Continuing on in this wonderful series from Sophie Barnes is the next gripping story, A Ruthless Angel Weeps. Since Adrian has been arrested Samantha plots a way to rescue her husband. New characters are introduced and we find out more about Samantha’s sisters. The story just continues to keep unfolding.
You won’t be able to put this book down. I don’t want to give anything away. You will be on the edge of your seat every moment. It is action-packed, full of mystery and intrigue and don’t forget the romance that sneaks in. I loved it. The series keeps getting better and better.


If you’re drawn to gritty stories where daggers fly and true love reigns, A Ruthless Angel Weeps is the book you’ll want to read. A hero sentenced to die, a heroine plotting to save him, and the group of human traffickers who will rue the day they crossed paths with the Crofts. Find it on Amazon, ibooks or Barnes & Noble! https://books2read.com/u/m0oLA7 #MustRead #historicalmystery

Barnes continues the House of Croft series in A Ruthless Angel Weeps where Adrian is condemned. Samantha his wife helps him escape but will they make it on the run or get recaptured? This is not my usual genre, but I like how it incorporated history into the Romance genre. The characters in this book had a ton of depth. This book sparked my interest in reading other books in this series.

The third book in the series and I really enjoyed the first 2 and was excited to read this one. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This could be read as a stand-alone, but I do think you will miss out on some of the previous characters backstory that are important to the plot. Whether Adrians wife was devious is resolved quickly and the plans for escape are put into place. A secondary mystery is children being abducted for unknown reasons. Several twists make for an enjoyable read. Intrigue continues as Adrian tries to find out who is the "ruthless individual" that is behind his sister's death as the story continues with book #4.

When Adrian is charged with murder, he believes that the woman who orchestrated his capture is now other than his wife, Samantha. However, Adrian has been led to believe so, as Samantha was set up by those who are determined to end Adrian’s control. She is determined to free him and resolve the misunderstanding that has been between them since they first met. With a looming death sentence, Samantha must draw together those people who will do all they can to support Adrian.
Another action-packed addition to this series. I so wondered how Adrian could escape the forces acting against him, and without revealing anything, the story had me on tenterhooks. I enjoyed reading more about Samantha's 'sisters’ who have also been trained as agents for the Crown, as well as reading of Edward again. This is part of a series, and it is best to read all books in series to maximise your enjoyment of the story and its fascinating plot. I look forward to the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the third in the series and wow. I could not put this book down. As soon as I got it, I started reading it and nothing else got down. This series can't be read as a standalone. It is written like one big book. The adventure and mystery had me wanting to turn to the last page to see how it would all work out. I didn’t though. The characters are wonderfully written and the storyline is different from most stories and keeps you guessing. The topic is a serious one but then so is murder. Again I was disappointed that the story didn’t end but happy to know that we don’t have to wait long for the next one. I will again put everything down and read it too. I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my reivew.

Stolen children!

Continuing the dramatic note that A Tainted Heart Bleeds ended on Samantha and Adrian Croft are in serious trouble. Adrian has been arrested and he’s to stand trial with Clive Newton’s father, Viscount Stanton orchestrating a hurried trial.
Samantha is beside herself. Peter Kendrick is appalled. Meanwhile Adrian’s friend Lord Edward Marsdale is visiting Adrian in prison and doing all he can.
A pretty young girl is grabbed of the streets and Chief Constable Peter Kendrick is furious that Bow Street is being too slow to investigate.
All these factors will come together, lives will be overturned and shocks will reverberate throughout the populace
As we close Edward is coming close to another of Harlowe’s adopted daughters and trained assassin and investigator, Miss Melody Roberts.
Now what?

An ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A Ruthless Angel Weeps by Sophie Barnes
House of Croft #3

Excellent exciting addition to the series ~ Couldn’t put it down!

What I liked:
* Samantha Croft: trained as a lethal spy, government asset, alliance shifted to her husband, plans with Adrian’s men a means of saving him, flexible, agile, resilient, loves Adrian completely
* Adrian Croft: accused of murder, strong, resilient, bright, protective, head of a generational crime syndicate, lives by his personal moral compass, puts brilliant plan in play
* Chief Constable Peter Kendrick: has grown on me as he begins to see things differently, honest policeman, would like to see what he does next with his colleague Jackson
* Edward Pryce, Earl of Marsdale: Adrian’s best friend, was in love with Adrian’s sister Evie, beginning to get over his grief, intrigued by Melody Roberts, I hope to see more of him
* The supporting characters: Murry, Ward, Turner, Shaw and Barrister Grant
* The side story of Molly and the missing children and how it all played out
* Wondering if the other “nightingales” will realize as Samantha did that the man they admire is not so very admirable
* The mystery man who pulls strings behind the scenes – do wonder who he is
* The way Adrian calls in favors to accomplish what he did
* Wondering if Adrian will find the man responsible for his sister’s death
* All of it except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The people in the child trafficking ring
* The evil men in power willing to cheat and lie to get what they wanted – hope they all are taken down
* Having to wait for the next book

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sophie Barnes for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Ruthless Angel Weeps coming out January 28, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this series. It’s a really fun and cozy murder mystery Regency era series. Adrian and Samantha are an amazing couple. They really go through their ups and downs. I think they really work well together. I loved the story! I’m excited to see what’s next happens in the next book!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys regency mysteries!

Review: Whew, almost missed this on the ARC site. Glad I did, as I really look forward to the next installments. Was this worth the wait? Read on Tourons.

This continues from the "not ending" of the last novel where Biggus Dickus.....er, Adrian is captured and charged with murder. Hot Pants.....er, Samantha has a better idea than killing/hanging for her wuggims by spiriting him out of jail-o. Sounds a bit pedantic yet there are intricate pathways woven through the story line that makes for a fun read despite the romance barf.

The dynamic duo surely entertains and the writer has a knack for splendid worlds. A must read on your to-do list.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

4.4/5

I want to preface that I don't know if you need to read the other House of Croft stories to understand this story, but after reading ARAW I would recommend them based on how much I enjoyed this story!

We follow along on two plot lines, one is Molly Atkins who was kidnapped and the other is the Crofts. After Adrian Croft is captured and charged with mur der, his wife Samantha goes on pursuit to free him, while his best friend works to prove his innocence in the matter. There are forces clearly working against them, and when the situation turns to the gallows, drastic matters are taken. The plots eventually collide and we wait to see if good or evil will win the day!

This book picks up where Book 2 left off right in the middle of things. There was so much going on I found it hard to put the book down. as you felt things could go either way for much of the story. In addition there is also a side plot of a missing child who was being trafficked and could she be saved in time just in case there wasn't enough going on in the main story. A thoroughly enjoyable story but does need to be read in order as they are interlinked and do not fully resolve everything in each book although some resolution does happen. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Loved this book! It kept me interested and didn’t want to put it down.

I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion from Netgalley

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. It’s number three in the House of Croft series, and I thought it might be the end, but there’s too much more to mine from this vein. Adrian and Samantha were great when they were adversaries. As partners, they’re unstoppable. I began to see them as superheroes, which isn’t so far-fetched when you consider that Adrian, in particular, is driven by the need to punish the criminals who don’t get caught. At first, Adrian is convinced that he’s in jail because Samantha betrayed him, but visits with his lawyer and from his best friend Edward demonstrate otherwise. She is madly working behind the scenes to free him. ‘Behind the scenes’ because she is also a fugitive. She’s considered a traitor for not finding evidence to convict Adrian.

Even Peter Kendrick, the constable who hunted Adrian with dogged determination, begins to realize Croft isn’t the villain he thought he was. When Kendrick apprehends Croft, he thinks he’s taking a criminal off the streets. However, when he hears Croft’s story, he decides Croft may not be a criminal, after all. But his superiors will not allow him to investigate further, and the trial is put on a fast track to convict and hang Croft. Even Kendrick can see that the entire thing is rigged—complete with false witnesses, and a paid-off judge and jury. Adrian doesn’t stand a chance. Kendrick begins to suspect a plot within the aristocracy to eliminate Croft so they can continue their wrongdoing.

Simultaneously, the plot follows the fate of young Molly, a beautiful six-year-old girl destined to be sold as a slave. In their impatience to convict Adrian, Kendrick’s superiors not only forbid him from searching for more evidence to exonerate Adrian, but also decide searching for Molly isn’t important. It’s important to Kendrick, and he’s determined to find her, with or without approval. It’s fairly clear from the start that the Crofts will rescue her from her kidnappers. The question is, will saving Molly and the other children from these monsters be enough to absolve the Crofts of their crimes? It doesn’t seem likely. What they really need is to find evidence that Adrian is not guilty and get a pardon for Samantha. I won’t ruin the end by telling you what they actually do accomplish.

I love the character arc of Peter Kendrick, who really presented as a villain in the first two books. In this book, it becomes apparent he was following the directions of his superiors and didn’t have all of the information they did. Once he understood what was going on, his innate desire to do the right thing took over. I also enjoyed Samantha’s interactions with Adrian’s associates, working together to save him from the hangman’s noose. It’s truly a team effort and Adrian is overcome with appreciation for all of the people who care enough about him to risk their own lives—especially Samantha because he doubted her.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, rooting for Adrian and Samantha to make it to safety. It’s not a cliffhanger, but there are definitely threads to be pulled for the next book in this series. I can’t wait to read more!

I rather enjoy this series about Adrian, a man whose ancestors were powerful criminals with lots of information about everyone in England. Adrian wanted to leave the dark side, but they keep pulling him back in as he investigates the murder of his sister and another noble young lady. Samantha, has been trained to be a female superspy. It’s totally unrealistic, but just go with it. She was tasked with getting Adrian’s files, but she ended up falling in love with him and they got married. But, at the end of the last book, Adrian has been arrested for murder (which he did) and he blames Samantha for leading the police to him Now she has to work with their team of loyal servants to rescue Adrian.

If you haven’t read the earlier books, you’d have no idea of what was going on and who was who. Very little is explained and you just have to go along with everything. And the book ends with a cliffhanger. So those are annoyances. But once the earlier books came back to me, I enjoyed the twists and turns.

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.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Sophie Barnes for this amazing e-ARC in exchange for a honest review

I think I can establish Sophie Barnes as my new favorite author, which I rarely do. I couldn't thank her enough and appreciate her works enough, especially for the House of Croft series. 5 stars straight for each 3 books is just crazy! Sophie did it again and again!

I feel like the plot is so rich and the dynamic is incredible! I love every developments she's written in this book, each made me feel intrigued in every chapter. It's always fun to have different 'side quest' kinda in each books. I just love this book so much, and I expect more from the fourth book.

Despite of my everending love for this series, I hope the fourth one would be the last, with a satisfying and suitable closure. I feel like if there's more than 4 of them, I don’t think it would be a good series and I think it'd be too much

Adrian is telling the truth about the crime he is arrested for, but he has too many enemies who want to see him hang. He is heartsick that his wife Samantha was behind his arrest. But Samantha is moving in the shadows, plotting to free her husband. The question is, who will help and who will hinder? This is a fast moving story and very satisfying. But we're not done yet! Other mysteries remain to be solved, including who murdered Adrian's sister?

This was everything that I was looking for as a opening chapter in this series. I was engaged with what was happening and enjoyed the use of the time-period. It had that element that I was hoping for and enjoyed the feel of this. Sophie Barnes wrote this perfectly and am excited for more.

A Ruthless Angel Weeps is book three in the House of Croft series so if you haven't read the first two books, you should stop reading now as you definitely need to read these in order to not miss out on anything. And let me tell you, you should definitely go read the first two books - I am HOOKED on these characters and the story.

This book picks up right after the end of book two where Adrian has been arrested for murder and Samantha has escaped and is trying to figure out how to save him. Adrian isn't sure what to think right now as he sits in jail. On one hand, he has seen evidence that Samantha is doing things to protect him. But on the other hand, she led Kendrick right to him and now he could hang because of her. But when his best friend, the Earl of Marsdale, comes to visit him and sets him straight on some details, Adrian starts to understand just how far Samantha is willing to go to save him.

I can't say too much about the details here for fear of giving anything away and since there's a lot going on in this one, I don't want to do that to anyone invested in this series. Just know you will get the answers you're hoping for but there's always more. The lead-in at the end around Evie's death was perfectly done because you know I'll be picking up the next book.

If you're looking for a historical mystery series with some great twists and turns, consider picking this one up. It has great characters, an interesting storyline, some romance, and a plot that will keep you turning the pages.

In this historical thriller, Samantha is a trained agent of the Crown (a sort of gas-lamp Black Widow) married to a master blackmailer who is determined to counter corruption among the powerful. He has been arrested for murder and is likely to hang if she can't find a way to break him out. The action is good, the characters are interesting, and the history seems pretty sound. That said, it's all too clear that this is a continuation of a series and it's a little difficult to get absorbed if you haven't read the earlier books.

Read via NetGalley for no consideration other than an honest review.

Another book full of suspense and intrigue. It got my adrenaline up a couple of times wondering if it was close to the end for Adrian and Samantha or if they would survive and be enemies. The twists and turns and complications in trying to prove Adrian’s innocence to murder and save him from hanging melded into other mysteries. I loved seeing more of a focus on Edward and hope he plays a prominent part in the next book (or even his own), so we can see his choices and whether he follows his heart. I also can’t wait to see how Samantha has to deal with further interactions with her adopted family. I’ve really enjoyed this series from the beginning and can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.