This is the story of Ewan who needs to marry before his 30th birthday, and Juliet who’s family is plagued by debts after the death of her brother. What their family has in common is the ace of hearts; a card left with Ewan’s father but also with Juliet’s brother, which is marked with a shadowy raven symbol of the order of Shadows, a terrorist-like organization. Juliet and Ewan quickly understand that a marriage between them would benefit them both, so the marry in secret because of the threats towards both of their families.

There's a lot of individual elements that were enjoyable, but as a whole book I came away feeling like the mysteries made overly complicated, so much that the actual romance between Ewan and Juliet got buried underneath it. I felt like there was too much mystery, which at times didn’t fit in the story and didn’t make sense to me. For example, Ewan and Juliet try to keep Juliet’s parents in the dark about their marriage so they come up with a ruse and told them Juliet had a secret admirer and benefactor. But Ewan also plans to court Juliet in public. So any villain paying close attention would be able to connect the dots, right? And why not just send a trusted employee to Scotland to explain their decisions?
There was also too much secrecy which wasn’t really necessary. I don’t understand the need to keep Ewan in the dark about his father’s health. That wasn’t explained satisfactorily. In turn, why keep the identity of Ewan’s wife a secret for his parents? (Again, how can he expect it to be a secret for his parents when he is going to court Juliet in public?) Bradley spilling the beans without actually mentioning the name of the villain - it didn’t make sense.
There’s also a lot of going back and forth on decisions made, like keeping the marriage a secret for his parents and then telling them. Or keeping it a secret to society and then planning on announcing it prematurely. Ewan and Juliet tackling the issues at hand together and then suddenly separately instead of as a team.
I do think this book has a lot of potential. Ewan and Juliet were smart, charming and lovable, as were the secondary characters. I also liked that both Ewan and Juliet quickly came clean about their problems and confided in each other. I liked Duncan and Ewan’s friendship, aunt Geraldine. The pace was also good. So generally, I enjoyed the book. It has a lot of good elements but could use a bit more structuring and more character development, romantic growth and relationship building.
Thank you Netgalley, Dragonblade Publishing and Ruth A. Casie for providing an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The first in a series of the Barrington brigade.
Many characters are introduced in a tangled weave of mystery regarding gambling and the Ace of Hearts.
Ewan is summoned to London with a coin to assist in a troubling investigation.
Juliet becomes involved due to her brother’s gambling habit.
Ewan and Juliet traverse the dangerous path with many twists and problems but their romance blossoms in adversity.
Keeps the reader on their toes with the action and character development.

Ewan, the Marquess of Glenraven, finds himself returning to his home in Belgrave Square, summoned back to London by his former commanding officer, Lord Barrington. Ewan’s been entrusted with the task of unravelling a deceitful gambling scheme and uncovering the truth behind the mysterious deaths tied to it. He is also faced with a pressing personal either secure his trust by marrying by his 30th birthday, five weeks hence, or risk losing it all. In Cavendish Square, a mile north of Belgravia, Lady Juliet Hayward carries the heavy burden of her late brother, Bradley’s gambling debts. As Ewan and Juliet are drawn together, they conceal their true intentions, not knowing they both seek the one person who holds the cards.
A new series & an interesting & enjoyable story but at times I felt as though I’d been thrown in the deep end & didn’t know what was happening. I liked both Ewan & Juliet from their first meeting at a Punch & Judy show & enjoyed their journey to a HEA the added bonus was the intriguing mystery
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

This book has an interesting plot, a likable hero and heroine, and an enjoyable cast of supporting characters. I was intrigued by the mystery plot, as well as the marriage of convenience trope, but the latter turned out to be more “insta love” instead. There are some moments of great writing in the book; in other places, the wording feels stilted or needs editing. I still enjoyed this book as a quick, interesting read with mystery and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon on the date of the book’s publication.

Content note: I skipped the last few pages before the epilogue because the book seemed to be leading to sexual content; just a head's up for readers who might want to avoid "spicy" parts in books.

A new series. I found this story enjoyable but occasionally confusing. For instance the couple proclaimed their love to the Archbishop prior to their wedding but then days later when speaking to the H’s parents it is a marriage of convenience and love hopefully growing from friendship. The plot also seemed to be over complicated and confusing - I am unsure how much of it only relates to this story but as subsequent books will feature different men of Barrington’s Brigade, I wouldn’t expect them to have dealings with Glenraven’s father. I look forward to reading the next book and being enlightened.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.