After years of living as London's brightest scandal, Lady
Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the
title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens
beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they
seem.
No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years
trying not to notice his best friend's beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If
you ask him, he's been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at
him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she'd felt in his arms during
their one ill-advised kiss.
Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into
trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is
exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his
system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he's fast realizing that
Sesily isn't for forgetting…she's forever. And forever isn't something he can
risk.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was more than a
little over-the-top and somewhat anachronistic, but it was FUN. At the end of
the book, the author's note indicates that the real Forty Elephants gang of
women inspired the Hell's Belles. Other things have their roots in history
also, so the women and events aren't entirely unbelievable. The author's note
is worth reading, and I wish I had read it before the book.
Sesily Talbot is one of five sisters and the only one
left unmarried. The daughters of a coal merchant who earned a title, Society
never truly accepted them. The sisters didn't care, and therefore did things
their way. Sesily is the most brazen of the bunch, and at thirty years old, independent,
and rich, she revels in her reputation. Two years earlier, after the man she
wanted rejected her, Sesily took her heartbreak and joined others like herself,
helping rescue abused women from all walks of life.
Caleb Calhoun, American, owns multiple taverns in Boston
and co-owns one in London with Sesily's sister Sera, who is also his best
friend. That makes Sesily off-limits to him. After a passion-filled kiss, Caleb
knew the only way to protect Sesily from him was to put an ocean between them.
That didn't help much, and when Caleb returns to London at Sera's request, he's
sucked back into Sesily's orbit.
The book starts with a bang as Sesily and her three
friends prepare to rescue a young lady from being betrothed to one of the more
notorious abusers. Unknown to Sesily, Caleb observes the preparations, follows
her, and nearly ruins everything. I enjoyed watching her blast him and reminding
him that she doesn't need him. An honorable man, Caleb worries that these
intrepid women will land in deep trouble. He takes it upon himself to keep an
eye on them, finding plenty of trouble for himself. I loved some of the scenes
Caleb encounters and enjoyed seeing his eyes opened to the talents of these
women and their friends. I laughed out loud at the fight scene in the tavern
and Caleb's shock at Sesily's actions. And that is only the beginning. Surprising
himself, Caleb soon accepts and appreciates Sesily's unusual abilities,
supporting her with minimal interference.
I loved the development of the relationship between Caleb
and Sesily. They've known each other for two years and have a love-hate
relationship. Sesily delights in stirring Caleb up with her actions as a way to
make him pay attention to her. He is the one man in London who appears to be
immune to her charms and advances. She has no idea how much he wants her, too. But
the more time they spend together, the more his resistance begins to fail. I
loved the push-and-pull of their banter, from teasing to flirty, and how it
fueled the flames of their attraction.
When a rain-soaked kiss turns into more, Sesily's hopes
for the future reawaken, only to be dashed when Caleb walks away. For Caleb,
the secret of his past keeps him from offering Sesily what she wants. After one
of the Hell's Belles' actions leads to the exposure of Caleb's secret, Sesily
becomes the catalyst for revenge. Caleb will do anything to keep her safe, even
turn himself in to Scotland Yard. Sesily, of course, won't accept his sacrifice
and comes up with her own plan. In a hilarious scene, Sesily, aided by the
other Belles, assembles a cast of dozens to save him. An unexpected twist adds
to the danger, but the final confrontation shows what can happen when Caleb and
Sesily work together. The Belles give the Yard's detective inspector a bonus
that puts the icing on the cake.
I thoroughly enjoyed the secondary characters of the
other Belles. Each of them has unique talents. The Duchess is their leader,
with contacts and organizational acumen. Adelaide excels at being unnoticed,
practically invisible to those around her, making her perfect for spying or
slipping away for searches. Her one drawback presents when she witnesses abuse
that sets off her formidable temper. Imogen is the group's scientist, with a particular
penchant for explosives. I can't wait to read their stories.
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