Cecelia Teague has several titles including one of three friends known as the Red Rogues, a woman who moves in high society, and now the owner and operator of one of London’s seedier institutions known as a gambling hell where the rich and royal come to play. The man who is determined to shut her down, Lord Cassius Gerard Ramsey, is the half brother of a Red Rogue friend’s husband, who is also a Lord of high standing, Duke Redmayne. Cecilia had a very rough early upbringing until a mysterious benefactor whisked her away to a boarding school which allowed Cecilia to eventually go into higher education. This is something quite unusual for Regency London to have a highly educated woman such as Cecelia. She inherits the gambling house which also doubles as a school for less fortunate woman some of whom ply not quite respectable trades.

Lord Ramsey also came from a grim early background until his mother, who had previously abandoned Cassius, brought him to live with her second husband, Duke Redmayne’s father. He gives the moniker stubborn Scotsman a whole new meaning in his determination to resist any and all feelings for Cecelia and believe the worst of her. Lord Ramsey does not initially realize that the woman he is attracted to has also become hated enemy as she is in disguise at their meeting in her establishment after he knocks down the front door. There is quite a bit of danger afoot including the fact that the unknown benefactor, recently revealed and who left her the establishment, met an untimely end. Someone seems to be intent on doing Cecelia harm as well. Eventually they work together but Cecelia and Cassius’s relationship remains a rocky road.

I had a hard time warming up to Cassius as he is an insufferable prig and very aggressively unpleasant to Cecelia. She already had a lot of self esteem issues because of her early background, being considered overweight for her time, and not having title or high position in the peerage on her own. As Lord Chief Justice of the High Court Cassius wields enormous power so his threats and overbearing demeanor towards Cecelia carry a lot of weight. He is certainly less than charming much of the time. This is the second book in the Devil You Know series and while it can be read as a standalone, Cecelia’s background and that of her two friends are introduced in the first book, HOW TO LOVE A DUKE IN TEN DAYS.

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3.5/5
When I saw this was in the Read now section on NetGalley, I clicked on it in half a second, I adore historical romance books but I especially love their sequels.

This one was overall an easy read but it wasn't always an enjoyable one.
When you write a hero that doesn't trust women, you have to thread carefully because you risk making him sound like a plain misogynist which is what happened with this book unfortunately.
The hero had mommy issues if that is even a thing, basically he grew up with a careless mother who wasn't fit for that role and that's how he grew to resent her and in the end, all women. Now I could understand him being mad with his parent but I could absolutely not understand why he'd spend the entire book calling her a "whore" and shaming other women for being... women and using their bodies the way they saw fit. That's a very certain way to make the hero unlikable and it's a pity because he started to redeem himself towards the end of the book but his behavior before that was just unacceptable so I couldn't overlook it.

The general plot was what I liked the most about this novel, it was interesting and the book could be read fast because of that, moreover there was more than one plot twist I did not see coming and that's definitely a point in its favor. The romance had great potential as the hero and heroine started out as enemies but it felt like they skipped some of the stages in their relationship: they went from hating each other to loving with no in between.

I'm definitely gonna read the next book but I really hope the hero in it is nicer than this one.

An interesting story, some adventure, some sexy scenes, angsty characters. I just wish it was more, more character development, more plot development, more romance, more steamy scenes. A more fleshed out resolution to all the conflict in the book. The ending didn’t feel like the ending or this story, do they rebuild? Do they move everyone into their home? Are the bad guys all serving jail time? What’s Cassius’s position in life now? So many questions unanswered.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, this review is given voluntarily.

"The only man who even growled in a Scottish accent"....that describes Ramsay perfectly! When I first started reading this story, I wasn't too sure about it because it was a bit confusing but once I really got into it, I couldn't stop reading!!

Ramsay is the type of hero you can rely on and even though he can be cold and brutal, he really does have a heart. When you read about his childhood, be ready to have tissues nearby....the same with Cecelia's childhood. These are two lost souls who don't realize they're lost and it isn't until they come together that they realize they complete each other. So much stands in their way, though....danger, murders, child trafficking, etc. Lots of twists and turns that will keep you on your toes as well!

The only thing I really didn't like was the fact that it was mentioned over and over again, in fact throughout the story, how fat, thick, chubby, Cecelia is. There really was no reason to keep reminding the reader of it, I found all it did was put her down.

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

All Scot and Bothered is the second book in the Devil You Know Series and it follows the story of Cecilia and Ramsay. Ramsay is known for his ruthless cunning. He can turn on the charm at a moment's notice and likes to be number one in all things. As the Chief Justice of the High Court, he never expected that his next mission would turn his world upside down....Cecilia's life has been anything but easy. Her future looked dire until a secret benefactor came into the picture. Suddenly Cecilia finds herself in a life she never expected. She's is forced to live two lives: one as a proper, respectable lady, and the other as the owner of a gaming establishment. She's intrigued by Lord Ramsay but doesn't know how long she keeps up with her two lives. Only time will tell what will happen when truths and secrets are revealed...

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. I will be the first to admit that it did take me some time to get into the plot, but once I did, I was hooked. The plot of this story is complex and has a lot of moving pieces. I really enjoyed Cecilia and Ramsay together. They were total opposites and rocked the perfect enemies to lovers' vibe. They kept me intrigued and coming back for more. I wasn't sure if I was going to love Ramsay, but what can I say, I have a thing for the "anti" hero of the story. 

All Scot and Bothered thrilled me and intrigued me. This story was everything I was looking for and had just the right amount of danger and romance with some delicious angst and twists that I didn't see coming. The only complaint I have about this story is that I found the ending somewhat lacking. It felt a bit abrupt and wishing that we were given just a little more. 

When it's all said and done, All Scot and Bothered was a terrific read to spend my evening getting swept up in. I easily finished this book in a single sitting and I look forward to seeing what adventure lies ahead for us readers in the next book!

**4.5 Stars**

With a contemptuous romance rooted in the sheer separation of position in society, All Scot & Bothered was as satisfying as it was enjoyable. The breadth of tension and connection that Byrne created between the two main characters was positively delicious and it was all too easy to become enamored by them. This was historical enemies to lovers done well.

The characters were individually well written and explored, creating threads that would eventually connect them. Having loved Cecelia in the first book, exploring her background was painful yet necessary to understanding her in the present. She was this deep-feeling being who found love and acceptance through her made family, and I adored her spark and openness. She contrasted so, so perfectly with the prim, justice-seeking High Court Justice Ramsay—a man built on refusing all of his baser needs. A man so primal and visceral in his wants long ignored that he comes alive upon his attraction to the voluptuous woman he can’t possibly have. Seeing him unravel and her become affected over the course of their tension-filled back-and-forth was positively addictive and I loved every moment of it.

This series has done so well at building strong female characters who’ve rebuilt themselves from trauma and creating this fantastic sisterhood of support and love, and Byrne added even more depth to the our Red Rogues. A great love story, but moreover a great story of character growth and learning to love yourself.

The hero is the Lord Chief Justice of the High Court.

The heroine is a brilliant mathematician who also happens to own a gaming hell where some of the women employees are have sex on the side for money.

His name is Cassius Gerard Ramsey. Her name is Cecelia Teague, or Henrietta Thistledown or the Scarlet Lady.

Both of these people have ambivalent feelings about one another.

He lusts after Cecilia as well as Henrietta. But, he also considers Henrietta to be a criminal who must be stopped. He believes she is involved in kidnapping children and putting them into sex trafficking.

She finds Ramsey interesting and powerful. But, she also fears him and believes that he will stop at nothing to find her guilty, prosecute her and possibly have her hung.

For me the book had a great deal of contradictions.

Cecilia came from a childhood that was horrendous. She had been emotionally and physically abused. But, because of an unknown benefactor, she received a good education. She has two very good friends who support her in all she does. She is a combination of naivety and shrewd thought processes.

Ramsey came from an abusive background which created a man who believes in right and wrong in black and white. But his inner thoughts are filled with lust and desire for Cecilia.

The book has strong secondary characters who add a great deal to the story.

Cecilia and Ramsey are both characters who are interesting on one level. At times, I felt that both of them slowed the action by having a great deal of inner angst. They are each intelligent and capable of behaving like the lead characters they are. I would have liked Cecilia to be a little more consistent in her feelings. Ramsey when he is in his full of lust mode, is very funny.

This is well written. Ms Byrne is a talented author who has a real talent for description.
She creates characters who are fully developed and complete humans. I like that a great deal.

For me, this book was too dark in spots. Yes, I am well aware the world is not all fun and games. But, I read historical fiction for light entertainment. A portion of this story did not feel light. The portion of the book which dealt with human trafficking made me feel uncomfortable.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

This book is what you want from a historical romance. A hero undone. A super strong heroine. A bit of adventure. I loved it. All Scot and Bothered features Cecelia and Ramsay. Cecelia has a rough start to life until an unknown benefactor comes along and changes her life. When this mysterious benefactor dies, Cecelia inherits a gaming hell and school for girls among other things. Almost immediately, Ramsay shows up at her door as he is the Chief Justice and is investigating a series of kidnappings and suspect that Cecilia has something to do with it. The two are instantly at odds..

I really enjoyed how this story played out. I love a strong heroine and Cecilia and her friends are exactly that. I have not read their stories but they are immediately going on my TBR. Then the fact that Ramsay is a stubborn Scot. Totally swoon worthy. The bit of mystery adds much to the story and really puts into play that initial conflict between the two. Plus, Byrne's writing is just so good. It's almost like every word is chosen so carefully and they are the exact right ones. I could not put this book down. It's truly fantastic and one that has put Byrne on my must-read authors list in the future.

I think I may have given Kerrigan Byrne more 5 Star ratings than the vast majority of authors but this book while engrossing was a bit less since it seemed to wander around a bit before it would move the story along. Now that that is said I loved the book, the story was wonderful but you had two people that started out being hard to like (especially our hero) so you have to work through that but the trip is worth it . Since he spend a good 1/3 of the book thinking she is a madam of a "house of ill repute" and then under some other misconceptions until late in the book it was a story that kept you on your toes and saying to yourself "Why doesn't he/she just do __" because you want these two very stubborn people to fall in love (I mean that is why we read these things) but there is a lot of adventure in this book also and some near death experiences that keep you guessing the "whodunnit" parts of the story but here again I was not dissatisfied with the ending but felt it was not up to the 5 Star ending I have come to expect from Kerrigan Byrne so 4 Stars and still a book you don't want to miss but I guess no author hits a home-run every time but this was very close :)

CW/TW: child abuse, child trafficking

*sobbing* the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one...

Okay tbh I've been down with Cassius Ramsay as a hero ever since he was described in the first book as a golden archangel compared to his brother Piers' dark, so sue me I'm shallow.

The premise was also interesting - Cecilia, one of Alexandra's best friends, and Ramsay knew each other through Alexandra and Piers obviously and there was a little zing between them, but then Cecilia found out that she inherited a gambling den from her late aunt, of whom Ramsay has been trying to pin down as a child trafficker 5ever. So now what?

I just love Cecilia with my whole heart and soul. She's so kindhearted and full of love to give. The angst between her and Ramsay (boy has baggage) is chef's kiss. There were a lot of conversations around trust and worthiness that I enjoyed but also was frustrated about because YOU BOTH DESERVE EACH OTHER, DEMMIT!!!

Anyway, I have a feeling that Francesca's book is going to be my most favourite out of three, for reasons I cannot say because major spoilers - can't wait!

This book was great. Well worth the lost time, the scot is grumpy and in need of some sunshine, enter the heroine. You will laugh, you will cry. You will want to scream. Over all a great book.

Cecilia is rescued from an abusive childhood by a wealthy benefactor. It is all very mysterious, as is her eventual inheritance of a gaming establishment. She is forced to keep her true identity a secret as she falls in love. Great romance!

Kerrigan Byrne consistently delivers for me as an author. This second book in the Devil You Know series focuses on the second member of the Red Rogues, Cecilia. (If you didn't read the first book in this series, though, don't worry... it holds up fine as a standalone.) Our heroine is curvy and brilliant and amazingly positive, despite the fact she had a horrible childhood. What I like about her is that she likes herself, despite so many voices that tell her she shouldn't. That she should dim her light. She is happy to be smart and to indulge in the things that give her joy, whether it's math or chocolate, or as the story begins... the inheritance of a gaming hell and school for girls. Though it's unorthodox, she sees its value and wants to use it to make a difference.

Enter Ramsay, her best friend's brother in law, and a man who has built his life on law and order. He's been working to take down the school, convinced it is a front for something more nefarious. He doesn't realize at first that Cecilia, the woman he is so taken with, is the same woman who now runs the place.

I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll stop there with the plot. I will say I really enjoyed both main characters. Ramsay is so buttoned up, but his rigidity is his mask and his comfort. Deep down, he just doesn't feel good enough and that sort of thing is my catnip in a hero. I really enjoyed watching him fight his feelings for Cecilia, particularly after her secret is out. (Thankfully, it doesn't take too long... I hate a Big Secret trope.) She wears down his hard edges with her softness. And when his walls come down, they are lovely together. Best of all, Cecilia never has to sacrifice who she is to find a way into his heart.

Another winner from this author. Would recommend.

Cecilia was a freaking cool character, loved her. And Ramsey was so tough, but so vulnerable underneath. Their cat and mouse until they finally gave in was fantastic.

The plot however was a bit confusing to me, some logical leaps to be made, and didn't 100% gel with the romantic story for me. This took me out of it, and I can see it all coming to an end in Frank's book, but I wanted a bit more closure and cohesion in this one.

My goodness, where do I even begin with this novel? It has been a solid three hours since I finished this novel, and I am still sweating from the intensity. Kerrigan Byrne has truly outdone herself. I had read How to Love a Duke in Ten Days back in June, and adored it! So when I was granted the opportunity to read the second installment of this trilogy. Let me just say, I was NOT disappointed.

All Scot and Bothered tells the tale of a shy yet spirited spinster by the name of Cecilia Teague. As an orphan who endured many a trauma as a young girl, she was allowed to turn her life around thanks to a mysterious figure that’s a lot closer to her than expected. She suddenly inherits not only a gaming hell but all that lies within it.

Enter The Vicar of Vice himself, the brutish Scotsman turned Lord Chief Justice of the High Court, Cassius Gerard Ramsay. Guided by his unrelenting passion, he is set on dismantling-no, destroying the gaming hell that has put a strain on his life.

The adoration I have for this novel has no bounds. It became an instant favorite of mine. I put my tablet down at various times just to gesture wildly at the twists and turns, especially towards the end.

Cecilia is my favorite type of heroine. She is fiery yet gentle, but never meek. She held her own when given a challenge. She was capable of her herself, and she knew it. I loved everything about her. Something I would like to applaud Byrne for is the discussion of Cecilia's body. Cecilia is fat. While she internalized the fatphobia she has experienced, she never speaks ill of her body. The only time that fear of perception is seen is when she is intimate with Cassius.

With Cassius, I had to grow to love him. The pious vigilante archetype has never sat well with me. He was relentless to the point of viciousness, but his journey was a worthy one to watch. There were visible points of growth in his treatment towards Cecilia and her peers. Not only that, but he learned how to be kinder to himself. Cassius is a Byronic hero through and through, but his HEA is just as fulfilling as Cecilia's.

All in all, this story was fantastic! I am buzzing with excitement for the conclusion of this electrifying trilogy. Kerrigan Byrne has worked true magic, and I am under her spell.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. I tried several times, but it’s just not for me. I will try again but I found it boring and very slow moving. Sorry!

DNF

I adore Kerrigan Byrne's writing and her books have long been comfort reads for me. Unfortunately, this one just didn't stick. I felt disconnected to the story and the characters and I wasn't invested enough in their relationship.

I loved this story. The characters were well-devised, and the plot was filled with intrigue, mystery and passion. The plot's twists and turns kept me turning the pages trying to figure out which dastardly character was the culprit. I would love to read the next one in the series. I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Woa! The sexual tension between the hero and heroine as amazing. Not only that, but I really liked both characters. The story was a bit different than the usual HR novel, and so that added to my enjoyment. The villain was a bit predictable, but that's probably my only major ciriticism.

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date September 29, 2020.***

4 – 4.5 stars

All Scot and Bothered is the 2nd book in the “Devil You Know” series by Kerrigan Byrne. I LOVE the premise of this series: strong, smart, WELL-EDUCATED females not afraid to do what needs to be done because it’s the right thing to do … um, yes, please! The sad thing is, I was about ready to DNF the book about a third of the way through due to the unwillingness of the main male character (Ramsey) to see or listen to anything that was outside his very narrow-viewed mindset.

I am glad that I stuck with it though … I ADORE Cecelia’s character. She’s very loyal and protective of those she considers in her safe-keeping, and not afraid to speak up for them.

Now off to find other books by Kerrigan until time for Francesca’s story!