Today’s review is about THE SCOUNDREL AND THE SIREN by Christy Carlyle. It’s the second installment of the Princes of London series, though reading the first book is not a prerequisite. This historical romance is a fun, light read that incorporates a bit of history and archaeology.
Author: Christy Carlyle
Series: Princes of London, #2
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: March 31, 2026
Print Length: 304
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The Scoundrel and the Siren Synopsis
Synopsis
In the next installment of the swoon-worthy Princes of London series, Christy Carlyle takes readers on a heart-pounding hunt through Norfolk where a legendary treasure hunter and a fierce local woman battle over a Viking hoard, each determined to claim it for their own—and neither willing to lose their heart in the process…
Dominic Prince is passionate, tenacious, and determined to carve out a legendary name for himself—just like his famous treasure-hunting father. When an American tycoon funds his expedition to uncover a Viking hoard in Norfolk and ship it across the Atlantic, Dominic sees his chance to claim glory. If he can unearth a treasure trove so magnificent it lands him on the front pages of newspapers in both England and America, his success will finally be undeniable.
Tess Hawthorne doesn’t quite know what to make of the entirely too handsome scoundrel who shows up in her village seeking the very treasure she’s been hoping to find all her life. When he asks to employ her knowledge and familiarity with the locals to assist on the dig, she accepts.
But she doesn’t want whatever treasure they find to leave England, and she certainly doesn’t want to lose her heart to the man determined to claim it…
The Scoundrel and the Siren Review
I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.
THE SCOUNDREL AND THE SIREN is the second installment of the Princes of London series. However, it reads as a standalone and thus it’s not necessary to read the first book beforehand. In this book Dominic Prince shows up in Norfolk, England to excavate some Viking era burial mounds. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and Dominic is itching to start. He employs local Tess Hawthorne as historian, though she also has a passion for the dig. Sparks fly and Dominic begins to think maybe bachelor life is no longer what he wants.
THE SCOUNDREL AND THE SIREN is incredibly easy to sink into. The writing style is clear and the characterization consistent. It’s lighthearted, though moreso in the somewhat low personal stakes realm rather than in the whimsical sense. The main and secondary characters all seem quite rational, which is a breath of fresh air. And there is no major miscommunication, which I always appreciate.
Dominic comes from a well-known family of so-called treasure hunters. As such Dominic is familiar enough with history and artefacts to know their worth. He is always on the move and can’t sit still, including when it comes to his love life. Tess, on the other hand, is studious, steadfast, and stubborn when she needs to be. When they meet it’s clear that Tess fascinates Dominic, enough so that he begins to wonder whether Tess might be the one.
I enjoyed their interactions, both the business side regarding the excavation as well as their personal time together. Dominic always listens to Tess and values her opinion. He seems like a feminist without outright stating it.
Though I categorize this book as overall lighthearted, there are a few aspects that round out the characters and story. Mentioned in the beginning, Dominic’s best friend recently passed away, which makes Dominic begin to wonder if he really wants to keep traveling all over. And Tess grapples with whether to be vulnerable to potential love after a past beau burned her. Finally, the financier of the excavation is an American Rockefeller type who wants to bring all the finds back to the U.S. rather than leave them in an English museum. This doesn’t sit well with Tess. So when the American shows his true colors she hatches a plan to keep the finds in England.
I loved Tess and Dominic together and how well they communicate. However, I wondered how accurate their interactions were to the time period (1890s). While they are adults, albeit unmarried and not betrothed, they do sneak away on their own several times, including once in a hotel. It seemed rather unrealistic considering how I assumed women during that time took great care not to bring into question their virginity. However, I’m no expert on the cultural customs of that time, but it seemed a bit odd to me. I also found myself wishing for a little more time spent on the excavation of the Viking burial mound. This premise drew me into reading this book, so I hoped for a little more history or discoveries.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed my time spent reading THE SCOUNDREL AND THE SIREN. It has a unique premise with loveable and strong characters. And though I’m not a big historical romance reader, no doubt this is a nice entry into a well-loved genre.
Rating: 3.75
Content warnings: sexual content, death (historical)
Reading format: Kindle e-ARC
I love that the story revolves around an archeological dig, and I would want more of that too. This sounds like a very relaxing story, something I should read more often😁
It was definitely more on the relaxing side, particularly when you compare it to the higher stakes fantasy books we like to read. 🙂
The historical aspect of this one made me add it to my TBR a couple of weeks ago so it’s a bit disappointing that there wasn’t as much as you wanted. It still sounds like a fun read though.
Yea, I would’ve liked more archaeology, but at least I still enjoyed the story. It was fun and I’d recommend it even though it didn’t have as much of the dig as I was hoping for.
Its a shame the archaeological side of things didnt get more page time. Im sure many romance fans will be thrilled to hear that there’s not a lot of miscommunication involved. Im glad it was a fun read overall, although I do also wonder at some of the antics you’ve described 🤔
It is! I would’ve loved for there to be more archaeological dig time on the page, especially since the author got the inspiration from a real historical find. But yes, it was a fun read overall.