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.

"The only man who even growled in a Scottish accent"....that describes Ramsay perfectly! When I first started reading this story, I wasn't too sure about it because it was a bit confusing but once I really got into it, I couldn't stop reading!!  

Ramsay is the type of hero you can rely on and even though he can be cold and brutal, he really does have a heart. When you read about his childhood, be ready to have tissues nearby....the same with Cecelia's childhood. These are two lost souls who don't realize they're lost and it isn't until they come together that they realize they complete each other. So much stands in their way, though....danger, murders, child trafficking, etc. Lots of twists and turns that will keep you on your toes as well!

The only thing I really didn't like was the fact that it was mentioned over and over again, in fact throughout the story, how fat, thick, chubby, Cecelia is. There really was no reason to keep reminding the reader of it, I found all it did was put her down. 

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

All Scot and Bothered is the second book in the Devil You Know Series and it follows the story of Cecilia and Ramsay. Ramsay is known for his ruthless cunning. He can turn on the charm at a moment's notice and likes to be number one in all things. As the Chief Justice of the High Court, he never expected that his next mission would turn his world upside down....Cecilia's life has been anything but easy. Her future looked dire until a secret benefactor came into the picture. Suddenly Cecilia finds herself in a life she never expected. She's is forced to live two lives: one as a proper, respectable lady, and the other as the owner of a gaming establishment. She's intrigued by Lord Ramsay but doesn't know how long she keeps up with her two lives. Only time will tell what will happen when truths and secrets are revealed...

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. I will be the first to admit that it did take me some time to get into the plot, but once I did, I was hooked. The plot of this story is complex and has a lot of moving pieces. I really enjoyed Cecilia and Ramsay together. They were total opposites and rocked the perfect enemies to lovers' vibe. They kept me intrigued and coming back for more. I wasn't sure if I was going to love Ramsay, but what can I say, I have a thing for the "anti" hero of the story. 

All Scot and Bothered thrilled me and intrigued me. This story was everything I was looking for and had just the right amount of danger and romance with some delicious angst and twists that I didn't see coming. The only complaint I have about this story is that I found the ending somewhat lacking. It felt a bit abrupt and wishing that we were given just a little more. 

When it's all said and done, All Scot and Bothered was a terrific read to spend my evening getting swept up in. I easily finished this book in a single sitting and I look forward to seeing what adventure lies ahead for us readers in the next book!

**4.5 Stars**

With a contemptuous romance rooted in the sheer separation of position in society, All Scot & Bothered was as satisfying as it was enjoyable. The breadth of tension and connection that Byrne created between the two main characters was positively delicious and it was all too easy to become enamored by them. This was historical enemies to lovers done well.

The characters were individually well written and explored, creating threads that would eventually connect them. Having loved Cecelia in the first book, exploring her background was painful yet necessary to understanding her in the present. She was this deep-feeling being who found love and acceptance through her made family, and I adored her spark and openness. She contrasted so, so perfectly with the prim, justice-seeking High Court Justice Ramsay—a man built on refusing all of his baser needs. A man so primal and visceral in his wants long ignored that he comes alive upon his attraction to the voluptuous woman he can’t possibly have. Seeing him unravel and her become affected over the course of their tension-filled back-and-forth was positively addictive and I loved every moment of it.

This series has done so well at building strong female characters who’ve rebuilt themselves from trauma and creating this fantastic sisterhood of support and love, and Byrne added even more depth to the our Red Rogues. A great love story, but moreover a great story of character growth and learning to love yourself.

I love Kerrigan Byrne--her heroines are feisty, her heroes are troubled, her sex is steamy, and her plots are thrilling. Cecelia is a mathematician who inherits a gambling hell and a mystery that reaches to the top of British government and society. Ramsay is the Chief Lord Justice who sees everything in black and white. They are two lonely souls who find each other and make a family (and crazy monkey love--one of the best fellatio scenes I've ever read). 

There's so much to love in this book. Cecelia is plump and that's all (thank goodness--I'm all for fat positive heroines, but I get tired of that being their defining characteristic.) She's smart and caring. Byrne's purple prose is delicious. This book sets up Francesca's story and gives us just a bit of Alexandra from book one. Jean-Yves is back. 

Though the book was already pretty long (all that purple prose), I did wish we'd seen more of Cecelia at work and with Francesca and Alexandra. The story moved out of London and I missed the women's friendship. Though it's a standalone, it's best to read the first book in the series (and if it's been awhile, to re-read before diving into this one).

The hero is the Lord Chief Justice of the High Court.   

The heroine is a brilliant mathematician who also happens to own a gaming hell where some of the women employees are have sex on the side for money.

His name is Cassius Gerard Ramsey.      Her name is Cecelia Teague, or Henrietta Thistledown or the Scarlet Lady.

Both of these people have ambivalent feelings about one another.        

He lusts after Cecilia as well as Henrietta.      But, he also considers Henrietta to be a criminal who must be stopped.   He believes she is involved in kidnapping children and putting them into sex trafficking.

She finds Ramsey interesting and powerful.     But, she also fears him and believes that he will stop at nothing to find her guilty, prosecute her and possibly have her hung.   

For me the book had a great deal of contradictions.       

Cecilia came from a childhood that was horrendous.       She had been emotionally and physically abused.      But, because of an unknown benefactor, she received a good education.       She has two very good friends who support her in all she does.      She is a combination of naivety and shrewd thought processes.

Ramsey came from an abusive background which created a man who believes in right and wrong in black and white.        But his inner thoughts are filled with lust and desire for Cecilia.

The book has strong secondary characters who add a great deal to the story.    

Cecilia and Ramsey are both characters who are interesting on one level.        At times, I felt that both of them slowed the action by having a great deal of inner angst.    They are each intelligent and capable of behaving like the lead characters they are.        I would have liked Cecilia to be a little more consistent in her feelings.      Ramsey when he is in his full of lust mode, is very funny. 

This is well written.   Ms Byrne is a talented author who has a real talent for description.
She creates characters who are fully developed and complete humans.     I like that a great deal.

For me, this book was too dark in spots.     Yes, I am well aware the world is not all fun and games.    But,  I read historical fiction for light entertainment.      A portion of this story did not feel light.    The portion of the book which dealt with human trafficking made me feel uncomfortable.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley.      I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

This book is what you want from a historical romance.  A hero undone.  A super strong heroine.  A bit of adventure.  I loved it.  All Scot and Bothered features Cecelia and Ramsay.  Cecelia has a rough start to life until an unknown benefactor comes along and changes her life.  When this mysterious benefactor dies, Cecelia inherits a gaming hell and school for girls among other things.  Almost immediately, Ramsay shows up at her door as he is the Chief Justice and is investigating a series of kidnappings and suspect that Cecilia has something to do with it.  The two are instantly at odds..

I really enjoyed how this story played out.  I love a strong heroine and Cecilia and her friends are exactly that.  I have not read their stories but they are immediately going on my TBR.  Then the fact that Ramsay is a stubborn Scot.  Totally swoon worthy.  The bit of mystery adds much to the story and really puts into play that initial conflict between the two.  Plus, Byrne's writing is just so good.  It's almost like every word is chosen so carefully and they are the exact right ones.  I could not put this book down. It's truly fantastic and one that has put Byrne on my must-read authors list in the future.

I think I may have given Kerrigan Byrne more 5 Star ratings than the vast majority of authors but this book while engrossing was a bit less since it seemed to wander around a bit before it would move the story along. Now that that is said I loved the book, the story was wonderful but you had two people that started out being hard to like (especially our hero) so you have to work through that but the trip is worth it . Since he spend a good 1/3 of the book thinking she is a madam of a "house of ill repute" and then under some other misconceptions until late in the book it was a story that kept you on your toes and saying to yourself "Why doesn't he/she just do __" because you want these two very stubborn people to fall in love (I mean that is why we read these things) but there is a lot of adventure in this book also and some near death experiences that keep you guessing the "whodunnit" parts of the story but here again I was not dissatisfied with the ending but felt it was not up to the 5 Star ending I have come to expect from Kerrigan Byrne so 4 Stars and still a book you don't want to miss but I guess no author hits a home-run every time but this was very close :)

CW/TW: child abuse, child trafficking

*sobbing* the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one...

Okay tbh I've been down with Cassius Ramsay as a hero ever since he was described in the first book as a golden archangel compared to his brother Piers' dark, so sue me I'm shallow.

The premise was also interesting - Cecilia, one of Alexandra's best friends, and Ramsay knew each other through Alexandra and Piers obviously and there was a little zing between them, but then Cecilia found out that she inherited a gambling den from her late aunt, of whom Ramsay has been trying to pin down as a child trafficker 5ever. So now what?

I just love Cecilia with my whole heart and soul. She's so kindhearted and full of love to give. The angst between her and Ramsay (boy has baggage) is chef's kiss. There were a lot of conversations around trust and worthiness that I enjoyed but also was frustrated about because YOU BOTH DESERVE EACH OTHER, DEMMIT!!!

Anyway, I have a feeling that Francesca's book is going to be my most favourite out of three, for reasons I cannot say because major spoilers - can't wait!