Reviews

Proper Scoundrels by Allie Therin

the_discworldian's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

annieb123's review

4.0

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Proper Scoundrels is the first book in a spinoff mystery/paranormal romance series by Allie Therin. Released 28th Dec 2021 by Harlequin on their Carina Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a very well written, spicy, M/M historical paranormal romance set in the 1920s. The setup is admittedly a trifle trope-y: curmudgeonly (but secretly passionate and soft on the inside) "perpetual bachelor" aristocrat meets/pines for handsome dangerous, sad, and complex magic user. Add some really nasty villains and stir well.

This is a spinoff series, and there are loads of world building and background to be read through before the action really gets going. It's roughly 25% into the book before the main characters (Sebastian and Wesley) meet properly. For that reason, a short binge of the original series (Magic in Manhattan) might make this series more enjoyable.

It's a romance, and readers should be aware that there are some explicit scenes in the book. They're well written, but probably NSFW. Readers who enjoy historical romance with M/M characters will find a lot to like here.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

sashahc's review

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Just finished “Proper Scoundrels” by Allie Therin.   It’s a 1920’s paranormal queer mystery-romance taking place in England and Paris.  Sweet very sunshine one / very grumpy one relationship.  Good world building.  So fluff.  Very NSFW.  If you’re in the mood for that, it’s just the.

Side note that it’s a spin-off from her previous series, but you’ll get the gist without reading the others.

e_hawk123's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

elliemvbrown's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

alina_statistics's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The angst!!! I loved this so much

kitsana_d's review

I think you *have* to read the main series first - there's too much reference to it and the plot from that is still going on here. I may give it a go at a later time, AFTER I read the Magic in Manhattan books.

katieanne4's review

3.25

i read magic in manhattan and found the magic system a bit underbaked. like we found out new things about the magic that were needed for plot reasons and i didn't really really get the sense that how magic made the world different was explained... magic was basically parlor trick/terrifying world ending force and nothing in between? 

anyway, i stuck with it because i liked the romance but ended up grumpy about it because the romance wasn't enough to carry it. (romance is basically never enough to carry a book for me! it's a problem because it makes me very picky! i want you to nail the romance while also nailing the rest of the plot stuff and it's hard!)

this one, the first 10% felt like largely rehash of books 1-3, they didn't kiss until 66%, i LIKED it better but it was still just a solid 3.25 for me. which is good! I'm a tough sell! i'm kind of like wesley actually. i did like them both a lot. separately and together. (wesley more than sebastian though)

lindzmace's review

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i liked it!

beeepbooop_'s review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.5