Luck Be a Lady

Rules for the Reckless #4

by Meredith Duran

Romance sizzles between a famous heiress and an infamous crime lord in this fourth sexy novel in the Rules for the Reckless series from the USA Today bestselling author of Fool Me Twice.

The Wallflower

They call her the “Ice Queen.” Catherine Everleigh is London’s loveliest heiress, but a bitter lesson in heartbreak has taught her to keep to herself. All she wants is her birthright—the auction house that was stolen from her. To win this war, she’ll need a powerful ally. Who better than infamous and merciless crime lord Nicholas O’Shea? A marriage of convenience will no doubt serve them both.

The Crime Lord

Having conquered the city’s underworld, Nick seeks a new challenge. Marrying Catherine will give him the appearance of legitimacy—and access to her world of the law-abiding elite. No one needs to know he’s coveted Catherine for a year now—their arrangement is strictly business, free from the troubling weaknesses of love. Seduction, however, is a different matter—an enticing game he means to ensure she enjoys, whether she wishes to or not...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Marriage Of Convenience, Historical Fiction, Adult, Fiction

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 25, 2015

About the author

MEREDITH DURAN blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history. She is the author of twelve novels, all published by Pocket Books. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. Her other books include RITA award winner Fool Me Twice and her February 2017 release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, which was called one of the best romances of the year by BookList and Amazon, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, the latter of which opined: “This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting.” Her next release, THE SINS OF LORD LOCKWOOD, hits the shelves on February 27, 2018.

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Loved Nick, his Irish-ness, his rebel side, his heart, his vulnerability, his gruffness, his humor, his well, EVERYTHING. Loved how Catherine and him interacted, fell in love. Loved this book :)

[Bubu · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been over a year since I read a book by Meredith Duran which was not a re-read. And... how I missed you, Ms. Duran, how I missed you.

How I missed your rich prose, the complexity of your characters, your intricate storytelling and the vivid imagery of the late 19th century London.

And because it's been so long since I read a Duran book, and because Luck Be A Lady was such a joy to read, and because Nicholas O'Shea is Nicholas O'Shea, this will be a rather long winded review. The short version is: 5 stars, no questions asked.

The long version:
She's done it again. Meredith Duran, that is. She, along with a handful of other authors, is the reason why I'm still reading this genre. And it's not because it's a Historical Romance, either. With Ms. Duran the historical background is part of a whole package. There are the multi-layered characters she creates, the emotional depth she gives them, the subtlety of her writing.

Actually, subtlety is - to me at least - the main characteristic of Meredith Duran's talent as an author.

Let me explain. It's been only a week or two since I read the first three books of Kerrigan Byrne's Victorian Rebels series. Very similar premise: Victorian London, heroes who were born on the wrong side of the track with tragic childhoods but still able to drag themselves out of the gutter, etc. Totally different style, though. Don't get me wrong, I loved KB's writing, reminding me quite a bit of the old school dramas. But subtlety is not her thing.

Now, let me have a look at Luck Be A Lady's Nicholas O'Shea. Right along with the prologue we get quite a good picture of how hard Nick's upbringing was; how much indignity the poor had to endure. He has every reason to be the typical Romance Tortured Hero: brooding, cold, unable to let anyone close, yadda, yadda, yadda. We see them in HR's as much as in CR's. You know what I'm talking about.

But not so Nick. Obviously, growing up in the streets of Whitechapel has shaped him, but it hasn't made him bitter. Angry, for sure, at those in charge who wrinkle their noses at the poor, working class people, cautious, sometimes restless, but okay with the place he's made for himself in life. No endless self-loathing; no constant musings over how unworthy he is for the heroine. A woman like Catherine Everleigh, of course, seems unattainable but that's only normal. We're still in 19th century Britain with its rather rigid social barriers, after all. One aspect that fascinated me with Nick, and which was like a breath of fresh air after all the Tortured Heroes (Historical and Contemporary ones alike), once Catherine is within his reach, he won't be deterred easily. Neither by her persona, nor by her status. Certainly not by his own shortcomings. He sees a chance and he's willing to take a chance. No fuss, no angst needed.

By the way, have I mentioned that Nick is Mr Hotness? No? Oh, he so is. And it's not endless descriptions of his physical beauty - which is obviously mentioned. A look, a gesture, a word (or a few more), and: "Oh, hello there, Nick! Wanna come around?"

*stop drooling and go ahead already*

Anyway...

Catherine is a typical Meredith Duran heroine, in my opinion. No sugary sweetness, no bravado that crumbles at first sight of the hero. Well, it does crumble, of course, but it's not easily visible. How many times do we read about heroines who want to make their own way in life and when the hero comes along (isn't there a song that goes like that?), the heroine's goals are easily forgotten. Catherine Everleigh, though, acts like it, all the way through the book.

"It was not in her nature to be a wife: to subordinate her own desires and needs to a man’s, and to knit patiently by the fire in expectation of his return from the office. She had her own office, her own work, and a gentleman would never allow that."

Single minded and unique in her pursuit of obtaining sole proprietorship of her father's auction house Everleigh's, she doesn't shy away from booting her waste of space of a brother out of the business. She's also not above using other people - here it's Nick - to reach her goal. All this doesn't necessarily endear Catherine to the reader, but it speaks volumes that Ms. Duran slowly strips Catherine of her layers and we see what drives Catherine in the first place. She is a very stand-off-ish sort of person but she's also vulnerable; flawed with lots of misconceptions but also full of suppressed emotions; cold on the outside but full of passion once Nick tears down her barriers.

I love these kind of heroines - and heroes. Those who show a whole spectrum of human emotions; flaws and everything. Not larger than life by definition as The Heroine or The Hero, but becoming larger than life the more I learn about them.

Nonetheless, it's Nicholas who steals the scenes a little here but in the most lovely way. In a review for a different book by a different author I asked the following - admittedly rhetorical - question: Is there anything sexier in a romance novel than a Hero who truly loves the woman for her strength and her confidence and who isn’t intimated by her? That's Nick. He's fascinated by Catherine's business-like approach at almost every aspect of life. At the end of the day, that's how Nick dragged himself out of the gutter, and instead of being the obviously rescuing Knight in Shining Armor, he supports Catherine every step of the way in her endeavour to get Everleigh's back on its feet. And he sees her obsession with her father's auction house for what it is:

"What she called business, he called passion—and she had it in spades, albeit for dusty relics of the past."

It takes Catherine a while to see his acknowledgment, but again, it's only natural that it takes her a while because the role of a woman in her social circles is that of a wife and mother, not that of a businesswoman.

I've been praising Nick's very open-minded approach to Catherine's passion for her work. There's a scene towards the end of the book where Nick contradicts almost everything I've just said and I personally think his action was a little extreme. At first. But then I thought a little about it. Her brother abducts Catherine at one point and tries to hide her away in one of those infamous asylums (electro shocks, opiates, the whole shebang of a Gothic novel). Nick rescues her. Obviously, he's just as rattled by the possibility of losing Catherine as Catherine is herself at what she just experienced. When she has the opportunity to spite her brother, Nick locks her up in her room, unwilling to let Catherine anywhere near that brother he would love to kill and be rid off.

Dilemma, oh, dilemma. But put the scene in its context, on the personal level as well as the historical. He nearly lost the woman he loves and her brother still poses a threat. Catherine unnecessarily confronting her already derailing brother is not something Nick can endure at that moment. And quite honestly, a hundred years ago or now, I'd probably react in the same way and face the consequences later. It's a final conflict Catherine and Nick have to overcome which once again underlines the deep seated fears both have. Despite Nick's heavy handed action, it's beautifully brought to a conclusion which emphasises the romance that has been building up throughout the book.

And this where Luck Be A Lady truly shines: the romance between Catherine and Nick. The talent of a truly gifted Romance author, in my opinion, is to give her characters enough space to wonder, question, explore, develop and ultimately decide individually while taking the reader along the journey. Whatever characteristics an author may give her main protagonists, may it be arrogance or shyness (be my guest and fill in the blanks here for me), I love seeing two people meet, feel the initial attraction, and then watch them stumble. And I mean it: let them stumble. Because that's what falling in love is to me. A whole variety of contradicting emotions that feel like utter chaos.

"It aggravated him that she looked untouched, for he himself felt . . . rubbed up against, disordered, all messed and tousled inside. What had happened in that bed today? He was Irish enough to think of witchcraft, and modern enough to dismiss it instantly. But the conviction lingered, unsettling and unwelcome, that something had happened that changed him, knocked him off-kilter the slightest degree, so her face now seemed like the only thing worth looking at."

Nothing bores me more than when - just as an example - the hero simply knows what and how the heroine feels from the start and he only has to 'nudge' her often enough into the 'right' direction until she sees the light. Sorry, but bollocks to that.

I want to see two people wondering what the other thinks, wondering how to act themselves, slowly weaving through their own chaos of emotions. And that's what happens here. I kept on marking and marking and marking but after going through them, I'm almost of a mind to simply not quote those wonderful moments. What's the point when every encounter between Catherine and Nick is almost equally brilliant? When the truly remarkable achievement of this book lies in its ability to combine seriousness with light-heartedness; when the two main characters show a maturity in their decision making, and yet haggle over the price owed for a favour and I'm reminded of the haggling at the bazaars in Istanbul - which I had to learn at one point, by the way - and can't help but snicker at how much Catherine and Nick try to rip each other off.

“Oh, ho!” He clapped his hat on his head. “Always business with you.”
Her face got hotter. “You were the one who suggested—”
“Wasn’t an insult,” he said with a wink. “You’re my kind of woman. Ninety-ten split, you say?”
Now she must be red as a cherry. “Hardly! Sixty-forty is the typical arrangement.”
His eyes widened. “Highway robbery, that. I’ll take eighty-five percent, and no argument.”
“I’ll give you seventy-five,” she shot back. “Everleigh’s will bear all the expenses of restoration and transport, and assuming the collection merits it, we’ll pay for advertising, too.”
“Eighty,” he said, “and it all hinges on you telling a very pretty lie[...]"

See what I mean? Despite the seriousness of the issues, Ms. Duran finds a way to not only make light of it, but reveal her main characters' little ticks as well.

Where ever my squeeing comes from, I don't care. All I know is that I was starved for a story like Catherine and Nick's, and that once again Meredith Duran delivered.

I also know that most people are looking forward to Lisa Kleypas' Devil in Spring. Well, I'm looking forward to that one, too...a lot. But the one I've been truly anxiously awaiting - ever since I saw it pop up on my newsfeed - is Meredith Duran's new release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct. It's a shame she isn't more popular. But then, it's no wonder. Her characters, her writing style, her plots are not cookie cutter enough. Not to forget that she doesn't emotionally manipulate her readers into loving her characters or feeling sorry for them. I just hope she won't stop writing Historical Romances. I've already lost Sherry Thomas (at least on the Romance front); Cecilia Grant seems to have gone into hiatus; and Courtney Milan is on a totally different trip at the moment.

I doubt I'll read A Lady's Code of Misconduct right away. Too precious to be devoured like a bag of crisps. I'll probably wait another year and a half, put it on my 'rainy day' shelf, and once I read it, I'll write another fangirling review. As always :)

One last thing and pardon my French: Fuck my fangirling, this book deserves its 5 stars.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

It's official: I LOVE everything that Meredith Duran writes!

No, seriously. I think Meredith Duran currently tops my list of must-buy historical romance authors. She is consistently amazing and seriously underrated because she is writing some of the most nuanced romance out there.

I've read five books in the Rules for the Reckless series, and I've adored every single one of them. I'm slowly making my way through her backlist because her books are meant to be savored. There is something about her style that works for me, and Luck Be a Lady was no different.

I love an opposites attract story and an ice princess who runs a high-class auction house and a crime boss is as different as you can get. The chemistry is slow burn-y (and the beginning of the book was actually a little slow for me), but once things start to heat up, I couldn't put it down.

This book wasn't the most... effusive of the series. Both characters play their cards close to their chest, and lots of pet names or gooey declarations is not their style. However, everything just FIT together, and I loved these two MCs and their interactions.

Never disappoints, I paperback well worth my shelf space.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkD17GdB1...

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A at AAR.

But instead of writing a regular review, Dabney and I had a bit of a squeefest in a Pandora's Box feature, which you can find HERE.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Lady Be Good, I was certainly interested in two of the secondary characters, the beautiful but icy Catherine Everleigh and the ruthless ruler of Whitechapel, Nicholas (Nick) O’Shea. Neither came off as particularly likeable in that book and I was intrigued to see how Ms Duran could not only change my mind about them, but also create a believable romance between two such dissimilar characters both in temperament and social standing.

I like Ms Duran’s effective use of the Prologue to provide insight into Catherine and Nick’s childhoods. This gave me a better understanding of the influences at play in shaping the people they became.

From a very young age, Catherine’s life has revolved around Everleigh Auction House, the family business. She is smart for her age and her father has encouraged and developed her interest in art and antiques to the exclusion of all else. It is a lonely childhood with normal childhood experiences discouraged and no friends. My heart went out to her when she looks out of the window to watch two girls laughing and skipping and convinces herself that she doesn’t need friends when…

She got to come to her father’s auction rooms. No other children were allowed at Everleigh’s. Being here made her special.

Now an expert in the field of art and antiques, Catherine is proud of her business achievements and the auction house has become her life, albeit a lonely one. She has no time for socialising and no interest in fashions, the latest gossip or the latest novels. She and her brother, Peter, have each inherited a half-share in Everleigh’s but Catherine will not acquire control over her share until she marries. In the meantime, her brother controls everything and she is aware that he has been embezzling money from the business to fund his political ambitions and now he is threatening to sell the business. She is desperate to gain control of her share to thwart his plans but the only solution is to marry and…

She knew just the man to bring Peter to heel. All it would require of her was a great deal of money...and a reckless disregard for decency and the law.

– the notorious Nick O’Shea.

The letters that pass between Catherine and Nick, when she tries to arrange a meeting with him to discuss her proposition, are not only funny but also cleverly supply details of the circumstances under which they first met.

Forced to fend for himself on the streets of the east end of London at the age of eleven, Nick has clawed his way up to become the wealthy, notorious and powerful crime lord who controls Whitechapel, one of roughest parts of the east end. Despite his reputation, most of the things he has achieved have been through hard work, determination and a keen business mind. The income from his gambling palace and legitimate businesses have meant he is no longer involved in petty crime.

Nick is the sort of hero I adore…rough around the edges but a good man at heart. He truly cares about the weak and vulnerable of Whitechapel and rules through respect rather than fear.

Once this quarter of Whitechapel had looked different— violent, ugly, choked with rubbish. But now it boasted orderly streets, solid tenements, quiet nights, and schools with no seats to spare.

When Catherine puts her “marriage of convenience” proposal to Nick, she never dreams that he has been watching her for years and also sees it as an opportunity to further his own goals.

“I take it that you’re a cynic in matters of love.”
“In every matter, sweetheart.”
“Good. So am I.” “Why, we’re a perfect match, then.”

Cynical they may be but I knew that eventually they would succumb to cupid’s arrow, but it is their journey that kept me captivated. To ensure that the marriage cannot be challenged by Catherine’s brother, it has to be consummated and this scene is both amusing and highly sensual and we discover exactly what is in the package Catherine is carrying!

I enjoyed seeing each of them grow and change during the course of the story. Despite his reputation, Catherine comes to realise that Nick is an honourable, kind and decent man who genuinely cares about the people of Whitechapel. I love how Nick listens to Catherine, respects her opinions, treats her as an equal and never questions her right to work. Nick stirs Catherine’s latent passions and Catherine makes Nick see that he has the ability to fulfil his ambitions.

… she had a way of leading him into dreaming. She made him imagine, hope for, ideas and realities he’d never himself known.

Peter, Catherine’s brother, is a truly nasty piece of work but I love the lengths Nick will go to protect Catherine and enjoyed seeing him scare the hell out her odious brother!

MY VERDICT: A beautifully written story with layered, complex characters and real emotional pull. One I can definitely recommend.

Rules for the Reckless series (click on the book cover for more details):



The review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:

https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got a couple of chapters in and just . . . couldn't. I don't buy Nick as the noble savage trying to "do gud" and I buy Catherine as the hard-nosed businesswoman even less. The thing is, in both cases I'm being asked to swallow a non-trivial paradox.

In Catherine, she supposedly has a passion for her auction house and literally nothing else at all, ever. That's not passion, that's obsession and that degree of obsession has a price and Catherine shows zero sign of either emotion beyond the motivation for the story, frankly.

In Nick, I'm expected to buy a man who was raised in the brutal streets using brutal means and native cunning to make himself king of his slums who is also brilliant and loyal and kind and interested in the education of children. So he's essentially a Robin Hood fantasy, only with the added problem that he has nobody to rob. Oh, Duran posits that his gambling house is outrageously profitable, but that's only because she can hand-wave an exemption to the laws of economics—essentially saying he allows the rich to rob themselves and give him money for reasons. This does not make him brilliant, it just makes him God's favorite with Duran playing the role of deity.

All of which I could have overlooked if there had been even a lick of spark between the two. Only there isn't. Their "banter" is just so much playground-level insult with Nick throwing in (often lewd) alpha-male dominance schtick to show how "street" he is. Want an example? This is part of one of their first exchanges:

She crossed her arms and looked over his shoulder towards the tenement. "Please go."

"In a minute, I'm tossing you over my shoulder."

She recoiled. "You wouldn't dare."

But perhaps he would. His smile looked rakish. "You might enjoy it. I seem to recall a fine compliment to my shoulders, last time we met. I'd put it down to the drink, but you say you were sober. Well, then. Your sober self, Miss Everliegh, adjudged me a handsomely equipped man."

Mortification crawled through her. "You're a churl."

"Maybe. Course, a churl wouldn't drive you home. He might throw you over his shoulder and carry you to his coach, though. Why don't you think on it for a moment." As another spate of rain dampened them, he grimaced and said, "I'll give you five seconds."

She darted another glance at the tenement. Peter might be in that building for hours, yet, and the light was fading now. "Fine. I will allow you to hail me a hackney."

"It's a wonder," he said, "that you ain't been robbed yet. You travel much by cab?"

"I would sooner trust a cabman than you," she said through her teeth.

"You think you've got anything I want?"

That's not banter, it's just arguing and insults. So yeah, bad setup and juvenile banter had me reach my limit on this pretty fast, I'm afraid.

[Gio Listmaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now, that's what I like about cards, right there. You learn something about the person you're playing with, regardless of the game."




Powerful Expressive Writing

Starchy Independent Heroine Unstarched

Sexy Charming Underworld Hero



Political Blackmail and Bargaining

Dirty Talk

Sexual Tension

Wordplay

Interesting Plot Twist

If You Like Julie Anne Long or Anne Mallory

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful story! I love Meredith Duran as a general rule, because when she writes a good book, she writes a really good book! Her characters have such depth, the stories are interesting and involve aspects of English society one often doesn’t read about in romances, it’s obvious she’s done her research, and the relationship development is a pure delight. Luck Be a Lady proved to be no exception, with Catherine and Nicholas feeling authentic and real, their exchanges spot-on, and the chemistry sizzling.

Setting. London, 1886 (August—December).

Premise. (Honestly, you can almost ignore the book blurb, because some of it is so inaccurate I have no idea where it came from; ex: Catherine has no past heartbreak). Miss Catherine Everleigh’s (26) whole life revolves around her late father’s auction house, Everleigh’s. She basically grew up there and is devoted to the place, now sharing ownership with her brother, Paul. She doesn’t legally have any rights to her half though until she marries, which is extremely inconvenient since she has absolutely no interest in marriage, yet needs to be able to quietly put a stop to Paul’s embezzlement of funds.

Nicholas O’Shea (31 and FYI, not much of a crime lord anymore—do blurb writers even read the book?!) rules the East End of London, especially Whitechapel. He is wealthy, powerful, and commands respect wherever he goes in his little mini-kingdom, however his circumstances growing up couldn’t have been more different and he really worked his way up. He has no interest in what goes on beyond the territory he controls, but within those boundaries, his word is law and he considers himself responsible for everyone who lives there.

When Catherine approaches him with the idea of a marriage of convenience, Nick accepts the offer; she’ll be able to claim her half of Everleigh’s and her brother’s position on the Board of Works is one that Nick plans to use to his advantage (technically corruption, I know, but all for a good cause!). The marriage is not the magic pill she hoped it would be though: Nick seems to want more than the (extremely lengthy and hysterical) contractual agreement he signed, and Paul proves to be more determined than she realized to rid their family of Everleigh’s and move up in the world of politics, no matter the cost.

Our Heroine. Catherine is an unusual heroine, and while not normally the kind I love, I ended up adoring her and developing a real soft spot. She’s nicknamed “the Ice Queen” and goes to great lengths to appear cold and hard as nails, but she’s also extremely bright, very ambitious, beautiful but not egotistical about it (finds it annoying, actually), forthright, passionate, and determined. While Nick has some walls that need to be broken down, in this romance it’s the heroine who has to learn to put down her guard and not close herself off, to take a chance and trust others.

My heart ached for Catherine. All her life, she has defined and measured herself and her worthiness in a certain way—all of it tied to Everleigh’s—and the idea of anything else is unimaginable and terrifying. She is so lonely and so wants to fall for Nick and let him in, but she struggles with her natural inclination to keep people at a distance. I also really appreciated and could definitely relate to the internal conflict Catherine feels between wanting to be an independent woman and a respected businesswoman, and wanting to be in an intimate relationship, where you have to compromise, let the other person have a say, and allow yourself to rely on them.

Our Hero. Nick was deliciously sweet. His opening scene is definitely not (I’ll spare you the gory details), but one quickly grows to love him. He’s cocky and arrogant, but we see early on that he truly cares about the people in his community and that, like everyone, he does have insecurities.

While I enjoyed his interactions with those around him, the greatest pleasure was in his exchanges with and thoughts about Catherine. Nick is surprisingly tender and caring towards her. He really pays attention to Catherine and how she reacts to things, how she sees the world; he’ll say things in a certain way or do something just to put her at ease or make her feel like she’s on solid ground again. He’s giving and thoughtful, and the things he says to her in the last sections (and that hot scene against the door)—be still my beating heart!!

My Hang-Up. The one thing that kept this from being a five-star-A+ read for me was Paul. He was just so, so, SO evil. Yes, there are evil people in the world, and I know for a fact that situations like these occurred in that time period, but … he was just slimy and horrid, and in so many ways it felt like he and his actions were purely there as a trigger for other developments in the plot. I didn’t understand him at all, and while I imagine it’s hard to understand a sociopath, I think if that part had felt more natural and integrated in the story, it would have worked much better for me.

Series. This is book #4 in Duran’s Rules for the Reckless series. The only one that really ties in here is #3, Lady Be Good. I haven’t read it, however I do think it probably enhances the experience, since Catherine is the book-equivalent of a supporting actress in it and Nick also appears (I’m not sure how much). Luck Be a Lady can be read as a stand-alone, no doubt, but from how some readers referenced Catherine in their reviews of Lady Be Good, I think her transformation may be that much more powerful if you read that first.

Quote. I could not possibly pick a favorite, as there were soooooo many good ones—I feel like half of the pages in my book have dog ears!—but this is one of them.

His mouth softened. Not quite a smile. “You idiot,” he said gently. “This … between us … it isn’t supposed to feel wise. Even I know that. And nobody ever called me a romantic.”

He leaned down. His lips brushed hers softly—too softly; he didn’t try to open her mouth, to clasp her against him or deepen the kiss, even when she caught his shoulders and squeezed in a silent petition.

And when he pulled away from her, she could not work out the grounds by which she might pull him back.

Excerpt. Note, this isn't a spoiler, it's just long as all fuck, so I put it in spoiler quotes.

He played the gentleman very convincingly. But why? As shock faded, her brain began to click into working order again, and his gentleness began to alarm her.

He had no reason to be kind. He was after something. And she ... was falling for his trick. This man who had spoken to her so vulgarly in his vehicle earlier—she was softening toward him, surrendering all her native defenses. Longing for him to touch her again as he showed her the points of the suite where she would stay.

She couldn't allow it. She let him bow over her hand before he started for the door, but she made herself call after him. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing," she said. "I'm well aware of your strategy."

He turned back at the door. "What strategy is that?"

"Charm, I believe it's called."

He widened his eyes, japing astonishment as he slouched against the doorframe. "Never say. And here I'd heard I had the charm of an ox."

"I said you had the subtlety of an ox," she said. "But I know these tricks. You're a practiced flirt with a handsome face. No doubt you have good success among certain company. But you won't find it with me. Spare yourself the effort."

"Handsome face." He offered her a lopsided smile. "Are we turning to compliments now?"

"Do you imagine me incapable?"

"I had doubted, once or twice."

"Oh, but I know this game very well. You're not the only handsome face in this room."

"'Handsome' isn't the word for it," he said evenly. "With a face like yours, darling, you could have been a courtesan to princes."

Surprise prickled through her. She squashed the emotion. "Yes," she said. "Perhaps so."

His head tipped as he considered her. "You don't sound pleased about it."

"What is there to be pleased about? Nature worked a fine trick on my features." And that trick grew very inconvenient when it attracted interest from men like Pilcher. "It was none of my doing."

"Well now," he said slowly. "Forgive me for a thick-headed ox, but that's the strangest way to call yourself beautiful that I've ever heard."

"I suppose you would think so. There's the difference between us: I have no interest in my looks. I had rather rely on my brains." She forced a sharp smile. "But then, that choice is reserved for people of actual wit, I suppose."

He laughed! "Be as harsh as you like, Kitty. I'd sooner look to a magistrate for kindness."

"Good," she said. "We understand each other. You will not try to charm me while I'm here. It's a futile gamble, anyway."

"Poor Catherine." She did not like his idle tone. "I'm sure there's many a man who might have charmed you. But they probably lost interest when you opened your mouth."

She swallowed. His words struck at some tender part of her whose existence she had done her best to forget. "You imagine so? I have been admired by many men. Dozens."

"Only dozens?" He offered her a slow smile. "Best not compare us, after all."

"There is no comparison," she said. "I am a woman of honor, whereas you ... well. There are words for persons who trade on their physical appeal—all of them too vulgar to speak."

His brows lifted. "Why spare me? If you want to call me a whore, say it."

She flinched. "Of course you wouldn't mind that. Lewdness is your native tongue."

"I speak other languages with that tongue," he said darkly. "Once, recently, I made you speak back."

"More lewdness. How unsurprising."

"If you're wanting me to surprise you, you need only ask, darling."

"I doubt you're capable of it. Nor is it my desire."

"Is that so?" He came off the doorjamb, prowling toward her. She folded her arms, thrusting her elbows out to prevent him from drawing too near. A smile flitted over his full lips; he laid his hand on the side of her neck, his palm flexing lightly.

"I'd enjoy surprising you," he said softly. "My native tongue, as you call it, has ideas you've never dreamed of in your virginal little bed."

Some strange alchemy was at work, for the threat evoked a hot melting feeling inside her, akin more to excitement than to fear. Heavens—was it possible that she'd provoked him deliberately, to keep his attention a little while longer? "I'm no virgin now," she said unsteadily, rattled by how quickly he made her a stranger to herself. "I have tasted what you offer, and I have no interest in exploring it further."

"You're lying to yourself," he murmured.

But she wasn't. She was lying only to him. For suddenly it was plain to her—his touch made it unbearably clear—that she could not count on her own indifference. Those lips, that mouth, the long warm fingers at her throat, were wicked. They made her thoughts turn dark and heated, swollen with curiosity. "I came tonight from sheer necessity," she managed. "And I am grateful to you for taking me in. But it ends there."

"I know it." He gave her a long, measured look. Then he caught her hand, pried open her fist finger by finger before folding them closed again around a small, cold, sharp-edged object.

A key.

He said, "That's the only key to this room. And there's only one door. You leave it in the lock, nobody will be coming in. Understand?"

She stared at the key. No, she did not understand anything. She understood nothing about him, least of all how he managed to leave her shaken and shamed by her own harsh words to him.

As the door closed behind him, a bitter taste filled her mouth. Again, that haunting question she could not quite dismiss: what if she was wrong about him? What if, despite all evidence to the contrary—his criminal reputation; this gambling den—he was a decent man, who offered his kindness honestly?

[Delirious Disquisitions · Rating 4 out of 5]

You should read this if you like: historical romances with anti heroes, smart no-nonsense heroines, marriage of convenience between polar opposite people, sexy bantering, slow slow burn romances, consistent character development, and a relationship that is actually build on mutual respect, trust, and understanding, and sizzling chemistry.

I have...feelings about this book. Most of it really really good? For about 80% the story this book was so, so good. It hit all the right spots for me: romance, world building, plot, characters! God I was in historical romance heaven, which is weirdly enough so very rare these days. Much of the current historical romance stories just feel so very trite: same plot, same old romance. They just feel like washed out iterations of older classics. I hate how I don’t feel that kind of excitement, butterflies in my stomach, kind of giddiness anymore; I just go through the motions.

But not with this one. Luck be a Lady made me feel things that I haven't felt reading this genre in a long time.

If I ignore the last 80% of this book, I would give it 4.5 stars. I really liked the story up to that point. I liked our hero being an antihero. I liked all his quirks and everything he's done to come up in the world. Nick’s life, his past present, and dreams of his future were given equal importance to that of Catherine’s which is rare in a historical novel. You usually don't have such strong male and female characterization on top of having excellent and authentic world building, electric chemistry and sensational plot. I fell in love with Catherine and Nick while they got to know each other through long conversations and casual observations of the other’s character: the way these two found common ground, their edges seamlessly melting together into a perfect goo of love. Lol.

I was so invested that I wish the ending wasn’t quite so abrupt. It seemed like it just...ended, without really tying up the loose ends. I’m glad our couple got together in the end but I wanted more! I wanted to see everyone’s reaction to their secret marriage. What changes did they make to Whitechapel properties? Did Catherine ever get to talk to the women in Whitechapel? How did they bond? What about the auction house? Does she build another branch from scratch?? God I want her to build one from scratch based solely on her own reputation! What about an epilogue God dammit?! I WAS ROBBED!

But as good as this book was for the most part, I cannot ignore the ugly 20%. Spoilers for certain scenes and plot towards the ending, but if you want to see if this is something that would trigger you read on.

Now for my more personal gripe with this novel. I don't know if others would feel as strongly about this or even consider this an issue, but I really, really wish Nicolas hadn’t locked Catherine in his room like that. That wasn't right and it sure as hell wasn’t good or hot or sexy. Neither could it have been done in any way that could have made it right for me. I hated that Nickolas did that to Catherine and never even apologized for it even after she left. I could have used an apology. It wouldn’t have solved the issue, but it would have helped had he acknowledged his mistake, the way it hurt her, and then promised to never do that again. Instead of self reflection, what we get is a sob story that is supposed to justify Nick’s actions, followed by an ultimatum: Catherine can either take him knowing full well he will do it again in a heartbeat because he’s “concerned about her safety” and needs to “protect her” from herself. In short, he’s doing it for her own good.

Look, I get the context I really do. Catherine was just kidnapped and locked in an asylum and Nick was scared that she would die. I get it. Boy has abandonment issues. But is the hero's suffering somehow more valid than that of the victim who actually had to go through the ordeal of having her brother, her only living relative, kidnap her, lie about her mental health to doctors and have those very doctors believe that she is so crazy, so hysterical that she couldn't possibly be considered sane. For them to dismiss her very ability to run a business on the basis of her being a woman, to dismiss her on the basis of her gender, to so thoroughly have her autonomy, identity, her very person-hood stripped away from her. Not to mention the business she has cultivated, nurtured, and poured her soul into since she was a child, threatened as a bargaining chip. Again. And then to be drugged with no hope of rescue terrified that the only thing she values in herself her mind will also be stripped away from her by fucking electrolysis of all things!

I can't imagine the hero's suffering to be worse than hers. I just can't. So it behooves me to have him treat her like an invalid at the first sign of softening/weakness from her and then promptly ignore her decision to go to the court with him, going so far as to take ownership of her person, right after she barely regained it, and then lock her up in a house where she knows no and no one owns their loyalty to her. Fuck it, but if I was Catherine would have packed my bags too and left; but unlike our heroine I wouldn't have looked back again.

I don't like the idea of being trapped physically, or metaphorically by a contract or my own circumstances; the heroine was all three. No man on earth no matter how much he claims to love you and how much you love him is worth that kind of sacrifice. It hurt me to have read that part and it hurt me even more so because all the arguments the heroine puts up against why he can't lock her up are perfectly valid and good arguments. That the hero does nothing to refute. He doesn't even reflect on his actions, makes this all about his own man pain, and promptly serves her an ultimatum to return to him because sure as fuck he can’t be bothered to address her hurt.

It hurt me OK. And I can't look at Nicolas and Kitty the same way again. My rose colored glasses came off at that scene, fell to the ground, and shattered to a billion pieces. Now even though the ending tried to justify their grand love and make me fall in love again, I could still see the cracks on my glued on glasses. Seeing the clear signs of things are broken in that relationship left such a foul taste in my mouth. The lack of an epilogue certainly didn't help.

Oh don't even start me on the whole the pregnancy thing and how the hero somehow thought that meant he now had complete ownership of her body. Excuse me while I barf.

But this might as well be a me problem and not a universal thing. Maybe it won’t bother anyone else. But if this bothers you, please steer clear. 4.5 Stars overall (I’m just going to ignore the scenes because otherwise it would have been a 1.5 Star).
_________________________________
I...have thoughts. RTC.

[nastya · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing wrong with this one. Everything is consensual and characters are good humans. But damn, it's bland and forgettable. If you've read a romance novel before I almost guarantee you've read something very similar. I won't remember anything from this book in a few days.

[OLT · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was in Lady Be Good (Rules for the Reckless) that I developed my crush on Nick O'Shea, the H of this HR. He and Catherine Everleigh were such strong secondary characters in that book that I can't imagine it without them in it. And I'm not even sure that this Nick crush I have could have developed just from reading this new release. So I'm giving 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 to this beautifully romantic story but perhaps it's really a rating based on the reading of both books.

Catherine, the heroine of this book, I appreciate much more in this story because I had met her previously. Her developing friendship with Lily (Nick's niece) in LADY BE GOOD was perhaps the best thing about that book (if one doesn't count Nick, my crush, of course). And now we have Catherine as the star of her very own romance.

This is an "across the socioeconomic divide" romance. Catherine is the rich co-owner (with brother Peter) of Everleigh Auction House. She's beautiful, intelligent, extremely knowledgeable about art and antiques but just a bit weak in social skills. Known as the "Ice Queen", she doesn't make friends easily and shows no interest in men or marriage. It's not exactly her fault. Her mother and father didn't spread the love around too well. Father respected her talents, trained her to be his assistant and eventual replacement, inspired her to want his approval, but showed little love to her or interest in her as a person. And mother was an unhappy woman who wasn't quite the Role Model for happily-married woman.

Then we have Nick. He was born into poverty but his innate intelligence and ambition have made him into an outstanding success and power player in the East End. First starting out in criminal activities (What else is there for a very poor boy to do?) he's now rich enough to live off monies from legal activities such as his upscale gaming club and legitimate investments. He doesn't have much education and reads at a basic level, but he's bright, he's honorable (yes, he is, former criminal or not), and he's physically beautiful to boot. Perhaps there are a few residual insecurities and resentments from his days as a poor street boy thrown coins by the upper class "toffs". That's understandable.

Catherine lives for Everleigh Auction House. It's her only life and it's being threatened by evil brother Peter, who's stealing funds and running the business into the ground. If she doesn't marry she will have no say about how her half of the business is run. What to do? Well, husbands of the peerage wouldn't suit. They'd want to control her and keep her from the life she loves, so her strategy is to get Nick, her friend and employee Lily's uncle, to agree to a contractual marriage. (One night of consummation and nothing after that, with mutual agreement to divorce after 5 years.) She just needs that legitimate marriage certificate so she can share in the running of the auction house. She doesn't want a marriage or husband.

Well, that would all be fine and dandy except that that husband is Nick O'Shea. He's starting to seem like someone she could fall in love with. He's principled, he's loyal, he's respectful, he encourages her uniqueness and independence. So... We have Catherine fighting her very powerful attraction to Nick and Nick trying to keep that attraction as powerful as possible.

This is a lovely love story. Problems along the way are almost all due to evil brother Peter. How anyone could treat one's own flesh and blood the way Peter does is hard to fathom. How could he and Catherine have been raised in the same family and each turn out the way they did? But once we get the Peter Problem taken care of, it's then up to Nick and Catherine to get their relationship in order. They do a great job.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Nov 2017: This was a very enjoyable read. Nick O'Shea, of Irish descent but raised in poverty in London's notorious East End. He has pulled himself up by his bootstraps and is now a local crime lord, rich and powerful. But although he has been involved in many a shady deal, and he makes much of his money from running a gambling house, Nick comes across as a good person at heart. He found ways to survive the brutality of his childhood and make something of himself in a tough and unforgiving world. And he's very supportive of his local community and the downtrodden folks who live there.

Catherine Everleigh runs an auction house with her brother. She loves her work appraising antiques and art works, but her brother's taking advantage of her, embezzling money and running the business into the ground. The only way Catherine can take the reins of the auction house is if she is married. And as the circumstances unfold, Catherine and Nick enter into a marriage of convenience. But neither of them really expects to fall in love......

I really liked both H and h in this book, especially Nick. I'm not usually very tolerant of a criminal as the H, but Meredith Duran always does a wonderful job of revealing the inner workings of a character's heart, and showing what drives them to do what they do. And she shows us that Nick is basically a good man, just one born into horrible circumstances that he's had to make the best of.

The plot has some dramatic moments as Catherine's brother fights tooth and nail to stop Catherine taking over the business. There are also some very sweet moments as Catherine and Nick learn about each other, and learn to like, respect and finally love each other.

Overall, probably my fav book out of this series so far :)

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!! I liked this even better than Fool Me Twice! A new favorite, I think.

"I won't keep you trapped. Not even for five years. You burn that book, and nobody can say this marriage ever happened. You're free as a bird, Kitty. and I won't beg you to come back to me, even if I want to. And I do. That's the hell of it. You almost made me beg. Instead, I'll speak plainly. I want you. I love you. But you'll come freely, of your own choice. Or you won't."

I was reading Lady Be Good, the next entry in the Rules of the Reckless series about Lilah Marshall, and early in the book we meet Catherine Everleigh, the cold, aloof head of Everleigh's where Lilah works. I liked Catherine immediately! I wasn't really connecting wtih Lilah and Kit's story (although yes it was still early in the book) but I checked the summary for Luck be a Lady and decided to skip to it immediately since I felt such a connection with Catherine already.

Catherine Everleigh is one of the first few heroines in historical romances that I can say is genuinely stoic (and comes across as being cold, aloof and distant) because that is her in built personality, and while she does let down her defenses to Nick eventually, her personality of being very calculative and stoic remains mostly the same through the book, which I really enjoyed.

Nick was also a great hero, one that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish, and wanted to be his friend or whatever, and I'm picky about the heroes I consider "favorites". Nick of course, is one of those characters that crawled his way from the bottom to build an empire, and he will protect anyone that comes under his protection or that he cares about.

Catherine and Nick enter a marriage of convenience because Catherine's father has stipulated in his will that Catherine will only have control over Everleigh's if she gets married. With her incompetent brother Peter embezzling the company's funds, Catherine takes it upon herself to solve the problem. Everything about her is Everleigh's. Everleigh's is her entire life and the one thing she's really good at. So she will enter a marriage with a notorious underworld lord to secure the company. Ah yes, another thing about Catherine I loved--- her determination and dedication to Everleigh's. She was good at what she did, so she was proud of it. She also will not stop at anything to get what she wants. Nick is actually the same way, so they complement each other SO WELL.

Also, it must be noted that I loved that Catherine was basically a workaholic--- if she was a contemporary heroine, she would be a straight up workaholic. I loved it, since we rarely get that in HRs.

Nick has a really good heart. Because of his notorious reputation, Catherine misjudges him from the start, which he doesn't mind. He doesn't flaunt his goodness. But the moment Catherine marries him, it is in his mind to protect her. He's just a good guy and I felt like Meredith Duran, in her writing really showed this to us as opposed to TELLING US (a quibble i had with Fool Me Twice). Nick helps Catherine to deal with her brother, while giving her enough space to exert her power where she can. Nick always gives Catherine enough space, never intruding where he isn't wanted.

Another thing I really enjoyed was Catherine discovering the storeroom of antiques Nick has in his club and sets about valuing the items and deciding that they should be put on auction, it's like they had a project together, it was great.

Oh and yeah, I liked that Catherine and Nick were equals from the start--- something which I ALSO had problems with in Fool Me Twice (the intensity in that book is what takes it to a 4). But Catherine and Nick had a very easy chemistry as business partners and later friends which of course got suitably electric in certain parts of the story. Nick teases out a lightness in Catherine while Catherine's blunt nature actually allows Nick to be honest with her.

Catherine and Nick see both the best and the worst in each other and they CALL EACH OTHER OUT ON IT, which I adored. Both of them are frightened about reaching their full potential, Nick is afraid he will be judged or excluded by the gentry which is why he has built his kingdom excluding or controlling the gentry. Catherine is too afraid to let people in, to strike out on her own in Everleigh's. But both of them know that the other can be so much more if they just allowed themselves to be, which I loveddddd.

And of course, they had amazing sexual chemistry. The scene where they had sex against the door and also all the instances where they had sexual encounters leading up to the very first one since their wedding night consummation was SO full of tension, because you just want Catherine to let her guard down and experience what she wants to experience.

So yeah again, another "We're on each other's team" kind of soulmates romance which I'm always looking out for in books.

[Lyuda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, fourth in the series, is not as good as my favorite in the seriesFool Me Twice but a definite improvement over the last one Lady Be Good in which we were introduced to the characters of this story. They intrigued me even then and I was eagerly anticipated their story. Miss Catherine Everleigh, aka the "Ice Queen", is desperate to save her family’s auction house from her gambling sabotaging brother. The action house is her life, her identity but as a single woman in the Victorian times, her options, her influence are very limited. Marriage would be one of the solutions but where could she find a gentleman agreeable enough to let his wife continue with her business endeavor? Well, gentleman or not, she found him in Nick O’Shea, the unofficial king of Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, St. George’s-in-the-End and Mile End, ruthless lord and people’s champion . His power, influence is all she would need in order to keep her brother at bay. Their marriage of convenience would also benefit Nick who wants to protect his turf by gaining Catherine’s brother vote in municipal decisions. Nick is survivor of harsh childhood. He knows what hunger and homelessness is. He fought hard to obtain the power and wealth he has now. In his words: “when me and mine are at stake, I’ll do what I must. Show no weakness, accept no insult, allow no advantage: that’s the law of the street.”
Their marriage maybe all business, but Nick who admired Catherine for a long time intends to seduce the ice queen.
As with many Meredith Duran books we get a smooth flowing plot and flawless imaginative writing. This is an adult romance with no silliness or misunderstandings. The characters behave as grownups, talk to each other, learn, and discover each other and slowly fall in love. There is a sizzling chemistry, witty sparkling banter, and well written sex scenes. Saying this, the book was not a page turner for me. It has all the elements I love but it didn’t leave me swooning like some of her other books. The hero was very likable but maybe just too perfect and the heroine was little bit too slow to melt.
Although there are appearances from characters from the series, this book can be read as a standalone.

[Lucy Qhuay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read such great things about Meredith Duran, but this book didn't make it any justice.

I reckon it had potential, but everything was overshadowed by the huge irritating mess that was Catherine, the heroine.

When I hear a woman depicted as an 'ice queen' I automatically translate it into "I've been through horrors in my life or I was badly hurt and I'm afraid to be hurt again, so I'm trying to distance myself, but I really want to love you and to be loved back".

Not Catherine. That woman was a true ice queen. I have never seen such an uptight, high and mighty, control freak.

I hated how she spent the entire book stating she wanted nothing in life but that forsaken auction house, when her life was pitiful. I hated the lengths she went to, to take the meaning out of everything meaningful she did when she was with Nick. I hated how she forced herself to act like a lifeless robot. I hated how she thought she was better than Nick. I hated how she thought she was losing something by acknowledging what she was feeling.

And above all, I hated how she refused to love Nick until the very end and the blind, clumsy, idiotic way she expected him to know she loved her without doing anything to prove it.

Catherine made such a bad impression on me that I don't really have anything more to say about this book.

I will give Duran another chance at least, but not in the new future.

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what I was thinking when I gave this book 3 stars many yrs ago. Clearly I wasn’t reading properly!

This book is a gem. Not only is the heroine not annoying and relatable despite her lack of awareness of the feelings between a man and a woman, but the Hero really took the cake.

Now, I was worried he’s a womanizer. He certainly has plenty of experience. But other than thoughts in the h’s head, we see none of his alleged womanizing. In fact, he made it clear in HIS head that he won’t pay for sex. It to day he doesn’t get it for free whenever he wants, but there’s no indication that he sleeps around.

Anyhow, I absolutely loved Nick. He’s a true MAN. He supports his woman, protects her, won’t beg her to love him even if he wanted to. Bc he’s got pride, rightly so. He deserves 200% from her bc that’s no less than what he’d give her in return.

I ADORE him!!

(If only the MCs weren’t BOTH obscenely gorgeous… come on! What happened to the plain spinster and the rough, scarred, brute of a hunky man? I really like less physically perfect pairings…)

Must read!!

[i_hype_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duran nailed the repentant scoundrel plot in this one. Nick O'Shea is both vulnerable and dangerous, tantalizing and forbidden. Catherine fights the attraction from the beginning - but to no avail. His character development and portrayal is more robust than that of the heroine, and her dastardly brother as the villain stretches the imagination until we remember the relative powerlessness of women according to the legal system of the time. But none of this detracts from Duran's luminous, evocative prose; her stark, sensual love scenes, or the masterful establishment of trust and love between the hero and the heroine. Bravo.

[Hannah B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The end was cute, but forced instituzionalization doesn't seem too lucky to me. I also realized that marriage of convenience isn't very fun when its fundamental aim in the plot is to be kept secret. There was a surprisingly nice level of spice, as I didn't know what to expect because Duran is a new to me author. They consummated their marriage early on, but then it was way too slow burn. Catherine was just so stubborn. Neither character was my favorite type. Overall, it had its moments (especially the last chapter) but the rest was meh. Terrible brothers sap all the life out of a book.

⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.75/5

[romancelibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is INCREDIBLE. It is almost perfect. The only thing missing is an epilogue. My super picky self is leaning towards 4.75 stars, but my romantic self is telling me to simply round up because the romance made me FEEL so much. I've decided to listen to my romantic self because my minor complaint has nothing to do with the romance itself.

Nick O'Shea is a (former) crime lord, whose empire was built on thievery and other criminal activities. As a landlord who owns the East End of London, Nick's work is mostly legitimate now. This infamous criminal somehow finds himself in a marriage of convenience with Catherine Everleigh, known as the Ice Queen among upper society. Catherine's goal through marriage is to gain directorship of the auction house her father left behind. Nick's goal through marriage is for easy access to politicians who can rule in his favour on issues pertaining to the buildings on his territory.

Luck be a Lady delivers such a delicious marriage of convenience, with two characters who are complete opposites, not only in status, but in personality. Duran has a way of writing characters that feel so real to me. Nick and Catherine's love story is full of obstacles, internal and external ones. I was enthralled by their story, even though Catherine really frustrated me at times. She was a superbly well-written character, but definitely harder to love than the hero. Nick, on the other hand, was easier to love and he was absolutely wonderful. I love self-made heroes so much. Nick had such a way with words — a deliciously sexy self-made man who is equally a dirty talker and a smooth talker. He is honestly the only man who could ever handle Catherine's barbed words — he gives as much as he gets. Despite being opposites, these two characers fit together so well, their jagged edges somehow melding as one. Their romance really gripped me and it didn't let go of me until the very last page.

Gosh, my only complaint is, as I mentioned, the lack of an epilogue. I think the HEA was wrapped up perfectly, but man, I wanted Catherine to give Peter a piece of her mind. That ASSHOLE needed to get his ass kicked in more than one way. We know he's been ruined, but it would have been sweeter if he had gotten his ass kicked physically. I want him to be bruised and begging for his fucking life. Yes, I'm a bloodthirsty bitch. This is literally my only complaint. At the same time, I'm glad no more pages were wasted on this asshole. I couldn't deal with getting angry all over again. Anyway, I needed to vent a little lol.

P.S. Stella, the sister of James from Bound by Your Touch, makes an appearance! Does this mean she'll eventually get her own HEA?

[Christy Carlyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meredith Duran writes books that stick in my head long after I’ve closed the covers or turned off my e-reader. Now, after just finishing LUCK BE A LADY, Nick and Catherine, who he lovingly calls Kitty, are still fresh in my mind, and I only wish Duran had written more of their story. LUCK BE A LADY is one of those don’t-want-it-to-end novels. That’s how much I love her characters. That’s how well her stunning writing pulls at readers’ heartstrings.

I loved the first book in her Rules for the Reckless series, LADY BE GOOD, but this one. Oh my. Take Catherine Everleigh, one strong, determined wallflower heroine with a reputation as an “Ice Queen,” and match her with charming, delicious crime lord Nick O’Shea, and you have a romance to savor. Every moment of their budding relationship is a treasure—the attraction, the awkwardness, the uncertainty, and the amazing discovery that two such different individuals are precisely what the other needs.

It is one thing to say Duran creates characters with depth, but she does more than that. After lifting my head from this book, I expected to see Kitty and Nick walking down the street. Assuming I was transported to Victorian England. She focuses on flaws. She celebrates her characters’ fears, and she explores each facet of their emotional journey with exquisite skill.

Read the rest of my review at Night Owl Reviews: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

June 2024 review:

Such a good romance! One of Meredith Duran's best. I'm not sure it's quite the 5 star read I gave it originally, but it's a strong 4 star for sure.


May 2016 review:

I'm giving a Meredith Duran book 5 stars for the first time since reading Duke of Shadows. The reason? Nick O'Shea. He is definitely going on my list of favorite book boyfriends and historical romance heroes. He made me laugh, he made me swoon, he made me cry. He's a wonderfully complex, endearing character -- a man who came up from the streets and has led the life of a criminal, but who is such a good person at heart. A man who had no formal education and struggles to read, but who is brilliant and intelligent. Someone who has every right to be hard and incapable of love, but who loves his friends, family, and the heroine fiercely and protectively.

I liked the heroine, Catherine Everleigh, too. I enjoyed the entire story. Overall it was my favorite of the Rules for the Reckless series of novels, and I say that as someone who enjoyed all of them quite a bit.

But I can't deny it...that fifth star is all for Nick.

[Tanya Sridhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars.

Maybe because it's late, but probably because I think might be in love with that half irish bastard Nick O'Shea. Ugh

Overall, one of my favorite HR reads in a long, long time. This one will stay with me for a while.

This is my first book by Meredith Duran, and I do believe I've chosen a great book to start with. I'll be reading other books by her without doubt.

Catherine and Nick O'Shea have had next to no contact even though they are connected through his neice. Neither thinks very highly of the other, or even make any attempt to even like each other. But the need to further and/or protect their respective business prompts them to enter into a marraige of convenience. Their banter and interactions in the start are absolutely wonderful and pull you into this world Duran has created. From here flows our story.

Catherine, known as the "Ice Queen" has created a wall around her; protecting her from everything. She has lived in a world where she can rely on noone and nothing other than herself, having to fear even her brother and his intentions as well. She's turned herself into steel, never wanting to give an inch to anyone. Especially not Nick, who raises questions about herself she's never dared to ask.

Nick, is truly my favorite character of this book. He's sure to be one my top 5 HR heroes as of now. He's survived on the streets and is now the feared and respected man who runs his streets with stragtegy over bloodshed. He does what he has to in order to protect his people, and has learned to bend the world to his will. He ensures the protection and continued wellfare of the people under his area, going to various lengths to see to their comfort. Whether it's providing supplies to the school, or sponsoring education for many children or to scheming to stop the courts from taking a young girl from the only family she's known. He's a robin - hood for sure. But he's just as scarred and troubled as Catherine. He's vowed to never beg for anything or anyone in his life, not even Catherine. This led to without a doubt, one of my favorite lines from the book :

"The world will crush you, if you let it. So you don't. You stand tall. And you never stoop, because there's nothing worth having that requires you to grovel."

In short they both needed each other. The beautiful words Duran weaves leaves you with no doubt that these two were meant for each other. You're bound to fall for them, to root for them not just as a couple but as individuals growing into their own as well. The writing is smooth, easy flowing and the dialogue crisp and edgy.

My serious complain is only one - the lack of epilogue. I resoundly refuse to give this 5 stars because of the lack of epilogue.

Overall, if you're a fan of basic romance I suggest you read this book. You won't regret this.

[Yomi M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick made this book for me, I need to find a real life Nick for myself. All I have to say about Catherine is that her nickname really fits her.

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced and smooth “opposites attract” with emotion and intelligence and a swoon-worthy hero.

The incompatibility of being a wife and business woman is forced upon Catherine when her dad’s will stipulates that she has to be married to have a controlling role in his beloved auction house. Her brother Peter is determined that Catherine marry someone of his choosing so that he can control her and the auction house. Catherine turns to Nicholas in an act of desperation - he’s a criminal with a bad reputation. And Catherine reminds him of that over and over.

Like all the best characters these two have personal insecurities and fears that stand in the way of their relationship. Like all the best authors Duran gives them so much life and flavor that you spend the entire book riveted and hopeful.

I’m reading this series backwards. And slowly. I want to thoroughly appreciate the wonder that is each of Duran’s characters. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I feel she’s one of the best historical romance authors. Ever. This book didn’t diminish that belief.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so eager to devour this book after reading the last in the series. I loved the "Ice Queen" Miss Everleigh, and I loved how friendship and a bottle of wine opened her up into a completely likeable person. Meredith Duran doesn't disappoint with this foray deeper into her character. She's not so much icy as shrewd, clever, and an excellent business woman living in a world that doesn't reward women for those traits.

Learning the back story of Nick was just as pleasing. He had previously been presented as harsher, more of a rogue. Reading about the childhood of this man made my sympathies fly to him, so amazed at what he managed to overcome. As we learn more and more about Nick's good deeds, he just keeps growing on you! And it grew on Miss Everleigh as well...

The two of them together were obviously perfect! Who else could respect the under-appreciated skills they had mastered, despite adversity? Then, the simmering attraction. Ahh, I spent the bigger part of the book on edge, just waiting for it to boil over.

Luck Be A Lady was just so good! There was enough intrigue to give this a little more than the usual historic flair, which I was grateful for. Kept me frantically turning the pages, wondering if they would pull off their schemes and when the two idiots would just admit their feelings! Never a dull moment in this read, I definitely recommend it! ~ George, 5 stars

[kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine Everleigh marries Nicholas O'Shea on the down-low in order to blackmail her brother for rights to her half of the Everleigh Auction House. Except now Nicholas is hell bent on melting the Ice Queen using the Power of Lust--will it be enough to keep them together?

1. I wanted to like this just a bit more than I actually did--which was A LOT in both cases. But because of that small deficit, my review may be a bit overly critical. Because I really, really, really wanted to like this and instead only really, really liked it.

2. Catherine's characterization as the 'Ice Queen' was lovely and so well done: even while falling in love she remains sharp-tongued and standoffish and aloof. Watching her unbend in her initial assumptions of Nicholas and try to explain herself to him was also excellent.

3. Nicholas was slightly--less, to me. He's a ~good gangster, basically, asking nothing of his people but respect while providing them food and shelter and protection. He wants to escape his poor, slummy upbringing, sure, but there didn't seem to be anything else. He was a good foil for Catherine, but the text didn't do enough to convince me that they were It.

4. Some of their arguments were cyclical nonsense.

5. I wanted to know that Peter Everleigh was absolutely destroyed. But I did not get that.

6. THE SCENES IN THE ASYLUM SCARED THE SHIT OUTTA ME.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was dragging my feet a bit when it came to opening up this book. I did not care for Catherine in the prior novel and this was her story. Ice Queen is right! But once I got into this, even from the first chapter, I was hooked. Dare I say I enjoyed it more than Lily's story from the last book?

This storyline offered so much more in terms of interest and romance, I thought. I just love Nick. He is a sweet bad ass that is both surprising and so loveable. Catherine grew on me quickly and hints of her upbringing show the reasoning behind her icy demeanor. Plus her brother is a class A jerk.

Luck Be A Lady flowed so much better for me and I read this in one sitting. It was that good. The author really got behind her characters and gave them some depth, emotion, and made this an enjoyable read with several spicy parts too.

Even though this is part 4 of a series, I only read book 3 before and I was not lost. I like that. While reading all of a series is great, if you happen to pick up one book before another, you can follow along easily.

Meredith Duran has captured my attention in this genre. I know that I will look for more books by her and even pick up some of her other works too. Classic historical romance with today's steamy writing. It is a great combo!

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically, I read the book 3 (the previous book) just because we meet Nick and Catherine in there and I wanted to have full picture of their characters. That’s how excited I was about this fourth installment of the series.
Did it meet my expectations? No.
The reason could be that I overloaded myself on Meredith Duran so her writing sort of lost its charm.
Maybe my expectations were too high.
Or it simply maybe it was not so good.

There was a lot of fluff about Nick’s circle of friends, about land acquisitions about running an auction house I found myself skipping those bits and realized I didn’t miss a thing.

Our MCs were fine, at points hot and interesting.
I love the idea of marriage of convenience with hero wanting to melt our heroine. And Catherine was definitely piece of ice work. But she ended up being too work focused. And in turn Nick became too soft, he was suppose to run the whole east end underground but in this book he completely under the thumb of Catherine and she wasn’t even trying.

[Aoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful commentary on poverty and Victorian women's rights (the wealthy and the poor alike, at the hands of less than scruplous relatives)

I LOVED Nick.. his gruffness, his protective instincts about 'his people', his twisted sense of justice and generosity , his vulnerability

And Oh how I wish the romance was given space to breathe and blossom. More often than not, Catherine ' s "ice princess" personality took center stage. And the reader was thoroughly distracted when even she couldn't immerse herself in the love scenes and started talking strategy and 'business' immediately after..

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars.
The lower rating results from a case of It's not you, It's me.
I can understand why so many people loved it, I just had hard time connecting emotionally with either character so the romance didn't really work for me. I actually ended up enjoying the non romance part of this book more.