A Lyon’s Tangled Tale: The Lyon's Den Connected World

by Kimberly Keyes

Genres: Historical Romance

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2026

About the author

Kimberly Keyes’ passion for writing romance began after she discovered her mom’s stash of paperback romance novels. She quickly devoured each book, including the “About the Author” blurbs tucked inside the back covers. She felt a kinship with the authors and knew in her heart she’d found her calling.

Published in both historical and contemporary romance, Kimberly’s novels explore the healing power of love while featuring magnetic characters, unpredictable storylines, and scintillating scenes that keep her readers turning pages. She spends most days researching, writing, and dreaming up new ways to perplex the characters living inside her heads. She believes writing romance is living the dream. It’s a gift to find the one thing you’re meant to do—a gift she never takes for granted.

Reviews

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me. This is only my 3rd book by her. I did research her and make sure she was steamy. :) I did like the other two books I read by her and I love this series.

I LOVED this story. I loved Georgina and Teddy. Their chemistry was so hot. Sex was hot. So good. I think this was my favorite of all the Lyon's Den books I've read. I loved how determined Georgina was and to make sure no matter what Teddy was saved from that hell his parents put him in. I loved Danvers, the "butler". What a great secondary character. I just loved this story and am adding it to my favorite books read list for April, 2026. Can't wait to read more by her.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lyon’s Tangles Tale by Kimberly Keyes is a Lyon’s Den book, although Mrs Dove-Lyon does not really arrange this romance; she gives advice, on several topics, to Lady Georgina Belfry. Lady Georgina has secrets: a father than gambles far more than he is able to pay; her career as a romance author using a pseudonym; and deep and unrequited love for her brother’s best friend, Teddy, Lord Theodore Arlington. Although her brother, Drake, had been killed in the war, his friend, Teddy, had not. In fact, he was back in London. Georgina had yet to see him, nor had anyone else? Where was he? Mrs. Dove-Lyon had the answer to that question as well. His father had relegated him to a madhouse. He had supposedly tried to take his own life? This didn’t sound right and after thinking about it for several weeks, Georgina decided to make a call...at the madhouse. He was in a frightful state. When informed that she could do nothing, his family had put him there, she calmly replied that she was his wife, and she believed she took precedence. He was released into her care along with a tonic he was to take three times a day.

When they returned to her villa in Brighton, her butler, Danvers, a veteran of the wars, took charge of Teddy. He would serve him his medicine three times a day and be on guard at all times. They were all dedicated to helping with the amnesia from which Teddy suffered. Things moved quickly in a manner readers will not see coming, or maybe they will as it is a romance. Treachery, deceit, love, and longing. All present in spades. Both endearing characters, they maneuver around one another and eventually work things out. Teddy worked them out for himself when he called on his father, who was dying, supposedly. It a good, if complicated plot, pitting each of them against themselves as much as against one another. Good read!

I was invited to read A Lyon’s Tangled Tale by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #KimberlyKeyes #ALyonsTangledTale

[Shreya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes

⭐4.5 (rounded to 5)

TROPES YOU'LL LOVE:
🪶V!rgin FMC
🪶Brother's Best Friend
🪶Amnesia
🪶Marriage of Convenience
🪶She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🪶Friends-to-Lovers

--💟💟--

A LYON'S TANGLED TALE by Kimberley Keyes is quite possibly one of my favorite out of all the stories she's written for The Lyon's Den Chronicles and I think Georgina is my favorite character between her, Gwen and Amelia! This story follows Georgina and Teddy's road to romance, where Georgina is willing to do everything she can to protect her longtime crush, Teddy, who has returned from war with amnesia.

Georgina is a complex character. I loved how Keyes described her as a plain background character, but we really got to see Georgina shine in this book. She's shy and a little awkward, but puts boundaries and will go the extra distance to care for the ones that she loves. Watching Georgina take control of her household was such an empowering feeling, and I liked that we got to see a woman taking care of her parents' finances for a change. I also liked that Georgina was a bit shy, because it showed that being shy isn't a weakness, nor is being a blush-y or having a longstanding crush on someone. These qualities of Georgina, coupled with her determination to protect Teddy, created a strong impression of her on me.

I also liked how she not only protected Teddy, but also her parents, even if they didn't deserve it. It did confuse me, though, as to why a woman as intelligent as Georgina succumbed to her parents schemes. She agreed to marry Mr. Morely but couldn't find another solution? Or tell her parents no outright? It felt so out-of-character for Georgina to do that

I know there's a lot of controversy and uncertainty surrounding Georgina's lies to Teddy, and while I understand that she was doing it to protect him, I concur that the lies were drawn out for too long, and I think that slowed the pace in the middle part of the story. I wish we'd focused more on Teddy and Georgina making memories together, rather than trying to relive memories that never existed. It would have been so beautiful to see them on the lake together or even dancing at a ball, but the faux wedding was one of my favorite chapters! I need to see that in art form!

Teddy is I think a lot like Chase from Book 1 in Kimberley's series, and while I loved his cocky, somewhat abrasive character, I think that it changed too quickly without much reason. Teddy is clearly besotted with Georgina from the moment he meets her, but I didn't understand, then, why he was so arrogant and rude. It felt out-of-character and it didn't make sense why he'd tampered his reactions once they were at Georgina's estate.

I loved his nickname for Georgina! The 'pet' got to me every time, and the way he was infatuated with her and wanting to be her husband in every way just made my heart flutter! The lengths Teddy went to make Georgina happy is what I think every man should do for their lady love. He appealed to me as a "gentle dom" character, though I wish we'd gotten a little more aggression from Teddy in the bedroom as he'd been portrayed in the beginning of the story.

That being said, I didn't get enough of a feel of Teddy's character than I did Georgina. Teddy's backstory is shown for most of the book through snippets of memories as he's a recovering amnesiac, but they come together like a bunched up ball of paper-mache at the end of the book, so I had to re-read paragraphs several times to understand who he was. Additionally, Teddy's amnesia felt like it was written in only when convenient. If more had happened in the story (such as them going out and doing activities), I think we could have triggered his memories, and therefore gotten a better understanding of who Teddy was. This brings me to the:

Plot, which I admit was dragged on for a while in the middle of the book. At the beginning there was such an exciting start with all the mystery of Teddy and the lies that Georgina piled up to protect him, but because they didn't leave her estate, the middle of the book felt a bit boring. I also wasn't fond of the miscommunication between Teddy, Georgina and Mr. Morely. I was screaming to my Kindle "JUST TELL HIM" because it was so out-of-character for Georgina to withhold that information from Teddy. I mean, what would have happened if she told him? He would run away? At that point he new almost everything, and even if he didn't know the truth at that point, he would have still helped her! It all just felt dragged for no apparent reason.

I have to say, though, Mr. Danvers, the butler, is by far one of my favorite characters 😂he's like the father figure Teddy never had, and an older brother to Georgina, and I loved that he was there to set both of them straight when they started to spiral. I seriously wished he could have met both Teddy and Georgina's fathers - he would have taught them a lesson or two!

Overall, I think Keyes did it again for me with this book! I devoured it in basically a day because I was so eager to see what happened next!

[Milly Dashwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly Keyes knows exactly what she’s doing in A Lyon’s Tangled Tale, and it shows in how confidently she leans into the most beloved tropes of historical romance. Amnesia, marriage of convenience, a wallflower heroine secretly in love with her brother’s best friend. Yes. Please. This book feels tailor-made for us histrom nerds who happily suspend disbelief in exchange for maximum yearning. Are amnesia plots hyper-realistic? Of course not, but that’s never been the point. This trope, in particular, creates the rare opportunity to strip a hero down to his most vulnerable self and allows a couple to rebuild their connection from the ground up. And Keyes even grounds the trope with a believable in-story explanation, adding an extra layer of satisfaction for readers who like their drama with a touch of plausibility. She understands her audience deeply and delivers a gorgeous story that revels in emotional intensity and longing without apology.

I have come to trust Keyes as an author, and this may be her strongest work yet. What she does best is intimacy, physical, emotional, and even something that feels almost spiritual in its depth. She writes with such patience and deliberateness that her couples feel fully dimensional, and here, my heart genuinely ached for Georgina and Teddy. Teddy, in particular, is an admirable war hero, and the novel shines in its attention to trauma and recovery, adding real weight to his vulnerability. I anticipate a few readers may take issue with Georgina’s deception, but I would gently challenge that instinct. As romance readers, we are often far harsher on heroines than heroes, and stories like this invite us to examine that bias. Georgina is brave, clever, and refreshingly imperfect. She lies to save his life, and anyone questioning that choice may be underestimating the very real horrors of a so-called madhouse. Beyond the romance, Keyes crafts a compelling, twist-filled plot that culminates in deeply satisfying justice for both protagonists. I cannot recommend strongly enough that readers give this incredibly skilled author a chance. You may just find yourself, as I have, completely won over.

I want to thank Dragonblade and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this exceptional book!

[Winnifred D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: MMC with amnesia; brother's best friend; forced proximity; fake marriage; Big Secret
Steam level: 3

I debated on this one, but ultimately left it at 3.5 stars. I really like this writer and loved the previous book in this series, but the amnesia trope is never one of my faves unless both MC's are honest and aboveboard with each other. Otherwise it leads to a power imbalance I just can't get behind. It didn't help that the storyline started well but the pacing in the middle section was pretty leisurely. While I wanted this section to focus on the central mystery of what had happened to MMC Teddy, it focused more on the back-and-forth ruminations and slow-burn yearning of Teddy and MFC Georgina. The steam was well written, but I didn't feel fully invested because of Georgina's deceptions. It would have worked better for me if she had been honest with Teddy from the get-go and tried to help him find answers.

This leads to the issue that, while I thought Teddy became well fleshed out as the book went on, it was hard for me to understand Georgina. She seemed to have the emotional maturity of a much younger woman, and I really didn't understand from a moral or even a practical standpoint why she made some of the decisions she did. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD..............For example, why was she so insistent that he continue to drink the "medicine" the asylum was foisting on him, without doing some research into what it was, at least questioning the side effects Teddy had been experiencing as a result of taking it ?

Overall, I would definitely read another book by this author; I enjoyed the writing, but not the trope, and tbh I had a hard time with Georgina.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author, Dragonblade, and Net Galley for this opportunity.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for me. Absolutely perfect. This story hit every one of my favorite romance buttons—she’s a secret romance writer, he’s the dream she’s been writing about for years, and then he returns with amnesia… but of course that won’t stop them. If anything, it makes their story even more delicious.

Lady Georgina is the kind of heroine I adore: quiet on the outside, full of fire and imagination on the inside, and braver than anyone gives her credit for. And Teddy? A grumpy, wounded viscount who has no idea he’s been the star of her fantasies—and her novels—for years. Their dynamic is irresistible.

The setup alone is fun and unexpected, but the execution is where Kimberly Keyes shines. This book is full of heart, outstanding storytelling, and characters you will never forget. The Lyon’s Den adds that perfect dash of danger and daring, and the marriage‑of‑convenience twist gives the whole story a thrilling, emotional edge.

What I loved most:
- A heroine who writes her own romance… and suddenly finds herself living it
- A hero who’s lost his memories but not his instincts
- Mystery woven seamlessly into passion and excitement
- Emotional depth that sneaks up on you in the best way

It’s the perfect blend of mystery, excitement, and passion—exactly the kind of Regency romance that keeps me up way too late because I have to know what happens next. And honestly? Kimberly Keyes just became my new favorite author. I loved every moment of this tangled, tender, utterly captivating tale.
Your going to love this adventure. I can't wait for more.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have Lady Georgina Belfry, a writer and self sacrificing daughter! She writes under a nome de plume and has profited quite nicely!
She has a wonderful brother Drake who of course has a best friend she is wildly love with!
Lord Theodore Arlington aka Teddy is the best friend in question.
She makes more than one trip to the Lyons Den but the first one to locate dear Teddy!
Teddy has true Amnesia and his parents have committed him to an asylum! They have orders to give him tea severs times a day which is greatly to his detriment!
Georgie has one goal and that is to rescue him and if that entails a lie or two so be it! But lies escalate like a snowball and of course they do catch up to her!
Did she literally save his life yes but she kept do much from him!
Do these two even deserve a HEA!? They have a long history together since childhood but Teddy has a very arrogant streak which comes out often!
If it wasn’t for a very loyal household member this story would not make sense!
But Georgie for all her foolishness sacrificed a lot and Teddy decides it has been one too many!
Bravo well done!
I received an ARC copy for my unbiased review!

[Tiffany P · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Teddy and Georgina was about childhood friends reunited and finding the love they always wanted. He was her brother’s best friend, and she had loved him in secret since she was a child but never thought he would be interested in someone like her. When she found out he had returned from war “sick” and was being abandoned by his family, she knew she had to save him whatever it took. She told a few lies and kept secrets to help him falling more in love along the way. She just didn’t realize he was falling too. This story had funny banter, interesting characters like ex soldiers turned butler, conniving family members, abusive and neglectful parents, a strong heroine, a wounded war hero that carried burdens of grief, guilt, and childhood trauma. This really was a second chance for both characters full of flirtation, conversation, trust, steam, jealousy, secrets, lies, hurt, surprising twists, and a HEA for all.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Rady Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

And what a ride it had been.

From amnesia to appreciation and fondness to love deep as the sea.
I loved the whole story, which brought out a lot of selflessness and love, although it was not recognised at first. The lengths the main heroine Georgina would go for those she loves...
Theodor (Teddy) Arlington, who stole her heart, has arrived from war with amnesia and does not remember anything about his life before the end of his deployment. Due to certain circumstances, he ends up in a madhouse.
Georgina has to rescue him, but the only possibility would be to be married to him.
With a fake marriage certificate, she manages to salvage his freedom.
A lot of lies follow as Teddy slowly regains his memories, but Georgina will have to deal with telling the truth later. Yet in between Georgina's family due to her father's debts tricks her into returning for London.

Would they be able to forego the lies and accept their love for each other?

The story is full of intrigues, tenderness, and intimacies.
I loved every single second of this tale.

[Pat Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not many times when a story really digs into my soul-this is one of them. Georgina is a woman who will do anything for those she loves…even if it gets her into trouble. Teddy is a man without a memory, with a family who decides to make him disappear because of potential scandal instead of helping him. Their love story just touched me so deeply. Watching Teddy struggle with his feelings of loss and love, I felt the author did an absolutely lovely job of bringing his story to life. I felt for Georgina, loving from afar, dealing with loss and parents who were so selfish. I adored how Teddy dealt with Catherine and his father. Mrs. Dove-Lyon certainly stirs the pot and I enjoyed her part of it. The Epilogue left me hanging a bit and I so wanted to see a storyline that Georgina thought up about her brother. A well thought out story with heart and soul that will stay with me a while.

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Unassuming wallflower, Lady Georgina Belfry, has secrets. Writing under a nom de plume, she's forged a stunning career penning her imaginary romance with the hero of her dreams—her late brother’s best friend, Lord Theodore “Teddy” Arlington, a man totally beyond her reach. But when the dashing rake returns from war, an amnesiac, bound for a madhouse, she turns to the Black Widow of Whitehall for advice and a daring rescue mission ensues.

I’m a bit on the fence with this book there was much I really liked but I couldn’t get passed the lies & how many there were. That said I did really like Teddy & loved how Georgina helped him. I believed she really did love him but those lies. An emotional book, the pace was good at the beginning & ending but did drag a little in the middle.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Cherie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lies, Lies, and More Lie
I love the fact that Mrs. Dove Lyon played a large part in this story.
Teddy, I felt for him. I thought he was a very enchanting character that grab at my heart.
He is a wounded warrior with amnesia, and his memory is slowly returning, after Georgina helps get him out of the mental hospital.
Georginia certainly new how-to makeup lies to keep Teddy by her side throughout the entire story.
She actually loved him from the start and truly did help him recover in a roundabout way.
The story had a good beginning but then dragged throughout the middle until the lie's caught up with Georgina to make a very exciting and rewarding end where I did shed a few tears for the heartfelt conclusion with the two fathers.
Adule Advisory 3/5
Favorite Character: Danvers Valet/Butler

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley. Lady Georgina Belfry writes novels under another name. It happens to be her brother's best friend. Her brother has died in battle and Teddy Arlington came back with amnesia. His family puts him in a madhouse giving him a concoction that will not cure him but Georgina doe not know that. She can't find him but she goes to the Lyon's Den and Bessie finds out where he is. She goes there as his wife and takes him out. Since he can't remember what his past is he does not know that he is not really her husband, Her butler was in the war and helps him not to take the medicine the facility sent home with her. She tells him tales from her books or adjusts the characters to make it like he and she married before he went to war. The story becomes hard to keep straight with his questions. The story is part of a series.

[Elle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry, I can’t in good faith give this a high rating, even though, ignoring this fact, I actually loved it a lot.

I found Georgina’s character SO gross. Let’s just be 100% honest: she took advantage of him and his amnesia. The fact that she lied to him for so long about being his wife… letting him have sex with her when he believed she was his wife??? Making him believe he cheated on her with Catherine, who she told him was Drake’s fiancée??? She kept freaking lying to him and it made me so mad… Just no. It’s genuinely so immoral, I can’t even begin to describe it.

1 star. No amount of good writing and fun plot makes up for immorality.

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, let me say that I loved every single line of this book!!! The plot, the characters, the dialogues, everything! Georgina in particular was so very sweet, but she also had a will of steel and I liked this mix very much. And Teddy’s POV was well written, highlighting all the confusion and frustration an amnesiac would undoubtedly feel. The plot was also intriguing, because I love the amnesia trope and also some pining and (apparently) unrequited love.
Keyes was a new-to-me author and I decided to read all of her books after this one! Five stars are not enough!!!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgina has loved her brothers best friend forever her brother did not come back from the,war and she has discovered that Teddy is back but his family has shut him away as mad a danger to himself.
She requested him by telling the asylum she is his wife and takes him back to Brighton he has lost his memory. Gradually with her love and care he gets his memories back at the same time. finds that he always loved her too.
This is a lovely read very romantic and with the twist that happens as he gets his memories back.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade publishing for my arc copy

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Georgina Belfry must save the man she loves from the madhouse. Back from the war, Lord Theodore Arlington has a head wound that left him with no memories and confusion. Confined in a madhouse, the only way Georgina can get him out is to pretend to be his wife. Isolated away from London, she helps him heal, but the lies are adding up and she's afraid of telling him the truth. Longer than a lot of the books in the Lyon's Den series, but well worth the read.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Netgalley.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical romance set in the Lyon's Den world but our characters don't use our Black Widow as a matchmaker.
Our heroine needs advice. A lot of lies follow, but they are necessary.
Our hero is vulnerable since his return from war, but in no way weak.
This story has very emotional moments and fabulous characters. Our heroine in particular is a strong, intelligent and determined young lady.
Great fun.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outrageous story that was very good. Georgina is an amazing character. The care she has for those who are in her world is so sweet! Her feelings for her brother's best friend are complex and undeniable. Teddy is a man who fights for healing. I greatly enjoyed Georgina's butler. He added an interesting depth to their story. A tangled and unique tale for sure that is enjoyable.

[Jackie Carbonel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reaction

I really enjoyed this Lyon's Den story. The heroine ,Georgina, kidnaps the hero from a mental institution. Having to concoct a likely story to explain why she is taking him home and then explain to him their relationship. The unfolding of all the secrets between them makes for an engrossing read. I really liked this one.

[AmazingJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful, Delightful & Romantic Story.

This Story was  so Delightful. A hero who has amnesia & put into a madhouse. A Heroine who has been in love with the hero forges a fake marriage license & gets him out of the madhouse.

Georgina & Theodore (Teddy) were wonderful characters.

I am looking forward to reading "The Lyon Spy" by Susanne Bellamy in the next book in this series.

[Karen Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me and I so enjoyed her other two books and I am so happy that she is continuing this series with the eight ladies and their Literary Club. This story really grabbed me regarding love and what a person would do for loving someone so much. It hit home! That's what a great writer does to and for the reader. Thank you for a great series.

[Rebekah Carulli Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

The Lyon’s Den connected world is filled with stories of love, deceit, betrayals and happy ever afters. The list of truly talented writers in this series ensures that each book is fascinating and unique. Teddy and Georgina come together through illness and deceit what occurs between them is heartwarming.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lyon’s Tangled Tale
By Kimberly Keyes

Another delightful addition to The Lyons Den Connected World. Kimberly’s contributions are priceless. Well written with well drawn characters and plots that unravel to reveal the most poignant and compelling of love stories. Bravo Kimberly

[Eden O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

A wonderful story, with well crafted characters. I look forward to learning what the next will happen in the next tale.

[Shanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Drake please be alive!

[Cathie Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book & Loved the story!

[Jean H. Kromeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful story in the Lyon's De3n series.