Bombshell by Sarah MacLean (Hell’s Belles #1)

Biggest thanks to @librofm for their library of audiobooks!

I just started a 3 hour daily commute and though I’ve never been a big audiobook listener, Bombshell was a fantastic listen! Aurally, the first 1/3rd of the book is a bit slow, as the story is all exposition, but it picks up and I devoured it! Like any good read, I found myself thinking about the book.

Lady Sesily is a member of a secret-ish society of ladies who right wrongs by outing bad men and ruining their reputations. Caleb is an American pub owner and has chosen to stay in Boston just to keep his hands off Sesily and keep her out of his dangerous past. OBVIOUSLY, that doesn’t work out so well for him.

This historical romance is pretty steamy (Sesily never wears knickers) and my only critique is it felt like a lot of descriptors and phrases were often repeated, which I might have only noticed because of the audiobook.

The reader for the book was lovely, great with all the accents, though there was one word (I can’t remember what it was now) that she said incorrectly in an American accent. But hey! one mistake is still an A+.

I love the truly feminist nature of the book. Often Sesily would fight with Caleb about her participation in brawls and I pictured Rey pushing away Finn’s hand in Force Awakens. It’s a story about women supporting women and men supporting women who exist outside the expectations of “good society.” Highly recommend. - Ford

Hot Take: This should have been made into a Netflix series instead of Bridgeton.

Come at me, I'll tell you why.

The setting is very similar, but the women are so much more spectacular.

This is my first Sarah MacLean and I am fully sold on her brand of historical feminism. Typically I am skeptical of historical romance, simpering damsels, and proper society rules just don't hold mustard for me, but this knicker-free goddess (I mean Sesily, not the author) had me chasing her all over London.

The book isn't without flaws, but overall I had so much fun in this vibrant and meaningful world, that I dismissed or forgave them for the pleasure of being very well entertained.

The tension between Caleb and Sexily is dense with sexual energy, there is a bit of repetitive language between the two of them, but I think this is meant to show that their thoughts echo each other. I found myself rooting for them.

I wish there were a few more action scenes with Caleb and Sesily working together, but I am hopeful for the next book in the series. I also wanted more Jane, but again, I am keeping my fingers crossed for her reappearance in the next chapter.

So Netflix, get at this, it is so worth reading and would make a great TV series. -Sky