Anna Harrington

Anna Harrington is one of my favorite authors and this book is another superb offering from her. It neatly wraps up the series by adding another superb, steamy romance as well as providing the identity (and punishment) of the villain that has run through the entire series. I quickly came to love the characters, but that was easy because we’d already met them.

Scepter is an organization determined to murder England’s leadership and bring down the monarchy. They’ve made several attempts show more on the Prime Minister’s life and the Regents. The Lords of the Armory have managed to thwart the group so far, but they know Scepter will just keep trying until they succeed – unless they are stopped. Their best clue so far is Sydney Rowland. Is she a member of Scepter – perhaps even the leader – or is she being blackmailed into helping as so many others have been? It is up to Captain Nathaniel Reed to figure that out and, either way, extract all of the information she has.

Baroness Sydney Rowland avoids love in whatever form it might appear. Everyone she’s ever loved has been taken away from her, betrayed her, or despised her – so it is just simpler not to love anyone at all. Now, as a widow, her life is finally safe. She has money, no emotional encumberments, and one huge secret she must protect at all costs.

Captain Nathaniel Reed is the illegitimate half-brother to Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St. James. Nathaniel has no use for the legitimate side of his family, but he has to work closely with Alexander on this mission, so he’d better suck it up and get on with it. His part of the mission is to determine if Sydney Rowland is a friend or foe and to extract all of the information she has – whether she knows it or not. She’s definitely hiding something. Is she the leader of Scepter? If so, how can he be so drawn to her?

Excitement and romance abound in this delightful story. I love that the leader of Scepter is identified and gets adequately punished. But, we are left wondering if that is the last we’re going to hear from Scepter – after all – it seems more like a Hydra with multiple heads and multiple directions. Can’t wait to see if we hear from them again.

One of my favorite things about this series is that each romance is steamy and unique and it is accompanied by an equally unique mystery to go along with it. I like that so much better than just a plain ‘no frills’ romance.

I can definitely recommend this book – and this series – and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

'Death by kitten!'

An hilarious scene that shows a deft writing skill, alleviating the tensions that permeate 'As the Devil Dare.' Laced with humor, personal anguish and regret are strong undercurrents in this fascinating portrayal of a woman trying to find her place in a man's world and a Lord who blames himself for the death of his father, trying to appease his conscience.
Lord Robert Carlisle is desperate for a partnership in Winslow Shipping Company, desperate to prove himself. Mariah show more Winslow is equally as desperate to show her father that she can run a business, that she has the wherewithal and intelligence to be a part of the world she loves. Henry Winslow proposes to Carlisle that he will become a partner if he can provide Mariah with a proper season, and marry her off. Mariah dubbed the 'Hellion' by society has a deep seated attachment to an orphanage run by her mother, a place unbeknownst to her has been targeted for development. Carlisle and Mariah are at odds from the beginning and their differing desires are set to collide.
Tension, drama and romance heat up the pages.

A NetGalley ARC show less

OMGoodness! What an exciting, wild ride this was! With non-stop action, engrossing mystery, and fascinating characters you’ll find yourself totally unable to put this book down. Seriously, don’t start reading it in the evening if you need to get up the next morning! While this book can be read as a standalone, to get the full understanding and enjoyment of the overarching story of the series, you’ll want to read them all.

Rioting has become rampant in London and it is getting more and show more more violent. The Home Office and the men of the Armory are sure that Scepter is behind the riots just as they have been behind all of the plots in London over the last while. As they investigate more, they learn the ultimate goal of the Scepter organization – just not WHO is behind it. The goal is diabolical and if it is successful, it will be the end of everything England is and everything it stands for.

Merritt Rivers had a life-altering tragedy in his life five years ago and it has driven his every move since then. He immediately left London and bought himself a commission in the army where he spent the next several years fighting Napoleon. He used those years to hone his fighting skills and now that he has returned, he prowls the night looking for the man who changed his life. When he finds him …

Merritt is a gifted barrister, and now he has become a blasted baron thanks to Prinny. He is, essentially, two men – one who upholds the law and fights for justice during the day – and another who prowls the lowliest neighborhoods in London by night. He’s also a member of the Armory, a group of returned soldiers who are still fighting for England – just behind the scenes. On one of his nightly prowls, he hears raised voices and heads toward them – only to find a woman, dressed as a man, holding a thief at bay. Not only is she dressed as a man, she is wielding a sword and is armed to the teeth with knives. She asserts she is a thief-taker – which, of course, is ridiculous. Women aren’t thief-takers. Then – shock of all shocks – he discovers she is the escaped convict the Home Office has asked him to find. Uh-Oh! He apprehends her and takes her to the Armory. This woman is all of the things he despises – primarily, a criminal.

Veronica Chase’s life has changed dramatically in the last ten years and she’s escaped from the war-torn continent to London to try to make a life for herself. What she has certainly isn’t anything close to what she had, but it is the best she can do. She does her best to protect the innocents who live at the Court of Miracles with her. She even confessed to a crime she didn’t commit in order to help keep them safe. She managed to escape Newgate after six months imprisonment and she’ll never, ever go back there – even if it means working with the infuriating man who has just apprehended her.

We’ve already met and loved Merritt in previous books in the series and now we get an even better understanding of him and what drives him. Now, we meet Veronica Chase and you will absolutely LOVE her. She’s extremely talented, smart, wise, strong, and resilient – all without any of those TSTL moments we see in most of the female leads we read. I admired her pragmatism and tenacity as well as her fighting prowess and street-smarts. She was definitely as formidable as Merritt and they made a perfect match for each other

I highly recommend this entire series – and definitely this book. It is well-written, excellently plotted, and perfectly paced. Of course, having visits from the characters featured in the first two books was a bonus. I can hardly wait to see what happens next and how the group will finally put an end to Specter.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

Hugh Whitby is NOT the tall, broad-shouldered, muscled, suave, handsome hero we normally find in romance novels – yet, he is absolutely perfect. Physically, Hugh represents all of us imperfect people who still want to find our HEAs. He’s tall, gangly, red-haired, freckle-faced, pale, loud – in both dress and speech, and has a heart every bit as big as his personality. To put it mildly, I absolutely adored Hugh Whitby.

You may remember Hugh from If the Duke Demands – he was (and still show more is) Miranda’s best friend. Hugh, the son of a Baron, is the main patron of The Gatewell School for Orphans of the Sea – and he’s looking to expand the school by building a townhome to house the older boys once they complete schooling and start looking for positions. All Hugh needs is an excellent architect – and he’s already spoken to four of them who have basically laughed at him. His next visit is with Mr. Elias Daring who he hopes will take him more seriously. However, when Mr. Daring is unavailable, Hugh meets with Mr. Daring’s daughter, Daisy. She is smart, talented, beautiful, and Hugh decides – right then and there – that she will be his wife.

Daisy Daring is keeping secrets that could ruin her family and send them to the poorhouse. In a time where women were only appreciated for their decorativeness, she was now the architect who does the designs for her father’s business. Her father has been ill for several years and the jobs have dwindled to almost nothing. Money is scarce and creditors are wanting payment. Since her father couldn’t do the work, Daisy had to do it. Daisy is a gifted designer and architect who learned at her father’s knee. She’s every bit as good as any man – actually, even better than most. However, if any clients discovered it was she, a female, who designed their plans, they would immediately demand a return of their money and perhaps even sue them. At the moment, money is the most pressing issue – and there are no new commissions – until Mr. Whitby walks through the door asking to have a whole new townhouse designed and built to his specifications. A savior has arrived! What does Daisy first think of Hugh?

“This was her potential client? He looked as if a wagonload of Chinese silks had collided with a maypole.”

I loved watching Daisy’s assessment of Huge change – without her even realizing it. All was heading in the right direction until – betrayal – at least that is what it feels like. Who betrayed whom? How can it be made right? Oh! You’ll just have to read this delightfully romantic, sweet, novella to find all of the answers. It is a novella, but it reads as if it is a full-length book – the author did a wonderful job of portraying both Daisy and Hugh.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less