Cover Image: The Devil in Her Bed

The Devil in Her Bed

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As I finished The Devil in Her Bed it became apparent that this is one of those bittersweet moments when I needed to know what came next for Francesca since even as a secondary character, this series/trilogy has always had her at its base. Yet. I didn’t want to leave the world of the Red Rogues, the friends closer than sisters, and the men that these women now enjoy as life partners as the Devil You Know series concludes with this amazing tale. I hope that we get the chance to run across them again, perhaps as cameos in another series for I feel their combined stories aren’t quite done yet – or I simply don’t want to leave them behind. I will mention that I do not believe a reader new to this series can pick up The Devil in Her Bed on its own without experiencing some confusion. Each story builds on events, revelations from the previous one, and I believe it would be difficult to understand some of the “whys” put forth in this final story. That’s my own opinion, though, sometimes it’s just not possible to go back to the beginning.

Chandler is a man of mystery, known by many names, bound only to the Crown as one of their most valuable and deadly operatives of the secret service. (his identity has been an open secret throughout this series, clues abound about him) Yet this keeper of secrets has met his match in Francesca, the one person holding perhaps as many secrets as he is. Watching them attempt to outwit each other was a roller coaster ride of laughter, steaminess, danger, annoyance, frustration, and eventually love, the kind that can last a lifetime. But they had a long and difficult journey to get to that happy ending as secrets revealed do make a difference, and the vile Crimson Council is taken down.

The Devil in Her Bed had me flipping pages quickly as the tensions and the danger intensified. In Chandler and Francesca, we have two very intelligent, extremely stubborn people at cross purposes with each other so often in their story – of course, those secrets got in the way as well. While I adored them both and felt they were a well-matched couple I’ll admit that there were times when Francesca’s stubbornness could have done more harm than good. And Chandler? Oh, he pulled a stunt that had me itching to smack him upside the head a few times. Men! I would have made him grovel longer, but that’s me.

When the smoke clears, and all secrets have been revealed (we hope) that was the moment when I realized just how much I was going to miss these characters… but I was so glad to experience their unique stories. If you love a really good Historical Romance series full of danger, intrigue, secrets, and finding the love of your life when least expected, then The Devil in Her Bed and the Devil You Know series is a perfect match for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Byrne
Devil You Know #3

Perfect ending to a trilogy in which three young girls form an enduring friendship and alliance that began in finishing school and carries on through adventures, murderous plots, cunning attacks, romances, and more.

What I liked:
* Chapter One: it sets the stage, introduces the burning reason behind Francesca’s need for revenge, and sets the stage for the story that: follows.
* Pippa: a young girl with more heart and love and caring than most. Not wealthy but well loved by parents and friends with the children of the wealthy family her parents worked for.
* Francesca: the main character of this book is not much like the young girl met in the first chapter. I admired her strength, will, tenacity, enduring love, strong true friendship with Cecilia and Alexandra, and so much more.
* Seeing the main characters of the previous two books in the series and catching up with them, a bit.
* Chandler: a man of many names and talents, strong, lethal, focused, intriguing. There was one time I wanted to smack him and give him a piece of my mind but thankfully Ramsay stepped in on my behalf…eventually.
* The writing, plot, pacing
* That I felt drawn in and part of the story.
* The twists and turns and surprises that occurred.
* That good did overcome evil and there eventually was a happy ending for all.

What I didn’t like:
* The Crimson Council: evil, hedonistic, easy to hate. Kept hoping they would be destroyed.
* Having to say goodbye to the characters.

Did I like this book? Definitely!
Would I read more by this author? As soon as a book is available!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

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TW for murder and loss of loved ones.

Going into this one, I was aware that some of my friends weren't loving it. So I lowered some of my expectations and, I have to say, I was left wanting a bit more from this romance.

As usual with Kerrigan Byrne, we have a super emotional beginning and our heroine ends up taking on the identity of a countess that died so that she would have the means to live and get revenge on those who killed everyone she loves. The whole book is about Francesca trying to figure out who was behind killing her family. The hero is someone from her past and he spends THE ENTIRE book thinking she's actually Francesca. She tries to tell him a few times but he always conveniently cuts her off and changes the topic of conversation. Literally it isn't until over 90% in the book when she finally reveals her true identify of who she is, even after he confesses his true identity to her. I really wish she had told the hero much earlier on because it seemed like he was super angry when she finally told him and then got over it way too quickly because there just wasn't much of the book left.

As for the plot, it was just fine, but thinking back it doesn't seem like that much actually happened. This took me FOREVER to get through because nothing about the plot was really pulling me in and making me have to read it. I did love how our two main characters were spies and how we finally got to learn more about the hero's past and who he was. I liked how they fought a lot (those fight scenes were so fun) and Francesca really held her own and a strong and independent woman. With all of that, though, I just didn't find myself interested in the story.

While I wanted to love this one, it was probably my least favorite of the series.

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All I can say is wow! I love the Red Rogues and "The Devil In Her Bed" is definitely my favorite in the must-read Devil You Know series by gifted author Kerrigan Byrnne. I felt like I was with Francesca throughout this emotional novel that had me on the edge of my seat with the secrets, surprises, revenge, suspense, and so much more. I was turning the pages as fast as I could, unable to put the book down until I read the last word and I loved every minute! Ms. Byrnne blew me away with this fast paced historical novel and anyone who enjoys smartly written, original historical romance should plan to read it. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review. I enjoyed it so much I purchased a copy to read again later.

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I loved this final book in the series. Dark and emotional (the way I like my Kerrigan Byrne stories). Sexy as all get out (the way I like my Kerrigan Byrne stories)! I just loved it!

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What a great ending to this series. I loved the simmering slow burn between the two characters and the explosive end.
It's been clear that Francesca has secrets and that they haunt her. The friendship and bond between the three red rogues and how they have each other's back is a strong backbone of this story. Clearly the husbands the other two ladies have chosen totally support their wives and this friendship and they are there to back up Francesca at every step even when she's determined to protect them and keep them far away from the evil that she's intent on unmasking.
Chandler is a man of mystery and himself wears almost as many masks as Francesca. He knows she's a fraud but cannot figure out how to expose her and keep her far away from his own agenda not realizing how closely aligned their agendas are. He is so full of secrets with the last one being the most explosive and unexpected of all.
A total winner. I am sorry to see this series end but can't wait to see what the author will present us with next.

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Lady Francesca is out for one thing and one thing only - revenge. After her family was massacred the only thing that kept her going was the end goal - to kill everyone that ever harmed her family. Chandler - also known as the Devil of Dorset. Chandler has his own secrets and for now he's after one thing - Lady Francesca. When both of them realize that they are after the same goal - will their attraction to one another cause issues for them?

I loved the relationship between Francesca and Chandler. They had so much simmering sexual tension between them and I enjoyed how raw their attraction was to one another. In a sense The Devil in Her Bed was also a fated mates romance, and I loved how Francesca and Chandler's past was intertwined with their future. The suspenseful parts of the book also had me hooked and I loved the way everything played out.

It was great to see how every single one of these characters came together for the last book in the series. I only wish there was an epilogue! If you're looking for a suspenseful, sweet and sexy romance definitely give the Devil You Know series a try!

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I have been counting down the days until the latest Devil You Know book was released. I was so excited to receive an ARC from the publishers and couldn't stop the giddy feeling when I started reading about the third and final Red Rogue for this series.
This book starts off with a tragic bang and I was stunned. I mean my goodness the gruesomeness of the story was insane. I saw Francesca in a completely new light after reading about the trauma in her past. Coming into "current day" I was excited to read about how close she was to her end goal had me feeling so much anticipation and nerves.

Francesca has caught the eye of the Devil of Dorset, a Secret Service member and man with a tragic past as dark as Francesca. He knows she's hiding something and that she isn't who she says he is. How? Because he knew the real Francesca. On a mission to uncover her true identity leads him straight to her he is constantly fighting the temptation to be more to her, to be her everything.

I loved this story. From beginning to end it was fascinating and I couldn't be happier for our final rogue to get her happy ending. There was so much mystery around everything and while there were hints of some of the plot twists a lot of them caught me by surprise.

The Devil in Her Bed and The overall Devil You Know trilogy is a must-read and I feel so privileged to see all these amazing ladies get their happy endings.

Rating: 4.5

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This one is hard for me to rate. I love the Red Rogues so much and have loved getting to see each of these incredible and strong women get their HEA. I love that their happy ending isn't just about the man they end up with, but also about achieving their goals. These ladies are so amazing and independent and I just adore them with all my heard.

So, throughout the series, you know Francesca is keeping secrets. This book starts off right away with a flashback and an introduction to who Francesca is and how she came to be. I loved the mystery behind this secret she's trying to uncover. It ends up being much bigger than anything she expected and I was definitely very into this part of the story.

I guess I want to say that the one star I take off this book is for the main guy. I don't know what to call him, since he really goes by a lot of names, but for the purpose of this, lets call him the Devil. I loved the parallels between him and Francesca- they've both spent a lot of time in hiding and trying to uncover the same secrets, but they're not really aware of each other until the start orbiting each other. Once they officially "meet" they have this clear connection. However, Francesca finds out who he truly is, but doesn't tell him who she is. So, yes, she's keeping secrets from him... but, I don't know, I just couldn't get over the fact that he was "in love" with this years old image and refused to understand that Francesca is strong and independent in her own right. He had this constant, "step back, I got this" attitude, and no dude, she also has it. She has had it since before you showed up.

Overall, I loved the story and I loved the resolution of the relationship, but the Devil did make me feel ranty sometimes.

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We have met Alexander and Cecil, now it's time to meet Frank - the third of the Red Rouges. All three of these women have baggage and battles to face on the way to true love, but Francesca's road may have the biggest pitfalls yet.

Ms Byrne does an excellent job of pulling us into Francesca's world both as a young girl experiencing live changing events and as a near 30 year old woman trying to right wrongs while operating in a society that limits just what women can do. Add in the mysterious Chandler and you have a character driven story that keeps you on your toes.

The story surrounding Francesca and Chandler is layered with intrique, potential revenge, fate, friendship, and maybe even love. I appreciated the way these two, along with the interesting secondary cast, played off each other.

The Devil in Her Bed is strongly connected to the previous books in the series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone. If you read the series out of order, there will be a few spoilers for the previous books, but nothing that would prevent full enjoyement of all the books. I would try to read in order if possible.

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5/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I loved this book. Kerrigan Byrne just has a way of writing a story that takes my complete attention. I love that these two had a past. I really enjoyed the chemestriy between our two main characters. I also really enjoyed the way that this last book rounded out the story line in this series. Completely recommend this book and it's series.

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4 1/2 stars!

Oh Ms. Byrne, this was a phenomenal trilogy and The Devil in Her Bed was the perfect finish!

I enjoyed each of the books in this trilogy. The author not only writes a wonderful historical fiction, she doesn't shy away from difficult topics. This all helps to make these books more relevant to readers.

I hooked with this storyline from the first page. I knew Francesca's book would be a good one, but I had no idea just how much I would enjoy it. This book was chock full of revenge, trickery, a juicy enemies to lovers trope, wonderful friendships and some horrible villains. Francesca is a heroine that you can't help but admire. She had a goal and was determined to not let anything or anyone deter her from it. She was tough and knew how to handle herself - - and a weapon. She definitely wasn't one to be trifled with.

The Devil of Dorset is truly the perfect match for her. They are so similar in that they both are goal oriented and driven to succeed. They also don't really understand each other fully because of the careful facades they both have in place. When one is too afraid to let their feelings show, it's hard for another person to fully know them. However, along the way, their chemistry evolves into something more. - - even though they are both resisting it every step of the way.

I don't want to share too much and jeopardize the storyline. I just have to say this was my favorite "matchup" in the series. That says a great deal because I was an enthusiastic fan of the other two couples as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

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I did not finish book 1 of the series, it was too dark for me. I thoroughly enjoyed book 2. I was really looking forward to Francesca's story and wow, this was not for me at all. The only thing that worked for me in this book, was Francesca as a strong woman. She never gave in, was willing to do whatever it took, went all in. That's the one star.
The rest of this book was a mess. The plot went nowhere. We've been trying to discover what and who is involved in the Crimson Council, what their end game is, into this third book of the series. And apparently it is just violence and perversion? What?? Seriously, WHAT??? Chandler/Declan has zero character development. He's a ghost, a spy, a chameleon, who has urges of anger and being a Devil. Suddenly at the black moment, we learn his secret but then...nothing. Suddenly when he's titled (and entitled), he's not that Devil any longer? Again, WHAT?? We only had vague references to his past as a spy, his strange and angry interactions with Francesca here, and then are supposed to buy the big twist and his redemption. No. There are some more troubling characterizations of side characters, I won't detail them other than to say, the author was called out for it in the last book and this book is not better. Stop using marginalized individuals and vague descriptions of them, as placeholders in a cast of villains. Just leave them out entirely, please. Byrne has written plenty of dark plots with twisted characters and I've been able to stay with them and enjoy the books. Not this one, not at all.

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4 Stars!

I had been excited for Francesca's book since the first one in the series and this book did not disappoint!

It was filled with the angst, the action, the twists and turns that are on brand for Kerrigan Byrne. She wrote a story that was portrayed so wonderfully with unique characters. I loved Francesca and Devlin separately but together, they were EXPLOSIVE!

Pick this book up, if you're in the mood for a MUCH darker Historical romance filled with angst and a great romance that touches the soul.

It loses one star because of the pacing. It was slow in parts that kind of made this book drag. That being said, I still very much recommend this book!

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This book had my full attention from the painful and heartbreaking chapter one to a wonderful last page! And what a rollercoaster ride in the middle, full of twists and turns and surprises. I loved every minute of reading this book!

The Devil in Her Bed is the third installment in Kerrigan Byrne’s Devil You Know series and is the culminating story of three strong, fiercely loyal women who bonded over hardship and loss while in school. Kerrigan Byrne’s writing is spectacular and well-crafted. Her characters come alive on the pages; her writing has you feeling all of Francesca and Chandler’s pain, joy, fear, heartache, angst, and love. An epilogue would have been perfect for this book. Francesca and Chandler had fantastic plans at the end of the story, and I would love to see where they were a few years later.

This book has everything you could want – a mysterious and sexy hero, an intelligent resourceful heroine who also knows martial arts, awesome chemistry between the H/h, intrigue, murder, revenge, suspense, lies upon lies, an evil secret society that includes high government officials, sexual tension, and steamy scenes. While each book can be read as a standalone story, they are best read in order to get the full effect.

Thank you to Kerrigan Byrne, St. Martin’s Publishing, and Netgalley for an advanced copy. I voluntarily read the book and gladly leave my unbiased opinion.

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This was a long time coming — the final chapter in the story of the Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, and her search for who destroyed her family. We have been building to the conclusion of this stunning trilogy about the Red Rogues — three friends who become family — and it Kerrigan pulls off a tour de force. This is just a wonderful, wonderful book with an ending readers will love. Along the way, she first battles and then falls in love with the "Devil of Dorset," and earl by the name of Chandler Alquist who won't stop until he lays her secrets bare. Rather than continue to fight each other, the two have to turn to battling the Crimson Council — the evil group behind so much destruction. The final conclusion could not be more satisfying. (I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley. Opinions are honest and mine.)

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3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book. The Devil in Her Bed is the third book in the Devil You Know series and is Declan and Francesca's story. Francesca is the final redhead in her group of friends, the Red Rogues, to find love. She has a tragic childhood, in which her family was murdered, and she has lived her life trying to find those responsible and get her revenge. She has spied and secretly investigated the upper class in London and she feels close to finding the culprit. Declan is a mysterious figure from her past and that is about all I can say without giving the stories' secrets away.

This book started out really strong. I enjoyed it, especially the first half. There is a lie of identity though, that goes on until nearly the end of the book that I wished had been exposed earlier. It was hard to trust the feelings developing between the couple when one party did not know the true identity of the other. It is really hard to explain without getting into spoiler territory. I just really wanted the couple to be completely honest with each other and to see them fall in love as themselves. I felt like the conflict ended so close to the end that it unsatisfied me. Otherwise, I liked Francesca and Declan in general, despite their miscommunication. The story was good, intriguing, fast paced and had lots of action.

Overall, while not my favorite book by Ms. Byrne, this book was still entertaining and enjoyable. I was happy that Francesca and Declan get their HEA together. I have enjoyed this series and am sad to see the end of the Red Rogues' stories. I look forward to more from Ms. Byrne in the future!

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The story starts with a massacre at the Mount Claire Estate in Hampshire in 1872. Pippa Hargrave's entire family is killed and her home is gone. Only she survives. She is rescued by a friend and is told she must take on the identity of now deceased Francesca Cavendish who was the heiress of the estate. The story jumps ahead twenty years and Pippa is now living in London and she is known as the infamous Lady Francesca Cavendish. She has a secret mission and that is to find those who murdered her family. She has a stalker, of sorts, who is obsessed with her because of her reputation. He is known as the Devil of Dorset and is a spy for the Secret Service and he, too, has been investigating the massacre. He doesn't believe Francesca is who she says she is. Eventually there is a confrontation. Both are highly skilled at what they do. Have they met their match?
I found this story to be well paced and interesting. Secrets are revealed and there are twists and turns mixed with intrigue. There is a varied cast of characters who add depth to the narrative. All of these components come together to make for a great read. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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This book is the third in the series "Devil You Know" by Kerrigan Byrne. Have to admit I did not read the first two books, and I'm really wishing I had....but then of course...I will go back and read them!! Do you need to read the first two before reading this? No, but once you read a little about the other characters in the book, the "need to know" drives you! Back to this book....very enjoyable read. The characters were maybe not the usual ones you encounter in some of the romance books that are written as "regency romance". The two man characters begin the book as children Pippa Hargrave and Declan Chandler, but are reunited later in life as two very different people with different names. How they got there is part of the story and the drive behind the story. I enjoyed very much the strength and determination that the author gave "Pippa", who was on her own mission and would carry it out come hell or high water. Unfortunately, "Declan" is also on the same type of mission - and as their paths cross, so will their tempers, love, and ultimate desires. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. #NetGalley #TheDeviliinHerBed

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The Devil in Her Bed had a little of everything: intrigue, romance, sensual moments, and danger but flowed seamlessly. Reading until almost the bitter end for the outcome I had hoped for was a little frustrating but added to the mystery of what would happen.

If you like historical romance with a punch I highly recommend this trilogy. It's important to note that each book could be read as a standalone BUT WHY would you do that? Enjoy them all!

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