You know what? 5 Stars for this delightful story. Both these characters have such good hearts and though they start on opposite sides of a possible divorce scandal (not their own) they still find that love is possible.

These two have crazy chemistry and a few mysteries to solve together. I loved how progressive yet likable they both were. Also, the side characters were so charming. I can't wait to read more in this series.

The first half of this book was incredible. I really loved the dynamic between our two main characters. The sexual tension between them was just absolutely unmatched. I also really liked their personal storylines. I thought Bishop helping women to get divorces was a really interesting storyline. I also loved Daisy's storyline sleuthing. I thought it was all really well done and I loved the balance between story and romance. Then the second half happened and it turned in this murder mystery that was incredibly predictable and boring. I still liked the romance but I feel like a lot of the sexual tension, and constant back and forth was gone between them. So it wasn't as good as it was in the first half. I also felt like this was a tad bit too long. So yeah, there was a lot in this that I really liked but the second half just bogged everything down for me. I am still interested in reading the rest of this series or even different books by this author, and I would still really recommend this one.

Lorraine Heath has slowly but surely become one of my favorite historical romance authors. This new series is fun and fresh with real meat to the plot without detracting from the raîson d'être--romance.

The Counterfeit Scoundrel is the first book in The Chessmen series by Lorraine Heath and I'm here for it.

Our main characters are Daisy and Bishop. Both are well developed and I loved how their relationship was built and then progressed. Daisy is from an aristocratic family but has always wanted to be an investigator and her current case has her working in the household of her client's wife's lover to obtain evidence that she is cheating on her husband. The last thing she expected was to be attracted to her mark.

Bishop has his own secrets and they revolve around the ladies he is rumored to be having affairs with. He can't let anyone know what he's really up to but when he finds himself attracted to the maid he's tempted to share his secrets. As he figures out just what Daisy is up to, he realizes that he'll keep his secrets and use her to help push things along.

When one of Bishop's love interests husbands turns up dead and he is accused of the murder, he turns to Daisy for help. She is more than interested in finding out the truth and proving his innocence but what they end up finding at the end isn't what was expected. Both the culprits and the desire they have for each other.

I loved how the relationship was developed between these characters - there's a definite enemies to lovers vibe here as they start out with opposing objectives but quickly recognize that they are made for each other. There are some twists and turns along the way that kept me turning the pages and I definitely recommend picking this book up. It's a quick and engaging read.

The Counterfeit Scoundrel solidifies Heath's Chessmen series as one of her best yet. David "Bishop" Blackwood is the feminist hero we need: self-sacrificing, coping poorly with mommy issues, and ready to flout societal protocols in the name of women's rights. Also, super-hot. Did I mention that? It's important.

Bishop's (big, gorgeous, well-staffed) house is infiltrated by undercover inquiry agent Daisy, who has been hired by a cuckolded husband to prove his wife's infidelity. But the more time Daisy spends in Bishop's household -- and his presence -- the more she comes to suspect that her boss's reputation for debauching married women isn't quite what it seems.

Like all Heath books, the central mystery here as a somewhat whack-a-doodle resolution that nonetheless feels satisfying in the extreme. Bishop and Daisy are well-matched intellectually (and physically, duh), though her intrepid pursuit of the truth sometimes comes with a side order of bad decision-making. All in all, this is a solid addition to a standout series. Check and mate!

4.0 stars

The fact that I didn't know who Lorraine Heath was this time last year is astounding to me, because she's quickly grown to be one of my favorite historical romance authors. We see the Chessmen in the periphery of The Duchess Hunt, and I truly didn't think there was enough of them in there to warrant a spin-off series. I... was wrong. Two smart characters who have the measure of each other and are fighting an attraction because they are both playing roles? Yes, please. I love a fake rake, and I love a smart woman, and that's exactly what this book is built upon. Would I have liked to see more of the chessmen to find out what the next books in the series are like? For sure. But I'm still excited to see where we go next. Definitely worth a read if you've enjoyed any of Lorraine Heath's other titles.

For when you're vibing with... Cat and mouse, historical romance with a feminist streak, heroes who deeply appreciate women, and a bit of food... play?

Here's where we get a fake rake. But like, it's all for a good cause. David Blackwood, AKA Bishop (because the guys in this series call themselves THE CHESSMEN, which I find DELIGHTFUL) is called upon by women of high society--not for real affairs, but for fake ones. A woman simply has to be seen giving him some well-timed visits, and his reputation (and ability to seem like the rogue) will do the rest. Accused of adultery by their husbands--with Bishop named in the divorce cases--these women are able to end their marriages as they like. He doesn't ask why, he doesn't charge a fee, he just does it because it's fucking hard to get a divorce in the Victorian era, and Bishop LIVES on Respect Women Juice. Also, tragic past. Naturally.

One of the supposed cucks has actually taken the initiative to hire a detective--and who is it, but Daisy, Bishop's apparent new maid. Bishop knows something is up with Daisy right off the bat, but he is somewhat distracted by how much he wants to fuck her (a strange thing for a man who is so in control, you know the type). And Daisy, while a very good detective, is somewhat distracted by how much she wants to fuck Bishop. So, a cat and mouse between two people who really wanna bone ensues, and don't we love that? We do.

Something about this book was really cozy and comforting to me, and I have no idea why. But that bodes well for a February release, and I'm glad I waited for it to cool down before I read it. Honestly, the comfort may just be in the fact that I love Lorraine Heath's writing, and her prose is so lovely, and it's just like... nice to read something by someone who clearly knows exactly what she's doing every step of the way. There was even a point where I kind of worried that Lorraine was going to do something that would come off as bad, but then nope, she addressed that shit.

I don't know if this is my favorite book of hers, but it's very good, and it's just a well done romance novel about two people who have their flaws but are fundamentally decent. And as someone who often likes to read about the trash-est of trash men, that can be a bit of challenge. But somehow, she just sells it. Lorraine can take fundamentally good people and put them in a situation where no one is really a true bad guy, and sell how much it sucks that circumstances are like this without making them come off as victims. That's talent.

Standout Points:
--Bishop really is a very feminist hero without the concept of "feminist hero" beating anyone over the head. He just likes women, wants to protect them, and has some good, old-fashioned mommy issues in the back of his head. He just seems like a really chill guy who can fuck hard, without necessarily losing his edge or his ability to do a Dumb Thing due to trauma.

--Daisy's journey with her family was really lovely. I think you'll see one plot point coming pretty much as soon as it's introduced, but that really isn't like... why it's there.

--Lorraine Heath keeps highlighting independence and why marriage isn't something you should need but something you should want, and she also keeps giving late in life love stories their due. I love it.

--The grovel in this book (there is a grovel) isn't dramatic, per se, but it was very emotionally authentic to Bishop and Daisy and their story, and I loved that.

--There's a subplot for one of Bishop's lady friends that I loved.

--Daisy being a lady detective was super fun, but wasn't overdone, when it so often is in lady detective books.

--We love the seeds being planted with chocolate and the harvest being collected in turn.

The Sex Stuff:
Lorraine Heath books are never the most explicit--but she builds the sexual tension so well, and writes the sex scenes so beautifully that it's always great. And they're still hot, and in some ways have been getting hotter. This one, I would say, scales back from The Return of the Duke (which was probably the most explicit Heath book I've read). There's sex, it's good, the heroine is a virgin and understandably isn't doing acrobatic moves, and I think this book has one of the most refined and classy and romantic descriptions of cunnilingus I've ever read. Also, there is some fun usage of melted chocolate.

This is just a really solid Lorraine Heath, and I had fun with it. I love seeing old characters show up (King and Penelope, James Swindler: detective of dubious renown, among others), and I love getting hints at the next Chessmen stories. I am so excited to start a new series by Lorraine, and I can't wait for the next book.


Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Chessmen, Rook, King, Bishop, and Knight were first introduced in The Duchess Hunt, which was the second book of the Once Upon A Dukedom series. In that book, King found his HEA and now we get to peek through the window and see the other Chessmen find their HEAs as well. This is a thoroughly standalone book, so you do not have to have read the previous series at all, I just mentioned it so you’d have a point of reference if you have read the books. Another lovely thing about the book is that we have very brief encounters with characters from yet another beloved Lorraine Heath series. Remember Aiden Trewlove? Well, he has a couple of one or two-line mentions in here.

Marguerite (Daisy) Townsend was born into an aristocratic family – the grandchild of an Earl. However, her father was the scapegrace of the family and when he married Marguerite’s mother – a lady’s maid – the earl disowned him and turned him out. It wasn’t long before things went bad for her parents and both of them died within days of each other. Fortunately for Daisy, her father’s sister, Charlotte, was a very loving lady who took her in and raised her as if she were her own. Daisy’s aunt is a fiercely independent spinster and she gave Daisy a fair amount of freedom in making her own decisions. That is how Daisy came to open Townsend Detective Agency and she is quite successful at it though it makes her sad to think there is a need for her kind of services. A case in point? Her latest case is to discover if her client’s wife is having an affair with a notorious scoundrel – David Blackwood (Bishop) – who has been named in several divorce cases. She’ll infiltrate the Blackwood household and get her evidence.

Bishop will sacrifice anything, do anything, and go to any lengths, to protect women who need (want) to leave a bad marriage. He doesn’t even ask their reasons for needing a divorce – if they want out, he’s there to help them. At the moment he has three ‘affairs’ going on with married women and he’s just waiting for the husbands to become aware and begin divorce proceedings.

As soon as Bishop spots the new maid in his household, he knows there is something different about her. She’s too confident and looks him right in the eye. Their attraction is immediate and strong, but neither of them wants to let it go anywhere – they can’t afford to. It is fun to watch them fight the attraction while they are dancing around each other, assessing each other, ferreting out clues, and delivering evidence.

When Daisy’s case ends – another one begins. Bishop is being investigated for the death of one of his ladies’ husbands. UH OH! Can Daisy save Bishop? Will he mend his ways? You’ll just have to read this wonderfully well-written book to find the answers. I loved the characters – and the epilogue is absolutely to die for. What a lovely twist it was!

I didn’t give the book five stars because – well – I loved Bishop, but I just thought he was way, way, way too obsessed with his mother and what happened to her. It almost bordered on the creepy. Another thing for me was his method of helping. Bishop was a very intelligent man, so why couldn’t he see that there were many, much better ways to help those ladies than the method he chose? Again, it goes back to his obsession with his mother.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and definitely recommend it – and now I can hardly wait for the next book and the next Chessman to find his HEA.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blackguard Blackwood as he's called in the gossip rags is known for his affairs with married women. The affairs leading to divorce where he is called to court by the husbands for causing the break-up. This leaves him with a terrible reputation and needless to say he is not invited to aristocratic gatherings. His mother was abused and murdered by his father and these pretend affairs are his way of honoring his mother by helping women leave their abuser. Marguerite "Daisy" as her mother called her, is an inquiry agent who infiltrated Blackwood's household as a maid. A husband hired her to determine if his wife is having an affair. He's instantly attracted to the new maid but would never romance someone in his employ. He gradually becomes suspicious of Daisy's true vocation. When one of the husbands of his "paramour" is murdered he hires Daisy to help him prove his innocence. Daisy has conflicted emotions about her deceased parents and was luckily raised by an aunt from an early age. I say luckily because they LOCKED HER IN A BOX when they left the house to fuel their opium addiction! I thought it was a little odd how Daisy glossed over this fact and didn't seem traumatized by it. Anyway there is an exciting middle about the true killer and then the book continues more about their relationship troubles. Blackwood thinks he should stay away so he won't taint Daisy with his bad reputation and Daisy wants to continue her detective career. This supposed womanizer falls hard for a career woman and it's the sweetest.

This blend of romance, adventure and mystery kept me entertained from beginning to end. Daisy is smart and determined and Bishop is completely besotted. My favorite dynamic.

Lorraine Heath never fails to bring unique characters to her stories and a plot that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I was really excited to see that the heroine is a lady sleuth in this story, as I love a good mystery and ferreting out the truth. Strong, independent women in historical romance always resonate well with me, and then when you add in a hero who appears like a lothario but is really a cinnamon roll? Yes, please, may I have some more? The story did begin a little slowly for me, but as their encounters grew more frequent and the tension increased, I was quickly drawn in. In this romance, the hero falls first, which just made the tension heighten even more. Him, desperately trying to contain his lust for the heroine, and her, trying to focus on work but getting distracted by his muscles. I get it, girl. I do.

Society thinks David Blackwood is a womanizer, out to seduce married women away from their husbands, and he appears quite successful at it. Having no intention of ever marrying, and wishing to keep up the image to continue his real purpose, he's never made any move to change this reputation. Until Marguerite Townsend. Marguerite enters his household as a maid, one who doesn't hesitate to speak plainly with him and seems to seek him out at every opportunity. He's instantly on guard, in case she discovers his secret - he isn't seducing women in truth but rather faking it, to save them from abusive husbands by forcing a divorce over infidelity. Unbeknownst to David, Marguerite was hired by one of those men to determine if his wife was having an affair, and she is instantly confused by what she sees. Something is going on...but not necessarily what it seems. When one of the women's husbands is murdered, and he is the prime suspect, it's time for Marguerite to change roles from maid to detective, to save the man who may be capturing her heart.

David was such a sweetheart, I instantly adored his character. His clever way of keeping women safe had him instantly endeared to me, and then when it was coupled by his obvious muscular physique, I swear, my ovaries suddenly woke up and my body was asking if babies would be forthcoming. I'm not kidding - this man seemed to be every woman's dream...except for the fact that he was quite stubbornly opposed to getting into a serious relationship with anyone. Marguerite tested his resolve at every turn, and when they finally came together, it was hot, and the connection was intense. I could see how meant for each other they were, and it was sad to see how much they had to keep their relationship in the dark. Marguerite had never been in a relationship of any kind, so to be with a man like David was intimidating. But if she was going to have her first time with anyone, he is who she wanted. Someone who would be attentive, keep her safe and not ask for anything in the morning. Of course, her desire soon grew beyond midnight visits, and that's when things became tough. It was really clear they both felt strongly for each other, but David wanted to continue helping women, which mean still maintaining his reputation. A reputation that had no room for a steady woman like Marguerite. It had me torn, but I felt for Marguerite - I wouldn't want to deal with that either, always being kept in the shadows. Their relationship certainly wasn't smooth sailing, but oh, the journey to the ending they received was well worth it.

As always, I love Lorraine Heath's writing. Definitely a hero to remember and a romance that will have me thinking of it fondly.

Despite being an avid historical romance reader, this was my first book by Lorraine Heath and it did not disappoint! The Counterfeit Scoundrel is the first book in her new series, The Chessmen.
Marguerite "Daisy" is detective trying to prove herself. She goes undercover in David Blackwood's, aka Bishop, house to gather evidence of an affair between him and her client's wife. Meanwhile, Bishop is actually helping his 'lovers' escape bad marriages, not engaging in affairs.

I adore a detective heroine, and especially an undercover one. Daisy and Bishop were evenly matched, both fighting the attraction between them while trying to keep their secrets. When Bishop finds himself accused of murder, he turns to Daisy to help prove his innocence. I normally don't enjoy the insta-love or insta-lust trope, however it worked for me in this book. I believed in the immediate attraction they had for each other, and I enjoyed watching them discover each other's secrets and learn more about each other as they fell in love. That development made the trope more realistic to me. I also love historical romances with clever, 'unconventional' heroines, and Daisy is a wonderful example of that. In addition to the plot, this book had a perfect level of steam.

I was really impressed by this book and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. I'm also looking forward to reading Lorraine Heath's backlist and learning more about the historical romance world she creates. I highly recommend this book and I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next one!

*Thank you Avon and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review

Who knew chocolate glaze had so many purposes!

I love Lorraine Heath’s male characters they are often dark and brooding and secret softies for their women. Devon Blackwood was just like that and to be honest Daisy deserved nothing but a man obsessed with her. Such a queen! I loved when she dumped a bowl of chocolate glaze on his head just because she was feeling cross with him.

I find it very cozy to read a historical romance with a but of intrigue and a murder mystery with some action and sexy times sprinkled here and there.

The epilogue had no business being so cute please daddy Bishop and we all know that he was going to be a girl dad.

Marguerite (Daisy) Townsend was raised by her spinster aunt after her parents died when she was young. Marguerite would rather be a private investigator than get ever married, as her aunt wishes her to. Marguerite takes the position of a made in in certain household to investigate whether a man's wife is cheating on him or not. While doing this, she finds herself attracted to the man while also despising what he does.

David Blackwood, commonly known as Bishop, hates his father for abusing his mother while he was growing up and now wants to help women who are in bad situations. His way is by helping them get divorced through being their "lover". He also finds himself attracted to his maid, Daisy, but is suspicious of her and can't risk her finding out about his charade.

But when Bishop is accused of murdering the husband of one of his "lovers", he ends up hiring her to help prove his innocence. They can no longer deny their attraction to each other, but as things slowly start to fall into place, both have to decide what they really want from each other.

I really enjoyed this read. I had been introduced to the Chessmen in another of Lorraine Heath's books where we got King's story, and had been excited to read the other Chessmen's stories - this one did not disappoint!

Thank you #NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Lorraine Heath is the GOAT of historical romance authors, and this book didn't disappoint.

Bishop is pretending to have affairs with married women to help them escape abusive situations. Daisy is a private investigator playing a maid, trying to find proof of infidelity. Both characters hide from each other but know something isn't quite right.

I loved this book, Bishop is the morally grey good guy, and Daisy refuses to be with him unless he steps out of his bad guy persona. I had difficulty putting this book down and read it in one sitting—lots of steam and banter. I can't wait for the next in the series.

3.5 stars for this series starter. The setup to this one sounds like a charm: Bishop helps to weight the world in women's favor by agreeing to be named as the partner in her divorce suit. He's not actually participating in an affair, but his reputation is in tatters because he's willing to go on the record as an adulterer, over and over again. Daisy is a private investigator who's infiltrated Bishop's staff to confirm one of the affairs. This sounds like an absolute blast to read - Bishop trying to prove that he's having an actual affair, Daisy beginning to suspect that all is not as it seems, both of them slowly getting to know and care for each other...

Instead, there's no slow burn at all. Bishop sees a new maid and is immediately smitten. For her part, Daisy falls for (who she thinks is) a serial adulterer, get so jealous that she compromises her cover, and ends up investigating a murder. If the beginning had eased into the romance a bit more, the relationship wouldn't have felt so instant and implausible. As it is, we ended up disappointed that there wasn't more substance between the two MCs.

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

I like this group of Chessmen so much more than I expected. Bishop appears to be the biggest scoundrel ever and when Daisy is hired to find out if her client's wife is cheating, she falls for his true charms. The little bit of mystery, the group of friends, the best glimpses into other books in this world and of course the steam that we love from Heath all come together to create a romance that kept me reading in the night.

Lorraine Heath has written yet another smart, beguiling novel that plays two deceivers against one another in the most delicious way. Bishop’s (I could not love that name any more—he is one of the “Chessmen”) sole purpose in life is to help unhappily wedded women seek divorce through means of using him as a false lover. All of London believes him to be a scoundrel of the worst kind and it is because of this that Daisy finds herself hired on by a jilted husband as a maid in Bishop’s house. Immediately taken with Daisy, Bishop cannot quite put his finger on why she doesn’t seem the typical house servant, so he sets forth to uncover her true identity. This involves setting her up to find him in compromising scenarios with his wedded clients (or so she thinks) and the hidden deception between them only fuels their chemistry further.
I loved the private investigator/spy role that Daisy played in this book. She is a smart, capable heroine that is tasked with bringing down a male of equal stature. Bishop himself is very much the modern man that aids women even to the peril of his own reputation. Not to be outdone, he recognizes that Daisy might be a spy in his house so he sets out to test her. Bishop and Daisy could not be more evenly matched, and each one of their encounters had me voraciously reading to see what would happen next. I highlighted so many sections of this book that showcase the love story and depth of feelings Daisy and Bishop develop for one another; Heath is truly a master of words and had me believing that somehow this match could work. Writers tend to favor the hero or heroine, but Heath writes both with such love that you can’t help but fall for both of them. And I’m not even talking about the bedroom scenes—they are everything a romance reader could want. Chocolate: need I say more?! This is sure to be the start of a fantastic new series. You will not be let down by The Chessmen! Thank you to Avon and Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my review.

With good intentions, Bishop pretends to have affairs with ladies of the ton so their husbands will divorce them. He won’t get married because of his father and that love killed his mother. Bishop is intrigued by the attraction to his new maid, Daisy (Marguerite), who is really an inquiry agent there to determine if he’s having an affair with her client’s wife. Whereas, Daisy feels an attraction to Bishop but is annoyed that he has multiple women scheduled into his nights each week. Daisy isn’t inclined to marriage because of her parents dying from opium. As Bishop promised his mother on her deathbed, “he’d help those (women) in need no matter the cost”. It may cost him his soul mate.

It was a very different plot. I really enjoyed that Daisy took charge of her life to become an investigator to the dismay of her loving aunt. But her aunt was supportive. It made me a bit angsty that Bishop was going to continue his “pretenses” of affairs after he got involved with Daisy. They had a very magnetic and sensual relationship.

This is the first book in her new series The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction. I’m looking forward to Book 2 coming in June!

I received a free copy of the book in advance and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Chessmen series. We have another servant-in-disguise story here, with Daisy/Marguerite posing as a maid in Bishop’s house to catch her client’s wife having an affair. Of course, with Daisy’s skills of observation, something doesn’t seem quite right. Although Bishop certainly seems to entertain a revolving door of married ladies, we find that he falsifies affairs to help the women secure a divorce. While Daisy and Bishop seem to have opposing purposes at first, they uncover each other’s motives and truths by about the midpoint of the book. After that, we see Bishop being suspected of murdering one of the husbands and him hiring Daisy as an investigator on his behalf. The plot twists on the mystery part were a lot of fun to read. The romance part was fairly predictable but in an enjoyable way. Overall, I really liked this book and continue to enjoy Lorraine Heath’s writing.