Daphne Foliot has always known she’ll be married off to a man who, like her, descended from one of King Arthur’s fabled knights. That doesn’t mean she wants to be, even if it is her beloved father’s wish. Raised without a mother, she owes everything to the man who encouraged and funded her education and supports her dream of becoming the first female member of the Order of the Round Table. But … when she suspects her chosen husband is a traitor to the Order, she plans to expose his treachery, regardless of their extraordinary mutual attraction.
Heir to the thirteen treasures of Britain, Gideon Kersey vows to do anything to protect his family’s legacy from a secret society bent on exploiting the items for personal gain, including marry a woman he doesn’t love. Except she ignites a passion he was certain died with his first wife, and when the truth behind the Order’s objectives threatens everything Daphne knows, Gideon must fight to save her—and any future they hope to share.
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First off I love the connection to King Arthur and the round table. That was just fantastic!! It was such a fresh twist, a unique thing that really “captivated” me as the reader!
Burke always writes sexy, romantic books and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed the interplay between Daphne and Gideon. Gideon was just swoonworthy! And I really like it when I get a heroine like Daphne who is a smart, fiesty and lovable woman that I’d like to be friends with if she were real.
Definitely recommending this one!!
Their love may change the world, but their secrets could topple a dynasty. More medieval than regency, Captivating the Scoundrel is a fiery read. Burke thrusts readers into an intricately woven tale of drama, mystery and passionate romance. Gideon and Daphne never meant to fall in love. They just couldn’t help themselves. I never meant to lose my heart. I just couldn’t help myself. Once started, it must be finished. An imaginative adventure.
I loved that this story did not follow the typical, historical romance ‘formula’. It was a very unique tale that immediately drew me in. Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Intrepid Reads in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Book four in the Legendary Rouges series, this is the tale of
Gideon and Daphne. Gideon is a man who in the past has been on the wrong side of the war against a secret society that seeks to gather antiquities that originated from the legendary King Arthur and his knights. These items are allegedly enchanted and men have killed and died in the search for them. Gideon now wishes to rectify that.
The leader of this group has a daughter, Daphne, who he wishes to bind Gideon to in marriage for a number of reasons.
Gideon isn’t looking for marriage and neither is Daphne, but neither can seem to stop looking at each other. The two have agreed to work together toward a common goal even if they must commit to a temporary marriage in name only.
Daphne and Gideon become embroiled in a plot filled with intrigue, danger, a bit of magic, and a whole lot of heat.
Although a stand alone, some characters from previous books in the series appear in the story in addition to other colorful additions that add levity to the adventure for everyone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the entire series, and highly recommend both.
I read this as an arc which affected my review in no way at all.
What a great way to finish an exciting series. It was great to see the changes to Gideon as he grew to know his true self through out the series and to see his happy ending with Daphne, the daughter of his enemy. Ms Burke has a wonderful way with her story of magic, treasure, adventure, mystery and romance. As in the rest of the series, this book had me gripped, finding it hard to put down. You just don’t know what is going to happen next. Even though this book is part of a series, Ms Burke allows to catch up with the past making it a great read on its own. Once reading this, you will want to go back and read the first ones. There a few sex scenes and this reviewer skipped them as always and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. I received this book as an ARC and gave this review freely as it is worth all the praise it gets.
It doesn’t get any better when the story has connections to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. After all, the stories are legend and speculations have enchanted historians and readers alike forever! Imagine finding the lost treasures and that is exactly what the Legendary Rouges series is about. Descendants of the knights, this one is about Gideon who we have seen in the other books, but luckily he becomes the hero in this one and a lot of things fall in place. But he has to protect those treasures from those who are looking to take them for gain and there are two more items he wants to retrieve.
One, a dagger is held by Timothy Foliot, who is now part of a group trying to take the treasures. He will only give it to him if Gideon will marry his daughter Daphne.
There are so many twist and turns in these pages that will take you on an adventure which will not slow down until the end. As he takes Daphne with him, there are a lot of secrets that will come out and it seems they have an attraction that cannot be denied.
Secrets, lies, betrayal, intrigue, mystery and of course love. Darcy Burke is an amazing storyteller that always pulls me into the tale and brings the characters alive. Memorized, I really did not want to turn the last page because I believe this is the end to this spectacular series! They will go on my keeper shelf to be reread one day! I highly recommend!
I am joyed this book more than the first book I think it’s because they got it together sooner if you know what I mean. You have every emotion you could find in the book including the happy ending. Deceit, love, hatred, jealousy and some wonderful sex enjoy
Gideon Kersey is in a very difficult situation. His inheritance is in doubt and a devious man is attempting to manipulate his life.
Our worthy hero must use the gifts of his bloodline and the items he has found to set everything right again.
Daphne Foliot is a very intelligent woman who is fascinated with the life of a woman from long ago. Her father has always encouraged her learning but now wants her to marry a man of his choosing.
A very good adventure and treasure hunt with danger around every corner. Lovely characters and lots of fun. This is part of a series. Each book can be read on it’s own but they are better read in order.
I loved it.
Daphne and Gideon are characters that get under your skin, and the story had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning chapter. A sword that flames blue light, an enchanted heart, and secrets about King Arthur and his favorite knight, as well as a dastardly villain who wants to steal it all. Delightful! I received an ARC of this book.
Captivating the Scoundrel
Legendary Rogues series
Book 4
by Darcy Burke
From the first page this story just keeps you on an a rollercoaster ride!
Gideon Kerseey a direct descendant of one of the Knights of the Round Table and has been seeking the legendary Thirteen Treasures. He needs to protect them so they don’t fall in villainous hands, mainly his so called devious mentor Timothy Foliot. And he needs to right a few wrongs.
Daphne Foliot is the daughter of Foliot who’s been treated much like his treasures. Although the man is devious he’s been a loving father and has passed on his passion for anything Arthurian. Daphne has been furiously searching for one of the treasures a specific one by Morgan le Fey. Unbeknownst to her and Gideon their lives and hearts are going to be intricately intertwined.
And so begins a hearstopping adventure full of mystery and intrigue that pull the reader in. Darcy Burke has literally brought this adventure to life with her vividly portrayed characters. As with all of Darcy’s book she ended this series with a bang a wonderful ending that ties everything together.
I recieved a complimentary copy from the author. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
Facing an arranged marriage she doesn’t exactly want, Daphne Foliot agrees anyway because it is what he father wants for her and she owes him everything for raising her and supporting her dream of becoming the first female member of the Order of the Round Table. Though she’d prefer the semblance of independence she has eked out so she can continue her scholarship of Arthurian legend, she doesn’t want to go back on the promise she made to her father, not can she afford to live without his financial support.
Gideon Kersey, the Earl of Stratton, is heir to the Thirteen Treasures of Britain- the magical items gifted by King Arthur to his knight Gareth, Gideon’s ancestor, in the 5th or 6th century. Like the Order, he also seeks the treasures, but he wants to keep them away from Camelot, a faction of the order, led by Daphne’s father, that seeks to gather the treasures and wield their powers. As a demonstration of loyalty, Foliot demands Gideon wed his daughter, Daphne. Though he is still broken-hearted over the death of his wife two years previously, Gideon knows he has no choice but to agree and hope he’s able to find all the treasures before a wedding can take place. He knows he must keep them safe from Foliot and his minions who have no qualms using violence to gain possession of the treasures.
Though neither wants to marry, they can’t deny the spark that ignites between them. Gideon is a known rake with a tarnished reputation and only wants to locate and protect the treasures that are his birthright and legacy; he has no interest in marriage and certainly not in the risk of facing the pain of losing a wife again. Gideon is sick of Foliot’s manipulations and his ruthless obsession with the treasures and is determined to see them safe. Along the way, however, Gideon finds himself inexplicably concerned with keeping Daphne safe, in direct conflict with his desire to break away from her father, his former mentor. Meanwhile, Daphne becomes torn between her love for her father and her growing feelings for Gideon. New revelations threaten everything she’s ever believed in and she isn’t sure what’s true anymore or who can be trusted.
Gideon may not admit it, even to himself, but he is in desperate need of love, though he believes himself unworthy. His determination to protect his family’s legacy from those who would use it for ill was very admirable. He started out a bit gruff and high handed, but the more I got to know his character, the more I liked him. Daphne’s naivete, despite her extensive studies, annoyed me for a while, but as she began to open her eyes and grew closer to Gideon she grew on me as well. Despite his reluctance and their determination not to be together, there’s lots of sexual tension between these two.
This book has it all: magic, romance, intrigue, adventure, shady characters. It took some getting into for me, probably because I haven’t read the other installments in this series, but once the plot got going I couldn’t put it down. I just kept rooting for these two to get it together.
I received an ARC via NetGalley. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gideon Kersey, the Earl of Stratton (for now at least), direct descendant of Sir Gareth and sort of villain in the previous books, has turned over a new leaf, he no longer blindly follows Timothy Foliot, his former mentor and leader of the Camelot Sect with in the “Order”. His sole mission now is to find the 13 treasures and hide them away – from everyone. He goes to see Foliot and gives him Dyrnwyn, the Sword of Rhydderch Hael. He needs a dagger that is in Foliot’s possession to give to his half-brother Penn, so Penn can retrieve the Heart of Llanwllch, another one of the treasures. He promises to give Foliot the Heart to gain his trust. He has a plan, he just needs to find one more item – the Cloak of Morgan, which will render him invisible and enable him to reclaim the sword and the heart. Then he plans to find Sir Gareth’s resting place (which is said to contain the other treasures) and return the cloak, heart and sword to him and protect them from ever being used. Foliot agrees to give him the dagger, but wants more, he wants Gideon to marry his daughter Daphne and orders him to return for his house party.
Daphne Foliot is searching for the Cloak of Morgan to prove that Morgan Le Fay is not the evil witch she is portrayed as in Arthurian lore. She believes Morgan made the cloak and gave it to King Arthur to protect him. She wants to find the cloak before her father’s house party and use it as a bargaining chip to further her research. Currently, she is at the home of Rhys Bowen under an assumed name, hoping to find a clue to the cloak’s whereabouts in his library. Gideon arrives while she is studying a poem, which ends up being a dead end. They chat, she doesn’t understand the odd effect he has on her and Gideon flirts with her (shocking himself). When she leaves shortly after, he wonders who she is and what she is looking for, so he reads the poem she was studying – the cloak! Later Rhys and Penn discuss the ongoing search for the vicar who wants to testify that Penn, not Gideon is the Earl of Stratton and Rhys remembers that he has something for Gideon, a chest left to him by his Grandfather. Is it possible that the cloak is there? They check out the contents, no cloak, but there is a list of items that his mother brought with her to Stratton Hall, he would love to investigate, but cannot afford to upset Foliot by missing his party.
When Daphne arrives at her father’s home, he tells her he has found her a husband, she has no desire to marry, but is willing to at least meet the man. Gideon on the other hand has zero desire to marry, he was married before and the grief of losing Rose almost crushed him, and he will not marry again until he has to – which may be never if Penn is declared the earl. He brings Foliot the heart and is disgusted when Foliot orders him to use the heart to make Daphne fall in love with him. He pretends to do so, but hopes it doesn’t work. Later it seems like Daphne is enamored with him and he is horrified, but then learns she was just trying to make her father happy, they talk and he tells her what her father did, she is shocked and a little hurt, they decide to work together to find the cloak, but to do so, they have to appear to be betrothed. He pretends to leave to obtain a license for them to marry, but in reality goes to visit Lord Septon and his mother. Lord Septon provides him with some valuable information and he doesn’t plan on including Daphne in his quest, but when she shows up at Lord Septon’s and refuses to be put off, he has no choice but to take her along.
What follows is a well written story that is the adventure of a lifetime, complete with a hasty marriage, secret societies, life and death moments, steamy love scenes, secrets, lies, betrayal, heartache, treasure and true love. This is the last book in the series and can be read as a stand-alone, but do yourself a favor and read the books in order (they are all fantastic) so you will really learn about the “Order” and Gideon’s transformation.
This story just sucks you in from the very first word on the very first page and then holds you hostage long after you’ve read the last word. It is an exciting and intricately woven tale of romance, adventure, and mystery. The writing is excellent, the characters are all admirable, and I’m sorry that this is the last book in the series.
The series revolves around the Thirteen Treasures and the people who are seeking them – either to protect the treasures or to control them. These treasures date from the time of King Arthur, Merlin and Morgana and each is enchanted so that only a direct descendant of one of the Knights of the Round Table can wield their power. Each of the previous books dealt with a couple pursuing and finding one of the treasures – and this book deals with what happens with the treasures that have been found and the ones that have not. While you could read this as a standalone book, you would be missing a lot of details that I think are needed to enjoy the story. So, it is my opinion that this series needs to be read in order – besides, they are ALL great books.
Gideon, a direct descendant of one of the Knights of the Round Table, has been featured in the other books as more-or-less a villain. I think you could see his gradual metamorphosis from a staunch supporter of the villain in the series to a staunch opponent in this book. It was lovely to see him grow into his full potential in this story. He had a horrid father (you learn how bad in the previous books) who drove Gideon’s mother away. So, he had to deal with abandonment issues beginning when he was just eight years old. He had a deep, deep resentment of his mother for abandoning him and then his father brainwashed poor Gideon into believing he was just like his father. It took him a long time to realize that he wasn’t like his father and to try to change things. Then, you add in the villain of the series, who saw Gideon’s vulnerability and exploited it and you have a really mixed up young man. So, I have been anxiously awaiting this book to see Gideon in all his glory.
Daphne Foliot is an Arthurian scholar who is obsessed with Morgan le Fey. Daphne’s mother went missing when she was eight, but she was fortunate to have a very loving and supportive father who encouraged her pursuits. She’s small in stature, but large in intellect and chafes at not being allowed to be in the Order of the Round Table secret society to which her father belongs.
Timothy Foliot is Daphne’s father, but he isn’t the man she believes him to be. He’s the leader of an organization called Camelot, who want to find the treasures and use them for their own advantage. The Order of the Round Table want to protect the treasures, but Camelot wants to USE them, and both the treasures and Camelot are very dangerous things! Foliot is a madman, a fanatic, and very cunning.
Gideon Kersey has seen and even participated in some despicable things for the Camelot organization and he’s now seen them, and the leader, for what they are. He has every intention of obtaining the treasures and hiding them from all of mankind – for all time. His relatives, who found the treasures in the earlier books, have given them to Gideon to use as he sees fit in order to protect all of the treasures. It is Gideon’s plan to give those treasures to Foliot in order to gain his trust and then steal them back when he no longer needs Foliot. All Gideon needs to do is to find The Cloak that turns the wearer invisible.
After Gideon gives Foliot The Heart and Dyrnwyn (sword), Foliot informs Gideon that he wants him to marry his daughter. Gideon has no intention of marrying anyone, but he doesn’t dare let Foliot know that.
When Gideon and Daphne meet, there is a definite attraction – but Gideon knows he cannot trust the daughter of his enemy. He wonders if she knows what her father is, but as he gets to know her more, he decides she couldn’t possibly know. He knows that she’ll realize what her father is at some point, and he is really sorry that she’ll have to go through that.
The adventure is off and running for Gideon and Daphne and their journey to love is a really lovely one. They jaunt all over the country, hiding and escaping and fighting their attraction for each other. However, in the end, when a choice has to be made, it was made on the side of love.
I have read all of the books in this series and have loved all of them. That is true of this book as well. I loved catching up with the characters from the previous books and meeting new characters like Gwyneth from Brue Cottage.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
This is the fourth book in a series, but the first one I’ve read. I’ll admit that I was a little confused for the first couple chapters and really wasn’t sure I was going to like where it was going. I rather got the feeling that this book picks up from the last book in the series and the author just jumps right into the action.
There was a lot of information about Arthurian legends and people introduced right off the bat. I was overwhelmed and not sure I was going to be able to keep up. Thankfully, it all slowed down after the info dump and I was able to sort everything and enjoy the ride.
So the main characters in this tale are Gideon, Daphne and then Daphne’s father, who happens to be the bad guy. Gideon is playing a dangerous game with Daphne’s father over some legendary Arthurian artifacts. Daphne is part pawn in the whole affair, but she’s also holds her own when it comes to discovering one of the artifacts.
There was definite chemistry between Gideon and Daphne, but the romance was pretty thin. They circled around each other, had lots of trust issues mixed with lust and then all of the sudden they’re in love. But I’ll be honest, the story wasn’t so much about their romance but rather their adventure. So it was easy to overlook the lack of courtship.
The adventure on the other hand was quite solid… once I figured out all the players and what was going on. The story was quite unique and now I find myself wanting to go back and read this series from the beginning in hopes that it clears up some questions I had. Captivating the Scoundrel felt like it was the end of the series, but if it’s not, I’m definitely curious as to what will happen next.
My review originally posted at Romancing the Book.
‘Daphne Foliot has always known she’ll be married off to a man who, like her, descended from one of King Arthur’s fabled knights. That doesn’t mean she wants to be, even if it is her beloved father’s wish. Raised without a mother, she owes everything to the man who encouraged and funded her education and supports her dream of becoming the first female member of the Order of the Round Table. But when she suspects her chosen husband is a traitor to the Order, she plans to expose his treachery, regardless of their extraordinary mutual attraction.
Heir to the thirteen treasures of Britain, Gideon Kersey vows to do anything to protect his family’s legacy from a secret society bent on exploiting the items for personal gain, including marry a woman he doesn’t love. Except she ignites a passion he was certain died with his first wife, and when the truth behind the Order’s objectives threatens everything Daphne knows, Gideon must fight to save her—and any future they hope to share.’
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Captivating the Scoundrel is the fourth and final book in Darcy Burke’s Legandary Rogues series and is a historical romance and adventure.
Considering his actions in the previous book, I was doubting whether or not I would be able to support his character and find him redeemable. But he won me over and I fully believed that he was no longer the man he had been before. I also wasn’t sure about Daphne for a while, as to whether she was in league with her father or not based on some of her actions, but he character grew on me as the book progressed.
I have really enjoyed this series and so had hoped there would be more books to be added, but I do think the author was right in having the series end here. With reading this book, it made sense to the series to culminate with Gideon’s story. Were there to be more books, they would probably seem like an afterthought and maybe even seem forced. So although I’m sad to see the series end because I loved the adventure and danger throughout, I do think this was the perfect way for the series to end.
This book could be read on its own, but I’d recommend reading the whole series since the main characters from each book are all related and make appearances throughout the series(minus the prequel novella) and each book serves to find more of the 13 treasures.
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I would like to thank the author, Darcy Burke, for sharing an electronic copy of Captivating the Scoundrel with me. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Daphne Foliot’s father plans to marry her off to Gideon Kersey, a descendant from one of King Arthur’s fabled knights, except she doesn’t want to marry Gideon or anyone else. She’d rather hunt for artifacts and become the first female member of the Order of the Round Table. Gideon vows to discover the Thirteen Treasures, his family’s legacy, and keep them from Daphne’s father and the Round Table. Can these two work together to keep the artifacts safe and can they ignore the growing passion between them?
I found this book to be very confusing in the beginning because I had not read the previous books in the series. It’s not the usual romance, but more of an adventure with romance thrown in. There were quite a few twists and turns in the story and I did enjoy it.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review and was not obligated to leave a review.
A little magic, a legend and lost treasures are the base of a story that’s totally captivating. At first at odds with each other, Daphne and Gideon join as a team to find objects that belong together in the legend of the burial site of a great knight As they find more clues, it becomes apparent that to stay together they need to marry. Daphne’s father is the evil villain and wants the marriage, but Daphne and Gideon wonder why. I wanted to zip my way through this one. Even though I haven’t read the other books in the series, I have no doubt that they are as strong and entertaining as this one. Given a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review
Brilliant….absolutely brilliant!!! Words can’t even describe how much I loved this story. I’ve always had a weakness for anything to do with Camelot and all of its mysteries. I fell in love with Gideon and my heart ached so much for him and what he’d gone through. He redeems himself in this book and in a big way! Daphne is so perfect for him and I just loved her as well. I literally could not put the book down, the whole story was so captivating. It makes me wish I could have been with them to find the thirteen treasures of the Knights of the Round Table, how awesome would that be!! There is action and intrigue throughout the story and lots of passion as well. Honestly, I could picture it all happening like it was a movie, that’s how action packed this story is. I also have to say the author, Darcy Burke, really outdid herself with this one:)
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily giving an honest review.
This was the fourth book in the series but can be read as a standalone since I have not read the previous books. It sucks you in and is an interesting tale, but you have to pay attention from the very beginning so that you do not get lost. Gideon was on an adventure and he wants to fix mistakes he has made and ends up doing that with Daphne, these two had a love hate relationship but I so respected her. She was no pushover and not a nit wit, they were actually perfect for each other..Enjoy!
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.
I liked it!
Darcy Burke is one of my go-to authors.
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Legendary Rogues
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading books 1 and 2.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.