This is a mix of several different tropes. Hidden identity, secret royalty, forced proximity, body guard. It's pretty fun most of the time (the part where they each slowly come to terms with their feelings near the end felt unnecessarily drawn out). Actually much of the ending seemed a bit weaker than the rest of the book, more poor decision making, more predictable. But overall decent. It was fun to have a Russian main character, (though there were perhaps more traditions and superstitions included than I needed, they started to feel like they'd been shoehorned in wherever they could possibly fit). Overall I rate the books in this series 4 stars, 2 stars, and 3 stars. I'd be interested in reading more from this author. ( )

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

The Princess And The Rogue, by Kate Bateman, is available in booksellers on 12-29-2020. We've come to book 3 of 3 in A Bow Street Bachelors series. I thought all 3 of the gentlemen leads were likeable characters but in book 3 we have a great guy, confirmed bachelor, and a princess in hiding. That's exciting and an enjoyable twist. That Anya manages to survive as well as she has on her own is admirable. Of course some of the story begs you suspend your sense of belief. Anya has had too easy of a time, I don't think she'd be living next to a brothel. Working at it maybe. Anyway, I'm glad she didn't, it would have marred an enjoyable read.

#KateBateman #BowStreetBachelors #ThePrincessandtheRogue #netgalley #romance #historicalromance #StMartin'sPaperbacks ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Princess and the Rogue is the third book in Kate Bateman’s delightful Bow Street Bachelors series. It can be read as a stand-alone. To escape being forced into marriage Russian Princess Anastasia Denisova fakes her death, flees Paris with jewels sewn into her clothing and journeys to London as plain Anna Brown where she becomes a companion to the Dowager Duchess of Winwick and teaches the ladies in the brothel next door to where she lives how to read. Sebastian Wolff, Earl of Mowbray can’t believe that the mysterious beauty he met at Haye’s brothel is unavailable to him and the kiss they exchanged continues to haunt him. When a trio of brigands attempt to kidnap Anna, Sebastian rides to the rescue and his Aunt the Dowager Duchess asks him to hide Anna from the traitor who is seeking her at the Gentleman’s club he owns. Reading this story was like diving into a favourite fairytale and I enjoyed it very much with the exception that I am quite tired of the if a woman is in a brothel she must be available to purchase and it’s okay to sleep with your aunt’s companion but when you find out she’s a princess you offer marriage chauvinism, I realize that it is true to the era then but I guess I’m just tired of heroes behaving badly when they think a woman is not a “lady”. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: December 29. 2020 #ThePrincessAndTheRogue #KateBateman #NetGalley #HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance #StMartinsPress #bookstagram #bookstagrammer ( )

First there were three Bow Street Bachelors, then there were two. And now there’s just one – Sebastien, the cranky one. He doesn’t believe in love and certainly doesn’t believe in marriage. It might be alright for his two best friends Benedict and Alex, but it’s not for him. Even if in his reflective moments he acknowledges they seem rather content with their wives, not at all like the “trapped men” he believes them to be. This love and marriage stuff is just not for him. He’s a handsome, sexy, unattached rogue and he wants to stay that way. The three of them provide service to the crown at Bow Street, and they are also partners in a gaming hell, The Tricorn Club.

Anna Brown is really a Russian princess, hiding from a dangerous traitor who wants to gain control of her fortune and possibly silence her from revealing who he really is. She and her maid escaped to London and are making lives for themselves, but their safety and security is about to evaporate.

Author Kate Bateman has done it again. When the princess and the rogue meet, Sebastien mistakes Anna for one of the ladies of the “house” where she is teaching the women to read. There’s a kiss – of course there’s a kiss! – and everything takes off from there. This is a delightful story, with wonderful coincidences that set up the next hot, steamy, sexy, passionate, dramatic exchange and allow the sparks to fly and tempers to flare and humor to erupt. There is intrigue and mystery and danger and love, just what we have come to expect and love about anything Kate Bateman writes.

I thoroughly enjoyed my adventures with all three Bow Street Bachelors and loved The Princess and The Rogue. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of The Princess and The Rogue via NetGalley for my enjoyment and honest review. All opinions are my own – I recommend this book, this series, this author without hesitation. ( )

Of traitors and princesses!

Lively Russian princess Anastasia Denisova escapes to England from Paris after Waterloo. Living under the name of Anna Brown she's become companion to the Dowager Duchess of Winwick, who just happens to be Seb Wolff's great aunt. Mmm! Anya is fleeing a rather nasty Russian nobleman, the scheming Vasili Petrov, who's after her money and lands. Her brother Dmitri, killed at Waterloo 'had told her in confidence that Vasili, or someone close to him, was suspected of passing information to the French.' Now Anya is seeking evidence to show Petrov up for who he is.
Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, and a Bow Street agent is looking for a traitor. When Anya and Seb's paths cross in a brothel (now thats interesting!) things heat up--on many fronts. Seb, the man who doesn't believe in love, finds himself unaccountably unable to think of anyone else. Anya finds herself in a pickle on many levels and Seb is smack bang in the middle of that conundrum. But when danger threatens Seb is the one she turns to, or rather, is sent to. But maybe stepping into Seb's gaming house will prove to be a step too far--for both of them!
A racy Regency mystery, with suitably strong main characters and a somewhat predictable plot nicely executed.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change ( )