Review: When a Rogue Meets His Match (Greycourt #2) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt is one of my favourite writers. I love her escapist Georgian romances. I was so excited to receive an early copy of her latest book and I wasn't disappointed. When a Rogue Meets His Match is one of her best.

Gideon Hawthorne is the Duke of Windermere's personal fixer. After clawing his way up from the gutter, there is nothing Gideon wouldn't do to achieve his dream of joining the ranks of the aristocracy. He has the house, he has the money, all he needs now is an aristocratic wife to introduce him to Society so he can start wheeling and dealing. When the Duke offers Gideon his niece, Messalina Greycourt, as a wife (along with her enormous fortune), Gideon can hardly say no - especially since he's been obsessed with Messalina for years. There is, however, one tiny snag. The Duke has one last task for him to carry out. A task that he won't reveal until Gideon and Messalina are wed. So, just how far will Gideon go to receive Messalina's hand in marriage?

The story is one of my favourite tropes, enemies to lovers. Although as the story is told from both Messalina's and Gideon's point of view, we know he's not really a villain! Despite his harsh childhood, Gideon is rather sweet (think: the Beast from Beauty and the Beast) and I fell in love with him immediately. Messalina makes a splendid heroine - she doesn't stand for any of his nonsense. The tension comes from knowing exactly what task the Duke wants Gideon to perform and wondering if Gideon will really go through with it - or how he'll get out of it!

When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second in the Greycourt series (you don't need to have read the first one to enjoy it). About halfway through, future 'own-story' characters begin appearing. I particularly loved the relationship between the laid-back Elspeth and the way she teased Messalina's cake-loving sister, Lucretia. I can't wait for their stories!

I loved When a Rogue Meets His Match and can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical romance. I know Elizabeth's fans will adore the story, particularly if they've previously enjoyed Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane #3). It should also appeal to fans of those authors who write slightly grittier historical romances, such as Courtney Milan.

Thank you to Elizabeth Hoyt and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

Review: Not the Duke's Darling (Greycourt #1) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Once Upon a Maiden Lane by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Say No to the Duke (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #4) by Eloisa James

I adore Eloisa James's historical romances, so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Say No to the Duke.

Lady Betsy has always felt Society judges her for the scandal of her mother running away with a handsome Prussian, but she gets her revenge on the gossips by behaving like the perfect lady at all times. These bullies have also told Betsy that no respectable gentleman would ever want to marry her, so she is determined to receive more proposals than any of them - and does so, culminating in a proposal from the handsome duke considered the catch of the Season.

Lord Jeremy Roden, a friend of Betsy's elder brother, is currently living at Lindow Castle while Betsy and the Duke flirt with each other. Recently returned from the war in the Colonies, Jeremy is suffering from PTSD and trying to keep out of everyone's way by hiding in the billiards room. Unfortunately, this is where the Duke chooses to propose to Betsy.

As with all of Eloisa's books, the story is as much about the interaction between the characters as the plot. I loved the way Betsy and Jeremy bounced off each other, how the duke was sweet but completely bemused by the pair of them, and especially by the duke's mother, who is desperate to win Betsy for a daughter-in-law. Even Betsy's maid is conspiring against her, forcing Betsy into huge pink dresses to make a favourable impression on the duchess. Because Betsy has played the part of the perfect lady for so long, everyone believes this is what she's really like. The 'real' Betsy would love to be as wild as her brothers, play billiards, and stride around in breeches rather than big pink dresses. And the only person who realises she hides behind a mask is Jeremy - because he wears one too.

I won't tell you the outcome of their wager but the only bit involving breeches was right at the very end of the story. And while it was a clever twist, I was disappointed there was no scandalous road trip, as suggested by the blurb. Lord Jeremy Roden isn't rakish either; he's rather lovely and I adored him all the more for it.

Although this book is #4 in The Wildes of Lindow Castle series, you can easily read it as a standalone. It would suit readers who enjoy the 'fairy tale' kind of historical romance and authors such as Julia Quinn. I loved the characters, especially the banter between hero and heroine. Say No to the Duke is my favourite book of the series, and one of my favourite reads this year too.

Thank you to Eloisa James and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #2) by Eloisa James

Born to be Wilde (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #3) by Eloisa James

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Review: Not the Duke's Darling (Greycourt #1) by Elizabeth Hoyt

I usually pre-order Elizabeth Hoyt's books months in advance but somehow I missed realising this one was out. When I did get to read it there were already mixed reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads, so I felt a bit apprehensive as to whether I was going to enjoy it! But this is another of those times where, if you know you enjoy a particular style of book and have a favourite author, you should trust yourself, ignore the reviews and make your own decision!

Freya de Moray is the daughter and sister of a duke but is working incognito as a companion. She's also a spy for an organisation called the Wise Women, who help other women in trouble. During one of her assignments she unexpectedly meets the Duke of Harlowe, the man she blames for destroying her brother's life, and she is determined to have her revenge.

There are a lot of characters in this book and a lot of plot. The heroine has a couple of near-death experiences, which don't have anything to do with the villain, and the Duke is being blackmailed, also a plot strand that could have been done away with. I can understand the amount of characters: this is the first in a new series, so I suspect some of them will have their own books later on. It was fun trying to work out which ones these will be, but it was hard to keep track of them all!

Having said that, there is never a dull moment and I did love the main characters, particularly Freya, who was very independent and strong-minded, yet happy to admit when she'd made a wrong decision. I also enjoyed the snippets of the fairy tale that started each chapter. Conclusion? I loved Not the Duke's Darling and I'm happy to give it five stars!

Related Posts:

Review: Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Once Upon a Maiden Lane by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: The Other Miss Bridgerton (The Rokesbys Book 3) by Julia Quinn

I do love Julia Quinn's novels, so as soon as I saw this I dropped everything to read it. I adore the escapism of historical romances, particularly ones with humour, and the author's 'Bridgerton' series is one of my favourites. This book is the third in her 'Rokesby' series, which often features characters from the earlier generation of Bridgertons. It can be read as a stand-alone.

While visiting her friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy Bridgerton is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers' hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain's bed.

So far, so good, I thought! Unfortunately Captain Andrew James Rokesby turns out to be the perfect gentleman. He's also a spy working for the British government, rather than a pirate, and is forced to take Poppy along on his time-sensitive mission to Portugal.

As with all Julia Quinn's books, I loved the characters and the brilliant dialogue. This is the perfect story for readers who love 'meet cute' and the slow burn romance of two characters getting to know each other. For me, however, it felt like nothing much happened until 70%, when something fairly dramatic did happen (no spoilers, sorry!). I really liked that bit! And also the end was lovely and romantic.

Recommended for fans of the light, romcom style of historical romance, and authors such as Eloisa James. This was a solid four-star read for me.

Thank you to Julia Quinn and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Review:

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (The Rokesbys Book 2) by Julia Quinn

Review: Born to be Wilde (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #3)

Eloisa James is one of my favourite authors. I love her warm-hearted, witty stories that usually have a group of friends or a family at their heart - in this case, the Wildes.

Parth has made his fortune, several times over, and is about to propose marriage to an Italian contessa. So when the beautiful but 'shallow' heiress Lavinia Gray asks him to marry her he turns her down flat, suspecting her motives. But perhaps things aren't all what they seem?

I think this is my favourite of the series so far. I loved Lavinia and the way she decides to turn her fortunes around by playing to her strengths - fashion - and not taking the easy way out: a wealthy husband, despite Parth's best efforts at trying to hook her up with a prince! The story is mostly told from her point of view and I would have liked a bit more from Parth, who I found a fascinating, if shadowy character. I'd have also liked a bit more of a hint about what he looked like from the start, as I'd somehow got it into my head he was red-haired - probably because of the heroine's comments that (with his beard) he was trying to look like Henry VIII!

I particularly liked the way laudanum addiction was handled - a nice change from those stories I've read where the characters seem to knock it back with no ill effect! And of course I loved all the lush descriptions of Georgian fashion!

Recommended for those who love the lighter, romantic comedy style of historical romance, and fans of authors such as Julia Quinn. And if you subscribe to Eloisa's newsletter, there is an opportunity to read a prequel novella, featuring Parth's adoptive father, the Duke of Lindow.

Related Reviews:

Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #2) by Eloisa James

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Review: Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindlow Castle #2) by Eloisa James

I love Eloisa James's historical romances, and I am so pleased she has gone back to the Georgian period for this new series, as her Desperate Duchesses books are favourites of mine. Eloisa's particular strength is her ability to write lovable characters, even in small roles. They are usually part of a close family or group of friends, and you can almost believe you know these people in real life - and wish you did! The Wildes of Lindlow Castle are a particularly lovely bunch. However, there are an awful lot of them so, if you are considering reading this book, you might benefit from reading Wilde in Love first.

This story is about Lord Roland (known as 'North'), who is the eldest surviving son of the Duke of Lindlow but his reluctant heir. Prior to the start of this story (another reason to read Wilde in Love first!), North fell madly in love with Miss Diana Belgrave but she promptly jilted him at their betrothal party. Now he has returned home from war in America to find her employed by his family as a governess - along with a young son, who everyone believes is his!

I absolutely loved North. In fact I loved him so much there were times I felt Diana didn't deserve him. All through the book he makes compromises for her, yet she doesn't seem to make any sacrifices in return. Also, although I really, really enjoyed the book, I did find the ending a little unsatisfying.

Too Wilde To Wed has some interesting things to say about how love sometimes isn't enough to make a happy marriage, and that two people have to be completely right for each other and able to move freely in each other's world. It seemed particularly timely that I read this book shortly after the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and could consider how someone from a show business background, used to dealing with both the public and the media, would fit perfectly into the royal family. In Too Wilde To Wed, as much as Diana loves North, she has no confidence in her ability to make a good duchess.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Born to be Wilde, which will be out in the UK on the 31st July - whoop! 

Related Reviews:

Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindlow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Review: Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney

I downloaded this book because it was (a) free (don't judge me!) and (b) I had heard good things about the author. With hindsight, I was a bit too quick to download it because the trope of the heroine offering herself to the rakish hero to save her village is not the kind of story I like. It jars in the current 'Me Too' climate, but mainly it has been done too many times before. Although, to be fair, the story was originally published twenty-five years ago. 

However, the characters are likeable, the story was well-written and the hero-in-peril plot kept me reading. The 'demon' Earl wasn't really bad (surprise!) and the heroine, a Methodist minster's daughter struggling with her religious beliefs, made a refreshing change. The romantic suspense plot revolved around the Earl's coal mine, now leased to an ex-friend, which has become dangerous. As the Earl can't persuade his friend to make the mine safer, he decides to begin quarrying slate on his estate and lure the workers away. Obviously this doesn't end well! I particularly liked that the story is set in Wales and there is mention of Penrhyn Castle, which is just down the road from me.

I wavered between giving this story three or four stars; with hindsight three seems a little mean of me, but I do prefer the romances I read to have some humour in them. However, if you are a particular fan of historical romances, you might consider this a four star read.

Review: Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

It was Georgette Heyer who kindled my love of escapist historical romance. I originally read Faro's Daughter as a teenager and it remained one of my favourite books for a long time. When it came up as a 99p Kindle Daily Deal, I was curious to see if the story would seem dated or old-fashioned after all this time. Well, I absolutely loved it and it was as good as I remembered! Although one thing I did notice this time around was how many of my favourite historical romance authors Georgette Heyer has inspired!

Deborah Grantham, well-born but fallen on hard-times, runs her aunt's exclusive gaming establishment. Lord Mablethorpe is desperate to marry her but unable to do so until he either reaches his majority or gains the approval of his wealthy guardian, Max Ravenscar. Max, while utterly horrified, is far too clever to tell him he can't marry Deborah. Instead, believing her to be the worst kind of gold-digger, Max attempts to buy her off. Deborah, understandably, is furious, and the battle between them begins.

I love this kind of book. Engaging characters, sparkling dialogue, witty one-liners and one of my favourite tropes, a hero and heroine at war with each other due to a complete misunderstanding. Great fun!

Recommended to all fans of historical romance, particularly readers of Eloisa James and Julia Quinn. But bear in mind that this was originally written in 1941, so there are no sex scenes and very little kissing.

Review: Once Upon a Christmas Eve (A Maiden Lane Novella) by Elizabeth Hoyt

I do love Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series, set in Georgian England, and these accompanying novellas are a sweet treat. This one features Adam, Viscount d'Arque, who has had a minor role in several of the full-length novels. The heroine is Sarah St John, the sister of Godric St John - the hero of Lord of Darkness (#5 Maiden Lane series). You don't need to have read any of the series to enjoy this novella though.

The story starts a few days before Christmas. Adam and his grandmother are on their way to a house party when their carriage breaks its axle in a snowstorm. The nearest house turns out to belong to Godric St John, who doesn't much like Adam because he once flirted with Megs - Godric's wife - but Adam is a notorious rake and flirts with every woman. This is unfortunate because the only woman he's ever really been interested in (Sarah St John) really hates rakes...

This novella is quite short - it took me about an hour to read and finishes at 85% with a chapter from Elizabeth Hoyt's next book at the end - but I really enjoyed it. My only complaint was that I wish it could have been longer! I'd always felt Adam deserved a book of his own. I loved the banter between the characters, the lovely Christmassy touches (gathering holly in the snow), and the very romantic ending. *Sighs*. I think I'm going to read it again ... 

If you enjoy this, do try Lord of Darkness, which is one of my favourite Maiden Lane novels. 

Related Posts:

Review: Once Upon a Maiden Lane by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: Once Upon a Maiden Lane (Maiden Lane #12.5) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Once Upon a Maiden Lane is a standalone novella featuring characters from Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series. Officially it comes in at #12.5 (after the final novel, Duke of Desire) although the only characters to get a proper mention are from #1 (Wicked Intentions) and #10 (Duke of Sin).

The heroine, Mary Whitsun, featured in Wicked Intentions as a child. She was given her unusual surname after being found on the doorstep of an orphanage on Whit Sunday.

The hero, Viscount Blackwell, has been engaged to Lady Johanna Albright since birth. He was previously engaged to her twin sister, who disappeared as a baby. When he meets Mary Whitsun in a bookshop he is convinced she is Lady Johanna's long lost sister. Is Mary about to get a fairy tale 'happily ever after'?

I loved the characters; I found their interaction very engaging. Their romance was sweet and I loved the scene where they met in a bookshop. I wasn't so sure about the 'missing heir' plot, but Elizabeth Hoyt puts her own spin on it. My only complaint was that it ended too soon, almost as though it was missing a chapter. Several plot strands were left unresolved, and the villain's motivation seemed a bit weak. Maybe I'm just being greedy, wanting it to be longer?

But I did enjoy the story and I've already got the final novella in this series on order (Once Upon a Christmas Eve).

Related Posts:

Review: Duke of Pleasure

Review: Duke of Desire

Review: Wilde in Love (Wildes of Lindow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

It is 1778. Lord Alaric Wilde, the third son of the Duke of Lindow, has spent the past five years travelling around the world and writing books about it. It never occurs to him that those books could make him famous - or rather, infamous - until he arrives home to a rapturous welcome from a mob of infatuated women. In his absence there have been prints circulated about his exploits, merchandise with his image sold, even a sell-out London play. Mortified, he heads back to the family home (Lindow Castle), only to find a house party in progress - and all the female guests really keen to make his acquaintance...except one.

Wilhelmina (Willa) Ffynche is the success of the London Season, mainly due to her ability to keep to the rules and behave in the way that is expected of a society lady. Attending the house party at Lindow Castle, she finds it amusing that so many women are prepared to make fools of themselves over Lord Alaric...until she realises he's not quite the idiot portrayed in that notorious play.

Wilde in Love is a sweet, subtle historical romance, in which the main characters meet, become friends and slowly fall in love, despite their initial feelings that their personalities are polar opposite. And that's about it, which makes the story sound really dull - and it isn't! It's lovely and warm, and so nice to read a book where the characters actually like each other and come across as real people, along with all the associated quirks and flaws.

I particularly loved Sweetpea, the 'American sable' (which reminded me of Manuel's 'Siberian hamster' in Fawlty Towers), and Hannibal the battle-scarred cat! There are also Shakespearean references, and an entertaining villain who prevents the course of true love from running too smoothly. The last chapter of the book is, in effect, the first chapter of the next book.

Recommended to readers who like their historical romance to have a slight fairy tale tone (although there are some sex scenes). I really enjoyed it - and I loved the (Piatkus) cover, featuring a very modern-looking heroine. 

Related Posts:

Review: Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Review: Duke of Desire (#12 Maiden Lane Series) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Duke of Desire is #12 in the Maiden Lane series of Georgian historical romances written by one of my favourite authors, Elizabeth Hoyt. You don't need to have read the others to enjoy the story, as the only characters to reoccur (from Duke of Pleasure) are Iris and Hugh.

On the way back from the wedding of her friend Hugh, Iris is kidnapped by members of the Lords of Chaos (a kind of Hellfire Club) who intend to sacrifice her in revenge for Hugh's campaign against them. She is rescued by the Duke of Dyemore, Raphael de Chartres, who has infiltrated the Lords with the intent of destroying them. Unfortunately Iris, misunderstanding his intent, promptly shoots him! They then spend the rest of the story trying to keep one step ahead of the Lords, who are determined to get their revenge.

I love this series because it's set in Georgian times, rather than the usual Regency or Victorian. The brooding-hero-with-a-bleak-past is one of my favourite tropes, and I always enjoy stories where the heroine doesn't whinge about her misfortune but just gets on with turning her life around. I loved the hero's gothic castle, with its sinister locked doors, and his rather sweet view of Iris bringing light to his dark. I think my only complaint would be that the story seemed to be over too quickly, but then the best stories often are!

Although Elizabeth Hoyt often references fairy tales in her novels, they are much darker and grittier than authors such as Julia Quinn or Eloisa James, and the sex scenes are more explicit - on a par with Sylvia Day's historical romances. So this book might not be to everyone's taste. Also, some might feel that the hero's grim past, as a victim of child abuse, is a little too dark.

But I really enjoyed all the action and adventure. It was a fitting end to a brilliant series, and I look forward to reading whatever Elizabeth Hoyt comes up with next.

Related Post:

Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

Review: The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (The Rokesbys Book 2) by Julia Quinn

Julia Quinn is one of my all-time favourite authors. I've read every one of her books. I love her big-hearted characters, who are usually part of lovable eccentric families, and the fabulous witty dialogue between heroes and heroines. But unfortunately I'm not really feeling her new Rokesby series.

It is 1779. Cecilia Harcourt has been living an isolated life in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, with her widowed father. She lives for the letters she receives from her brother Thomas, who is a soldier fighting for the British in the American War of Independence (I think! My American history is a little hazy and the book didn't make it clear). When she receives a letter saying Thomas has been wounded, in the same week her father dies, she decides to head to America to be with him - only to arrive and discover he is nowhere to be found.

In the meantime, Thomas's friend, Edward Rokesby, has woken up in a hospital in New York, to find three months of his life missing and Cecilia claiming to be his wife. Surely he'd remember if he was married?

I have read very few historical romances set in this period in America, so I was really looking forward to learning more about that time. There was also Edward's missing three months and the mysterious disappearance of Thomas - was or wasn't he a spy, etc. Instead, all of this fizzled out and the main part of the story is about Cecilia and Edward's relationship. Which was fine; this is a romance after all. But I had been expecting a little bit more ...

Julia Quinn's style of writing, her characters, her witty dialogue; they are all here and as brilliant as usual - five stars. But the lack of historical detail and plot was more of a three. Averaging out at 4 stars.

Recommended for anyone who loves romantic comedies set in the past, and for fans of Eloisa James. If you've never read Julia Quinn before, I'd suggest you start with her famous Bridgerton Series - The Viscount Who Loved Me and An Offer from a Gentleman are my favourites. Although my all-time favourite is one of her stand-alones: The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever.

Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

I love Elizabeth Hoyt's books, particularly her Maiden Lane series, which is historical romance set in Georgian England. Duke of Pleasure is #11 in the series but you don't have to have read the others to enjoy the story. 

Hugh Fitzroy, the Duke of Kyle, is the illegitimate son of King George II, who uses him as a kind of spy for the work he can't trust anyone else to do. Hugh's current investigation is into the Lords of Chaos, a secret society of aristocrats, similar to The Hellfire Club. One night Hugh is ambushed by their assassins, but fortunately rescued by a notorious vigilante known as the Ghost of St Giles - who turns out to be a woman.

Ironically, the female 'Ghost' Hugh is now obsessed with is already known to him as the street urchin 'Alf', who lives on 'his' wits by dealing in information - for a price. It takes Hugh about half the novel to realise Alf's real identity, and me about the same amount of time to recognise a reworking of My Fair Lady, as Hugh trains Alf to pass herself off as an aristocrat to help him steal some important papers and finally catch the Lords of Chaos.

I enjoyed Duke of Pleasure because it wasn't the usual girl-meets-rake historical romance, it had lots of action and adventure, as well as a bit of a mystery, and I loved the character of Alf. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Georgian romance.

The Ghost of St Giles (a kind of Georgian Batman) has appeared as a main character in three other Elizabeth Hoyt novels: Thief of Shadows (#4), Lord of Darkness (#5) and Duke of Midnight (#6). Alf has also appeared in other Maiden Lane books, mainly Lord of Darkness. So if you do want to read the other books in the series, you might want to start with those.

Review: A Passion for Him & Don't Tempt Me by Sylvia Day

I picked this up from the library today - only to realise when I got home that I'd already read it. So I took it back! But it's been several years since I'd read it, so I read it again.

As well as her hugely successful Crossfire series (contemporary romance), Sylvia Day also wrote a series of Georgian historical romances:

#1 Ask For It

#2 A Passion for the Game

#3 A Passion for Him

#4 Don't Tempt Me

They are set in the 1770s and the characters (both male and female) work for various governments as spies. As with any series, you get the most out of them if you read the books in order! However, you could probably get away with starting with book #2.

A Passion for Him

(#3 Georgian Series)

by Sylvia Day

Amelia is the younger sister of Maria, the heroine of book #2. Although betrothed to the handsome Earl of Ware, Amelia is still in love with her childhood sweetheart, Colin, who died saving her life. Amelia and Colin's backstory is told in flashbacks throughout the book, which is handy if you haven't read #2 (or, like me, have a memory like a sieve).

Despite being betrothed to the kind-hearted Earl, Amelia falls head over heels in lust with a handsome stranger at a masked ball. Completely obsessed, she is soon arranging assignations all over London, determined to discover the stranger's secrets. And he has quite a few - one of which I'm sure you've already guessed! There's lots of sex and sometimes the language is a bit crude, but Sylvia Day certainly knows how to write a page turner and I enjoyed the story very much.

Don't Tempt Me

(#4 Georgian Series)

by Sylvia Day

So after reading #3, I then had to read #4 again. This one is about Irish mercenary Simon Quinn, who was Maria's lover in #2, and Colin's boss in #3. Still with me? 

Simon is all set to retire with the fortune he's made working for the British government, only to be tricked into doing one last job - seduce the cold-hearted French assassin Lysette Rousseau. Except Lysette seems to have completely changed since their last assignment - almost as though she is another woman entirely ...

This is my favourite story out of the four, even though it somehow manages to juggle the relationships of three different sets of characters. It starts in Paris in 1757, some twenty-three year earlier, and details the passionate affair between Marguerite Piccard and the Marquis de Saint-de-Martin, before it all goes horribly wrong, mainly due to the interference of the villain, known as 'L'Espirit'. L'Espirit turns up again in the present, to make Simon and Lysette's life hell, and if you haven't read the earlier books you might become extremely confused by this point, as there are an awful lot of characters and some of them have very similar-sounding names. I did enjoy the spy-thriller style plot, although I did work out the identity of the mysterious L'Espirit. And I'd have preferred more about the relationship between Simon and the woman he falls in love with.

About the Author

Sylvia Day is the #1 Sunday Times and #1 international bestselling author of over 20 award-winning novels sold in more than 40 countries. She is a #1 bestselling author in 28 countries, with tens of millions of copies of her books in print. Her Crossfire series has been optioned for television by Lionsgate.

Author Website