Another fine historical by Ms. Ridley. Excellent storytelling and writing.

My go-to author. I know when I read one of her books I am in for a treat!  Erica always does a great job drawing me into the life of each character.  Ready for the next installment.

This is a sweet romance involved Bow Street runner Simon Spaulding, who meets Dahlia Greenville, when trying to save one of her orphans. Simon, is determined to discover who the ‘Thief of Mayfair’ is and to bring them to Newgate, for hanging. This is his way of receiving the promotion that he has long desired. Simon, despite his gruffness, has suffered from the knowledge that his father, a marquess, was never able to acknowledge him and his mother. Consequently, he has dedicated his life to his work. All this changes on meeting Dahlia and the students in her school. However, Dahlia is hiding a secret, as she is a daughter of a baron and has also stolen from the ton to fund her school. Without giving anything away, the couple find themselves at odds with their own social position and fight this throughout the novel. 
I did so like the character of Dahlia and found her courage and perseverance very heart-warming. At times, Simon was quite stuffy but even he, did warm to me. This is a well written story with characters that you can easily relate to. I also like Faith and Simon’s brother, the new Marquess and hope to see these two appear in the next novel of the series. 
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining story. Simon, the hero, and Dahlia, the heroine, were adorable. The two had chemistry. The deepening of their feelings for each other was built over the course of the story and didn't feel rushed. 

This was an enjoyable read and I can't wait to read the next story in this series.

This book feels like lying in a meadow on a warm spring day. Or, a picnic brunch with Bellinis and chardonnay. It's a sweet, even-paced, satisfying read. And, I needed the escape!

One dark night a brave woman saves a girl, a gentleman captures a perpetrator. A budding attraction sparks between the two but little did the gentleman detective know the lovely Headmistress of the St. Giles School for Girls - was also a bonafide robin hood, the Thief of Mayfair.

The main character, Dahlia Grenville, is the kind, effortlessly charming heroine in this title Lord of Night by Erica Ridley. Dahlia was born to aristocracy but her heart is with the poor. She is determined to save her school for girls by tirelessly raising the funds necessary from her peers. When resources fall short she resorts to theft all for a truly good cause!

Simon is "dark and gruff" and ever so upright and noble. Smart, brave and a self made man - he represents to the best of his profession (police force). It's not just his physical form that is broad, tall and strong, evoking classic characters like Darcy or Elizabeth Gaskell's Thornton. A lone wolf, no family, haunted by the actions of his parents, will he find family again or dedicate his life to his profession by "doing the right thing and leaving her alone"? Or, will he be content in the pride of his work and capture his target, the Mayfair thief?

She's also surrounded by a family that includes loving siblings and dear friends. She has courage to ask for help when needed. A small community rises to the cause.

However, like most aristocratic Regency heroines, Dahlia may have to consider marrying for money, or lose it all in love... for the girls, of course. But I felt secure this lady wouldn't fall victim to her circumstances, she'll maintain dignity and grace. Robin Hood would think up the most brilliant, unexpected caper of all with the glimmer and a wink of a trapeze artist. I couldn't wait for the conclusion.  

The flirting! The first kiss! The passion and loving care they show for each throughout envelops like a toasty blanket on a winter's eve. But if I had one wish regarding the ending...

SPOILERS

In the current ending it is clear Inspector Simon still loves the girls of St. Giles more than his pride and convictions. It's also clear he still loves Dahlia's heart for the girls as well. But I also needed to know that he still loved *her*. Loved all of her including the new side of her he shockingly discovers -- her privilege, her friends, her family, and her (virtuous) lawlessness. I was looking forward to the slow dawning of understanding as to *why* she hurt him so deeply that fateful afternoon when they made love and he asked her to marry him. 

I not only wanted him to truly forgive her but to fall in love with her again. 

To a lesser degree, I wanted to know that Dahlia would forgive him, too. Forgive the fact that when he discovered the other side of her he rejected her as she had feared all along. That he hesitated to love her more than his pride and convictions. I wanted her to fall in love with the man who would let a thief go free as well as the immovable avatar of justice she had first come to love. I wanted her to embrace her love for him whether or not it was at odds with her love for the girls. And, of course there's still a lot Dahlia has yet to confess to him (for example, her long acquaintance with his brother.)

I wanted to be assured they would flirt again and steal kisses between dance lessons. I wanted to know that they would regularly confide in each other over tea at midnight. (What happens when Simon finally tells Dahlia about his newfound relationship with his brother? His new understanding of his love for his mother and father after the events of the book? and, so on.) I wanted her to be able to confide in him about her family anxieties as well. That they would find the courage to love each other fiercely and openly as much as they loved their girls.

Otherwise they are still trapped in the world of their fathers where marriage is for money, for security, for family gain (even though, in this case, it is something priceless for their girls.) I wanted to see them be truly, defiantly selfish and marry for love and only their love for each other. Are there two characters more deserving of this? Not that I can think of.

Erica Ridley does it again: in her third instalment of the Rogues to Riches series, we can swoon over (soon-to-be-inspector) Simon Spaulding and his everlasting devotion to upholding the law. And we can enjoy the mischief of Dahlia Grenville, running around in trouwers and saving young girls from the orphanage or worse.

Sometimes I wish I was born in that era. But I would probably end up like Dahlia: too little notice for the rules of the thon and trying to make the world a little better. She is absolute a wonderful character.

We read along with how Dahlia struggles to keep her school afloat. If you read Lord of Pleasure, you understand more fully what happened before. But without it, the story is still an easy read. In all, a wonderful story about learning how the world isn't always in black and white, but also sometimes in some shades of grey.

Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Lord of  Night is book three if Erica Ridley's Rogues to Riches series. Lord of Night follows Bow Street Runner Inspector Simon Spaulding and Miss Dahlia Grenville. For being 350 pages it was a quick and easy read. The pacing was smooth it seemed like a much shorter read than it actually is, but it was a really good read.

Dahlia and Simon have a slow but sweet courtship but Dahlia feels guilty because she has been hiding the fact that she is a well bred daughter of a Baron. Simon just thinks she is the headmistress of  a school for orphaned and abandoned girls in St. Giles. Dahlia feels even worse after she finds out that Simon is hunting the Thief of Mayfair. Dahlia is that thief, between the lectures from her mother on finding a husband and quitting this silly hobby and her father's indifference on his daughters Dahlia more than once has stolen a little trinket from some of the wealthy snobs whose collection is purely for the idea of having something that other don't and sold it to a pawn shop and then sends a letter to the owner where they can find their missing item. All of it for the care to her students.

A chance meeting on the streets of St. Giles Dahlia is saving a young girl from a man with nefarious purposes and Simon comes to their aid, from that night on Simon life is different. He stops by the school and visits with the girls even helps them learn how to dance and his attraction to Dahlia grows into love. Dahlia loves Simon with all her heart but she has to many secrets from him and as much as it hurts she can not risk her girls or his job for their love. After meeting Dahlia Simon realizes there are more things to life than just being a runner even coming to terms with his half brother and becoming friends with him. Dahlia has changed his outlook on life, but will all that change after he finds out who she really is?

Overall, this was a good read, I enjoyed the characters and the plot and how it played out. I can't wait for the next one.

I liked the story of Dahlia and Simon. It was much too short for me. There was wonderful banter between the two protagonists and the fire between them was palpable.

I don't know how Ridley manages to do it, but you really believe her characters are in love by the end of the story. She doesn't tell you they are in love, she shows you how they fall in love and make you believe it. Her characters really come to life until you believe them to almost be real. 

I like the plot, but I have trouble believing that the thief just goes free and is never suspected or caught later even if the thief sops stealing. I imagine that would create problems in the character's future. Overall, this is a great story.

This book is the third in a series by Erica Ridlely. You do not have to read them in order and each is a stand alone novel. The book does contain some explicit sex and therefore should not be read by anyone under 18 or by anyone that objects to such detail. The heroine, Dahlia, is a young lady of some means. She does not have a title but does have a dowry and a talented family. The hero, Simon, is a detective for the Bow Street Runners. His father had a title and his mother was the man's mistress. He has a half brother. This story has action, adventure, romance, sex and a mystery. The book kept me interested and engaged. The character's in this story learned what was important, one learned about compassion and about sacrifice. They also learn that some secrets should stay secret. They also learn that relationships can and do change with time. There is a happily ever after. Ms. Ridley has done an excellent job. I look forward to the next book.

What does Dahlia Grenville, who is supposed to be a proper debutante but prefers to help homeless girls with her girl’s school do to feed and house 24 girls? She steals from the rich.
How does Simon Spaulding, a highly principled Bow Street Runner, handle when he finds out the woman he loves is a thief? And she has a good reason to be one.

When their two worlds collide, Simon thinks Dahlia is just a Headmistress of a school for girls and he wants to help. But Dahlia also has won his heart.

There is so much to this story. I really enjoyed everything about this book. The characters and the events are very interesting. This book has so much more than just the blurb. If you love reading Historical Romances you will need to read this book. This is such an awesome book I gave it ***** stars

This is the third book in the delightful Rogues to Riches series. This book is about the middle Grenville daughter, Dahlia, who despite her mother's pushing, has no interest in landing a husband.  Her only concerns are the orphan girls in her school and keeping the school financially afloat.  When Lord Wainwright, former rake, now her brother-in-law, made a careless remark, it cost her school many benefactors.  While he has made it up to her with a generous donation, it is still a daily struggle to pay the bills, so while out with her mother on social calls she starts "borrowing" small items she finds at wealthy homes, sells them to pawn brokers and then sends a message to the owner, telling them where the item can be found.  She thinks of herself as a Robin hood, but becomes known as Thief of Mayfair. Eventually, the thefts come across the desk of Bow Street runner, Simon Spaulding.  He is not a titled lord, but the bastard son of a marquee, not extremely wealthy and not a roque, but none the less the hero of the story. He comes across Dahlia as she is attempting to rescue a young girl about to be assaulted on the street. Slowly they begin a relationship, but what will happen when he finds out that Dahlia is not only the daughter of a Baron, but is the thief he has been looking for?  Simon also finally comes face to face with his half brother, the new marquess.  Will they be able to forge a relationship of their own?  Read and find out.
I read an ARC from netgally.com.

3.5☆
This is my first book by Erika Ridley.

What I liked:
The writing style 
The characters 
Dual POVs 
Part of a series: Rogues to Riches
Standalone 
HEA 

I look forward to reading more from this author.

What an aspiring tale of adventure for the sake of others. The struggle for always doing the right thing and always doing the wrong thing. The connection between Simon and Dahlia was one that had me reading fast to find out the outcome. It was one that stole my heart. I love historical romance during the different eras. Regency is one full of expectations and flare. I loved everything about this book and look forward to the next installment. Book provided by NetGalley.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

There was so much depth and feeling in this story!  At first, I really wondered how Simon and Dahlia were going to be able to make a relationship work when she was from the upper class and Simon was the illegitimate son of a marquess for starters - he was also an inspector responsible for finding the Thief of Mayfair and she was the thief!

I liked how we could see the change in Simon from being a loner and not wanting to have anything to do with his co-workers, and not having a relationship to falling for Dahlia and her academy of girls.  Dahlia felt that she could never marry beneath her and really hurt Simon when she turned down his proposal.  That was so sad to read.  Even worse was when Simon finally catches the thief and sees that it is Dahlia and handcuffs her and is ready to turn her in to the authorities - even knowing that she could be hung for the crime.

The story kept me involved with the romance, and the relationship between Simon and Dahlia and the relationship that Simon hoped to have with his half brother.  I really want to learn more about what happened with Hawkridge and Faith!  

This is the first book that I read in this series and I would love to know more about Dahlia's sister, Cam and how she met and married Wainwright and what is going on with those caricatures??!  I am also looking forward to the next book in the series so I can read what happens next!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 3 in a new series by Erica Ridley. In this on we get to know the third sister. I really enjoyed the story a great deal. I want the next one!

Lord of Night takes a slightly different direction from the previous books in the series. I enjoyed reading the previous ones, but this is now my favourite. 

Simon Spalding doesn't have a title as he was born on what's considered to be the wrong side of the blanket. He doesn't have time for the ton and their superior attitudes. His personal circumstances has taught him not to rely on anyone but himself. He is one of the best detectives in London and dedicates his life to his job. He works long hours and even then, he is at his best at night. 

Dahlia Grenville is from an affluent family and doesn't quite comform to what's expected of her. She has turned an old Abbey into a school for girls who would be otherwise on the streets or in workhouses. She is the headmistress and is passionate about what she does. Her twenty girls are as important to her as her own family. Her biggest problem is raising funds to keep the school going. 

Simon's first encounter with Dahlia is when she rescues a young girl from an unpleasant ordeal one evening. He is impressed with the way she deals with the situation and admires her cause. His follow up visit turns into regular ones and he finds himself helping out. He doesn't have any fun but, his interactions with Dahlia and the girls give him a different perspective on life. Their relationship turns into something more but Dahlia has secrets. Secrets that goes against everything he believes in! How will he react when these come to light? 

Dahlia's dedication and unconditional love for the children are heartwarming. Simon sticks to the rules and is full of compassion. The banters between them are good fun. The story development and the twists are well constructed. The romance between two people from different worlds is absolutely beautiful. 

I was kindly issued with an eARC via NetGalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

This book sucked me in from the very beginning. I started it before bed, and I couldn't sleep til I finished it!

The plot and characters deviate from the usual regency romance, indeed, even from the "Rogues to Riches" descriptor, but the change is refreshing and makes for interesting characters.

I loved the story of two people from different social worlds with so many differences and commonalities. Despite expecting a HEA ending, I was intrigued with how it might come about - the obstacles do seem insurmountable. 

Genuinely enjoying, well written, fast-paced. This is, in my opinion, one of Erica Ridley's best yet.

Dahlia Grenville runs a boarding school for girls in St. Giles.  She secretly robs the wealthy to help the wayward girls home that has too many dependents and not enough donations. One night highly principled Bow Street runner Simon Spaulding comes to her rescue.  His world as a Bow Street runner is black and white, you’re either guilty or not. Little does he know the one woman who has been fascinating him ever since she tumbled straight into the arms is mysterious Mayfair's thief he’s sworn to bring to justice. Dahlia unwilling to close the school does what she thinks she must to keep the school going closing the school and returning the girls to the streets is not an option.  Simon and Dahlia have a lot in of barriers to overcome he’s a bastard son to the upper ton who’s incredibly jealous of his half-brother, Lord Hawkridge and she’s an eccentric upper class unmarried young lady from a good family whose founded and runs a schools for street urchin girls, it’s hard to believe she’s not already a complete outcast from London’s society. A great story and fun to read. This is my honest review from the eBook I voluntarily read for Net Galley.