Three women in a very different time than my present. I don't read a lot of historical romance although it was really what started me reading the genre. I really need to read more, I have thoroughly enjoyed this journey to the past.

About to graduate from boarding school, Lady Alexandra is summoned to the headmaster's office. It's late, not the usual time one would be called to be disciplined and while he has a valid point about the infraction, what he does about it unthinkable. What Lady Alexandra does is totally appropriate, sets the scene for this story and binds the three friends Francesca, Cecilia and Alexandra together in secrecy.

Ten years later, Alexandra travels to Maynemouth, Devonshire for the masquerade where Francesca's engagement is to be announced. She and Cecilia will be there to support her regardless of the outcome. However Alexandra has a bigger problem, she has been blackmailed about the incident at school for years, but now her family is in dire financial straits and she can't pay. All their futures are at risk because of her actions so many years ago.


In very unusual circumstances, Alexandra sort of meets Francesca's soon to be fiancé. Although, he doesn't introduce himself and some assumptions are made.

Francesca doesn't want to marry anyone, her relationship with the Piers Atherton the Duke of Redmayne is prickly at best. It's Alexandra who comes up with a reasonable way out for both of them. She would marry the Duke, solving her financial problems and protecting everyone she loves in the process.

Oh, the misunderstandings, the denials, the romance, the assassination attempts and so much more will have you turning the pages to solve the mystery.

I can't wait for the next book in the series!

This book was marvelous, held me on pins and needles until the very end.
I would describe it as a mix between historical thriller and romance with HEA.
I loved every single second of this story full of twists and turns, it kept me on the edge all the time.
I fevered with both main characters, cheered them on and felt build of their sexual tension through my marrow. It was sooo good folks, although the book was on the longer side I devoured it like a starving person.
I especially loved that the heroine was woman on the modern side, doing things in that time were scandalous.
I would say if you love historical romance spiced with somewhat mystery this book is the right one for you.

This is my first Kerrigan Byrne read - I know, I know, I have been living under a rock - and now I am kicking myself that I have not had her stories on my radar before now!

I am on a historical romance kick lately, and How To Love A Duke In Ten Days is definitely a great one to add to my collection.

I loved that our main characters are flawed, and even though they are marrying for completely altruistic reasons, and that it may well be a loveless marriage, that there will be affection of some sort between them.

All is not easy in their lives, and as the story progresses there is a whodunnit that left me guessing right up to the reveal the whos, the whys and the WTFs!

I love, love, love Alexandra's friends Cecilia and Francesca - collectively known as the Red Rogues, and man, I can not wait to learn more of their stories.

I will definitely be going back through Ms Byrne's back catalogue and finding some more great reads.

What starts off as a wedding to seek vengeance for one and convenience for the other turns into something completely different. This is a adventure filled journey of secrets, blackmail, murder, love, suspense, and a unexpected fierce loyalty. Will Alexandra take a chance by letting go of her secrets and trust this fierce man who is now her husband to protect her? And will Piers forget a past betrayal that has made him bitter?

I have to say, this kept me guessing till almost the end who was behind all the misdeeds. I’m looking forward to future books in this series!! Five huge stars!!!

Kerrigan Byrne has a super start to her new series, Devil You Know in How to Love a Duke in Ten Days. I liked the two main characters, Lady Alexandra Lane and Piers Atherton, Duke of Redmayne, the Terror of Torcliff. Both had many issues from their past to overcome, especially Alexandra. The way this author developed their relationship is very interesting. I especially enjoyed the mystery/intrigue. The secondary characters are fascinating, especially Lady Francesca Cavendish and Miss Cecelia Teague. I look forward to their stories.

This is Lady Alexandra Lane and Piers Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne’s story; 1st in the Devil You Know series; a standalone, happily every after, no cheating, historical romance with a plethora of steamy romance.

With an honorable, swoon worthy hero, and a lovable heroine, this tale held my interest from the beginning to the end. Amidst a backdrop of rape, murder, danger, secrets, intrigue and revenge; both find true love. The slow romantic build between Alexis and Piers is beautifully choreographed in a sensual seductive dance; with elements of a witty dialogue, tears, trust and mistrust; two scarred souls heal each other.

The cast of characters, era and scenery are fully developed; creating an intriguing action romance that draws you in with each new character introduction. The story made me cry, fear, smile and root for the hero and heroine.
A cautionary note- the prologue has a rape scene that may be too intense or act as psychological trigger for someone who has been sexually assaulted.
I look forward to the next in this series or any works by this author.
I received a copy of this story though NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Be Aware: This book begins with a teenage rape who kills her rapist. Then follows her journey in dealing with the events. Had I known, I would not have read this book. I read historical romance for enjoyment. I read the newspaper for educating myself on uncomfortable topics. The blurb should somehow indicate this particular content. #MeToo

The author's writing is skillful. I enjoyed the mystery portion towards the end of the book.

I was provided this book to read in exchange for an honest review. These are my honest opinions.

This is my first book by Kerrigan, but it will definitely not be me last. I am fairly new to the historical romance genre, and I have to say, Kerrigan did an amazing job of drawing me in with this world and characters. I already want more in this series. Piers was the Duke of my dreams. He was alpha, hot, and overall and amazing here. Lady Alexandra, was fierce and I felt her pain and emotion so vividly. Kerrigan, wrote these two imperfect characters and made them some how beautiful together and perfect for each other. I will be buying more books by her.

Heat Factor: There is a stupendous amount of very detailed foreplay
Character Chemistry: Their chemistry carries the book
Plot: Overcoming sexual trauma, with a heavy side of blackmail and death threats
Overall: The relationship is great, but the rest didn’t quite work for me

Let’s start with the opening, because the Prologue is really intense - and was completely unexpected, given the book blurb, which made How to Love a Duke in Ten Days seem like a nice light-hearted romance. Sure, there’s some blackmail mentioned, but there are plenty of light-hearted romances with blackmail. Right? I’m sure there must be. Anyways.

So the book opens with our heroine, Lady Alexandra Lane, away at boarding school. Where she is raped by the headmaster. In the heat of the moment, she kills him with a straight razor and disposes of the body with the help of her two best friends. Her friends reveal deep dark secrets, so now the three of them are bound by blood and secrecy and a pact never to marry. I told you the opening was intense. (Squeamish readers may want to consider skipping the prologue.)

Fast forward to ten years later. Alexandra is heading to the castle of some duke who is engaged to one of her friends. For various reasons (she needs money, someone is blackmailing her about the murder and she wants the protection of his ducal name, the duke and her friend would make each other absolutely miserable), she proposes that she marry the duke instead. Even though she is terrified of men, especially of being alone with them, and even more especially of the thought of having sexual intercourse with one.

The duke, however, is special. Piers excites Alexandra in a way that she doesn’t completely understand. Which one might find confusing because Piers is the quintessential example of The Devil Duke (link). He’s known as the Terror of Torcliff (of course). He is enormous (of course). The villagers whisper than maybe he was attacked by a werewolf, because he has disfiguring scars all over his face. (Actually, it was a panther.) He is gruff and foreboding and everyone is afraid of him, and he’s getting married purely out of revenge on the Woman Who Wronged Him (of course). It’s so over the top, we have comedy gold here - and Byrne leans into the comedy in writing Piers’ inner thoughts. However, despite all the dangerous alpha vibes that he absolutely exudes, he is all about Alexandra taking the lead in their relationship. Plus, animals like him, so he can’t actually be that bad.

So they get married, and the twin plots start to unfold. There’s the question of how they will negotiate the consummation of their marriage and the question of who is trying to kill them.

The relationship portion of the book is really well done. Alexandra was severely traumatized by her rape, so she wants to ensure that her sexual interactions with her husband won’t remind her of that experience. And Piers goes with it, in a great example of an alpha male who makes sure that he has consent - but also keeps things sexy. So their physical relationship builds slowly, though not in a “slow burn, yearning but not touching” kind of way; it’s more of a “let’s do a lot of foreplay until your ready for penetration” dynamic. Their interactions strike a nice balance between seriousness and humor, in a way that felt real. Admittedly, there is a stupid thing where Piers finds out that Alexandra isn’t a virgin and gets all annoying about it, but I guess if that didn’t happen he would be too much of a paragon, so at least this gives him something to apologize for.

On the other hand, I found the mystery plot tedious. Every time Alexandra started angsting about her blackmailer, or thinking about her two besties and how she has to protect them, or worrying that Piers could accidentally get hurt when she’s the real target for all the accidents that kept happening, I started reading faster and hoping that we could get back to Alexandra and Piers spending time together. The balance in tone between seriousness and humor also worked less well here because the seriousness sometimes veered towards melodrama and the moments of levity seemed out of place.

Despite the problems I had with the book, I still think How to Love a Duke in Ten Days is worth a read because of the really thoughtful portrayal of one way a survivor of sexual assault might approach relationships.


I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This is a glorious historical romance. This is also the beautiful, powerful, and emotionally satisfying read that the romance world needs as society finally faces the destruction revealed by the #metoo movement. This book is a love note and ovation to survivors.

To be sure, there are some difficult and dark moments in this book, and there is a rape storyline. But please don’t let me leave the impression that this is a gloomy depressing read, because that is not the case. It is ultimately a story of triumph and joy.

The hero, Piers, the Duke of Redmayne, is among the best of dark, bold, and brave men to have ever graced the page. You simply must read this book if his unofficial title Terror of Torcliff sparks your interest. A dark, scarred, intelligent, fierce, and passionate duke is he. What I love the most about him is his ability to recognize and comprehend situations women may encounter, and more specifically, he unhesitatingly accepts and adapts to what the woman he loves needs.

Alexandra Lane, both Lady and Doctor, is that woman. She is as brave, intelligent, and remarkable as you can imagine, and still utterly relatable and likable. Alexandra and Piers have a chemistry that is absolutely believable. There are insanely passionate and steamy scenes.

Another highlight is the friendship between Alexandra and her two best friends, Cecilia and Francesca. They formed a trio as young girls away at school and dubbed themselves the Red Rogues. Yes, they all have red hair and are unconventional and #FriendshipGoals.

This is the first book in the new Devil You Know series. I am not sure how I will be able to wait to read the next book scheduled to be released, All Scot and Bothered. I am all in on this series.

I’ve been putting off writing this review because I have no idea how to explain my thoughts. But here we go.

This is an intense story with some difficult content to read. It practically opens with a rape scene. Then, Alex has to deal with that throughout the story and her life. That’s what made it so hard to read. Here life and reaction to what happened was so raw and heartbreaking.

Alex is a compelling character I enjoyed reading about. Piers was also great. I love a strong and big hero who has a gentle heart. Their romance was sweet and decent. Toward the end it did feel a little rushed.

Alex has two friends from school which I loved. I’m a huge fan of positive friendships in my fiction. These three care so much about each other. I assume the books in the series will be about those ladies and I’m definitely excited to see where their stories go.

There is a mystery and suspense element to the story. It kept me guessing and I felt the tension. It isn’t my favorite thing in my romance, but it worked and I don’t have any complaints.

I’m happy to have spend time with these characters and am excited to read more.

I liked this book a lot, even if the topic is not one that I usually like. The characters were pretty good together and the plot was not the usual one, and now I have to read the other 2 installment in this series....

Questo libro mi é piaciuto parecchio, anche se l'argomento non mi ha mai particolarmente ispirato. I personaggi principali "stavano bene assieme" e la trama era piuttosto diversa dalle solite, e quindi ora devo leggere i prossimi due libri della serie....

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

[spoilers. CW: sexual assault]



I'll be honest, this book started out in a way that was really upsetting for me and I had a super hard time getting past it. I have a lot of feelings about it---OF COURSE young women are raped and have no recourse and have to figure out their way in the world, but I just....well, there's a reason I read romance and not Game of Thrones.

I just struggle A LOT with the fact that it was put right there on page in the prologue. I had every intention of keeping reading, but the truth is I didn't want to. I just didn't want to keep reading.

This is the first book in a new series by Kerrigan Byrne. I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
The set up of this series is explained in the prologue. Three friends, 3 redheads, away at school, who form a club. The Red Rogues Society. I lived the premise for this club and the 3 girls, Alexandra, Francesca and Cecilia.

This book starts with a very disturbing, graphic opening scene. I almost didn't read any further. But I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.

The story itself starts 10 years later. Alexandra , the heroine, daughter of an Earl, and Piers, the hero, a Duke. They are 2 people who have been greatly affected by their past, having great trust issues in the opposite sex.
There is an instant attraction between them. And in 10 days, spending almost day and night together, they have formed a very caring and finally trusting relationship. I loved seeing it day by day.

Kerrigan Byrne always writes a very strong heroine. That is no different In this case. Alexandra has made so much of her life, despite her past If I had any criticism of this story, it's that I thought Piers was a little wimpy in his attitude, with a poor me complex. You can have a strong heroine and a strong hero.

I give this book 4.5 stars, taking off a half star for the opening scene. I know these things happen and it was very much apart of this story but that doesn't mean I like to read about it. And, I've expressed this opinion before, but there's no place in Regency novels for the "F" word. Totally unnecessary.

Oh sighhhhh! I loved this story! Hotttt-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to say I absolutely enjoyed this book thoroughly. It definitely is something special that seem to be above and beyond the normal historical romance.

I think what the differences is that this one focused more on the attraction between the two characters and not endless stiff conversation that slowly built into something by the end of the book.

In this story, the two main characters felt their connection quickly and we are treated to all of the hot glances, teasing and tantalizing descriptions, and the build up that got even better the further we get into the story.

Piers was from solid Viking stock and full of unexpected pleasures. He certainly gave Alexandra unexpected pleasures too! Tender and sensual, dominant, and possessive in all of the right ways.

Alexandra was brilliant, courageous, and oh, so innocent. The best part, she was not afraid to go after what she wanted to hide her secrets, namely Piers!

This author charmed me with over top creativity, heated descriptions, and tense but passion-filled build up. Plus, the main events were enough to make your temperature rise a bit too!

I just really enjoyed the story completely. In fact, I don’t recall the last time I gave an historical romance five stars. But I’m certainly not letting that hold me back today.

If you are looking for something different and unique, interesting and captivating, that will tickle your fancy while reeling you in completely, this author certainly has nailed it.

Alexandra lost everything in one night and her life changes forever if not for her two best friends Francesca & Cecelia she would have gone mad. She knows that their lives will never be the same again but can she live with the guilt of her crime? Alexandra has gone on to have a good life but she has never allowed anyone close to her and when Francesca asks her to come to see her urgently she comes no questions asked but little does she know that danger will follow her. Piers knows that he has no choice but to marry Francesca as the marriage was agreed upon when they were very young but he finds that by meeting Alexandra everything has changed. He knows that will need to marry for duty but he wishes that things could be different. Alexandra knows that she needs to tell her friends about the blackmail and that someone knows what she did. She is scared that they will be angry with her but they just want her to be safe and they will help her pay the money. She is scared for them both so she agrees to their plan for now. But as time goes by she realizes that Piers could be her way out but can she marry him and keep her secret? Will she be able to keep her secret from Piers? He agrees to marry her but he wants to know the real reason as he has come to care for her but will she be able to share her secret without fear? A great read. Love the sisterhood that the girls share and how they never gave up on each other. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

*ARC recieved for an honest review*
I thoroughly enjoyed a number of things about this book. For starters, it's always so exciting to have the opportunity to read something new by [author:Kerrigan Byrne|5808498]. You're pretty much guaranteed a good time. The beginning captivated me. I was ready to sign up for the ARCs of books two and three moments after meeting the Red Rogues. I enjoyed the dark blustery mystery threaded through the book and around the characters. It was fun to wonder what comes next.
[book:The Highwayman|23723798] remains one of the best and most touching romance books I've read. There are several reasons for that. First and foremost was the connection between the characters - their shared history and experiences that gave their relationship gravitas. A hero and heroine with a childhood connection is one of my favorite things about which to read.
And this highlights the difficulty of the instant connection. The title doesn't lie - this relationship spans 10 days. Already that's a struggle for me. Of course folks can fall in love quickly, but it can be difficult to believe. Here it created an almost Paranormal Romance/Fated Mates vibes that stole from the believability of the story. Their overwhelming connection called to mind countless vampires or werewolves drawn together by biology rather than time and respect and mutual admiration.
The PR Vibe was only strengthened by the constant (and I'm not exaggerating here) references to Piers' physical presence. His "beastial" nature. His bulk. His proportions. His width. His breadth. His power. He was far more a physical presence in the book than anything else. It reminded me so much of JR Ward's Wrath that now I want to read [book:Dark Lover|42899] all over again.
The heroine's strength (man, there are some big fat trigger warnings for this one if that's your thing) and intelligence made her a likable and formidable character. And I thought the hero had some potential - but he sadly devolved into mommy issues and brute strength. Still, it's a Byrne - meaning it's 100% readable and enjoyable. And I can't wait for the next one.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Since a traumatic experience changed her life forever Lady Alexandra Lane has taken care of herself and earned a doctorate in archaeology, along with the respect of her fellow academics. No one would suspect her dark past, but with her family's newly diminished circumstances, that past may soon come to light when she can no longer pay off her blackmailer. Now she's been summoned to Redmayne Castle to attend her friend's wedding, only Alex finds herself shockingly interested in the groom despite his reputation as the Terror of Torcliff. After all, he's a terrible match for her friend and marriage to a wealthy man would solve the most looming of her problems.

Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne wants only revenge, to ensure the woman he once thought he loved never has the chance to become a duchess, so he must marry. Piers finds himself inexplicably drawn to and protective of Alexandra Lane, rather than his intended, so when Alex suggests she marry him instead of her friend, he sees no reason to disagree. However, the more time they spend together the clearer it becomes that Alexandra has secrets, potentially deadly ones, and the more determined Piers becomes to keep her safe and by his side for good.

First off, this book was heavy. Both main characters have difficult pasts, most especially the heroine, and serious issues they have to work through. Seeing them learn to trust and come to love one another and then fight together for their future was fabulous. Piers is one of the most well-drawn sensitive-yet-strong alpha heroes I've read in quite awhile. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This is the first time I've read Kerrigan Byrne and I fell in love with her beautiful writing and clever plots right from the Prologue. It has captured my attention immediately, even though it was the toughest chapter of the whole book to go through. This book features Lady Alexandra Lane (aka Doctor Lane, a Sorbonne-trained archeologist, and one of the three Red Rogues ladies), and Piers Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne.

My heart cried out for Alexandra and all the burdens that her past secrets had weighed in on her. She was a brilliant and dedicating scientist, a compassionate and loyal friend, and a sweet and caring lover. Yet, the traumatic experience at the age of 17 had forever left a scar in her soul and a fear for physical intimacies.

Then we have Piers, a beastly duke with facial scars left by a jaguar. He was magnificent, intelligent, and fearsome. Witnessing his unfaithful mother and being betrayed by his former fiancee, Piers was especially guarded when it came to women. Yet, he was always kind, respectful, gentle, and patient with Alexandra.

Their marriage started off as of convenience. Within the short amount of time, Piers had helped Alexandra to overcome her traumatic past and to be able to enjoy the intimacies between them, and her loyalty had gained absolute trust in him. I was delighted with the witty banter between the characters, the inseparable friendship among the ladies, how the story started strong, and ended even stronger with surprised elements.

Definitely a 5-star read, it's a beautiful, emotional story of survivor and healing, of strong and independent heroines, and I'm looking forward to the love journeys of Cecelia and Francesca, the other two ladies of the Red Rogues.

*Content warning: sexual assault*

I absolutely adored this book but it is not a light read. I always try not to have any spoilers in my reviews but I think for this particular review, before I even get into it, it is important to give a content warning. So if you are not looking for any spoilers please do not read ahead.

The heroine has a history of being sexually assaulted as a teenager. If this is a subject that you do not care to read about please do not read this book.

Now coming back to my review of this book. As soon as I read the first chapter from this book, I was in tears but also knew that I would not be able to put this book down for a single second. And so it was no surprise when I read this one through the night. Mind you on a weeknight, nonetheless. I highly encourage you to read this book on a weekend with no other plans as you will not be able to put it down. This author always packs a punch with all her characters. They are so complicated but underneath everything, I absolutely adore them. I felt the same for Alexandra and Piers in this book. The pain and devastation that Alexandra goes through is unbearable and it is credit to the author where I could feel it through the pages of the book. It was almost as if Alexandra's soul was whispering to mine through the words. Her bravery, her love for her best friends and her inherent sweetness made me just love her character. I also just adored Piers, his kind and loving heart behind the rugged exterior, his love and respect for Alexandra. I adored him because he didn't even blink when he is introduced to her as an archeologist and plans a surprise archeological dig trip for her without a second thought. There is almost a sweetness in the interaction in between the Piers and Alexandra. Even through the emotional story and all the angst, you cannot miss the beautiful relationship that is developing in between both of them. The author also focuses on the beautiful bonds in between the three best friends, Alexandra, Cecelia and Francesca. I cannot wait to read Cecelia and Francesca's stories in the upcoming books in the series.

This is the first book in The Devil You Know series.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*