A very cute historical romance. I liked the characters, even if they got on my nerves sometimes. The angst was beautiful and I definitely loved it. I didn't realize that this was a series so I will definitely be checking out the other books! I just love the concept of it and think that it's a refreshing take on regency romance. Well executed and will recommend to other lovers of the genre.

Reading this reminded me of watching the Kingsman movies. Full of intrigue and mystery, I enjoyed the detective element. The beauty and the beast love story is always a favorite trope. I don't always enjoy when side characters feature so prominently in a Historical Fiction, but it didn't bother me as much as usual (except for the epilogue, but I know this was the conclusion and needed to wrap things up). I have read each book in this series, and enjoyed being back in this world!

Maxim is a spy who gets caught in a compromising position with Caro and marries her. Four days after their wedding he feels himself feeling too much for his wife and leaves… for years! He comes back to his wife to tell her she’s now a duchess and finds it hard to leave her again. And that’s where they try to get to know each other again. And, oh yeah, he’s a spy! So there’s a lot going on! A great read!!

Caro was forced into marriage with the reclusive Maxim, and her hopes of a satisfying union were dashed when her husband left after only a few days. When he returns six years later having inherited a dukedom, they are both much changed, and intrigue is also afoot...

Having read all of this series, I think it gets stronger as it progresses. Maxim is the epitome of the flawed hero (physically and mentally) and his story plays out well even if he does feel just a tad over-dramatic. Caro is an interesting blend of independence, dignity, and scarred by her own family, and all of those traits are displayed as the events of the book slowly draw them together again. I liked that there were other points of view apart from the main two characters, in particular a romantic sub-plot - Lieutenant Hopkins has been a subsidiary, almost shadowy character in the last two books, so it was nice to see him getting some character development and (ahem) action. And the epilogue brings together all of the protagonists from the previous books for a very satisfying conclusion. If you're after a well-written historical romance with spying and adventure, not to mention some clandestine matchmaking from an unusual source, I highly recommend this series.

"Every Rogue Has His Charm", by Susanna Craig, caught my eye with its colorful cover and obviously setting in the Regency era. In Craig's book, Caroline has grown up with an increasingly difficult father and hastily decides to wed Duke Maxim after only one meeting. At first, they have quick chemistry and a good friendship, but he starts to be frightened by his feelings for her and takes off. After 6 long years, he finally returns when he suspects she's in trouble and the feelings start growing again.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book, but once Maxim returned, I had to suspend my disbelief about the feelings the two supposedly had for each other. I wish the end of the book had been as good as the beginning. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Susanna Craig ends her excellent Love and Let Spy series on a high note with this tale about Maxim and Caroline. Like the other books in this series, it successfully combines espionage and romance. Maxim, Lord Chesleigh, was physically scarred as a youth attempting to get help following a carriage accident that eventually killed his father. He was also emotionally scarred by the subsequent upbringing by his grandfather, the Duke of Hartwell, who had cut off his son once Maxim’s father married his French mother. Maxim eventually came to the notice of General Zebediah Scott, becoming one of Scott’s agents. After six years of spying in France for Scott, Maxim is attending a house party at Scott’s request when he accidentally gets locked in the library with Caroline Laughton late at night and ends up marrying her. Although their marriage gets off to a fairly good start, Maxim leaves Caroline after a few days because he starts to have feeling for her and is afraid that she is doing the same. He heads back to France for six years, returning to England when his grandfather dies and he becomes the duke.

He stops in Brighton, where Caroline is now living, to let her know of his grandfather’s death. Following several accidents that endanger him and Caroline, he ends up staying longer than he planned. While trying to figure out who is behind the life-threatening accidents, Maxim and Carolines start to trust each other and rebuild their relationship. The story also includes a sweet secondary romance between two agents sent by Scott to determine if Maxim is still working for England, and a lovely epilogue what catches readers up with the other agents introduced in previous books in the series. All in all, a wonderful way to end a delightful series.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensington books for an advance copy.

I really, really, really liked Ever Rogue Has His Charm! Maxim is a scarred, disillusioned man who marries Caroline because he is found alone in a library with her. He leaves for a trip/mission to France shortly thereafter, and does not return for years.
Caro moves to Brighton, determined to make her own life there and more or less does so. Maxim comes back, and wants to stay. She's not sure, and there is just enough intrigue and just enough angst to make this book hard to put down! I was reading until I could barely keep my eyes open, and had to acknowledge that sleep had won and I could not stay up later than 2am to read the whole way through and enjoy the book as much as I had been at 11pm! I loved Caro and Maxim together, and my disappointment with Maxim was just the perfect amount where he was still likable to want them to get back together. The other characters in this book were really fun to learn about too, and I loved Fanny Drummond, I hope we get a novella or something about her adventures!
Honestly, I don't really gravitate toward tropes with spy intrigue (just not my thing), or marriages where the couple is so great together they have a lengthy separation period (sometimes the angst is too much), but Susanna Craig has changed my mind!
I have not read any Susanna Craig books before I received this one as an ARC, but now I have to go and read the other ones in this series. You can read this book as a standalone, but this one has just enough mention of the other couples that I'm adding those to my reading list! I highly recommend Every Rogue Has His Charm, it is very entertaining, romantic and just the right amount of everything!

I was hooked on book one and read each book as soon as I could. This book was one of my favourites. The lives both main characters lead before marrying is so sad but Susanna crafts this personalities so well you can’t help but hope for better lives for both of them. When the book suddenly moves to 6 years later I was sceptical but following their growth in the 6 years between meeting and falling in love is the best part of the story. One can only hope for more books in this series or similar series.

3.5 stars.
Fans of the wounded hero trope will like the formidable, scarred Lord Chesleigh in “Every Rogue Has His Charm”, by Susanna Craig (Kensington Books, Lyrical Press), an intriguing, brooding hero, who equals power with gentleness.
Lord Chesleigh is a mysterious, secret hero, who sees himself as a beast and is led to marriage with younger Caroline. His occupation is busy and dangerous but otherwise he’s been living with a sense of emptiness and loneliness.
The portrayal of the formidable, scowling hero is compelling in its very visual rendering, emphasizing the size, the unfashionable tan and the irregular features (all that make him so attractive). Maxim’s tragic backstory and his occupation contribute to the allure, too.
The fact he’s smitten with the heroine, Caro, and tries to resist her (Caro had “taken up residence in his thoughts, despite his determination to put ample distance between them”) softens him.
I adored the beginning of the story with its enchanting quality and the flawed hero whose passion makes him distance from the heroine.
I liked the heroine and her determination, the supporting characters and a second romance happening between two other characters.
Yet I found that the reuniting process lacked development and there wasn’t enough showing the main leads’ romance, chemistry and attraction.
Some parts of the dialogue and sex scenes seemed too modern and Fanny’s feminism sounded anachronistic.
As for the spying business it was fun most of the times, but often seemed a bit amateurish.
Overall, an enjoyable, amusing, light, well-written read combining romance and mystery, with likeable characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I enjoyed the previous works in this series and I am glad to say I enjoyed this addition as well. It was delightful, and I hope to see more books in this series.

Caro marries Maxim, scarred heir to a dukedom, after being caught alone with him. Four days after their marriage Maxim leaves for Paris. Six years later and now the duke he returns to England and his abandoned wife.

This regency set novel wastes no time, Caro and Maxim marry after just one meeting. Caro is likeable and intelligent but put upon. Maxim is scarred physically and mentally and runs from his feelings. There is a side romance between a couple of characters which I honestly could have done without. And the epilogue isn’t. It was completely different from the story, focusing on different characters, although I skipped it so maybe it went back to them. Overall a well written (if you ignore the Americanisms) romance.

Judging from the epilogue, I'm going to say: this was a wonderful end to the series (and later feel stupid if it wasn't the end).

What was great about this book is that, rather than just following the MMC, FMC, and General Scott, we got to glimpse at another three characters. And what's amazing about that, is that it could have been overwhelming or confusing--but it wasn't. It was perfect.

I love Caro. She's amazing. Smart, quick, brave. She was easy to like and to sympathize with. Maxim, I had some issues with. I read a lot of historical romances, so I get the stereotype and knew where it was going. But he was still hard to forgive for me. His motives weren't justified in my mind. In an effort to avoid spoilers, I'm remaining vague, but, it felt like he was making excuses for his actions when he made the choices he did. Like, kind of "I'm making this up as I go" excuses. Or maybe I'm just not in a forgiving mood. I don't know. He earns his redemption eventually, but it took me a while to warm up to him.

Fitz, on the other hand, I could have read several books about. But then, I already knew I liked him, didn't I? He may not have been a main character, but he also wasn't a new face. Fanny, too. I almost wish they'd been more front and center.

As with every one of Susanna Craig's books, I read this like it was water and I was desperate for a drink. It was incredibly enjoyable and I laughed out loud at several spots. If you haven't given the Love and Let Spy series a chance...well, that makes me sad. You should absolutely pick up the whole series.

This is the 4th book in a series I have not read. In fact i had not read any Susanna Craig until now. An error! This book was great. The cover art is a bit different from other HRs which piqued my interest and the story was engaging and well written.

I enjoyed the two main characters, Maxim and Caro who both came from difficult upbringings and encounter some distinct bumps in the road. Throw in some Napoeonic era espionage and a much stronger supporting cast than you often get in HRs and you get a super book which should put a smile on your face.

They married six years ago, he left after four days without a single word … now he’s back.

Maxim’s grandfather has died, making him the new Duke. He must deal with that and also needs to get important information to his spymasters. But he decides to stop by Bath to see Caro on his way. He’ll only stop for a day. But plans do go awry. Love, murder, spying, all surround Maxim and Caro. Will they be able find their love together?

Maxim is a terrifying man, big, tall, with scars that most people cannot look upon without flinching. He is the quintessential evil looking villain who turns out to be the hero. Caro is a strong woman, facing terrible loneliness and hurt with grace and dignity.

There is a nice secondary story arc: Fanny and Fitz’s burgeoning love story. They are spies sent to befriend and watch Caro when the Duke is expected to visit her on his way to his London spymasters. There is some suspicion that Maxim may have turned. But these two seem intensely interested in more than just Caro and Maxim.

This is part of the Live and Let Spy series though it can easily be read as a standalone. If you have read others in the series, the Epilogue is a nice chance to revisit earlier characters.

Scarred hero. Plucky independent heroine. Hard-headed couple. Spies. Loathsome family members. General Scott. The seaside. Did absence make the heart grow fonder? What isn’t there to love about Susanna Craig’s final book in the Love and Let Spy Series, Every Rogue Has His Charm?

In true Susanna Craig fashion, we are drawn into intrigue, love, and heartache. You’ll find yourself rooting for Maxim and Caro while simultaneously wanting to smack them upside the head. Oh, they’ve both been through some things, and you (the reader) just KNOW that if they truly come together, they could heal. But will they?

Susanna Craig never disappoints. You WILL fall in love with her characters. You will devour every word and every one of her descriptions will captivate your attention. If you’re a fan of the L&LS series like I am, you will be delighted to see old friends from the previous three books. The epilogue of book 3, Better Off Wed, gives some hints of what is to come—you know that General Zebadiah Scott is back to his old machinations—matchmaking and trying to enrich the lives of the men (and women) under his command through wedded bliss. Well, these two are wedded, but there’s no bliss to be found. So General Scott and Mrs. Scott (who is a delightful addition to the story) have got some work to do. And They are also roping in Mrs. Drummond (who figures into the series—you met her at The Underground).

Back to Maxim and Caro. They’ve been married for six years, but haven’t seen each other since four days after the wedding. Maxim went back to a life of espionage, abandoning his beautiful, young bride. But now they’re thrust back together when Maxim inherits the Dukedom and has to take care of business. Are they going to fall back into each other’s arms? Can they heal the breach in their marriage?

That’s hard enough, but wait . . . there’s more. See, Maxim is a spy, and spies always have to peer around corners and watch their backs. There’s danger afoot! So healing those past wounds won’t be simple.

I loved this book. I prayed and prayed to get the ARC because I just knew this would be a five-star read, and I was not disappointed! (Full transparency: the series is one of my favorite historical romance series, and I absolutely adore the characters who show up consistently throughout the series, such as General Scott and Colonel Millrose.) You will laugh out loud (I’m serious). You will feel sadness and happiness while you accompany our hero and heroine on their journey. Thank you, Susanna Craig, for giving us these characters. The men and women of the Underground will always hold a place in my heart.

This is a terrific historical romance. I love both of these characters. Caroline, the main character, grows so much in the book. I love to see ho much she has changed... Maxim, the spy, is an interesting character as well because he has a lot of issues to overcome. It's wonderful to see them come together at the end.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Every Rogue Has His Charm is an oddly titled book, as the hero is neither a rogue, and he's referred to as a beast throughout. Deeply scarred inside and out, the Marquess of Chesleigh breaks into a room, only to compromise a young woman when they become trapped. Instead of taking his leave, he sees how poorly treated Caro is by her family, and proposes. Here is where the author then follows the well-worn trope of "the sudden connection is so deep and scary, I must leave my wife before I become attached/hurt her." And leave Maxim does, for six years, until he inherits the dukedom. In the meanwhile, Caro has become a stoic in a seaside down, shaken down by her family for her pin money. When Maxim does return, their connection begins again.

This is a sturdily-written book, with likeable characters. Caro's family dynamic could have been built up better, as it was mostly told instead of shown, and Maxim's change of heart (and Caro's forgiveness) are rather sudden. Overall though, a solid read, and recommended.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.