Series: Hell's Belles #3
Author: Sarah MacLean
Published August 22nd 2023 by Piatkus
Goodreads Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the next Hell’s Belles novel about a chaotic bluestocking and the buttoned-up detective enlisted to keep her out of trouble (spoiler: She is the trouble).
With her headful of wild curls and wilder ideas and an unabashed love of experiments and explosives, society has labeled Lady Imogen Loveless peculiar…and doesn’t know she’s one of the Hell’s Belles—a group of vigilantes operating outside the notice of most of London.
Thomas Peck is not most of London. The brilliant detective fought his way off the streets and into a promising career through sheer force of will and a keen ability to see things others miss, like the fact that Imogen isn’t peculiar…she’s pandemonium. If you ask him, she requires a keeper. When her powerful family discovers her late-night activities, they couldn’t agree more…and they know just the man for the task.
Thomas wants nothing to do with guarding Imogen. He is a grown man with a proper job and no time for the lady’s incendiary chaos, no matter how lushly it is packaged. But some assignments are too explosive to pass up, and the gruff detective is soon caught up in Imogen’s world, full of her bold smiles and burning secrets…and a fiery passion that threatens to consume them both.
Goodreads
Review
Imogen Loveless may be a Lady, but she would much rather be with the Hell's Belles, in the east end of London, investigating crimes, and using her explosive know how to stop villains in their tracks. The fact that her activities tend to bring Detective Inspector Thomas Peck around to investigate is just a bonus. Following a series of explosions at female run businesses, Thomas is the only one in the Metropolitan Police who seems to see a connection between them, and especially when the Hell's Belles are present at every crime scene. He knows that as someone from Spitalfields he should stay far away from the sister of an Earl, but the spark between him and Imogen is enough to raze all of London.
Well, this met every expectation I had, and then some. Like most other fans of this series, Imogen and Tommy were clearly #endgame from their first meeting, and it's been torture waiting so long for their story. Knockout both starts and ends with a bang. The Hell's Belles (and partners) find themselves involved in investigating the explosions at businesses which are fronts for female led enterprises, helping those who need to escape, or find a better life. Only the Belles really know the truth about it all, but anyone in the East End can see that there are forces at play targeting their livelihoods, and Scotland Yard doesn't care one bit. But not all of Scotland Yard is as apathetic. Tommy can see that something is connecting them, but his superiors would rather he spend his time on more important matters, such as protecting Mayfair, and finding the missing sister of an influential earl, preparing himself to take up the vacant role as head of investigation branch. Getting close to Imogen, who he sees as better and above him in every way, would be a mistake to his future prospects, but when they become vulnerable to each other, it's impossible to stay away. I loved how explosive the book was, both in literal explosions, but also in the twists and turns. The Belles are a true family, and Caleb and Henry embrace their 'sisters' as their own. Seeing the dynamic of Tommy joining the six of them, and working together when it seems that it's just them against the world was sheer perfection! I thought the final chapters were explosive enough, but the final pages took my breath away. Roll on Duchess's book - I can't wait!
Dates Read:
August 28, 2023
Rating
5 Stars
