Sophie Jordan: All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue

There was once a lady who loathed a lord…

Lady Aurelia hasn’t always hated Max, Viscount Camden, her brother’s best friend. In fact, as a besotted girl, she thrived under his kind attention—sure that he was the most noble and handsome man in the land. Until her young heart discovered what manner of rogue he really was. Now, though she enjoys nothing more than getting on his last nerve, she can’t deny Max drives her to distraction—even if she tries to pretend otherwise.

…and a lord who was confounded by a lady.

Max cannot recall a time when Aurelia did not vex him. If she was not his friend’s sister, he would stay far away from the infuriating vixen. Unfortunately, they are always thrown together. At parties and family gatherings…she is always there. Infuriating him, tossing punch in his face, driving him mad…until one night, she goes too far and he retaliates in the only way he can: with a kiss that changes everything.

If you love H/H involved in constant banter that often crosses the line into meanness, this one is recommended. After worshipping Max from a far, with childish dreams woven around him, he falls from grace when she learns he is a nympho. I mean, legitimately, at one point he is forced to reflect on his “dalliances” and sort of admit he has a problem.

Her retaliation is kind of unintended, but he doesn’t realize it and think she is being crazy mean, and thus a long history of hatred between the two. Thus, the crazy back and forth that borders on bullying at points.

There are hints that, as adult, both are attracted to each other but its hard to really understand under the thick acrimony that punctuates every interaction. I like a bit of Darcy Elizabeth type banter, but at a certain level in a romance I find it unrelatable and meh. However, I know other readers love the enemies to lovers trope…which is in abundance here.

There are lots of scorching hot sex scenes and good chemistry. That makes it fun and easy to read. The depth, however, of the romance I felt was lacking and I didn’t click with either character. Aurelia’s borderline spinsterhood is sympathy raising…but not fully explained. And I found Max’s behavior just kind of silly. Not that the backstory Jordan gives him isn’t severe enough to spark some serious trauma…just the ways she goes about depicting it seems over the top.

This also has the compromise and marriage trope, which I do enjoy, and tends to carry overlong into the third act.

I recommend this read for fans of enemies to lovers who will thoroughly enjoy the blistering tension between H/H.

Disclaimer: I listened to this as an audio book. Audio books are a newer thing to me and the experience is different than reading…so my review may be influenced by that! I also didn’t love the narrator’s style and found it kind of monotonous, which again could be a new-to-me side effect.

5 Stars 3.75 out of 6 Friends to enemies to lovers