Every Rogue Has His Charm

Love & Let Spy #4

Susanna Craig. Pub Date 08/09/2022

*s. Best Enjoyed as a beach read–published just in time!

I’m going to preface this by saying that I’m a little biased about this. I loved the first two books in the series and liked the third a lot (not as much, it had a lot to live up to in all fairness). This one interweaves not only Caro and Maxim’s story, but also Fanny Drummond and ‘s, and I’ve always wanted Mrs. Drummond to find love since the first book we met her in. ❤

Publisher’s Synopsis (Kensington Books):

“Caroline, Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for six years—at least in name. In fact, Caro has hardly seen her husband since the early days of their union. Scarred and reclusive, Maxim wasn’t ready to trust his wife with his secrets—or his heart. Instead, he quickly resumed his life of espionage in France, believing Caro was better off alone.

When the spy who left her returns upon inheriting the Dukedom, he finds his wife is not the girl she once was. Her heart is a little harder. She’s learned to stand on her own. Yet the desire that once ignited between them burns as hotly as ever . . .

Now, the more Caro learns about the past Maxim tried to hide from her, the deeper their bond grows. But danger haunts her husband’s every move, jeopardizing their passionate reunion . . .“

Reader Synopsis/Review:

Maxim and Caro’s story was especially intriguing in Every Rogue Has His Charm, but what the synopsis does not mention is the extra romance that we finally get to see in the Love and Let Spy series that we have been waiting for, which is that between Fanny Drummond and officer Fitzsimmons. Fanny and Fitz’s story is definitely a major plot point in this and intertwines beautifully with Caro and Maxim’s.

Maxim and Caro are found in a compromising position when Caro goes to visit the library in the middle of the night to borrow a book from their mutual host. Maxim, an enigmatic man with beastly scars on his body from an accident when he was a lad, is on a mission at the time and happens to also be in the library when they are both caught by Caro’s father and mother. Maxim has a lowly opinion of Caro’s father and chooses to do right by the smart, bright eyed young Caro. When he marries her, he makes it very plain to her family that he will care of Caro but her relations will not get a single cent from him. However, Maxim soon after departs for France to spy for the crown (unbeknownst to his wife), Caro is left on her own to fight the vultures that are the members of her family. Caro is also left entirely alone for six years (with the exception of her loyal staff), at which point she moves to Brighton to create distance from her money grubbing relations who have slowly guilted her into sending all of her pin money to them over the years and to also find solace in the vast ocean and small house, which makes her feel less alone.

When Maxim’s grandfather, who was also quite the piece of work, dies and leaves Maxim a title, he makes haste to England to both report back to General Scott and to check on his wife. What Caro also doesn’t know about Maxim is that is deeply self-conscious about his scars and the treatment he received from his grandfather when he was a boy. He has convinced himself over the years that he is undesirable aside from his abilities as a spy for the crown. However, in his own struggles within himself, he does not realize that Caro feels just as undesirable as he does. This is definitely a story where the characters should have discussed their feelings to begin with, but that doesn’t make the best story, does it?

General Scott has become less sure of Maxim’s loyalties over the years he has spent in France and decides to send Fanny Drummond to play companion to Caro both as protection and as a spy in her own right. Naturally, ever the matchmake, General Scott also sends Fitz.

As Maxim is reunited with a distant Caro, dangerous things begin to happen. Maxim is concerned that someone has found out who he is and has followed him to Brighton, putting his wife in danger, while Fanny and Fitz believe it’s him. When Caro’s family shows up gripping about their money issues and insisting they stay for the next month, it’s the last thing they could possibly need. But through all of these issues, Caro and Maxim find that the passion that was held on both ends of their relationship has not died and that even though they have been far apart from one another for years, neither one wants to experience that again.

I really loved this closing to the amazing Love and Let Spy series. I wanted so badly for Mrs. Fanny Drummond and Fitz to find loves of their own. I definitely enjoyed watching Fitz break down her icy walls. The book closes in such a beautiful way and I may have shed a few tears. I can’t wait to see what Susanna Craig has for us next!

Thanks to Kensington books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this fair and honest review.