Historical Romance Book Club discussion

Discussion thread for the second BOTM for June 2025. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some HTML is ok' for instructions.)

Join us in reading this HR that features the theme Scandal!


The Rogue Not Taken, by Sarah MacLean

Synopsis:

LADY SOPHIE'S SOCIETY SPLASH

The youngest of the infamous Talbot sisters scandalized society at the Liverpool Summer Soiree, striking her sister’s notoriously philandering husband and landing him backside-first in a goldfish pond. And we thought Sophie was the quiet one…

When she finds herself the target of very public aristocratic scorn, Sophie Talbot does what she must to escape the city and its judgment—she flees on the back of a carriage, vowing never to return to London…or to society. But the carriage isn’t saving her from ruin. It’s filled with it.


ROYAL ROGUE'S REIGN OF RAVISHMENT!

The Marquess of Eversley was espied descending a rose trellis—escaping an irate Earl and his once-future countess. No lady is safe from Eversley’s Engagement Ending Escapades!

Kingscote, the Marquess of Eversley, has never met a woman he couldn’t charm, a quality that results in a reputation far worse than the truth, a furious summons home, and a long, boring trip to the Scottish border. When King discovers stowaway Sophie, however, the trip becomes anything but boring.

WAR? OR MORE?

He thinks she’s trying to trick him into marriage. She wouldn’t have him if he were the last man on earth. But carriages bring close quarters, dark secrets, and unbearable temptation, and suddenly opposites are altogether too attractive…

Happy reading!

I've started this one. Is anybody reading? 🤔

I was thinking of rereading this book, but I don't know if I'll have time. I hope those who haven't read it will give it a try. I remember it being a pretty good story.

I'm planning to get to this soon.

I'm loving it!!

awesome! will get started this weekend.

Sandra, I so glad to hear that

I think the author rehabilitated my desire to read and, in particular, read historical romance

Wow, that's wonderful!

It feels good to break up a reading slump with a good book. Glad you got there Sandra.
I've started. Currently in Ch. 3 so early going. Sophie is a bit naive but I like her spirit.

I love Sophie. The bickering is delightful.

Yes, so much fun!! Love both of them, I do enjoy when a book has this kind of dialogues

Yes. The dialogue is outstanding.

I did finish this book a few days ago and went straight to the 2nd book of the series, which I also finish and loved, but not so much. I will try to do a review without spoilers.

Lauren wrote: "Wow, that's wonderful!"

Lauren, I saw in this 2nd book that the stories between the series of Sarah's books connect themselves. Due to my lack of memory, Wes character was familiar to me, but I couldn't remember why. So I went looking and find out the characters are scattered throughout the books and collections, do you know, or someone else, if there's a guide to read those?

I've already read The Rules of Scoundrels Series, Love By Numbers Series and reading Scandal & Scoundrel Series.

Sandra wrote: "I did finish this book a few days ago and went straight to the 2nd book of the series, which I also finish and loved, but not so much. I will try to do a review without spoilers."

My review about this book :)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

So much more beautiful this cover, don't you think?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I love that you wrote a note to yourself in your review, Sandra.

The alternative cover is very nice. I think it captures her look.

Finished! I love the couple but boy did King get a bad case of TSTL.

Oleander, ahahahah, I had to check what does that mean. I think that's a problem with the men in this series 🤔 😅

Except book 3, I think... 😁