Sunday, May 10, 2015

Review: The Lady Hellion (Wicked Deceptions #3) by Joanna Shupe


Lady Sophia Barnes doesn’t take no for an answer. Especially when she’s roaming London’s seedy underground…dressed as a man.

A rabble rouser for justice, Sophie’s latest mission is to fight for the rights of the poor, the wretched—and the employees at Madame Hartley’s brothel. She’s not concerned about the criminals who will cross her path, for Sophie has mastered the art of deception—including the art of wearing trousers. Now her fate is in her own hands, along with a loaded gun. All she needs is instruction on how to shoot it. But only one person can help her: Lord Quint, the man who broke her heart years ago. The man she won’t let destroy her again…

The last thing Damien Beecham, Viscount Quint, needs is an intrusion on his privacy, especially from the beautiful, exasperating woman he’s never stopped wanting. A woman with a perilously absurd request, no less. For Damien is fighting a battle of his own, one he wishes to keep hidden—along with his feelings for Lady Sophia. Yet that fight is as hopeless as stopping her outlandish plan. Soon all Quint knows for certain is that he will die trying to protect her…
 






Sophie is unlike other women of society ... she doesn't care about getting married (her father brings it up every year and she keeps dodging that bullet), she doesn't really care about what others think and she dresses as a man to help solve mysteries surrounding local brothels. As if her life isn't crazy enough, fate has brought an old flame back into the picture. Sophia needs Damien's help, help he isn't willing to give. Actually, he isn't willing to do anything pertaining to Sophia. He wants her to stay away from him and for good reason and he'll do anything in his power to keep some distance between them. But things don't always work out as planned.

This is the third book in the Wicked Deceptions series by Shupe and let me tell you one word: AMAZING. I'm sure I'm not alone in this but I have found so many series where I absolutely adored the first book and then the second book was crap and then the third book tried to make up for the second being crap and then it turns out even worse than the second. But that isn't the case with this series. I was absolutely hooked on this series from the first book and it's because of Shupe's ability to write unforgettable characters. I had a super high bar set with the second book and you know what? She hit that one out of the park as well and I figured once I got to the third, well ... there's no way that the third could be as good as the other two, right? Wrong. Totally wrong. The Lady Hellion was just as good as the other two!

Since I have read the other two, I realized something with this one. The Lady Hellion was more of a slow burn at the beginning rather than the lighter-fluid doused fire with the other two. It just had a slower start. And normally, that would really bother me. For authors to get you used to one way of writing in a series just to switch it up on you for the last book is just plain rude. But. It needed to be that way with this one because of the man that Damien is. I don't think that it would have read as true to his character if the first couple of chapters flew off like a kite in the wind. I won't lie, I was a little irritated at first but then I quickly realized that it was all for a reason. Damien is a cautious and thoughtful character and he would have wanted things to move slowly and cautiously. Anyhow ... it's slow and I liked it. You will too. 

I really don't have much else to say ... Shupe is an excellent author whom I will be following for as long as she cranks these things out (which better be for many, MANY more years). Her character development is some of the best that I've ever read and coupled with her perfect timing in the plot makes for a gripping read that you won't want to put down.

Yes, this is the third in a series. Do you need to read the other two books in order to understand this one? No, not necessarily. But I would highly recommend reading them just because there are a lot of back stories that will shed light onto the situations in this one. Plus, do you really want to miss out on those sassy ladies in the other two books? I'm telling you right  now, you don't. If you are a fan of historical romance novels, Joanna Shupe is the lady to go to. She knows her stuff and she's very, very talented. 

* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *



Available: May 26th, 2015


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