I absolutely adored this book! Having not read the first four books in the series, I was nervous going into it that I wouldn’t know what was going on, but that wasn’t the case.
There was romance, adventure, suspense, and mystery plus a healthy dose of spice. I am definitely going to be reading the other books in the series now!
*Thank you to netgalley for the ARC of this book!

The Army Captain and the Baroness:
A mystery romance story of two strangers coming together and finding love.
One searching for help and the other offering protection. I will say I like Nate much better than Sydney the Baroness. We follow their journey of undeniable attraction, intrigue, intense drama, rejection, along with a gripping ending that had me holding my breath. A full emotionally packed mystery romance story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy for my honest opinion and thoughts.

I felt like this book started really abruptly, and was quite simplistic in its plot elements while not really explaining much. I never really got invested in the characters, and the plot was good but it lacked a certain something for me. I really liked the play on the hidden child trope in this book though, and how Nate and Sydney dealt with that together. But other than that, I was underwhelmed due to the writing style and way of dealing with the storyline.

I really enjoyed the story I'm not going to give too much away,but I do recommend that before you read this book you definitely read the other books of the series, because it has to do with an organization called scepter. I have enjoyed 18th century books for a very long time, but I always really enjoy the books that bring on a side of History especially when it comes to royalty. Scepter is an organization that is trying to assassinate the current King and wants to have their own people in there to rule the country. Nate is a character that you will have read from the previous books, which is another reason why you want to read the books before this one to get a more understanding of his backstory. But I will share this when he was in the war he did have a wife that was pregnant, and he lost her. He blames himself for that. But because he's a soldier he will do whatever he can to protect his country that he loves so much especially, from the organization of scepter. So he goes to a club to meet lady Roland who he believes is working for scepter, but that is not the case at all. Lady Roland is being blackmailed by sceptor, because they have threatened her son that she is kept hidden and even her son who is 6 years old doesn't know that she is his mother. Nate does whatever he can to try to get her to explain what is going on, and what is her relation to scepter. When he finally finds out his heart breaks for her. I'm not going to give too much away,because it is such a good story, but it is full of Adventure, Intrigue R,edemption, Love and Suspense.

Lady Sydney Rowland, Baroness Rowland, has a secret that will likely get her killed if she is to protect her young son. Now a widow, she will do all that she can to get her son back. When she is blackmailed by Scepter, a revolutionary group determined to overthrow the government, she draws the attention of Captain Nathaniel Reed. has When her discovers that Sydney is innocent, he will do all that he can to protect her, even if it risks his own life.

Whilst this is part of a series, this book is cleverly detailed, so that it reads as a standalone; however, the previous book, is also a great read and sees Nate and Sydney interwoven into his half-brother’s story. Both Nate and Sydney are wonderful characters, both with painful previous relationships, that have been etched into their persona. Whilst struggling with their emotions, their ability to understand each other, is transparent in their conversations and interactions. Both are strong and determined characters, yet together, their romance was beautiful to watch as it grew in its intensity. This was a great read.

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

I enjoyed this continuation in the series, which seems to leave off where book 4 ended. I liked our hero - he was conflicted, but didn’t create conflict. He was quite true to himself, and very likable. Sydney had her secrets and attempted to keep Nathaniel at a distance. I liked that he was a Captain, he had an interesting backstory and he carried this particular book in my opinion. I enjoyed this, a little bit of mystery, and some romance mixed in.

I went into this not realizing it was a series. Silly me.

The story was good but I do feel like I was missing some key points not having read the others.

However this book piqued my fancy enough that I will pick up the entire series and read it!

Anna Harrington provides readers with a historical fiction tale that includes romance, danger, and suspense in A Remarkable Rake , the fifth book in the Lords of the Armory series. Set mostly in London, England in the summer of 1817, this novel features Captain Nathaniel Reed and Lady Sydney Rowland. Nate is with the King’s Horse Guards. He and his half-brother Alexander (Alec) Sinclair, Earl of St James have been tasked by Clayton Elliott, the undersecretary for the Home Office to find the men responsible for attempts on the life of the prime minister and to overthrow the government and monarchy. Their organization is called Scepter and rumors say Lady Sydney is involved with them.

Lady Sydney is obstinate, fearful, unpredictable, complicated, and independent, but at the same time, her secret has made her vulnerable. Nate is heroic, selfless, determined, dedicated, and honorable, but he also suffers from grief and guilt. Both characters transform and grow during the course of the storyline. Characters from previous books in the series have secondary roles in this one and add continuity and familiarity.

This book has a solid plot, with great character depth, extraordinary characters, and a fascinating mystery. The author captured the characters and cultural lifestyles of the times and brought them to life. This beautifully executed story had characters that felt emotionally rich. With some unpredictable moments in the story, it gradually builds momentum until its action-filled conclusion. While the main mystery is solved in this book, there are still several threads that could be used in future books in the series. Besides the instant attraction and gradual romance between the two main characters, the author weaves in some deep themes related to family, forgiveness, selflessness, social classes, trust, fear for others’ lives, political unrest, and much more.

Overall, this was a moving and memorable novel with some pivotal stressful and emotional moments. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. The series is best read in order.

SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Anna Harrington provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for July 26, 2022.

The widowed Lady Syndey Rowland has years' worth of secrets--the most important of which is her young son, spirited away from her care in infancy. Captain Nathaniel Reed suspects that Sydney's mysterious dealings have run her afoul with Scepter, an organization intent on overthrowing the government. Though she's technically innocent, he nonetheless can't stop thinking about her--and his predicament doesn't get any easier when Sydney turns to him for help.

As Sydney and Nathaniel work together to keep not only her but her child safe, their attraction threatens to derail everything he's been working towards...

So here's the good stuff:

A) A heroine who has A Past, which does include a Secret Baby but not the hero's secret baby. This is established pretty quickly, and I so appreciate it. I do like that Harrington seems determined to present heroines that aren't virgins in both of the books I've read by her, and Sydney's past is dealt with much more sensitively than that of the heroine in the previous book I read. It's very much a reality that aristocratic women occasionally gave birth to children that did not belong to their husbands, and those children were basically whisked away to be taken care of by others. I would love more books that feature heroines who've gone through what must have been an incredibly traumatic, intense experience. I want happy endings for them.

B) Sydney isn't just a cut and dry tragic good girl. She has wants and needs and resentments and issues. She was my favorite part of the novel.

C) Harrington writes a hot sex scene. It must be said. Hat tipped.

Where this falls flat is in the espionage, and I don't know that this is her fault as an author at all. Espionage books may just... not be my thing. I recently went through and re-shelved all of my romance reads, and I noticed that I typically give espionage romances something of a low rating--though I did read one I loved recently. I tend to feel like the subplot of trying to save the crown just... wasn't my thing. And it is a big subplot. If you're into that, then you will probably love this book. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean that it's a bad story; I truly this was a "it's not you, it's me" situation.

If you enjoy a hero who's ready to be the FATHER THAT STEPPED UP, then you'll enjoy Nathaniel. If you'd like your heroines to be a bit more complicated and less virginal, then you'll love Sydney. I wish I'd loved it more, but I don't think we were a match.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Captain Nathaniel Reed has been tasked with finding out the identity of Scepter, an evil mastermind bent on bringing down the Crown, and his biggest lead is Lady Sydney Rowland, the beautiful widow who keeps everyone at a distance. She's a means to an end, but Nate doesn't count on his attraction to her. Is she an innocent pawn in the mastermind's plan or is she heavily involved in the scheme? Nate must keep his feelings in check in order to learn the truth, but the more time he spends with Sydney, the more confused he becomes. Can he figure out the puzzle before another tragedy befalls the Crown?

This was a very enjoyable story. I instantly liked Nate. He was so honorable even though he had every reason to be bitter about his circumstances in life. It took a while for me to warm up to Sydney, but her reasons for her involvement in the blackmail scheme were revealed, she become much more sympathetic. I loved the interaction between Nate and Sydney as they tried to ignore their growing attraction to each other. With many twists and turns in the way, they finally do achieve their HEA. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Anna Harrington has written another HR that’s absolutely AMAZING 🤩 In this HEA novel their is mystery and heartbreak, Nate and Sydney's chemistry really shines through. 😍Suspenseful and moving at the same time. From start to finish, it was a great read🖤 The writing in this novel is excellent, and the characters are well-rounded and relatable.

In this latest installment in this series, we find Nate investigating Lady Sydney Rowland. He suspects that she is somehow involved with Septer. The shadowy organization that we've been chasing throughout the series.

While Nate has suspicions about what and how exactly Sydney is involved, he knows that she is afraid, and he decides that he will do whatever he can if she trusts him with the truth.

This story was quite action-packed as Nate is trying to protect Sydney from the members of Septer, and they are attacked a lot. There were some really heartbreaking, and heartwarming moments as we learn about Sydney's deep dark secret, and see her and Nate fall in love. Their relationship did seem a bit quick for me and that took me out of the story a bit, and I wish we got to see some of the stuff that happened off-page, but I did enjoy this story, especially the last third where we really get to see Sydney be vulnerable, and feel all of her feelings. It definitely made me connect and like her more.

I'm not sure if this is the end of this series or not, but ill read whatever else Anna Harrington comes out with.

Truly a fun adventure and romp with delightful characters. Definitely steamy and worth a read! I haven't yet read the rest of the series, but fully intend to. The characters had great chemistry and the story was truly a mysterious adventure.

In the middle of uncovering a treasonous coup plot and assassination attempts, is a second chance at love and happily ever after. A book that I couldn’t put down because I wanted to know what happened next!

I received an ARC Of this book via Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

A steamy and swoon worthy romance, loved every page. I was quickly caught up in this story and the sizzling chemistry between Sydney and Nathaniel. It was beautifully written with the right mix of romance, intrigue and suspense. Their journey to love was fulfilling and well deserved.

This is the fifth book in the Lords of the Armory series and the story picks up immediately after the previous story A Relentless Rake. The main story can be read on its own but the series has an overarching threat final concludes with this book. Captain Nathaniel Reed, is a war hero and an aristocrats by-blow. He is working for the home office to find Scepter, the person or people behind the plot to assassinate the prime minister and overthrow the government. Lady Sydney Rowland is a young widowed Baroness. She is wealthy and philanthropic but she has secrets. Nate knows she blackmailed mathematician Henry Everett (the previous book) but it turns out she is being blackmailed herself. Nate vows to protect her but must know her secrets.

There is instant attraction between Nate and Sydney but I like that they don’t get steamy until they know and understand each other better. Both have had losses in the past and that gives them an extra bond together. As I mentioned this book does finish the Scepter plot that has weaved through all five books in the series. I’m assuming this book will end the series or it could continue with a love interest for Jake’s half sister. Either way I will be happy to read whatever is Anna Harrington’s next historical romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great addition to this series! This story picks up right where book # 4 A Relentless Rake left off. Captain Nathaniel Reed is investigating Lady Sydney Rowland's role in Sceptre. Nate tries to convince Sydney to work with the home office and reveal what she knows about Sceptre and her role in the organization. Sydney has a secret from her past that she refuses to reveal and it's what Sceptre has been using against her.
Nate was one of the best characters in this series, it's nice to finally have a hero who isn't a rake and who takes pride in that fact. Sydney was also a great character, she's a strong female lead who values her independence and isn't interested in another marriage where she would lose control over her own decisions and wealth. I really like how their relationship developed throughout the story and they were able to overcome any obstacles and learn to trust each other.
Thanks to Neutrally and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the arc

This book is excellent! The gist of the story is that they can be determined to make the decision to get the job done.
A deadly organization determined to overthrow the government
A rebel with a secret she'll do anything to protect
The steadfast soldier who'll defend her at any cost
Sizzling attraction that could burn them both
Lady Sydney Rowland, Baroness Rowland, has spent a lifetime keeping secrets, one of them being her young son. Now that the husband she despised is dead, she'll do anything to get her son back and protect him however she can. And that includes risking her life when she's coerced into working for a revolutionary group determined to overthrow the government.
Captain Nathaniel Reed has heard of Sydney's involvement with Scepter. Though he quickly learns that Sydney is innocent, he's determined to keep the secretive widow at arm's length despite the attraction that burns between them. But when she turns to him for help, nothing will stop him from coming to her aid and showing her exactly what she means to him.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Despite having a catchy premise, this book unfortunately disappointed me. The execution was flimsy and I don't get the connection between our main characters. Their interactions don't feel natural to me and I just can't buy their supposed-to-be feelings for each other. I think the writing style of the author also added to my not-so-enjoyable experience with the book.

This was certainly an impressive read where I connected with the main characters and spent the whole book wondering what was next for them. Fantastic writing style and pacing.