• Home
  • Review Archive
  • Book Reviews
    • Romance
      • Contemporary Romance
      • Historical Romance
      • Enemies to Lovers
      • Friends to Lovers
      • Coworkers
      • Interracial Relationship
      • Second Chance
      • LGBTQ+
      • Fake Dating
    • Literary
    • Historical
    • Mini
  • Bookish Others
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Eleanor Lynn Reads

Eleanor Lynn Reads

The Hellion and the Hero by Emily Sullivan: Book Review

May 8, 2022

The Hellion and The Hero is displayed on a kindle fire. The book sits atop of A Rogue to Remember and The Rebel and The Rake. Beneath those is a white bumpy sofa and to the left a clay sheet. To the right is a string of turtles plant.

The Hellion and the Hero

BY EMILY SULLIVAN

Rating: 5/5 
Genre: Historical Romance
Steam: Explicit!
Publisher: Forever Romance
Pub Date: August 23, 2022
Thank you Forever Romance for my Advanced Copy! You're the best!
Available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop

The Hellion and the Hero Synopsis:

Lady Georgiana Arlington has always done what’s best for her family—even when it meant marrying a man she didn’t love to save her father. Her husband’s death has left her stronger and bolder—a hellion, some would even say. When a mysterious enemy jeopardizes her livelihood and reputation, there’s only one person she can trust to help her uncover the threat: the same man she left heartbroken years ago.

Captain Henry Harris is no longer the penniless fortune hunter he was when they first met. Now a decorated naval hero, he could have his choice of women, but no other woman has Georgie’s allure, nor the tenacity he can’t help but admire. Assisting Lady Arlington will put both his body and his heart in danger—and yet, he can’t resist a second chance with the one woman he’s never been able to forget.

The Hellion and the Hero Review

First, thank you so so so much Forever Publishing for letting me read this book early as an eARC. All opinions are that of my own.

Y’all this book. My heart. I cannot. I feel as if Emily Sullivan wrote this book with me in mind and added all of my favorite things. There is no explanation for how absolutely perfect it was. I even went through and highlighted sections because my heart couldn’t take it. I never do this, but I couldn’t help myself with all the sweetness.

 Let me just do a quick recap of why you need to read this before getting into more details: THE PINING, uptight mmc who is the sorta bodyguard, government secrets/spying, longing, badass widowed fmc, “doing the right thing is not to be applauded,” repression, Monte Carlo with a fabulous bed scene (iykyk) and a bath scene, sorta enemies-to-lovers with the pent up emotions of second chance romance. Obviously, I  know I am missing things but this book has everything and the emotional depth it goes to. I do not know how Sullivan does this, but it does not matter. I will be shoving this into every single person’s hands that I can. Everyone must enjoy this book.

CW: infertility, PTSD, panic attacks, and discussion of previous emotional abuse.

Loves:

Captain Henry Harris captured my heart from the first chapter. He’s an incredibly starchy, uptight man with a haunted past. Just how I like them. I loved watching how Henry grappled with his emotions and overcame the feelings over the past to live in the present. Plus he is so smitten even when he doesn’t want to be.

Georgiana is one of those characters you’d probably hate in real life because they appear to be so perfect. But she’s not. She’s been hurt and taken advantage of on multiple occasions. Her transformation was lovely. I especially loved the scenes with her family as they were so important. Georgiana is strong willed and honestly deserves the world. I love her.

The dual POV of the story is what really pulls it off. If I had access to only one of their minds I’d probably dislike the book because there’s so much hidden between these two characters. While there’s some “miscommunication” (idk if I’d even call it that because it’s more pride not letting you speak/hurt), it feels natural to the story and not a thrown in plot device.

The settings of the book were also phenomenal. You spend the first half of the book in London setting things up and creating the ghosts of their pasts, but when you get to Monte Carlo things take off and it becomes a completely different story in the best way. I loved the previous characters  from Sullivan’s earlier novels coming back. The mood that Monte Carlo set was excellent with the change in the characters. Everything was so balanced.

Because I am only human I will say that the steamier scenes in the book hit just right. I love when historical romance gets a little *ahem* steamier than normal. Like I said there is a fabulous bed scene that is everything, carriage action, a bath scene, and another traveling scene. But the moments of intimacy outside of the physical are what really get me. That ending was *chef’s kiss* amazing.

Meh:

It ended? I really don’t know. I think that some might have problems with the beginning as it is a  little drawn out to set the tone for everything and give snippets of the past. However, I feel without those slower moments you’d lose necessary characterization.

Long Story Short:

Do I recommend this book? Yes. A thousand times yes. I’ve reread The Hellion and the Hero too many times to say and I’ve only just gotten it. So freaking sweet. Honestly I felt like Sullivan had sat down with me and asked for my preferences in a romance novel then wrote this book. If you want a historical romance with good steam, solid voice, traces of modernity that feel true, and perfect second chance romance this book is for you. I will be suggesting (totally not shoving) this book to everyone I know.

If You Liked This One…

If you like Elizabeth Everette’s The Secret Scientists of London series (A Lady’s Formula For Love and The Perfect Equation) or Harper St. George’s The Gilded Age Heiresses series ( The Heiress Gets A Duke, The Devil and the Heiress, and The Lady Tempts an Heir) then this book would be absolutely perfect for you ! This book feels like a combination of all 5 of those books.

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
FollowFollow us
PinterestSave

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

in Book Reviews, Historical, Romance # HEA, Historical, Historical Romance, Infertility, Romance, Second Chance, Widow

Reader Interactions

you may also like
The Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath: Book Review
Fire Season by KD Casey: Book Review
Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter: Book Review
How To Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder: Book Review

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Hello my name is Eleanor and I'm so glad you're here! I am a self proclaimed bookworm interested in all things happily ever after. I hope that you find some good reads and I can destroy your TBR!

Social Media

Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
Follow by Email
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
Facebook
fb-share-icon

Sign Up For Newsletter

Recent Posts

  • The Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath: Book Review
  • Fire Season by KD Casey: Book Review
  • Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter: Book Review
  • How To Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder: Book Review
  • A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman: Book Review
One True Outcome by KD Casey is displayed on a kindle fire. Beneath the kindle is a white jersey with red stripes. The kindle sits slightly in a brown baseball glove which takes up the lower left corner of the photo. To the right of the kindle is a baseball.

One True Outcome by KD Casey: Book Review

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria: Book Review

Beach Read by Emily Hnry

Beach Read Book Review

One Thing Leads to a Lover by Susanna Craig: Book Review

Get new posts by email

There may be links to various websites on this blog, but we are not affiliates with any of them. This is solely a hobby blog and no money is made off of it.

Just preorder this book. Denise Williams does it Just preorder this book.

Denise Williams does it again writing another favorite book of mine💕💕.

5⭐️ | Contemporary Romance | Explicit

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Out September 6, 2022

To be completely fair in this review I have absolutely adored everything Williams has written up to this point. And Do You Take This Man is no exception to my Williams love. 

This book was full of character development, steam, banter, and an entertaining plot. Come on it’s ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS!!!

This is the second romance book I’ve read with a divorce lawyer FMC in the last month, and I’m not upset about it. I adored this book. 

RJ is prickly and has her walls up high. I loved her transformation and growth in the book. The fact that she ordains weddings is the icing on the cake for me (hahaha). Her back story through her work relationships are beautiful and the way she is there for her friends is so great to read. I loved RJ but her life would be HECTIC to live.

Lear is one of those amazing MMCs that start off in one place but peeling back each of the layers creates an even better character. He starts as a bit of a prick, but as the story unfolds and you start to get more glimpses of him you understand why and end up fully in love with this sweet man.

While the book is fully centered around a character driven plot and their character arcs, there are enough secondary plots to continuously help propel the story forward while bringing out key elements of the characters. 

It’s incredibly done and you don’t realize how masterful it is until you’ve finished and sat with yourself a long time. Williams is an expert story crafter, and I don’t think myself or anyone else can properly sing her praises.

Do I recommend this book? Yes! 1000% yes I recommend picking up this book. The banter, wit, chemistry, and character development are all top notch in this book and I think it will appeal to almost every contemporary romance reader. 

Highly recommend for those who like Emily Henry, Olivia Dade, or Andie Christopher! An absolutely wonderful book (that I already preordered after reading this ARC because I NEED it in physical form).
Have I mentioned what a HOLD this book has over @u Have I mentioned what a HOLD this book has over @unsuccessfulbookclub and I? I couldn’t help myself with this one. It’s perfect.

Also if you’re uninterested in reading this book even with this info (which is only the beginning of the sheer awesomeness that is this book) idk what to tell you.

Mia and Vander are that couple💕.

#bookishreels #bookreels #EloisaJames #FourNightsWithTheDuke #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalRomanceNovel #HistoricalRomanceReader #RomanceNovel #RomanceBook #RomanceReader #romancestagram #romancestagrammer #RomanceBookstagram #romancebookworm #bookworm #bookreel
I truly believe reading this book has changed who I truly believe reading this book has changed who I am as a person. Mia, Vander, Chuffy, and Charlie will forever hold a piece of my heart. 

Seriously if you want the BOOK RIDE OF YOUR LIFE AND TO MELT INTO A PILE OF GOO READ THIS BOOK!

5 ⭐️ | Historical Romance | Explicit

CW: adultery, fatphobia, emotional abuse (mostly off page), opium use (off page), physical abuse (off page), ableism, and alcoholism 

First and foremost, thank you @unsuccessfulbookclub for this serendipitous buddy read. I am forever in your debt.

Where do I even begin with this book? It starts with a poorly written poem by a lovestruck teen, embarrassment, parental adultery, blackmail, and a proposal scene to top them all. TBH this proposal is perhaps the most entertaining I've ever read.

From here we dive into the heart of the story which does have a lot of plot, but the growth of the characters is where it shines. Peeling back carefully constructed layers and bringing all of the skeletons out of the closet.

Evander Septimus Brody is officially tied with Frank Tripp for favorite book boyfriend. I said what I said. Three points to him: Charlie, the DOOR, the F-ing ending of this book.

Mia is in over her head throughout the book, but is still in control the entire time. She's smart, sweet, and has some serious self-esteem issues.

Charlie and Chuffy are the side characters of your dreams. And Jafeer!

I could go on and on, but just know that Clare and I basically were screaming at each other in delight in our DMs because how perfect this book is. I scared people on the metro giggling. I went to the library to secure a physical copy because I needed it in my hands along with listening. 

I will be buying this book and highlighting it with little hearts like a lovesick teen. It's that good.

All in all, read this book and PLEASE get in my DMs while you do because this is peak serotonin for me.

#EloisaJames #FourNightsWithTheDuke #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalRomanceNovel #HistoricalRomanceReader #RomanceNovel #BookReview #RomanceBook #RomanceReader #romancestagram #romancestagrammer #RomanceBookstagram #romancebookworm #bookworm #bookish #massmarket #Romance #ReadThisBook
Welcome to my new series called: Romance Tropes & Welcome to my new series called: Romance Tropes & Country Throwbacks🤠

Long story short I was listening to old country and realized how well it paired with a trope. Then imagine me masterminding about 15 songs with tropes🫣-thank you @unsuccessfulbookclub for helping me with this rabbit hole. 

So buckle up, because we’ve got some book recs and throwbacks!

Trope: Second Chance Romance
Song: Austin by Blake Shelton

Second chance romance might be *that* trope for me. There’s something about finding love with the same person at the right time that I love. Plus it’s always so angsty and I adore it!!

Books Shown in Reel:
Every Summer After by Carly Fortune
To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters
The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren
Saint by Sierra Simone
Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas
A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria
Coming Home to Seashell Harbor
An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins
An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale
Unwritten Rules by KD Casey
The Hellion and The Hero by Emily Sullivan
Sliding Home by Jaqueline Snowe
First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel

—
—
—
—

#HistoricalRomanceReader #EmilySullivan #MayaRodale #RomanceBooks #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #RomanceReads #BookReel #BookStack #HistoricalRomance #bookworm #romancestagram #romancestagrammer #SecondChanceRomance #TropesAndThrowbacks #RoniLoren #MandaCollins #AlexisDaria #MirandaLiasson #ForeverPub #BerkleyRomance #SajniPatel #KDCasey #MarthaWaters #JaquelineSnowe #CarlyFortune
Ugh I really wanted to like this book. I mean I Ugh I really wanted to like this book. 

I mean I pretook this photo because the cover is gorgeous and the premise!!! (Hence this review bc I’m not letting this photo go to waste)

The premise of this book is amazing. A plus size black woman having to be the model for lingerie and also is the creative director of it and falling in love with her rival!?!?

But honestly I DNF’d about 80% through because I couldn’t do the last roughly 60ish pages.

Where did it go wrong? Well first of all when is a 36D plus size? Boo, you can get lingerie easily… (which btw why is this lingerie described as Torrid (🤢) to the extreme???)

But beyond that the timeline is constantly jumping so pacing feels way off. Reid (mmc/li/rival) does some questionable agreements with the lingerie brand that are hard to get over AND IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE. Like I would never forgive him if I were Cassie (fmc).

I can read through bland relationships in romance but SOMETHING has to make up for it. The friendships didn’t seem genuine at all and felt inconsistent.

I WILL say that I am going to give Jackson another try if another of her books is published because I did like her writing. I thought it flowed easily and I really liked her voice. Just the plot and the characters not so much.

And yes I’m counting this is my reading count for the year because that ~80% was EARNED💁🏻‍♀️.

Also this is my PSA to let you know DNFing is good for you. There are too many better books for you to read. (Unless you’re enjoying your hate read—which then go forth!)

Typically I try not to be too negative and I’m a pretty easily pleased by books but I couldn’t. 

—
—
—
—
#TheAccidentalPinup #BerkleyPublishing #BerkleyRomance #Berkley #RomCom #RomanceNovel #RomanceBook #ContemporaryRomance #RomanceReader #romancestagram #RomanceBookstagram #BookReview #bookstagram #bookish #BooksAndCoffee #DNF #bookworm #bookgrammer #BookBlogger #EnemiesToLovers #plussize
💕ARC Book Review💕 5⭐️ | Historical Roma 💕ARC Book Review💕

5⭐️ | Historical Romance | Explicit

Ummm, hello my favorite book😍. I’ve seriously been here with all my emotions with this book since March (thank you @readforeverpub !!!) and it is time.

Do you like second chance romance? Persuasion vibes? Starchy ex naval officers turned body guard with a sexy cane? A society woman determined to run her factory ethically? Monte Cristo? BATHTUB AND CARRIAGE scenes —and a bed scene that is 🤌!!!

The way this book has my soul. Georgiana and Henry met 8 years ago during the season, then due to ~circumstances~ they didn’t end up together. Georgiana got married to an awful man and Henry went into Naval Intelligence. Now the gangs back together because Georgiana’s being threatened.

Seriously though, the character development, the steam, the plot, literally everything about this book I love. The flashbacks to the past are perfectly placed too. I cannot wait to hold a physical copy in my hands. I’ve reread it countless times now. 

So thank you Emily Sullivan for crafting this MASTERPIECE. 

This is the third book in the series, I highly recommend at least reading the second one before this one as there’s character overlap, but if not I still think you could get the plot and characters, just not all the details.

PS expect me only to become more insufferable about this series because y’all need to read it.

—
—
—
#TheHellionAndTheHero #EmilySullivan #RomanceBooks #HistoricalRomance #ForeverPublishing #HistoricalRomanceNovel #historicalromancereaders #historicalromancebooks #ARogueToRemember #TheRebelAndTheRake #RomanceReader #RomanceNovel #ARC #NetGalley #romancestagram #romancestagrammer #romancebookstagram #romancebookstagram #romancenovels #romancereads #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammer #bookflatlay #bookpics #bookworms #bookworm #KindleFire
I love historical romances, but like I don’t alw I love historical romances, but like I don’t always want a 18-22 year old virgin heroine…

Here is a small compilation of historical romances with experienced leading ladies😘:

Esme: The Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Beatrice: An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale
Reagan: Tempest by Beverly Jenkins
Florence: The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe
Helena: A Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St George
Sylvia: The Rebel and The Rake by Emily Sullivan
Georgiana: The Hellion and The Hero by Emily Sullivan
Serena: Say You’ll Be My Lady by Kate Pembrooke
Margery: A Duke Worth Fighting For by Christina Britton
Spring: Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
Violet: A Lady’s Formula For Love by Elizabeth Everette
Letitia: A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everette

Ones that I forgot that I’m throwing in after making the reel😵‍💫:
Sesily: Bombshell by Sarah MacLean
Deliah: Lady Derring Takes A Lover by Julie Anne Long

Let me know which ones I’m missing/need to read!!

—
—
—

#HistoricalRomanceReader #JoannaShupe #EmilySullivan #HarperStGeorge #MayaRodale #ChristinaBritton #ElizabethEverette #BeverlyJenkins #RomanceBooks #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #RomanceReads #BookReel #BookStack #HistoricalRomance #bookworm #romancestagram #romancestagrammer #LorraineHeath
⚾️Book Review⚾️ 4.5⭐️ | Contemporary ⚾️Book Review⚾️

4.5⭐️ | Contemporary Romance | Explicit

Shout out to this book keeping me company in ride lines💕. I read this entire book in Disney it was that good!!

It’s the second in the Out Of the Park series by Jaqueline Snowe, and I do recommend reading them in order. It’ll help.

I ADORED this novel. It’s a second chance romance that has all of the feels. Michelle and Brooks used to be a thing 2 years ago but she suddenly called it off. Now he’s back playing for the professional baseball team and wants her back. Yeah, it’s that kind of book👀🔥.

She’s the grumpy one and he’s little mr romantic. And their dynamic is so perfect. The chemistry is phenomenal from page one and ugh it pulls on your heart strings. Plus it leads to the steamier scenes which are 10/10!!!

There is a lot of heavier themes like Alzheimer’s, drug abuse (off page), child abuse (off page), neglect (off page), and emotional abuse (mostly off page, some questionable at the end).

All in all I highly recommend this book and also recommend bringing your kindle to amusement parks😂.

—
—
—
—

#BaseballRomance #RomanceBook #RomanceNovel #Baseball #SportsRomance #SlidingHome #JaquelineSnowe #OutOfTheParkSeries #OutOfThePark #KindleBook #KindleRomance #RomanceReads #RomanceNovel #RomanceBook #RomanceReader #RomanceReadersOfInstagram #NewAdultRomance #SecondChanceRomance #SecondChance #bookstagram #bookreview #BookRecommendation #romancestagram #BookBlogger
2022 © Eleanor Lynn
made by soulmuse