From Book Riot Quarterly box #3.

A splendid trip down memory lane! Oh my how I used to love a good Regency romance!

I've fallen out of the habit of buying and reading pure romance novels but I still enjoy them when I do read. There's nothing too surprising here - feisty heroine meets lovable rogue but this one is slightly different in that it spends most time on the seedy side of London and not in the uptight zone of Almack's.

I'm sure I'll read the next book in the series to see bookish Pippa find love with her ginger haired rogue as was teased in the final pages.

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Was feeling shy about boldly reading and reviewing romance, but then realized that I was being part of the problem but pretending I never read it, or that it was not literature worth reviewing. Dear Romance genre, I am sorry. These books are fun, exciting and so worth the hours at night I spent reading and not sleeping. I am a total sucker for bad boys who are really good, and these mens are perfect: bad reputations, honorable actions. ( )

I can safely say that MacLean's other 4 novels rank high on my list of enjoyable historical romances. While I still prefer her YA historical romance, THE SEASON, the best, her "Love by the Numbers" trilogy had a wonderful cast of main and secondary characters who never failed to make me laugh. I expected as much from the first book in her new series, Fallen Angels, and was thankfully not let down at all.

Penelope and Bourne were ideally matched--aside from chemistry, the two were stubborn, impulsive and reckless enough to make the other worried while managing to fit their strengths to each other's weaknesses.

The letters at the beginning of the chapters--at first letters between Penelope and a younger Bourne while he was away at school and later becoming unsent letters Penelope wrote to Bourne as a way of coping with his silence--did a lot to chart how the next chapter would go on. It also showed just how persistent Penelope could be (and how little chance Bourne had at shaking her off). Rogue trying to redeem himself is nothing new, but in Bourne's case he didn't want to so much redeem himself as split himself in two really. He wanted to be the husband that Penelope deserved, wanted to give her everything, but a larger portion believed he was simply unable to.

Penelope observed that he put her on a pedestal--that many of the people in her life place her on this or that shelf, thinking she doesn't want change, that she can't think for herself really. I liked that she tried to rebel, not just because it meant gaining Bourne's attention, but because she needed something more. Something she felt defined her in a way she could be proud of.

I was put off by the lack of communication between them however. The two get into more arguments over misunderstandings and refusal to say what they mean, then for any other reason. It got tiresome honestly. It got downright irritating when Bourne does exactly what Penelope tells him to, much to his frustration and Penelope lashes out at him for it. She told him to do it fully expecting him to cave in and give her an easy 'out' without losing any of her pride. It was a catch-22 for them both however.

The other founding members of the Fallen Angel were interesting, with intriguing enough backstories to warrant a reader to pick up their books when they come out. The next book, based around one of Penelope's sisters and another of the Fallen Angels sounds very interesting, making me eager to read what happens next.
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This is really more of a 3.5/5 stars, but I rounded up.

I'll be honest, it took me a while to sink into this book. The hero was truly reprehensible and completely self-serving. While I didn't mind that his initial intention was to marry the heroine to get his land back, I did have a problem with how he did it. I expected him to attempt to win her over and then feel guilty about his ulterior motives (like in Balogh's Dark Angel). Instead, he kidnaps and humiliates her. Repeatedly.
The saving graces for this book was the heroine and the writing style. First, Penelope seemed like a believable character to me: someone who wanted more from her marriage than just a transaction. Despite the bullying she received, I never got the impression she was weak or insipid. She was astute and clever, which I appreciated. I particularly enjoyed how she refused to let the hero intimidate her. She gave him a run for his money! That was refreshing!
The other unique thing about this book was the writing style. MacLean is very self-aware as she writes this book. Every time I questioned the heroine's motives for doing something stupid, Penelope questioned herself. It felt like MacLean kept trying to reassure me that her heroine wasn't stupid by explaining her attraction and feelings for Bourne and her desire for more adventure. All I can say is, it worked. I also enjoyed the extra treat of Odyssey and Greek mythology references midway through the book.
If you're looking for a fun historical romance that's a little different from the usual fare, then I recommend this book. ( )

eh. ( )