Happy belated pub day to WHEN A ROGUE MEETS HIS MATCH! You may have seen through my Goodreads updates that I'm just sprinting through romance novels lately. They've been an escape from a world that too often lacks a happy ending.

That's why I was so thrilled when Forever Publishing sent me some comp copies of Elizabeth Hoyt's Greycourt series for review. I loved the first in the series, NOT THE DUKE'S DARLING - it set up a family I cared about, with light, witty writing and a convincingly steamy romance. But the second in the series - WHEN A ROGUE MEETS HIS MATCH - became one of my favorite romances this year.

ROGUE focuses on Messalina Greycourt, whose spunk and charm we learn a little bit about in the first series. Her cruel and domineering uncle demands she marries one of his "lackeys" - Gideon Hawthorne. Dark, handsome, and ambitious, he's worked for her uncle for years and held a flame for Messalina. Although Gideon is ready to leave his service to go out on his own, when Messalina's uncle offers him the chance to marry her, he leaps at it - even though it means doing one last mystery task.

Initially I was taken aback by the forced marriage plot - but as Gideon uses it as an opportunity to woo Messalina, gives her freedom to be herself for the first time, and honors her choices, I was very pleasantly surprised. Gideon is one of the most romantic, compelling rogues I've read about in romance - his upbringing was realistic, well-drawn and sympathetic. The dialogue was witty, fast-paced and yet warm. I loved how fierce and loyal Gideon was, and how Messalina met him as an equal, not a coerced woman. They grew together and by the end, I was rooting for them to live happily ever after.

I can't wait to read the next Greycourt book (which revolves around Caro!) and Gideon will be living in my head rent-free for a while. 😉 I'm now a big fan of Elizabeth Hoyt - and would recommend this series for fans of Mary Balogh, Tessa Dare and Amanda Quinn.

After a lengthy--for the romance genre--break following the first in the Greycourt series, Elizabeth Hoyt returns with When a Rogue Meets His Match. I'm not sure why this series is received less favorably than the Maiden Lane series, but to me the hallmarks of her historical romances are still there.  Her writing still pulls the emotions out of me and her plots are complex and action-packed.

If you're familiar with Hoyt's books, you know she starts every chapter with a piece of a story, usually a fairytale. When a Rogue Meets His Match doesn't hide the Beauty and the Beast theme at all.  In this case the opening story if that of a fox (the beast) and Bette (beauty). Like in BatB, Gideon is a grumpy, menacing figure who forces Messalina into marriage. Rather, her uncle does that, but Gideon has loved her for all the years he's worked for the horrid uncle and therefore takes the deal offered to him. Do this one job for the uncle and he can marry Messalina. Gideon is low born and has done the duke's dirty work for years, so being married to a duke's niece is a Big Deal. Plus the heart feelings, which he's slow to acknowledge. Messalina is angry and plans to fulfill a bargain with Gideon, get part of her dowry and run away with her younger sister (whom the duke is using as a way to force Messalina to marry).

Obviously, they fall for each other even if Messalina is unhappy with her developing feelings. The conflict of the book hinges upon two things: the forced marriage and the job Gideon has to complete before he can get Messalina's dowry and they can both get away from the duke. Turns out, the duke wants Gideon to do something Messalina would never forgive him for.

This was my biggest problem with the plot, though I'll try not to spoil it. Gideon could have told her at any point and they could have worked together to foil the duke's plans. He decides by the midpoint of the story that he's not going to do The Bad Thing, but it's not until the very end that he works with someone else to get out of it. Messalina forgives a lot, even if she stands her ground and makes the best out of many situations. Still, this is a BatB retelling and therefore she's strong and resourceful but still subject to the whims of men.

As usual with historical romance, there are some problematic bits (see CWs) and I don't recall any characters who aren't white. A large part of Messalina's character arc is her moral awakening as she comes to know all the formerly impoverished people Gideon employs. She eventually decides she wants to start a school for boys to help give them hope for a future. (Girls can go live in an alley I guess?) However, the book is set in 1760 and there's no mention of slavery despite the focus on poverty and inadequate wages. Gideon repeatedly points out that the clothing and items Messalina says are necessary for his entrance into society could feed a family for years, but there's no discussion of the humans who are not only impoverished but stripped of any freedom at all. Gideon was able to claw his way out of poverty, but that opportunity existed for him because he was a free, white, abled man. That said, historical romance usually glosses over all of this and I assume the reason the omission was so glaring here is because of the focus on class oppression.

That said, I enjoyed When a Rogue Meets His Match. Despite being able to point to several problems, I like Hoyt's writing and will continue to read her books. I'm a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast story and tend to hand-wave a lot of things for my "problematic faves," so there's that.

If you like Hoyt's books, I suggest picking this up.

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I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher for review but read an audio copy from my library instead.
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Content notes: Three men will probably get books of their own and I'm not sure how their stories will be handled. One lost his hand in an accident years before and appears to have self-loathing and dysphoria either because of the loss or because of the death of the woman he was with at the time. He's closed himself off to everyone and everything since. Another is a self-destructive alcoholic. The third is described as having a ruinous secret that's tied to the open wounds on his back. This suggests that he's engaging in BDSM play, but it doesn't seem to be fun for him, instead tied to past trauma and abuse.


Blackmail, forced marriage, assault, near-death, mentions of past death including hanging of a child, grief, gender essentialism, discussion of poverty including starvation

Wow, I really enjoyed this book by Elizabeth Hoyt. The characters and storyline told an intense story of Gideon Hawthorne who had to fight to get where he was in life. He made a deal with a Duke to do something he did not know what he was agreeing to do. On one condition, he would do what the Duke wanted. That was to marry the Duke's niece Messalina.

As I was reading, When a Rogue Meets His Match,by Elizabeth Hoyt. I could not put the book down. From the beginning of the book to the end of the book it had my attention. The story of Gideon Hawthorne and Messalina Greycourt was an excellent Story of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

I received a ARC from Netgalley to give a honest review. I recommend this book.

Gideon has worked as a fixer for the Duke of Windemere for the last 10 years. He wants to leave his employment, but the duke asks him to do one more thing. In exchange, Gideon will get one of thee things he wants most in the word....the duke's niece as a bride. Now he just needs to convince to to marry him.

Messalina dreads the meeting with her uncle as she knows it can't mean anything good for her. She soon learns that she is to marry Gideon, a man that she can not abide. He makes a deal with her, in exchange for her acting like she is happy with the marriage, he will not consummate the marriage until she asks for his touch. She reluctantly agrees to the marriage.

While Gideon struggles with the last task he is required to do for the duke, Messalina struggles with her growing attraction for her husband. Can they turn this into a love match?

I adored Gideon and Messalina's story! He has lusted after her from afar for years, so when the chance to have her comes up, he jumps at it. I loved watching Messalina learn who Gideon really was as opposed to just being the man that did all her uncle's dirty work. This is a great addition to the Greycourt series and I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Right away, I enjoyed that the story plopped you into the action without a lot of preamble and it had so many great elements - marriage of convenience, some suspense and mystery and an examination of class differences. Instantly you could feel the tension between Gideon and Messalina and I was eagerly awaiting seeing how their relationship would develop over the course of the book.

Given that this is the second in the series, I felt a few times like I was missing some details of the backstory, particularly with Aurelia's death, but overall I was able to follow what was happening. My main detraction was that at the end it felt like there was a lot going on in a short number of pages, leaving it a bit rushed. This book started so so strong but sort of fizzled; overall it was still an enjoyable read and I would read more by this author!

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

DNF- I wanted to love this one but unfortunately I could not finish. This series is just not for me. I don't really connect with the characters, or the storyline.

Love Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series, but I just cannot get into the ancient Wise Women society- it does not captive my interest and I do not have enough read of the book to give a proper review.

When a Rogue Meets His Match (Greycourt #2). By Elizabeth Hoyt. 2020. Forever (ARC eBook).

After a decade of to the vile Duke of Windemere, Gideon Hawthorne, the duke’s fixer, is ready to quit the duke’s service. But Windemere has one last task for Gideon. He therefore asks for payment, the hand of Windemere’s niece, Messalina Greycourt.

Messalina has always held her uncle’s henchman in contempt. He’s a heartless ruffian. But when Gideon promises her part of her dowry if she sees the marriage through, she finally sees a way out of Windemere’s clutches. Away from Windemere, she begins to come to understand calloused Gideon, but will her heart be safe in his care?

Gideon and Messalina, as well as all of the secondary characters were engaging and had unique voices. I loved little Sam and Dasiy and as always I look forward to the fairy tale unfolding at the beginning of each chapter. This time, Bet and the Fox. Give Hoyt’s When a Rogue Meets His Match a read for a captivating, enemies-to-lovers romance.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Messalina Greycourt knows that she is definitely a catch, and could have a pick of husband wherever she looks, but being under the thumb of her wicked uncle, the Duke of Windemere, who will do anything he can for his own good, leads to a forced marriage to his own fixer, Gideon Hawthorne. Gideon pulled himself up from the gutter of St Giles, and has done all manner of jobs for Windemere in his time, but being offered Messalina in exchange for an unspecified job may just be too much. He's always wanted to be self sufficient and away from Windemere, and is finally in the position where he may just be able to do so, but being married to Messalina, who he's always wanted, would give him a footing in society he could never have wished for. However, Windemere's wicked plan is more heinous than anyone could have expected, and as much as Messalina and Gideon are adamant their marriage will be in name only, they may just find themselves facing it all together.

I utterly adored Not the Duke's Darling, so when review copies became available for book 2, I jumped at the chance. With Messalina being neigh on kidnapped by Gideon in the last pages of book 1, I couldn't wait to discover how their story panned out. Ever since her parents died, and her eldest sister, Aurelia, Messalina has had to protect herself from her uncle's wicked plans. Playing the doting guardian in public, Windemere has always made it clear that all of the Greycourt children are in his way, and he only cares about what they can do for him, not about what he can do for them. When he learns about Gideon's wish to leave, he dangles Messalina in front of him, in exchange for Gideon removing Julian Greycourt for his way - permanently. For Messalina, only knowing Gideon as Windemere's lapdog and fixer, she would do just about anything to avoid marrying him, but not if that means younger sister Lucretia will be forced to instead. So, she proposes an agreement with Gideon - in exchange for her dowry, she will be a true wife after a month, and no earlier. Gideon agrees, and promises not to touch her unless she asks for it, but she knows she never will, and now thinks she has a month to plan her escape. But the longer the couple spend together, trying to discover more about one another, and aid Gideon in his plans to find aristocratic backers for his mining ventures, their marriage becomes less of a sham, and more of a reality. But the looming threat of Windemere is always over head, and the arrival of the remaining Greycourt siblings means the couple need to seriously consider their relationship.

I really loved both of the main characters, and thought their development from indifference to love was perfect. Gideon has pined for Messalina from afar for quite some time, and as much as he tries to hide it in this book, it's plainly obvious that he adores her, and would do anything for her. Messalina is a harder nut to crack, but once she learns about Gideon's origins, and the way he truly cares for his staff, she's melting inside, and thinks less about leaving, and more about making Whispers a true home for them, and their children in the future. Their relationship was full of heat, and passion, and it was a joy to read about. I did feel as if the ending and climax of the plot line surrounding Windemere, Gideon and Julian, was a little rushed, but all in all, a fantastic addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to No Ordinary Duchess.

Gideon’s comes off as an uncaring rogue at first, but as the story reveals he’s anything but. His past broke my heart! He’s longed for Messilina, watching her from afar, wanting her out of the clutches of her villainous uncle. He’s a horrid man! Don’t think we’ve seen the last of him, unfortunately.
Gideon takes on a Devil’s bargain to marry her.

I do love the forced marriage troupe. Messilina and Gideon are enemies-to-lovers because of it, well on Messilina’s side, anyhow, but oh! When the lovers part begins it’s deliciously hot!

Other reasons to love this story: Lucretia’s and her sweet obsession! Cute little seven-year-old Sam. His relationship with Messillina and her puppy, a male dog named Daisy by the youngster!

I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt for quite some time, so I was thrilled when she came out with a new series. I enjoyed this installment even more than the first book, and I don’t think it’s necessary to read the books in order. When a Rogue Meets His Match works quite well as a standalone.

I’m hoping the next book centers on Elspeth, Freya’s younger sister and kind of clueless bookworm! Well, not clueless, just a little unaware of the world. I think it could be a lot of fun pairing her with someone like Julian Greycourt, he’s so jaded.

Elizabeth Hoyt has done it again! I loved this book even more than the first instalment in the series.

This was dark, passionate and full of mischief, secrets, badass women and adorable puppies. This had everything you could want in a book.

I loved the development of Messalina and Gideon’s relationship. It started off as an enemies to lovers situation and I absolutely adored the ride. Messalina’s character is one of my new favourites. She doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit, she knows what she wants and she strives for it but ultimately, family and love are her priorities. Her bond with her sister was everything! I loved that we got to see so much of Lucretia. Her love for sweets is one I can deeply relate to.

Gideon’s character was so intriguing. I really enjoyed how we slowly got to see his layers, it was almost like a flower unfurling, one petal, one secret at a time. His backstory was so tragic and really pulled at my heartstrings. Quite a few scenes with him and Messalina had me in tears.

Their fire and passion for each other was also the absolute best. It felt so realistic and I really came to love them as a couple.

I honestly have fallen in love with Hoyt’s writing! I will be eagerly awaiting the third book!! So many characters in this series that I want an entire novel about.

4/5⭐️

TW: death, attempted murder, murder, gun violence, assault, blood, sexually explicit scenes, hanging, death of a child.

I have read a few books by Elizabeth Hoyt but I think this is my least favourite. It isn't bad of anything. It is actually good. I just had a bit of a hard time getting into this story a bit.

After not loving the first book in the Greycourt series, I’m back in the Elizabeth Hoyt game!

The first chapter intrigued me and Gideon was such a wonderful and sexy mystery to unravel. He’s one of my very favorite Hoyt heros. After our heroine, Messalinda is tricked into marrying him by her evil uncle. Their love affair is very volatile and ultimately one of my favorites in quite a while. I love the dark, brooding heros who turn into the man of any woman’s dream and Gideon is exactly that.

If you’ve not read book one, you can get away with reading this as a stand-alone although it’s better if you read book one despite the fact it’s a little boring.

Definitely recommend this one!

Unbelievably this was my first Elizabeth Hoyt book and I loved it. So much mystery and action made it hard to put down as I neared the end of the book. I looking forward to the other books in this series.

Gideon Hawthorne has been the Duke of Windmere's fixer for the last ten years. He was finally ready to walk away from this dangerous work when the Duke offers him Messalina Greycourt's hand in marriage and one last task. So he takes the chance to have this woman he has always desired.

When Messalina's uncle forces her into marriage with Mr. Hawthorne leaving her shocked. But before she can run away Gideon strikes a bargain with her. Keep up appearances, play wife and he will not touch her until she asks for it. Confident she'll never need anything from him, she agrees.

Thanks so much to the author, Forever, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Hoyt. And while the first book in this series didn't wow me the way her offerings usually do, this one was a definite improvement.

It features Messalina Greycourt, niece to an unscrupulous duke, and Gideon, the duke's henchman. This is an enemies to lovers story... Messalina is forced into the marriage, under threat from her uncle. Gideon is all too happy with the arrangement though. He was determined to break away from his boss, his intention to focus on legitimate business, but when the duke offers him anything to do one last job, Messalina is a prize too big to pass up.

Of course, Messalina isn't down with the arrangement, but with her sister's future under threat, she has few choices. She agrees to be wed, with plans in her back pocket to escape with her dowry money and get her sister out of the country. She never intends to see Gideon as anything more than a heartless knife for hire. She certainly doesn't expect to fall in love with him. But that's exactly what happens.

One of my favorite tropes is the tortured hero in love with a woman above his station. And no matter how little Messalina thinks of him at the beginning, Gideon doesn't think much differently about himself. He had a terrible childhood and got himself off the streets by force of his own will. He is ruthless because he has to be. But he falls hard for his wife and all those layers of armor come crashing down as he tries to make her happy.

Oh yeah, and that last job for the duke? To kill Messalina's brother. Not good for a fledgling romance.

I adored Gideon and his poor battered heart. I liked Messalina too, except for the stupid black moment where she demands the truth from Gideon and he gives it to her... only for her to punish him for it. It made me like her less--and felt somewhat discordant to have him tell her the truth only for her disbelieve only part of what he said.

My only other quibble was with the overarching series arc about the death of Messalina's sister. Like I said, I had issues with book 1 and I really couldn't remember what had been revealed about all that. And the recap inside this book wasn't enough for me to follow solidly. I had to go back and read some reviews to remember what had happened. And still, that storyline wasn't advanced at all, so I am not sure what it was doing here. In fact a lot of stuff from book one was scaled back --and it was a better romance for it-- but I assume at least the mysterious sister death will come back in book 3.

Overall, though, this was a solid romance with good pacing, great writing, and a hero right in my lane.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

When A Rogue Meets His Match, by Elizabeth Hoyt is available at booksellers on 12-1-2020. This is book 2 in Ms Hoyt's The Greycourt series. The 2 main characters are perfect for each other despite being from totally different backgrounds. It's a reverse trope, lowborn guy loves high born girl. It works, it's difficult for them but love always finds a way. It's a forced marriage but the male leader has loved this lady from the moment he first saw her. I found book 2 to be as well written and entertaining as the first. I have high hopes for the third.

#ElizabethHoyt #WhenARogueMeetsHisMatch #TheGraycourtseries #Netgalley #Forever #Romance #historicalromance

This was a challenging forced marriage - beauty & the beast story. I found myself intrigued with how Ms. Hoyt was going to bring this to a happily ever after. Being the master storyteller she is, she did it wonderfully. The hero of this story came from the gutters of London to do the dirty work of an evil Duke and is rewarded with the Duke's orphaned niece. How can a man prove to his wife he loves her above all and how can she believe that of a man with no heart who appears to be using her to attain only wealth and status.

Gideon Hawthorne is The Duke of Windemere's Enforcer. Augustus has very dirty fingers and he rescued Gideon from the slums of St. Giles so he could keep his hands clean. Gideon has worked his whole life to rise above his beginnings and have money & success in life. He's finally in a position with his side investments to be able to leave the Duke's employ with one final job that will will the hand of the woman he has loved for years, Messalina Greycourt, Windemere's niece. Messalina and her siblings stay as far away from Uncle Augustus after they reached their majority as he's cruel and manipulative. She's shocked when she's drug home from the country and forced to marry Gideon immediately knowing who and what kind of man Gideon is. The story progresses as Messalina matches wits with Gideon learning the heart of the man in her uncle's employ. The plot thickens when we discover Gideon's last job is to murder Julian Greycourt, the Duke's heir and Messalina's older brother. Through all of this someone is trying to either kill Gideon or Messalina. This was such a complex story full of twists and turns and who's attacking Gideon that it kept me reading to the end.

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

Second in the Greycourt series but can be read as a stand alone. Messalina has been living under the thumb of her tyrannical uncle, the Duke of Windemere. He controls her dowry and her life. Returning from a house party she finds that a marriage has been arranged by her uncle to Gideon Hawthorne. Gideon isn't a gentleman. He has been her uncles hired henchman for the last 10 years. I don't usually like when women have no choice but Messalina negotiates some conditions with Gideon that makes her situation more acceptable.

The Duke has his own evil plans. He offers Gideon his niece in exchange for one large service. It isn't till after the marriage he learns the Duke wants his heir killed. Messalina is wonderful as the heroine. She accepts things that she must, but plots and plans for her own escape and for the protection of her sister. She also can see the kindness in the thug she has married. Gideon is the surprise in the story. He comes from poverty and has had to fight for things his whole life. There is a true rough and violent side to him. But he genuinely loves Messalina and desires to make her happy.

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. I was happy to see have appearances of Freya, Messalina's childhood friend. Oddly I felt some of the set up in the first novel wasn't continued into this one. Also small plot points weren't tied up in this book which I hope will be cleared up in the future. The ending was rushed and the epilogue only being a month afterwards didn't add much.

As an added bonus the book contains a complete novella by Kelly Bowen called "Night of the Scoundrel". Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? The second book in the Greycourt series takes readers deeper into the Greycourt family and their secrets with Messalina and her marriage-of-convenience to Gideon. I enjoyed this book more than the first because there was more focus on the romance. I do love a mystery and the Greycourts are definitely hiding some big secrets but at the same time this is a romance and I want that to be the center of the story.


While I think that this series has been entertaining so far, I think the problem it's been having is simply that it follows a highly successful predecessor. So many people, myself included fell hard for The Maiden Lane series so starting a new series that has nothing to do with it, well it's difficult not to compare the two. The author set the bar so high with that series that any other series is going to have a hard time competing. That said I have to chuckle at the opening scene in When a Rogue Meets His Match. Leave it to Hoyt to remind readers of the less than glamorous side about those old days where there was no such thing as a road side toilet. That scene grounded the story for me and made the setting, the characters, and the time realistic.


It's implied that Gideon had a thing for Messalina for quite some time yet that emotion, that yearning was never shown. There was no prologue to set the tone for Gideon's feelings, nor were there any real indications throughout the book that showed Gideon's feelings for her had begun a long time ago. It felt more like Gideon wanted to acquire Messalina because she could elevate his social status and provide some kind of security for his future. I didn't really feel that shift from marriage of convenience to a real marriage from him until the last quarter or so of the book and it felt very abrupt.


I had a tough time with Messalina though. I thought she was silly and a tad uptight. I don't feel she changed much from beginning to end. I honestly couldn't see why Gideon was so interested in her other than her social status and breeding.


Click It or Skip It? Click it. Hoyt's stories shouldn't be missed, even when they're not The Maiden Lane series, her books should be passed up.

When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second book in the Greycourt series by Elizabeth Hoyt. It can be read as a standalone story.

Gideon Hawthorne has worked his way up from the slums of London, first of all by becoming a knife fighter, and then by working for the Duke of Windemere. He did and does all the nasty jobs that the Duke wanted him to do. Gideon has invested in mining and wants to stop working for Windemere but when he tries to quit he is persuaded not to. Windermere has offered his niece's hand in marriage if he carries on working for him and he has one particular job in mind that needs doing ASAP.

Messalina Greycourt is Windemere's niece. Gideon, as the Duke's 'fixer', is the one to pretty much kidnap her and take her to her Uncle. It is there that she is told that she is to marry and she is to marry Gideon. Circumstances prevent her from being able to say no and so starts her and Gideon's story.

Messalina wants to hate Gideon, but the more she comes to know him the more she realises that he isn't as hard and uncaring as she believed. She starts her marriage fully intending to take her sister and run away as soon as she has the money, but she starts to question that plan. She sees a new side to Gideon that she could love. Already she finds herself lusting after him and wonders if she did the right thing telling him that she didn't want to consummate the marriage for a month. Gideon has been in lust, perhaps love, with Messalina for a very long time. He wants nothing more than for their marriage to become a real one, but with what he has to do for her Uncle in the works he is sure to lose her one way or another.

I must admit that it was quite strange to read a story where the hero is quite violent. I know that he's brought himself up and that he's rough, but it was just strange reading scenes where he actually murders somebody! For a little while there I didn't like Gideon at all but as his character developed he soon became a proper hero. Messalina, well, she annoyed me at times because of her indecision, did she want a real marriage, did she trust Gideon, or didn't she? Yes, she did, hang on no she doesn't. It was definitely a case of will they won't they right to the end.

I read the first book in this series and loved the plot involving the 'Wise Women'. A secret society of women who do all they can to help other women in trouble. Women who in the days long gone would have been condemned as witches. I really looked forward to reading more about them in this book but there was very little mention of them.

Also, I felt like I had missed books in the series when there were references to something terrible happening in the past involving the Greycourt family, something that changed them for the worst. It involved the death of one of the Greycourt siblings, but we don't how they died and I am guessing that the author might go into more detail in future books. But, I am the type that wants to know the whys and wherefores at the time, I don't want to read about the fallout and then wait for future books to find out what caused it.

Other than that though, this book was a good one which for the most part I did enjoy.

FINAL DECISION: Absolutely amazing book because of the deep affection between Gideon and Messalina. Loved how he is completely devoted to her. Romantic and dark, this is my favorite Hoyt book since Duke of Sin.

THE STORY: Gideon Hawthorne has watched Messalina Greycourt since he was a young man in her uncle’s employ. Now her uncle, the Duke, has a special task he wants Gideon to complete and is willing to induce Gideon to agree by giving him Messalina in marriage. Messalina agrees to the marriage but has her own plans — to leave Gideon as quickly as possible with at least part of her dowry in her own hands so that she can create her own life.

OPINION: I really loved this book. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one was superior in my estimation. There is incredible chemistry between Gideon and Messalina from the beginning. Funny and gritty, I loved that these characters have to examine their expections of one another as they find common ground.

Gideon is a man who has lived in a morally ambiguous world. He has done bad things and owns them. Gideon has been obsessed with Messalina for years — but from a distance because he knows that she is not for him. He is her despised uncle’s “fixer,” meaning that his low-class background (coming from St. Giles) allows him to do things that the Duke needs done but cannot sully his hands with. Unsurprisingly, Gideon has agreed to do things that are illegal…but never murder, which is what the Duke wants from him now. One thing that was powerful for me is that Gideon has finally managed to build up his own life enough that he can leave the Duke’s employ, but agrees to put himself, perhaps permanently, at the Duke’s mercy because the Duke offers Messalina to him.

In the beginning, Gideon sees Messalina more as a symbol than as a person. This book is really about Gideon discovering Messalina as a person — and Messalina doing the same as to Gideon.

The focus here is primarily on the romance, so the book spends a lot of time with their issues rather than on external plot issues. I prefer books this way as I am interested in the characters more than some other storyline.

Messalina finds her dreams shattered when she decides to agree to the marriage to save her sister. I loved that she was blocked, but she continued to plan and find a way to make a dream for herself — even if it wasn’t the original one. She definitely is not a woman who is going to submit to her fate. I liked that about her, but I especially enjoyed that she was thoughtful and willing to have her mind changed. As she discovers truths about Gideon, she is willing to reconsider her opinion of him.

This is a wonderful book which I greatly enjoyed!

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of Hoyt can be assured that a dog appears in the book and has an important role.

CONNECTED BOOKS: WHEN A ROGUE MEETS HIS MATCH is the second book in the Greycourt series. Although there is a continuing storyline in the series, the romance here is a standalone and indeed this book can easily be read without the first in the series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.