The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

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Average Rating
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Varies, see individual formats and editions
Publication Date
2021.
Language
English

Description

A New York Times Notable Book of 2021“The kind of book for which the word “rollicking” was invented.”—New York Times Book ReviewA prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up. Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman. When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her--hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

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Also in this Series

  • The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous damsels Volume 1) Cover
  • The league of gentlewomen witches (Dangerous damsels Volume 2) Cover
  • The secret service of tea and treason (Dangerous damsels Volume 3) Cover

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Similar Series From Novelist

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for series you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
In both of these engaging series set in an alternate universe Victorian England, spirited female protagonists deal with magic, danger, and intrigue. Dangerous Damsels is historical romance with fantasy elements; Custard Protocol is historical fantasy with romance elements. -- Jane Jorgenson
Set in alternate Victorian fantasy settings, these witty and fast-paced historical romance series feature likeable characters who encounter dangerous and magical enemies while falling in love along the way. Charm of Magpies, however, is steamier in tone than Dangerous Damsels. -- CJ Connor
These banter-filled and witty historical romances set in Victorian England add an entertaining paranormal (Dangerous Damsels) and mystery (Lady's Guide Novels) twist to engaging stories about lively and likeable couples finding love and adventure. -- Andrienne Cruz
These historical fantasy romances set in alternate Victorian (Dangerous Damsels) and Regency (Captain Kit Brightling) England feature brave young women who become romantically involved with dashing men as they embark in action-packed and magic-filled adventures. -- Andrienne Cruz
These series have the appeal factors offbeat and witty, and they have the genres "historical fantasy" and "historical romances"; and the subjects "men-women relations" and "young women."
These series have the appeal factors offbeat and witty, and they have the genres "victorian romances" and "historical romances"; and the subjects "interpersonal attraction" and "young women."
These series have the appeal factors offbeat, amusing, and banter-filled, and they have the genres "victorian romances" and "historical fantasy"; the subject "flirtation"; and characters that are "likeable characters."
These series have the appeal factors offbeat, mildly sensuous, and witty, and they have the genres "victorian romances" and "historical romances."
These series have the appeal factors mildly sensuous and well-crafted dialogue, and they have the genres "paranormal romances" and "fantasy romances"; and the subjects "interpersonal attraction," "witches," and "undercover operations."

Similar Titles From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These books have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the theme "marriage of convenience"; the genres "victorian romances" and "historical romances"; the subjects "assassins," "interpersonal attraction," and "sexual attraction"; and characters that are "well-developed characters."
NoveList recommends "Lady's guide novels" for fans of "Dangerous damsels". Check out the first book in the series.
These witty alternate Victorian historical novels are both as romantic as they are absurd, and full of banter and a memorable large cast of characters. Soulless is paranormal romance, while Wisteria Society leans more towards the fantastical. -- Tirzah Price
These witty, engaging, historical fantasy novels are offbeat (Wisteria) and unconventional (Strange Case) stories, both are set in alt-history versions of Victorian England. Wisteria is a swashbuckling romance, while Strange Case is a feminist adventure tale. -- Heather Cover
These books have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "victorian romances" and "historical romances"; and the subjects "flirtation" and "british history."
NoveList recommends "Captain Kit Brightling novels" for fans of "Dangerous damsels". Check out the first book in the series.
Readers seeking swashbuckling fantasy romances will appreciated these action-packed tales of women harnessing the magic of the sea (Savade Tide) and flying houses (Wisteria Society) to foil a dastardly plot. -- Malia Jackson
These witty historical fantasy novels are set in an alternate Victorian England (Wisteria) and an alternate world inspired by Victorian England (Wizardry). Both feature romance and magic, but Wisteria is banter-filled and offbeat while Wizardry is atmospheric with LGBTQIA characters. -- Heather Cover
These books have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "victorian romances" and "historical romances"; the subjects "interpersonal attraction," "ship captains," and "sexual attraction"; and characters that are "well-developed characters."
NoveList recommends "Custard protocol" for fans of "Dangerous damsels". Check out the first book in the series.
Although Wisteria Society is more offbeat and romantic, these swashbuckling historical fantasies tell of fast-paced and action-packed adventures to rescue kidnapped characters. -- Laura Cohen
These funny and offbeat romances each feature villainy and banter as their unlikely protagonists fall in love and find their place in the world. Assistant is a fantasy novel, and Wisteria Society is historical with fantastical elements. -- Tirzah Price

Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "flirtation," "shapeshifters," and "english history."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "interpersonal attraction," "magic," and "sexual attraction."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "interpersonal attraction," "sexual attraction," and "british history."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "witches," "sexual attraction," and "british history."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "regency romances"; and the subjects "pirates," "british people," and "kidnapping victims."
These authors' works have the genres "victorian romances" and "paranormal romances"; and the subjects "british people," "british history," and "shapeshifters."
These authors' works have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "historical romances" and "paranormal romances"; and the subjects "flirtation," "witches," and "english history."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "british people," "british history," and "secret identity."
These authors' works have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "historical romances" and "paranormal romances"; the subjects "flirtation," "british people," and "shapeshifters"; and characters that are "likeable characters."
These authors' works have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "paranormal romances" and "fantasy romances"; and the subjects "interpersonal attraction," "flirtation," and "dragons."
These authors' works have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subject "shapeshifters."
These authors' works have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "historical romances" and "victorian romances"; and the subjects "flirtation," "british people," and "british history."

Published Reviews

Publisher's Weekly Review

Holton debuts with a delightful alternate-Victorian-era romp replete with swashbuckling, skulduggery, and sly romance. Miss Cecilia Bassingthwaite lives with her great-aunt, a prim, hypochondriac member of the Wisteria Society, comprising only the highest class of lady pirates, all of whom pilot flying battlehouses. When Cecilia is attacked by handsome assassin Ned Lightbourne, she's thrilled--maybe now that there's been an attempt on her life, the Society will finally take her seriously. But before she can make her case for promotion to the high tea table, the dastardly, Brontë-obsessed Captain Morvath steals one of the Society's battlehouses. Cecilia has a lifetime's worth of trauma to take out on Morvath, but when his next move is to kidnap the entire Wisteria Society, she's quickly in over her head and must rely on Ned's double-crossing help to take her father down. Though the side characters outshine the smitten leads, readers will adore the hilariously courteous combat, social sniping, juicy flirtation, and thorough repudiation of Morvath's cartoonish misogyny. With secret identities, secret doors, and secret histories to spare, this high-octane layer-cake of escapism hits the spot. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary. (Jun.)

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Kirkus Book Review

A lady scoundrel goes on a road trip with a smooth-tongued assassin in an alternate-universe Victorian Britain. Cecilia Bassingthwaite is anxiously awaiting her induction into the highest ranks of the Wisteria Society. This is a woman-only group of scoundrels and thieves who plunder the country in their magical flying houses while nursing intragroup grievances ranging from the petty to the lethal. But when her mentor is abducted along with the rest of the society, Cecilia sets off to rescue them from a nefarious villain, who just happens to be a frustrated poet (among other things). Tagging along are Ned Lightbourne; a man who may be a pirate; an Italian commissioned to kill her; and a royal agent trying to protect her. In this joyride of a debut, Holton draws us into a madcap world of courtly corsairs, murderous matrons, and pity-inspiring henchmen. Familiar romance tropes appear but as if in a fun-house mirror, with broad winks at their origins, while characters make sarcastic references to passionate novels in the Victorian canon. An additional comic effect comes from the ironic distance between readers' expectations of the proprieties in historical romance (including steampunk) and the topsy-turvy rules of Cecilia and Ned's universe. But the rules explain the characters and their actions so seamlessly that we never laugh at them but rather at the shenanigans of this kooky universe. As if The Parasol Protectorate series met The Princess Bride and a corseted Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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LJ Express Reviews

Cecilia Bassingwaite is a proper Victorian lady, as well as a junior member of the Wisteria Society—England's most notorious band of female pirates. One of the Wisteria Society's senior members has set an assassin against Cecelia, which makes her think she may be up for a promotion. Ned Lightbourne has multiple employers interested in Cecilia—bosses who would variously like her to be killed, kidnapped, or protected. Between the thefts, duels, escapes, kissing, double crosses and triple crosses, Cecilia and the reader may question Ned's true intentions; most of the characters play their cards close to the chest until it's time for a dramatic reveal. In this delightfully silly romp, reminiscent of Monty Python's The Crimson Permanent Assurance, pirates fly their houses (instead of ships) to do battle along Mayfair and in Bath; villains heist an entire tearoom full of Wisteria Society members; and Wuthering Heights inspires a coup attempt. Holton excels at witty banter, between not just Ned and Cecilia but most of the character, including Cecilia's overprotective aunt and Queen Victoria herself. VERDICT More a tongue-in-cheek swashbuckling adventure than a traditional romance, Holton's book offers much to enjoy, plus a colorful cast of pirate women and men with multiple identities.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington Cty. P.L., VA

Copyright 2021 LJExpress.

Copyright 2021 LJExpress.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

Holton debuts with a delightful alternate-Victorian-era romp replete with swashbuckling, skulduggery, and sly romance. Miss Cecilia Bassingthwaite lives with her great-aunt, a prim, hypochondriac member of the Wisteria Society, comprising only the highest class of lady pirates, all of whom pilot flying battlehouses. When Cecilia is attacked by handsome assassin Ned Lightbourne, she's thrilled—maybe now that there's been an attempt on her life, the Society will finally take her seriously. But before she can make her case for promotion to the high tea table, the dastardly, Brontë-obsessed Captain Morvath steals one of the Society's battlehouses. Cecilia has a lifetime's worth of trauma to take out on Morvath, but when his next move is to kidnap the entire Wisteria Society, she's quickly in over her head and must rely on Ned's double-crossing help to take her father down. Though the side characters outshine the smitten leads, readers will adore the hilariously courteous combat, social sniping, juicy flirtation, and thorough repudiation of Morvath's cartoonish misogyny. With secret identities, secret doors, and secret histories to spare, this high-octane layer-cake of escapism hits the spot. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary. (Jun.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly.

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly.
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