Brazen and the Beast: The Bareknuckle Bastards Book II

Written by Sarah MacLean

Narrated by Justine Eyre

New York Times Bestselling Author Sarah MacLean returns with the next book in the Bareknuckle Bastards series about three brothers bound by a secret that they cannot escape—and the women who bring them to their knees.

The Lady’s Plan

When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly…until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun.

The Bastard’s Proposal

When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure . . . on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires…for a price.

An Unexpected Passion

Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power . . . and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything . . . including their hearts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jul 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062917003

Sarah MacLean

A life-long romance reader, Sarah MacLean wrote her first romance novel on a dare, and never looked back. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romances translated into more than twenty languages, a romance columnist, and the co-host of the weekly romance novel podcast, Fated Mates. A graduate of Smith College and Harvard University, she lives in New York City.

Reviews for Brazen and the Beast

[Clista Seals · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fantastic audible experience! Sarah Maclean created a fabulous heroine! I have not read the 1st in this series, but I didn’t feel disadvantaged by that fact. I plan to read it now. There are so many great LOL moments. Many tears times. And the build up for the sexy-times... wowza! So Good! The narrator is wonderful!

[lainer b · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved, loved, loved Hattie! What a wonderful heroine. Strong and brazen! Steamy scenes and chemistry with Beast. Hope there's more to come in this series.

[dreamcakes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I haven’t read a Sarah Maclean book I didn’t like but this may be a favorites. I am so in love with Whit and Hattie. The narration is excellent also.

[carla · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

ok fun read i much prefer the first book on the series

[UchennaEzeh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story had me rolling my eyes a number of times. I am very interested in the story about Grace. Nice book

[Zoe Liew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved Whit and Hattie's story more than Devil and Felicity's

[Elizabeth Pearson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first book was good, this one was better. Interesting characters and charming dialogue, even if at times it's a bit cloying. Justine Eyre is a great narrator in every way, except for her make voices. All of the men sound the same-ish and they sound like they're in pain. I often had to imagine their lines spoken in a different way to make the story better.

[funstm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Much like the first book in the series, this was fantastic. It wasn't without issues but I did really enjoy it. Hattie was smart and daring and determined to take control of her future and it made for a vibrant character. My only complaint with Hattie was that her self esteem sucked when it came to her looks. I would've liked her to have a bit more confidence. But she's got less issues than Beast who's had a hard upbringing and been left conflicted about well, everything. I felt a bit of deja vu reading, the conflict and emotional distress felt very similar to the first book and I still just wanted to slap them both upside the head to get them to figure their shit out. The deja vu didn't bother me too much though, I adored the first book, it wasn't hard to read a similar one - especially since it's been long enough since I read the first one the details are slightly fuzzy.Hattie and Beast together were on fire once they could both get over their issues. It wasn't as action packed as the first, the plot was rather tame in that respect focusing more on emotional drama. Frankly I would've liked to see a lot more of their smuggling business and way more interaction between them and Devil and Felicity and Nora and Nik (and OMG Nik and Nora!!! I want there book! Maybe a novella Sarah Maclean?) but obviously as a romance it's not about secondary characters. But minor issues.Regardless of the drama it was just a fun, steamy read with strong characters and an interesting world. 4 stars.

[mickyfine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hattie Sedley is about to turn 29 and she has decided that this will be the Year of Hattie. She's taking control of her life and finally getting what she wants, regardless of what society thinks of her. But as she prepares to head off on her first Year of Hattie task, she is alarmed to find an unconscious man bound in her carriage. The man that all of Covent Garden calls Beast is less than enthused by the situation himself but can't help but find himself charmed by the forthright Hattie. However, everything she wants is going to put her up against Beast and he never loses.I really loved this entry in the Bareknuckle Bastards series. Both Hattie and Beast are compelling characters and the romance between them is quite steamy. I also am pleased to find a historical romance featuring a plus-sized heroine. There is one quirk of Sarah MacLean's writing style that started to wear on me (she really loves putting short phrases of her characters internal dialogue in italics as a standalone line and I can't figure out what she's trying to do with it) but it's a minor quibble that I can mostly ignore. Recommended for historical romance fans.

[thewestwing-864351 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good read by MacLean, probably one of my favourites from her so far. Hattie’s an interesting character and different from typical heroines.

[jspilman-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Up to the minute feminist romance. Hooray 5 stars! There is much about class division as well. The romance was nice, the hero was good, though I do wonder about men pounding on each other to work out problems. Heroine was often over the top, rushing into situations she didn't understand and for which she was not prepared - causing other people to have to save her, though she made very brave attempts.

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it. I liked the unconventional heroine, and 'the strong, silent type with a secret heart of gold' sort is right up my alley. I absolutely adored their chemistry together. It was well written. I'm waiting for the third book of course, but I would be shocked if this doesn't end up a very strong series over all. I will read them again.

2nd read- I reread the first two in excitement for the third book coming out. I still loved it!

[karidrgn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Funny and poignant. I just discovered jet books and so fast I recommend all of them.

[narshkite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Don't tell, but I just spent an hour finishing this at work. I NEVER take lunch unless I have a meeting, but I could not resist a little reading, and then I could not make myself stop. This one was slow to start, but it got SO GOOD. I fell in love with Hattie and Whit and toward the end (no spoilers) it made me cry. I have never cried at a romance book. And the venue (Covent Garden) and side characters are great. I really hope Nik and Nora get a book. Next is Ewan and Grace and I am excited to see how they reform Ewan. I just love this book and this series SO MUCH! Sarah MacLean outdid herself. I am smiling and have a lump in my throat, and though I am dreading going back to work I am really happy I gave in to a little afternoon romance of the literary variety.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lot of fun. Henrietta (Hettie) Sedley has decided that her 29th year is going to be a year of change. She's going to enjoy herself starting off in an exclusive brothel that caters for women when she finds a strange man tied up in her carriage. This sets up a chain of events that changes her life and she is determined to do it on her terms.It was a fun read and I really liked the characters. Yes there was some suspension of disbelief that strained my historian mind occasionally but overall they were a great couple and they had a lot of fun.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always like Ms MacLean's book and I'm enjoying this series very much. In this second book, Lady Henrietta Sedley is celebrating her birthday with the 'Year of Hattie'. She's twenty-nine, single and likely to remain so, and more interested in her father's shipping business than anything else. When she finds a man tied up in her carriage while on her way to a brothel to lose her virginity, she's intrigued but determined not to let it interfere with her plans. Whit, the man on the floor, is also intrigued and determined to interfere with her plans in a big way.Hattie is a wonderful character, independent and strong, a perfect match to Whit, known as the Beast in Covent Gardens and one of the Bareknuckled Bastards. Whit is very sensitive under his muscular exterior and a natural protector. They're an excellent match and fun to read about.I can't wait for the next book with Grace and Ewan. This one has set up their romance (hopefully) perfectly.

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s such a joy to read an amazing author like Sarah MacLean as she truly does get better with every novel she writes. It’s going to be a very long year until the next one in this series comes out, so I might just have some rereading to do. Also, super squee for throwing “The Thin Man” reference in there with Nik and Nora (aka one of my fave funny couples)!

[dgrachel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sarah MacLean is one of my absolute favorite historical romance authors. Her characters are always complex, well-rounded, intelligent, and witty. Hattie and Whit are no exception. I loved their story. Hattie is approaching spinsterhood and has decided to take her future into her own hands, planning The Year of Hattie, where she intends to convince her father to give her control of the family business instead of her hapless brother. Her carefully laid plans start to unravel on day one, though, when she discovers a man known as Beast, tied up and unconscious in her carriage. If I could be even half as brave and determined as Hattie, I'd be unstoppable. She's a force to be reckoned with and more than an equal match for Whit. Watching them come to that revelation, with all the verbal sparring that entails, is hilarious and hot. Fair warning - there is a section that may require tissues. I cried so hard at one point I could barely see the pages in front of me - but it's worth it.

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Intoxicating! Absolutely re-readable!The cover has a quote from Entrainment Weekly citing MacLean as being "the...utterly intoxicating queen of historical romance." I certainly have to agree with the "intoxicating" moniker.I'd been feeling a bit disgruntled lately with the historical romances that had come my way. Very little new and exciting. Imagine my inner cheering when within the first pages of "Brazen and the Beast" I was hooked!I loved Lady Henrietta Sedley (Hattie) who had determined to take her fate into her own hands. And her list! Well not many would be so decisive. Hattie had perfectly thought out requirements for the salacious appointment she had that night. What a hoot!Beast was wonderful, despite the unusualness of their meeting. Their repartee was magnificent. The chemistry fairly zinged off the page even as they both fought it.As events unfold, Hattie, a woman ahead of her times, fights for freedom from the path she is supposed to take. Hattie has dreams and a four point plan to captain her own fate. "Business. Home. Fortune. Future.” Now is the time to set all in motion having just reached her momentous twenty-ninth birthday, and as Hattie refers to it, the beginning of the "Year of Hattie".Hattie grew up in the shadow of the docks, Covent Gardens and her father's shipping business. A business she's learned from the ground up, that she knows and understands intimately, better than her brother Augie. Hattie wants to take that business over. But there's the problem of heirs being the thing in business, not heiresses. August has no idea about the business and that has troublesome. So Hattie is determined to win over all protesters against her being in charge of Sedley Shipping.And the Beast (Whit) comes to adore this woman, who thinks she's unattractive and whom he can't take his mind, his eyes, or anything else off. Hattie and Whit strike a bargain. A bargain that turns into a war. Whit comes to see what this woman is made of even as she goes toe to toe with him.I loved their inner voices even as their words out loud are happening, so much more goes on in their heads. And we are privy to that! Great fun!Of course the dastardly Euan is in the background, as are the Devil and other figures we know and love. In fact, despite a reading list as "long as my arm" I'm off to reread some of their stories.Hattie's friend (Nora) Lady Eleanora Madewell, is such wonderful character and I'm going to enjoy her's and Nik's interactions if and when they get their own story. I'm already salivating about the final Bareknuckled Bastard's story--Grace's! I'm sure it will be as magnificent as this read has been.Hattie takes Whit's breath away and they both took mine! What a roller coaster read! I forewent sleep time to read on. I just couldn't put this episode of the "Bastards" down until the breathtaking, rewarding end!A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a terrific addition to the series. I love the fact that, like the first book, this takes place mainly outside the usual setting of ballrooms and house parties. Instead, we see the world of the London docks and the poor of Covent Garden.Hattie is the daughter of a man who, through his successful shipping business, earned the title of Earl. Intelligent and feisty, Hattie has turned her back on society and wants to run her father's shipping business. Unfortunately for her, her father doesn't agree and wants her married. She plans to take control of her life by first making herself unmarriageable, then actively pursuing her dreams. Her plans hit a snag when she finds a breathtaking man unconscious and tied up in her carriage.Whit, also known as Beast, is one of the Bareknuckle Bastards who run the underworld of Covent Garden. He's convinced that Hattie knows something about how he came to be in her carriage and is determined to discover what it is. He is also intrigued by Hattie herself, especially when he discovers her plans for the night.The first encounter between Whit and Hattie sucked me right into the book. Whit is not accustomed to being at a disadvantage, and he does not take it well. Hattie, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoys having the upper hand. The back and forth between these two was awesome, right up to when he kisses her - right before she shoves him out of the moving carriage. Undeterred, Whit manages to escape his bonds and follow Hattie to her destination. He intrudes on her plans, determined to get the answers he seeks, and ends up striking a bargain with the unintimidated Hattie.I loved both Hattie and Whit. Hattie is bold and determined, brazen in her actions, though her outward confidence covers up some deep-seated insecurities. She has reached the ripe age of twenty-nine with no suitors because she does not match up with Society's requirements. She is tall, outspoken, and a bit on the plump side, and is completely convinced that no man will find her attractive. Whit is gorgeous to the extreme, powerful and intimidating. He is also protective of those he cares for, and that includes the denizens of Covent Garden. Some sweet scenes show just how much he cares. I especially loved the ones with the children. He also has some baggage of his own, thanks to the events of the past, baggage that makes him believe that he isn't good enough for her.The development of the relationship between Hattie and Whit was great. They are well-matched from the beginning, and the sparks between them are intense. It was fun to watch Hattie stand up to Whit and blow all of his expectations out of the water. There's nothing like rushing to the defense of a woman only to discover that she has her attacker well in hand. Their "business" arrangement of him helping her with her plans while she arranges for the return of what was stolen quickly falls by the wayside as the attraction between them burns hotter. I enjoyed seeing Whit's growing respect for Hattie and her abilities and how his attitude helps her overcome her doubts about herself. There are some obstacles, not the least of which are threats against Hattie from a ducal nemesis of the Bastards, which leads Whit into actions that he thinks will protect Hattie. I laughed out loud at her reaction to this, as she shows herself to be Whit's equal in deviousness. There's an emotional and heart-wrenching scene as Hattie makes it clear that she will accept nothing less than what she deserves from Whit. It takes a near tragedy for Whit to realize the truth about his feelings for her, and I ached for him as he feared for her life. His big moment at the end was awesome, and the epilogue was a perfect ending.The continuing storyline of the feud with brother Ewan provided some interesting moments. His encounter with Whit was intense and showed a man who was on the edge of desperation. But his scene with Hattie had a twist I didn't expect. I can't wait for the next book to see how the author redeems him.I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Devil and Felicity make several appearances. I especially enjoyed Devil's advice to Whit regarding his revenge plans. Hattie's friend Nora was terrific. I loved her "take no prisoners" support of Hattie. It was also interesting to see her attitude toward Society. There's a story there, and I'd like to see more of it. Once again, the brothers' coworker, Nik, has some interesting input into events.