Bedeviled: A Russian Pursuit

Russian Hearts #2

by Elsa Holland

The Petroski brothers, arrived in London, setting it alight with their breathtaking presence, bone melting accents and heart fluttering masculinity. Two Russian princes with a plan of deception to restore their family’s honor.

It would become the season's most intriguing scandal.

Ilya Petroski’s role in the plan was simple: pretend to be his elder brother, the one with the unwanted betrothal, and do what he did best…flirt, womanize and be a rake of the highest order. The easiest task in the world. Until he meets the widowed poet, Lady Seraphina. In a single instant, he knows…she was the one. The single woman for him, the only one who could make him a better man.

How was he going to win a beautiful and gentle heart and do what his family required?

Lady Seraphina, widowed from a passionless and loveless marriage, is faced with the choice: to stay where it’s safe, within the bounds of society, and ignore the lure of the Russian Rake, Prince Ilya Petroski; or take a leap and taste passion, live as her poet hero’s lived from the heart and drinking deep of what life had to offer, no matter the consequences.

But how did you stop a heart from falling, even when you knew the nature of the man was a rake?

But charades and secret betrothals don’t stay secrets for long. And when she needs answers, he is not able to give them. And when the truth broke over London, she would be standing alone.

Previously published in the anthology, Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal

Genres: Historical Romance, Christmas

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2020

About the author

Elsa Holland writes lush, sensual stories set in Victorian England. They skirt the edge of gothic eroticism and dark romanticism giving them a rich, moody feel (which has nothing to do with the bowl of chocolates at the side of her keyboard or the pictures she chooses for her desktop). Her heroines walk fearlessly through the dark and her heroes are exactly the kind of men you secretly want to find there.
She lives with her Viking-stock husband and her follow-you-everywhere dog, in semi-tropical Queensland, Australia.

Reviews

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Petroski Brothers🐺🐺 Do London💪🍆⛲

ADULT Historical Late Victorian Romance 💕

London 1900.
The Petroski Princes are in London, with Ilya🐺💪🍆⛲ masquerading as his brother Demetri👑, the actual Prince. The reason for the deception is that Ilya🐺💪🍆⛲ is a natural born rake and libertine, and their goal is to break the betrothal of the Prince👑 to the daughter of a not so honest London business man . The betrothal was contracted when both were still children.

Ilya🐺💪🍆⛲ is running amok, visiting gambling halls, brothels, bohemian parties, etc, in an attempt to get the young woman and her father to break The betrothal.

Meanwhile, back home in Russia, the winds of change are coming. The years of The aristocrats mismanaging the land and starvng serfs are ripe for revolution. Luckily, the brothers see 👀that they need to leave their country and go into business if they want to survive with their wealth intact.

London society is enthralled with royalty👑, even through there are many princes👑 in the many countries and provinces making up Russia at the time. Luckily, The Petroski family is not in the soon to be ill fated Czar's family.

While Ilya🐺🍆⛲💪 is sowing his wild oats, he meets Seraphina,💃💋 the young widow of an old Duke, and he is smitten. She knows he is a very experienced rake, and is afraid to get burned🔥. Yet she is aching to experience life, passion, and true freedom. How can he convince her he wants only her, when his bad boy 🐺🍆⛲reputation is written about in every London paper's gossip column?

ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook with KU.

I loved this second book in this series about two Russian Princes👑 who take London High Society by storm! I also loved the cover! This is a very emotional and romantic💕 novel with Explicit ADULT scenes.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story in the Christmas anthology "Have Yourself A Merry Little Scandal". More novella length than a short story.

There's lots of angst in this story, but I liked it anyway. It begins in December of 1899 & ends in 1900. This is a period of time that isn't used much in romance. Frankly, it's nice change from a Regency.
There's talk of the increased use of cars & car racing.

I was wondering if Marsden is going to get a story, but it doesn't look like it.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great delivery by Elsa Holland! This is the story of Ilya, Demetri’s brother, who was charged with the role of impersonating Demetri in book 1 (A Russian betrothal). Throughout book1, we get glimpses of Ilya’s story; Elsa Holland weaves the brother’s tales masterfully, creating enough buzz for us to anxiously anticipate the second book while remaining true to the main storyline. Bedeviled (book2) timeline runs parallel to book 1 but from Ilya’s perspective, as we learn the cost of fulfilling his familial obligations. Both books are well written, and the characters have the kind of depth that we have come to expect from this author. However, book 1 is still my favorite, perhaps because of its intricacies; Bedeviled felt more like an attempt to tiding up loose ends and lacked some of the sharp edges that characterize some of Elsa’s other books. Nevertheless, Bedeviled is still an enjoyable read and introduces the subject matter of the third book: Princess Tatiana, Ilya’s
and Demetri’s sister.

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

[Linda J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was part of a bundle I purchased called HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE SCANDAL.

My first story by this author and I didn't feel a connection to this couple until near the end. It borders to the edge of being erotic. I liked the the banter the h gave the H in the beginning. She was someone I liked, until she decided within a very short period, she would like to taste the forbidden fruit and become another number on his bedpost.

There is major secret the H is keeping from her. The reason seemed ridiculous to me. Did no-one know in the whole of London, who the real Prince was? Many traveled for business and it was this big secret who was the one in charge.

Cheating, but not by the H/h, no romance but plenty of lust, HEA finally and steam. (ljb)

[Lisa Pohlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prince Ilya must help save his family by being a rogue...not hard as that is what he is. But then he meets the lovely widow Seraphina Seymour. Maybe he doesn't want to be a rake any longer. Seraphina wants nothing to do with any rakes, even if Ilya is a prince. But is Ilya who he says he is? And can Seraphina really resist the charms of the ever so charming Ilya? This is a great novella which is part of the anthology "Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal". I can't wait to read the rest of the novellas if they are as good as this one.

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

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of words missing or missing suffixes- this anthology in general needed a tighter edit. The conflict is weird, to be honest, wtf is he trying to help his brother break his betrothal if the guy marries the betrothed anyway? What was the point of any of that? The first part was pretty good despite the confusing conflict, but the second part got boring.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the writing, characters and story, a mature outlook on attraction and love at first sight.

[Liz Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

Have waited for ever for Elsa Holland's latest.Have read and loved every one.More please . Just don't make us wait too long.!!