I wish I could say I like this book, because I really did like the first two book sooo much better.

But Merritt annoyed me. Veronica was fine, though I didn't feel anything for her. I guess my biggest beef with the book was these two people either just were fighting (other people--so actual fighting/killing) or having the sex. Bleh.

I really enjoy this author & this series! They’re always full of action and well written. While they can be read them as a stand-alone, I highly recommend you read them in order to fully understand the plots. Veronica is our heroine who is loyal, strong, smart, & a protector. She also has a hidden past. Merritt is our soldier hero. He helps in the War Office to investigate routs happening. These two have quite the meet cute when Merritt sees Veronica dressed as a man, holding a thief at bay! Merritt feels an immediate attraction to Veronica. He offers a pardon to her if she helps him! These two learn to trust, have lots of banter, & overcome their pasts! I loved that Veronica pursued Merritt & took risks! They were also open and honest with on another which I enjoyed! Just an amazing read! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Themes, imagery, and content may be a trigger for some readers. Discussion death appear within the novel. Scenes depicting graphic violence/death also appear. they could be considered triggering to you, please take note.
An Extraordinary Lord, by Anna Harrington. This book was everything that I loved about reading and then some. I enjoyed the fast pace of the story. I like how the writer told the story with a lot of excitement, entertainment and action. These combined had me glued to the book.
I was anxious to see who was going to get theirs in the end. I found the plot very interesting and modern to historical romance writing. For me the book wasn’t boring or dull. Each chapter kept the storyline moving and getting better as the book progressed. The hot and spicy romance was a big bonus that plucks at the readers emotions for loving a good romantic book. The heroine, Veronica is kick butt awesome.
I love how her character is written. Her personality matched Witt with Merritt and won every time. Her skills with swords, knives and hand to hand combat were sweet. Then there’s the soft side to her that she lets only those that are close to her see. Her character is to go above and beyond to help others that need more help then she does.
And that is how Merritt finds himself in a dark alley, brandishing a sword. Merritt is very charming and somewhat of a rogue. Always working to master is sword skills and his lawyering skills, to be a better protector for those that are not able to protect themselves. The lust that he has for Veronica is like a burning flame to his loins that drives him over the edge as an aroused man. Thank you to the writer for writing Veronica’s age range older than twenty four.
This is a story that I was glad to read. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Fun read with lots of action, intrigue and romance to keep me entertained and not want to put the book down!

Merritt is looking for an escaped convict and when he finds the convict, he is surprised that it is Veronica. I enjoyed that they were so different and yet seemed to fit well together.

Only thing that I did not understand is when Veronica is kind of annoyed that Merritt won't consider that she was innocent of her crimes but she pleaded guilty to the charges so that confused me a bit.

I did love that it was a romance mixed with a mystery so it was fun to see them as they worked together to find who was behind the riots. I have not read any of the books with the other characters mentioned but will look into them as they sound like an interesting bunch!

Veronica is a resourceful woman who can take a man down. Merritt is on the hunt for a criminal. When they comes across paths Merritt is surprised. These characters have a great repertoire and the attraction between them is heart fluttering. Great story line with action and romance.

Sadly, this book didn't work for me. I feel like I end up wanting more from this author when I go into her books.
As with the previous book in this series, the romance fell flat, and that is just a no go for me. It was two dimensional, and I didn't find much redeemable about the story.
Not the worst thing I've ever read, but not for me. I personally won't be picking up any more from this author, since this was the third try for me.

⫷ The ARC copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange of an honest review ⫸

Anyway, this third installment was way better than the second one. I liked how strong Veronica was physically and emotionally. I did wish she let Merritt groveled a bit. Another thing bothered me Merritt clinging onto his dead fiancée even though he said he wanted Veronica more than he even wanted that fiancée of his. I would've been okay if the topic screeched up to 50% of the book. What I was not okay with was it dragged out till the end. So yeah, I was annoyed and disappointed. Aside from that, the writing was pretty good. I really enjoyed reading it.

This will go down as one of my favorite historical romances of 2021 & possibly one of my favorite HR ever. I cannot explain how much I loved and enjoyed this.

Veronica is one of my favorite heroines. She is a thief-taker and interconnected to the criminal underworld. She is fiercely loyal and incredibly intelligent. The first time we meet Veronica she is threatening a man with a sword! As we learn more about her story, we see that she is a survivor. I love how strong and soft she is at the same time. Her counterpart, Merrit is a barrister during the day but like batman at night. The first time they meet is hilarious and one of my favorite meet-cutes. Veronica and Merrit have the BEST witty banter. Their relationship felt very cat and mouse which was very sexy and intriguing. it sucked me right into the story. Merrit enlists the help of Veronica to find the mastermind behind a series of riots. They form a partnership despite their intense attraction to one another. It was everything that I wanted in a historical romance. It had the angst, the steam, and banter!!

Tropes included are:
- class difference
- spies
- secret identities (elements of it)

An Extraordinary Lord is the third book in the Lords of the Armory series by Anna Harrington. If you like mystery, spying, intrigue, romance, sizzling chemistry, and great action scenes, this is a book (and series) you should check out.

Veronica Chase and Merritt Rivers both have their secrets, but as the book goes on their facades are chiseled away piece by piece. I liked these characters separately, and I loved them together.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book for review. Opinions and thought are my own and freely given.

Another knock out read from Harrington. This time we leave society a bit more and explore the the poorest parts of London, where criminals and crime run supreme. It is here that Merritt meets Veronica, on his nightly stalks of London. Veronica is like no woman he has ever met, she can wield a sword as well as he can, he is hooked from the first fight. They soon strike a bargain to end the riots and we soon find ourselves out of the slums and into Carlton House with society, the ton, and the prince.
Merritt is such a tortured soul who has faced loss and devastation at the hands of Sceptor and the war, he is determined to make London safer but he also bent on revenge. Veronica has also faced loss but she is also trying to find a home and a place she belongs. As these two battle the evil of Sceptor but also each other sparks fly, passion ignites, and danger lurks. Just do yourself a favor and read this! :)

I found An Extraordinary Lord to have the excellent storytelling that I know I'm going to get when reading one of Harrington's books. This story continues along in the series with the search for Scepter and has a fair amount of action along with the romance, which keeps the reader turning the pages.

I always like books that feature heroines that know their own mind and have skill in fighting like Veronica has. She is able to keep Merritt on his toes and go head-to-head with him, which keeps him intrigued like no one else has in years. He has a lot of internal conflict that he has to sort through and Harrington does a fine job of moving the story along with heat as well as the action.

I recommend this entire series for its fine writing and storytelling for fans of historical romance complete with banter, sexy times, and intrigue. (4.5 stars)

4.5 Stars of Pure Anna Harrington!

So, I will freely admit that the first two books in this series didn't sit well because they simply struck me as not feeling...Anna Harrington-esque enough. I can't pinpoint wherein lies the magic of her books, whether it be her main characters, her story archs, or her style but I can say it is there and it is great. I always know when I read a book of hers and they always left me satisfied. For some indefinable reason I have not felt this way for the series so far. Here? Oh, I felt it.

The banter and camaraderie were there. We had an independent and well-defined heroine and hero. The steam and sexual tension were suitably illicit and fraught with emotion and desperation. I just kept hearing Harrington's voice in the writing again and again and kept thinking--YES! There she is! There is that something special I want from her books! Annnndddd.... I absolutely loved it.

Merritt and Veronica were this delicious team from the outset that got on and worked well but also genuinely liked each other from the get-go and were panting over each other too. Their being drawn to each other and never questioning it was great and Harrington conveyed it masterfully.
The mystery and investigating is a continuation of the series’ elusive antagonist(s): Scepter. As expected, we get nowhere closer to solving the Scepter question, but the present threat that Scepter presents during this story is, of course, resolved.

My one gripe about this, which hinders my awarding a full 5 stars, is that I felt that Merritt’s issues weren’t actually confronted throughout the story and felt a little rushed/tacked on at the end. I think it would have made Veronica’s being upset over when Merrit screws up.

SPOILER
Basically he conflates Veronica’s existence with his dead fiancé and leaves her immediately after almost being strangled to death to avenge his lost love’s murder…. It could have worked better. I think if Veronica had known earlier then her feeling second best would have made sense. Instead it didn’t resonate as strongly because Veronica (and the readers) were sort of finding out how much Merritt carries the weight of what happened only moments before he effectively choses his dead fiancé over Veronica after they have sex for the first time.
END SPOILER

I really liked the dynamic, and the choice to have Veronica and Merrit struggle with this, but it felt like an afterthought when it could have been woven throughout. It probably would have landed a little better.

Otherwise? Yeah, this is a great read! It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s interesting. Anna Harrington is an auto-buy for me, so I will be returning for the next book… Clayton’s maybe? If he falls in love with Madam Noir I will die with joy. I hope she gets a book with him, they shared some chemistry, and yeah. I’d be down to clown with them as a couple.

Highly recommend this book… this is where the series is stretching its legs!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I review this freely!

Ps. I liked this book so much I got the audiobook, as I love Justine Eyre's narration for Harrington's work. It was awesome and fun and Veronica's Portugese accent was actually pretty good!!!! So. There you go.

An Extraordinary Lord by Anna Harrington is the third book in the Lords of the Armory series and a must read if you love historical romances with plenty of romance, history, London's society and underworld along with thrilling suspense.
Lord Merritt Rivers has dedicated his life to upholding the law and in doing so he patrols London's streets at night hoping to prevent crime before it ever happens. One night while chasing an escaped convict he encounters a woman who is hunting criminals as well, but trusting each other is difficult even if they are attracted to each other.
Veronica Chase has hidden her identity and now lives in the underworld of London after confessing to a crime she never committed. She is caught between two worlds belonging to no one and nowhere.
Merritt and Veronica form an alliance to help people during the city riots, but it may only be temporary because they are living in two different worlds and their love may not be enough for them to let go of their pasts and begin to trust one another.
I really enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to reading more books in the future by this author.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

Anna has done it again. This story is a wild ride from start to finish. As this series is building the books are building as well. Merritt is a mysterious hero with a big heart wanting revenge. While Veronica is a really strong female character who makes you want her to get her happiness and love. The fire between these two characters is evident from the first moment they meet and builds. The writing is so strong and draws you in wanting to know what happens on the next page. I highly recommend this book and series. This is book 3 of the series and I would recommend reading it in order as the over arching theme builds and characters from other books are present in this book. I received an advanced reader copy from the author. All opinions are my own.

Lovely Regency Romance with Intrigue and Suspense

When they first met, they had a battle of wits and swords, but there were no winners. He vowed to uphold the law, and she was a lawbreaker. He must arrest her, but she has a chance if she helps him. It will be a deadly game. Someone does not want Merritt and Veronica to uncover the truth, and they are willing to kill to stop them. This is a delightful story, filled with romance, intrigue and suspense. I loved it and would recommend it to those who like Regency love stories, where the protagonists are flawed, the danger is deadly, the suspense is riveting, and the romance happens despite the obstacles.

Merritt stumble upon Veronica in the middle of thief-taking and they are instantly attracted to and intrigued by each other. Veronica not only matched Merritt in wit but with a sword. However, they can never be together as she is a convicted criminal, he is a barrister, and both also have darkness in their pasts that are keeping them apart. However, they are forced to work together to figure out why a series of destructive and dangerous riots have been popping up around London. Forced together, their attraction for each other is obvious but the closer they get, the more they fight their feelings.

Firstly, I really loved the premise of this book. We very much have this fight of the wills between what is good and what is bad and the if there is a grey space. Merritt is very much of the opinion that it is black and white but as he gets to know Veronica, his misconceptions are slowly torn down. Veronica was a great character. Super sarcastic, strong and independent. She also had an interesting back story and I wish we got to see more of the Court of Miracles.

However, I felt that Merritt fought against his past too long for my liking (up to the very end) so it was hard for me to believe they loved each other when he was still hurting over another woman. The plot in general overtook the romance and relationship too much for me. I believed they wanted each other sexually but not that they loved each other. They fought their attraction to each other - Merritt more so than Veronica - for so long that I didnt feel like he really allowed himself to know her enough to love her by then end.

This book will great for readers who like a lot of action and intrigue in their romances and I really enjoyed it overall. Not a new favorite but fun while I was reading it.

* I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

Fierce!

Anna Harrington, became “ hooked [on Regency romance] and longed to create...independent and spirited heroines and dashing heroes.” (Goodreads) Well, she’s done just that with this fabulous episode in the “Lords of the Armory” series. In my mind Lord Merritt Rivers ex-soldier, and now a solicitor and Veronica Chase, (think Regency Marvel heroine type) thief hunter, protector of the innocent and daughter of Count.
A captivating couple of characters! Dynamic and fascinating. Their introduction is thunderous. Their continuing attraction and activities are fraught, dangerous and definitely steamy.
Merritt and his fellow Armory members chase for Scepter continues with happenings taking on new perspectives.
Not only does it seem that riots on the streets might be linked to and manipulated by Scepter, but there’s a strong indication that the poison leads right to the top powers in the land. As events come to a head, Merritt and Veronica have their hands full trying to stem a bloodbath on the streets of London, whilst simultaneously avoiding attempts to be captured by unknown minions.
Meanwhile Merritt keeps reliving the fact that he couldn’t keep his fiancé safe during a riot. This goads him to track down those who kill and maim for pleasure. It is this that keeps him roaming the streets seeking to bring justice and vengeance, always looking for the face of the monster who destroyed his love.
These two, with their deep secrets, just kept me enthralled!

A Sourcebooks Casablanca ARC via NetGalley

An Extraordinary Lord is the third book in Anna Harrington's exciting and oh-so-romantic Lords of the Armory series. I swear with every new book in the series I declare that the latest one is my favorite. I guess I love them all equally. Sometimes a series loses steam by the third book; I am thrilled to find this one is still as strong as ever. If you love Regency Romance - and military men - you do NOT want to miss any of this series. Though I recommend reading from the beginning (you won't want to miss anything!), each individual book stands alone perfectly well. Yes, I am gushing...but I really love this author's work.

Lord Merritt Rivers was formerly a solider but now is a successful solicitor who works with his father. Haunted by a past incident in which he could not save someone he loved, Merritt stalks the night in an effort to stop crimes in their tracks. While searching for an escaped convict, he runs into a female thief taker; Merritt is smitten with this smart, sassy and challenging woman...until he discovers SHE is the convict he is searching for! Veronica Chase confessed to a crime she didn't commit in order to protect her adopted brother, so she hides her past as a nobleman's daughter and lives between two worlds. When she's caught she's offered a bargain: if she helps the Lords of the Armory protect London's citizens from riots that have broken out over the city, she will receive a pardon. Things become incredibly dangerous as they begin to discover the leaders of the mob. Will they both survive and be able to overcome their pasts to build a new life together?

I just loved this book; not only did we have steamy romance, but there was lots of fighting, blending together for an exciting story. Merritt was a hero type I particularly love - the tortured hero. He has spent years trying to absolve himself of being unable to save a loved one, plus he's been searching for that killer while trying to protect the citizens of London. Veronica was certainly the perfect woman for him, challenging him mentally and physically, while also trying to overcome her own past. Veronica was the equal of any man in a sword or knife fight. You go, girl! I adored they often came to the same conclusions on matters and finished each other's thoughts. In a story full of past agonies, it was refreshing to have the humor between the two. And the intimate moments were incredibly swoon-worthy. As with the other books, though the romance between the leads was utterly compelling, steamy and loving, it was the relationship between the Lords of the Armory that tugged at my heartstrings the most. They were not only the best of friends, but brothers-in-arms whose relationship was forged in the fires of battle. I was stoked to see on Goodreads that there would be at least one other book in the series. Squeeeeeeeee! Call me greedy, but I'd like to see many more!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I really enjoyed the story of Veronica and Merrit. They were interesting characters and different from the usual romance novel characters. This story was a little dark with plenty of blood and fighting but a definite happily ever after.

Since the war against Napoleon has finally come to an end, Lord Merritt Rivers has returned to his life as a barrister dedicated to the law. A war hero made a baron for his service to the Prince Regent upon his return, Merritt spends his evenings roaming the streets trying to prevent crimes in real time. His vigilante efforts have earned him notice but he’s not the only one hunting criminals. One night’s hunt turns up a woman also seeking would-be thieves and Merritt is instantly attracted to her, until he realizes she’s the criminal he’s been trying to find. The woman is clever, beautiful, everything that draws Merritt in, but he knows she can’t be trusted.

Veronica Chase is the illegitimate daughter of a Portuguese nobleman, but that no longer matters since she and her adopted brother were forced to flee to England in the wake of Napoleon’s invasion. She’s spent time in Newgate, but not for her own crimes, rather she confessed to crimes she did not commit in order to ensure her brother remained free. Now Veronica is trapped between worlds, living in one of London’s poorest neighborhoods, but having nowhere she truly belongs.

When he promises to secure her pardon in exchange for her help, Veronica and Merritt work as tentative partners to keep innocents safe and learn who’s behind the violent riots wreaking havoc in London. They move between the dangerous rookeries and the glittering Carlton House, growing closer to each other as they draw closer to revealing the dangerous group behind the riots. The tentative trust between them is tested when each must confront the demons of their past and align their priorities for the future.

I really loved this one. The action and romance were so well placed, and I never felt like too much time was spent on either. The relationship between Veronica and Merritt developed quickly but very believably given how intense the situations they faced were. I really loved these two as a couple and I loved that it was Veronica who pursued Merritt and took risks for what she wanted, without compromising herself either. I loved that Merritt was on the alpha hero side while still having so much depth and layers to unpack in his character’s backstory. I thought it was so nice and refreshing to have a strong heroine who didn’t need the hero to survive but wasn’t a brat about her independence and never demurred about how much she wanted him. I think Merritt and Veronica brought out the best in each other and helped each other grow and overcome their pasts to begin again as a team. I also really loved the fact that both Merritt and Veronica were willing to take risks for each other and trust in each other's capabilities and competence. They each had painful pasts to work through, but were open and honest with each other and I am always a fan of that sort of communication. This book really sucked me into the story and is my favorite of the series thus far.

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