I adore Kerrigan Byrne's books. Her characters and the situations they find themselves are so unusual, which is a breath of fresh air in a genre that generally survives on tropes. (Not that I hate all the tropes, mind you, but the change of pace is welcome.) Tempting Fate, Felicity and Gabriel's story, is no exception.

This book is the fourth full-length Goode Girls novel, and while it can be read as a standalone, reading the others in the series--especially books 2 and 3) would probably be helpful. I read Courting Trouble (2) but somehow missed Dancing with Danger (how did I miss that?!?), and I found myself a little lost at the beginning. It sorts itself out, however.

Felicity is the youngest Goode sister, Mercy's twin, and she is very very very shy and of a nervous temperament. She is also the goodest of the Goodes, so to speak, without a snarky or mean bone in her body. I usually prefer a bit more spunk in my heroines, but Felicity's comfort level with Gabriel redeems her character quite a bit, and while she is shy, she is not a coward. Gabriel is in so many ways her polar opposite; he is big--hulking, actually--and covered in scars and tattoos, and has lived a life as the personification of violence. Severely disfigured when he was a teenager, Gabriel has spent a lifetime in the shadows, and even after surgery restores some semblance of order to his features, he figuratively continues to wear a mask to protect himself.

Gabriel is so in love with Felicity and has been since he first set eyes on her in a previous book. Unsurprisingly, he believes himself unworthy of love in general and Felicity's in particular. He has no intention of declaring himself to her, instead making it his mission to keep her safe until all external threats are eliminated. He just doesn't realize that the threats to her are coming not from enemies in his past but from enemies in hers.

After being accosted on her way home from a meeting (which disappointingly happens off screen, somewhere between the prologue and chapter 1), Felicity accidentally hires Gabriel as a bodyguard. She doesn't recognize him (his surgery plus her lost spectacles) but find herself drawn to him.

Not a lot actually happens in the plot, which would probably be my main gripe. There are a few exciting instances where Gabriel intervenes to protect Felicity, but mostly we have passages where Gabriel is reflecting on his lack of worthiness or Felicity is trying to figure him out. Instead of being tedious though, I found these reflections so heartbreaking. I didn't just want them to get together; I needed them to. I do wish there had been a little more character development, especially on Gabriel's part, to show him learning to respect himself. Instead, the transition from not wanting to despoil Felicity to the HEA is more of a flicked switch.

But my absolute favorite part is Felicity and Gabriel's shared innocence with regard to love and intimacy. It is so rare to find that in a hero, but it makes absolute sense in Gabriel. While his hands and soul may be spattered with blood, that most intimate part of him belongs to Felicity alone. Swoon.

Kerrigan Byrne is fast becoming a favorite author of mine. While I don't like to play favorites, when a Byrne book shows up on my Netgalley bookshelf, I tend to shuffle aside others in favor of hers.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

3.5/4 Stars ⭐️

Kerrigan Byrne is a new to me author. After having read the blurb for Tempting Fate, I was intrigued. The beauty and the beast element of the story is what drew me in and kept me reading.

Felicity Goode is a striking young woman. She is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day and you are drawn to her. Gabriel is a hard and brutal man but underneath that scarred and ugly surface, lies a kind and loyal man, whose heart beats for one woman, Felicity.

Their love story is not an easy one, there is a lot going on that needs to be dealt with but ultimately the heart wants what the heart wants and in this case it is their unconditional love for each other.

I enjoyed this unique love story but can’t help but think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other books in the series first because a lot was going on that I did not understand or follow and based on reviews for those books, I was expecting more. All in all, a quick and easy read. Be sure to check out Tempting Fate and the rest of the Goode Girls Romance books - TBR and Enjoy.

4 stars

Kerrigan Byrne is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical romance authors. I have not read a book by her that has been less than 4 stars and this is no exception.

The fourth book in her Goode Girl series, Tempting Fate follows bookish and bespectacled Felicity Goode as she navigates being the target of marriage proposals and murder plots. When she hires Gabriel Sauvageau as her bodyguard, the pair quickly discover a passion that could be the one thing to heal their broken souls.

This book definitely gave me Beauty and the Beast vibes with the main relationship being between a soft sunshine girl and a grizzly hunk of a man. Even though I prefer my heroines with a little more spunk, I really enjoyed the anxiety representation in this book and the way that the leading couple complimented each other. The only thing that bothered me was how quickly everything wrapped up, although the ending did leave an opening for more books in the series. I'm excited to see where Byrne takes the series next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An engaging addition to the Goode series. Although the goode series imho is not as intense as Ms Byrne’s other series, I felt in this series the female protagonist had a lot more role play. Though not the perfect ton ladies, they played a meatier role.

This is the story of Felicity Goode, the twin of Mercy Goode, and Gabriel Sauvageau, the man without a face and also with a criminal history, although in the book, he has given up his shady past dealings and is only intent on meeting out justice to a very rogue heartless criminal.

Although we don’t get a reunion of the Goode sisters, some characters from the previous books are part of the narrative.

While Felicity Goode is left alone, now that her sisters are married and parents dead, she faces threats from unknown sources and hires a bodyguard. He is none other than Gabriel S aka Gerard with an alias.

Thus the start of their adventure and romance. Well worth a read.

omg i loved this book. these two are the stuff that romance was built on. a true beauty and the beast story. i loved these two and I couldn't think of two people more deserving of love or each other.

I absolutely love everything I have read by Kerrigan Byrne and Tempting Fate didn’t let me down. She is a fabulous story teller.

Tempting Fate is the fourth book in the Goode Girls series. It follows Felicity and Gabriel who met earlier in the book series. I loved these characters and all of their flaws. There are many twists and turns which lead to a wonderful and happy ending.

I enjoyed everything about this book and read it in two sittings. I would recommend Tempting Fate and Kerrigan Byrne to anyone who enjoys Historical romance novels. This story can be read as a standalone but would recommend reading this series in order.

I received an arc of this story in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you Netgalley, Oliver Heber books and Kerrigan Byrne

Hard to believe that the, Goode Girls series, is at it's end. I never saw the ending coming. It completely took me by surprise. I really enjoyed reading, Tempting Fate.

I really loved this one! Felicity and Gabriel's story has been building especially from the last book. Loved the touch of Beauty and the Beast trope. This one didn't disappoint. It had action, and mystery and I just loved the lengths Gabriel (Gareth) would do to protect Felicity. So good. Now the start of the 2nd half of the Goode siblings will round out the series. I can't wait to see what's next.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 ⭐️

Tempting Fate es la novela que más había esperado desde que empecé la serie de Goode Girls. Apenas leí la sinopsis supe que era el tipo de historia que más me gusta y no me decepcionó. Es una novela con una trama atrapante, personajes entrañables y un estilo de escritura simplemente precioso.

Es definitiva, Kerrigan Byrne se ha convertido en una de mis escritoras favoritas de romance histórico.

Tempting Fate comparada con sus otras obras como How to Love a Duke in Ten Days y The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo (que considero obras maestras), es una historia más simple y sencilla, pero igual de emocionante y cautivadora.

Trama: Al ser el cuarto libro en la serie, si es necesario leer los anteriores, sobre todo, Dancing with Danger porque Felicity y Gabriel son personajes secundarios en esa novela y ya existía tensión entre ellos.

Esta novela tiene ingredientes muy parecidos a las anteriores: un romance enternecedor y un misterio que resolver. Creo que emplea las dosis justas de romance, drama, suspenso y humor. La línea argumental de romance está un poco mejor desarrollada que la de misterio, pero no es que el misterio haya sido aburrido, de hecho, tuvo un buen plot twist, pero si lo sentí un poco apresurado al final.

Personajes: Felicity y Gabriel robaron mi corazón desde Dancing with Danger. Había mucha química entre ellos y los breves vistazos que vi de sus personajes me cautivaron. En esta novela, ambos sufren transformaciones a lo largo de la historia, sobre todo, Felicity. Se podría decir que su evolución es un poco más evidente que la de Gabriel, pero creo que se debía a que ella era el centro de atención.

Por un lado, Felicity fue una heroína muy real. No era la más fuerte, ni valiente, ni aventurera, pero se esforzaba por ser mejor. Era una mujer amable y cálida, con miedos e inseguridades. Además, era muy diferente de su hermana gemela, Mercy, o del resto de sus hermanas. Felicity me daba mucha ternura porque era un alma muy pura que debía luchar con demonios internos. Y me gustó cómo la autora retrató su depresión y ansiedad. Creo que fue un tema delicado que estuvo bien manejado y que se sintió auténtico.

Por otro lado, Gabriel. No podría encontrar palabras para describir cuánto me encantan los héroes como él. Son mi debilidad y, si los juntas con una protagonista tímida e inocente, entonces estaré enganchada hasta el final. Gabriel fue un héroe masculino de esos que te hacen suspirar. Me gustó que no intentara ocultar su pasado o quisiera pretender algo que no era. Siento que se mantuvo leal así mismo, aun con toda su oscuridad y sus pecados. Además, me cautivó ese amor tan puro e incansable que sentía por Felicity.

En cuanto a los personajes secundarios fueron maravillosos. Tengo predilección por las familias que no encajan en su tiempo porque rompen los esquemas de la sociedad. Mercy y Raphael son otra de mis parejas favoritas, pero el resto de personajes también fueron de gran apoyo.

Romance: Me emocioné y suspiré con la encantadora historia de amor de Felicity y Gabriel. La verdad me hubiera gustado que el libro tuviera más páginas y poder disfrutar más de ellos juntos. Aunque debo aceptar que me dieron escenas llenas de tensión, pasión y mucho cariño. Algunas escenas fueron tan enternecedoras y dulces. Los diálogos tan bien estructurados te llegaban al corazón.

Escritura: Este punto es algo que siempre resaltó en las novelas de esta autora porque su estilo de escritura es cautivador. Cada párrafo y diálogo está entretejido de la forma más perfecta para hacerte sentir un millón de emociones. Provoca que te enamores de la historia y de los personajes, y te hace sentir parte del momento.

En conclusión, es una novela muy recomendada para los amantes del romance histórico. De hecho, toda la serie y las otras novelas de Kerrigan Byrne son recomendaciones necesarias para este género porque sin duda te llevarás una grata sorpresa.

Finally! Gabriel and Felicity get their love story. If you’ve read the previous three books in the Goode Girls series, you’ve already met these love birds and are aware that Gabriel is one of the Sauvageau brothers and is severely disfigured. After the events of the previous book, while his brother and new bride left the city, Gabriel stayed behind to undergo several surgeries on his face. His plan was to meet up with Raphael later, under a new name, and leave their life of crime behind.

But he just can’t seem to forget Felicity Goode.

Felicity believes Gabriel to be dead because that is what she has been told. So when she meets a scarred and intimidating man hanging around her house she assumes he is there to answer an advertisement she put out looking to hire a man for protection. Gabriel, who is now going by his new name Gareth, is swept into the house and into her employ and once he hears of why she is hiring protection, can’t say no. Even though he knows this is a very bad idea. But Felicity doesn’t seem to recognize him so he’ll stay until he finds the person threatening her and make her safe again.

Gabriel and Felicity are lovely together. This is the beauty and the beast trope featuring a tortured, scarred hero and a caring, underestimated heroine. He’s physically strong but emotionally broken and she’s vulnerable but has a full and open heart. Their differences complement each other and I truly enjoyed their emotional connection, chemistry, and ultimately their HEA.

As this is book four of a series, there is a lot of backstory and world-building that have already been laid out. I wouldn’t start here but would recommend going back to the beginning and reading the first book, A Dark and Stormy Knight, featuring Sir Carlton Morley and Prudence Goode. This has been an enjoyable series and I look forward to getting to know the newfound Goode siblings in the upcoming releases.

This is the 4th book in the Goode Girls series, and even if you haven't read the previous books in the series (like me), you'll still really enjoy this one and not feel like you missed out (although I fully intend to go back and read the first 3 books in this series!).

Felicity is a shy, sweet introvert who has anxiety over the thought of socializing. After she inherits her father's estate, she realizes she needs to marry and with several attempts made on her life, she decides to hire a bodyguard to help her through the process. Enter Gabriel. this tough, scarred man with a huge heart. Felicity hires him on the spot, not realizing she's already met the man who saved her life once before.

Really enjoyed this story - I loved Gabriel's protectiveness and Felicity's kindness and charm, and the slow-burn between them made me excited to see what happened next. The dialogue between the characters is fun, witty and sweet, and the action is fast-paced. I ended up gobbling this book up in one sitting, which for me is always a sign of a good story. Definitely excited to read the earlier books and see what happens next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book because I love beauty and the beast tropes, and this book didn't disappoint!

The previous book left off with Mercy Goode running away with Raphael Sauvageau. The book begins with his brother, Gabriel Sauvageau, getting a new face and picks up a year later after the other characters have moved on and Felicity, Mercy's twin, is heiress to the Goode family fortune. Threats to her safety force her to hire protection, and she mistakes Gabriel, now called Gareth Severand, as an applicant.

Gabriel is recovering from the violence of his previous life as a gangster, and Felicity is shy, introverted, and struggling to find a husband so she can fulfill the terms of her father's will. I loved that each character had a sensitive personality. I loved that Felicity was introverted and struggled in social situations. Her delicate nature was a balm to Gabriel's tortured soul. Anyone who has struggled in social settings will identify with Felicity's anxiety.

Overall, this story was really sweet. Readers who love virgin heroes will love this story. There was plenty of steam as Gabriel and Felicity had their mutual sexual awakenings. The only real plot hole was the villain. It wrapped up so quickly; I would have loved to see more of the family's dynamic after. Also, it wasn't clear why Gabriel's former men would attack Felicity.

Otherwise, so good. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down!

Very easy and pleasurable to read with the delightful contrast between the scarred, brutish hero and the soft, angel-like heroine. Through Gabriel and Felicity we are shown a world where starkness and loveliness coexist.
The hero in “Tempting Fate”, by Kerrigan Byrne, is a fiercely protective alpha, completely devoted and smitten with the heroine.
And then there’s the paradox about Gabriel: the “rough and violent” man of “barbaric dimensions” is the same gentle, tender giant who is capable of the most candid admission of love.
I liked the intense love story with roots in the past, and loved them as characters – Felicity and her plant world, and Gabriel with the compelling face and “uncommon bulk” and all that hidden violence. The yearning and longing were great, too.
I felt I needed to know more about their backstories (perhaps reading the previous books) and Gabriel’s surgeries.

I devoured this book. It was an absolute delight of a read. I had been waiting for this one for TWO BOOKS and honestly it didn't disappoint. Felicity is a sweetie sunshine heroine who deserves only good things and Gabriel is a brute of a man who deserves kindness that he has never had. There are great references to the beauty of romance as a genre, and how you are underestimated if you are kind.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: bodyguard, interclass romance, gangster with a heart of gold, grumpy/ sunshine, sweetie/ bookish heroine, my one person, no chill hero, secret/ mistaken identity
For Fans Of: fast paced body guard romance
Subgenre: historic romance/ Victorian
CW/ TW: violence, mentions of parental abuse, threat of rape/ violence (to heroine but not by hero)

3.5 of 5 stars

Gabriel Sauvageau has endured a year of pain and surgery for a new face after he and his brother faked their death to leave a vicious smuggling operation behind. From the moment he met Felicity Goode a year ago, he has loved the fragile Goode sister. When she needs protection, she hires Gabriel not knowing he is the former crime lord because he's sporting a new face and using a new name. Gabriel must ferret out who wants to hurt Felicity and fast because the attacks against her are becoming more vicious and the next one may be fatal.

I enjoyed this story with a few criticisms. I wanted more information about why Felicity suffered "spells of terror" as she calls them and why was her father so abusive to her especially since he had 3 other daughters. Without all the background information it was hard to see Felicity as anything other than a vulnerable and terrified young woman. That she would be drawn to Gabriel who was a hulk of a guy with little personality and a scarred body was a bit of a stretch for me. I understand that she felt safe with him, but I wished their attraction was more of a slow burn romance instead of so much time spent on the violence Gabriel does protecting her. There were a few good twists and turns, but not enough to earn 5 stars in my humble opinion. While this wasn't my favorite story in the series, I love Ms. Byrne's books and look forward to the next one.

5 stars

An excellent story. At the end of Book 3 we meet Gabriel and his brother Raphael. Raphael escapes with Felicity's twin. Felicity is quet but was fascinated by Gabriel. Her brother in law, Titius tells her Gabriel has died of wounds sustained at the end of Book 3 and she mourns him. Things aren't as straight forward as they seem and Felicity, needing protection hires Gareth to do just that. You don't have to have read book 3 but I think it helps to see the build up of the romance between Felicity and Gabriel, and why wouldn't you want to read it as it's a delightful read. Both protagonists, in this episode, need each other and I was rooting for their HEA. I'm now eager to read the others in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tempting Fate is book 4 in the Goode Girls series and is the romance between Felicity Goode and Gabriel Sauvageau. Felicity and her twin sister Mercy are the youngest of the 4 Goode daughters that this series has been following and Gabriel we met in the previous book. Gabriel is the is the older brother of Raphael (who ended up with Felicity’s twin Mercy in the 3rd book) and the Sauvageau brothers were trying to leave behind the crime underworld they were raised in when we met them in book 3. Gabriel is scarred and horribly disfigured from being raised as a child fighter in fighting pits and even wore a mask the rare times he did go out in public. He has lived his 34-years of life without the touch of a woman but became instantly drawn to Felicity, the shy and spectacle-wearing Goode girl.

This book starts up right where the previous book left off, the prologue jumps into what was going down in the last book and how Gabriel & his brother Raphael had plans to leave behind the criminal underworld by faking a death and taking on new identities. Chapter 1 starts a year after Gabriel has undergone multiple surgeries and taken on a new identity/name. This is when his path crosses again with Felicity right as she is in need of personal protection. After inheriting her father’s shipping company & investments, Felicity has found her life is in danger with being followed and finding threatening messages. She ends up hiring Gabriel on the spot not knowing who he really is/that she already met him in the past.

As always with this series I wish they were a little longer. There is a lot of insta-attraction and danger-suspense with villains happening that I do wish we had more time for the relationship. But besides that I did enjoy this one, I love a bodyguard romance and that trope mixed with a scarred, virgin hero really worked. I enjoyed Felicity’s character too, she is sweet and I love a glasses-wearing heroine. The suspense bit at the end did all come together really quickly but I am glad we got a glimpse into possible characters for the future books because I had been wondering who they were going to be about. As always I read everything Kerrigan Byrne puts out and will continue to do so because the writing is always so great and we get interesting characters & romances.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review. Tempting Fate is out May 11, 2021.

This book is adorable. Felicity is precious. Gabriel is everything I ever knew he would be. I adore the big, hulking beast. Felicity is every thing. She is gentle, loving, patient, and just so aptly named. Felicity and Gabriel go together like peanut butter and jelly. She has anxiety attacks, he keeps her safe. They are perfect for each other.


The story is so sweet and precious. Prepare to swoon. Prepare to also scream "TELL HER!!!!!" like at least 12 times. It is all good. It works out. The book is not long, but a lot happens. I was absolutely glued to the story. Dinner might have been a few hours later than usual yesterday, but everyone lived.


I highly recommend this story. Indeed, this whole series. These Goode Girls are amazing. I can't wait for the rest of the series!

Best one of the series... Gabriel and Felicity were so good together. I loved watching Gabriel finally give into his feelings for Felicity. Felicity kindness was exactly what he needed.

Wow! What a delight to read once again such an accomplished author.

Gabriel/Gareth is a broken man who has a savage background and does not trust his emotions for Felicity Goode. Felicity has what in modern times we would call an anxiety disorder. She is often troubled by terrors and panic attacks but feels safe with Gareth who she hires to protect her from outside murderous threats not realizing he is the man who saved her life in the past.

I enjoyed this book. It is always my delight to read a Kerrigan Byrne book. She brings to life the darker elements of Victorian times as well as the romantic natures of her protagonists. Here we have two lost souls who are meant for each other but finding there way to a Happy-Ever-After is fraught with pitfalls. This is the fourth book in the series and I had no trouble understanding what went before in previous books, however I do think this book can be enjoyed even more if the previous books are read first.