The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks (Montague Siblings #3) by Mackenzi Lee

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Adrian Montague has a bright future. The sole heir to his father's estate, he is an up and coming political writer and engaged to an activist who challenges and inspires him. But most young Lords aren't battling the debilitating anxiety Adrian secretly lives with, or the growing fear that it might consume him and all he hopes to accomplish. In the wake of his mother's unexpected death, Adrian is also concerned people will find out that he has the mental illness she struggled with for years.

When a newly found keepsake of hers-a piece of a broken spyglass-comes into Adrian's possession, he's thrust into the past and finds himself face to face with an older brother he never knew he had. Henry "Monty" Montague has been living quietly in London for years, and his sudden appearance sends Adrian on a quest to unravel family secrets that only the spyglass can answer.

In pursuit of answers about the relic, the brothers chart a course to locate their sister Felicity. But as they travel between the pirate courts of Rabat, Portuguese islands, the canals of Amsterdam, and into unknown Artic waters, the Montague siblings are thrown into one final adventure as they face a ghostly legend that threatens their whole family.

Return to the enchanting world of the Montague siblings in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and Stonewall Honor-winning series, featuring a teenage Adrian Montague as he desperately seeks the now adult Monty and Felicity-the older siblings he never knew he had. 

Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

There was no shortage of excitement when I found out I was approved for the arc of this book. The Henry "Monty" Montague and Felicity Montague are probably my favorite fictional siblings because their humor and dry wit speak to my soul. I'm so glad Lee takes us back to introduce us to the youngest Montague, Adrian whom the siblings left behind when they left to seek adventure and carve their own paths.

The instant we meet Adrian we learn he's unlike his older siblings. He suffers from anxiety and OCD and has a difficult time with things that most of us would assume are mundane. His spitfire of a fiance, Louisa not only loves Adrian to pieces but also knows how to help him through his challenging moments. He's an aspiring social justice warrior, writing articles anonymously to draw attention to the plight of workers, much to his father's chagrin. After his father gives him a box of his deceased mother's belongings, Adrian becomes curious about one item in particular - a broken spyglass. For some reason, he feels that this spyglass is the key to finding out why she was "sad" and why she died. His curiosity leads him to finding Monty. He didn't even know he had an older sibling, much less two. Explaining his thought process and suspicions about their mother to Monty, Monty agrees to accompany him to Portugal to learn more about the shipwreck that his mother had been involved in. Obviously, this means a detour to find Felicity is in order. Adrian, who's never ventured far and who isn't exactly made of X Games material is thrust into a whole new world of pirates, espionage and family secrets. 

I enjoyed this high flying adventure! Monty is always a blast and I was so happy to experience his special brand of Monty-ness again! He is all melodrama and jokes whereas Felicity is quietly effective and biting. Poor Adrian, his entire world thrown upside down and these two non-conforming people to lead him through it. Aside from the thrill and danger of their epic travels, Adrian's story is about his own self-discovery. His concerns that he might suffer from the same ailment that plagued his mother is constantly weighing on him. Monty and Felicity recognize that Adrian is different and do tend to tread lightly around him when the moment calls for it. I so appreciated that they never sought to tell him to get over it. They simply tried to gently lead him to clarity or ride through the wave with him. 

Lee says in her notes that NGSS centers heavily around mental health issues and that she pulled from her own her own experiences to tell Adrian's story, and that while they might resonate with some, they do not speak for all. She goes on to explain from a historical context how anxiety and depression were labelled, diagnosed and treated within the constraints of the medical knowledge of the time. As always, the historical details are what bring me to Lee's novels and this time the Montague siblings are embroiled in the myth of The Flying Dutchman - the legendary ghost ship. I had heard of The Flying Dutchman but was not familiar with much else about it. Adrian's desperation to find it spurs the adventure into dangerous waters and life-threatening situations, all so he can understand the mystery that is his mother and what changed her years ago. In understanding what happened to her, he hopes it will help explain why he is the way he is, and possibly avoid the same fate as her.

I love this series for its adventuresome fun, intrigue and let's face it, whenever Monty is involved, shenanigans. Never a dull moment is had when he's around, though with this family reunion, Monty does revisit his unhappy childhood and tries to come to peace with where he's at in his life. He's happy with his love, Percy but still feels unworthy thanks to many years of toxic treatment at his father's hand. So while the overall tone of The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks is that of breathtaking exploits, there is some gravitas to it, as well. I think Lee handles it very well and I'm sad that the series is now over, but I am oh so grateful for the ride along!

~ Bel

Content Warning/Trigger Warning:

- anxiety, OCD, (on page; Adrian throughout the story), depression (memory; the siblings' mother), suicide (inferred; the siblings' mother), physical abuse (memory; Monty's memory of what his father did to him)

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings #2) by Mackenzi Lee

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Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.

A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.

Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

All right. The boys had more than their fair share of adventure in The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, so now it's the girls' turn. Sorry, Monty and Percy can't have all the fun. We already knew Felicity (Monty's younger sister) was a firecracker. She's smart, fearless and unafraid to share her opinions. Thank goodness for her because she held things together for the boys when things looked bleak. Lady's Guide starts out as far away as possible from excitement. Felicity is working in a bakery in Scotland feeling slightly defeated because she hasn't been able to pursue her dream of studying medicine yet. She has the brains but it's the misfortune in being born a girl that thwarts her at every turn. When the bakery owner proposes to her, offering her a comfortable, stable life with the understanding that she gives up her ambition, she hightails it out of there so fast for one last ditch effort to get into med school.

So much happens that sadly resonates with what's been happening in our world lately. The struggles Felicity goes through to be taken seriously and prove her worth and abilities are so freaking frustrating. (I couldn't help wondering how she would react to our current social and political backsliding.) Anyway, with Monty and Percy hopelessly and sickeningly in love (yes, they're back as well), Felicity has to rely on herself for all the pep talks and becomes resourceful when obstacles pop up. I love how that brain of hers works. Thanks to her previous dalliance with pirates, she has connections to take her to Germany to meet up with an old friend. And that's using the term very loosely. Joanna, is marrying a scientist Felicity would love to have mentor her. She just has to be discreet especially since she's travelling with the pirate, Sim. Sim who has her own secret agenda is masquerading as Felicity's servant girl. Things go amuck at the wedding and soon all three ladies are on the run, desperately racing against time when they realize what's at stake.

If ever I have the urge to run away and form a pirate gang of badass women I'd want Felicity, Joanna and Sim to be there. Each of them represents a different face of feminism. Felicity is studious, firm and intelligent. A natural leader who keeps a calm head during a crisis. Joanna embraces her femininity, and unlike Felicity who openly rails against expectations, Joanna subvertly fights that by working her femininity to her advantage. She's diligent, curious, observant and cunning when the need arises. Sim, having grown up amongst pirates has a more rough and tumble streak, is disciplined, strong and unconstrained by etiquette or society's standards. Their bond only strengthens as their journey becomes perilous. 

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is another action-packed fare set to a fascinating historical background that highlights friendship and sisterhood. I hope reading this encourages all the Felicitys, Joannas and Sims of the world to rise up because if anything, we see that women are more than capable and get things done when they band together.

~ Bel
 

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

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An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way.

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, romantic, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a sumptuous romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I'd seen several people commenting about The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. There was something infectious about their enthusiasm for it that made me want to be in on it, too. 

Folks, I started laughing right away. Monty, who's a rake through and through has two things I love in any hero: dry humour and quick wit. He's been kicked out of school because he was caught messing around with another boy in an unbecoming way. Since he's always getting into trouble you deduce rather quickly that he's kind of a hot mess. But a hot mess that you can't help but love and he knows it. All he has to do is employ his looks, charm and those freaking dimples to worm his way out of (or into) a situation. Unfortunately, that charm doesn't work on his stern father who has found him to be so utterly exasperating and embarrassing. He arranges for him to go on a tour of Europe hoping that it will instill some culture and responsibility in him before he fully immerses himself in the family business upon his return home. Joining him on this journey is his best friend and as it turns out, unrequited love, Percy. They've known each other since they were kids and are thick as thieves, except that Percy's the level-headed one while Monty constantly needs to be reigned in. It's a friendship that has provided both of them the stability they need. Going on tour together is their bittersweet last hurrah before becoming serious adults. It's also important to Monty to have these final few months with Percy before they go their separate ways. 

I was a chapter in when I declared my undying love for this book. Monty won my heart immediately and Percy is so sweet and patient that he deserves a medal. The action takes place almost instantly because Monty can't help but get himself in hot water. This latest debacle though brings tension between him and Percy. Lee effectively shows us Monty's anguish over his love for Percy and him not wanting to ruin what he has with his best friend. I also like how she gradually has Monty opening up about the ugly bits in his life, particularly his hostile relationship with his father which deepens your perspective of him. His character arc and development from one of self-indulgence to maturity is my favourite aspect of this story. Close to that are the various "almost" moments between him and Percy which are written so well, giving you the sense of deep longing, lust and affection. Little things like him touching his ring finger to Percy's lips are so tender and secretive - I felt myself blush at that brief moment of contact. There's also a spectacular scene that takes place at the opera. I mean it, it's a beautiful, hold-your-breath scene! A lovely surprise that comes to light is his sister, Felicity who is forced to accompany them on their tour. Always underestimated or ignored by her family, she's the one who keeps things real. 

Sometimes the characters behaved so convincingly that I forgot that they're just teenagers.Yet they prove their mettle. Lee throws them into various situations from scandalous to perilous, and also introduces other themes relevant to this time period like prejudice, slavery, higher education and sexism, all of which play significant roles in their exploits. It's history come alive as she takes us on a jaunt through 18th century Europe, through the eyes of three different individuals whose personal stories colour their world views. 

I think I've made it clear that I can gush about GGVV all day. There's so much more I want to discuss but that would mean spoilery and I don't want to do that. Just know that an adventure awaits and you don't want to miss it! And you guys, Lee is working on a companion spin-off, The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. I'm ridiculously over the moon about this news!

~ Bel

That's What HE Said Thursday #45

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us ;)

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

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Pirates. I love them. Johnny Depp's, Captain Jack Sparrow; Colin O'Donoghue's, Captain Hook and now I can add the dashing, Captain John from Revenge's Price. I love his cheekiness and his chivalry. This delightfully fun adventure was my escape as I took mini breaks from cleaning out my son's messy room just to read this!  ~ Bel

John crouched down, again with the roguish smile gracing his lips, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You underestimate me, my dear, " he murmured. "Any man who would dare to touch my financé would forfeit his life."

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"Your fiancé never kissed you, did he?" John murmured as he pulled away for a moment.

"That's not true!" Vera defended.

"He didn't kiss you well, then."

~ Captain John to Vera 

Revenge's Price by Ruby McCoy