4.5 stars. I am so glad we get to read more about the characters in the Victorian Rebels series, even as side characters in this new series. Titus Conleith proves to be a fascinating hero. The detailed backstory on his role as a chimney sweep and stablehand in the Goode's household before growing up to become a doctor serving both the elite and poor in London was really compelling. His undying love for Nora Goode -- who we met briefly in the first book of the series -- is his one constant, even after he is led to believe that she rejected him in the harshest possible way. His internal struggles once she comes back into his life following the dramatic resolution of Dark and Stormy Knight are well written and add to the ongoing tension between them.

Nora's character turned out to be a pleasant surprise, as well. After her seemingly callous actions toward her sister in the first book of the series, she appeared to redeem herself by literally taking a bullet meant for Prudence at the end of that story. Here, we learn more about how she ended up married against her will to her abusive and murderous husband and how her actions throughout were a product of trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to protect the ones she loved as well as innocent bystanders.

Overall, I loved the tension between Titus and Nora, and the in-depth look at their backstory. As usual, Byrne really delivers the angst (lower on the scale than the Victorian Rebels series which was gut-wrenching at times, but still very angsty), and makes the conflict between Nora and Titus believable. The only minor quibble is that the big climax seemed to resolve itself too easily and quickly, though it clearly set up some interesting storylines for the future books featuring Mercy and Felicity, which I am eagerly awaiting!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

“This was love. Sacrifice. Regret. Pain. Love, the purest love, was diving into the lake of brimstone and hellfire, and drowning in it willingly, if only to gain freedom for the one who owned your heart.”

One mark of a truly great author is their ability to make readers love a character who previously seemed completely irredeemable. That’s precisely the case with Kerrigan Byrne and Honoria Goode.

In this second chance romance, readers get to know Honoria’s past and the events that led her to become the empty shell she seems in ‘Seducing a Stranger.’ While second chance romance is not one of my favorite tropes, this one is well-written. It fills in all of the blanks nicely. Titus is quite a hunk but has his own tragic past. His love for Honoria is beautiful, and it’s heartwarming to see them find there HEA.

Readers also get more of the other Goode sisters in this book, and I think we can all agree we’re eager for Felicity’s and Mercy’s stories.

Courting Trouble by Kerrigan Byrne
A Good Girls Romance #2

An excellent escape for a dark rainy evening. Who doesn’t like a romance, a second chance to hopefully get it right, a bit of redemption and a happily ever after ending?

What I liked:
* Titus Conleith: precocious child, strong, tenacious, hard worker, brilliant, skilled, healer, lover, physician, went to war, loves deeply and forever. He deserves a HEA…eventually.
* Honoria “Nora” Goode: upper class, privileged, obedient, loves deeply, puts others first, abused, miserable, but perhaps hopeful. She deserves a HEA…eventually – wonder if she will have a family one day
* Prudence & Mosley: Prudence and her own story and deserved it in book one of the series.
* Felicity and Mercy: Twins and opposites – can’t wait for their books
* Raphael & Gabriel Sauvageau: Monegasque-English new blood in town…strong, savvy, with an agenda, perhaps in competition with other criminals…intriguing – can’t wait to hear more of these two
* That Titus made good – and his plans for helping others
* Seeing people from past books and finding out how some of them are doing
* Wondering how the future will play out for Titus & Nora
* Thinking of ways to make the father of the Goode sisters miserable
* Knowing that Mercy and Raphael will showing up for book three in the series – can’t wait!
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Nora’s father…he deserves a bit of misery of his own
* The pain that Nora suffered at the hands of her husband
* William Mosby, Viscount Woodhaven – a rotten abusive miscreant that deserved his ending

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Courting trouble is a whirlwind of emotions. From first love, sacrifice, and second chances this book had it all!
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******
Overall rating: 5 Stars
Kindle Unlimited: No
Standalone: Yes (though there other characters from book one)
Steam: 2 flames
Triggers: Domestic Violence
******
Holy cow.... this book. This book shattered my heart. Simply shattered. Titus, a member of the staff at Cresthaven is considered worse than the dirt on the bottom of a shoe by the Baron and his wife. But, Titus is strong, smart, and so incredibly kind, his young life has been hell but he works hard and has a moral compass that always points north. He was a young boy when he came to work at Cresthaven, and from the moment he laid eyes on Nora...he new she would always be in his heart.
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Nora, the youngest of the Cresthaven daughters, is seen as an asset to her mother and father and not a child. Her only use is in her parents eyes is her beauty to capture a better husband in order to further her father's career and aspirations. Oh, I hated the Baron!
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Over their young lives, Nora and Titus bond. But, life continues on at Cresthaven and Nora is sent away to finishing school. When she returns, Titus is no longer a boy...but a 17 year old man that she can't help but notice. However, her father has big plans for Nora...she is going to be wed within the month.
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Little do they both know how much their lives are going to change over the next month, and then the next decade... my heart was shattered, simply shattered.
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I refuse to give away spoilers...but after a decade these two are about to be thrust into each other's lives and what a run-in it is. Neither of them is the same anymore. The question is, can they let the past go? Can there be a future for them? Can they make it through the scandal and lies? Can they survive the danger surrounding them?
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This story had phenomenal characters, but Titus stole my heart. The Goode girls are all fantastic, each with their own personality and the twins are going to be trouble for any man that attempts to tame them. The story had me reading well into the night, sighing, getting misty eyed, and yelling in my head a couple of times...this book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride all the way to the end.
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Once again, I fell in love with Kerrigan Byrne's writing, characters, and story. This book made me feel emotions, not just read them and I totally connected with the characters! It a five star in my book and gets all my recommendations!
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This book was given to me as a arc from netgalley in return for my honest opinion. Thank you Netgalley for giving me this opportunity!

This book was wonderfully written, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It drew me in from the beginning to the end. Kerrigan Byrne has never disappointed me with her writing skills. I love that I can always count on her to include high levels of angst and steam. l also love that she always does a fantastic job at giving her character's a second chance at love. If you love the Victorian Rebels you'll see them here in this book too, so that's a plus. In this book my heart broke for Titus. He was a lowly servant who worked for Honoria's family. He was looked at from her parents as worthless dirt. Also Kerrigan is known for writing about broken heroes but in this book it's the heroine who is broken down and lost her trust for all.

Trope is different class, forbidden love & second chance at romance/love.

Trigger warnings: mentions abused and violence in past tense

Courting with trouble is about Titus and Honoria. Titus has always been in love with Honoria from a distance since he was a young boy. It's not until they grow into young adults that Honoria notices him, and returns his affection. They spend 3 wonderful months together sharing their first taste of pleasure and passion. Then their worlds are turned upside down. Her father fires him, and she is expected to marry a man her father chooses. She also makes a huge sacrifice to save his career and he never knows about it.

Years later Titus works hard. He becomes a successful doctor, while Honoria is stuck in a loveless miserable marriage. She becomes a widow, and has a gunshot wound. Coincidentally he will be her surgeon and doctor. He tries his best and vows not to let his feelings get the best of him but the heart wants what the heart wants. He saves her, and that's when their second chance at love begins. Their second chance at love was sweet! They both fight it but their connection is too strong. Their second chance is also sprinkled with a little of enemies to lovers trope.

I highly recommend this book. You can never go wrong with kerrigan Byrne.

Those Goode girls just keep on giving!

Who'd have thought that this series could get any better? We first briefly meet Honoria (Nora), Viscountess Woodhaven, in A Dark and Stormy Night, contemplating seeking pleasure with the Stags of St James at the School for Cultured Young Ladies--a front for more lascivious practices. As Nora explains later in Courting Trouble to her sister Prudence, "my time with the Stags of St. James was nothing more than selfish pleasure. A diversion I paid for so I wouldn’t have the complication of emotion." Then Nora had been a client of the house. 
The story of Nora Goode, Prudence's sister, is one of bullying and abuse by the males she's related to, sacrifices made for those she loves, and deep despair. The only man Nora ever loved was Titus Conleith, originally a boy-of-all-work in the Baron of Cresthaven (Goode)household. Years later Titus, now a talented doctor, is operating various hospitals for the poor. Titus thinks never to see Nora again, that is until he finds her bleeding out on his operating table, having been shot by her husband.
Characters from the other Victorian Rebels stand behind Titus as he tries to protect Nora, but who will protect her from herself.
Another absorbing read that straddles life between the darkest stews of London and the ton, encompassing these bold Victorian Rebels. Normally we're talking about the 'bad boys'. Here we follow the fortunes or rather misfortunes of a bad girl, despite being a Goode.

An Xpresso Book Tours ARC via NetGalley 
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Titus has loved Honoria since he was a lad of ten. It is an never-ending kind of love.
This story is one of those tales that is awsome. With loveable characters and an amazing storyline. It is Kerrigan Byrne at her best.

This book continues where the last book ends…Nora has been shot by her husband and is treated by her one true love, Titus. How’s that for a beginning of a story? Kerrigan definitely knows how to write a story that will pull you in, keep you there and bring out all of the emotions you have to give. I loved the chapters showing how their love began. It gave a great perspective of how closely they are tied together. Can love keep them together or tear them apart? A poor good man who works hard to become a person worthy of respect and a wealthy woman who sacrifices herself for the good of her family. The emotions were high both in the book and in me. An amazing story by an amazing author.

Nora is seeing her life flash before her as eyes as she lays bleeding on the docks after her husband shot her in the shoulder. She remembers her first love and repeatedly asks for him in her delirium. Nora remembers her last interaction with Titus, and how much she had hurt him. For her, it was an act to save his future. For him, it was the end of his dreams to build a life with Nora.

Titus is now a very successful and respectable surgeon, after growing up as a boy-of-all-work on Nora’s family’s estate. The very last thing he ever expected to see, was Nora. But he couldn’t turn her away and he even offered her the shelter of his surgery (and home) to keep her safe from the ruffians who were after her now-dead husband.

Close proximity inevitably forced them to face what had happened between them all those years ago. They were just making inroads into their newly restored relationship when Nora’s father gave her the same choice as before – leave and save Titus, or stay with him and watch his life be destroyed. Needless to say, Titus did not appreciate her self-sacrificing tendencies.

I didn’t think much of Nora’s tendencies either. But she is loyal to the people she loves, whatever all her other faults may be. Titus is an extraordinary man. And together they burned up the pages.

It’s an exciting story of redemption and love rekindled, it satisfied my love for action and suspense admirably, and I couldn’t put it down once I started with it. This is a very exciting series so far and I can’t wait to read more of the Goode sisters.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely adore Kerrigan Byrne! To me she is up there with Lisa Kleypas in terms of historical fiction!

This book kicks off the Goode Sisters who we met in the latest Victorian Rebel series! Although you don’t need to have read that book to understand this story, it def adds another layer of understanding to it!

This follows Honoria and Titus and I absolutely adored them! I was so curious about “Nora” from the Victorian Rebels book and I loved learning more about her back story! She and Titus were so so sweet together! And my heart broke for both of them! I wanted them together and I’m glad that Titus didn’t make her work too hard for his forgiveness! The sisterly banter was hilarious and we meet some very interesting characters who are sure to pop up in the future. This book is a great start to what will be a fantastic new series!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Kerrigan Byrne is the author of some of my very favorite historical romances.
Courting Trouble is the second book in the Goode Girls series and can be read as a standalone.
I haven't read first book in this series so I had no idea who Nora was before.
This story is about Honoria (Nora) and Titus, who crossed their paths before- we have some glimpses of past encounters too. It's about second chance love, which is a storyplot I love.
Titus is pretty dark and damaged, but slowly he opens up. He wants Nora and he will get her.
This book was sad at times, but mostly very funny, they had lots of sweet moments and romantic scenes. Their chemistry is fantastic, and it is clear that they are made for each other.

This book was just perfect lenght, I liked it, rating it with 5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Courting Trouble by Kerrigan Byrne is the second book in her intriguing Goode Girls series. I think you will enjoy this book more if you have read the first book in the series. When Honoria (Nora) Mosby, Viscountess Woodhaven, was wounded trying to protect her sister, she is brought to the surgery of Dr. Titus Conleith. Titus was a servant in her family’s household before training as a doctor, and he was her first love. To protect him from her father’s wrath, she sent him off and married as her father dictated. Newly widowed and hiding from those who seek to harm her under she stays with Titus and comes to realize that he is still the one she loves, however once again, her father is planning on marrying her off and uses both her love for Titus and her sisters to force her to his will. One of my favourite parts of this story is when her sisters explain that they don’t wish to marry, that she need not sacrifice her happiness for them, and that in her romance with Titus, she is the hero and needs to make the grand gesture to win his love back. I enjoyed this story very much and can’t wait to read the younger sisters' stories as they seem like such delightful characters. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: December 8, 2020 #CourtingTrouble #KerriganByrne #HistoricalRomance #GoodeGirlsRomannce #NetGalley #OliverHeberBooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #SecondChanceRomance

Kerrigan Byrne has turned out to be one of my favorite authors!!
The story between Titus & Nora was unexpected, soulful, funny and beautifully written.
The beginning was the love between them grew, until something happened to pull them apart. The ending was surprising and endearing! Which I love!
I hate to give story away to me characters make the book, they could do anything if you like them.
Kerrigan always has scenes in every book that always hit me in the stomach with emotion ( maybe some tears) but then the twits where a few scenes in particular made me laugh out loud it was reminiscent of Garwood and Chase.
It was a fun beautiful heart wrenching story!!!


I was given this book as an ARC to give my honest opinion. And I do.

I loved the heart wrenching angst in this book! Due to the difference in social status between this couple, the story is set up, and I knew I was in for an emotional ride. The fact that Titus had loved Honoria for so long was the first reason I adored him. Watching him continue to love her throughout the years was enough to make me love him all the more.

My heart went out to both of these characters. Lord, I wanted to cry, shout, smack a father, and give comfort to this hero and heroine. I’m not sure when the last book had me walking such an emotional edge. I loved it!

”And you were the dream I didn’t dare to allow myself to hope for, even then.”

I was giddy with excitement as Nora is given advice that would lead her to do something unexpected. How original and unique! Watching it unfold was another angsty moment but also filled with giddy hopefulness, a bit of what I hope is the set up for a following book.


Along with the beautiful angst, this book is filled with wonderful characters, a touch of action/drama, as well as enough to heat to make what was between Titus and Nora believable. Can’t wait to read the next book!

The fact that I loved the heroine Honoria when I strongly disliked her in the previous book of this series is a testament to what an amazing writer Kerrigan Byrne is. I wasn't sure I'd be able to enjoy this book because I really didn't like her in A Dark and Stormy Knight and if I don't like or respect the heroine there's litte chance I'll enjoy the romance. But I did like her and greatly enjoyed the book. And I didn't only like Honoria, Titus was also quite delicious- smart, honorable, determined, just the right amount of possessive, and so considerate. Honoria's and Titus' internal arcs are pretty heavy but very appropriate for the characters. They make a good pair. I loved the reversal of roles, the tortured heroine instead of hero and her unflappable hero. I was a teeny bit disappointed at one aspect of the declaration of love at the end, but on a whole it was a good book. And as always Kerrigan Byrne writes with a seamless and compelling style.
This addition to the Goode Girls series is in my opinion an improvement on the first book and I'm very much looking forward to Mercy's and Feicity's stories. I'll definitely be back to see what else is going to happen in this series.

Spoilers
Courting trouble follows Honoria “Nora” Goode and her romance with Titus Conleith. This second chance romance felt very similar to Lisa Kleypas Again the Magic but it felt lacking in a way. Titus helps save Nora’s life when they are children and from that blossoms a first love between the two characters. Nora’s father finds out and threatens to ruin Titus’ chances of becoming a doctor and threatens to have Nora committed if she doesn’t comply with his wishes to marry another. Cut to the future where Nora has been shot by crazy husband and she is brought to Titus’ hospital. The two rekindle their love but Nora’s dick of a father comes to ruin it all AGAIN and Nora just lets him. It was truly infuriating to watch that all unfold again. But Nora’s truly magnificent twin sisters save the day and come up with a brilliant plan that gives Nora her happy ending. The whole story was kind of a chore to read up until the very end. Nora is so self sacrificing and doesn’t give a crap about herself until her sisters step in and let her know she doesn’t have to keep sacrificing her own happiness. As for Titus he “loves” her so much but he really didn’t get it up to fight very hard for her. This was definitely a role reversal with Nora being the hero and Titus being the heroine. I feel that the story may have been better if it has just been a second chance romance or if it had just been a role reversal but I think the two troupes together did not work for me. Things only got interesting when the twins met the Sauvageau brothers. I love that Kerrigan sets up her next story and that all her characters are seen throughout all the stories and I am really happy that we are seeing the characters from the Victorian rebels series as well. For me this book did a great job of introducing new characters and keeping the previous characters involved. But I can tell this will be my least favorite in the series. However the preview of the next book Dancing with Danger was absolutely delicious!

I struggled to get behind this heroine... I found her spinless for much of the book. Honoria is incredibly tough to survive the terror and abuse of her young and adult life - but for goodness sake - just talk to someone one time?! Titus, on the other hand, I felt like I barely knew. He was such a vibrant character in the beginning and then was sort of a gray area that I wanted more of...

Part of it was that this read fast - I mean fast! It seemed like it was over before it began and that much of this was a bridge between the Victorian Rebels and the Goode Girls (side note: I am dying for the twins...) I did love how much of it took place Before (™) instead of it being a second chance with none of the reflection on the past. I also loved Titus' complete lack of chill about Nora. Like - no chill. Which I thoroughly approve of. I also feel like Titus' nurse deserves at least a novella. She is amazing and should be seen as such.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(rounded up 'cause I really liked Titus and second chance is my catnip.)

Steam: 🔥.5

Tropes: second chance, interclass romance, doctor hero, morally gray, redemption arc for heroine, miscommunication, lie for someone else's good

Subgenre: historic romance, Victorian romance

CW/ TW: abuse, domestic violence, parental abandonment, emotional violence, PTSD mentions, mentions of sexual violence, blood and gore in a medical setting

Kerrigan Byrne always provides an addicting story although this was one too short for me and I wanted more. She deftly brings history to life and includes issues like women’s rights, voting, and how woman were treated as property and could be abused by males without recourse.

While the 1800s was still a harsh time to live, especially those without privilege, I was interested to read about the medical advances in 1880.

I loved Titus and how much he struggled from a child through adulthood and managed to become a well-informed and experienced doctor and one who wanted to help those from all walks of life. It was sweet but somewhat sad that he fell in love with Nora as a young child but they were from different classes without hope of being together.

Honoria, or called Nora by her sisters and friends, grew up with privilege but under the strict confines of her father and society. Not given any choices about her life and it was so sad to see how uncaring both of her parents were about her whether when she was sick or forcing her to marry. The parents were only concerned how they were perceived by society. The father had every right to determine the life for daughters and force them to marry to benefit him. Nora’s life changed drastically for many years until she meets Titus again.

I enjoyed seeing characters from other books and look forward to reading the stories about Mercy and her twin sister especially since they seem determined never to wed!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

It took a damn pandemic and Kerrigan Byrne for me to rediscover my love for historical romance. I thought I was on a break from all things olde but nope, 2020 had other plans for my eyeballs. And I really needed all of Kerrigan Byrne's fabulously soapy, over the top, instalusting, instaloving, love for all ages melodramas this year. So long as Ms. Byrne produces dangerously swoony heroes like Titus and gorgeously sharp heroines like Nora, historical romance and I are back together, baby.

Perhaps the most fabulously addictive quality of Kerrigan Byrne's heroes is how they fall hard at first sight. And once these dark and dangerous men fall, woe to anyone or anything that tries to get near their lady loves. Dr. Titus Conleith may end up one of my fave heroes of this series, simply because Nora had his heart from childhood. Boom. Done. No matter how much Nora hurt him, Titus knew that he was forever hers.

And the added magic here is that Nora was so unlikeable in her sister Pru's book, Seducing A Stranger (Pru and Morley!). I loved seeing Morley happy and protective with Pru, not to mention seeing bits and pieces of the Victorian Rebels gang, and can hardly wait for the rest of the Goode girls to meet their matches (oh I can hardly wait for Mercy's book). I should have trusted the author: Nora turned out to be a woman you'd want to shake and champion and cheer all at once.

Ok, true love is great and all, but how about the story? Oooh, there's murder, a dead homicidal psychopath husband, vengeful French gangsters, a nasty blackmailing parent, an underworld leader bff, and delicious public scandal. And even the twee, sly winking nod to romance readers.

I am such a sucker for a grand gesture. And boy oh boy, these lovers have an epic grand gesture standoff. Earlier, I was sad thinking the Victorian Rebels' series was ending with Morley's story; now I can hardly wait to continue with the rest of the Goode girls.

LOVED this book!!! I had just finished listening to Seducing a Stranger, and saw book 2 on Net Galley and was lucky to get an ecopy for an honest review!

Kerrigan Byrne has got me into historical romance again! Her books spin a tale, and weave in past characters of the series so effortlessly. This book was no exception! I absolutely adore childhood/second chance romances!

Titus had me from the first moment he appeared on the page! Such a driven person with so much compassion! Nora was selfless, unpretentious at her core, and determined to help him always. Their chemistry was undeniable!

As far as side characters go, Felicity and Mercy were outstanding! And Dorian’s appearance on any page....well just....sigh!!!!!

This book was sad at times, very funny, had sweet moments, and of course intimate times! It was the perfect mix!!!

I CANNOT wait for the next book!!! The sneak peek at the end was delicious!!!

Again thanks to Net Galley!!! Another AMAZING read from one of my new FAVORITE authors!!!

Fav quote:
“This was love. Sacrifice. Regret. Pain. Love, the purest love, was diving into the lake of brimstone and hellfire, and drowning in it willingly, if only to gain freedom for the one who owned your heart.”