*3.5
In one book, Kerrigan Bryne took down purity culture and proved that women will always end up saving the men. Anything by Kerrigan Bryne is a must-read for me! The Devil In Her Bed was thrilling, mysterious, and sexy. When Pippa was a young girl, she is the sole survivor of a massacre that leaves her entire family and friends dead. She reinvents herself and takes on the name of her best friend Countess of Mont Claire, Francesa Cavendish. Flash forward to 20 years later, we learn that Francesa is on a vengeance mission to find the people who murdered her family. I LOVED Francesca. She was so badass, smart, and strong. I love that she was written as a morally grey character. Francesca is the type of heroine I want to always want to read about.

The first scene is dark, so if you are sensitive to reading about violence, be prepared. I will say that I did not connect with the romance in this story. There were so many hidden secrets that I did not get the emotional depth I wanted in a relationship. The plot was a bit confusing, but that's on me because I have not yet read the last two books. Overall, I did not connect with some aspects of the book, but Kerrigan’s writing always impresses me and takes me into another world.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is glorious historical romance perfection. It starts with a heartbreaking bang and proceeds to be a rollercoaster ride full of action, romance, intrigue, and emotion. It's the best book in the already fantastic Devil You Know series and I'm so glad that it can be read as a standalone because it is now officially the romance book I will be recommending to every single person for the rest of the year.
I always liked Francesca as the most daring of the Rogues trio and I'm so happy to finally get to see her get revenge and justice for her murdered family. That it also brings her together rather explosively with Chandler and that they are the perfect pair is delicious icing on an already perfect cake.
Byrne is a master at twists and turn and taking off-hand comments or tiny details and making them vitally important to the story or character later on. It makes for a complex plot that nevertheless develops organically and gives every character a chance to grow and catch the reader's heart.
My one tiny complaint is that Byrne apparently ran out of ways to describe female anatomy and got a little too creative for my tastes. I'm pretty sure it wasn't her intention to make me cringe and laugh during one of the very smexy romantic scenes, but it's just bad.
That's how amazing this story is. I'm actually willing to ignore cringey vocabulary in vital parts simply due to how much I loved everything else about it.
I'm serious in saying that will now be my go-to historical romance rec. It'll just have a warning to be prepared for unusual word choices.

Extremely happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the early read!

This was a very well-written, entertaining book. It was beautifully crafted and captured my attention. I didn't want to put it down. The relationship between the two main characters was fascinating, intricate and amazing. I really enjoyed this book and this author is a must-read for me.

Oh how I enjoyed this series but this story was my favorite of the series! This story was so full of adventure, danger, heartache, intrigue, sizzling chemistry and love that it was exhilarating to read and brought a smile to my face and made my heart race.

Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire has spent the last twenty years in pursuit of Revenge. She is smart, strong, quick and a fierce warrior not to be taken lightly. After twenty years of training, and learning, everything she can in order to be the best. Using her beauty as well of her intelligence to gather all the information she needs to move forward, so she will finally be ready to bring down the Crimson Council for the deaths of her entire family. Only being alive due to the boy she loved, but who she lost as well.

Chandler Alquist, the Devil of Dover is a ghost. He has lived his life in the shadows doing covert services for the Crown whose sole purpose in life was to be notorious and invisible. He is as lost as he is deadly, after losing everyone he ever loved.

Oh how I loved watching these two tangle and how they both are affected by the other... Such a captivating, sizzling connection. Adventure that is action packed as well as edgy. A fantastic ending to this series!!!

Received an early copy for a honest review.

Francesca Cavendish has waited twenty years to find out who murdered her family. Chandler, the Earl of Devlin is an enigma, a man of deception. Can these two wounded souls learn to trust again and find love?

This is the final book in the Devil You Know series and can be read as a standalone. The series features three friends and I really liked how they are always there for one another. I was looking forward to Francesca's story as there was a bit of a mystery surrounding what happened when she was a child.

Francesca was a strong female lead who persevered against tough odds in her mission to find justice. Chandler had a very dark past, channeling his emotions into being a spy for the Crown. I had a harder time warming up to him because of some of the things he says, but he came around in the end. This book was more drama than character driven or banter but was a solid end to the series. Though I was really hoping for an epilogue with all three couples.

If you enjoy historical romance with strong female characters be sure to check out this series. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Devil You Know series. And I would absolutely read the previous books before reading this one as those books lead up to this one. Francesca has spent most of her life planning out the revenge on the people who took her family from her. She never planned on being put in the path of the Devil of Dorset, the Earl of Devlin. He has lived his life in service, and when he is sent to investigate Francesca-he never plans on becoming fascinated by the very woman he is supposed to learn the secrets of.

I had a hard time with this one. I honestly thought it would be better than it really was. Which surprised me because this one did sound really good. Francesca is definitely the strong, resilient woman that most of us want to be. And while I liked parts of her, there were parts that just didn't ring true to me. And I had a very hard time with Chandler. I can't quite put my finger on why I disliked him so much, but there was something about him that just put me off. I didn't really get them as a couple either. Especially with how he reacts when he realizes exactly who she is. I really think that is my main issue with him. With the issues that both of these characters have, they just didn't mesh in my mind. But given all that, the story itself wasn't bad. The writing was still great, which is what I expect from this author. It just didn't seem to come together the way I was expecting I guess. So while it wasn't my favorite of the series, it wasn't horrible either. And some people will probably love it, unfortunately I am not one of those people.

Francesca lives her life to avenge murder of her family, friends.
The Devil of Dorset is a spy.
Both of them share past.
Enjoyed this story.

This book has so many layers to it that many authors would struggle to not confuse their readers with all the characters, the mystery, the hidden dangers, and the multitude of secrets being kept by both main characters. Kerrigan Byrne is one writer who does not have this struggle. This beginning of this novel relies on a child's memory and the unimaginable tragedy and violence she experiences. When she reconnects with the boy who saved her as a child, they begin a dance based on mutual deceptions and lies while they face true evil in the very powerful. Familiar and well-liked characters from previous books in this series play important roles in this book but like most of this author's books, each works as a stand alone. The danger is palpable, the mutual attraction is combustible and steamy. Reaching their HEA is not easy but both characters are strong and resilient and once they are finally honest with one another, getting there is meant to be. Once again - I loved this one and highly recommend.

I received a free copy of this book to read and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Pippa Hargrave loved her life at Mont Claire, where her parents worked in service to the Cavendish family. Her best friends were Francesca and Ferdinand Cavendish, but her heart belonged to Declan Chandler, a young boy who appeared at Mont Claire one day, destitute and alone. He was taken in, given food, clothing, and employment, and Declan was grateful for his opportunity to remain with kind people who were willing to overlook his background. The children were outside by the fountain one afternoon when they noticed a large group of men riding up on horseback. Ferdinand, as the young man of the house, went to greet them, while the girls went inside to request that Mrs. Hargrave prepare refreshments for their guests. Once Pippa and Francesca went out in front, they were horrified to see that, instead of stopping to greet Ferdinand, they had murdered him, trampled beneath the horses’ hooves as though he was no more important than a discarded toy. The two girls turned and ran, and with the help of Serana, a helper in the kitchen, they searched for a safe place to hide. Unfortunately, there were no safe places within Mont Claire. The entire Cavendish family was slaughtered, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Hargrave and the others working in the manor house, and once Declan perceived the situation, he grabbed Pippa’s hand and ran to the woods, trying to keep her alive. Declan was shot in the back, while Pippa was shot in the leg, and tended to by Serana.

With the Cavendish family obliterated, the title would soon go to another family member, had Francesca Cavendish not appeared from the dead, with an impressive skill set designed to avenge the death of her parents. As Francesca infiltrates a dangerous London cult, she meets up with a man that looks familiar, and she realizes he is her Declan, a ghost from her childhood she thought was long dead. Declan has changed radically, and is concerned for Francesca’s involvement with The Crimson Council, though he silently vows to protect her, as he was not able to during the tragedy at Mont Claire.

This story had it all – murder, intrigue, secret identities, and undercurrents of depravity in the very best London circles, all operating under the direction of a peer of the realm, and I loved Francesca and Declan’s (who now goes by Chandler) determination to uncover the truth about The Crimson Council and its connection to Mont Claire. Francesca is always a surprise, with her unconventional training and her methods of gathering intelligence, while Declan is truly a master of disguises. This was a fun read, interesting and exciting, and is one I can easily recommend.

Another enjoyable read from this author.

I loved Francesca's determination and intelligence in working towards justice. I loved how she recognized the imbalance between how men and women are perceived, and did what she needed to do in spite of others' attitudes. She didn't let her loss hold her back, rather she used it to continuously move forward.

Chandler was Byrne's usual tortured hero. He, too, had suffered immeasurable loss and was working to balance the scales of justice.

Some of the story is pretty predictable, but there were one or two twists that kept me sufficiently surprised. I would have liked for Chandler to have had more fond memories of Pippa throughout the story, if only so that his attitude change wasn't a complete 180.

Still, the final scene had tears streaming down my face. The love between the two is so palpable it reaches out from the page to squeeze at the heart. Byrne is a favourite author because of her ability to invoke strong emotions, and I look forward to her next book with eager anticipation.

*This review has content warnings*

This is a gritty romance packed with suspense, action, and intrigue.

Once I was somewhat recovered from the grueling open scenes (please see my content warnings below), I actually devoured this story and found it to be a real page turner.

The reason, I'm giving this not a full star rating is because of- my mixed feelings around the deceit and lying to each other for so long about so many things (even though I can understand their reasons to some extent) - the varied names each used, especially the hero, as even now I'm not 100% sure what name to call him and all that made him a bit elusive.
The heroine also keeps hitting and punching the hero several times (!) throughout the story - and not in a fun/ joking/ teasing kind of way. And while I understand her reasons, the means do not justify her being physically abusive.

The book is the third and last in the series, and can definitely be read as a standalone. I have not read the previous two books but will now do so.

For fellow readers who appreciate content warnings #cw , I'd include the following for this story: violence, childhood trauma, cult with borderline coerced sexual degradation, obsession, descriptive murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for granting me a copy of this book ahead of the publication date in exchange for a fair review.

HJ Recommends!

The Devil in Her Bed is the third and last book in The Devil You Know Series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but I feel like reading them in order is needed in order to understand all the twists. The series is based on three unconventional women who attended the same girls boarding school and formed a strong friendship. They started their own secret club called the Red Rogues Society due to the color of their red hair. One horrible night strengthened their friendship and united them.

Pippa Hargrave survived the heartrending night of the Mont Claire massacre when her family and friends were murdered. She thought Declan Chandler, the love of her childhood, had also died that day after saving her. With the help of Serena, a Romani, she took up the identity of her dead friend Francesca Cavendish and the title of Countess of Mont Claire. She has prepared and anticipated her revenge for years and she is so close to infiltrating the Crimson Council and achieving it.

Declan Chandler, a spy for the Crown, was a master at disguises and known by many names. He was called the Devil of Dorset and was the weapon of the Crown. He works for the unofficial Secret Service and is the one they send in when they need someone merciless. His mission was to shut down the Crimson Council and their threat to the Crown. He was obsessed with Francesca and wondering what her connection to the council was.

I really enjoyed the series, but this book was not my favorite. I loved all the intrigue and action, but Chandler was disappointing. He was supposed to be such a wonderful spy, but he never caught on to all the hints that Francesca gave him about her true identity. He was obsessed with Francesca and his childhood memories but never would talk about Pippa. He fell in love with the idea of Francesca but never really knew her. I did enjoy all the banter between Chandler and Francesca and all the twists and turns of intrigue.

The Devil You Know series wraps up with the last of the Red Rogues finding their happily ever after… in this case, Francesca Cavendish finally has revenge for her murdered family and friends after 20 years in the making!

Francesca has laboured on her own for the last 20 years to turn herself into the perfect instrument of revenge. She is finally getting close to her goal of bringing down the Crimson Council with the help of her friends and their powerful spouses until a mysterious figure complicates her investigation.

The Devil of Dorset has also been working on bringing down the Crimson Council for many years for his own purposes. His work is so secretive that no one knows who his true identity even is… that is until Lady Francesca gets in his way and starts to unravel his past!

Can these two enemies join forces and bring down the Crimson Council, or will their animosity and attraction put them in harms way and complete what the Council started?

This story was action packed! Like any Kerrigan Byrne book, I couldn’t put this down. I was worried at the beginning of the book that the revenge plot would deter from the romance, but it soon kicked and heated up the story!

One thing that could have made this last book in the series better for me, is an epilogue with all three Red Rogues together with their spouses living their bast life after their struggles. Otherwise, this wrapped up the continuing theme of the books and provided a solid conclusion to the Devil You Know series.

The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Byrne is scheduled to release March 9th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheDevilInHerBed #KerriganByrne #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

Another win from Kerrigan Byrne. Has all the great things I love from her books, a bad ass hero, a slightly unconventional heroine, action, mystery, romance, steam and a bit of angst.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

There was something magical about the previous book in the series, ALL SCOT AND BOTHERED, which I also got a chance to read early. Everything about it clicked for me: the over-the-top tropes, the grumpy hero who hated everyone but also couldn't stop watching the heroine eat truffles, the big and large and glorious red-headed heroine who reminded me of a dear friend.

This book is still old-school and over the top, but the exaggerated tropes which were such a magnet for me have now flipped poles and here the storyline is a particular bugaboo of mine: deception. The plot and conflict is extremely deception-based because the hero and the heroine both have secrets from each other, and in a particular issue for me, one party reveals secrets much earlier than the other. It really bothered me that someone unburdened themselves and it was not reciprocated. I also had a lot of questions about some of the logistics of disguise, because much is made about hair dye but only...on the top of the head...and I have some questions about how that played into intimate scenes. And there's something about two different people having different eye colors which didn't pay off.

The prologue was quite thrilling--if you have read previous books you might know what is coming, but it's still a horrifying scene straight out of an action movie. Unfortunately, that was about the only section that really engaged me. I'm not going to list everything that didn't work for me but here are three:

1. My teeth were set on edge immediately, as the first page informs us that the Romani servant gave her parents a special potion that helped them miraculously conceive; tropes around exoticism and infertility are both very sore spots for me.
2. The intimate scenes were uncomfortable for me because of the deception, the use of another certain trope I can't stand, and the sentences "No one to hear her scream. The thought was at once erotic and alarming" which might work for someone else but was just straight-up alarming to me (I read an advance copy so the final quote may differ).
3. I saw other reviewers criticizing a trope of the ALL SCOT AND BOTHERED villain being queer ("Evil Gay" trope). That one honestly went over my head and I didn't notice the relevant line until others drew my attention to it. But..it happened here and I definitely noticed it this time, and I'm disappointed that this tired and harmful trope got used again.

This book was unfortunately a bad case of anti-catnip for me. There's an element of YMMV because the tropes I loathe, I know others may love, but I still was not happy with some of the treatments of power dynamics/consent and race/gender/size. I'll also add, the plot revolves around the Crimson Council cult and I think the resonances of January 6 makes the subject matter, I won't say realistic, but it was harder for my brain to settle into "ooh, creepy mystery."

I am so glad to finally get Francesca's story!! We've been getting hints of who she really is and what she's been doing all these years, and now we get the full story.

The beginning of the book is heartbreaking to read what happened on the Mont Claire estate when Francesca was just a young girl. It was a terrible tragedy to suffer and live through, so I totally understand what she has dedicated her life to all these years. I am very glad she had her two best friends with her along the way.

Declan Chandler was quite something. Or I should say Chandler Alquist, or pick any one of the various aliases he want by. He works for the Secret Service, which really was the perfect cover for him. He took down unsavory characters for the Queen, and behind the scenes searched for answers to the very same questions Francesca had.

I admit I have been waiting all this time for the Crimson Council to be revealed, and when it finally was, I was surprised to find out the connections that both Chandler and Francesca had to it. I thought there would be more of a dramatic ending to that evil organization, but when it did happen, it just kind of happened off page, so I feel like I missed out on that whole treacherous thing we've been following for three books now.

We've got all three ladies' stories now, so I'm not sure if there is more books to come. There absolutely could be, as I feel like there is so much more story to tell for the Red Rogues. Perhaps we'll get future books for their children? That would be fun too!!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in advance for my honest and unbiased review.

The Devil in Her Bed had the perfect couple to end this series on! Francesca and the Devil of Dorset had amazing chemistry and I loved how both their pasts came into play during their relationship. Both characters have crawled and fought their way to where they are now for vengeance but didn’t count on finding each other in the process.
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I loved every interaction they had together, but also with the past couples in the previous books. I have to say though that the Devil of Dorset thinks Francesca is a different person throughout this book so it was hard for me to believe that he actually loved her and not who he thought she was. Also, the book didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the book as a whole. COMES OUT MARCH 9TH!

*Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my free advanced copy. All opinions are my own.*
#thedevilinherbed #kerriganbyrne #march #tbr #read #arc #bookreview #historical #romance #bookstagram #booklover #bibliophile #reading #bookworm #bookcommunity #books #ilovebooks #booksarelife #novel #booksofinstagram #instabook

This is book 3 in "The Devil You Know" series.
3 friends from finishing school form a club. All red heads they call it "The Red Rogues Society ".
Bk 1 was Alexandra or Alex.
Bk 2 was Cecelia or Cecile.
This is book 3 about Francesca or Frank.
It can be read as a stand alone but is better if you've read the first two.
Francesca's story is really tragic. She has lost everyone she loves. She lives her life to get revenge. Her path leads her to the Crimson Council.
Chandler is a spy for the government. He is looking for people connected to the Crimson Council. He comes across Francesca and feels she's hiding something.
They start investigating the Council today. And the adventure and the attraction is off the charts.
This story was fast moving, hot and had a few twists and turns that kept you on your toes.
I enjoyed it thoroughly.
5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I’m a big fan of Kerrigan Byrne’s work so it pains me to say I didn’t enjoy The Devil in Her Bed. The final book in the Devil You Know trilogy is as dramatic as the first two, but in ways that just didn’t work for me.

Francesca is on a quest for vengeance. Her family and closest friends were murdered by the Crimson Council when she was a child and she’s determined to discover who caused their deaths and why. But she’s not the only one targeting the mysterious Council. The Devil of Dorset wears many guises and he too seeks to destroy the Council. He’s also after Francesca, who he believes to be an imposter…and he’s right. Francesca took the name of her friend after her murder, using her title and the power that comes with it to help her on her quest. Sparks fly immediately between Francesca and the Devil of Dorset and they seem like the perfect match. But what will happen when all their secrets are revealed?

Francesca is a bold and brave heroine with a short temper and a grudge. She’s not for everyone but I didn’t mind that she wasn’t perfectly likeable – what she’s been through makes her actions understandable. She hates society’s rules, particularly those that are meant to shame and bring down women. Francesca lives in many ways in the past which again, makes sense. She’s tied up in knots on her mission to avenge her loved ones and she’s so close to her goal that nothing will stop her. She’s laser-focused which can sometimes hinder her but I was impressed by her dedication and creativity.

As for Chandler… he’s where I had the most trouble with The Devil in Her Bed. The Devil of Dorset is tied up in the past to an unhealthy degree. He is in love with a memory so powerful that even had the girl he loved survived there is no way she would live up to what he imagines her to be. He lusts for Francesca, sure, and he makes no bones about it. But his heart and mind is caught up in a fantasy. The romance absolutely didn’t work for me because of this. Francesca practically prostrates herself at his feet and yet up to the end he believes her to be someone else and is so in love with his memory there doesn’t seem to be any room in his heart for the woman right in front of him. There is some retconning at the end of the story to make the happily ever after happen and it just doesn’t work. Perhaps if we had seen more flashbacks or scenes from the past in Chandler’s point of view, or if the truth had come out earlier in the book, it might have worked. But as it stands, the romance was completely unsatisfying for me.

The Crimson Council has been the series big bad and in The Devil in Her Bed we finally get to the heart of it. As far as villains go, the Council and its head aren’t as interesting as I had hoped. The majority of their actions in this book seem to be outrageous for shock value rather than something more meaty to give the book depth. There’s also a reveal about the main villain that seemed like it was going to be important and then ultimately wasn’t and I questioned why it was in there.

The Devil in Her Bed is the first book of Byrne’s that was a miss for me but I will say it’s not wholly disappointing. Byrne’s writing still sucks me in and Francesca’s friendship with the Red Rogues, Alexandra and Cecilia, warmed my heart. I also adored the respect and support Francesca gets from Cecilia’s fiancé, Ramsay. Visiting the past heroes and heroines of the Devil You Know series was my favorite part of the story. All in all, Francesca and Chandler’s book wasn’t for me. That being said, I still recommend the first two books in the series and I cannot wait to see what Kerrigan Byrne writes next.

The Devil in Her Bed is book 3 in the series Devil You Know by Kerrigan Byrne. This book ends the trilogy of the Red Rogues who are three young women who meet in a boarding school. Each of them had difficult childhoods and a tragedy at the school brings them even closer together and binds them as adults.

This was a good end for the series with intrigue, hidden identities, secrets and romance. All loose ends were solved with a surprising twist that brought the story to a full circle. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Kerrigan Byrne for an opportunity to read the ARC for The Devil In Her Bed and give an honest.