Member Reviews
I really enjoyed this book. There were several intriguing characters in addition to the main characters of Caro and Maxim. I have read all of the books in this series and enjoyed them but I believe this one is my favorite. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced copy!
This series has been such a delight and I was so happy that the fourth book was no exception. Craig has a way of writing complex characters in a way that allows them to lift themselves up, spy a little, and fall in love and I am here for all of it.
I am assuming this is the last book in the series for a few reasons (which I won't spoil), but if so my only sadness is that we didn't get a prequel or story about General Scott and his wife, who are always so lovely.
This book had two love stories, both of which were wonderful. I found myself at times more invested in the B story, but Hartwell and Caro were so great, I loved how open she was and how he found a way to move past his fears to be together. And Drummond and Fitz were just so cute as they came together.
The plot wasn't too overwhelming and just the right amount of spying for these books. Really, we're here for the HEA, right?
I can't wait to read more books by Craig. And if she wanted to revisit these characters again, I'd be right there reading.
Maximilien Grant. Lord Chesleigh,, future Duke of Hartwell. Marquess of Chesleigh., injured as a child by horse. A brooding, angry force of nature in a man of English and Breten French ancestry. In overcoming his injuries he has taught himself some useful skills that has aided him in his service to being a spy.
“Lady Caroline Brent. Lord Laughton's oldest daughter, loves to read and defy her father. She has a generous heart and caring about her.. She is strong, intelligent, and very independent.
General Zebadiah Scott, wife Helen, military spy master who thinks of himself as seeing the best potential in others as well as a mischievous matchmaker. His wife is the dutiful wife but has a hidden intelligence that is overlooked.
Fitzwilliam Hopkins, “Lieutenant, minor character but has a secret love.
Frances Drummond abused wife of a fallen officer that wants more than what others think is best for her. She will show you kindness but has a backbone when necessary.
Pierre Leclerc, man servant with a secret.
listed here are family members that will surprise you in the end.
Christopher, lord Brent easing brother, Viscount
Catherine, sister
Lord,and Lady Laughton, earl, countess
Aunt Brent, Lord Laugh ton sister, hypochondriac.
Our cast is set. You will get the mystery, intrigue, and thrill of figuring out who is the good guys and bad guys but beware you just might be surprised in the end. This is not your typical spy romance. Susanna Craig blends this into more than you will expect. This is my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised at how well this kept my attention and utterly wrong at who was the bad guy. There is great blending in bringing you into the story as well as the conflict that aggregates the characters to give them a well grounded apoeal. You start at a house party where you get your first surprise then to Brighton where the vivid imagery will have you walking along the shoreline with the cast. You end up at a retirement garden party and find the in between so captivating you wonder how you finished so quickly. This jyst grabs you and keeps you entertained so masterfully.
Caro didn't expect to married the scarred, private Maxim, Marquess of Chesleigh--but after being accidentally and chastely compromised, she didn't have much of a choice. And their marriage seemed to get off to a good start (emphasis on "get off"). But within days, Maxim left her to return to his spying in the continent, leaving Caro alone and without contact from him for six years.
Now he's back after inheriting his Dukedom, and finds a wife who is a bit colder and much harder than the girl he once knew. But the spark between them remains, and as Maxim's past catches up with him, the two must decide if they want to remain committed to one another.
I do love a marriage in trouble moment. And this is that. Quite often, you'll read these "my husband left me for years" books about a couple that never consummated the union or did so once in a perfunctory manner. But the difference with Maxim and Caro is that they were actually, legitimately into one another, and they're both very much aware of the fact. They may not have been together long before he left, but they certainly made the most of it. This know underscores Caro's emotional wounds, which are just as deep as the physical ones that left Maxim traumatized and, of course, INCAPABLE OF LOVE.
The previous book in this series was just okay for me--kind of mild, not too heavy. What ramps this book up a bit is that it's legitimately pretty angsty, and you immediately feel the tension between the leads as soon as they're back in one another's orbit. He knows he fucked up, and she isn't going to let him off the hook for it.
This one is also a bit less spy-heavy than the previous book, which helped it for me--I know that lots of people love a spy book, but they can be a tad tricky for me. Here, we don't feel overwhelmed by espionage. The center stage event is Maxim and Caro's relationship and their attempt to get it back on track.
Though I'll add--there is a beta romance in this story, and Craig doesn't skimp on it. I won't mention too much of what happens due to spoilers, but if you like a bit of older woman/younger man, you'll be pleased. They're given their moment in the sun, and a pretty hot scene on top of it; but it doesn't take away from Maxim and Caro's development, though I do think in general the book could've been a bit longer.
This is the conclusion to series, and I haven't read them all--but I may have to check out the first couple of books. It was great to have that marriage in trouble itch scratched, and I couldn't resist the angst in this one.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an interesting book. Caro and Maxim have spent years separated by what was assumed as being apathy on their parts. It appeared that they weren't in love or cared nothing for one another.
Caroline, Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for six years—at least in name. In fact, Caro has hardly seen her husband since the early days 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, he finds his wife is not the girl she once was. Her heart is a little harder. She's learned to stand on her own. Yet the desire that once ignited between them burns as hotly as ever . . .
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.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Every Rogue Has His Charm has a quirky and steamy start. But then the twists and turns begin. I wasn't sure that Maxim could ever redeem himself. I know Caro was young, but I wish she had stood up to her family a little more. As with the previous books in the series, the spies and their ladies don't go about love and their HEA in a straight-line. The secondary love story was a nice addition. It is a lovely book and a good summer read.
This was an excellent conclusion to a really fantastic series! AND we get a two-for-one deal with this book. Every Rogue Has His Charm follows two couples and I was invested in both of them getting together.
One has a sort of Beauty and the Beast vibe- the hero is badly scarred and believes himself undesirable so when he finds himself truly drawn to his new bride from a marriage of convenience, he runs off to France for several years where he serves British intelligence. She's left alone, not quite a widow but not really a wife. But now with the death of his grandfather he's the heir to a dukedom and must return. Meanwhile, two characters we've seen circle each other in previous books are sent on a mission to befriend the wife and uncover whether the new duke is still loyal to the crown. Hijinks and danger ensue!
This entire series has been a blast- strong heroines, heroes who support them, the fun of spycraft, and a match-making spymaster general trying to get his agents to their happily ever ever afters. This book is a satisfying conclusion, and we even get a party epilogue featuring all the different couples from the series! Loved it. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Caroline, Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for six years—but Caro only spent four days with Maxim before he left her. They married impulsively after they just met when her reputation was compromised. She agrees because her father is a tyrant, and he offers because she hadn’t seemed afraid of him. Scarred and secretive, Maxim immediately resumed his life of espionage and abandoned his wife.
Maxim is filled with resentment for himself and everyone around him. He is entirely unlikable in the beginning. The way he disregards Caro was painful to read. He has a tragic backstory filled with neglect, but there still needed to be a lot of groveling to make up for this.
When Maxim rolls back home when he inherits a dukedom, Caro is desperately lonely, but she isn’t going to tolerate the same treatment he gave her in the four days they spent together after they married.
Caro was a strong and likable character, but Maxim was downright heartless. When you have a hero who is this cruel and selfish—even if he is damaged—I expect him to put in the work to change and I expect real atonement. Caro warmed up to him too quickly for me and I wanted more to see him spend more time reflecting and then acting.
This is the fourth in the Love and Let Spy series, but the first that I’ve read. I liked the writing and the spy plot and will go back and read the others. There’s a side romance between supporting characters that’s entertaining and probably something that fans of the series will like.
If you're looking for your next husband-abandons-wife-only-to-come-home-to-a-woman-stronger-than-he-remembers book, then I need to recommend Every Rogue Has His Charm. Maxim leaves Caro after their wedding he doesn't necessarily intend to stay away for 6 years, but he does, coming back in time for danger to be around every corner. If you love the trope, this is especially well written and a must read!
Just finished this book. I'd give it 8/10 stars. My main issue was the pacing, MC development, and the secondary love story. The pay-off/HEA wasn't that satisfying. Overall a solid read but not something I'd gravitate back to. Positives: plot/storyline was enjoyable and engaging. I didn't know that this was the last book in this series, but I did enjoy the epilogue. Sorry I'm not that great at writing reviews!!
In this fourth book in Craig's "Love & Let Spy" series, you get two romances in one! The second chance romance between Caro and Maxim (a duke) and the bonus liaison between the two spies sent to watch them - Fitz & Fanny. This is a standalone and judging by the epilogue, probably the final installment in the series.
After accidentally getting trapped in the library together at night during a house party, Maxim proposes to and hastily marries Caroline then leaves her four days later to spy it up in Paris....for the next SIX years without telling her why. So, they have a lot to overcome when he gains his title and returns to England to check on her; like the fact that they hardly know anything about each other. Maxim has a tragic childhood (and the scars to prove it) that Caro has to unearth, and Caro has a family of moochers that need to be put in their place.
Meanwhile, someone is trying to kill Maxim and the home office has sent two agents, Fitz and Fanny, to spy on Max & Caro to find out whether he's a double agent or if either is in danger. The "partners" start an affair in this book that may or may not tease an additional novel/novella in this series. Fanny is a widow turned spy whose husband didn't treat her right and Fitz is the much younger man determined to love her the way she needs to be loved. Sigh.
I'm giving this book three stars because it was good, albeit forgettable. A satisfying read, but not one I'd read twice or give as a gift, though I'll definitely read the two other books in the series I haven't read yet. If you've been keeping up with the series, you'll like the callbacks to past books/characters throughout and in the epilogue. Big thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the review copy.
I enjoy books where the couple has already married and has to work out their problems within their marriage. I wasn’t too thrilled with the hero who abandoned his new wife after four days without any explanation and stayed away playing spy in Napoleonic France for more than five years. Now suddenly he’s back and pretty quickly he decides that maybe he made a mistake not trying to make his marriage work in the first place. Well, duh!
And someone is clearly trying to kill him and he’s too thick to realize that all these attempts were not just unfortunate accidents. And it’s pretty obvious who the culprit is, but this supposedly brilliant spy can’t figure it out.
And then there’s the genial spy chief in the British government who is, apparently, more concerned with matchmaking for his chief spies than he is with finding out intelligence about the enemy.
So my initial interest in the plot and characters faded into exasperation.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.
A captivating and sexy regency romance full of love and intrigue that kept me turning the pages. Maxim and Caro took me on an entertaining journey to a satisfying and passionate happily ever after.
I love a good compromised into marriage story and this one was decent. The H is scarred both inside and out. He tries to rescue the h from her mean and greedy father by offering her marriage. When he starts to catch feelings for his new bride he abandons her - for the next six years. An active spy, he goes back into service for spymaster and part-time matchmaker Zebediah Scott, not returning until his estranged grandfather dies and he comes into the dukedom.
I like that Caro didn't just sit around and wait for Maxim to come home. She created a life for herself, though perhaps a little lacking in excitement. I also appreciated that Maxim so quickly realized that while he thought he was helping Caro by leaving, he actually created a situation in which her toxic family could continue to take advantage. I did, however, think that forgiveness came a bit too quickly. I also thought the secondary couple's story was more distraction than anything else - it seemed like Ms. Craig wanted to wrap up the characters in this series without another book or novella. The spy part was a little lacking. The villain was quite obvious so no suspense.
All of that said, I did enjoy the book. I would read something else by Ms. Craig. 3.5 stars.
**I received a free ARC of this book from Netflix. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.**
***4.25 Stars***
Overall,
I really enjoyed this book. A Historical romance which is the 4th in the Love and Let Spy series from Susanna Craig. I found Caro and Maxim to be charming. The first few chapters were definitely giving me a beauty in the beast vibe, and I thought I knew how this book was going to go but I was wrong. This medium paced book, delves into the emotional scars (and physical) that plague our main couple and over the course of the book they grow so much.
Cover
The extra .25 star is for this stunning cover. I love it! The green really pops and it is not your average historical romance cover. This really has a modern feel to it that I love.
Recommendation,
I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of historical romance. It is a standalone and you do not need to have ready the previous books in the series to understand what happens in this book. There are some things that are mentioned but they are not prudent to the story. I would absolutely read more from this author.
***I received an ARC of this novel from Kensington Books, in exchange for my free and honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book early.*** EveryRogueHasHisCharm #NetGalley
Caught in a compromising condition, Maxim feels sorry for her and marries Caro. Thinking she is better off with this stranger than her cruel manipulating father Caro hopes for a true marriage. When Maxim starts to have feelings for his wife he ups and leaves her to spy on the French for six years. When he returns he realizes that he needs his wife. Caro learns that she needs him as well. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.
There’s nothing like a romance to drive home the differences in opinion between you and other people, especially when it comes to forgiveness. And Every Rogue Has His Charm was very much one of those.
The general plot surrounds a second chance romance: Maxim marries Caro after finding himself in the position of having seemingly compromised her. Four days later, he abandons her and doesn’t return for six years. Fast forward those six years and he has no choice but to come home (as heir to a dukedom) when he hears about his grandfather’s passing.
As with all of the Love and Let Spy books, this was a solid read. I did, for the most part, enjoy it. The issue, I think, was the relationship between Maxim and Caro.
Maybe I am just too vindictive and spiteful and grudge-holding, but for the hurt Maxim caused Caro, he should have been on his knees and grovelling, begging for forgiveness. He was not. Instead, he tried to pretend like none of it really meant anything, up until he accepted the fact that he did care for Caro more than he thought. And then did he grovel? No he did not!
What happened then (vague spoilers here) was that his tragic backstory is revealed and suddenly, just like that, Caro is more inclined to forgive him. Frankly, this is a boring twist. Just because he was treated poorly, doesn’t give him licence to treat her poorly. I wanted her to demand more from him, instead of suddenly deciding to pity him and therefore forgive him. That was when I stopped really caring about that relationship in the book (thankfully, there was a secondary relationship I could care about, otherwise this might have been a 2 star read).
I think because of that, I never really got engaged with their relationship. I simply didn’t care about it. I actually wanted to know more about the (obvious to me) attempted murder plot, but this barely registered on page until the last 40 pages or so. Had those two things been better integrated, perhaps I’d be writing a very different review.
So, while I did just about enjoy this book on the whole, I think it’s made it clear to me that this series can be somewhat hit and miss. Two of the books I really liked, the others less so. But overall, it’s a good one.
To be honest, I find the plots in most historical romance to be very boring and dull. That's why whenever I encounter new historical romance book or author to read, I always look out for the writing style since it is what really made me fall in love with a book all the time. And in this one, the writing style isn't just right for me. This can be added to my list of blandest and driest writing style I have ever read. I didn't enjoy the reading experience and I feel like I was trudging through it just so I can finish it already and that's not a good sign for me. I was not able to connect with either Maxim and Caro because the way they are written was too surface-level for me and they never, not once, felt like a real human being. You really can feel yourself reading a book and reading characters doing things and not experiencing the book and situations with the characters and its entirety. I want my characters to be nuanced and have depth in them and I feel like this book lacks that a lot.
An excellent fourth and final book of the Love and Let Spy series. The spymaster plays a matchmaker for two couples in this story where the main characters have to deal with childhood difficulties and trauma to find each other, despite stubbornness on someone’s part. Sad that this is the last of the series but excited for possible new series to start.
Received an ARC of this book and leaving my review voluntarily.
"Love, intrigue, and a fresh spin on historical romance make a sexy and suspenseful mix in the latest novel in Susanna Craig’s Regency-set series - as the wife one man left behind becomes the woman he can't live without...
Caroline, Marchioness of Chesleigh, has been married for six years - at least in name. In fact, Caro has hardly seen her husband since the early days 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, he finds his wife is not the girl she once was. Her heart is a little harder. She’s learned to stand on her own. Yet the desire that once ignited between them burns as hotly as ever...
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..."
You know me, I'm ALL about the Regency!