This is the third and final book in the Devil You Know series, and finally we get Francesca's story. Francesca has spent her entire life planning and plotting revenge on the people responsible for murdering her family. She is strategic, cunning, highly trained, and fierce.

She catches the eye of the Devil of Dorset who while sent to investigate her also can not deny his fascination with her.

I loved Francesca's character, she was the highlight for me, so strong and driven, but also willing to be open and vulnerable.

I did enjoy the first third and last third of the book, both were very fast paced and mysterious. However the middle was very slow.

The villain was extremely obvious with no subtlety and a too quickly wrapped up ending.

Unfortunately the romance really didn't work for me and that's ultimately why I gave this three stars. The hero was under the impression she was someone else for the majority of the book so when he actually professed his love for who she actually was at the end it rang hollow and I didn't believe it. Kerrigan is capable of building truly epic romances so I definitely had high expectations and sadly, this didn't deliver for me.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Netgalley.

What a wonderful Story. It is full of pain, loneliness, and sadness. Pippa's parents were the butler and the cook. Serena was a Romani woman who helped give them their daughter. Declan Chandler was an orphan and they had taken him into their hearts. Then there is the Cavendish family, Francesca, and Ferdinand. Ferdie saw about twenty men coming down the drive and not stopping. Ferdinand went down the drive to welcome them and they trampled him. They then went, after Pippa and Francesca, who were headed inside to tell her parents people were coming. . They killed everyone in the house and stables and then burnt it down.
They killed everyone in the house and stables and then burnt it down. Pippa's family was killed and Declan helped get her out. She was shot in the leg, Serena found her and told her Declan had been shot in the back. So the two girls ran. It was very dramatic and cruel. They never had a chance, It was an exciting and teary tale. There was some great action and the characters are marvelous. It keeps you on your toes but this is a Kerrigan Byrne book and she would never give you anything but the best. It was easy to read and had some surprises for you. I loved where she goes to the other two of her friends of the Red Rogues and tells them her tale. Even their husbands try to support her. I highly recommend this great novel. I could not put it down.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I have adored and been curious about Francesca since meeting her in HTLADITD!
She did not disappoint as a heroine. I loved her grit and dedication to unmasking those responsible for her best friend’s and family’s horrific deaths. Her outlook on life made perfect sense for someone who has been through what she has, and it was beautiful to see those walls slowly but surely knocked down until we got to see the vulnerability she was protecting inside of them.
I loved Chandler (I love all of KB’s tortured and flawed heroes I’ve read so far!). She writes the dark, brooding, and scarred (emotionally and physically!) so perfectly.
I wish he had found out earlier (either from Pippa or someone else) who she really was. It felt a bit too catfish-y after awhile, and combined with how much he kept making it clear that he loved Francesca (the “real” Francesca), it was beginning to bum me out for Pippa. Not enough for me to stop reading or enjoying the book at all, just something I personally would’ve liked done a bit differently.
While this is not a bad thing, I did notice and want to point out that this book’s suspense to romance ratio was higher than the last two. I understand why, there was a lot to unravel, and it had me biting my nails pretty much the whole time up to one of the big reveals!
I’ve loved getting to know each of the Red Rogues, and love them all so much! I’m a little sad this is the end of the series, but it’s been a joy experiencing their journeys and working through their individual traumas, with the support of one another, and the men lucky enough to fall in love with them.

This is the final book in the Devil you know series by Kerrigan Byrne, and we finally get Francesca’s story!

Francesca Cavendish has a tragic past. As a girl, she witnesses everyone she loves being massacred and her home burn. She decides to take over her best friend’s identity to seek revenge on those responsible.

Years later we meet the Devil of Dorset who has been investigating Francesca and the Red Rogues. He is inexplicably drawn to Francesca but cannot believe she is who she claims. He is determined to find out her secrets even if he has to seduce them out of her.

This book has a slow start for me. I loved the prologue about Francescas childhood and tragedy, but the introduction to the hero and his staking didn’t really work for me. However Kerrigan Byrne is a genius and she sucked me in and I could not put this book down.

I love Francesca, how strong she is, how she won’t let a man dictate to her and will do what she wants, and I love how absolutely capable she is. Though Chandler isn’t my favourite of her heros, my heart absolutely broke for him and all he’s survived.

The villain of this story was intriguing but kind of fell of at the end in an unsatisfying way.

Overall I really liked this book. It was gripping, heart melting, sexy and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The third installment in the Devil You Know series was as good as the other two. It's a story of loss and revenge and two hearts that are meant for each other; without knowing it. This was Francesca Cavendish's story. Cecilia Teague and Lady Redmayne make appearances throughout; but this is all about learning Francesca's back story and what drives her. Francesca, Frank to the other Red Rogues, is a force to be reckoned with. For twenty years she has trained, gathered data and searched for those responsible for the deaths of her family and friends. Finally, she is starting to see the results of so much time and energy. She hopes to be able to remove the head of the snake; so no one else ever has to feel the pain and anguish in seeing those you love killed, and your home burned to the ground. Frank also has a deep secret that only the other Red Rogues know about. Now that the others have found their life mates; she is beginning to feel like a third wheel and not a part of the whole. Once her revenge is exacted; what will she do with herself? All her life has been spent trying to attain this one goal. Will she succeed? A wrench is thrown into the mix when a key player is arrested by the Secret Service and Frank hasn't had the opportunity to interrogate/investigate him; as she has others, in the Crimson Council.

This is a story with intrigue/mystery, sex (yes, there a a few sex scenes), love, discovering one's self, revenge, and redemption. The characters are well defined. I enjoyed it very much and found the writing style flowed well and kept me engaged the entire time. The main focus of the story is on the characters so there isn't a lot of descriptive fill regarding the surroundings and "scenery" unless it pertains to the actions taking place.

After seeing her family and friends murdered Lady Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Mont Claire has lived her life for revenge. She’s out to bring down the Crimson Council at all costs working at night to find their secrets. She unknowingly encounter an agent for the crown the Devil of Dorset, he’s quite the enigma no really knows who he is. He’s become quite intrigued by Francesca, why is she placing herself in danger with these dangerous men. Every encounter he finds himself more drawn to the beautiful and alluring woman who is in the middle of his investigation. A captivating story as they’re drawn deeper into the cult and their lives are at stake. Can they bring the Crimson Council to justice before they’re captured and killed for knowing too much? I love the strong female character Francesca she’s his equal in every way, she never backs down from a confrontation, she meets danger head on with the help of her two friends. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent book.

So many lies and so much deceit. Francesca loved a boy and knew he would always have her heart. Then one day it was all taken from her. She vowed that she would seek revenge on all those who took everything away from her. The boy did survive and grew up to want the same revenge thinking that Francesca died too. Francesca and Chandler are both on the same path but are not honest about who they are. When all is revealed, who will they be? Will they still have that love or will it be in ashes like their old home?

**** Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc ahead of the release date which is coming soon***

I’ve been a fan of Kerrigan Byrne’s writing for a good while and though i may be biased, this has to probably be one of my favorites yet. Love, a bit of adventure and deception thrown in to the mix if this is up your alley. What i love this time is how Francesca doesn’t act like the damsel in distress mode and though the Earl of Devlin is one of many secrets to have, how can you not fall for him, even if he has dealt with a lot which you’ll have to read in order to find out. Other than that, this book will be a fit for you if you also like historical romance as well.

The writing of this novel was very suspenseful and romantic with a complex plot. It was exciting and I stayed glued to the pages. This has been a very good series and this installment was a great addition.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Every time I start a Kerrigan Byrne book I don't want to put it down and then it is finished too soon. I have always been a Historical Romance fan, and Kerrigan is one of the best. The Devil of Dorset and Francesca are complex characters that have a lot of secrets. Both are in pursuit of a murderer that changed their individual lives in profound ways when they were very young. Both thought the other dead. Now they are in the fight for their lives and for a love that neither thought would ever be possible.

Kerrigan is a master at crafting characters that are intriguing and mysterious and do not let social strictures get in the way of what they want. Both are stubborn and refuse to give an inch even if it could mean they might die in their quest for vengeance. Add in mind-blowing danger and sizzling passion and you have a love story with everything you could wish for.

The Devil You Know Series is my personal favorite and I guarantee that you will love it too!! This story is a great stand-alone book, but I recommend you read the whole series.

Received a complimentary copy for an honest review.

Known by many names, the so-called Devil of Dorset is an enigma even to those who know him. A skilled spy, he is one of the Crown’s most lethal weapons but in Francesca Cavendish, the Countess of Mont Claire, he may have found someone who can match him.

Francesca uses her position in society to bring herself ever closer to the secret group responsible for the deaths of every member of her family. She’s worked toward this goal for years but is unprepared to catch the eye of the truly evil Earl of Devlin. She has her own secrets to keep and may be in over her head here, but she’s not prepared to find the love of her life alive again, or accept his help, especially when the truth will likely drive him away.

This book was very much a mixed bag for me. I loved the concept and Chandler made for an excellent and many-layered tortured hero, but Francesca was rather a let down as a heroine. Chandler’s pain was actually rather worse than hers all told, but she fell into the trap of believing herself to be the only person with a truly painful past, or at least that’s how she came across. Francesca was quick to believe any disagreement she encountered was merely derived from a man underestimating her because she was a woman. Of course, this was not always the case and because of this arrogance, a criminal was able to escape imprisonment and she nearly ruined a raid set to bring down the corrupt secret society she’d been hunting, all because she had zero faith in Chandler, or anyone else for that matter, to do their jobs better than she could, despite their superior experience. This just struck me as hubris, especially since she kept repeating this behavior and never learned and it made her difficult to like. Despite this, Francesca’s plight was one I could get behind and I rooted for her success, but her determination to do everything alone meant she got in her own way more often than not.

What really got me though was that Francesca’s intended portrayal as a strong heroine just showed her to be more akin to a playground bully, responding with violence to anything with which she disagreed. At one point she even punches Chandler in the face after an intimate, loving encounter devolves into a rather minor argument. He excuses her by reasoning that she held back and wasn’t really trying to hurt him, but for me this is still domestic violence, and it wouldn’t be ok if he’d hit her that way so it’s not acceptable for her to do so to him. These aspects of Francesca’s character made it hard to believe she actually loved Chandler and their truth revelation was a long time in coming and then caused the third act separation that I’m just not a fan of. This was not helped by the fact that Chandler spent nearly the entire book believing himself reunited with his childhood love and that was a large pillar of their relationship.

Given Francesca’s contempt for all men, even her best friends’ husbands, her rapidly rekindled love for Chandler felt just a bit insincere. I was incredibly invested in the suspense aspect here and in Chandler’s backstory. I loved this concept, but the romance was a bit lacking, especially since these two came together like crashing waves and their relationship remained quite volatile rather than really becoming sweet. That worked for them; however, it just wasn’t that romantic and I wish Chandler had gotten a bit more recognition and acknowledgement of his pain from Francesca. Overall, this book gave me mixed feelings, but I did enjoy the story and would say it’s not to be missed.

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

The third and final instalment to the series, this book lived up to the hype for me. Francesca and Chandler (or Declan- I really didn’t know which name to use for him!) were great together. Their chemistry was instant despite that they thought the other someone else initially. Of course, they shared the same past and unknowingly were invested in the same revenge, the fall of the Crimson Council.

We hear of the tragedy of her past in book 1 when she reveals her secret to her two friends, and the prologue of this book begins with that awful day. Besides being a supportive character in the other two books we don’t read too much of what Francesca is doing since her return to England and that added to her mystery to me as a reader. I couldn’t wait to find out how she has been going around fulfilling her life goal- which is to avenge her lost loved ones. In this book the reader is thrown into those schemes with the first chapter. She has drugged her ‘lover’ and rifled through his house searching for anything to incriminate him and discover a lead on the CC. This scene immediately promises how the rest of the book will unfold, with suspense, intrigue, action, and romance. The CC seem to be a far-reaching evil body and one can’t worry how our heroes will dismantle and destroy them without far reaching consequences.

Francesca was a well written character and likeable. She is loyal and courageous. Her plans put her at risk every time, but she is determined to see things through and is careful not to endanger her friends along. She comes across as cold to the ton but is still harbouring a lot of pain from her loss and a great love for Declan. When they are reunited in a way- she maintains her authority and independence from him (who wanted her to leave her revenge to him)- yet at the same time she was insecure of herself with him and loved him enough not to reveal who she really was only so not to cause him further pain. This also made her seem less invincible. Yes, she has spent the last ten years gathering skills from fighting techniques (from the far east no less), to potions and an attitude to fool the men of the ton that she is some sort of Cora Pearl cum Lucrezia Borgia, but, she can be vulnerable as she found with her interactions with Kenway and even Drake (when she didn’t know who he was). Like her Red Rogue friends, she is more like the modern heroine than a woman from the Victorian period, but in this book that worked for me. She was independently wealthy, had no family but two gypsy servants so answerable to no one and because her motive in life was only her revenge, she wasn’t hampered by any insecurities regarding society’s opinion of her.

Her friendship with Cecelia and Alexandra was also not too cliched. They all loved and supported one another but still harboured worries about the other’s actions, questioned and argued them and she even worried of all their future together with the other two married to brothers while she was feeling like a third wheel.

I did enjoy the relationship she developed with Ramsey and was happy to see his and Redmayne’s inclusion in this last book. Not just in the background, but active in helping Francesca with her goal. I was also happy to see that Ramsey did become the Lord Chancellor- which I didn’t think would happen with his marriage to Cecilia. I liked that Francesca had a powerful and connected ally at her back in him against the CC.

Declan, I was in two minds about. Anyone who read the previous book knows who this ‘Devil of Dorset’ is and even without that knowledge it wasn’t necessary. It barely added to the concept that the hero is a man of many secrets and identities. We know it’s Declan. He is a tortured hero who has more than the tragedy he shares with Francesca haunting him. I wanted to like him as much as Redmayne and Ramsey but besides his instant attraction to Francesca his feelings throughout were clouded in my opinion with him thinking she is someone else. As we reach the end of the book, we realize that was the authors intent. Declan loved Francesca because he saw her as the opposite to what he was and had lived through. The real Francesca was gentle, pure and soft to him and his hope for good in the world. Even though the woman he knew now was completely different he wanted to hold on to those ideals and that’s why he wanted to force them on her. So, though I couldn’t warm up to him, it wasn’t until the very end when he finally analysed his soul and opened himself up to her, that I felt him deserving of her- that made for a very deep and well-developed character.

This book was captivating, the prose as beautiful as ever by this author. The plot was well constructed and cleanly tied up everything for a good satisfying finale to the trilogy.

**I received this copy from Netgalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review. All opinions here are my own.**

Countess Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, and Devil of Dorset, Declan Chandler...two individuals who are not who they say they are. He is one of the Crown’s most dangerous weapons, a man with many names and no paper trail. She is out for revenge against the people responsible for her family's massacre. They have a past together, but can they have a future with so many secrets in the way?

This is the third book in the Devil You Know series. It can be read alone, but it's so much better when one has read the previous book All Scot And Bothered.

I loved this book. Honestly, I don't think Kerrigan Byrne is capable of writing a bad story but this is definitely very high up on the list of best ones IMO. The whole novel is a page turner and I was so engrossed and excited to find out what was going to happen next. Francesca and Chandler are broken leads. Their tragedies motivate them to remake themselves. They are fascinating together. I can't say much about the plot without giving away spoilers, but this book is full of Byrne's signature dark, sexy, twisty storytelling.

Tropes: Mistaken Identity/Disguised, Revenge, Childhood Friends, Spy/Govt Work, Anti-Hero, Protector, Second Chance, Spinster

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TheDevilInHerBed #NetGalley

While I liked the ending of this series, for some reason, I had a hard time staying in the story. Perhaps it's because I read the others a while back. There was something about the writing and the intermingling of the multiple names I had a hard time with, while I knew they were the same person - the transition on the page didn't work for me. I had a hard time with Declan, the Hero, and the Heroine, Pippa/Francesa, because who they were to each other 20 years ago is not the relationship or the fake relationship that is now. Lots of lies, disguises, and revelations, and in the end, it worked. Still good, but it does not live up to the others in the series.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's for an honest review.

4.5 Stars!
The Devil in Her Bed was a fantastic ending in the Devil You Know trilogy. This book was the near perfection I felt when reading the first book in the series, but for completely different reasons. First, it gave me a favorite heroine. Who knew that would be Francesca? One of the best! Matched with my favorite secondary character from the previous book and it was couple perfection. Some of their scenes were reminiscent of Pitt/Jolie's, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and it had me grinning from ear to ear. I absolutely loved their verbal and hand-to-hand tête-à-têtes. As well as a little knife and pistol action. Francesca could truly hold her own against the Devil of Dorset.

What also made this a delicious read:
- the slow burn
- the duplicity (what I knew, but they didn't)
- the romantic tension
- the capable and intelligent heroine
- the dark and resilient hero
- and the many tender revelations

Per usual, there were some darker elements to this story in addition to the grim, stage-setting prologue. Although, the prologue wasn't a surprise, since Francesca's back story was alluded to in the previous books. It was the rather sick and twisted Crimson Council that took an even crazier turn as this book wrapped up the mystery and machinations behind the group.

I'm convinced that Byrne had simply been biding her time with the first two books, revealing subtle hints to this finale, while refining and finessing these characters to give her readers the story they’ve been waiting for. I truly hope this isn’t the last we see of this couple. In the very least, cameos in a crossover series.

"That Declan Chandler has the soul of a tiger," Serena said. "And you, Pip, have that of a dragon."

I fell in love with the beginning of this story. It was tender, intense, angsty, heartbreaking and fast paced. The beginning set this story up beautifully, and I was so excited for the story to unfold.

Disguised as Francesca Cavendish, Pippa Hargrave is set out to venge the deaths of her family and friends. Her disguise is important not only for her revenge, but for her own safety. I loved her strength and fiery spirit.

Sadly though, the middle of the book lagged a bit. It was slow-moving, and at times, lost my attention. And while overall, I loved our hero, I struggled with the Devil of Dorset's interest and love for Francesca. For the majority of the book, he thought she was someone else, and when he finds out her truth, he becomes enraged and hypocritical about her secrets.

With the end of the book, Kerrigan brought my interests back to life. Ramsey’s interaction with Chandler brought back the feelings the beginning made me feel.

Where I once disliked Historical Romances, they've quickly become my favorite, and Kerrigan Byrne is a favorite author in this genre.

I love Byrne’s writing and her characters and this book is no exception. We get to see a glimpse of the lives from the 2 previous books as well which I enjoy. The book is dark and the main characters carry a great deal of emotional baggage from their experiences. I was greatly disappointed in Chandler’s reaction when the truth about Francesca was revealed but he redeemed himself in the end.

THE DEVIL IN HER BED by Kerrigan Byrne is a complex novel of mystery, passion, crime, and masquerade. It is a tightly woven novel that gives nothing away too soon and, sometimes, nearly too late. It is the third novel in the trilogy Devil You Know.

I am always intrigued by Kerrigan Byrne’s books. To categorize them as historical romance is to shortchange what they truly are. Yes, there is romance and it is also deliciously sexy. But, there is also such depth to the story that surrounds the romance and the bedroom that it is a novel that falls into a whole other plane of writing.

Francesca and the Devil of Dorset each have secrets—amazing secrets— but they are most unwilling to share those secrets except to a tiny number of trusted friends (associates?). To be honest, however, I do not feel that the book, as the third entry of a trilogy, can be considered a stand-alone. I spent the vast majority of the reading in a state of confusion ranging from mild to totally being at a loss. However, it is an excellent novel that can be compelling enough to keep my interest, even if I’m not entirely sure what is happening. Normally, I would give up on a book that confused me, but I sure wasn’t quitting this one!

I had read only the first of the trilogy, How to Love a Duke in Ten Days, and somehow missed the second book, All Scot and Bothered. I read How to Love a Duke in Ten Days back when it was released in August, 2019. I know I loved it, but good heavens!— that was almost 1 1/2 years ago! Since I read about 4 books a week, keen recollection was a little fuzzy. A lot of the backstory came to me as I read, but not details and I had missed a lot, apparently, by missing book number two.

Still, The Devil in Her Bed was enjoyable due to Byrne’s attention to detail and excellent writing. She describes beautifully when that is called for, but also lavishes dialogue throughout the book. I was rarely told what the character was thinking or feeling, but allowed to learn through the dialogue and interaction with others.

Please don’t discount my totally honest review simply because I received a pre-release copy via the author and NetGalley. I now know I must go back to re-read my copy of the first book in the trilogy and have the second book on order. The Devil in Her Bed has made me remember just how well Byrne writes and I don’t want to consider leaving this trilogy short.

Wow, this was not what I was expecting.

Francesca was one tough, original heroine, unlike any I’ve read before. She had set before her a plan and she wouldn’t let anything stop her from it. The things that she did were quite unique for a woman of this era, and I did struggle some with her choices and actions. But in the end, she won me over as she proved everything she did was for those she had loved and lost.

Chandler also exhibited some unique qualities although they were more fitting for the time. He was intensely protective of Francesca and that protectiveness grew exponentially the closer they became. He did react at one point in a way that made me want to smack him, but he totally redeemed himself and I, like Francesca, forgave him.

This has a lot of drama and angst with just as much mystery and danger. I never knew what was going to happen next. Each few pages something happened that kept me fully engaged and refusing to close the book. The surprises just kept coming and I was breathless with shock and awe with each one.

While this takes place in the latter 1800s, I did feel that there were times when the story felt much more modern. That did distract from the overall feel and depth of the story for me, but I still enjoyed it and was overall very satisfied.

The Devil in Her Bed
Book 3 in the Devil You Know Series
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.


**Spoilers Ahead**
The Devil in Her Bed is the final book in the Devil You Know series and sadly it did not end in a bang for me. Pippa has lived most of her life as Francesca and has been on a journey that leads her to too many of London's dark corners. She's adamant on getting revenge for her and Francesca's family who were murdered twenty years ago.
I felt that the plot of finding who was behind the Crimson Council ( the group responsible for the murder of these two families) took away from the romance between "Francesca" and Chandler.
One of the things that broke my heart for "Francesca" was that Chandler was in love with the real Francesca when he was younger. So all the time he's with "Francesca" he's falling in love with her again. There's a mention of how he always saw Pippa as a sister....(um, no)...it was when I realized how is he going to turn this around and fall in love with the woman, Francesca.
I felt once Pippa's truth was unveiled Chandler said things that were too hurtful and in the end did not grovel enough for Pippa to forgive him. I wished she would of gone back to her name in the end.
I will continue to read more of Kerrigan Byrne's work because I am a huge fan of hers... it was this series fell flat for me...the hero of book 2 and 3 were not worthy of the heroines.

**I hope review is not confusing**