New York Times Bestselling Author Sarah MacLean returns with the next book in the Bareknuckle Bastards series about three brothers bound by a secret that they cannot escape—and the women who bring them to their knees.
The Lady’s Plan
When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own … father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly…until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun.
The Bastard’s Proposal
When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure . . . on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires…for a price.
An Unexpected Passion
Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power . . . and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything . . . including their hearts.
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Another great book in this series by Sarah MacLean. It is always fun to find characters one has met in previous books, and they pop up here, too. Good historic scenery and lots of details to make you feel you’re there. Henrietta is spirited, the perfect heroine. Reading the first in the series (Wicked and the Wallflower) first sets the scene. Lots of fun.
Hattie’s a girl I’d love to be besties with! She’s complicated, but in a good way. She’s loyal, reliable, and smart. She’s got some self-esteem issues (I mean, who doesn’t) yet her hopeful nature keeps her looking at the upside of things.
And Beast, Aka Whit! How could I not love the guy?! He was perfect for Hattie. Whit was a great mix of protectiveness, brains, and brawn. His seemingly cynical nature also hid a very sentimental guy who held tight to the ones he loved.
This book had it all! Sassy heroine, slightly tortured hero, a very spicy romance, and a whole lot of women empowerment themes blending very well in to an already riveting story!
Lady Henrietta Sedley, comfortably on the shelf at the age of 29, wants her independence and wants to take over and run her father’s shipping company when he retires. She’s quite capable, as she grew up on the docks learning from him, knows every aspect of the business, and has sharp management skills as well as the workers’ respect. As a Mayfair lady, it seems an impossible feat, but Hettie has a plan. When The Beast, the king of Covent Garden, wakes up in her carriage from a bump on his head (thanks to her foolish and feckless brother), their paths cross in a fated and most entertaining manner. A fun and well told story.
A pause, and then a barely there grunt of acceptance. “If I let you tend to my wounds, will you let me ruin you?”
I’m going to keep this pretty short and sweet.
I came for the curvy heroine everyone has been telling me I have to read…and I stayed for that curvy heroine. Hattie has permanently made her mark on me and she will forever be on my list of favorite female characters. Her independence, her resolve, her wit (no pun intended), her body type, her need to be successful. I just loved her.
Whit, aka Beast, is a grunting, grumbling, grumpy man of few words. That is until he’s in a seductive mood, and they whew boy! The filthy mouth on this dude had me fanning myself constantly. And by now you all know how much I love a dirty talker. *chef’s kiss*
The plot? I didn’t care. It was meh. This book was all about the romance, Hattie, Whit, and them becoming a couple for me. If I was rating this on the plot? I’m not sure it would get more than 3 stars but I enjoyed my time so much with this couple that I have to rate it 4 stars.
Overall rating 4 stars
Steaminess 3.5 stars
Whit is the sub of all of our dreams!
I can’t even express how much I love this book and this series. Hattie and Whit were just perfect together. The world that Sarah MacLean has created is so memorable, so captivating, and I adore the dynamic between the Bareknuckle Bastards and the people who populate their lives. This is just an exquisite romance, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
The king of the underworld meets his match, This book contains action, suspense and passion. A great read!
Yes, the year of Hattie. Sarah MacLean writes strong women, who have no truck with the fools that try to hang on. The Beast isn’t very verbal, so the author uses his surroundings to give insight to his character.
I want Nora to get her own book!
Sarah MacLean! What can I say? One of my go-to faves who never disappoints. This book is part of the Bare-Knuckled Bastard series with a strong (brazen) heroine and a brooding (beauty of a) hero with a savior complex–not at all beast-like in appearance. Even when they come to a working agreement, their goals are at cross-purposes. You really can’t go wrong with this one.
This book had some of my favorite things: a reluctant-to-love hero, a curvy, witty, brave, and capable heroine, who has no trouble speaking her mind and asking for what she wants, suspense, sexy as hell intimacy, and great writing that just sucks you in from page one to the very end. Hattie and Beast are a perfect match and you’ll root for their happy-ever-after.
Sarah McLean is one of my favorite historical romance writers on the scene today and this book is not disappointing. If you are looking for bold heroines who know what they want and strong heroes who don’t get in the way of their lady love’s dreams, this is the book for you.
Another unputdownable book!
This is why I love reading Sarah MacLean’s novels. They embody everything that keep me coming back to revisit my 1st romance love, historicals, – a gorgeous cover, a great opening chapter filled with intrigue that pull you headfirst into the story, an extraordinary heroine who bucks the system and lives her life exactly the way she wants to, even if its not what society expects of an Earl’s daughter. The Brazen, Lady Henrietta Sedley, also known as Hattie, might surprise you with her ‘mission’ on the night she runs into The Beast! What a lasting first impression, what a bold mission! Hattie is unflappable, opinionated smart as a whip and tired of being overlooked just because she’s a daughter instead of a son.
Then, there is my most favorite part of any romance- the perfect handsome Hero for the story. Strong, intelligent, smoldering..that trait is a must! How Whit- Saviour Whittington, The Beast, finds himself somewhat tied up at the moment when he opens his eyes to this beautiful, unusual woman, is far from what his Covent Garden reputation should allow. No one gets away with harming him or anyone under his protection, he is the Beast after all.
This book is filled with such witty period banter, superb suspenseful storytelling, lead characters with very different lifestyles yet somehow perfectly matched, tingly sensual anticipation with enough dirty talking and sexy steaminess to fog up your glasses for days.
See what I mean…the perfect historical romance to capture and keep me glued to these pages every chance I could for the last 2 days and nights. I’ve been loving this author’s well written words for a long time, enjoyed reading almost all of her books, supporting my local library in the process. I somehow missed the 1st book in this Bareknuckle Bastards Series, which didn’t leave me in the dark here but will be sure to be the 1st in line for the next, Daring and the Duke- book 3 when it releases.
Brazen and the Beast is the second in The Bareknuckle Bastards series but can be read as a stand alone story. This is a story of strength and vulnerability, and of claiming one’s own life to make it their own. Hattie is the spinster daughter of an earl who wants to take over the family shipping business that is currently being destroyed by her lackwit brother and has decided to start with “ruination” so she can’t be forced to wed. Her plans for “The Year of Hattie” go awry when she discovers a beautiful, unconscious man tied up in her carriage. Whit, known to all as the Beast, is knocked unconscious and tied up during an attack on one of their transports of smuggled goods. His determination to find the attackers threatens Hattie’s plans. The story that follows is filled with laughs, love, tears and danger. This is a beautifully written story with strong characters and fun, adventurous story. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
I love stories about strong women who know what they want and go after it, no matter what era they live in. Hattie may be an earl’s daughter but she grew up near the docks (her father’s title was a late-in-life reward) and will never be part of the Ton. She’s too big, too loud, too assertive…too much. So at age 29 she’s ready to live life in The Year of Hattie, where she goes after what she wants, starting with a night with a paid companion.
Beast and his brother Devil didn’t fight their way to the top of their massive smuggling business by playing nice, and when he awakens tied up in Hattie’s carriage, his first thought is to get even with whomever put him in this position.
Clearly, these two are made for each other and they figure that part out pretty quickly. The drama that’s thrown into the mix comes from Hattie’s family’s involvement with Beast’s troubles, and the enemy who haunts Beast’s life.
I loved how it was Hattie who wasn’t willing to settle, and who schemed and connived her way to her goals, and how Beast recognized this as a strength and an attraction. It’s a delightful story that had me coming back for more, and I also loved seeing the secondary characters both old and new add to the tale. Another winner from an outstanding author of historical romance!
I loved, loved, loved this book! Well written, entertaining, sexy characters- and while set in the 19th century – it can definitely relate to modern issues that face us today.
I love this series and can’t wait for the next!
Sarah Maclean must have gotten a fist-bump from her muse on the day she turned this one in. With intensely empathetic characters, compelling stakes, and perfectly timed laugh out loud moments, she is, book-by-book, turning me into a historical romance reader. How does she do it?!
I read this first–because obviously, why not start in the middle– and though I probably would have enjoyed it even more after reading Wicked and the Wallflower, this stood alone just fine.
What an enthralling read! I was utterly captivated. What fabulous characters! I adored Hattie and Beast, and their romance was perfect.
Really very poor and sad, for such a usually very good writer. Did not finish it.
Great read, like all her books