Proper Scoundrels

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.


Magic in Manhattan
Book 1: Spellbound
Book 2: Starcrossed
Book 3: Wonderstruck

Roaring Twenties Magic
Book 1: Proper Scoundrels
Book 2: Once a Rogue

Liar City
Book 1: Liar City

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!

If you like magic and romance period dramas then this is the book for you!

I liked the magic in manhattan series well enough but this has to be one of my favorite books now. I absolutely love the main characters! Their dynamic truly warms the heart and their adventure keeps you enthralled! I’m pretty sure I finished this whole book with in 24 hours and it will live rent free in my head forever. The narration was also just so clear and spot on! And the spice level was finally cranked up if you are into that. I can’t wait to see where this series’s goes!

The book feels like a Cat Sebastian novel except with magic. The author really stepped up on this one. However I do think it would be hard to understand everything that’s happening without reading the previous books.

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!

Good story, hot romance

I enjoyed the characters, the magical system, and the romance. I was a little taken aback when everything ground to a halt for some Big Sexy Time, rather than things being a little more integrated, but I liked the book as a whole. Will probably get the second one.

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.