Books 1 & 2, by Lorraine Heath
Book 1, The Counterfeit Scoundrel, 4*s
Pub Synopsis:
“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?“
REVIEW:
Lorraine Heath never ceases to entertain me with her romances, which are always packed to the gills with intrigue and tension, the two things I find most important in a romance.
As an investor, Bishop understands how a well planned investment now can lead to a big payoff later, and that’s why he took all the hurt from his childhood and is now secretly getting back at his father for the pain and heartache he caused him by buying everything out from under him and ruining his reputation as much as possible. That includes helping women like his mother get out of abusive or loveless marriages by posing as their lover to help them obtain a divorce from their spouse. No one knows these affairs are facades and are affairs in name only. If anyone knew they weren’t, the women would be in trouble and he would no longer be branded as a rake. This is why his newest servant, Daisy, is a bit of a problem for him. The moment he sees the strangely poised and incredibly beautiful maidservant, he knows he’s in trouble.
Daisy is far more trouble than he realizes, however. After all, Daisy isn’t simple maidservant. She’s a Private investigator who has been hired by the husband of one of his fake mistresses to sus out what is really going on with his wife, and the best way for her to do that is to infiltrate his household. What she wasn’t prepared for during this undercover mission was to discover this sensuous and intriguing man who makes her weak in the knees and heated in all the wrong places.
As they circle one another, slowly uncovering one anothers’ secrets, they will soon uncover a secret danger that indelibly ties them together. Will exploring the heat between them only lead to heartbreak and danger? Or is it the one thing that will save them both?
This was an excellent start to a new series by Lorraine Heath, a true mistress of historical romance. I’m so happy this is the first in a series, and I had to read this one before I started on the story of Lord Knightly. So glad I did.
Book 2, The Notorious Lord Knightly, 4*s, Pub Date 7/27/23
Pub Synopsis:
“A scandalous book by an anonymous author takes London by storm, and everyone is convinced its villainous “Lord K” is the greatly admired Earl of Knightly. Heartbroken that he left her at the altar, Miss Regina Leyland impulsively sought revenge by revealing the true Knightly to the world but never expected the uproar to bring enemies to her door. To keep her identity hidden, she must trust the one man with the power to destroy her.
Furious to be the object of notoriety and gossip, Knightly confronts the lady he suspects of penning the tome only to discover she is no longer the naïve innocent he was forced to betray, but a woman of strength and conviction, who will bow before no man.
Knightly and Regina pretend a reconciliation to salvage their reputations and throw the ton off their scent. But false friendship soon turns to powerful passion. When truths emerge, threatening all they hold dear, they must face the consequences of their past if their story is ever to deserve its happily ever after.”
REVIEW:
After finishing this one, I really can’t wait for the next book in the Chessmen series. Listen, I have major respect for Lorraine Heath. She’s been one of my favorite romance authors since…ever. I’m a big Historical Romance fan. Okay, you caught me. I’m just a romance fan. Historical…Romantasy…etc… I think it’s the tension. It must be, because I love thrillers and horror also. And Heath? She knows tension. She knows intrigue. I sometimes feel like she may know me, because she gets real down deep in there and pulls me straight in. I’m a poor fish hopelessly caught in her word net.
The story of Knight and Regina starts off far before the events of the book. The story does jump timelines and perspectives, so we get to see what went wrong between them that caused such broken hearts and hurt feelings. Now, Regina wants to move on, but not without some small revenge. But this small revenge may have a profound effect on her future prospects, unbeknownst to her when she anonymously publishes a rather erotic tale of a young lady and her adventures in love with a certain Lord K.
Obviously, everyone thinks that Lord K is Knightly. And they have their suspicions eventually on who the author could be. He still cares about Regina in a big way, and calling off their wedding was a little…outside of his hands. He had a good reason, but he can’t tell her what that is. He’s been sworn to secrecy by the person who caused their greatest heartbreak.
And because he still loves her, he is going to make sure he does his part to secure her a better future, an olive branch that Regina reluctantly grabs onto. Because she still has feelings, too. Dangerous feelings. And Regina and Knightly may need to explore those feelings if they ever plan to move on from one another. But what if those feelings are more than just surface? Are they setting themselves up for more hurt, or are they setting themselves up for a chance at a future neither thought they could ever have?
This one was GOOD. The complex relationships, navigating society’s strict structures. Avoiding the pitfalls of finding one another in the dark of a garden at a party? Fantastic. This one is all ‘Love is messy’ and ‘Is Revenge served cold really a thing?’ Yeah. I read it one night. I may not have slept more than three hours. Was it worth it? Yup. 100%. And I’d do it again, Heath. Matter of fact, I may insist on it when the next Chessmen is within reach!
Thank you Lorraine Heath, Netgalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for this review. It was a delight and I cannot wait for the next installment!
Always Lost in Words 