Bond Street Bachelor (The Rakes of Rotten Row #5) by Annabelle Anders
Thank you to Annabelle Anders and In For A Penny Publishing for sending this Advance Reader Copy (ARC). I'm giving an honest review of the book, all opinions are my own.
Publication date: August 8, 2024 Print length: 312 pages "Bond Street Bachelor is the fifth book in the Rakes of Rotten Row Series but can be read in any order, or as a stand-alone novel."
I think Leopold and Amelia may be my favorite couple in the Rakes of Rotten Row series. This is an opposite attracts tale with two people who never, ever would have met. The first time our male lead sees the female lead they were both at a party (he wasn't invited), he hid in the shadows and she looked right through him. I found Leopold to be the most layered fleshed out character while Amelia was more typical Ton young lady. The plot had me invested from page one and it moved at a nice pace. We get to check in on a few the previous couples with a small appearance by a couple of them as the story progresses.
Leopold isn't a typical bad guy character in that he has standards to his illicit business. No drugs or human trafficking, only goods and information. He takes care of the people who work for him and has made sure people from his past who want to work have a place in his organization. That he threw in with the Rotten Rakes to see a truly bad man delt with shows that he's nicer than he lets on. He tells himself the plan is just good business on his part. Self-made man, survived his horrid childhood, and with the help of a "mentor" thrived and became a criminal kingpin. He's handsome with enough scars to make him appear a bit dangerous; even though he dresses well you can tell he didn't go to Eaton. He's got plenty of attitude.
Amelia is a typical titled young lady who has to marry well and is silently screaming on the inside. Beautiful, intelligent, kind, and doesn't appear to be spoiled to death. Her parents pushed for an arrangement with a Marquess who ran off with her cousin. Of course, it's Amelias fault and now she has to marry a man her parents have been negotiating with to take her off their hands. Soiled goods even though she was an innocent victim in the whole mess. She becomes interesting when she's kidnapped and has an opportunity to let loose and find out who she is and what she wants for herself. Amelia called Leopold Mr. Beckworth through the story, inner dialog also, it was cute and kind of hot when they were up to no good.
An enjoyable read and I'm waiting on the next story, the Duke of Malum. How he's redeemed is going to be a chore to figure out.