Gabriel Sauvageau is a half-English and half-Monegasque smuggler-slash-gangster. He and his younger brother are former leaders of a crime syndicate based in London. Gabriel cannot banish the youngest Goode sister from his thoughts. He protects her from the shadows. However, when Felicity needs a bodyguard, Gabriel falls into the position. The woman tempts him to want a better life. Can Gabriel protect Felicity against a mysterious threat? And will she be his salvation?
Felicity Goode is the youngest daughter of a baron. She must marry a nobleman to keep her inheritance. Felicity’s reticent nature makes it difficult for her to navigate in the ton’s social whirl. When she is threatened and accosted, she puts out a post for a personal bodyguard. Everything about Gabriel should frighten Felicity, yet she cannot help but feel safe around him. Will Felicity forsake her duty for Gabriel? And what secrets will she learn about her family?
I have been wanting Gabriel’s happily-ever-after since book two, COURTING TROUBLE. He puts every wounded/tortured hero I have read up until now to shame. Gabriel is a man who has seen most of the evils that exist in the world; he has also participated in most to survive. What I love the most about Gabriel is his ability to bolster Felicity’s determined bravado. He does not cosset her, but he encourages her to find her courage to stand up on her own.
I generally do not care for heroines like Felicity. However, I find her perfect for Gabriel. Where Felicity is fair, timid, and weak, Gabriel is her opposite: dark, ruthless, and strong. The two balance each other’s weaknesses beautifully. What I adore the most about Felicity is her ability to see the good in Gabriel. She does not see him as a monster. Felicity acknowledges his dark points as a necessity for survival in a harsh and dark world.
TEMPTING FATE is book four in Kerrigan Byrne’s historical romance series, GOODE GIRLS, a continuation-of-sorts from her VICTORIAN REBELS series. I highly suggest reading the prior three books in the series, especially the second book, because that is where the hero and heroine first meet. I love that the couples from the previous books make intermittent appearances throughout the story.
TEMPTING FATE is a spellbinding tale of two damaged souls finding each other. I find reading Kerrigan Bryne’s stories a marvelous treat! I cannot wait for the next installment!

Beauty and the Beast redux. Felicity, who is all things Goode and beautiful meets a man with no face who knows only violence and evil, Gabriel, and fireworks ensue. Her father’s sole heir, she has little to no interest in fulfilling her duty under his will to marry a title. Literally stumbling over Gabe, she hires him for protection from an unknown villain who is attempting to kill her. There are bodies strewn along the path of their enlightenment in their pursuit of a happy ending. Life is never boring with these two around! A fun and fast read.

Yes! After reading and being disappointed with Mercy and Raphael's story, I was a little concerned with Felicity and Gabriel. No longer! I really enjoyed this book. Gabriel had more depth to him as well as the story. I would have given this book five stars, except we didn't learn enough about Mercy and Gabriel's back stories. They were just hinted at. I wanted to know more about Gabriel's past and how he and Raphael came to be in the positions they were in. Mercy had issues with fear and shyness. We know her father was a bully, but what happened between her and her father that made her issues so prominent? Those are the stories that really interest me.
I loved Gabriel's protectiveness of Mercy. To me, this is the where Kerrigan really shines - with the back stories. I love her romance also, but the depth of her stories is what makes her one of the best and favorite writers of HR.

Oh my lorsh this one was so good.

Tempting Fate follows Felicity Goode who hires Gabriel Sauvageau as a bodyguard following an attack. Gabriel has been pining for Felicity from afar for quite some time and Felicity has an instant attraction to him. Such a sweet romance between two very sweet characters.

This book is by FAR my favourite in this series so far. An issue that I have had with all the other books in this series is that they felt incredibly rushed and far too short. I didn't find that a problem with Tempting Fate though! I found the pacing of this book totally fine and not rushed at all even though the book is slightly on the shorter side.

I adored Felicity and Gabriel. Gabriel was such a sweet character even though his past was incredibly dark. I also loved the depiction of Felicity's anxiety. They were such a perfect pairing.

Also did we get a hint that there may be a MM romance in this series' future? Because I would kill for a diverse Kerrigan Byrne novel.

5/5 A+

I was so excited to read and I did enjoy it; I just wished there was a little bit more to plot. It seems with these novellas it just a one-two punch. But the slow burn romance between Felicity and Gabriel was so good.

"And, as it happens, I am in need of a dangerous and violent man." Tempting Fate by Kerrigan Byrne.

3.5 stars actually. Happy that Felicity and Gabriel got that their HEA. Not so sure how I feel about more Goode siblings coming out of the woodwork. But anyway....to Felicity and Gabriel. I like how they "met" again. And I think I prefer that they had more time together before Mercy and Rafael descended on them and spilled the beans. And the story did nothing to wrap up the issue of London and Marcus for the Sauvageau brothers - I guess that's why the epilogue is so.

It's great how Felicity sort of found her feet when she was left alone by her family. And Gabriel's steady and patient presence despite being a brute, a weapon for so long, finally got what he's longed for so long.

I do feel that the story could've stretched out more. But maybe all I wanted really was more of Gabriel and Felicity. And maybe Rafael and Mercy.

Thank you Oliver Herber Books and NetGalley for the copy of this book!

Disfigured and "rebuilt" through surgery, Gabriel Sauvageau has lived his life in the shadows. Felicity Goode struggles with social anxiety and is happy to live quietly and vicariously through her books. But news of her inheritance has her facing a dangerous threat. She needs a protector and Gabriel is exactly what she's looking for.

This is book four in the Goode Girls series...another excellent tale from Byrne! It is best read with the other books in the series as each story flows directly into the next.

Gabriel is living under a new identity after faking his death and having extensive surgery to reconstruct his disfigured face. He doesn't intend for Felicity to catch him watching her, but she mistakes him for an applicant for bodyguard and feels instantly at ease in his company. I love the big, gruff criminal falling head over heels for a shy, angelic girl. These two are sweet and sexy and I adored their interactions, all the tender moments.

I do think there were some loose ends in the Sauvageau brothers' storyline (and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not), but the conclusion was surprising and there's now an interesting set up for the next books. Loved this book and was sad it had to end!

Tropes: Beauty & Beast, Class Difference, Protector, Twins, Forced Proximity

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

5+ Stars

“When he was near, when he touched her…she didn’t feel so hollow. She could believe that she possessed courage. He made her brave.”

From the first moment he sensed her presence…from the first glance into her angelic face…from the first time he saved her from harm, Gabriel Sauvageau finally knew peace. Broken and disfigured from years of torment and torture in the fighting pits, Gabriel has only known how to bring pain and death to those who dare attack what he considers his…and Felicity Goode may not realize it, but she has most certainly been claimed…

Anxious, broken, hollow, weak…these words are on constant repeat in Felicity’s mind. Never being as strong as her twin, she is even less so now that her twin married and is currently traveling with her husband. Felicity knows she must continue on without her sister by her side, and after an attack on her life, she must acquire a bodyguard. But just the thought of meeting with strangers has her anxiety elevated to the point she feels a panic attack on the rise…until she bumps into a mountain of a man…one whose very presence brings her a sense of peace. Felicity immediately offers this beastly of a man the job…her very own avenging angel…

Love always has a way of finding broken souls and mending them together…Gabriel and Felicity’s romance is one of true acceptance…of true love…of a tale as old as time…

*SOBBING*

Dear Reader, I DID NOT WANT THIS STORY TO END!

That being said, I wish I had read it slower…much, much slower in order to savor each delicious bit of Gabriel…but alas, I devoured Tempting Fate in one day. If you are new to the Goode Girl series, I’d recommend reading in order to better enjoy the characters. However, if you are a fan of the Beauty & the Beast storyline, you’ll LOVE LOVE LOVE this installment, and will most likely go back and read the other installments for more snippets of my (yes, MINE!) beloved Gabriel! Highly recommend & wish I could give more than 5 Stars!!



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

I haven't read any of the Goode Girls books prior to this one. I may have to remedy that! I was still able to enjoy this as a standalone as enough background was provided to set up the story. What a story! Kindness, violence, ferocity, unrequited love, passion, fear. The characters tempting fate are fascinating and their stories are so emotional. I loved it.

Felicity Goode is a shy, introverted, gentle soul, who struggles with anxiety (TW for the book for anxiety attacks!). Following a near-death experience which resulted in her twin absconding to the continent to elope, Felicity finds herself alone except for her household staff. Her other siblings are happily married and busy with their families, so when Felicity finds herself being the target of threats against her life, it is suggested she hires security for herself.

Gabriel Sauvageau was disfigured when he was young so much to the point that he wore a mask. When his brother leaves England with his wife (Felicity’s twin), it is decided that to avoid the further threat to the Goode family, and in general, that they fake his death. Gabriel becomes the recipient of several facial reconstruction surgeries and a fake name. A year later, Gabriel has decided to finally leave for good, but in a chance of mistaken identity and miscommunication, Felicity thinks he is one of the men answering her ad for security and hires him.

This is the fourth book in Kerrigan Byrne’s “A Good Girl Romance” series. I haven’t read the other books in the series, and while this book can be read as a standalone, I wish I’d read the previous books first. While we do get the basic backstory on how they meet, readers were introduced to the characters together in the previous book. So, while I was still able to follow along, I think I would have preferred the additional background and context and that it would make it an even more well-rounded story.

Overall, I devoured this book. I read it in one sitting and even messaged my friend about it (sorry Shannon!). There are definite beauty and the beast vibes, especially with Gabriel being the consummate killer who has only ever had a single soft spot in his entire life, and it is reserved for Felicity. The two characters play off each other so well and are an amazing fit. A definite “I-hate-everything-but-you” and an “I-care-about-everyone-especially-you” situation. I really couldn’t get enough lol.

I really liked the book, but I do think the description isn’t as accurate when describing Felicity. “Though she wiles away hours immersed in the pages of romance novels, shy and anxious Felicity Goode has vowed never to become a bride.” But in chapter one she discusses marriage and how she must find a husband for her inheritance. She wants to keep the inheritance from her father to ensure that the people who rely on the estate for income and a living are well taken care of. To me, this isn’t really someone who has “vowed never to become a bride”.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gnarly Wool Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date - May 11th 2021.

I was introduces to Kerrigan Bryne when I discovered her "Victorian Rebels series" a few years ago. For me they sum up exactly what a historical romance should be. This book was no exception. It is the 4th book in the "Goode Girls series". unfortunately, I haven't read any of the previous books, I don't think this spoilt my enjoyment of the story exactly, as each is about one of the Goode Sisters but, it would have given me some background about the main characters especially Gabriel, who has watched Felicity from afar for many years and has met her previously.

It has a Beauty and the Beast vibe to it for me, which has always been one of my favourite stories. Disfigured as a child from being sent to fight in the pits by his own Father, Gabriel has spend most of his life in the shadows hiding from the world. But there is something about Felicity Goode that draws him out and makes him want to be a better man. To the rest of the world Felicity is heir to her Fathers business and properties but she is also hiding away from the Ton and wants nothing more than to be left alone to read in the library and grow her plants. Felicity quickly becomes aware someone if after her fortune and employs an in disguise Gabriel to be her protector.

I loved it and will definitely be going to download the previous books in the series as there is obviously a background to their relationship that I am unaware of. As I mentioned earlier the author manages to include everything I want from an historical romance. She sets the scene and atmosphere so well, gives us an alpha male who we can't help but fall in love with, and introduces them to strong women who know there own minds and aren't afraid to show it. Mix that up, in this case with some skullduggery and sexual tension that you can hear ripple through the air and you have a wonderful book.

This is hands down my most favorite book of the series! The ending of the previous book revealed that this story would be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I'm trash for it! On top of that, it also has TWO virgins and serious pining hero tropes, with an expert execution in the feeling department by Ms Byrne, and I'm a goner!

Gabriel Sauvageau was the mastermind of the notorious criminal gang the Fauves. He first appeared in book 2 of the series as a mountainous mysterious figure in dark cloak and hood to cover his masked face. In book 3, as the hero's brother, Gabriel showed up more and we found out the face behind the mask was all disfigured since his adolescence. Because of his dark past and his features, he never touched a woman, but once he laid his eyes on Felicity Goode for the first time (book 2), his heart belonged to her from that moment...

When Baron Goode and his wife met with a fatal accident, he left all his properties and his shipping company to his remaining single daughter Felicity Goode, with the condition that she marries a nobleman. After she was threatened and attacked, she needed to hire a personal protection, and Gabriel assumed that role by chance... Felicity has always been the fragile sister in the family who had a nervous disposition, preferred the quietness, and felt more comfortable on her own burying herself in romance novels. Behind the bookish, spectacled, and shy young woman are the kindest heart and the sweetest soul...

I ADORE both Gabriel and Felicity. Gabriel is someone who could smash the skull of an attacker on the wall without a blink of an eye, but could also clumsily hold a baby, learn to feed her and burping her, or someone who would tenderly embrace Felicity when she was having an anxiety attack in the middle of the night... Their built-up emotions eventually led to the sweetest and most tender lovemaking scene between the two virgins I've ever read (but then how often do we get to meet two virgins?)

As with the previous books in the series, this one is also a bit short, but the chemistry between Gabriel and Felicity makes sparks fly off the page, and Gabriel's pining and the character arcs are executed so wonderfully, I don't really mind its length at all! Gabriel is absolutely swoon-worthy, and I found myself rooting for them from page one. I would recommend reading this series in order before meeting Gabriel and Felicity (or at least reading the previous book), you'll add another pining book boyfriend to your list!

*Special thanks to Oliver Heber Books for sending me the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Release date: May 11, 2021.

I've been waiting for this book since I first read Dancing With Danger where we got a closer look at Felicity and Gabriel. I really loved this book and thought the romance was great. I will say I was a bit let down by the sub-plot/mystery portion of the book but not by much. This was a very quick read for me because I could not put it down and definitely recommend to those looking for a sweet and steamy HR. I would be interested in getting books for the characters introduced at the end of this book! Once again I really liked this and Kerrigan Byrne has not let me down so far!

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

I'd been waiting for Felicity and Gabriels story, and I was not disappointed! Felicity is a woman, seemingly afraid of her own shadow, and Gabriel is a man who lives in the shadows. Still, there is no denying the connection they have for each other, or that they other. Felicity needs Gabriels strength and he needs her tenderness. Only together can they fight their demons, real and imagined. This is a great stand alone book-BUT, even better if you read the books in order.

I adore Kerrigan Byrne's books. Her characters and the situations they find themselves are so unusual, which is a breath of fresh air in a genre that generally survives on tropes. (Not that I hate all the tropes, mind you, but the change of pace is welcome.) Tempting Fate, Felicity and Gabriel's story, is no exception.

This book is the fourth full-length Goode Girls novel, and while it can be read as a standalone, reading the others in the series--especially books 2 and 3) would probably be helpful. I read Courting Trouble (2) but somehow missed Dancing with Danger (how did I miss that?!?), and I found myself a little lost at the beginning. It sorts itself out, however.

Felicity is the youngest Goode sister, Mercy's twin, and she is very very very shy and of a nervous temperament. She is also the goodest of the Goodes, so to speak, without a snarky or mean bone in her body. I usually prefer a bit more spunk in my heroines, but Felicity's comfort level with Gabriel redeems her character quite a bit, and while she is shy, she is not a coward. Gabriel is in so many ways her polar opposite; he is big--hulking, actually--and covered in scars and tattoos, and has lived a life as the personification of violence. Severely disfigured when he was a teenager, Gabriel has spent a lifetime in the shadows, and even after surgery restores some semblance of order to his features, he figuratively continues to wear a mask to protect himself.

Gabriel is so in love with Felicity and has been since he first set eyes on her in a previous book. Unsurprisingly, he believes himself unworthy of love in general and Felicity's in particular. He has no intention of declaring himself to her, instead making it his mission to keep her safe until all external threats are eliminated. He just doesn't realize that the threats to her are coming not from enemies in his past but from enemies in hers.

After being accosted on her way home from a meeting (which disappointingly happens off screen, somewhere between the prologue and chapter 1), Felicity accidentally hires Gabriel as a bodyguard. She doesn't recognize him (his surgery plus her lost spectacles) but find herself drawn to him.

Not a lot actually happens in the plot, which would probably be my main gripe. There are a few exciting instances where Gabriel intervenes to protect Felicity, but mostly we have passages where Gabriel is reflecting on his lack of worthiness or Felicity is trying to figure him out. Instead of being tedious though, I found these reflections so heartbreaking. I didn't just want them to get together; I needed them to. I do wish there had been a little more character development, especially on Gabriel's part, to show him learning to respect himself. Instead, the transition from not wanting to despoil Felicity to the HEA is more of a flicked switch.

But my absolute favorite part is Felicity and Gabriel's shared innocence with regard to love and intimacy. It is so rare to find that in a hero, but it makes absolute sense in Gabriel. While his hands and soul may be spattered with blood, that most intimate part of him belongs to Felicity alone. Swoon.

Kerrigan Byrne is fast becoming a favorite author of mine. While I don't like to play favorites, when a Byrne book shows up on my Netgalley bookshelf, I tend to shuffle aside others in favor of hers.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

3.5/4 Stars ⭐️

Kerrigan Byrne is a new to me author. After having read the blurb for Tempting Fate, I was intrigued. The beauty and the beast element of the story is what drew me in and kept me reading.

Felicity Goode is a striking young woman. She is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day and you are drawn to her. Gabriel is a hard and brutal man but underneath that scarred and ugly surface, lies a kind and loyal man, whose heart beats for one woman, Felicity.

Their love story is not an easy one, there is a lot going on that needs to be dealt with but ultimately the heart wants what the heart wants and in this case it is their unconditional love for each other.

I enjoyed this unique love story but can’t help but think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other books in the series first because a lot was going on that I did not understand or follow and based on reviews for those books, I was expecting more. All in all, a quick and easy read. Be sure to check out Tempting Fate and the rest of the Goode Girls Romance books - TBR and Enjoy.

4 stars

Kerrigan Byrne is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical romance authors. I have not read a book by her that has been less than 4 stars and this is no exception.

The fourth book in her Goode Girl series, Tempting Fate follows bookish and bespectacled Felicity Goode as she navigates being the target of marriage proposals and murder plots. When she hires Gabriel Sauvageau as her bodyguard, the pair quickly discover a passion that could be the one thing to heal their broken souls.

This book definitely gave me Beauty and the Beast vibes with the main relationship being between a soft sunshine girl and a grizzly hunk of a man. Even though I prefer my heroines with a little more spunk, I really enjoyed the anxiety representation in this book and the way that the leading couple complimented each other. The only thing that bothered me was how quickly everything wrapped up, although the ending did leave an opening for more books in the series. I'm excited to see where Byrne takes the series next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An engaging addition to the Goode series. Although the goode series imho is not as intense as Ms Byrne’s other series, I felt in this series the female protagonist had a lot more role play. Though not the perfect ton ladies, they played a meatier role.

This is the story of Felicity Goode, the twin of Mercy Goode, and Gabriel Sauvageau, the man without a face and also with a criminal history, although in the book, he has given up his shady past dealings and is only intent on meeting out justice to a very rogue heartless criminal.

Although we don’t get a reunion of the Goode sisters, some characters from the previous books are part of the narrative.

While Felicity Goode is left alone, now that her sisters are married and parents dead, she faces threats from unknown sources and hires a bodyguard. He is none other than Gabriel S aka Gerard with an alias.

Thus the start of their adventure and romance. Well worth a read.

omg i loved this book. these two are the stuff that romance was built on. a true beauty and the beast story. i loved these two and I couldn't think of two people more deserving of love or each other.

I absolutely love everything I have read by Kerrigan Byrne and Tempting Fate didn’t let me down. She is a fabulous story teller.

Tempting Fate is the fourth book in the Goode Girls series. It follows Felicity and Gabriel who met earlier in the book series. I loved these characters and all of their flaws. There are many twists and turns which lead to a wonderful and happy ending.

I enjoyed everything about this book and read it in two sittings. I would recommend Tempting Fate and Kerrigan Byrne to anyone who enjoys Historical romance novels. This story can be read as a standalone but would recommend reading this series in order.

I received an arc of this story in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you Netgalley, Oliver Heber books and Kerrigan Byrne