This is the third book in the Goode Girls series.
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The best in the series so far!
Mercy Goode is an amateur sleuth. She is outspoken, brave, and unconventional. She yearns for more than what society dictates she can have. Her storyline highlights how women had no choices in this era. They were nothing more than property. Their feelings and opinions didn’t matter. She balked under these restraints and oppression. This is why I loved her so much. She was not the diminutive damsel in distress. She had spunk and a brain. However, I felt she was lonely and didn’t realize it. She had given up hope on love. She couldn’t fathom any man putting up with her.
Raphael Sauvageau is a smuggler, crime boss, and underworld king. Trapped, born into a world without choices. He made himself into a fierce force to be reckoned with. He had only one love which he valued more than his own life, until he met Mercy. I loved how he wasn’t just a cutout, two dimensional villain. He was complex and had depth. He had regrets and desires. He had emptiness in his soul. He could never be labeled “good”, but I felt he could be redeemed by the love of the right person. There was a serene gentleness under the crude exterior. I loved how he respected Mercy and saw her as a strong, intelligent woman.
The love story between Raphael and Mercy was on fire. It was explosive and elemental. The passion was combustible. I felt the strong connection between the two of them.
The plot was intriguing and fast paced. I was caught in the first chapter. The story grabbed me and I couldn’t wait to read what happened next. There were tender, passionate moments and also fierce, explosive action.
I have enjoyed the previous books in the Goode Girls series, however this is by far the best. This book is excellent. A great read for those who like depth, passion, a just a little darkness before the happily ever after.
I was gifted an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion.
Kerrigan Byrne is a favorite author. I first read The Highwayman, book one of the Victorian Rebels series. I instantly fell in love with her writing style. There is always darkness with the goodness of the hero. They often face insurmountable odds. Only the strong, fierce women at their side can bring them redemption. There is a grittiness to her writing style you don’t often see in this genre. It makes her works stand out. The Goode Girls series is an extension of the Victorian Rebels series. Characters from the previous books pop up now and again. I have thoroughly enjoyed both series and look forward to future installments.
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