The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
Series: Dangerous Damsels #1
Published by Berkley Books on 15 June 2021
Genres: Fantasy Romance, Historical Romance
Pages: 324
Format: eBook
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A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her--hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

“Men! she thought irritably as she went. Their hysterical nature was a trial to any rational creature.”

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels – a unique title for a unique premise

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is the first book in the new Dangerous Damsels series. It is an unfinished series with book two just published this year and book three planned for next year, according to Goodreads. If you liked Bridgerton but missed the magic and adventure of an epic fantasy, you need to read The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. I gave this a shot with zero expectations and downloaded it on my Kindle as a bit of a palette cleanser to break up a big fantasy romance streak.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did. I’m a huge Bridgerton fan. I’ve read every Jane Austen novel and I’ve seen every film/series adaptation multiple times. I love a good period drama but I was a touch skeptical about a historical fantasy romance. It 100% worked for me and I’ve got book two waiting on my Kindle. It is a hilarious, light-hearted literary adventure.

Characters

Okay, I’m just going to say it. Cecilia is a badass. A proper lady, but a badass, nonetheless. She is a delightfully hilarious FMC and her chemistry with Ned….swoon. The rivalry between these two characters is beautifully paced and draws you through the plot to a truly glorious ending. But, they aren’t the only stars in this story. Holton has created a cast of characters that I enjoyed just as much as Cecilia and Ned and we will get to see more of these characters as the series continues.

Originality

I adored the premise of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. It’s a breezy read that you don’t have to take too seriously, use too much brainpower to get through, and still thoroughly enjoy. Holton melted these two genres together beautifully and I’m excited to see what else she comes up with in the next books in the Dangerous Damsels series.

Hit me with the tropes!

• Enemies to Lovers
• Magic
• Rivals
• Secret/Hidden Identity
• Forced Proximity
• Grumpy/Sunshine (but she’s the grump!)
• Kidnapping
• Mystery
• Slow-Burn

Is The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels spicy?

As is standard for a historical romance, there is a whole lot of tension between the main characters and, as always, the FMC’s internal struggle against societal expectations of propriety. But, there is a satisfying sprinkle of spice that adds a nice flavour to the overall plot.

Discover more ‘Enemies to Lovers’ reads here!