The early 20th century was a fascinating time in history with so many advancements taking place. But the class differences were still there and Marie Force takes us into the romance that happens between a wealthy American and the housekeeper of his family's seaside cottage. Set at the shore in Newport, the hero Aubrey goes ahead to the cottage to make sure everything is ready for so the important guest soon to arrive,
He finds much more than a house in upheavel though.. The lovely Irish housekeeper, Maeve Brown. They form a friendship and there is a great spark between them that starts them on a journey. Romance, suspense, a little mystery and a dragon of mother that is best to stay away from if possible!
Once I started I could not put is down and I look forward to the next in this wonderful series!

1903 - Newport, Rhode Island

Aubrey Nelson, 32, is observing the beauty of the housekeeper, Maeve Brown, who is cleaning his home called Paradis Trouve on Bellvue Avenue. His family had purchased the home from the Astor family.

Having just arrived to see the house opened for the season, he is shocked to see how filthy it is. His parents had wanted him to see that all was ready for the upcoming visit of the Duke and Duchess of Westwood.

Apparently, the staff had been angry at Mrs. Nelson, Aubrey’s mother, when they left last season and instead of closing the house up tight, they left windows open. Birds and rodents had come in and fouled up the rooms. Now, Maeve is doing all she can to scrub each and every room.

At first, Aubrey introduces himself as the new butler, but when the real butler shows up, Aubrey is caught in his lie and confesses who he really is. Aubrey pitches in to help, but Maeve does not feel that the owner should do that. He sees the huge mess that has been made so he hires a bunch of people from the village to help clean it.

Aubrey is taken with Maeve’s beauty and her cultured and graceful ways. Although she tries to tell him that he is gentry and she is not, he doesn’t care. He soon learns that she fled Ireland after killing her cruel husband in self-defense. That’s when Aubrey offers to marry her. She agrees and they marry quickly.

But when Aubrey’s family arrives to visit, they are welcoming to Maeve - expect for his mother. Her hatred is deep and Maeve is worried how far the woman will go to get rid of her.

This is a story of two people who fall deeply in love. Their affection for one another is well-written into the story and is totally swoon-worthy. I know readers will enjoy the book. The Gilded Age is a favorite time period of mine. Marie Force is a terrific author and I look forward to reading even more of her books.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Deceived by Desire by Marie Force is the second in her Gilded series, following Duchess by Deception. Aubrey Nelson has arrived at his parents' "cottage" in Newport to prepare for the arrival of his family and his summer guests. He is appalled to discover that the staff from the previous summer was so disgruntled with their treatment that instead of closing up the house, they had left open all the windows and had purposely left food in some rooms for maximum damage. He discovered that a lone woman, Maeve Brown was attempting to bring it all under control. An she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He misrepresented himself as the new butler so he could stay at her side and help to clean. Of course, that ruse was discovered in short order when the new butler arrived and introduced himself. Things get more complicated from there.

Force writes a lovely romance novel. Her plots are different that most of these type books and kind of throw punches at "society," and its ridiculous mores. Her loves scenes are just detailed enough to make them titillating but full of love at the same time. Her characters are warm and loving, by and large. Her villains are well drawn and the reader can feel the evil. Many of the peripheral characters are just that: flat but necessary to the story. Force compiles an entertaining novel, just right for an afternoon poolside. I recommend it.

I received a free ARC of Deceived by Desire. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #deceivedbydesire

I loved this book! Complete review posted on Amazon.com. (on the road with only phone, sorry, can't t paste review, but wanted to make sure review done on release date)

Another wonderful story by Marie Force. I always look forward to reading her books, and although today I read mostly contemporary romances, I started reading romance when historical romance was about all there was. It was so interesting to read this historical romance and the fact it actually took place in the early 20th century made it even more fun. I had read the previous book, but if you have not, don’t be afraid you won’t know what is going on. One of my favorite reasons for reading Ms. Force’s books is that she develops each and every story to standalone. This particular book was no exception. Maeve and Derek were a wonderful couple and I rooted for them the entire book. I loved reading the history of this time as expertly weaved into the story. I hope there will be another!

I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic tale. As this is the second Marie Force book I have read, it seems that her characters have the typical ‘quick connection’ of most romances, but in Deceived by Desire, it happened too quickly for it to seem real. That does not take away from the love between Maeve and Aubrey at all! In a way it felt as though Aubrey was more in lust than in love in the beginning. The reason for their marriage, to protect Maeve, was a good enough reason as any, but it would have been nice to have had a bit more flirting and ‘moments’ from which to build their relationship. Aubrey seemed to fall in love with the curve of Maeve’s neck, her neck comes up several times. Aubrey did find Maeve’s independence and courage as two of the most attractive things about her. She, as the Irish housekeeper, found him to be kind, thoughtful and exceedingly handsome. Maeve was reluctant about the marriage, but these two grew to love after their vows.

Maeve struggles with going from housekeeper to wealthy wife. She is well-liked by those with whom she worked as the housekeeper. The servants keep their respect for her once she becomes the wife of the house. She is protected from some of the harsher elements of society by Aubrey’s friends and their wives, but it is not exactly society from whom she needs protection.

All in all, this is a great romance. Ms. Force did well portraying the societal mood of the period towards the Irish. I loved that characters from Duchess by Deception are included. Deceived is more than just a bit sensual, it is steamy!

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Whew. Very hot, but still very sweet. The setting (Newport, early 20th Century) was refreshing after a spate of Regency and Highland romances. Absolute delight

Maeve is a young Irish woman trying to make her way. Her life is full of secrets. Aubrey has come open the family home for a house party. Aubrey. Is completely enchanted by Maeve.
Maeve just wants to keep her head down get paid and stay to herself. Aubrey had other plans.
A delightful story great characters.

Another hit by Marie Force! I didn’t like historical romances until I read her books. I really loved the story of Aubrey and Maeve. The characters are great and the book is steamy. I’m really looking forward to reading another book- maybe about Justin and who captures his heart?!

Things started well in the book with Aubrey, the owner of the mansion meeting Maeve, the housekeeper. I felt giddy hoping it to be the start of a spicy romance. And then everything started going downhill from there.

There were few instances where Aubrey and Maeve started to build a sort of friendship but the author jumped too quickly to the marriage of the two. The coffee, here, was brewed in a haste and the fun was over before I could enjoy any moments of tingles and flutters between the two. I would have loved if the author had explored their relationship as it could have given some depth to their bond. Aubrey was a sweet and caring husband, sometimes painfully so. He rather crossed the territory of charming and went right into the land of cheesy-ville. Gooey romance had me skimming through so many parts of the book.

None of the characters in the book here were exceptionally likable. The story could have played out well if the author had invested a little time in constructing some gripping situations. There wasn't much to the book and I didn't feel like I was reading anything new or refreshing. I forgot about the book, the characters and the story the moment I was done reading it.

What could have been an engrossing book led by a promising plot fell flat by too sweet leads, sappy dialogues, unbaked drama and a quick happy ending.

When wealthy American Aubrey Nelson arrives at his family's lavish Rhode Island summer home just three weeks before his illustrious guests, and friends, the Duke and Duchess of Westbrook, he's shocked to find the house in complete disarray. When he finds only the rather alluring new housekeeper in residence, he is instantly attracted and vows to spend as much time with her as possible. There's an enormous amount of work to be done and he's happy to spend more time with Maeve Brown, and Aubrey continues to become even more enthralled. When danger from her past catches up to her, Aubrey realizes he has developed deeper feelings than he should and steps up to help her. But with his mother angry and vengeful Maeve's troubles may not end so simply.

This book was well-written and I couldn't put it down, and yet it was rather disappointing for me. There was such good build up and blatant foreshadowing for a dramatic climax that would up falling flat and anticlimactic for me. There was so much build up and potential here and it just didn't deliver. Don't get me wrong, the overall happily ever after itself was satisfying, but the path there was just too tedious and then too abrupt. Some sections felt repetitive to me, and while I adore romance (obviously), and Aubrey was endearingly sweet, his professions of adoration and devotion were a bit much, a bit fast, and a bit frequent to be quite believable. Plus if I had to read any more references to "the Irish housekeeper" I was ready to just scream.

All that said, I still think this series has potential and will keep trying this author as she moves into historical romance.

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

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Aubrey Nelson is a wealthy man - new money, as it were - and has very good friends that include the Duke and Duchess of Westbrook. Aubrey has invited them, as well as other dear friends to summer at his mother's estate.

As Aubrey's father is ill, he arrives ahead of his parents. This turns out to be a very good thing. His mother is a tyrant to the fullest extent and had upset her household staff when she was last there that they left the house to ruin. When Aubrey steps into the home, he only sees one person, the housekeeper. He is inexplicably drawn to her. She is a young Irish woman named Maeve Brown.

Before she realizes that Aubrey is related to the owner, they quickly share confidences about the state of the house. They develop an immediate bond. However, it is shattered almost immediately once she discovers who he is. Aubrey wants to forget rules and convention and is determined to pursue Maeve. Of course, she wants nothing more to do with him.

However, Aubrey learns that Maeve is in danger, and offers her his protection - by marriage. He can protect her with his name and his wealth. Maeve is more than reluctant to accept his offer, but she cannot deny that he is indeed everything her heart desires.

This was quite an enjoyable book. It had more than enough to offer. The romance felt real, the dynamic between Aubrey and his mother, and also the rules of society was handled well, and the mystery surrounding the reason for Maeve being in danger was a good part of the story.

Although Deceived by Desire is the second book in a series, it will do quite well as a standalone. Quite naturally, readers who read the first book, Duchess by Deception, will be familiar with some of the characters.

Many thanks to Zebra and to Inkslinger PR for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ok- guilty pleasure! Set in early 1900s Newport, it's the story of a rich man- Aubrey- and a poor woman- Maeve who fall in love and....Aubrey is expecting to find his mansion in Newport ready to host a party but when he arrives, nothing has been done and there's only Maeve, an Irish immigrant, there working to set things right. He pretends to be the butler and the two of them work together. She's got a secret though- she's suspected of killing her husband back in Ireland. When he fesses up- and decides to marry her- well that's when the class issues come up. His mother is not happy, to say the least. You know, though, don't you, that there will be an HEA? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Light, fun, and a good read.

As one who began reading romance in my teens, I read only regency stories. That changed and I have now found myself back to reading some - Marie Force’s Gilded series to be exact. I have always enjoyed Marie’s writing style and she now has this series (set in the early 1900’s) it one not to be missed.
The early 1900’s was an exciting time. The beginning of the Industrial Age evolving into changes for men and women. This book envelopes those changes. It is the story of Irish girl Maeve Brown and her employer Aubrey Nelson. As the housekeeper for his Newport home, Aubrey falls head over heels in love with Maeve. When danger follows Maeve from Ireland to Newport, Aburey does everything he can to keep her safe. Yet just how safe is she even in his home.
Very enjoyable book with mystery, surprises, and a good old fashioned love story awaits you!

This is a touching story of love and redemption. Aubrey stumbles on the fetching Irish housekeeper, Maeve, frantically cleaning his family’s summer home after the prior year’s staff kept the windows open to vermin as a vengeful act against Aubrey’s wretched mother. There was an instant attraction that set Aubrey off in a delightful pursuit of the housekeeper that was both unequal to his social status and from a culture not yet accepted much in the U.S. Maeve is less endeared, knowing she holds secrets in her past that cause her trust issues with men, but Aubrey continues his pursuit. This is a refreshing tale of acceptance and love that beats all. A wonderful read as usual by Marie Force!

Deceived by Desire is the second book in the Gilded Series by Marie Force. I’ve never been into the historical romance genre, but when Marie comes out with a new book, you have to read it! I read the first book and yet again, have been sucked into the world that Marie creates, making you want more!

In this story, we are introduced to Maeve, the housekeeper, who captures the interest of Aubrey Nelson, who we met briefly in the first book of the series. We’re located in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island, where the mansions are huge, and the personalities we meet are even bigger! I appreciate how historically accurate Marie is in her stories, and it’s obvious she does her research, with the little details she is able to capture. What’s even cooler is you can actually visit these homes that are mentioned in the book, or at the very least, look them up online to get a good idea of how life was lived back in those days. Overall, this was another story that captivates your interest and keeps you wanting more from the series. The Irish housekeeper, the wicked mother of Aubrey, and all our favorites from the first book in the series make an appearance that you don’t want to miss!

Entertaining story. The reigning structure of society forbids a match between the wealthy young Aubrey and the beautiful but poor housekeeper Maeve, who has caught his attention. I felt his desire, very well written. She has much pain in her background and is afraid to encourage him though she finds him admirable. Seems like a simple premise but it's actually quite interesting. I enjoyed it.

This one kept me up all night. Love this book!!
Set during the 20th century where many men had the opportunity to become wealthy and influential, Aubrey Nelson travels to Newport, RI to open his family's home after inviting his friends from England to visit. The first person he meets is the new housekeeper, Mauve Brown. For Aubrey it's love a first sight. Be still my heart. He is one sweet hero. He wants to marry Mauve, but there are obstacles to overcome, especially his mother. Once again I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It's a keeper.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

The cover didn’t capture my attention, but I was won over by the description! Think of it as Downtown Abbey with heat!

I have read many books by Marie Force and she never seems to disappoint. I took a chance on requesting a historical romance because I’m usually a contemporary romance kind of gal, but I am so glad that I read this book! I highly recommend you reading Aubrey and Maeve’s story.
It was so exciting to see how Aubrey protected his wife and how him and his friends were such forward thinkers that didn’t let “old” social etiquette dictate their happiness.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It was ok, but I was expecting something "more" from Marie Force, but I am a spoiled reader I have to admit, maybe the next one is better....

Non era male, ma certo non indimenticabile e da brava lettrice viziata, mi aspettavo un po' di piú da Marie Force, comunque e magari, il prossimo sará migliore...

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!