KNOCKOUT is book three in the awesome feminist girl gang Hell's Belles series by historical romance author Sarah Maclean. This whole series is simply rollicking fun. Maclean brings us uber-progressive (and uber-competent) ladies and the marvelous men who stand behind them and support them in their endeavors. I love the Hell's Belles, who are based on a true Victorian girl gang.
Lady Imogen Loveless is considered by most of society to be “too much.” In fact, she is constantly described, by herself and by others, as "chaos." This was my one quibble with the book, that the use of chaos descriptor was so incessantly used. Imogen is definitely marching to the beat of her own drummer, and kudos to her! Her father encouraged her scientific brilliance, but unfortunately, died when Imogen was sixteen years old. Imogen's brother, the Earl Dorring, has had no idea what to do with his dynamic and determined sister, so she's been free to experiment to her heart's delight with explosives in the cellars at the family's estate.
Imogen has a group of close female friends, and they are like a Victorian Justice League. They all have their own competencies that they use to support each other in their pursuit of social justice. Imogen and the other Hell's Belle's have delivered multiple dossiers to Scotland Yard to take down the rich and the powerful who have been preying on women and on the poor. Their contact of choice at Scotland Yard is the delicious Detective Inspector Thomas Peck. Tommy is powerfully attracted to the scrumptious and indomitable Imogen, but of course feels that their social differences make her far out of his reach. This tried and true trope seems fresh in the hands of Maclean.
Tommy and Imogen end up working together to defeat a more extensive network of dangerous foes than they've ever faced before. Tommy's staunch defense of Imogen is marvelous. It's even more awesome to watch him slowly wrap his head around the fact that Imogen is going to march into danger to defend the powerless, and his best choices are to defend her while simultaneously getting out of her way. Hip hip hooray for female empowerment!
There are all kinds of delightful themes of social justice, love transcending all, and fun explosions too. This book is a gem- sparkling and witty- while espousing the power of women and the adventures of a delightful band of found family. The Hell's Belles series never fails to delight, and Maclean's KNOCKOUT delivers a walloping punch of reading pleasure.
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the next Hell’s Belles novel about a chaotic bluestocking and the buttoned-up detective enlisted to keep her out of trouble (spoiler: She is the trouble).
With her headful of wild curls and wilder ideas and an unabashed love of experiments and explosives, society has labeled Lady Imogen Loveless peculiar…and doesn’t know she’s one of the Hell’s Belles—a group of vigilantes operating outside the notice of most of London.
Thomas Peck is not most of London. The brilliant detective fought his way off the streets and into a promising career through sheer force of will and a keen ability to see things others miss, like the fact that Imogen isn’t peculiar…she’s pandemonium. If you ask him, she requires a keeper. When her powerful family discovers her late-night activities, they couldn’t agree more…and they know just the man for the task.
Thomas wants nothing to do with guarding Imogen. He is a grown man with a proper job and no time for the lady’s incendiary chaos, no matter how lushly it is packaged. But some assignments are too explosive to pass up, and the gruff detective is soon caught up in Imogen’s world, full of her bold smiles and burning secrets…and a fiery passion that threatens to consume them both.
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