Alexander and Olivia have absolutely nothing in common.

He's been tasked by the Crown to uncover an assassination plot. She's a resourceful schoolmistress who keeps the doors of an exclusive boarding school open with the assistance of her mathematician brother.

But Alex is convinced that Olivia's brother is at the heart of the plot to overthrow the government. He's going to be stuck to her closer than her own shadow, watching her every move. Olivia resents his scrutiny. She thinks it's unwarranted because her brother has never given her a reason to doubt his loyalty.

Everyone has secrets. When the one's in Olivia's household come to light, it could ruin her reputation and her future. Now working with the arrogant agent of the crown is the only choice she has, And she has to ignore the inconvenient attraction and temptation to succumb to his kisses.

I loved this addition to the Armory series. Alex was the perfect rakishly cold hero. Utterly resolute in his convictions until he's very decidedly shown the error of his ways. I loved the fact that he was supportive and admiring of the heroine's mind as much as he was entranced by her other charms.

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this release in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

I've been slowly making my way through Anna Harrington's Lords of the Armory series in anticipation of reading this ARC and let's just say, it's been more misses for me than hits. However, the book right before this was easily the best one in the series and got me excited for this installment.

A Relentless Rake feels like the start of a secondary series within the world of this series. It's a new set of heroes still fighting the same shadow organization and falling in love with women who may or may not be involved with the bad guys. In this particular installment, we have Alec Sinclair, Earl of St. James, fighting his feelings for feisty schoolteacher and potential Scepter agent Olivia Everett. It's a bit heavy on exposition considering that this is the fourth part in a series, and I could have used more on-page action/adventure but the biggest issues for me was the behavior of the hero and the anti-climatic conclusion to the romance.

I was totally vibing with Alec and his banter and his broodiness and his secrets...until Olivia tells him HER secret and he completely freaks out despite the fact that he is doing the exact same thing. The comparison was so apples and oranges that it felt shoehorned in for the sake of having a conflict and I felt like considering how absolutely rude he was to her about it, he definitely did not grovel enough for forgiveness. Then, when he finally has the chance to overcome his own demons that have been the source of so many issues in the relationship, it is wrapped up partially off-page and then they go on their merry way to their HEA. Alec didn't get enough of a chance to redeem myself for me as a character and so, the enjoyment that I was having was tainted.

I think that the idea for the series is good, but I've found myself wanting more from 3 out of the 4 books in the series. I'll definitely try some of Harrington's other books, but I think it might be time to stop with this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Olivia Everett is a school mistress. Alec St. Clair has been assigned to follow her, to find her brother. Soon Olivia finds her brother Henry may be part of a plot to kill the Prime Minister. Alec and Olivia find themselves drawn to each other but can a school mistress and Lord find love while trying to solve a mystery of who is trying to start a revolution?

This is the fourth book in the Lords of the Armory series. I discovered this series over the summer and DEVOURED them. This book is a perfect addition to the series. Excited for the next book!

*thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebookscasa for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Alexander Sinclair, the Earl of St James, has been tasked by the Home Office to track down the movements of Scepter, a radical group threatening the life of the prime minister. He and his half-brother have one clue to the latest bombings, and Olivia Everett, a most proper schoolmistress, and her brother Henry, appear to be prime suspects. Alex realises after spending time with Olivia, that she is unaware of Henry’s involvement, and in revealing this to her, Olivia agrees to help Alex uncover the plot. However, in doing so, she realises that the social divide between her and Alex, may be too large to overcome.
I was so surprised to have missed the earlier three books in this series, thinking that this was the first in the series. I am now desperate to read earlier books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, particularly as Olivia is portrayed as intelligent but social. Many historical romances feel that for a woman to be intelligent, particularly in mathematics, that she must be quirky or an introvert. However, Olivia is assertive, loyal and able to hold her own. Alex is so smooth, and his ability to draw Olivia in, both physically and emotionally, was so enjoyable to read. He does have his imperfections in that he realises his faults but can’t accept faults in those around him, particularly Olivia. However, together they are dynamic, and Olivia helps Alex to heal.
I look forward to reading more about Alex’s half-brother, Captain Nathaniel Reed in the 5th book of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Anna has added another level to this series with the suspense and intrigue. Spectre is at it again but can the Lords of the Armory thwart their intentions. Suspense is catnip to me. I love Anna’s portrayal of Alec. Is he a rake or isn’t he? And the story of Olivia was both heartbreaking and sweet. I love this type of heroine. She is not afraid and holds her own against Alec. This story was fun, suspenseful and fantastic. Anna could write a grocery list and make it exciting. Another amazing story in this series. I cannot wait for Reed and Lady Rowland’s story.

One thing Anna Harrington can do and remarkably so is mixing spy and political intrigue with romance. She writes in a way that none of the subplots of the novel feel unbalanced compared with the others. And so meanwhile Olivia and Alec try to unveil all the secrets and suspicions surrounding the heroine’s brother they find themselves more and more entangled in a web of trust and love.

Following the plot line that links all of the “Lords of the Armory” series Alec and his half-brother Reed are summoned by the head of the secret service to investigate Spectre, a super secret treasonous gang that are trying to kill the prime minister. In the third book there was a bombing at the Armory that fortunately could be covered up and disguised as an accidental fire. Looking for clues they’ve found a paper with one word written on it. “Everett”.

Olivia Everett and her brother Henry are schoolteachers and mathematicians. This story begins with Olivia looking for her brother in dark alleys as Henry, who wants to be accepted in a very influential mathematical society, has disappeared two days before. Olivia doesn’t know that Alec has been following her for days but he reveals himself as a masked man when two ruffians try to accost Olivia in the alley.

Henry comes back home without a story to tell her sister, and when the masked man shows up in her bedroom asking about where his brother had been and what story had he told her she has nothing to tell to him. So Alec decides to meet Olivia as himself the next day to try a different approach.

Of course there’s more to the story than the romance and the spy plots, both Alec and Olivia have to deal with past personal stories and they will, like with everything else, do it together, because both of them see what an incredible ally have in each other. As a whole, the book is a page-turner, enjoyable, enternaining, with the right amount of spice and with one of the most intelligent female characters I’ve ever read about. And one of the most humble too.

This wonderful story had all the elements necessary for an excellent novel. There is Olivia Everett, who is a schoolteacher and owns the Everett School for girls. She is twenty-five and feels she is a spinster. She is also sweet and kind and loves children. She is a Mathematician.
Henry Everett is the brother of Olivia, a schoolteacher, and a Mathematician plus he wants a fellowship in the Royal Society. He wants it badly.
Captain Nate Reed, of the Horse Guards, is the half-brother of the Earl of St. James. Alexander Sinclair is the earl and takes care of all the business of the estate. He is also an operative of the government, as is his half-brother. Alec also liked to dress in black at night and swing through trees.

I like the way they interact together. From fighting to loving to figuring out puzzles. They love children and try to help when they can. This is an amazing novel and so worth the time to read.
There are also some funny moments.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed this.

I really love this series by Anna Harrington so if you haven't yet picked up the books in the Lords of the Armory series you definitely should. This is a series that you have to start on book one with though as there is a thread that flows throughout all the books - both in characters and a plot line.

This book focuses on the Earl of St. James, Alexander Sinclair and in his search for the men who attempted to assassinate the prime minister, he comes face to face with Olivia Everett, a schoolmistress who is only interested in keeping her school running and finding out what her brother Henry is up to.

I thought these characters were well developed and the story kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. There is definitely more to both of these characters than what they show those around them and I thought Harrington did a great job of revealing their stories as well as showing the impact on their relationship.

In short, if you're looking for a historical romance series to pick up, I recommend this one. There is action, mystery, great characters, and plenty of swoony bits to keep you turning the pages.

A Regency romance with a thriller sub plot. Alexander Sinclair - an earl (aren't they always) - has to crack the gang which is trying to assassinate the first minister. This leads him to Henry Everett and his schoolmistress sister, Olivia. The title is a bit of a misnomer, Alex is not a rake (though he has had a wild past) and Olivia is not as priggish as her school-mistress exterior would have people believe. Expect danger and romance (steamy).

A Relentless Rake is a new book by Anna Harrington in her Lords of the Armory series. This fourth book focuses on Olivia Everett and Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James. The men of the Armory are a group of men who fought the French and came back with the determination to help their government with undercover work.

Alexander Sinclair still works for the government in a secret kind of way. He has been tasked with his secret half brother to help find out who is trying to assassinate the prime minister. During his investigation he ran across Olivia - although he is not sure how she is involved.

Of course, they fall for each other… not that they are sharing that information. Olivia’s brother is somehow involved and Alex and his group are still trying to unravel the conspiracy. Keeping Olivia safe, just keeps them close, sometimes really close.

A Relentless Rake by Anna Harrington is a fun historical suspense romantic novel to read. Enjoy!

This was my first Anna Harrington novel, but A Relentless Rake was so satisfying and beautifully written that I immediately downloaded a title from her catalogue when I finished. Perfect for fans of Kate Bateman, Julie Anne Long and Elizabeth Hoyt, Harrington is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Three-sentence summary: Alec Sinclair, Earl of St. James, has been tasked with uncovering a plot to assassinate the prime minister, but when his investigation leads him to prim schoolmistress Olivia Everett, the sparks flying between them introduce an unanticipated complication. Haunted by a mistake that nearly cost her family everything, Olivia is devoted to maintaining a pristine reputation that reflects well on the school for girls she and her brother run. When Alec brings Olivia into his confidence about her brother's involvement with a group of dangerous revolutionaries, the stakes -- and the passion between them -- run high.

Harrington's writing is deft and confident, and her pacing is superb. Olivia's characterization is excellent; she's smart, savvy to the ways of the ton, and firmly in control of her sexuality. Alec is a bit of a rocky road, and you'll definitely want to drop-kick him when he brings indignant disbelief to the discovery that Olivia's sole purpose in life isn't to redeem him from childhood trauma. But our cinnamon roll is learning that the world isn't so easily classified in clear, either/or terms -- and he realizes quickly enough how wrong it was to hold Olivia (and his mom, and himself) to such an unforgiving standard.

Fingers crossed Justine Eyre doesn't narrate the audiobooks, so I can enjoy this one again in another format.

Now that we’re only a few weeks out from pub day, I can finally post about how much I liked this book! It’s the fourth in a series that has all the swoony moments we expect from historical romance, but also has an overarching action plot and a Big Bad. Honestly, I’m loving the books, but if Anna Harrington wants to tell me right now who is behind Scepter, the seditious organization desperate for revolution against the monarchy, I’d still happily read the rest of the series knowing the spoiler. I’m THAT curious.

Is it a bit convenient that every man in this series is a former soldier who all know each other and who all happen to end up complicatedly involved with and then in love with a woman whose life is about to be upended by Scepter? Yes. Do I care at all? No. I keep coming back, and I loved the pairing in this installment. Alec has the discipline of a former soldier and the sensibility of an unrepentant rake – on the surface. There’s so much more bubbling underneath, lots of family shame and the signature convoluted logic of a regency romance hero dead set against love. And it’s fun to watch school mistress Olivia get under his skin and unravel all his secrets.

A side note – Olivia is brilliant and doesn’t get enough credit for her brain and her skill. Damn the patriarchy.

Look, I’ll admit that I read romance for the lighthearted moments, the connection between the two characters, and I don’t always love convoluted plots. It can feel like there’s too much going on. But Harrington avoids that skillfully. I’m genuinely intrigued by the Scepter plot, and there’s been a really natural progression of them upping their attacks. In each book, they become more brazen and more dangerous, and that tension is starting to explode – literally. I don’t just want to know what happens next. I NEED to know.

And if we get another fun, swoony romance like Alec and Olivia’s along the way? I’m more than okay with that too.

Alec is a notorious rake who has been tasked with finding the men who attempted to assassinate the prime minister. His only clue leads him to Olivia, a prim and proper schoolmistress with a secret to hide about her past. The instant attraction is mutual, and as they’re forced to work together to to stop another assassination attempt, it becomes harder for them not to act on their feelings.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book. I really enjoyed reading this. This is the second Anna Harrington novel I’ve read and I have to say I’m a big fan of her writing style. It was very engaging and the plot moves at a good pace, with something happening on every page, whether it’s something that furthers the romance or the external plot. I could easily have read this in one sitting.

The romance is good - it’s an entertaining mixture of angst, sexual tension and flirtatious banter. They had great chemistry and the love scenes are hot and well-written. There were parts of the book that made me physically ache, especially when it came to addressing Olivia’s issues with trust and her reputation. Their emotional bond felt very genuine to me and I was quite emotionally invested in it.

I also thought the wider external plot involving the assassination attempts was very strong, for the most part. It was quite exciting with some interesting plot twists I hadn’t seen coming, and I thought it complemented the romance well. I did think this plot was a little bit rushed towards the conclusion, with the ending itself feeling a little unsatisfactory. I understood that certain plot points will feature in subsequent novels, but as a reader of this one particular book in the series, it didn’t feel like a good conclusion to me.

Overall, though, I thought this was a very solid historical romance novel, packed with intrigue, plot twists, and a really strong romance. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an opposites attract romance with a reformed rake hero and a clever schoolmistress heroine.

Content notes: Child abuse (in past), violence, knife violence, child sexual abuse (in past, side characters), attempted murder, explosions, fire, child poverty, references to non-consensual bondage, injuries, on-page sex.

This is my new favorite author to follow. I have been reading her series, about the men of the Armory who do secret service on behalf of the Prime Minister and the ladies they fall in love with.
This series is for the readers of Celeste Bradley, who wrote the wonderful spy master series.
I think there is a vague nod to the present political upheaval in varied countries in that the male characters are investigating a gang called 'Specter'. This group is replacing, by death and blackmail, politicians who will turn the vote towards an autocratic leader who will limit the will of the people even more. There has been more than one riot and explosion of top governmental buildings Talk about life imitating art. And like in this book, good will prevail over bad due to regular people who are loyal, just and honest who support and follow the law of the land. But again, this is only my take on the subject. Back to the series.
What I loved about the Celeste Bradlet stories was the intricate weaving of the stories, one book to the other, of a continuous theme that resulted in a lot of action and intrigue, but overall, romance. This series is similar, but different enough and fresh enough to stand on their own. This is series worth following.
The heroine is a spinster school mistress who, with her brother, runs a girls school. The heroine and her brother both are master mathematicians, like their deceased father. They have paying students, but also sponsored students who they love and care for.
The hero is an earl who has been given the assignment of finding the leader of Specter and taking the group down. But he has to work with his bastard half brother, whose own story was the book prior to this. Such great stories.
I cannot say enough about the excellence of this story and the way the story reads. The transitions smoothly roll from one plot line to the other and it all combines to a wonderful story. I felt swept away and integrated into the story. I have started collecting these books to put on my keeper shelf. And you guessed, right next to Celeste Bradley. 5 stars and a full recommendation to read.

Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St james and his half brother are try to protect the Prime Minister from gettinng assassinate. Olivia Everett together with her brother runs a school for girls. Henry, her brother somehow gets involved with the plot of killing the PM. So she decides to help stop the assassinate and save her brother. This journey leads to more than only helping to end the plots.

This is not my usual genre. Regardless, i enjoyed it. I loved the brave and smart role that olivia played. And the bold and strong Alec was also so nice to know. I bonded very well with them.
I would definitely recommend this book!

I'm so grateful to everyone that made it possible for me to read this book.

This is book four of the Lords of the Armory series and definitely my favorite, so far.

Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James and his half brother Captain Reed are tasked with unraveling the latest Scepter plot. They are trying to assassinate the Prime Minister and the brothers will do anything it takes to stop it.

Olivia Everett runs a school for girls with her brother Henry. Unbeknownst to her, Henry has become involved with the assassination plot. She decides to help the Earl in hopes of saving her brother. This leads to them doing a lot more together than hunting assassins.

I loved this book from start to finish. Olivia and Alec have amazing chemistry. She is a smart and capable heroine and he is sensitive and hurting beneath his rakish exterior. Anna Harrington has outdone herself with this one and I can't wait for more in this series!

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

Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St. James works with the Home Office and is trying to track those responsible for the attempt to kill the Prime Minister. Our hero has had an unhappy childhood and those memories make him see people as either good or bad, no inbetween.
Miss Olivia Everett is a teacher and manager of a school for girls. Her reputation must stay completely spotless or she could damage the school. If people knew the secret she hides all could be lost.
This historical romance does follow on from the previous books in the series, but you can still read and enjoy it on it's own. All the characters have plenty of depth. There is a lot of and danger a mystery to solve. A very exciting story and I will definitely be reading the next one.
Great fun.

A Relentless Rake, starts out as a who can you trust book then a how can I help type. I love how adaptable Olivia can be. Alec on the other hand is hard to win over. Makes it even sweeter when Olivia does just that. A little bit of suspense and a lot of romance made the pages turn quite fast for me.

A relentless Rake by Anna Harrington was amazingly written, with plot thoroughly done and with a lot of something special.
Olivia Everett - respectable headmistress of Everett school with a bit of naivety but heart of gold wants nothing more than to bring a few unfortunate girls, among the daughters of paying clients, education by and leave her past where it belongs, in the past.
Alexander Sinclair - the Earl of St. James was asked to take an assignment to uncover an assasination meant for the Prime Minister, and a trace brings him to Everett´s school.
While Olivia isn´t aware of her brother's actions she tries to understand and convince herself about his innocence. Yet all hints lead to her brother, therefore Alec asks her to help him because of her brilliant mathematician and physician skills.
What they have not counted on was the attraction that pulls them together and to anew learn to trust another people.
Can they uncover the revolutionaries and stop another attack on the government?

This book was truly amazing, full of sizzling attraction, just the kind of fictional historical romance I love to read.

This was an entertaining story, full of mystery, action and romance. Alec, a notorious rake and Olivia a proper schoolmistress make for an imperfect couple, he meets his match in this heroine. A great plot and lots of passion, they learn to trust each other to bring about an enduring happy ending.