The Lady's Deception by Susanna Craig is book 3 in the Rogues and Rebels Series. This is the story of Rosamund Gorse and Paris Burke. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Rosamund learns of her brother seem to marry her off to someone she does not want to be with. So she runs away looking to find a way to stop his plans. This leads her to run into Paris who misunderstands who she is and thinks she is a Governess that he need for his younger sisters. Rosamund ends up not correcting him but does take the job hoping to hide out from her brother until she can do something to stop him.

Rosamund Gorse is at Kilready in Ireland with her brother Charles, Viscount Setterby while he is visiting a friend from school, the Earl of Dashfort. But when she thinks his children have played a trick on her and she runs into the earl in the hall, she realizes that her brother is planning on selling her to the earl!! Upset and angry, Rosamund runs away determined to thwart Charles, she plans to travel to Dublin and find a lawyer to help her challenge his guardianship.

Paris Burke has had a little too much to drink when Rosamund runs into him – she tells him she is looking for a lawyer – Paris is a lawyer – and he assumes she is the governess he planned to hire to take care of his younger sisters. With no money and nowhere to go, Rosamund doesn’t correct his assumption and plans to hide out until she comes of age in a few weeks. When they arrive at his house, the his family’s home, the ordeal of running away and the long walk catches up with her and she faints.

Paris is concerned and takes care of her, worried that she took ill in his care. That dredges up memories of another time he failed to take care of someone in his care. But Rosamund is fine, she is just exhausted from the walk from Kilready. She wakes the next day embarrassed and immediately begins working with the girls, Bellis & Daphne.

Paris is attracted to Rosamund and the feeling is returned, but he doesn’t feel worthy of her. He takes a case involving a boy from Kilready and hopes that he can begin atoning for what he considers a great failure. But when Rosamund learns that he was at Kilready, she is sure her brother will find her and she bolts, not realizing the girls are in hot pursuit or that Paris has discovered her secret and wants to help her.

I thought this was a good story, well written with a lot of deep seated emotion and very likable characters. The love scenes were very mild and stayed true to the characters, the villains were dealt with and our tortured hero finds comfort and begins to heal. I loved catching up with his elder sisters Camilla and Erica, as well as their husbands and the epilogue in this book was very sweet. This is the third book in the series and can easily be read as a standalone. I enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend it.

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

The third book in the Rogues and Rebels series, there was never a doubt in my mind that it would be an enjoyable read! The previous book made me feel so many emotions, and I fell in love with the characters. This book was no different, and I found myself eager to turn the page, no matter what else was going on in my life. Finished it in a day, without a shred of regret.

The last thing Rosamund Gorse expected was to find herself fleeing to Ireland from a marriage arranged by her brother, but that's exactly the situation in which she finds herself. Setting out to find a lawyer to protect her, she stumbles upon a job instead, and her plan changes - hide out as a governess to two young girls until she can find a way to escape her brother. Her employer, Paris Burke, is a barrister who was part of the Irish rebellion against British rule. An English woman is the last person he would have hired, but he's desperate and she'll do. Soon enough, though, he rethinks his plan as she wreaks havoc on his tidy world. Maybe things need to be shaken up though, and she might be just the thing his family needs to begin living again.

I love Irish heroes...*sigh*...and Paris' no-nonsense exterior combined with that secretly exuberant interior made for a hunk of a hero. Isn't it every girl's fantasy to take a man who is all buttoned up and get him to see his wild side? Rosamund was the perfect person to get Paris to see the good in life and let go of all his sadness and anger. Not to mention that her last name was perfect for their family, all of whom were named after the floral side of nature. Paris, Daphne, Bellis, Camellia...it was such a cute match! The two young girls were a great addition to the story, adding levity and also stoicism when appropriate. It was interesting to see their relationship develop not just with Rosamund but also with their brother, Paris. And when the rest of the family entered into things, the story got even more entertaining. I love the Burke family and would love it if they were real...and had a single son who was looking...in the 21st century...hehe.

I don't know if there is plans for another book in this series, but I hope this is not the last we see of this family! Brava to Susanna Craig for yet another wonderful book.

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. 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 an older Earl, honesty is a luxury she can no longer afford.
This is the third book in the series & a third Burke sibling has their story, I look forward to the rest of the siblings finding love especially Galen. This was my least favourite of the series. It was well written with characters of depth. Whilst I liked both Paris & Rosamund I didn’t love them & found their relationship was a little lacking in chemistry but did like the slow burn romance. I did love Daphne & Bell though That said I was still captivated & read it in under a day
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the third book of the series and I have read all 3. They have all been a five star read for me. Both Paris and Rosamund were characters who deserved a happily ever after and I was thrilled to see them get one. The Irish-English connection also made the story interesting as well as all of the Burke family.

Rosamund Gorse, leaves her brother in the dead of night, after she overhears his conversation to marry her to a man, whom she detests. After escaping, she approaches Paris Burke, a barrister, hoping to help her solve her situation. However, Paris believes her to be the governess that he has organised with an agency to care for his two sisters. After she collapses from exhaustion, Paris takes her home and his sisters are soon taken with her. The more time that Paris and Rosamund spend together, the more it becomes apparent that they find each other fascinating, yet secrets that hide from each other will soon come between them.
Not only is the romance between Paris and Rosamund delightful to watch, but the historical background to the story was fascinating and well interwoven with the characters. The family of Paris added great depth to this story and whilst the characters are from previous stories, this is a standalone story.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Desperate to find a governess for the two young sisters left in his care, he jumps at the hope that the young English gentlewoman he stumbles into late on a Dublin street is the woman arranged to fill the position.

Rosamund feels torn about her deception. She feels guilty and apprehensive about deceiving the family but she cannot risk her brother discovering her whereabouts and marrying her off to a scoundrel who has already lost a wife to mysterious circumstances.

But the more time she and Paris spend in one another's company, the greater the risk. Both to her heart and her secret.
___________________________

The Lady's Deception is the third book in Susanna Craig's Rogues and Rebels series. I have not read the two previous books in the series, and perhaps that would have inhanced my reading of this book, but I was not very impressed. It had a very strong start, but then it started falling into trope pitfalls that just made it seem a bit cheesy and clunky for me.

I thought the book had quite the strong start, but once Rosamund and Paris met, the quality went down a bit for me. I still enjoyed it, but I wasn't hooked.

If I had to pick a favorite aspect of the book, it would likely be Paris' sisters. Both the younger and the older sisters, I found their sass and/or antics to be amusing.

My biggest complaint is that all the tension from earlier in the book was undermined, in my opinion, by the very simple resolution. It felt quite anti-climatic, like they didn't really overcome anything. If everything is resolved so easily, was there really that much at stake to begin with?

This book can serve as a stand alone, not reading the first two in the series hindered my understanding in no way. But I think reading the first two could quite possibly add to your enjoyment of the book, as they focus on the older two of Paris' sisters, who also feature in this book. If you're a fan of histroical romances, this could be the book for you. But I'm not sure that I will continue with the series.
______

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books Lyrical Press for sharing an eARC of The Lady's Deception by Susanna Craig. This is my honest review.

Wow, what a great book this was to read, Susanna Craig did a fabulous job of writing Paris and Rosamund's story. One can tell a lot of research went into it and I found it so interesting learning more about the United Irishmen.

Paris is a barrister with a lot of personal angst and as we learn the cause of it, we also watch him start to slowly begin to forgive himself with the help of Rosamund and his big family. Rosamund has her own personal problems, one which leads her to run away from her home and ends up working as a governess to Paris' two youngest sisters. There is never a dull moment and I just adored Daphne and Bell, as well as their kitten which had me giggling at many scenes:) I enjoyed the slow burn between Paris and Rosamund, how their relationship evolves and how they help each other.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Paris is a good man. A bit lost because he blames himself for the death of his friend. Rosamund is her brother's pawn. He is selling her to a disgusting man...but she runs. The character development is good in this story. Our h&h talk a lot so we learn a lot about them. Interesting secondary characters too. Won't spoil the story. I enjoyed it.

A gentleman needing help with his two precocious sisters. A woman on the run from her brother and the cruel man he wishes her to wed. A chance meeting, a mistaken identity, and so many twists and turns! I enjoyed this story. I received an ARC of this book.

Paris Burke, a barrister, a young man with some Irish blood, takes part in a failed Irish rebellion and feels guilty about the suffering that resulted from it, including for a member of his own family. Paris is not a titled lord, which was a very nice change, and he doesn't live in a mansion. As a matter of fact, they aren a little pressed for space and don't have very many servants. One day near his law office, he mistakes a young woman for the governess he is to interview for his two young and precocious sisters (Daphne and Bellis, known as Bell).

Rosamund is on the run from her brother, her only living relative, who intends for her to marry a man she finds abhorrent. From what she overhears, it is evident that her consent will be forced if needed. She has made it to the Four Courts, intending to seek out a lawyer, when she runs into Paris Burke - who mistakes her for the governess. Rosamund, who is footsore, hungry and has only the clothes on her back, recognizes a lifeline when she sees one. She affirms that she is indeed the governess sent to teach his two sisters. Paris is surprised at this as he is expecting to only interview her, but accepts her at her word. Fortunately. (I was holding my breath for her before she met Paris, since she was alone at dusk in a strange place, friendless and had no money.)

This is an interesting, exciting, and complex story with multiple plot threads that are all woven to a satisfying conclusion. I particularly enjoyed the last few chapters when the Burke family all came together.

A note for other readers: If while reading this book, you desire more information on the historical background, I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia article about the Acts of Union 1800, which also gives information on the Irish rebellion of 1798. I found it made the book - and Paris - much easier to understand and gave me a deeper appreciation of the story. 4 and 1/2 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this advance reading copy. This is my honest opinion.

Will two persons who are running away, find a path to one another.

I do love this series, why after reading The Companion’s Secret, I preordered without even a though the next installment to come.
It is not often I have read an historical romance with Ireland as a background.
The change of scene and the different setting is like a breath of fresh air.

At first I was not sure if I liked Paris Burke, he was so filled with anger in the first book. Then this anger was a masquerade to hide his own guilt. He has an immense love for his family but he feels like his past actions had created a chasm between them and himself. He can’t shake of his mind the idea, he was the one whom brought tragedy among his kin. Since he can’t forgive himself and avoid them whenever possible.
Thus how he finds himself in charge of the custody of his younger sisters, when he didn’t followed his parents to England.
By his changes of customer base, he tries in his own way to make amends for his past errors. Still, his remorses prevent him from involving himself in his siblings education, hence his need for a governess.
Rosamund, despite her sheltered upbringing, is no pining miss. Even when she finds herself in dire circumstances, she makes things do. She arranges her tales in order to adapt to her new environment. She is smart and resourceful, using her surrounding to accommodate to her new “occupation”. By employing her cleverness and friendliness wisely, she easily won her new charges unwavering affection.
Paris’ sisters are two adorable girls, creative and full of mischief. With the fur ball Eileen, they are messengers of happy moments.
In spite of the agitated background, it was no sad tale, even the supposed vilains are not so bad, mostly ill-advised people. It is a story about forgiveness and letting the past and its old bitterness go to be able to enjoy a brighter future.
I loved this narrative which focused on the life of a commoner, it. As nice to get an insight of this period of history, as Irish people have a long road ahead of them before being seen as equal as English.
Mrs Craig did it again, she crafted a wonderful story which will make you shed a tear, smile, laugh and swoon a bit with Paris, Rosamund, Bell, Daphne and Eileen.
5 stars.

Just a remark about the cover, it conveys the idea of a gothic story, which it is not.

I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Kensington. I had previously preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Rosamund Gorse is literally on the run with nothing but the clothes on her back. She's English and in Ireland. She needs a lawyer and meets one while she's wondering around on the street. Paris Burke, Barrister, has the responsibility of taking care of his youngest two sisters while in Ireland. He needs a governess and thinking Miss Gorse was on her way to his house, assumes she's the governess. A manipulative brother, a ghost, a kitten and two precocious sisters who become matchmakers, make an interesting, complex romance.

I enjoyed Craig's take on the Irish-English political "marriage" of 1800 in her previous books, in which the hero was English and the heroine Irish, and so was delighted by this new addition in which the brother of the previous two heroines overcomes his baggage about the failed uprising of 1798 to help a runaway English bride posing as a governess. This is also one of the few times I've seen a rotten borough used as a plot device in a Regency novel, so kudos for surprising me!

This was my first book by Susanna Craig and I was pleasantly surprised by it. Rosamund and Paris were wonderful characters, individuality and as a pair. The storyline itself was well written and an entertaining read with just the right amount of romance with character growth. One of the things I really liked about this is that it was set in Ireland. Having spent a pretty decent amount of time in Irekand, anytime someone is called an eejit in a book, it's going to make me laugh out loud. Minor quibble - it took me some time to get used to the fact that an Irish lawyer was named Paris! I'll be reading more books by the author!

I didn't do a formal (or informal) Goodreads review for this, but I liked it enough I didn't want to not leave a comment. I've read 2 of Craig's books before (one I <I>loved</i> and other, the prequel to the title, I liked). I liked this enough that I'll keep an eye for her books in the future and will probably look into reading more of her previously published works, even if I don't have the ARC of it.

Goodreads shelves: 3-to-4-stars, family-matters, historical-romance, i-am-a-little-in-love-with-you-char, i-ship-it, netgalley, read, read-in-2019

This was an enjoyable romance novel, I enjoyed ms Craig's writing style and plot. The characters were great and it was exactly what I wanted in a romance novel.

This is my first book by this auth, but it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and like that it took place in Ireland as well as England—a refreshing change from many historical romances. I will now start reading the previous books in the series....