What do you think?
Rate this book
Goode Girls #4
Vom Schicksal Verführt (Die Goode-Schwestern)
Pour plus d’une raison, Rosaline Goode n’aurait pas dû s’introduire chez sa voisine. Mais elle aime les étoiles et elle a toujours voulu les voir de plus près. Comment résister à l’envie de se faufiler chez celle qui possède une rareté : un télescope ? Voilà pourquoi elle se retrouve tenue en joue par un individu menaçant, à l’accent américain, qui prétend être le propriétaire des lieux.
Mais catastrophe ! On les surprend seuls au beau milieu de la nuit ! Le mariage est inévitable. Entre mensonges, secrets et quiproquos, la lune de miel s’annonce mouvementée…
Mais catastrophe ! On les surprend seuls au beau milieu de la nuit ! Le mariage est inévitable. Entre mensonges, secrets et quiproquos, la lune de miel s’annonce mouvementée…
260 pages, Paperback
Published April 17, 2026
About the author
Kerrigan Byrne
77 books5,100 followersIf you're anything like me, the best night is one spent with a brawny highlander, a mysterious werewolf, a conflicted vampire, or a hot-headed Irishman. My stories span the spectrum of romantic fiction from historical, to paranormal, to romantic suspense. But I can always promise my readers one thing: memorable and sexy Celtic heroes who are guaranteed to heat your blood before they steal your heart. Lose yourself in the enchanted Celtic Isles, you never know who, or what, will find you...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 631 reviews
May 22, 2021
As the previous books in the series, this was so short, so straight to the point, and so rushed. I felt that the characters needed more depth and needed a backstory. Their romance needed a little development as well. The ending was so rushed that I was like wait what? Who are you? So who is dangerous to whom and who was trying to hurt whom? I don’t know, it wasn’t bad. I’m just not loving this series as her previous one I think.
May 13, 2021
3 Ran out of steam stars
I have really enjoyed this series, and I have especially been looking forward to this story because Gabriel is the kind of H that I most enjoy (strong, silent, devoted); perhaps because I have been looking forward to it, I built up those expectations a little too high. But regardless, this story just fell flat for me in that it started very slowly, there was not very much action (though the h was in "grave danger"), the back story for the mysterious H was skimmed over almost completely, the "big reveal" was rushed and didn't have ANY build-up so there was no way to understand what was happening or to try to ascertain who was after Felicity and why, and (biggest sin in my mind!) very little steamy goodness that, when it did finally arrive, came pretty late in the story.
What I liked:
--- As I've said, Gabriel is my cup of H tea all the way, so getting to know him even a little better (and there was very little provided) was nice; Felicity was a good h with a few quirks that made her more relatable
--- Return of many of the characters from earlier stories in the series (didn't dominate the story; nicely folded in and more subtle)
--- The small amount of steamy goodness we got in this one was delish
What I didn't like as much:
--- I felt like Gabriel should have had much more of a back story than he was given; the explanation about how he was so badly deformed was not much more than we already knew
--- Very slow start and very little action throughout, especially for a situation where the h's life is endangered; and a very rushed ending and "ta-da" reveal of the villain(s) and the reasons for the villainy - no build-up whatsoever and completely impossible to see coming when this could have been constructed over the course of the series to really give a big bang at the end here
--- WHERE IS MY STEAMY GOODNESS?!!
Overall, while I enjoyed the story in general, I felt there were many missed opportunities along the way in terms of the back story for Gabriel; more action (for someone trying to kill the h, they really didn't try very hard); some more lead-up to the "big reveal" bc it basically came out of nowhere; and MORE STEAMY GOODNESS!!
Please note that I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot --- 3/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 2.5/5
Violence --- nothing graphic (implied violence; "she heard a terrible cracking sound" kind of thing vs detailed descriptions)
Language --- some
POV --- 3rd
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
I have really enjoyed this series, and I have especially been looking forward to this story because Gabriel is the kind of H that I most enjoy (strong, silent, devoted); perhaps because I have been looking forward to it, I built up those expectations a little too high. But regardless, this story just fell flat for me in that it started very slowly, there was not very much action (though the h was in "grave danger"), the back story for the mysterious H was skimmed over almost completely, the "big reveal" was rushed and didn't have ANY build-up so there was no way to understand what was happening or to try to ascertain who was after Felicity and why, and (biggest sin in my mind!) very little steamy goodness that, when it did finally arrive, came pretty late in the story.
What I liked:
--- As I've said, Gabriel is my cup of H tea all the way, so getting to know him even a little better (and there was very little provided) was nice; Felicity was a good h with a few quirks that made her more relatable
--- Return of many of the characters from earlier stories in the series (didn't dominate the story; nicely folded in and more subtle)
--- The small amount of steamy goodness we got in this one was delish
What I didn't like as much:
--- I felt like Gabriel should have had much more of a back story than he was given; the explanation about how he was so badly deformed was not much more than we already knew
--- Very slow start and very little action throughout, especially for a situation where the h's life is endangered; and a very rushed ending and "ta-da" reveal of the villain(s) and the reasons for the villainy - no build-up whatsoever and completely impossible to see coming when this could have been constructed over the course of the series to really give a big bang at the end here
--- WHERE IS MY STEAMY GOODNESS?!!
Overall, while I enjoyed the story in general, I felt there were many missed opportunities along the way in terms of the back story for Gabriel; more action (for someone trying to kill the h, they really didn't try very hard); some more lead-up to the "big reveal" bc it basically came out of nowhere; and MORE STEAMY GOODNESS!!
Please note that I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot --- 3/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 2.5/5
Violence --- nothing graphic (implied violence; "she heard a terrible cracking sound" kind of thing vs detailed descriptions)
Language --- some
POV --- 3rd
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
April 20, 2025
sweetest and kindest heroine & her scary powerful husband that’s BESOTTED with her 💙 he worships her and she doesn’t even know it…yet!
“He would do anything for her. To her. He’d debase himself to a ridiculous degree if she asked him. Or better yet, commanded him. Christ. Nothing would please him more.”
Gabriel has been IN LOVE with a beautiful & shy Felicity for years. Small problem though…he is missing half of his face. Wish I was kidding! After dismantling his father’s criminal empire he fakes his death & pays a surgeon for a new face 🧑🏽🦲 That’s how Felicity doesn’t recognize her brother-in-law when she offers him the position of her personal guard…….and he gets a chance to get much much closer 👀 Gabriel is BESOTTED and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I specifically picked this up for a powerful/scary mmc that is down bad for this tiny slip of a wallflower. All the reasons he was THAT MAN:
🩵 he falls first, even before she knows he exists
💙 firmly believes she is a goddess & he has no right to be in her presence ~ he almost faints when she asks him to touch her
🩵 scarred face & raw masculinity
💙 virgin!!! *cherry on top*
🩵 “Who is your God, Felicity? You are too fucking beautiful to be made of the same clay and dust as the rest of us.”
💙 SIZE DIFFERENCE
🩵 will kill for her & the absolute bloodlust is real
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the writing & pace. Love a shorter book! I really enjoyed the slow burn of this relationship and how the story didn’t shy away from skullcrushing 💀 The plots was not revolutionary but I stayed for the lovable characters.
age gap
protective mmc
fmc with anxiety
he falls first
personal guard mmc
both virgins
one horse
dual POVs
HEA
“He would do anything for her. To her. He’d debase himself to a ridiculous degree if she asked him. Or better yet, commanded him. Christ. Nothing would please him more.”
Gabriel has been IN LOVE with a beautiful & shy Felicity for years. Small problem though…he is missing half of his face. Wish I was kidding! After dismantling his father’s criminal empire he fakes his death & pays a surgeon for a new face 🧑🏽🦲 That’s how Felicity doesn’t recognize her brother-in-law when she offers him the position of her personal guard…….and he gets a chance to get much much closer 👀 Gabriel is BESOTTED and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I specifically picked this up for a powerful/scary mmc that is down bad for this tiny slip of a wallflower. All the reasons he was THAT MAN:
🩵 he falls first, even before she knows he exists
💙 firmly believes she is a goddess & he has no right to be in her presence ~ he almost faints when she asks him to touch her
🩵 scarred face & raw masculinity
💙 virgin!!! *cherry on top*
🩵 “Who is your God, Felicity? You are too fucking beautiful to be made of the same clay and dust as the rest of us.”
💙 SIZE DIFFERENCE
🩵 will kill for her & the absolute bloodlust is real
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the writing & pace. Love a shorter book! I really enjoyed the slow burn of this relationship and how the story didn’t shy away from skullcrushing 💀 The plots was not revolutionary but I stayed for the lovable characters.
age gap
protective mmc
fmc with anxiety
he falls first
personal guard mmc
both virgins
one horse
dual POVs
HEA
May 24, 2021
*4.5 stars*
I have had mixed experiences with the Goode Girls series, but I'm happy to report that Tempting Fate was an absolute delight.
Everyone has personal tastes, and I love a couple of things in my romances. I cannot resist a male MC who is a virgin and I adore a scarred character. Actually, characters with disabilities, scars, deformities, neurodiversity... give me an MC who deserves to get their HEA and isn't a cookie-cutter hero or heroine, and I'm a happy camper. With Gabriel, I got both (*YES*).
I also just click with Kerrigan Byrne's writing style. This book struck just the right balance for me between mystery/suspense, romance, plot development, and angst. Sometimes, this author can lean a little hard into the angst or suspense plotlines for my taste, but this one was just right. I really adored Felicity and I thought her chemistry with Gabriel was electric.
From a medical standpoint, I think Gabriel's recovery seemed a bit iffy, if I'm being honest, but I decided to overlook those details. I also think the ended wrapped up a bit too quickly. However, when I sat on my rating and my review I decided that I liked the story too much to dwell on those details.
Another great historical romance from the always spectacular Kerrigan Byrne.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter
I have had mixed experiences with the Goode Girls series, but I'm happy to report that Tempting Fate was an absolute delight.
Everyone has personal tastes, and I love a couple of things in my romances. I cannot resist a male MC who is a virgin and I adore a scarred character. Actually, characters with disabilities, scars, deformities, neurodiversity... give me an MC who deserves to get their HEA and isn't a cookie-cutter hero or heroine, and I'm a happy camper. With Gabriel, I got both (*YES*).
I also just click with Kerrigan Byrne's writing style. This book struck just the right balance for me between mystery/suspense, romance, plot development, and angst. Sometimes, this author can lean a little hard into the angst or suspense plotlines for my taste, but this one was just right. I really adored Felicity and I thought her chemistry with Gabriel was electric.
From a medical standpoint, I think Gabriel's recovery seemed a bit iffy, if I'm being honest, but I decided to overlook those details. I also think the ended wrapped up a bit too quickly. However, when I sat on my rating and my review I decided that I liked the story too much to dwell on those details.
Another great historical romance from the always spectacular Kerrigan Byrne.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter
April 24, 2021
Oh my gosh!!! This is by far my most favorite book of the year! This has everything I love in any genre of romance.
Gabriel was a hero that was damaged and broken with outward scars that most looked upon with revulsion. He has never been with a woman but from the moment he laid eyes on Felicity he was taken by her. The way he originally hid in the shadows to watch her checked boxes I didn’t even know I had, making me giddy with excitement. Fiercely protective over her, Gabriel would do anything to keep her safe even as he imagined what he would do to those men who would court her for her hand in marriage. I absolutely loved him and his all consuming adoration of the heroine.
Felicity was the type of heroine some might not appreciate but which I love to read about. She was so sweet, innocent, the one Goode sister that the rest of the family was protective over. Essentially, she was everything good that one could imagine and yet she suffered from panic attacks and was fearful of so many things in life. What could such a heroine need except a big, burly, rumbly hero with a scarred face and the ability to easily kill with his hands?
This was a fast paced story with lots of danger and action. While the chemistry is evident between Gabriel and Felicity, this is a very slow burn but perfect for the relationship they were developing. When they do yield to one another, holy heck, the pages ignited with an inferno of heat. The fact that Gabriel didn’t magically know how to make love was refreshing as was the way that this couple worked it all out in what felt a real and believable way.
The ending was amazing as it reveals something I never expected. No cliffhanger but so much potential for more…? Highly recommend this one to those who love a historical romance that follows a bit more traditional lines but manages to make it feel fresh and new.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Gabriel was a hero that was damaged and broken with outward scars that most looked upon with revulsion. He has never been with a woman but from the moment he laid eyes on Felicity he was taken by her. The way he originally hid in the shadows to watch her checked boxes I didn’t even know I had, making me giddy with excitement. Fiercely protective over her, Gabriel would do anything to keep her safe even as he imagined what he would do to those men who would court her for her hand in marriage. I absolutely loved him and his all consuming adoration of the heroine.
Felicity was the type of heroine some might not appreciate but which I love to read about. She was so sweet, innocent, the one Goode sister that the rest of the family was protective over. Essentially, she was everything good that one could imagine and yet she suffered from panic attacks and was fearful of so many things in life. What could such a heroine need except a big, burly, rumbly hero with a scarred face and the ability to easily kill with his hands?
This was a fast paced story with lots of danger and action. While the chemistry is evident between Gabriel and Felicity, this is a very slow burn but perfect for the relationship they were developing. When they do yield to one another, holy heck, the pages ignited with an inferno of heat. The fact that Gabriel didn’t magically know how to make love was refreshing as was the way that this couple worked it all out in what felt a real and believable way.
The ending was amazing as it reveals something I never expected. No cliffhanger but so much potential for more…? Highly recommend this one to those who love a historical romance that follows a bit more traditional lines but manages to make it feel fresh and new.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
October 4, 2024
Gimme a dozen more Goodes and I might still want more. This was comparatively lighter than the Victorian Rebels series but just as beautifully written. Ms.Byrne certainly deserves more attention!
April 24, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I freaking love this series!!!
Summary:
Disfigured in fighting pits as a lad, Gabriel Sauvageau has lived his entire life without the touch of a woman. As the brains and brawn behind London's most ferocious smuggling syndicate, he knows he doesn't deserve shy, bespectacled Felicity Goode. But that doesn't stop him from watching her. Guarding her.
Wondering if her gentle touch would soothe his savage soul.
Though she wiles away hours immersed in the pages of romance novels, shy and anxious Felicity Goode has vowed never to become a bride. How can she share a life—not to mention a bed—with a man, if she can't bring herself to share a simple conversation without trembling and stuttering? Once news of her obscene inheritance circulates through the ton, she is barraged, not only by a slew of suitors, but also several distressing threats against her life.
What she needs is a bodyguard.
The large, scarred ruffian she finds on her stoop is exactly what she has been looking for.
So, why does his presence make her tremble in ways that have nothing to do with fear?
Thoughts:
Once again, Byrne had me sucked into almost immediately. I was just going to read a few pages of this the other day and I read half of it in one sitting. I continue to enjoy the Goode Girl series as little side treats. I loved Felicity. Her natural curiosity and love of life is so beautiful. Yes, she is shy and has been protected for most of her life. But she isn't spoiled and she isn't stupid. When there appears to be threats to her life, she hires a bodyguard. She doesn't put her head in the sand.
Gabriel is a severely disfigured hero at the end of the previous book and I loved that he was so obsessed with protecting Felicity, enough to risk his hidden identity to keep herself while her family is away. He just can't stay away, but all he wants to do is protect and not get too wrapped up in her temptation. Of course, that's not going to happen.
This was another 5/5 for me and I continue to only wish they were longer. But I also love how quickly they are being released, so I don't mind.
I freaking love this series!!!
Summary:
Disfigured in fighting pits as a lad, Gabriel Sauvageau has lived his entire life without the touch of a woman. As the brains and brawn behind London's most ferocious smuggling syndicate, he knows he doesn't deserve shy, bespectacled Felicity Goode. But that doesn't stop him from watching her. Guarding her.
Wondering if her gentle touch would soothe his savage soul.
Though she wiles away hours immersed in the pages of romance novels, shy and anxious Felicity Goode has vowed never to become a bride. How can she share a life—not to mention a bed—with a man, if she can't bring herself to share a simple conversation without trembling and stuttering? Once news of her obscene inheritance circulates through the ton, she is barraged, not only by a slew of suitors, but also several distressing threats against her life.
What she needs is a bodyguard.
The large, scarred ruffian she finds on her stoop is exactly what she has been looking for.
So, why does his presence make her tremble in ways that have nothing to do with fear?
Thoughts:
Once again, Byrne had me sucked into almost immediately. I was just going to read a few pages of this the other day and I read half of it in one sitting. I continue to enjoy the Goode Girl series as little side treats. I loved Felicity. Her natural curiosity and love of life is so beautiful. Yes, she is shy and has been protected for most of her life. But she isn't spoiled and she isn't stupid. When there appears to be threats to her life, she hires a bodyguard. She doesn't put her head in the sand.
Gabriel is a severely disfigured hero at the end of the previous book and I loved that he was so obsessed with protecting Felicity, enough to risk his hidden identity to keep herself while her family is away. He just can't stay away, but all he wants to do is protect and not get too wrapped up in her temptation. Of course, that's not going to happen.
This was another 5/5 for me and I continue to only wish they were longer. But I also love how quickly they are being released, so I don't mind.
February 5, 2022
O poveste de dragoste emoționantă!
Felicity Goode este sora geamănă sensibilă, cu atacuri de panică ce o iau prin surprindere de fiecare dată, timidă, care preferă să-și petreacă timpul în seră sau citind. Este total diferită de surorile ei!
Gabriel Sauvageau este un interlop, un bărbat care s-a văzut nevoit să continue munca tatălui său, crescut cu duritate, printre scursurile societății. Un adevărat diavol!
Dar când un disvol bântuit de un trecut periculos pe care-și dorește să îl lase în urmă întâlnește o apariție angelică cum este Felicity, se întâmplă minunea!
Bărbatul se îndrăgostește fulgerător! Și este dispus să o protejeze pe tânăra care se teme chiar și atunci când nu este cazul.
Felicity, ca unică moștenitoare a tatălui ei, este asaltată de pretendenți și primește scrisori de amenințare. Atunci hotărăște să nu-și implice surorile, așa că angajează o gardă de corp care să o protejeze.
Garda de corp se dovedește a fi chiar Gabriel!
O mulțime de secrete ies la iveală, unele ascunse tocmai pentru a o feri pe tânără de pericole, deși acestea sunt cele care o rănesc cel mai tare.
Și totuși, printre atâtea răsturnări de situație neașteptate, Gabriel și Felicity se îndrăgostesc unul de celălalt!
Kerrigan Byrne a reușit să mă impresioneze cu această poveste de dragoste atât de dulce și frumoasă!
Finalul ne lasă cu sufletul plin de bucurie, cu multe vești neașteptate și cu o răsturnare de situație care le dă ocazia celor doi îndrăgostiți să întrevadă ocazia unui final fericit și pentru ei!
August 26, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book, which I also read as part of a buddy read with my Dark Erotica girls. Well where to start! I'd seen the chat around the previous books and was impressed enough to want to find out more about this author. Sadly it seems that this isn't one of her better offerings. I'm not sure whether I would have rather read her other work first, so at least I would feel more confident with reading her work again, or am glad I didn't set my hopes to high for a spectacular end to the series, which we
definitely
didn't get!
At the 70% mark I found myself questioning when something of any real note was going to happen. At the 80% mark we get the one and only sex scene, and it's rather "one-and-done" at that. By 90% I was wondering how the solving of who was out to get our poor heroine, Felicity, would be approached. Well the answer to that last one was rushed, badly and lacking in all credibility. Though given the whole "disfigured hero who underwent facial reconstruction surgery" plotline, I should have expected further suspension of belief to be necessary. You would have thought that with not much happening at least the characters would be really well portrayed, but yet again I was disappointed. They were bland, underdeveloped and easily forgettable.
The plot had all the bones of a great story but nothing, not one damn thing, was fully explored and there felt to be very little, if any, cohesion between the separate story elements. What resulted was a plodding, disjointed, and too far fetched story. There were the pieces of information that led absolutely nowhere . Links between scenarios were missing, imagine my surprise when a conversation between two characters seemed to expect me to know that Mrs Winterton was , yet the only previous mention of this had been that she was "suffering the gastric effects of a poorly cooked fish stew"
The cherry on the cake came in the form of the stories resolution - namely who was out to get Felicity. To describe it as "out of left field" would be an understatement in fact it allows me to throw the phrase "deus ex machina" into a review. And it wasn't done well. Not only was there zero foreshadowing, the whole thing was revealed, concluded and nicely wrapped up within the span of a few pages. Based on feedback from friends, I would still read this author's work in the future. I have nothing to compare to, but their view is that this isn't reflective of the usual quality of Kerrigan Byrne's work and I respect their opinion enough to believe them.
At the 70% mark I found myself questioning when something of any real note was going to happen. At the 80% mark we get the one and only sex scene, and it's rather "one-and-done" at that. By 90% I was wondering how the solving of who was out to get our poor heroine, Felicity, would be approached. Well the answer to that last one was rushed, badly and lacking in all credibility. Though given the whole "disfigured hero who underwent facial reconstruction surgery" plotline, I should have expected further suspension of belief to be necessary. You would have thought that with not much happening at least the characters would be really well portrayed, but yet again I was disappointed. They were bland, underdeveloped and easily forgettable.
The plot had all the bones of a great story but nothing, not one damn thing, was fully explored and there felt to be very little, if any, cohesion between the separate story elements. What resulted was a plodding, disjointed, and too far fetched story. There were the pieces of information that led absolutely nowhere . Links between scenarios were missing, imagine my surprise when a conversation between two characters seemed to expect me to know that Mrs Winterton was , yet the only previous mention of this had been that she was "suffering the gastric effects of a poorly cooked fish stew"
The cherry on the cake came in the form of the stories resolution - namely who was out to get Felicity. To describe it as "out of left field" would be an understatement in fact it allows me to throw the phrase "deus ex machina" into a review. And it wasn't done well. Not only was there zero foreshadowing, the whole thing was revealed, concluded and nicely wrapped up within the span of a few pages. Based on feedback from friends, I would still read this author's work in the future. I have nothing to compare to, but their view is that this isn't reflective of the usual quality of Kerrigan Byrne's work and I respect their opinion enough to believe them.
December 4, 2022
I am emotionally gutted from reading this.
Gabriel Sauvageau is the most tenderhearted hero I have ever read. He has singlehandedly ruined all future romance heroes going forward.
And Felicity is amazing.
And these two lovebirds are absolutely meant to be.
The only issue I had, was that the epilogue was skimpy. After that love-shattering book, I wanted an epilogue with lots and lots of lovey-dovey babies. I wanted to bask in Gabriel and Felicity’s love that obviously includes a brood of children playing in a greenhouse.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book!!!!!
December 11, 2025
Good, but not great
I like KB's style.
Each time I'm about to start one of her books, I morbidly anticipate whatever horrid background will be presented to us.
If I read them in dose and space them out, I also enjoy her darkly theatrical similes and over-described prose. It validates the emo of my youth 🌚
Sadly,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
I like KB's style.
Each time I'm about to start one of her books, I morbidly anticipate whatever horrid background will be presented to us.
If I read them in dose and space them out, I also enjoy her darkly theatrical similes and over-described prose. It validates the emo of my youth 🌚
Sadly,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
September 22, 2022
Why 3 stars?
I thought the main characters of Felicity Goode & Gabriel Sauvageau needed depth and fleshed out a bit more.
I understand that they were both in the previous book, Dancing with Danger but their love connection seemed rushed. I did like them together as a couple and it made sense in my mind that London's most savage smuggler, Gabriel would fall fast in love with a shy and genuine woman like Felicity.
I also think the ending and conclusion of who was after Felicity was rushed and could have been expanded a bit more.
I'm glad I continued with this series by Kerrigan Byrne and looking forward to the next one!
I thought the main characters of Felicity Goode & Gabriel Sauvageau needed depth and fleshed out a bit more.
I understand that they were both in the previous book, Dancing with Danger but their love connection seemed rushed. I did like them together as a couple and it made sense in my mind that London's most savage smuggler, Gabriel would fall fast in love with a shy and genuine woman like Felicity.
I also think the ending and conclusion of who was after Felicity was rushed and could have been expanded a bit more.
I'm glad I continued with this series by Kerrigan Byrne and looking forward to the next one!
May 11, 2021
4 Delicious ☆☆☆☆
Why not 5 you might wonder 🤔.
Well, it was relatively short, the "climax" of the story seemed rushed and I would've liked to see more of Gabriel and Felicity's interactions.
Their relationship was rushed. And everything happened fast. But other than that I found the action really entertaining.
I loved those two and I really hoped we will see more of them. Their feelings were precious but also hot and uninhibited. Too bad the author didn't explore it more.
It was much better than the previous book. Can't wait to see Emmeline's love interest in the next installment of the series.
The waiting was worth it.👌😌
Why not 5 you might wonder 🤔.
Well, it was relatively short, the "climax" of the story seemed rushed and I would've liked to see more of Gabriel and Felicity's interactions.
Their relationship was rushed. And everything happened fast. But other than that I found the action really entertaining.
I loved those two and I really hoped we will see more of them. Their feelings were precious but also hot and uninhibited. Too bad the author didn't explore it more.
It was much better than the previous book. Can't wait to see Emmeline's love interest in the next installment of the series.
The waiting was worth it.👌😌
May 10, 2021
Felicity is indeed Good!
I do like the Beauty and the Beast trope. You know, where the damaged bad guy, with big heart, falls in love with fragile miss who turns out to be not so fragile. Over protected? Yes! A few quirks? Yes, but never helpless!
Felicity Goode is a lovely heroine, innocent and yet determined, kind and able to see to the heart of people, carrying her own set of burdens. Misunderstood and frequently misjudged. Shy, determined not to marry. The burden of being an heiress means she’s sort after by those desiring a wealthy bride and those with more nefarious ideas in mind. Threats against her has Felicity considering a body guard. Misunderstanding has Felicity employing a scarred hulking man she runs into as she navigated her way from the greenhouse to the house.
Gabriel Sauvageau had previously rescued Felicity from a masquerade for figures of the underbelly of London. A gathering that that had gone terribly wrong. Felicity had never seen his face. Eschewing his life as a leading underground figure, Gabriel had taken the opportunity to disappear, but watching over Felicity draws him back.
Unexpectedly finding himself employed by her, they both find that closeness a thing of substance.
Watching them both struggle with their particular challenges, and scramble around the electricity between them is both delightful and fraught.
Felicity is the Goode girl I adore. Gabriel is the damaged hero, gentled by acceptance, changed and challenged, that brings the fairy tale to life.
An Xpresso Book Tours ARC via NetGalley
I do like the Beauty and the Beast trope. You know, where the damaged bad guy, with big heart, falls in love with fragile miss who turns out to be not so fragile. Over protected? Yes! A few quirks? Yes, but never helpless!
Felicity Goode is a lovely heroine, innocent and yet determined, kind and able to see to the heart of people, carrying her own set of burdens. Misunderstood and frequently misjudged. Shy, determined not to marry. The burden of being an heiress means she’s sort after by those desiring a wealthy bride and those with more nefarious ideas in mind. Threats against her has Felicity considering a body guard. Misunderstanding has Felicity employing a scarred hulking man she runs into as she navigated her way from the greenhouse to the house.
Gabriel Sauvageau had previously rescued Felicity from a masquerade for figures of the underbelly of London. A gathering that that had gone terribly wrong. Felicity had never seen his face. Eschewing his life as a leading underground figure, Gabriel had taken the opportunity to disappear, but watching over Felicity draws him back.
Unexpectedly finding himself employed by her, they both find that closeness a thing of substance.
Watching them both struggle with their particular challenges, and scramble around the electricity between them is both delightful and fraught.
Felicity is the Goode girl I adore. Gabriel is the damaged hero, gentled by acceptance, changed and challenged, that brings the fairy tale to life.
An Xpresso Book Tours ARC via NetGalley
May 9, 2021
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel. It is an excellent addition to Ms. Byrne's outstanding Goode Girls series. It has a likable female protagonist, a dark, damaged male protagonist, a heart-warming romance, drama, intrigue, wit, a wonderful sense of family, and a happily ever after ending. This novel is fast paced and kept me engaged from the first page until its surprise ending. It can easily be read and enjoyed as a stand alone, but is better when read in order, as it contains references to past events and the stories of the other Goode sisters.
Net Galley kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest opinion.
Net Galley kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest opinion.
December 18, 2022
GOD this was so perfect and my kind of angst plus it had a Christmas epilogue so SEASONALLY RELEVANT
November 21, 2021
Disfigured and "rebuilt" through surgery, Gabriel Sauvageau has lived his life in the shadows. Felicity Goode struggles with social anxiety and is happy to live quietly and vicariously through her books. But news of her inheritance has her facing a dangerous threat. She needs a protector and Gabriel is exactly what she's looking for.
This is book four in the Goode Girls series...another excellent tale from Byrne! It is best read with the other books in the series as each story flows directly into the next.
Gabriel is living under a new identity after faking his death and having extensive surgery to reconstruct his disfigured face. He doesn't intend for Felicity to catch him watching her, but she mistakes him for an applicant for bodyguard and feels instantly at ease in his company. I love the big, gruff criminal falling head over heels for a shy, angelic girl. These two are sweet and sexy and I adored their interactions, all the tender moments.
I do think there were some loose ends in the Sauvageau brothers' storyline (and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not), but the conclusion was surprising and there's now an interesting set up for the next books. Loved this book and was sad it had to end!
Tropes: Beauty & Beast, Class Difference, Protector, Twins, Forced Proximity
Eggplant Rating: 3
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #Tempting Fate #NetGalley
This is book four in the Goode Girls series...another excellent tale from Byrne! It is best read with the other books in the series as each story flows directly into the next.
Gabriel is living under a new identity after faking his death and having extensive surgery to reconstruct his disfigured face. He doesn't intend for Felicity to catch him watching her, but she mistakes him for an applicant for bodyguard and feels instantly at ease in his company. I love the big, gruff criminal falling head over heels for a shy, angelic girl. These two are sweet and sexy and I adored their interactions, all the tender moments.
I do think there were some loose ends in the Sauvageau brothers' storyline (and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not), but the conclusion was surprising and there's now an interesting set up for the next books. Loved this book and was sad it had to end!
Tropes: Beauty & Beast, Class Difference, Protector, Twins, Forced Proximity
Eggplant Rating: 3
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #Tempting Fate #NetGalley
June 4, 2021
Another disappointing book in the series. I don't think I will continue with the series, but we'll see.
September 2, 2021
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (for the main one, the second one is brief)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Just a touch
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
I would say yes, for this series. The books really do flow into one another and there’s character overlap for much of them. This is an extension off the Victorian Rebels series, so if you want to start at the beginning pick up The Highwayman. At the very least, read the previous book, Dancing with Danger, as that gives background to Gabriel’s life and what brings him and Felicity together.
Basic plot
Gabriel has been protective over Felicity ever since he laid eyes on her. She thinks him dead, but he’s still in shadows watching. The last time she saw him, his face was unrecognizably disfigured, so she has no idea who the scarred man is that ends up applying to be her bodyguard.
Give this a try if you want:
- A shorter novel – this one comes in at about 230 pages according to goodreads
- Victorian time period
- Antihero – Gabriel has been raised in a life of crime
- Class difference trope – Felicity is the daughter of a baron, Gabriel is hired as her body guard
- Heroine that suffers from anxiety
- A bit of an age gap – hero is 34 and heroine is 22 (12 years difference)
- Hero loves first and virgin hero
My thoughts:
I’ve been a fan of Kerrigan Byrne for a few years now, and this book was another fantastic read. But, I do think maybe I was in a mood because I wasn’t QUITE as into it as her other recent ones. The previous book, Dancing with Danger is still my favorite of this series, followed by Courting Trouble :)
Gabriel was just utterly sweet and romantic and perfect for Felicity. Also dark, ruthless and protective for what she needed. He’s just a wonderful hero, very concerned for his heroine’s well being and safety. There were no games played like we get with some exhausting heroes, and it was refreshing to see a hero so solid in his love.
Felicity was a wonderful heroine. Her anxiety broke my heart, but I loved seeing it on page as I know that so many of us deal with similar feelings. I really enjoyed her with Gabriel, they are the balms to each other’s souls and I am left knowing they are living a happily ever after.
I love Byrne’s mix of danger, tension, and sizzling sex. I thought this book had a lot of actual romantic thoughts in it too, which I’ve been appreciating so much. (So many romances aren’t actually romantic to me :( ) This one didn't quite hit me in the feels like hers usually do, but I still very much enjoyed it and there weren't any negatives for me (other than me selfishly disliking the shorter page count of these novels :P )
Some of my favorite parts:
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (for the main one, the second one is brief)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Just a touch
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
I would say yes, for this series. The books really do flow into one another and there’s character overlap for much of them. This is an extension off the Victorian Rebels series, so if you want to start at the beginning pick up The Highwayman. At the very least, read the previous book, Dancing with Danger, as that gives background to Gabriel’s life and what brings him and Felicity together.
Basic plot
Gabriel has been protective over Felicity ever since he laid eyes on her. She thinks him dead, but he’s still in shadows watching. The last time she saw him, his face was unrecognizably disfigured, so she has no idea who the scarred man is that ends up applying to be her bodyguard.
Give this a try if you want:
- A shorter novel – this one comes in at about 230 pages according to goodreads
- Victorian time period
- Antihero – Gabriel has been raised in a life of crime
- Class difference trope – Felicity is the daughter of a baron, Gabriel is hired as her body guard
- Heroine that suffers from anxiety
- A bit of an age gap – hero is 34 and heroine is 22 (12 years difference)
- Hero loves first and virgin hero
My thoughts:
I’ve been a fan of Kerrigan Byrne for a few years now, and this book was another fantastic read. But, I do think maybe I was in a mood because I wasn’t QUITE as into it as her other recent ones. The previous book, Dancing with Danger is still my favorite of this series, followed by Courting Trouble :)
Gabriel was just utterly sweet and romantic and perfect for Felicity. Also dark, ruthless and protective for what she needed. He’s just a wonderful hero, very concerned for his heroine’s well being and safety. There were no games played like we get with some exhausting heroes, and it was refreshing to see a hero so solid in his love.
Felicity was a wonderful heroine. Her anxiety broke my heart, but I loved seeing it on page as I know that so many of us deal with similar feelings. I really enjoyed her with Gabriel, they are the balms to each other’s souls and I am left knowing they are living a happily ever after.
I love Byrne’s mix of danger, tension, and sizzling sex. I thought this book had a lot of actual romantic thoughts in it too, which I’ve been appreciating so much. (So many romances aren’t actually romantic to me :( ) This one didn't quite hit me in the feels like hers usually do, but I still very much enjoyed it and there weren't any negatives for me (other than me selfishly disliking the shorter page count of these novels :P )
Some of my favorite parts:
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
April 26, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
Tempting Fate es la novela que más había esperado desde que empecé la serie de Goode Girls. Apenas leí la sinopsis supe que era el tipo de historia que más me gusta y no me decepcionó. Es una novela con una trama atrapante, personajes entrañables y un estilo de escritura simplemente precioso.
Es definitiva, Kerrigan Byrne se ha convertido en una de mis escritoras favoritas de romance histórico.
Tempting Fate comparada con sus otras obras como How to Love a Duke in Ten Days y The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo (que considero obras maestras), es una historia más simple y sencilla, pero igual de emocionante y cautivadora.
Trama: Al ser el cuarto libro en la serie, si es necesario leer los anteriores, sobre todo, Dancing with Danger porque Felicity y Gabriel son personajes secundarios en esa novela y ya existía tensión entre ellos.
Esta novela tiene ingredientes muy parecidos a las anteriores: un romance enternecedor y un misterio que resolver. Creo que emplea las dosis justas de romance, drama, suspenso y humor. La línea argumental de romance está un poco mejor desarrollada que la de misterio, pero no es que el misterio haya sido aburrido, de hecho, tuvo un buen plot twist, pero si lo sentí un poco apresurado al final.
Personajes: Felicity y Gabriel robaron mi corazón desde Dancing with Danger. Había mucha química entre ellos y los breves vistazos que vi de sus personajes me cautivaron. En esta novela, ambos sufren transformaciones a lo largo de la historia, sobre todo, Felicity. Se podría decir que su evolución es un poco más evidente que la de Gabriel, pero creo que se debía a que ella era el centro de atención.
Por un lado, Felicity fue una heroína muy real. No era la más fuerte, ni valiente, ni aventurera, pero se esforzaba por ser mejor. Era una mujer amable y cálida, con miedos e inseguridades. Además, era muy diferente de su hermana gemela, Mercy, o del resto de sus hermanas. Felicity me daba mucha ternura porque era un alma muy pura que debía luchar con demonios internos. Y me gustó cómo la autora retrató su depresión y ansiedad. Creo que fue un tema delicado que estuvo bien manejado y que se sintió auténtico.
Por otro lado, Gabriel. No podría encontrar palabras para describir cuánto me encantan los héroes como él. Son mi debilidad y, si los juntas con una protagonista tímida e inocente, entonces estaré enganchada hasta el final. Gabriel fue un héroe masculino de esos que te hacen suspirar. Me gustó que no intentara ocultar su pasado o quisiera pretender algo que no era. Siento que se mantuvo leal así mismo, aun con toda su oscuridad y sus pecados. Además, me cautivó ese amor tan puro e incansable que sentía por Felicity.
En cuanto a los personajes secundarios fueron maravillosos. Tengo predilección por las familias que no encajan en su tiempo porque rompen los esquemas de la sociedad. Mercy y Raphael son otra de mis parejas favoritas, pero el resto de personajes también fueron de gran apoyo.
Romance: Me emocioné y suspiré con la encantadora historia de amor de Felicity y Gabriel. La verdad me hubiera gustado que el libro tuviera más páginas y poder disfrutar más de ellos juntos. Aunque debo aceptar que me dieron escenas llenas de tensión, pasión y mucho cariño. Algunas escenas fueron tan enternecedoras y dulces. Los diálogos tan bien estructurados te llegaban al corazón.
Escritura: Este punto es algo que siempre resaltó en las novelas de esta autora porque su estilo de escritura es cautivador. Cada párrafo y diálogo está entretejido de la forma más perfecta para hacerte sentir un millón de emociones. Provoca que te enamores de la historia y de los personajes, y te hace sentir parte del momento.
En conclusión, es una novela muy recomendada para los amantes del romance histórico. De hecho, toda la serie y las otras novelas de Kerrigan Byrne son recomendaciones necesarias para este género porque sin duda te llevarás una grata sorpresa.
*I received this as an ARC from the publisher.
Gabriel Sauvageau may have looked like a monster, but he’d always be a hero to her.
Tempting Fate es la novela que más había esperado desde que empecé la serie de Goode Girls. Apenas leí la sinopsis supe que era el tipo de historia que más me gusta y no me decepcionó. Es una novela con una trama atrapante, personajes entrañables y un estilo de escritura simplemente precioso.
Es definitiva, Kerrigan Byrne se ha convertido en una de mis escritoras favoritas de romance histórico.
Tempting Fate comparada con sus otras obras como How to Love a Duke in Ten Days y The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo (que considero obras maestras), es una historia más simple y sencilla, pero igual de emocionante y cautivadora.
Trama: Al ser el cuarto libro en la serie, si es necesario leer los anteriores, sobre todo, Dancing with Danger porque Felicity y Gabriel son personajes secundarios en esa novela y ya existía tensión entre ellos.
Esta novela tiene ingredientes muy parecidos a las anteriores: un romance enternecedor y un misterio que resolver. Creo que emplea las dosis justas de romance, drama, suspenso y humor. La línea argumental de romance está un poco mejor desarrollada que la de misterio, pero no es que el misterio haya sido aburrido, de hecho, tuvo un buen plot twist, pero si lo sentí un poco apresurado al final.
“Nighttime is never extremely comfortable, is it? The dark is so full of silence and my thoughts are so terribly loud.”
Personajes: Felicity y Gabriel robaron mi corazón desde Dancing with Danger. Había mucha química entre ellos y los breves vistazos que vi de sus personajes me cautivaron. En esta novela, ambos sufren transformaciones a lo largo de la historia, sobre todo, Felicity. Se podría decir que su evolución es un poco más evidente que la de Gabriel, pero creo que se debía a que ella era el centro de atención.
Por un lado, Felicity fue una heroína muy real. No era la más fuerte, ni valiente, ni aventurera, pero se esforzaba por ser mejor. Era una mujer amable y cálida, con miedos e inseguridades. Además, era muy diferente de su hermana gemela, Mercy, o del resto de sus hermanas. Felicity me daba mucha ternura porque era un alma muy pura que debía luchar con demonios internos. Y me gustó cómo la autora retrató su depresión y ansiedad. Creo que fue un tema delicado que estuvo bien manejado y que se sintió auténtico.
Who am I? I am Gabriel Sauvageau. The fallen prince of a dismantled empire.
And I love you.
Por otro lado, Gabriel. No podría encontrar palabras para describir cuánto me encantan los héroes como él. Son mi debilidad y, si los juntas con una protagonista tímida e inocente, entonces estaré enganchada hasta el final. Gabriel fue un héroe masculino de esos que te hacen suspirar. Me gustó que no intentara ocultar su pasado o quisiera pretender algo que no era. Siento que se mantuvo leal así mismo, aun con toda su oscuridad y sus pecados. Además, me cautivó ese amor tan puro e incansable que sentía por Felicity.
En cuanto a los personajes secundarios fueron maravillosos. Tengo predilección por las familias que no encajan en su tiempo porque rompen los esquemas de la sociedad. Mercy y Raphael son otra de mis parejas favoritas, pero el resto de personajes también fueron de gran apoyo.
“You shouldn’t go around kissing monsters.”
Romance: Me emocioné y suspiré con la encantadora historia de amor de Felicity y Gabriel. La verdad me hubiera gustado que el libro tuviera más páginas y poder disfrutar más de ellos juntos. Aunque debo aceptar que me dieron escenas llenas de tensión, pasión y mucho cariño. Algunas escenas fueron tan enternecedoras y dulces. Los diálogos tan bien estructurados te llegaban al corazón.
Escritura: Este punto es algo que siempre resaltó en las novelas de esta autora porque su estilo de escritura es cautivador. Cada párrafo y diálogo está entretejido de la forma más perfecta para hacerte sentir un millón de emociones. Provoca que te enamores de la historia y de los personajes, y te hace sentir parte del momento.
En conclusión, es una novela muy recomendada para los amantes del romance histórico. De hecho, toda la serie y las otras novelas de Kerrigan Byrne son recomendaciones necesarias para este género porque sin duda te llevarás una grata sorpresa.
*I received this as an ARC from the publisher.
October 23, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up.
Disfigured by time spent in fighting pits when he was a young boy, Gabriel Sauvageau has never known an affectionate touch in his life. He’s been the mastermind and enforcer behind one of London’s most notorious and ruthless smuggling outfits. Though he and his brother are working to leave that life behind and have changed their names and identities in an effort to start anew, Gabriel knows he still doesn’t deserve shy, innocent Felicity Goode. But he can’t stop himself from watching her, ensuring her safety, fantasizing about the soothing effects of her gentle nature on his tortured soul.
Felicity spends much of her time escaping the world in the pages of romance novels to find respite from her crippling anxiety and shyness, but she never plans to marry. She can scarcely even bring herself to form coherent sentences around men, but her father’s will stipulates she must marry into the aristocracy to inherit his vast wealth and successful shipping company. It’s the last thing she wants, and it makes her the target of many money-hungry suitors and several alarming threats on her life.
Felicity decides she must hire a bodyguard and when she literally runs into an obscenely large, rough-looking man on her stoop, she immediately knows he’s perfect for the job. Yet, paradoxically, the nerves she feels in his presence have nothing to do with fear.
There was so much going on in this book and it’s the first one I’ve read that has truly pulled me in for quite some time. I’m always a sucker for a virgin hero and this was even better as both Felicity and Gabriel were virgins who had to learn together. Neither was all that familiar with love or affection, especially Gabriel, who had only ever experienced pain and had only his brother to love. That learning here was lovely. Gabriel’s constant insistence on deifying Felicity did get a bit old but I loved that Felicity reminded him she had human flaws too and that they could be equal partners while bolstering one another’s weaker areas. The reunion of the family at the end and Gabriel’s outpouring of his feelings, and his realization that he now had a large family too, was heart wrenching in the best way. The undercurrent of suspense was just right and kept up a satisfactory tension in the story to temper the immense sweetness of the relationship developing between Felicity and Gabriel. I loved that Felicity was never afraid of Gabriel, even after seeing what he was capable of, and instead found her strength with and from him all the while slowly elevating his own sense of self-worth. I was so proud of her for going for what she wanted and refusing to let Gabriel push her away because he believed himself unworthy. My only complaint here is that the villain’s plan/reasoning really made no sense but I’m thinking this was intentional and meant to further illustrate madness. I adored the plot twist at the end but I’ll say no more about that, other than to recommend this series be read in order, as I merely bask in the warmth of two anxious people learning to conquer their fear with love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Disfigured by time spent in fighting pits when he was a young boy, Gabriel Sauvageau has never known an affectionate touch in his life. He’s been the mastermind and enforcer behind one of London’s most notorious and ruthless smuggling outfits. Though he and his brother are working to leave that life behind and have changed their names and identities in an effort to start anew, Gabriel knows he still doesn’t deserve shy, innocent Felicity Goode. But he can’t stop himself from watching her, ensuring her safety, fantasizing about the soothing effects of her gentle nature on his tortured soul.
Felicity spends much of her time escaping the world in the pages of romance novels to find respite from her crippling anxiety and shyness, but she never plans to marry. She can scarcely even bring herself to form coherent sentences around men, but her father’s will stipulates she must marry into the aristocracy to inherit his vast wealth and successful shipping company. It’s the last thing she wants, and it makes her the target of many money-hungry suitors and several alarming threats on her life.
Felicity decides she must hire a bodyguard and when she literally runs into an obscenely large, rough-looking man on her stoop, she immediately knows he’s perfect for the job. Yet, paradoxically, the nerves she feels in his presence have nothing to do with fear.
There was so much going on in this book and it’s the first one I’ve read that has truly pulled me in for quite some time. I’m always a sucker for a virgin hero and this was even better as both Felicity and Gabriel were virgins who had to learn together. Neither was all that familiar with love or affection, especially Gabriel, who had only ever experienced pain and had only his brother to love. That learning here was lovely. Gabriel’s constant insistence on deifying Felicity did get a bit old but I loved that Felicity reminded him she had human flaws too and that they could be equal partners while bolstering one another’s weaker areas. The reunion of the family at the end and Gabriel’s outpouring of his feelings, and his realization that he now had a large family too, was heart wrenching in the best way. The undercurrent of suspense was just right and kept up a satisfactory tension in the story to temper the immense sweetness of the relationship developing between Felicity and Gabriel. I loved that Felicity was never afraid of Gabriel, even after seeing what he was capable of, and instead found her strength with and from him all the while slowly elevating his own sense of self-worth. I was so proud of her for going for what she wanted and refusing to let Gabriel push her away because he believed himself unworthy. My only complaint here is that the villain’s plan/reasoning really made no sense but I’m thinking this was intentional and meant to further illustrate madness. I adored the plot twist at the end but I’ll say no more about that, other than to recommend this series be read in order, as I merely bask in the warmth of two anxious people learning to conquer their fear with love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
May 25, 2021
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
It is always an author's prerogative to change her mind. Sometimes her characters just don't behave in the way they should, much like unruly children. A few books ago, I really thought that Felicity was destined for her HEA with the mysterious rich American, Elijah Wolfe, who is the owner of the gold mine that made Sir Carlton Morley (A Dark and Stormy Knight - Victorian Rebels Series) wealthy. Now she is destined for a HEA with the brooding, scared, hulk of Gabriel Sauvageau who does not disappoint as the dark hero that Kerrigan Byrne so loves to redeem. There are quite a few surprises in this book, OMG the reveal!, along with a hot romance and mystery/suspense that just makes it one of the best books in the series.
Gabriel Sauvageau would give is life for Felicity Goode and he almost did. When he and his brother Raphael Sauvageau decided to leave their gangster life behind, Raphael eloped with Mercy Goode and it was assumed by everyone that Gabriel had died defending Felicity. Not so. Dr. Titus Conleigh saved his life and transformed his ruined face. He was supposed to vanish to the New World, but instead has been shadowing Felicity for over a year. He just can't bring himself to leave, especially when her parents die and she is the subject of an attack.
Due to the stipulations in her father's will, Felicity Goode must marry a nobleman or lose her family fortune. She is shy, lost in her romance novels and subject to fainting at the sight of blood. When the ton suitors descend and she is assaulted, she decides she needs a bodyguard and Gareth Saverand, Gabriel Sauvageau's new identity, is just the man she needs. Felicity finds that she needs Gabriel for more than protection and finding out who is behind the attacks is just the beginning.
It is always an author's prerogative to change her mind. Sometimes her characters just don't behave in the way they should, much like unruly children. A few books ago, I really thought that Felicity was destined for her HEA with the mysterious rich American, Elijah Wolfe, who is the owner of the gold mine that made Sir Carlton Morley (A Dark and Stormy Knight - Victorian Rebels Series) wealthy. Now she is destined for a HEA with the brooding, scared, hulk of Gabriel Sauvageau who does not disappoint as the dark hero that Kerrigan Byrne so loves to redeem. There are quite a few surprises in this book, OMG the reveal!, along with a hot romance and mystery/suspense that just makes it one of the best books in the series.
Gabriel Sauvageau would give is life for Felicity Goode and he almost did. When he and his brother Raphael Sauvageau decided to leave their gangster life behind, Raphael eloped with Mercy Goode and it was assumed by everyone that Gabriel had died defending Felicity. Not so. Dr. Titus Conleigh saved his life and transformed his ruined face. He was supposed to vanish to the New World, but instead has been shadowing Felicity for over a year. He just can't bring himself to leave, especially when her parents die and she is the subject of an attack.
Due to the stipulations in her father's will, Felicity Goode must marry a nobleman or lose her family fortune. She is shy, lost in her romance novels and subject to fainting at the sight of blood. When the ton suitors descend and she is assaulted, she decides she needs a bodyguard and Gareth Saverand, Gabriel Sauvageau's new identity, is just the man she needs. Felicity finds that she needs Gabriel for more than protection and finding out who is behind the attacks is just the beginning.
May 6, 2021
ARC received for review
3.5 stars
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Felicity after seeing her in the previous books. She's a mouse and likes to be part of the wallpaper. With her parents death, she becomes heir to the family's shipping empire. Some is not too happy with that and keeps trying to kill her. In comes Gabriel who's been watching her for a long time (the whole time his brother fell for her sister Dancing With Danger). It was slow and dragged at the beginning, but eventually picked up. Sure wasn't expecting that person to be helping the bad guy. And now I know why there are more books listed for this series.
3.5 stars
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Felicity after seeing her in the previous books. She's a mouse and likes to be part of the wallpaper. With her parents death, she becomes heir to the family's shipping empire. Some is not too happy with that and keeps trying to kill her. In comes Gabriel who's been watching her for a long time (the whole time his brother fell for her sister Dancing With Danger). It was slow and dragged at the beginning, but eventually picked up. Sure wasn't expecting that person to be helping the bad guy. And now I know why there are more books listed for this series.
September 2, 2023
Beauty and the beast story.
November 17, 2022
It could have been 5 stars, if not for the overly florid writing at times. Just very WEIRD usage of words. I feel like the author used a thesaurus half the time, even words that don’t apply.
But I liked the characters and plot was find as well, and I LOVE Gabriel. This was a true beast. The descriptions of what he looked like before his “plastic surgery” were pretty horrific. He’s not the typical handsome dashing hero. He’s a violent man with a violent past but he has an endless capacity to love Felicity.
A virgin alpha hero, big strong and kills with his bare hands for the woman he loves? Gimme!
But I liked the characters and plot was find as well, and I LOVE Gabriel. This was a true beast. The descriptions of what he looked like before his “plastic surgery” were pretty horrific. He’s not the typical handsome dashing hero. He’s a violent man with a violent past but he has an endless capacity to love Felicity.
A virgin alpha hero, big strong and kills with his bare hands for the woman he loves? Gimme!
October 12, 2025
5⭐️
2.5🌶️
YES! YES! YES!
ughhh. THE PASSION! the first kiss 😭😭. it was everything!
before I start, here’s my (maybe) bias: bleedin out the vag rn 🩸😾(during this time I always be feeling my emotions stronger.. in case that inflated my like for this)
On one hand I love smut. On the other I can also appreciate less smut but a great buildup of tension to said smut. This mf delivered on the latter!
Let me tell u, sometime books wind u up then they hook up & it’s kinda ‘over’ after that. Nooo i want the boiling over tension, the scenes that teeter on the edge of giving in for more than half the story (edging basically). ❤️🔥💦
Anyway, that’s this story. it was enough to keep me going but i still felt that push-pull for most of the story /ᐠ. ｡.ᐟ\ᵐᵉᵒʷˎˊ˗
❤️🔥😭🥀 loved this sm
FMC— ditsy, clumsy, nervous, pure, messy,
MMC — violent, outlaw, guarded, scarred
standalone (apart of interconnected series)
———•TROPES & SUCH•———
bodyguard
age gap (H 34, h 22)
stalking
he’s loved her for yrs
secret identity
scarred hero
size diff (tiny h x big H)
open door, passionate, masturbation (self),
———•SAFETY•———
-dual virgins
-No cheating
-No actual OPD
╰┈➤ 1 scene: OM proposes to h (they’ve never
done anything not even date..he’s literally her cousin; h declines)
-HEA
NOTE
-that whole Bainbridge scene (FMC has suitor) & then is like “oh yeah he’s my cousin” …girl!?!? your cousin? yr not marrying this man!!!! (Ik, based on the shit I be reading, wtf am I talking about but the way this came up made me side eye FMC)😭
2.5🌶️
YES! YES! YES!
ughhh. THE PASSION! the first kiss 😭😭. it was everything!
before I start, here’s my (maybe) bias: bleedin out the vag rn 🩸😾(during this time I always be feeling my emotions stronger.. in case that inflated my like for this)
On one hand I love smut. On the other I can also appreciate less smut but a great buildup of tension to said smut. This mf delivered on the latter!
Let me tell u, sometime books wind u up then they hook up & it’s kinda ‘over’ after that. Nooo i want the boiling over tension, the scenes that teeter on the edge of giving in for more than half the story (edging basically). ❤️🔥💦
Anyway, that’s this story. it was enough to keep me going but i still felt that push-pull for most of the story /ᐠ. ｡.ᐟ\ᵐᵉᵒʷˎˊ˗
❤️🔥😭🥀 loved this sm
FMC— ditsy, clumsy, nervous, pure, messy,
MMC — violent, outlaw, guarded, scarred
standalone (apart of interconnected series)
———•TROPES & SUCH•———
bodyguard
age gap (H 34, h 22)
stalking
he’s loved her for yrs
secret identity
scarred hero
size diff (tiny h x big H)
open door, passionate, masturbation (self),
———•SAFETY•———
-dual virgins
-No cheating
-No actual OPD
╰┈➤ 1 scene: OM proposes to h (they’ve never
done anything not even date..he’s literally her cousin; h declines)
-HEA
NOTE
-that whole Bainbridge scene (FMC has suitor) & then is like “oh yeah he’s my cousin” …girl!?!? your cousin? yr not marrying this man!!!! (Ik, based on the shit I be reading, wtf am I talking about but the way this came up made me side eye FMC)😭
June 5, 2021
4.5 Beauty & The Beast Stars!!!
Tempting Fate by Kerrigan Byrne is the fourth book in the “Goode Girls” series. This is heroine Felicity Goode and hero Gabriel Sauvagea’s book.
Felicity Goode is the “only Goode sister that actually lives up to their last name.” She’s genuinely a sweet, kind, and gentle soul who’s very meek and timid. This is what makes her a perfect match for tortured soul Gabriel Sauvageau. He has never known female kindness, a loving touch, or a gentle hand. After being disfigured at a young age he has made a living being known as a monster. However, Felicity does not see him for who he has been but, who he truly is deep down to his soul.
When it looks as though someone sinister is watching and attempting harm to Felicity she advertises for a bodyguard. Gabriel Sauvageau (aka Gareth) has lived a violent life and is the best candidate to keep her safe, who unbeknownst to Felicity he’s already been watching and guarding her from a distance.
Horribly disfigured Gabriel, is now reborn as Gareth Severand after months of reconstruction to his damaged face. Gabriel/Gareth literally stumbles into the job as Felicity’s protector and strangely unlike everyone Felicity is exposed to she’s surprisingly not the least bit timid, meek, afraid, or intimidated when it comes to Gabriel.
As they get to know one another and their attraction continues to grow they are soon dealing with numerous attempts on Felicity's life and other strange goings ons. As they start to solve the mystery and close in on the killer who incidentally may or may not be someone from Gabriel’s notorious past they begin to slowly give into their mutual attraction and desires.
I love to see a tortured hero who’s wildly protective get his happily ever after. Another winner for Kerrigan Byrne, I love that she includes couples from the prior books in the series so we get a glimpse into their current lives. This one so far is my favorite in the series!! Can’t wait for more Goode Girls. ❤️
* ARC provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Tempting Fate by Kerrigan Byrne is the fourth book in the “Goode Girls” series. This is heroine Felicity Goode and hero Gabriel Sauvagea’s book.
Felicity Goode is the “only Goode sister that actually lives up to their last name.” She’s genuinely a sweet, kind, and gentle soul who’s very meek and timid. This is what makes her a perfect match for tortured soul Gabriel Sauvageau. He has never known female kindness, a loving touch, or a gentle hand. After being disfigured at a young age he has made a living being known as a monster. However, Felicity does not see him for who he has been but, who he truly is deep down to his soul.
When it looks as though someone sinister is watching and attempting harm to Felicity she advertises for a bodyguard. Gabriel Sauvageau (aka Gareth) has lived a violent life and is the best candidate to keep her safe, who unbeknownst to Felicity he’s already been watching and guarding her from a distance.
Horribly disfigured Gabriel, is now reborn as Gareth Severand after months of reconstruction to his damaged face. Gabriel/Gareth literally stumbles into the job as Felicity’s protector and strangely unlike everyone Felicity is exposed to she’s surprisingly not the least bit timid, meek, afraid, or intimidated when it comes to Gabriel.
As they get to know one another and their attraction continues to grow they are soon dealing with numerous attempts on Felicity's life and other strange goings ons. As they start to solve the mystery and close in on the killer who incidentally may or may not be someone from Gabriel’s notorious past they begin to slowly give into their mutual attraction and desires.
I love to see a tortured hero who’s wildly protective get his happily ever after. Another winner for Kerrigan Byrne, I love that she includes couples from the prior books in the series so we get a glimpse into their current lives. This one so far is my favorite in the series!! Can’t wait for more Goode Girls. ❤️
* ARC provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
May 17, 2026
I had already anticipated loving this book because of Felicity but I didn’t realize how much I would love this book. Felicity is probably one of the most relatable characters Kerrigan Byrne has written and I have read a lot of her books. The hero and heroine, although total opposites on the outside, are exactly what I love to see in romances, two people don’t seem like they would fit together but have an unexpected and thrilling romance.
The “Goode” family name has been through some hard times in these past few books. Felicity is the “good” one in her family but when her life is in danger from an unknown assailant, she decides to hire a bodyguard. Gabriel Sauvageau has lived a violent life and is the best candidate in keeping her safe. Watching and guarding from a distance, he has been keeping an eye on Felicity and has longed for her from behind the shadows.
Felicity and Gabriel are opposites but are so right for each other. Felicity is the shy, introverted bookworm with anxiety. Gabriel is the disfigured brute of a man who has lived his life in the shadows. What I love about Kerrigan Byrne books is that a lot of her characters believe themselves to be broken. Then either hero, heroine or both realize the other isn’t broken but just needs someone to help them through the difficult times. It isn’t about “fixing” one another but just bringing out the best in each other but also recognizing the “bad” as well as the good. This is what I love about her books.
The romance was so heart-melting and heart-racing. Felicity has a hard time being around men but Gabriel, not exactly looking like the friendliest puppy, doesn’t scare her. She is drawn to him. She feels safe around him. Gabriel feels he will never deserve to be in her light. Felicity and Gabriel have been through bad times but when Gabriel laughs and Felicity can stand up for herself, I know all is as it should be. When they look into each other’s eyes and accept not only each other but themselves I was brought to tears.
The plot was so good because I had no idea who was after Felicity. Was Felicity even the target? It was interesting mystery and ended in a way I absolutely did not see coming which I love. I was always wondering why there were three more books in this series and now I know why. I. Can’t. Wait.
*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The “Goode” family name has been through some hard times in these past few books. Felicity is the “good” one in her family but when her life is in danger from an unknown assailant, she decides to hire a bodyguard. Gabriel Sauvageau has lived a violent life and is the best candidate in keeping her safe. Watching and guarding from a distance, he has been keeping an eye on Felicity and has longed for her from behind the shadows.
Felicity and Gabriel are opposites but are so right for each other. Felicity is the shy, introverted bookworm with anxiety. Gabriel is the disfigured brute of a man who has lived his life in the shadows. What I love about Kerrigan Byrne books is that a lot of her characters believe themselves to be broken. Then either hero, heroine or both realize the other isn’t broken but just needs someone to help them through the difficult times. It isn’t about “fixing” one another but just bringing out the best in each other but also recognizing the “bad” as well as the good. This is what I love about her books.
The romance was so heart-melting and heart-racing. Felicity has a hard time being around men but Gabriel, not exactly looking like the friendliest puppy, doesn’t scare her. She is drawn to him. She feels safe around him. Gabriel feels he will never deserve to be in her light. Felicity and Gabriel have been through bad times but when Gabriel laughs and Felicity can stand up for herself, I know all is as it should be. When they look into each other’s eyes and accept not only each other but themselves I was brought to tears.
The plot was so good because I had no idea who was after Felicity. Was Felicity even the target? It was interesting mystery and ended in a way I absolutely did not see coming which I love. I was always wondering why there were three more books in this series and now I know why. I. Can’t. Wait.
*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
April 23, 2021
I've been in a terrible book slump. Who better to break that than the author who never lets me down with her stories. She sets this book up so well in the third one that I've been chomping at the bit to get it.
Gabriel has had terrible things done to him and done terrible things. He feels that he has lost all of his humanity, but there is one person who offers him a glimmer of hope. Felicity. She allows Gabriel to come out of the shadows and bask in her light and goodness.
Man, this book didn't disappoint me at all. It's perfect. I love this trope where the hero is the protector because the heroine needs him, and while Gabriel is dark, he is still comes across as so gentle and loving towards Felicity. I felt this story was extremely romantic. I kept bookmarking these wonderful lines that Kerrigan writes to convey their love. Nobody, I mean nobody, writes like her. It always hits me right in the feels. I love this series, but this one was probably my favorite so far.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Gabriel has had terrible things done to him and done terrible things. He feels that he has lost all of his humanity, but there is one person who offers him a glimmer of hope. Felicity. She allows Gabriel to come out of the shadows and bask in her light and goodness.
Man, this book didn't disappoint me at all. It's perfect. I love this trope where the hero is the protector because the heroine needs him, and while Gabriel is dark, he is still comes across as so gentle and loving towards Felicity. I felt this story was extremely romantic. I kept bookmarking these wonderful lines that Kerrigan writes to convey their love. Nobody, I mean nobody, writes like her. It always hits me right in the feels. I love this series, but this one was probably my favorite so far.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2021
What an absolutely delightful story. Loved everything about it. The story, hero-heroine, their big but colorful family and the mystery.
Gabriel was such big, softhearted brute. I loved how smitten was he with heroine. He worshipped her. And Felicity deserved it. She was a total sweetheart!
Both of them were virgins which I loved.
The book was very well written too.
Safe and recommended.
Gabriel was such big, softhearted brute. I loved how smitten was he with heroine. He worshipped her. And Felicity deserved it. She was a total sweetheart!
Both of them were virgins which I loved.
The book was very well written too.
Safe and recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 631 reviews