To Catch a Rogue
Author: Bec McMaster
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
NOTE: This review contains spoilers from the previous books in the series.
Picking up shortly after the shocking conclusion of You Only Love Twice, we discover that Duke Malloryn, head of the Company of Rogues (CoR), is alive, in Russia, being tortured by Balfour and his dhampirs. As de facto leader, Gemma mounts an extremely dangerous rescue mission to save her friend, bringing along a few new, but familiar-to-readers, faces with the CoR. Once in Russia, the gang plays a perilous game of chess with Malloryn’s enemy, Balfour, placing their entire party in the crosshairs of the Russian blue blood elite.
To Catch a Rogue is the story that long-time readers of Ms. McMaster’s London Steampunk series have been waiting for, and I am pleased to report that Charlie and Lark’s story was worth the wait. We met both characters in the first book of the original series, and watched them become best friends, only to see Charlie move out of Whitechapel and in with the CoR. For this risky mission, Charlie needs a superior thief, so he recruits his former best friend, the talented Lark, who brings along Blade. Additionally, Charlie’s older brother, Leo Barrons, joins the mission to help smooth the diplomatic waters.
Charlie, both dangerous and an absolute sugarplum, shines as the main character in To Catch a Rogue. There is a confidence and strength that comes out when he reconnects with Lark after no communication for over seven months. When last he saw Lark, she’d nearly died, and he blames himself. He needed the time away, but now he’s ready to let Lark know his true feelings; no more hiding. His moves start off subtle, letting her know how he feels in small ways. I loved this scene about 25% into the story:
“Who are you and what have you done with Charlie?” Lark breathed, turning her face close to his ear. “The boy I knew would be flipping a coin to race me.”
His thumb stroked lightly across the inside of her wrist, as he barely dared whisper, “The boy you knew died the night he rocked you in his arms, begging you to start breathing again.”
Yet as the book progresses, Charlie makes no secret that he wants Lark: mind, body and soul, and not just for one night, but for ever.
Lark holds some pretty big secrets close to the vest, but once Balfour starts playing his games, it’s clear she must share what she knows, even if it risks her own safety. She slowly lets Charlie inside her emotional walls, and in turn, learns to trust the CoR. Her revelations are a bit game-changing, but in the end, don’t change a thing about how Charlie sees her. They were meant to be from the moment they first met, and watching them finally come together was wonderful.
The mission to rescue Malloryn was probably the most complex and dangerous to date for the CoR. Factor in Lark’s secret past, the search for Obsidian’s identity, and Russian political power games, I found myself a bit confused at times. To Catch a Rogue feels epic in nature as it tackles several elaborate yet interlinking side stories, culminating in a dangerous rescue attempt. The action is intense, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
In the end, I adored the long awaited story of Charlie and Lark. Their friends-to-lovers romance has been years in the making and brings all the feels. The overall mission is sweeping, but the story is not over, with Malloryn’s tale coming out in early 2019.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Jen
About the Book:
An impossible heist. A thief and a rogue. But will she steal his heart, instead?
The Company of Rogues finally knows the identity of the mastermind behind a plot against the queen—but their enemy is still one step ahead of them. When he kidnaps one of theirs, the Rogues plan a daring rescue mission that will lead them into the heart of the bloodthirsty Crimson Court.
It’s a job for a master thief, and there’s nothing Charlie Todd likes more than a challenge. To pull off the impossible, Charlie needs a crew, including the only thief who’s ever been able to outfox him.
He broke her heart. But now she must risk it all to save his life…
Lark’s spent years trying to forget her past, but the one thing she can’t ignore is the way a single smile from Charlie still sets her heart on fire. When he proposes they work together again, it feels just like old times, but she has one rule: this is strictly business.
It’s Charlie’s last chance to prove he can be trusted with her heart. But Lark’s keeping a deadly secret. And as passions are stirred and the stakes mount, it might be the kind of secret that could destroy them all…
Release Date: October 30, 2018
Publisher: Lochaber Press
Series: London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Alternate Timeline Historical Romance, Steampunk
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
Purchase Info:
Amazon
Reviews in the Series:
Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #1)
Tarnished Knight by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #1.5)
Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #2)
My Lady Quicksilver by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #3)
The Curious Case of the Clockwork Menace by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #3.5)
Forged by Desire by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #4)
Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk #5)
Mission: Improper by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy #1)
The Mech Who Loved Me by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy #2)
You Only Love Twice by Bec McMaster (London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy #3)