Title: The Princess and the Rogue
Author: Kate Bateman
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Release Date: December 2020
Length: 3128 pages
Series?: Bow Street Bachelors #3
Genre: Historical Romance
A princess in disguise is forced to live with a rogue in order to protect her from danger in this fun, sexy regency romance.
Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, doesn’t believe in love―until a passionate kiss with a beautiful stranger in a brothel forces him to reconsider. When the mysterious woman is linked to an intrigue involving a missing Russian princess, however, Seb realizes her air of innocence was too good to be true.
Princess Anastasia Denisova has been hiding in London as plain ‘Anna Brown’. With a dangerous traitor hot on her trail, her best option is to accept Wolff’s offer of protection―and accommodation―at his gambling hell. But living in such close quarters, and aiding Wolff in his Bow Street cases, fans the flames of their mutual attraction. If Anya’s true identity is revealed, does their romance stand a chance? Could a princess ever marry a rogue?
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Princess Anastasia Denisova has fled to London and posing as the plain ‘Anna Brown.’ Favor was in her fortune when she secured a job as a companion to a the dowager duchess. She has been living for nearly two years as the dowager’s companion after running from a forced marriage to a man she learns is suspected of treason.
In addition to her work for the dowager, ‘Anna’ lives near a brothel. She befriends the Madame and girls. She works to teach the girls to read and write in hopes they will be able to make a better life.
Sebastian is an Earl and a Bow Street agent. He has enjoyed living the single life. His friends have been dropping hard hints that he needs to fall in love. To their unknowing credit, Sebastian does feel he is missing something in his life, which doesn’t make sense being the wealthy man that he is.
This leads Sebastian to a brothel. The brothel where Anastasia is tutoring the girls. He is instantly attracted to her, mistaking her for one of the working girls. They have an intense and heated conversation where Anastasia tries to correct Sebastian’s assumption. She is able to escape into the brothel, leaving Sebastian craving the intriguing working girl he bantered with.
Anastasia is facing difficulty outrunning her past, and the dowager whisks her off to the countryside. Except that doesn’t work out as planned and turns into a rescue. To keep his promise to his aunt, he must keep this wanted woman safe. Sebastian installs her in his own apartments above the gaming hall he owns with his friends.
Anna doesn’t reveal the truth about her identity. She provides veiled truths to Sebastian. The pair slowly develop a friendship of a sort, but Sebastian is suspicious and knows Anna is not telling him everything.
Over time and some schemes, the truth comes out. Sebastian is shocked and puts his duty to protect her above their relationship. They hatch a plan to catch the individual who committed treason and is after Anna.
The book has a strong pace with some twists. There was bickering banter, intrigue, passion, and good hearts. I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
Girl of 1000 Wonders 