annieb123
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Once a Rogue is the second book in a spinoff mystery/paranormal romance series by Allie Therin. Released 22nd Aug 2023 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. For that reason, a short binge of the original series ( Magic in Manhattan ) might make this series more enjoyable and accessible. It's not absolutely necessary, but it will be a better fit for current fans of her other work.
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.