Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.


Q: which kind of anti-hero are you more drawn to: the charming, rogue type or the terrifying, mostly silent type?

Kerrigan Byrne’s Dancing with Danger has a lot of the KB trademarks.

✅ a hero on the wrong side of the law.
✅ a heroine who comes across as “innocent” but not so sheltered that she can’t handle the drama associated with him.
✅ some darkness & violence.
✅ but a once in a lifetime love can offer some kind of hope & redemption.

Wealthy and privileged Mercy Goode puts the skills she’s learned as a member of the Detective Eddard Sharpe Society of Homicidal Mystery Analysis to work after the unfortunate death of a friend. Whom does she discover at her friend’s murder scene but the charming ne’er-do-well, Raphael Sauvageau, smuggler, gangster, & lord of the Fauves?

Assuming Raphael to have been the murdered woman’s lover, Mercy agrees to exchange info with him in an effort to find her killer.

But the more Mercy & Raphael are around each other, the more their chemistry becomes apparent until Raphael issues a daring proposition 🤭.

The explosive chemistry between Raphael & Mercy is complemented by the sweetness of how much Raphael delights in Mercy’s somewhat unorthodox personality. She’s saucy & he loves it.

You can tell he has feelings for his chaton, as he calls her, from the beginning & an antihero having tender feelings that most people don’t pick up on (because they seem impervious to softer emotion ) is one of my fave things.

While I read Dancing with Danger quickly & enjoyed it thoroughly, the plot also often feels rushed to me. The connection between the leads is intense but things between them progress so quickly that it feels a bit shallow. I think the somewhat short length of the book might be a factor here too.

But with that being said Dancing with Danger is a sexy, fast read with enough of those things I love about KB’s writing to bring a sparkle to a reader’s eyes.

I waffled a little on the rating but I’m going with 3.5⭐️. Dancing with Danger is out on 02/09/21.

This book is another winner from Kerrigan! We pick up a few months after Nora and Titus's story with Mercy and Raphael and their attraction to each other jumps off the pages. Ever since first encountering her, Raphael cannot get Mercy Goode off of his mind. When they cross paths after someone close to both of them is murdered, would be detective Mercy can't stop herself from colliding with Raphael every step of her investigation.

Mercy is a character that is easy to love and root for. A woman who wants more from life than to just be someone's wife and would love nothing better than to be recognized for her sleuthing skills. Brave, fearless, and more than a little reckless, Mercy is a refreshing heroine who refuses to just let things happen to her and is determined to live her life by her rules. Raphael is also an easily likeable rake who shamelessly tries to seduce Mercy every chance he gets. It was a refreshing break from her normal heroes in the Victorian Rebels/Good Girls series with the stoic and serious heroes rarely ever smiling or having a positive outlook on life. He was fun, and playful. Best of all, he was a good man who loved and tried his best to do right by the people he loved.

The story that ties these two characters together is intriguing and interesting and you won't be able to easily guess how their murder mystery is going to play out.

There were two criticisms that I had for the book. The first is that I feel like the book went incredibly fast and while their relationship and interactions progressed, I don't think that it was ever truly developed. From the start of the first chapter to the end of the last was only a span of a week. Which would be totally acceptable if the characters had history like many of her other h/H, but they did not

The second criticism that I had was that this story did not feel as if it were whole. You only get partial information about Raphael and Gabriel's father, who and what he was, but not enough for a decent resolution. I feel that Kerrigan did this intentionally to have them answered in Felicity and Gabriel's story which is why I feel that this one is incomplete. But even with that being said, it makes me anxious to read the their story and to see how they fall in love

Raphael Sauvageau along with his brother Gabriel run a criminal enterprise in London and they have no time for romantic entanglements, that is, until Raphael runs into amateur sleuth, Mercy Goode. Something about the infuriatingly independent young woman draws his attention. She is a ray of sunshine that he can't seem to resist. Mercy is determined to solve the murder of her friend and at every turn she encounters the impossibly handsome Raphael. Can she resist the charms of the notorious rake while she tries to solve the case?

From the opening pages Ms. Byrne draws the reader into Mercy's world--a world where she is smarter than most of the men she encounters and her frustrations are evident with the male sex. She takes her sleuthing seriously especially when the latest murder is her friend. When Mercy finds herself drawn into a criminal turf war, Raphael is there protecting her and drawing her in with his mesmerizing eyes and sinful lips. Ms Byrne is masterful in her descriptions of their sexual encounters and delights the reader with the exquisite wild highs and lows of their emotions. I don't know how I missed the first two books in this series, but I can't wait to read Felicity and Gabriel's story.

I voluntarily read this advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

Even though the story was short it was so well written that a reader can't help being attached to the characters. Mercy was feisty, observant, and extremely easy to love. She was blunt and honest to a fault. Also fell in love with the brothers. Rafael and Gabriel were such compelling characters that you couldn't help enjoy their side of the story. I can't wait for the next book!!

4 1/2 stars I have loved all the Goode girls novels and this one is no exception. Kerrigan Byrne knows how to craft a great story! Dancing with Danger follows Mercy Goode, the mischief finding sister, and a sexy smuggler named Rapheal. We have seen snippets of Raphael in the last book and I couldn't wait to read more about these two. Highly recommend! I do think its more enjoyable if you have read the others in the series, but its certainly not necessary as you get enough back story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking (SPOILERS)

-m/f enemies to lovers
-insta attraction/insta love
-just a hookup
-The fabulous Goode sisters
-great sexual tension


This book was well written and a constant adventure. Insta love is not my favorite trope, but for fans of it this is a great book. The attraction is instantaneous. I would have loved to see more interaction between Mercy and Raphael their banter was wonderful and their chemistry, I wish it was explored more.

This is a series of interconnected standalones, you do not need to have read the other books to understand this one, but it is helpful understanding the background as Mercy and Raphael met in the previous book and this book immediately jumps off from there.

I can't wait to read more in this series

Rating: 3.5
Steam 3/5

Have Mercy! This book was so incredibly Goode! (see what I did there)
*****
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 3 flames
Genre: Historical Romance
*****
I am going to be honest; it is hard to turn a character from a rake and criminal into a character you will fall for and rally around, but Raphael...my goodness (swoon); I completely made a 360 in my opinion of his character, much like Ms. Goode. In book 2 we meet Raphael as he is looking to get his gold back from the Goode sisters.

Raphael, the Lord of the Fauves, a criminal gang was not the good guy in book 2 but he wasn’t exactly a bad guy either. In Dancing with Danger, we find Mercy in her friend Mathilde's residence, over her dead body. Mercy had become friends with Mathilde and was trying to rescue from her abusive husband. Mathilde didn't make it, someone murdered her. But never fear, Mercy Goode is on the case and she is determined to find Mathilde’s killer and bring him/her to justice even if that killer is Raphael himself.

Raphael, notorious rake and criminal, is not someone Mercy should be following/investigating, let alone kissing. Mercy is the best heroine, she grabs the bull by the horns, speaks her mind, and is not afraid to be her true self. Raphael is intrigued by this strong-willed, intelligent, and outspoken woman. But when he has the wolves nipping at his heels, wanting his blood, he can't risk anyone getting close to him because that could make them a target. Maybe…if he just had a little taste of Mercy…he could get her out of his system. What could go wrong?

This book is a fantastic addition to the Goode Girls series. I have loved every book, but Mercy and Raphael's story is now my favorite. If you like strong heroines, reformed criminals, love that will make you swoon, and a mystery that will keep you guessing all the way to the end, then this is your book. The twists and turns were fantastic, and it was a story that was so engaging, I couldn't put my book down until I got to the end. A definite recommendation and a must read in my opinion and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

A woman with a passion for being a detective. A man who is a smuggler and dangerous. Their paths have crossed previously, both intrigued with the other until one day they both end up at the scene of a crime and get arrested. Mercy is Raphael's alibi, and she has the evidence to prove he is not the killer. But who will take the word of woman about a known criminal? Raphael plans on getting revenge, for he has already set plans in motion, but did not expect what bringing Mercy into his life would do to him. Mercy wants to find the killer and get justice for her friend and needs to gather information. Both have their own goals, but their paths keep intertwining and can no longer deny the truth. Raphael has many enemies and he will protect Mercy at all costs, even from himself, but Mercy is no damsel. Can they find the real killer in time?

I know I've said this before, but I LOVE Kerrigan Byrne's books and I encourage everyone to read them. I honestly believe that she could make the phone book a page turner.

This book follows Mercy Goode and I adore her! She's daring and doesn't have the patience to play games and when a friend is found dead (murdered), she is determined to figure out who killed her. When Raphael Sauvageau reveals himself at the scene of the crime, Mercy quickly becomes motivated to figure out his connection.

Raphael may be my favorite...at least until Byrne makes me fall for another of her characters. He has a past and it's clear he and his brother didn't have an easy childhood. I love that he loves his brother and the way he and Mercy are when they are together was fantastic.

As the story progresses, we learn much more about Raphael and what he is up to. When Mercy inserts herself right into the middle of his plans, things shift and everything changes for them both. I loved the ending to this book and can't wait for Felicity's story and learning more about Gabriel. And anything that comes next. I also have to say, I love it when characters from past books make it into the current story and we get a bit of Pru, Morley, and Titus in this book.

I loved the melodrama that was A Dark and Stormy Knight, so I was excited to check out Byrne's novella-length historical romances. For me, Dancing with Danger didn't work quite as well as A Dark and Stormy Knight, I think because Morely was an integral part of Victorian Rebels series and because of that his character was so well developed and the addition of Pru just made it all come together. In the case of Dancing with Danger, Mercy and Raphael just couldn't measure up. I've never been fond of the insta-love between two characters and I think my enjoyment here was further hampered by the fact that the shorter length didn't really help to convince me that Mercy and Raphael were actually in love by the end. If you can suspend your belief and just go with the insta-love, than this is a fast-paced novella with all of Byrne's signature over-the-top, flowery writing (and I do love that about her books).

Dancing with Danger also sets things up nicely for a romance between Mercy's twin, Felicity, and Raphael's brother, Gabriel. While I enjoyed Mercy and Raphael, I will admit that I am a bit more intrigued by her tentative and shy sister and Raphael's reclusive brother.

I wish I could forget this book, so I could read it and experience it again.
From all the Kerrigan Byrne novels I read, this is one of the lightest and I cannot help loving Raphael and Mercy.

Here we have the oldest Goode twin, Mercy. She has revolutionary thoughts that have put her in the unmanageable category as soon as she opens her mouth for every prospect her father puts in her way, and she is very much okay with that. I liked how the author made her since I have read many characters that became pushovers when they are outspoken. Not Mercy though, she does not give up but that is also not all she thinks about. She has that undeniable connection to her twin and it is beautiful to see her protecting her but not making decisions for Felicity. Regarding her feelings for Raphael, it was so cute seeing their banter developed into love and protectiveness.
Raphael, on the other hand, has seemed to burn for her since the beginning, and I just love a protagonist that does not hide his feelings but struggles to admit them as well. His relationship with his brother and the sacrifices they made for each other was amazing and I hope we get to see more in Gabriel's book. Raphael was a great character, I enjoyed his bluntness the most and the way he spoke to Mercy just had me laughing some times.

I really, really, loved this one and already want Gabriel and Felicity for yesterday and this one has not even been released yet.

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. This is the second of this series that I have read and they just keep getting better and better! Some characters appear in both but with their own stories. There is a darkness and danger that just holds you spellbound. I can't wait for the next!!

Mercy Goode is never quite what people expect. She's great at attracting trouble and not knowing when to close her mouth. Raphael Sauvageau has inherited his father's unfortunate smuggling business and now he's being accused of murder. Mercy has evidence that he didn't do it and wants to help him clear his name, despite his insistence he doesn't need it.

Dancing With Danger is my favorite of the Goode Girls series so far, which is hard to say because I really loved Courting Trouble. It's fast-paced, entertaining, has great banter, and perfect chemistry between Mercy and Raphael. Mercy is witty, outspoken, confident, and intelligent. Raphael is a dark and brooding criminal yet extremely devoted to the people he loves. I adored the contrast between the two it's absolutely perfect. This is a fantastic addition to the series, and I'm so excited to see where the rest of it goes.

I am SO SAD that I have to wait now for Felicity's book! I loved the adventure and intrigue in Dancing with Danger. These Goode sisters have just made me so happy this week. Mercy and Rafael are both so strong and brave and fearless that they NEEDED a love story. I love how their story came together. I love that the next book is set up so well. I just need more. lol

Another winner by Kerrigan Byrne! Dancing With Danger is book #3 in the Goode Girls Series. Although you don't have to, I highly recommend reading the books in order. This one centers around Mercy Goode (a wannabe sleuth) and Raphael Sauvageau (a ruthless smuggler). The chemistry between the two sizzle from the moment they meet (in the 2nd book of the series).

The story begins with Mercy Goode at a crime scene investigating a murder. Raphael also happens to be at the crime scene and quickly jumps to Mercy's rescue. One thing leads to another, and they both end up getting arrested together. They banter and sparks fly, as Mercy is determined to solve this crime and Raphael is completely drawn to her.

Overall, a fantastic book. I can not wait for Felicity's (Mercy's twin sister) and Gabriel's (Raphael's older brother) story next!

Thank You NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review,

I like how Mercy takes it upon herself to find out who had murdered someone she knew. She is practically the heroine and hero. Raphael wasn't too bad himself.

I haven't read the other books in this series but I understand the plot without any problems. It's a standalone with mentions of characters from the other books...

The heroine is a strong, sassy and spirited young woman. The hero appreciates her for those qualities and I love that about him. The plot is fast and the banter is witty.

Enjoyed it totally!

I just finished reading this and wowie, what a story!!! Kerrigan Byrne sure knows how to pull us into her stories and this one was no exception. I loved the characters, the plot and the whole story was so compelling.

I adored Mercy, she was a pure delight in the way she was so spirited and let no man walk all over her! I love these type of heroines, not a hint of a wilting violet:) I also loved Raphael and could forgive him for his past since he'd been born into it and had no choice but to do what he had to and what he planned to do for his brother, Gabriel, well that just made me love him even more.

A murder has been committed and Mercy finds herself helping Raphael try to discover who did it! He wants her to stay away in case she gets hurt but of course Mercy will not listen. No matter what he does to keep her safe, she just ends up in the middle of it all!! Amidst all the danger, their attraction to each other is so strong and when he asks her to give him one night of love, she agrees. Be prepared to need a cold shower! lol All in all, definitely a story worth reading:)

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Every time I read a new book by Byrne, it becomes my favorite. And this time was no different. I love a good bad boy romance and boy, did this one deliver!!!!

Mercy is such a spunky and vivacious character. Her determination to be who she is no matter the pressures from society is inspiring. And Raphael?!?! Delicious.

I’m so excited for the next book. I have a feeling Gabriel and Felicity are going to wreck me!!!

Dancing with Danger is such a fabulous addition to the Goode Girls series! I love the characters, the mystery, and the messages of love, family, and redemption. The story follows Mercy as she investigates her friend’s murder. Raphael wants to save his brother from a life of crime and has plans for Gabriel to start over. However, when he meets Mercy, everything changes. Mercy shows him a future and the possibility of love and happiness. Can he, too, escape the criminal life he lives. Will Mercy give in to her feelings and embrace a future with Raphael? Murder, clandestine meetings, and an epic love story make for an exciting and engrossing read!

I love Mercy’s independent spirit and her unwillingness to conform to the dictates of society. She lives for herself and is her own woman, and Raphael respects and admires her for that. She’s unconventional and smarter than most of the men in her life, especially when investigating her friend’s murder. Mercy notices clues that the investigators ignore. She delves deeper into the case and unravels more than anyone else – male or female. She is a strong and sharp woman who is passionate about her beliefs, assertions, and life in general.

Raphael is so charismatic and suave, and the chemistry between him and Mercy is amazing! He loves her boldness, her brazenness, and her intellect. She compels and fascinates him, and I love how enthralled he is with her. It definitely makes for some explosive, swoon-worthy scenes! Also, the banter between Mercy and Raphael is fantastic! They equally frustrate and fascinate each other, and their verbal sparring, intelligent discussions, and vulnerable and honest conversations show just how deep their feelings run.

Though Raphael exudes charisma, he is so much more than that. At first, he appears a scoundrel, a criminal, and someone who can’t be trusted. But as the book progresses, you see a man with depth. Raphael has a reason for everything he does, and though his dealings are often unsavory, there is a good man underneath it all. Mercy is one of the few who sees this side of Raphael, and it is part of the reason she falls for him.

Above all, the couple gives each other hope. Both Raphael and Mercy never imagined they would have a future with happiness, adventure, and love, and then they found these possibilities in each other. They share a deep (and electric) connection, and their feelings are so raw and real. I love the hopefulness that they inspire in each other, and so rooted for this unique couple. They had difficult, though very different, lives and found a sense of belonging in each other.

There are definite messages about the strength and bonds of family. Not only is the Goode girls’ strong sisterly bond prevalent, but the close relationship between Raphael and Gabriel also shows a wonderful sibling relationship. Raphael is willing to sacrifice everything for his brother, even his own life, much like the Goode sisters. I love the themes of family, love, and selflessness.

The story also has a great redemption plot. Raphael and his brother are life-long criminals. Their dealings in the smuggling trade are nefarious and illegal. However, both Raphael and Gabriel show that they have so many redeemable attributes. They are bad guys with morals and a sense of duty. I love that there are so many layers to their characters. Nothing is black and white, and there are many shades of grey, which Raphael, Gabriel, Mercy, and many of the other characters prove throughout the series.

Dancing with Danger can be read as a standalone, but I think reading the series from the beginning provides a better understanding of the characters and context. I can’t wait for the next (and I think final) book in the series and to learn more about Raphael’s brother and the last unattached Goode sister! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kerrigan Byrne, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.