All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue: A Steamy Regency Romance Where Enemies Become Lovers Through Banter and One Stolen Kiss (The Debutante Files Series Book 2)

I enjoyed the first book in this series much more than this one. This is only the second or third book I've read by this author. I stumbled across Sophie Jordan while waiting for some of my favorites to release their new books next year.Overall, this book felt rushed to me. I was expecting a bit of light reading. It's not as if "childhood friends turned lovers" is the most original plot device in the historical romance genre. However, I felt like nothing was really resolved and those things that WERE resolved were reduced to a few sentences.********SPOILER ALERT**********We start off with an interesting idea. Girl loves boy, girl catches boy with a maid, girl draws a picture that makes boy a laughingstock, boy and girl become enemies.Fast forward to adulthood. Boy and Girl become Man and Woman and constantly argue. No, really, constantly. They say hateful things to each other. Their interactions are the epitome of emotional and verbal abuse. Despite their hatred of one another, they desire each other. But they don't LIKE each other.Our Hero is hard to like. There were times when I was reading this that all I could think was, "How old is he supposed to be?" I expected the scene with the widow to play out differently. But, instead of showing us a moment where Max can redeem himself, the author decided to show us just how shallow he really is. Instead of finding the fact that the widow would insult our heroine in such a nasty way disgusting, it was all about how her physical appearance after getting dunked in a pond cooled his ardour.The heroine was very immature. I like my heroines strong and sassy, but Aurelia just came across as bitter and petulant. I think she was supposed to be "witty" but she was, as Max said, selfish. The entire book was all about how she didn't want to leave London and would just die if she couldn't leave her caricatures lying around at events to "shed light" on the atrocities committed within the ton. But, we never actually see the effect these drawings have on anyone except Max. Were people made aware of what was going on? There was never any mention of the drawings, except as concerned Max. So, then, what was the point?The story ends with our Hero having an epiphany about how much he loves the heroine. There is no reason for this great change of heart. Sure, she leaves him, but she was only gone a few hours when he realized he loves her? Then, after years and years of convincing himself that he doesn't need or want love, he loves her so much that he just blurts it out as soon as he catches up to her? And, because he said he loves her, without any explanation for his cruel behavior or why he was so against love in the first place, she just accepts that he loves her and forgives him and they live happily ever after? I understand that authors have deadlines, but a book is supposed to be a marathon, not a sprint.In addition, when did Aurelia's brother fall in love and get married? It wasn't mentioned that he was even courting anyone in the previous book. I'm assuming the next book will be about Aurelia's spurned Scottish suitor and his wife, as they got a mention in the Epilogue. And, Aurelia's mother, who was a very interesting character in the first book, is very two dimensional in this book. She basically made a cameo appearance and then disappeared almost completely from this one when she should have had MORE to do with this book than the previous one.I only gave this book 2 stars because it's a continuation of the first book in this series. I didn't like Aurelia or Max. And, after this catastrophe, I doubt I'll be reading anymore books in the series. I feel as if I've avoided this author because I may have skimmed and disliked a previous book she wrote, but when I checked my library, nothing by Sophie Jordan was in it, so I'm assuming I may have read a paperback years ago. In any event, I'll save my future purchases for a different author.

When Lady Aurelia first saw Maxim “Max” Alexander Chandler, the fourth Viscount of Camden she was only nine years old but had instantly fallen in love with him. At fifteen that all changed when Aurelia caught Max having sex with the maid. Aurelia never forgave Max by drawing a horrid picture of him, plus he broke her heart. Eight years later Aurelia is all grown up but has never forgotten Max or what he did. Max knows Aurelia as his best friend’s little sister and he can’t stand her. Still she manages to get under his skin and annoy him. Each time Max and Aurelia meet the hurtful verbal banter they tell each other never lessens. Until one day when Max kisses Aurelia and discovers her passion rivals his own. Max learns of Aurelia’s plan to be married by the end of the season. Max does everything he can to ruin her chances but can’t tell her the truth that no one can have her not even himself.This is an amazing story of enemies to lovers. Yes, there is much animosity between both characters but the writing is witty and brilliant bringing it to life. Sure the first book in the series was good but this one is top notch definitely up there with the first one. Luckily this book can stand alone too so the first book doesn’t have to be read. Aurelia at first seems like a very bitter woman but still there is something endearing about her. Yes Aurelia is a great heroine that of course there was a little girl crush there. There is a reason why her behavior isn’t the best and of course Max really doesn’t make things easy for her. Max really knows how to turn Aurelia upside down. One moment he is kissing her expressing how much he really wants her but can’t really say how yet pushing her away by saying mean hurtful things. Usually this is a turn-off but the verbal banter between the two is not only mean spirited but shows how much these two really feel. Of course there is a lot of passion to them. So Max also was a great book boyfriend a little tortured but still one worth having. The story is not only enjoyable but a great read! This book is one that is hard to put down and is definitely a keeper!

I love you, I hate you, but I've always loved you, damn you! This is the general premise of the novel which was fantastic. Fast paced with twists and turns and humorous to boot, which never hurts. This is about two people who have loved each other for so long, one knows it and the other can't see it but it's there for all to see! This book was full of passion in all it's forms anger, frustration, love, hate, it was great! The H&H have great chemistry together you can almost feel the heat as you read. It kept me hooked all the way through and the ending was so sweet especially the Epilogue. Thank you once again Sophie, looking forward to the third installment.

I can't understand the bad reviews, so the heroine was a bit of a spoilt brat initially, hardly an issue as I'm sure a lot of indulged females of the time were. It was a great story & I liked the slow burn of their battles, unfortunately though, not enough to pay over a fiver for the others in the series.....

Enjoyed this book but not impressed with the sex scenes which can be quite boring . I think it's better when t :) e author suggests it rather than be explicit. Apart from that, an enjoyable book.

Excellent

one of the best books i have read for a long time loved it