I wanted to like this more than I did.

I haven't read this kind of pure historical romance in a while and I was hoping to love it (I've liked this author in the past) this just didn't really do it for me. It was repetitive in annoying ways (how many times do you need to tell me there is a dagger on her thigh?) and lacking in the kind of interaction that makes the sexy payoff worth it in the end. There was some.....just not enough. This all felt rushed to me.

Still, I have read worse and it's easy to breeze right through a book like this so there's not much time invested in a ho-hum story. ( )

Fun book. I enjoyed the first book in the series (Bombshell), and this one kept the vibe going. Here we have Adelaide Trumbull/Frampton, born and raised on the wrong side of the river, daughter to the local crime boss. She learned the art of thievery from her father and earned the title of Princess of Thieves by the time she was grown. But when her father's attempt to marry her off to the son of a rival crime lord turned her wedding into a war zone, Adelaide escaped and never looked back. Instead, she became a valued member of Hell's Belles, a group of women dedicated to saving other women from unsuitable marriages and taking down a few corrupt noblemen along the way.

The story opens with the aborted wedding, then jumps five years to the current day. Adelaide uses her skills to return to her father's lair and remove some information the Belles need to take down a murdering marquess. She stumbles upon an item that intrigues her and takes that, too, only to be confronted by another person who claims the thing is his. Adelaide immediately recognizes him as the Duke of Clayborn. Though she attempts to shake him, he remains hot on her heels throughout their chase. She escapes him, but not before they exchange a fiery kiss.

Adelaide's role with the Belles is The Matchbreaker. Skilled at portraying an all-but-invisible wallflower, Adelaide uses her talents to compile information on the subjects of their investigations. Currently, she has a file on the younger brother of the Duke of Clayborn, who is enamored with a young woman the Belles need to protect. Lady Helene witnessed her father murder another nobleman, and they need to keep her safe until they've acquired the necessary evidence and she can testify against him.

Henry, the Duke of Clayborn, has an impeccable reputation. He assiduously carries out his duties in the House of Lords, works for the betterment of those who need it and avoids gossiping. He has no plans to marry, preferring to leave his title for his brother to inherit.

Henry gets quite a shock when he discovers that the wallflower who has intrigued him for months is none other than the notorious Matchbreaker AND the thief who made off with the puzzle box that holds a devastating secret. He's not happy that she is determined to stop the match between his brother Jack and Lady Helene, while he is equally determined that the match will occur. After an interesting meeting with Lady Helene's mother and the news that Jack and Helene have eloped, the race is on to see who can catch up to the fugitive couple first.

It is interesting that Henry starts by underestimating Adelaide's capabilities and determination, though he adjusts quickly once he realizes what he's up against. The first few days of the chase are amusing, as Henry is foiled at every turn. Their interactions at these times are an intriguing combination of frustration and flirting. When Henry's carriage becomes damaged, they join forces to continue the pursuit, allowing them to become better acquainted. The pursuers are also being pursued, and when Henry is badly wounded, Adelaide abandons the chase and devotes her time to caring for Henry. The uninterrupted time together brings them closer.

The pursuit of the runaways was a fun road trip adventure. In addition to the competitive element at the beginning of the trip, I loved seeing how the Belles' network of contacts played into Adelaide gaining the upper hand. They also had to deal with their attraction and the strain of sharing a room at the various inns when they joined forces.

I enjoyed watching the progression of the relationship between Adelaide and Henry. Though Adelaide prides herself on being invisible to members of the ton, Henry has always seen her and been intrigued by her. He watched her pick noblemen's pockets and was astounded that nobody caught on. He is always aware of her. It wasn't until their meeting at the beginning of this book that Adelaide began noticing her reactions to Henry, which didn't make her happy. She's very cognizant of her background and unsuitability to be part of his life. Henry has some insecurities of his own, stemming from the secret contained in the box that Adelaide still has. I liked that their growing feelings for each other led to their willingness to trust each other with their secrets.

One of the things I liked about Henry was his appreciation of Adelaide as the woman she is. Her background makes no difference to him, though I thought he was a little naïve about the ramifications of marrying her. Even dukes probably had to face some consequences for such a pairing. Adelaide is determined to protect him from himself, even if it means breaking both their hearts. But when all is said and done, the heart wants what it wants. How their happy ending came about was a convoluted process, and I'll be interested to see if it comes up in a later book.

There was some suspense in this book involving Lady Helene and her father. The Marquess of Havistock is a nasty piece of work, and the Hell's Belles are determined to see that he gets what is coming to him. He has also involved Adelaide's father, which adds another layer of complications. It all comes to a head in a confrontation at the same place where the book began. There are multiple twists before the issue is resolved, including a couple that made me laugh out loud. Topping off the fun was the meeting between Lady Imogen and Scotland Yard's Inspector Tommy Peck the next day. I can't wait to read their story. ( )

I have really enjoyed many books by this author, but this series is just not gelling with me like the others. It reminds me a little of The Hobbit movies compared to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Same author, same director, both had large budgets, talented casts, etc. but I can watch the LotRs movies repeatedly and enjoy them each time, and I'm just not very interested in ever rewatching the Hobbit ones. They (and the Hell's Belles so far) just seem kinda simple, and madcap, and missing the qualities I liked about the previous stories. Aspects I did like- the class difference with the heroine being from the rookeries paired with a Duke, way more often it seems to be the hero with the lowly origins. The hero has always noticed the heroine even when she's tried (and mostly succeeded otherwise) to fly under the radar. The steam was good, the hero's bedroom talk was a definite plus. He's not threatened by the capable heroine. And at one point they're both injured and the hero's concern for her injury over his was endearing. So there were some better parts. (Mostly surrounding the hero now that I'm listing them...) And I will almost certainly still continue with the series at least for a few more books. But I'm really hoping this change is specific to this series and not just how all her books will be from here on out! ( )

This book is much better than the first in the series. I loved Adelaide and Henry, the Belles were delightful as usual, and the story had great pacing. It's always great when the hero realizes early that he wants the heroine and fights for the relationship. We've also got a tease into the next book and I can't wait! ( )

I loved Bombshell. Sesily and Caleb were perfect foils for one another and they were so fun to read on page. But Adelaide. I wanted to give her hug, ask her to teach me to pick locks and tell her every day that she was the best of the best. I adored her as a character. Somehow Sarah MacLean made a hero worthy of how amazing Adelaide is. I will admit that I wasn't sure how excited I was for book two. I expected Imogine and Tommy to be next and I didn't know if I'd care that much about Adelaide and Clayborn. Instead, I fell in love with both of them. I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy ( )