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The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction #1
The Counterfeit Scoundrel
New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath begins a compelling new spin-off series, The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction, centering around three heroes--Knight, Bishop, and Rook--who play to win at any cost.
Born into an aristocratic family, yearning for a life beyond Society's strictures, Marguerite "Daisy" Townsend is an enterprising sleuth. Hired to obtain proof of a wife's infidelity, she secures a position in the household of the woman's lover, never expecting to be lured into the seductive blackguard's arms herself.
Devilishly handsome, David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop, quickly realizes the enticing maid is interested in far more than dusting. She aims to uncover his sins. Although tempted by the dangerous beauty, he can't risk her learning the truth: his affairs are chaste. As a boy who witnessed his mother's abusive relationship, Bishop now helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages.
Yet when he is accused of murdering the husband of a "paramour," he is forced to seek Daisy's assistance in proving his innocence. As their perilous search draws them into a web of deceits, they can no longer deny their simmering desire. Once secrets are revealed, will Daisy's counterfeit scoundrel give up the scandalous games he plays and surrender his heart into her keeping?
Born into an aristocratic family, yearning for a life beyond Society's strictures, Marguerite "Daisy" Townsend is an enterprising sleuth. Hired to obtain proof of a wife's infidelity, she secures a position in the household of the woman's lover, never expecting to be lured into the seductive blackguard's arms herself.
Devilishly handsome, David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop, quickly realizes the enticing maid is interested in far more than dusting. She aims to uncover his sins. Although tempted by the dangerous beauty, he can't risk her learning the truth: his affairs are chaste. As a boy who witnessed his mother's abusive relationship, Bishop now helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages.
Yet when he is accused of murdering the husband of a "paramour," he is forced to seek Daisy's assistance in proving his innocence. As their perilous search draws them into a web of deceits, they can no longer deny their simmering desire. Once secrets are revealed, will Daisy's counterfeit scoundrel give up the scandalous games he plays and surrender his heart into her keeping?
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 21, 2023
255 people are currently reading
6052 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Heath
88 books4,364 followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
February 22, 2023
✨Pour some chocolate on me✨
If you’re looking for classic Lorraine shenanigans, a murder mystery, and a hero covered in chocolate, look no further. I’ve enjoyed the “fake rake” plot before and The Counterfeit Scoundrel was no exception.
Bishop pretended to have entanglements with women to get them out of untenable positions in their marriages. Daisy was an undercover PI intent on confirming an affair Bishop was “having.” Daisy becomes a maid in Bishop’s household and, obviously, there was instant attraction between the two.
Bishop was so stressed because he refused to be attracted to a servant…but it was also lust at first sight. He also had absolutely no idea what to do with emotions. Daisy’s jealousy was delicious and wow I love her so much. Shame him with chocolate, queen!
There was also a lovely second-chance side romance that occurred in the first half of the book. While the main romance was swoony and filled to the brim with tension, I definitely wanted at least one more sex scene. The love scenes were just a bit short and lackluster. I loved the chocolate scene, but even that could’ve been dialed up a notch.
While The Counterfeit Scoundrel is a little bit forgettable and not my favorite by Heath, I’ll still reread as it has charm and scenes that will stick with me! And of course I cried during the epilogue. I can’t wait for the rest of the Chessmen to be brought to their knees! The scenes when they were all together and making fun of Bishop were some of my favorites.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
If you’re looking for classic Lorraine shenanigans, a murder mystery, and a hero covered in chocolate, look no further. I’ve enjoyed the “fake rake” plot before and The Counterfeit Scoundrel was no exception.
Bishop pretended to have entanglements with women to get them out of untenable positions in their marriages. Daisy was an undercover PI intent on confirming an affair Bishop was “having.” Daisy becomes a maid in Bishop’s household and, obviously, there was instant attraction between the two.
Bishop was so stressed because he refused to be attracted to a servant…but it was also lust at first sight. He also had absolutely no idea what to do with emotions. Daisy’s jealousy was delicious and wow I love her so much. Shame him with chocolate, queen!
There was also a lovely second-chance side romance that occurred in the first half of the book. While the main romance was swoony and filled to the brim with tension, I definitely wanted at least one more sex scene. The love scenes were just a bit short and lackluster. I loved the chocolate scene, but even that could’ve been dialed up a notch.
While The Counterfeit Scoundrel is a little bit forgettable and not my favorite by Heath, I’ll still reread as it has charm and scenes that will stick with me! And of course I cried during the epilogue. I can’t wait for the rest of the Chessmen to be brought to their knees! The scenes when they were all together and making fun of Bishop were some of my favorites.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
October 20, 2023
I have read other Heath books and really enjoyed them (I have an older one now lined up to read next). I thought the writing was very uneven. The start of the book felt like a fake story in a story. Perfect maid works for a Counterfeit Scoundrel. I picked up and put down the book several times until it was coming due at the library. The romance is rather tepid till the second half of the book. I also learned what "foreshadowing" means as it was used a LOT. So many ideas...so many plots...sex, woman marrying above their station in life and drugs. There were parts of the story I really enjoyed but mainly I felt it was disjointed. It was really a 2.5* for me.
February 21, 2023
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Lorraine Heath normally is my go to Historical Romance author. She rarely disappoints, always is engaging in her story telling and delivers with heart and angst. Sadly this was not her best in my humble opinion and lacking in all the above attributes of her tried and true HR.
Marguerite Townsend, better known as Daisy, is the heroine of this story. She is striving to make it as a private investigator. She is determined to make it on her own without the help of her aristocratic family. She takes on a case where a husband is trying to prove his wife's infidelity. To go about obtaining proof she get's hired on as a maid in the home of the gentlemen that is believed to be having the affair with the wife.
The gentlemen who Daisy is working for is David Blackwood. Known by most as Bishop, a reputation of scoundrel and rogue. Known for having affairs with women, especially married ones. But not all is as it seems. You see Bishop is not what people think, in fact he's a hero. He's actually putting on an act to save woman from their abusive husbands. All this comes from a tragic event in his own life as he witnessed his own Mothers abuse. He was determined to help women to overcome that same fate as his own Mother.
But unfortunately a murdered husband brings about scrutiny on Bishop as the possible perpetrator so he then joins forces with Daisy to help solve the crime and clear his name.
And so begins the development of their relationship and the revelation of who each really is (fairly quickly to be honest). They are attracted to each other and a relationship evolves. The two eventually clear Bishop and get their HEA.
I am sad to say this was not at all engaging for me personally and seemed to drag for about two thirds of the book. This was more of a mystery and secondary is the romance. The beginning was very slow and the build up of the story was dry and sadly boring. I did not really care for the situations that Daisy "witnessed" of Bishop and as he was acting with the lady he was having an affair with.
The plot was average to fair with some missing pieces that didn't make sense. I did not really care very much for either character. Daisy was trying way too hard to be this independent woman that didn't really make sense for the time period and her actions were not very convincing either. Her character seemed underdeveloped as well. And Bishop was a dry character and didn't really catch my interest much. And their ending and HEA was something I was only mildly interested in.
So am hoping that this is an anomaly for LH. Have started The Notorious Lord Knightly and am enjoying that much more.
Lorraine Heath normally is my go to Historical Romance author. She rarely disappoints, always is engaging in her story telling and delivers with heart and angst. Sadly this was not her best in my humble opinion and lacking in all the above attributes of her tried and true HR.
Marguerite Townsend, better known as Daisy, is the heroine of this story. She is striving to make it as a private investigator. She is determined to make it on her own without the help of her aristocratic family. She takes on a case where a husband is trying to prove his wife's infidelity. To go about obtaining proof she get's hired on as a maid in the home of the gentlemen that is believed to be having the affair with the wife.
The gentlemen who Daisy is working for is David Blackwood. Known by most as Bishop, a reputation of scoundrel and rogue. Known for having affairs with women, especially married ones. But not all is as it seems. You see Bishop is not what people think, in fact he's a hero. He's actually putting on an act to save woman from their abusive husbands. All this comes from a tragic event in his own life as he witnessed his own Mothers abuse. He was determined to help women to overcome that same fate as his own Mother.
But unfortunately a murdered husband brings about scrutiny on Bishop as the possible perpetrator so he then joins forces with Daisy to help solve the crime and clear his name.
And so begins the development of their relationship and the revelation of who each really is (fairly quickly to be honest). They are attracted to each other and a relationship evolves. The two eventually clear Bishop and get their HEA.
I am sad to say this was not at all engaging for me personally and seemed to drag for about two thirds of the book. This was more of a mystery and secondary is the romance. The beginning was very slow and the build up of the story was dry and sadly boring. I did not really care for the situations that Daisy "witnessed" of Bishop and as he was acting with the lady he was having an affair with.
The plot was average to fair with some missing pieces that didn't make sense. I did not really care very much for either character. Daisy was trying way too hard to be this independent woman that didn't really make sense for the time period and her actions were not very convincing either. Her character seemed underdeveloped as well. And Bishop was a dry character and didn't really catch my interest much. And their ending and HEA was something I was only mildly interested in.
So am hoping that this is an anomaly for LH. Have started The Notorious Lord Knightly and am enjoying that much more.
did-not-finish
August 7, 2023I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 20%
Seriously? One look and he's into her? 🙄 He's never looked at any of the maids in his household before, but he magically falls for this particular maid after one look. One look and he thinks she has "branded herself" on his mind and makes him "think in poetic phrases" 🤣 Boy, bye 👋🏽
I expected something along the lines of Duke of Sin, albeit less dark. But the heroine is literally the worst spy. Instead of staying focused on her goal, she easily gets distracted by the hero's unbuttoned shirt and his nipple. Girl, bye 👋🏽 It's also laughable how quickly he figures out she's a spy.
Listen, insta-love can work in some instances. But it is way too ridiculous here and it makes the heroine seem dumb as hell. I know Lorraine Heath can do better than this.
DNF @ 20%
Seriously? One look and he's into her? 🙄 He's never looked at any of the maids in his household before, but he magically falls for this particular maid after one look. One look and he thinks she has "branded herself" on his mind and makes him "think in poetic phrases" 🤣 Boy, bye 👋🏽
I expected something along the lines of Duke of Sin, albeit less dark. But the heroine is literally the worst spy. Instead of staying focused on her goal, she easily gets distracted by the hero's unbuttoned shirt and his nipple. Girl, bye 👋🏽 It's also laughable how quickly he figures out she's a spy.
Listen, insta-love can work in some instances. But it is way too ridiculous here and it makes the heroine seem dumb as hell. I know Lorraine Heath can do better than this.
January 13, 2023
Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is an inquiry agent, and her current job has her masquerading as a maid in the home of David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop. She's been tasked with catching Bishop in a dalliance with her client's wife, but perhaps Bishop is not quite the callous rake he appears to be. Bishop secretly helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages by staging an affairs; but when he is accused of murdering the husband of a “paramour,” Daisy’s assistance is vital in proving his innocence.
This is the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series. The book stands alone, although the group of friends known as The Chessmen (King, Bishop, Rook, and Knight) were introduced in The Duchess Hunt, the second book in the Once Upon a Dukedom series.
This story gets off to a quick start with characters that have a lot of baggage and heaps of instant attraction. Despite a somewhat deceitful start, the characters really bond with their mutual rocky upbringing. Based on his parents' relationship, Bishop stands strong for women and, in particular, has issues with men who do not treat their spouses well. Daisy was born into an aristocratic family but wants to make her own way. Her parents were also an awful example of how relationships can sour and devolve.
Lorraine Heath is an absolute master at chemistry building. The characters are like two magnets held an inch apart, trying desperately to pull together. And when she lets them go...? Chef's kiss, it's delicious! Marguerite and Bishop create an employment contract to try to resist each other and keep things professional, but of course they fail miserably.
I think anyone who likes the show Miss Scarlet and the Duke (PBS) will love this book! It's another solid addition to Heath's catalogue, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the next Chessman. I liked the end of this book to bump it from 4.5 to 5 stars.
Tropes: Working Heroine, Disguised Character/Mistaken Identity, Forced Proximity, Hero Falls First
Steam: 4
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #LorraineHeath #TheCounterfeitScoundrel #NetGalley
This is the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series. The book stands alone, although the group of friends known as The Chessmen (King, Bishop, Rook, and Knight) were introduced in The Duchess Hunt, the second book in the Once Upon a Dukedom series.
This story gets off to a quick start with characters that have a lot of baggage and heaps of instant attraction. Despite a somewhat deceitful start, the characters really bond with their mutual rocky upbringing. Based on his parents' relationship, Bishop stands strong for women and, in particular, has issues with men who do not treat their spouses well. Daisy was born into an aristocratic family but wants to make her own way. Her parents were also an awful example of how relationships can sour and devolve.
Lorraine Heath is an absolute master at chemistry building. The characters are like two magnets held an inch apart, trying desperately to pull together. And when she lets them go...? Chef's kiss, it's delicious! Marguerite and Bishop create an employment contract to try to resist each other and keep things professional, but of course they fail miserably.
I think anyone who likes the show Miss Scarlet and the Duke (PBS) will love this book! It's another solid addition to Heath's catalogue, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the next Chessman. I liked the end of this book to bump it from 4.5 to 5 stars.
Tropes: Working Heroine, Disguised Character/Mistaken Identity, Forced Proximity, Hero Falls First
Steam: 4
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #LorraineHeath #TheCounterfeitScoundrel #NetGalley
February 24, 2023
I adore Lorraine Heath. I think she's an INCREDIBLE storyteller. This one was a bit of a miss for me. The balance between the external mystery plot overshadowed the relationship and character development. The pacing felt choppy, which resulted in me setting this book down for long stretches of time.
Irregular pacing and lack of character development and romantic tension made this drag quite a bit.
Irregular pacing and lack of character development and romantic tension made this drag quite a bit.
March 20, 2023
2.5
It wasn’t the best romance but Kate Reading’s narration kept me entertained. I guessed whodunnit but I did not see that twist coming! I should have though since Lorraine Heath has a few twists in her books.
It wasn’t the best romance but Kate Reading’s narration kept me entertained. I guessed whodunnit but I did not see that twist coming! I should have though since Lorraine Heath has a few twists in her books.
February 21, 2023
You know what? 5 Stars for this delightful story. Both these characters have such good hearts and though they start on opposite sides of a possible divorce scandal (not their own) they still find that love is possible.
I loved the unique story and how both of them are doing their best to help just from different ways. I also felt a deep connection with the heroine and the messy tale of her parents.
The romance was swoony and their chemistry was so good. But I never expected any less from Lorraine Heath, she is always on point.
5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
CW: parent did drugs, heroine in danger
I loved the unique story and how both of them are doing their best to help just from different ways. I also felt a deep connection with the heroine and the messy tale of her parents.
The romance was swoony and their chemistry was so good. But I never expected any less from Lorraine Heath, she is always on point.
5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
CW: parent did drugs, heroine in danger
February 15, 2023
Despite being the daughter of an earl’s younger son, Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend longs to make a name for herself outside of polite society and establish herself as an inquiry agent. Her latest case, finding proof of a wife’s infidelity, necessitates obtaining a position as a servant in the household of her lover, but Marguerite never expected to find herself attracted to the blackguard.
David Blackwood, more routinely called simply by the name Bishop, is as well known for his handsome face as for his rakish reputation. It doesn’t take him long to realize the new maid isn’t what she seems, but tempted as he is by her alluring beauty, he can’t allow her to get close enough to learn the truth that his many supposed affairs are faked. Having witnessed his mother’s trials at the hands of his abusive father, Bishop has made it his life’s work to help wives obtain divorces to escape unhappy marriages.
When the husband of one of his fake lovers turns up murdered, Bishop is accused of committing the crime and seeks Daisy’s assistance to exonerate himself. As they search for the truth together, they unearth a web of deceits and find themselves unable to deny the attraction broiling between them. But when secrets are revealed, the biggest question is whether Bishop will give up the games he hasn’t even realized he was playing to entrust Daisy with his heart permanently.
Bishop’s story was a fresh twist on both the fake rake and reformed rake tropes, and I found it to be very well done. His only purpose in life was to thwart his father and help women obtain divorces and up until meeting Marguerite and being subsequently bowled over by his newfound feelings for her, he’d only seen one way to go about achieving this goal. She helped him realize that he was still allowing himself to be controlled and his actions dictated by his awful father, and to break free of that to at last seek some happiness for himself. Marguerite showed him that not only was this possible, but that it was what he deserved to find in life. Bishop helped Marguerite establish and maintain the independence she longed for while simultaneously demonstrating that it was also okay for her to accept the help of a partner. I especially loved that, in the end, it is Marguerite comforting and assuring Bishop of the permanence of her feelings for him and solidifying their relationship and shoring up his confidence when he is still a bit uncertain of himself, his worthiness, and the depth of her feelings for him. There were quite a lot of ups and downs in this story and no small amount of emotional upheaval and reflection, which kept me invested in the story. Bishop and Marguerite established a truly lovely partnership after facing quite a few challenges together, both from outside sources and within themselves, and I found both characters to be very endearing. The only thing I missed in this story was Bishop spending more time with the other Chessmen, but based on the interactions they did have, I’m very excited for the rest of this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
David Blackwood, more routinely called simply by the name Bishop, is as well known for his handsome face as for his rakish reputation. It doesn’t take him long to realize the new maid isn’t what she seems, but tempted as he is by her alluring beauty, he can’t allow her to get close enough to learn the truth that his many supposed affairs are faked. Having witnessed his mother’s trials at the hands of his abusive father, Bishop has made it his life’s work to help wives obtain divorces to escape unhappy marriages.
When the husband of one of his fake lovers turns up murdered, Bishop is accused of committing the crime and seeks Daisy’s assistance to exonerate himself. As they search for the truth together, they unearth a web of deceits and find themselves unable to deny the attraction broiling between them. But when secrets are revealed, the biggest question is whether Bishop will give up the games he hasn’t even realized he was playing to entrust Daisy with his heart permanently.
Bishop’s story was a fresh twist on both the fake rake and reformed rake tropes, and I found it to be very well done. His only purpose in life was to thwart his father and help women obtain divorces and up until meeting Marguerite and being subsequently bowled over by his newfound feelings for her, he’d only seen one way to go about achieving this goal. She helped him realize that he was still allowing himself to be controlled and his actions dictated by his awful father, and to break free of that to at last seek some happiness for himself. Marguerite showed him that not only was this possible, but that it was what he deserved to find in life. Bishop helped Marguerite establish and maintain the independence she longed for while simultaneously demonstrating that it was also okay for her to accept the help of a partner. I especially loved that, in the end, it is Marguerite comforting and assuring Bishop of the permanence of her feelings for him and solidifying their relationship and shoring up his confidence when he is still a bit uncertain of himself, his worthiness, and the depth of her feelings for him. There were quite a lot of ups and downs in this story and no small amount of emotional upheaval and reflection, which kept me invested in the story. Bishop and Marguerite established a truly lovely partnership after facing quite a few challenges together, both from outside sources and within themselves, and I found both characters to be very endearing. The only thing I missed in this story was Bishop spending more time with the other Chessmen, but based on the interactions they did have, I’m very excited for the rest of this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
March 7, 2023
Book 1 in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series—so excited for this NEW SERIES by Lorraine Heath which is ALSO a spin-off from The Duchess Hunt. 📘❤️🔥 This is a murder mystery with our hero posing as a “fake rake”.. and just look at that eye catching cover!!! 🤩 Bishop and Daisy were an adorable pair 👩🏻❤️👨🏼 with quite the swoony and twisty story to tell!!! 4 stars — Pub. 2/21/23
February 16, 2023
3.5 stars for this series starter. The setup to this one sounds like a charm: Bishop helps to weight the world in women's favor by agreeing to be named as the partner in her divorce suit. He's not actually participating in an affair, but his reputation is in tatters because he's willing to go on the record as an adulterer, over and over again. Daisy is a private investigator who's infiltrated Bishop's staff to confirm one of the affairs. This sounds like an absolute blast to read - Bishop trying to prove that he's having an actual affair, Daisy beginning to suspect that all is not as it seems, both of them slowly getting to know and care for each other...
Instead, there's no slow burn at all. Bishop sees a new maid and is immediately smitten. For her part, Daisy falls for (who she thinks is) a serial adulterer, get so jealous that she compromises her cover, and ends up investigating a murder. If the beginning had eased into the romance a bit more, the relationship wouldn't have felt so instant and implausible. As it is, we ended up disappointed that there wasn't more substance between the two MCs.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Instead, there's no slow burn at all. Bishop sees a new maid and is immediately smitten. For her part, Daisy falls for (who she thinks is) a serial adulterer, get so jealous that she compromises her cover, and ends up investigating a murder. If the beginning had eased into the romance a bit more, the relationship wouldn't have felt so instant and implausible. As it is, we ended up disappointed that there wasn't more substance between the two MCs.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
March 2, 2023
The Counterfeit Scoundrel was one of releases I was most looking forward to this year and I'm a little heartbroken that I didn't love it. I'm hoping this is just a case of "First Book in a New Series Blues" situation.
The Once Upon a Dukedom series is phenomenal and I was eager to hear all about the Chessman that we meet in that series. The storyline was very disjointed - It felt like 3 separate books with 3 separate plots that all fell flat. There was no relationship build or insta-love but rather an insta-infatuation that somehow made a boring relationship that lacked any depth beyond being 2 hot people who liked having sex with each other. I wish we got to see more of the Chessman on page to get excited about the following books but they popped up maybe once for a brief moment and that was it.
I will say that no one does epilogs quite like Lorraine Heath and this book was no exception and it goes with out saying that Kate Reading narration was perfection.
The Once Upon a Dukedom series is phenomenal and I was eager to hear all about the Chessman that we meet in that series. The storyline was very disjointed - It felt like 3 separate books with 3 separate plots that all fell flat. There was no relationship build or insta-love but rather an insta-infatuation that somehow made a boring relationship that lacked any depth beyond being 2 hot people who liked having sex with each other. I wish we got to see more of the Chessman on page to get excited about the following books but they popped up maybe once for a brief moment and that was it.
I will say that no one does epilogs quite like Lorraine Heath and this book was no exception and it goes with out saying that Kate Reading narration was perfection.
Want to read
July 26, 2022THIS SOUNDS SO GOOD!!! Also: I'm living for the unapologetically super clinch covers that are being made right now.
June 25, 2024
It took me about halfway through this book to get into it. Daisy is working for Bishop as a maid to ferret out his secrets. Bishop is entertaining women most night so they are perceived to having an affair. These women are seeking a divorce from their spouse & this is the only way for them to achieve that. Daisy is doesn’t know the truth until later. Their instant attraction causes some tension. Halfway through things take a turn when one of the husbands is murdered and Bishop is accused of killing him. He hires Daisy to help him find out who the actual murderer is. (She’s an inquiry investigator) Feelings towards each other are building and secrets are about to be revealed. I liked the twist, that was surprising. However, I didn’t like the romance between Daisy and Bishop. It was too fast and there wasn’t a courtship. It was an instant attraction and then built on sex. It was ok, but not my favorite from Lorraine Heath.
March 17, 2023
I'm always here for a new series from Lorraine and I was more than excited to see who it was going to be with.
I loved Daisy and Bishop. They both good people with strong beliefs and I loved reading their instant chemistry turn into something more. Of course seeing the brief scenes with the other Chessmen were great (especially the hint of King and Penny)
Plot wise, it was mostly good. It felt like there were a lot of moving parts, but not a lot seemed to happen until the end and then it was everything and done. I did want more conversation, more honesty, more of Daisy and Bishop existing instead of hiding, but I get that I'm being greedy. The epilogue was fantastic and I'm eager to see where the nest stories go.
Overall, it's always the characters that get me and these two were no exception.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the digital arc free of charge**
I loved Daisy and Bishop. They both good people with strong beliefs and I loved reading their instant chemistry turn into something more. Of course seeing the brief scenes with the other Chessmen were great (especially the hint of King and Penny)
Plot wise, it was mostly good. It felt like there were a lot of moving parts, but not a lot seemed to happen until the end and then it was everything and done. I did want more conversation, more honesty, more of Daisy and Bishop existing instead of hiding, but I get that I'm being greedy. The epilogue was fantastic and I'm eager to see where the nest stories go.
Overall, it's always the characters that get me and these two were no exception.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the digital arc free of charge**
January 18, 2023
The Counterfeit Scoundrel is the first book in a new series by Lorraine Heath, The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction. We get a glimpse of the Chessmen series characters in her previous series, Once Upon a Dukedom, and I couldn’t wait to dive into this new series from my historical romance queen! This series follows the Chessmen, a moniker giving to Bishop and his 3 closest friends during their Oxford years because of their ruthless strategy when it came to investing. The others members are known as: King (Duke of Kingsland, his book is The Duchess Hunt), Knight, and Rook.
The story drops us right in, with Daisy already working as a maid in the hero’s house. Daisy was born into an aristocratic family, but always yearned for a life outside of Society. She’s been working as a sleuth and got hired to obtain proof of a wife’s infidelity and has been posing as a maid in the household of the woman’s supposed lover, the hero! But while there, Daisy finds herself quickly enraptured by the devilishly handsome David Blackwood, known as Bishop. We quickly find out that the hero is actually helping women out of unpleasant circumstances, with getting them out of bad marriages by making it look like they’re having affairs. Bishop and Daisy are both instantly pulled to one another and it’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse setup of him being on to what she is about. He does find out she’s been spying in his house and they end up working together when he gets accused of a murder of a husband of a woman he was helping.
The beginning did take me a bit to get into, since we were dropped into the story. But once the story gets going I was so invested and pulled in! By the halfway point and on, I was completely in for Daisy and Bishop! Daisy’s parents died when she was young and she was raised by her aunt (loved their relationship and they have some sweet moments later into the book), I loved Daisy’s independence and her standing up to Bishop (when she pours chocolate glaze over his head 😅), we do get some fabulous surprises and interesting plots (LH always delivers), and I loved his turn-around of pouring chocolate on her (for a much more fun time). Bishop has some lovely declarations towards the end of the book and this couple delivered on the swoon for me. I am so excited for the rest of the series and seeing Knight’s book next!
Since this is a LH read, we get lots of fabulous appearances of familiar places and faces: the Fair and Spare, Twin Dragons (previously Dodger’s Drawing Room), Cerberus Club, Griffith Stanwick (Scoundrel of My Heart), Duke of Kingsland (The Duchess Hunt), Aiden Trewlove (The Duchess in His Bed).
Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. The Counterfeit Scoundrel has a publish date of February 21, 2022.
The story drops us right in, with Daisy already working as a maid in the hero’s house. Daisy was born into an aristocratic family, but always yearned for a life outside of Society. She’s been working as a sleuth and got hired to obtain proof of a wife’s infidelity and has been posing as a maid in the household of the woman’s supposed lover, the hero! But while there, Daisy finds herself quickly enraptured by the devilishly handsome David Blackwood, known as Bishop. We quickly find out that the hero is actually helping women out of unpleasant circumstances, with getting them out of bad marriages by making it look like they’re having affairs. Bishop and Daisy are both instantly pulled to one another and it’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse setup of him being on to what she is about. He does find out she’s been spying in his house and they end up working together when he gets accused of a murder of a husband of a woman he was helping.
The beginning did take me a bit to get into, since we were dropped into the story. But once the story gets going I was so invested and pulled in! By the halfway point and on, I was completely in for Daisy and Bishop! Daisy’s parents died when she was young and she was raised by her aunt (loved their relationship and they have some sweet moments later into the book), I loved Daisy’s independence and her standing up to Bishop (when she pours chocolate glaze over his head 😅), we do get some fabulous surprises and interesting plots (LH always delivers), and I loved his turn-around of pouring chocolate on her (for a much more fun time). Bishop has some lovely declarations towards the end of the book and this couple delivered on the swoon for me. I am so excited for the rest of the series and seeing Knight’s book next!
Since this is a LH read, we get lots of fabulous appearances of familiar places and faces: the Fair and Spare, Twin Dragons (previously Dodger’s Drawing Room), Cerberus Club, Griffith Stanwick (Scoundrel of My Heart), Duke of Kingsland (The Duchess Hunt), Aiden Trewlove (The Duchess in His Bed).
Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. The Counterfeit Scoundrel has a publish date of February 21, 2022.
February 20, 2023
The Counterfeit Scoundrel is the first in The Chessman: Masters of Seduction series by Lorraine Heath. I love Heath’s historical romances. They’re always so entertaining and engrossing, and the love stories are always super swoon-worthy! This one is no exception. It’s immersive and suspenseful, with great characters, a unique plot, and a wonderful romance.
For several years, Bishop has been shunned for having affairs with married women. Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is hired to pose as a maid in his home so she can spy on him and uncover yet another affair. Daisy smart and independent, and she is really good at her job. So, as she spies on Bishop, Daisy realizes there is much more to him than meets the eye. She begins to see the man behind the façade, and he is nothing like the scoundrel everyone thinks he is. When Bishop needs help clearing his name, Daisy knows she must prove the innocence of the man who has grown dear to her.
I can see why Daisy falls for Bishop. He’s so dreamy! He is a champion for women, and he risks his own reputation to protect and help others. It’s hard not to love the man. He’s very different from the scoundrel he pretends to be. He and Daisy both have interesting and tragic backstories, and they are equally layered and compelling characters.
Daisy and Bishop have fantastic chemistry, and there is a spark between them from their very first meeting. Even though they cling to their secrets and masks, their feelings for each other keep growing, and Bishop finds Daisy hard to resist, even though she works for him and he never crosses that line. I love their banter and how they tease each other. It’s like they come alive when they’re together in a way they never have before. There is so much angst and longing between these two, which adds to the sexual tension! I think they have a great story filled with lies, secrets, yearning, chocolate, and steam.
The story also has a bit of suspense, as Daisy tries to maintain her cover in Bishop’s house, and Bishop is later suspected of murder and seems to have a target on his back. Daisy and Bishop prove how great they are together as they work to figure out who has framed Bishop. I was surprised at some of the unexpected twists and loved how the story concluded.
This is a great start to Heath’s new series, and I’m excited to read more about the Chessman. I would definitely recommend the book to readers who like historical romances with secret identities, strong, independent heroines, and swoon-worthy heroes. Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
For several years, Bishop has been shunned for having affairs with married women. Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is hired to pose as a maid in his home so she can spy on him and uncover yet another affair. Daisy smart and independent, and she is really good at her job. So, as she spies on Bishop, Daisy realizes there is much more to him than meets the eye. She begins to see the man behind the façade, and he is nothing like the scoundrel everyone thinks he is. When Bishop needs help clearing his name, Daisy knows she must prove the innocence of the man who has grown dear to her.
I can see why Daisy falls for Bishop. He’s so dreamy! He is a champion for women, and he risks his own reputation to protect and help others. It’s hard not to love the man. He’s very different from the scoundrel he pretends to be. He and Daisy both have interesting and tragic backstories, and they are equally layered and compelling characters.
Daisy and Bishop have fantastic chemistry, and there is a spark between them from their very first meeting. Even though they cling to their secrets and masks, their feelings for each other keep growing, and Bishop finds Daisy hard to resist, even though she works for him and he never crosses that line. I love their banter and how they tease each other. It’s like they come alive when they’re together in a way they never have before. There is so much angst and longing between these two, which adds to the sexual tension! I think they have a great story filled with lies, secrets, yearning, chocolate, and steam.
The story also has a bit of suspense, as Daisy tries to maintain her cover in Bishop’s house, and Bishop is later suspected of murder and seems to have a target on his back. Daisy and Bishop prove how great they are together as they work to figure out who has framed Bishop. I was surprised at some of the unexpected twists and loved how the story concluded.
This is a great start to Heath’s new series, and I’m excited to read more about the Chessman. I would definitely recommend the book to readers who like historical romances with secret identities, strong, independent heroines, and swoon-worthy heroes. Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
August 14, 2023
dnf @ 36%
This was my first Lorraine Heath and well…it’s sadly a huge miss. However I do want to read more from her and everyone was telling me this wasn’t the best one to start with.
My biggest issue with this book was the pacing. We started the book so strong and I was really excited. I fell in love with the hero instantly but after 10% the plot dragged and basically for 30% of this book nothing happened? The pacing was just so bad and I’m baffled by how abruptly it slowed down after we got thrown into it.
Like we just kept going in circles and the plot in the synopsis didn’t happen by the time I gave up at 36%. I was just confused.
My other problem was the heroine. I found her annoying and honestly extremely judgmental of the hero. I honestly didn’t understand what her problem was. I overall stopped rooting for them at this point bc he deserved someone who wasn’t as judgmental and deserved someone loving and caring.
Yeah not the best LH to start with but I have some other books by her I want to read!
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Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an advance reader copy. All thoughts are my own
This was my first Lorraine Heath and well…it’s sadly a huge miss. However I do want to read more from her and everyone was telling me this wasn’t the best one to start with.
My biggest issue with this book was the pacing. We started the book so strong and I was really excited. I fell in love with the hero instantly but after 10% the plot dragged and basically for 30% of this book nothing happened? The pacing was just so bad and I’m baffled by how abruptly it slowed down after we got thrown into it.
Like we just kept going in circles and the plot in the synopsis didn’t happen by the time I gave up at 36%. I was just confused.
My other problem was the heroine. I found her annoying and honestly extremely judgmental of the hero. I honestly didn’t understand what her problem was. I overall stopped rooting for them at this point bc he deserved someone who wasn’t as judgmental and deserved someone loving and caring.
Yeah not the best LH to start with but I have some other books by her I want to read!
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Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an advance reader copy. All thoughts are my own
Want to read
July 26, 2022I KNEW THE CHESSMEN WERE TOO GOOD NOT TO GET THEIR OWN BOOKS!!!
CAN.NOT.WAIT.FOR.THIS.
CAN.NOT.WAIT.FOR.THIS.
February 20, 2023
Review originally posted on Overflowing Shelf
CW: Domestic abuse; death of a parent; references to child abuse & infidielity; drug use & addiction (off-page)
If you know me, then you know that The Duchess Hunt is my all-time favorite historical romance novel, and Lorraine Heath is one of my favorite authors. So it should come as no surprise that The Counterfeit Scoundrel was my most anticipated read of 2023.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one, and it fell short of my expectations. This book leaned way more into detective fiction than I expected, which meant the romance took a back seat. I wanted more swoon-worthy feelings that I know Heath can deliver.
Born in an aristocratic family but yearning for freedom, Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is trying to make her way as a private investigator. When she’s hired to obtain proof of a wife’s infidelity, she secures a position as a maid in the house of David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop. Little does Daisy expect to be lured into Bishop’s arms herself. With Bishop, there is more to him than meets the eye. With a reputation as a scoundrel, he has a secret – all his affairs are chaste. After witnessing his mother’s abusive relationship, Bishop now helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages. However, when he’s accused of murdering the husband of a paramour, he’s forced to rely on Daisy’s help to clear his name.
First off, let’s start with the plot, as I think that’s what hampered my ability to love this book. This book went in a very different direction than I was expecting. It leaned way more into the murder mystery plot than I anticipated from the blurb. I also thought it would take longer for Bishop to figure out that Daisy was a private investigator, adding to the tension in their relationship, but he figured that out very quickly.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good detective fiction/murder mystery romance, but the mystery needs to be balanced with the romantic relationship development. In this book, the murder mystery dominated, so much so that the romance felt left behind. I also felt like I predicted the murder mystery conclusion, even though there was a fun twist toward the end. The pacing also felt a bit off in terms of the plot. Some things were wrapped up quickly, while others lingered, making it feel disjointed.
However, I wanted more from the romance in this book. So much more. The potential was there, but I felt we didn’t get to really see the relationship between Bishop and Daisy progress. The romance is based on insta-lust, and there is some delicious tension at the beginning when Daisy is masquerading as a maid in Bishop’s house. But that tension dissipated as they got more wrapped up in the murder mystery. Bishop also slightly frustrated me in his insistence on why he cannot be seen with Daisy even though Daisy didn’t give a fig about his reputation and what others think. The “I love you” declarations came on very quickly at the end, and I felt like it was a blink-and-you-miss-it type moment before they agreed to get married. I know Heath can deliver on the emotions and make your heartache in the best possible way, and I just didn’t get that from this book.
Bishop wasn’t my favorite Heath hero, but I did find him interesting. His whole reputation as a scoundrel is a lie. He’s so devoted to helping women escape terrible situations through divorce because of demons in his past and his inability to help his mother. I thought he was noble in his pursuit to help women seek a divorce, especially considering how hard it was for women to be granted a divorce at that time. However, he gets a bit too wrapped up in his own head sometimes and fails to see that Daisy doesn’t care about his reputation.
Daisy was interesting. I feel like I struggled to get a read on her a bit at the beginning, but she grew on me. I liked how independent she was – that was one of her biggest strengths. She is a terrible spy, though. My god, she was so distracted by her feelings towards Bishop that she failed to do basic sleuthing or pay attention to details she needed to do her job. She’s also got some serious baggage from her past, which has set her on the path she’s on, much like Bishop. They complement each other well in that regard.
For the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series, we don’t see much of the Chessmen. A few glimpses here and there, but that’s it. I don’t feel like I know Rook and Knightly any better than I did coming into this book. I was VERY excited, though, to see Kingsland again, along with Griff and Aiden. I love Heath’s extended universe as it is always so FUN to see previous characters pop up, and I truly fan girl at the cameos.
Unfortunately, The Counterfeit Scoundrel fell short for me. It pains me so much to say that, as I genuinely adore Lorraine Heath and was so excited about this book. Even though this was not my favorite Heath novel, I am still greatly looking forward to book 2 in the series, The Notorious Lord Knightly , which we will be getting in a few short months in June 2023.
Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
CW: Domestic abuse; death of a parent; references to child abuse & infidielity; drug use & addiction (off-page)
If you know me, then you know that The Duchess Hunt is my all-time favorite historical romance novel, and Lorraine Heath is one of my favorite authors. So it should come as no surprise that The Counterfeit Scoundrel was my most anticipated read of 2023.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one, and it fell short of my expectations. This book leaned way more into detective fiction than I expected, which meant the romance took a back seat. I wanted more swoon-worthy feelings that I know Heath can deliver.
Born in an aristocratic family but yearning for freedom, Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is trying to make her way as a private investigator. When she’s hired to obtain proof of a wife’s infidelity, she secures a position as a maid in the house of David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop. Little does Daisy expect to be lured into Bishop’s arms herself. With Bishop, there is more to him than meets the eye. With a reputation as a scoundrel, he has a secret – all his affairs are chaste. After witnessing his mother’s abusive relationship, Bishop now helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages. However, when he’s accused of murdering the husband of a paramour, he’s forced to rely on Daisy’s help to clear his name.
First off, let’s start with the plot, as I think that’s what hampered my ability to love this book. This book went in a very different direction than I was expecting. It leaned way more into the murder mystery plot than I anticipated from the blurb. I also thought it would take longer for Bishop to figure out that Daisy was a private investigator, adding to the tension in their relationship, but he figured that out very quickly.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good detective fiction/murder mystery romance, but the mystery needs to be balanced with the romantic relationship development. In this book, the murder mystery dominated, so much so that the romance felt left behind. I also felt like I predicted the murder mystery conclusion, even though there was a fun twist toward the end. The pacing also felt a bit off in terms of the plot. Some things were wrapped up quickly, while others lingered, making it feel disjointed.
However, I wanted more from the romance in this book. So much more. The potential was there, but I felt we didn’t get to really see the relationship between Bishop and Daisy progress. The romance is based on insta-lust, and there is some delicious tension at the beginning when Daisy is masquerading as a maid in Bishop’s house. But that tension dissipated as they got more wrapped up in the murder mystery. Bishop also slightly frustrated me in his insistence on why he cannot be seen with Daisy even though Daisy didn’t give a fig about his reputation and what others think. The “I love you” declarations came on very quickly at the end, and I felt like it was a blink-and-you-miss-it type moment before they agreed to get married. I know Heath can deliver on the emotions and make your heartache in the best possible way, and I just didn’t get that from this book.
Bishop wasn’t my favorite Heath hero, but I did find him interesting. His whole reputation as a scoundrel is a lie. He’s so devoted to helping women escape terrible situations through divorce because of demons in his past and his inability to help his mother. I thought he was noble in his pursuit to help women seek a divorce, especially considering how hard it was for women to be granted a divorce at that time. However, he gets a bit too wrapped up in his own head sometimes and fails to see that Daisy doesn’t care about his reputation.
Daisy was interesting. I feel like I struggled to get a read on her a bit at the beginning, but she grew on me. I liked how independent she was – that was one of her biggest strengths. She is a terrible spy, though. My god, she was so distracted by her feelings towards Bishop that she failed to do basic sleuthing or pay attention to details she needed to do her job. She’s also got some serious baggage from her past, which has set her on the path she’s on, much like Bishop. They complement each other well in that regard.
For the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series, we don’t see much of the Chessmen. A few glimpses here and there, but that’s it. I don’t feel like I know Rook and Knightly any better than I did coming into this book. I was VERY excited, though, to see Kingsland again, along with Griff and Aiden. I love Heath’s extended universe as it is always so FUN to see previous characters pop up, and I truly fan girl at the cameos.
Unfortunately, The Counterfeit Scoundrel fell short for me. It pains me so much to say that, as I genuinely adore Lorraine Heath and was so excited about this book. Even though this was not my favorite Heath novel, I am still greatly looking forward to book 2 in the series, The Notorious Lord Knightly , which we will be getting in a few short months in June 2023.
Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read
April 9, 2024DNF. Bored. Soooooo bored.
February 21, 2023
4 🌟’s!
📝 tropes: fake identity, workplace rom, private investigator heroine
🌶 spice: 2/5 (there was chocolate)
❌ CW: divorce, miscarriage, domestic abuse, murder
finished this in one sitting bc LH never disappoints with her addicting plots! like always, the premise/characters/action of Heath’s books are so unique and entertaining, it’s so hard not to enjoy every second of it! for this one, it follows our heroine Daisy, undercover as a housemaid for one of the Chessmen, Bishop Blackwood! it’s definitely insta-lust/love from the moment Bishop sees her delivering tea to him and their sparks fly so hard throughout the rest of the book🤩
the secrecy/spying and deceiving character objectives was very much like a chess game.. there were so many layers, so many suspects, and just overall super fun to decipher everything from each MC’s POV. the hero and heroine themselves were wonderful characters, with depth and haunting pasts.. i really enjoyed Bishop’s occupation of helping women get divorced from their awful husbands 🥰 and in the epilogue, speaking of the ending, y’all those last 10% pages WERE SO EMOTIONAL OMGGG.. between Daisy’s aunt stuff and the wedding scene and him coming to grovel at the ball.. like i was a wreck man.
overall, i really enjoyed this one but definitely was missing ~smth~ that would’ve given that extra star rating boost. still recommend it thooo!
some random moments i loved:
- when she poured the bowl of chocolate on top of his head CACKLING AS SHE SHUD LMAO
- subsequently: “I couldn’t believe when you dumped the chocolate on my head. I might have—“ Fallen in love with you then.”
- i was rooting so hard for the Parkers.. UGH THE ANGST OF THEM
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publish Avon for the e-ARC via Netgalley. Releases February 21, 2023!*
📝 tropes: fake identity, workplace rom, private investigator heroine
🌶 spice: 2/5 (there was chocolate)
❌ CW: divorce, miscarriage, domestic abuse, murder
finished this in one sitting bc LH never disappoints with her addicting plots! like always, the premise/characters/action of Heath’s books are so unique and entertaining, it’s so hard not to enjoy every second of it! for this one, it follows our heroine Daisy, undercover as a housemaid for one of the Chessmen, Bishop Blackwood! it’s definitely insta-lust/love from the moment Bishop sees her delivering tea to him and their sparks fly so hard throughout the rest of the book🤩
the secrecy/spying and deceiving character objectives was very much like a chess game.. there were so many layers, so many suspects, and just overall super fun to decipher everything from each MC’s POV. the hero and heroine themselves were wonderful characters, with depth and haunting pasts.. i really enjoyed Bishop’s occupation of helping women get divorced from their awful husbands 🥰 and in the epilogue, speaking of the ending, y’all those last 10% pages WERE SO EMOTIONAL OMGGG.. between Daisy’s aunt stuff and the wedding scene and him coming to grovel at the ball.. like i was a wreck man.
overall, i really enjoyed this one but definitely was missing ~smth~ that would’ve given that extra star rating boost. still recommend it thooo!
some random moments i loved:
- when she poured the bowl of chocolate on top of his head CACKLING AS SHE SHUD LMAO
- subsequently: “I couldn’t believe when you dumped the chocolate on my head. I might have—“ Fallen in love with you then.”
- i was rooting so hard for the Parkers.. UGH THE ANGST OF THEM
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publish Avon for the e-ARC via Netgalley. Releases February 21, 2023!*
December 31, 2022
Lorraine Heath's writing is always a pleasure however, I found myself bored with the story and characters. There was nothing really compelling about either MC. I spent much of the book comparing it to Miss Scarlet and the Duke since it had that scenario of a female detective in Victorian England.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 25, 2023
Intriguing plot with strong female characters but the plot point that puts the hero in danger- that he is suspected of murder- doesn’t seem believable. As a reader, I never worried that he would be hanged, much less arrested because the first time he is accused we hear that the police officer involved is fair and good and always gets the right man. I wish we hadn’t been told it would all turn out alright, I mean, it’s a romance so we know it will, but it’s nice to have some suspense.
January 31, 2023
I like this group of Chessmen so much more than I expected. Bishop appears to be the biggest scoundrel ever and when Daisy is hired to find out if her client's wife is cheating, she falls for his true charms. The little bit of mystery, the group of friends, the best glimpses into other books in this world and of course the steam that we love from Heath all come together to create a romance that kept me reading in the night.
April 21, 2023
An enjoyable enough story yet lacking that certain something.
I just wasn’t feeling the thrill of the chase.
I just wasn’t feeling the thrill of the chase.
February 4, 2023
Lorraine Heath never fails to bring unique characters to her stories and a plot that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I was really excited to see that the heroine is a lady sleuth in this story, as I love a good mystery and ferreting out the truth. Strong, independent women in historical romance always resonate well with me, and then when you add in a hero who appears like a lothario but is really a cinnamon roll? Yes, please, may I have some more? The story did begin a little slowly for me, but as their encounters grew more frequent and the tension increased, I was quickly drawn in. In this romance, the hero falls first, which just made the tension heighten even more. Him, desperately trying to contain his lust for the heroine, and her, trying to focus on work but getting distracted by his muscles. I get it, girl. I do.
Society thinks David Blackwood is a womanizer, out to seduce married women away from their husbands, and he appears quite successful at it. Having no intention of ever marrying, and wishing to keep up the image to continue his real purpose, he's never made any move to change this reputation. Until Marguerite Townsend. Marguerite enters his household as a maid, one who doesn't hesitate to speak plainly with him and seems to seek him out at every opportunity. He's instantly on guard, in case she discovers his secret - he isn't seducing women in truth but rather faking it, to save them from abusive husbands by forcing a divorce over infidelity. Unbeknownst to David, Marguerite was hired by one of those men to determine if his wife was having an affair, and she is instantly confused by what she sees. Something is going on...but not necessarily what it seems. When one of the women's husbands is murdered, and he is the prime suspect, it's time for Marguerite to change roles from maid to detective, to save the man who may be capturing her heart.
David was such a sweetheart, I instantly adored his character. His clever way of keeping women safe had him instantly endeared to me, and then when it was coupled by his obvious muscular physique, I swear, my ovaries suddenly woke up and my body was asking if babies would be forthcoming. I'm not kidding - this man seemed to be every woman's dream...except for the fact that he was quite stubbornly opposed to getting into a serious relationship with anyone. Marguerite tested his resolve at every turn, and when they finally came together, it was hot, and the connection was intense. I could see how meant for each other they were, and it was sad to see how much they had to keep their relationship in the dark. Marguerite had never been in a relationship of any kind, so to be with a man like David was intimidating. But if she was going to have her first time with anyone, he is who she wanted. Someone who would be attentive, keep her safe and not ask for anything in the morning. Of course, her desire soon grew beyond midnight visits, and that's when things became tough. It was really clear they both felt strongly for each other, but David wanted to continue helping women, which mean still maintaining his reputation. A reputation that had no room for a steady woman like Marguerite. It had me torn, but I felt for Marguerite - I wouldn't want to deal with that either, always being kept in the shadows. Their relationship certainly wasn't smooth sailing, but oh, the journey to the ending they received was well worth it.
As always, I love Lorraine Heath's writing. Definitely a hero to remember and a romance that will have me thinking of it fondly.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
Society thinks David Blackwood is a womanizer, out to seduce married women away from their husbands, and he appears quite successful at it. Having no intention of ever marrying, and wishing to keep up the image to continue his real purpose, he's never made any move to change this reputation. Until Marguerite Townsend. Marguerite enters his household as a maid, one who doesn't hesitate to speak plainly with him and seems to seek him out at every opportunity. He's instantly on guard, in case she discovers his secret - he isn't seducing women in truth but rather faking it, to save them from abusive husbands by forcing a divorce over infidelity. Unbeknownst to David, Marguerite was hired by one of those men to determine if his wife was having an affair, and she is instantly confused by what she sees. Something is going on...but not necessarily what it seems. When one of the women's husbands is murdered, and he is the prime suspect, it's time for Marguerite to change roles from maid to detective, to save the man who may be capturing her heart.
David was such a sweetheart, I instantly adored his character. His clever way of keeping women safe had him instantly endeared to me, and then when it was coupled by his obvious muscular physique, I swear, my ovaries suddenly woke up and my body was asking if babies would be forthcoming. I'm not kidding - this man seemed to be every woman's dream...except for the fact that he was quite stubbornly opposed to getting into a serious relationship with anyone. Marguerite tested his resolve at every turn, and when they finally came together, it was hot, and the connection was intense. I could see how meant for each other they were, and it was sad to see how much they had to keep their relationship in the dark. Marguerite had never been in a relationship of any kind, so to be with a man like David was intimidating. But if she was going to have her first time with anyone, he is who she wanted. Someone who would be attentive, keep her safe and not ask for anything in the morning. Of course, her desire soon grew beyond midnight visits, and that's when things became tough. It was really clear they both felt strongly for each other, but David wanted to continue helping women, which mean still maintaining his reputation. A reputation that had no room for a steady woman like Marguerite. It had me torn, but I felt for Marguerite - I wouldn't want to deal with that either, always being kept in the shadows. Their relationship certainly wasn't smooth sailing, but oh, the journey to the ending they received was well worth it.
As always, I love Lorraine Heath's writing. Definitely a hero to remember and a romance that will have me thinking of it fondly.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
February 20, 2023
Bishop has a terrible reputation as the worst sort of rake and he cultivated it very carefully because it serves a purpose. Different women flow in and out of his home like a conveyor belt. Enter plucky new housemaid Daisy, who immediately raises Bishop's suspicion because she looks and talks nothing like a maid. Daisy is Marguerite who is a private investigator working on behalf of a husband who believes his wife is having an affair with Bishop. He's intrigued and attracted by his mysterious maid. So he plays along because he can't allow her to discover his closely guarded secret. Bishop isn't at all what he seems.
I adore Lorraine Heath and have many of her books on my shelves. I didn't adore this book. I found both MC's a little on the dull side. Daisy was a terrible private investigator since she gave herself away almost immediately lol Bishop's secret was disclosed to the reader pretty early so there was no plot tension or romantic tension for that matter. He was attracted to her and she was to him but he pushed her away because of his secret work. It was also a bit of a slow burn and was very low angst. Anyone who knows my tastes knows that those two things can cure my insomnia 😴 I did love the private investigator aspect and the historical note at the end made it even more enjoyable. Now I want more PI's in my historicals. The steam was decent for LH and Bishop had his swoony moments but he never grabbed my attention. Overall, an easy read but very forgettable.
For fans of any modern HR author
Tropes
Fake Identity
Forced proximity
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥/5
The publisher provided me with a free copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
I adore Lorraine Heath and have many of her books on my shelves. I didn't adore this book. I found both MC's a little on the dull side. Daisy was a terrible private investigator since she gave herself away almost immediately lol Bishop's secret was disclosed to the reader pretty early so there was no plot tension or romantic tension for that matter. He was attracted to her and she was to him but he pushed her away because of his secret work. It was also a bit of a slow burn and was very low angst. Anyone who knows my tastes knows that those two things can cure my insomnia 😴 I did love the private investigator aspect and the historical note at the end made it even more enjoyable. Now I want more PI's in my historicals. The steam was decent for LH and Bishop had his swoony moments but he never grabbed my attention. Overall, an easy read but very forgettable.
For fans of any modern HR author
Tropes
Fake Identity
Forced proximity
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥/5
The publisher provided me with a free copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
August 27, 2023I was not in the mood for a club of men who named themselves after chess pieces.
Want to read
February 2, 2023Despite being an avid historical romance reader, this was my first book by Lorraine Heath and it did not disappoint! The Counterfeit Scoundrel is the first book in her new series, The Chessmen.
Marguerite "Daisy" is detective trying to prove herself. She goes undercover in David Blackwood's, aka Bishop, house to gather evidence of an affair between him and her client's wife. Meanwhile, Bishop is actually helping his 'lovers' escape bad marriages, not engaging in affairs.
I adore a detective heroine, and especially an undercover one. Daisy and Bishop were evenly matched, both fighting the attraction between them while trying to keep their secrets. When Bishop finds himself accused of murder, he turns to Daisy to help prove his innocence. I normally don't enjoy the insta-love or insta-lust trope, however it worked for me in this book. I believed in the immediate attraction they had for each other, and I enjoyed watching them discover each other's secrets and learn more about each other as they fell in love. That development made the trope more realistic to me. I also love historical romances with clever, 'unconventional' heroines, and Daisy is a wonderful example of that. In addition to the plot, this book had a perfect level of steam.
I was really impressed by this book and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. I'm also looking forward to reading Lorraine Heath's backlist and learning more about the historical romance world she creates. I highly recommend this book and I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next one!
*Thank you Avon and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review
Marguerite "Daisy" is detective trying to prove herself. She goes undercover in David Blackwood's, aka Bishop, house to gather evidence of an affair between him and her client's wife. Meanwhile, Bishop is actually helping his 'lovers' escape bad marriages, not engaging in affairs.
I adore a detective heroine, and especially an undercover one. Daisy and Bishop were evenly matched, both fighting the attraction between them while trying to keep their secrets. When Bishop finds himself accused of murder, he turns to Daisy to help prove his innocence. I normally don't enjoy the insta-love or insta-lust trope, however it worked for me in this book. I believed in the immediate attraction they had for each other, and I enjoyed watching them discover each other's secrets and learn more about each other as they fell in love. That development made the trope more realistic to me. I also love historical romances with clever, 'unconventional' heroines, and Daisy is a wonderful example of that. In addition to the plot, this book had a perfect level of steam.
I was really impressed by this book and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. I'm also looking forward to reading Lorraine Heath's backlist and learning more about the historical romance world she creates. I highly recommend this book and I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next one!
*Thank you Avon and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review
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