Title: Once a Rogue
Series: Roaring Twenties Magic: Book Two
Author: Allie Therin
Publisher: Carina Press
Length: 309 Pages
Category: Historical Fantasy
Rating: 5 Stars
At a Glance: This story is a race against the clock to locate old friends and new acquaintances, and Therin transports readers through time and trouble with an endearingly cheeky flair.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Blurb: New York, 1925
Cranky and jaded Lord Fine—Wesley, now, to the kindhearted lover he cynically doubts life will let him keep—arrives in Manhattan with one goal: find the American paranormals and get their help with the relic burdening Sebastian. His plans are upended when the other paranormals seem to have vanished, and a mysterious letter warns Wesley that he’s in danger.
Sebastian has no doubts when it comes to his feelings for Wesley, but he’s still haunted by the time he spent enthralled by blood magic right here in New York. And now, his magic is unstable, bolstered by a relic that seems to drain energy from his very blood. But there is a threat to Wesley, and Sebastian needs control of his magic to protect him—even if former Great War captain Wesley wants Sebastian to rely on him for a change.
Chasing a trail that leads from Fifth Avenue’s bootleggers to a Halloween masquerade at a Tarrytown mansion, they must race to find their friends before devastation is unleashed on New York—and on magic everywhere.
Review: “Of course I’m not making it easy. You have met me, haven’t you?”
If there is any one line in the entirety of Allie Therin’s outstanding Once a Rogue that typifies who Wesley Collins (aka Lord Fine) is at heart, it’s this. Wesley is a rogue. Until he isn’t. He’s the hard man who has quite unexpectedly gone soft for Sebastian de Leon. Cuddle? Wesley scoffs at the mere idea. Feel an emotion? Never. But then, he’s never met anyone like Sebastian before, either, and watching Wesley cope with, then accept it all as his destiny is a thing of beauty.
This world is rife with dangers around every corner. Its magic is both a wonder and a peril. Its characters both valiant and dangerous, and some in particular, downright dastardly. Sebastian is in possession of an artifact that taxes him physically, and somebody wants it for his own nefarious purposes. This story is a race against the clock to locate old friends and new acquaintances, and Therin transports readers through time and trouble with an endearingly cheeky flair.
Ardent fans will welcome old friends from the Magic in Manhattan series. Arthur, Brody, Jade, and Zhang take their hard-earned and rightful place amongst the mayhem. The best part is that this book is nowhere close to the end. There’s more to come, and that’s excellent news for readers.
You can buy Once a Rogue here: