I started reading romance during the pandemic, but somehow hadn’t cracked open a mass market bodice ripper until the Hell’s Belles series came along. Christina Lauren gushed about Bombshell, so I had to give it a try since they have the best recommendations. Sarah MacLean did not leave me disappointed.

So, I was very excited for the release of book two, Heartbreaker. Somehow, the Goodreads gods smiled down on me and granted me a physical ARC of it and it made my daggum day. Just like reading this gem of a story.

Heartbreaker is Adelaide’s story. She is the daughter of a crime lord who escaped and started a new life in North London with a different last name. She and her posse of women are taking down bad guys in subtle ways and it is lovely. But then, Adelaide’s path crosses with a duke while she’s trying to steal from her father. Turns out, her dad had stolen from the duke, and now it was a game to get their hands on the wooden puzzle.

Making matters more complicated, Adelaide runs into the duke again while she’s working as her other persona, the Matchbreaker. A marquess is trying to stop his daughter from marrying the duke’s brother, but the pair takes off to elope and sparks a race between Adelaide and the Duke of Clayborn to get to the couple first. But things go sideways, as things often do, and Adeline ends up spending some uhh.. quality time… with the duke. There’s plenty of intense action following those steamy scenes, so don’t think romance novels lack plot. This one has it in spades.

One of the things I loved most about Heartbreaker is the wonderful way Sarah captures the redheaded spirit. Adelaide is sassy, smart, independent, fearless, skilled, and takes zero crap from men. HERE FOR IT. I think I’d be a lot like Adelaide if I was living in 1800’s London and raised to be an expert thief…. lol. The duke loves all those qualities about her, but still wants to protect her even though she insists she doesn’t need him. This book is beautifully written, with so much adventure and spicy and strong women. What more do you need?!

My only issue with this is the fact that the girl on the cover is not wearing spectacles. Like, how are you supposed to convince me that it’s Adelaide if she’s not wearing spectacles?! COME ON, PEOPLE!

Anyways, I loved Heartbreaker and I am all the way here for book three, when our lovely explosives expert Imogen gets her love story with a strapping inspector.

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