Tempted by the Butler

House of Durand #4.5

by Erin Bedford

When your whole world is falling down around you, who do you turn to for salvation?

Piper has never been the run and hide kind of woman but when her loved ones are being hunted she has no choice to do as she is told.

Or not.

Vampire hunters and threat of exposure weren’t going to keep this maid down. While searching for a way to be more useful to the Durands, Piper discovers things about herself she never knew and an unexpected love along the way. Can Piper find a way to save everyone’s life and space in her heart for someone new?

This is a novella featuring Piper’s lost year while in hiding. To be read after book 4.

This book features a large harem relationship, MMF with M/M

Genres: Vampires, Romance, Fantasy, Why Choose, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Love

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2020

About the author

Erin Bedford is an otaku, recovering coffee addict, and Legend of Zelda fanatic. Her brain is so full of stories that need to be told that she must get them out or explode into a million screaming chibis. Obsessed with fairy tales and bad boys, she hasn’t found a story she can’t twist to match her deviant mind full of innuendos, snarky humor, and dream guys.

On the outside, she’s a work from home mom and bookbinger. One the inside, she’s a thirteen-year-old boy screaming to get out and tell you the pervy joke they found online. As an ex-computer programmer, she dreams of one day combining her love for writing and college credits to make the ultimate video game!

Until then, when she’s not writing, Erin is devouring as many books as possible on her quest to have the biggest book gut of all time. She’s written over thirty books, ranging from paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and even scifi romance.

Also, third person is really weird when writing about yourself. Just putting that out there.

Come chat me up!
www.erinbedford.com
Facebook.com/erinrbedford
twitter.com/erin_bedford

Don’t forget to follow me on Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Reviews

[Ethereal Amorist · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the Durands are in hiding from Vampire hunters, their human servants are left behind to keep them safe. Piper and Darren live together in different places so that they are not hunted too. Tired of feeling useless, Piper applies for number of jobs, since she refuses to touch the money the Durands pay her even when she is not working for them. Amidst discovering new parts of her, the spark between Darren and Piper ignites due to living together. But will they act upon their desires against the Durands wishes?

This is the first book where we get Darren's point of view. I was always wondering if he would be added to Piper's harem and I got my answer now. Six guys so far, since Marcus is yet to be charmed by her. I am kinda in awe of her. Though she is impulsive and impatient, I am coming to love her personality and smartness. I love that she is taking self defence classes and would love to see her in action in the upcoming books.

Darren, who was always quiet and subdued, showed his true personality in this book. I am really disliking the Durands because of how they treated him throughout this book. Darren, the sweetheart he is, takes their shit without complain, ignoring his own needs and desires.

I hope Piper teaches them a lesson soon about the way they treat her and Darren.

I totally enjoyed the slow burn of their relationship, the way they doubted themselves and faced their insecurities, to finally get together.

I am fully invested in the story, in the series, and cannot wait to see what happens next, with all the Durand Vampires in hiding. If you like a why choose, vampire romance with a sassy heroine and infuriatingly likable heroes, then do read the series. It is not a standalone, so you would have to start from the first book - Indebted to the Vampires.

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, looks like Piper has added another man to her harem! Darren feels like a natural addition, even though he’s not one of the vampire brothers. That said, it definitely seemed like he was harder for everyone to accept—and some of them don’t even know yet.

I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The butler

The butler who knew he had it in him. Well we knew some but this really added a whole new dimension to Darren as we knew him. This book was So good. It was cute and hot and reminded me a bit of the first book before things got crazy. I read this one after book four just like it was suggested to read it in the blurb and it slid perfectly into the time line from what I can tell. I'm hoping we get more of Darren and he holds onto his place and the growth that occurred between him & piper in this book. I'm firmly team why choose and hoping he can just fit into the whole group dynamic without any one losing anything. Very good novella would definitely recommend reading after book 4 in the Durands series; or just reading it period if you read the rest of the series and didn't get to this yet.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet and sexy story with Darren and Piper. It takes place between books four and five as they're hiding out and the Durand's are running from the hunters. The author brings the heat in this one as she goes deeper into Darren and with the two getting closer. I'm looking forward to the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this is the perfect novella filler to be read between books 4 & 5! It fills In a lot of gaps whilst the Durands are on the run and piper and Darren are waiting to hear from them. It’s a fun quick read that is also hot and steamy and has some great chemistry.

[Fauna_n_Fiction · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am still unsure as to whether or not this book counts towards the main series. Here, it's listed as #5, but on GoodReads, it's listed as #4.5. Because of this, I actually read a couple chapters into the next book (Loved by the Vampires) before questioning everything and wondering if I missed something. Turns out, I'd missed THIS book... Only, I WISH I'D NEVER READ IT. I HATED THIS. Genuinely, if I didn't like Darren and Antoine (as a pair) as much as I do, I would DNF this whole series.

This entire book is the DESTRUCTION of every character. EVERY character.
Piper: I've NEVER liked Piper and I have no idea what the Durands see in here. She's not an 'unlikable female character' either. She's just a frustrating perspective to be in. She's always LOOKING for reasons to be pissed off with everyone.
Darren: WHY CAN WE NOT JUST LET THIS MAN WEAR SUITS AND GLOVES? WHY IS HE SO WRONG THE WAY HE IS? There is quite literally a scene where he says he will put up with the discomfort Piper has egged him into if it means she will look at him with interest.... (I have more on Darren later, but let me be clear... I LOVE Darren and I'm not upset with him, I am upset with what's being DONE to him) He also becomes uncharacteristically jealous in this (and he isn't the only one)
Wynn: Kinda always been a prick, but he's one of the only Durands in this book.
Rayne: You possessive, whining little boy. I will remind you that Rayne BARELY spoke to Piper in the last book because he was angry she wanted to HELP and went behind his back to do so (This series is FULL of people being WAY angrier than what is called for) and yet he still has the AUDACITY to show up and attack Darren for 'getting cozy' with 'HIS GIRLFRIEND'.
Drake: SOMEHOW the guy I have disliked the MOST until this point is the only tolerable one in this book, even if he is around for like two seconds.

My thoughts are bouncing around in my head and I am going to end up making no sense unless I try to break it down.

My favourite part of this series thus far has been Darren and Antoine, specifically their relationship WITH EACH OTHER!
This book seemed DEAD SET on shitting on Darren at any given opportunity. EVERYONE seems to HATE him all of a sudden, even though he was perfect the way he WAS! Even PIPER (who we're supposed to believe has slowly fallen in love with him) INSISTS that he change key aspects of himself.
Nobody seems to actually like each other in this series. The author decides two people will go together, and no matter how much those characters seem to actively dislike each other, it happens anyway.
THE ONLY people I ACTUALLY believed liked each other was ANTOINE AND DARREN!!! And YET, in this book, Antoine talks to Darren in a way he's NEVER spoken to him before and I HATE IT. Genuinely, it's like watching a canon OTP breakup (even though they didn't).
The Durands ONLY show up to fuck Piper and make Darren jealous... even though we're in four books into a REVERSE HAREM! Jealousy hasn't been a thing, ESPECIALLY not with Darren...


There are ideas that COULD have worked if the author really tried. But this entire series feels like the author making up her mind about a plot and completely neglecting to analyse if those actions are something her actual characters would do. I hate it all...

I just... I really don't understand why we're halfway through a series and the author removes 80% of the main cast to give us boring and frankly character ruining plots. I wish I hadn't read this. Sure, I'd be frustrated at feeling like I missed something, but at least I could IMAGINE Piper and Darren getting together in a way that doesn't piss me off...
I hate what Piper turned Darren into... Really, I don't even know if I want to continue but I'm invested to see what Antoine and Darren are like when they reunite -- I genuinely don't care about anyone else. (Maybe Marcus).

[Perle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Darren very much but damn the one step forward 10 steps back thing between them was so painful and frustrating to read 😭
I’m also not a huge fan of the ellipses… I know it’s a short story and they have to wait in the little costal city right now but one chapter, something happens and makes it weird between them, bam next chapter is 1 month later and it’s still weird/ they avoid each other and then they interact like normal after one trivial thing happens and bam something makes it weird and next chapter is 1 month after and it’s still weird but bam something trivial happens and they are close and bam it’s weird and 2 weeks passed and it’s still weird okay I’m going to stop now hahahhaha
Well… not a fan of the pacing 😂

[Nyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot better and honestly... Darren takes number 1 spot on which person I like most. Rayne was first but after that little display.... he drops to 6th. I still dislike Antoine he's my least favorite.

Thought he had his redemption arc when he apologized... but then the next page the man made me dislike him again.... I'm curious go see how Wynn will react to Darren now.

1. Darren
2.Wynn
3.Marcus
4.Allistor
5. Drake
6. Rayne


I'm not putting Antoine on the list.

[Elisa Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darren

Tempted by the Butler is book five in the series House of Durand by author Erin Bedford. This one is very enlightening. So the vamps are on the run- hunters ( mean buggers). It’s only Piper and Darren- wonder what fun they can get up to?
Enjoy!!

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Darren

I really enjoyed getting Darren's point of view in this book. We actually get a personality from him, which is nice! There are a lot of inconsistencies from the last chapter of the last book to this one though, so that is a thing.

[Sarah Cupitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have notes somewhere for this.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too much happens in this novella. Darren and Piper are still in Seabrick. Still waiting for the vampires to come back. They do have a few trists, but otherwise, not much happens

[Alex Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darren and Piper have to live together while the vampires brothers hop from place to place to hide from bounty hunters! They finally connect in a sexual way.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a cozy midway book. I liked it.

[Marlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

DARREN I LOVE YOU. ✌️🫶✌️🫶

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this. This, was gold

[Cat the RH Safekeeper]

🔴 This is a poly romance, not a RH 🔴

[Rose Wilcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darren yes

This was an absolute must. The connection that had been missing in the previous books comes in a nice bow in book 5. And might I say Darren yum.

[Chaotic Nexus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series gets better the more it progresses! I still can't wait to find out what happens next. So many questions, so few answers

[maiija ‪♡‬ · Rating 5 out of 5]

honestly i needed this novella, im so glad piper and darren worked out their shit!!

[Brooklyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. It was interesting and fun, but it was short. Loved Darren and Piper’s relationship in this book. Didn’t really see the others, but a few times

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piper’s a blond so why does the cover model look like a redhead?

Book 4, Chapter 20 - Instead, I went into Seabrick on the fifteenth day we were here and found a job as a receptionist.

Book 4.5 here, (or Book 5 on Amazon) Chapter 1 - ...a bit more skip in my step now that I was dumping the dog walking job.

How did Piper go from being a receptionist in the previous book to a dog walker here? She and Darren are still in Seabrick.

Book 4, Chapter 20 - Three months. It had been three months since the guys had gone into hiding. ...but I haven’t heard from you guys in months...

Book 4.5 here, (or Book 5 on Amazon) Chapter 1 - We’d only been in Seabrick for a few weeks... You forget we’ve been stuck living in the same room for several days now.

Do three months qualify as a few weeks? Living together for several days? Where’s Marcus? He showed up at the end of book 4.

Chapter 5 Piper circles a job opening for a receptionist. I may be interpreting this wrong but it’s starting to look like chapter 20 in book 4 takes place after the few first chapters here. Who needs continuity?

Piper and Darren submit to mutual attraction, not to mention close living quarters. She gets the receptionist job and acquires a creepy boss and nosy co-worker. The vampires take turns so one of them can visit each month. Piper buys a house so she and Darren can move out of the shitty hotel room they’ve been living in. She also begins self-defense training as she’s tired of waiting for the vampires to locate the hunters and decides to find them herself.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book five of the House of Durand series and it sees Piper the maid and Darren the butler, for the Durand brothers, stuck in a small town whilst the Durand brothers are constantly moving around the world, hiding from the vampire hunters who nearly caught them in the last book. Piper and Darren are right on the coast, with beaches nearby, but are mostly stuck in a seedy hotel room, not a more expensive one, as they are supposed to be keeping a low profile. Darren is still dressing in his full suit, tie and even his white gloves, which he seems to never take off. She tries to tell him to relax a bit and dress more like the rest of the town’s folk, but he is very set in his ways and has been serving the Durand family for many decades. This novella covers the missing year for Piper, whilst she is stuck in hiding with Darren, and away from the House of Durand itself, where her normal job has been. She gets very bored with being stuck in the room most of the time and Darren expects her to tell him every time she goes out of the hotel and where she is going, or insisting on going with her!

She refuses to take the brothers money whilst she is not actually doing the job they hired her for, so starts looking for a job in the town to keep herself occupied. Lots of women try to throw themselves at Darren and she starts to look at him a bit more, especially after what Antoine asked her to do with him, to prove herself before they ended up visiting their sire. She is developing feelings of attraction for him, but he is very stuck in his behaviour and won’t do anything without Antoine’s specific command or instruction. But it seems that being stuck for so long, alone with Piper and in close quarters, has allowed her rebellious streak rub off on him! After months of no news, she finally gets a few visits from the brothers, but only once a month and one at a time, apart from the twins who always do everything together. Darren finally relaxes his dress code which is quite a shock to her and begins to get a bit of a backbone of his own when one of the brothers tries to order him about quite rudely. When Antoine visits, matters get a bit complicated, as Piper asks for a little bit more from Antoine and for another partner to join in with their reunion. Still with touches of steamy relations, but not as much as usual as this is a shorter story and the brothers aren’t around much. Lots more about the relationship between Piper and Darren developing and Piper’s independence raising its head as she starts a job and even makes a massive purchase of her own. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, to see when the brothers can get back together safely once again and if they can all return home or not at some point. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I did enjoy this addition to the story. Three stars means I liked it. It could have had more stars if things were a bit different. I explain below.

I believe I read this twice. The first time I read it, it was a very short freebie bonus download after I read book 6. When I saw it was now offered as a “real” book on KU and that it was the “full story” of what happened when they were together, I was really hoping for MORE of Darren. Instead, it wasn’t much more. It did have more of Antoine’s interference and involvement between Piper and Darren. I’m not saying that is bad, but I AM saying that I expected more of her and Darren ALONE.

I really like when RH has some one on one time between romantic interests and not just group stuff. This is especially important when *officially* adding to the love interests. It underlines that there is trust and “permission” to enjoy each individual’s relationship in addition to the group relationship. Does that make sense?

I did enjoy this book, but it wasn’t quite what I had hoped between the two human members of their family.

Darren has a lot of potential just as Piper does. Darren says he has encounters with women outside of his master/servant/lover relationship with Antoine. I wanted to see this in the book. Most of it was not Darren and Piper, but just a bit of tension between them while she gets vague romantic alone time with the others.

[Catknipnd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes place between book 4 and book 5. Darren and Piper are hiding out while the Durands are running and hiding from the hunters. Piper and Darren are staying in a beach hotel and are getting cabin fever while they wait for word from their family. Piper is unaware of how Darren is beginning to feel, though she has an idea from events in book 4. One day, it’s Antoine’s turn to visit. Both Piper and Darren are bound to Antoine by blood. They try something that opens the floodgates and lets Piper, Darren and Antoine know exactly how they all feel.

You get a much fuller description of Darren here where before he was the faithful butler that was somewhat cranky with Piper when she first came. This book is just a lull covering what happened between Piper and Darren while they waited for the Durands. You do need to have read the previous books as this is part of the story and not a stand alone book. Definitely a nice fill in while waiting for the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aimee Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piper is upset over being in Seabrook with Darren. She wants to be home with everyone. They are worried about the vampire hunters. The guys come to visit when they can. Piper refuses to use the money in her account, she decides she will work. She is not happy with her one job, will look for another. Piper and Darren are trying to get use to be together all the time.
Piper and Darren are slow to admit they have feeling for each other. Things will slowly heat up with them. Things get interesting when one of vampires come and things will go back to being the way it was before. Piper also decides to take up self-defense to protect herself and others against the hunters.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

After going into hiding, Piper was left with only Darren as her company in a small town, waiting for the Durands to call or come visit. But their visits are rare, and she gets easily bored without any action.. so Piper gets a new job to pass the time, takes up the martial arts training, and most of all, finally gets to know her companion, not only his mask. And what she sees in Darren is undeniably attractive, leading down only one path..
Nice and fast-pacing novella that adds more information and more steam to the main series, and gives insights on the relationship development between Darren and Piper. We finally see the uptight butler let loose a bit, stand up for himself and Piper, and be ready to break some rules. And I really enjoyed it.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment was more focused I. The relationships and insecurities than the action or danger of the vampire hunters. Piper and Darren are left on their own in Georgia for their safety as the rest of the Durand’s are on the run from the vampire hunters. This separation is hard on everybody and causes a lot of insecurities to come out. What does long distance and time mean for Piper and guys, is there any potential with Darren, can they all be together again? Her standing and where Piper actually belongs is also questioned. The hunters are ever mentioned, but never seen, so it’s the waiting that’s causing a lot of problems for Piper.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still in love with the Durands and now I'm loving all of them men in the house (except maybe one).

In Tempted by the Butler, Piper and Darren are laying low while the rest of the Durands are trying to stay alive. I couldn't figure out how on earth Erin Bedford was going to entertain us in just one setting. But, entertain us, she did. If you wondered what type of person the butler for the Durand Vampires really is, this is the book that will tell you. Piper and Darren get to know each other and confusion ensues.

Once again the House of Durand keeps you on your toes. I didn't know what I wanted to happen but I was very happy with what did happen!

[Maria Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows us the struggle of Piper's feelings for Darren and his for her. This book explains a lot of what happens to Piper and Darren and what pushed Piper to start training. Filled in a lot of gaps for me between the 4th and 5th book! I absolutely love it! And the chemistry between them and showing a side of Antoine that I love to see! An amazing book and can't wait to see what else Erin brings!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.