Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Proper Scoundrels

AUTHOR:  Allie Therin

PUBLISHER:  Carina Press

LENGTH:  309 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 28, 2021

BLURB:

Don’t miss this spin-off from Allie Therin’s acclaimed Magic in Manhattan universe!

Their scandalous pasts have left them wounded and unworthy—and hopelessly perfect together.

London, 1925

Sebastian de Leon is adjusting to life after three years spent enthralled by blood magic. The atrocities he committed under its control still weigh heavily on his conscience, but when he’s asked to investigate a series of mysterious murders, it feels like an opportunity to make amends. Until he realizes the killer’s next likely target is a man who witnessed Sebastian at his worst—the Viscount Fine.

Lord Fine—known as Wesley to his friends, if he had any—is haunted by ghosts of his own after serving as a British army captain during the Great War. Jaded and untrusting, he’s tempted to turn Sebastian in, but there’s something undeniably captivating about the reformed paranormal, and after Sebastian risks his own life to save Wesley’s, they find common ground.

Seeking sanctuary together at Wesley’s country estate in Yorkshire, the unlikely pair begins to unravel a mystery steeped in legend and folklore, the close quarters emboldening them to see past the other’s trauma to the person worth loving beneath. But with growing targets on their backs, they’ll have to move quickly if they want to catch a killer—and discover whether two wounded souls can help each other heal.

REVIEW:

Sebastian de Leon is trying to recover from the years he spent under torture from the Puppeteer who used blood magic to control Sabastian’s magic.  He still experiences blood terrors.  But he’s trying to make amends.   He’s making sure that Lord Fine, Wesley, is safe but protecting his house with magic to make him invisible to paranormals.  He’s also trying to help his friends, Jade Robbins and Jianwei Zhang solve what are obviously paranormal murders and find the perpetrator before it happens again.

Sadly, it does happen again.  And worse than that, Wesley recognizes Sebastian.  He does not trust Sebastian and makes all sorts of bad decisions after that 😉  Thankfully Jade and Zhang are able to help Sebastian save the day.  The consequences of which include Wesley now being thrust into the world of magic.  He takes it surprisingly well.  When it’s clear that he and Sebastian are going to have to do something to stop the murderer and throw him off of Wesley’s trail, they set off to Yorkshire to try to figure out how the murderer continues to get away without any witnesses.  Wesley uses his position and Jade and Zhang and Sebastian’s magic to help them – but things are worse than they feared.  And they are going to need more help to save themselves and the ones they love.

This story pulled me in from the very first page.  I was intrigued by Wesley’s prickly personality.  And then after meeting Sebastian and Jade and Zhang, I could not wait to see where this went.  Wesley is a bit blustery and abrasive and entitled – as would any viscount be I suppose.  Sebastian is indeed a dangerous but soft touch – as repeatedly shown by his love and care for animals and even for those whom he cannot avoid incapacitating.  But Sebastian is determined to make amends for his past and to keep Wesley safe.  If only Wesley wasn’t so stubborn 😉  When Wesley unwittingly puts himself in harm’s way of the very same murdering paranormals, Sebastian nearly loses himself trying to save him.  Finally Wesley begins to see that there is more going on here than meets the eye and perhaps he hasn’t been quite right about Sebastian de Leon.  I loved how Wesley fights his better nature – complaining about stray cats and Cook’s children 😉  Sebastian is nervous around Wesley not just because of what his magic can do, but also because he is attracted to Wesley and he does not want to make a mistake there.  When Wesley confesses his own attraction though, things change 😀  The heart of the story are two men who are learning to care for one another and to accept themselves and maybe forgive themselves for their less than spotless pasts.  But they give each other the strength and the support to come out the other sides stronger than before.  I adored this story and I really hope that this author isn’t done with this universe.  Highly recommended!

RATING: 

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