I Kissed a Rogue (Covent Garden Cubs, #3)

by Shana Galen

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

When I Kissed a Rogue opens, Lady Lila has just been abducted. She's locked in a cellar, but manages to break free, only to witness her captor murder a man. He sees her, and Lila knows she's next. Luckily she's rescued, but Brook knows that Lila's life is in danger as long as she remains a loose end in that murder. He refuses to guard her though, after her cruel behavior toward him seven years ago, but he severely underestimates the lengths her father will go to to ensure his oldest's safety.

I loved the premise of I Kissed a Rogue. It's this kind of mash up of enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and fake relationship turned real with a dash of romantic suspense. Lila and Brook knew each other when they were younger, he proposed, she said no, he's held a grudge for seven years, and she never thought about him twice until now. To say there's a lot of tension and hostility between them would be an understatement! But thanks to Lila's father, the two end up married so Brook is forced to protect her until her would be murderer is caught. Not exactly the best way for them to patch things up.

While I did love the premise, I didn't always love the execution. I love enemies to lover romances because of all of the underlying tension. However, in the middle of I Kissed a Rogue, I was completely convinced that Brook hated Lila. Not in the way where they just think they hate each other, but there's really passion underneath. I 100% believed that he hated her and was just stuck with her out of obligation. That's not good. Not to say that there isn't passion and lots of sexy times, because there was, but I really, truly, honestly believed his hate toward her at one point and that made me a bit uncomfortable.

Despite that awkward hate, I did enjoy I Kissed a Rogue. I loved how Lila was doing her best to work with her situation. She's not the spoiled brat that Brook use to know, but at first he can't see past his own feelings to notice she's changed. I really liked the twist at the end involving the suspense plot. I didn't see that one coming!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.