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Lords in Disguise #3
The Marquess Who Loved Me
He's on a top-secret assignment.
All of London knows Beau Bellham as the Marquess of Bellingham, but only a trusted few know he also works for the Home Office. His specialty? Scouting out traitors to the Crown. So, when one of his friends pretends to be a footman at a house party in order to find a wife, Beau decides posing as a valet at the same gathering will be the perfect cover for him to spy on the men he suspects of treason. What Beau doesn't count on, however, is butting heads with a far-too-certain-of-herself maid who gives him hell at every turn.
She's about to blow his cover.
Miss Marianne Notley is a lady's maid with more secrets than hairpins. When she meets her employer's new valet, she distrusts him immediately. Never mind his dashing good looks and irrepressible charm, he's a bit too sure of himself and asks a few too many questions for her liking. She's on a mission to reveal the mysterious valet's true identity, and she's not above wielding her own considerable charms to do it. But before long, all the pretending Marianne and Beau are doing feels alarmingly real—and a lot like falling in love. When they finally discover the truth about each other, will it spark a face-off for the ages or a love that lasts for all time?
All of London knows Beau Bellham as the Marquess of Bellingham, but only a trusted few know he also works for the Home Office. His specialty? Scouting out traitors to the Crown. So, when one of his friends pretends to be a footman at a house party in order to find a wife, Beau decides posing as a valet at the same gathering will be the perfect cover for him to spy on the men he suspects of treason. What Beau doesn't count on, however, is butting heads with a far-too-certain-of-herself maid who gives him hell at every turn.
She's about to blow his cover.
Miss Marianne Notley is a lady's maid with more secrets than hairpins. When she meets her employer's new valet, she distrusts him immediately. Never mind his dashing good looks and irrepressible charm, he's a bit too sure of himself and asks a few too many questions for her liking. She's on a mission to reveal the mysterious valet's true identity, and she's not above wielding her own considerable charms to do it. But before long, all the pretending Marianne and Beau are doing feels alarmingly real—and a lot like falling in love. When they finally discover the truth about each other, will it spark a face-off for the ages or a love that lasts for all time?
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2020
156 people are currently reading
637 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Bowman
57 books1,574 followersValerie Bowman is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance.
Valerie’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction.
Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her rascally dogs. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.
Visit Valerie on the web at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com and sign-up for her newsletter at: https://valeriebowmanbooks.com/newsle...
Be sure to follow Valerie Bookbub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valer...
Valerie’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction.
Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her rascally dogs. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.
Visit Valerie on the web at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com and sign-up for her newsletter at: https://valeriebowmanbooks.com/newsle...
Be sure to follow Valerie Bookbub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valer...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
December 7, 2020
My least favorite in the series. Really slow and a bit too much "telling" rather than showing. I started to skim the second half. Everything resolved too conveniently for our H/h. I'm sorry to say this, but you wouldn't miss out on anything spectacular if you decide to skip this book or the entire series.
January 5, 2023
With the next book I hope Bowman tries something different in the third act than her pretty formulaic break ups. This one didn’t last that long and Bell was down BAD and I liked the reunion a lot, but I was still annoyed that she played it like that 😭 overall this was a lot of fun and a character who I thought was going to be forgiven from the last book actually got their comeuppance so huzzah!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*there were multiple scenes and they started banging pretty early, at least in comparison to the last two books.
Side note: Valerie Bowman has an ear thing I SWEAE bc these heroes love lickin them lobes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*there were multiple scenes and they started banging pretty early, at least in comparison to the last two books.
Side note: Valerie Bowman has an ear thing I SWEAE bc these heroes love lickin them lobes.
June 7, 2021
Ah yes... A different class romance. With a twist! Did i enjoy it? Meh. It was okay. I liked it. But i got bored and won't write home about it.
April 19, 2023
3.5 stars. The MMC has to be the worse spy ever (everybody knows he’s a spy), but it was a fun read.
January 21, 2021
This is book 3 and two have already found love at this houseparty, while pretending to be servants. Beau is pretending to be a valet, but his reason is not to find love, but a traitor. Book 2 actually ended with a cliffhanger when he showed up and was all, I found the traitor! But here we take step back, cos obvi he will find love too.
Beau was, well he was nice, he really loves his job too, spying for the crown.
Marianne is a lady's maid, but with seeeecrets! She was very suspicious of Beau, but he he was a shifty valet.
They try to figure each other out, they fall in lust and love. The drama is of course that he is actually a nobleman, and of course the dangerous business of finding the traitor.
I liked it, and it all works out in the end. This is romance after all.
I like the narrator, she is good and all her voices feel right.
Beau was, well he was nice, he really loves his job too, spying for the crown.
Marianne is a lady's maid, but with seeeecrets! She was very suspicious of Beau, but he he was a shifty valet.
They try to figure each other out, they fall in lust and love. The drama is of course that he is actually a nobleman, and of course the dangerous business of finding the traitor.
I liked it, and it all works out in the end. This is romance after all.
I like the narrator, she is good and all her voices feel right.
August 26, 2020
This was a pretty good read, but I definitely prefer the first in the series still. I enjoyed watching Beau and Marianne go from being suspicious of each other to uneasy friends to being in love. I wasn’t as interested in the big mystery as the romance. And I did find Marianne’s accent (I know it wasn’t real) grating. I look forward to whatever Valerie Bowman writes next!
*I received an eARC from Valerie Bowman in exchange for an honest review.
*I received an eARC from Valerie Bowman in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2020
The plot to the story sounds like a good one. I found myself laughing at some of the quip between the characters. I loved the introduction between Beau and Marianne. That was perfect writing there. I like the characters as well.
I’m not able to connect my self with the characters though. The dialogue among them seems to not pull me into the story. It’s like a song and dance dialogue. I want to say they are going through the motions. If the spying and action would have taken place in the beginning, I would be more interested in the plot. Perhaps after the men entered the house, if one or two of them witnesses this conspiracy happen, that would give the book more excitement.It’s hard to connect to the book. It’s not believable. I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.
I’m not able to connect my self with the characters though. The dialogue among them seems to not pull me into the story. It’s like a song and dance dialogue. I want to say they are going through the motions. If the spying and action would have taken place in the beginning, I would be more interested in the plot. Perhaps after the men entered the house, if one or two of them witnesses this conspiracy happen, that would give the book more excitement.It’s hard to connect to the book. It’s not believable. I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.
February 4, 2023
This book had so much potential! But fell flat. I was excited with the spy troupe and different class troupe but sadly both didn’t deliver. I usually enjoy historical romances that include a plot line with home office but this book didn’t have it. It was slow and didn’t have that suspense element. I am torn if I should continue the series at this point.
June 9, 2023
*4.5 stars ✨
It’s been a couple years since I read the first two books in this series, but because the prologue is the same in each book—with a different pov—I had no problem jumping back into the plot.
I enjoyed this one because it had some intrigue since the valet is a spy. This one gets that extra .5 star because I absolutely loved the proposal ♥️
It’s been a couple years since I read the first two books in this series, but because the prologue is the same in each book—with a different pov—I had no problem jumping back into the plot.
I enjoyed this one because it had some intrigue since the valet is a spy. This one gets that extra .5 star because I absolutely loved the proposal ♥️
August 29, 2020
The Valet Who Loved Me by Valerie Bowman is book Three in The Footmen's Club Series. This is the story of Marianne Notley and Beau Bellham as the Marquess of Bellingham. I have read the previous books, which did add to my enjoyment of this book. I do feel that it can be a standalone book.
Beau is pretending to be a Footmen to find the identity of a traitor. While doing his investigation he keeps butting heads with Marianne who also works in service for the family but she seems to have some questionable issue with him and he with her. But what they both can't denied is their attraction for each other. Secrets start to unravel along with their feelings. I couldn't put this book down until the end. Really enjoyed it and this author's writing.
Beau is pretending to be a Footmen to find the identity of a traitor. While doing his investigation he keeps butting heads with Marianne who also works in service for the family but she seems to have some questionable issue with him and he with her. But what they both can't denied is their attraction for each other. Secrets start to unravel along with their feelings. I couldn't put this book down until the end. Really enjoyed it and this author's writing.
April 10, 2023
Part of this book, is in the ending of the prior book of the series. And I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.
Beau appears in the prior books and I loved his character and who he was. I enjoyed seeing his story.
It was a really good spy book.
A little bit of steam (2 sex scenes).
Beau appears in the prior books and I loved his character and who he was. I enjoyed seeing his story.
It was a really good spy book.
A little bit of steam (2 sex scenes).
August 11, 2024
2.5/5
maybe the worst third act make up i’ve ever read. and this was shaping up to the best one!!!!! i’m so mad.
maybe the worst third act make up i’ve ever read. and this was shaping up to the best one!!!!! i’m so mad.
July 20, 2021
Beau and Marianne
Nice cover
Started off good and interesting then became boring.
Didn't see any genuiness to the relationship.
It did honestly seem the only reason he finally married her was because she became a lady.
It was just 'meh'
The weakest in the series IMHO
Nice cover
Started off good and interesting then became boring.
Didn't see any genuiness to the relationship.
It did honestly seem the only reason he finally married her was because she became a lady.
It was just 'meh'
The weakest in the series IMHO
July 30, 2020
I have really enjoyed the Footmen's Club series and I hope their will be spin off books about some of the other characters meant. I did enjoy this book is that I would have enjoyed to read about the weddings of all three of them. The plot was good and I do not want to give any spoilers. I like Marianne and Beau chemistry. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.
February 10, 2024
I couldn’t wait to read the third and last book in this series! Beau impersonates a valet at a country house party. While his other two friends are impersonating servants as a bet no one in the ton would recognize them, Beau is looking for a traitor. He finds a lady’s maid, Marianne, who doesn’t seem to be what she claims to be. Together they must join forces to find this traitor.
September 1, 2024
Preciosidad de libro, me gustó más que los dos libros anteriores, Beau es perfecto y me encanta que Marianne sabe lo que es mejor para ella, además de que es una excelente espía 🫡
April 25, 2023
Heroine: Marianne Notley, 23. A lady’s maid and
Hero: Beaumont Bellham, 29. Nicknames: Beau and Bell. Alias: Nicholas Baxter. Marquess of Bellingham. Spy for the Home Office.
Date: 1814
How they meet: Beau is working undercover as a valet while attending a house party at his friend’s home. Marianne is the lady's maid to the daughter of his employer. Beau suspects his employer may be a traitor and is searching the man’s bedroom for evidence when Marianne catches him.
What happens: Marianne is immediately suspicious of Beau, who she knows as Nicholas Baxter, and so is not particularly friendly. He is bristly with her as well. Later they independently decide it would be wise to have a cordial relationship if for no other reason than to better position themselves to get information from the other, so they call a truce. They aren’t exactly friends after their truce, but there is a mutual attraction.
Verdict: This book has a different vibe than the first two books in the series, being more focused on non-romance aspects of the story. Like the first two books, a good portion of the book covers the time spent at the same house party, with this book going further in time after the party. The hero and heroine have good chemistry and there are some funny scenes of them verbally sparring. This book is best read as part of the trio rather than as a standalone. There is also a free epilogue to all three books available via the author’s website which ties up some loose ends. Overall, I enjoyed the series--there are three more books I haven’t read yet, although these first three feel like a complete story arc.
Steam-level: steamy and explicit
Rating: 4 stars
Hero: Beaumont Bellham, 29. Nicknames: Beau and Bell. Alias: Nicholas Baxter. Marquess of Bellingham. Spy for the Home Office.
Date: 1814
How they meet: Beau is working undercover as a valet while attending a house party at his friend’s home. Marianne is the lady's maid to the daughter of his employer. Beau suspects his employer may be a traitor and is searching the man’s bedroom for evidence when Marianne catches him.
What happens: Marianne is immediately suspicious of Beau, who she knows as Nicholas Baxter, and so is not particularly friendly. He is bristly with her as well. Later they independently decide it would be wise to have a cordial relationship if for no other reason than to better position themselves to get information from the other, so they call a truce. They aren’t exactly friends after their truce, but there is a mutual attraction.
Verdict: This book has a different vibe than the first two books in the series, being more focused on non-romance aspects of the story. Like the first two books, a good portion of the book covers the time spent at the same house party, with this book going further in time after the party. The hero and heroine have good chemistry and there are some funny scenes of them verbally sparring. This book is best read as part of the trio rather than as a standalone. There is also a free epilogue to all three books available via the author’s website which ties up some loose ends. Overall, I enjoyed the series--there are three more books I haven’t read yet, although these first three feel like a complete story arc.
Steam-level: steamy and explicit
Rating: 4 stars
August 26, 2020
Can we go back to the first book, The Footman and I?
Four friends, only one of them married, two very drunk, one not so drunk, and the last one completely sober.
About the three singles, one wanted to get married soon because he had inherited the title of his older brother, and as a result, many responsibilities fell on his shoulders;
The second, a single man who loved to enjoy life, had the reputation of a gambler, was broke, but had the title of duke that opened the doors to him. Not to mention that it was the comic of the group;
The third was a happy bachelor. He worked as spy for the Home Office, his specialty was scouting out traitors.
As the first (Lucas, the Earl of Kendall) wanted to find a wife who truly loved him, a plan arises in the third's mind (Beau, the Marquess of Bellingham). Plan this that could be used for him too, but not to find a wife, but to find a traitor.
They created The Footmen Club and used the fourth friend's country party (Ewan, Viscount Clayton) to put the plan into action.
There were three important people who knew about a particular government plan to be carried out. A letter telling the whole plan was intercepted by a soldier and taken back to the Home Office. This soldier ended up being shot dead. But it was discovered that there was a traitor among them. The question was: who?
To discover this, Beau disguises himself as the valet of Lord Copperpot (one of the suspects), whose debutante daughter, Lady Wilhelmina, was one of the guests of that country party.
Despite being very focused on his work, Beau finds a major obstacle: Miss Marianne Notley, Wilhelmina's lady's maid.
This brave, suspicious and passionate woman would be a stone in Beau's shoe, but... she could also be the best acquisition to help Beau on his mission.
However, while he was looking for a traitor, his heart opened to find love.
Could a spy marquess fall in love and marry a maid?
5 stars
Four friends, only one of them married, two very drunk, one not so drunk, and the last one completely sober.
About the three singles, one wanted to get married soon because he had inherited the title of his older brother, and as a result, many responsibilities fell on his shoulders;
The second, a single man who loved to enjoy life, had the reputation of a gambler, was broke, but had the title of duke that opened the doors to him. Not to mention that it was the comic of the group;
The third was a happy bachelor. He worked as spy for the Home Office, his specialty was scouting out traitors.
As the first (Lucas, the Earl of Kendall) wanted to find a wife who truly loved him, a plan arises in the third's mind (Beau, the Marquess of Bellingham). Plan this that could be used for him too, but not to find a wife, but to find a traitor.
They created The Footmen Club and used the fourth friend's country party (Ewan, Viscount Clayton) to put the plan into action.
There were three important people who knew about a particular government plan to be carried out. A letter telling the whole plan was intercepted by a soldier and taken back to the Home Office. This soldier ended up being shot dead. But it was discovered that there was a traitor among them. The question was: who?
To discover this, Beau disguises himself as the valet of Lord Copperpot (one of the suspects), whose debutante daughter, Lady Wilhelmina, was one of the guests of that country party.
Despite being very focused on his work, Beau finds a major obstacle: Miss Marianne Notley, Wilhelmina's lady's maid.
This brave, suspicious and passionate woman would be a stone in Beau's shoe, but... she could also be the best acquisition to help Beau on his mission.
However, while he was looking for a traitor, his heart opened to find love.
Could a spy marquess fall in love and marry a maid?
5 stars
January 13, 2025
Rating: 3.8 / 5
I'm...kind of on the fence about this one, to be honest.
On the one hand, Bell and Marianne definitely have the most chemistry (and bedroom scenes) in this series thus far, and therefore I'm inclined to vote them as being the best couple.
HOWEVER
On the other hand, there are two major mistakes that are present in this book that took away some of the enjoyment for me, and otherwise have me hesitating as to fully loving it.
The first mistake is that the plot relies on some pretty unlikely "coincidences" happening regarding the secrets these two are keeping. From the get-go, they're suspicious of each other, but while we 100% know Bell's reason why, Marianne's is left unclear, and so the reader can imagine all types of different things that could be intriguing. UNfortunately, one of the less intriguing options for a secret is what the author ended up going with, and...I just didn't appreciate it.
(Also, as a spoiler-free critique, near the end of the book we get another "twist" regarding Marianne's identity that's just....way too convenient and coincidental, and felt like a total ex machina--ergo, I didn't like how it wrapped things up oh-so-neatly, especially seeing as this was a romance that I was expecting not to be neat.)
Ahem, and as for the other mistake, it's actually one I've noticed in every book of this series, and is something that I'm beginning to wonder about all of Valerie Bowman's works:
Does she...make a habit out of stretching what conflict what she has to work with at the beginning of her stories, and not really expanding the story further?
I'm not sure how else to say it, but my reading experiences for all three of the books of The Footmen's Club series felt long. And these are not long books in reality, so the fact that they felt like they draaaaaaaaaaged on and on can't be a good sign. I can only word it as saying that it feels like the author's picked a conflict to work with at the beginning, and then she just holds off on resolving it by adding other unnecessary parts to it so that it keeps up until the end.
Like...if I asked you for $1.00 to buy something, and then you give me $1.06 instead--I don't need all those extra pennies, so why are you giving them to me?
Ahem, so anyway, those are the two things holding me off on fully loving this, despite both Bell and Marianne being awesome characters, especially in their banters with one another--which I found way better than Rhys and Juliana's banter from Book 2.
Anyways, that's it for me with this series. I know there's other books further on ahead as well, but unfortunately I wasn't and still am not curious about anyone else's romance in this world, so for now I'll set it away. I may return to Valerie Bowman's works later on, but at this point, who knows?
I'm...kind of on the fence about this one, to be honest.
On the one hand, Bell and Marianne definitely have the most chemistry (and bedroom scenes) in this series thus far, and therefore I'm inclined to vote them as being the best couple.
HOWEVER
On the other hand, there are two major mistakes that are present in this book that took away some of the enjoyment for me, and otherwise have me hesitating as to fully loving it.
The first mistake is that the plot relies on some pretty unlikely "coincidences" happening regarding the secrets these two are keeping. From the get-go, they're suspicious of each other, but while we 100% know Bell's reason why, Marianne's is left unclear, and so the reader can imagine all types of different things that could be intriguing. UNfortunately, one of the less intriguing options for a secret is what the author ended up going with, and...I just didn't appreciate it.
(Also, as a spoiler-free critique, near the end of the book we get another "twist" regarding Marianne's identity that's just....way too convenient and coincidental, and felt like a total ex machina--ergo, I didn't like how it wrapped things up oh-so-neatly, especially seeing as this was a romance that I was expecting not to be neat.)
Ahem, and as for the other mistake, it's actually one I've noticed in every book of this series, and is something that I'm beginning to wonder about all of Valerie Bowman's works:
Does she...make a habit out of stretching what conflict what she has to work with at the beginning of her stories, and not really expanding the story further?
I'm not sure how else to say it, but my reading experiences for all three of the books of The Footmen's Club series felt long. And these are not long books in reality, so the fact that they felt like they draaaaaaaaaaged on and on can't be a good sign. I can only word it as saying that it feels like the author's picked a conflict to work with at the beginning, and then she just holds off on resolving it by adding other unnecessary parts to it so that it keeps up until the end.
Like...if I asked you for $1.00 to buy something, and then you give me $1.06 instead--I don't need all those extra pennies, so why are you giving them to me?
Ahem, so anyway, those are the two things holding me off on fully loving this, despite both Bell and Marianne being awesome characters, especially in their banters with one another--which I found way better than Rhys and Juliana's banter from Book 2.
Anyways, that's it for me with this series. I know there's other books further on ahead as well, but unfortunately I wasn't and still am not curious about anyone else's romance in this world, so for now I'll set it away. I may return to Valerie Bowman's works later on, but at this point, who knows?
April 9, 2023
THE VALET WHO LOVED ME is bk 3 in Valerie Bowman’s The Footman’s Club series. I purchased and listened to the audio version performed by Christine Rendel.
MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. Easy listening while commuting, exercising, completing chores. Light, not complicated. No angst.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I ENJOYED THIS; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
England & France, months preceding & incl Nov, 1814 ~
Four friends from Eton and members of the ton decide to impersonate servants during a country manor party one of them agrees to host. One of the group and a devoted patriot, Beau Bellham, the Marquess of Bellingham applied but was denied employment in the military due to his family’s status. Ever since, he has been working behind scenes for the Crown as a spy. Bellingham now plans to use the country house gathering as an opportunity to uncloak a traitor which is selling England’s secrets. While undercover, Bellingham meets a lady’s maid who always seems to be underfoot. Is she who she says she is or is she something else entirely? Who is the traitor? Is he attending the party as suspected? Intrigue follows.
Comments -
1) It is possible to read and enjoy TVWLM without first reading the other books in the series. The background for this book is set up sufficiently in the opening chapters.
2) I enjoyed Bowman’s style of writing. The dialogue, story, and characters kept my attention while I was occupied with other tasks. The story was light with a sense of fun. Departure from reality occured several times while placing emphasis on the MCs relationship. The story wasn’t complex and proceeded as expected but sometimes I’m fine with that.
3) The angst factor and MC misunderstandings were not present which I saw as a plus.
4) Rendel’s reading of the various characters (male and female) was nicely done.
5) This book/series would most likely be enjoyed by readers who are looking for an easy, relaxing, quick and light story without a lot of excess drama, emotion, angst, betrayals, misunderstandings, and/or twists and turns in the plot. It’s rather like a fruit gelato - light, easy going down.
6) I purchased the audio format during a sale and was satisfied with my purchase. If I had spent a full credit/$13, I would have felt differently. I may listen again in the future as this was an “easy” listen.
READERS CAUTIONS -
VIOLENCE - Minimal.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used on occasion.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Several scenes of intimacy occur. These could easily be skipped.
MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. Easy listening while commuting, exercising, completing chores. Light, not complicated. No angst.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I ENJOYED THIS; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
England & France, months preceding & incl Nov, 1814 ~
Four friends from Eton and members of the ton decide to impersonate servants during a country manor party one of them agrees to host. One of the group and a devoted patriot, Beau Bellham, the Marquess of Bellingham applied but was denied employment in the military due to his family’s status. Ever since, he has been working behind scenes for the Crown as a spy. Bellingham now plans to use the country house gathering as an opportunity to uncloak a traitor which is selling England’s secrets. While undercover, Bellingham meets a lady’s maid who always seems to be underfoot. Is she who she says she is or is she something else entirely? Who is the traitor? Is he attending the party as suspected? Intrigue follows.
Comments -
1) It is possible to read and enjoy TVWLM without first reading the other books in the series. The background for this book is set up sufficiently in the opening chapters.
2) I enjoyed Bowman’s style of writing. The dialogue, story, and characters kept my attention while I was occupied with other tasks. The story was light with a sense of fun. Departure from reality occured several times while placing emphasis on the MCs relationship. The story wasn’t complex and proceeded as expected but sometimes I’m fine with that.
3) The angst factor and MC misunderstandings were not present which I saw as a plus.
4) Rendel’s reading of the various characters (male and female) was nicely done.
5) This book/series would most likely be enjoyed by readers who are looking for an easy, relaxing, quick and light story without a lot of excess drama, emotion, angst, betrayals, misunderstandings, and/or twists and turns in the plot. It’s rather like a fruit gelato - light, easy going down.
6) I purchased the audio format during a sale and was satisfied with my purchase. If I had spent a full credit/$13, I would have felt differently. I may listen again in the future as this was an “easy” listen.
READERS CAUTIONS -
VIOLENCE - Minimal.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used on occasion.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Several scenes of intimacy occur. These could easily be skipped.
March 25, 2025
While I liked this, I'll admit, I didn't like it as much as I'd wanted to. With the way
Duke Looks Like a Groomsman
ended, I thought we'd be spending more time with that. Instead, we spent a lot of time at the house party (which on the one hand, I get having some of the book there, I do because that's kind of the point. But it took more than 60% of the book for us to even leave the house party, and then we were 70% of the way through before things really got rolling. But then the reveal on the traitor/overall resolution happened pretty fast and all told, I feel like this story needed to be longer if the author wanted to spend so much time at the house party.
Marianne was pretty decent. I'll admit that I rolled my eyes at the beginning when she was frequently talking about how Beau was clearly a hypocrite and hiding something because he was burning letters. Technically, yes he was, but a)he had good reason and b)She was doing the same thing and didn't seem to see the irony in that until after she realized that they were both working for Home Office. I did like that she wanted to avenge Fredrick and rescue David. And once she trusted Beau a bit, I liked how she opened up and told him about stuff.
Beau was pretty great. I did wish we'd gotten a little more on him in general though. We find why he works for Home Office and that he doesn't drink (the why on that too) and that he seems to care for his friends, but then we spent a lot of time with him obsessing about Marianne, chastising himself for obsessing with Marianne and then being frustrated that he hadn't been able to find anything about the traitor because he was obsessing about Marianne. Don't get me wrong, I liked the relationship between he and Marianne, but considering most of the character setup for him had been about finding this traitor, I just wished stuff had been handled a little differently.
I did laugh at the last chapter when he finally got his "but you're in love you idiot" conversation and realized it. Then his determination to find Marianne and the fact that if the butler hadn't clarified, I'm pretty sure he was going to storm the house to talk to her, was great. Then his making a scene on Rotten Row (and admitting he doesn't care) was great.
Marianne was pretty decent. I'll admit that I rolled my eyes at the beginning when she was frequently talking about how Beau was clearly a hypocrite and hiding something because he was burning letters. Technically, yes he was, but a)he had good reason and b)She was doing the same thing and didn't seem to see the irony in that until after she realized that they were both working for Home Office. I did like that she wanted to avenge Fredrick and rescue David. And once she trusted Beau a bit, I liked how she opened up and told him about stuff.
Beau was pretty great. I did wish we'd gotten a little more on him in general though. We find why he works for Home Office and that he doesn't drink (the why on that too) and that he seems to care for his friends, but then we spent a lot of time with him obsessing about Marianne, chastising himself for obsessing with Marianne and then being frustrated that he hadn't been able to find anything about the traitor because he was obsessing about Marianne. Don't get me wrong, I liked the relationship between he and Marianne, but considering most of the character setup for him had been about finding this traitor, I just wished stuff had been handled a little differently.
I did laugh at the last chapter when he finally got his "but you're in love you idiot" conversation and realized it. Then his determination to find Marianne and the fact that if the butler hadn't clarified, I'm pretty sure he was going to storm the house to talk to her, was great. Then his making a scene on Rotten Row (and admitting he doesn't care) was great.
August 25, 2020
London - 1814
When Beau Bellham, the Marquess of Bellingham, goes out with his friends, he is the only non-drinker.of the group. The four of them are 29 and have been close since their days at Eton. They are Viscount Clayton, married; Earl Kendall, single; and the Duke of Worthington, single. All the single men agree that it is time to find a wife. But they worry that most of the women interested want to marry someone with a title. This is why the men avoid the season’s soirees filled with young debutantes hoping to find a titled husband. That’s when they come up with a plan for them to act as commoners and find someone interested in them for the person they are and not their title.
As the only married man, Viscount Clayton will host a house party inviting some of the season’s debutantes and their mothers. Kendall, Bellham, and Worthington will be dressed and act as servants complete with powdered wigs. The idea is to see if they are noticed for the things they do for people or be taken for granted. It is decided Kendall will act as a footman, Worthington will be a groomsman, and Bellham will be a valet. The housekeeper will be in on this and will help to direct them in their duties.
Beau has spent some days learning all the tasks required of a valet. He will serve Lord Copperpot, who along with Lords Hightower and Cunningham, are suspected of being a traitor to Great Britain.
Miss Marianne Notley is lady’s maid to Lady Wilhelmina Copperpot. When Marianne runs into Beau in Lord Copperpot’s room, she is suspicious of him. He introduces himself as Nicholas and says he is filling in for the Lord’s usual valet who is ill. Marianne is a short redhead and quite feisty. She doesn’t understand how anyone so handsome could be a valet. Therefore, she decides to meet his charm by being charming herself and maybe she will learn more about him. Of course, all of this charm ends of sparkling an attraction between them. Can Beau allow himself to be attracted to her while trying to do his job for the Home Office?
This is a clever story of two people who challenge and compliment one another. I have enjoyed this trilogy and applaud Valerie Bowman for her continued writing talent.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When Beau Bellham, the Marquess of Bellingham, goes out with his friends, he is the only non-drinker.of the group. The four of them are 29 and have been close since their days at Eton. They are Viscount Clayton, married; Earl Kendall, single; and the Duke of Worthington, single. All the single men agree that it is time to find a wife. But they worry that most of the women interested want to marry someone with a title. This is why the men avoid the season’s soirees filled with young debutantes hoping to find a titled husband. That’s when they come up with a plan for them to act as commoners and find someone interested in them for the person they are and not their title.
As the only married man, Viscount Clayton will host a house party inviting some of the season’s debutantes and their mothers. Kendall, Bellham, and Worthington will be dressed and act as servants complete with powdered wigs. The idea is to see if they are noticed for the things they do for people or be taken for granted. It is decided Kendall will act as a footman, Worthington will be a groomsman, and Bellham will be a valet. The housekeeper will be in on this and will help to direct them in their duties.
Beau has spent some days learning all the tasks required of a valet. He will serve Lord Copperpot, who along with Lords Hightower and Cunningham, are suspected of being a traitor to Great Britain.
Miss Marianne Notley is lady’s maid to Lady Wilhelmina Copperpot. When Marianne runs into Beau in Lord Copperpot’s room, she is suspicious of him. He introduces himself as Nicholas and says he is filling in for the Lord’s usual valet who is ill. Marianne is a short redhead and quite feisty. She doesn’t understand how anyone so handsome could be a valet. Therefore, she decides to meet his charm by being charming herself and maybe she will learn more about him. Of course, all of this charm ends of sparkling an attraction between them. Can Beau allow himself to be attracted to her while trying to do his job for the Home Office?
This is a clever story of two people who challenge and compliment one another. I have enjoyed this trilogy and applaud Valerie Bowman for her continued writing talent.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 30, 2020
Beau is a viscount, a spy for the Home Office and he has also become a valet. He has arranged to become a valet at a house party in order to find who sold out the British Army to the French.
He and some friends have made a bet that none of them can pass as servants while dealing with some of the “best” people at a house party. Since Beau works as a spy for the government, he feels he has an advantage. But, the main thing he is looking for is to find the British nobleman who made a deal with the enemy.
Marianne is a lady’s maid who has secrets. She is very suspicious when she walks into a room of her employer and finds the new valet looking through things.
This is the third book in this series. I loved the first two. This one took me longer to become enamored. I felt that Beau and Marianne did not have much going to form a long term relationship. It seemed that there was lots of lust, but not much emotional connection.
Beau is a man devoted to his duty. He has spent his adult life doing what he feels is the right thing. Marianne is a young woman who has lost her parents and a brother and she is focused on finding someone who is responsible for her brother’s death.
Both of these people are intelligent and strong willed. They are willing to work very hard to get to their ultimate goals. There is some humor between the two and there is a great deal of distrust for a good portion of the story.
I liked both Beau and Marianne. I felt that both of them deserved to find their happily ever after.
This is a mystery as well as a romance. Looking for the person/people who gave information to the French is Beau’s primary goal. His devotion to duty along with Marianne’s tunnel vision are qualities to be admired. If I were in distress, these two would be people I would hope would support me.
I love Ms Bowman’s writing. Although this one did not draw me in as much as the first two books, it is still an entertaining read.
He and some friends have made a bet that none of them can pass as servants while dealing with some of the “best” people at a house party. Since Beau works as a spy for the government, he feels he has an advantage. But, the main thing he is looking for is to find the British nobleman who made a deal with the enemy.
Marianne is a lady’s maid who has secrets. She is very suspicious when she walks into a room of her employer and finds the new valet looking through things.
This is the third book in this series. I loved the first two. This one took me longer to become enamored. I felt that Beau and Marianne did not have much going to form a long term relationship. It seemed that there was lots of lust, but not much emotional connection.
Beau is a man devoted to his duty. He has spent his adult life doing what he feels is the right thing. Marianne is a young woman who has lost her parents and a brother and she is focused on finding someone who is responsible for her brother’s death.
Both of these people are intelligent and strong willed. They are willing to work very hard to get to their ultimate goals. There is some humor between the two and there is a great deal of distrust for a good portion of the story.
I liked both Beau and Marianne. I felt that both of them deserved to find their happily ever after.
This is a mystery as well as a romance. Looking for the person/people who gave information to the French is Beau’s primary goal. His devotion to duty along with Marianne’s tunnel vision are qualities to be admired. If I were in distress, these two would be people I would hope would support me.
I love Ms Bowman’s writing. Although this one did not draw me in as much as the first two books, it is still an entertaining read.
June 4, 2023
Of the 3 books, I enjoyed this book the most. I enjoy the way the books are setup - each character has their own point-of-view of the same event. It really ties up the whole scheme amongst the friends very nicely. Although it is not necessary to read all the books, I find that I really enjoy this one most because I read all of them. Plus, Beau and his objective has been central to the entire scheme that by the time one reads this book, everything all made sense.
Regarding the book:
I really enjoyed stories where the characters are not what they seem. Although I had guessed early on that both Beau and Marianne shared the same secret it was still fun reading their relationship and the eventual coming together. The progression of the romance was appropriate, although it’s not as steamy as some of the HR I have read, which I prefer, it’s got enough to illustrate the romance between the characters.
Regarding the series:
A few points I have noted, and this may likely be because I read the books practically back to back, are that 1) the intimate scenes are exact carbon-copies in all 3 books (like how the characters react, what they did to each other etc) - it felt like the author just wrote the scenes obligatorily because it’s an HR but honestly people are different and they all don’t get it on the same way, 2) there is the passion then the “breakup” and then the final get together, which is fine for me but it’s so obvious.
I was thoroughly disappointed with the first book but wanted to finish the other two because I am interested to know what Worth and Beau went through so I didn’t expect much from either of them. But turned out I enjoyed them most and am glad I did read them. Maybe because my expectations had become so low.
I would have liked to see epilogues of all the characters together after their marriages, that would be fun.
I am not sure if I will be reading the rest of the series although I’m curious about the one where the newly minted earl is learning to be one (always love a good sudden inheritance story).
Regarding the book:
I really enjoyed stories where the characters are not what they seem. Although I had guessed early on that both Beau and Marianne shared the same secret it was still fun reading their relationship and the eventual coming together. The progression of the romance was appropriate, although it’s not as steamy as some of the HR I have read, which I prefer, it’s got enough to illustrate the romance between the characters.
Regarding the series:
A few points I have noted, and this may likely be because I read the books practically back to back, are that 1) the intimate scenes are exact carbon-copies in all 3 books (like how the characters react, what they did to each other etc) - it felt like the author just wrote the scenes obligatorily because it’s an HR but honestly people are different and they all don’t get it on the same way, 2) there is the passion then the “breakup” and then the final get together, which is fine for me but it’s so obvious.
I was thoroughly disappointed with the first book but wanted to finish the other two because I am interested to know what Worth and Beau went through so I didn’t expect much from either of them. But turned out I enjoyed them most and am glad I did read them. Maybe because my expectations had become so low.
I would have liked to see epilogues of all the characters together after their marriages, that would be fun.
I am not sure if I will be reading the rest of the series although I’m curious about the one where the newly minted earl is learning to be one (always love a good sudden inheritance story).
August 24, 2020
Beau Bellham, Marquess of Bellingham, Bell to his friends Lucas and Rhys decide to pose as servants so of course Beau will join in too. Beau is not really interested in finding a wife or winning a bet like Lucas or Rhys but find out who is the Bidossa traitor because secretly Beau is a spy for the home office. When Clayton the only friend of Beau’s that is married, holds a house party Beau knows this is the perfect opportunity to pose as a valet for Lord Copperpot. Beau is perfect undercover until an annoying lady Miss Marianne Notley, Lord Copperpot daughter’s maid could blow his cover. As the house party progresses Beau is not closer to who is the traitor and trying to not raise Marianne’s suspicions while also falling for her. Marianne doesn’t trust Beau and knows that he has to be up to something and will figure out what his true purpose is but love could destroy all the best laid plans.
This is such a wonderful double agent regency novel filled with lots of suspense, mystery and romance which will definitely keep you turning pages! The story moves effortlessly despite all the changes that all the characters take on, the many plot twists and non-stop action. All of the characters including the side characters literally sparkle with life. Making you want to be at this house party and join in the shenanigans too. Beau might be a lord who is also a spy, is just hilarious and never seems to be a good agent especially in dealing with Marianne. Beau might be able to keep his cool and remain seemingly unaffected by things around his friends even giving good advice to everyone but never taking it himself. Marianne the independent feisty heroine might seem cautious but in reality the people she cares for she undoubtedly would protect with her own life. So both these headstrong characters even with the sexy sarcastic banter manages to make you laugh anyway! In truth the book is just a delight to read and a definite keeper!
This is such a wonderful double agent regency novel filled with lots of suspense, mystery and romance which will definitely keep you turning pages! The story moves effortlessly despite all the changes that all the characters take on, the many plot twists and non-stop action. All of the characters including the side characters literally sparkle with life. Making you want to be at this house party and join in the shenanigans too. Beau might be a lord who is also a spy, is just hilarious and never seems to be a good agent especially in dealing with Marianne. Beau might be able to keep his cool and remain seemingly unaffected by things around his friends even giving good advice to everyone but never taking it himself. Marianne the independent feisty heroine might seem cautious but in reality the people she cares for she undoubtedly would protect with her own life. So both these headstrong characters even with the sexy sarcastic banter manages to make you laugh anyway! In truth the book is just a delight to read and a definite keeper!
August 27, 2020
I really liked Bell's character in the first two books so I was quite excited to finally, finally!, get to his book... and then I just didn't find him as appealing in this one. He was better when he still had that air of mystery I guess!
I did quite like Marianne and her suspicious nature, always foiling Bell (or rather, Beau in this one since we get his first name!) in his attempts to get some good ol' fashioned spying done. The banter is great and I love the chemistry between Marianne and Beau. There's also a very excellent only one bed trope moment in this one and *chef kiss*.
The spy plot didn't really do it for me... There were some parts that just seemed REALLY unrealistic, but I can't really get into why without delving into spoilers, which I try to avoid. Suffice it to say they involve a certain brother's capture. I don't love romantic suspense in the first place, and this felt like it was trying too hard to rather inexpertly tack in some romantic suspense. It just missed the mark for me. I DID love the final chapters, though, so I'm glad I kept reading to get to the HEA.
This is the third and final book in The Footmen's Club series. All three books in the series run on a concurrent timeline, with the majority taking place over the same two weeks at the same house party, with the prologue being the exact same actions/dialogue but from that book's MC's POV. You DEFINITELY need to read these in order though, because the second book has lots of spoilers for the first, and this third book won't make so much sense if you haven't read the first too.
A digital ARC of this book was provided by the author for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
I did quite like Marianne and her suspicious nature, always foiling Bell (or rather, Beau in this one since we get his first name!) in his attempts to get some good ol' fashioned spying done. The banter is great and I love the chemistry between Marianne and Beau. There's also a very excellent only one bed trope moment in this one and *chef kiss*.
The spy plot didn't really do it for me... There were some parts that just seemed REALLY unrealistic, but I can't really get into why without delving into spoilers, which I try to avoid. Suffice it to say they involve a certain brother's capture. I don't love romantic suspense in the first place, and this felt like it was trying too hard to rather inexpertly tack in some romantic suspense. It just missed the mark for me. I DID love the final chapters, though, so I'm glad I kept reading to get to the HEA.
This is the third and final book in The Footmen's Club series. All three books in the series run on a concurrent timeline, with the majority taking place over the same two weeks at the same house party, with the prologue being the exact same actions/dialogue but from that book's MC's POV. You DEFINITELY need to read these in order though, because the second book has lots of spoilers for the first, and this third book won't make so much sense if you haven't read the first too.
A digital ARC of this book was provided by the author for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
June 20, 2022
Good book
He's on a top-secret assignment. He is a top agent for the crown.
All of London knows Beau Bellham as the Marquess of Bellingham, but only a trusted few know he also works for the Home Office. His specialty? Scouting out traitors to the Crown. So, when one of his friends pretends to be a footman at a house party in order to find a wife, Beau decides posing as a valet at the same gathering will be the perfect cover for him to spy on the men he suspects of treason. What Beau doesn't count on, however, is butting heads with a far-too-certain-of-herself maid who gives him hell at every turn.
She's about to blow his cover. She has no idea that he is an agent.
Miss Marianne Notley is a lady's maid with more secrets than hairpins. When she meets her employer's new valet, she distrusts him immediately. Never mind his dashing good looks and irrepressible charm, he's a bit too sure of himself and asks a few too many questions for her liking. She's on a mission to reveal the mysterious valet's true identity, and she's not above wielding her own considerable charms to do it. But before long, all the pretending Marianne and Beau are doing feels alarmingly real—and a lot like falling in love. When they finally discover the truth about each other, will it spark a face-off for the ages or a love that lasts for all time?
I own a copy of this book. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
He's on a top-secret assignment. He is a top agent for the crown.
All of London knows Beau Bellham as the Marquess of Bellingham, but only a trusted few know he also works for the Home Office. His specialty? Scouting out traitors to the Crown. So, when one of his friends pretends to be a footman at a house party in order to find a wife, Beau decides posing as a valet at the same gathering will be the perfect cover for him to spy on the men he suspects of treason. What Beau doesn't count on, however, is butting heads with a far-too-certain-of-herself maid who gives him hell at every turn.
She's about to blow his cover. She has no idea that he is an agent.
Miss Marianne Notley is a lady's maid with more secrets than hairpins. When she meets her employer's new valet, she distrusts him immediately. Never mind his dashing good looks and irrepressible charm, he's a bit too sure of himself and asks a few too many questions for her liking. She's on a mission to reveal the mysterious valet's true identity, and she's not above wielding her own considerable charms to do it. But before long, all the pretending Marianne and Beau are doing feels alarmingly real—and a lot like falling in love. When they finally discover the truth about each other, will it spark a face-off for the ages or a love that lasts for all time?
I own a copy of this book. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
August 25, 2020
I have loved Beau throughout The Footmen’s Club series. He was always the wise one dispensing words of advice and noticing that which others missed. So, I was interested to see how he would handle his own love affair. As it turns out, he did it almost as poorly as his friends because men are always obtuse about love, at least in a good romance novel. Otherwise, where would the fun be?
This story has a bit more to the plot than the other two as Beau and Marianne are trying to solve the mystery of a traitor that has been in the background throughout the other two novels as it was his motivation for suggesting The Footmen’s Club in the first place. It is also what abruptly came up at the end of Duke Looks Like a Groomsman.
The mystery keeps the two occupied and distracted from their budding romance. It adds to the conflict and keeps things interesting. But, mostly, the characters keep the story interesting, which is consistent with all of the books by Valerie Bowman. She has a knack for creating enjoyable characters that you want to spend time with.
Beau and Marianne and their story bring this trilogy to a wonderful conclusion. I highly recommend it.
I was provided with a free electronic version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story has a bit more to the plot than the other two as Beau and Marianne are trying to solve the mystery of a traitor that has been in the background throughout the other two novels as it was his motivation for suggesting The Footmen’s Club in the first place. It is also what abruptly came up at the end of Duke Looks Like a Groomsman.
The mystery keeps the two occupied and distracted from their budding romance. It adds to the conflict and keeps things interesting. But, mostly, the characters keep the story interesting, which is consistent with all of the books by Valerie Bowman. She has a knack for creating enjoyable characters that you want to spend time with.
Beau and Marianne and their story bring this trilogy to a wonderful conclusion. I highly recommend it.
I was provided with a free electronic version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2021
Its interesting when a person hates the rich aka people of the ton yet can't accept love from someone within the ton. This is exactly the issue our heroine had. She has sever trust issues and takes one look at our hero and doesn't like him at all. Our hero is a spy working as a Valet to uncover a traitor. Things get complicated when a servant, our heroine, learns he's not who he says he is. They have great chemistry together and have passionate sex scenes. But he learns she is also a spy. Their jobs take them all the way to France where they capture the bad guy. Our heroine leaves our hero thinking because of their positions in society they can't be together. Our hero is going crazy looking for her. Once found by friends she finally agrees to let him know her where abouts. He confesses his love and she agrees to marry him. After our couple found out they were both spys, our heroine turned weird. She wanted him but didn't allow herself to just be with him. She was too much in her head and focused on the future where society couldn't accept them. And she essentially left him for fear of heartache yet it pained her to be away from him?? Our hero suffered needlessly but glad she able to see that the hero wanted her over the acceptance of society.
October 15, 2022
Beau & Marianne
This is the 3rd book 📕 in the Footman Series and I really enjoyed reading this. The premise is that 4 friends (Earls Dukes Marquess etc) place a bet to pretend to be servants at a house party given by the married man in the group. They needed to be in character for the duration of the party without being discovered to win the bet & money. In this book 📚 the Earl H posses a a valet and the h is a Lady’s Maid to the same family. Both The H and h are spies for the Home Office without each other’s knowledge. They both have fake names and identities. Both are in search of a traitor that is responsible for the murder of h’s brother. As they must interact often with each other they begin to fall in love and begin having a steamy 🔥🔥 🔥 affair. They finally find out who they are and work together to capture the traitor. That takes them to France where there is action of rescues (the other brother of h) and charges to the villains. You would think that this would lead to their HEA but the author teases us with a delay. The h is revealed as a Lady a daughter of and sister to an Earl after their separate return to England. The H sulks a couple of weeks before his friends encourage him to go find and claim the lady he loves which he does. Finally there is a great show of a chase on horseback and a grand declaration of love for the h and he to ask her to marry him. Of course she says Yes and have their HEA. It was an enjoyable lighthearted read as were the others in the series.
This is the 3rd book 📕 in the Footman Series and I really enjoyed reading this. The premise is that 4 friends (Earls Dukes Marquess etc) place a bet to pretend to be servants at a house party given by the married man in the group. They needed to be in character for the duration of the party without being discovered to win the bet & money. In this book 📚 the Earl H posses a a valet and the h is a Lady’s Maid to the same family. Both The H and h are spies for the Home Office without each other’s knowledge. They both have fake names and identities. Both are in search of a traitor that is responsible for the murder of h’s brother. As they must interact often with each other they begin to fall in love and begin having a steamy 🔥🔥 🔥 affair. They finally find out who they are and work together to capture the traitor. That takes them to France where there is action of rescues (the other brother of h) and charges to the villains. You would think that this would lead to their HEA but the author teases us with a delay. The h is revealed as a Lady a daughter of and sister to an Earl after their separate return to England. The H sulks a couple of weeks before his friends encourage him to go find and claim the lady he loves which he does. Finally there is a great show of a chase on horseback and a grand declaration of love for the h and he to ask her to marry him. Of course she says Yes and have their HEA. It was an enjoyable lighthearted read as were the others in the series.
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