own bakery which she took a lot of pride in. Peregrine likewise was a man who, although he came from privilege, had managed to make his own way in the world without the help of his parents, and ran a shipping business while being a Member of Parliament. The story starts with him on her doorstep looking for a man who was deemed a murderer at the same time someone has set out to try and harm Charlotte. Their story ends up entwinning together, introducing mystery and intrigue all the way through to the end with a thorough dashing of romance. I love that Peregrine plays the role of protector but in a way, they protect each other, for Charlotte has had to look out for herself for a long time on her own.
This book is a quick, fun read. The dialogue between the two is very cute and at times had me laughing out loud. The end of the book sets up who is likely to be next in line for the investigative society, although I would definitely like to see more of Charlotte and Peregrine as they are both wonderful characters. I am looking forward to reading more books by Samantha Holt.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved it! Charlotte is a character we met in book two of the series. She was working at the Earl of Kendall’s house when Chastity disguised herself as a maid in order to ferret out a killer. They struck up a friendship that went beyond their employment. Now, she owns her own bakery and is a smashing success. Peregrine runs a successful shipping business and is a member of Parliament. He follows John Fisher, a man he suspects of smuggling and murder, to Charlotte’s bakery. Now he needs to determine whether or not she is involved in John’s business, or she needs protection from him. What follows is weeks of interactions between Charlotte and Peregrine during which time they discover that they have a lot in common; like that they both escaped abusive families and created successful businesses. These two kindred spirits have limped along in life shutting down their emotions in order to survive. Now they struggle to understand what is developing between them. When danger strikes, we are reintroduced to all of the women from the previous books as they rally around Charlotte. To add insult to injury, Mrs. Gordon, the neighboring milliner, (who seems to be the juxtaposition to Aunt Sarah), spews prejudice and moral judgment at every turn. There is an undercurrent humming throughout this story, reminding the reader that more is at stake than a budding romance. When it is all said and done, there is justice, acceptance, emotional growth and love! . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Charlotte (bakery owner) is immediately attracted to Peregrine Morgan (self-made shipping owner) and he to her. Charlotte won’t fall for a beautiful rake, however. Both have mysteries in the backgrounds. Peregrine sees a probable smuggler/murderer (John Fisher) talking to Charlotte as though they’re friends and decides to keep an eye on her.
Charlotte refuses John the use of her bakery to store smuggled goods. That starts the campaign against Charlotte with a bomb in her oven and shots thru her window. Peregrine is still keeping a VERY close eye on her for protection which gets him attacked as well. Peregrine and Charlotte combine forces to find John.
Charlotte discovers there is a softness under Peregrine’s harsh exterior. Peregrine sees there’s a lot more to Charlotte than a pretty face. They then let their passion play out thinking it will just be a temporary attachment.
I liked that even though Charlotte grew up as a thief scraping a living together she enjoyed her friendships with the upper crust Ladies of the Investigative Society. It’s hard for her to trust, but holds out hope for a future marriage.
Many scary events happen to the couple in tracking down John Fisher. I think that those events showed Charlotte and Peregrine they could trust in each other. Perry was a bit controlling, but in her best interest. Their chemistry was very steamy.
Kisses of a Rebel Rogue is a well-written & entertaining book in the Duchess's Investigative Society Series. I have enjoyed our heroine, Charlotte "Lottie" Bailey, in previous books in the series but this can easily be read as a standalone book. Lottie has come a long way from running away from an abusive father when she was fourteen to landing on the streets of London with no job & surviving by stealing and now, she owns her own bakery.
Peregrine Morgan is a Member of Parliament, a very successful shipping business owner and a bit of a rogue about town according to the gossip sheets. He has information John Fisher, a man responsible for murdering one of his crewmen while working on his ship is in London; so that is his focus. Until he sees Fisher talking to the baker he had just met yesterday after catching a young thief stealing bread from her business.
Peregrine & Lottie have a lot of back & forth banter that is so much fun, but danger lurks - murder, smuggling, attempted attacks on Lottie. So, they must work together as Peregrine insists on protecting her, but they also need to find answers to the dangers threatening them & along the way, they fall in love (though they try to fight it) & get their HEA. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
KISSES OF A REBEL ROGUE is the fifth book in The Duchess’s Investigative Society Series. Though the other four books must be read as a unit, this one will stand on its own. The sisters of the first four books are patrons of Charlotte’s bakery and as daughters of a duke their patronage have assisted in making the bakery fashionable and desired.
This was probably my favorite story of the series. I loved Charlotte’s pluckiness and Peregrine’s dedication to his neighborhood and community. I especially loved that we have two ordinary citizens of London. Not gutter-snipes and not aristocrats, the hard-working everyday people that I can truly relate to, not just fantasize or wish to be.
This was a wonderful, entertaining, and romantic read. I highly recommend it to romance lovers, especially if you want a bit of intrigue mixed in to your story.
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via BookSprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: KISSES OF A REBEL ROGUE Series: The Duchess’s Investigative Society Series #5 Category /Genre: Historical Romance Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content. Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused. Received from: Samantha Holt
Having worked her way up from the streets, Charlotte finally has her own bakery and she's not going to let anyone ruin her self-made life, especially not nosey Peregrine Morgan. But Peregrine is trying to solve a mystery- several of them actually - who murdered his friend William, who is John Fisher and why is he hanging around Charlotte- a lady who is a mystery herself. And most importantly- why is he falling in love with her? I was happy to see the sisters all make an appearance in this book as we catch up on their lives. This has wonderful suspense and mystery within it and is well played out. I loved seeing the slow romance between Lottie and Peregrine and thought that it was well fleshed out and developed. The banter between them is great. No major errors or inconsistencies were noted.
Even though this is book 5, it can be read as a standalone. As a side note, I am pleasantly surprised at the growth that Samantha Holt shows in this book as an author. Each book seems to get stronger that she writes. I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
I enjoyed this historical romance story with all of the characters. The two main characters were Charlotte Bailey and Peregrine Morgan.
Charlotte Bailey has had a hard life. Her father was not nice and she decided to leave. Then when she got to London she had to live on the streets as a thief. But after almost get put in jail she decided to change her life. Now she a business owner of a bakery. But when a man from her past comes calling and start trouble. And she is also surprised that attractive rake wants to protect her.
Peregrine Morgan is a wealth business man. He is hunting down a dangerous criminal. When the man that he hunting goes into a bakery and start to talk to the baker with a familiar. He decides that she might also be involved. But there a problem he feels like he got to protect her instead.
This was a fun story to read. It had action, adventure, mystery, and suspense throughout that made the story more interesting. It also had me giggling and laughing to.
I received a complimentary copy via Booksprout. This is my honest unbiased opinions.
This is a story set in London this is a historical romance fiction. Charlotte Bailey was a child who was a homeless street thieve. She had had dug herself out and has a thriving bakery now. Charlotte has been approached by an old friend of hers who she said saved her life, because he went to jail instead of her for something she did. So after she is confronted by her old friend all kinds of strange things started happening. Prince Regent, Peregrine Morgan had started watching her because he had saw John talking to her through her bakery window. He didn't know if he was helping someone who was being harassed by John or in cahoots with John as a smuggler. I liked this story it is the last of the stories of the Duchess Investigative Society Part 5. I really liked this story and felt like it was a good read. Read it and find out if Charlotte and Peregrine Morgan become more than friends. I really liked it because it was set in the early part of the century and was easy to read. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a most enjoyable read. Charlotte Bailey has worked hard to get her own bakery. Perry Morgan is a self man as well. He is an M.P. plus a wealthy ship owner, he also has quite a reputation with the ladies. They are attracted to each other but Charlotte has her business to consider. Both Charlotte and Perry have events on their past that they would rather forget. Perry is on the look out for a murderer, who he wants to bring to justice. There are some dangerous events and passionate moments. Can a man with Perry’s reputation want to settle down with one woman? There is also a mention of cousins of Charlotte’s friends (the Daventry sisters) that will feature in a follow on series, that sound intriguing. It was good to have a story that wasn’t taking place in aristocratic circles. I received a copy via Booksprout and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Charlotte Bailey was a child of the streets, a runaway and a thief. She has worked hard and finally has a bakery of her own. She is a friend of the Daventry sisters and has helped them with cases for the Duchess’s Investigative Society. Peregrine Morgan is a self-made successful businessman. He owns a shipping company, is a Member of Parliament, and has a reputation as a bit of a rogue. They are brought together by a villain who is hiding from Peregrine and angry with Charlotte. When strange accidents start happening at the bakery, Peregrine stays with Lottie to try to protect her.
This story is well-written, fast-paced, and full of action and mystery. Peregrine and Lottie are two intelligent, independent people. Their attraction is strong and the chemistry fantastic. Everything points to them having a wonderful HEA and a great partnership. The Daventry sisters and Aunt Sarah are all here and want to help with the mystery. Mrs. Gordon, Lottie’s neighbor is an umbrella-wielding delight. I enjoyed this entertaining story.
I received an ARC of this book via BookSprout. My review is voluntary.
Charlotte has finally opened her own bakery! Thanks to her friends, the Duke of Daventry's daughters, she is doing very well. It has been over three years since she became friends with Chastity, now the wife of the Earl she once worked for, and she is very happy! Even if Mrs. Gordon, the hat maker next door, isn't. However, on this day, things start to happen that she is not prepared for. First, a young boy steals a loaf of bread. Then, a gentleman brings the boy, clutching the bread to his chest, making it almost unrecognizable, back to her. Next, she receives a visit from John Fisher that evening, and he wants her to allow him to use her bakery for illegal purposes, which she can't allow. Then, a few days later, her oven explodes when she lights it. What will happen next? Why are these things happening? Read this great story by Samantha Holt to find out!
Charlotte grew up on the streets and found a way to leave that life and open a bakery of her own. Peregrine owns a shipping business and is on the hunt to catch an employee with a nefarious reputation. His hunt leads him to Charlotte’s doorstep where he suspects Charlotte of being in on the scheme with the man he is hunting. Charlotte doesn’t want Peregrine snooping around her bakery and does her best to keep him at an arms length. Until someone who is sabotaging her business goes too far and Charlotte teams up with Peregrine to stop the mysterious assailant before someone is seriously harmed.
This was an enjoyable read about two people who meet under less than ideal circumstances, but find their way towards caring for one another and wanting more than they ever expected. Peregrine and Charlotte were great characters and it was refreshing to read about two ambitious people who own their own business and have very independent lives. This dynamic struck a nice note in that Charlotte was not a female character without power or choice.
This works as a stand alone novel even though it is book 5 in “The Duchess’s Investigative Society Book” series. At the end of this story we are tipped off as to who will become the the next generation of detectives!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is by far the best book in the series as far as the chemistry between the MC's goes. I liked the fact that the h worked her way up from poverty and the H became a success through hard work and not a title. There is some fun banter between them and the steamy scenes work.
The weakness is the plot. There is no way the H, with his money and authority, wouldn't have gotten Runners involved from the beginning, and everything gets increasingly silly toward the end, with the baddie's motives not making logical sense. The women who are a part of the investigative society have nothing to do with the investigating in this book, instead being relegated to the sidelines.
If you're looking for something diverting and lighthearted, this fits the bill, but if you're big into the mystery/romance genre this probably won't top your faves list.
Samantha Holt’s books are always enjoyable. And this book was no exception. Charlotte is a baker who has moved up from the streets of London. Peregrine is a member of Parliament, a business owner and a Rogue who is doing very well. A friend of his was killed on one of his ships, and he wants to get the man who caused his death. While investigating the man who caused his friends death, he realizes he this man is friends with Charlotte. When Charlotte is in danger, he wants to protect her. This story is very enjoyable, and I finished it in one day. I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This sweet romance holds the end to the investigation society… or does it? The last sentence leaves hope… But I put my head before my feet. Charlotte, Chastity’s friend from her days as maid is the main character in this wonderful mystery. Her past comes to hunt her dreams and her waking days, and she’s in desperate need for protection. Or so it seems… Will she find peace again? Read and see what happens. And don’t forget about a nice hot cup of tea and a pastry while you’re enjoying your read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Charlotte ran away from an abusive home. Meeting up in London with John he did his best to protect her whilst they grew up together in the slums of London. John has been released from prison and has returned to London to once again Carry on with criminal activities. John had counted on Charlotte being happy to involve herself again in criminal activities. However Charlotte has grown up, owns a bakery and dosent want to be involved.
There is so much to this story, twists, turns, and explosions. This is a wonderful book with interesting characters and good descriptions,
🇳🇿💜📚 . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.