Review: Lady Notorious by Theresa Romain

Print Length: 368 pages

Publisher: Zebra (February 26, 2019)

From Goodreads.com: Who knew love would be her secret weapon? 

Cassandra Benton has always survived by her wits and wiles, even working for Bow Street alongside her twin brother. When injury takes him out of commission, Cass must support the family by taking on an intriguing new case: George, Lord Northbrook, believes someone is plotting to kill his father, the Duke of Ardmore. Decades before, the duke was one of ten who formed a wager that would grant a fortune to the last survivor. But someone can't wait for nature to take its course—and George hopes a seasoned investigator like Cass can find out who.

Cass relishes the chance to spy on the ton, shrewdly disguised as handsome Lord Northbrook's notorious "cousin." What she doesn't expect is her irresistible attraction to her dashing employer, and days of investigation soon turn to passionate nights. But with a killer closing in and her charade as a lady of the ton in danger of collapsing at any moment, Cass has no choice but to put her life—and her heart—in the hands of the last man she ought to trust.

                                                 *******************

My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

I read the first book in this series, and I loved it! Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately depending on your point of view), I missed books two and three. So of course, I jumped on the chance to read the fourth book! Between remembering how much I enjoyed this author the first time, coupled with the synopsis of this book, I couldn't wait to dive in. 

And that is when the disappointment sank in. 

While I enjoyed these characters, the story-line itself seemed to drag on. I didn't find Cass' "alter ego" to be all that "Notorious" either. Sure, she did some things (both intentionally and unintentionally) that were a little note-worthy, but nothing that would really make her stand out. 

The chemistry between George and Cassandra felt real enough, and I think their budding romance was a large part of why the main clue, the one thing that brought the would be killer to light, was originally overlooked. When all was revealed, it seemed so obvious that I feel Cass with all her insight and intelligence would have figured it out much sooner if her feelings for George hadn't been distracting her.

All in all, this is a well written novel, and while I wouldn't consider it completely "historical" romance due to the nature of the material being a little more "modern" (both in ways of thinking and in how Cass was allowed to pursue things with Bow Street), I do think those who enjoy slow-burn romances will enjoy this story.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

                                                         *******************

                                   Lady Notorious is available from Amazon.com