4.5 Stars!
The Devil in Her Bed was a fantastic ending in the Devil You Know trilogy. This book was the near perfection I felt when reading the first book in the series, but for completely different reasons. First, it gave me a favorite heroine. Who knew that would be Francesca? One of the best! Matched with my favorite secondary character from the previous book and it was couple perfection. Some of their scenes were reminiscent of Pitt/Jolie's, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and it had me grinning from ear to ear. I absolutely loved their verbal and hand-to-hand tête-à-têtes. As well as a little knife and pistol action. Francesca could truly hold her own against the Devil of Dorset.

What also made this a delicious read:
- the slow burn
- the duplicity (what I knew, but they didn't)
- the romantic tension
- the capable and intelligent heroine
- the dark and resilient hero
- and the many tender revelations

Per usual, there were some darker elements to this story in addition to the grim, stage-setting prologue. Although, the prologue wasn't a surprise, since Francesca's back story was alluded to in the previous books. It was the rather sick and twisted Crimson Council that took an even crazier turn as this book wrapped up the mystery and machinations behind the group.

I'm convinced that Byrne had simply been biding her time with the first two books, revealing subtle hints to this finale, while refining and finessing these characters to give her readers the story they’ve been waiting for. I truly hope this isn’t the last we see of this couple. In the very least, cameos in a crossover series.

"That Declan Chandler has the soul of a tiger," Serena said. "And you, Pip, have that of a dragon."

I fell in love with the beginning of this story. It was tender, intense, angsty, heartbreaking and fast paced. The beginning set this story up beautifully, and I was so excited for the story to unfold.

Disguised as Francesca Cavendish, Pippa Hargrave is set out to venge the deaths of her family and friends. Her disguise is important not only for her revenge, but for her own safety. I loved her strength and fiery spirit.

Sadly though, the middle of the book lagged a bit. It was slow-moving, and at times, lost my attention. And while overall, I loved our hero, I struggled with the Devil of Dorset's interest and love for Francesca. For the majority of the book, he thought she was someone else, and when he finds out her truth, he becomes enraged and hypocritical about her secrets.

With the end of the book, Kerrigan brought my interests back to life. Ramsey’s interaction with Chandler brought back the feelings the beginning made me feel.

Where I once disliked Historical Romances, they've quickly become my favorite, and Kerrigan Byrne is a favorite author in this genre.

I love Byrne’s writing and her characters and this book is no exception. We get to see a glimpse of the lives from the 2 previous books as well which I enjoy. The book is dark and the main characters carry a great deal of emotional baggage from their experiences. I was greatly disappointed in Chandler’s reaction when the truth about Francesca was revealed but he redeemed himself in the end.

THE DEVIL IN HER BED by Kerrigan Byrne is a complex novel of mystery, passion, crime, and masquerade. It is a tightly woven novel that gives nothing away too soon and, sometimes, nearly too late. It is the third novel in the trilogy Devil You Know.

I am always intrigued by Kerrigan Byrne’s books. To categorize them as historical romance is to shortchange what they truly are. Yes, there is romance and it is also deliciously sexy. But, there is also such depth to the story that surrounds the romance and the bedroom that it is a novel that falls into a whole other plane of writing.

Francesca and the Devil of Dorset each have secrets—amazing secrets— but they are most unwilling to share those secrets except to a tiny number of trusted friends (associates?). To be honest, however, I do not feel that the book, as the third entry of a trilogy, can be considered a stand-alone. I spent the vast majority of the reading in a state of confusion ranging from mild to totally being at a loss. However, it is an excellent novel that can be compelling enough to keep my interest, even if I’m not entirely sure what is happening. Normally, I would give up on a book that confused me, but I sure wasn’t quitting this one!

I had read only the first of the trilogy, How to Love a Duke in Ten Days, and somehow missed the second book, All Scot and Bothered. I read How to Love a Duke in Ten Days back when it was released in August, 2019. I know I loved it, but good heavens!— that was almost 1 1/2 years ago! Since I read about 4 books a week, keen recollection was a little fuzzy. A lot of the backstory came to me as I read, but not details and I had missed a lot, apparently, by missing book number two.

Still, The Devil in Her Bed was enjoyable due to Byrne’s attention to detail and excellent writing. She describes beautifully when that is called for, but also lavishes dialogue throughout the book. I was rarely told what the character was thinking or feeling, but allowed to learn through the dialogue and interaction with others.

Please don’t discount my totally honest review simply because I received a pre-release copy via the author and NetGalley. I now know I must go back to re-read my copy of the first book in the trilogy and have the second book on order. The Devil in Her Bed has made me remember just how well Byrne writes and I don’t want to consider leaving this trilogy short.

Wow, this was not what I was expecting.

Francesca was one tough, original heroine, unlike any I’ve read before. She had set before her a plan and she wouldn’t let anything stop her from it. The things that she did were quite unique for a woman of this era, and I did struggle some with her choices and actions. But in the end, she won me over as she proved everything she did was for those she had loved and lost.

Chandler also exhibited some unique qualities although they were more fitting for the time. He was intensely protective of Francesca and that protectiveness grew exponentially the closer they became. He did react at one point in a way that made me want to smack him, but he totally redeemed himself and I, like Francesca, forgave him.

This has a lot of drama and angst with just as much mystery and danger. I never knew what was going to happen next. Each few pages something happened that kept me fully engaged and refusing to close the book. The surprises just kept coming and I was breathless with shock and awe with each one.

While this takes place in the latter 1800s, I did feel that there were times when the story felt much more modern. That did distract from the overall feel and depth of the story for me, but I still enjoyed it and was overall very satisfied.

The Devil in Her Bed
Book 3 in the Devil You Know Series
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.


**Spoilers Ahead**
The Devil in Her Bed is the final book in the Devil You Know series and sadly it did not end in a bang for me. Pippa has lived most of her life as Francesca and has been on a journey that leads her to too many of London's dark corners. She's adamant on getting revenge for her and Francesca's family who were murdered twenty years ago.
I felt that the plot of finding who was behind the Crimson Council ( the group responsible for the murder of these two families) took away from the romance between "Francesca" and Chandler.
One of the things that broke my heart for "Francesca" was that Chandler was in love with the real Francesca when he was younger. So all the time he's with "Francesca" he's falling in love with her again. There's a mention of how he always saw Pippa as a sister....(um, no)...it was when I realized how is he going to turn this around and fall in love with the woman, Francesca.
I felt once Pippa's truth was unveiled Chandler said things that were too hurtful and in the end did not grovel enough for Pippa to forgive him. I wished she would of gone back to her name in the end.
I will continue to read more of Kerrigan Byrne's work because I am a huge fan of hers... it was this series fell flat for me...the hero of book 2 and 3 were not worthy of the heroines.

**I hope review is not confusing**

Loved it. Kerrigan Byrne has given us another of her sexy, action packed novels to enjoy. " The Devil in her Bed", grand finale in the "Devil You Know" trilogy is an exciting, romantic adventure with passion, comedy, deceit, true love, tragedy, suspense, lies, drama, enduring friendship and leads us on a journey to a never boring happily ever after. Two main characters forged into warriors by traumatic events in their lives. Both of them full of dangerous secrets and obsessed with revenge. They are very complex with sizzling chemistry in a captivating story in the Victorian era. There are several conflicts and contrasts in this novel. Good ( not goody two shoes, though) vs. evil (vile, true evil); Dragon vs. Tiger; Red Rogues vs. Crimson Council; and MCs have inner struggles with guilt, regrets and have difficulty fully trusting anyone.

He is an undercover spy that they call the Devil of Dorset. He works for the Secret Service of the Crown. An expert in intrigue, deception and weapons, a master of disguises and identities. In fact, I am not sure what name to use for him to prevent spoilers, so let's call him Devil. It is apt as he thinks of himself as a monster after all the unforgivable things he has done in his life.

She is an avenging femme fatale, Francesca, the beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, well known for her seductive power over men, noble or not. Trained for 20 years in Europe to teach her to be in control of her emotions, to be able to attack her enemies and in the art of self-defense. She uses her feminine charms to interrogate men who might have information about those who were involved in destroying her family and loved ones. She was thought by the aristocracy to have died as a child when her entire family was massacred by unknown villains. She has now returned to avenge her dead.

When Francesca and Devil meet, the undeniable attraction between them leads to an inevitable passion. Fate keeps bringing them together in unexpected ways. A quote will give a taste of their courtship.
"I'll let you go if you kiss me," he breathed. He didn't see her fist coming at his jaw until it connected with astonishing force."

If you have already read either of the previous two books in the series, you have met all of the Red Rogues, Alexandra, Cecilia and Francesca, friends bonded by secrets, murder and unconditional love. Love how their friendship is portrayed in this series. If you have not read Book #1 and #2, reading them first will definitely improve the enjoyment of reading of this book. Each of these women are strong, loyal, intelligent, and independent, which was rare in Victorian England. They also are survivors of tragedies and The Red Rogues have been instrumental in saving themselves. However, they do constantly get into more trouble. Dare to go where angels fear to tread. Alexandra and Cecilia have married strong and powerful men who join forces with the Red Rogues in this adventure as allies to Francesca.

5 out of 5 stars Although I did predict the identity of the villain and most of the web of connections, I was thoroughly entertained with the rollercoaster of emotions and adventures through which this author has taken me.

I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in return for an honest review. #NetGalley Posted February 25/2021

This book is a good finale for the Red Rogues. In this we get Francesca (Frank)'s story. We also get to know the sexy Devil of Dorset. I don't want to give anything away, so I will just say that I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens to them & how the other Red Rogues are faring. It's sexy & intriguing, & I don't think you will be disappointed if you're a fan of the first two Red Rogue novels.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This is the first book by this author that I have read. It grabbed me on the first page and me turning the page till the end. Although this is the third and final book in the series, I didn’t feel the need to have read the other books to know what was going on. I loved the hero and heroine for their strength and determination to bring down a very sinister group. I only gave this book a rating of 3 because of the F word continually being used which was the one thing that put me off fully enjoying this book. I understand that these characters are tough but for me, it was a little too much to continually be reading it and I don’t know if it is accurate for the time. If this and a few sex scenes don’t bother you, I am sure you will love it. This reviewer skipped the sex scenes as usual and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. I received this book as an ARC and freely give my review.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I loved the ending to the series! Francesca had a secret she trusted no one with her 2 best friends with, and Chandler was the boy she fell in love with. The story kept me involved until the very end. Francesca would stop at nothing, including her own death, to learn the truth about her families death. Watching the lengths both of them went to was riviting! And in the end, I think the ghosts of their pasts were at peace with their decisions! Thank you for the advanced copy of this story, it was truly a wonderful ending to the series!

A Spicy Suspense-Filled Historical Romance

"The Devil in Her Bed" by Kerrigan Byrne
Yes, to this readers eyes this is a spicy story, but I persevered because that is what I do when I am reading a really good story. There was never a dull moment. I am sure you will enjoy the journey of Pipa and the Devil of Dorset as they vanquish the ghosts of their childhood and grow into the people they truly are. This is book three of the "Devil You Know" trilogy; but it can be read and thoroughly enjoyed as a stand-alone read. By the way, you may want to read books 1 and 2, if you have not already, as they were very good reads, too. Happy Reading ! !
Note I received an ARC of this story from the publisher. This review is my honest opinion.

I never miss a Kerrigan Byrne book! Another Great book! Finished in a day . Start to finish I was hooked!

This is a wonderful story of two people who are determined to get revenge on a cult whom destroyed their lives when they were children. Both Francesca (Pippa) and Chandler (Declan) believe each other did not live after the fateful day that took everything from them. Grown now Pippa has assume the name Francesca and is determined to bring down the people responsible for killing her mother,father and her friends. But she soon finds out the boy she has loved since she was a child is alive but takes on many different disguises as a spy for the crown. Chandler is determined to protect Francesca from the evil of the cult that destroyed her familly. But both are determined to get their revenge even if they are not telling each other all their secrets.

This was a great read. I received this book from netgalley for an honest review.

This was a wonderful (presumably final?) installment to this series! I love Kerrigan Byrne's writing, and this one had such interesting layers from Francesca and Declan knowing each other as children, the multiple secret identities, etc. I enjoyed Francesca's character in the previous books in the series, so it was fun to learn her full story and see her get her own HEA. This book was adventuresome, romantic, and just the right amount of emotional. Really looking forward to whatever Byrne writes next!

The Devil in Her Bed (Devil You Know, #3) by Kerrigan Byrne
Francesca Cavendish ( Countess of Mont Claire) and Chandler (The Devil of Dorset) have a past and now a present with a common enemy. This is a tragic story with all the angst, terror, mystery, heartache, tears, wit and steam to get us to a HEA. There are old friends from the two previous books in this series... HOW TO LOVE A DUKE IN TEN DAYS and ALL SCOTT AND BOTHERED. I strongly recommend that you read them all.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Haunting Tragic Page-turner Wonderful characters Twisted Tear-jerker Great world building Unpredictable Action-packed Easy-to-read Scary Happily Ever After Steamy Witty Romantic Entertaining

Byrne’s words will seduce you into the story as much as Declan and Francesca seduce each other in their dance. It isn’t purple prose but the descriptions and wording depict the scene and characters with substance that is immediately evident in a way many other books of a similar theme and period do not.

Hold on to your sit for this is a wild ride. Deception, betrayal, long-awaited justice and vengeance drive the plot. Francesca has trained herself to be a weapon through long years of preparation to avenge the loss of family and friends. She is equal of any agent as Declan finds out in his own mission to take down a powerful group determined to upset the throne. They clash during confrontations and infiltrations; the sparks fly. The romance is steamy but there aren’t too many descriptive scenes and it is appropriate for the characters and place in the story.

The final book in a trilogy, the story arc started in the previous books finishes here but it is not necessary to read the others to understand this one. Though I am sure there would be greater enjoyment to know the other tales because characters from them are a part of this plot. I enjoyed the friendship between Francesca and the other female leads in the series. Theirs seems to be a close bond that has gotten them through tough times. Sisterhood, biological or not, adds depth to a story.

A step above many books of this kind, it is thrilling and will satisfy your heart looking for a happy ending between two scarred and complicated people.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of the ARC in return for an honest review.

The Devil in Her Bed (book 3 in the Devil You Know series) was one of my most anticipated releases of the year from one of my fav authors, I was so thankful for an ARC but sadly had issues with this book. I do recommend to read this series in order, as you learn about Francesca in the other books & get hints to the hero. After starting with her tragic childhood, the story jumps to 20 years later where Francesca is on a revenge mission to track down those responsible for her family’s deaths. Her path starts to cross with the hero & while she’s trying to focus on her plan, he just can’t keep away from her...

Things I liked: you can always count on KB for a rip-your-heart-out intro, darker themes & characters damaged from their pasts. Francesca, who’s been in every book of series, is a badass heroine who pulls all the punches (literally at times) to find out the truth. I loved seeing the other ladies of The Red Rogues, the friend group she is a part of. Ramsay (the hero from book 2) is in this one a lot & I love how protective he was about Francesca - he stands up to the hero at one point & it was fantastic!

Things that didn’t work for me: the hero, known as the “Devil of Dorset” (it’s hard to talk about him without going into spoilers), but he works in secret service for the Crown & has plenty of secrets about his past like Francesca. Since they’re both pretending to be other people, he spends the entirety of the book thinking Francesca is someone else & is in love with this other person. I felt sad for Francesca & didn’t ever believe he was in love with the real her (because of this I found the romance lacking). The story is very heavy on the suspense around the villains & I found what was happening there over the top & just plain bonkers (I’m not convinced all the time spent on that even mattered to the story).

While this wasn’t my fav in the series/didn’t live up to my hopes for Francesca’s story, KB remains one of my fav authors & I’ll read everything she writes. If you go in knowing this is very focused on the suspense plot, it might work for you!

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review.

WOW! What an exciting, page flippin’, edge-of-your-seat ending for the delightful series featuring the three lovely ladies from the Red Rogue Society. Each of the ladies in the society – Alexandra (How to Love a Duke in Ten Days), Cecelia (All Scot and Bothered) – and now Francesca have all found their Happily Ever After. While finding those HEAs, they have also managed to put an end to the evil Crimson Council. The story is excellently written, excellently plotted, and so well delivered. You will absolutely love the main characters and the visits by the other ladies of the Society make this wrap-up book even more special.

Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, has spent the last twenty years of her life in pursuit of one thing – REVENGE. She spent her youth training with every master, in every country. She’s skilled in every defensive (and offensive) art you can name and now she is ready – and she’s very, very close to bringing down the Crimson Counsel because they are responsible for the deaths of her entire family – everyone she loved as a young girl. They tried to kill her too – and they would have if it had been for the young boy, Declan Chandler, she loved – the one who saved her just before they killed him. The Crimson Council will pay for those deaths – especially Declan’s – and they’ll pay for all of the harm they have done in the last twenty years while she was preparing herself. She’s ready – her fighting skills are finely honed – her seductive powers are legendary within the ton – and now she knows who the leader is. He’ll go down and he’ll go down hard – right along with the rest of the Crimson Counsel!

Chandler Alquist, the Devil of Dover, is everybody and nobody – a ghost, because he doesn’t exist. He works for the not yet officially formed Secret Service and he’s lethal. He knows his way around every skill known and used by the covert services – from seduction to the lethal. He has names, identities, and homes all across London and England for that matter. If the Crown wants someone eliminated, Chandler is the one they send because he’s as ruthless as they come. Chandler is a lost soul who has lost everything and everyone he’s ever loved – twice over – and now, he’s just an empty shell – a ghost of a man.

If you read the second book in the series, you’ll remember Chandler as the man Ramsey brought in to help save the young girls being held hostage. After reading that, I couldn’t wait to read Chandler and Francesca’s book. Goodness, it was worth waiting for. I loved watching Francesca best Chandler – quite often – in both fighting skills and in planning skills. I loved how completely and fearlessly she loved Declan. And – goodness – when all of their secrets were finally revealed – how differently they each reacted.

Watching Declan and Francesca work together – and separately – was a pure delight and really made the story believable. I think the two things that might have made the story better would have been for him to reconcile his feelings for Pippa earlier and for there to have been an epilogue featuring all of the couples some years in the future. I hope you will give the book a read and enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Devil in Her Bed is a fantastic conclusion to the Devil You Know series. As always, it's well written, has a great pace, excellent characters, and delicious twists. I had been waiting for this book ever since I finished All Scot and Bothered, and it was worth it, I was captivated within the first few pages and did not want to put it down. I adore the Red Rogues and their devotion to each other, and the bickering between Francesca and the Devil of Dorset. I was exceptionally pleased with the plot twists, they were everything I was hoping for. I love Kerrigan Byrne and her writing she always leaves me wanting more, no matter how nicely she ties up the ending. I can't wait to see what her next project will be.