Lord Lucifer by Jade Lee is a thriller/romance about a young couple who were in love when they were teenagers: Lucas and Diana. Lucas would inherit, but not now. Diana's father had died and her mother had arranged a marriage for Diana to a man three times her age. He vowed to win 3,000 pounds so he could marry her before her wedding the next day. He won the money but at great cost, so instead of hurting her he bought himself a commission and fought at Waterloo. Now, 12 years later, her brother comes to him, asking that he help Diana. She is in trouble. Lucas has been hiding at the Lyon's Den as the notorious boss, Titan. Even his family believes him dead. Diana's much older husband is now dying and she is his caretaker. She has wrested power from him, in their own little world, including withholding funds from his son, Gregory, hoping it would force it to mature. So far it hadn't worked. She goes nowhere, does nothing, living her dreary life, day by day. One night she chances to go with her sisters to a masquerade ball where she is set upon by men with murder on their minds. Lucas rushes her home, Gregory is there making subtle threats, and Lucas holds her tightly; they hear an odd noise coming from her husband's bedchamber. He is in the throes of death. He appears to have been poisoned.
Lord Lucifer is a gripping tale of deceit, greed, and revenge. Lucifer/Lucas is damaged in many ways: physically from the war, but more importantly from growing up with a mother who appears to hate him. He had been declared dead in all ways but legally with his brother assuming his responsibilities. His childhood never left him.

Diana was intelligent, clever, and ambitious. She had been given lemons and made of them lemonade. Over the years she had gained control over her household, grown to have some affection for her husband, and left her past where it belonged, forgetting the handsome boy she had known. When the dark Lord Lucifer appeared at the behest of her brother, it was difficult to recognize they boy she had known. She did not take him seriously, believing Gregory's threats to be nothing more than words. The plot was different and clever. Plenty of books touch on the killing for the patriarch in order to hasten one's inheritance, but this one focused on it. Another major theme was the total loss of oneself when a woman married. In this era she became less than nothing, depending on her husband for her very existence. A difficult concept to understand in this day and age. Very nicely done. Congratulations Ms. Lee

I was invited to read a free ARC of Lord Lucifer by Dragonblade through Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #lordlucifer

Twelve years ago, Lucas failed to protect the love of his life from being forced into an arranged marriage. The day she wed another man, he left England to join the fight against Napoleon. Now he’s back with scars on his body and soul. He’s happy hidden from the peerage as he helps his men reintegrate back into society. Then he discovers the woman he still loves is in terrible danger. Diana is not the same obedient girl who wed a man three times her age. She’s grown up and found a strength she didn’t have before. Now the one man she can’t forget is back and talking about things that can’t be true. Then her husband is murdered, the estate is in jeopardy, and every finger points at her. No one will help her except Lucas who defies constables, thieves, and his own family to save her.
A well written fast paced book that was different as whilst it was a second chance romance, Diana was still married for much of the book but she didn't cheat. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of suspense mystery & romance. The characters had depth & I really liked both Lucas & Diana. I also liked that this was a spin off from the Lyons Den series. An engrossing read that I read in a couple of sittings & I look forward to the rest of the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Suspenseful and fast-paced, this Regency romance draws the reader in from the opening chapter and keeps one enthralled throughout. The plot is well written, with more than one mystery to be unraveled. When Lucas discovers that the only woman he has ever loved is in danger, he does not hesitate to take up the mantle of protector, especially as he failed her dismally some years before. Lucas wears the scars from the Battle of Waterloo, but the emotional scars he carries are even more crippling. When the truth about his past comes out, he surprised by Diana's stand on his behalf. Unfortunately, it does not change her way of thinking. Given in marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather, Diana refuses to give up the freedom she has earned upon the death of her husband, and one can only side with Diana as she holds onto the few rights that she has as a widow. The plot is a spin-off from the Lyon's Den series, given Lucas' association with the Black Widow. It is, however, a standalone and comes to a successful and happy conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Romance: 💞
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡️
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑
Number of Sex Scenes: 2.5 rounded to 🍆🍆🍆

Safety warnings attached at end.

Our story begins 12 years in the past. Diana is trapped in an engagement to another 3 times her age, when her heart is really interested with Lucas. Yet challenges abound, and they are separated for over a decade.

The book picks up and Lucas is back from war. Diana has matured, but is faced with danger. Diana’s brother asks Lucas to help keep Diana safe.

Give this book a try if you are in the mood for:
- Lots and lots and LOTS of action, intrigue, suspense, and danger
- Lower to medium steam – Theres a few open door intimate scenes and 1 full sex scene but they aren’t extensive
- An experienced heroine – she was married for 12 years to someone else
- A former soldier – Lucas went to war and fought in Waterloo
- A masquerade! Though it’s a short part in the story
- The prodigal hero that returns
- Second chance romance trope

So I’m not going to talk in detail too much about this book because I think it would get spoiler heavy. There is so much going on. So so soooooo much. And that is why it gets such a low rating from me. That is just not my thing. I found the romance lacking quite a bit, especially since the heroine is still married through half the book. (No cheating elements come in to play though, no kisses, etc). There’s a lot of danger, and drama. Every corner we turned there was something else happening, another danger, another dramatic confrontation. There are numerous plot devices going on in this book and the romance was just lost for me, sadly. I think you like more action in your books and prefer the non stop danger you will love this story.

This was my first Jade Lee. I will give her another try down the road and see if I feel similarly.


Safety warnings (possible spoilers):
.
.
.
Death of multiple people (on page), talk of physical abuse of heroine by secondary characters, verbal abuse of heroine by secondary characters, slight sexual assault/talk of prior sexual assault of heroine by secondary character.

As a love struck teen-ager Lucifer disappointed himself by failing to protect the girl he loves from marriage to an old man. Going off to war and being declared dead doesn't seem to have improved matters.

Diana has made a decent life out of her marriage, after some struggles. She rules her household with determination and kindness. Unfortunately her stepson is becoming more and more dangerous, and not just to her.

A very exciting historical romance with lots of danger and emotional characters. Our hero has been hiding from his old life. Our heroine needs to live life to the full. There is a certain gambling hell from another series that is mentioned in this book , but this is the start of a totally different series. I will definitely be looking forward to the next books.

Great fun.

I liked the characters in this book but it was just a bit dreary for me. Murderous sons, hateful mothers, I guess I enjoy a bit more like ability in my characters and secondary characters.

3 stars

Jade Lee's Lord Lucifer has all of the elements of a great Regency romance: steamy love scenes, societal drama, and lots of YEARNING!

However, despite all of this, I had a hard time buying into this couple. The book states from the beginning that they don't really know each other and yet, we are supposed to believe that they have held onto this love for twelve years. I would have preferred for this book to be like fifty pages longer so the relationship could have been more fully developed from the beginning. It would have made the fact that both of these people have put the other on a pedestal a little easier to digest.

This book definitely delivers on the tropes of Regency romance, but I don't think it really did anything new with the genre. I tend to prefer my historical romance to be a little more well-rounded so this wasn't my favorite. However, I still think that many people will really enjoy this book and Iwish them happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This is a great second chance love story. Lucas has always regretted not being able to save his one true love from an arranged marriage 12 years earlier. Now as an injured war veteran seemingly back from the dead he has another chance to help her when her stepson is causing trouble. I loved these characters, especially Lucas-Lucifer. and loo forward to the rest of the books in this series!

I just realized that I previously purchased Jade’s Lyon’s Den book about Diana’s brother and have not read it yet…got to get on that. This is a second chance love story that has a bit of intrigue – not a mystery because we know who did it, just not how they would be caught. It is not an easy journey for Lucas and Diana but it is a story of true love that you know will be long lasting and beautiful. There are two other Lords in this story that will be the next two books and I wished they had more of a part in the story.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

So pleased when I started reading this to see so many links to the Lyon’s Den series. Especially Titan /Lucifer being the main character.

This book is about him and the love of his life.
It’s a story of his escape from England and his Future Earldom and responsibilities, and the woman he loves who was forced to marry another, to go to war.
His injuries, and return to protect his loved one.

It’s fast paced, adventurous, intriguing and enjoyable.
One you’ll hate to put down even for a minute.

Great writing and characters. Look forward to more in the series.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

I have mixed feelings about this one but ultimately it just didn’t work out for me. Lucas and Diana, at a young age, are hunted to be the kind of grand love where they can’t live without each other. But we have no buildup to that, and it’s a bit unbelievable given his young they are when Lucas wants to keep Diana from marrying her much older future husband to financially save her family.

Fast forward and we have Lucas coming back into Diana’s sphere. This is where the book becomes different from most historical romances, because Diana’s husband is still alive, although he’s not healthy. Lucas’s constant need to consider Diana as absolutely perfect with no faults was a bit overdone but I did truly like reading their journeys as they grew and changed for the better.

In the end though, this book just didn’t hit the right mark for me but it was by no means a bad book, just not my cup of tea.

I can*t go back to other Regency romances now that I've read some of Georgette Heyer's meticulously researched works... dnf at 20%.

This is the first Jade Lee book that I have read and while it was well written, with a lot of depth, the romance aspect takes a definite back seat to the storyline. This book is not a feel good romance that takes place with witty bantering back and forth between the Hero and Heroine in a Regency London ballroom with a side plot. The main stage for this novel is sickness and death of the Heroine's much older husband. There’s a murderous villain that the heroine needs protection from and all sorts of issues that have to be dealt with between the Heroine and her stepchildren. The dark storyline dominates over the romance. I had difficulty believing I was reading a romance as the first sex scene was over 60% in and it was fairly bland, I liked the characters of Diana and Lucas but my emotions were not engaged when they finally came together and I did not find myself rooting for them to come together for a happily ever after the way that I would expect to when reading a historical romance.

I enjoyed the plot and the storyline of the second chance trope, but would caution hardcore historical romance readers that this book has a gothic feel to it with some romance thrown in for good measure.

I provided this honest review after receiving an ARC from #NetGalley.

This is a book about 2nd chance love. Lucas and Diana meet as teenagers and fall in love, 1st loves. But unexpectedly Diana's father passes away, forcing the family to look for help.
Diana is sacrificed in the trade. Her hand in marriage to a man 3x her age in exchange for his help
Lucas is devastated and runs off to join the war against napoleon. Fast forward 12 years. Diana's husband is dying. His heir is threatens her. She needs help. Lucas is hired by her brother to help protect her. And so the adventure begins.
I liked Lucas, although I think to some extent he Diana on a pedestal, she didnt deserve to be on.
Diana made a huge sacrifice for her family, but at times I feel like she is a bit spoiled.
The whole storyline with Lucas's mother totally threw me for a loop.
All in all a good book. 4 stars.
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Regency romances tend to repeat a certain formula of an innocent maiden paired with a more experienced man. The pair then waltzes through the society season from balls to opera performances that offer private moments for them to fall in love and have hot sex in a side. Some authors are better at making it feel fresh; some less so.

Jade Lee has taken a different approach in her romance. Diana has been married off at sixteen to a much older man to save family finances. Lucas had offered to save her, but his attempts to raise money with gambling had landed him in such hot waters that he had seen it best to enlist and leave the country. Twelve years later they meet again. A fairly average approach so far. But there’s a twist: Diana’s ailing husband is still alive. She’s not a merry widow with whom the hero connects for a second chance. And she’s not a damsel in distress, no matter what Lucas tries to tell her—though there is a villain out to get her.

Most of the book takes place in a sick room and in private parlours instead of balls and other glittering events. Diana is a dutiful wife who has carved a life for herself in her husband’s hostile household. Her husband needs to die, of course, for the young couple to have their happily ever after, and much is made of his death and the causes of it. Lucas is a soldier who sets his duty before anything, and so probably for the first time in a romance history, the hero refuses sex with the heroine unless she agrees to marry him. It works too.

For all that this is a romance, it’s a fairly gloomy book. There’s sickness and death. There’s a murderous villain making everyone’s life worse. There’s a lot of resentment between children and parents. All sorts of issues that have to be dealt with, and while they add depth to the characters, they dominate over the romance. There are a couple of fairly bland sex scenes that fail to engage my emotions, and although I liked Diana and Lucas both, I wasn’t terribly invested in their HEA. She could’ve retained her hard-earned independence for all I cared and kept him in a side. But she caves in the end.

The other two gentlemen of the trilogy are introduced in this book too. A lot is made of it—and then they are completely forgotten for the rest of the book. So, as a lure for the reader to continue with these characters, it comes somewhat short. But if I come across them, I may give them a look.

Twelve years ago, Lucas failed to protect the love of his life from being forced into an arranged marriage. The day she wed another man, he left England to join the fight against Napoleon. Now he’s back with scars on his body and soul.When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Jade Lee is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

This was an intriguing and engaging story of second chance love. Lucas and Diana were strong characters in their own right, each have suffered in their lives. Lucas failed to protect Diana from an arranged marriage years ago, he's now back in her life to protect her and he won't fail her again. In the end, he has to fight not only to save her but to win her heart all over again.

This was the first book by Jade Lee I’ve read and I thought it was well-written. Fast paced, and with a sense of urgency that lasts through the book, “Lord Lucifer” does a good job of giving us characters that break out of their prescribed molds in Society to become stronger individuals. Diana was forced to marry an older man for the sake of her family, giving up hopes of marrying the man she loved, but grew into her position and instead of becoming bitter, she became the strong woman who was perfect for Lucas when he came back from the wars. Lucas has an annoying tendency to keep Diana on a pedestal, but eventually her strength shows him that they can be equals. Both have interesting journeys towards discovering who they are and what they want from life, and i thought Lee did a good job showing them make those journeys in a believable way.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Arranged Marriages, Lost Loves, Danger, Murder
What an amazing and intriguing storyline!
I thought the book was great from the first paragraph to the end ! I hope to read Gwen’s Story next!

Lucas & Diana had a budding romance until she was forced into a marriage with a man three times her age. Lucas joined the military because he knew he couldn’t do anything to help her out of the situation.
He came back a broken man in many ways and she was also a different woman in different ways.

A situation arises that needed the skills of a bodyguard and Lucas was the one to take the opportunity to finally help her out. It has places them in an awkward situation especially when her husband is murdered.

The author does an exceptional job with how the flow of the book is moving and the growth of the characters.

I definitely would recommend this book.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jade Lee has long been an author I’ve wanted to try, given it’s always interesting to find people with a similar ethnic background to mine writing historical romance, since there are only a handful of them. And while I didn’t fully know what to expect going in, I found this to be a fairly good intro to Lee’s work.

I liked the way she built some of the darker suspenseful tension. Lee creates a real sense of the danger her characters are in, while having them navigate it in a realistic and sympathetic way.

I really liked Diana, especially as she really demonstrates how she’s changed through the course of her marriage and is now facing a perilous situation.

And while Lucas appealed to me a bit less, particularly at first with his emotional scars, he did grow on me with the care he shows toward his men and ensuring they adjust to society again, as well as the love he still holds for Diana and what he does to protect her.

This is a well-paced historical romantic suspense from an author I hope to read more from very soon. And if you love historical romance, especially with suspense as a major component, you’ll enjoy this one.