Audiobook Review: Bombshell by Sarah MacLean

Author: Sarah MacLean
Narrator: Mary Jane Wells

Title: Bombshell

Series: Hell's Belles #1

Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: Audiobook
Published: August 24, 2021
Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss.

Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.

Review: 

Been meaning to read this for a hot minute. I decided to be wild and pick this for our first book of book club. Yayy.

Here we have Sesily and Caleb. Sesily is a wild-child and London's biggest scandal-maker. She has taken it in stride and lives her life how she wants. She can have any gentleman she wants, but she only wants Caleb Calhoun who has spent years trying not to notice her. Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into more trouble. There is love and lust and everything he ever wanted, but he can't risk having her. 

Sooo technically this is a spin off from another series. I didn't realize this when I first picked this book for book club.....oh well. It did perfectly fine. Some side characters you would appreciate more if you read the others. It was fine. 

This was a lot of fun. Lots of adventure and action. Smexy scenes. Etc, etc. 

However, this was all so improbable and impossible! Sesily would've been cut from society after the first scandal. Maybe if she had been a widow? Maybe? Or she kept her night escapades and wild ways more of a secret? But she was too scandalous and it didn't feel like a Victorian love-story. It felt like a make-believe world. So my immersion was a little off. But I still enjoyed it and wished that society would've just teased her and let her still come to parties. 

Caleb was...okay. He was too stubborn sometimes and I wanted to kick him.

The narrator was good. Her voices were nicely different for everyone. The American accent was super stiff, but I got used to it. 

All-in-all, I did have fun with this. Not very realistic, but still enjoyable at it's core. I feel like the narrator was a lovely pick overall. 

I shall stamp this with 3 stars. 

- Favorite character(s): Adelaide

- Least favorite character(s): Our baddie (I won't name names)

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #1

- Romance Reading Challenge #1 (On TBR shelf for over 1 year)