Proper Scoundrels

Roaring Twenties Magic, Book 1

By: Allie Therin

Narrated by: Joel Froomkin

Don’t miss this spin-off from Allie Therin's acclaimed Magic in Manhattan universe!

Their scandalous pasts have left them wounded and unworthy - and hopelessly perfect together.

London, 1925

Sebastian de Leon is adjusting to life after three years spent enthralled by blood magic. The atrocities he committed under its control still weigh heavily on his conscience, but when he’s asked to investigate a series of mysterious murders, it feels like an opportunity to make amends. Until he realizes the killer’s next likely target is a man who witnessed Sebastian at his worst - the Viscount Fine.

Lord Fine - known as Wesley to his friends, if he had any - is haunted by ghosts of his own after serving as a British army captain during the Great War. Jaded and untrusting, he’s tempted to turn Sebastian in, but there’s something undeniably captivating about the reformed paranormal, and after Sebastian risks his own life to save Wesley’s, they find common ground.

Seeking sanctuary together at Wesley’s country estate in Yorkshire, the unlikely pair begins to unravel a mystery steeped in legend and folklore, the close quarters emboldening them to see past the other’s trauma to the person worth loving beneath. But with growing targets on their backs, they’ll have to move quickly if they want to catch a killer - and discover whether two wounded souls can help each other heal.

©2022 Allie Therin (P)2022 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

As much a romance as it is an adventure, in the best possible way

I loved this book so much I was crushed when it was over. I would call this book character driven, although there is absolutely some gripping action as well. Wesley’s transformation over the course of the book is a delight to watch unfold, even if he never does completely stop being an arrogant prick LOL that’s part of what makes him so lovable. The book is every bit as romance as it is an adventure, maybe more so.

Fantastic Spin-off

I have to admit, this title piqued my interest because of having finished the Magic in Manhattan series which sired it and I’m so happy to have chances upon it. In fact, I liked this story’s plot and characters even more, the only downside is that this one is only a one-off (so far at least) when it has so much potential to lead to even more adventures. The characters are so relatable and well-developed, and the world-building is superb. If you’ve read the preceding series, this is a must-read follow up. I suppose it could be read as a stand-alone, but i fear much of the nuance and background would be lost in such a scenario so just be aware of that.

The narration was enjoyable but it really comes down to the characters and their dynamic which had me listening to this in nearly one go.

Overall, Proper Scoundrels was a fun little adventure that felt worthy as a follow-up to Magic in Manhattan - despite the opinion that it could have been more drawn-out and elaborate. The only other quibble - which is also applicable to its origin series - is that while Therin goes a bit further into detail with the sexual scenes, they still get cut off before becoming too scandalous. I understand that doing so is a stylistic choice and makes the overall work more apropos for younger audiences, but I still can’t help wishing for more indulgence in that regard. Otherwise, this story has a bit of everything to enjoy: magic, adventure, romance, mystery; what’s not to like!

I've become a big fan of Therin's work!

You know how some books in this genre are just various tropes strung together? Therin's work is the opposite of that. There are so many enjoyable things about her books. Therin is good with character and development, world-building, plot, pacing, dialogue, and non-embarrassing spicy scenes that occasionally devolve into humor or just falling asleep. It's wonderful fun.

Just what I'd hoped for!

A really entertaining romance that redeems these two "bad guys." I giggled and smiled through most of this book. Though there are some trigger warnings, for the characters' past experiences, the tone of the book was fairly light overall and it made me feel warm and fuzzy.

The final third of the book really didn't quite work for me. It felt a little rushed and a little like a boss fight. I think I'd like to see more from the villains in this world than just bad-guy-gets-relic-and-does-bad-things-bigger. I think the fact the villain's identity was so obvious and that none of the villains had any moral ambiguity in this one made the conflict fall a little flat.

The focus of this book, however, was definitely the romance and that worked very well. While a really great finale might have enhanced the romance too, all the fun I had in the first 2/3 more than made up for a slightly slow final conflict.

The narration was great as usual!

Perfection!!

This is my new favorite! I absolutely loved it to tears. Broody, uppity lord + tragic hero of need of hugs = 😍😍. Also Allie Therin finally took the intimate scenes up a notch! 🔥🔥🔥
Great standalone, but Magic in Manhattan series is still pretty awesome so I definitely recommend reading that. Sebastián de León is now free after 3 years of magical enslavement under which he committed terrible acts against his will. His current mission is watch over and protect Lord Fine (Wesley). Unfortunately the snipey and jaded lordling witnessed him kidnap a person previously and unaware of Sebastián's enslavement is convinced he is the most vile of villains. But as a particular dark magic caster sets his eyes on Wesley he slowly sees what an abused little marshmallow the man is. And when Sebastián's life is on the line Wesley is determined to save the marshmallow rather he feels worthy of saving or not!

Fun, fast read

The narration was good. Accents were appropriate and consistent. Female voices were believable.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more period-appropriate language. And “OK” was actually used once, which I don’t think was accurate. But setting that aside, the story was interesting and well-executed. I think Lord Fine may be my favorite character in this series so far. I’m looking forward to more adventures.

Great spin off series!

Loved the first trilogy in this world, and this is a great start to a follow up!!!

AMAZING! PERFECT! WONDERFUL!

I waited for this book eager to read about Wesley and Sebastian after enjoying their characters in the Magic in Manhattan trilogy.

And I am so happy that this book delivered everything I hoped it would and more besides!

I love both characters so much and they deserve all the love! I love their quibbles and sarcasm and flirting! It's just so well done! Also the humour is on point! There are so many great scenes and quotes in this book! Love it so much and I can't wait for the continuation.

A beautiful romance (and it really is so romantic) with great characters in an exciting world full of magic!

Wonderful!

A very fun book with excellent narration by Joel Froomkin. It’s got a bit of everything I like in a book. There’s magic, action, love, and thoroughly enjoyable characters. Can’t wait for more in the second book.
Also, it is a spin-off of the Magic in Manhattan series and I’d recommend those first but reading those isn’t necessary to enjoy the series. Proper Scoundrels lets you in on a bit of how the last series went and references characters from the Magic in Manhattan books but this is a new adventure with different main characters.

Great Story

I want to say that Joel Froomkin is WONDERFUL. He caught all the emotional nuances of the characters. The characters are great. This felt like the second book in the series. It took a bit for me to be able to get into the story, but once I did.....Quite a ride.