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The Shadows #4

Ravishing His Wicked Lady

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Sebastian Devis, the Marquess of Roth, has come to London because he has to; not because he wants to. He’s been forced to join high society because he has to; not because he wants to. But if he must wed, he will do so on his own terms.

Sebastian’s unexpected inheritance in the form of a marquessate has put a permanent pause on his burden-free life. Now his niece is of age and needs a reputable match. But while thwarting unsuitable gentlemen, Sebastian is forced to avoid marriage-minded young ladies who are bent on ensnaring him!

That is, until he meets a scrumptious spinster who awakens desires long forgotten and forces him to re-evaluate his resolve…

Lady Lavinia Birch is in a whole heap of trouble.
Lavinia's father is dying. Her new guardian wishes to marry her off to the highest bidder. And someone out there has discovered she has a terrible secret. Of course, all of this pales in comparison to the problems of her broken heart.

Meanwhile, an infuriating yet fascinating marquess keeps popping up out of nowhere, thwarting her plans, and worse! Kissing her!

Yet while a dangerous foe draws ever nearer, there is one man she instinctively trusts...and cannot seem to stay away from.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2022

275 people are currently reading
102 people want to read

About the author

Sadie Bosque

42 books233 followers
Sadie Bosque is a steamy historical romance author. Surrounded by the enchantment of the historical setting, her love stories communicate to the modern reader through the experiences of her characters. The heroes and heroines of Sadie’s stories are flawed, imperfect creatures with big hearts. Sadie believes that a happily ever after has to be hard-earned. The trials and tribulations her characters go through make them stronger and make the HEA so much sweeter.

For a free novelette exclusive to my subscribers signup: https://sendfox.com/sadiebosque

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Bonnie.
1,141 reviews19 followers
April 16, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this from the author, and this is my freely given opinion.

I had read the first book of the Shadows, and number 2 and 3 are on my to-read list. But I remember wishing that Lavinia and the Duke of Kensington would find a happily ever after, from book 1, when Annalise, the (presumed to be widowed) Countess of Payne was engaged to Kensington... yes, it is convoluted, but it works. Anyways, Lavinia was hoping she would have her chance when Annalise turned out not to be a widow after all, but before she gets to take her chance, he turns around and is affianced, then married to another friend. Lavinia is left broken hearted, and thinking she would never love another.

Unfortunately, she also finds herself in a new tangle at present. Her drunken and abusive father, Lord Birch, is on his deathbed, which she feels responsible for, and the heir shows up expressing his "concerns" for his future ward and the future widow, by essentially telling them that the soon-to-be widow will have to find a new home as her husband never arranged anything for her future, and he would have to marry Lavinia off to the man who holds the largest of her father's debtors as he has impoverished the estate with his gambling.

Lavinia is left feeling desperate and lies about being betrothed already and pulls out the first name to come to mind, the Marquess of Roth, Sebastian Devis. He was on her mind because of a recent encounter they had, but he is not truly a viable option for Lavinia, as he is the cousin of her friend, and as such a relative to the Duke, and it would break her heart to have such a connection to her lost love. Also, it was noted that Sebastian has no desire to wed, but is only in England and engaging with Society to arrange for an advantageous match for his ward and niece. He has no love of England and wants to move back to the Continent as soon as possible and return to his lovely life of freedom, and art.

Lavinia goes to a house party at Sebastian's estate in the hopes of connecting with another gentleman there, as a better option for a future husband than the one chosen by her guardian. Sebastian is inspired by her as a muse and pursues her to pose for him and to assuage some of his curiosity over his attraction to her. Lavinia questions his motives, especially as she questions her own attractiveness, after years of denigration and abuse from her father. But the more time they spend together, whether they wanted to or not, the more they realize they are attracted to each other and want more. Lavinia realizes that perhaps her love for Kensington was not the love she thought it was as well.

I found that I loved this story because I loved the characters of Sebastian and Lavinia. Sebastian initially seemed a rather arrogant man, who despises English high society and is only there to marry off his cousin, and is only interested in Lavinia as a muse for his painting, and perhaps to trifle with. But when he sees her for who she is, including her insecurities and the hurts of her past, he works so hard to help her as seeing herself as more, including as a beautiful, giving woman. Lavinia is so beaten down by her prior history of abuse, that she cannot see herself as a beautiful, intelligent woman with so much to give, that it warmed by heart to see her grow to realize it.

I ended up really loving their story. The side stories intrigued me too, including the stories about the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Kensington, what happens with Lavinia's stepmother, who disappears after the death of Lavinia's father, as the new Lord Birch essentially kicks her out, and what happens with Sebastian's ward/niece, after her own heart is broken, and how that is resolved... a few loose ends, but like buds on a flowering vine, I feel like they are future stories waiting to burst into full blooms on their own.

4.75 stars out of 5.
Profile Image for Rainelle.
2,204 reviews124 followers
May 25, 2022
Ravishing the Wicked Lady, by Sadie Bosque. Another great love story written by Mrs. Bosque.Sebastian and Lavinia romantic affair involved their family and friends in a most entertaining way. They celebrated their courtship at a house party thrown by Sebastian. I found myself hanging on to each seductive sentence Sebastian whispered to Lavinia. His character was so infatuated with Lavinia that there conversations were very heated in all kind of sensual ways.
Lavinia being as innocent as she was didn’t know what to do with herself or how to act. Sebastian recognized that Lavinia was new to all this recognition and decided to show her how special she was. I loved how the book was crafted and written. I loved that the writer incorporated some of the insecurities that Lavinia had about herself and brought them forward in the book for Sebastian to address. This is an easy romantic love story that you will remember for awhile.
Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

Profile Image for Pam  Bereznak.
1,827 reviews135 followers
June 5, 2022
I have really loved Sadie Bosque books. I just found her in June, 2021 and have really enjoyed reading all her books. This is my 8th book by her. I have loved the storylines and characters.

I really enjoyed reading about Sebastian and Lavinia. Such chemistry. Such a great couple. Overall great read.

I would definitely recommend this book. And all her books.
563 reviews3 followers
December 14, 2024
3.75 stars I skimmed alot because I wanted the romance of the MCs. There’s a lot of mystery and suspense tied into the story, which would have been great if that was what I was in the mood for. The side characters also seemed to have compelling mysteries and romances going on at the same time and I couldn’t focus on any one. It was all over the place, too many competing storylines for this one to stand out. I plan to read others in the series but from the end backwards. That’s just me. I’m looking for the romance so when I know the answers to the mysteries I will enjoy the books better. The characters have a lot of potential angsty romance waiting to be revealed without distractions.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,500 reviews47 followers
May 20, 2022
This is an awesome book!
Sebastian Devis, the Marquess of Roth, has come to London because he has to; not because he wants to. He’s been forced to join high society because he has to; not because he wants to. But if he must wed, he will do so on his own terms.
He has been an artist, a surgeon and a gambler.
Sebastian’s unexpected inheritance in the form of a marquessate has put a permanent pause on his burden-free life. Now his niece is of age and needs a reputable match. But while thwarting unsuitable gentlemen, Sebastian is forced to avoid marriage-minded young ladies who are bent on ensnaring him!
That is, until he meets a scrumptious spinster who awakens desires long forgotten and forces him to re-evaluate his resolve.
Lavinia has been abused all of her life. She is responsible for her father's accident that leads to his death.
Lady Lavinia Birch is in a whole heap of trouble.
Lavinia's father is dying. Her new guardian wishes to marry her off to the highest bidder. And someone out there has discovered she has a terrible secret. Of course, all of this pales in comparison to the problems of her broken heart.
Meanwhile, an infuriating yet fascinating marquess keeps popping up out of nowhere, thwarting her plans, and worse! Kissing her!
Will Sebastian marry her?
Sadie Bosque has written a very good book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
256 reviews4 followers
May 23, 2022
This story really is a rollercoaster of emotions. Lavinia’s life has been a living hell, thanks to her father, and she is left without a trace of self-esteem. Sebastian is a man that needs time to get attached to. The evolution of their relationship is endearing, even if he manages to act like a total dimwit sometimes. I have enjoyed it very much!
Profile Image for Gloria Pastorino.
Author 82 books59 followers
May 31, 2022
Lady Lavinia has a secret, a big, shameful one. And a not-so-secret crush for a man she can never have. A house party could be her chance to solve all her problems, but the host is irritating, arrogant and entirely too appealing for her peace of mind!
Sebastian, the Marquess of Roth, has been forced to leave his beloved France and he’s sulking. And what’s worse, he has lost his inspiration. But then he sees her, beautiful, curvy, heartbroken and elusive, and suddenly the need to paint her becomes overwhelming. But could she be something more than a muse to him?
Sebastian, my new swoon-worthy hero!!!! Kind, sweet and hot as hell! I loved him for his French flair, his wicked mind and especially for his kindness to Lavinia. Poor Lavinia who’s terribly unsure of herself and has been neglected and belittled all her life finds in Sebastian her perfect match. We need more imperfect heroines in our books, normal women we can relate to. But of course the hero must be gorgeous and totally in love with them! So I loved this book so much that I couldn’t put it down (I literally finished it in the dead of the night!). The writing is gorgeous, the lovemaking scenes hot and full of emotions (just my cup of tea!) and Sebastian lived up to all expectations of his namesakes in the history of HR!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Pat Robinson.
862 reviews10 followers
May 23, 2022
Absolutely loved this book! The author grabs you from the very first page and never lets go! A hard tale to read with the abuse that is suggested but never shown, it makes you realize how easy it is to fall into a trap of self hate, self doubt and self destructive tendencies. I loved how the hero is so patient with her and the way the author shows the heroine’s reactions so vividly. I wanted to smack the villain myself! Filled with love, concern and growth it is well worth the time!
Profile Image for Elodie’s Reading Corner.
2,554 reviews152 followers
May 27, 2022
🎨 Ravishing His Wicked Lady 🖼
The Shadows Book 4
✒️ Sadie Bosque
https://www.facebook.com/sadiebosquea...
Release Date 05/31/2022
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NNSH8JH/...

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

Sebastian Devis, the Marquess of Roth, has come to London because he has to; not because he wants to. He’s been forced to join high society because he has to; not because he wants to. But if he must wed, he will do so on his own terms.
Sebastian’s unexpected inheritance in the form of a marquessate has put a permanent pause on his burden-free life. Now his niece is of age and needs a reputable match. But while thwarting unsuitable gentlemen, Sebastian is forced to avoid marriage-minded young ladies who are bent on ensnaring him!
That is, until he meets a scrumptious spinster who awakens desires long forgotten and forces him to re-evaluate his resolve…
Lady Lavinia Birch is in a whole heap of trouble. 
Lavinia's father is dying. Her new guardian wishes to marry her off to the highest bidder. And someone out there has discovered she has a terrible secret. Of course, all of this pales in comparison to the problems of her broken heart.
Meanwhile, an infuriating yet fascinating marquess keeps popping up out of nowhere, thwarting her plans, and worse! Kissing her!
Yet while a dangerous foe draws ever nearer, there is one man she instinctively trusts...and cannot seem to stay away from.

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Will she let her damaged inner self held her back from what could be ….

I have already said it, I have read every book the author published since her debut novella, and never did she disappoint me. Once more she did it with this new book in her Georgian set series.
While I love light humorous historical romances, hers often explore the darker sides of the genre instead of the soft bubbling ones.
Her heroes are flawed and often in need of a good shaking if not trashing like Payne in the first book of the series.
But here, oh my!
I just fell in love with Sebastian. He is a man with a temper but it does not let it dominate nor take the best of him. He is able to cool down and analyzes all aspects of the matters that raised his ire with a cold head.
I confess I expected this book to be published before the previous one, as we were left with a devastated Lavinia witnessing her friend marrying the one man she has loved since she was a young girl.
After checking, the next book will complete the arcs of this quatuor of friends.

Lavinia is the ideal best friend ever, if not for herself but her friends, she was ready to let go of the man she loved to save her childhood friend from destitution, still she struggles now to accept that an other one with no need of rescuing married him despite her sharing her kept secret feelings.

After a life of abuse, Lavinia could have turned bitter and jealous, instead she is a caring young woman who believes she is not worth the trouble, always thinking of others before herself. And while she is still mourning the loss of the man she has loved for so long, she can not hate her friend.
But now she has more pressing matters than crying her heart content, she must marry urgently to rescue her stepmother from being thrown out and herself to be married to the highest bidder. But how can she find for herself a husband when she has no idea how to flirt and is so unsure about herself, believing she is unworthy of notice.
I loved her frankness and honesty, how her mind worked and reasoned with itself to determine what was right or wrong.
Sebastian is not there to frolic, he is on a mission of his own assignation. Marry his ward and then going back to France. He might have inherited a marquisat, he has no desire to lengthen his stay in this place, when everything call him back to France. Even the place robbed him of his muse. Until he spots a woman who awakens long buried desires and bewitches him completely he began to doubt the rightness of his choice to leave as fast as possible.
Sebastian is a wonderful hero, while a bit distrustful at first, once he sees Lavinia for who she is, there is no question about her and what he wants from her, for them. He sees past her ton’s facade, he does not let her unflattering clothes hide her from him, he acknowledges the beauty concealed to all others and wants only to bath in her light.

An other wonderful story.
I hope William and Victoria will have their book sometime later as I feel they will have a lot to overcome to piece back what could have been.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen foreplays and lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

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Profile Image for Candace.
803 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2022
Sebastian & Lavinia. I really enjoyed this book but I felt like there were parts that drug out a little to long and they glanced over other parts. Her father is dying and she receives a note for Erebus (leader of the Shadows) saying he knows what she did. With her father about to pass away, this note, and after meeting the heir apparent (after he father who tells her that he plans to marry her off to one of the men holding her father's debts) she decides she needs to marry ASAP. She gets anxiety in large social gatherings and meets him on a balcony (he was escaping marriage minded mamas) and accuses her of trying to trap him. She just wanted some air (after seeing her longtime love, the Duke and his new wife/Caroline). They seem like the perfect couple and she panics. Sebastian and Lavinia dismiss each other. He was hosting the ball and invited everyone to his house party. When she meets the heir apparent and he tells her of his plan to marry her off, she panics and tells him that she's already engaged to Sebastian and that their betrothal would be announced at the end of the house party. She attends the party to try and woo another suitor into marriage (like yesterday). She sees him in the garden and they look at some artwork. They are of nude models and she tells him that the models aren't real because they are flawless. He is an up-and-coming contemporary artist (pretty well known) and he asks if he can paint her nude to prove it isn't all about flawless. He was instantly attracted to her from the balcony and was using her as his new muse while painting. On one evening, after trying to avoid the Duke he chases after her. She tells him that she had always loved him and that she couldn't be near him because it hurt her. Sabastian overhears it and they go to his studio where she proceeds to get drunky and they share a kiss. Feel like she needed to hurry the marriage thing along she decides to try and trap him by being caught by other people at the party but she couldn't go through with it. He was pissed and runs off to clear his head. She decides to leave the party and accept her fate (marriage to some rando to pay off a debt) but wants to apologize to Sabastian first. She rides after him and see's him hurt and being carried away by some ruffians. They kidnap her too since she saw them. They wake up in a cottage on the coast. They have to take a bath in a cold creek and are freezing. The return to the cottage and while warming she asks him to kiss her again. He kisses her and pleasurers her (but still no sex). They make it back to the house and he challenges his friend to a duel (thinking he was the one that had arranged for them to be kidnapped so they weren't around; giving him free reign to compromise his niece (the princess)) after finding out that they had married and he left out the minor detail about his birth (illegitimate son of a duke). Sabastian gets stabbed in the duel and while healing another note shows up (one to her and a separate one to him informing him that she killed her father). Knowing about the abuse she had received from her father he felt he could survive that accusation. She decides to tell him everything: she has no dowry, she has a MIL that needs to come with her, the heir apparent is the one that organized their kidnapping (not the bastard), oh and she killed her father. Actually, daddy-o was drunk and drug Lavinia and her MIL home early from a ball. He accused the MIL of having an affair and starts hitting her until she's unconscious. Believing that he was going to kill her MIL and revert back to hitting her, she hits him over the head with a vase and he ends up falling down the stairs. He held on for a while but still died. Sabastian and Lavinia get married (he understood that she was just protecting herself) and confront the new Lord, and try to figure out who sent the notes. They visit Caroline (hoping to run into the Duke) and show her the notes. Seems the writing is similar to the Duke's. Cliffhanger....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Elle Cheshire.
496 reviews44 followers
June 2, 2022
This is book 4 in Sadie’s The Shadows series – it follows Sebastian, the Marquess of Roth, who has come to London under duress. He is forced to join high society and will do so under his terms. He brings with him his niece Victoria who he is trying to secure a good happy marriage for.The second part of our romance equation is Lady Lavinia Birch. She is in dire need of help as her father is dying and her new guardian wishes to marry her off to the highest bidder.

Lavinia turned out to be one of my favourite heroines. She was heartbroken that the man she had loved married her best friend, but she didn’t ever hate her friend or lash out. Not only that but her life was filled with abuse, but she didn’t let it break her. She was so strong in such a real way and rather than lash out or turn bitter because of these things it just meant she did the opposite, caring for others and giving everything of herself to help. She was kind and caring and didn’t know her worth.
In comes Sebastian… he was flirtatious and patient and strong and holds in his temper to think things through. I adored all of their interactions and the evolution of their relationship was beautiful. Sebastian is infatuated with her, and he helps her to see her as he does, he is so patient and genuine and understanding. And Lavinia ends up finding a love she never could never have imagined as well as more faith in herself.

Seeing Lavinia through Sebastian’s eyes had me falling for him more each time – I really loved that because Sebastian was one to think things through, he was able to understand Lavinia and her actions with a view of the wider picture, with what her life has put her through and with what society forces its women to be. There was no miscommunication because he understood which was so beautiful and refreshing!

I adored the side characters and the overarching plot with the reasonings that pushed Lavinia and Sebastian together. Victoria was a delight, and I am very much hoping to hear more about what happened to her! As I have read all the books in this series it was great to finally get Lavinia’s story after having met her before, as well as to see more of the other women – I am highly intrigued about what the ending of this set up and can’t wait to see the series continue.

I have read every book by Bosque since her first novella and I have loved each one. She delivers compelling characters, intriguing plots and irresistible romances. I know I will never be disappointed and always love picking up a new book by Sadie as I just know she’ll sweep me away with yet another amazing story. I would highly recommend any book by this author! This one specifically was a delight, a little less dark than some of the others in this story but equally as gripping. If you’re looking for a book you can binge with characters to pull you in, then look no further!
Profile Image for KC.
26 reviews
April 2, 2023
I loved this book, start to finish and can't recommend it enough. Lavinia and Sebastian were well-written and engaging main characters. If you like books with a rake-ish hero who falls for a wallflower type and falls FAST, then this is a great book for you. You could probably get away with reading it as a standalone but it could help to read at least one of the previous books (I'd vote for Book 2 of The Shadows for more backstory, but again - not necessary).

Lavinia is dealing with a lot of problems at the beginning of the book - father on his deathbed, new heir who will force her to marry someone the estate is in debt to, a lot of heartbreak - and a secret she's trying to keep as one. She also has trauma and self-esteem issues that are dealt with throughout the book, but readers should heed the content warnings. One note on Lavinia - it was nice to see a larger heroine as it still feels sadly rare in HR

Sebastian, newly returned from France and wanting to get back soon, is a new Marquess and trying to guide his niece through her first season. He's not much for the ton and debutantes, but Lavinia catches his eye and then some.

What follows is a lovely journey (with a couple of actual journeys involved) and a very satisfying ending, particularly for the heroine's narrative arc. As this is part of The Shadows series, there's also the ongoing mystery plot which is nicely woven in. As for heat, Sadie Bosque is very, very good at writing steamy scenes and she didn't disappoint here at all.

There's some small consistency issues and contemporary language that creep up but honestly, didn't really matter or bother me as much as it normally would with other books because the book and the characters were so engaging. (One note if the author reads this - I did find it odd that Sebastian and Lavinia didn't remember each other from the house party he hosted in Book 2 and wondered about that. I don't know if it was an oversight or on purpose)
Profile Image for Marie-Jose Jansen.
223 reviews5 followers
June 1, 2022
This is book 4 in the Shadows series. It is recommended to read the first 3 before you read this. It's not a must, you could read it as a stand alone, but to have a better understanding of the lovely Lavinia I would recommend it. Especially since the first 3 parts are really good stories. It's great to binge all 4, one after the other and be swept off your feet!
I was so lucky to read book 4 as ARC, I was looking forward to read how it goes and couldn't wait until I had it and I was not disappointed!
Lavinia's father is dying and to make sure her stepmother isn't thrown out and to prevent being married off to the highest bidder she needs to find a good match herself. It's pretty hard for her, she doesn't really know how to find someone to marry, her heart is still broken ( please do read the other books for more info on that!) Sebastian inherits a marquessate and is determined to find a good match for his ward and then return to France but when he meets Lavinia everything changes. He longs for her and sees her for who she really is.
The main characters are very real! Complicated not too sweet or cute, with rough edges. Very in-depth. There are some intrigues that make this story a lot more interesting and the plot is intelligent and built together very smartly. I really enjoyed this story. I can not wait for the next part and read how it goes. There are still some questions about friends I am longing to know how that unfolds!
I think this was one of the best in the Shadows series, although I love all 4 of them!
As I said I read an ARC copy but offer my opinion freely.
Profile Image for The Duchess of Hollywood.
216 reviews
February 18, 2025
5⭐️
I absolutely loved!
It took me a second to warm up to Sebastian but oooof, now I swoon at the thought of this artist. Lavinia I absolutely loved as well, they really work a perfect pair. I see myself a lot in Lavinia and I know if I heard the words Sebastian spoke to her, I would be wrapped around his finger.

This story was one I finished within 24 hours, there was so much action and romance, I couldn’t put it down.
I think this may be my second or third of Sadie’s work, but wow, she is such a great writer I can’t wait to read more. I’m sure it’s just the beginning of my love for her work!



[summary for myself]

Sebastian Devis, the Marquess of Roth, has reluctantly returned to London, forced into high society and the marriage market against his will. With his carefree life disrupted by an unexpected marquessate, his priority is securing a suitable match for his niece—not fending off marriage-minded debutantes. But his resolve wavers when he meets an intriguing spinster who stirs long-buried desires.

Lady Lavinia Birch has troubles of her own. With her father gravely ill, a controlling guardian eager to auction her off, and a dangerous secret at risk of exposure, marriage is the least of her worries—until the infuriating yet captivating Marquess of Roth keeps crossing her path. He thwarts her plans, steals her kisses, and, despite her better judgment, becomes the one man she trusts. But as a shadowy threat looms closer, Lavinia must decide whether to guard her heart or risk it all for the man who refuses to let her go.
Profile Image for Lana Birky.
1,705 reviews22 followers
May 29, 2022
Another well-written book by this author & the story grabs you & you can't get loose until you read "The End". The wonderful characters (both main & secondary), the mystery, the romance all play so well with the story & I can't wait until I can read the next book in the series.

Lady Lavinia Birch is the daughter of a horrible father & earl - he abused, both mentally & physically her entire life as she was not born a son. You feel her low self-confidence & self-esteem and I rooted for her to escape her past life & find happiness.

Sebastian, the new Marquess of Roth aka Bastian Devis, French painter has left his beloved Paris & come to England to chaperone his sister for her first season & hopes to find her a suitable husband. He can then leave all of England rules & society functions & return painting. I loved Sebastian from the beginning, but it took me a while to see him with Lavinia.

Sebastian & Lavinia's romance was slow to explode but it needed time for him to show his patience with her & they both needed to grow, learn to love & trust - a wonderful romance! I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Joan Somers.
171 reviews4 followers
June 1, 2022
What do you do when you carry guilt about trying to stop your father from killing you and your step-mother, and he ends up almost dead? Lavinia thinks her only way out is to quickly find a husband. The duke she had fallen in love with married her close friend. She needs to get out of the household entirely. But who could be blackmailing her???

Sebastian, the newly minted Marquess of Roth, has lost any inspiration to paint that he had on the Continent. His main priority is getting his niece married off to a decent gentleman. A chance encounter at Lord Roth’s ball leads Lavinia to mention his name as her betrothed to her father’s oily heir.

This enemies to lovers book has a lot going on at Roth’s house party in the country. I didn’t understand the blatant hostility that Lavinia had for Sebastian (Roth) for so long. She needs a husband and he’s available….hello! The duke is gone so move on!!

There are some good steamy scenes after the halfway mark. A kidnapping, a rescue, quick marriage, and a duel add to the excitement. Physical and emotional abuse by her father led Lavinia to second-guess her decisions. I’m glad she found her happily ever after. Another hit for Ms Bosque.

I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Bridget Love to read Lewis.
2,464 reviews28 followers
August 26, 2022
Lavinia was in love for the last 10 years and now he’s married to Caroline one her small circles of friends!
Sebastian a Marquess is a famous painter who has lost his muse. A glimpse of Lavinia changes that but of course she’s in love with a Duke!
Lavinia was badly abused by her father and has several scars to prove it! Dane the Duke and she should have talked years ago but now he’s married and she is sharing delicious kisses with Sebastian!
Sebastian overheard the conversation between them and has hope because he sees her as a beautiful woman!
Oh the tangled tales we weave when we practice to deceive!!
Well Lavinia tells her guardian a tale that leads to Sebastian being kidnapped on his own land and she along with him!
More shenanigans erupt but these two are bonded now in more ways than one!
Lavinia still has secrets and must tell Sebastian she doesn’t want to withhold secrets like his niece did and dear Lord what a mess! There is a lot to unpack in this one as several couples from the previous stories are involved and also shadow secrets!!
Do they get a HEA? Will William or Caroline? Hold to your seat!! This one is one fast roller coaster!!!
Profile Image for Ruth.
348 reviews4 followers
July 10, 2023
Sweet Romance

Lavinia Birch has no self confidence, she is mistreated by her father. She has no dowry, and she is in love with Dane the Duke of Kensington. Her father is dying and the soon to be guardian is selling her to someone who her father owes. She knows some of them and they are old.
Lavinia friend Annalise told her to go the house party and see what happens.
Sebastian Devis is now the Marquees of Roth. He has no plans to marry. He is looking to marry his niece Victoria off and return to France.
During the house party Lavinia runs into Sebastian, he tells her not looking for marriage. She feels time running out.
She decides to get caught with him but couldn't go through with it. She tells him and he tells her would never marry her. She plans on leaving the party early, but wants to apologize to him before she leaves. While going to see him she sees him being kidnapped.
Intrigue and together will this work out.
Profile Image for Sonia.
669 reviews15 followers
May 26, 2022
Lavinia and Sebastian are both likeable characters. Both of them are victims of their circumstances. I've read and enjoyed books by Sadie Bosque in the past, but this is the first book that I've read from this series. I am eager to read the previous books as well as the next book which promises to explain lots of things about some of Lavinia's friends.
Lavinia grew up in an abusive home and has problems with her self-esteem. She feels pressured to marry because she needs to escape her cruel father. However, her low self-esteem makes finding a husband especially difficult. Fortunately, Sebastian, who is a talented artist, is able to see her for what she really is. This steamy romance was a pleasure to read.

I received a free ARC from the author. This is my honest review.
Profile Image for Berta Greenleaf Richardson.
1,294 reviews4 followers
May 28, 2022
Lavinia must marry to save herself and her stepmother from a horrible fate. Her guardian wants to marry her off to a man who her father owes a great deal of money to. She lies and says she is engaged to the Marquess of Roth. She goes to his house party and spends a lot of time with him. He does not wish to marry but he is drawn to her. Someone tries to kidnap Roth but Lavinia gets in the way and is taken too.
They end up alone far away from his country home. They become lovers and find that they want to be together. They finally have their HEA. This is a great historical romance. The characters are believable and quite likeable. I enjoyed this story and can't wait to read more from this author.

I received this book as an Arc and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Profile Image for CATHERINE  BURHANS .
827 reviews8 followers
May 28, 2022
This is just a delightful romance. Lady Lavinia didn’t have a very high self esteem, having been a chubby girl that her father abused and friends had made fun of through the years. She had loved the Duke of Kensington for years until he married her friend. Now her fate looked dismal, as her father was dying and she would no doubt be forced into marriage with one of her father’s debtors. But enter Sebastian, a newly inherited Marquess, an artist who desires to paint her, and so much more. There’s wonderful dialogue and banter, a lovable cat, and a bit of mystery and intrigue. Loved every page of this most enjoyable story!
115 reviews
June 2, 2022
I loved this story! Lavinia is an unusual heroine in that she has suffered repeated physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father and witnessed the abuse turned on her stepmother. With her father on his deathbed, her stepmother pleads with her to find a suitable husband before the new heir can marry her off to one of her father's debtors. Attending a party at the estate of the newly esconced Marquess of Roth, she hits on a plan to entrap him. But her plans go awry when her conscience doesn't allow her to go thru with it. Guilt over her father's state, threatening letters, kidnappings and a duel all come together in a wonderful ending. Worth the read.
732 reviews
January 31, 2023
I just loved reading this book and seeing Lavinia find her HEA. She is such a sweetheart and has been through a lot! Her abusive father made her childhood a living hell. She gave up the love of her life for a friend in need and was given a second chance when a miracle happened. But her heart was crushed yet again when a different friend is forced to wed him before she can profess her feelings. Now her father is dying, her guardian is trying to marry her off to cover a debt and she is desperate. Can she find her HEA?

I loved all the drama, all the adventures, the characters, the many layers that this story takes. Can’t wait to read Caroline and Dane’s story next!
Profile Image for Sarah Hamilton.
725 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2023
A Fun Slightly Who Done It Historical Romance

I really enjoyed this book. I've always been curious about Lavinia's story and I feel like she got the appropriate HEA. Making her match Caroline's cousin Sebastian helped connect it all. I do wish the end hadn't felt so rushed and I also wish there had been more focus on Sebastian's art and a little less focus on Lavinia's focus on her physical appearance. I realize it was partially supposed to show how her self worth was bruised by years of abuse, but it got tiresome after awhile. Still looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Robin Smith.
316 reviews3 followers
May 28, 2022
I was so looking forward to Lady Lavinia’s story, and I enjoyed her journey to HEA. The story is well written and Lavinia is a sympathetic character. She has been through so much, and she finally found a man who can love her for herself. Not much of the Shadows mystery in this installment, but I plan to continue with this series. I received a free ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
16 reviews
July 11, 2023
Could not put this one down

Every time I start the next book in "The Shadows" series, I leave the one behind swearing they are my favorite couple in the series but once again, I am stumped with another incredible couple who I absolutely adore and Sebastian and Lavinia is that couple. I absolutely adore the connection between them and Sadie Bosque had me hanging onto every word and watching as the mystery unravel just to be filled with questions for the next book.
Profile Image for MARIE MARUCCI.
505 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2024
Lavinia's upbringing was tumultuous, but we never knew how bad until near the end of the story.

Sebastian, not really interested in being in England or with any woman permanently, seems to be entranced by Lavinia, even though she doesn't appear interested.

Their interactions and the building of their mutual attraction keeps you turning each page to find out how they finally get together.

Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
June 4, 2022
The fourth book in the Shadows series. Sebastian Devis, the Marquess of Roth and Lady Lavinia Birch's story is well written with suspense, drama, danger, secrets, villains, the Shadows and romance. The story is well written and was well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via BookFunnel and am voluntarily leaving a review.
209 reviews
December 27, 2022
Real page Turner

Exciting, enchanting, some parts dark, romantic and intoxicating. A perfect romance novel with characters from different levels of villains to heroes and heroines.
Very enjoyable read!
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