Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Agents of the Home Office #4
Publication Date: 8/20/20

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I’m bummed that it is the last book in the series. Of course, there is a new series on the way and it is related to this one. So, I’ll be excited to see how that goes, but we have to wait until next year for it. The author tried to wrap up the loose ends with this book, but I was still left with some questions – or maybe I just didn’t like the author’s solutions – who knows?

Let me say that it is better if you read the entire series – in order. The story builds, the characters are filled out and the villain is for the entire series. You CAN start with a book other than the first one, but you won’t get the full understanding of what a PORF is, the organization behind it, the people in the organization, etc. There are a lot of characters in each book – and more than one storyline – so it is probably easier to keep up with all of that if you already understand what is going on in the background. All of that said – I think I could have picked up this book as the first one in the series and I still would have enjoyed it.

If you read the earlier books, you know that somewhere in each book (usually toward the end), one of the agents would take off for the continent against the orders of the Home Office and/or the Foreign Office. Those agents were all captured in Spain and held for over a year until Lady Grace Oldridge made a deal with the devil to free them. That deal will cost Grace her happiness, her freedom, and her future, but it will save the one and only man she’s ever (or will ever) love. The deal? She must marry the son of the villain of the series.

Matthew Stanford, Marquess of Harrington, is the man Lady Grace sacrificed her future for – but he doesn’t know what she did. He only knows that the woman that he’s loved his entire life is now betrothed to the son of his worst enemy. How could she just give up on them like that? Granted, he shouldn’t have taken off as he did – and gotten himself captured – but, for her to just stop loving him and betroth herself to another is unforgivable. He spent the better part of a year being tortured and his body is now scarred and he’s bent on revenge against the series villain who is responsible for Matthew’s capture. Maybe he doesn’t really have room in his life for Grace anyway…

Matthew finds that he cannot avoid Grace and as they have to work together to solve some other issues, he realizes she’s not willingly or happily betrothed – and then he learns why she’s betrothed. As they work together with the other agents to finally bring the villain to an end, they also work toward their own HEA.

I really liked these two characters and I loved that they got their HEA. I loved the story as well, it was well-written, well-paced and all of the supporting characters were wonderful. I particularly loved Grace’s father who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. I loved how he and Grace dealt with each other. The book had a little bit of everything – mystery, vile villain, secrets, and a little bit of steam – what isn’t to love. Don’t expect any historical correctness in the book, but it is still a fun read.

I have to wonder if we’ll ever learn any more about Mr. Jones and Lord Ellingsworth. They just up and left for America yet Ellingsworth is now the head of one of the PORF families – so what happens there? Then Jones – I thought he was a little cold to leave as he did and when he did – he’d just met his sister after all. So, I’m hoping in the next series, The Hadfields, we will be offered some more insights because that series is also about the PORF group.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.