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Devil You Know #3
The Devil in Her Bed
He lives in secret service to the Crown—a man of duty, deception, and an undeniable attraction to a woman who threatens to tear his whole world apart.
They call him the Devil of Dorset. He stands alone, a man of undeniable power. Moving in and out of shadows, back alleys and ballrooms, he is unstoppable and one of the Crown’s most dangerous weapons. However, when he sets his sights on the undeniably beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, he doesn’t realize that he has met a match like no other.
TRUE LOVE WEARS NO DISGUISE
Francesca is a countess by day and stalks her prey—those responsible for the death of her family—by night. What she does not expect is to be thrown into the path of the devil himself, the Earl of Devlin. She has secrets of her own and he seems determined to lay them bare. Can her heart survive finding the love of her life and losing him when all is revealed?
“Romantic, lush, and suspenseful.”—New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Enoch
They call him the Devil of Dorset. He stands alone, a man of undeniable power. Moving in and out of shadows, back alleys and ballrooms, he is unstoppable and one of the Crown’s most dangerous weapons. However, when he sets his sights on the undeniably beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, he doesn’t realize that he has met a match like no other.
TRUE LOVE WEARS NO DISGUISE
Francesca is a countess by day and stalks her prey—those responsible for the death of her family—by night. What she does not expect is to be thrown into the path of the devil himself, the Earl of Devlin. She has secrets of her own and he seems determined to lay them bare. Can her heart survive finding the love of her life and losing him when all is revealed?
“Romantic, lush, and suspenseful.”—New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Enoch
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2021
224 people are currently reading
3507 people want to read
About the author
Kerrigan Byrne
71 books5,025 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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 748 reviews
February 17, 2021
I am just a little bit devastated I didn't love this one. I had such high hopes for Francesca ever since she was introduced in book 1, and I loved the setup for her romance in book 2. You can probably guess who the mysterious "Devil of Dorset" is from the ending of All Scot and Bothered. I have one main reason why I was disappointed by this (which I'll get into below), but I will say that even though it's my least favorite of the series, I was still hooked onto the pages. Kerrigan Byrne always writes sexy, exciting, almost suspenseful historical romances with fantastic heroines and antiheroes, and The Devil In Her Bed hit the spot regarding that.
Francesca is the last of the 3 Red Rogues to get her story and she's always been the most mysterious one. She lives her life as a Countess, but it turns out her true goal in life is to get revenge against the people who killed her family and the people her family worked for. Francesca has a secret past full of murder and deceit, and she's so much more than she seems. She's a fierce, strong, intelligent heroine I loved pretty much from the start. And one of my favorite parts about this series is the wonderful female friendship between Francesca, Cecelia, and Alexandra, so I was happy to get even more of that brilliant friendship in this book.
Our hero goes by so many names that I don't even know what to call him without slightly spoiling things, lol. His identity isn't that much of a secret if you've kept up with the series, and the prologue gives you a good sense of who he is anyway. He's still an intriguing character – he's dark, tortured by his past, and works as a spy for the government. All of those things should've made me love him, but the main reason I couldn't get into the romance as much as I wanted to was that this hero thinks Francesca is someone else for almost the entire book. So it was hard for me to buy that he loved Francesca for her, rather than for someone else. I don't blame him for thinking she's someone else because of her hidden identity, but he kept going on and on about being in love with this person from his past that I just wasn't sold enough on him loving the real Francesca.
I'm sad the ending to this series didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I'll still be reading anything Kerrigan Byrne writes. I love her storytelling and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!
***
One of my most anticipated historical romances this year 😍
Francesca is the last of the 3 Red Rogues to get her story and she's always been the most mysterious one. She lives her life as a Countess, but it turns out her true goal in life is to get revenge against the people who killed her family and the people her family worked for. Francesca has a secret past full of murder and deceit, and she's so much more than she seems. She's a fierce, strong, intelligent heroine I loved pretty much from the start. And one of my favorite parts about this series is the wonderful female friendship between Francesca, Cecelia, and Alexandra, so I was happy to get even more of that brilliant friendship in this book.
Our hero goes by so many names that I don't even know what to call him without slightly spoiling things, lol. His identity isn't that much of a secret if you've kept up with the series, and the prologue gives you a good sense of who he is anyway. He's still an intriguing character – he's dark, tortured by his past, and works as a spy for the government. All of those things should've made me love him, but the main reason I couldn't get into the romance as much as I wanted to was that this hero thinks Francesca is someone else for almost the entire book. So it was hard for me to buy that he loved Francesca for her, rather than for someone else. I don't blame him for thinking she's someone else because of her hidden identity, but he kept going on and on about being in love with this person from his past that I just wasn't sold enough on him loving the real Francesca.
I'm sad the ending to this series didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I'll still be reading anything Kerrigan Byrne writes. I love her storytelling and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!
***
One of my most anticipated historical romances this year 😍
March 13, 2021
TW for murder and loss of loved ones.
Going into this one, I was aware that some of my friends weren't loving it. So I lowered some of my expectations and, I have to say, I was left wanting a bit more from this romance.
As usual with Kerrigan Byrne, we have a super emotional beginning and our heroine ends up taking on the identity of a countess that died so that she would have the means to live and get revenge on those who killed everyone she loves. The whole book is about Francesca trying to figure out who was behind killing her family. The hero is someone from her past and he spends THE ENTIRE book thinking she's actually Francesca. She tries to tell him a few times but he always conveniently cuts her off and changes the topic of conversation. Literally it isn't until over 90% in the book when she finally reveals her true identify of who she is, even after he confesses his true identity to her. I really wish she had told the hero much earlier on because it seemed like he was super angry when she finally told him and then got over it way too quickly because there just wasn't much of the book left.
As for the plot, it was just fine, but thinking back it doesn't seem like that much actually happened. This took me FOREVER to get through because nothing about the plot was really pulling me in and making me have to read it. I did love how our two main characters were spies and how we finally got to learn more about the hero's past and who he was. I liked how they fought a lot (those fight scenes were so fun) and Francesca really held her own and a strong and independent woman. With all of that, though, I just didn't find myself interested in the story.
While I wanted to love this one, it was probably my least favorite of the series.
Going into this one, I was aware that some of my friends weren't loving it. So I lowered some of my expectations and, I have to say, I was left wanting a bit more from this romance.
As usual with Kerrigan Byrne, we have a super emotional beginning and our heroine ends up taking on the identity of a countess that died so that she would have the means to live and get revenge on those who killed everyone she loves. The whole book is about Francesca trying to figure out who was behind killing her family. The hero is someone from her past and he spends THE ENTIRE book thinking she's actually Francesca. She tries to tell him a few times but he always conveniently cuts her off and changes the topic of conversation. Literally it isn't until over 90% in the book when she finally reveals her true identify of who she is, even after he confesses his true identity to her. I really wish she had told the hero much earlier on because it seemed like he was super angry when she finally told him and then got over it way too quickly because there just wasn't much of the book left.
As for the plot, it was just fine, but thinking back it doesn't seem like that much actually happened. This took me FOREVER to get through because nothing about the plot was really pulling me in and making me have to read it. I did love how our two main characters were spies and how we finally got to learn more about the hero's past and who he was. I liked how they fought a lot (those fight scenes were so fun) and Francesca really held her own and a strong and independent woman. With all of that, though, I just didn't find myself interested in the story.
While I wanted to love this one, it was probably my least favorite of the series.
December 16, 2020
The Devil in disguise…
I’m so happy with how The Devil in Her Bed turned out but I admit that it was a slow-building kind of happiness. This is Kerrigan Byrne at her best. She messes with my mind, mucks around with my heart, and makes me question my preconceived ideas. I can now admit to my bias at having a confident, outspoken, and deceptive historical romance heroine. It seemed out of place and bordering on (the dreaded term) ‘too modern’ for a woman of her time. As the story progresses though, we know that her circumstances are far from normal. It becomes completely believable for a woman to have power over men and their baser needs, and to wield it.
I absolutely loved the feeling this story provoked in me. I felt protective of Francesca, Ferdinand, Pippa, and Chandler and was devastated at the horror they faced. Again, I admired the Red Rogues for their dedication to each other. Redmayne and Ramsay are the perfect partners for Alex and Cecil, and I loved that we get lots of interactions with them. Francesca’s strength and perseverance made her a heroine I respected and became one of my very favourite characters.
Francesca surprised me, to be honest. I’m not normally a fan of independent and stubborn heroines, but in this case, her independence and stubbornness weren’t to the detriment of others. This chick could hold her own. She is confident in her abilities to defend herself and Francesca always went in fully prepared for what she would face. It was great that Chandler was her accomplice…even though he wanted to be her protector.
Another surprise…Chandler went nearly the whole book before he went numbskull on me. Silly duffer was acting like a complete hypocrite. Sure, he eventually comes good, but for about 2.5 seconds I wanted Francesca to tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine. All good. He’s sexy, smart, and intelligent and he loves Francesca even when she’s being stubborn and obstinate. I can forgive him for being a twit for those 2.5 seconds.
The storyline was captivating, and I loved that there were plenty of times I was surprised by the secrets being revealed. We are exposed to a scene that’s a wee bit kinky but it’s more from an observation perspective that being in the thick (wink, wink) of things. The sexy times were HOT but there weren’t too many scenes and they were never over the top.
This is my favourite kind of historical romance and the exact reason why I’m such a fan of Kerrigan Byrne. There’s a touch of darkness which is a great contrast to the light at the end of the journey. The women in this series are strong and have overcome heartache, devastation and loss to find their happiness. The heroes are bossy, demanding and very protective of the women they fall in love with. This protectiveness has spread to all of the Red Rogues and I loved Ramsey’s defence of Francesca when Chandler was being a douchewaffle. They are a family of their own making.
If you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend going back to #1 in the Devil You Know series. If you haven’t read a historical romance by Kerrigan Byrne…DO IT!! You can thank me later. 😉
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I’m so happy with how The Devil in Her Bed turned out but I admit that it was a slow-building kind of happiness. This is Kerrigan Byrne at her best. She messes with my mind, mucks around with my heart, and makes me question my preconceived ideas. I can now admit to my bias at having a confident, outspoken, and deceptive historical romance heroine. It seemed out of place and bordering on (the dreaded term) ‘too modern’ for a woman of her time. As the story progresses though, we know that her circumstances are far from normal. It becomes completely believable for a woman to have power over men and their baser needs, and to wield it.
I absolutely loved the feeling this story provoked in me. I felt protective of Francesca, Ferdinand, Pippa, and Chandler and was devastated at the horror they faced. Again, I admired the Red Rogues for their dedication to each other. Redmayne and Ramsay are the perfect partners for Alex and Cecil, and I loved that we get lots of interactions with them. Francesca’s strength and perseverance made her a heroine I respected and became one of my very favourite characters.
Francesca surprised me, to be honest. I’m not normally a fan of independent and stubborn heroines, but in this case, her independence and stubbornness weren’t to the detriment of others. This chick could hold her own. She is confident in her abilities to defend herself and Francesca always went in fully prepared for what she would face. It was great that Chandler was her accomplice…even though he wanted to be her protector.
Another surprise…Chandler went nearly the whole book before he went numbskull on me. Silly duffer was acting like a complete hypocrite. Sure, he eventually comes good, but for about 2.5 seconds I wanted Francesca to tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine. All good. He’s sexy, smart, and intelligent and he loves Francesca even when she’s being stubborn and obstinate. I can forgive him for being a twit for those 2.5 seconds.
The storyline was captivating, and I loved that there were plenty of times I was surprised by the secrets being revealed. We are exposed to a scene that’s a wee bit kinky but it’s more from an observation perspective that being in the thick (wink, wink) of things. The sexy times were HOT but there weren’t too many scenes and they were never over the top.
This is my favourite kind of historical romance and the exact reason why I’m such a fan of Kerrigan Byrne. There’s a touch of darkness which is a great contrast to the light at the end of the journey. The women in this series are strong and have overcome heartache, devastation and loss to find their happiness. The heroes are bossy, demanding and very protective of the women they fall in love with. This protectiveness has spread to all of the Red Rogues and I loved Ramsey’s defence of Francesca when Chandler was being a douchewaffle. They are a family of their own making.
If you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend going back to #1 in the Devil You Know series. If you haven’t read a historical romance by Kerrigan Byrne…DO IT!! You can thank me later. 😉
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
May 3, 2021
DNF at page 181, 50%.
I just can’t do it. I can’t get into this one.
It’s not necessarily the writing because I’ve read Kerrigan Byrne books before and loved quite a few.
She can write great action packed historical romance books. And her tortured, dark characters are interesting, intriguing, and you're hoping for a happy ending for them all!
But in The Devil in Her Bed, I don’t like the main character of Francesca. I have tried.
I’ve read 50% of the book trying to like her and I still don’t care about her.
In fact, I would like to punch her in the face.
She’s drama.
And not in the funny, cute type that you’ll snicker at and hope for the best.
She’s the type of drama that you don’t care for. If she burns all of her bridges and gets killed, oh well.
About 3 to 4 years ago, I finally accepted the sentiment,
"You don’t have to finish every book.
If you still don’t like it after 100-150 pages, let it go."
Just. Let. It. Go!
In fact, there are so many books that I’m excited to read next, I won’t even think about The Devil in Her Bed a week from now.
I just hope that the next Byrne book that I read, I’ll actually finish it and like the female character enough to care about her safety and happiness.
I just can’t do it. I can’t get into this one.
It’s not necessarily the writing because I’ve read Kerrigan Byrne books before and loved quite a few.
She can write great action packed historical romance books. And her tortured, dark characters are interesting, intriguing, and you're hoping for a happy ending for them all!
But in The Devil in Her Bed, I don’t like the main character of Francesca. I have tried.
I’ve read 50% of the book trying to like her and I still don’t care about her.
In fact, I would like to punch her in the face.
She’s drama.
And not in the funny, cute type that you’ll snicker at and hope for the best.
She’s the type of drama that you don’t care for. If she burns all of her bridges and gets killed, oh well.
About 3 to 4 years ago, I finally accepted the sentiment,
"You don’t have to finish every book.
If you still don’t like it after 100-150 pages, let it go."
Just. Let. It. Go!
In fact, there are so many books that I’m excited to read next, I won’t even think about The Devil in Her Bed a week from now.
I just hope that the next Byrne book that I read, I’ll actually finish it and like the female character enough to care about her safety and happiness.
April 10, 2021
I have to say, on the one hand, it's refreshing for the male of the pairing to be the drama queen. But on the other hand.. wow, drama queen.
I think I've said in all my reviews that the highlight of this series is the strong female characters, and the friendships, and while I think this one didn't showcase as much of said friendship as the previous installments, we didn't really need it to. It had been well established. And it was actually sweeter to see the heroes from books one and two step into the limelight to support not only their partners but book three's heroine, too. We love a supportive friend group.
As for this book's hero, well. My complaint in book two was that character lacked the dimension of book one but I feel like this time Byrne went too far in giving this hero layers and angst. See aforementioned drama. But my struggle was also the dynamic of this relationship was complicated from the word go, with hidden identities and secrets, and nothing really made sense.. romantically. The sudden shift didn't make sense and it felt like some revisionist history was shoved down our throats to conveniently make it all work and I'll admit I didn't swallow, I choked.
What also didn't quite work for me was the big reveal of this secret society that was such a driving force behind all of the books leading upto this big confrontation. I appreciate that it's sort've addressed on-page to be pointless and frustratingly simple and or stupid but still.. I struggled with this.
The first half of this book is why this rating isn't lower. I felt it to be pretty strong, even if I rolled my eyes at some of the hero's behaviour and dramatic internal monologuing. Seeing the lengths the heroine was going, had already gone, for revenge, for those she loved; what she had turned herself into, become, and without knowing the how or why (at the time), it was also rather lovely to see how the hero appreciated it. Even if he was suspicious. Additionally I was definitely swept away by some of the chemistry and pull between these two before some of the masks came off. All of that really saved this. And with a weaker heroine it wouldn't have worked at all.. but she was truly the saving grace for this story and pairing; which is definitely the theme for most of this series. Sisters really are doing it for themselves. We love to see it.
While this wasn't an all-around win, rarely does Byrne disappoint to the point where I find no enjoyment at all in her stories. And I'm forever here for how she always gives us fierce heroines to champion. And that's just one reason I will continue to read this author.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I think I've said in all my reviews that the highlight of this series is the strong female characters, and the friendships, and while I think this one didn't showcase as much of said friendship as the previous installments, we didn't really need it to. It had been well established. And it was actually sweeter to see the heroes from books one and two step into the limelight to support not only their partners but book three's heroine, too. We love a supportive friend group.
As for this book's hero, well. My complaint in book two was that character lacked the dimension of book one but I feel like this time Byrne went too far in giving this hero layers and angst. See aforementioned drama. But my struggle was also the dynamic of this relationship was complicated from the word go, with hidden identities and secrets, and nothing really made sense.. romantically. The sudden shift didn't make sense and it felt like some revisionist history was shoved down our throats to conveniently make it all work and I'll admit I didn't swallow, I choked.
What also didn't quite work for me was the big reveal of this secret society that was such a driving force behind all of the books leading upto this big confrontation. I appreciate that it's sort've addressed on-page to be pointless and frustratingly simple and or stupid but still.. I struggled with this.
The first half of this book is why this rating isn't lower. I felt it to be pretty strong, even if I rolled my eyes at some of the hero's behaviour and dramatic internal monologuing. Seeing the lengths the heroine was going, had already gone, for revenge, for those she loved; what she had turned herself into, become, and without knowing the how or why (at the time), it was also rather lovely to see how the hero appreciated it. Even if he was suspicious. Additionally I was definitely swept away by some of the chemistry and pull between these two before some of the masks came off. All of that really saved this. And with a weaker heroine it wouldn't have worked at all.. but she was truly the saving grace for this story and pairing; which is definitely the theme for most of this series. Sisters really are doing it for themselves. We love to see it.
While this wasn't an all-around win, rarely does Byrne disappoint to the point where I find no enjoyment at all in her stories. And I'm forever here for how she always gives us fierce heroines to champion. And that's just one reason I will continue to read this author.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Read
May 9, 2021 2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a little less than just alright for me. I was excited to get her story after reading the other two books in the series even though I’m typically not a huge fan of revenge themed stories. I’m also not a big fan of relationships based on deception. I guess I really just wanted to read this to get some closure for the series, and I was sadly disappointed. I was really bugged by the fact that . The conflict for the couple doesn’t come until ~92% and it is resolved at ~97%. It was a huge conflict IMO! Not nearly enough time for a complete 180 and everything to be a-okay. And without an actual HEA?! Yeah, this ticked me off...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Francesca and Chandler’s story. Francesca is the last red rogue to settle down and be in a relationship, but she is not interested in finding a man but the people responsible for the deaths of her family and friends. She is on the pursuit for revenge. Chandler is a spy for the Queen and is on the same pursuit as Francesca, so their paths cross several times. They soon realize a connection to the past and give in to their attraction while trying to solve the mystery...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Francesca and Chandler in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not the best and especially frustrating in the last part (see above). I skimmed some when it didn’t seem to be all that relevant to the story.
Instalove: No, but feelings were already established before this story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 2.5/3 stars. Chandler. I’m torn about him. I liked him but I also didn’t when he was cruel to the h.
h (heroine) rating: 3/3.5 stars. Francesca. I’m torn about her too. I liked her strength and her will, but I also wanted her to demand better treatment.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place for the couple but with what I would call a HFN ending . I still had many unanswered questions and the resolution came way to fast for me to feel happy with the ending.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was a little less than just alright for me. I was excited to get her story after reading the other two books in the series even though I’m typically not a huge fan of revenge themed stories. I’m also not a big fan of relationships based on deception. I guess I really just wanted to read this to get some closure for the series, and I was sadly disappointed. I was really bugged by the fact that . The conflict for the couple doesn’t come until ~92% and it is resolved at ~97%. It was a huge conflict IMO! Not nearly enough time for a complete 180 and everything to be a-okay. And without an actual HEA?! Yeah, this ticked me off...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Francesca and Chandler’s story. Francesca is the last red rogue to settle down and be in a relationship, but she is not interested in finding a man but the people responsible for the deaths of her family and friends. She is on the pursuit for revenge. Chandler is a spy for the Queen and is on the same pursuit as Francesca, so their paths cross several times. They soon realize a connection to the past and give in to their attraction while trying to solve the mystery...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Francesca and Chandler in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not the best and especially frustrating in the last part (see above). I skimmed some when it didn’t seem to be all that relevant to the story.
Instalove: No, but feelings were already established before this story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 2.5/3 stars. Chandler. I’m torn about him. I liked him but I also didn’t when he was cruel to the h.
h (heroine) rating: 3/3.5 stars. Francesca. I’m torn about her too. I liked her strength and her will, but I also wanted her to demand better treatment.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place for the couple but with what I would call a HFN ending . I still had many unanswered questions and the resolution came way to fast for me to feel happy with the ending.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Read
March 22, 20214.25 undercover vengeance seeker stars
This is the final book in the Devil You Know trilogy featuring the last single woman standing from the Red Rogues trio: Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire. Technically, this book can be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading the previous 2 books in the series before this one as there are recurring characters, some history, and hints about the H/h from this story in the other installments.
With both Alexandra and Cecilia in possession of their HEAs, Francesca is feeling a bit like an outsider, but her goal has never been to form relationships: she has been set on avenging the death of her family and closest friends since she escaped the massacre that took all of her loved ones when she was a child. In the pursuit of her goal, she has developed a reputation for being a notorious seductress that occupies many men's beds, but only for one night before moving on to the next. In reality, however, she has been gathering information that has led her to the men she believes were the perpetrators of her family's demise: The Crimson Council triad. The men she has "seduced" (in reality, these are men she has basically "roofied" and left believing they were intimate) have narrowed the field considerably from where she started, and Francesca is very close to getting the answers she has long sought. But once she achieves the retribution she has sought, what will she have left for herself? And can she even be herself as she has hidden her true identity for most of her life?
The Devil of Dorset is no one and anyone... He is part of the unofficial secret service to the Crown, and his ability to become many people has made him invaluable. In the last book, we knew him as the Italian Count that pretended to pursue Cecilia to learn whether or not Ramsay was corrupt, but at the end of the book, he tells the couple that he is actually Devon Chandler... the boy that showed up on the Mont Claire estate barely alive who became a trusted and dedicated worker for the Cavendish family. But no one knows his true identity, and he plans to keep that to himself, at least until he brings justice to the ones that destroyed the family that took him in, including his sweet Francesca. He doesn't believe that the woman that claims to be her truly is that same young girl he remembers, and he is determined to uncover her secrets, but he cannot seem to control his reaction to her that has become nearly all-consuming. Will he expose all of the secrets and lies that have haunted him since childhood? And what will happen when he falls for the woman he believed was dead all these years?
What I liked:
--- Likeable yet flawed MCs that definitely belonged together; they had incredible chemistry that felt palpable
--- The elements of mystery/intrigue were fun to explore, and there was some pretty kinky stuff happening; though I figured everything out along the way, it was still well done in terms of the reveal by the author as things unfolded
--- The plot moved quickly, and I flew through the book
--- Steamy goodness! (Though it was a bit of a slow burn.)
What I didn't like as much:
--- I felt like Chandler was a little too stubborn once everything came to light (I could have understood a few days to sort through things, but a few months was excessive and felt like unnecessary angst which is a pet peeve of mine); also, it was entirely hypocritical since he was angry with Francesca for things he was equally guilty of
--- There were a couple of plot holes... MAJOR
Overall, this was a solid ending to a fun trilogy about three lifelong friends who never lost sight of themselves and found men that appreciated their intelligence and independent spirits, and ultimately accepted them for who they were.
As a note, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot --- 4.25/5
Main Charac2ters --- 4.25/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3/5
Violence --- nothing graphic
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
This is the final book in the Devil You Know trilogy featuring the last single woman standing from the Red Rogues trio: Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire. Technically, this book can be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading the previous 2 books in the series before this one as there are recurring characters, some history, and hints about the H/h from this story in the other installments.
With both Alexandra and Cecilia in possession of their HEAs, Francesca is feeling a bit like an outsider, but her goal has never been to form relationships: she has been set on avenging the death of her family and closest friends since she escaped the massacre that took all of her loved ones when she was a child. In the pursuit of her goal, she has developed a reputation for being a notorious seductress that occupies many men's beds, but only for one night before moving on to the next. In reality, however, she has been gathering information that has led her to the men she believes were the perpetrators of her family's demise: The Crimson Council triad. The men she has "seduced" (in reality, these are men she has basically "roofied" and left believing they were intimate) have narrowed the field considerably from where she started, and Francesca is very close to getting the answers she has long sought. But once she achieves the retribution she has sought, what will she have left for herself? And can she even be herself as she has hidden her true identity for most of her life?
The Devil of Dorset is no one and anyone... He is part of the unofficial secret service to the Crown, and his ability to become many people has made him invaluable. In the last book, we knew him as the Italian Count that pretended to pursue Cecilia to learn whether or not Ramsay was corrupt, but at the end of the book, he tells the couple that he is actually Devon Chandler... the boy that showed up on the Mont Claire estate barely alive who became a trusted and dedicated worker for the Cavendish family. But no one knows his true identity, and he plans to keep that to himself, at least until he brings justice to the ones that destroyed the family that took him in, including his sweet Francesca. He doesn't believe that the woman that claims to be her truly is that same young girl he remembers, and he is determined to uncover her secrets, but he cannot seem to control his reaction to her that has become nearly all-consuming. Will he expose all of the secrets and lies that have haunted him since childhood? And what will happen when he falls for the woman he believed was dead all these years?
What I liked:
--- Likeable yet flawed MCs that definitely belonged together; they had incredible chemistry that felt palpable
--- The elements of mystery/intrigue were fun to explore, and there was some pretty kinky stuff happening; though I figured everything out along the way, it was still well done in terms of the reveal by the author as things unfolded
--- The plot moved quickly, and I flew through the book
--- Steamy goodness! (Though it was a bit of a slow burn.)
What I didn't like as much:
--- I felt like Chandler was a little too stubborn once everything came to light (I could have understood a few days to sort through things, but a few months was excessive and felt like unnecessary angst which is a pet peeve of mine); also, it was entirely hypocritical since he was angry with Francesca for things he was equally guilty of
--- There were a couple of plot holes... MAJOR
Overall, this was a solid ending to a fun trilogy about three lifelong friends who never lost sight of themselves and found men that appreciated their intelligence and independent spirits, and ultimately accepted them for who they were.
As a note, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Plot --- 4.25/5
Main Charac2ters --- 4.25/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3/5
Violence --- nothing graphic
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
March 8, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
I don't know that I have read a more perfectly put together Historical Romance Trilogy than this one. I don't know how I can separate this one out from the entire Devil You Know Trilogy because it all built on top of each other so well.
I was fortunate enough to receive an eARC for this book not long after reading the 1st and 2nd novel in the series and I think it flowed together so well. With Byrne's trademark darkness, sexiness, and great characters, I was swept away to the world of the Red Rogues and The evil Crimson Council which is really dived into in this novel.
I was so ready to learn more about Pippa/Francesca and I knew from the previous novels dropping hints that her story would gut me. This was so true the Story of Francesca and her revenge is so poignant and she is such a kick ass heroine… I was just entranced. So much so that I started this book the night before Thanksgiving and finished Thanksgiving day as soon as I put my turkey in to roast.
I also knew something was up with certain people we meant along the way. Which I won't spoil here since we are a long ways off from the release but… WOW! Was my diligence paid off.
Francesca is a power house! She was fierce and takes no prisoners. She was tough and strong and could hold her own against Lords, Assassins, and her friend's husbands. She would not be gainsaid in getting vengeance for her loved ones. But she was also clever and alluring.
Our hero… well, I don’t want to say too much about him. I was able to quickly guess who he was.. But it did NOT lessen my enjoyment. I don't think the author is really trying to make his identity a mystery, its more of a mystery about where he has been in the past and why he is watching Francesca. He knows she is an imposter… maybe… and he is obsessed with getting her to admit, while in his bed of course.
As always, this is sexy as hell and full of longing. It may be close to one of her darker novels and the Crimson Counsel is no villain to laugh at. I was scared about what damage they could cause.
All in all, if you have read the other 2, I know you will be continuing. As you should. If you haven't read a Kerrigan Byrne… Please don't start here. Go back and read How to Love a Duke in Ten Days because it will make this book 1000% more satisfying.
But this a 5/5, NO QUESTION!
I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I don't know that I have read a more perfectly put together Historical Romance Trilogy than this one. I don't know how I can separate this one out from the entire Devil You Know Trilogy because it all built on top of each other so well.
I was fortunate enough to receive an eARC for this book not long after reading the 1st and 2nd novel in the series and I think it flowed together so well. With Byrne's trademark darkness, sexiness, and great characters, I was swept away to the world of the Red Rogues and The evil Crimson Council which is really dived into in this novel.
I was so ready to learn more about Pippa/Francesca and I knew from the previous novels dropping hints that her story would gut me. This was so true the Story of Francesca and her revenge is so poignant and she is such a kick ass heroine… I was just entranced. So much so that I started this book the night before Thanksgiving and finished Thanksgiving day as soon as I put my turkey in to roast.
I also knew something was up with certain people we meant along the way. Which I won't spoil here since we are a long ways off from the release but… WOW! Was my diligence paid off.
Francesca is a power house! She was fierce and takes no prisoners. She was tough and strong and could hold her own against Lords, Assassins, and her friend's husbands. She would not be gainsaid in getting vengeance for her loved ones. But she was also clever and alluring.
Our hero… well, I don’t want to say too much about him. I was able to quickly guess who he was.. But it did NOT lessen my enjoyment. I don't think the author is really trying to make his identity a mystery, its more of a mystery about where he has been in the past and why he is watching Francesca. He knows she is an imposter… maybe… and he is obsessed with getting her to admit, while in his bed of course.
As always, this is sexy as hell and full of longing. It may be close to one of her darker novels and the Crimson Counsel is no villain to laugh at. I was scared about what damage they could cause.
All in all, if you have read the other 2, I know you will be continuing. As you should. If you haven't read a Kerrigan Byrne… Please don't start here. Go back and read How to Love a Duke in Ten Days because it will make this book 1000% more satisfying.
But this a 5/5, NO QUESTION!
I can't wait to see what she writes next.
March 7, 2021
Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Monte Claire, is on a secret mission to infiltrate the organization responsible for the massacre of her family years ago. As the sole survivor, she bides her time while plotting revenge and masquerading as a rich, carefree, often promiscuous countess. But appearances can be deceiving. Only the other Red Rogues, her two best friends since childhood and their spouses, know her darkest secret. In short, Francesca is a powerful, justice-wielding warrior - one who is in dismay at having drawn the attention of the man called the Devil of Dorset. Unbeknownst to Francesca, the "Devil" is harboring secrets of his own. One of the Crown's secret weapons, he too is on a mission to expose and bring down the evil Crimson Council. Powerful, protective, gruff, he's a man just as horrified as the Countess at the intense physical attraction sizzling between them. Both loners, neither has the time nor inclination for romance and thus they snarl and snap at each other, denying their attraction and true identities for as long as they can. When secrets escape, chaos ensues and everything comes crashing down. What will happen when their past catches up to them? Who will survive?
The Devil In Her Bed is a dark historical romance overflowing with a wide range of emotion. I love a dark damaged hero and readers certainly get one in the Devil of Dorset whose true identity is in question. They also get a damaged yet strong, determined heroine in Countess Francesca. I enjoyed the tenacity and determination of both characters as they battled wits. Deceit, secrets, danger, passion all combine to drive this suspenseful story at a frantic pace to several revelations that will rock each character's world and surprise some readers. Byrne's brilliant rendering of this powerful story kept me turning pages even after some secrets are revealed - some I guessed, some I didn't. All in all, I found this to be the perfect ending to a fantastic series. The Devil In Her Bed is the third and final book in the Devil You Know trilogy featuring three friends and their search for truth, love and happiness. Since these stories really build upon each other, I highly advise starting with book one and working your way through to this one. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and historical romance.
Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc of this book.
Reviewed posted at Cross My Heart Reviews
The Devil In Her Bed is a dark historical romance overflowing with a wide range of emotion. I love a dark damaged hero and readers certainly get one in the Devil of Dorset whose true identity is in question. They also get a damaged yet strong, determined heroine in Countess Francesca. I enjoyed the tenacity and determination of both characters as they battled wits. Deceit, secrets, danger, passion all combine to drive this suspenseful story at a frantic pace to several revelations that will rock each character's world and surprise some readers. Byrne's brilliant rendering of this powerful story kept me turning pages even after some secrets are revealed - some I guessed, some I didn't. All in all, I found this to be the perfect ending to a fantastic series. The Devil In Her Bed is the third and final book in the Devil You Know trilogy featuring three friends and their search for truth, love and happiness. Since these stories really build upon each other, I highly advise starting with book one and working your way through to this one. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and historical romance.
Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc of this book.
Reviewed posted at Cross My Heart Reviews
January 17, 2021
So good! Awesome story to end the series.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you ever had a love so deep that it consumed you for years or even your entire life? What if that love was unrequited? Or perhaps they simply just didn’t know how you felt. Sometimes love makes us do kind of crazy things.
The story is multi faceted; built on deception, revenge, secrets, friendship, even some suspense and intrigue. The story has so many emotions running around it. I really feel for Francesca but yet you think just get it over with. Tell him how you feel! She did make me a bit nuts a few times!
The author takes us down a wild path. Deep into a dark and crazy world that you don’t think is possible in these times, but it makes sense. Who can you trust and is it the man you gave your heart to years ago? Will he ever forgive you for the deception?
Powerful and captivating, with an ending that you will hold your breath for, Byrne captures the intensity of passion and deep searing love perfectly.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-devil-in...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you ever had a love so deep that it consumed you for years or even your entire life? What if that love was unrequited? Or perhaps they simply just didn’t know how you felt. Sometimes love makes us do kind of crazy things.
The story is multi faceted; built on deception, revenge, secrets, friendship, even some suspense and intrigue. The story has so many emotions running around it. I really feel for Francesca but yet you think just get it over with. Tell him how you feel! She did make me a bit nuts a few times!
The author takes us down a wild path. Deep into a dark and crazy world that you don’t think is possible in these times, but it makes sense. Who can you trust and is it the man you gave your heart to years ago? Will he ever forgive you for the deception?
Powerful and captivating, with an ending that you will hold your breath for, Byrne captures the intensity of passion and deep searing love perfectly.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-devil-in...
March 9, 2021
The Devil in Her Bed was not an enjoyable book for me. I had a really hard time connecting with Francesca and her ways, I'm not sure if this is because I didn't read books 1 & 2. The story starts out really good with a young Francesca and why she seeks revenge but unfortunately it goes downhill quickly after. I love reading romances and this was far from it. I didn't feel any connection between Francesca and Chandler. My biggest issue were the lies, they come together with lies and it continues to the very end. While I believed Francesca's love, I didn't believe Chandlers. Overall The Devil in Her Bed didn't work for me but I am interested in reading books 1 & 2.
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***
May 26, 2021
The Devil In Her Bed is the final book in the trilogy that we have here, and it was so nice to finally reach a conclusion. I will admit this the book I was looking forward to the least. The heroine I knew would be an issue for me and to be honest in the first couple of chapters I wasn't sure if I would keep this book up or would DNF it because this heroine is hard as a stone especially towards men, she is bitter and cold and not the most relatable of heroines. And I was wondering while I was reading the first handful of chapter, how this author would win me over....well the answer is the hero. He was superb in every way and gave off all the delicious alpha vibes. This book also had some "Highwayman" vibes I was totally down for.
Francesca lost the boy she loved and her whole family was murdered and ever since then she has been determined to get her vengeance against those that took everything from her. She goes after men and destroys them in some creative ways while also getting the information that she desperately needs. But then she runs into a man she is not ready for and one who will tear down every defense she has....the Earl of Devlin. Devlin is a man of many facets and works as a spy for the government and is working his way to tearing down a dangerous secret organization but Francesca keeps getting in his way. There is a powerful chemistry between them but he is determined to tear down all her defenses and find out all she knows. But what Devlin and Francesca don't realize, is that they must join forces, come clean with their pasts to destroy their enemy and discover a epic love worth fighting for.
The Devil In Her Bed is basically what the tile infers to be honest. Because our hero is every bit the devil and what a devil. I absolutely adored his character in every way. And he is the reason that I kept up with the book, if it wasn't for him, I would have DNF'd it ....hands down. Francesca took a lot of time to be endeared to and even by the end I never really liked her character all that much. While we see some genuine traits to her character, I never got fully to the point where I could truly like her. The story is pretty intense actually and the plot of what the author builds here definitely will keep you in suspense and on the edge. I never really know what to expect with a novel by KB and I am more than happy to explore books more with her and seeing how she crafts a story. It did become quite a page turner and I was more than content to settle into it.
Overall I found it to be a stunning ending to a emotion craft filled trilogy and what a ending that Kerrigan Byrne has delivered to us. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.
Francesca lost the boy she loved and her whole family was murdered and ever since then she has been determined to get her vengeance against those that took everything from her. She goes after men and destroys them in some creative ways while also getting the information that she desperately needs. But then she runs into a man she is not ready for and one who will tear down every defense she has....the Earl of Devlin. Devlin is a man of many facets and works as a spy for the government and is working his way to tearing down a dangerous secret organization but Francesca keeps getting in his way. There is a powerful chemistry between them but he is determined to tear down all her defenses and find out all she knows. But what Devlin and Francesca don't realize, is that they must join forces, come clean with their pasts to destroy their enemy and discover a epic love worth fighting for.
The Devil In Her Bed is basically what the tile infers to be honest. Because our hero is every bit the devil and what a devil. I absolutely adored his character in every way. And he is the reason that I kept up with the book, if it wasn't for him, I would have DNF'd it ....hands down. Francesca took a lot of time to be endeared to and even by the end I never really liked her character all that much. While we see some genuine traits to her character, I never got fully to the point where I could truly like her. The story is pretty intense actually and the plot of what the author builds here definitely will keep you in suspense and on the edge. I never really know what to expect with a novel by KB and I am more than happy to explore books more with her and seeing how she crafts a story. It did become quite a page turner and I was more than content to settle into it.
Overall I found it to be a stunning ending to a emotion craft filled trilogy and what a ending that Kerrigan Byrne has delivered to us. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.
June 2, 2021
I'm a huge, huge Kerrigan Byrne fan, but The Devil in Her Bed felt underwhelming to me.
I adored the first book in the series and also enjoyed the second, but The Devil in Her Bed is by far the weakest book. I think part of my issue is that the MCs keep so many secrets from each other, right until the end of the story, and communication lacks throughout. Both throw little hissy fits, and it felt like two feral cats in a bag, not like a romance book.
The male MC was also very over the top. I felt like he was too fixated on his idea of what Francesca was like in childhood (or what he thought she was like), and was all up in his feelings far too often. I found him to be broody in a emo way, and I think his chemistry with Francesca was spotty at times.
Francesca was also too private for my tastes. I think the whole magic of this series is the bond between the female friends, and that was very underwhelming in this particular story. I missed their connection and collaborating. Francesca felt like a lone wolf, even when she over romanticized her connection to Chandler.
I enjoyed the exciting plot (though the reveals were both strange, improbable, and anti-climactic all at once), and I always like Kerrigan Byrne's writing style and pacing, but these two MCs didn't do it for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I adored the first book in the series and also enjoyed the second, but The Devil in Her Bed is by far the weakest book. I think part of my issue is that the MCs keep so many secrets from each other, right until the end of the story, and communication lacks throughout. Both throw little hissy fits, and it felt like two feral cats in a bag, not like a romance book.
The male MC was also very over the top. I felt like he was too fixated on his idea of what Francesca was like in childhood (or what he thought she was like), and was all up in his feelings far too often. I found him to be broody in a emo way, and I think his chemistry with Francesca was spotty at times.
Francesca was also too private for my tastes. I think the whole magic of this series is the bond between the female friends, and that was very underwhelming in this particular story. I missed their connection and collaborating. Francesca felt like a lone wolf, even when she over romanticized her connection to Chandler.
I enjoyed the exciting plot (though the reveals were both strange, improbable, and anti-climactic all at once), and I always like Kerrigan Byrne's writing style and pacing, but these two MCs didn't do it for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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January 25, 2022
Dark, gritty, angsty, powerful and hot as hell. Alpha Hero devil of many disguises meets fiery, capable, impressively skilled heroine and both are forces to be reckoned with. Gripping scenes and heartachingly beautiful writing. An emotional, adventurous, and passionate read. No one can touch the heart, head and soul like Kerrigan Byrne.
...A powerful end to an amazing series.
...A powerful end to an amazing series.
October 23, 2022
Known by many names, the so-called Devil of Dorset is an enigma even to those who know him. A skilled spy, he is one of the Crown’s most lethal weapons but in Francesca Cavendish, the Countess of Mont Claire, he may have found someone who can match him.
Francesca uses her position in society to bring herself ever closer to the secret group responsible for the deaths of every member of her family. She’s worked toward this goal for years but is unprepared to catch the eye of the truly evil Earl of Devlin. She has her own secrets to keep and may be in over her head here, but she’s not prepared to find the love of her life alive again, or accept his help, especially when the truth will likely drive him away.
This book was very much a mixed bag for me. I loved the concept and Chandler made for an excellent and many-layered tortured hero, but Francesca was rather a let down as a heroine. Chandler’s pain was actually rather worse than hers all told, but she fell into the trap of believing herself to be the only person with a truly painful past, or at least that’s how she came across. Francesca was quick to believe any disagreement she encountered was merely derived from a man underestimating her because she was a woman. Of course, this was not always the case and because of this arrogance, a criminal was able to escape imprisonment and she nearly ruined a raid set to bring down the corrupt secret society she’d been hunting, all because she had zero faith in Chandler, or anyone else for that matter, to do their jobs better than she could, despite their superior experience. This just struck me as hubris, especially since she kept repeating this behavior and never learned and it made her difficult to like. Despite this, Francesca’s plight was one I could get behind and I rooted for her success, but her determination to do everything alone meant she got in her own way more often than not.
What really got me though was that Francesca’s intended portrayal as a strong heroine just showed her to be more akin to a playground bully, responding with violence to anything with which she disagreed. At one point she even punches Chandler in the face after an intimate, loving encounter devolves into a rather minor argument. He excuses her by reasoning that she held back and wasn’t really trying to hurt him, but for me this is still domestic violence, and it wouldn’t be ok if he’d hit her that way so it’s not acceptable for her to do so to him. These aspects of Francesca’s character made it hard to believe she actually loved Chandler and their truth revelation was a long time in coming and then caused the third act separation that I’m just not a fan of. This was not helped by the fact that Chandler spent nearly the entire book believing himself reunited with his childhood love and that was a large pillar of their relationship.
Given Francesca’s contempt for all men, even her best friends’ husbands, her rapidly rekindled love for Chandler felt just a bit insincere. I was incredibly invested in the suspense aspect here and in Chandler’s backstory. I loved this concept, but the romance was a bit lacking, especially since these two came together like crashing waves and their relationship remained quite volatile rather than really becoming sweet. That worked for them; however, it just wasn’t that romantic and I wish Chandler had gotten a bit more recognition and acknowledgement of his pain from Francesca. Overall, this book gave me mixed feelings, but I did enjoy the story and would say it’s not to be missed.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Francesca uses her position in society to bring herself ever closer to the secret group responsible for the deaths of every member of her family. She’s worked toward this goal for years but is unprepared to catch the eye of the truly evil Earl of Devlin. She has her own secrets to keep and may be in over her head here, but she’s not prepared to find the love of her life alive again, or accept his help, especially when the truth will likely drive him away.
This book was very much a mixed bag for me. I loved the concept and Chandler made for an excellent and many-layered tortured hero, but Francesca was rather a let down as a heroine. Chandler’s pain was actually rather worse than hers all told, but she fell into the trap of believing herself to be the only person with a truly painful past, or at least that’s how she came across. Francesca was quick to believe any disagreement she encountered was merely derived from a man underestimating her because she was a woman. Of course, this was not always the case and because of this arrogance, a criminal was able to escape imprisonment and she nearly ruined a raid set to bring down the corrupt secret society she’d been hunting, all because she had zero faith in Chandler, or anyone else for that matter, to do their jobs better than she could, despite their superior experience. This just struck me as hubris, especially since she kept repeating this behavior and never learned and it made her difficult to like. Despite this, Francesca’s plight was one I could get behind and I rooted for her success, but her determination to do everything alone meant she got in her own way more often than not.
What really got me though was that Francesca’s intended portrayal as a strong heroine just showed her to be more akin to a playground bully, responding with violence to anything with which she disagreed. At one point she even punches Chandler in the face after an intimate, loving encounter devolves into a rather minor argument. He excuses her by reasoning that she held back and wasn’t really trying to hurt him, but for me this is still domestic violence, and it wouldn’t be ok if he’d hit her that way so it’s not acceptable for her to do so to him. These aspects of Francesca’s character made it hard to believe she actually loved Chandler and their truth revelation was a long time in coming and then caused the third act separation that I’m just not a fan of. This was not helped by the fact that Chandler spent nearly the entire book believing himself reunited with his childhood love and that was a large pillar of their relationship.
Given Francesca’s contempt for all men, even her best friends’ husbands, her rapidly rekindled love for Chandler felt just a bit insincere. I was incredibly invested in the suspense aspect here and in Chandler’s backstory. I loved this concept, but the romance was a bit lacking, especially since these two came together like crashing waves and their relationship remained quite volatile rather than really becoming sweet. That worked for them; however, it just wasn’t that romantic and I wish Chandler had gotten a bit more recognition and acknowledgement of his pain from Francesca. Overall, this book gave me mixed feelings, but I did enjoy the story and would say it’s not to be missed.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
March 27, 2021
This story begins dark - with the heroine’s family and friends being massacred and their home, Mont Claire Manor, set on fire. Our heroine Pippa Hargrave (age nine), and a Romani woman, Serana, are the only survivors. Serana gives Pippa the idea to take on the identity of her friend Francesca Cavendish (daughter of the Earl of Mont Claire.) She does, and is now heir of the Cavendish fortune with the money to find the men responsible. Twenty years have passed that she’s been seeking vengeance for whoever took part in the massacre. She has two best friends that along with herself call themselves Red Rogues, and with her friends husbands they all want to take down this secret society aka The Crimson Council.
Francesca meets Chandler, the Earl of Devlin. He uses lots of different identities and is a spy for the Crown. He tells Francesca who he really is, but she doesn’t tell him she’s not the real Francesca (for fear of losing him a second time.) He’s also looking for the intruders of the Mont Claire murders, and has been spying on the secret society (aka The Crimson Council) to expose and put them out of existence.
Luther Kenway, Earl of Devlin is next in line as Earl of Mont Claire. He’s the leader of the secret society wanting to take down the British government, and is possibly behind the Mont Claire murders. There’s a dark secret Kenway and Chandler have been keeping from everyone.
I really enjoyed the intrigue behind solving the Mont Claire murders. Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite HEA authors, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Francesca meets Chandler, the Earl of Devlin. He uses lots of different identities and is a spy for the Crown. He tells Francesca who he really is, but she doesn’t tell him she’s not the real Francesca (for fear of losing him a second time.) He’s also looking for the intruders of the Mont Claire murders, and has been spying on the secret society (aka The Crimson Council) to expose and put them out of existence.
Luther Kenway, Earl of Devlin is next in line as Earl of Mont Claire. He’s the leader of the secret society wanting to take down the British government, and is possibly behind the Mont Claire murders. There’s a dark secret Kenway and Chandler have been keeping from everyone.
I really enjoyed the intrigue behind solving the Mont Claire murders. Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite HEA authors, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
February 22, 2021
Series: Devil you Know #3
Publication Date: 3/9/21
Number of Pages: 416
WOW! What an exciting, page flippin’, edge-of-your-seat ending for the delightful series featuring the three lovely ladies from the Red Rogue Society. Each of the ladies in the society – Alexandra (How to Love a Duke in Ten Days), Cecelia (All Scot and Bothered) – and now Francesca have all found their Happily Ever After. While finding those HEAs, they have also managed to put an end to the evil Crimson Council. The story is excellently written, excellently plotted, and so well delivered. You will absolutely love the main characters and the visits by the other ladies of the Society make this wrap-up book even more special.
Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, has spent the last twenty years of her life in pursuit of one thing – REVENGE. She spent her youth training with every master, in every country. She’s skilled in every defensive (and offensive) art you can name and now she is ready – and she’s very, very close to bringing down the Crimson Counsel because they are responsible for the deaths of her entire family – everyone she loved as a young girl. They tried to kill her too – and they would have if it had been for the young boy, Declan Chandler, she loved – the one who saved her just before they killed him. The Crimson Council will pay for those deaths – especially Declan’s – and they’ll pay for all of the harm they have done in the last twenty years while she was preparing herself. She’s ready – her fighting skills are finely honed – her seductive powers are legendary within the ton – and now she knows who the leader is. He’ll go down and he’ll go down hard – right along with the rest of the Crimson Counsel!
Chandler Alquist, the Devil of Dover, is everybody and nobody – a ghost, because he doesn’t exist. He works for the not yet officially formed Secret Service and he’s lethal. He knows his way around every skill known and used by the covert services – from seduction to the lethal. He has names, identities, and homes all across London and England for that matter. If the Crown wants someone eliminated, Chandler is the one they send because he’s as ruthless as they come. Chandler is a lost soul who has lost everything and everyone he’s ever loved – twice over – and now, he’s just an empty shell – a ghost of a man.
If you read the second book in the series, you’ll remember Chandler as the man Ramsey brought in to help save the young girls being held hostage. After reading that, I couldn’t wait to read Chandler and Francesca’s book. Goodness, it was worth waiting for. I loved watching Francesca best Chandler – quite often – in both fighting skills and in planning skills. I loved how completely and fearlessly she loved Declan. And – goodness – when all of their secrets were finally revealed – how differently they each reacted.
Watching Declan and Francesca work together – and separately – was a pure delight and really made the story believable. I think the two things that might have made the story better would have been for him to reconcile his feelings for Pippa earlier and for there to have been an epilogue featuring all of the couples some years in the future. I hope you will give the book a read and enjoy it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 3/9/21
Number of Pages: 416
WOW! What an exciting, page flippin’, edge-of-your-seat ending for the delightful series featuring the three lovely ladies from the Red Rogue Society. Each of the ladies in the society – Alexandra (How to Love a Duke in Ten Days), Cecelia (All Scot and Bothered) – and now Francesca have all found their Happily Ever After. While finding those HEAs, they have also managed to put an end to the evil Crimson Council. The story is excellently written, excellently plotted, and so well delivered. You will absolutely love the main characters and the visits by the other ladies of the Society make this wrap-up book even more special.
Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, has spent the last twenty years of her life in pursuit of one thing – REVENGE. She spent her youth training with every master, in every country. She’s skilled in every defensive (and offensive) art you can name and now she is ready – and she’s very, very close to bringing down the Crimson Counsel because they are responsible for the deaths of her entire family – everyone she loved as a young girl. They tried to kill her too – and they would have if it had been for the young boy, Declan Chandler, she loved – the one who saved her just before they killed him. The Crimson Council will pay for those deaths – especially Declan’s – and they’ll pay for all of the harm they have done in the last twenty years while she was preparing herself. She’s ready – her fighting skills are finely honed – her seductive powers are legendary within the ton – and now she knows who the leader is. He’ll go down and he’ll go down hard – right along with the rest of the Crimson Counsel!
Chandler Alquist, the Devil of Dover, is everybody and nobody – a ghost, because he doesn’t exist. He works for the not yet officially formed Secret Service and he’s lethal. He knows his way around every skill known and used by the covert services – from seduction to the lethal. He has names, identities, and homes all across London and England for that matter. If the Crown wants someone eliminated, Chandler is the one they send because he’s as ruthless as they come. Chandler is a lost soul who has lost everything and everyone he’s ever loved – twice over – and now, he’s just an empty shell – a ghost of a man.
If you read the second book in the series, you’ll remember Chandler as the man Ramsey brought in to help save the young girls being held hostage. After reading that, I couldn’t wait to read Chandler and Francesca’s book. Goodness, it was worth waiting for. I loved watching Francesca best Chandler – quite often – in both fighting skills and in planning skills. I loved how completely and fearlessly she loved Declan. And – goodness – when all of their secrets were finally revealed – how differently they each reacted.
Watching Declan and Francesca work together – and separately – was a pure delight and really made the story believable. I think the two things that might have made the story better would have been for him to reconcile his feelings for Pippa earlier and for there to have been an epilogue featuring all of the couples some years in the future. I hope you will give the book a read and enjoy it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 22, 2024
I’m sure Kerrigan Byrne knows what the plot of this book is but darned if I do, even after reading it. It opened well enough, if horrifically: almost an entire household is murdered. I was able to follow that part. Then things get murky: two accidental survivors work individually for twenty years to exact revenge for the massacre. The FMC, with an assumed identity, does it by training as a ninja assassin and faux-sleeping her way through the ton. The MMC, with many false identities, does it by becoming a spy assassin and sleeping his way through, er, mysterious spy things. This book doesn’t bother with details. The reader is just supposed to accept the plot loopholes and insanities because cartoon plots don’t need ‘em. They just get in the way of the action and sex.
And it’s all written in Kerrigan’s usual overblown and unmodulated hyperbole, which many people love and which I find tiresome.
The story was crap, the sex was good, the relationship between the two main characters suffered from the shadow of a dead little girl, and this author is just not for me.
And it’s all written in Kerrigan’s usual overblown and unmodulated hyperbole, which many people love and which I find tiresome.
The story was crap, the sex was good, the relationship between the two main characters suffered from the shadow of a dead little girl, and this author is just not for me.
December 31, 2020
Kerrigan Byrne's novels are just amazing to me. They are always filled to the brim with sassy and engaging heroines and alpha heroes who give me all the swoons. I was absolutely obsessed with The Devil in Her Bed and could not get enough of Chandler and Francesca.
What I loved more than anything was how empowering and strong Francesca was. She was a woman on a mission and was one of the strongest heroines I have read from Byrne. I also loved the banter between Chandler and Francesca. Their interactions were outright funny but also quite sexy where I could feel the simmering tension between them.
Overall, this story was sexy and suspenseful. I absolutely loved this novel so much! 5 stars! ~Ratula
What I loved more than anything was how empowering and strong Francesca was. She was a woman on a mission and was one of the strongest heroines I have read from Byrne. I also loved the banter between Chandler and Francesca. Their interactions were outright funny but also quite sexy where I could feel the simmering tension between them.
Overall, this story was sexy and suspenseful. I absolutely loved this novel so much! 5 stars! ~Ratula
January 23, 2021
This is a well-written, entertaining, steamy historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, a strong and capable female protagonist, intrigue, mystery, secrets, a hot hero, sizzling chemistry, a heart-warming romance, and a happily ever after ending. This is the third entry in Ms. Byrne's outstanding Devil You Know series, and can easily be enjoyed as a stand alone. The supportive, caring, Red Rogues, and brief glimpses of past events, have piqued my interest in reading their stories.
Net Galley kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Net Galley kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest review.
March 2, 2021
This is the third and final book in the Devil You Know series, and finally we get Francesca's story. Francesca has spent her entire life planning and plotting revenge on the people responsible for murdering her family. She is strategic, cunning, highly trained, and fierce.
She catches the eye of the Devil of Dorset who while sent to investigate her also can not deny his fascination with her.
I loved Francesca's character, she was the highlight for me, so strong and driven, but also willing to be open and vulnerable.
I did enjoy the first third and last third of the book, both were very fast paced and mysterious. However the middle was very slow.
The villain was extremely obvious with no subtlety and a too quickly wrapped up ending.
Unfortunately the romance really didn't work for me and that's ultimately why I gave this three stars. The hero was under the impression she was someone else for the majority of the book so when he actually professed his love for who she actually was at the end it rang hollow and I didn't believe it. Kerrigan is capable of building truly epic romances so I definitely had high expectations and sadly, this didn't deliver for me.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Netgalley.
She catches the eye of the Devil of Dorset who while sent to investigate her also can not deny his fascination with her.
I loved Francesca's character, she was the highlight for me, so strong and driven, but also willing to be open and vulnerable.
I did enjoy the first third and last third of the book, both were very fast paced and mysterious. However the middle was very slow.
The villain was extremely obvious with no subtlety and a too quickly wrapped up ending.
Unfortunately the romance really didn't work for me and that's ultimately why I gave this three stars. The hero was under the impression she was someone else for the majority of the book so when he actually professed his love for who she actually was at the end it rang hollow and I didn't believe it. Kerrigan is capable of building truly epic romances so I definitely had high expectations and sadly, this didn't deliver for me.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Netgalley.
March 4, 2021
Read this review on Fresh Fiction
It has been such a long time since I read a Kerrigan Byrne book, so with her latest release, THE DEVIL IN HER BED, the third book in the Devil You Know series, I thought that I would make a return to her books.
This book has a lot more action than I expected, especially in the beginning. I have some mixed feelings about this because while I think it creates a lot of drama and conflict, it also seemed out of place in some scenes. As a result, I felt the beginning of the book stumbled a bit, but then it finally found its footing toward the end.
I think a lot of people would like Bryne’s writing style because it infuses a lot of dramatic elements into it. So if you’re a fan of authors who focus more on plot rather than characterization, then I think you’ll enjoy this. But since I prefer a focus on the characters, I wasn’t such a big fan of this book as I was expecting to be.
Nevertheless, THE DEVIL IN HER BED does hold a lot of intriguing elements as well as action and suspense, so I would recommend it if you prefer a faster tone to your books.
It has been such a long time since I read a Kerrigan Byrne book, so with her latest release, THE DEVIL IN HER BED, the third book in the Devil You Know series, I thought that I would make a return to her books.
This book has a lot more action than I expected, especially in the beginning. I have some mixed feelings about this because while I think it creates a lot of drama and conflict, it also seemed out of place in some scenes. As a result, I felt the beginning of the book stumbled a bit, but then it finally found its footing toward the end.
I think a lot of people would like Bryne’s writing style because it infuses a lot of dramatic elements into it. So if you’re a fan of authors who focus more on plot rather than characterization, then I think you’ll enjoy this. But since I prefer a focus on the characters, I wasn’t such a big fan of this book as I was expecting to be.
Nevertheless, THE DEVIL IN HER BED does hold a lot of intriguing elements as well as action and suspense, so I would recommend it if you prefer a faster tone to your books.
March 6, 2021
Devilish indeed!
The last unattached member of the Red Rogue Society, Lady Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, is continuing the battle with the Crimson Council. Using her attractions to sway men attached to the group to reveal their secrets.
The story of this strong dangerous woman that is Francesca, how she arrived here is riveting. Past and present intersect with her story to give us a violent, daring epistle laced with hope.
I loved Francesca’s comittment, her fearlessness to avenge those she loved and lost.
I admired the almost ninja / Mata Hari type she’s become in that endeavour, her singleminded focus—a warrior queen. Her ability to remain cool and focused in dangerous situations is part of who she is.
The way she takes charge and makes decisions even in the most passionate of moments is telling.
I was drawn to the ferocity and fire that’s Declan Chandler aka the Devil of Dorset, and the past that has shaped him into the now.
I just wish he’d given time, or they’d both had time for confessions. Always something interrupted that process, naturally building the tension, but I was always silently urging them to listen to each other. They didn’t!
I felt Francesca’s two Rogue sisters could have been more supportive, but I was touched to see Ramsay (Lord Cassius Gerard Ramsay—engaged to Rogue Cecelia) going into bat for Francesca and his acceptance of her.
I felt decidedly queasy at some parts of the story—yet those occasions do form the background of evil at work.
Chandler and Francesca, the tiger and the dragon rise Phoenix like from the ashes of their childhood but it’s a close, hard fought thing.
A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley
The last unattached member of the Red Rogue Society, Lady Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, is continuing the battle with the Crimson Council. Using her attractions to sway men attached to the group to reveal their secrets.
The story of this strong dangerous woman that is Francesca, how she arrived here is riveting. Past and present intersect with her story to give us a violent, daring epistle laced with hope.
I loved Francesca’s comittment, her fearlessness to avenge those she loved and lost.
I admired the almost ninja / Mata Hari type she’s become in that endeavour, her singleminded focus—a warrior queen. Her ability to remain cool and focused in dangerous situations is part of who she is.
The way she takes charge and makes decisions even in the most passionate of moments is telling.
I was drawn to the ferocity and fire that’s Declan Chandler aka the Devil of Dorset, and the past that has shaped him into the now.
I just wish he’d given time, or they’d both had time for confessions. Always something interrupted that process, naturally building the tension, but I was always silently urging them to listen to each other. They didn’t!
I felt Francesca’s two Rogue sisters could have been more supportive, but I was touched to see Ramsay (Lord Cassius Gerard Ramsay—engaged to Rogue Cecelia) going into bat for Francesca and his acceptance of her.
I felt decidedly queasy at some parts of the story—yet those occasions do form the background of evil at work.
Chandler and Francesca, the tiger and the dragon rise Phoenix like from the ashes of their childhood but it’s a close, hard fought thing.
A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley
June 22, 2022
Book sale announcement: On sale for $1.49 on US Amazon Kindle as of 6/21/2022
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2.5-2.75 rounded up
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2.5-2.75 rounded up
February 28, 2021
4.5 Stars!
The Devil in Her Bed was a fantastic ending in the Devil You Know trilogy. This book was the near perfection I felt when reading the first book in the series, but for completely different reasons. First, it gave me a favorite heroine. Who knew that would be Francesca? One of the best! Matched with my favorite secondary character from the previous book and it was couple perfection. Some of their scenes were reminiscent of Pitt/Jolie's, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and it had me grinning from ear to ear. I absolutely loved their verbal and hand-to-hand tête-à-têtes. As well as a little knife and pistol action. Francesca could truly hold her own against the Devil of Dorset.
What also made this a delicious read:
- the slow burn
- the duplicity (what I knew, but they didn't)
- the romantic tension
- the capable and intelligent heroine
- the dark and resilient hero
- and the many tender revelations
Per usual, there were some darker elements to this story in addition to the grim, stage-setting prologue. Although, the prologue wasn't a surprise, since Francesca's back story was alluded to in the previous books. It was the rather sick and twisted Crimson Council that took an even crazier turn as this book wrapped up the mystery and machinations behind the group.
I'm convinced that Byrne had simply been biding her time with the first two books, revealing subtle hints to this finale, while refining and finessing these characters to give her readers the story they’ve been waiting for. I truly hope this isn’t the last we see of this couple. In the very least, cameos in a crossover series.
March 21, 2021
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 rounded to 4
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 books
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 4 butterflies
Romance: 💞💞💞 3 hearts
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 4 kisses
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 4 broken hearts
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ 4 lightnings
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑 5 peaches
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 2 fires
This is the third book for the Devil You Know series. I highly recommend this series is read in order. The character overlap, character development, and the building of the plot over time in the other books I think is important.
The Devil of Dorset works undercover for the crown. His past is a secret, for good reason, and he’s attempting to take down the Crimson Council. His path crosses Francesca’s, who is hunting the same enemy as him, but just as many secrets.
If you’ve read KB before, you have an idea what you’ll get. Emotional scenes, violence, gut wrenching angst before closure, and hot sex. If you are sensitive to content warnings, please beware. (Mine are at the end)
Give this book a try if you:
- Love a book with secrets! Secret plots, secret identities…
- Love an alpha male. He’s a touch jealous and can be a bit of a jerk in some situations.
- Victorian time period – prologue 1872, main story 1892
- Prefer a dark and gritty story
- Childhood love trope
- Moderate steam – this falls in at 2 on the steam scale but there’s also kisses and tension and Byrne writes very explicitly and detailed.
So this was my least favorite of the series. I really loved the heroines from the first two books. They were strong and brave, with just enough backbone when it comes to holding their own with their heroes. But there was something about Francesca I didn’t connect with. She was very forceful and even with trying to understand the pain of her past, she was a touch too cruel and a bit stupid for me in some situations. She was also physical to Chandler on multiple occasions, not a problem to me necessarily, but the way it was done just made her seem unhinged. Although with what she experienced in her past and life, this was probably understandable. As Ramsay says, “She’s stubborn, argumentative, crass, bossy…” And I can’t disagree except he makes it sound like a good thing. I feel like she was very focused on power and was determined to have it over Chandler. She was always fighting him instead of working with him as a team.
Chandler wasn’t without his issues for me too. Maybe it’s because his story was mostly developed towards the end of the book, when I was slightly annoyed, but I didn’t get as attached to him as I would have liked. I don’t mind jerk heroes at all, but some of the things he said were so hurtful and I don’t think he really made up for them. I also hate when another character has to go about setting things right for the couple in the end and that’s rather what happened here. Get it together, Chandler! Figure it out! But, I also loved his obsession with his heroine, I loved his intensity. He literally picks a man up and throws him across the room to get to his heroine. I will always love that.
But the WORST for me were the secrets. Mainly her secret. I am always annoyed when I have to yell at the book “Just tell him/her!!!” and that happened to me for most of the book. I was so disappointed it was left off the very end and even more sad there wasn’t an intimate scene with all secrets revealed. And in a way I felt like I didn't get full closure on all the issues with the Crimson Council too.
Still, this is Byrne and I love her. She has set the bar so high for herself with me. I was still engrossed in the story and enjoyed it. Just not my favorite by her.
Content warnings for
Locations of kisses/sex
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 books
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 4 butterflies
Romance: 💞💞💞 3 hearts
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 4 kisses
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 4 broken hearts
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ 4 lightnings
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑 5 peaches
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 2 fires
This is the third book for the Devil You Know series. I highly recommend this series is read in order. The character overlap, character development, and the building of the plot over time in the other books I think is important.
The Devil of Dorset works undercover for the crown. His past is a secret, for good reason, and he’s attempting to take down the Crimson Council. His path crosses Francesca’s, who is hunting the same enemy as him, but just as many secrets.
If you’ve read KB before, you have an idea what you’ll get. Emotional scenes, violence, gut wrenching angst before closure, and hot sex. If you are sensitive to content warnings, please beware. (Mine are at the end)
Give this book a try if you:
- Love a book with secrets! Secret plots, secret identities…
- Love an alpha male. He’s a touch jealous and can be a bit of a jerk in some situations.
- Victorian time period – prologue 1872, main story 1892
- Prefer a dark and gritty story
- Childhood love trope
- Moderate steam – this falls in at 2 on the steam scale but there’s also kisses and tension and Byrne writes very explicitly and detailed.
So this was my least favorite of the series. I really loved the heroines from the first two books. They were strong and brave, with just enough backbone when it comes to holding their own with their heroes. But there was something about Francesca I didn’t connect with. She was very forceful and even with trying to understand the pain of her past, she was a touch too cruel and a bit stupid for me in some situations. She was also physical to Chandler on multiple occasions, not a problem to me necessarily, but the way it was done just made her seem unhinged. Although with what she experienced in her past and life, this was probably understandable. As Ramsay says, “She’s stubborn, argumentative, crass, bossy…” And I can’t disagree except he makes it sound like a good thing. I feel like she was very focused on power and was determined to have it over Chandler. She was always fighting him instead of working with him as a team.
Chandler wasn’t without his issues for me too. Maybe it’s because his story was mostly developed towards the end of the book, when I was slightly annoyed, but I didn’t get as attached to him as I would have liked. I don’t mind jerk heroes at all, but some of the things he said were so hurtful and I don’t think he really made up for them. I also hate when another character has to go about setting things right for the couple in the end and that’s rather what happened here. Get it together, Chandler! Figure it out! But, I also loved his obsession with his heroine, I loved his intensity. He literally picks a man up and throws him across the room to get to his heroine. I will always love that.
But the WORST for me were the secrets. Mainly her secret. I am always annoyed when I have to yell at the book “Just tell him/her!!!” and that happened to me for most of the book. I was so disappointed it was left off the very end and even more sad there wasn’t an intimate scene with all secrets revealed. And in a way I felt like I didn't get full closure on all the issues with the Crimson Council too.
Still, this is Byrne and I love her. She has set the bar so high for herself with me. I was still engrossed in the story and enjoyed it. Just not my favorite by her.
Content warnings for
Locations of kisses/sex
February 12, 2021
**The Devin in Her Bed generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
4 "None had been as dangerous as the Countess of Mont Claire." Stars
This was definitely my favorite book of the Devil You Know series. Francesca and Chandler had brilliant chemistry and the premise of Kerrigan Byrne's lovely story telling for this book was as intriguing as it was engaging. These two characters have the most interesting back stories that gave the story an illicit and mysterious feel to it all the while having scorching chemistry.
I loved how the previous characters from the first two stories were brought back in this one and how that camaraderie played out from beginning to end in aiding the flow of this one. My favorite part of this one was the strength of this female lead. Francesca conveys a no-nonsense, witty, assertive, and brave female in a time when that "kind" of woman wouldn't be taken overly seriously. I love her plight and and her attitude, her kindness and vulnerability, and how all those pieces complete a compelling feminine puzzle.
Kerrigan Byrne's historical romance stories never cease to entertain. She knows how to expertly match her characters to bring out the best and worst in both of them giving readers a whole and complete picture. While each book in the series can be read as a stand alone, I suggest reading from the beginning for a broader understanding and lots of excellent romance.
4 "None had been as dangerous as the Countess of Mont Claire." Stars
This was definitely my favorite book of the Devil You Know series. Francesca and Chandler had brilliant chemistry and the premise of Kerrigan Byrne's lovely story telling for this book was as intriguing as it was engaging. These two characters have the most interesting back stories that gave the story an illicit and mysterious feel to it all the while having scorching chemistry.
I loved how the previous characters from the first two stories were brought back in this one and how that camaraderie played out from beginning to end in aiding the flow of this one. My favorite part of this one was the strength of this female lead. Francesca conveys a no-nonsense, witty, assertive, and brave female in a time when that "kind" of woman wouldn't be taken overly seriously. I love her plight and and her attitude, her kindness and vulnerability, and how all those pieces complete a compelling feminine puzzle.
Kerrigan Byrne's historical romance stories never cease to entertain. She knows how to expertly match her characters to bring out the best and worst in both of them giving readers a whole and complete picture. While each book in the series can be read as a stand alone, I suggest reading from the beginning for a broader understanding and lots of excellent romance.
December 19, 2020
I have a strong love hate relationship with this novel. One hand I love the revenge plot, betrayal, and steamy plot that kept me glued to the pages. On the other, the relationship between Francesca (who is actually Pippa in disguise) and Declan had me pulling my hair. There was hot sexual chemistry sure… but the majority of the novel, the Devil of Dorset thought Francesca was the girl of his childhood who he loved and lost. While Pippa was someone he had previously referred/thought of as his adopted sister and stated that she would always 'bother' him. So when it was revealed who Francesca really was, Declan's reaction to discovering her deceit made him a new member of my shitlist.
It was quite clear to see Pippa was never a real option for him and he seemed more brokenhearted that he lost his childhood crush than their friendship. It was Francesca this, Francesca that. Pippa never once crossed his mind unless a question was brought up about her. I don't know… his words and actions didn't sit well with me and to be completely honest, I was quite disgusted by his behavior. Pippa deserved better and I was more than a little annoyed how he did a complete 180 at the end of the novel and professed he loved the real Pippa. Ugh. Give me a fucking break. Considering everything that has happened thus far, it was entirely unbelievable and it made me stop caring for the characters altogether. I would have much rather had Ferdinand lived through the stampede and made his proclamation come true by making Pippa a real countess. There was real potential there.
Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable read and would highly recommend to all you historical romance readers out there despite my thoughts on the shit-tastic hero who didn't deserve the love and attention of Pippa.
December 29, 2020
This was a delicious and satisfying read. Crazy chemistry and tension between Francesca and the Devil of Dorset. I love both of their characters, they are both very well written and developed. So many feelings with this one. A wonderful end to the trilogy. I would read it again and again. My only complaint was I found myself skimming stuff about the Crimson counsel but their romance was so good it was worth it.
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