⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was an extravagant, exciting, tumultuous love story. Although macabre at times, there is a purity in the couple’s love that transcends the horrors in their past and present. Their all-encompassing passion burns off the page. The unrequited love was both haunting and hopeful; it made you yearn for the couple’s happiness.

Both Francesca and Declan had such tragic lives. The way they overcame their pasts through vengeance was heartbreaking. Their emotions were raw and believable. There was such an inner beauty to Francesca. I admired her strength and empowerment. She was portrayed as a strong, capable woman, which is refreshing in a genre full of debutantes and wallflowers. Declan’s raw physicality and sensuality were perfectly portrayed. He was an enigmatic, vivid character. Both Declan and Francesca’s personalities carried the plot through all the turmoil. The secondary characters were raw and haunting. The villain gave me nightmares. He was terror personified. He was a scene-stealing monster of a man. He fit so well into the story.

The plot handled the violence and tragedy eloquently. The innocence of their love was intertwined within all the malevolent undercurrents. The story moved at a lightning pace, capturing my attention on page one. All the deceit became complicated at times but was resolved very nicely. Overall the story was overflowing with passion, obstacles, and action. I felt a sense of closure at the end, which was pleasant.

After all the horror and trials the couple experienced, I would have liked an extended conclusion. An epilogue would have been good, being this is the last book in a trilogy. I would have liked to see more of the couple’s future love story. That being said, it was overall an incredible story. So intricate and complex. It mixed the passion and tragedy perfectly. The love the two eventually shared melted my heart. It was an excellent way to complete a terrific trilogy. A must-read!

I received an ARC of the book through Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, this is my honest, voluntary opinion.

After years of searching for the people that massacred her family and everyone she loved, Francesca Cavendish, the Countess of Mont Claire is finally close to getting answers and hopeful vengeance! But her quest for answers will lead to surprises that she could never imagine and will threaten not only her long-held secrets and her life, but possibility her heart as well.

Francesca is not the only one looking for answers. Chandler Alquist, also known as the Devil of Dorset, is a man of shadows who goes by many names and is a spy in the Secret Service and has been investigating the Mont Claire massacre for years and he is sure that Francesca is a fraud. He believes this because he was there that fateful day and knows that Francesca was murdered, but what he doesn’t know is who this woman is that is pretending to be the girl he once loved with his whole young heart or what she is up to, but make no mistake, he plans to find out!

These two play a deep game of deception and dance around one another, but eventually they have a confrontation and nothing can prepare them for the shock and joy of learning that they both survived that awful day. Once he realizes Francesca is alive, he will stop at nothing to keep her that way – he demands that she stop digging into cult known as the Crimson Council and the events of that day and tries his best to keep her safe – but Chandler doesn’t seem to realize that the girl he loved did die that day and the woman she is now is more than capable of battling demons – something she takes great delight in proving to him time and again.

This was an amazing, well-written, nicely-paced read that finally gives readers of the series all the answers that they have been longing for as well as some that they didn’t even know they needed to ask! The book is chocked full of secrets, lies, murder, evil, steamy love scenes, horrific deeds, great characters, cameos from the other Red Rogues and their spouses, surprising twists, and shocking revelations before finally giving Chandler and Francesca closure and a well-deserved HEA. This book is the third and final book in the trilogy and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would recommend reading the books in order for maximum enjoyment.

Byrne’s has struck it out of the park again with “The Devil in Her Bed”, the final book in the “Devil You Know” trilogy centering around her three ‘Red Rogues’.

In “The Devil in Her Bed” Byrne proves yet again she is the master of the hidden identities trope. So if you were a fan of her “The Highwayman”, then you will doubly love this book because both her hero and heroine are employing secret identities.

I want to be careful to avoid spoilers, but this book really does have something in it for anyone who is looking for an action packed, high drama tale of spies, secret societies, angst, first loves, hidden identities, betrayals, and finally HEAs. Those looking for a sweet, low drama, love story... well Byrne is probably never going to be your author, that really isn’t her thing.

I do recommend reading the previous two books in the trilogy first prior to taking on “The Devil in Her Bed” for you to have maximum enjoyment and to avoid spoilers from the previous two books. Each of these books definitely builds on the previous in terms of the Red Rogues pursuit of uncovering the Crimson Council.

Finally, I need to thank and disclose that NetGalley sent me an ARC copy of this book for me to early read and provide my unbiased feedback on. All of the above opinions are my own.

INTENSE! This story reminds me of the days of The Highwayman. Man is this book powerful which makes this story a must read if you love angst, which I definitely do. I felt as if I was hunched over the entire time reading. I could not wait to see what happened next and if secrets would be revealed. Chandler and Francesca are so focused on their goal that they almost miss each other along the way. Kerrigan writes Francesca with grit and determination. Both Chandler and Francesca are broken characters who beg to be heard and reach out to us to forgive. The girls of the Red Rogue Society are special. An amazing, fantastic read. Go, get it and be amazed.

The Devil in Her Bed is the third and last book in The Devil You Know Series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but I feel like reading them in order is necessary in order to understand all the twists. Pippa Hargrave survived the horrible night of the Mont Claire massacre when her family and friends were murdered. She thought everyone else had died and she wanted revenge against the murderers. She takes up the identity of her dead friend Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire, and plans her revenge. Declan Chandler was a master at disguises and was called the Devil of Dorset. He works for the unofficial Secret Service and his mission was to shut down the Crimson Council and their threat to the Crown. I really enjoyed the series, but I like the first two books more. The characters were all wonderful but Chandler was hard for me to like. He was known as a great spy but never caught the hints Francesca gave him. The book was fast-paced and full of mystery. The twists and turns kept my attention and the ending was surprising.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Romantic with a touch of suspense, not like you would expect in a romantic-suspense, but enough to make this fan of that genre happy, entertained and engaged with the romantic story. The prose - No one writes prose like Kerrigan Byrne. A little over the top at times, but absolute poetry at others. I loved Francesca and Chandler's (view spoiler)tale that had all the twists and turns of a good truly twisty labyrinth. There were times my heart just broke for them.

The Red Rogues were three girls who banded together in finishing school and shared their life altering secrets to forge a lifelong friendship. They pledged to live their lives and not bow to societies dictates. Two have found true love and resolved the secrets from their youth. Now, it's Francesca's turn. She has been on a quest to see justice for the murders of her family. She vowed to do whatever it took and she is finally at the point of seeing it done. The only thing standing in her way is the red hot attraction she has for a man that is a true enigma and very dangerous to her mission, even though it appears he may be on a quest of his own.

I enjoyed the writing and read, but would’ve much preferred the heroine come clean about her true identity once she discovered Chandler’s true identity. While they’re both keeping secrets, his is about his ancient past. It felt like his secrets were to protect her (by not increasing her interest in society). Her’s, on the other hand, felt entirely self-serving.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Holy cow, Kerrigan Byrne can tell a story! 'The Devil in Her Bed' is a book you simply cannot put down and walk away from. It's captivating. Filled with mystery, intrigue, and revenge, Chandler and Francesca's story absolutely tore me apart and pieced me back together again.

In this exciting conclusion to the Devil You Know series, Byrne answers a few lingering questions from previous Red Rogue books. While this is a standalone, I'd recommend reading 'How to Love a Duke in 10 Days' and 'All Scot and Bothered' first for maximum impact. All three books in this series are stellar.

The final trio of the Red Rogues gets her match in spectacular fashion. Francesca aka Pippa gets her revenge and her man. Like the others she is fierce and determined to bring those who have wronged her and her family to justice. Chandler aka Declan is a ruthless spy with many secrets. This story is an awesome page turner. The energy and emotions of the characters are bubbling off the page. You will enjoy the fiery arguments that occur between Francesca and Chandler which lead to steamy make out sessions. This is really a great book which you will enjoy reading and adding to your collection.

I am not totally sure where to start this review... let's start with what I liked: The prose. Kerrigan Byrne has an incredible talent and command of language and that shone through this story. Unlovable characters. Sometimes my favorite characters are those that no one could possibly tolerate let alone like. Both of these characters are wildly unlikable.

What I didn't like: this entire story hinged on secrets and that withholding information in what felt like an incredibly damaging way. The way it wrapped up felt forced and fast and I didn't feel like either character got what they deserved or wanted. I don't want to spoil anything so if you have read it please come talk to me about it!

I am super disappointed. I had to drag myself through this ARC. This was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases from a beloved author and it was definitely lukewarm for me at best. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers, spies in love, revenge plot, secret societies, living in hiding,
Subgenre: historic romance/ Victorian
CW/ TW: violence, mentions of childhood trauma, manipulation

Wow! What a book! I can't help but compare the writing style in this book to the style of Robert Ludlum. The intrigue and mystery with violence that seems to seeth just under the surface. You just can't put this book down. It begins with a massacre of a family on a clear, sunny day. A young girl survives and redefines herself as an heiress of the massacred family, but not only that she is out for vengance. Francesca Cavendish is a woman on a mission to avenge the deaths of her family and her childhood sweetheart Declan. She finds out that like her Declan, now Chandler, survived the massacre and is a spy for the government. This book is not your typical romance novel, but it has everything you could want in a book. There is romance, passion, mystery intrigue, and heartbreat. It is a nail-biter from the first page to the last!

I would like to thank Kerrigan Byrne and St. Martin's for allowing me to read and review this book.

I LOVE Kerrigan Byrne and loved the first book in this series so much. I was very excited about the hints of Chandler and Francesca, but it fell just a little flat for me. The mixed identities was a fun idea but muddled up the romance for me in this story. I can't decide if it was too fast or too slow or too busy, but something just didn't connect.

I loved the friendship between the Red Rogues and the hints we got at the other two girls. I really enjoyed the intrigue and little bit of mystery with the Council and their past. But just wanted more.

Chandler Alquist lives in secret service to the Crown--a man of duty, deception, and an undeniable attraction to a woman who threatens to tear his whole world apart. They call him the Devil of Dorset. He stands alone, a man of undeniable power. Moving in and out of shadows, back alleys and ballrooms, he is unstoppable and one of the Crown's most dangerous weapons. However, when he sets his sights on the undeniably beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, he doesn't realize that he has met a match like no other. Francesca is a countess by day and stalks her prey--those responsible for the death of her family--by night.
This is the third book in the series & I’d been eagerly awaiting it & boy it didn’t disappoint. The beginning had me breathless & I'm SOO glad I started it early in the day as I just devoured it in two sittings. Wonderful characters & a story that never lags & will leave you not only on the edge of your seat but breathless. I’d loved both Francesca & Chandler in previous books but they both came into their own in this book. Their chemistry was electric, the sexual tension was palpable, the verbal bantering hugely entertaining. There are twists, turns & revelations that will leave you gasping. A brilliant read. My only quibble was there wasn't an epilogue to round off the series – I adore an epilogue & if I’ve been invested in characters then I feel that one completes the book & series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This third installment in the Devil You Know series was a delight.

"All I know is that if I am a spy, a scoundrel, or an earl, none of it matters. I am no one if I am not hers. And I have nothing, if she is not mine.” - Chandler

Francesca has been seeking the revenge of her childhood best friend, as well as her childhood love for most of her life. She was willing to do anything to take down the Crimson Council. Little did she know that the one person who could disrupt everything was none other than a spy on the same mission.

Chandler is a man of many faces and names, but he was always drawn to Francesca. He's known her since they were kids. But, this Francesca seems different than the damsel he remember from his boyhood days. He will do everything he can to discover who she really is.

I love how this series handles various different kinds of trauma. This one focuses on the deep grief these kids felt, and how it influenced their futures as adults.
Kerrigan Byrne proves once again she is a master of her craft. I can't wait to see what comes next.

Just finished The Devil in Her Bed and liked it, but it seems to be like her other books in this series in that I am having a hard time warming up to our hero until about the last 25% and some near TSTL moments from our heroine but since she was kinda badass I still liked her. I will be giving it 4 Stars but this series she seems to be writing a bit more erotic than her other series (those which I like better). All things considered this is still a great story but seemed to drag a bit due to stupid stuff, still not up to the quality of the Victorian Rebels series IMHO

Lucky for me, after reading All Scot and Bothered, I had my next Netgalley read ready to go:
The Devil in Her Bed. I loved it! Though not as lyrical as the other, this one is just as good in other ways. This is not to say the book was bereft of poetry, as clearly proven with this statement: “The sound of her. A voice so wry, it rasped with deviant mischief, woven from moonlight’s melody juxtaposed with a confident derision not often found in a female.” Or this: “I knew, somehow, that you would forge someone new. Someone real. That you would scramble about the sun and stars until I could no longer find them in the night sky without your help.”

The relationship between Chandler and Francesca is completely different, on every level, primarily because Francesca is so very different from Cecelia. The openly risque banter between them upon first meeting was something in which Cecelia and Ramsay wouldn’t dare engage. I loved this exchange:

“‘I’m more stallion than broodmare, I’m afraid. I’ll never be saddled with a husband.’
A dimple appeared next to his mouth, softening the hard lines slightly with brackets of levity. ‘One need not be saddled to ride.’
She bit down on her cheek, fighting the response he so expertly evoked in her. An answering mischief, a womanly wickedness.
‘I ride with a firm hand.’ She met his eyes with a challenge. ‘I fear you’d have a difficult time keeping up.’
‘Some men enjoy a firm hand.’ He leaned down, his every muscle tense as he pulled her hips scandalously close to his. She’d branded him a hard man, and now he branded her with his intimate hardness through their unimaginable layers of clothing.”

The sex between them is not so much spiritual as it is explosive, bringing to life the nicknames Serana gave them as children: Pippa, the dragon, and Chandler, the tiger. “His sex was like a bolt of lightning, suffusing her with electric sensation that scraped her nerves raw and laid her soul bare.”

The two of them together are invincible, an unstoppable force, so when they combine their efforts to take down the Crimson Circle, they’re certain to be a success. Unfortunately, there are some unpleasant truths revealed and Chandler, in particular, has some soul-searching to do before he can forgive himself for what he feels he precipitated. After one particularly unsettling revelation, still believing Pippa is Francesca, “He ran from the soft, clinging arms of Pippa Hargrave. From her trusting, round face and toothless smile. From her peppermints and her punches and her little-girl love. From the hole in his heart that belonged only to her.”

**SPOILERS** Can there really be SPOILERS in a romance? I’ll preface this, just in case. And I don’t give away any secrets.

Francesca presents as a fortress incapable of being injured, but she is soft inside, like when she whispers to a sleeping Chandler, “Whatever souls are made of, yours and mine are the same.” Despite his repeated attempts to push her away, she intuitively responds with compassion and understanding, justifying how he must be feeling. And after so much suffering, when she is reunited with him, “The kiss opened her heart and her soul, released pain and fear and sadness and torment like a flock of dark and awful birds to dissipate to the sky. He tasted good, like forgiveness and pleasure and soft things neither of them had allowed themselves. Like home.” When he offers her his riches, she says, “I would live in the roots of a tree with you, you know I would.”

Chandler has to come to terms with the fact that the little girl he thought he loved as a child is a ghost and the woman he loves now is his real love. He clings to a memory, unable to recognize the gift he has been given. Finally, he tells Pippa/Francesca: “When I look back now, you’re all I can remember… That girl in the fireplace, clinging to me. She ran by my side. She took a bullet in the leg, meant for me. She always tried to save me, even if it was just from the dark. She set aside an extra peppermint from her father’s pockets, or an extra hour of work by laboring at my side, knowing I despised the fountain. That the water made me miserable. She spent her entire life trying to avenge my memory, and theirs.” He continues, “And...when I thought I’d found my damsel again, she tried to save me from her loss a second time… I never stopped to consider how much a secret like that must have weighed year after year. How oppressive and frightening it would be...That is love… I know that now.”

Book:The Devil in Her Bed
by Kerrigan Byrne

Series: Devil You Know, Book #3, 363 pp

Release Date: March 9, 2021

Publisher : St. Martin's Paperbacks

Overall Rating: 5/5 Star⭐️/ Saltire Flags🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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You don’t know me, but I am a monster, I am a man with dubious contacts, limitless legal protections and power in almost every corner of this city…the Devil of Dorset


London , U.K. 1892

Pippa goes from orphan to Countess of Mont Clare in a blink of an eye, a shot of a pistal, or a fatal swipe of a knife.
Twenty years ago her entire family was murdered, including her best friend and the boy she loved. Now she wants those people to pay and have her revenge and if she has to lay in bed with strangers to get her answers so be it. She cares not of the ton whispers about her lose morales after all she has her title and fortune. They can’t take it away except one person has the power to do exactly that if finds out her secret.


The Devil of Dorset was no gentleman and he stands by himself working for the Crown in the Secret Service. He was deadly in the back alleys, dark gambling establishments, brawling taverns, lowliest rookery glittering ballrooms, garden strolls, to a woman’s boudoir. He was also a ghost and knew how to control, operate, choreograph, and exploit each situation if he so desired to do so!

Now besides the Crimson council who has a huge spreadsheet of notorious crimes his target is the fake Countess of Mont Clare. He suspects she is an imposter and plans to prove it too! Of course that is after he tastes every inch of her delectable body from head to toe! Francesca does not realize he is someone from her past and thinks she is an imposter taking a murdered young girl’s title fortune and life! Chandler had no idea he met his match with this beautiful Countess of Mont Clare and he has secrets of his own,

This is the third and final book in the Devil You Know series and Red Rogue trilogy. Again, Ms. Byrne sweeps readers into another emotional, devastating, soul baring story that is filled with heartbreaking-betrayal, murder, devastating-deception ,treasonous-treachery, scary-secrets, lethal- lies and unlimited pleasing-passion. This book is superbly written with an unforgettable heart tugging tale that will long remain in your heart.


Will secrets be revealed, reputations ruined and hearts shattered into pieces? Read and find out in this phenomenal book!

Anther awe inspiring book from start to finish that I highly recommend.


The Devil You Know Series:
1)How to Love a Duke in Ten Days (Alexandra & Pier)
2)All Scot and Bothered (Cecelia& Ramsay)
3) The Devil in Her Bed (Francesca & Declan)

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy and an advance reader copy from the St. Martin’s Press publishers. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.



BuyLinks:

https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Her-Bed-Know-Book-ebook/dp/B0893SGC4H

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-devil-in-her-bed-kerrigan-byrne/1136846444

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250318886

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-devil-in-her-bed-1
…

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-devil-in-her-bed/id1515128442

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kerrigan_Byrne_The_Denoł poll In vil_in_Her_Bed?id=55_mDwAAQpBAJ

I love this series and I highly recommend you read item. Loved Francesca and Chandler they made a great romance. Unfortunately this is my least favorite of the three books. It just seemed extremely wordy. I also wished there would of been more Serena in the book. She was a large part of why Francesca was who she was.
You can not go wrong with a Kerrigan Byrne book!

The final book in the Devil You Know series, The Devil in Her Bed, for me, did not disappoint. I was waiting to learn more about Francesca, how she came to be the female she is, set on avenging the deaths of her family.

Francesca is the Countess of Mont Claire, and on a mission. Her entire life seems to focus on finding those responsible for killing her family, and making them pay dearly. Yet she comes into contact with the Earl of Devlin. A dangerous and powerful man who just might be the key to unraveling the mystery of what happened to her family.

If you've been following the series, you know that Francesca has many secrets, and the Devil of Dorset (our beloved Earl) is far from an open book.

When their histories are laid bare and their connections realized, they both must reconcile the truth- which will lead our hero and heroine through some muddy waters before they find their Happily Ever After.

As always, Kerrigan Byrne pens a sexy and gripping historical romance filled with twists and turns. Looking forward to her next historical romance series!

3.5 stars
This is a story born in tragedy and powered by revenge.

Currently Francesca Cavendish is on a quest for vengeance against the people who murdered her family and burned down in the Mont Claire massacre. She is cunning, untrusting, stubborn, brave, and will do anything she has to in order to take down the villains she is after. And she does this at the expense of her reputation and her own safety.

The Devil of Dorset goes by many names but he is really a ghost. A spy. A chameleon. A man of many disguises and names. He is currently becoming obsessed and is insanely attracted to Francesca. But he is pretty sure she is not who she says she is and he is determined to uncover the truth. But then no one really knows who he is either.

There is a lot of history fueling these two. They are both set on vengeance. They both have secrets, freely lie, and have varying hidden identities. But some secrets and ommissions may be harder to deal with than others.

But will they find common ground and enough trust to bare their secrets and work to take down a common enemy?

This is a mysterious, suspenseful, steamy, second chance love story. I will admit I was not a fan of all the lying and just wanted to shake them until all their truths were out. They had volatile chemistry, but sometimes I doubted their actual feelings and attachment to each other since they were often so guarded and mysterious. I think part of that had to do with the nature of the relationships that I cannot really talk about since it would be spoilery. I liked him, but he did royally annoy me for a bit and seemed to have a pretty quick shift to rights.

This ties up the stories for these three friends and their new mates and the underlying story of the evil Crimson Council. It brings back the other Red Rogues, Alexandria and Cecilia, and their significant others, Redmayne and Ramsey. They are a wonderful support system especially since Francesca can be impulsive and brave. I think their interactions were actually some of my favorite in the book.