Another winner from this talented author!!
This is the third in her Rogues and Rebels series, and even though I did read them out of order (nothing new there) I can confirm that I think you can easily read them as stand-alones.
The story is richly described and so well written, it flowed easily from one scene to the next and the characters are so likeable you become fully invested in their story, even the villains were so drawn up.
The romance is at the heart of the story, even though there is a secondary plot running side-by-side, I was drawn in by Rosamund and Paris and their journey to happily ever after, even though there is lots of struggles along the way.
Heartwarming, sexy and deeply romantic!

A really enjoyable Historical romance novel. It's well written, has a slow burn romance and an interesting back-story set in Ireland. It has good character development and I really liked both Rosamund and Paris.

Our English heroine flees the isolated Irish home/spooky castle belonging to her brother's friend, an Earl, to avoid a forced marriage to him. She makes her way to Dublin after leaving during the night and accidentally/on purpose finds herself being hired as a governess to the younger sisters of a barrister. The historical details are well written and there's a back story full of drama involving smuggling. The children add some lighthearted moments to the story.

I look forward to reading this author's back list and recommend this story. My thanks go to NetGalley and Lyrical Press for the e-ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I'm genuinely so surprised that I hadn't heard of Susanna Craig before requesting this title on netgalley. She ticks all of my historical romance boxes. I loved the couple in this story - an English noble woman fleeing a brother attempting to marry her off to an unsavoury Lord, and an Irish lawyer/rebel in search of a governess for his unruly younger sisters. I particularly enjoyed that despite their internal strife and very real struggles this was not a story about two people at war with one another, constantly miscommunication and overreacting. Yes they have secrets but they also have sympathy and as they grow to know and care for on another I couldn't help but smile. I also always enjoy a little but of humour in my historical romance and the precocious younger siblings and large family provide exactly that. Perfect for fans of Tessa Dare!

The story was well written and interesting if a bit predictable but then was pleasantly surprised when some stuff didn't go as expected. Really liked it!

Great cover. Wonderful love story. Romance at its best. I was not familiar with the author but after I read that book I will make sure I will read more from her.

The Lady's Deception by Susanna Craig is the third book in the Rogues and Rebels Series. I haven't read the previous books but I think this book was fine as a standalone. It was a wonderful book with adventure, mistaken identity, and full of emotion. I will certainly have to read the first two books and can't wait for the next book in the series.

This was a well written story and was an enjoyable read. I really liked the characters and thought they were well developed. This is the first book in the series that I have read but I feel that it could be a stand alone. I would like to go back and read the first ones though.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The cover caught my attention immediately and The Lady’s Deception did not disappoint. Rosamund decides to run from a marriage her brother has planned with a widower whose first wife died under mysterious circumstances. Rosamund’s half-brother is a credible villain trying to marry her off to anyone who will take her off his hands. Rosamund was young when her parents died and never understood why her brother did not love her. She literally walks her way into Paris’ household.

Paris, at first, seemed to not really know what to do with his little sisters. He just needed a governess to watch over them so he could go about his normal life. Nothing is normal once he takes Rosamund into his home. From their first meeting, Paris is in for the ride of his life just to keep up with her.

The sensual nature is not too deep but definitely adds to the romance. Ms. Craig takes Rosamund, Paris and his sisters from their home in Ireland to England where the rest of the Burke family is located. The Burke family and extended family see Rosamund is making a difference in Paris’ life. They not only help her with her brother but encourage the relationship between Paris and Burke. This is another great addition to the Rogues and Rebels series.

I enjoyed this book. I had not read the previous books but I was able to jump right in. This can be read as a stand-alone. The story was good and I felt the chemistry between the main characters. On a side note, I hate the cover. It reminds me of a gothic novel from the 1960's.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Rosamund Gorse had seen a child walk across the garden and went to the nursery but her two pupils were in bed asleep. What had she seen? Lord Dasfort, the children's father wanted to kiss her but she tried to push him away. But he said, "surely you will not deny your future husband a good night kiss?" Her brother had sold her to Lord Dasfort to be his wife. She ran.
Paris Burke was a Barrister. She had run to Dublin in search of a lawyer. She had to get out from under her brother's guardianship. But Paris assumed she wanted the governess spot. On the way to his house, he told Miss Gorse all about his sisters. He came from a large family but they had gone to London and left the two youngest with him.
I really enjoyed this story. It was funny, the banter between characters kept you smiling while you were entertained. All the things this poor girl had to go thru was amazing, thank goodness she had help, Paris, his two sisters, and Eileen. Towards the end, it does get a little sexy so probably should be above eighteen to read. I do recommend it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed and enjoyed it, greatly.

The Lady’s Deception
Susanna Craig

The Lady’s Deception by Susanna Craig is book three in her Rogues and Rebels series. Though part of a series, this novel reads as a standalone. This is a romance that hits all the right notes.

Paris Burke is Dublin’s most charismatic barrister. He’s looking after his two youngest sisters while his parents are away. He hires Rosamund Gorse as the girls’, Daphne and Bellis, ages ten and eight, governess without asking the pertinent questions.

Rosamund Gorse is hiding from her unscrupulous brother, Charles, who is determined to sell her to Lord Dashfort, a scoundrel of the highest order. She accepts the position as governess to Paris’ sisters, though she knows she shouldn’t have let him believe she was a legitimate candidate for job.

Rosamund and Paris find themselves bonding, even though she’s an English miss and he’s an Irish rebel. Will they overcome their personal issues and fully embrace the romance they’ve begun, however unwittingly.

Ms. Craig has presented us with a well-written romance. The characters are relatable and have full backstories to complete their development. The plot held my attention from beginning to end. The author also gives historical details that enhance the story. I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all readers of romance, especially historical romance.

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.

Can a runaway English bride find love with a haunted Irish rebel?

Paris Burke, Dublin’s most charismatic barrister, has enough on his mind without the worries of looking after his two youngest sisters. The aftermath of a failed rebellion weighs on his conscience, so when the young English gentlewoman with an unwavering gaze arrives, he asks far too few questions before hiring her on as governess. But her quick wit and mysterious past prove an unexpected temptation.

Rosamund Gorse knows she should not have let Mr. Burke think her the candidate from the employment bureau. but after her midnight escape from a brother bent on marrying her off to a scoundrel, honesty is a luxury she can no longer afford.

When Rosamund lands on Paris's doorstep she is thought to be the new governess for his two younger sisters. She is in fact in need of his assistance as a lawyer. His mistake may be to her advantage but how will this case of mistaken identity turn out.

This is one of the few books I have read by this author. It is filled with mystery and ghostly specters that are not ghosts at all.

I gave this wonderfully written tale 4.45 of 5.0 stars for plot and characterization.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read. I have read and reviewed it voluntarily. All thoughts are my own.

The Lady’s Deception by Susanna Craig
Rogues & Rebels #3

When Paige Burke overhears her half-brother’s plot to marry her off to someone she is not interested in she flees with the plan of finding a lawyer to find out what her rights are. Stumbling across barrister Paris Burke when she finally reaches town she realizes that he has misunderstood her purpose, thought she was there to be the new governess and headed home with him to do her best with his two younger sisters. She is still hopeful she can find a way to elude her brother and the man he has in mind for her but in the meantime hunkers down and fits in as she can in Burke’s home. This story has precocious young girls, a kitten in need, a barrister trying to make amends, a dastardly brother, smugglers, a “ghost”, a look into the lives of those in the previous books of the series, a bit of history and a lovely romance. This story with a HEA for Paris and Rosamund was an enjoyable way for me to escape to a different time and place instead of dealing with the not so wonderful news and weather outside.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington – Lyrical Press for the ARC – this is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

When she learns of her brother's plan to marry her off to a scoundrel of a man more than twice her age, Rosamund Gorse flees the dreary Irish castle she and her brother were visiting in the dead of night. When she runs into Mr. Paris Burke on a Dublin quay, he mistakes her for the governess candidate he's meant to be meeting. Mr. Burke is desperate for a governess for his two young sisters and Rosamund, just as desperate, does not correct him. But Paris is clever and easy to talk to, not to mention troubled by his past failures, and soon Rosamund will share anything with him to take away some of his tension. But the fear of being found by her brother remains and as Rosamund and Paris form a tenuous bond, it seems he may be just the helpmate she needs, and vice versa.

I was a little unsure of Paris at first given his acute, palpable anger, but once I learned it stemmed from guilt I was just sorry for him suffering that way. Luckily his sister set him straight and Rosamund brought him back to life. I really enjoyed their story and found Paris to be surprisingly romantic. I couldn't put this book down and hope for more from the Burke family.

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

An unusual meeting is just the first step!

First impressions of Paris Burke? He's harassed to the point of being obtuse. He's late for an appointment. Not good for a supposedly on-the-ball solicitor! So focused is he on problems on the home front that when a young woman approaches him at King’s Inns Quay he assumes, because she's looking for a lawyer, she's the governess he's been sent to organize his sisters' time.
Mind you, the fact that Miss Gorse fainted when they reached his home should have been something of an alarm bell. And what governess would approach a perspective employer on a dockside?
Paris is a member of the radical organization, Society of United Irishmen. The recent rebellion had left a trail of heartache for him. This has been part of his distraction.
So for Paris, "His absolute and only concern was whether Miss Gorse was a suitable governess for his sisters."
Rosamund Gorse has fled a haunted castle and the distasteful attentions of a man her half brother has demanded she wed. She's searching for a lawyer to make some sense of her brother's guardianship and what that entails. Thus the speaking at 'cross purposes' when she and Paris first meet. Fainting wasn't high on Rosamund's list of how to make an impression or garner assistance either. But she's desperate and needs to hide whilst figuring out her next move.
I quite liked the intrepid Miss Gorse even if she does seem to skirt around convention. Needs must, and let's face it, attraction between the two main characters becomes rather unavoidable.
I enjoyed Paris' young sisters Daphne and Bellis and delighted in all the adventures where the kitten Eileen is front and center.
Paris Burke Is wryly clever, with a well developed sense of humor when he allows it to show, but he's also a lost man seeking absolution.
Is he Dublin's most charismatic bachelor? That he was a skilled lawyer particularly in the courtroom seems evident. Does the equate to being labeled a 'charismatic bachelor?' Not as far as I could see.
His and Rosamund's romancing advances at a racy pace, on par with everything else that's going on.
Heaps of action and subplots makes this story a breezy, pleasant read.

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley

In this third book in Susanna Craig’s Rogues and Rebels series, it’s the eldest of the Burke family, barrister Paris, who meets his match. Still suffering guilt over the consequences his participation in the failed 1798 Irish Rebellion brought down on his friends and family, he’s been drinking when he meets a young woman he incorrectly assumes is the new governess sent to look after his sisters.

In the midst of a panicked flight from a forced marriage, Rosamund Gorse seizes on the opportunity offered by Paris Burke’s mistake. He might even be able, with his knowledge of the law, help her escape her brother’s clutches, but before she gets up the courage to ask him, he disappears on a case. Things go wrong when she discovers he’s travelled to the location she just fled from and jumps to conclusions.

Susanna Craig always puts a great deal of historical detail in her books, and you really get a strong flavour of the time period from the little details which really add up to create a coherent picture of how people really lived. Paris suffers a real crisis of conscience over falling in love with an Englishwoman, enough that when he leaves Dublin to visit a small rural town and they think he’s English that I actually laughed. He definitely had to think about his prejudices when the tables were turned, same as Rosamund had to reconsider her privileged life when she had to fall back on her own wits for survival.

Five stars for an excellent addition to one of my favorite series. If you haven’t read Susanna Craig yet, and you love historical romance, you really should pick these up. You’ll have a new fave author in no time!

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I haven't read anything by this author before but I really liked the cover and was interested in giving it a try. I liked the book a good amount but there was a lot that I wasn't thrilled with also. Rosamund was so very strong willed and I really liked that about her character, but at the same time she was so unbearably naive. And Paris was in some ways a great example of a romance novel hero but he was also very selfish and self-absorbed. There was a lot in this book too that seemed to be related to characters from previous novels in the series - I think I would've felt more connected to the story line if I had had some involvement in those story lines as well. And their relationship felt like it was progressing slowly but then it went warp speed when they started getting physical and it just didn't feel developed enough for what was happening. Overall I liked the book ok but wasn't especially excited about it.

Each story that I read by this wonderful author only makes me anxious to read more!
Rosamund Gorse was desperate. She would not be sold by her brother to that man and her only thought was to get away and find someone to help her, possibly a lawyer?
Good fortune smiled down on her when she met Paris Burke (don't you just love that name? sigh). Practically crossing in front of his path, it seemed fate was at work. He was making his way to his next appointment to a lady who was to help him find a governess for his two young sisters and he mistakenly took her for the candidate!
I loved every bit of this book. The characters of Paris and Rosamund had me holding my breath to see what would happen. Paris, an Irishman, with his wounded soul who needed find peace and forgiveness within himself. The sisters, Daphne and Bell where delightful and impish and won my heart and of course their precious kitten.
But of course, Paris does not know her secret but it will come out and you will just have to read to find out what happens!
Perfect. That is all I can say!

Susanna Craig has penned another enjoyable installment in her Rogues and Rebels series featuring the Burke family of Ireland. After reading the first two books in the series, I was left wondering if Paris would be able to engage my emotions as much as his sisters had. He was a very angry man and I didn't much like him. By the time his book begins, the anger has mellowed somewhat though other emotions have surfaced that leave him struggling with guilt and remorse. Craig excels at creating complex characters with layers of emotion that are gradually revealed as their stories are told and drawing me into their thoughts and their journey. By the time this book ended, I was firmly in Paris's corner and cheering him on to familial reconciliation and a happy ending.

I admired Rosamund's determination to not be forced into an untenable position by her brother and the lengths she was willing to go to avoid it. I enjoyed the chemistry between Paris and Rosamund, the banter between them, and the attraction they both dance around. I enjoyed her intelligence, her creativity, her growth throughout the book and the self-confidence that blossoms within her after she impulsively jumps into the unexpected position of governess to Daphne and Bell. And those two! I adored them and am keeping my fingers crossed that sometime down the road Craig may decide to give the grown-up Daphne and Bell stories of their own.

As with her other books, Craig's impeccable research shines through in The Lady's Deception. She always gives me an emotional romance but the history within which those romances are set never fails to enrich my base of knowledge. I've thoroughly enjoyed her foray into Ireland and learning more about their struggles with the British while, at the same time, falling in love with the eclectic Burke family. I can't wait to find out what she has in store for readers next.

4.5 stars

English countess Rosamund Gorse runs away from Kilready castle when she finds out her brother, Charles, has sold her to marry Lord Dashfort. While there's nothing strikingly wrong with Dashfort, aside from the rumors about his illegitimate child and the recent death of his wife, Rosamund doesn't love him and has no intentions of marrying this man who's way older than her.

In her plight, she meets Paris Burke, an Irish barrister, who is looking for a governess for his two youngest sisters. Taking advantage of his situation, Rosamund pretends to be a governess to earn while she hides. He takes her right away to Merrion Square and the next thing they know, they have developed affections for each other. But will this work, especially in the times when the Irish are rebelling against the English? Can love hopefully blossom out of lies and deception?

This book had a slow start and I almost did not want to finish it, but I'm glad I did. The build-up and excitement did not start until I was in the middle and it followed through 'til the end. The first thing that I loved in this book was the hidden desires and therefore tension between Paris and Rosamund. It was a slow-burn romance that was worth the wait. I adored the couple's character developments and how they eventually chose to be brave as individuals so they can live better lives.

I also loved that the book was feminist (and LGBT-friendly). It portrayed how men and women can be equal even in the earlier times when men were the only ones expected to rule and succeed. It also talked about forgiveness not only of others, but more importantly, of yourself. If you have a big family, you will definitely enjoy this one as it shows how noisy yet happy a big family can be.

I found a few typo errors, mostly missing punctuation marks. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and romance. Trigger warnings include death and sex. Special thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Lyrical Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.