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Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel
Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel
Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel
Audiobook10 hours

Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel

Written by Sarah MacLean

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

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.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateAug 24, 2021
ISBN9780063055865
Bombshell: A Hell's Belles Novel
Author

Sarah MacLean

A life-long romance reader, Sarah MacLean wrote her first romance novel on a dare, and never looked back. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romances translated into more than twenty languages, a romance columnist, and the co-host of the weekly romance novel podcast, Fated Mates. A graduate of Smith College and Harvard University, she lives in New York City.

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Reviews for Bombshell

Rating: 4.0979380855670104 out of 5 stars
4/5

194 ratings15 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I've listened to this book several times and enjoy it immensely each time. The Hell's Belles series is amazing with real women living their lives out loud. I highly recommend these books and anything this author writes.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing and so unique and different love scene in chapter 17
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had difficulty staying engaged with this one. It had its moments of fun, but still drug on far longer than necessary.

    In addition, nothing wrong with a gorgeous heroine, but repeating just how alluring in nearly every paragraph, or at least several times in a chapter, becomes monotonous and a cause for an abundance of eye rolls. I think Sesily would’ve been a likable character regardless of the overemphasis on her stunning beauty.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was an awesome story with many unexpected twists and turns. Loved the Duchess and her crew. Very entertaining
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Listen, I love everything by MacLean, and this is her best novel to date. It's saucy, the dialogue is fast paced, the plot is interesting, and if you're listening to this, the narrator is wonderful! I'm excited to read the rest of the series as they come out.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mary Jane Wells doing the audio already bumps this up a level. Good story, fun and strong women. I can't wait to hear the stories of the other Bell's.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Scandalous Sesily only has eyes for one man. But Caleb’s dark secret keeps him from pursuing her. When she tries to find out what he’s hiding, will she put them both in danger?

    If you like over-the-top Regency romance with women who behave as badly as the men, you’ll enjoy this book.

    Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3.5 stars - my main issue with this book is the same issue I have with other MacLean books is that it’s a little too long and a little too repetitive. I didn’t mind the contemporary feel to this historical romance I just found myself almost skim-reading parts of the book of Sesily and Caleb’s dialogue as it was the same arguments throughout. A bit more editing and this would have been a 4 star read no problem. Overall I do enjoy MacLean’s writings so I’ll be continuing with this series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've read all of MacLean's HR, and have liked the vast majority of it well above average. I've been looking forward to this, and really expected to like it a lot, but this one ended up just kinda okay for me.

    The interactions between the main couple when they were just being straight with each other were good, whether talking or, uh, not talking... =D But those parts kind of seemed to come few and far between with all the schemes and secrets and adventures taking place. I don't hate those things inherently, but I just couldn't become invested in them here. I like stories with strong female friendships, but this girl squad almost seemed like caricatures of super-can-do-anything-women. If you needed to rig a bomb, or forge a document, or impersonate an official, or take on a gang of ruffians, etc. etc. at least one of these woman would probably have you covered. And really, are they self taught? They haven't worked for the Home Office or anything. I like capable characters, but this felt a little like Nancy Drew, who was always like 'good thing I just happened to study ancient Arabic for those three weeks last summer! It's really come in handy!' lol. Hasn't it just? =D

    Usually I could read this almost straight through, but I would read for a while, and it wasn't *bad*, but I would find myself thinking 'well, that's probably enough for now, what other books do I have'. Which is quite a disappointment of my hopes for it. But, like I said, it was okay.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sesily Talbot is the last of the 'Soiled S' sisters, daughters of a rich merchant who have made their way into high society despite their tendency to thumb their noses at such. Caleb Calhoun has known the family for years and is fascinated by Sesily though he tries to hide it. I enjoyed the Scandal and Scoundrel series which recounts the adventures of the rest of the Talbot girls and their romances. This book was okay but didn't have the same charm that made those other books so good. I never really warmed up to Sesily who seemed both too immature and too 'modern' for her role here. Caleb was fine, and I'm looking forward to the stories of the other women who have become her friends.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A fun Regency romance with a bit of non-romantic intrigue, but some parts threw me out of the story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was more than a little over-the-top and somewhat anachronistic, but it was FUN. At the end of the book, the author's note indicates that the real Forty Elephants gang of women inspired the Hell's Belles. Other things have their roots in history also, so the women and events aren't entirely unbelievable. The author's note is worth reading, and I wish I had read it before the book. Sesily Talbot is one of five sisters and the only one left unmarried. The daughters of a coal merchant who earned a title, Society never truly accepted them. The sisters didn't care, and therefore did things their way. Sesily is the most brazen of the bunch, and at thirty years old, independent, and rich, she revels in her reputation. Two years earlier, after the man she wanted rejected her, Sesily took her heartbreak and joined others like herself, helping rescue abused women from all walks of life. Caleb Calhoun, American, owns multiple taverns in Boston and co-owns one in London with Sesily's sister Sera, who is also his best friend. That makes Sesily off-limits to him. After a passion-filled kiss, Caleb knew the only way to protect Sesily from him was to put an ocean between them. That didn't help much, and when Caleb returns to London at Sera's request, he's sucked back into Sesily's orbit. The book starts with a bang as Sesily and her three friends prepare to rescue a young lady from being betrothed to one of the more notorious abusers. Unknown to Sesily, Caleb observes the preparations, follows her, and nearly ruins everything. I enjoyed watching her blast him and reminding him that she doesn't need him. An honorable man, Caleb worries that these intrepid women will land in deep trouble. He takes it upon himself to keep an eye on them, finding plenty of trouble for himself. I loved some of the scenes Caleb encounters and enjoyed seeing his eyes opened to the talents of these women and their friends. I laughed out loud at the fight scene in the tavern and Caleb's shock at Sesily's actions. And that is only the beginning. Surprising himself, Caleb soon accepts and appreciates Sesily's unusual abilities, supporting her with minimal interference. I loved the development of the relationship between Caleb and Sesily. They've known each other for two years and have a love-hate relationship. Sesily delights in stirring Caleb up with her actions as a way to make him pay attention to her. He is the one man in London who appears to be immune to her charms and advances. She has no idea how much he wants her, too. But the more time they spend together, the more his resistance begins to fail. I loved the push-and-pull of their banter, from teasing to flirty, and how it fueled the flames of their attraction. When a rain-soaked kiss turns into more, Sesily's hopes for the future reawaken, only to be dashed when Caleb walks away. For Caleb, the secret of his past keeps him from offering Sesily what she wants. After one of the Hell's Belles' actions leads to the exposure of Caleb's secret, Sesily becomes the catalyst for revenge. Caleb will do anything to keep her safe, even turn himself in to Scotland Yard. Sesily, of course, won't accept his sacrifice and comes up with her own plan. In a hilarious scene, Sesily, aided by the other Belles, assembles a cast of dozens to save him. An unexpected twist adds to the danger, but the final confrontation shows what can happen when Caleb and Sesily work together. The Belles give the Yard's detective inspector a bonus that puts the icing on the cake. I thoroughly enjoyed the secondary characters of the other Belles. Each of them has unique talents. The Duchess is their leader, with contacts and organizational acumen. Adelaide excels at being unnoticed, practically invisible to those around her, making her perfect for spying or slipping away for searches. Her one drawback presents when she witnesses abuse that sets off her formidable temper. Imogen is the group's scientist, with a particular penchant for explosives. I can't wait to read their stories.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved the story here, although it wasn’t my typical squeeing that happens with most Macleans. I’m so glad that Sesily got her HEA, and I adore that she straight up told Caleb that she doesn’t want kids (although I don’t think we ever heard his thoughts on them).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really loved this book, loved Sesily, adored Caleb. I am not one to nitpick historical accuracy in my romance, this is not where I come to learn, but certain anachronisms are problematic even for me. When there was a riff on the Casablanca "of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." quote that was a bridge too far. Also, Sesily's scandalous nickname was "Sexily." The use of "sexy" or "sexily" as a descriptor, and the use of "sex" to describe things other than the procreative method dates back to the 1920's, well after the events of the book. It got to the point I was waiting for someone to whip out an Iphone. Also, I find that romance writers often find a word they love and it is used over and over and it makes me nuts. A recent read had the work "rakehell" on nearly every page. This book the problem word was "lush" I like the word lush, its sensual and evocative, but FFS there were many paragraphs where it was used two or three times, I can't imagine what the count was for the book as a whole. Every time they kissed my mind screamed "don't say lush!" and almost every time my hopes were disappointed.One additional note, there are some comments in the review section that seem to indicate that people think there were no women of the era that fought against the patriarchy. That is incorrect. They need to do some reading, They can begin with "A Vindication of the Rights of Women" and and proceed from there. Many, possibly most, of the women fighting the good fight were aristocratic or at least people of means because they could get away with it more readily than commoners and the poor. That does not mean that bucking the patriarchy came without personal cost, just that those women were there and we owe them gratitude, and recognition, and I think Sarah MacLean has shown her gratitude here.All in all, I know this just came out but I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I almost passed on this book because the advertising said it was “unapologetically feminist” and from other books I’ve read with that same advertising, I expected to find a shrewish, man-hating, overbearing, unlikable female lead along with a weak, milquetoast, doormat of a male lead. I am so glad that wasn’t what I found. Sesily Talbot is strong, independent, intelligent, has a totally wicked sense of humor, is very caring, and has a devil-may-care attitude that people either abhor or admire. While she chafes at Caleb’s protectiveness, she doesn’t belittle him, she understands where he is coming from and then quietly teaches him to trust her abilities. They are both much better people in the end because of that exchange of values, ideas, and abilities.I understand both lead characters and many of the supporting characters have been introduced in other books, but I haven’t read any of those. That said, I don’t feel as if that was much of a problem when reading this book since it gives plenty of background and mentions the most pertinent facts that we’d need to know. I also loved that the author’s notes included information on the real-life group on which the Hell’s Belle’s were based.Lady Sesily Talbot is a walking scandal and has been for her entire life. Her entire family has set the ton on edge since her father won his title from the Prince Regent – in a card game no less. Sesily and her sisters have a couple of collective sobriquets associated with them – one of them is the Soiled S’s (all five of the sister’s names begin with S). Sesily is also referred to as Sexily when they don’t think she is listening.Two years earlier, Sesily was approached to join a ‘team’ whose mission was to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves from those with more power. Their network is wide-ranging in both rank and gender. That invitation came at just the right time for Sesily because she was growing bored and restless with what life had to offer and the group, Hell’s Belle’s, gave her a purpose. Sesily, along with new friends Miss Adelaide Frampton, Lady Imogen Loveless, and their leader, the Duchess of Trevescan work tirelessly to right the wrongs of society. Think A-Team in silk skirts.Caleb Calhoun, a 35-year-old American, is the only man who has ever been able to withstand the charms of Sesily Talbot. Granted, he had to leave England and put an ocean between them before he could do it, and even then, the pull was constantly there. Caleb has to resist Sesily because he has secrets – deep, dark secrets – that won’t allow him to have a home and family – or anyone he cares about. His caring will put them in grave danger.The book begins with Caleb trying his darndest to protect Sesily – and it goes that way through most of the book. Sesily repeatedly shows him she is strong, smart, and can defend herself. His respect for her abilities constantly grows and he cannot continue to fight the attraction. When his enemy makes a discovery of his secret, it puts Sesily in grave danger. Caleb intends to protect Sesily at all costs – even his own life – but Sesily and her crew have other plans. They’ll save Caleb despite himself.This book was witty, entertaining, filled with lively banter, and had a wonderfully supportive cast of secondary characters. Those supporting characters will be getting their own books in the series as well. I rated the book a bit lower because the book seemed to slow down in the middle. That was probably to do with quite a bit of angsty internal monologue with the characters, but it did drag and I didn’t have any trouble putting the book down for a while before picking it up again. That said, I can definitely recommend this highly entertaining book if you don’t mind a much more modern take on things.I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.