Item: The Halifax Hellions
Rating: 4.5
Author: Jen

BOOK REVIEW: The Halifax Hellions (Halifax Hellions #1 & #2) by Alexandra Vasti

The Halifax Hellions by Alexandra Vasti
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti comes The Halifax Hellions: a pair of sexy, hilarious romps in which the most scandalous ladies in London finally meet their match.

From the day of their debut, when Matilda smoked a cheroot and Margo tied a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue, the Halifax twins have flouted convention at every turn. But when Matilda runs off with the dangerous Marquess of Ashford―who has every reason to hate her―she may have gone a bit too far.

Determined to stop Matilda’s inexplicable elopement, her sister Margo turns to her oldest friend for help: because if anyone can get her to Scotland in time, it’s starchy solicitor Henry Mortimer. But the road to Scotland is paved with secrets. Beneath his buttoned-up exterior, Henry is ardently, wildly, miserably in love with Margo. And Matilda and Ashford’s relationship too may not be quite what it seems.

Between salacious engravings, secret identities, and demanding feral cats, nothing about the journey goes as planned. With the Halifax Hellions at the reins, a week in a carriage is exactly enough time to turn the world upside down . . . and, perhaps, find the love stories they never expected.

For the first time ever in print, The Halifax Hellions brings together Margo and Matilda’s novellas, along with a swoony new epilogue.

Review:

The Halifax Hellions was hilarious, charming, steamy, and had a fun and flirty vibe! There are two novellas in this story, one for each twin, Margo and Matilda. Here are a few of my thoughts….

Physically, Henry was in hell, which was unfortunate, because spending every second of every day with Margo was fucking wonderful.

Margo:

He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to tell her that he’d always loved her, that he would sell his soul to be inside her once more.

This friends to lovers, older brother’s best friend romance was my favorite! We alternated between Margo and Henry and I adored both of their thoughts. Especially Henry, because while he tried to be rational and a good friend, he wanted her so badly. And Margo was lusting after Henry too. With steamy and descriptive scenes, I loved watching them cross that line of friendship into more! And they both got a beautiful and HEA!

Matilda:

She wanted to tease him until he said it again, wanted to fray his control until he turned her over his knee.

This steamy, age gap romance was swoon worthy! Matilda was clever and so easy to love! And Ashford could seem so buttoned up, but he definitely had a different side to him too. He had such a big heart, and I loved watching as he slowly let Matilda in. This story overlapped with Margo’s, and I was shocked how things truly unfolded. It kept me on my toes! With a memorable cat, and a beautiful ending that wrapped up alongside her sister and Henry, I adored this book!

I want forever, any way I can get it.

If you’re looking for a steamy historical romance that will also have you laughing out loud, definitely pick this one up!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti

Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti by Alexandra Vasti
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In this steamy Regency romp, Lady Selina is determined to find the Duke of Stanhope the perfect wife―the only problem is she's starting to think that might be her.

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!―he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft.

Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.)

But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

Review:

I absolutely loved Ne’er Duke Well! The storyline was heartwarming and fun, and the characters leapt from the pages! With a friends to lovers mixed with a trope I absolutely love but don’t want to say for spoilers, this book was so easy to love! I found myself laughing, smiling, and even sobbing too. If you’re looking for a historical romance novel to read, definitely let this be the one you pick up!

He wanted her, curse him for a fool. He wanted her so much he could barely stand the heat from her body at his side, the way her fingers held his arm through his jacket sleeve.

Selina was convinced that Peter Kent needed to be married, so he would be able to win custody of his half siblings. Btw, I absolutely adored half siblings, Freddie and Lu! They made me laugh so much! Lu was feisty and hilarious without even trying and I just wanted to scoop Freddie into a ball and give him the biggest hug ever. Peter having his hands full with them is an understatement lol. With Selina overseeing Peter’s prospective options for whom to marry, I couldn’t put this book down!

She swallowed and tried to turn her mind back to his marital endeavors. That was what she needed to think on. His marriage. To someone else.

While the interactions between Peter and Selina had me laughing out loud, Peter couldn’t help but be pulled to Selina. As he went along with her plans, I loved watching that friendship solidify. And Peter realizing that he was slowly falling for her. And while Selina couldn’t help but fall for his siblings, and all of their adorable antics, she couldn’t help but be charmed and fall for Peter too.

Oh God, she was going to hell, wasn’t she? She was here to explain why marrying her would ruin his life and tell him he ought to reconsider.
She was not here to lick him.

Selina was thoughtful, had the most fabulous family ever, but she had a huge secret. One that could ruin Peter’s chances at getting custody of his siblings. Which was why her being a viable option as his wife wasn’t feasible. As the story alternated between the two of them, you couldn’t help but love them both so much. Peter with his considerate, caring and good guy ways, and Selina with her heartfelt nature. Yet they could never be, or could they….

He pressed another kiss to her palm and she squeezed her eyes closed, fighting the urge to weep again.

The story unfolded in the most entertaining and hilarious way. The scandals kept piling up. And with steamy kisses, scorching hot detailed scenes, and confessions, this book pulled us along in the most wonderful journey. The side characters added so much heart. And I loved how this book had little extras, like at the beginning of the chapter the little sentence or two from a letter added so much depth to the story. I’ll be reading whatever this author releases next and that happily ever after was absolutely perfect!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this publisher, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*