Knockout by Sarah MacLean

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

I enjoyed last year’s Heartbreaker so much that I was eager to listen to Knockout, the third book in the Hell’s Belles series (and I have Bombshell, book one on my TBL). That they are all narrated by Mary Jane Wells, a favourite narrator of historical romance, only made me more keen.

Knockout was even better than Heartbreaker and I loved every minute of it. Detective Inspector Thomas (Tommy) Peck and Lady Imogen Loveless have been circling around one another for 14 months. Imogen is the daughter and sister of an Earl, so is far above Tommy’s touch. But Imogen is attracted to Tommy’s wonderful muscles and his dark beard. It’s fairly obvious that Tommy has been gone for Imogen for ages. Their flirtation is sizzling and very amusing. Imogen is smart and funny, always ready with a quip. I laughed out loud many times during the listen.

A series of fires in the East End have both the Belles and Scotland Yard (most particularly Tommy) investigating. But the likely culprits are too close to home and the Belles aren’t sure whether they should trust Tommy with the information they have put together.

In the meantime, Imogen has acted outrageously one too many times for her brother, Charles, and he has decreed that she should marry. Imogen, not interested at all in an aristocratic marriage, decamps. Tommy is asked, by the Home Secretary at the request of the earl, to locate Imogen. Imogen is not hard to find if one knows her at all and Tommy does – so that’s pretty easy. But an attempt on her life convinces Tommy that Imogen needs protecting and he offers to do just that for the earl until the lady is safely married. Imogen, for her part, agrees to participate in the marriage mart in order to flush out some of the lords the Belles believe are involved in the fires and this puts the lovelorn pair in close proximity.

There is risk and adventure and tension as the lovers are in danger from the shadowy and powerful men who wish to shut down all investigation into the fires. Tommy has a chance to rescue Imogen and, in true Pretty Woman style, Imogen has a chance to rescue him right back. Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good rescue!

Mary Jane Wells has the chance to show off her accent work in Knockout – with a large cast from various classes, counties and countries. I particularly enjoyed how well and how consistently Ms. Wells differentiated between the Belles – Sesily, Adelaide, Duchess and Imogen. They each have a distinct sound and can easily be identified by ear alone.

Imogen has a pert and razor sharp wit and Ms. Wells’ comedic timing assisted the text to deliver it to my ears. Tommy is a delightful mix of pushover (so gone is he for Imogen) and tough guy and Ms. Wells added to that characterisation with her performance.

I hadn’t expected Knockout to be so funny. I’m not sure exactly why. But, apart from the swoony romance between Imogen and Tommy, the humour was my favourite part.

There is also a wonderful teaser at the end of the next book (Duchess’s book) which also promises to be a cracker.

Knockout is great. Recommend.

Kaetrin

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