I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!! Every Rogue Has His Charm by Susanna Craig is book 4 in the Love and Let Spy series and though in a series this book can be read as a stand alone. What I adored about this book was that it was not only a regency romance but a spy book as well. Also that our hero was wound and had a dark past. My heart went out to Caro and the situation was was in not only with her family but her marriage as well. I found this book very original, easy to read, vivd descriptions, very well written and just a joy to read. As I said I could not put it down. This story has the war between the French and England in time with Napoleon, a lady with an awful father that is penniless, a duke that is a spy for England, being caught in a compromising situation, want to marry to protect, a women spy that is sent to protect a lady & become friends, wound that are both physical and mental, an awful grandfather, being gone for 6 years, a General that is a matchmaker, acceptance, kindness, sending her pin money to her greedy father, blackmail, becoming strong yet lonely and falling in love. I am highly recommending you read this book. It was FANTASTIC!!!

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

Caro and Maxim were wed 6 years ago, then Maxim abandoned his new wife to stop himself from falling for her. Now he is back with his newly inherited Dukedom, and wants the chance he missed out on.

This book is fine. Is a quick, easy read but there just wasn't anything exciting in it. The secondary romance was so boring I skipped past it, and the main couple just come across as completely bland. Everything - including the reconciliation - just happened far too quickly to be entertaining. Well written, just without anything to get a reader invested!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Susanna Craig novel, but it will most certainly not be my last! I had such a fun time reading this book! I am looking forward to her next one!

Compromised into marriage, spy Maxim returns to his work in France after only four days with Caro, his bride. Six years later, he finally returns. Can he make amends for his desertion and keep his wife safe?

I love the banter between Caro and Maxim. It's difficult for her to trust him, but when she learns about his past, she understands why it's hard for him to make himself vulnerable. This is a steamy, slow-burn romance with a brisk plot.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Caught in what looked like a compromising situation, Maxim marries Caroline under protest. There is a positive for Caro; she gets away from her horrible father. It seems as things might work, for all of four days, then Maxim leaves her. Six years later he returns to England to become the Duke of Hartwell. Will the couple have a second chance for a good marriage or will they go their separate ways permanently?

The fourth story in the Love and Let Spy series is interesting and entertaining. There is dangerous adventure, a second-chance romance, a new romance (probably thanks to General Scott), and a wonderful reunion of series characters in the epilogue for a happy ending.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Every Rogue Has His Charm is the final book in the Love and Let Spy series. This series follows different spies who report back to General Scott, the leader of the ring and a part time matchmaker. The final book follows Maxim Grant, who uses his background to infiltrate French intelligence to pass secrets to the crown, and Caro, who have to marry after accidentally being locked in a library together. Typically, more hijinks would ensue, but this is an angsty second chance romance. Six years later circumstances change and bring the pair back together, but can they work out their issues?

I really loved their chemistry. They are both very guarded, which causes a few issues in their relationship. Watching them work through their problems and deal with their personal growth was really nice. Maxim especially, as he has many scars both physically and emotionally.

I also LOVED the subplot romance because one of my favorite side characters finally gets their moment. The mystery was easy to follow and made sense, which is always good. The callback to book 1 was also really delightful! But probably my favorite part of the whole book was the epilogue.

I’m really sad this series is over, but it was such a fun ride. I highly recommend this series! I do suggest reading in order though as some of the books feed into each other, and it will make the ending very satisfying.

Some tales are as old as time.

Beauty and the Beast retellings being one of them. Every Rogue Has His Charm was the perfect regency-based retelling of a classic fairytale.

Our scarred hero who feels undeserving of love, marries a young girl to save them from scandal, but promptly abandons her as he heads to France, undercover for the British Intelligence, leaving our leading lady not quite a widow, but not quite a wife.

Years later, our distanced couple find themselves together again, and our hero suddenly wonders if it is at all possible to win her heart, after all that has happened between them. However, not only is he struggling to find a way to redeem himself to her, he is also actively trying to discover who his would-be-killer is.

As the conclusion to the 'Love and Let Spy' series, this book has a bit of everything; espionage, intrigue, a second chance at love and finally a happily ever after.

Every Rogue Has His Charm was published in early August 2022. Thank you to Kensington Books, Lyrical Press, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of Carolyn and Maxim who meet at a house party and because of an indiscretion in the library they are forced to marry in order to avoid Carolyn's ruination but mainly because she wanted to get out of her father's home. They lived together only a short time before Maxim left for France on a mission for the government because he didn't want to become attached to her. After the death of his grandfather, Maxim returns to England and he and Carolyn are reunited but only as a matter of convenience. The couple are thrown together as Maxim investigates her new friend, Fanny, who was introduced to her by the spouse of his commanding officer. The author's use of romance, spies, mystery and murder create a spellbinding tale that keeps your interest until the end. After reading this installment, I am excited to read more of the books in this series by Mrs. Craig. I received an ARC from Netgalley but I am voluntarily leaving this review.

A satisfying conclusion (maybe?) to the Love and Let Spy Series. Caro and Maxim have a quickly-executed marriage of convenience that seems to work for both of them...for four days until he disappears for the next six years. He returns to a dukedom and a wife who is not the quiet young thing he married.. Heat simmers between them as threats loom from both within and without the household. Characters from prior novels in the series return and get more backstory. The romance is steamy, the intrigue interesting. Good for fans of the series and readers who enjoy Sarah Maclean.

One of the tropes near and dear to my heart is Marriage of Convenience. What usually goes hand and hand with MOC? Let’s all say it together, class, “cockle crushing angst”. You know me; you know I hate car crash angst. The worst of these is the trope in which the husband (most of the time) leaves either the wedding night or shortly thereafter and years have elapsed. Usually the husband returns for whatever reason, usually taking on a title, inheriting a fortune, or just missing that sweet sweet…love. In the time apart, the partner left behind has either become a misanthrope or this extroverted enigma who champions every social cause, but especially those for puppies and orphans…together...orphaned puppies. And that’s how Pound Puppies were created.

When I say I was intrigued but weary of Every Rogue Has His Charms by Susanna Craig, you can guess the set up. Caroline (Caro), Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for 6 years, of those years, she has spent 5 years and 361 days separated from her husband, Maxim. After a compromising situation forces them to the altar, Maxim determines that Caro’s life would be easier, happier, and eventual without him in it. He flees back to France, where his assignment as a British foreign agent requires that he assumes the life of a Frenchman across enemy lies. With the death of his Grandfather and his ascension to his ducal title, Maxim has returned, but this time is it for forever?

The Compliment Sandwich
The Top Bun (The Pro)

Caro Is Making it Work
When Fanny, Caro’s companion, is describing her, she indicates that women in Lady Chesleigh’s position either become hardened and defiant or defeated and cleave in on themselves.
“Lady Chesliegh was neither. Despite a stated preference for novels, Fanny had in fact read enough philsophy to call her stoic. She moved about town with her shoulders bac, but her face covered. She lived frugally, particularly for a marchioness. She entertained rarely and did not dress in the latest fashions. If she had ever taken a lover in the six long years of her husbands’s absence, no one, not even the servants, breathed a word about it. She was difficult to either to pity or to judge”
I feel as though there is realness with that description and so very true to the time. With this trope, why must the person left behind be either a wet sop or a harridan? When you read about women of this time, most just ‘got along’ because they didn’t have an option nor did they have any recourse to do anything different. The life in which Caro grew up was difficult, at times one could consider it abusive, so in this situation she adapts well to living a low key existence. The loneliness pervades her interactions though, especially prior to the return of her husband.

Similarly, Maxim, has quartered himself in the farthest reaches of France, seeking out fistfights and brawls in order to feel something. At 11, Maxim was horribly injured after being trapped under a horse while attempting to bring medical assistance to his father. The hooves almost completely severed his leg and left the majority of his body scarred. For this reason, he considers himself not much more than a beast, unwilling to allow himself real feelings for those closest to him, in particular, his wife.

The Meat (The Con)
At times the various perspectives were a bit much

We have a lot of side characters that at certain points, drive the narrative. It feels as though somehow, one of the supporting characters wandered into the recording booth and someone handed them a microphone..”oh, okay, now I’m telling the story…” I know that the information we gain from these side characters is important to the overall plot, but I really wasn’t invested in them. I liked them, but not enough to really care what happened to them at the end.

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
Love Takes Time

I’ve left a lot of the story here vague because we have a subplot with attempted murder and I, one, don’t want to spoil anything, and two, it’s not a forefront part of the plot. The attempts on both Caro and Maxim, while not at first considered to be malicious, give the characters the opportunity to spend more time together. With each of their defenses lowered and six years of solitude between them, both are raw but willing to work. Maxim especially finds himself intrigued by the woman he encounters upon returning home. He expected a shrill, angry, shrew and instead he finds a stoic yet cold woman.

“When Caro had steppedn into the room, Maxim had fully expected her to erupt in anger. Anger was understandable, justifiable. Familiar. He’d lived with ager all his life. Her calm put him at a disadvantage. But he could work with cold dismissal..
“Why would you assume I don’t inted to stay, my dear?”
“Past experience, I suppose.”
“Where else would I go?” he prodded, determined to break through her facade.
“To hell, for all I care.”

The two do not immediately fall into each other, even after Caro’s medical emergency. As she lies in bed convalescing, Maxim attempts to make inroads by spending time at her bedside. But as they were strangers when they married and have been estranged 6 years since, Caro is wary.
After a quarter of an hour, he snapped the book shut. “You despise this - despise me.”
She had turned toward the sound of the book closing but did not meet his eyes. “I hardly know you.”
Maxim nodded curtly, stung by her words, though he had no right to be. “And for that, I suppose you must account yourself lucky.”
‘Why?” she snapped back. “Why must I do any such thing? Why are you doing this? A few days ago, you walked back into my life, daring me to vent my furry at you, and now you - you’re sitting at my beside, reading poetry, all but daring me to to -” She broke off on a strangled cry of frustration and dropped her head into her hands.
To provide some context, this exchange occurs almost halfway through the book. When I say this is a slow burn, I mean it. Also, we have two very different sex scenes in this book which speak to where Maxim and Caro are in their relationship: one is all about consummation and the others are sensuous and loving. The progression their relationship takes while abbreviated in terms of length of duration, is catapulted into motion with major upsets that force the h/H to display a united front and begin understanding one another. A slow burn that goes from 0 - 60 at the 50% mark.

Overall, I adored this book. Caro was the perfect heroine for Maxim and their story, while angsty, definitely left me wanting more. This novel is the 4th in the Love and Let Spy series. I enjoyed the side characters (although I didn’t need their narratives) so much that I picked up the book just prior to this, Better Off Wed. I am assuming that we will get a 5th book that focuses on Fanny and Fitz at some point too. This was my first Susanna Craig (outside of a possible novella in a collection) and I certainly dug her style and her through line. I did guess who the villain was, but I’ll forgive it, as it wasn’t really the most central storyline.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was steamy, fast-paced and held my interest. I wanted to find out what would happen. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

3.5
I found Caro and Maxim interesting and fun characters. They are very relatable and had me cheering for them. Maxim is a scarred character both inside and outside; those scares are reflected in his character/personality. Caro is strong, smart, bookish and scared in her own ways. I enjoyed their exchanges and times together. Some of the secondary characters added dimensions to the story – both the romance and the mystery.

I wanted more from the mystery then what we were given. It was an interesting story, but in comparison to others in the series not as interesting for me. There were a couple of situations and characters that I didn’t understand what purpose in the story they played (the story could have done without them).

This is a good series and I highly recommend it. Craig ended this story and the series in the best possible way – the epilogue takes place in 1815 – years after each of the other books. It brings all the characters back and shows where they are in their HEA. Very good ending in my books.


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

Every Rogue has his Charm by Susannah Craig is the fourth book in the series Live and Let Spy. The novel introduces us to Caro and Maxim. They first met when they were young and due to a locked door were required to marry. Caro and Maxim shared a few hot nights and then he disappeared - back into France to spy. Stunned, Caro had to figure out how to survive without him for six long years.

Maxim’s grandfather died and he was required to return to take up his new role. He stopped to see Caro, just in time to see her become violently ill with no obvious cause. A series of curious incidents - surprising people and her family all happen to make this novel more intriguing. I liked Caro a lot. She was smart, resourceful and interesting. The storyline was marvelous and unique. Susannah Craig has written a great addition to the series. Every Rogue had his Charm by Suzannah Craig is a great read.

Caroline, Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for six years—at least in name. In fact, Caro has hardly seen her husband since the first week of their union. Scarred and reclusive, Maxim wasn’t ready to trust his wife with his secrets—or his heart. Instead, he quickly resumed his life of espionage in France, believing Caro was better off alone. When the spy who left her returns upon inheriting the Dukedom of Hartwell from his loathsome grandfather, he finds his wife is not the girl she once was.
Now, the more Caro learns about the past Maxim tried to hide from her, the deeper their bond grows. But danger haunts her husband’s every move, jeopardizing their passionate reunion .
The fourth & final book in the series & a lovely finale especially the epilogue, which rounded everything off perfectly. I loved both Maxim & Caro both had been wounded mentally by their family but he was the one afraid to love. I thoroughly enjoyed their journey to a HEA, which included, spies, secrets, horrid family members & a sizzling attraction. I think I might have made Maxim grovel more but he tried to be a better husband on his return. A very well written engrossing read, which I devoured in an afternoon
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

As you may know, historical spies are some of our favorite characters. Susanna Craig's Live and Let Spy series has been one of our favorites in recent years, with all kinds of spy tropes abounding. In Every Rogue Has His Charm, a scarred marquess (and heir to a duke) marries a young lady he unwittingly compromises and then abandons her three days after the wedding. Flash forward six years and he's back in town - and he's a duke.

Luckily for the reader, Caro and Maxim don't spend any time in miscommunication. They pretty quickly disclose to each other their fears and hopes for the future. Even when they each catch the other in different sorts of compromising situations (more spy-stuff than romantic), they're able to stop and listen to each other. Plus Maxim's form of groveling (listening to his wife, respecting her wishes, AND rescuing her family in ways that are meaningful to them?!) is just perfect.

There's also a secondary romance we really liked. In fact, our only criticism of the novel is that we learned that it's the final in the series, and that Mrs. Drummond and Captain Addison won't have a full book to themselves!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

An adventure filled with everything needed to hold your attention!

A second chance at love, a matchmaking spymaster, a damaged and scarred hero, intrigue and another couple coming together.. what more could you ask for?

They had a married due to her being in a compromising position. After he did his duty, he felt he was becoming too enamored and basically ran away to his duties as a spy in France.

Now having to come back to claim his title and hopefully her, it may not be as easy as he thought.

A great reunion of characters from the other books in the series and a happy ending make this perfect.

I was unaware this was the final book in the series but I had no trouble reading it out of order.

This book was delightful. It's Beauty and the Beast with Regency-era spies! I really liked the chemistry between Caro and Maxim. I liked their back and forth too. I personally think Maxim should have groveled more before Caro forgave him but that's just my opinion.
I did like that all the plots seems to converge and lead to a satisfying conclusion.
Would definitely recommend this series to fans of Regency romance.

Every Rogue Has His Charm was a great conclusion to Susanna Craig's Love and Let Spy series and was my favorite of the book. It was a great Beauty and the Beast type story.
Maxim wasn't looking for love. Having been disfigured from an accident as a boy and mistreated by his grandfather, he is very closed off and occupied with his work for General Scott. He meets Caro at a houseparty and after being them being found a compromising position, and realizing that her father is up to no good, proposes marriage on the spot. During a brief honeymoon, Maxim realizes he is developing feelings for Caroline and does not feel that he deserves that, so he leaves her for a job a few days after their marriage and doesn't return for 6 years.
During the 6 years that Maxim is gone, Caro develops independence as she navigates life alone, although her family's demands constantly interfere with her living comfortably. After his grandfather's death, Maxim returns from France and realizes that his feelings for Caro never went away and makes it his mission to make it up to her and win her heart back.
I found this book to be a fun read, and it was really hard to stay mad at Maxim for leaving Caro with the things he did to make up for his shortcomings, although it seemed a little like Caro came back around quicker than I would have expected. It was swoony though how he stood up to her family and did everything he could to protect her.
I felt that it was a perfect end to the series and the epilogue tied everything up nicely.
If you are a fan of regency romance this was a fun and steamy ready and a little different than other books set in that time period that I have read and I also enjoyed that there was a spy mission entwined with the love story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Every Rogue Has His Charm is a perfect ending to a perfect series, Love and Let Spy. The leader of spies and secret matchmaker, General Scott, has brought together two unlikely loves in Caro and Maxim. Both have scars from their families, only Maxim’s are visible. Yet, he quickly sees Caro’s hidden ones and rescues her. Or, he thought he had, only to return six years after their brief marriage to see she still needs his help, now more than ever. Their romance is sweet and strong as each help the other face their issues and fall more deeply in love. Of course, they have a little help.

It was good to finally see Franny Drummond allowed to show her worth and find romance at the same time. General Scott paired her with a younger man whom she nursed in a prior book. The May – December romance is adorable and sweet. I am, actually, sad to see this series end, but know Susanna Craig must have more fantastic romances yet to write.

Craig continues to entertain and delight with this series of spies finding love in the unlikeliest of places.
Caro and Maxim are great characters that I liked from their very first accidentally scandalous meeting. I love how feisty Caro is even when Maxim is doing his best to scare her out of loving him. The fact that Maxim abandons Caro despite the fact that it's incredibly obvious that she's exactly what he needs to heal his battered heart is infuriating but it does make for some very good tension once the plot really gets going.
There's also the fact that Craig is really good at crafting fully rounded side characters that feel like actual people even when they're barely on the page. From Caro's overbearing father and cowed family members to the members of staff of Caro's house in Brighton, you believe that they have their own lives beyond the page because that's how well they're written.
The big mystery was insanely obvious and not surprising in the least, yet getting there was incredibly entertaining so I'll let it slide. I usually like a bit more spy action in stories that sell themselves as revolving around that element, but I loved everything else enough and it does include several characters from The Underground. This is extra brownie points because we get to enjoy a secondary love story that has a completely different feel and resolution while still fitting in perfectly with the rest of the plot.
This is the fourth (and last?) book in the series and I do think knowing the other books would be a plus to be able to enjoy the epilogue and understand some of what's happening behind the scenes, but I don't think jumping in with this one would be too confusing or less enjoyable.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Lyrical Press for the very fun romantic read!