Having read the first book in this series, I naturally wanted to continue with book two to discover what more adventures the Red Rogues could get into.

Cecilia Teague was an orphan until a secret benefactor from her mother’s scandalous past dropped into her life, releasing her from the cruelty of her psycho vicar father who made her life a living hell. From there Cecilia was sent to a prestigious school, then university where she and her best two friends Alexandra and Francesca all with red hair created a bond so great that they were known as the Red Rogues.

Now Cecilia has inherited a gambling establishment and an infamous Lord Chief Justice who wants nothing more than to close her down and put her away in jail for all the atrocities he assumes she and her establishment have created in HIS city. The raid came in after she had just assumed a seat at her benefactor's desk and both she and the Chief Justice traded jabs and insults to one another.

The honorable Lord Chief Justice of the High Court was Cassius Gerard Ramsey and his mission was to investigate the goings-on at London’s most notorious gaming hell, owned and operated by one of the most intriguing and desirable women he’s ever met. Only to find out later that Cecilia and his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Redmayne were bosom buddies.

This was a romantic adventure like nobodies business. The Lord Chief didn’t suffer fools gladly and once he discovered that Cecilia, the young woman he’d noticed at a ball was actually the disguised owner of the gambling establishment he felt like he had been made a fool of. But as both the romance and the mystery progressed a lot of secrets came out that were pivotal to what makes a splendid romantic and exciting mystery read.
Kerrigan Byrne has created a wonderful series and I am anxiously awaiting the third and final book to this series!

Marilyn Rondeau

Love Those Scots!!
Cecelia has had a horrible childhood until she was rescued. She’s sweet and super intelligent. She is all that is good despite what she went through.

“A tactical war against chocolate and wine?” That half smile again, the one that put the Mona Lisa to shame. Both shy and impish without a hint of coyness or guile.

Cassius is surly, grouchy and stubborn. He just needs some love Cecelia style.


“How scandalous of me. How will you ever abide?” She swiped the proffered wine from him and inhaled deeply at the vintage.

There is nothing I like better than a sexy Scottish Historical and Kerrigan Byrne writes some of the best. Lots of angst and a crazy twist.


“Will ye just be mine, Cecelia? Will ye share yer life with me, in any capacity ye deem fit? Will ye love me? Can ye love me, after all that’s happened?”

Tantalizing and full of adventure determination. Cecelia is a delightful character, with her love of maths and sheer determination. Ramsey is surly and stubborn and hardheaded. Together they are combustible and unstoppable! A really fun read!

I could not get into this book. While I agree that no child should be treated that way, after hearing the lady who rescued her speak I was not interested in the rest of her life. I actually felt sorry for the gentlemen that were interested in her.

I was really looking forward to this next book in the Devil You Know series. I absolutely loved the first book, but then wasn't as impressed by some of Byrne's backlist books I went and read in the meantime. Cassius and Cecelia had a really fiery back and forth and you could quickly feel their connection. I was excited to see a female lead that was described as plus size, however I didn't feel it was executed as well as it could be. There were some kind of cringey comments used to describe Cecelia's body, and in the end it didn't feel as body-positive as I'd have liked. Additionally, the cover doesn't match the body description of Cecelia, which was disappointing (though not the fault of the author).

There were some really enjoyable parts to this story but overall it left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I think many historical romance fans, and fans of Byrne's other books will enjoy this one, even though it missed me mark a bit for me.

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Kerrigan Byrne. I love how her books and characters are not afraid to touch on darker subjects. Her characters are multi dimensional and seem like real people who you would meet on the streets. I normally devour her books in a day.
That being said, I had a hard time getting into this book. I don't know if I wasn't in the right mood or if it was just lackluster. I liked Cecilia and Ramsey in the previous book, but for some reason I didn't like them in their own book. I felt like there was just too much going on plot wise. I wish there was more time spent with the girls since I absolutely love their dynamic. Even though I struggled to get through this one, I'm still looking forward to the next book in the series.

#netgalley

I recived a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. While this is the 2nd in the series this can be read as a stand alone although I highly recommend reading book 1 for no other reason then it is just as amazing as this one.
Cecelia is not like most women but fits perfectly with the other Red Rogues. Women who forged the closest of bonds through hardship in school. Cecelia was born a bastard and does not know who her father is but when she is left a gambling hell, a school, a ward, and a bevy of women who need her help she steps up. She has never felt like she belonged being plump (love having a larger woman get her man who can't get enough of her curves) and intelligent woman (university educated mathematician).
Ramsay's brother maybe a duke but he has carved out a solitary life for himself as a justice sworn to protect the innocent. He is captivated by Cecelia when he sees her from afar at a wedding.
I really enjoyed the this book. The romance between two broken and lonely people who find acceptance within one another. A precocious little girl and a kind hearted father figure round out a perfect small family. I quest for justice and a little detective work. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

After suffering the first 13 years of her life with a strong and ruthless father who punishes her every moment he can, our heroine is rescued by an American lady who says she knows her mother and will look after her .

Years later she inherits a gaming hell from her aunt and mother twin, but there is an underlying problem with the business, not least disappearing children , whores and a storming great Scot who’s the Justice and determined to close the premises and imprison her.

Wonderful characters with excellent personalities and chemistry.
Loved every page but I felt it was dragging in places , not enough to ruin the book as it soon picked up again .

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

I really wanted to like this book, but several issues prevented me from giving it 5 stars.
First, the title was too cutesy for what turned out to be a dark story.
Second, the author employs way too many phrases as sentences in an attempt to convey some deep emotion. Whereas many badly written stories contain run-on sentences that leave you gasping for breath, this one uses periods where there should be commas or semi-colons. Enough. Already.
Third, the sex scenes were pretty graphic, which didn't really add to the story.

The plot drew me in, though. Cecelia Teague, a frumpy (in her mind) spinster, inherits a gaming parlor from a long lost aunt. Before she can even begin to run the place, it is leveled by an explosion. Enter the hero, a big, brawny Scotsman (as we are reminded several times throughout the book) to investigate. He is apparently beyond reproach, and disapproves of the vice den in general. That doesn't stop him from being attracted to Cecelia and going out of his way to help and protect her.

The peripheral characters in the book have back-stories that figure into the plot and make it rather difficult to follow if you never read the first book of the series. If you don't mind all of the above issues AND have read Book One, then you probably will enjoy this latest Victorian romance/mystery from Kerrigan Byrne.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book totally surprised me because it was frequently hilarious. I'm not used to that in historical romance but can honestly say the characters thoughts particularly Ramsey had me smiling for much of this book. Yes he's a bit insufferable at times and I'm sure not all would warm to him but the quandary he finds himself in with Cecilia certainly made me chuckle.
Cecilia is a breath of fresh air and so ready to love any and all. Being mistaken for a Madam when in reality she's an innocent, deeply sensitive woman with self confidence issues meant I found it easy to like her. Fear not though because she is confident of her own worth and not some down trodden product of her time .
This was for me a fun read and I loved the beginning although as it progressed it became more about the couple and their complicated relationship. There is a mystery to solve with young girls going missing and attacks on Cecilia but I found the ending to be a surprise and there's a lovely sweetness too which was a wonderful way to end this story. Plus Ramsey finally got the dressing down he deserved but my lips are sealed.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All Scot and Bothered is the second installment in the Devil You Know series. It features Cecelia Teague, a member of the Red Rouges trio, who has now inherited an infamous gambling establishment along with a book of secrets that must be decoded. Cassius Gerard Ramsay is the Lord Chief Justice of the High Court, a position he holds with piousness and sanctimony. On the face of it this is a novel of opposites attracts but what the author does well is give us two characters both grappling with the wounds of childhood and longing to be loved. There is such yearning between these two and you can feel it through the pages. The yearning is not just for each other but for the life they want but think they are not allowed to have. The code breaking subplot intertwines with the love story in a way that is easy to follow. I appreciate that although the book is part of a series, you are not constantly inundated with references to the prior book, making it easier to read as a stand-alone ( I read the first book). Overall this was an engaging and enjoyable read. I am already looking forward to book #3 in the series. I would recommend if you are a reader of historical romance suspense.

I didn’t realize this was a book with law enforcement or espionage in it. I don’t enjoy those kinds of books. I’m sorry but I’m not going to read this.

So good! It started off a bit slow but then pulled you in and didn’t let go until the very end. Must read in series order.

Although this book is getting over 4 star reviews it wasn't for me. Cecelia is bright, college educated and just inherited a gaming hell from an aunt she never met. Ramsay is Lord Chief Justice of the High Court and nearing forty. He is sure that the gaming hell is responsible human trafficking, missing children and is dead set on investigating himself.

I had issues with Ramsay being in lust and yet relentlessly not believing anything Cecelia tells him. Even when his brother vouches for her Ramsay can't believe that she didn't know all the details of a business that she had barely inherited. After a bombing instead of taking her to his brother the Duke for protection, he drags her and an aged servant with broken ribs on a train and cart ride to Scotland. He still doesn't trust her. How is he supposed to investigate from there? Because of the age difference and lack of any development of feelings (to me) I found their first coming together coarse. The story has too many plot holes, with leaps in judgement and then tries to end quickly with a HEA.

If I had gotten the book from a library I would have returned it without finishing. But getting a copy from NetGalley I felt I needed to finish the novel and give a review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

For a full disclosure, I want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan for sending me an ARC of "All Scot and Bothered" to read and provide feedback on.

That being said, this book is probably best being read as part of the "Devil You Know" series versus a standalone, as it does disclose just enough of Byrne's previous book "How to Love a Duke in Ten Days" to spoil some of its larger plot points. So if you are a reader that gets upset by that, pause, read book 1, love it, and come back and then enjoy the adventures of Cecelia Teague and our deliciously grumpy Scot, Cassius Ramsay.

"All Scot and Bothered" lives up to its title, with a very hot and bothered Scotsman, putting up his best fight against the instant lust that Cecelia has very inconveniently sparked in him. Add in a little mystery, murder and intrigue, and this romance will keep you on your toes until the very end.

All in all, it is a solid 4 star read, that will leave you counting down to the release of "The Devil in Her Bed" in the spring of 2021.

I just recently discovered this author and I really enjoy that she writes in the Victorian Era. I read the first book in this series, and overall liked it, but after reading this one, I can say that it was much better. The heroine is fantastic! How great to be able to make choices about one's life and not be constrained by society's idea of women at the time! I highly recommend if. you like strong female characters.

4.25/5⭐️

My first historical romance from this author, and I really enjoyed it!

Cecelia and Ramsay both suffered childhood abuse, but while Cecelia took that darkness and turned it into light and strength, Ramsay became a hard, distrustful man until he met her.

I really liked watching the progression of trust and feeling as it developed between the two. I enjoyed Byrne’s writing style, and her characters really came alive for me. Will definitely read more from her.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

Cecelia Teague has several titles including one of three friends known as the Red Rogues, a woman who moves in high society, and now the owner and operator of one of London’s seedier institutions known as a gambling hell where the rich and royal come to play. The man who is determined to shut her down, Lord Cassius Gerard Ramsey, is the half brother of a Red Rogue friend’s husband, who is also a Lord of high standing, Duke Redmayne. Cecilia had a very rough early upbringing until a mysterious benefactor whisked her away to a boarding school which allowed Cecilia to eventually go into higher education. This is something quite unusual for Regency London to have a highly educated woman such as Cecelia. She inherits the gambling house which also doubles as a school for less fortunate woman some of whom ply not quite respectable trades.

Lord Ramsey also came from a grim early background until his mother, who had previously abandoned Cassius, brought him to live with her second husband, Duke Redmayne’s father. He gives the moniker stubborn Scotsman a whole new meaning in his determination to resist any and all feelings for Cecelia and believe the worst of her. Lord Ramsey does not initially realize that the woman he is attracted to has also become hated enemy as she is in disguise at their meeting in her establishment after he knocks down the front door. There is quite a bit of danger afoot including the fact that the unknown benefactor, recently revealed and who left her the establishment, met an untimely end. Someone seems to be intent on doing Cecelia harm as well. Eventually they work together but Cecelia and Cassius’s relationship remains a rocky road.

I had a hard time warming up to Cassius as he is an insufferable prig and very aggressively unpleasant to Cecelia. She already had a lot of self esteem issues because of her early background, being considered overweight for her time, and not having title or high position in the peerage on her own. As Lord Chief Justice of the High Court Cassius wields enormous power so his threats and overbearing demeanor towards Cecelia carry a lot of weight. He is certainly less than charming much of the time. This is the second book in the Devil You Know series and while it can be read as a standalone, Cecelia’s background and that of her two friends are introduced in the first book, HOW TO LOVE A DUKE IN TEN DAYS.

Now posted on my Goodreads account.
3.5/5
When I saw this was in the Read now section on NetGalley, I clicked on it in half a second, I adore historical romance books but I especially love their sequels.

This one was overall an easy read but it wasn't always an enjoyable one.
When you write a hero that doesn't trust women, you have to thread carefully because you risk making him sound like a plain misogynist which is what happened with this book unfortunately.
The hero had mommy issues if that is even a thing, basically he grew up with a careless mother who wasn't fit for that role and that's how he grew to resent her and in the end, all women. Now I could understand him being mad with his parent but I could absolutely not understand why he'd spend the entire book calling her a "whore" and shaming other women for being... women and using their bodies the way they saw fit. That's a very certain way to make the hero unlikable and it's a pity because he started to redeem himself towards the end of the book but his behavior before that was just unacceptable so I couldn't overlook it.

The general plot was what I liked the most about this novel, it was interesting and the book could be read fast because of that, moreover there was more than one plot twist I did not see coming and that's definitely a point in its favor. The romance had great potential as the hero and heroine started out as enemies but it felt like they skipped some of the stages in their relationship: they went from hating each other to loving with no in between.

I'm definitely gonna read the next book but I really hope the hero in it is nicer than this one.

An interesting story, some adventure, some sexy scenes, angsty characters. I just wish it was more, more character development, more plot development, more romance, more steamy scenes. A more fleshed out resolution to all the conflict in the book. The ending didn’t feel like the ending or this story, do they rebuild? Do they move everyone into their home? Are the bad guys all serving jail time? What’s Cassius’s position in life now? So many questions unanswered.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, this review is given voluntarily.