Review: Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

His greatest battle is just beginning . . .
 

Captain Harry Lidge has done his duty. After losing too many good men on the battlefield, he's ready to put his responsibilities behind him and live a life free of care. But first he has one last mission: find out what the most outrageous woman in London, the same woman who betrayed him nearly a decade earlier, is concealing, before her secrets take down the crown.

Her heart is the only thing she won't risk . . .

Surrounded by ardent admirers and a few loyal friends, Lady Kate Seaton glides through the ton on a confection of couture gowns and bon mots. No one suspects that beneath her lighthearted façade Kate hides a sorrow so scandalous she'll do anything to keep it hidden. But only when she trusts Harry with the truth and only when he trusts her with his heart can they stop the villains all too willing to kill Kate to attain their ultimate goal: destroy England.

When we first met Major Sir Harry Lidge, I was surprised to learn he would be paired romantically with Lady Kate Seaton.  For all Kate's affectations to the contrary, she loves deeply and has been hurt just as deeply in the past.  Her happy-go-lucky demeanor is quite the ruse, and given that Harry is brusque and, well, grumpy, I didn't expect to want to see them together.  Turns out, Harry's demeanor is kind of a ruse too. 

On top of the Harry-Kate pairing, we continue the mystery subplot, which is necessary for Drake's Rakes to continue their service to England.  We're left with a bit of a cliffhanger, so I do hope more Drake's Rakes are in store in the future.  

I've loved each book thus far in this series for different reasons; put them together and they make one great story. 

(A very special thank you to Forever Romance, Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Always a Temptress.)