Bombshell by Sarah MacLean

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with a blazingly sexy, unapologetically feminist new series, Hell’s Belles, beginning with a bold, bombshell of a heroine, able to dispose of a scoundrel—or seduce one—in a single night. After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem. No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss. Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.

If this is the first book in a series, I shouldn't feel like I have to read books from one of the author's other series to have any idea WTF is going on. I gave up on the “Scandal and Scoundrel” series after book two, so I never read [b:The Day of the Duchess 31307650 The Day of the Duchess (Scandal & Scoundrel, #3) Sarah MacLean https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477616140l/31307650.SY75.jpg 51979220], which meant that while the narrative here acted like I should know who Caleb is, I had not the slightest clue. I vaguely remembered Sesily, but that was about it. I'm not saying that the book has to be full of exposition, but some sort of setup so I know who these people are would be nice. Sarah MacLean is incredibly hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed the last couple of hers I read, and I was very much into the premise of “vigilante gang of overlooked society women taking revenge on evil rich dudes,” so I gave this one a chance. Far too little character development - the other vigilantes have characters like “wears glasses” or “is a duchess,” and Caleb kept alluding to a Terrible Secret or Dark Past or something that I got too annoyed by to even care about the reveal. Far too little of said vigilante plots, too many long cameos from other characters in MacLean's books which I haven't read. I DNF-ed a little before 50%, because I realized I just didn't care enough about anyone in this book to try to power through it before the ebook loan ended.

3.5
I was expecting more. But this was a more reasonable love story than the others and with noticeable twists, despite its predictability.
Shout out to all references from her previous books (from Rules to Barenuckles).

I don't know whether to give it a 5* or 4*.

Cause in one hand I really enjoyed the banter and loved the characters.

On the other Caleb was such a man written by a woman that I'm kinda like... just maybe make it less obvious?😅

Either way, I really loved the badass babes vibes all the women in the story gave me. And specially in a historical romance (if it can be called that, cause I suck at knowing the genere books belong at😂).

*SPOILERISH BIT*

Next book is Adelaide's apparently buuut, I can't wait for Imogen and Pecks book, and if we don't get one I'm gonna be real mad.