thought this was a fabulous read. The set up was beautifully done, the young and naïve Lucas, wanting to spirit his love away from an arranged marriage organised to save her family and their fortunes, unable to do so, and joining up in order to escape once she married another.

12 years later, Diana is still married to a rather ill husband, and Lucas, now known as Lucifer is hiding from society as security detail to the Lyon's Den, and hiding his scars both physical and mental.

When Diana's brother asks him to look out for Diana, he is determined to protect her, and when she is embroiled in suspicion and accused of hastening her husband's demise, Lucas will not stop trying to keep her safe.

After more than a decade of marriage to a man she didn't choose, Diana has become quietly strong and confident, and once she is finally free, she doesn't want to lose her independence and autonomy again. I had a huge amount of sympathy for her feelings and position.

The mystery plot was well handled, and there was a lovely development of a second chance romance, where the Hero wasn't the saviour coming in and sweeping the woman away.

I really enjoyed it.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Review Copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

There is a lot going on in this book, more so than your average historical romance. I think I would describe this book more as historical suspense rather than romance. I liked the plot but felt the chemistry between the two main character, Lucas and Diana, was lacking.

A second chance at love is the romantic Lord Lucifer by Jade Lee. I fell in love with Diana and Lucas and rooted for them to find their happily ever after.

Twelve years ago, Diana and Lucas were in love. She was being forced to marry an old man and he was trying to convince her to run away with him. She agreed if he could win the money for her family's debts. He did, but realized that he wouldn't be able to keep them in funds and he needed to find a real way to make money. She married an old man and he became a soldier.

Fast forward and Diana is married but is in trouble. Her stepson is threatening her and her elderly husband's safety. Lucas finally is able to help her after he left her all those years ago. He sets out to protect her, even against her wishes, and when her stepson launches a deadly plot, Lucas is the only one who can save her. And he wants to be the only man she turns to for the rest of her life.

Such a sweet story. This is a slow burn romance. There are some sensual scenes. Both Diana and Lucas have been hurt by circumstances in their lives. It was very sweet to read their story and how Lucas fought for Diana's love and trust. Good read.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at Titillated Termagant Romance Reviews (https://titillatedtermagant.wordpress.com/2021/01/27/lord-lucifer-by-jade-lee/)

My Rating: 3 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library Romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.

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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Instalurve, at least for the H

Relationship dynamics: The Scarred Veteran (H) / The Young Widow (h)

Physical Descriptions: Diana is described as being “pixie” like, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Lucas is described as having dark hair and eyes, with a scar on the right side of his head above his ear, and a disfigured hand.

Sexual content: Some; on-page and explicit

Triggers: Descriptions of post-traumatic shock; graphic murder; parental estrangement

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had some typos, comma splices, and word choice issues.

Review: The inaugural book in the Lords of the Masquerade series, this story is chiefly set in London and Ireland. Some inconsistencies (and a date typo in the prologue) make the temporal setting harder to pinpoint. I believe that it is set in 1818, if the Irish famine referenced as ongoing in Ireland is in relation to the Year Without a Summer, rather than the Potato Famine of the 1840s.

The main characters of this novel are Diana and Lucas. These two have a past that didn’t work out and this is essentially their second chance narrative. What didn’t work for me is that her first husband is alive for almost half of the book. The book’s summary, in my opinion, didn’t make this information clear enough. While Diana and Lucas don’t have a lot of inappropriate interactions when Oscar is alive, that he is present in the narrative for that long before his death makes this into a different book than I was expecting, and I suspect this detail won’t be seen as minor by some readers. Setting aside that awkwardness, however, once Diana and Lucas aren’t held back by the restrictions of fidelity, their relationship develops fairly typically for a murder mystery: he is there to protect her, she wants her freedom, and tension abounds. I will say that I think Diana’s objections to their being together are a little overstated – she holds to her opinions steadfastly until, for very little reason, she changes her mind and everything works out. Given the proportion of the book that she pushed for her complete freedom, it seems at odds with her character to suddenly change her mind. In terms of supporting characters, I liked the level of detail given to characters such as Diana and Lucas’ mothers, as well as to Oscar. While none of these are particularly likeable characters, this is at least done on purpose, and done well.

It is interesting to note that there are also characters that clearly feature in another series by Lee. This book can be read on its own, but it’s fairly obvious that some character and setting details are lacking if you aren’t a dedicated reader of the author’s other series.

Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful story with a Lion’s Den feel. Lord Lucifer is Titan the head of security at the Lion’s Den. But how did a Lord of the Realm end up working for Mrs. Dove-Lyon? As a young man, he was unable to protect the love of his life from having to marry an old gentleman. After her marriage, he left England to fight the French and after Waterloo, he had been reported dead. Damaged by the war, he was not ready to claim his old life and settled for working security. Diana is not the same woman she was before she married a man three times her age. But when her husband is murdered, no one helps her, and they all point to her as the murderer. Now she is really in trouble. I enjoyed reading this book, loved the characters and the feel of the Lion’s Den. Thank you, Jade Lee.

This was sweet and was an understated romance. I feel like this was a somewhat quick read, not complicated with a simple story. I didn’t feel wholly invested but it was a nice gradual read.

Masquerade with a difference!

Aha! A Lyons Den connection. That excited me! Lord Lucifer is Titan, the head of security at the Den. Beyond that he's a damaged war hero who finally returned to England a couple of years after Waterloo and has stayed removed from his family, allowing them to think he's dead. His brother Nathan takes up the reigns of the earldom.
Diana was his sweetheart in his younger years, indeed his reason for fleeing England. But now she needs his help and its Diana's brother who calls him to her assistance.
So we have a second chance romance, a woman forced into an arranged marriage, dreadful family interactions, and poisonous step children. Throw in a masquerade and murder and there's a gratifying array of plot enhancers. I really liked Lucas and Diana as individuals. Unfortunately I just didn't feel the burn, although many did.

A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

WOW. Jade Lee is an absolute master at Regency romance. This book hooked me from the beginning and never let go. The stakes are high throughout—the heroine's stepson wants her dead so he can get access to his father's fortune. But the external plot didn't get in the way of the romance.

I adored the hero and heroine. They both had deep wounds and a strong sense of duty. It was lovely to see them let go and come to life in each other's arms. If you like historical romance with a bit of intrigue, don't miss this one.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

I thought that this was a really good and a lovely one to read!

This was a genuinely lovely story but it was a little slow at the outset but as soon as the plot really kicked it I flew through the pages and it became a really exciting story – this is definitely one that you need to carry on reading!

I thought that the attention to detail and the amount of content were great and the author had a really great writing style that brought the past, and her characters to life.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended – a really enjoyable read – romantic and action packed - I loved it!

Lucas and Diana were separated for 12 years. She was forced into an arranged marriage with a much older man while the H was in the war. Diana is in a fix so her brother goes to Lucas for help.

The book has a good pace and is very well written. I give it a 4.1. I definitely recommend you read it, it's difficult to put down.

I was invited to read a free copy of Lord Lucifer by Dragonblade through Netgalley. All opinions are my own thoughts.

Historical romance with a lil bit of mystery/suspense thrown in for flavouring - the exact kind of perfectly inoffensive fluff which I can finish in two sittings. For being part of what I gather is an extended universe, the book stands alone perfectly well. If I was being nitpicky, some of the period language didn't entirely convince, and the third-act romantic drama was only resolved by one party giving way to the other, which isn't really the mutual compromise and growth I was hoping for. To be fair, though, and without giving away too many details, it was a tricky problem to resolve without growing eyebrow-raisingly daring for the setting, so I can't be overly displeased by it. There was also a lot of potentially meaty interpersonal drama that I felt could have been plumbed better; there's one specific scene which really struck me where a conversation is described as follows: "His mother would say something that sounded innocuous but still made Lucas bristle. Diana was there to diffuse his anger, softening his mother's words and making him wonder if perhaps he overreacted. His mother certainly did, stiffening at the strangest things, only to have Diana rephrase his words into something more palatable." This is the kind of stuff I love to read in full detail, with agonising focus on all the missed connections. I know that kind of narrative doesn't typically lend itself to a light genre romp; I do understand why it was glossed over, but it felt like a missed opportunity. All that said, this was short, sweet, and satisfying, and I enjoyed reading it. Thank you to NetGalley & Dragonblade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Once upon a time there was a prince who climbed up to her window, only to find she was to marry an older man the next day so she could support her family. Wait, yes it started a little like that but that prince, young as he was soon realized he would never be able to earn the money needed to have her as his. So he bought a commission and entered the military.

Now twelve years later, Lucas returned, only to find that his Diana needed help. She had married the elderly suitor and his son was being vicious trying to wring money out her and she was in danger. Lucas had failed her before but he would not now..

Then everything goes haywire and the journey begins and it is not an easy one. A tale of murder, greed, lies and so much more. A wounded hero, a heroine who has survived. They both need and deserve love, if only they can find it together and survive! Excellent!

Historical Romance with Suspense

Twelve years ago, he failed her. Now, he has a chance to make it right. The youth he was those years ago could not save Diana from a loveless marriage, but could the man of today protect her from a murderous villain? They call him Lord Lucifer, but is he as dangerous as he is reputed to be? His scars are a sign of his hard life as a soldier, and they give him an air of danger. Diana needs all the help she can get. Her husband is killed; evidence points to her, and she might be next to die. Will Lucas save the day? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who enjoy historical romance with suspense.

A very well written historical romance. There's lots of drama and a slow burn second chance romance and I really enjoyed it. The historical details were well done and the characters of the H/h were nicely drawn. My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion. NB - I have also purchased a copy of this book from Amazon.

After her father dies twelve years ago Lady Diana waited for the young man she loved to save her, but it was not to be and she end up married a man three times her age. Future Earl of Wolvesmead, Lucas Crosse failed to protect the love of his life and sadly went off to war. Now Lady Diana Dunsmore she helps her invalid husband and she controls her step-son’s allowance and he’s furious and dangerous. At the request of her brother Lucas invades Diana’s life and her home to protect her at all costs. I love this story of a second chance at love and romance, her husband is murdered and the constable is afraid she murdered her husband. They set out to find witnesses to the murder as this romance story unfolds. I have voluntarily read and reviewed these excellent story.

This book has a very interesting premise and instantly got my attention. However, the execution did not deliver to my taste. I wished some scenes are fleshed out and delivered well. I can still see other readers enjoying this book, it just does not keep up to my expectation of it.

Twelve years ago, she was forced to marry a man three times her age. Crushed because he wasn’t able to find a way to stop the marriage, he joined the military and went off to war. Diana has cared for her ailing elderly husband and successfully managed his household and estate. She is in danger from a resentful stepson, even more at her husband’s death. Lucas aka Lord Lucifer is called upon to provide protection for Diana. Being together is not easy.

This is an interesting and poignant romance. The intense action is not about who the villain is, but how to find and stop him. The attraction between Diana and Lucas smolders, and the second chance love story builds slowly. A good story that holds your attention throughout and great characters. I liked and recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Diana's father passes away and Diana's mother offers Diana in marriage to a man three times her age to keep the family financially stable. Lucas comes to Diana the night before her wedding and promises to earn $3,000 gambling and come to her in the morning so they can elope. Lucas does make $3,000, but has had to go to the worst of the gambling dens and lose his soul to do it. Diana has to marry the man her mother wishes. Lucas buys a commission in the Army and fights at Waterloo and is injured. It takes Lucas a year to make it back to London where he learns his family believes he is dead.
Lucas goes to work at the Lyon's Den with his veterans without telling anyone he is alive. Diana's brother hires him to protect Diana when she gets in trouble.
Jade Lee has written an engrossing story that is part thriller, part mystery, and a delicious romance. There is also plenty of danger and action.

Seventeen years later....

Lucas was a young idealistic man with his first brush of love with Diana, a young, obedient girl whose mother is marrying her off to a way older man since that was the easiest solution for their money woes.
Diana ends up marrying the older man and Lucas joins the war.

Seventeen years later, they are in a much different place and life has thrown obstacles and complications and trials in their paths. I liked that we see a glimpse of them as young and idealistic with vague notions of duty.
The life happened and it hasn't been kind to either of them. And its not going to get any easier.

Lucas/Lucifer is leading a fractured life. He's got issues and scars.
Diana has had a rough life and its only getting tougher.

Recommend.

Lucas was in love and even sold his soul to the devil, but it wasn’t enough. Diana married a man, to save her family, who was old enough to be her grandfather. After a time in the Army, Lucas has returned to England-broken, but so much wiser. When approached with the information that Diana’s life is in danger, he accepts the task of protecting her. Diana is angry, at her brother and at “Lucifer” aka Lucas. She has never stopped loving him and his disappearance had allowed her to put him aside.
There is one who hates her and will stop at nothing to insure her death. As he plots his revenge, Lucas plots his. But will Diana freely give up her sudden freedom for marriage?