I can’t with this book. I just can’t. I hated it. The hero meets the heroine in the beginning and when she mistakenly believes he is the butler, he decides to lie to her about his identity just because. Because he thinks she’s hot. He has no other reason. And then a handful of minutes into knowing her he already knows she’s the woman he wants. It never redeemed itself and I don’t want to waste another second of my life on this book so I am not going to do a review. I also am not going to post this anywhere so the author does not have a 1 star review out there. But I hate it and I doubt I will ever read another of her books.

A light and breezy regency romance. All of the usual trope that goes with this genre is to be found in proportionate quantities that make this book a perfect read for that cozy weekend!

I am in total awe by this book! I have read Marie Force's Contemporary Romance and loved. But this Historical Romance has me Loving her more!! Please continue to write more Historical!

A frothy summer read! Love the Regency setting. Not as crazy about the trope of mistaken identity but an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Marie Force and her writing however I do not like the mistaken identity trope. Thankfully it is short lived in this story. This is a very light regency romance that is a great summer read. The story is well written, the characters are funny, and the plot flows easily. If you are looking for a lot of substance and depth in your book, you may want to skip this, but if you are looking for a light regancy romance, I'd recommend this book.

I am a huge fan of Marie Force's Fatal series, and I am a major steamy HR lover, so seeing her getting into HRs is a dream! I liked this book for about 95% of it (didn't love the ending bc it felt inconsistent with the behavior of the h, but no spoilers!)... Aubrey and Maeve are a great couple, and I enjoyed seeing their romance develop amidst a mystery as the story unfolded (though they met with some deception involved since Aubrey wasn't upfront about who he actually was when he first arrived). And Aubrey's mother was the love-to-hate kind of villain that makes it all the more interesting!

I really enjoyed Deceived by Desire. I loved the plot and the characters. I am giving it four and a half stars.

I have been a Marie Force fan from the beginning! She doesn’t disappoint. I couldn’t wait for the second in her historical romance series. Aubrey and Mauve are a match made in heaven and I felt like I was right there in beautiful Newport throughout the story! Bravo Marie!

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. This was just a wonderful book to read and it was just easy to lose yourself in the story. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Deceived By Desire is book #2 in the Gilded Series, but can certainly be read as a stand-alone book. Having already read book #1, it was wonderful to revisit some of the characters from the first book in this book., as well as meet and fall in love with the main characters Aubrey and Maeve. Maeve is the housekeeper from Ireland with a bit of a shady past that Aubrey falls instantly in love with. Aubrey knows that this relationship should be off-limits, but due to certain circumstances, the two quickly marry. Maeve's past has a way of quickly resurfacing making this book a very charming romance book that will capture readers hearts far and wide!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Deceived by Desire, the second book in the Gilded series by Marie Force, is set in America in the early 1900s . Wealthy American industrialist Aubrey Nelson arrives at Paradis Trouve', his family's seaside estate in Newport, Rhode Island. He has come to oversee preparations for the visit of his friends, Derek and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Westbrook, whom we met in the first book, Duchess by Deception.

Upon his arrival, he finds mayhem as the staff had abandoned the home and left it open to the elements and animals to spite Aubrey's mother who was a terror to them. Aubrey finds one calm spot in the storm - Maeve Brown, a young Irish woman who has hired on as housekeeper.

Aubrey is immediately attracted to Maeve

"All I can tell you is from the time I first met you, I wanted to know you."

Maeve is charmed and intrigued by Aubrey but knows she is not from his "world." When Maeve's past catches up with her, Aubrey wants to protect her and convinces her to marry him.

Force's prose draws a vivid picture of the Gilded Age, the society of Newport and the nouveau riche. Aubrey and Maeve have to deal with "polite society" that is anything but polite and Aubrey's monster of a mother before they can achieve their HEA. We also get hints about the next installment which looks to focus on Aubrey's and Derek's friend, Justin. While the book can be read as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the first book to understand all the relationships between the characters.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in a series, and by an author that is a new one to me. This author has an extensive blacklist of contemporary novels, and this is her second historical, and continues the story of some of the characters apparently introduced in the first book: Duchess by Deception.

Aubrey Nelson is the youngest son in a large, upper class, American family. His father is a wealthy industrialist and his mother is an English aristocrat, who settled for marrying an American commoner when her preferred suitor married another. They have had a large family, but live largely separate lives. Aubrey is being pressured to marry, as his older brothers are stubbornly unwed, and he has even spent the season in London and not found a woman who suits him.

While in London, he met and befriended The Duke and Duchess of Westwood, Derek and Catherine, and his cousin Simon and wife Madeline. They are coming out to America to visit Aubrey and his family, together with their mutual friend Justin. Aubrey’s mother Eliza is very eager to host the Duke and family as it will raise her consequence, she is a huge snob who trades on her aristocratic connections. They are opening up their summer residence in Newport and Aubrey turns up early to make sure the house is ready.

When he arrives the house is in a terrible state, last years servants decamped en masse, and have left all the window and doors open for a year, because of the attitude and behaviour of Eliza Nelson. Irish housekeeper Maeve Brown is struggling, along with the cook, to set the house to rights before the family and guests arrive. Aubrey takes one look at Maeve’s back, and falls hard for her neck, and then the rest of her. He is immediately attracted to her, and want to spend all his time with her. Maeve is also drawn to Aubrey, but she is a girl with a terrible secret, and she is in fear for her life. As Aubrey and Maeve work to gather to set the house to rights, together with the help of a speedily recruited staff, Maeve’s past catches up with her, and an investigator arrives at the house.

Maeve is terrified, and Aubrey proposes a marriage so he can protect her. He throws money and uses his connections with the aristocracy to protect her. He also knows that her Irish accent and background will mean she will not find it easy to be accepted in society. They also both dread his mother’s reaction, will she succeed to separating them before they have a chance to confess how they feel?

The sections which dealt with the relationship between the two characters was enjoyable, and well written, and the friendship between the men was also enjoyable. The parts about the scandal Maeve is running from, and the parts with Aubrey’s family, especially his mother, were less successful. It also ended rather abruptly, and then there was a short epilogue to tie up the loose ends, that made me feel that a part of the book was missing.


I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

This book had so much potential but it just fizzled out. I loved the main characters. I loved the plot. I found it got a little repetitive with Maeve being so fearful and not trusting Aubrey's motives. The tension was built that something nefarious was going to happen, but it was not nefarious for my liking.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Secrets and lies, big or small, eventually come to the surface. It’s how we deal with those things that define us as humans. For Maeve, an Irish woman working at the Nelson family’s Newport summer home her job is an escape from a troubled past in Ireland. Her husband has died, and some may try to convince others that his death was no accident. She’s always waiting for her past to show up on her doorstep – and eventually, it will. What also shows up is one of Nelson’s sons, Aubrey, here to oversee the summer house readiness for Royal visitors only to discover that due to his mother’s attitude toward her help, almost nothing has been done and practically no one is in residence except for Maeve. This is when Aubrey allows his own little lie to come into play allowing Maeve to believe he’s part of the staff and not a Nelson himself.

Lust will soon turn to love as Aubrey and Maeve work to put the summer house in order before the arrival of his family and their company. What also arrives is that trouble from Maeve’s past. Aubrey convinces Maeve to marry him, at last getting all of their secrets out in the open. He knows full well that his family, particularly his mother, will be furious at their marriage. She understands far better than Aubrey what the scandalous risk they would be taking to marry when each is from another “class”. Yet, their love is strong enough for the challenge – and it will be a challenge before finding their happy ending.

DECEIVED BY DESIRE is an engaging story that shines a light on class differences in a bygone age, and the timeless reality of spouse abuse. I was easily swept into the lives of Aubrey and Maeve even though I have not (yet) read the first story of this series. There are tears, tensions, laughter, acceptance, and enough love to get through all of that and more in this story. If you love a good Historical Romance, closer to modern times, then you’d enjoy DECEIVED BY DESIRE. At a time when the country and people’s attitudes are changing, this is a good reflective look at what was once a way of life for many people. We also get to catch up with people from the first book of the Gilded series. I enjoyed myself, and I’m certainly looking forward to more.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Deceived by Desire by Marie Force is book Two in the Gilded Series. This is the story of Aubrey Nelson and Maeve Brown. I have read the previous book but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Aubrey has taken on the task of getting the family "cottage" ready for the Duke and Duchess visit. Aubrey tries to act like the help but he is soon found out. But he becomes taken with Maeve who is the housekeeper there. Aubrey starts to feel there is move to Maeve than she lets on. Maeve had to escape a bad situation that lead to her coming here for her freedom. Of course she tries to keep her past in the past but nothing every stays there long.
Enjoyed their story.

Deceived by Desire by Marie Force is book two in her Gilded historical romance series.

Aubrey Nelson arrives at his family home in Newport, Rhode Island to prepare for a visit from his friends the Duke and Duchess of Westwood. He encounters the new Irish housekeeper, Maeve Brown, and is immediately enamored. He promises to protect her but is he aware of all that he may have to protect her from?

Marie Force continues her success in the historical romance genre. I enjoyed Deceived by Desire and give it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to all readers of historical romance. Those who dislike descriptive sex scenes will want to give this one a pass.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Fans of Marie Force are very used to her established other series and not used to her writing historical romance novels. Deceived By Desire is her second book in the genre and it shows definite improvement from the first book in the series. I loved Maeve and her modern attitude and Aubrey was an excellent match for her. The cast of characters in this series continues to develop in this installment and gain a following. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

It is hard to find historical romances that take place in the gilded age--early 20th century. This story takes place in Newport, Rhode Island. Aubrey Nelson is the nouveau riche. He comes to his house to prepare it for the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Westbrook. He is immediately taken with Maeve, the housekeeper. He initially hides his identity so that he can spend as much time with her before his guests arrive. Maeve and Aubrey are two compelling characters that come together for a wonderful love story.

From the first second Aubrey saw Maeve he knew he had to have her. Maeve knows she is just the housekeeper and won't make things easy for Aubrey. When her past finally catches up to her Aubrey suggests marriage to keep her safe. Once they are married however there may be greater dangers to their life than Maeves past. This book had characters that I loved, along with a fast pace. True to Marie Force books this one was just as enjoyable as all the others I have read.

The early 20th century was a fascinating time in history with so many advancements taking place. But the class differences were still there and Marie Force takes us into the romance that happens between a wealthy American and the housekeeper of his family's seaside cottage. Set at the shore in Newport, the hero Aubrey goes ahead to the cottage to make sure everything is ready for so the important guest soon to arrive,
He finds much more than a house in upheavel though.. The lovely Irish housekeeper, Maeve Brown. They form a friendship and there is a great spark between them that starts them on a journey. Romance, suspense, a little mystery and a dragon of mother that is best to stay away from if possible!
Once I started I could not put is down and I look forward to the next in this wonderful series!