Haunted: A Spellbound Regency Novel

Spellbound Regency #3

by Lucy Leroux

Desired by darkness…

Born the child of a witch, Helena Garibaldi knows a spirit has haunted her since birth. But now, it wants more than she is prepared to give. As the spirit's ominous and sexual desires culminate in an explosion of jealous violence, Helena fears for the safety of her family. Determined to uncover the truth about her haunting, she discovers a mysterious Duke who may have the answers she seeks. But those answers have a price—her body and possibly her soul. Will Helena succumb to her darkest desires or resist what haunts her?

Read The Complete Series
Book 0 - The Hex, A Spellbound Regency Short - Available Now
Book 1 - Cursed - Available Now
Book 2 - Black Widow - Available Now
Book 3 - Haunted - Available Now

Genres: Historical

280 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2022

About the author

A 7-time Readers' Favorite Medal Winner. USA Today Bestselling Author. Mom to a half-feral princess. WOC. Former scientist. Recovering geek.

Lucy Leroux is the steamy pen name for author L.B. Gilbert. Ten years ago Lucy moved to France for a one-year research contract. Six months later she was living with a handsome Frenchman and is now married with an adorable half-french 5yo who won't go to bed on time.

When her last contract ended Lucy turned to writing. Frustrated by a particularly bad romance novel she decided to write her own. Her family lives in Southern California.

Lucy loves all genres of romance and intends to write as many of them as possible. To date she has published twenty novels and novellas. These includes paranormal, urban fantasy, gothic regency, and contemporary romances with more on the way.

Follow her on twitter @lucythenovelist or http://www.facebook.com/lucythenovelist or visit www.authorlucyleroux.com/newsletter for special offers and free reads.

*For fans of paranormal romance and adventure check out the author's award-winning Elementals series under her maiden name L.B. Gilbert.

Reviews

[Petra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounding down.
Very little romance and a lot of magic explanation and mystery of the bad guy that wasn’t much of a mystery.

I am in a terrible book circle so far in 2024.
Any recommendations will help

[Grisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

O holy mighty goodness, what a book!! I loved every single second of this book! LL's writing was a wonder to read, what a great mind she has for plotting this pearl of a book! I love when stories are well thought, well planned, well written, have fresh plots and above all, having all plot threads neatly and intelligently tied at the end. And the dose and brand of humour incorporated here (oh Tomas!) was also welcomed and appreciated! Great Kudos Lucy Leroux indeed for this one of a kind masterpiece.

At the start of the book, I jumped straight into the eerie, gothic horror-like plot and I was immediately intrigued. But things I assumed right then did not come to pass. With each chapter, the plot kept me guessing and took me to unexpected 'omg' places. What I believed to be gentle wicca-like herbal witchcraft in the beginning turned into powerful, physical magic lore that made sense in the prose of LL by the mid-mark! The story is a romance, but there was also a great action/ mystery plot (Regency style) that took the forefront in the second half of the book. Yet, I was not disappointed at all by that change of focus. The mystery plot deepened the whole story and was very exciting and satisfying to read.

Concerning the romance, it mostly had the spotlight in the first half of the book. And let me tell you, I swooned. Hard. The dogged devotion of Lucien to Helena the moment he learned she was real and in his village, and his relentless cocky seduction ("almost indecent" ☺😍)... killed me with vapours! LL's pen sure knows how to heat up the sensuality to sky high summits without ever being resorting to explicit graphical prose. Trust me it was hot 😳🥵!

While I myself was initially surprised by Lucien's insta-enterprising ways with Helena, I soon did realise that it made total sense because they had already been on intimate terms since they grew up together and shared many personal things despite being continents apart and not even aware each other were real for more than twenty years. Talk about epic and fated! And lately, their nightly 'dream' encounters had become hot already. So no wonder, once they did meet, the fireworks would explode 🥰! And once reaching the last part of the story, I loved that notion that the fates were at play to draw them to each other ever since Helena was born, despite the evil hand preying on young Lucien - it's as if the fates knew to protect untutored Lucien by linking his destiny to a powerful h like Helena. Really, bravo Lucy Leroux for tying the romance so neatly with the mystery plot 👏.

If Lucien is now one of my book boyfriends, Helena was also a great lady. I loved her in the first half as she already gave hint of a very brave and solid heroine. Yet, she still retained a part of mystery by that point. Now, I think that this was done intentionally by LL, because, Helena totally shined in the second half, where she proved to be resourceful, intelligent, and ready to do anything for the love of her life.

If I had to nitpick on the book, I would say that some tiny parts needed editing (I am leaving the occasional typo out) for sometimes the timelines were confusing e.g. one character stating days had passed while another would refer to same events as if they happened yesterday. Also, the use of American English in a Regency novel remains dubious for me. However, all of this is very minor in the bigger picture of my enjoyment of the book and it did not account in my rating at all.

Now I am severely tempted to read the earlier books in the series. Which I will most likely do at some point of my TBR list. Some years back, I did start LL's other series, A Singular Obsession and I do remember that I found her writing top quality. I did not finish the book/series because life got in the way, but the series has remained waiting in my TBR.

Fully recommended if you are looking for an excelleny written original story, with very sensual and steamy romance and a great gothic mystery plot with believable withcraft elements.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book with a cast of strong, well developed characters and an intriguing storyline. The author does a great job bringing the story to life with her descriptive scenes and had me glued to the pages with the mystery. She adds in a bit of the supernatural along with the steamy romance and delivers a terrific story. Loved and recommend this book.

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

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted by Lucy Leroux is Book 3 of Spellbound Regency Series. This is the story of Helena Garibaldi who was always different and had a spirit for a playmate. Now that she is older she has asked her brother Thomas to help her solve the mystery of what happened to him. This leads them to the Devil's Slide and to Lucien who appears to be a demon duke. I have read the previous books which did add to my enjoyment of this book. Along with that, I am a huge fan of Ms. Leroux so this was a must read for me. Enjoyed

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helena is a witch, both blessed and cursed with various abilities. When she and her brother set off for England to track down the ghost that's been haunting her since birth she discovers a whole different story than the one she thought. This was fun with added sauce.

[Arabella Auberon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s well written, the characters are great, the story is interesting there’s lots of mystery, some steam, a good helping of regency and an overall wonderful experience.

5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.

4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.

3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.

2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.

1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.

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

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A finely crafted mystery. A spicy, teasing romance. A paranormal adventure. This book is all of those and even more. The story hits the ground running and really doesn’t slow down for anything. I was immediately pulled into Helena’s world, and I didn’t want to have to leave it. With every clue she uncovered and every secret that was revealed, I was more and more invested in the outcome. And now that I know how it all turned out, I still want to know even more, because there’s a couple of the supporting cast that I think deserve books of their own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Terryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is the daughter of a witch and an aristocrat while he is an English Duke. Literally from birth his spirit has been with her and has been her friend. He is no normal spirit though. As she grows into adult hood so does this spirit. Along with her brother they set out to try and find who the spirit really is. They soon discover that the spirit belongs to a very much alive Duke who is unaware of his powers. Dark powers play a major role in the events that occur, but no one seems to know who is behind the deaths etc. Overall a relatively good read. I guess you could describe it as a paranormal historical novel.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend or foe?
A young woman who has always been different has an unusual event occur and it forces her and her brother to make a dangerous trip. This book was something else it is an outstanding piece of writing. I got so lost in the story and characters. The book took me on one wild journey full of sorts of goodies. I so want to share all the good stuff but I am not going to spoil it for you. This book is excellent and it is a book I am happy to recommend. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story! 5 stars. - It has the right amount of steam, mystery and romance with a touch of the supernatural. Lucien’s, Tomas’ and Helena’s characters felt so alive in the story. I didn’t expect the culprit to be ___ and the motivation to be ___. Sorry, don’t want to spoil it for you. What can I say, it’s a very good story! Kept me guessing. Also, I was delighted to read more about Isobel, Helena’s mom. I received an advanced copy and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting Romance

This story was so intriguing that it was near impossible to put down. Full of magic, paranormal entities, mystery, suspense and a thrilling adventure into the unknown. The romance aspect was steamy and full of heat, quite a well-rounded romance thriller.

I enjoyed this book immensely and always look forward to what Lucy Leroux will come out with next! Well done!

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

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remembered enjoying other books by Lucy Leroux in the past, so I grabbed this as quickly as I could. She writes well with great storylines and characters that are easy to like. I loved the interaction between the characters, especially Helena's family. The mystery had me to the end! Paranormal is just not my favorite type of read. If it's yours, you'll love this!.

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

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helena's story pulled me in and didn't let go until the last page. It is packed with mystery, suspense, magic, intrigue, romance, and so much more. The writing is well done, the characters are well developed, and the ending was great. Haunted is book three in the Spellbound Regency series and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lucien, the person she had been dreaming of her entire life, saved her from being kidnapped, Helena decided to travel to England to see if she could find his spirit so she could lead him to cross over. The funny thing is, though, Lucien was real and just like Helena. This story has action, romance, and steam, ending in a HEA. Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book in a box set via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anadosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helena Garibaldi has always known about the spirit haunting her, but when she seeks the truth about its desires from a mysterious duke.When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Lucy Leroux is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really been enjoying the Spellbound Regency series and am sad that this was the finale. It was what I was hoping for in a finale, and it was beautifully done. It had what I enjoyed from the previous books.

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

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several books written by Lucy Leroux; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the third book in the Spellbound Regency Series. The story is about Helena; her mother is a witch.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable story with great dialogue and chemistry laden scenes between two characters who were equally fascinating. The author crafted an interesting tale that had a few surprising twists which added to my enjoyment. I especially loved how their relationship blossomed as the story progressed. Great story.

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

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing paranormal mystery. It kept me hooked with all the different elements. It pulled me in so quickly. It is a heck of a journey that is wild, a rollercoaster and very intriguing. Helena is such a likable character.

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunted (Spellbound Regency #3) is descriptively detailed, with fleshed out characters. The supernatural element of the story brings intrigue. A mystery in a Regency era with spicy romance and exposing clues to reveal secrets.

[Shelly]

This book wrapped up th series very nicely

Gripping and unforgettable, this book wrapped up the series very well.
It was great to see characters from the previous books appear in this one.

And it was just a really great read 😁

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I enjoyed this book! It was a fabulous story unlike any others. I enjoyed it immensely. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon }]

Too serious and too much drama for my head currently.
Will come back another time.

[Sandy N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun supernatural read. Steam level 3. Good addition to the series.

[Shayay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the vibe to the story, some cool occult magical elements, and that gothic regency era feel is fun. Enjoy the being haunted scenario; interesting mystery and suspense, and how that scenario evolves is interesting. Add in the romantic element and I’m enjoying the read! The story and romance with Helena and Lucien was great. Loved how they came to be in each other’s lives; good passion too! This has been an entertaining series! Enjoyed all the books!