MacLean's Bombshell (Hell's Belles series, book 1)

Bombshell

Sarah MacLean

Stars:  Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (heroine is strong, smart, independent, and a total badass; amazing hero—he really is a good guy; neither of them is exactly what they seem; lots of strong women and excellent representation/diversity; mystery; issues are still germane today)

Heat rating:   🔥🔥🔥🔥½ (see the SEX-AND-SPOILERS section)

Cover rating: Oh, this cover gets an A. The red dress; the mysterious, slightly ghostly background; you think she’s holding that skirt up to be seductive, but it’s more likely she’s about to grab a weapon. She just gives off a badass vibe. Perfection!

So, Sarah MacLean is one of MAR’s favorite authors—in my top 10, and possibly top 5. So I preordered this book (I always get my own copy of her books because I will read them to electronic tatters), as well as requested an ARC. The ARC gods did not smile upon this Squirrel, so I wasn’t able to do a review for MAR readers. (Note, I also tried for an ARC of the second book, Heartbreaker, and got denied again. Squirrel is sad; however, you know Squirrel is also resilient. And my preorder arrives at the end of August.) Anyway, as I have always been one to make lemonade out of lemons, it gave me some time to get this recap together. Squirrel fans know that if I get an ARC, I do a spoiler-free review for the blog, then a few months after the book is released, it gets the full treatment, which is more of a recap (though I do not spoil endings or big reveals because I want you to read the book yourself).

Without giving away too much, I just have to say that this novel (and what I imagine the rest of the series will be, assuming the rest of the books follow the pattern) . . . is just what we need today. Once you read it, you’ll understand. You will fall in love with these strong women. We all need these strong women . . . more than ever right now.

Whew, that brings me to today, and our recap of Bombshell, the first in the Hell’s Belles series. This book is related to previous series, and if you’re a Sarah MacLean fan (and I hope you are, because every one of her books is top notch), you’ll recognize Sesily and Caleb from the Scandal & Scoundrel series. Caveat: I LOVED Sesily in that series, and I strongly suggest you read those books before you delve into Hell’s Belles. That being said (MAR says that A LOT; sorry, kids), I suggest you read all of SM's books, because they are all intertwined in a really magical way. For instance, in this book, you’ll read more about Nik and Nora, who featured in the Bareknuckle Bastards series, or maybe the Fallen Angel from the Rules of Scoundrels series (here’s my recap of the first book in that series). This is a delightful plus for SM fans; it feels like a hug from a friend! 💞

Another reason I love this author—she gives us strong, smart heroines and MAR is HERE. FOR. IT. She also gives us three-dimensional gay characters and characters of color. This means a lot to MAR, who is a black woman and loves to see representation in historical romance (we were there, folks!).

I know, I know, where’s my damned recap? I’m almost there. I do want to give you a quick Cliffs Notes of the Scandal & Scoundrel series, because we meet Sesily (and Caleb) there and it matters. So grab some popcorn and strap in. 🍿

As I said, I own all of Sarah MacLean’s books (and, more to the point, I love all of Sarah MacLean’s books). The Talbot sisters are a favorite because their books are really very different from a lot of what you see in the historical romance playbook. Folks call them "tropes," which I don’t like because that sounds pretty derogatory, but there are only so many themes in the genre. And romance novel fans LIKE THAT PART. It’s actually comforting. We want that friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, in disguise, only one bed, compromised = forced nuptials, etc. flavor. I reread many of my favorite books, and sometimes I’m just in the mood for one of those themes, sort of like some days I am just in the mood for cheese (wait, scratch that; I am always in the mood for cheese. Terrible example: the cheese is the life.). But it’s also really exciting when you get some variation, and believe me, the Talbot sisters (also known as the Soiled S’s and the Dangerous Daughters, among others) bring you that variety.

The first book in that series, The Rogue Not Taken, is about Sophie, who shatters the family’s already tenuous social standing (father is coal-rich and was given a title, so they’re already looked down upon) when she catches her brother-in-law, the Duke of Haven, boning some random woman while at a party with his pregnant wife, Sophie’s sister Seraphina, RIGHT THERE, and dumps him into a fishpond. He deserved it, because OMG, he says some horrible things about Sera with her standing there. He seems like a nasty piece of work (though, as I hope you’ve read all of the books in the series before embarking on Bombshell and this recap—AS I SAID—you’ll learn a lot more about this situation in the third book, The Day of the Duchess, which is about Haven and Sera). Anyway (MAR also says that a lot), since you’ve read this series already (I TOLD YOU TO), you know that Sophie ends up fleeing the party and stowing away in the carriage of the Royal Rogue, “King” Kingscote, Marquess of Eversley, and the biggest rake in London (or is he?). You also meet the hero of the next book, A Scot in the Dark, the Duke of Warnick, in the first one. The second book in Scandal & Scoundrel is important to Bombshell, though, so take note. See, A Scot in the Dark is about Alec Stuart, the Duke of Warnick, who inherits the title AND a ward by the name of Lillian Hargrove, who happens to be the most beautiful woman in England. Lily has a problem, though, and his name is Derek Hawkins.

And this brings us back to Sesily. See, Sesily was also entangled with Hawkins, the artist who painted a scandalous nude portrait of Lily, which is the plot of that second book. Sesily knows Hawkins is a snake, and promptly dropped him prior to his painting Lily and subsequently attempting to ruin Lily’s life. Sesily becomes friends with Lily in Lily’s quest to save face, so Sesily is a significant character in that book, as well as in the third. Ah, now, the third book, The Day of the Duchess—it took me forever to read it because I just hated Malcom, the Duke of Haven, so much. I regret waiting, because the book is 5-star magic! Plus, the third book is REALLY important to why we are here today—The Day of the Duchess introduces Caleb and brings him and Sesily together (sort of). I finished that book HUNGERING for more regarding Caleb and Sesily. I was pitiful. I needed it more than . . . cheese. 🧀 

Well, Bombshell is that cheese, and it’s a charcuterie delight. But, we still have a little more background to get through before we sink our teeth into a fragrant hunk of Bombshell. So, as you know, BECAUSE YOU HAVE READ THESE BOOKS (if you’ve ignored me until this point and have not read them, you’re going to get spoilers and I don’t want to hear any lip), Sera left Malcolm. Well, he actually threw her out but tomato/tomato (you’re lying if you tell me you didn’t read those words differently each time). This woman is strong AF and though I was not a fan of her character in the first book, because I just didn’t see that strength, Sera became a fave. She moved to America (even her family is clueless about where she’s been exactly) and embarked upon a singing career. She met Caleb Calhoun in Boston and eventually they became (platonic) business partners and besties. They head back across the pond to set up a tavern in London, as well as to petition for Sera’s divorce. Well, Haven doesn’t actually want to be rid of Sera, so he sets up an intricate plan to win her back (he’s been a straight up asshole and he doesn’t deserve her but, oh, his issues are just as complicated as hers). The plan involves her coming to his country house (with a group of women he’s purportedly interviewing to take her place—here’s where we meet Felicity Faircloth, who reappears in Wicked & The Wallflower, which is another 5-star read).

Well, Sera’s a tough cookie so she shows up with ammunition, namely her sisters! They are all spitfires, but man, Sesily, who has horrible carriage sickness and came armed with a cat named Brummell, became my favorite then and there. First of all, she reminds me of myself: “Sesily had never in her life kept quiet when there was something important to be said . . . ” (Day of the Duchess, p. 98). #Facts! Secondly, did I mention carriage sickness? Yeah, she throws up on her brother-in-law. Yeah, she’s the best. 😂

Anyway, as this isn’t a DOTD recap (you’ll get that one soon enough) so, short version: Caleb shows up looking all beat up to hell, and he and Sesily start flirting madly. She calls him “American” and they’re both quickly smitten, though they fight it like crazy. Don’t do yourself the disservice of skipping DOTD before you read Bombshell—they really do tie in together closely. You won’t understand Caleb and Sesily without it. These two could be good together; they’re both hot as fire. There’s a scene in DOTD (if you read it, you know which one) where she states “You see how good it would be” (p. 221) and those words just make sense because these two could be GOOD. They could be so very good. But Caleb is running like Usain Bolt. But hell, even her sister Sera, who is Caleb’s best friend, is wary: “Sesily, Caleb is not the kind of man who is forever” (DOTD, p. 331). Sniffle.

And now, my lovelies, we’re up to speed . . . here’s Bombshell. It’s now 1838, and Sesily is “universally terrifying to the aristocracy . . . Sesily’s particular fearsomeness came with being thirty years old, unmarried, rich, and a woman. And worse, all those things without shame” (Loc. 175). AND. I. AM. IN. LOVE. She had me at the vagina bonnet (if you read it, you know of what I speak). They call her “Sexily” and she DGAF. She has a new group of friends (sisters are still around but all happily married and churning out bambinos), the Duchess of Trevescan, Adelaide Frampton, and Lady Imogen Loveless—and don’t you dare underestimate these women. They. Are. Badasses. And they have a higher purpose.

Now, you know our hero has to be somewhere, right? Well, he skedaddled to America for a solid year, trying to put an ocean between him and the woman he cannot forget, but he’s been back for 6 hours and what does he do? Immediately crashes a party so he can surreptitiously gaze at the woman of his dreams. But he cannot be with her, because, see, Caleb has some secrets . . . and being in London makes those secrets dangerous. Anyway, there is a bit of a (totally intended) dust up with Adelaide and Imogen (whose reticule reminds me of Hermione’s beaded bag in Deathly Hallows), and Sesily slips out. Caleb tells himself he doesn’t care if she’s going to meet a man . . . and follows her anyway. She’s back too quickly for an assignation, so clearly, she’s doing something else surreptitious. He wants to know what (I mean, we all do, right?) and she kisses him. Lemme tell you, this kiss sequence is so much fun. She comes right out and says she’s going to do it, but that he doesn’t deserve it. And lemme tell you, Caleb’s brain starts going crazy.

Why in hell not?

He absolutely didn’t deserve it. But he still wanted to know why she thought he didn’t. She had no reason to think such a thing. (Loc. 444)

But something else it going on. She doesn’t want someone to see her, and though it appears she’s using this man for concealment, which means you’d honestly not fault him for being like, “miss me with that using me BS, Ses”; however, he does protect her by keeping her face hidden so the Earl of Totting (that name is a hint he's a POS, lol) doesn’t see who she is. Something happened between Totting and Sesily, for sure. But Caleb won’t cough her up because (1) she asks him not to and Caleb is a good guy, and (2) Totting is a legit asshole and deserves whatever he gets, which, it appears, is a Sharpie to the face to warn everyone just what a POS he is. Sadly, they didn’t have Sea Breeze back in the day so that ish is staying on (btw, toothpaste also works, which is what I used to remove all the club stamps before I headed to work, back when MAR was young and partied). Oh Sesily—as, Caleb says, “I think you’re fucking fearless, which makes you incredibly dangerous” (Loc. 500). Same, my dude, same.

Before I go too far, let me tell you who Sesily is in my mind—I’ve seen this since the first mention of her: MICHELLE DOCKERY. MAR must admit that she waited until the pandemic to binge Downton Abbey (I know, what rock have I been living under?) and then lost her mind with delight, posting endless Facebook statuses about what I was uncovering TEN YEARS AFTER EVERYONE ELSE WATCHED IT, lol. Yeah, I’m hella late. It’s funny—usually it’s easy for me to visualize the heroes, but this is one of the first times that it was the heroine that got stuck in my mind like this.

Anyway (told ya), we are now hanging out in Sesily’s favorite dive, called The Place (bonus points for that awesomely simple, yet effective, name). At The Place, you can be yourself, and nobody bothers you. “No one at The Place cared that Sesily was a scandal, or that Adelaide was a wallflower, or that Imogen was odd, or that the duchess lived her life as though she’d never been married in the first place” (Loc. 546). Another thing about The Place is the owner, Maggie O’Tiernan, a black woman from Ireland. You know MAR jumped up like a meerkat when she read that—MAR is a black women who loooooooves Ireland (if you’ve read my recaps, you know I visited Ireland in 2013 and cannot.stop.talking.about.it.)

The men in the establishment immediately hone in on Sesily (because she is FIRE), but she’s not interested. Hmmmm, is she thinking about a certain rough American? But let me share this dialogue for why I love Sarah MacLean and I love Sesily (seriously, I am so #TeamSesily, I cannot stand it, lol):

“That, and half of London wants to swiv you,” Imogen pointed out.

“Only half?” Sesily retorted, removing her cloak. “You wound me.”

“With that dress, perhaps more than half.”

Sesily looked down at the wine red silk, brand new and cut low and tight enough to display ample breasts. When she stood, it would flatter every swell and curve. As well it should. It had cost a small fortune.

“You’re damned right more than half,” she quipped. She looked excellent. (Loc. 564)

This is the energy that I am here for! My girl knows she’s a brick house. Yes, MAR just dated herself—I remember hearing that song playing on the radio while I was eating breakfast before elementary school. Sing with me now:

‘Cause she's a brick house
She's mighty-mighty, just lettin’ it all hang out
She’s a brick house
Ow, that lady stacked and that’s a fact
Ain’t holding nothing back.

(Songwriters: Lionel Richie / Milan Williams / Ronald Lapread / Thomas Mcclary / Walter Orange / William King)

But we learn something more that just the fact that “Shake it down, shake it down, shake it down now;
Shake it down, shake it down, shake it, shake it; Shake it down, shake it down, shake it down now” will stick in your head FOREVER. We learn that these four women are doing something very important—solving problems. They are dealing with problem men, in their own way, and making a difference. The loathsome earl at the party was just one of their cases. See, Miss Fenwick’s father was forcing her to marry the Earl of Totting, but that little Sharpie bit (and the eviscerating the Earl received in the Scandal Sheet; remember that from the Rules of Scoundrels series?) changed Papa’s opinion, saving the poor girl from a marriage that may well have killed her. These four aren’t just fixing problems—they’re saving lives. (That being said, Imogen is a little irked because she apparently created the compound that knocked Totting out long enough for Sesily to write on his forehead, which actually could have killed him, but Imogen was told she couldn’t kill him—yeah, I like her. She actually becomes my favorite and I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT BOOK and plan to prostrate myself before the publisher to beg for an ARC. You heard it here first).

Damn, where was I? Yeah: these women are NOT what they appear, so nobody is prepared for them.

There’s another issue in London, though. See, there’s a queen on the throne, and it’s pissing a lot of men off. (Hmmmm, this sounds familiar.) But there have been a bunch of raids on places that either catered to women or were owned by them. Someone is trying to make a hella misogynist statement. As the duchess says, “No one likes the freedom a woman on the throne inspires—least of all the men who benefit from keeping women under their thumbs” (Loc. 673). This.

And there’s a further issue—see, the Duchess knows that Caleb was there (and about the kiss—in fact, they wonder if he and Sesily had sex, which generates some delightful euphemisms, including “did you play croquet?”), and she is concerned he might rat them out (he wouldn’t), so she’s wants to find out his secrets in case she needs some leverage. Sesily doesn’t like that, because she’s been waiting two years to kiss Caleb. But she’s actually a little concerned, because he really didn’t act like it rocked his world (honey, it did; he’s just stoic AF). She’s still affected, and well, Caleb seemed unfazed. Sesily is a lot of things, but my girl ain’t ever been forgettable. I mean, two years ago, she legit thought he might be THE ONE. And now, he is legit blasé about this kiss:

“You can’t punish the man for not wanting me.”

The duchess’s gaze narrowed. “Why not?” (Loc. 789)

Damn, I love the duchess, too. Oh, and please don’t miss the fact that Imogen wants to blow him up. Imogen likes blowing things up.

Like I said, Caleb won’t dime her out . . . oh wait, he just walked in with a Scotland Yard detective inspector. Well now. Okay, so I’m hoping Detective Thomas Peck is a good guy—he sounds like it (and he’s giving Imogen the eye? Ohhh). He’s trying to figure out about these raids, so he’s asked for Caleb’s help. And Caleb feels obligated to help—now that’s interesting. Caleb doesn’t want Scotland Yard paying too much attention to him. Yeah, homeboy has secrets. 

Anyway, I promised not to spoil too much in this recap, because you gotta read the book, but after some fun banter with Sesily and Imogen encouraging Caleb and Peck to strip down and fight for their entertainment (yeah, definitely something happening with Imogen and Peck—she throws that croquet euphemism on him and it’s just freaking delicious), there’s a raid and Caleb jumps into the fray to swing punches with the ladies. They can hold their own, but one of the Bully Boys (which is honestly just the best name for the raiders, who say things like “women ought to know their place”) knocks her unconscious and Caleb spirits her away in his carriage. Okay, she’s probably got a concussion and she already gets carriage sick, so when she wakes up, she’s not feeling good at all. She needs fresh air and now! so . . . Caleb kicks the window out. That immediately put a halt to her sickness (and caused my panties to hit the floor, if I’m going to be honest with you). Anyway (how many times was that?), he doesn’t want her to be alone because of the head injury, so he says he will take her to Sera’s. Yeah, she puts the kibosh on that quick AF. She says to take her home, where she lives with her parents. He's down with that until he discovers that the parents are in the South of France. Well, what else can he do, but take her to HIS HOUSE (gasp), but ohhhhh, she’s gonna owe him for not diming her out to Sera and Haven. So she garbs herself in his topcoat and sleeps in his bed (he’s barely ever at the Marlyebone house so there are very few furnished rooms), while he kips in a chair, because he really is a good guy. She does learn some things about him, like the fact that he lights enough candles that you can probably see his townhouse from space, and also that sometimes he slips up and says “Aye.” Hmmmm 💭

He doesn’t lay a finger on her because he is a gentleman and if he did, he would probably never let her go, and awakens to find her gone. So he heads to work bright and early (which he never does) to face the wrath of his business partner, Sesily’s sister Sera, who has learned that he and Sesily were together the previous night from their other partner, Fetu Mamoe, who is a Samoan man that I hope we see more of! He’s the perfect partner to Caleb and Sera, and has no fear of the two of them, who are, frankly, a handful. For example:

That shrug again, as Sera added sweetly, “Not just your business though, because . . . and this is the really strange thing . . . I heard you carried my unconscious sister out of there.”

He looked to the ceiling. “Fucking hell.”

And then Sera wasn’t enjoying it. She was furious. “Fucking hell is right!” He turned to face her as she came for him, setting both her hands on his chest and shoving him backward. (Loc. 1845)

America was wonderful for Sera, because she went from being the docile dishrag of The Rogue Not Taken to this spitfire Amazon who, though pregnant, mind you, is still willing to kick his ass. Oh, and hubby Haven isn’t pressed, barely looking up from what he is working on to warn HER to be gentle with Caleb (Haven has also changed, as you can see—his dialogue throughout this scene is hilarious—and the love and appreciation he feels for his wife is palpable). The tavern scenes in this book, and The Day of the Duchess, are some of my favorites, just like the scenes at the Fallen Angel are my favorites in the Rules of Scoundrels series. 

Well, it ends up with Caleb agreeing to keep an eye on sister Sesily for Sera. Oh Lord, he’s thinking, how can Sera think that he can do the honorable thing and watch out for this woman who is his all consuming desire? But Sera lets something slip that puts Caleb on a collision course with destiny: “‘Well,’ Sera said, ‘she’s wanted you for two years and you haven’t take her to bed . . .’” (Loc. 2014). Sera feels he is safe (she really seems like she has no idea, though even Fetu has noted that he watches Sesily all the time).

The thing is, there’s something in his background that makes it impossible for him to ever have her. And man, we want to know what that is. (Cue my Twin Peaks voice: he is filled with secrets.)

Next time we catch up with Sesily, she’s at a dinner party at the home of Viscount Coleford. The Duchess and Adelaide are with her. It’s a case, you see; their job is to “gather the information necessary to bring down Coleford—a likely murderer and an absolute bastard” (Loc. 2068). Tell me how you really feel! Not only have two of his wives perished under suspicious circumstances, he’s an utter dick to his newest viscountess, who is all of 19 years old and in need of assistance. They have a plan to get into Coleford’s study and gather evidence that he is defrauding a foundling home, which is thrown awry when Coleford starts verbally abusing his wife and Adelaide can’t sit by and let that happen. She engages with him, provoking his ire until the Duke of Clayborn intervenes. He backs Coleford down, but also tells Adelaide to leave. Oh, Clayborn is now in Adelaide’s sights. But Sera is able to sneak in the study and grab the evidence, but is caught . . . by Caleb! They need to hide, and end up in a servants’ closet, where they overhear Clayborn actually defending Coleford’s wife and protecting Adelaide (curiouser and curiouser or, as Sesily wonders, “He’s not a bastard?”). This is good because Heartbreaker is about Adelaide and Clayborn and I do hope he’s good people, which I don’t know for certain, of course, because I wasn’t approved for my ARC (LOL, I COULD NOT HELP IT. I promise that’s the last time).

But Caleb has some sort of tie to Coleford, but we don’t learn too much about that because she kisses him and that spark becomes an inferno and . . . S-and-S time!

We next find Sesily with her 9 (soon to be 10) nieces and nephews and let me tell you, this part spoke to me because, though I was not able to have kids, I am an Auntie. There’s being an aunt, but being an Auntie is a whole different story. Sesily is clearly an Auntie, because she’s sitting on the floor in the library while her nieces give her a four-year old’s version of a makeover. I have been in her seat before. It’s taken bottles of micellar water to remove the makeup and handfuls of conditioner to detangle the rat’s nest they made of my hair. And I’d do it again in a second (they are now 35, 25, and 15, so they’re past the “let’s make up Auntie” stage and I miss it, sniffle). Sesily is surrounded by her sisters and their brood, while the kids rejoice in how fun Aunt Sesily is and the sisters try to weasel information from her. See, the sisters don’t know what’s going on with Sesily and the duchess, but they do know that she’s changed over the last two years. And the Talbot sisters are persistent! The thing is, as Sesily muses, “her sisters loved her, but they didn’t understand her” (Loc. 2765). They wouldn’t be able to reconcile her new life—they would think her reckless (a word Sesily loathes) and encourage her to find happiness with a husband and children just like they did.

Alas, Sera is about to drop a hammer, because she’s invited Caleb. And SM hits us with some hilarious irony, when Caleb appears “at that precise moment, as though the whole thing were written in a novel” (Loc. 2880). Is that the literary equivalent of breaking the fourth wall? The best thing is that it’s right when Sera was quizzing Sesily about Caleb, and if you know Sera, you know she doesn’t shy away from anyone, so she engages with him. And remember, Sesily just had a lovely makeover by a couple of 3 and 4-year olds. Poor Sesily! She's mortified, but still thinks she is beautiful. Anyway, Sera tells them to be cordial and leaves them alone. Cordial. Those two? Sesily tries to flee, but he stops her by using her honorific, which he never does, and telling her they are going to take a walk.

And what a walk. She finds out that he not only respects her, but he pays attention to her, unlike her sisters. She confesses much of what she has going on with the duchess, Adelaide and Imogen, as well as the other women who are connected to Trevescan House. But there are some things she needs to know. Does he feel the same way about her that she feels about him? Does he regret what they experienced in the cupboard? And what he says next, “I don’t regret it, Sesily. I want it again. I want more. I want it all. And if I take it, it won’t be cordial” (Loc. 3233), is so powerful, and the kiss they share is so monumental, the heavens open, and they are deluged by a rainstorm.

Now, romance lovers, y’all know that fictional rainstorms are the sexiest things ever. Books and movies depict sensual kisses and caresses in the rain, which lead to peeling off sodden garments and cuddling for warmth. I love fictional rainstorms (screw the real deal where you ruin your shoes, nobody can drive in them, your electronics get fried, and you end up with a chest cold). But right now, I am in love: “She kissed him like the rain was all part of the plan” (Loc. 3250). Hell yes! But this rain is torrential, so they need to get out of the elements, and guess what, the gamekeeper’s cottage is adjacent (you’ll remember it from The Day of the Duchess). But wait, there’s no key. That doesn’t stop Caleb, who kicks the door in (goodbye panties!). You KNOW that affected you. It affected us all.

“You really shouldn’t get into the habit of that,” she said, though from her tone it sounded like she didn’t mind it.

It sounded like she liked it.

Which made Caleb want to kick in another dozen or so. (Loc. 3281)

But yeah, they’re alone in a cottage in a rainstorm, so you know where to go (hint: S-and-S). And it’s wonderful except, holy mother of God, you’re killing me Caleb; he finally realizes he loves her and “because of it, he had to get out of England. And never return” (Loc. 3672). Yeah, my dude, Imma just say, that’s not what someone wants to hear after you make love. This isn’t going to go well.

So when we get to the duchess’ special every second Tuesday ball, Sesily is spitting mad. Because she woke up on the floor in the groundskeeper’s cottage ALONE. The every second Tuesday ball is a wonderful thing, by the way, that I’m not going to spoil here, but it’s not your average ball full of toffs. But it also introduces the Duke of Trevescan’s man of affairs, Lashkar Singh, who works very closely with the Duchess, and hell yeah, I’m hoping that he and the Duchess have something going on, though the Duke is still very much alive, and actually doesn’t sound like a bad guy, so I should probably just resign myself to that not being a thing. Anyway . . . Sesily is enraged, and when the other three inquire, she ends up close to tears:

“Oh no,” Imogen said.

“Oh dear,” Adelaide chimed in.

“More wine, the duchess instructed a passing footman. “Quickly.” (Loc. 3804).

Did I mention how much I adore the duchess? 🍷

Oh, and Imogen is immediately trying to figure out how to poison Caleb and/or blow him up. But the duchess has something more than just threats, she has information. (1) Caleb is leaving for America. AGAIN. (2) The duchess has found an address that somehow connects Caleb to Coleford, though she doesn’t know how they’re actually connected.

Yeah, well, SESILY IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT HOW THEY ARE CONNECTED because . . . she’s Sesily.

And here’s where I will stop, because you need to get this book and read it! I will admit, the secret took me by surprise, even though I am usually the sort who can figure things out before the big reveal. Nope, not this time. This one hit me like The Sixth Sense.

Five-star read. I loved every word in this book. I have read it twice since I got it. Bombshell is explosive, and, as Imogen says, “Explosions have style”!

 

Now, it’s time for the SEX-AND-SPOILERS section.

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Once again, I must warn you that you should not continue if you don’t want to hear about sex and/or you don’t want to hear things that may spoil the ending. Second reminder: these are primarily HEAs, which means H (Hero) and h (heroine) are getting together before the last page. So you know it’s coming (I haven’t used that tired pun in a while, so MERRY CHRISTMAS!).

Sex

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Honestly, I have wanted these two to get together since The Day of the Duchess! I need some relief, and I know Sesily and Caleb do, as well. After tons of seductive dialogue and a couple heated kisses, we finally get to the meat of the matter. The first scene happens in the servants’ cupboard at Coleford’s home, and it’s even more exciting because there is a very real chance of discovery. When he sets her atop some boxes and puts his lips on her breasts while his fingers take her to heaven, we are all panting. Especially since he makes her recount a story of when she caught the servants having sex, and watched them, while he makes love to her with his hands. But Caleb, ah, he’s not finished, and immediately drops to his knees to make a meal of her. Plus, one of the best parts is when it’s over, and the Duchess is standing outside the door of the cupboard: “Strange place for croquet, no?” (Loc. 2698). I laughed OUT LOUD.

The second time is at the groundskeeper’s cottage and we get our first full sex scene. He makes a bed of blankets on the floor in front of the fire. It’s so sweet. It’s magical for both of them (which is dangerous) and they swear they won’t regret this amazing coupling. He goes down on her again. She finds an odd circular scar on his torso—hm, that sounds like a bullet wound! What is also wonderful about this scene is that she tells him she has no desire for children, and is taking precautions (though he immediately agrees to be careful; good for him). That elicited some applause from me. Not every woman out there wants or can have children and, at the time, that’s basically what women were intended for, whether they wanted it or not (hell, look at the news right now, and it appears it’s still the same way, sigh). If this wasn’t already a 5-star read, I would’ve added another star for that. Also, I fell more in love with Caleb when, in the throes of passion, he encouraged her: “Take it.” He encouraged her to take her pleasure from him; she had that control. He didn’t have to give her anything; she could take it.

There’s a lovely third time in an actual bed, finally, and Caleb’s naughty talk is so damned sexy; she loves that filthy mouth. Also, this man really likes to go down, and she isn’t averse to returning the favor. This is also a full scene.  

Spoilers?

Don’t read past here if you haven’t had the time to finish the book. I’m not giving out anything major, but I really want you to get that “whoa, wow!” experience I had when reading this book.

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I know I left you hanging above, but I don’t want to spoil this book for you. It’s amazing and you need to read it. As I said, this book just felt so good, and needed. It’s very germane to what’s happening now (history repeats itself?). I adore that we are blessed with such a smart, strong, awesome badass in Sesily. And how she and others want to make a difference, even if it involves danger and effort and blood, sweat, and tears: “The world is changing and these men—wealthy and titled and privileged and monstrous—they do not always win” (Loc. 4417). We need to remember that.

Also, when he admits to her “no one has ever loved me out loud” my heart freaking broke. I didn’t think I could love him more, but that comment wrecked me. But she loves Caleb, she wants him to let her love him, and that’s all that matters.

Finally, without spoiling anything, I love the fact that he feels like he can be the only one to fix his issues (the secret) and refuses her help, but you don’t refuse Sesily (she’ll do it any way) and her solutions are better than his (LIKE SHE TOLD HIM THEY WOULD BE, sigh, men). Sesily doesn’t need a savior—she’ll save herself AND others. And her anger can be absolutely incandescent and people need to know, you don’t mess with those Sesily cares about: “If you die, I will detonate. They will have to invent new words for the havoc I will wreak” (Loc. 5238). I believe it.

Adelaide LOATHES the Duke of Clayborn, and “require[s] personal vengeance.” Oh, this means that her book, Heartbreaker, is going to be delicious! I’ll let you know when I get my preorder in August!

Imogen and Peck—holy crap, I am there for it. The electricity that is crackling between them is enough to light up Times Square. I wanna hear more about his thighs. He thinks she’s mayhem, and he can’t keep his eyes off her.

Oh, and we get to see some favorites from the other series (Lily! Hettie! Felicity! Nora!). 💙💛💚

Get this book. Tell ‘em Squirrel sent ya. And hurry up because the second book in the series drops in 2 months!