Tag: Kerrigan Byrne

All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne

On By TracyIn Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)2 Comments

All Scot and Bothered (Devil You Know, #2)All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Devil You Know, #2

Release Date: September 29, 2020

Before she met Alexandra and Francesca and became a member of the Red Rogues, Cecelia Teague led an awful life – hated and tortured by the man she called father until she was rescued by a beautiful woman named Genny on behalf of a mysterious benefactor. Genny tells Cecelia that she is beautiful and that she should never deny herself again. Words Cecelia takes to heart. She leaves and never looks back. She goes to school and meets Alex and Francesca and her beloved Jean-Yves, she goes to college and travels the world. Never knowing who her benefactor is until they pass on. Cecelia learns her mother’s sister was the one who saved her and has left everything to her – including Miss Henrietta’s School for Cultured Young Ladies. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that the school is in fact a gaming hell and she is reunited with Genny. She is given a letter from Henrietta and learns that no only was her aunt murdered, but she has inherited a ward, Phoebe, in addition to several properties and a fortune. But she doesn’t have time to absorb this information – Genny gets word that the police are on their way to raid the club and she needs Cecelia to pose as the “Scarlet Lady” – she is quickly disguised and is stunned that her friend Alex’s brother in law – Sir Cassius Gerard Ramsay, the Lord Justice is the one conducting the raid.

Ramsay has a tip that some missing girls are being held at Miss Henrietta’s and he will stop at nothing to save them and see those responsible brought to justice. Ramsay’s life is all about justice, he has no time for vice or women, he refuses to be tempted, so he is frustrated that the Scarlet Lady is eliciting a lustful reaction – it has been years since he has been with a woman and in the space of months she is the second woman to cause his thoughts to turn to sex – her and Cecelia Teague, his sister in law’s best friend. He pushes aside his lustful thoughts and threatens hellfire to the Scarlet Lady if she doesn’t tell him where the missing girls are – Cecelia stands her ground and sends him away, shaken by the incident. After he goes, she tries to figure out what is going on and how she will be able to decode the journal her aunt left her.

It doesn’t take long for Ramsay to figure out the Cecelia and the Scarlet Lady are one in the same, he is not happy, but when he realizes her aunt’s enemies will stop at nothing to prevent Cecelia from uncovering their secrets, he whisks her away to Scotland. There they will explore the passion that is barely contained between them, but between his stubbornness and her enemies – HEA seems like just a dream.

I loved this book, it was a wonderfully well written, fast paced follow up to the Alexandra and Piers book with the same level of heat, danger and intrigue with a fresh storyline. I liked Cecelia and Ramsay in the first book and loved them in this book. Ramsay was a bit hard to warm up to, but when his painful past is revealed I was in tears. I was a bit worried that Cecelia might end up being a doormat because she is a genuinely sweet person – almost Pollyannaish – but behind that sweet, kind, empathic heart is a spine of steel. This book was just a treat to read, it has wonderful characters, cameos with the Red Rogues, action, mystery, more than one twist, a villain that wasn’t a huge surprise, but still caught me off-guard, steamy love scenes, a lovely declaration scene followed by a sigh-worthy ending. There were a couple of inconsistencies and title errors, but nothing egregious enough to disrupt the story or ruin my reading enjoyment. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title. I am happy to recommend this title and can’t wait for Francesca’s book!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by the publisher.*

A Dark and Stormy Knight by Kerrigan Byrne

On By TracyIn Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)1 Comment

A Dark and Stormy Knight by Kerrigan Byrne

A Dark and Stormy Knight by Kerrigan Byrne

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Victorian Rebels, #7

Release Date: June 2, 2020

Since his appearance back in the first book The Highwayman, I have wanted to see Sir Carlton Morley get his HEA – we have had glimpses of the man and with each new book, it became clear that there was way more to Carlton Morley than meets the eye and in the last book The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo – big revelations about Morley came out. So, FINALLY we get Carlton’s story!! Long overdue and yet worth the wait!!

Chief Inspector Sir Carlton “Cutter” Morley is a complex man with humble roots, born to London’s streets, he had plans to change his life and that of his best friend Dorian Blackwell and his twin sister Caroline. But tragedy changes everything, Cutter is laid to rest and Carlton is born. Seemingly dedicated to upholding the law, Carlton leads a double life – upstanding officer of the law by day, vigilante by night. His nighttime activities have been noticed and papers call him the Knight of Shadows. It is in that guise that Carlton follows a lead about a cold case and finds himself in a garden surrounded by men and women taking their pleasure. He is contemplating his options when he is mistaken for a “Stag of St. James” by a very lovely woman. This encounter leads to a night of passion with a complete stranger that Carlton has never allowed himself and will be a night that changes him forever!

Prudence “Pru” Goode is to be married and has just learned that her fiancé George, the Earl of Sutherland doesn’t love her and needs her dowry to shore up his finances and provide for his bastard children! Determined to find pleasure for herself, she seeks out the Stags of St. James, men who for a price will give a woman pleasure for a night. And pleasure is exactly what she finds with her masked lover. She shares a night she will never forget with Carlton and they part, never expecting their paths to cross again. But three months later, they do cross when Carlton is attending the wedding of his superior’s daughter. Moments before the ceremony is to begin, Carlton is called to the back of the church – the groom has been murdered and he walks in to see his garden lover, dressed in a wedding gown, covered in blood and clutching a knife, while standing over a dead man!

When Carlton learns that Pru is pregnant with his child, he immediately takes charge – he marries her and will do whatever is necessary to save her. Pru is intrigued by her new husband, but wonders what happened to the lover she knew. These two will have much to overcome before they find their HEA, but when they do – WOW, just WOW!

I have loved every book in this series, some more than others and The Highwayman is still my favorite, but Carlton’s story is every bit as good as the other books and I loved it. Carlton is a good man, his past shaped him, but amazingly, didn’t break him, he has a deep sense of right and wrong and will give his life to protect the ones he loves. Pru is also a wonderful person, loving, giving and gracious to all and the chemistry between her and Carlton is incendiary. The book is well-written, perfectly paced, has wonderful characters, cameos with Ash, Farah, Dorian and Argent, steamy love scenes, betrayal, murder, secrets, locked doors, a villain that gets his due and an HEA with a sweet epilogue. While I did love this book, I do wish that we learned what happened to Honoria and I really, really wish the author would take the time to learn proper use of titles and formal address of nobility. Other than those minor things, I loved this book and I would happily recommend it! It is the seventh book in the series and could be read as a standalone – but I would strongly recommend reading the series in order for maximum enjoyment.