Book 2 in Greycourt series.
It was an enjoyable read. The characters were likeable.
I liked that the protagonist were older. The hero was almost 50, and the heroine about 40 years old.
The hero was a widower, who had a happy marriage. He is a father and grandfather.
The heroine was in England because she had lost everything in the wars in Spain. Not your typical heroine. She painted flats at a theater.
I always enjoy Elizabeth Hoyts books. Characters have such depth.

There was truly so much to love about this book.  It was an enemies to lovers, forced marriage kind of situation, with a small hint of a Beauty and the Beast kind of element to it!  In this novel we are following Messalina.  An independent woman of her own making, she is still very naïve about how the world works outside of her comfortable life with money and titles. Her uncle wants to keep everything instead of having her brother inherit, so he decides to lure his hitman, Gideon with the one thing he can't resist, Messalina.
Gideon has been in love with Messalina for a long time, but unwilling to admit it to himself, because that would give him a weekness.  When Gideon is forced to do a job that would directly influence Messalina, he does everything in his power to change things, and to truly be a better man for his now wife.
Their dynamic was electric, and I loved every minute of this!  I really need to read more of the books in this series, and fast!

There is no other author that totally envelops me in their world as fast as Elizabeth Hoyt. She makes Georgian London come to life from the dregs of society to the highest peer!

Raised in the gutters of St. Giles, Gidieon Hawthorne is just as ambitious as he is ruthless! He has elevated himself up from the streets to now holding a position for a Duke and owning his own respectable manse. Now all he needs to do is find a way to get an in to society and it appears the the lovely Messalina Greycourt, nice to his employer is his ticket.

After finding out that her uncle has promised her to his henchman, Mr. Hawthorne, Messalina takes her future Ito her own hands by crafting her own deal with the devil, her soon to be husband, that will see to her receiving half her dowery after a month of marriage and thus a way to escape!

Soon after their marriage these two nemesis find that they work better as a team than as advisories… but Messy still plans to leave at the end of the month and Gideon’s lies and inability to love may be the thing that finally pushes her out the door!

Oh my! This marriage of convenience/ enemies to lovers/ class difference romance was perfect! I loved every minute of reading this book and my emotions were definitely put through the wringer!

Elizabeth Hoyt is one of my all time favourite historical romance authors and this books has not let me down! I am already eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the Greycourt series!!!

When a Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt is scheduled to release December 1st, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever Grand Central Publishing) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
 
#WhenARogueMeetsHisMatch #GreycourtSeries #ElizabethHoyt #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

3.5 stars
Gideon Hawthorne was born on the streets and clawed his way out of the rookeries, his break came when the Duke of Windemere hired him as a henchman.  But after years of servitude and clever investments, Gideon wants his freedom. He is ready to break with the duke when he is offered a reward he can’t pass up – marriage to Messalina Greycourt, Windemere’s niece, that will give him the connection to society he needs to advance his businesses along with her substantial dowry – the catch?  He must kill her brother Julian, the duke’s heir.

Messalina is shocked that her uncle plans to marry her off to Gideon and refuses, but soon changes her mind after learning that Windemere will let Gideon marry her younger sister, Lucretia if she refuses.  She makes a deal with Gideon, she will marry him, but wants a portion of her dowry and stipulates that her sister must live with them.  She plans to use the money to run away and take Lucretia with her.  But from the first she is surprised by Gideon and slowly begins to fall for him.  Things are progressing and Messalina is reconsidering her plans, but any chance for a HEA is shattered when she learns the truth. 

Gideon has also reconsidered his plans and to win his wife back he will have to thwart the duke, figure out who is trying to kill him and prove to Messalina that he is capable of love. Easier said than done…

This was a well written, fast paced book with an interesting mix of characters and a lot of surprising twists.  The book has a little bit of everything; steamy love scenes, action, mystery, vile villains, betrayal, cameos from former characters, surprising twists and turns and finally a HEA.  I did feel like there were a lot of unanswered questions and I still don’t understand why the duke wanted Julian dead.  I also didn’t care for Messalina’s reaction to learning the truth – I expected better of her.  Overall, I liked this book and would be happy to recommend it.   This is the second book in the series, but it is very loosely connected to the first book and can easily be read as standalone title.

4.5 stars for When a Rogue Meets His Match! We really liked this marriage of convenience between Gideon, bad boy extraordinaire, and Messalina, his employer's niece. So Gideon is one of those supremely focused, supremely competent heroes (he is competent at knife fighting and staff management). Sure he does some bad shit (like knifing people) for a bad dude (Messalina's uncle, the Duke of Windemere), but he really cares about the poor! He's also one of those heroes who doesn't understand emotions - either in others or in himself.

We also really liked how Messalina was able to see a new future for herself through Gideon. It was not because of his love, but because of his perspective that she realizes she can use her privilege for good. It's also because he provides her with a safe space away from her uncle so that she can have the luxury of time to think of others. This includes time to think about Gideon as a person, rather than as the employee of her uncle. Messalina and Gideon's complementary skills made for an intriguing relationship. We couldn't resist when she goes full fairy godmother and orders him a new flashy wardrobe!

Finally, the compact nature of the text really worked for us. There was nothing extraneous to detract from Gideon and Messalina. Even the chapters from Julian's perspective helped flesh out the main plot. Basically this book is everything we love about Elizabeth Hoyt, with almost nothing that can be problematic.

While I struggled with the prequel to this romance, this one is the type of story I have come to expect from Elizabeth Hoyt. Mystery, angst and love all woven together beautifully. Judging from this book, the series is sure to be another winner!

A lovely and determined woman discovers there is more to the lethal and cunning man she’s married than she thinks in When a Rogue Meets His Match. Strains of Beauty and the Beast flow through Messalina and Gideon’s story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Elizabeth Hoyt excels at creating captivating heroes who start out morally ambiguous at best and Gideon is a perfect example. The dark and brooding man fought his way out of the gutter and is obsessed with money and power. He’s been a fixer for Messalina’s evil uncle for years and he wants to be his own man, but the duke offers him something he can’t resist: Messalina’s hand in marriage. Messalina is beautiful, clever, and has captivated Gideon for years. She also hates him. But the two strike a bargain that promises Messalina freedom for herself and her sister – something she wants so desperately she’ll deal with the devil to get it.

Messalina is an open book and I liked that about her. She’s clever and kind but she also becomes aware how blind she has been her whole life to the lives of those less fortunate than her. Gideon, whose past will break your heart, opens her eyes to reality. Gideon is a hard man and he can be ruthless, but there’s a softness to him that not even he realizes exists. Gideon wants Messalina’s connections into society and he doesn’t hide his ambitions, but growing up as poor as he did makes it all make sense. Ms. Hoyt doesn’t mind shining a light on the hardships normally glossed over in historical romance (though the book doesn’t linger there) and I thought the reality woven into the fantasy made the book stronger. I loved peeling back the layers of Gideon’s character and found him incredibly compelling. The sexual tension between Gideon and Messalina is palpable from the start and I loved it. Their love story isn’t a smooth one but every obstacle in their path was worth overcoming. Their romance developed organically and was ultimately wonderfully satisfying.

When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second book in the Greycourt series and it’s much more focused than the first book, which I really liked. We truly meet the Greycourt family in this story and what a fractured, messy family they are. I’m looking forward to seeing what Ms. Hoyt has in store for Messalina’s sister and brothers. This book did leave me with some unanswered questions, but they’re mysteries I expect to be solved in future stories. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed When a Rogue Meets His Match. Gideon was a fascinating hero and Messalina his match in every way. Their romance was sensual, engaging, and kept me happily entertained for hours.

"When a Rogue Meets His Match" is the delightful story of Gideon, a knife fighter from St. Giles, and Messalina, a duke's granddaughter.  It's a case of opposites attract, or perhaps discovering that no one is quite what they seem.  Messalina is sold in marriage to Gideon by her grandfather in exchange for a job.  But the fearsome Gideon surprises Messalina almost from the beginning, willing to listen to her opinions and enjoying matching wits with her.  The banter between the two is delightful, even before they become allies, and watching them grow to love each other is a wonderful journey.  Gideon and Messalina are wonderful, complex, and well-written characters and "When a Rogue Meets His Match" shows off Elizabeth Hoyt at her best! A must read!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I can say I enjoyed this romance better than the previous book in this series. Gideon is a mysterious and dark man and Messalina is forced into a marriage with him. It’s implied Gideon has loved her from afar for years, but never really explored.

As with the first book in this series though, I’m left scratching my head at the end. There’s a mystery continuing through all the books, but it causes more confusion than anything else. What are Julian and Quinn up to? Why does the duke want Gideon to kill Julian? Who is the mysterious person Messalina notices in a store? The end of the book felt rushed and the romance may come to an HEA, but the rest left a lot to be desired. We never even discover why the duke wanted Gideon and Messalina to marry.

The first two books have left a lot of loose strings and future books need to start tying them together so the overall plot/mystery starts to make some sense. While you can read this book without having read the first, it’s only a stand-alone if you don’t care about the resolution of all the things left unanswered.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

I have been anxiously anticipating reading this book ever since I finished the first book in the series.

The enemies to lovers trope was very well written. I was so invested in this couple, I couldn't put the book down and finished it in two sittings. The romance and steaminess were perfect and just what I look for in a romance novel.

I think both the hero and heroine are likeable and interesting. I was really rooting for Gideon to make the right decision and earn his HEA. However, this isn’t just a reformed rogue full of pining and angst, there are some funny moments and witty dialogue that Elizabeth Hoyt does so well. I hope the supporting characters, like Messalina’s brothers and sister, get their own books in this series.

This was an entertaining open door romance with just the right amount of steam. 4.5/5

*** Maybe 3.5 Stars ***

The first book in this series, Not The Duke’s Darling, was published in December of 2018. That means this book has been a long time coming! I have read and devoured all of this author’s other works – especially the Maiden Lane series – so I always look forward to anything new she’s written. I’m sad to say this book (series) just doesn’t ‘feel’ like an Elizabeth Hoyt book to me – you might feel differently. It left me with more questions than answers. I adore continuation type series – where each book solves a small part of an overarching mystery or problem, etc. But, in this one – I still don’t know what the mystery is nor do I have any idea what part, if any, was solved here.

The first book made a big deal about the heroine being part of a group called the Wise Women and I was thinking – Cool – I like it. Then, it just sort of disappeared and I never did understand it. The Wise Women are mentioned again in this book, but – again – it didn’t really play any significant role. What is the deal?

Years ago, there was the Greycourt Tragedy. I’m not sure of the details of what happened (I told you I had more questions than answers), but it tore two families apart, well, actually three families, I guess. Anyway, a Greycourt sister ended up dead and a de Moray brother lost a hand, etc. This book didn’t further any understanding of that situation either – but it talked about it a lot. I’m assuming that maybe we’ll learn more in the other Greycourt sibling’s books.

Gideon Hawthorne was born in St. Giles to a light skirt mother and an unknown father. He knew more hunger and cold than anything else. Survival was hard – nearly impossible – but Gideon managed. He learned to knife fight and became the best at it – yes, it was a sport. He was ruthless and determined never to lose – and he was also determined to work his way out of St. Giles no matter what it took. So, at seventeen (or so), when the Duke of Windmere, Augustus Greycourt, offered him a job, he jumped at it. He didn’t care what he had to do as long as it meant getting out of St. Giles. He now has enough wherewithal to leave the duke’s employment – but, the Duke makes him an offer he can’t refuse for doing just one last task. Gideon has long admired Messalina Greycourt and the Duke offers Gideon her hand in marriage. Gideon doesn’t know what task will be asked of him, but for Messalina, he’ll perform it.

Messalina Greycourt has had a tragic life and living under the thumb of her very, very evil uncle makes that life even more tragic. When Messalina is brought to her uncle’s home, she is told she will be marrying Gideon Hawthorne – a man she dislikes immensely. She refuses, but her uncle makes threats against Messalina’s sister, Lucretia, – and Gideon offers her a compromise, so she agrees.

The only Greycourt I even remotely liked was Lucretia. I did not like the brothers Julius and Quintus – and Messalina made me want to spank her. Maybe their problem is the gosh-awful set of names with which they were saddled. I fully expected to dislike Gideon – I mean he basically marries a woman who wants no part of him – she’s forced into it – and he’s been the Duke’s Fixer for a great many years, so he hasn’t been a nice man. But – I didn’t dislike him at all – in fact, I liked him very well. It was Messalina I disliked. I actually understand her plotting to leave Gideon once she got her money. But then, she started to warm up to him and I’m thinking – this could be good – and then she went off the deep end again. She made me insane. When she asked him to be honest with her – and he was – she either didn’t pay any attention to the part where he said he was NOT going to do what the Duke asked – or she ignored it. Her reaction was so very implausible, childish, and over-the-top. I was tempted to stop reading right there.

The story was basically a good one, but there is just so much going on – plots, sub-plots, plots-within-plots so it was a pretty hard task to keep up with it all as well as the romance too. It just left me feeling a little unsatisfied – with too many unanswered questions. Anyway, I guess the bottom line is – it was a good enough read, but I wouldn’t read it a second time.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. When A Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt is the second book in her Greycourt series. It can be read as a standalone. Gideon Hawthorne has worked his way up from St. Giles first as a knife fighter. As factotum to the Duke of Windermere, fulfilling his requests both legal and illegal and as a businessman who’s accumulated a small fortune through wise investments. When the Duke offers him the hand of his niece Messalina Greycourt in exchange for one last task, Gideon sees this as an opportunity to seek new investors in the ton, and he’s always been fascinated by her, the star he’d longed for but could never reach. Messalina agrees to marry Gideon because he offers her enough of her dowry to rescue her sister and escape the machinations of her nasty uncle. Unfortunately for Gideon, just as it seems he’s achieved even more than he ever dreamed possible, the final task for the Duke will cost him Messelina provided he survives long enough to complete it as it appears someone is trying to have him killed. Strong protagonists, well written supporting characters, nasty villains and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing made this book  one that I found delightful to read. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: December 1, 2020. #WhenARogueMeetsHisMatch #ElizabethHoyt #HistoricalRomance #ForeverGrandCentral #GrandCentralPublishing #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

I really, really enjoyed this book! The characters were very much opposites but I loved them and they were perfect for each other. I loved Gideon! They had such great chemistry and their romance was steamy but still sweet and swoonworthy. The plot was dark and intriguing with a bit of action and suspense. The writing kept me sucked in and was smooth and descriptive and made me swoon! I loved this book and can't wait for more from this author!

I love Elizabeth Hoyt. She writes some of my favorite historical romances and this is one of them! I loved this book. 

This is the second book in the Greycourt series although it can be read as a stand alone.  This book is about Messalina Greycout(a truly awful name btw) and Gideon Hawthorne. Gideon has been working for Messalina's uncle, the Duke of Windemere, since he was 17.  And he isn't doing honest work.. he is doing all of the Duke's dirty work.  Gideon longs to be accepted by society so they can help fund his side business. He makes a deal with the duke.. Gideon can marry Messalina as long as he does one more dirty tase for the duke. 

Messalina is appalled.  She doesn't want to marry her uncle's henchman.  But she goes along with it to save her sister. Messalina agrees to help Gideon fit in to society in exchange for part of her dowery.  I liked Messaline for the most part.  I think she made the best of a terrifying situation.  She was very positive and I think that was good for Gideon's darker personality.  I think it's no surprise that I loved Gideon.  I love a dark hero.  I loved that we got Gideon's thoughts.  He was so conflicted about Messalina and I liked that we got to hear his inner battle.

I also want to point out that this book was steeeeeamy! And I am all for that. Seriously I don't remember the first book being as steamy. It made me love Gideon even more.  

There was only one thing I didn't like about the book.  All Messalina wants from Gideon is the truth. She begs the whole books for it.. and when he finally gives it to her she runs away. She doesn't hear him out.  I didn't like that Gideon was punished for giving her what she wanted. Everything else I loved though. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC to read and review.

Elizabeth Hoyt has always been a go to author for me.  I have been a fan for years.  I’m having a hard time integrating myself into the Greycourt world.  I can’t pinpoint why.  

In this installment Messalina ( what is it with this name?) is kidnapped by Gideon Hawthorne her uncle’s fixer and forced to marry him.  We understand from inner monologue that Gideon has been infatuated with her from his first encounter.  She has always despised him.  So we have a dual enemies to lovers and forced marriage trope underpinned with a side drama of Gideon being forced to murder her brother to get out from under the power of her nefarious uncle.  

There are moments of Hoyt’s brilliance as a writer.  But this book just falls a bit flat and unrealistic for me.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's official: Elizabeth Hoyt cured my terrible historical romance slump. Was this book perfect? No, but the romance was my EVERYTHING 😍

When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second book in the Greycourt series, but it can be read as a standalone. The series follows two families who were torn apart by a tragedy. The mystery surrounding that tragedy is an overarching arc that will continue to unfold throughout the series. The romance in this book easily gets 5 stars from me. This book's only weakness is the rushed climax and ending, which left a couple of small loose ends dangling. But I am rounding up my rating to 5 stars because 1) the romance was *chef's kiss* and 2) this is the first historical romance in a really long time that actually held my attention.

Gideon Hawthorne has spent 10 years doing the Duke of Windemere's dirty work, but he is now financially secure enough to leave the awful Duke's employ. But when the Duke offers him his niece's hand in marriage in exchange for one last job, Gideon can't resist the bargain because he has wanted Messalina Greycourt for forever. Messalina hates her uncle and his henchman, Gideon, but she has no choice but to agree to this arranged marriage, lest her uncle force her younger sister to take her place. But what Gideon doesn't know is that Messalina is secretly plotting to escape him once she gains access to some of her dowry money.

Gideon has wanted Messalina for the longest time, but he never had a chance with an aristocratic lady. Messalina has always hated Gideon by default because he works for her odious uncle. Gideon has done morally questionable things and he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Messalina as his wife. This is a super steamy enemies to lovers and arranged marriage/marriage of convenience romance, mixed with some incredibly delicious pining from the hero. The chemistry between Messalina and Gideon is 🥵🔥 The build up of intimacy and sexual tension is delicious perfection 🥵🔥 Gideon is an anti-hero through and through, but he falls HARD for Messalina. It slowly, but surely, takes Messalina a while to fall in love with Gideon. As for Gideon, it takes this scary but adorable fool forever to realize that he's been in love with Messalina this entire time. Some of the things he said to Messalina made me swooooon omg. I don't think Gideon realizes how romantic he actually is lol.

I was completely enthralled with Gideon and Messalina's romance and they kept me up late into the night because I could not stop reading. Elizabeth Hoyt has managed to capture everything that I love in a dark and steamy historical romance novel. The plot is also interesting, especially with the roles the supporting characters played. The plot was great up until the climax and ending, which were too rushed. There was one thing that kind of came out of nowhere, but now that I have thought about it, I guess I can kind of see where it came from. But I still think the motivation behind it is a bit weak. So there are definitely some loose ends here, nothing that impacts the story in a major way, but they just weren't wrapped up properly. I think this book needed an extra chapter or maybe an extended epilogue. That's pretty much my only complaint.

A note about the Greycourt series:
I don't think this series is as dark as the Maiden Lane series...at least, so far. I think the author did a better job setting up the cast of characters here, than in the previous book. I can sort of see where Elizabeth Hoyt is heading with this series and I am excited to see how it unfolds!!

I enjoyed this book.  The book opens mid-kidnapping.  Messalina has been taken by her uncle's henchman.  Gideon grew up on the streets of London and had to fight for survival until he met the Duke of Windemere.  Since that point, he has taken care of all kinds of unsavory things for the Duke, including kidnapping his niece and surprising her with a wedding.  The Duke promised Messalina to Gideon under a secret agreement that he carry out one final task.

The beginning was a bit problematic for me.  Gideon was truly cold (as was the Duke) and the forced wedding was a bit too much for me.  That being said, Hoyt takes Gideon from a character that you truly despise to one you begin to understand and that is a truly flawed character with growth.  By the end, I liked Gideon so much more as he changed through his relationship with Messalina.  I definitely loved her sister, Lucretia.  She was funny and the sisterly bond was a nice addition to the book.  I liked the conversations between Gideon and Messalina and how they came to get to know one another better and that he opened up new ideas for her as well.  

Overall, I would say this was a good book and definitely has me wanting to read more from Hoyt.  3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I passed on the first book in this series, mainly because I have learned to spot a plot that might not be my cup of tea.  So when I saw this book, I wondered if I'd be able to fully appreciate it, since I was jumping in to a new series midway through.  Thankfully, Elizabeth Hoyt is a master at storytelling, and I was able to fall in love with the story and characters regardless of my familiarity with them.  One thing I love about her books is that she always intertwines a fairy tale, where part is told at the start of each new chapter, and I am always tickled at how appropriate it is for the actual story told in the book.  When a Rogue Meets His Match has a Beauty and the Beast quality to it, as does the small fairytale, and as that is my "catnip" trope, I was in heaven while reading.

Messalina Greycourt is not happy to have been virtually kidnapped by her uncle's employee, Gideon Hawthorne, and her displeasure only grows when she learns that he is soon to be her husband.  Handsome as sin and just as wicked, he is the last man she would consider as husband material.  However, with her sister's future threatened, she is given little choice.  Soon they are conducting a farce of a marriage, but Messalina does manage to extract some promises from Gideon: her sister can live with her, she will be allowed to have a dog, and consummation will not happen for at least one month, and once it does, she will retain 1/10th of her dowry.  In exchange, she will act as his doting wife in public and help him move about in society.  Gideon has admired Messalina from afar for the last ten years, ever since he entered her uncle's employ.  It seems a simple choice to accept her uncle's offer to wed her.  However, the price for such a reward may cause him to lose her forever.

Messalina was a really fun heroine, full of sass and confidence, even in the face of terrible circumstances.  She knew Gideon was a dangerous man, but she also recognized that there was something underneath his hard exterior that was worth exploring.  Gideon showed signs of gentling pretty early on in the book, when he sought to make Messalina feel more at ease, even as her uncle backed her into a corner.  I warmed up to him quickly as the book progressed, and I could see Messalina doing so as well, each time she peeled back another layer in his personality.  He had a harsh beginning, so when they moved into his home and saw how he was living, it was really enlightening.  I loved how the reader was able to see his generosity and soft-heartedness, while at the same time we could see how life had changed him.  He could have become a monster quite easily, but instead he really tried to do good for others.  The price for Messalina's hand was difficult to wrap my head around, and it surprised me how Gideon was able to separate the impending doom from his evolving relationship with his wife.  It was an interesting story, to say the very least, and I finished it in a day quite easily.

I will definitely be continuing to read more in this series!  Elizabeth Hoyt never fails to delight.

When the hero is from the wrong side of the tracks it is catnip to me. Gideon is a man of few words and a man who is troubled over his brother’s death. Yes, Gideon is my man. He is all about getting what he wants and thinks he deserves but when he is forced to marry Messalina for another “favor” he learns, slowly, that his feelings for her far outweigh his need to destroy. Messalina is a fantastic character. She is betrayed but still she preservers. A fantastic love story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Loved it!

Elizabeth Hoyt joins a short list of sister authors who write smart historical romances. Some authors write super steamy, some super romantic romance. The really smart HR authors add great plots and fascinating characters to their books. . When a Rogue Meets His Match, the second book in the Greycourt series is no exception. As an additional treat, Hoyt sets her books seventy to fifty years before the Regency period, in the Georgian years.
The characters delight, starting with an evil uncle, the Duke of Windemere. Gideon Hawthorne is his man raised from the gutters who does all of the Dukes dirty work and will do anything to have the niece. Messalina Greycourt is Windemere’s niece who thinks she will do anything to gain her freedom and safety for her beautiful sister. Oohh that sounds like a match made in heaven. They all, separately agree to dark deals, not really knowing the motivation or cost of each one’s deal. Except for Windemere the puppet master and even he can be surprised.
There is also a beautiful, bright sister, Lucretia, and a pair of- so far- worthless brothers, Quintus and Julian. Freya, the Duchess of Harcourt returns from the first book of the Greycourt series.
In class obsessed England, it was almost impossible for people to change their circumstances; but possibly easier in Georgian England than in nineteenth century England. Gideon is determined to leave his beginnings in the filthy slum of St. Giles far behind and he plans on using Messalina to achieve those ends. He wants full entry into the aristocracy in order to pursue his business interests.
Gideon and Messalina make a startling discovery about themselves. Each one of them is far stronger, far more resilient than they, or anyone else imagined. How they came to this realization is the bones for this very good book.
I’m a big fan of the old-fashioned morality stories. We know who to hiss, who to applaud, and who to swoon over. We don’t know always know all the villains, but we might suspect. Hoyt’s great talent in story-telling is making the enemies to lovers theme become imaginative and fresh in When a Rogue Meets His Match
Messalina is spirited and intriguing, but Hoyt is supreme with her troubled heroes. Gideon joins a list of Hoyt’s best, such as river pirate “Charming” Mickey O’Conner, Valentine Napier, Duke of Montgomery and Winter Makepeace. These characters, with their darkness and doubts would eagerly welcome Gideon.
When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second Greycourt. The first book, laying out the mystery of who is responsible Aurelia Greycourt’s death, is barely mentioned in this book. Aurelia was the middle Greycourt sister. So this can easily be read a standalone.
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.