Received in exchange for a honest review.

What I like most about this is how Mariah isn’t what you expect for this time era. She goes against the norm and it is this that attracts Robert. that is what i love about this book the most. Robert doesn’t want the typical society girl of his time he wants one that challenges him. One that is smart, independent and doesn’t want to just sit home and go to balls.

Mariah is a smart pretty woman. She has since a child wanted to work with her father only he doesn’t see her that way. He is trying to do what he promised his wife before she died so he takes on Robert on conditions. Robert must find Mariah a husband. Except this doesn’t turn out how either expects and it is a entertaining tale for all who reads.

Robert is strong and kind only he doesn’t always let people see that side. He has guilt over his dad and is trying to prove that isn’t the man he was and trying to be what his father wanted. He wants to show him he can succeed and make him proud. Only his father is gone and you can’t meet the expectations of a ghost. He sets his sights high with Mariah’s family company. So when given the chance to be a partner he agrees to help Mariah find a husband. Little did he know she would be what he needs.

Robert enlists his mom’s help and her and Mariah hit it off instantly. So do Robert and Mariah once they got to know each other. they see they are both trying to live up to expectations that they can’t meet. Mariah is a giving caring woman full of passion and a heart of gold. Robert is the one who pushes her buttons and vice versa. They challenge each other but also help one another as well. She helps Robert heal and see his dad’s death isn’t his fault. Helps him find love and see beyond business. His family helps him see that they don’t blame him either.

That ending was fun and swoonworthy. We see them get their happy ending, Mariah gets her dreams fulfilled and love as well. A entertaining story with two stubborn characters that have attraction up the wazoo. they challenge each other and show each other the way to love, forgiveness and happy ever afters but also are equals and partners in every aspect of the word. A great entertaining story.

When Robert agreed to a partnership with Henry Winslow, he had no idea what he was getting into.
Mariah has always dreamt about running the family business along with his father. However, his father had made a promise to her mother and he intends to keep that promise.
The book is well-written and the characters are very well-developed. The plot flows nicely and the characters’ feelings are described in a way that you can feel them in your heart. Another positive point, at least for me, is the sense of humour. It made me laughed several times and, at the end of the book, I wanted to go on reading about them.
I highly recommend this book to all readers who like a fun and enjoyable romance.

We are back with the Carlisle brothers. I discovered Anna Harrington last year and have enjoyed the previous two books in this series a lot. The Carlisle brothers were basically big troublemakers who are now finding love and cleaning up their act. In AS THE DEVIL DARES we finally come to Robert Carlisle, the last brother who actually blames himself for the death of his father and has sworn to become a successful businessman to make his father proud of him and how he’s changed.

To do that, he’s decided he needs to secure a partnership at Winslow Shipping. And Mr. Winslow will grant him that if he can help his eldest daughter marry by the end of the season. Of course, he can’t be one of the suitors because he would then loose the partnership. Mariah Winslow is also known for her crazy antics, even having the nickname of Hellion, and she wants nothing more in life than to be given that partnership at her father’s company. She doesn’t care about balls and dresses, or finding a husband. Her family’s legacy and business is her mission in life and Robert Carlisle is now standing in the way of it.

This was a great addition to the series, but it wasn’t necessarily my favorite. I liked Robert and Mariah and I thought they were great together! There was an ease to their interactions and I thought they were the perfect match for each other. But at the same time, some of it got a little boring and the pacing dragged a bit. I wish there would’ve been a little more excitement. This was definitely a very toned down version of Robert and I think some of the fun of the novel was missing.

Nevertheless, this was an entertaining read and I have enjoyed these brothers stories a lot. I’m not sure if there’s room for more in this series (maybe Mariah’s sister??) but I would definitely continue reading it and I’m looking forward to the next book by Ms. Harrington.

"As the Devil Dares" is book Three in the "Capturing the Carlisles" Series. This is the story of Lord Robert Carlisle and Mariah Winslow. I just loved this book. The characters were engaging and Ms. Harrington does a fantastic job of teasing out the back story for Robert and why he works so hard to be successful. What does he have to prove or is it who does he have to prove it too? Mariah is another complicated character in that she's atypical for the period. All she wants is to prove to her father that she's the best match to take over the family shipping business, but why is he making her attend ton events to find a husband. Can't he see that her first love will always be the Winslow Shipping business?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next story in the series.

Not bad at all. Fairly generic for an historical romance but I really did worry if it was going to "turn out okay" for them in the end which is why it got 5 stars instead of 4. I liked the fact that there was some real historical information in there and I also appreciated that it didn't go on about ruffles, lace and ballgowns like some of the books.

I have been a fan of this series since the beginning, and enjoyed this installment as well. The thing that most surprised me about this book was how serious and intense Lord Robert Carlisle was, as after reading the first two books featuring his brothers I thought he would be more fun loving. Also, the last time we saw Robert was courting another woman (Diana), apparently seriously, so I was surprised to find her already out of the picture. However, Harrington does a good job of bridging where the character had been to where we find him at the start of the book based on his internal emotional struggles. I enjoyed the give and take in the battle between Robert and the "Hellion" Mariah Winslow, and it kept me engaged to the end.

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

~~Reviewed by Shell~~

I have been a fan of Anna’s books since I read Dukes are Forever (The Secret Life of Scoundrels Book 1). Three years ago and have followed all the characters, through there own books ever since.

So when the opportunity arose that I was given the chance to review As The Devil Dares, I wasn’t going to turn it down.

Out of all the Carlisle books. This book I could relate to the most because my mum passed away when I was young. In the book Mariah was a little girl, I wasn’t that young I was in my late teens, but I do remember the guilt and anger that comes with the grief. But everyone deals with the loss of a loved one, in different ways.

This is what happens to Robert, who is carrying the guilt of his father’s death and is constantly trying to seek his approval, what Robert doesn’t realise is that his father was proud of him when he was alive and was still proud of him when he died.

So let me tell you about this wonderful book. Mariah desperately wants to run her father’s shipping business, but her father has different plans for Mariah and her sister Evelyn because when her mother was dying her father made a promise that Mariah would become a proper lady. Now for this to happen Mariah needs to have a season, well she has had six of them and coming into her seventh and Evelyn has had five, but no offers have come forward for either of them.

But because Mariah is such a strong and feisty woman, she and her sister have caused a lot of trouble, nothing serious just mischief, like driving a phaeton on St Jame’s Street, so in society, Mariah is called the hellion. But underneath Mariah has a warm and loving heart, who loved being at Gatewell School, because that is where she feels closest to her mother, but she also loves her father and sister.

But she also feels that since her mother’s death, there is a distance between her father and herself. Because when she was a little girl, she was always with her father in the shipping office, either playing on the floor and when she was older her father gave her some jobs to do.

So it comes as a complete surprise when her father introduces her to Robert Carlisle, who is the man that is tasked with finding Mariah a suitable husband and for this Robert hopes to be a partner with Henry Winslow. So Robert has to get the help of his mother, to help Mariah get the best invitations and the best gowns.

So what can I say about Robert, well he is a lovable rake, which I’ve already said is carrying a lot of guilt. As with Mariah, Robert loves his family dearly and this shows when he climbs a tree for his niece Clara, to save her kitten Daisy.

For me, this book definitely pulled at the heartstrings, I loved the humour and I cried along with Robert and Mariah.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.



Rating:

3.5 Stars

Robert Carlisle is determined to be a responsible and successful businessman, and to be the man his late father always hoped he would be. Robert’s rakish and dissolute lifestyle as a younger man indirectly led to his father’s death, and guilt has plagued him ever since. Winslow Shipping is the most successful business around, and if Robert could only become partner, he will finally feel that he’s achieved some of the success he so desperately craves. Winslow is willing to have Robert as a partner, but only if he succeeds in a task that seems nearly impossible, finding a husband for his daughter.

Mariah Winslow is now twenty-five, and is dubbed, “The Hellion,” for her outrageous actions that fall just short of causing her to be totally ruined. She has no interest in society, her only desire is to become a part of her father’s business and to continue to support her charity project, Gatewell School for Orphans. When her father puts his foot down and insists that Mariah partake in a real season, under threat of cutting off her allowance, Mariah has no choice but to reluctantly agree. Her anger and disappointment are directed at Robert, whose mother will sponsor her, and who is actively trying to marry her off. It enrages Mariah that her father is considering taking a stranger in as a partner in the family business, while she is soundly rejected.

Neither Robert nor Mariah wants to admit that they are greatly attracted to each other from the get-go, but despite their adversarial positions, they are. I admit that I’m not a fan of enemies-to-lovers stories, and this couple’s bickering and sniping was not something I enjoyed. They went from fighting to falling into each other’s arms, then back to fighting. Mariah, in particular, was a complex and contrary character. She devoted her time and money to her charity, and even worked tirelessly at the school. Then she could turn around and do immature things like purposefully spilling champagne and dumping dirty water on Robert. I’m conflicted about my feelings for this heroine, though I was more sympathetic to Robert, although his actions were not all aboveboard either. There are some touching moments and some wonderful secondary characters, in particular, Mariah’s friend, Whitby, who provides some lovely comical moments. If you enjoy a battle of the sexes, with no holds barred, and a hero and heroine with a steamy chemistry, AS THE DEVIL DARES may just be the read you’re looking for.

Mariah and Robert....I don't know where to start, but I loved their story. Both Mariah and Robert are in their own ways, trying to prove themselves to their fathers, in ways that are outside the norm for the time. At the same time, these two vulnerable people may be the only two who can truly understand each other's need to do so. Robert believes he can make his deceased father proud of him, by being a success at business. Mariah wants her father's attention, which she tries to gain by breaking all the society rules for the behavior of young ladies and earning herself the nickname The Hellion. She also wants to help run his shipping business, which he'll never allow. Their hopes collide when Mariah's father enlists Robert to help get Mariah married - The Hellion is in her 7th Season - in exchange for partnership in the shipping business. It's a romance, so of course we are working towards a happy ever after. But these two more complex characters make the journey much more interesting. Fans of Anna Harrington and the Capturing the Carlisle series will definitely love this one.

'Death by kitten!'

An hilarious scene that shows a deft writing skill, alleviating the tensions that permeate 'As the Devil Dare.' Laced with humor, personal anguish and regret are strong undercurrents in this fascinating portrayal of a woman trying to find her place in a man's world and a Lord who blames himself for the death of his father, trying to appease his conscience.
Lord Robert Carlisle is desperate for a partnership in Winslow Shipping Company, desperate to prove himself. Mariah Winslow is equally as desperate to show her father that she can run a business, that she has the wherewithal and intelligence to be a part of the world she loves. Henry Winslow proposes to Carlisle that he will become a partner if he can provide Mariah with a proper season, and marry her off. Mariah dubbed the 'Hellion' by society has a deep seated attachment to an orphanage run by her mother, a place unbeknownst to her has been targeted for development. Carlisle and Mariah are at odds from the beginning and their differing desires are set to collide.
Tension, drama and romance heat up the pages.

A NetGalley ARC

Lord Robert Carlisle is so close to making a deal with Henry Winslow of Winslow Shipping & Trade. He has worked two years for this and Winslow is finally ready to make a deal! Robert needs this partnership, he blames himself for his father's death and he needs to succeed so he will feel worthy of his father. He assures Winslow that he is the man for the job, he knows the business, he is unmarried and ready to devote 100% to Winslow Shipping & Trade. Their meeting is interrupted by a commotion outside, they look out the window in time to see a woman racing a phaeton down St. James. Winslow sighs and mutters that is why she is in her seventh season. When Robert asks what he means, Winslow tells him that was his elder daughter Mariah aka the Hellion. He makes Robert an offer, introduce Mariah to society and have her married off to an acceptable gentleman by the close of parliament and Winslow will give him a 20% share of the business. At first Robert is opposed, but 20%!!! He accepts, he will get his mother to help, Mariah is rich and beautiful - how hard could it be to marry her off??

Mariah Winslow loves two things, Winslow Shipping & Trade and the Gatewell School in St. Katharine's. Her greatest wish is to become a partner in her father's business, but to date he has been opposed. She has been pulling stunts and gaining a reputation as a Hellion to get her father's attention. When he calls her into his study to address her latest stunt, she plans to bring up her desire to work with him again. When he tells her he thinks she was right and that he needs a partner, she is elated, believing that he means her, but her joy is deflated when he introduces her to Lord Robert and tells her that he is his choice. And if that isn't bad enough her father gleefully tells her that Lord Robert is going to give her a proper season and find her a husband, just like her mother wanted! She doesn't want to marry, but her father makes it clear, if she doesn't cooperate fully, he will cut her off. She uses her pin money to fund the Gatewell School and would not jeopardize that for anything, because it is her last connection to her mother.

When her father is called out the room, Robert attempts to talk to Mariah, he is surprised that she wants to be a partner in the business, she doesn't want to marry and by her bluntness that her father only wants him for his political connections. He tells her he knows and while he is sure she would be a good partner, he will be better. She assures him that will not happen, because she is not going to be easy to marry off. He scoffs at that, until he learns the truth, she has no dowry, no promise of inheritance and her father will not let a son-in-law join the company. Robert then realizes what a huge task he has agreed to, but he has to succeed. She offers a parting shot, he won't get his partnership and she will not make it easy for him.

Let the games begin! Robert and Mariah enter the social whirl with the help of his mother and she learns a lot about him. She grudgingly begins to like and respect him, but that doesn't stop her from pushing him to the limit of his patience and accidently spilling things on him :) They share a bit about their pasts and a few heated kisses. They grow closer and it is clear that there is something between them, but neither is willing to give up their dreams for love.

When they finally make love Mariah hopes that Robert will choose her and it seems like he will and they might be able to have a future. But when she learns that he is responsible for a project that will destroy that which she holds most dear, she is heartbroken and doesn't give him a chance to explain. He loves her, he will not lose her! But this story is far from over and a misunderstanding leads to an incredibly amusing scene with a brawl and more drinks being dumped on him!

This was an amazing story of love, grief, forgiveness and acceptance. The story flows nicely, has a lot of witty banter, steamy love scenes, a little heartache, a little jealousy, a whiff of betrayal, a wonderful declaration scene and an absolutely beautiful epilogue. This is the third book in the series, but it could definitely be read as a stand alone title with no problems.

London - 1823

Henry Winslow and Lord Robert Carlisle are enjoying the warmth of a fire and a good cigar at Brooks’s. Henry owns Winslow Shipping and Trade and Robert, whose brother is a Duke, has worked hard to be able to ask to be Henry's partner. Henry knows he will want to retire before too long. In addition, Henry, a widower, has two daughters he would like to see married, especially as they are now in their seventh and fifth seasons. Robert figures they must be real dogs if as rich heiresses, they haven’t yet married. Robert’s own brothers are all happily married, but he is in no rush to marry even if his mother wants him to do so.

Henry’s older daughter, Mariah, age 25, is known as “The Hellion” because she and her sister, Evelyn (Evie) choose to do what they want which results in scandal and damages their reputations. Ah, but Robert can't help but especially admire Mariah. She wants nothing more than to work at the shipping office and be a partner to her father in the business. She has been around the office for years and has learned all the aspects of the business.

Henry offers a partnership to Robert if he and his family undertake to guide Mariah through the season and see her married all within seven months. Mariah is deeply hurt and furious at her father. Robert’s mother is the Dowager Duchess of Trent who enjoys helping young ladies with their seasons with a goal toward marriage. She graciously agrees to help both Mariah and Evie with their season.

Mariah reluctantly settles into attending some soirees, but when Robert and Mariah are together, there is a lot of friction and sparring, but there is also a growing attraction. They continue to bait one another which only adds fuel to the fire. Which one will win out - their irritation for one another or their attraction?

This is a good book and I always enjoy a story by this author. However, in this case, I found that the constant fighting between Robert and Mariah to be way overdone to the point that it became annoying to read it. In my opinion, this sort of thing needs to be considerably toned down in romance novels. Gah! Enough already.

Copy provided by the author and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

As the Dukes Dares brings the Capturing the Carlisles series to a rousing conclusion. Lord Robert, the youngest Carlisle brother wants very much to become a partner in Winslow Shipping, and in order to accomplish his goal, he has to find a husband for the owner’s older daughter Mariah, infamously know as The Hellion. Mariah doesn’t want a husband, and she also wants to be part of her family’s business. The battle of wits that ensues is intense (and quite entertaining).

Robert and Mariah are terrific and well matched – strong, witty, and intelligent. The Carlisle brothers are well, the Carlisle Brothers. This is best exemplified by a rescue scene you don’t want to miss. The other secondary characters are wonderful. This story is a fast paced entertaining romp. The end is predictable, but getting there is quite a ride.

Robert’s is the last story of a wonderful series, but if you are ending a series, this is the way to do it!

I received and ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a beautiful, emotional romance. An enemies to lovers romance that focuses on Lord Robert Carlisle and Mariah Winslow. These two strike sparks off one another from their very first meeting. Robert makes a deal with Mariah's father. To gain a partnership in his prestigious shipping company he is to make sure Mariah finds a husband. Of course, this is the very last thing on the woman they call The Hellion's mind. She has always long to be part of the family business. This creates the base for a warm, charming, fun, sweet and passion filled romance. It is impossible not to fall in love with these characters as you discover the baggage they both carry due to grief and for Robert also guilt. Can these two ever come to an understanding? Read this thoroughly entertaining book to see find out.

What’s it About? Lord Robert Carlisle wants to make something of himself without having to depend on his family name and he finally finds the right opportunity when he meets wealthy merchant Henry Winslow. Robert wants to become Winslow’s business partner and he has everything that Winslow could want but there’s a catch, if Robert wants to have a chance at a partnership, he has to find a husband for Winslow’s daughter, Mariah. Easy enough to do when she’s beautiful but Mariah has no dowry, and shows little if any desire to behave as a lady should. She believes the partnership is rightfully hers and refuses to give up. As Robert gets to know Mariah, he becomes more and more fascinated by her mind and charm but if he gives in to temptation, he can forget about the partnership because Mariah’s father has made it very clear that marrying into the family will NOT gain him any say in the family business. And Robert’s wanted that partnership for longer than he can remember, but he also seems to want Mariah too.



Overall reaction to the story? And just like that, all three Carlisle brothers have been snapped up! I honestly couldn’t be happier about how Robert and Mariah’s story played out because I love a good enemies to lovers romance and Anna Harrington certainly delivered that and more. As soon as I started reading As the Devil Dares I just couldn’t put it down! Robert and Mariah’s battle of wills was as entertaining as it was revealing and I’m thinking this is my favorite book out of the three, and all because Mariah Winslow is my kind of historical heroine!



Describe the hero in five words: Driven. Charming. Loyal. Caring. Intelligent.
Did you like him? Yes.
Why? Robert, like his brothers, finds strength through his love for his family. He adores them even when he’s annoyed with them. That’s also his greatest weakness though because it is guilt over his father’s death that pushes him almost to the point of no return in his ambition to secure a business partnership with Mariah’s father. I liked Robert, and out of all three brothers he seemed to be the one most concerned with being a good man. One of the best things about Robert in my opinion was that he never tried to make Mariah feel inferior because she was a woman. He may have been befuddled at the beginning by the fact that she wasn’t a typical woman of his time but he didn’t make her feel ashamed of being well informed about the business. As much as Mariah frustrated him, he couldn’t help but admire her intelligence and bravery, which made him a confident man. He didn’t need to belittle her to feel like a man and when he argued with her, he quickly found that he enjoyed the fact that she could keep up with and even outsmart him.



Describe the heroine in five words: Tenacious. Intelligent. Loyal. Caring. Capable.
Did you like her? Absolutely.
Why? Mariah wasn’t some spoiled rich girl who wanted to play at being a part of the family business, she was active in learning how the business was run because she genuinely loved it. In fact, it was a part of her and throughout the whole story that never wavered. She wasn’t fickle in her feelings about the family business just because she was experiencing all the glittery social activities most women loved. I loved her devotion to learning and growing the family business and her willingness to fight for her place in it. I loved that Mariah didn’t let herself be defined or limited by her gender and even when she was falling for Robert she didn’t suddenly decide to conform to society’s expectations of her just to gain his approval. I loved her kind and caring nature but I also loved that she wasn’t afraid to fight dirty to win. She was fun but she was also tough.



Let’s talk about the romance: Robert and Mariah have driven personalities when they’re alone but put them together and they butt heads like a pair of aggressive rams! These two could argue until the world ended, but that’s what I loved about them as a couple. Robert couldn’t intimidate Mariah by claiming that he knew more about running a business than her because she was just as knowledgeable as he was. Mariah’s fierce determination and intelligence made her an ideal nemeses for Robert which lead to some very amusing scenes in which he couldn’t believe she had one upped him. It also provided some really sexy chemistry between them, and I say that because Robert was never really sure he had the upper hand with her. All Mariah had to do was be herself and that pretty much threw Robert off his game.

The one thing I have to nitpick about has to do with something that happened in the beginning that never comes up again.


How about that supporting cast? The Carlisle brothers have changed so much since they first appeared in their sister Josie’s book, How I Married a Marquess and I’ll be honest, I didn’t see much of who they used to be in their own books but it was almost as if Harrington read my mind because there’s a scene with all three brothers that is a bit of a throwback to their wilder days and I enjoyed seeing the mischief loving side of these three. Especially since the three of them have been carrying a lot of grief and guilt over their father’s death. There was also Mariah’s sister Evie who was just coming into her own as a young woman. I would love for her to get her own story.

Click It or Skip It? Click It! As the Devil Dares was the perfect way to close the Carlisles series. I’m going to miss those three troublemakers.

This is the story of Robert, one of the three gorgeous Carlisles of Mayfair. The brothers took the death of their father extremely hard and personally blamed themselves for it. Each brother tries to assuage his own guilt by becoming a better man. Robert is an intelligent, self-made man. But he yearns for a partnership in Winslow Shipping, the largest privately owned merchant company in the British Empire. Henry Winslow has agreed for a partnership with a proviso that Robert must introduce his daughter Mariah to the ton and have her married by the end of the season. Henry Winslow is a shrewd businessman and values his political connection and Robert has clout, thus the caveat. He also believes that his daughter deserves the best of both worlds and hopes to marry her into a member of the ton.

Mariah Winslow, dubbed as The Hellion, has set her heart on becoming a partner of her father in managing Winslow Shipping. She learnt the ins and outs of shipping business on her father's knee. But her father believes that it's a man's job. Mariah felt the rejection and hurt bone-deep and vow to prove she can do the job better than Robert Carlisle, Lord or not. The glittering ballroom is one hurdle she aims to overcome!

Robert and Mariah have more than one thing in common: they both grieved for losing their respective father and mother; they blamed themselves for the loss; they love their family; and they both have good business acumen. They were also determined not to like each other.

This is a welcome addition to the first two books in the series. The characters are passionate, interesting and engaging. There's just the right amount of sensual spark to Robert's and Mariah's righteous indignation and palpable mutual desire. The devil in Robert has successfully tempted Mariah but he in turn fell hook, line and sinker

I've read every single book by Anna Harrington and she undeniably gets better in every novel.

I voluntarily read an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my impartial, unbiased, and honest review.

As The Devil Dares is the third book in Anna Harrington’s Capturing the Carlisles Regency-era series of historical romance novels. I was excited about the opportunity to read/review this book because I enjoyed the other two books in this series.

Robert Carlisle is the last of the three wild Carlisle brothers. He doesn’t have any plans to marry, but that all changes when he meets Mariah Winslow. Mariah’s father is a prosperous shipping merchant, and he always hoped that his two daughters would have the opportunity to mingle with Proper Society. As the son of a duke, Robert can provide them with introductions- but what he really wants is the opportunity to become a partner in Winslow’s business. This comes as a surprise to Miranda who always assumed that she would be a partner in her father’s business one day, and she resents this interloper, even if he is devilishly handsome!

As The Devil Dares is a cute example of the enemies to lovers trope; there is certainly a great deal of enmity between our hero and heroine. Miranda might have cultivated a reputation for herself, and earned the nickname “The Hellion” for her antics, but she is well aware of her parents’ humble beginnings and she serves as patron to an orphanage for children from shipping families.

This is a sweet story, and Robert and Miranda have good chemistry, but much of the conflict could have been avoided if the characters sat down and had conversations with each other… although it was very funny when Robert was jealous of Miranda’s male friend.

I would recommend As The Devil Dares. This book functions fairly well as a standalone, so readers don’t have to read the other two books in the series before reading this one. It’s nice to see a strong-willed heroine like Miranda who knows what she wants, and isn’t afraid to ask for it. Likewise, Robert is used to getting his way, and he finds himself flummoxed by Miranda. This was a fun and entertaining read, and I’m looking forward to seeing what is next for Harrington!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

In an effort to seek the approval of his deceased father, Robert has spent the past two years planning for the chance to be part of Winslow Shipping and Henry Winslow’s partner. The catch: Robert must find a husband for Winslow’s unruly daughter, Mariah, aka the Hellion.

Mariah grew up without her mother, at her father’s side at the docks and shipyard. She knows Winslow Shipping inside and out and hopes to run the family business someday. But her father wants Mariah to be a proper lady, and instead seeks to find a partner outside the family. She’ll do everything she can to foil Robert’s plans to marry her off and take the company for himself.

As the Devil Dares is a fun story with an enemies-to-lovers romance. Robert and Mariah are at odds from the start - both vying for her father’s attention and a piece of Winslow Shipping. Each is running from their own demons, having solid reasons for wanting to hold Winslow’s favor. But placing Robert in charge of Mariah’s season and finding her a husband creates a forced proximity with hilarious consequences. Mariah does everything she can to go along with the plan, while simultaneously working against the idea of marriage.

As the pair spends time together, they start to get past their ambitions and see true natures beneath rough exteriors. They learn about one another, finding commonality in the death of a parent. Both are motivated and can appreciate the drive of the other. However, as all good stories go, mistakes made prior to their friendship developing come to light, causing conflict and drama. While it was obvious from the start that the conflict would occur, Ms. Harrington weaves a solid and entertaining story that kept me engaged.

In the end, I enjoyed this third story in the Capturing the Carlisles series. Ms. Harrington has become a must-read author for me. I love her unconventional, strong-willed women who defy their time and go after what they want, and As the Devil Dares is another delightful example. Mariah and Robert are the perfect pairing, finding true love after learning to be friends then lovers.

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

As the Devil Dares by Anna Harrington is book Three in the "Capturing the Carlisles" Series. This is the story of Lord Robert Carlisle and Mariah Winslow. I have read the other books in this series (and Loved them!) but feel this is easily a standalone book.
Robert has been building up his wealth and connections for the past two years his main desire is to be a partner in the Winslow Shipping and Trade. Winslow Shipping and Trade is owned and operated by Henry Winslow, it is one of the biggest Merchant shipping company in Britain. One day while talking to Mr. Winslow about what Robert heard that Mr. Winslow might be expanding shipping routes and adding a partner, Robert learns that Mr. Winslow's daughters are a issue for him. Mr. Winslow goes on to say that his daughters, Mariah and Evelyn are in their seven and fifth season and with the oldest Mariah has a nickname 'The Hellion'. While talking 'The Hellion' was heard to be racing down the street with her sister by her side. Mr. Winslow turns to Robert and reports if Robert can find a respectable Gentleman by the last day of Parliament (about 7 months) to Marry Mariah, that he will give Robert a 20% partnership in his company. That is a deal Robert can't turned down.
Mariah had always had hopes of becoming a partner in her father's business and had no real attention of marrying. But when she learns what her father and Robert are doing she doesn't take it well.
Both Mariah and Robert where characters that you really enjoyed reading about. They had similar issues with a parents death and feeling responsible for it.
I found this book hard to put down! Just Loved it!!

Hellion meets Hellion and it is off to the races we go. I had a hard time figuring out who I liked better in this book – the hero or the heroine. I finally just decided it was a toss-up because they were both wonderfully engaging characters. As always, Ms. Harrington’s writing was superb and the story was well plotted and didn’t leave us with any loose ends. Well – except – I was left wondering toward the end – which of the outcomes befell Robert’s brothers? Did they pay the innkeeper or did they end of in gaol? They obviously didn’t end up dead. Sorry – I won’t explain – you’ll just have to read it. ** smiles **. I’d also like to see an HEA for Evie, Mariah’s sister – maybe that will be an upcoming book! I loved this quote from Mariah – while she is talking with her sister – “Glass slippers will cut you, Cinderella.”

Robert Carlisle is the middle of the three brothers. Like his brothers, he is an Adonis, tall, blonde, broad of shoulder and handsome as the devil. Also like his brothers, he took the death of his father very, very hard and blamed himself for it. Since that awful night when his father died, Robert has been trying to prove himself to his father by becoming the responsible and successful man his father would be proud of. Robert is also a very, very intelligent man and has made great strides in developing his own fortune. One thing he wants above all others is a partnership in Winslow Shipping, the largest privately owned merchant company in the British Empire. Finally, he has a meeting with Henry Winslow and is offered a partnership – but – there is a caveat to that partnership. Robert must provide Winslow’s oldest daughter with a season AND have her married the end of the season. Robert blanches when he hears that news – after all – Winslow’s daughter is known as The Hellion for a very, very good reason. The Carlisle brothers were the scourge of Mayfair, and the Winslow sisters are their female equivalents.

Mariah Winslow was still very young when her mother died. She adored her mother and for a very long time, she blamed herself for her mother’s death from fever. If only she hadn’t begged her mother to take them to the park on that damp day … But she finally came to realize that it wasn’t her fault. She also adored her father and had followed him around like a little puppy since she was very, very young. Since he loved having her around, he allowed it. That fostered her interest in the company and she learned all she could about the business hoping and praying that someday he’d make her a partner. She loved the business, it was part of her heart and soul and she was better at it than any man she knew – not bragging, just truth. Just imagine her mortification when, after her latest escapade, her father tells her that he’s brought in a partner and that partner will be providing her with a season and that she WILL be married by the end of the season. Crushed, heartbroken and very determined to assure that doesn’t happen, Mariah begins her season. Her favorite thing and her best revenge is to do everything she can to enrage, aggravate, embarrass, etc. Robert – and she is very good at her favorite thing!

These two are on a real roller coaster ride. They want to despise each other – and they are sure that they do – but there is an attraction there. They spend time together and get to know each other and start to admit they actually care – and then betrayal (or not) raises its ugly head.

This is a lovely read with page-turning excitement throughout. You’ll want to read it straight through because you’ll just have to know what happens next. Will she pour mop water over his head? Embarrass him into climbing a tree and getting scratched by a cat? Deliberate spill champagne on his jacket? Who knows – all sorts of shenanigans happen and you won’t be able to keep up with them unless you read the book.

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