I was slightly surprised when I read the synopsis of this book - I thought Lords of the Armory will finish in book #4 with Clayton's story, but apparently Anna Harrington introduced two more heroes (that I know so far) before the arc (of the evil organization, Scepter) can be finished.

Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James, has been tasked to investigate Henry Everett, a schoolteacher and mathematician whose name is written in a paper of a building that has been bombed. But he changed trajectory a little bit, after meeting Henry's sister, Olivia in a dark alley.

Alec saved Olivia (who were in that alley while trying to find her brother) from men attacking her. Then Alec decided that he could find out more about Henry and his intention via his younger sister who is the schoolmistress at Everett's school. Except that Olivia intrigues a different side of him

Olivia is wonderful! She has the best of heart, caring for children, including taking orphans from the streets to her school. She also has a brilliant mind; actually she's the better mathematician compared to her brother. But just like any other brilliant women in that era, they didn't have the opportunity to shine like their male counterpart 😤

Olivia has tried to be proper and prim because the school relies on her reputation. But Olivia keeps a secret of her own, a painful past, that can endanger the school if it comes to light. And I'm bloody angry at Alec, because when finds out about it, he ends up NOT being Olivia's champion in the beginning. Yes, yes, I know Alec, your father is a deceitful bastard, but his lies and betrayals are TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO OLIVIA'S!!! And you also keeps secret from your own mother, you hypocrite! 😠

Other than that, I thought the romance was good. I liked the chemistry between Alec and Olivia; they have attraction and passion. And Olivia has that wild side in her (that she doesn't let out easily) that she is exploring when she's with Alec. Alec is a good male character except for that complaint I have above.

I'm quite intrigued for Alec's half brother Reed's story next



The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

A Delightful Regency Romance with Plenty of Intrigue

I am always excited when I know there is an Anna Harrington Romance to read. There is sure to be romance, intrigue, and a story that will keep me turning the pages. Alec and Olivia start out at odds with one another. There are revolutionaries, intent on overthrowing the government. At first, he suspects her of being involved. Then, he accuses her brother of working against the Crown, which is sure to lead him to the hangman’s noose. What is the truth, and will Olivia and her brother survive the danger that lurks? As Alec works to uncover the truth, he finds himself falling in love with the schoolmistress, but society says that an earl and a schoolmistress can never marry. Does he follow the rules? Olivia does have her own secrets. What are they, and how does the earl react when he finds out the truth? I loved this unputdownable story and would recommend it to those who enjoy Regency romance, filled with action, secrets, mystery and intrigue.

Alexander (Alec) Sinclair, Earl of St James, and Olivia Everett, a schoolmistress. Alec and Captain Nate Reed arrive at the Armory for a pre-dawn meeting with Clayton Elliot, the undersecretary for the Home Office. They’re tasked with finding the men who attempted to assassinate the prime minister.

A lone clue points to the name Everett. Olivia manages a school for girls and her brother Henry teaches mathematics there along with taking commissions to review architect’s building plans. Is Henry or Olivia working with the revolutionary opposition group?

Known for his gambling, women, and drink, Alec lives his life honestly, and in the last few years, respectably, despite what the gossips say. He’s also intelligent, witty, and somewhat quick to judge others that don’t meet his expectations.

Olivia is a proper schoolmistress. She’s brilliant, beautiful, challenging, fearless, and corrects her brother’s equations when he makes errors. Her reputation must be impeccable, or the school will lose its patrons.

Alec is determined to find out who Scepter is and stop them from assassinating the PM. With a name of piece of charred paper with the name Everett, he is assigned to tail Henry's every move.

Going to a lecture at Royal Society, Alec learns its Olivia who is the matherician not Henry . Now Alec has to work on gaining Olivia's trust to find the truth behind he plot and stop the next disaster from happening.

Olivia realized Henry has been keeping secrets from her that could destroy the school's reputation. Helping Alec and Reed to trap the person behind the plot they all have work together to stop the next attack.

Henry didn't realize his work was involved in assassination and destruction of the building he was working on calculation. Scepter new assignment was the Waterloo bridge.

Henry's past is coming back to haunt him. Knowing Henry would to be controlled. Scepter kidnapped him and destroyed the school to get him to cooperate.

Alec, Reed and Olivia raced against time to find the bomb and protect the PM and Regent in time.

I’m a frequent reader of Anna Harrington’s historical romances, and this book—like the others in this series—did not disappoint.

Olivia and Alec have terrific chemistry. His rakish reputation and her prim demeanor make for a sizzling attraction and sexy romance. These two characters (especially Alec with his dark family secret) are intelligent, real, and beautifully flawed—so very believable. An added bonus: I love how Olivia is a brilliant mathematician—so refreshing to see this in a female main character—and how much Alec appreciates her mind.

This story is a lovely mix of romance, intrigue, and suspense. It’s a real page-turner, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Anna Harrington for the DRC!

This author’s books have been hit or miss, I really liked the last one but this one seemed to drag. I wanted to quit more than once but stuck with it and enjoyed the ending. 3 stars.

Alex is a lord and works for the home office. Olivia is a schoolmistress and very proper. Alex is tasked with finding the men trying to overthrow the government. His hunt leads him to Olivia and her brother Henry. Henry is involved with the men trying to overthrow the government unbeknownst to Olivia. Olivia agrees to work with Alex to help out her brother and find the perpetrators. A stunning historical read.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Alexander Sinclair, the Earl of St. James, has an unapologetically terrible reputation as one of London’s worst rakes. When the Home Office asks him to help find the group of men responsible for an assassination attempt on the prime minister, Alec crosses paths with lovely schoolmistress Olivia Everett who wants absolutely no association with him and his reputation.

Without her knowledge, Olivia’s brother and partner in the school has gotten in over his head working with a group of revolutionaries working to overthrow the government. Disbelieving and shocked, Olivia decides to help the mysterious earl in the hopes of saving her brother, but that means Olivia and Alec will have to learn to trust each other if they hope to reveal the villains and escape with their lives.

This story drew me in almost immediately. I’m a sucker for this sort of intrigue in my romance and Alec was exactly the sort of misunderstood hero I can easily root for. At times I was frustrated with Olivia, the heroine, for just how much she underestimated Alec, but that’s nothing all the other women in his life weren’t already doing, even his own mother. Fortunately, even against her better judgement, Olivia did take the time to hear Alec out and was willing to be honest with him first in order to cement his trust in her and get him to open up in return. That one scene in particular, in which this two are finally stripped down and honest with each other, is one of my favorite scenes I’ve read in some time. The tension between these two was palpable on the page, even when they were still trying to convince themselves they didn’t like each other. I enjoyed the mystery aspect here, especially the fact that Alec was still working to try to help others even with the burdens and brokenness he carried himself. He kept trying to improve and overcome and I loved that. Olivia tried my patience at times with her snappishness towards him, but this was mostly because he was telling her things about her brother that she didn’t want to hear. Alec similarly tried my patience when he initially felt that Olivia had lied to him with malicious intent. This frustration, however, was very much worth it to get to that lovely heart to heart scene that so made this book for me. Both Alec and Olivia had been living their lives tethered by past shames that largely weren’t even their own and it was lovely to see them overcome that darkness together. This was a solid addition to the series, and I’ll look forward to the next installment.

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

Anna Harrington writes some of the best historical romance today. The Earl of St. James secretly works for the Home Office and is tasked with uncovering what Henry Everett has been up to. The task would be easy except for his sister Olivia who keeps getting in his way. With Olivia's help, they will discover just what danger awaits in an attempt to stop it.

I couldn't put this book down. One of her best yet.

My love for historical romance started when I was just a teen and never ceased since then.

Ana Harrington is one of my go to authors in the last years. This fourth instalment of the Lords of the armory series is showing me again why I enjoy her books so much.

The society will always frown upon class differences, but that won’t stop Alex and Olivia from falling in love.

Olivia is a schoolmistress, and Alex is a lord that works for the Home Office.

His traits don’t make him a selfless hero and it really shows how much of a rake he is at all times. Even when proven with truth about her brother, he isn’t apologetic or humble. He is rude and judgemental and even dismissing people at all times. I had lots of doubts that I will actually like him in the end or that he will redeem himself. I’m still on the fence about that, but I also understand that not everyone will show their regrets.

Olivia was a wonderful character, and she saved the day for me with her heart and common sense at all times.

I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I will because I enjoy all the spy thrills mixed with a bit of chemistry and steam.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Netgalley arc

I love this series, and this is a great addition. Alex & Olivia's story is fantastic. It is filled with action, adventure, romance and mystery. I found this story fast paced due to the undercurrent of Specter's nefarious plans. It was hard to put it down once I started reading. I cannot wait for the next book.

A steamy historical romance with a touch of mathematics and terrorism.

It would have been nice for the hero to grovel a little after sex-shaming the heroine.

But all in all a great read with an ending that has me wondering what's going to happen next!

London 1817

Another amazing addition to this intriguing series and this time Alexander Sinclair and his half brother are ordered to find out who is trying to kill the Prime Minister

The only clue leads Alec to Olivia and her brother Henry. Unfortunately, Henry has been missing and is out looking for him, when trouble comes her way.

Two people, one driven from his childhood and terrible father and another with her secrets. Trust is a definite issue, but can he help her find her brother?

An adventure filled with a mystery, secrets and a road to an attraction that will not be denied!

A relentless rake was the first book I read in this series, but I didn’t feel like I had to read the others first in order to know what was going on.

This was the first historical romance that had a bit of a mystery side that I read and I really liked the mystery side. I loved the fact that Alec had to protect Olivia and she ended up being a brilliant character who wouldn’t just sit on the sidelines and accept things.

I liked how she tried to stand up and fight for herself and Alec ended up being the first person she revealed her past hidden secrets to aside from her brother. That said, I didn’t like how judgemental he got about her past even when she admitted it was a mistake. I did like the redemption he got later though.

I am definitely interested in reading more books from this series. It was a five star rating. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

A love story with a backdrop story of sedition and murder, this book kept me entertained right from the first page. I loved Olivia’s independence and her intelligence. The intrigue and mystery were paced well throughout the book and kept my attention. This is book 4 in the “Lord’s of the Armory” series but can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this book and the entire series.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

This is book 4 in the "Lord's of the Armory" series. This has been a great series to follow. Anna Harrington has a little bit of everything in but. There's mystery, murder, espionage and romance. Scepter is trying to overthrow the British government and they have infiltrated all levels of the government and society.
Alec, the Earl of St. James, has been recuited by the Home Office to find the mole who is leaking information to Scepter. They have only one name , Everett.
Henry Everett and his sister own the Everett school for girls . Both are mathematicians. But Olivia is the more intelligent and helps her brother out on many occasions.
Alec is assigned to follow Olivia. His cover is blown when she is attacked while looking for her brother. Alec and Olivia team up to find out what is going on with her brother.
Of course with danger and violence and close intimate circumstances, things between the two heat up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story as well as this series. I can't wait for the story of Alecs half brother Nate Reed.
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

A Relentless Rake ticks all the boxes for a historical romance with mystery, intrigue and some depth. This is a story with a true plot, action, character development and of course, some romance. I found Olivia to be very likeable, and Alec to be so as well even though he had a more stubborn edge. This is the 4th in the series Lords of the Armory, but I don't think a reader will have any issue jumping directly into this one. There is a true conclusion to this book even though it connects to others. I can't wait to continue the story.

I thought that this was a very enjoyable read. The storyline was sharp and clever, the writing well done and the chemistry irresistible. Witty banter and electric sparks heavily pepper every single interaction that Olivia and Alec share. I really liked Olivia and I thought Alec was OK. The blend of drama, emotion, mystery and suspense captured and maintained my attention and interest easily. In all this was another very good entry in this very fun series.

Historical romance may not be a go-to genre for me anymore, but I find the time to read Harrington's lovely stories. A Relentless Rake continues the intrigue of Scepter woven throughout a romantic tale between a couple that, on paper, have no business being together.

I find it easy to return to the world of this series as soon as I start reading the first chapter, and that could be due to the fact that I'm invested in the series and finding out answers. As in previous books, I enjoyed the camaraderie between the men of the Armory. As the hero, Alec, had a secret past that colored his emotions and motivations. Sometimes those emotions and motivations were not particularly likable, however. Olivia made a strong heroine that had many opportunities to call upon her strength, not the least of which was dealing with Alec. I especially liked her intelligence and how it played into the story.

As a whole, I found this book to have the signature writing style that I have come to enjoy from Harrington. You can expect a well-executed story arc with intrigue, tight editing, interesting characters, dialogue to keep you turning the pages, and some pretty steamy moments. I'm very much looking forward to the next book! (4.5 stars)

I love Anna Harrington, she is one of my favorites romance writers and she never disappoints!!
When notorious rake, Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James, is tasked by the Home Office with finding the men who attempted to assassinate the prime minister, his hunt leads him to Olivia Everett, a most proper schoolmistress who wants nothing to do with a profligate nobleman like him. Unknown to her, Olivia's brother Henry has been working with the revolutionary group planning to overthrow the government. Shocked and hoping to save her brother, Olivia agrees to help the persuasive earl. But they closer they get to uncovering the villains, the more Alec and Olivia will need to trust each other.
I like these characters as individuals. They are both strong, smart and witty. The dialogs are engaging and fluid and the sexy times really steamy! Olivia is a unique woman who knows about resilience and suffering. She gave up everything to protect her family. Alex carries the weight of the world in his shoulders. He has a horrible past full of secrets and lies and that makes him suspicious and hard. There are some moments with our heroine that are difficult to process and emphasize with him. But in the end, it’s impossible not to fall in love with these two and their story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The story begins with Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James and his illegitimate half brother Captain Nathaniel Reed being tasked by the Home Office to look into the attempted assasination of the Prime Minister by the group Scepter. The only lead they have is a burned piece of building plan with the name Everett on it, which leads them to the brother and sister, Henry and Olivia, who run a school for young girls. And so begins the adventure... I think I related to the characters in this book more than I have in any other historical romance in awhile. I connected with Olivia and her intellectual side and how she gets caught up in the day to day tasks of keeping the school running, not realizing that she hadn't really been living and pursuing her own happiness. I also saw similarities in myself to Alex, in how he had come to judge other people and the world around him, maybe harshly and unfairly at times, based on his past trauma, giving a good lesson that we could all look to be a little more forgiving. The one critique I had was that it felt like the plot was a little short, and was just a connector between the start of the investigation in this book and when Captain Reed will continue it in the next book, and nothing much new was learned about Scepter, but maybe that will happen in the next book.