Kerrigan Byrne is a hell of a writer. She crafts dynamic drama and romance that reads like a sacred communion. Her love scenes are reverent while steamy. Her writing is feminist as fuck and so are her heroines. If a book was a formula, that should add up to a favorite.

Sadly, it didn't for Byrne's latest "Dancing With Danger," released this week. While described as readable as a standalone, "Danger" was the 3rd in a series; and much of the story felt rushed without the information I would have learned had I read the first two books. I often felt lost in Raphael and Mercy's story, and not in that romance read bliss. 

I loved the side and family relationships as much as the hero and heroine's, if not more. Raphael and older brother Gabriel's haunted history thrums with love and devotion. As a twin myself, Mercy and her twin sister Felicity's relationship read true & had me instantly invested.

So what am I going to do? Start at book one, of course, and then return to Raphael and Mercy's love story with a better understanding of the forces that brought them together.

Byrne is fast becoming a favorite in historical romance for me after reading 4 of her books. 

This is third in the Goode Sisters series (I intend to read all), and features an unconventional (for the time), strong young heroine who investigates the death of a friend and an underworld gang leader trying to get he and his brother out of the dangerous family business.

There is an instant attraction and lots of chemistry between the two which I feel the author is especially good at writing. I’m also noticing that Byrne’s stories are a bit more 🔥🔥🔥 than other HR where sexy times are concerned and sometimes a little more adventurous/darker there as well. 

Definitely enjoying her books and looking forward to future reads. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and #OliverHeberBooks for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

I'm definitely a fan of this saga. I loved this "enemies to lovers" romance between Mercy and Raphael, the chemistry was off via charts and I couldn't get more of them. 

I don't want to say much because it is I short book but omg at the middle of it I was crying because everything felt so hopeless even when I knew Mercy and Raphael would get their happy ending. 

I loved Mercy's relationship with her twin Felicity and Raphael with his brother Gabriel. 

I'M DYING to read Felicity's and Gabriel's story.

Another winner in the Goode sisters series.  Mercy and Raphael met in an earlier book and the attraction between the two was instant.  I love any book where the hero is attracted to the heroine for her brain.  I also enjoyed the cloak and dagger escapades these two had and how it sets up the next book in the series.  Smoking hot scenes and a great cast make this book an enjoyable romp.

4 stars

It's written well and I have read book 1.5 a novella in this series.  It struck me as a Beauty and the Beast story but not as you'd have imagined,  Beauty is our hero, Raphael and the Beast would be his brother Gabriel.  My suspicion is that he will be the next book.  I'm definitely tempted to go back and read Titus and Calton's story.  I think the author likes to write strong archetypal men and for me the hero was a very strong character and seemed to overwhelm the heroine, Mercy. The passion scenes were well written and I wanted a HEA for the couple.  I would recommend this book. 

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

❤️❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
I love KB and while I really enjoyed this book all I was left with was wanting more! Because this is a bit shorter I wanted more of their journey together and more plot- pretty much with KB I would read a 1000 page book if that’s what she chose to give us.

Our heroine is not your typical Ton socialite. She avoids society because it doesn’t have room for a forthright and plain spoken woman. Our heroine is trying to solve the murder of a friend when she comes across our hero- a kingpin of a crime syndicate. They are both a little enthralled with each other and keep coming across the other and not wanting to leave for the fascination on both parts.

I liked both characters individually and while I had a good sense of who each was I felt like I still could know more as well as have more of their journey together. The beginning was slow and the end was a little rushed and when I got to the end I just wanted more! But overall I got the fantastic anti hero KB is known for writing, a take no prisoners heroine, some definite heat and a lead up to the next book that has me eager as hell!

4-4.5 stars!!!!!!  I LOVED Mercy & Raphael!!!  Their encounters were so humorous, with their quick banter back and forth!  Mercy is one of my fav heroines due to her independence & confidence!  The plot of this book had me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next!  I also LOVED the exchanges between Raphael & Gabriel!!!  I couldn’t help but fall in love with their characters, even though they are villains!  And my goodness, I am chomping at the bit to get a hold of Gabriel’s book next!! 

Kerrigan Byrne has delivered another delicious book with steamy scenes, humor, action, and suspense!! Winning formula for sure!!!  I am trying to work my way through all her books!!!  

FAV QUOTES:
“Because justice, as everyone knew, was a woman.”

“Excitement is often born of fear.”

“She’d eclipse him with a brilliance to shame the sun.”

“I would give my life, if only for a moment beneath the sun that is your smile.”

Thanks to Net Galley for an ebook for an honest review!

Mercy Goode is a beautiful maiden, with nice figure, but men flew when she opens her sharp tongue. 

Rapahel Savageau is the leader of the "Faunes" a  smuggling gang.

They 've already met a few months ago in the previous tome of the "Goode Girl" serie. They will encounter again in this tome on a murder scene where Mercy will proove her wits.. Raphael know he should avoid this bluestocking but the circumstances put them very close and he can't resist to kiss this impetuous girl. And one kiss will not be enough........ even if the timing is awful.

This book keeps its promises with sexual tension, sparkles, discovery of the past of Raphael and Gabriel Savageau. The only criticism is that it's too short. I would have appreciate staying longer with Mercy and Raphael...

This book should be read in the order of the serie.

Love this book!! Mercy is outgoing, loud, willing to speak hr mind in a time when that was unattractive. She catches the eye of a roughed criminal.  She is unwilling to be told what to do, but he tries to do it non the less. The sparks fly and these two go on a adventure to local the killer of their mutual friend.

This was my first Byrne and I don’t know how I have missed this author. I loved this book. It seemed very short to me, I finished it within three hours. I could not put it down. It’s the third in a series but it can easily be read on its own. Though I now want to get the other books so I can read about all the other interesting characters. 

Now about the two here. The rapport between Raphael and Mercy was instant. I loved that she’s the woman this hardened criminal couldn’t get out of his mind from when he met her first months ago (in the previous book). She considers herself a daring investigating detective and she’s not far from her opinions of herself. She is good. I really liked this woman. I also liked the charismatic Raphael. He’s a criminal and thankfully the author didn’t gloss over his misdeeds. They were out in the open for the reader. He’s been a killer, thief and smuggler of drugs and admits to it. The fact that he wants to leave it all behind but thinks he can’t made him palatable. 
The writing leapt off the pages for me from the witty dialogues, to the steamy attractions and intense scenes. 

The prose was beautiful. Set in 1881, Mercy is shown to have a lot of independence, going about wherever she wanted without any worries of anyone stopping her- a bit hard to believe for Victorian England but everything happens so quickly that you’re not given the chance to ponder much about it. She meets Raphael on the same premise as the murder of her friend and where both are arrested in the aftermath. He escapes and she tries to follow him later in the hopes of finding her friends killer. By their next meeting Raphael – who is planning his death in sacrifice for his brother to have a life- decides to have a night with her. A last meal for a dying man. And what a meal that was!  The love that developed may feel too quick for some readers but considering the urgency of the plot- he had days to live- it worked and was presented well. The action-packed last chapters were intense, and I wish I had the next book in hand! 
I can’t wait for it because I fell in love with Gabriel and his deep quiet love for Felicity too.

**Thanks to Netgalley for this arc. All the opinions here are my own.**

Dancing With Danger (A Goode Girls Romance Book 3) by Kerrigan Byrne
Rating: 5-stars
**WARNING** Spoilers below!
Summary: Mercy Goode is trying to solve a murder of a woman she knew who had asked for her help.  She encounters Raphael at the murder scene, who happens to be wanted for various crimes yet sinfully handsome (and he is the victim’s cousin, but that is not known immediately).  Raphael is trying to be a martyr so his brother can finally live a life, but Mercy messes up all his plans.  They eventually sail off into the sunset.
I really enjoyed this book (this is the first I have read by Ms. Byrne).  The first chapter or so I had a hard time following exactly what was going on as the writing style was very descriptive and took a little getting used to.  Once I adapted, I really enjoyed the story.  Mercy was a strong female lead who knows who she is and is not afraid to be her, even to the detriment of attracting a husband and annoying her parents to no end.  Raphael has done many bad things, but he is not a bad man.  Born into the life of smuggling, drugs and more, he did not have a chance to escape his life until this story where he and his brother, Gabriel, form a plan to fake their deaths and flee.  It is impossible to hate Raphael and the chemistry between him and Mercy is hot!
There is a lot of steam in this book, along with an ending that does not feel so rushed as many books seem to be these days.  Also, Ms. Byrne included an epilogue, which is a must for me in any good book.  I really enjoyed this book and would recommend you pick up a copy if you want a fun mystery romance.  
I received a free advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

2.5 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Xpressl Book Tours for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
When I saw that my request for viewing this arc had been aprooved I couldn't have been happier. Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite historical romance writers and I absolutely the Victorian Rebels series. Because of that it saddens me to say that I did not like this book. There is nothing I hate more in romance than insta love, or an undeveloped relationship, which happened here. Three conversations and one night together later, they were confessing their love and risking their lives for each other. This also lacked the depth, the intricacy and the boldness I grew accustomed with her books. I am really curious about Gabriel and Felicity's book tho!

I've been looking forward to reading about Mercy (and Felicity) since they were introduced in previous books. I liked how intelligent, resourceful, and determined Mercy was to solve her case. I liked Raphael and thought he was very charming. I loved the chemistry and banter between her and Raphael. I thought is was great to see the family relationship with Raphael and Gabriel, and Mercy, her sisters and their husbands. I wasn't impressed with some of Rachael's actions towards the end of the book but it all worked out and I really enjoyed the book. I've very interested in the next book.

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

I loved it. Mercy is a feisty, smart, determined woman and Raphael is a handsome, ruthless, criminal. These two should have nothing in common and they don't. Opposites from totally different worlds collide and stick. It is a theme for a lot of Kerrigan Byrne books and it is fascinating how she makes it work.

Mercy Goode, daughter of a baron and Felicity's identical twin, has a knack for getting into trouble. She imagines herself as a sleuth of a detective, like her fictional hero, Detective Eddard Sharpe. When she finds the body of a woman she was going to help disappear, she immediately begins to analyze the scene, much to the dismay of the police, which causes her to end up arrested along with Raphael Sauvageau, a known criminal. Mercy knows he isn't the killer, but she doesn't know who is and she won't stop until she does and that puts her in danger.

Raphael Sauvageau, criminal gang leader of the Favre's, has never had a reaction to a woman like the one he has to Mercy. In his line of work he just can't afford this type of attraction, it could get him killed. He also has plans that definitely do not include falling for the beautiful, smart, infuriating Mercy, but some things just can't be helped. Their kisses and their mutual passion could very well set the criminal underworld on fire.

4.5*
This is a really good, quick read. A criminal in the mob and a female detective make for a unique story. They are both trying to figure out the murder of a loved one and this brings the main characters together.  Because of this, and Raphael's involvement with the mob, there is a near constant suspense throughout the book. I loved how Raphael stayed true to his character from beginning to end, as did Mercy. They are both fearless, strong, and modern characters.

My thanks to NetGalley and Oliver Her bed Books for the pleasure of reading and reviewing Dancing with Danger by Kerrigan Byrne.

I love Mercy Goode with her opinions and views on life, especially for women.  Her thoughts and actions seem ahead of that time period but I like reading about a progressive woman.  She’s a beauty but men are either threatened by her opinions and her intellect or want a wife that follows the current views on proper etiquette. 

Raphael is an unrepentant criminal but when you realize what he dealt with as a child you can understand his views on life.

I enjoyed that Mercy loves mystery’s and is determined to solve the murder of a friend, even while the men in her life try to dissuade her.  Mercy has so much knowledge to impart and feels comfortable saying what she thinks to Raphael.  His acceptance and even adoration of her personality and views was just the sweetest thing to read.  The chemistry and passion between the two was quite steamy and enjoyable to read!

I love the Goode sisters and also the relationship that Raphael has with his brother, Gabriel.  I assume we will see more of Gabriel based on events in this story. His story sounds like it will be a heartbreaker!

This was a quick, enjoyable read and I loved the conversations between Mercy and Raphael.  It was nice to see a bit of some of the previous characters, but this was definitely Mercy’s and Raphael’s story.   This also had a great epilogue with an unexpected decision.

I always enjoy a Kerrigan Byrne story and looking forward to reading more!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

This is book 3 in the Goode Sisters series. This is the story of Mercy and Raphael. She is the daughter of a Baron and he a crime lord. Two very different lifestyles. 
I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, full of action. It kept the book flowing smoorhly.
Mercy was an intelligent, strong, vocal heroine. This is what drawers Raphael to her. She is drawn to him because he doesn't want to stifle her but he wants to listen to her. He values her honesty and her opinion. 
This book had several twists and turns which kept a reader intrigued.  I also love the set up for the next book in Gabriel and Felicity. 
My only criticism is that the book ends too soon.  I thought the relationship between the H and h could have been developed a little further. 
So I give it 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5.
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I liked him a lot! I think this was a fun novel, with great characters! I loved Mercy and Raphael, I loved their banter together, and I really liked their romance together, it was super fun and hilarious! I felt that it was a great action filled novel, and I liked that the pace was super fast and flowed really well! I did wish that this was a longer novel, I wanted more from them and I wish it had gone on for a bit longer.

Byrne brings her well-established criminal heroes into play here in the latest installment of the Goode Girls. Seemingly straight-laced Mercy is an astonishingly good match for suave Raphael and their story is so satisfyingly hot.

3 stars. 

I enjoyed this book, but not gonna lie I was more interested in Gabriel and Felicity than the main couple. It was too short in my opinion, and I wanted more scenes between Raphael and Mercy to show their connection. The book was a fast burn and I didn't really feel the love between the characters, yeah there was lust but not love. My first book of this author was The Highwayman and I loved that book, so my expectation of this book was quite naturally high. But both the hero and heroine in this one was a disappointment. If the story was a bit longer, then probably I'd have enjoyed this book more.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.